Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

Behind the Seeds Tour at Epcot Review

By Leave a Comment

When my husband and I visited Walt Disney World last month, we booked a new to us experience, the Behind the Seeds Tour at Epcot! Today I will review it and let you know who I think it’s good for and who should maybe skip it.

Behind the Seeds Tour

Behind the Seeds Tour

For those who don’t know, the Behind the Seeds Tour at Epcot is a backstage look at The Land Pavilion! The Land Pavilion is where the Living with the Land ride and Garden Grill Restaurant is located. Having eaten at Garden Grill a few times and ridden the ride even more times, I was excited for a walking tour to see how Disney grows its own food!

I booked this tour 60 days out when I made our advance dining reservations. We paid $35/each. Thankfully, this was prior to Disney’s most recent resort wide price hikes. As of this writing, this tour has gone up in price and varies from day to day. It now starts at $39 and goes up to $45, depending on which day you select. There doesn’t appear to be a discount for children.

Very Informative

This one-hour walking tour is information heavy. The tour started out with a look at how Disney is fighting pests. Then, we moved on to the actual greenhouses. It was neat to see the ride from the other side. Boats rode by as we looked at squash and tried some cucumbers grown there! It was neat to see all of the different varieties of plants being grown, from coffee to vanilla beans! We even saw a picture of some Mickey shaped cucumbers they are working on.

Our guide was very knowledgeable about plants in general as well as what was in the greenhouses currently. We got to see the last of the pumpkins being grown and they were beginning to hang up the Christmas lights. The guide explained that the tours vary a little bit depending on the time of the year since they grow some food for the Epcot festivals here. So, it has a repeatability factor if you enjoy learning about different seasons.

Hands On Learning

There were a few other interactive aspects to the tour. The tour not only includes the four greenhouses, but also the fish farm. We learned about the fish and then got to feed them. They gathered everyone around the tank and we all put the food in at the same time. The fish went wild to get the food! It was neat.

We also got to pass around some spices to smell. It was fun to try and guess which spice we were smelling. The tour ended with a little picture session in front of the Mickey shaped tree.

Is the Behind the Seeds Tour worth it?

For $35, it was a neat experience. The new price hike gives me pause on value. $45 sounds a little steep to me, but I would probably still do it at least once. That being said I do not recommend this tour for children. It was a lot of information and I don’t think people with short attention spans would enjoy it. I suppose that’s why there’s not a discount for children.

Our group was mostly adult couples (think late twenties and up). It’s a good time for anyone interested in plants or seeing how Disney grows its own food. For thrill seekers, it’s best to spend time riding the rides. I also must point out that’s an hour long walking tour with most of that time spent standing or walking. So, if standing and walking for an hour doesn’t sound doable, it maybe best to avoid this one. Although, it is wheelchair accessible if that is of concern to you.

Have you done the Behind the Seeds tour at Epcot? What did you think of it?

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant Review

By Leave a Comment

Last December, when my mom and I attended Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, we had dinner at Tony’s Town Square. Today I thought I would provide a review of that experience.

Tony's Town Square

Tony’s Town Square

For those who don’t know, Tony’s Town Square is an Italian restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. In fact, the restaurant is one of the first things you encounter upon entering the park, after going under the train station! I had passed by this place countless times, but had never eaten here. So, I decided that it was time to change that. Plus, the location of it was super convenient for attending the party directly afterwards.

Lady and the Tramp Theme

This is not an ordinary Italian restaurant. No, it’s the restaurant from Lady and the Tramp where the dogs have their first kiss! So, this restaurant has pictures of the dogs on the walls. Plus, there’s an adorable water fountain featuring the dogs. They even play the classic movie in the waiting area!

My mom is a dog lover, so I knew she would appreciate the theme here. She enjoyed watching some of the movie while we waited to be seated. She also enjoyed seeing some of the pictures on the walls.

We were seated in the front of the restaurant, near the windows. That meant that we didn’t really get to enjoy the movie theme during the meal. However, we did get an excellent view of the park and its Christmas tree! I loved that more than seeing the pictures. It was nice to walk by and see the pictures and fountain. I loved being able to sit inside comfortably while gazing at the Magic Kingdom tree during our meal. I highly recommend doing that sometime.

The Food

I’ll be honest, I had read bad reviews of this place before eating here. So, I was nervous. We started the meal with Tony’s Garlic Bread for the Table. It had a great garlic flavor. Unfortunately, it was bit over toasted and was a little too hard for our liking. Next, came our entrees.

I selected the Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp. While it wasn’t a bad dish, it didn’t really wow me either. I’d say it was just ok. I could have used a little more flavor or spice. My mom got the Chicken Parmigiana. She seemed to enjoy this. She ate all of the chicken, but left behind a good amount of sauce. There again, I think it could have benefitted from some seasoning.

Is Tony’s Town Square worth it?

While I enjoyed the view of Main Street/the tree and it was a convenient meal, I don’t know that I will be returning. It’s not a bad restaurant. However, I think there’s much better food in the area (particularly at the Magic Kingdom resorts). This year, my mom and I are planning to eat some quick service prior to the party instead of eating here. I definitely wouldn’t recommend using a table service dining credit to eat here. Although, I could see it being a good sit-down meal for a family with picky eaters and people who like the movie/dogs. Have you ever eaten here?

Plaza Inn Character Breakfast Review

By Leave a Comment

During my September trip to Disneyland, I enjoyed the Plaza Inn Character Breakfast with my mom on our Disneyland park day. Here are my thoughts on it to help others decide if it’s worth it.

Plaza Inn Character Breakfast

Plaza Inn Character Breakfast

Plaza Inn is a quick service dining spot for lunch and dinner. It’s known for its fried chicken. However, during the AM hours it hosts the only in park character dining at the resort! The Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in the Park as it’s called guarantees you will meet Minnie Mouse along with other random characters while eating from a buffet of breakfast food. It’s currently $46/adult and $27/child.

The Food

I find character meals with buffets to be mostly about the characters. The food here was ok and pretty basic, to be honest. I enjoyed the bananas and caramel on French toast the most. The biscuit and gravy was ok, better than some other theme parks attempt at biscuits. The Minnie waffle was just like a typical Mickey waffle, but having Minnie was a nice touch. Personally, I would have liked a little more variety of food here, but it was sufficient and nothing tasted bad. It was just simple food to fuel your park day.

The Characters

This is where this meal really shines! This meal is truly a random characterpalooza. We started by getting our picture taken with Minnie Mouse before we even entered the restaurant. Then, we met Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Pluto, and Dale! Finally, I was shocked to meet Max! My mom didn’t actually know who Max was and thought it was “a little Goofy.” Hahahaha! Once she learned who he was, she was happy to meet a new (and somewhat rare) character.

Two of the girl mice from Cinderella were also going around, but they skipped our table each time. So, we didn’t get to meet them and there really wasn’t anyone we could tell about this. So, that was a bit of a bummer. My mom assumes it was because we were two adults. I think they just couldn’t tell that hadn’t seen us yet.

Nonetheless, I loved meeting all of these random characters during one meal! It was lots of fun to see who would come out next.

Is the Plaza Inn Character Breakfast worth it?

As with any character dining, this is an expensive meal. However, it is the only in park character dining option at Disneyland. Sidenote: if you are visiting DCA and want a character meal, I highly recommend Storytellers Cafe Brunch Disneyland Character Meal at the Grand Californian. We booked this meal around 9:30 AM. This gave us time to enjoy the early park entry as resort guests and ride several rides. Then, we had a late breakfast (or lunch for us Easter Coasters) here. That worked out well for us. If you want to meet several characters, this is the meal for you. If you prefer more unique foods, you may want to look elsewhere. Also, if you are on a tight-budget this probably isn’t the place for you.

Fantasmic Dining Package Review at Sci-Fi Dine-In

By Leave a Comment

I’ve just returned from a short trip to Walt Disney World with my husband. We decided to book a Fantasmic Dining Package on our Hollywood Studios night. I’m doing a review to help others determine if this is a good option for their trip.

Fantasmic Dining Package

Fantasmic Dining Package

For those who don’t know, Fantasmic is a night-time show at Hollywood Studios. It’s been very popular since its return following the pandemic. I hadn’t seen the show in years, but was afraid of crowds given that we were visiting on a Saturday night. So, I booked one of these packages to ensure us a good seat for the show as well as a good meal. As you might have noticed, I’m a bit of a sucker for reserved show seating with food as I’ve reviewed World of Color – One Dessert Party and Oogie Boogie Dessert Party. This package though is for a whole meal prior to the show.

There are 5 restaurants to choose from when you book this package. Initially, I selected The Hollywood Brown Derby. However, when I glanced over the menu, I realized that it was too fancy for my palate and too expensive. So, a few days out from our trip, I switched us to the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. I had eaten here previously once before with my mom, but this was my husband’s first time.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

As a part of our special, we were able to select an entree, either an appetizer or dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage for our meals. We both elected to get appetizers since those seemed more appealing and worth more money. I got the onion rings, which were pretty good. Then again, I haven’t had many bad onion rings. Ha! My husband got the wings and they were tasty as well.

I had wanted to order the chicken salad sandwich for my entree, however they are unable to remove the cilantro from the mix. Sidenote to anyone from WDW reading: Please stop adding cilantro to everything. Some of us think it tastes like soap.

I ended up going with the plant based Impossible burger. While it tasted ok, it was dry as heck. My husband ordered the citrus chicken salad. His chicken was also dry, but he enjoyed the rest of the salad. Unfortunately, I can’t give the food here a glowing review. I wish it wasn’t just a bunch of burgers on the menu with 1 pasta dish. There needs to be more variety. Also, the foods we opted for that weren’t burgers weren’t amazing. So, I guess stick with the burgers or don’t eat here.

I have to say the theme is pretty cool here! My husband enjoyed seeing the sci-fi clips on the big screen. I like sitting in the cars and looking around the “drive-in”.

Fantasmic! Seating

After dinner, we headed over to the stadium to get in line for the show. Once we entered the stadium and saw the roped off area, I realized the benefit of booking this package. The prime view or middle of the stadium is reserved for these dining packages. So, if you want a great view of the show, this is how you get it.

We both really enjoyed the show and were pleased with our seats. Fantasmic is a must-do if you are visiting Hollywood Studios at night. The dining package allowed us to see the performers straight on instead of from the side.

Is it worth it?

The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is one of the cheapest restaurants available for this package. However, it’s still $51/adult and $23/children. So, it’s still a pretty expensive meal. Personally, I don’t think the food is worth the prices Disney is charging for the regular menu at Sci-Fi. The addition of the reserved seating area at Fantasmic though is worth a lot. My meal would normally cost $35 and my husband’s was $34. So, essentially we paid $17/18 for the seats. For the view, it’s worth it at least once. If I book the package again, it will be at a different restaurant. Have you ever eaten here or booked a Fantasmic dining package?

Solo Disneyland: Tips for Going Alone

By Leave a Comment

Earlier this year, I took a solo Disneyland trip to experience the Disney100 at Disneyland Resort. So, I thought I would share a few tips for anyone considering visiting the resort alone.

Solo Disneyland

Solo Disneyland

I know that most people think of theme parks, particularly Disney parks, as places for children and/or families to enjoy. However, I am a prime example of why there are so much more than that. If you ever get the chance to visit Disneyland alone, I highly recommend it. You are free to come and go as you please (as long as you have park reservations).

Tips

Here are some tips for making the most of a solo Disneyland trip:

  • Have a list of things to do/see/eat – You are free to do exactly what you want. However, I think it’s best if you know which things you actually want to experience. Then, you have an idea of which direction you would like to head in when you arrive.
  • Utilize the Single Rider Line – Several rides have a Single Rider Line, which means you can ride a favorite ride quicker if you are willing to be added to another group. This would happen anyways as a single person, so you might as well cut down on the wait time. I rope dropped and then entered the Single Rider Line for Radiator Springs Racers at DCA. It was a blast! You can see a full list of attractions with this special line at the link above.
  • Change your mind – The beauty of being alone is that you can have a plan and then change it if your mood changes. Want to run across the park to get in line for a ride and then realize you’d rather do something else? Do it!
  • Relax – I enjoyed people watching on this trip and just taking in the ambiance of being at Disneyland. I rode lots of rides, but I also tried to make time to just chill.
  • Speed walk – I also ran around the park riding rides with Genie+. I took a much slower approach when my mom went with me in September. Not having to worry about losing or tiring another person means you can travel at your own pace.
  • Book a meal or two – I really enjoyed dining by myself at Cafe Orleans. I highly recommend taking a breather with a nice meal if you visit by yourself. I also liked sitting outside at Plaza Inn while the band played nearby.

So, do you have any tips for a solo Disneyland trip?