Walt Disney World Buddy Trip 2016, Part 3

By Nick 

Who: Me and my friends Joe and Josh 
Where: Walt Disney World, stayed Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village  

Part 3
Thursday, May 12th   


Despite getting to sleep very late the night before, we woke up early and made it to Disney's Hollywood Studios a little after rope drop.

We headed to Toy Story Midway Mania, but the line was already over 45 minutes, so we went to Star Wars Launch Bay, and got pictures with Chewbacca and Kylo Ren.

I'm just gonna come out and say it. I find Kylo Ren to be an interesting character, but I feel the meet and greet to be awkward. He is just more intimidating somehow than even Darth Vader. Am I the only one that feels that way?

Halfway through our Star Wars experience, I received a text from our new friends Alison and Jim with a photo of tickets to the After Hours Magic at the Magic Kingdom event for that evening that they had bought for us! 

We were floored by such an incredibly generous gift! 

We went on to see the First Order Troop March, and after a quick snack at the Backlot Express, met up with Jim and Alison just as the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far Far Away stage show was beginning. 

 

Afterwards we all went and got photos with Olaf at the Celebrity Spotlight.

Josh, Joe and I headed to Epcot on a Friendship Boat for a late lunch/early dinner at Biergarten.

We walked around World Showcase to try and digest the huge meal we just ate before heading to Future World. We rode Spaceship Earth, and while Josh and Joe rode Mission Space, I met up with my friend Betsy for a quick hello.

We headed to the Magic Kingdom, which took forever as the Monorail was down between the Ticket and Transportation Center, so we had to wait for a ferry. 

When we finally arrived at the MK after what felt like about 6 hours, we contacted Alison and Jim and met up with them at Be Our Guest. 

We were initially only meeting to get our passes for that evening, as Alison and Jim had ADRs for Be Our Guest, but then Alison suggested we join them! She went to the check in station and was able to add us on!

The After Hours at the Magic Kingdom event deserves a whole separate post, so please stop back tomorrow for Part 4!

Part 1 and Part 2

Episode 75 of The Disney Exchange- Summer Awakens at Walt Disney World

By Nick

Podcast: Play in new window | Download


The Disney Exchange is Lisa Green, Dave Hodges, and me, Nick Maglio.

The show begins with my feedback on last week's show, which I was mostly absent for (I apologize to my legion of fan(s?)), because I was having dinner at Be Our Guest in the Magic Kingdom thanks to friends Alison and Jim, and I share my favorite scene from The Little Mermaid.

Outside Be Our Guest - Left to right: Joe, Alison, Josh, me, Jim, random strangers. 

This episode continues in the right direction as my favorite topic is discussed. Me.

I share observances and thoughts from my recent trip to Walt Disney World, such as the Casey's Hot Dog Cart that now goes up and down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom before the Festival of Fantasy, as well as new PhotoPass opportunities which I also noticed prior to the FoF parade.

 

There are also a few new surprises to be found during the Hitchhiking Ghosts scene in The Haunted Mansion (wish I had a photo, sorry) which you may find to be very cool or very creepy!

I go on to talk about my After Hours at the Magic Kingdom experience, which was a lovely gift from Alison and Jim.

 

 

 

 

We go on to discuss many of the events that are due to debut this Summer at Walt Disney World.

Well, Dave and I do. Lisa is mostly busy on Twitter!

The Wheel of Distiny topic is brought to us by listener Dexter L : Who was your first Disney guide and how did they help with your love of Disney?

Thank you for the excellent suggestion Dexter, and if you have a Wheel topic or show suggestion, please drop us a line on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange
Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange
Or email us at: info@thedisneyexchange  

Thank you for listening to the Disney Exchange Podcast, the World's best Disney Podcast called The Disney Exchange.

Breakfast at Be Our Guest

Like last week's edition of Saturday's with Lisa, this article is being presented for a couple of reasons. Again, it's great, and it says a lot of what I have to say on this topic, as I ate there the week after she did. I do differ in opinion on breakfast being the best meal, as I have enjoyed lunch and dinner here very much, but I do agree strongly with it being the best time of day to visit. I'll have more notes at the end of Lisa's post.- Nick

By Lisa Green 

Thinking about dining at Be Our Guest?  Can’t decide which meal to choose?  Here are FIVE reasons why…
Breakfast is BEST at Be Our Guest

1. The Perfect way to start the day in Magic Kingdom – You’re fresh, wide awake, looking your best, AND you can get into Magic Kingdom early!  Think of the possibilities for great pictures!  You can eat before getting a jump on the day with your favorite rides and attractions.

2. Experience the incredible atmosphere at your leisure – Early breakfast not only means a less-crowded Magic Kingdom, you can also tour Beast’s Castle on your own while waiting for your food to arrive (or after you finish eating). 

The details and theming are well-worth at least one visit to this very unique and magical restaurant.  Feeling rushed would certainly diminish the overall experience.

3. The Food is good!  Compared to lunch and dinner, we enjoyed breakfast the most.    Raymond ordered the Croque Madame “Open-faced Ham Sandwich topped with a Fried Egg, Gruyere Cheese, and Béchamel served with Fresh Fruit and a selection of pastries.” 

I opted for the Scrambled Egg Whites “Scrambled Egg Whites with Roasted Tomatoes, Chicken Apple Sausage, Fresh Fruit, and a selection of pastries”   

 

The flavor, preparation, serving sizes along with the “selection of pastries” was very filling and tasty! (We felt obligated to try some of each pastry selection for research purposes.)

4. Relatively reasonable price for two adults – Breakfast for two totaled about $44 before tax. 

Our lunch was about $50 for the two of us (one soup, two entrees and two desserts plus soft drinks).  Dinner was WAY more expensive (we added a bottle of wine) and dinner involves adding a gratuity.  Preview the menu here.

5. Convenience – We booked our ADR and took advantage of the option to pre-order our food. 

Upon arrival, we checked in outside and were directed right on in.  Once inside, we checked in again, paid for breakfast and received our “rose” (looks like a yellow hockey puck).  Then we grabbed our drinks at the self-service beverage station and were free to sit in whichever room we liked.  That magical hockey puck rose directed a Cast Member right to our table with our food when our order was ready.   

On this visit we chose the Grand Ballroom having already dined in the other two rooms (the Castle Gallery and the West Wing, both shown in the next two pictures).  

FYI – that West Wing is kinda creepy and very dark for an entire meal.  You’re welcome to roam the rooms and take pictures, so don’t worry about missing out on all the cool details.

Yes, you should definitely eat at Be Our Guest!  It’s pricey but the experience is fantastic.  Which meal you choose will depend on your plans and the amount of time you have available, but now that we’ve tried all three meal options, we both unanimously recommend breakfast as the best option.

Have you eaten at Be Our Guest?  What did you think about it?

This article was originally posted on Lisa's Living a Disney Life Blog.
She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LivingaDisLife and on Twitter at @life_of_green

Please be sure to check out Lisa along with me and David Hodges on The Disney Exchange Podcast!

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 My breakfast at Be Our Guest was very tasty, the Open-Faced Bacon and Egg Sandwich - Poached Eggs*, Applewood Bacon, Brie Cheese, and Arugula on a toasted Baguette served with Fresh Fruit and a selection of pastries.

*I was at first not sure what I was going to order, as I am not a poached egg fan. Then the guest ahead of me asked for scrambled eggs on his open face sandwich. It turns out that you can request how your eggs are prepared on the open face sandwiches! 

Also, I was alone, so I asked for a to go container for some of the pastries, which I had for breakfast the next day.

And I agree with Lisa on the West Wing being too dark to really enjoy one's meal! I ate there because my wife always refuses to, and I wanted to try it! - Nick

 

 

Wordless Wednesday* : The West Wing at Be Our Guest

Photos: Nick

*Well, almost wordless! For a review of breakfast at Be Our Guest, please stop back Saturday.

My Disney Bucket List

My Disney Bucket List- by Shendl 

Photos: Disney

I am sure each and every Disney Fan has a Wish List or as I call it a Bucket List of things that they want to do or achieve on their Disney Vacations.

Some are Realistic and some are Fantasy. Today I am going to let you in on my current Disney Bucket List for my Next Vacation in 2017.

•    Eat at Be Our Guest.  This restaurant had just opened when we went to WDW in 2013, so we were unable to get a reservation and we didn’t want to stand in the really long Lines for lunch. This next trip in 2017, we will be booking a Dinner and Lunch/Breakfast depending on what we can get!  

•    Ride the Seven Dwarves Mine Train. The Mine Train was just being completed on our last vacation and I just Have to ride it and go through the interactive queue that I have heard so much about!

•    The Keys to the Kingdom Tour. One of my dreams has always been to see the Utilidors at Magic Kingdom (ever since I saw and Oprah episode where she took her whole audience to WDW), so we want to splurge a little next time!

  
•    The new Ferrytale Dessert and Wishes Cruise. This is a new addition to my List (its only just been released and it is a little pricey.) We want to treat ourselves for our Wedding Anniversary instead of buying each other a gift. This Cruise sounds like fun and the Desserts sounds amazing as well as the souvenir items you get.

     
•    Resort Hop. In my Four Vacations to WDW, I have never Resort Hopped!! This time we will be making sure that we have a day set aside just to visit as many resorts as we can and have  a snack or drink and get an item that says the resort name for our collection
   

•    Ride Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller Coaster. I have promised myself and my husband, Dieter, that I will ride these two rides next time. I chickened out the last time and I really wish I had done them. So no chickening out this time!!

•    Buy a Disney Dooney and Burke handbag. I really, really love the Dooney and Burke Handbags that I see my friends in the USA buying and I have vowed to buy something that is a Dooney and Burke even if it’s the smallest one I can find…..as long as it fits into the budget!!

•    Get my face painted. I really wanted to get my face painted when I was at WDW the last time and for some reason I felt that I would look silly with it done. I have since seen friends of mine have it done on their vacations and HAVE to do it!!!
   
•    Eat a Dole Whip. I have NEVER done this!! I hear you Gasp as you read this……I will rectify this in 2017 for sure!!
   

•    Pick a Pearl in Japan at Epcot or at Disney Springs. This is another thing I wanted to do last time and didn’t for reason’s unknown to me. I see such gorgeous things that friends have had made with their pearl picks and I think it will be such a lovely souvenir to bring some magic home!

This is my Bucket List – the one I plan to complete on my next vacation in Sept 2017. I have a fantasy one as well but that I will share with you another time!

Looking forward to seeing your Disney Bucket Lists!!