Lindsay, Author at Laughing Lindsay

Disney Springs Resorts Guide

July 15, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Having previously highlighted the official Disney World hotels located nearest the four theme parks, it’s time to go over the Disney Springs Resorts!

Disney Springs Resorts

I previously posted a Magic Kingdom Resorts Guide, Epcot Resorts Guide, Disney Hollywood Studios Resorts Guide, and an Disney Animal Kingdom Resorts Guide looking at the official on-site hotels located near those theme parks. However, there’s still one other location to consider when booking your hotel – Disney Springs! For those who don’t know, Disney Springs is Disney’s shopping and dining district. Unlike the parks, you don’t need a theme park ticket to visit Disney Springs. Plus, if you stay at one of these four hotels, you can take a boat over to Disney Springs (instead of a bus)!

It’s worth mentioning that are lots of off-site hotels located near Disney Springs. However, this post is going to look at just the four Disney owned ones.

Old Key West

Old Key West is a sprawling DVC/Deluxe Resort. In fact, it was the very first DVC resort that Disney built. That’s why the resort’s main hall and restaurant have much more of a family/community vibe. It was meant to entice folks to buy into DVC and make repeat stays here as members. I stayed here once, back in 2019 by myself. It was a relaxing trip that I remember fondly as I was in desperate need of a pick me up to chill out and this location provided just that. The blog image above was taken on the balcony of my room here. Although, you do have long bus rides here as this resort has multiple bus stops.

I have enjoyed the table service restaurant here, Olivia’s Cafe a few times. They have some good fried chicken and fantastic bananas foster dessert! If that doesn’t suit your fancy, you can always go over to Disney Springs to enjoy a plethora of dining options there!

Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter

I have stayed at the moderate Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter multiple times. In fact, I would call it one of my favorite Disney Resorts. You can read a full review in my Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort Review. However, I can summarize that post to tell you that I love how compact this resort is. There’s only one bus stop here and you don’t have to spend all night walking back to your room. Plus, there’s warm and tasty beignets! Yummy!

Port Orleans Resort – Riverside

This is a moderate sister resort to French Quarter. Riverside is another sprawling resort with multiple stops. I have stayed here a few times as well. I posted a Disney Port Orleans Riverside Resort Review as well for a more in-depth look at this resort. I also enjoyed dinner here and detailed it in Boatwright’s Dining Hall Review.

They used to have princess themed rooms, which I reviewed in my Disney World Princess Room Review. However, those rooms have been refurbished and are now called “Royal Guest Rooms”. The update looks modern and clean with a few embellishments. The headboards still have some fun touches as well.

Saratoga Springs Resort

Lastly, there’s another Deluxe/DVC – Saratoga Springs! It’s very similar to Old Key West in that it’s large with multiple bus stops and boat transportation to Disney Springs. However, it’s themed after the late 1800’s in New York versus Florida. Unfortunately, I’ve never stayed or even eaten here. Perhaps, someday I will visit and update this post with a more detailed look at it.

Should you stay at a Disney Springs Resort?

I think Disney Springs Resorts are great if you plan on visiting Disney Springs. The boat transportation is really nice. I think all of these resorts make lovely options for adult only trips as their themes are more laid back. However, all but the French Quarter are pretty large with multiple bus stops. So, have you stayed at one of these resorts? What did you think?

Hollywood Studios Table Service Restaurants Guide

July 8, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

When planning a Disney World trip, it can be difficult to decide where to eat. So, I thought I would post a Hollywood Studios Table Service Restaurants Guide to help people plan their trips.

Hollywood Studios Table Service

Before we dive into the options, just a reminder that Disney calls sit down restaurants table service. If you are on a Disney Dining Plan with Table Service Credits, then you can use the credits at one of these restaurants. I previously posted a Magic Kingdom Sit Down Restaurants Guide. So, today I am going do to the same thing at Hollywood Studios! Hollywood Studios has some iconic themed restaurants. Most feature some basic comfort food, but they are done well.

The Hollywood Brown Derby

I will start with the restaurant you are most likely to encounter first upon entering the park – The Hollywood Brown Derby. Located in Hollywood Boulevard, it’s technically a Signature Restaurant. That means it will require 2 Table Service Dining Credits to eat here if you are on the Dining Plan. This restaurant is supposed to harken back to the Golden Age of Hollywood with its warm wood paneling. It’s the perfect location for a nicer meal in the park. It’s known for its Famous Cobb Salad and Grapefruit Cake. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to eat here yet. When I do, I will update this post with my review. However, it looks like a nice place to eat if you are looking for somewhere nicer to eat in the park.

Hollywood & Vine

Located in Echo Lake is the park’s character dining buffet – Hollywood & Vine! The best thing about eating here is the rotation of the seasonal theme in the menu and character costumes! I’ve eaten here several times over the years. As I mentioned in my Disney World Character Dining Guide, I hate that they have lost Donald Duck from the rotation of characters here. Nonetheless, it’s a great place to eat to kick-off Jollywood Nights as the characters are wearing Christmas outfits. During Minnie’s Seasonal Dining you can see the characters dressed up for Summer Dine, Halloween Dine, Holiday Dine, Silver Screen Dine, or Springtime Dine! I intend to post my full review of the Holiday Dine closer to the holidays and will link it here when it goes live. This is a 1 Table Service Credit character buffet serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner! It’s a great use of Dining Credit and a fun way to see the characters in different outfits.

50’s Prime Time Cafe

Located beside Hollywood & Vine (and sharing a restroom with it) is 50’s Prime Time Cafe! It is where the blog image used above was taken. Additionally, I posted a full 50’s Prime Time Cafe at Walt Disney World Review to give you a good idea of what to expect here. My mom loved eating here. The 50’s theme was full of nostalgia for her. I loved my peanut butter and jelly milkshake! Overall, it was a good meal of comfort food that everyone can enjoy. It’s 1 Table Service Credit on the Dining Plan and it’s a pretty good use, depending on what you order! Just come hungry! It’s an excellent value when part of the Fantasmic Dining Package when using the Dining Plan.

Roundup Rodeo BBQ

In Toy Story Land, there’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ. This is the newest Table Service restaurant in the park. It’s themed to Toy Story and features family platters of meats and sides. I’ve yet to experience this one, but it seems like a fun time for any family. You would need to order a special beverage here to make good use of the 1 Table Service Credit it uses though.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

Lastly, there’s the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater located in Commissary Lane towards the back of the park. I posted a Fantasmic Dining Package Review at Sci-Fi Dine-In a few years back. We weren’t overly impressed with the food here. However, we really enjoyed the set up and watching old sci-fi film clips on the big screen. This is another restaurant where you have to be intentional about what you order to get a good use of the 1 Table Service Credit it requires, unless you get the Fantasmic Dining Package like we did.

Hollywood Studios Table Service Restaurants

Well, there’s the list of the sit down restaurants located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Which one is your favorite?

Biltmore Antler Hill Village Guide

July 1, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Prior to my visit to the Estate, I wish I had known how much there was to see and do at the Biltmore Antler Hill Village! So, I thought I would make a guide to it!

Biltmore Antler Hill Village

I feel like most people only consider the house when they visit the estate. However, there’s a whole other little shopping/dining/attractions area on the estate. That’s the Antler Hill Village! I didn’t realize how much there was to do here until I visited and we walked around during our visit. Without further ado, here are the things you can enjoy when you visit here.

Winery and Tastings

The Biltmore has its own winery and its located in the Village! There are a couple of chances to try their wine around the estate, including in the Tasting Room located in the Village. There’s also a Wine Bar and Wine Shop. We aren’t big drinkers, so we didn’t visit any of these locations, but I know it’s popular with lots of folks!

The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad Exhibition

One of the highlights from our trip, was visiting this exhibition. This is where lots of Vanderbilt family artifacts are on display. The one that excited us the most was a chess set that belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte! It was nice to learn about the historic family as well as the historic pieces on display. This is a must-see for any history buff!

Barn

Towards the back of the Village, there’s the Antler Hill Barn. It was nice to walk around here and see some old farming equipment and to learn about the farming efforts of the estate. There’s also a short film playing with seating that goes over some of the history. Additionally, there are some craft demonstrations happening here. Unfortunately, I can’t find the hours for any of those craftspeople and there weren’t many there on the day we visited. We did see some broom making though.

Farmyard and Playground

To the side of the Barn is the Farmyard! Here is where you can see live animals! This is a great learning opportunity for children and we noticed several families enjoying their time here. It’s also great for adults to relax and take in some mother nature. Also, for people with children, you will be happy to know there’s the Pisgah Playground near the Barn/Farmyard. We obviously didn’t play on it, but it looked like kids were having fun.

Shopping

The Village has four shops: Antler Hill Outfitters, The Barn Door, Traditions, and Wine Shop. I got some discounted Christmas bowls (non-Biltmore branded) at The Barn Door! So, there’s a nice assortment of items to pick from at these shops.

Dining

There are also several great dining options here. I reviewed the lunch we had at Cedric’s Tavern as well as our meals at the Village Social (located in the Village Hotel) and the treats we got before leaving at The Creamery in my Biltmore Estate Restaurants Guide. I didn’t eat anything bad at the Estate, so I wouldn’t hesitate to try anything here.

Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate

Lastly, the Village Hotel is located at the Village! You can read my full Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate Review, but it was so convenient to stay here. We simply had to walk out the back of the hotel and up a few stairs to find ourselves in the Village!

Antler Hill Village

As you can see, there’s lots to enjoy in the Biltmore Antler Hill Village! From learning to shopping and dining, you can easily spend several hours just roaming around here. So, have you visited?

Home2 Suites by Hilton Boone Review

June 24, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Earlier this month while visiting Land of Oz, my mom and I spent the night at the Home2 Suites by Hilton Boone. So, I thought I would review it.

Home2 Suites by Hilton Boone

This is a newer h o tel located centrally in Boone, North Carolina and is walking distance to Appalachian State University. It comes with free parking and free breakfast! Plus, it had affordable rates thanks to the Hilton Honors rate.

2 Queen Beds Studio Suite

Given that this is a Home2 Suites hotel, every room here is a suite with a kitchenette! This would be perfect for a longer trip as it comes with a refrigerator, microwave and even a dishwasher! It was more than adequate for our one night. In fact, the room was so nice and large that my mom kept mentioning that we should return to stay for a longer trip. She was really impressed with the room having a dishwasher!

The bathroom was more than adequate with a nice shower. Although, the shower doors never seem to close well. In fact, one opened up pretty good while I was in the shower. I also wasn’t particularly impressed with the water pressure. Then again, that’s almost expected with hotel showers these days.

The bed was pretty comfortable. We both slept well. However, it did feel like the top sheet was made of polyester. I prefer cotton due to some polyester fabrics irritating my skin and not being breathable. Thankfully, we still slept well here. No complaints on that. Plus, it was pretty quiet.

I was also happy about the number of plugins found in the room. There were plugins on each side of the beds. So, there was no fighting over plugins here.

Free Breakfast

We decided to take a look at the included free breakfast and were impressed. First, we made waffles. We added some chocolate chips on top and it was tasty! What was most unique was the breakfast sandwich station. They had several different breads and proteins to make your own breakfast sandwich. I made an egg bite and chicken sausage croissant sandwich. Was it the best I’ve ever had? No, but it was good. It was better than lots of other free hotel breakfasts. I like that we didn’t have to hunt down breakfast and it allowed us to hit the road with full bellies.

Also, of note is the free water/tea/coffee that’s available all day in the lobby. I used the water dispenser to get some hot water to make some hot chocolate and then topped it off with some cold water. That made it a lukewarm chocolate that was great for the warmer weather.

Pros

Every room is a suite – There’s plenty of room to spread out here!
Includes a kitchenette – It’s great for storing and heating up leftovers! Plus, the dishwasher keeps things tidy and from smelling.
Comfy bed – No complaints about sore backs here!
Free breakfast – This is a pretty good breakfast with the breakfast sandwich station. Plus, the people working here were friendly and kept it well-stocked.
Good rates – We paid $157 with taxes using a nonrefundable Hilton Honors rate. We thought that was an excellent value for the room and breakfast!

Cons

Not the best sheets – Again, this is me being nitpicky. I think the top sheet was polyester. While I didn’t have any trouble with it, I prefer cotton.
Shower doors don’t close securely – The doors on the shower will pop open easily. It’s definitely not a deal breaker, just something to be aware of.

Should you stay at the Home2 Suites by Hilton Boone?

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Home2 Suites by Hilton Boone. It was a comfy place to spend the night with a good breakfast. The rates were affordable and it was centrally located.

Land of Oz Tea with Dorothy Review

June 17, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Land of Oz Tea with Dorothy in North Carolina! So, I thought I would provide a little review of the experience for other folks planning on attending.

Land of Oz Tea

For those who don’t know, Land of Oz is a Wizard of Oz theme park located in Beech Mountain, North Carolina. It originally opened in 1970 and continued operations until 1980. Beginning in 1993, the owners started hosting an annual fall event at the theme park. You can only visit the park during that event or another special event, such as this one. I’ve been wanting to visit this theme park for several years now, but couldn’t fit it in my schedule for 2023 or 2024. Then, it was closed in 2025. So, I was excited when this new summer event was announced.

I have been going to teas since I was a little girl. My mom took me to my first one and we’ve enjoyed going to them ever since. So, it seemed like the perfect event for us. A smaller event with tea and access to the park? Count us in!

Tea with Dorothy

We arrived at 1:15 for the 2 o’clock show and there was already a line! They allowed folks to enter the event space to pick seats around 1:30 PM. We chose our seats and then got a picture with Dorothy! We were delighted to see Aunt Em and the boys serving tea and greeting everyone in to the space.

The park never released a menu for the tea, so we weren’t expecting much. We were pleased with the variety of treats available. First, there was a plate with a berry scone and three sandwich wedges: chicken salad, pimento cheese, and cucumber salad. The scone was good albeit a touch dry, but that’s scones! The chicken salad was good, a little basic. The cucumber sandwich was good. My mom doesn’t care for cucumbers, but she still liked this one. My mom refused to even try the pimento cheese, so I ate them both. Haha! I thought it was pretty good.

As for the sweet treats – there was a macaron, mini cupcake, chocolate chip/candy pieces cookie, and a lemon bar. There was some variation for the sweets. We both got chocolate cupcakes, but some folks had vanilla. There were two types of macarons. My mom got chocolate and I gave her my orange one. I ate both of the lemon bar slices. We both liked the cookie.

There was three types of tea to try, all from Twinings. I tried English Breakfast and Lady Grey. The third type wasn’t available near me, so I didn’t get it. Since the performers were the ones serving water for the tea, we didn’t get any more tea once the show started. So, be sure to get your fill before the performance. Although, there aren’t real bathrooms at the park. So, don’t drink too much!

Wizard of Oz Theme Park

Following the tea and show, we rode a literal school bus over to the historic theme park for a guided tour along the Yellow Brick Road! I enjoyed learning about the park from the banners displayed and our tour guide. The park itself is wonderful! The ability to immerse yourself into the Wizard of Oz story is so fun! The house was interesting, especially with the twister and the after effects!

In the park, we were able to meet and take photos with the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch! The Wicked Witch really hammed it up for our photos and I love them! I think it may have been some of my favorite character interactions ever – it reminded me of The Grinch at Universal Orlando.

This event also included access to the Overlook, which they charge extra for during Autumn at Oz. Given that it’s 90+ steps, my mom didn’t go up. However, I went up and enjoyed the view of 5 states. I don’t think I will ever pay extra for that view though. It was nice it was included in this event.

I wish the Lion, Tin Man, and Scarecrow were at this event. However, I guess that’s what the Autumn at Oz event is for!

Tip for Visiting

Sign up for the pre-sale emails – I received a link and code to purchase tickets 24 hours before the general public by signing up for the pre-sale emails! That meant that there was plenty of availability when I went to get tickets.
Have dates/times in mind – After waiting in a brief online line, I was able to purchase tickets. There was a choice of two time slots: 10 AM or 2 PM. We didn’t know about the different times, but I had a few dates in mind already. So, be sure to have dates and times in mind when you try to get tickets.
Arrive early – They allow you to pick your seat when you arrive. The show takes place in the same space and the actors move around. So, there’s not really a bad seat. However, some of the treats had flavor variations you may prefer. We picked two plates with chocolate cupcakes versus the vanilla. There’s also some Land of Oz merchandise that you can purchase at this time. It’s also a good time to use the restroom.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes – I know that everyone wants to walk the Yellow Brick Road dressed as Dorothy. However, I noticed that some folks had to continually adjust their outfits during our tour. So, I recommend dressing for a day in a theme park. Red tennis shoes perhaps? I wore a simple “There’s no place like home” necklace with red slippers on it.
Visit the gift shop – The official Land of Oz gift ship is located down the mountain from the event space/theme park. We visited it after the event to get a couple things. So, don’t feel bad if you don’t have time to look at merch during tea. The gift shop also has a restroom that you can use prior to leaving the mountain.

Is the Land of Oz Tea with Dorothy worth it?

This experience cost $231.42 including taxes and fees for my mom and I to do. So, it’s not a cheap experience. However, my mom and I had a blast! It was a great experience with fabulous character interactions. The park itself is amazing and immersive. The tea was pretty good and the show was fun. This experience is great for people who prefer smaller events. We were told that we were touring the park in groups of ~30 people while the Autumn at Oz welcomes 3,000 guests per weekend! This is a great event for folks who enjoy tea or want a slower pace of visiting. Overall, we enjoyed it immensely and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it for people with the budget who want to visit the park and enjoy tea.