Disney World Dining on $100 a Day - Episode 117 of The Disney Exchange Podcast

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

After shoutouts to our listeners in the UK, new blog followers, and our friend and fellow podcaster Heather from The Disney Duo we have a brief discussion on the newly announced DVC resort, Copper Creek Villas, and the upcoming release of the live action Beauty and the Beast.

Our main topic is dining at Walt Disney World at each of the parks for 2 adults for under $100 a day.

We all took a different approach to this task. Lisa somehow, perhaps through alchemy, worked in table service and alcoholic beverages almost every day, while Dave almost always skipped breakfast to fit in a table service, while I stuck to counter service restaurants.

For my selections I added tax and rounded up.

I'm including all my notes because it took so long to compile this list. It was the most time I have ever spent prepping for a show!

Please excuse abbreviations, misspellings, etc., as it is in "shorthand."

Magic Kingdom
Breakfast - Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. Assorted Fruit $1.99 and a Donut Sundae $5.99 - $8.46 / coffee $3 =$11.50
Snack - popcorn $4.25  + Coke = $8
Lunch - Be Our Guest - Braised Pork (Coq Au Vin Style) $16.99 x 2 + Coke =  $40

Snack - Mickey Ice Cream = $5
Dinner- Cosmic Ray's - Greek Salad with Chicken - $11.79 + Angus Burger- $12.99 + $4= $30
Dessert -Dole Whip $5

Total - $99.50


Epcot
B - Sunshine Seasons - Cinnamon French Toast Bread Pudding - $6.99 x 2 + coffee = $19
Snack- Karamell-Kuche - Caramel Apple + Water = $10
L - Tangierine Cafe - Mediterannian Lamb Wrap - $10.99 + Schawarma Lamb Platter - $12.99 + water = $26

D  - Yorkshire County Fish Shop - Fish and Chips $10.99 x 2 + Coke - $28
Dessert- Le Artissan des Glaces - Croque Glace - $8 x 2 = $16

$99

DHS
B  - Trolley Car Cafe - Double Smoked Bacon, cheddar and egg- $4.95 x 2 = Coffee =$16
Min and Bill's - Seasonal Milkshake - $6
L - Backlot Express-  Angus burger $11.29 + Caprese Sandwich $9.99 + Coke $4 = $26
Carrot Cake Cookie and Coke - $8
D  - Fairfax Fair - Empenadas Platter $12.49 + El Pastor Pulled Pork Sandwich $11.49 + Coke $4= $31
Dessert  Hollywood Scoops - Ice cream Cream Cone $4.49 + Ice Cream Sandwich $5.29 - $11

$98

DAK
B - Kusafiri Coffee Shop - Hot Breakfast Sandwich -$ 6.79 + Creature Comforts - Double Smoked Bacon, cheddar and egg $4.95 + coffee $5= $19
Water - $3
L - Flame Tree BBQ -St. Louis Rib Dinner -$18.99  x 2 + Coke = $45

D-Harambe Market - Grilled chicken skewer and -$9.99 + Grilled Vegetable Stack -$9.49 + Coke - $26
Snack - Mickey Head premium $5

$98

The Wheel of Distiny Topic - What's the worst Disney vacation mistake you've ever made?

You can send us an email at info@thedisneyexchange and reach out with show suggestions, submit Wheel of Distiny topics, or request a listener number on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange

If you would be so kind as to leave us a 5 star review on any of the social media sites, such as Facebook or iTunes, we'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

Thank you for listening to The Disney Exchange!

Keeping it Clean at Disney

by Gaylin

All the Resorts at Walt Disney World have laundry facilities. At the Value Resorts, the laundries are beside the pools. At the All Star Music Resort, this is the laundry facility by the Piano Pool. The Piano Pool was closed while I was there but the laundry was still open. I only bring carry-on luggage so a load of laundry is necessary for me half way through my vacation.

The laundry building is themed to look like a big transistor radio.

Even the back of the building is themed!

The laundry rooms usually have 8 washers and 14 dryers. You need your Magic Band to open the door so the rooms are secure enough, I usually leave my laundry going and go for a walk around the resort.  As you can see, the room is clean and bright, has laundry carts on wheels to move your clothes from washer to dryer and then from the dryer to the folding table. 

You can no longer use coins for the machines. Everything is done by credit or debit card. Please note, if you are Canadian, you will have to use your credit card - Canadian debit cards won't work. If you don't want to use the machine, you can get a card to use from the front desk, for a cost of $8.00.

The washers and dryers are not cheap but they are big, I suggest filling both to the top!

Walt Disney World, January 2017, Part 4

By Nick


Tuesday, January 24th

We had a nice lazy morning at the Boardwalk, just enjoying the beautiful weather.

Barbie and I walked in to Trattoria al Forno, and asked if they could fit us in for breakfast, and we were seated immediately.

Being able to do this will very likely change April 2nd when they start hosting the new character dining experience Bon Voyage Breakfast.

After breakfast we took a dip in the pool and relaxed in the hot tub before heading to the Magic Kingdom.

We didn't have any FastPasses until later that evening, so we just walked around, enjoying the weather,  the relatively low crowds, and the Festival of Fantasy Parade.

We headed over to Tomorrowland and took a ride on the People Mover and visited the Carousel of Progress before heading to Adventureland to meet up with Gaylin for a ride on the Jungle Cruise.

The 3 of us met up with our friends Kandi, John, and their 2 kids Grayson and Sawyer for dinner at Skipper Canteen.

We had a very good meal and, just like every time I've eaten here, we had excellent service! Thanks Robin!

Barbie, Gaylin and I headed over to Big Thunder where we had FPs, and then met up with Kandi, John and the kids at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. The guys took a ride while the ladies waited with the baby, and then we swapped.

 Front: Kandi and Gaylin Back: single rider guy and Barbie

We said our goodnights and headed out before Wishes was over to beat the crowd.

Before heading in for the evening, we grabbed ice cream at Ample Hills Creamery. Wow, amazing stuff!

We took a walk around the entire Boardwalk/Yacht and Beach Club area as we ate this fantastic treat.

Parts 1 - 2 - and 3

The Thrill is Gone, Episode 116 of the Disney Exchange Podcast

The Disney Exchange is Lisa, Dave and the always thrilling me, Nick

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

We're talking thrill free touring at each of the parks at Walt Disney World. We each have our own vision of what that means. For instance, I approached it as if I was planning a trip for a friend that suffered from extreme motion sickness, and chose attractions throughout the Magic Kingdom that have zero to very little motion.

Each of our choices sparked some debate, especially as to what constitutes a "thrill."

 
The Wheel of Distiny topic: There is a new character breakfast coming to Trattoria al Forno at Disney's Boardwalk Resort will be offering a new character breakfast this April. Are character breakfasts at resorts worth going out of the way for?

You can send us an email at info@thedisneyexchange and reach out with show suggestions, submit Wheel of Distiny topics, or request a listener number on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange

If you would be so kind as to leave us a 5 star review on any of the social media sites, such as Facebook or iTunes, we'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

Thank you for listening to The Disney Exchange!

Festival of the Arts, Expression Section

by Gaylin

At Epcot, during the Festival of the Arts, there was a chance for guests to help out with an art piece. It was called the Expression Section.

Cast members were pumping a small amount of paint into tiny containers, sorted by number, each number a different colour. If you look at the poster above the cast members, that is actually what the paint by number mural will be when finished.

The cast members were quite busy, there was never a line-up but there was a continuous line of guests in front of their booth, everyone wanted to paint!

The first time I went through the line, I got white paint, #8.

You were supposed to paint 5 squares . . . that white T in the middle, I painted that!

The second time I went through I got pink, I couldn't find 5 pink squares together so I did this 2 and found 3 more. As you can see, people were not being very careful with their paint!

As you left the mural area, used paint cups went in one bin and foam paint brushes went in another. Then a nice cast member gave you a post card as a take-away gift. Doing this took less than 5 minute from beginning to end and I sure wish I could have seen the finished product!

Walt Disney World, January 2017, Part 3

By Nick

Monday 1/23/17 

I woke up very early and couldn't get back to sleep because I was excited for our 8 am Keys to the Kingdom Tour!

Because we were told to be early, I had us at the bus stop by 6:45am. Not only was a bus there waiting, but we had it all to ourselves. And, unlike every other time we'd caught a bus to the Magic Kingdom from the Boardwalk, it did not stop at the Swan and Dolphin, so we arrived at about 5 after 7, where we were told the gates wouldn't open until 7:30!

We took a walk to the Contemporary and back, just to kill time, and returned to the front gates just as the security guards started checking bags. After about 15 minutes of waiting underneath the train station, we were walking into a relatively empty Magic Kingdom.

We checked in at the Town Square Theater, got name badges, were given headsets, and made our lunch selections.

At 8am we were brought outside where we met our guide, Dana. We were told no photos were allowed as we would be going backstage at several points.

If you plan on taking this tour and want to be surprised, read no further. In other words:

Spoilers ahead!

The tour lasted about 5 hours. After taking a tour up Main Street, learning about some of the names on the windows, we entered Adventureland and rode the Jungle Cruise and learned some interesting facts about this Disneyland original, rode the Haunted Mansion, got to see the floats backstage, and spent time walking through the utilidors beneath the Magic Kingdom, our favorite part. But, if you are a Disneyphile, most of the information you'll hear throughout the tour is probably already known to you.
Lunch was included. I was at first disappointed it wasn't at Columbia Harbour House, but really enjoyed my meal at Tomorrowland Terrace.
I feel it was worth it for the cost. Without a discount, it is $99. We saved 15% with our Annual Pass.

We returned to the Boardwalk Resort, and found a very nice surprise in our room! Cookies!
A nice card was included. Barbie said, "I wonder..." went to the fridge, and, yep, milk!

We have no proof, because the card simply reads "Welcome to the Boardwalk Villas, we hope your stay is magical." and isn't signed, but believe this was the Cast Member Barbie had given a button to the day before (see part 2) repaying her kindness.

After splitting a cookie, we went to Epcot to meet with our friend Marilyn. I made a stop at the Rose and Crown on the way, and got a Black and Tan.

Barbie and I also stopped at the Masterpiece Kitchen food booth, part of Epcot's International Festival of the Arts (see part 1) and had the Smoked Salmon Tartare and Wild Mushroom Risotto. Both were ok. Perhaps my palate isn't refined enough, but I found many of the Salmon dishes flavors overpowered each other, and couldn't find a taste combination that I found truly satisfactory. Plus, and I am not usually one to nitpick about prices, these 2 relatively small portions were $12 (salmon) and $9!

After meeting Marilyn, the 3 of us walked over to the Odyssey, where we all got the Trio of Savory Croissant Doughnuts, and I had the Neapolitan Beer Flight, consisting of a chocolate stout, vanilla porter, and a strawberry ale. Delicious!

We finished our snacks and made our way to the front of the park to say hello to our friend Kathy, a Cast Member at Epcot's main entry.

Kathy, me, Barbie and Marilyn

Marylin planned on seeing the Broadway Concert Series at the America Gardens Theater, so the 3 of us started walking back to World Showcase, when I spotted 2 more friends walking in the same direction! 

 Kelly and Karen

We said our goodbyes to Marylin and talked a little while with Karen and Kelly before Barbie and I started back towards the Boardwalk. 

On the way out of International Gateway we heard our names being called! Readers of the blog and listeners of The Disney Exchange Podcast had spotted us and wanted to say hello!

 Sheila and Warren

As we were speaking with Sheila and Warren, another friend, Kory and his friend Andrea walked by, so we spoke with them for awhile also! Kory, I can't believe I didn't get a picture of us!

We got back to the room early and called it a night.

Don't Do That at Walt Disney World - Episode 115 of The Disney Exchange

The Disney Exchange is Lisa, Dave and me, Nick

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

We start off thanking our listener Kathy who left us a new 5 Star review on iTunes, and Lisa answers
a question she mailed in concerning Club Level Rooms at the Beach Club. Well, technically we start off the show talking about chips, but then really and truly discuss Disney.

We "seamlessly" transition into our main topic of things that people do that make us crazy at Walt Disney World, also known as pet peeves, including the ever popular kids on shoulders, litterbugs, and personal space invaders.

The Wheel of Distiny topic this week: BB8 is going to be appearing at Star Wars Launch Bay in Disney's Hollywood Studios. What is your favorite Star Wars Droid?

You can send us an email at info@thedisneyexchange and reach out with show suggestions, submit Wheel of Distiny topics, or request a listener number on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange

If you would be so kind as to leave us a 5 star review on any of the social media sites, such as Facebook or iTunes, we'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

Thank you for listening to The Disney Exchange!