Disney Food Porn

I am a proud foodie. I love trying new foods. I love making new creations. I love spending hours on Pinterest and food channels looking for new recipes and I love talking food. If you know anything about Disney, you know it is a food lover's paradise! Sure, the rides were fun and the shows were great to catch a nap watch, but in my quest for planning the perfect vacation, food was my number one priority!

Here's a snippet of the way our meal planning went down.

Me: "So, it's time to start planning the restaurants. Grumpy? Stitch? Care to help?"
Grumpy: "I don't care. You plan it."
Stitch: "Hot dogs! I want hot dogs!"
Me: "Are there any specific ideas you guys have in mind? I know you've heard me talk about the restaurants."
Grumpy: "Whatever. You plan it. "
Stitch: "Hot dogs!!!!"
Me(secretly jumping up and down inside): "Well, I was really hoping for some help, but I guess I will figure it out. I just hope I can pick some decent places for us."

*Little did they know, my list had been prepared for months.*

Now, I had been warned by many people that the chances of getting all of my picks was pretty much slim to none. No one ever gets all of their choices and I should be ready for the disappointment. Oh, you Negative Nancies, you all must have forgotten who you are talking to. Challenge Accepted!

My reservation window came and I was ready. Up at 5am, coffee in hand, phone and computer charged and ready for their workouts. I was a woman on a mission and there was no one getting in my way. As luck(and some pixie dust) would have it, I didn't need to worry. Within 10 minutes, the lovely cast member assigned to me not only got me every restaurant I requested, but she got them at exactly the times I requested-including the highly coveted Be Our Guest! She even commented on my obvious research and planning skills. Yep, I did good. Mission completed!

So, what restaurants did we choose? Well, we had a great selection of table service and an even greater selection of quick service. We ate. and ate. and ate some more.

Table Service
Liberty Tree Tavern-Magic Kingdom
Yak And Yeti-Animal Kingdom
50's Primetime Cafe-Hollywood Studios
Garden Grill-Epcot
Be Our Guest-Magic Kingdom
Biergarten-Epcot
Olivia's Restaurant-Old Key West
T-Rex Restaurant
Beaches & Cream
O'hana Breakfast

Boma Buffet-Lots of options to choose

Yak N Yeti-Seafood Curry

Yak N Yeti-Orange Chicken

 

Be Our Guest

Be Our Guest

Be Our Guest













Try the Grey Stuff! It's delicious!

Be Our Guest- Dessert

No Way Jose



 

Vanilla Milkshake
 

Is your mouth watering yet?! Good. I'm not even close to being done!

Ham and Cheese(kid and sandwich!)

Earl Of Sandwich- Holiday Turkey

Norway-School Bread

Boardwalk Pizza

Cookes of Dublin

Cookes of Dublin

Lefou's Brew

Lefou's Brew(shhh. It's frozen apple juice)

There were so many choices and so many delicious experiences. After all was said and done, Grumpy and Stitch were quite happy with the choices I made. The number one restaurant for all of us was definitely the Biergarten in the Germany pavilion. I am still craving their beer cheese soup and pretzel rolls. surprisingly, the places and treats that were highly recommended were the ones I found most overrated. Yorkshire County Fish was OK, but not something I would write love stories about. I would save that for the Cantina in Mexico! The school bread in Norway is another one that, although good, just didn't hit the spot. We were more excited about the krispy treats and kettle corn.


I know there is one last question you are all waiting for-did Stitch get his hot dog?

Best hot dog ever! Casey's Corner

Yep, we were all in foodie heaven...including Mr. Grumpy, who it turns out, was happy with all of the choices!



Disney's Old Key West & DVC Rental Store Review

When we finally made the decision that we were absolutely going to Disney, no more backing out, no more excuses, I jumped into research and planning mode. I know plenty of people that are happy to call an agent, fork over money, and show up at the right place at the right time. Not me!!! I like to be fully immersed in the insanity. Mulling over 13,564,534,782,395 options and second guessing every choice I make is my idea of fun. It's even more amusing to watch the hubs and child glaze over when I ask them for their opinions. Yes, there is something truly warped and wrong with me. It's ok, though, because in the end, I plan one hell of an amazing vacation that can easily rival any professional *insert giant hand patting my back*

So, how did I go about planning this incredible vacation that I keep raving about? Well, for starters, I didn't jump on the rack rate prices that Disney throws out there. Nope. I want luxury and comfort and beauty, but I don't want to have to pay for it eternity. So, I started searching. I knew there was a way to get everything I wanted. I looked and looked and read and read. I asked a lot of questions. I even got into arguments with moderators of certain Disney boards who are intent on pushing certain businesses and refuse to allow questions about other businesses. Yeah, I am hardcore like that.

Then, I found it. I think I might have even heard angels singing when the bright, thumbs up logo came across my screen, dvcrentalstore.com. I had found the Holy Grail. Ok, maybe it's a little dramatic, BUT they are really, really awesome! This company rents out points from Disney Vacation Club owners and allows you to stay in top resorts on Disney property for the cost of a value or moderate. From their customer service(Thank you, Lindsay, for replying to me during YOUR Disney vacation!) to the ease of their rental tools and applications, I cannot stress enough how incredibly easy and affordable it was to rent a villa from them. I would not hesitate to rent from them again and I highly recommend them to everyone planning a vacation, whether it is one night or ten. You won't be disappointed!

So, who is ready to see this amazing place?



Old Key West was beautiful beyond words. I regret that I did not get more photos of the exterior as my pictures just don't do this resort justice. The original DVC resort, it is fashioned in the Key West theme with pastel colors, a relaxed Jimmy Buffett feel(They played his music throughout the resort!)  and a fun array of activities. It has the Disney feel without being overly characterized and you don't feel like you are immersed in Disney 24/7/ This was a giant plus for the hubs.


Morning view from the dock

Light House Sauna




 

Stitch enjoyed the Mickey towels

We had a studio villa which was huge! Two queen beds, a giant bathroom, a kitchenette, large closet, and a lovely balcony that looked out onto a little fountain and pond. Again, I was horrible about resort photos.

 

The bathroom had a lovely beachy theme

 

Fully stocked with plates, cups, silverware

 Now, I truly understand how some people can come to Disney to just "get away" without ever stepping foot in the parks. This resort had something for everyone. There was a restaurant, Olivia's, that was nice for  filling meal. just looking for a quick bite? Head around the corner to Goods to Go!

 

Checking out some hidden Mickeys at Olivia's

 

 

As for the activities, there is something for everyone. You can take a dip in the many pools on site, let the kids run free on the playground, or laze away in the hammock. There is a tennis court, shuffle board, and a community hall that has every activity you can imagine. We spent a rainy night or two making pictures and crafts there. Wander down to the fire pit around 7pm for some s'mores and a movie(all Disney, of course!)

The slide alone was worth the stay at this resort!

 

 

There are many options for Disney lodging. Some people may even prefer to stay off site, but I can assure you that after this experience, we are totally spoiled! Grumpy AKA hubs, who wasn't even excited about this trip, has already commented on the possibility of going back there(or to one of the other villas) and has even suggested that we may eventually want to consider buying into DVC. Holy Moly!!! Disney REALLY is a magical place!