Birthdays at Disney!

Today is my birthday and I'm ready to share two major revelations:
1.  Birthdays are fabulous!
2.  Disney is fabulous!

Mix those two fabulous things together and you have something... magical!

I have been lucky enough to spend several awesome birthdays with Mickey Mouse and his friends, so I thought I would share just a few fun tips for birthday celebrations at different ages.

#1 - Birthday badges!
These are great for all ages from 1-101!  They are completely free and often get you a little special attention.  Writing your name on it with a sharpie or permanent marker is especially important.  I always keep the sharpie with me in case it rubs off - this happens quite frequently.

#2 - Birthday dining reservations!
I'll just give these general age ranges, but here are a few suggestions for extra special places to celebrate a birthday:

2-12 - Cinderella's Royal Table - yep, it's pricey - but it's totally worth it for a special occasion like this one.  Although I usually favor Akershus because I feel less claustrophobic and also think that you get more time with the princesses, I think there is something special about eating in the castle on your birthday.  Definitely get her a princess crown for the meal and note the celebration when you make your reservation.  The princesses usually give a special little gift for a birthday girl or boy of any age.

13-18 - Sci-Fi Dine in Theater or Be Our Guest
Sci-Fi is just a really cool place to eat - the atmosphere is dark and fun and the cast members there make sure birthdays are properly recognized. Be Our Guest (still new, so definitely make those reservations 180 days out) is beautiful inside and is a perfect place to celebrate a special occasion.

19+ California Grill
Make a dinner reservation an hour before the fireworks, arrive early and make sure you tell them you want to be able to watch the fireworks from where you're seated when you check in.  It's so incredible - especially if you happen to go during a Not So Scary Halloween Party and catch that version of Wishes - it's panoramic and incredible.  Definitely a great place for a birthday dinner!

19+Hollywood Brown Derby
I personally think this restaurant has the best menu of any restaurant on Disney property.  The cobb salad alone has my mouth watering any time it's mentioned.  And the steaks, seafood, and pasta dishes... well, they're perfect for celebrating anything!  Especially a birthday!

19+Le Cellier Steakhouse
The steaks melt in your mouth.  Particularly for a man, this is an awesome place to celebrate a birthday.  Start with the cheese soup and move into a delicious steak... I guarantee it will be a birthday you won't soon forget!

#3 - Free cupcake or ice cream is great, but don't forget you can order a specialty cake!
Any restaurant where you have a dining reservation can take an order for a specialty cake.  And they'll accommodate special dietary restrictions!  So if your loved birthday girl/boy/man/woman can't have something (gluten, dairy, peanut, etc.) feel free to order something special that they CAN enjoy!

#4 - Go to the birthday person's favorite park on the day they celebrate their birthday!
I know this seems obvious, but sometimes in my Disney-obsessed mania I think that we must go to the park that has extra magic hours or I could get a special dining reservation, but the truth is: on my birthday I want to be at Epcot.  And so I believe that whatever park the birthday person wants to be at on their special day... they should be at!

5 Resort Restaurants You Don't Want to Miss!

These five restaurants often get overlooked, but I think they're worth visiting!

1.  Kona Cafe [Polynesian]

This is an awesome place to grab some sushi, have a beverage, and relax. If you aren't into raw fish, don't sweat!  There are lots of non-raw roll options and plenty of awesome entrees that won't force you out of your comfort zone.  I love the lump crab cakes and the sesame seared scallops are fantastic!

The Polynesian is a beautiful resort, so plan to come around 7 or 7:30 and eat, then head down to the beach to watch the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom.

2.  Sanaa [Animal Kingdom Lodge]

Come for the amazing view - the restaurant is surrounded by a savanna filled with wild animals (zebra, giraffe, ostrich, etc.).  The traditional Indian cuisine and fun wine flight pairings make dinner memorable.  Don't love Indian food?  Don't worry - there are lots of options for diners who aren't too adventurous and plenty of safe options for children!

Plan to stay after you eat and enjoy a free night vision goggle viewing session of the animals.  Ask your travel consultant to check the sunset time for your trip dates and schedule your dinner time for shortly before that time.  You'll see the animals when you arrive, eat while the sun sets, and then head out for the night vision viewing when your meal is done.  It's a fun way to spend the evening!

3.  Whispering Canyon Cafe [Wilderness Lodge]

This is a fun restaurant to eat at.  There are several complaints or requests you can make to your server that will likely result in a flurry of fun!  For example, asking for ketchup, complaining that your straw is too short, chewing gum, or even ordering soda for breakfast...  If you want the food, but don't like the attention, there are now signs that will help the servers identify you as a normal person who wants ketchup as opposed to a person who wants 15 people to bring you 15 bottles of ketchup...
No matter which level of service you prefer, don't leave without trying the caramel apple pie.  It's wonderful!

Finished up with dinner?  Hop on the boat over to the Magic Kingdom - it's a lovely, relaxing ride!

4.  Trattoria al Forno [Boardwalk]

The interior of this restaurant is beautiful and romantic!  It's still a safe option for the family and the food is excellent.  Traditional Italian cuisine, amazing pizzas, and a caprese salad worth fighting for make great menu options here.  My recommendation: get your own caprese salad and split an entree or a pizza! I recommend the eggplant rollatini!

Hang around after dinner and take a ride on the surrey - it's a bicycle that seats a whole family.  Kids can ride in the back or on the very front in a shopping-cart style seat.  The view as you ride around the Boardwalk-Swan/Dolphin-Beach Club-Yacht Club circle is beautiful and relaxing.  Our family shared some of the loudest laughter of our vacation on one of those surreys!  It's definitely worth the time and the money.

There's also lots of free nighttime entertainment on the Boardwalk!  You never know what you might see.

5.  Garden Grove Cafe [Swan Resort]

**Not on Disney dining plan
The Garden Grove is a beautiful restaurant - you feel as though you are eating in a gorgeous garden.  And it's a character meal at dinnertime!  Most nights, Goofy and Pluto are the hosts, but on Friday nights, Chip and Dale take over!  It's often overlooked because it is NOT on the Disney dining plan, but it's a lot of fun!  There are options for those who don't love meat, but also amazing meat selections!  A win for the whole family.

Saving Money on a Disney Vacation

5 Awesome Tips for saving money at Disney!

1. Pick your trip dates based on a great deal.  Our family's favorite is free dining in the Fall.  Luckily, our Fall Break in September has given our kids a week off of school at a time when we can head down to Disney and get free dining.  The best deal is usually a moderate resort because you can sleep up to 5 in a room and you get the plus dining (1 Quick-service, 1 snack, 1 Table-service per person per night).  I usually make dining reservations 180 days in advance, book my package, and then hope I get free dining.  I never count on it (NO discounts are guaranteed before they are available to be booked), but I'm flexible on which resort or what day I check in to try to maximize my chances to get it!

1. Get a Target REDcard.
   Did you know that the Target debit card system (REDcard) is not a credit line!  You save 5% off all purchases at Target INCLDUING DISNEY GIFT CARDS!! For example, on a $4,500 trip, that is $225 that never leaves your pocket.
   
   
2. Now take those Disney gift cards from Target and put them in a Disney Vacation Account.  [Don't worry - you can still use one even if you've got a free Disney travel consultant doing your legwork.]
   
   Using the DVA (Disney Vacation Account) gives you $20 for every $1000 you put into it.  So when you take your $4500 worth of Disney gift cards and put them into this account, you will receive $80 in a Disney gift card for your trip.
   
   
3. Let's say you don't mind opening a new line of credit, so you contact your friend (or travel agent) who has a Disney Visa credit card.  I have referral codes for friends that give them a $200 Disney gift card for opening a Disney credit card and making $500 of purchases in the first two months. I always encourage them to do this, only if they have the money to pay it off.  I feel the interest rate on this particular credit card is high, and my intention is NOT for them to rack up any debt!  I'm all about saving money!
   
   So, at this point, you've saved $225, you have $80 in Disney gift cards for using the DVA, and maybe even $200 more for snagging that Disney Visa card.  All of that for your trip that (hopefully) has free dining!  That's a great savings start to a fun family vacation, if you ask me!

5 Time-Saving Tips & Tricks

5 Time-Saving Tips 

(Especially for those who are not morning people!)

 

1.     Lay the kids clothes out at night 
This goes for teens and adults, as well. If you're anything like me, those vacation pictures are the most valuable souvenir you'll get out of your trip...if everyone knows what they'll wear the next morning, they can dress more quickly and there are no last-minute tears over then wanting to wear their pajamas or something not weather-appropriate.  
I lay out everything in a pile: shoes, socks... the full outfit!

I can sometimes take forever to decide what to wear... Drives my hubby crazy, so this is a better way for us to start our day. Plus the kids can get dressed and eat their breakfast snack while you're in the shower which is unoccupied thanks to tip #2.

2.     Make sure the kids are bathed the  night before...I know, they were probably exhausted (if not dozing off) when you rolled into your room, but they were probably covered in the day's grime, too, so take the extra time to rinse them off before they climb into bed. 

Not only will they sleep better, clean and fresh, you won't have to bathe them in the morning.  Now they can sleep while you get ready to go.

3.     Pack your bag for the following morning
If you're carrying a diaper bag, check it before you climb into bed - you don't want to arrive at the front entrance of Animal Kingdom and not have enough sunscreen or baby wipes.  If you don't have a diaper bag (lucky you) make sure your purse has all of your essentials - Magic Bands, cash, snacks, autograph books, pens, sunscreen, band-aids, and your camera!  

Don't forget to plug in your phone and charge that camera battery the night before, too!

4.     With dining reservations, fastpass+ reservations, and extra magic hours, the days are long with lots to cram into them.  I try to make sure my clients have a day to rest and chill at the pool in the middle of their trip.  If that's not an option, we try to make sure that their late nights don't bleed over into early mornings the next day.  A little planning goes a long way!

5.     Have your game-plan ready!  Hopefully your travel agent has your day-by-day itinerary all set for your family.  The ones I send my clients are color-coded to help them easily identify everything like this:

Sample Itinerary

My nighttime routine:

• Rinse off the kids and settle them into bed.
• Plug in phone.
• Charge camera and videocamera batteries.
• Make sure SD/memory card for the camera has enough room for the next day's pictures.
• Set out the next day's clothes.
• Double-check bag for snacks, tickets, etc.
• Glance over tomorrow's itinerary.
• Set the alarm for tomorrow's fun!