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Winter in Orlando Theme Parks Guide

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I feel like I just started this seasonal theme parks guide series, but it’s my last post. I just did Christmas in the theme parks, so now it’s time for winter in Orlando theme parks! FYI: I will be considering January and February as winter for this post. As in, the period of time after the holidays but before the spring festivities start.

Winter in Orlando

Winter in Orlando

If you aren’t familiar with the theme parks, you probably wonder why I’m doing a separate post from the holidays guide. That’s because there’s a couple of months wherein the holidays are over but the parks are still open and have some special events! Typically, the crowds are smaller during this time of the year. So, the parks host special events to draw people in.

Winter in Disney

The Christmas decorations usually come down in January, around/after the marathon weekend. You enter the half of the year where the Magic Kingdom looks normal without any holiday decor. The majority of the parks are somewhat quiet and feature special After Hours events to entice people to visit. I plan to visit in February and attend an event at Magic Kingdom, so be on the lookout for a review of that experience. However, in previous years it was a great time to ride the rides with minimal waits.

The other big thing that happens in January and February in Walt Disney World is the Festival of the Arts at Epcot! You know from my Epcot Festival of the Arts Guide that I love this event and it’s my favorite seasonal event at Epcot. The weather is cooler, which makes it easier to enjoy the food around World Showcase. Plus, there’s lots of fun entertainment to enjoy. Festival of the Arts ends on February 19th and Flower and Garden begins February 28th this year! So, technically your winter trip could coincide with either or neither of these fun festivals!

Winter at Universal Orlando

Once again, we encounter another one of my favorite theme park events. This time, it’s at Universal Orlando resort and I’m talking about Mardi Gras. I posted a Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando guide previously, but suffice it to say it’s a fun time! The event begins the first weekend in February and goes until the beginning of April. Since it’s so long, I’m covering it in both winter and spring guides. I highly recommend riding on a float if you can. If not, enjoy catching some beads when you watch the parade.

Winter at SeaWorld Orlando

SeaWorld tries to draw in visitors during this time of the year with several limited time special activities. For instance, there’s an Inside Look event taking place over two weekends that offers a behind the scenes look at how the animals are taken care of at the park. Just for Kids Weekend takes places one weekend in January. There’s also an Elmo’s Birthday celebration lasting one whole week. Additionally, from February to May, they have the Seven Seas Food Festival! We enjoyed a few food items from it one time and think it’s good for any foodies in the area.

Where are you headed?

So, that’s an overview of what you can expect to experience in the Orlando theme parks in January and February. Are you visiting any of the parks this winter?

You can check out my other seasonal theme parks guides here:

Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille 2023 Review

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While visiting Universal Orlando for the holidays, my mom and I were able to experience The Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille at Islands of Adventure! We loved this experience last year, so I jumped to book it when it came out this year. There were many changes made to the experience this year, so continue reading to see if it’s worth it.

Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille

Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille

Last year, my mom and I absolutely loved this character meal at Universal. That’s why when Universal finally announced its return on October 19th I jumped on booking it. In fact, the site was a little glitchy and there was a long wait on the phone lines. So, I booked it without using my annual passholder discount for fear of missing out on it entirely.

Previously, this meal was held at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendus. That was the perfect setting for this experience. Unfortunately, the restaurant is currently under refurbishment and isn’t an option. So, the decision was made to move this meal to Confisco Grille for 2023.

Changes for 2023

Once the dust settled so to speak, I was disappointed to realize that Universal had increased the price dramatically while also lessening the experience. Last year, we paid $41.99/each and this year it’s $58.99! So, it went up $17 in just one year. Then, I realized it went from being a buffet to a plated meal. So, that meant less food. I also realized once initial reviews came out that it went from being The Grinch and Friends to just The Whos. So, we lost a few Dr. Suess characters with the change. Additionally, they removed the free photo downloads from the experience and instead rely on you using your cell phone.

So, was it worth the additional $17 for an experience that included less? Let’s get into the specifics of this meal.

The Food at Confisco Grille

We started the meal with a plate of pastries for the table. This included mini croissants, mini blueberry muffins, and a bowl of fruit. The muffins were dry and the croissants were fine. As for the fruit, I ate the pineapple and strawberries. My mom ate the watermelon and cantaloupe. They were good, it’s fruit. I also selected the Grinch Punch for my beverage. It was nice and fruity.

Then, we were able to select an entree for the main portion of the meal. My mom and I both got Martha May’s Chicken and Waffles. The waffles were pretty standard. The real star here was the combination of the whipped honey butter and hot honey drizzle. Everything combined (chicken, waffles, butter and drizzle) was a delightful experience. Then, there were a few random berries tossed on the plate for added color?

Lastly, a plate of sweet treats was brought to the table. It included those famous Grinch Cookies, Max treats, and red velvet hearts! We ate the cookies (a good but basic sugar cookie) and took the rest to go. Maybe it was because we ate them hours later, but the Max treats were fairly dry. It was basically a chocolate shortbread. The red velvet hearts didn’t seem like traditional red velvet. It was more of a chocolate cake pop colored red.

Overall, the food was ok. We got more food than we could eat, but I don’t know that it was better than last year. In fact, I preferred last year’s spread so we could try green eggs and ham pizza plus chicken and waffles.

The Experience

As I stated above, last year’s meal included The Who’s, The Grinch, and Sam I Am. I’ve also heard of The Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2 meeting here previously. This year, it was just The Whos. While I enjoyed the added benefit of hearing them sing, I feel like it lost something to not have the additional characters coming around.

Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out how different this meeting was. Last year, The Whos walked around to each table and spent time with each guest. This year, they kind of wandered around the restaurant and stopped at the same spots to sing. Our waiter ended up flagging them down and making us jump up at the end of a song just to get a picture with them. It seems to be set up to enjoy their appearance/singing more than a meet and greet.

Additionally, this year you go to The Grinch after you finish your meal. I enjoyed seeing The Grinch interact with other guests last year during the meal. So, this meant less time actually being entertained by him. We were also disappointed to have to stand in a line that went outside to meet him. That kind of defeats the purpose of a character meal if I have to stand in a long line to meet the character, I think.

Also, the environment was a little lackluster. I think I read online that some people were told the restaurant was The Grinch’s cave. However, we weren’t told that during our meal. I understand that they had to change the restaurant due to the issues at the other restaurant, however it kind of felt like an excuse to do less with the space.

Is the Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille worth it?

Given the price hike and lessened experience, you have to wonder if this meal is worth the high cost. This is still one of only two guaranteed ways to meet The Grinch (the other being the Universal Holiday Tour) at Universal. Plus, the line was much shorter than the hours long one in the park. My mom and I agreed that if this was our first time doing this breakfast, then we probably would have been content. However, compared to last year, this is a much worse experience for a lot more money. I honestly don’t think I would book this again unless there are changes made (either goes back to the other restaurant and/or more character meets added). Then again, if this is your one and only holiday trip to UO, then it’s probably worth it.

Candlelight Processional Dining Package at Epcot Review

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If you ever plan a trip to Epcot during the holidays, you will immediately discover that many people recommend booking the Candlelight Processional Dining Package. After dealing with site glitches and trying again closer to our trip, I secured us a breakfast reservation at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall! Here’s my review of that experience to help you decide if it’s worth it.

Candlelight Processional Dining Package

Candlelight Processional Dining Package

As I stated above, when the advance dining reservations initially opened up, the site was very glitchy. So I wasn’t able to secure the exact restaurant and exact time we wanted. However, I grabbed a lunch at Garden Grill with a seat for the 7 PM show with John Stamos! Then, a few days out breakfast reservations with the princesses started popping up. So, my first tip is: keep trying! Set up a reservation finder and be quick!

The Food

We had a breakfast reservation at Akershus. One of the reasons I switched it is because we had just eaten and done a Garden Grill dinner review earlier this year. So, we wanted to try something different this time. However, I will say that we enjoyed ourselves. It was also the fastest character meal I’ve ever had. All 5 princesses had visited our table and we had all our food within 30 minutes! So, don’t go into this expecting a leisurely meal. Ha!

I also enjoyed that each of the princesses had a little extra something added to their outfit for the holidays. Ariel had a golden starfish hair bow, Snow White had some greenery/berries added to her headband. Little touches that added to the holiday feeling without being over the top were nice.

The Show

We already had our Epcot day picked out when the schedule of celebrity narrators was announced. So, we were both tickled to discover our day was John Stamos. I grew up watching him on “Full House” and my mom also watched some of those episodes. So, it seemed like something we should really try to see. It would appear that lots of other people had the same thoughts as there was quite the line to see the show. We lined up a little under one hour ahead of the show as there was already a pretty long line to get in.

I had previously watched a different celebrity narrator online a few years ago and thought it was ok. However, the show was so much better in person! My mom and I thoroughly enjoyed this show. In fact, I had meant to record some of the show but I found myself so wrapped up in it that I didn’t get to. It is a beautiful way to get into the holiday spirit.

Of course, I expect that the narrator brings a lot the experience as well. I choked up when John Stamos mentioned losing Bob Saget and that pretty much set the tone of the show for me personally. It made me appreciate being there all that much more. So, I’m not sure that I would have enjoyed the show as much if there had been a different narrator.

Tips

  • Keep trying – if you can’t get the exact reservation time or restaurant you want, then keep checking back. About a week out is when I started noticing more cancellations.
  • Get there early – We went to the 7 PM show and got in line a little after 6. There was already a pretty long line at this point. So, get in line early for a good seat. If you can’t get a package reservation, you will need to line up hours in advance for a chance to see the show.
  • Wear layers – I wore a long sleeve shirt and ended up putting on my jacket while we waited in line. We felt a chilly breeze coming off the water. So, I recommend wearing layers for this nighttime event.
  • Get a reservation hours out – I wondered why I couldn’t book a dinner for the package. However, having done it now I understand why breakfast and lunch were offered. You have to arrive early to get a good seat and you don’t want to feel rushed at the meal. So, a lunch reservation might be ideal.

Is the Candlelight Processional Dining Package worth it?

All of the restaurants are expensive for the dining package. However, I think it’s worth it. This is the only way to guarantee you get a seat for one of the shows. Plus, you are going to have to eat anyways. I think it’s a splurge worth making if you are interested in the show and/or a specific narrator.

Have you ever booked one of these packages? Did you think it was worth it?

Behind the Seeds Tour at Epcot Review

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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

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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?