Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

Disney World Character Dining Guide

By Leave a Comment

Today, I’m finally doing a post that I have been putting off for months – a guide to Walt Disney World Character Dining!

Disney World Character Dining

Disney World Character Dining

As of the writing of this post, there are 12 on-site Disney World Character Dining options. Technically, there’s a 13th option at the Four Seasons, however I’m only covering options that are on-site. I’ve been putting this post off in hopes that I would eat at more of these restaurants and be able to provide a better analysis of each one. However, that doesn’t seem likely anytime soon. So, I’m going to cover all 12 and provide reviews as possible. Once I am able to try them out, I will update this post with a review.

1900 Park Fare

I was lucky enough to enjoy 1900 Park Fare about a decade ago. However, after the pandemic it’s a different meal now. There are different characters now. Initially, I was going to try it out with my mom on the December 2025 trip. Unfortunately, she was having mobility issues. So, we cancelled that reservation and enjoyed dinner at The Crystal Palace since we were attending the Christmas party.

It appears that you can currently meet prince/princesses here. This may include: Aladdin, Cinderella, Mirabel, and Princess Tiana. I think it’s fitting that you can meet Disney royalty here since it’s held at the Grand Floridian Resort. That resort is uber nice. I will encourage everyone to try the Strawberry Soup if you eat here.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Again, Akershus is another princess meal. This one is located in Epcot though. I also enjoyed this one about a decade ago. However, I was also able to visit it again for breakfast with my mom back in 2023. You can read my full Akershus Princess Breakfast Review at Epcot here. My mom and I enjoyed the interactions with the princesses and found the food to be good. Although, it was a bit rushed.

I want to point out that this meal is 1 table service for breakfast only. Both lunch and dinner will cost you 2 table service credits to dine here. I think that is because of the popularity of the restaurant. Personally, I find $69 for 2 table service credits to be a terrible value.

Cape May Cafe

Cape May Cafe is a character buffet for breakfast only! Dinner here is a seafood buffet without characters. It is located at the Beach Club Resort. I’ve been lucky enough to eat breakfast here a few times. In fact, it has the distinction of being my first character meal! I most recently ate here a few years ago in December 2022 with my mom. You can read my entire Cape May Café Breakfast Character Meal Review here, but suffice it to say that we really like this restaurant. There’s always a variety of foods available. Plus, who doesn’t love to see characters in beachy outfits? Also, my favorite character, Donald Duck, can be found here!

Chef Mickey’s

Chef Mickey’s is the character buffet located at the Contemporary Resort. Featuring the Fab Five in chef outfits, it’s a fun experience. Plus, it’s another opportunity to see Donald Duck! Once again, I have been lucky enough to enjoy a meal here several times over the years. Most recently, my mom and I ate dinner here in February 2024 prior to a Magic Kingdom After Hours event. You can read my Chef Mickey’s Character Dinner Review here. I know that some folks complain about the food here, but they have improved the quality of food. We were pleased with the variety of foods available and nothing we had was outright bad.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Cinderella’s Royal Table is the princess dining experience located in the castle in Magic Kingdom! Due to its location and popularity, it costs 2 Table Service Credits to dine here on the dining plan. It’s one of the more expensive places to eat on property. In fact, I’ve eaten here only once. I enjoyed breakfast here in 2021 with my husband. Due to Covid, the princesses didn’t come to the table. In fact, Cinderella just came out and waved. However, thanks to those changes, it was cheaper back then. It’s great to be able to say I’ve eaten here. However, I don’t know that I would pay the prices they are charging these days and certainly wouldn’t use 2 credits.

The Crystal Palace

The Crystal Palace is a greenhouse inspired restaurant featuring Winnie the Pooh and friends! I’ve had the pleasure of eating here a few times over the years. I had breakfast with my husband back in October 2023 and you can read my Crystal Palace Character Breakfast Review here for that experience. Then, in December 2025, I enjoyed dinner here with my mom prior to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. You can read my Crystal Palace Character Dinner Review too. Once again, I think Disney has improved the food here over the years as well. There’s something for everyone on the buffet and the characters are great!

Garden Grill Restaurant

Garden Grill is a classic character dining experience in Epcot. Featuring Chip, Dale, and farmer Mickey Mouse, it’s a meal that gives you a rotating view of the ride Living with the Land. The food leans more towards basic, but it’s done well and pleases most people. I’ve eaten here a couple of times as well. You can read my Garden Grill Dinner Epcot Character Meal Review from my most recent experience in February 2023.

Hollywood and Vine

Hollywood & Vine is a seasonal character dining experience in Hollywood Studios. I’ve dined here several times as well, since the characters’ outfits change seasonally! I haven’t posted my review yet, but my mom and I enjoyed dinner here during the Holiday Dining prior to Jollywood Nights in December 2025. It was a great way to get into the holiday spirit before the party. We enjoyed the character interactions and the buffet was plentiful. Again, kudos to Disney for improving food quality over the years. My only complaint is that they seem to have lost Donald at this location over the years. I hope they bring him back sometime.

‘Ohana

‘Ohana is a popular restaurant at the Polynesian Resort. This restaurant offers character dining for breakfast only. Dinner doesn’t have characters, but the meal is a favorite among Disney fans. Breakfast features Lilo & Stitch! It’s the only place where you can meet them currently. I haven’t eaten here in many years. However, I recall the pineapple-coconut bread at breakfast with fond memories. Plus, I wore a Lilo dress to this meal and it was a great core memory made to interact with the characters while being dressed like one of them.

Story Book Dining at Artist Point

Another restaurant I’ve been lucky to eat at previously, but not in recent years is Story Book Dining at Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. My husband and I cosplayed as Snow White and The Prince when we ate here and had a great time. The Queen glared at us in the photos! It was awesome. My mom enjoyed interacting with Grumpy. The food here was elevated as well. Due to the experience and popularity, this restaurant is also 2 Table Service dining credits. Although, it is open for dinner only.

Topolino’s Terrace

Topolino’s Terrace is a character breakfast at the Riviera Resort. Dinner does not feature characters and is a signature dining experience. The character breakfast only requires 1 dining credit though. However, since it’s a signature restaurant, the food is better here than at some other buffets. You can read my full Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast Review for a closer look at this experience. However, I gotta love an artsy Donald Duck!

Tusker House Restaurant

Lastly, we have Tusker House! It’s a safari themed character meal in Animal Kingdom. Open for all three meals and only 1 table service credit, it’s pretty popular. Plus, it features Donald Duck! You can read my full Tusker House Breakfast Review from my February 2023 trip. I have not eaten dinner here in many years though. However, it is the only character dining available at this park.

Disney World Character Dining

As you can see, there are loads of options for Disney World Character Dining. From parks to deluxe resorts, they are located all over the resort. However, I would encourage everyone to pay attention to the dining credits required at some of the restaurants (Cinderella’s Royal Table, Artist Point, and Akershus). While the seated meals tend to have better food, the buffets have greatly improved in recent years. So, what’s your favorite character meal at Disney?

Myrtle Beach Restaurants Guide

By Leave a Comment

Back in April 2025, my mom and I visited South Carolina for a few days. During that time, we ate at several great places. So, I thought I would list them in a Myrtle Beach Restaurants Guide!

Myrtle Beach Restaurants Guide

Myrtle Beach Restaurants Guide

Myrtle Beach has a plethora of great dining options! We spent 3 nights here and I feel like there were several other places we could try if we ever go back. Plus, I don’t think a single option disappointed us. Everything was good! So, here are the places we dined at in April 2025 and would highly recommend you try when you visit!

Sea Captain’s House

For our first meal in Myrtle Beach, I booked us a reservation at Sea Captain’s House. This was a wonderful way to kick-start our trip here. We got a table beside a window with a breathtaking view of the ocean! In fact, the image for this post (seen above) was taken at this restaurant! It was such a unique experience (for me) to enjoy some fresh seafood while looking out at the ocean. I will always think of this restaurant when I remember this trip.

The meal started with a bowl of tasty hushpuppies! Then, came our mains. My mom ordered the Filet of Flounder with a baked potato. I believe she really enjoyed each of those items. I got the Crab Cakes with asparagus! Again, it was so nice to enjoy fresh seafood while looking out at the ocean. We split a slice of key lime pie for dessert and ate every last piece of it. This was a great way to kick off a trip to the beach! Plus, we were able to walk out the back of the restaurant and right onto the beach!

Pro tip: Book a reservation ahead of time. This is a popular place to eat. Also, it is a nice restaurant. So, dress up a little.

Blueberry’s Grill

For our first breakfast in the area, we selected Blueberry’s Grill. Technically, we ate at the one located in North Myrtle Beach prior to doing some shopping (see my guide to shopping in Myrtle Beach) at Barefoot Landing. However, there’s another one located in Myrtle Beach proper as well.

If you visit here, you must try the blueberry hushpuppies! They are slightly sweet and very good. For my meal, I went with the Blueberry Ricotta Waffle. This is the ultimate breakfast for any blueberry fan. From the blueberry batter to the blueberry-flavored syrup and served with fresh berries. It’s so good! My mom got the Cinnamon Roll French Toast! She’s not as big of a blueberry fan, so this was a nice sweet treat for her. Plus, who doesn’t want to try French Toast made out of a cinnamon roll?

Captain George’s

For our second night’s dinner, we elected to try one of the huge seafood buffets! We loved the ambiance of this place. It was so cool to see the boats over top of the buffet lines! It added something to the experience. We were pleased with the wide selection of items on the buffet. I loved being able to try so many different types of seafood without fearing that I was wasting an entree choice on it. I even tried Rockefeller oysters for the first time! It was fun to try snow crab legs for the first time as well. My mom and I had fun trying to open them. All of the seafood was plentiful and good. It was a little pricey, but then again buffets with seafood are. It was definitely a splurge to eat here. However, we thought it was worth the money spent.

Johnny D’s Waffles

The one breakfast location I knew I had to try on this trip was Johnny D’s Waffles! Named best waffles in South Carolina by Food Network Magazine and run by an award winning chef, this restaurant was high on my priority list. I’m happy to report that the Red Velvet Waffle lived up to the hype. It wasn’t overly sweet and had nuance to the flavors. I find myself thinking about this waffle from time to time since it was so good. My mom enjoyed her Coconut Banana Waffle French Toast too. We left this restaurant feeling happy and full.

Donald’s Pancake House

Our last meal in Myrtle Beach was at Donald’s Pancake House. This little eatery had friendly staff and good food. I enjoyed their German Chocolate pancakes featuring South Carolina pecans! It had a great combination of flavors that meshed well. Plus, it felt good to know that I was eating something local with pecans coming from that state. My mom ordered Donald’s Breakfast special with 2 regular pancakes, 2 eggs, and bacon. She seemed really happy with her meal as well. It was a nice, sweet way to end our time in Myrtle Beach.

Bonus – See a Dinner Show

One last dining recommendation I can make is to enjoy a dinner show! We tried Medieval Times for my mom’s first time! You can see my Medieval Times Myrtle Beach Dinner Show Review to read my full review of the experience. The show was most enjoyable. Although, the food was the least interesting food we had on this trip. So, I guess it depends if you want award winning food/fresh seafood OR a fun dining experience.

Myrtle Beach Restaurants

While this is not an exhaustive list of the many dining establishments in Myrtle Beach, it is a look at all of the tasty food we enjoyed while visiting. So, where do you like to eat on a trip to the beach? Did I miss your favorite?

Epcot Resorts Guide – Walt Disney World

By Leave a Comment

Today, I thought I would provide a look at the Epcot Resorts or the resorts that Disney says is located nearest this theme park at Walt Disney World.

Epcot Resorts

Epcot Resorts

I began looking at theme park area resorts last year with my Magic Kingdom Resorts Guide. Today, I am continuing that series by moving over to Epcot! Unfortunately, I have not had the privilege of staying at most of these resorts. However, I have visited most of them and have an idea of what they are about.

Beach Club

The one resort in this bunch that I have stayed at is Beach Club. It’s a deluxe resort with DVC villas. I was lucky enough to stay here a decade ago when I was invited to Disney Social Media Moms Celebration! I enjoyed my stay here and would love to return again someday. Unfortunately, price has been a hindrance on my return. It was so convenient to be walking distance to Epcot! Plus, it’s now walking distance to the Skyliner and Hollywood Studios! This is an upscale beachy vibes place. I can also recommend the Cape May Café Breakfast Character Meal here.

Additionally, they usually have a gingerbread carousel here during the holidays. The theme changes from year to year, but it’s always great.

Yacht Club

Yacht Club is located directly beside Beach Club. It looks very similar to the Beach Club, however it’s more of a muted grey color than the bright blue of Beach Club. I’ve not had the pleasure of staying here, but I did enjoy Ale and Compass Breakfast back in December 2024. Once again, I can recommend it for its location and close proximity to Epcot and the Skyliner. However, it is an expensive deluxe resort as well.

While they don’t typically get a gingerbread creation during the holidays, they display a nice train set. It’s fun to watch the train go around the village.

Boardwalk Inn

Another deluxe resort I haven’t stayed at is Boardwalk Inn. It is located across from Beach and Yacht Club. As such, it is also walking distance to the Skyliner and Epcot. I used to enjoy breakfast here when they had a character breakfast. My mom enjoys visiting as it reminds her of the boardwalk in New Jersey.

Swan/Dolphin Hotels

Technically, the Swan/Dolphin hotels aren’t owned by Disney. However, they are often grouped in with Disney resorts as they receive lots of the same perks as staying on property. Plus, they are located close to Epcot. I’ve never actually stayed at either one, but have heard nice things.

Riviera Resort

Yet another deluxe/DVC resort that I haven’t stayed at, but is located close to Epcot is Disney’s Riviera Resort. I have visited this resort twice for Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast, which I really enjoyed. I also like how compact this resort is. Plus, you are always close to the Skyliner. That makes a ride to Epcot and/or Hollywood Studios super easy.

Caribbean Beach

Lastly, Disney technically considers Caribbean Beach an Epcot resort. It’s the only moderate resort on this list and I’ve actually stayed here! You can read my Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Review to get a better idea of what this resort is like. However, it’s a sprawling resort with several bus stops. Although, it does have easy access to either Skyliner line with quick transportation to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot! I also enjoy Sebastian’s Bistro here.

Should you stay at Epcot Resorts?

If you have the means to stay at one of these deluxe resorts, I say go for it. It makes visiting Epcot so easy when you stay at one of these resorts. Personally, I typically pick a value on the Skyliner over Caribbean Beach. However, that’s just my preference. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the deluxe/DVC resorts on this list though.

So, which resorts on this list have you stayed at?

Is A Dollywood Season Pass Worth It

By Leave a Comment

You may soon be wondering: is a Dollywood Season Pass worth it? I thought I would write a post to help people decide.

Dollywood Season Pass

Dollywood Season Pass

Dollywood opens for the 2026 season on Friday, March 13th. So, you may soon be wondering if a season pass is worth the money. I would argue it depends on your situation and it’s getting harder to recommend a pass due to decreased benefits. Let’s take a closer look.

Season Pass Options

Dollywood has drastically changed their season pass offerings over the past several years. So, I’ll start this post by urging anyone considering one to closely read over the current passes and their benefits. Don’t assume that since a pass came with certain benefits last year that it retains those same benefits this year.

Currently, there are two Season Passes available for purchase: Gold and Silver. Diamond was available for purchase at the end of last year for this season. I took advantage of the early passholder sale to upgrade to Diamond for 2026. I intend to examine its value in a future post.

Bring-A-Friend Tickets

The biggest change to the pass program has been the gradual reduction (and in some cases elimination) of Free Bring-a-Friend passes with each pass. As of 2026, only the two highest tiers (Gold and Diamond) are given any free Bring-a-Friend passes! DW completely eliminated this benefit for the Silver passholders and is instead offering 2 discounted tickets. Plus, Gold is down to just 1 Free Ticket and 2 discounted tickets! Diamond came with 2 Free tickets. That’s a huge reduction from the 4 I received 5 years ago!

Previously, I wrote a post on how to save money at theme parks and I recommended getting a season pass just to save on park admission for families. However, the deduction and elimination of this benefit makes it harder to recommend it for some families.

However, if you are planning to visit for multiple days or planning multiple trips this year, it’s worth it for the value of admission and discounts.

Passholder Discounts

Another perk of being a season passholder is the food, merch, and lodging discounts. Silver Passholders receive a 10% discount on shopping and dining. Gold Passholders receive 15% off. Diamond gets 20%. I will admit, it sure was nice to be able to use that 20% discount on my last trip in 2025 to purchase a Christmas Dollywood hoodie and to help pay for our meals.

Gold Passholders save $5 and Diamond Passholders save $10 on the seasonal guided tours. It looks like those tours have gone up $10 from 2025 to 2026 though. So, it definitely doesn’t feel like a savings anymore. You can read my I Will Always Love You Tour at Dollywood Review and Dollywood Christmas Guided Tour Review to get an idea of what you can expect with those tours.

Also, Gold and Diamond Passholders get free general parking! So, that’s a good savings, especially if you go multiple days.

Is a Dollywood Season Pass Worth It?

A Dollywood Season Pass is only worth it for me if I’m planning to visit multiple times in a season. I don’t typically visit more than one day during a trip. It takes at least 2-3 days to break even on admission pricing alone. However, I enjoy knowing that there’s a theme park I can take myself to and not have to worry about paying for admission.

I think the erosion of benefits (and increase of pricing) has made it more difficult to recommend a season pass. I still find value in it for myself though. I don’t know if I will renew in 2027, especially at the pricy Diamond level. I will let you know towards the end of the season if it was worth it.

Burbank Studio Tours Compared

By Leave a Comment

Having previously visited and reviewed the three big film studios north of Hollywood, I thought I would compare the Burbank Studio Tours!

Burbank Studio Tours

Burbank Studio Tours

For those who don’t know, there are three working studios located near each other in the Burbank/upper Hollywood area: Universal, Warner Bros., and Walt Disney. Each place handles tours differently and seems better suited to different demographics. So, if you are wondering how each of these tours compares and which one is for you, keep reading!

Universal Studios Tour

I’ll start with the first one I did and I would wager is lots of people’s first (and only?): Universal! You see, you can’t actually schedule a straight Universal Studios Tour. However, there’s a ride at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park that takes you on a cart ride through the studios! The “ride” is included with park admission and can be repeated to see different things.

You can get an extended look at the lot by booking a VIP Tour. I was lucky enough to book it and posted a Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour Review back in 2024. We were able to get off the bus and walk through some of the props department. We also got to step on the lot where some “Pirates” movie and “The Good Place” show was filmed.

Neither of these options guarantees access to specific lots though and experiences can vary greatly. The tours can’t access lots where filming is taking place. Plus, Halloween Horror Nights can interrupt the studio tours with props and houses.

I think Universal Studios Tours are more of an add-on to a theme park day. Yes, you visit the back lot and maybe get to walk on a lot when you are VIP. However, it left me wanting more from a studio tour and I was happy to have the WB Studio the next day. If you are curious what a studio lot is like and don’t want to spend all day at a studio, then this is sufficient.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

The second option is the Warner Brothers Studio Tour. WB has really leaned into the studio tours with multiple tour options. They also host seasonal events to celebrate movie anniversaries and/or holidays throughout the year. On my visit, I only had time to do the standard studio tour. This gets you a 1 hour guided tour of the lot with access to other experiences they estimate will take 2 hours. In my Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood Review, I stated that it took me about 2.5 hours total. However, I could have taken much longer if I hadn’t had something else planned for later in the day.

I think the Warner Bros. Tour is best for the folks who really want to see and experience a back lot. Even the standard tour allows you to get off of the cart and walk onto a set! Plus, after the guided portion, then you get to see sets from “The Big Bang Theory”, “Friends”, and more! It was so cool to get a picture on the “Friends” couch/set! There’s sections on “Harry Potter”, “Game of Thrones”, and “Batman”.

Warner Brothers is for people who really want to learn more about the movie making process. You can easily spend a whole day here. I hope to take a longer tour someday, personally. I really enjoyed this tour. However, I enjoy learning about how things work. If you think your group might get bored with a multi-hour experience, then this probably isn’t for you.

Walt Disney Studios Tour

Lastly, there’s the Walt Disney Studios Tour. I think it’s great that the D23 Disney fan club is offering this tour for members. It’s wonderful to visit where the magic was made. Although, this tour focuses on the company’s animated films, which makes it a totally different experience.

As I stated in my Walt Disney Studios Tour Review with D23 this storied lot gave me real pinch-me moments. However, it was a little dry (compared to the other two tours). I would say this is best for hardcore Disney fans. It was amazing to be able to visit Walt Disney’s office and see what it was like when he was alive. It was so cool to walk around where history was made. However, it’s not a traditional studio tour like the others. You don’t get to walk onto a set. Rather, the tour focuses on the animated films that were produced here in the Animation Building. It also highlights the Disney Co. history that happened here.

I love that the tour includes a visit to the Disney Legends Plaza and you get to shop in the special studio employee store for unique merch! Overall, I’d suggest this only for the big Disney fans.

Which Burbank Studio Tours is the best?

I know that people will want to know which Burbank Studio Tours is the best. However, I think it’s subjective and you need to pick the one that suits you/your group best. Universal is a theme park with the studio tour as an add-on. That’s probably better for folks with children. The Disney one is best for big Disney fans. Warner Bros. is great for getting a more intimate look at shows/films actually being made.

So, have you done a studio tour? Which one did you prefer?