walt disney world | The Memorable Journey ~ The Affordable Mouse

Wordless Wednesday: JAMMin’ Along at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival

As August winds down and September gets ready to make an appearance, within a few weeks the Epcot Food and Wine Festival will be starting. For those of you who are lucky enough to be planning a trip during this especially delicious time of year, don’t overlook the entertainment that is available as well! Sometimes folks will just pop up right beside you as you are walking along, and before you know it, you are clapping, singing, and laughing along. Take these energetic fellows for example: they are the JAMMin’ Chefs, and if you see them setting up their impromptu kitchen, be sure to take a minute to check them out….But I warn you now, watch out or you will find yourself part of the show! 🙂

Great Places to Eat That Are Out of the World (Disney World that is)

Nancy Saving Money on Food August 16, 2010August 4, 2010affordable disney vacations, planning a disney vacation, saving money on food at disney world, walt disney world 0 Comment

There are a number of reasons why you might want to eat off Disney property: visiting attractions that are not Disney (yes, you might want to do that 🙂 ), price, convenience if you are staying off Disney property….all of these things just might have you looking for some great places to eat that are out of the (Disney) World.

Fortunately, you will have thousands of choices, as the Orlando area is, of course, a major tourist destination, offering locations for most major chain restaurants, as well as many, many “local” options as well. So no matter what you and your family like, or where you are, chances are you will have a number of choices.

Saving money is also likely, as prices, even in restaurants that rival Disney’s top dining choices, will still be lower than Disney’s. So eating off property, if you want to do so, can help you reduce your food budget.

Things to Keep in Mind

Eating at non-Disney restaurants will require transportation to get to them. If you are staying off property, you may very well already have access to a car, so that won’t be a problem. But if you don’t have a car, you will still find a number of great choices right in Downtown Disney….just a short Disney bus ride away.

The other thing to think about is that you can save a bit more by using the discounts offered by Restaurant.com or the Entertainment book. I also always recommend becoming a Facebook “fan” of any local places where discount coupons may be offered exclusively for those on Facebook: we have been very successful in getting some surprise discounts this way. Also, if you are staying in a non-Disney hotel, ask at the front desk about coupons for local restaurants as well.

Popular Choices to Consider

While you clearly will have many choices, Disney fans all over the internet have their favorites. Here are a few:

Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney is the choice of many. Hot sandwiches and salads are large, and prices are reasonable. They also have some great options for breakfast sandwiches if it is convenient to where you are staying.
Panera Bread is a personal favorite of ours for reasonable prices and freshly made (and delicious) soups and salads.
Sweet Tomatoes is within walking distance of several of the Downtown Disney hotels, and offers a salad bar and all-you-can-eat buffet with lots of choices for a reasonable price.
Ghiradelli for some delicious…and affordably priced…..ice cream options. (Check for a coupon on the bottom of your receipt for a discount on your next visit.)

In addition to these popular choices, I recently asked for some recommendations on our Facebook page and on Twitter. Here are a few of our readers’ favorites:

Chris: I used to love Sonny’s BBQ when I lived in Tallahassee and I usually try to go there when I’m in Orlando.
Emily: Chipotles and Earl of Sandwich
Kristin: Chevy’s!!!! Very kid friendly!!
Tammy: Bahama Breeze 🙂 Sit outside, with the fresh Florida air…There is one on I drive, and one on Vineland Avenue in Lake Buena Vista (that’s the one I go to). I don’t often eat outside of the world, but when I do, this is the place – food is really fresh, and the atmosphere puts me right in the islands. (ed. Note: Bahama Breeze is quite popular and does not take reservations, but you can “call ahead” to put your name on the seating list.
Amy reiterates: Use Restaurant.com for several DTD restaurants, as well as others nearby.
And from Twitter, @disneynine: The Olive Garden most definately! And any of the all you can eat buffets, Ponderosa a personal favorite. Also TGIFriday!

Thanks to our readers for their recommendations! Now I would love to hear what your favorite places are to eat that are “out of the World”?

Be Our Guest: The Disney Chick

Nancy Be Our Guest August 14, 2010August 5, 2010disney blogs, the disney chick, walt disney world 0 Comment

The Affordable Mouse is on vacation this week, at Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort. While I’m gone, I am featuring some of my favorite Disney bloggers, for your reading pleasure. We’ll be back next week with the usual schedule….along with a trip report, pictures, and a few surprises. 🙂 Until then, enjoy today’s Guest Blog!

We’re wrapping up our Guest Blogs this week with a visit from The Disney Chick. I love Amanda’s blog, as she always has a fresh, humorous take on things at Disney, and frequently has me literally laughing out loud at how funny….and true….the situation is. Today’s post is a perfect example: The Five People You Meet in Line at WDW. While she wrote this a couple of months ago, I still think of it regularly, as it describes perfectly, those folks you meet when you visit Walt Disney World. If you have been, then you know. If you haven’t, you will find out…… 🙂

Walt Disney World: it’s a jungle out there. To help you cope, I’ve compiled a short field guide of people you will likely encounter while waiting for your favorite ride.

The Inchers – These people thrive in attractions like the American Idol Experience, Mickey’s Philharmagic, or Muppet Vision 3-D, where an entire group enters at once versus a traditional line. When presented with such organized chaos, the Inchers will drift toward the periphery of the crowd and proceed to – you guessed it – inch their way towards the front, positioning themselves directly in front of the auditorium doors….

You can read the rest here: The Five People You Meet in Line at WDW

Be Our Guest: The Disney Driven Life

Nancy Be Our Guest August 13, 2010August 5, 2010disney blogs, the disney driven life, walt disney world 0 Comment

Today’s guest blog is The Disney Driven Life, a special favorite of mine, and probably everyone else with a Disney obsession. Something about Disney seems to create a special, oh I don’t know, maybe “obsession” is too strong a word…..but we do tend to get a little fixated. 🙂 J.L. (NDM1) has created a wonderful community of like-minded, “Disney-driven” folks….or as she likes to call them, “Neurotic Disney Individuals”…. who live, eat, sleep, and breathe Disney stuff. It’s awesome, and it is my fondest goal in life to one day be counted as a Neurotic Disney Mom. 🙂

Today, Stuart, aka NDD (Neurotic Disney Dad) #102, discusses how to save by staying off-site, OUT OF THE WORLD SAVINGS:

One of the biggest expenses in a trip to Walt Disney World is your resort room. Fortunately, it’s also the area where you have the most control over how much you pay. This makes it especially important to try to save as much as you can here.

Undoubtedly, the way to save the most on your vacation room is to stay off-site. There are a plethora of hotels, motels, condos, and vacation homes available in the Orlando area. Because Disney seems to gear its rooms mostly to families of four or smaller, staying off-site can be particularly beneficial for families of five or more. Staying off-site is also good if you’re planning on seeing some of the other attractions in the Orlando area. (But who would want to do that?)

You can read the rest here: OUT OF THE WORLD SAVINGS

Be Our Guest: Meltdown Free Disney

Nancy Be Our Guest August 12, 2010August 6, 2010disney blogs, meltdown free disney, walt disney world 1 Comment

One of my favorite Disney bloggers is Shannon from Meltdown Free Disney. Shannon, as a special educator, brings a fresh…and much-needed….viewpoint to visiting Disney World. In her words: ” Some families don’t find a week away from home as a “break” at all. In fact, a new setting, challenges in finding medical care, and a change in routine can throw families of children with special needs back because of the meltdowns, financial considerations, and overall stress.” Shannon’s perspective is always, how to make a Disney vacation stress-free, and well, magical.

I loved today’s post, From Terrible Twos To Terrific Time To Go for reminding us how great age Two can actually be, in more ways than one:

In my area, you have to get on a waiting list for preschool long before your first sonogram. I made the mistake of waiting until my second trimester to apply for a space, so I had a lovely wait list letter to start off my baby book. Kept it, and made a note of how he had managed his first hurdle before he was born.

When people say their kids are not ready for Disney, my perspective is skewed. I want to ask why they are waiting for the baby to be born, or something, because I can think of any reason to bring a little one-a very little one! We had a “babymoon” vacation in Italy, and being able to indulge in naps and desserts without apologizing was pretty amazing.

What people really mean is that they would rather not deal with diapers, tantrums, strollers, and short term memories on a vacation for which they may pay, well, a lot of money.

Here are a few reasons to reconsider, assuming you will be planning a few months in advance. The child before you with the baby bottle and teething ring could, in six months, be speaking in simpler sentences, and managing pull ups by the time you enter The Magic Kingdom.

You can read the rest here: From Terrible Twos To Terrific Time To Go