Laughing Lindsay

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The Best Things in Magic Kingdom

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Have you ever wondered what the best things in Magic Kingdom are? Well, if you have, I’ve got my own personal list of favorite things to do when I visit!

Best Things In Magic Kingdom

The Best Things in Magic Kingdom

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Disney World several times. As such, I have lots of things I love to do there. So, I thought it would be fun to start a new series of the best things to do in different theme parks. To kick it off, I had to start with the most popular one and the one I’ve visited the most: Magic Kingdom!

I thought this would be easiest if I picked my favorite (the best to me) thing in the park across different categories. So, I will be breaking it down based on the categories I’ve chosen.

The Best Ride

Given that MK has so many rides, this can be a competitive category. I think it comes down to two rides though: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Tron. I haven’t had the chance to experience Tron yet though. So, I will pick Mine Train. I’ve done it several times and love it each time. I like the classic Disney story and the roller coaster is fun without being too intense.

The Best Place for a Break

Again, this category comes down to two options for me: The Enchanted Tiki Room or Carousel of Progress. If it’s a hot day, then Carousel of Progress wins with its great air conditioning and the dark. If it’s cooler, I might go with the Tiki Room.

The Best Snack

I know lots of people love the egg rolls here. However, I still haven’t tried those. For me, I’ve got to go with a classic: Dole Whip! There’s nothing like a cold Dole Whip on a hot Orlando day! Dole Whips always remind me of Disney parks.

The Best Quick Service Restaurant

This park has several quick service restaurants. However, the food at each of them tends to be pretty pedestrian. However, I’ve had good luck with Columbia Harbor House in the past. I like the lobster roll and sitting upstairs to people watch in the park.

The Best Table Service Restaurant

There’s really not many options in this category in this park. However, Liberty Tree Tavern consistently has good food. The theme reminds me of Colonial Williamsburg too. You can read a whole review of my experiences here at the link above. For a cheaper option, I also like The Plaza Restaurant. It has good food with a great view of the castle. Plus, it’s pretty cheap for Disney sit down meals.

The Best Things in Magic Kingdom

So, there’s my favorite things in Magic Kingdom. What’s on your list of the best things in this park?

Ale and Compass Breakfast Review at Walt Disney World

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When I took a quick 48 hours trip to Walt Disney World late last year, I decided to eat breakfast at Ale and Compass at Yacht Club Resort. I’d heard many people online call it the best breakfast value on property. So, I thought I would check it out for myself.

Ale and Compass

Ale and Compass

Prior to this trip, I had seen several Youtubers eat at Ale and Compass. They all gushed over the value of the buffet here. So, it had been on my list of places to try for a little while. Then, I booked this trip to enjoy the holidays at Disney and it seemed like the perfect time to try it. I wanted to see the gingerbread carousel at Beach Club, which is directly beside Yacht Club.

I stayed at All Star Sports (review to come) on this trip. I could have taken a Lyft directly to this resort. However, I had extra time and didn’t want to spend the money. So, I rode a bus to Hollywood Studios. Then, I took the Skyliner over to Epcot. Finally, it was a short walk over to the Yacht Club.

Breakfast

At Ale and Compass during breakfast, you can order an entree or a “continental enhancement” buffet with an entree. Given the rave reviews on the buffet’s value, I opted to try it this time. For $28, you get an entree, the buffet, and a drink! Everything on the buffet looked good and fresh. I loved the fruit available. The pineapple was juicy. The grapes were fresh as were the strawberries. I really enjoyed the deviled egg. The biscuit and gravy was surprisingly good as well. Not the best I’ve ever had, but it was some of the best I’ve had in Orlando. The pastry I selected was pretty good too. Unfortunately, the cinnamon roll didn’t wow me. I found it to be dried out and lacking much flavor.

For my entree, I went with the Dark Chocolate Waffles. It comes with dried cherry compote, espresso-mascarpone cream, and chocolate shavings. My waitress highly recommended it and I’d seen several people online like it. Admittedly, I’m not usually a cherry fan. However, these waffles were delicious! The combination of all of the flavors went together really well! I figured I’d end up removing the compote, but I didn’t. I truly enjoyed this dish. In fact, I don’t think you need the provided syrup. I also selected turkey bacon for my meat. It doesn’t look all that appetizing, but it was good too.

Is the Ale and Compass Breakfast a good value?

At $28, this is easily the cheapest buffet on property. However, as with all buffets, it can be a lot of food. I think it’s an excellent value for hungry folks. If I return again, I’ll probably just get those tasty dark chocolate waffles since I didn’t have the stomach space to eat them all. Then again, the waffles alone are $16, so an extra $12 for a plethora more options seems worth it. The biggest “minus” of eating here is the location. It would make a great breakfast on a Hollywood Studios or Epcot day. Plus, it fueled my resort decor sightseeing day.

So, have you ever eaten here?

Epcot Biergarten Restaurant Review

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October is quickly approaching and that means many people will celebrate Oktoberfest soon! Did you know that there is a buffet in Epcot where you can celebrate it all year long? I’m talking about Biergarten Restaurant! If you like lively entertainment and unique food, then keep reading for my review of this experience!

Biergarten Restaurant

Biergarten Restaurant

For a long time, my husband and I talked about trying this place out. However, it never worked out. Last October, we finally decided to make it happen! Biergarten Restaurant is the table service restaurant in the Germany pavilion at Epcot at Walt Disney World. It would be one table service credit to eat here. It’s currently $49/adult and $27/child to eat here. However, that price includes an all you care to enjoy buffet and some entertainment!

The Food

This was a completely new experience for us both since neither of us had tried German cuisine. So, we weren’t exactly sure what to expect. The buffet featured a selection of sausages and other meats, making it a great option for meat lovers. There was also sauerkraut, as is mandatory for a German place. There was also a tasty beer cheese soup that paired well with pretzel rolls. I really liked the Nudel Gratin or macaroni and cheese! I also enjoyed the apple strudel! I tried the Black Forest Cake and discovered it wasn’t for me. My husband was thrilled to discover the fresh pineapple!

We aren’t big drinkers, but there appeared to be a good selection of alcoholic beverages to choose from. I thought it was a nice touch that our water was served in glass steins too.

The Entertainment

As I mentioned above, this place is always celebrating Oktoberfest! I really enjoyed the theme since it’s meant to look like you are eating in the middle of a Bavarian village! It was like being outside while enjoying the cool air conditioning (something that is vital in Orlando).

The tables surround a stage where a group of men come out periodically to perform! It was nice to have some live entertainment during our meal. We enjoyed seeing other people get up to dance. This is truly a lively meal. It’s not a quiet experience.

Is Biergarten Restaurant worth it?

Personally, this may have been a one and done for me. It wasn’t bad by any means. However, if I’m trying to get the most bang for my buck on the dining plan, I’m probably going to Garden Grill. Also, seeing as how we aren’t big drinkers, I think a quieter sit down meal would be more appropriate for me and my husband going forward. However, I think this place is perfect for lots of other folks.

Have you eaten here? Do you like it?

Liberty Tree Tavern at Magic Kingdom Review

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Seeing as how tomorrow is July 4th, I thought I would finally post a Liberty Tree Tavern review!

Liberty Tree Tavern

Liberty Tree Tavern

I have had the pleasure of eating at this restaurant twice. The first time I went was a solo trip pre-pandemic. Then, I went again last year with my mom. I’ve enjoyed it both times. So, here’s a look at what you can expect at this table service (1 table service credit on the dining plan) restaurant in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World!

The Theme

For those who don’t know or can’t tell by the name, Liberty Tree Tavern is a colonial themed restaurant. It is located in the Liberty Square area of Magic Kingdom and fits right in with the theme of the area. It feels very similar to Colonial Williamsburg. In fact, each of the six dining rooms are themed after a founding father! This includes: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Paul Jones, Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, and George Washington. It’s fun to look around the room for little nods to each person.

The Food

The menu has been simplified post-pandemic. Now, when you dine here, the only option is the all you care to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner that is served family style. Although, they do have a plant-based version of this meal as well as allergy-friendly versions as well. Thankfully, everything here is good. Granted, it is not anything groundbreaking or fancy. However, it will please lots of different folks.

First, you are served the Declaration Salad along with rolls. The rolls are very basic. I’m not big on salad dressings, but this one is pretty good. I also like the addition of the apples and cranberries in the salad. Next up is the Patriot’s Platter or the main meal. It consists of roasted turkey (it’s Thanksgiving, after all), pot roast, and oven-roasted pork. I really liked the turkey and pork.

The sides include mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, herbed stuffing, and macaroni and cheese. Honestly, I really liked all of the sides. We received green beans as the seasonal vegetable and they were ok. The other three sides were delicious though.

Lastly, we have the real star of this meal, the dessert! The Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake is amazing! It’s served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. While the whole meal is all you care to enjoy, you have to save room for this dessert! In fact, it’s so good that I used my picture of it as the image for this blog post seen above!

Should you eat at Liberty Tree Tavern?

While the food here is consistently good (which is saying something for theme parks), it’s not anything truly unique. Also, the price is $42/person. While that is expensive, it’s still not a good use of a table service dining credit. However, the food is good and there’s probably something for everyone to enjoy. It’s also a good place for history buffs to check out. If you are on a tight budget or don’t want much to eat, then you are better off skipping this one.

Have you ever dined at Liberty Tree? What did you think?

Rainforest Cafe Breakfast at Animal Kingdom Review

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Back in December, my mom and I visited Walt Disney World to celebrate the holidays. On our Animal Kingdom day we decided to try the Rainforest Cafe breakfast for the first time! Here’s a review of that experience.

Rainforest Cafe Breakfast

Rainforest Cafe Breakfast

Walt Disney World has two Rainforest Cafe locations on property. There’s the one at Disney Springs with the erupting volcano outside. However, it’s only open for lunch and dinner. Then, there’s this one at Animal Kingdom. It’s technically situated just outside the park but can be accessed from either outside or inside the park. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

The Theme

For those who don’t know, this is a chain restaurant that is highly themed to a rainforest. It has lots of animatronic animals around every corner. Since we ate here during the holiday season, I thought it was cute that they had put Santa Claus hats on some of the animals. It made it feel more jolly.

The real draw here is the thunderstorm that darkens the entire restaurant and has lots of loud storm/animal noises every 20-30 minutes! Personally, I think it fits right in at Animal Kingdom. It’s a fun theme that is perfect for any animal lover. Plus, it’s significantly cheaper than eating the character breakfast at Tusker House in the park. However, it’s still not exactly cheap or quiet. So, just know that going in.

The Food

My mom ordered the Tonga Toast meal. I was expecting something more akin to the Tonga Toast at Kona Cafe or Captain Cook’s at the Polynesian Resort. However, this was a basic cinnamon French toast. It is served with fruit and your choice of breakfast meat. Considering it costs $6 more than the quick service Captain Cook’s, I was personally disappointed in this dish. They really should call it something else to lower expectations. Overall, it was a fine breakfast dish but not what we expected.

I chose the Banana Fosters Pancakes. The pancakes come with caramelized bananas and pecans. It was delicious! You don’t need any syrup here! It also came with some potatoes and eggs. Unfortunately, the potatoes were overdone and hard. The eggs were fine. I definitely left this meal with a sugar rush.

Is Rainforest Cafe worth it?

I think my mom really enjoyed the animals and the theme was neat. The thunderstorm was added entertainment. However, the food was just ok and overpriced. It gave us a nice place to sit in the dark, out of the hot sun. I think for the price, I’d rather eat quick service breakfast at a resort. This might be a one and done for us. It was a cool experience, but not necessarily worth repeating.

Have you ever eaten Rainforest Cafe breakfast?