Two Grown Ups and a Mouse

We talk about everything to see and do in Toy Story Land, from grabbing a quick service meal and a specialty tart at Woody's Lunch Box to riding Slinky Dog.  But the most impressive part, as usual with Disney, is the theming of the area, especially at night.  Check it out!

We talk about a recent trip up to Hollywood Studios to check out the new Galaxy's Edge land, join us as we talk about what we saw and experienced in this exciting new area of Hollywood Studios. We really enjoyed it as Star Wars fans, but it is also one of the best themed areas Disney has produced so far. You should definitely check it out even if you aren't a Star Wars fan!

Who doesn't want to be Matchy-matchy (as AJ likes to put it)? Or maybe you want to do a little Disney bounding? Well it's a lot easier with some custom shirts and other clothing items, we talk about a number of ways to get some custom clothes items made. From official Disney personalized items to the DIY options you can do at home!

Today we run through Adventureland, covering all of the place to eat - there are wonderful options such as Pecos Bill - Tall Tale Inn where you can get fresh sauteed onions and mushrooms to the ever classic Dole Whip. Classic attractions such as the Jungle Cruise, the Enchanted Tiki Room and how can you forget Pirates of the Caribbean? And that's just a few of the wonderful attractions. And we can never leave out the shopping options, there are a lot! We didn't realize how much there was to see and do in Adventureland!

Want to check out one of the best quick service restaurants in Futureworld of Epcot? Want to dine with Chip and Dale with some other Disney Characters? Do you want to go Soarin' over some of the most breathtaking places on the planet? Do you want to see some brilliant science at work in sustainable growing? Check it all out at the Land Pavilion at Epcot  

We take a look at some more 'beyond the parks' type activities, first we talk about a recent experience renting surrey bikes at Disney's Boardwalk and taking a couple of laps around the area...in the blazing sun!  And then we cap it off about a more relaxed boat tour of the lagoon in the middle of the boardwalk and a short cruise over to Hollywood Studios and back.  We enjoyed both activities and are definitely something to check out!

A quick review of the character breakfast at Cape May Cafe at Disney's Beach Club resort, a Disney Vacation Club property. This is one of the better character breakfasts we've had at Disney, we really enjoyed it. Also, look out for the special Donald Waffles in celebration of Donald's birthday!

We talk about a recent visit to Centertown Market, what we had and enjoyed, the variety of items on the menu, which is mostly standard Disney food items with a Caribbean flare to them, and we also talk about some of the healthy/healthier options available at this wonderful place to eat.

We give a quick overview of all of the stores you can find in the Marketplace section of Disney Springs. From fine art to the Lego Store, to the worlds largest Disney Character store, you can find a bit of everything at Marketplace.

Looking for one of the few places at Walt Disney World to find a fresh hand dipped corn dog?  You can find one at the group of food trucks at Westside Disney Springs.  Plus you can find a whole list of other goodies, and they are all good from our experience.  From some Mac-n-Cheese to some veggie tacos, there is a full breadth of good and fresh quick service food at these food trucks.  

Today we take a quick look at all of the stores, restaurants and entertainment available at Disney Springs Westside, from House of Blues to Bongos to the new NBA Experience opening later this summer.  We'll take a little deeper look into some of the attractions in other episodes, but please enjoy this summary of all there is to see at Westside!

We talk about a recent visit to the Grand Floridian Cafe located, where else, but the Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World.  This is the only non signature/non character restaurant at the Grand Floridian.  It offers a nice mix of dishes, and some great deserts and at some very good prices overall (and not just for Disney).  We enjoyed everything and would certainly stop by again!

Disney recently announced a number of designer ear hats coming to the Walt Disney Resort area and the Shop Disney website over the next year. These designers includ Harveys, Alex and Ani, Coach, Her Universe and many more. Just what we all need, something else to collect!

We take a quick look at Disney's Boardwalk, from ESPN Club to the famous Flying Fish Cafe to the dueling piano's at Jellyrolls, there is a wide breadth of entertainment options available at Disney's Boardwalk. So rent a bike and take a ride around the lake on your next visit and check it out!

We take a quick look at the history of Disney's MGM/Hollywood Studios and some of the early attractions along with some new and future attractions such as Toy Story Land and the upcoming Star Wars Galaxy Edge!

Everything you wanted to know about the free passholder magnets available at the Walt Disney World Resorts. From the original black and white AP style magnet to the different magnets released throughout the year for the different events and seasons. We can't wait to see what they release next!

Easter like most holidays is celebrated throughout the Walt Disney World resort area, including services at the Contemporary resort, brunch and lunch at a number of restaurants, photopass opportunities at a number of locations.  You have plenty of options to enjoy the holiday, check it out!

Who doesn't love free stuff? Today we talk about a wide variety of the stuff you can get for free at Walt Disney World. From buttons to free shows to various other handouts you can get during your vacation, you have a wide array of options that won't cost you a single penny during your Disney vacation.  

Today we talk about Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant at Hollywood Studios, it is one of the first restaurants we discovered and opened our eyes to another level of quality dining that you can experience during your Disney vacation.  The experience alone is worth checking out, you get to sit in your own little car and watch a nearly hour long movie, and then on top of it you get to experience a very good meal, this is one place you will definitely want to check out!  Reservations are highly recommended, almost required, unless you get really lucky as a walk up.  

Today we're talking about another 'Beyond the Parks' option, Golf at Walt Disney World!  There are 4 courses to choose from, a single walking only 9 hole course and three 18 hole courses, all three full courses have recently hosted PGA tournaments.   We give some quick tidbits about the courses themselves and also some various ways you can save some money while on vacation.  

In todays podcast we talk about a number of new experiences available outside of the parks at various WDW resorts.  The first one we talk about is the Captain Hook’s Pirate Crew experience, which sounds like a fun treasure hunt, and not a bad value as it includes a meal.  Then we dive into Mermaid School now available at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, guests 4 and older will enjoy this 1 hour lesson where they will be fitted with a tail and given instruction on how to swim with it.  We also talk about the new cabanas available at Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort, the cabanas include a number of luxury amenities for those times you just want to spoil yourself next to one of Disney's nicest pools.  Finally we talk about some new art classes available at a number of resorts, where you can practice your Disney painting skills on canvas or wine glasses.

We talk about a recent meal we had at the wonderful Les Chefs De France located in the France pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase. How can you go wrong with French food, and you likely won't be disappointed by a meal here. It's also one of the higher end table service restaurants before you move into a Signature restaurant, which makes it a top value for those on the Disney Dining Plan. From the fresh French bread they bring out to a simple Creme Brulee, it's a wonderful experience.

Today we talk about the upcoming Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.  Some of the new items this year, some of the old and classic items we enjoy, and just an overall brief overview of what you can expect to see at this wonderful festival.  From food, to concerts, to all the amazing topiaries, you won't want to miss it.  

Today we give a quick review of a recent visit to the Coral Reef Restaurant at Epcot, we enjoyed the food, but it (obviously) is definitely a sea food restaurant.  But don't worry, if you're like Andrew and don't like Sea Food, there are a number of other options available.  All the while you are dining "underwater" while looking into the giant 5+ million gallon aquarium.  

Today we talk about a couple of great options to check out when you don't want to visit a park.  First we go into the two great water parks at WDW, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, both wonderfully themed and offer a lot of fun for those off park days.  Then we talk about the two mini golf locations at WDW, Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland.  Both are themed quite nicely and offer all the magic you would expect from Disney!  Finally we talk a little about something we haven't experienced yet, FootGolf at Oak Trail Golf Course, it's a combination of soccer and golf, we can't wait to try this out.

Today we talk about the wonderful experience of dining at the Chef's Table at Victoria and Albert's. It is truly a magical experience for any food lover, the cost is on the high side, but this is one of those once in a lifetime experiences that you will never forget.  

We recently visited the Epcot International Festival of the Arts and go over some of the fun stuff you can do at this festival. From the Disney off Broadway musical shows to the various seminars you can watch, and then it wouldn't be Epcot without a lot of great food and beverage options. And we can't forget about the artwork, from chalk/sidewalk art to original painting by Disney artists, there is something for every taste and budget at the International Festival of the Arts.

Today we talk about character dining at Tusker House and a recent lunch experience at Satu'li Canteen both at Animal Kingdom. One is a great breakfast buffet including a number of characters and Krispy Kreme donut holes...mmmm And a great quick-service meal at Satu'li Canteen in Pandora. Both are excellent dining choices, we hope you enjoy!

AJ and Andrew talk about the myriad of snacking options around Walt Disney World, from savory to mostly sweet, we cover the huge array of options you have.  From the basics like Popcorn - and how you can get cheap popcorn refills by simply refilling your popcorn bucket to Churros to Purple Potion options.  You're going to be hungry by the time you finish the episode, we were!

AJ and Andrew talk about the Fireworks Desert party with standing Plaza Garden viewing that we recently experienced. How can you go wrong with lots of sweet and savory delights and then a reserved area to watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom? You can't! Join us as we talk about this wonderful experience.

 A Disney vacation can be expensive, however there are a number of great discounts available that can save you a bit of cash. We go over a number of them including: Disney Visa Card, Passholder discounts, discounts for military members at Shades of Green, Florida resident discounts, Tables in Wonderland, Disney Vacation Club discounts, and a few other tidbits thrown in as well.  

Today we talk about some of our favorite "rides" at the 4 parks of Walt Disney World. Some of them old and classic rides there from nearly opening day all the way to some of the newest rides. What are some of your favorites and why? 

Just a quick holiday note wishing you and your families a happy and safe holiday.  We'll be back to posting our regular weekly episodes next week.  

AJ and Andrew reminisce about Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood Studios and compare it to the new Star Wars Galaxys Edge opening in 2019, or at least what we think will be around based on the rumors that are out there now. We also talk about one of the awesome packages Disney did for that final Star Wars Weekend, we miss it!

AJ and Andrew review a recent trip where we experienced the Fantasmic Dessert & VIP Viewing Experience, we got a decent amount of goodies, an adult beverage, and prime viewing for Fantasmic.  It was an excellent value, especially if you haven't seen the show yet, we highly recommend it!

AJ and Andrew talk about the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, specifically the cookie trail and some of the foods available at all of the kiosks around the world.  Plus we talk about some of the story telling events at the various countries.  We had a lot of fun collecting the stamps and tasting the cookies, which weren't a bad value.  We highly recommend checking it out while you still can. 

AJ and Andrew talk about a multitude of new celebrations coming to each of the 4 parks at the Walt Disney World resort area as part of the Now More than Ever push from Disney.  These include new character meet and greets, new celebrations, a new logo design for the 30th anniversary of Hollywood Studios, etc.  We also talk about some newly released details about Star Wars Galaxy Edge, specifically going over some of the information about the two new rides - Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and some of the new shopping and dining options announced for the area.  We can't wait!

AJ and Andrew talk about the two Disney mobile apps dedicated to shopping - the Shop Disney Parks App and the Shop Disney App.  What's on each, the discounts that may be available on each, etc.  Hopefully we clear up a little bit of confusion on the two apps with similar names.  Also AJ talks about her experience with Black Friday shopping at Disney Springs, some of the specials available that day/weekend, how bad the crowds are (or aren't), and what are your chances of snagging that perfect item (pretty good!).  

AJ and Andrew talk about all the special events happening around the WDW resort area (and beyond) to celebrate Mickey's 90th Birthday.  From a little history of his first appearances all the way to special merchandise and special food events happening for this special day.  

Today we give a good overview of the various holiday pieces of holiday magic at the Walt Disney World Resort, from the gingerbread house at Grand Floridian Resort, to the chocolate Merry Go Round at Disney's Beach Club Resort and such classics as Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party.  We also cover some of the new things that Disney has brought in this year, from the decorations at Toy Story land to the various treats you can now find at Epcot!  

AJ and Andrew give a review of a recent meal at Sebastian's Bistro at Caribbean Beach Resort, this is a newly opened Latin/Caribbean themed restaurant, part of the major reconstruction project at Caribbean Beach.  We really enjoyed this new dining experience, and it looks like it may be a new direction Disney restaurants may be taking.  We also do a spoiler light review of Incredibles 2, out recently on digital and soon on DVD/Blu-Ray, The Incredibles is one of our favorite Pixar movies and this was a worthy sequel, we enjoyed it!

Today we're talking about Olivia's Cafe at Old Key West, one of the few places at Disney where you can get some good sea Scallops and a proper fried chicken dinner.  This was probably our 3rd or 4th visit to Olivia's, and we really enjoy it.  We also apologize for the shortened episode, too many projects at one time, but we'll be back to our normal schedule in no time.  

AJ and Andrew give some thoughts on some of the rides we rode on a recent trip, all of them classic Disney rides.  A quick review of the Landscape of Flavors, the quick service dining option at the Art of Animation resort, dinner wasn't bad...but nor was it great.  And finally we wrap the episode up with a spoiler light review of Ant-Man and the Wasp, find out our thoughts about this and how it ties into the Marvel Universe in todays podcast!

AJ and Andrew talk about a recent visit to Epcot where we took the Undiscovered Future World Tour, we give a little overview of what the tour covers and our thoughts on the experience.  We discuss a few tips to help you pack for your trip, especially some of the gotchas that catch folks outside of the obvious summer months.  Finally we wrap the episode up by giving a review of Tony's Town Square restaurant at the Magic Kingdom, an excellent italian meal in the parks.

Today we talk about a few rides and attractions that have been retired from Walt Disney World - gone but certainly not forgotten!  AJ also goes into a little bit of detail on one of her favorite subjects, designer Disney handbags!  Finally we finish off the episode by talking about  dining at Remy on the Disney Dream, a Disney Cruise Line restaurant.

AJ and Andrew talk about a few things to discover outside of the parks, like making your own candles at the Co-Op, or painting your own Food and Wine Festival inspired wine glass on the Boardwalk and more.  We also go over some news and hearsay that we saw lately, including some favorite attractions that will be closing.  Finally we talk about dining at Palo on the Disney Dream, don't miss this fine dining option on Disney Cruise line!

AJ and Andrew talk about the extra magic hours and FastPass Plus reservation benefits of staying at one of the non-Disney hotels on Hotel Plaza Blvd, just outside of Disney Springs, all excellent options.  We also talk about one of our favorite counter service restaurants The Artist's Palette at Saratoga Springs, an excellent choice to grab a quick bite before heading over for some serious shopping at Disney Springs.  Finally we do one of our spoiler light reviews of Solo: A Star Wars Story.

AJ and Andrew discuss a recent stay at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and the strange way they stumbled upon the deal to stay there.  We also go into much more detail about the 2018 Epcot Food and Wine Festival, specifically the often missed Festival Center.  Discover why you shouldn't miss this Food and Wine Festival attraction!

AJ and Andrew take a deep dive into the 3 and 4 day cruises offered by Disney Cruise Line on the Disney Dream.  In the first of this multi-part episode we're taking a general look at the ship itself, some of the general/common areas and a quick review of the rotational dining on the Disney Dream available in the Enchanted Garden, Royal Palace, and Animator’s Palate.  Finally we give a quick summary of the fine dining options available in Palo and Remy, but stay tuned to a future episode where we give full reviews of both restaurants.

AJ and Andrew talk about all the way you can get around the Walt Disney Restort area with Disney Transportation, from boats to buses to monorails and beyond, there are a lot of options available.  We also talk about one of our favorite restaurants, Yachtsman Steakhouse, an all around excellent dining experience and top notch steakhouse, it's not to be missed.  Finally we take a spoiler light look at Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the first in hopefully many new Star Wars movies that Disney and Lucasfilm creates.

AJ and Andrew run through the recent renovations at the Disney Pop Century resort, the new room layouts, some new modern amenities and the downside to the new layout and renovations.  We also talk about a recent visit to the BaseLine Tap House at Hollywood Studios and the experience of the various beers available.  We finish this episode up by talking about the Run Disney events, what to expect, some unique shopping opportunities and how you can still have fun even if you aren't a runner.