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Disney World Little Mermaid Rooms Review

February 4, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Back in December, my mom and I spent four nights in a Disney World Little Mermaid Room at Art of Animation. So, I thought I would provide an updated review of the experience.

Disney World Little Mermaid Rooms

The last time I stayed in these rooms (and this resort) was back in 2019! I shared about that experience in my Art of Animation Resort Review. Since it had been several years, I thought I would offer another glance at those rooms since I had my mom with me, who had another perspective.

Standard Room

These Little Mermaid rooms are the standard rooms at this resort. All of the other sections feature family suites. I’m still hoping to stay in one of those rooms some day. However, they are always so expensive. Maybe someday. Nonetheless, I really like that these rooms come with two regular queen sized beds. That’s become more important as my mom and I both get older. My mom has back issues and needs a good mattress to sleep on. I’m not old yet, but am getting older and appreciate a regular bed too.

The Little Mermaid theme was perfect for us. The animated film came out the year I was born. So, it was definitely nostalgic for us to stay in this room. Plus, being an older film, my mom actually knew who all of the characters were. Besides, who doesn’t love sleeping in a clam shell?

We also enjoyed using the Skyliner for transportation to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. However, the real problem with this stay was the walk. My mom really struggled this trip. We were thankful to discover several benches along the walk to the Skyliner for my mom to sit and rest. Several of them had nice views of the lake too. Unfortunately, it is just too long of a walk for my mom now.

Pros

Fun theme – It was so much fun to show my mom the little themed details in the room.
Nostalgic movie – We were happy to be staying in a room with characters/setting from my childhood. It was great for bonding.
Two real beds – Again, I hate that Disney has put pull down beds in the value rooms elsewhere. I love having two real beds here.
Skyliner access – I’m a big fan of the Skyliner. It’s so convenient.
Fun character waffles – You can get Mickey/Minnie waffles at lots of places. This is the only place I know of that gives you random character waffles.
On-site Perks – I’m partial to the perks of staying on-site including 60 days advance dining reservations, early park entry, and free park transportation!

Cons

Far removed – These rooms are located in the back corner of the resort and are far removed from everything. It’s definitely not ideal for anyone with mobility issues.
Long walks – Again, expect long walks coming and going. It doesn’t matter if you are taking the bus or Skyliner. It’s a bit of a hike. There are benches to rest on, though some are in smoking sections.
Price – These are the most expensive standard value rooms on property.

Are the Disney World Little Mermaid Rooms worth it?

I think these rooms are great for millennials to stay in. However, I encourage you to use judgement when bringing boomer parents/grandparents due to all of the walking here. Personally, I love staying here by myself. It’s just a little too much for my mom. If you like this movie and/or want access to the Skyliner with two queen beds, then I recommend checking it out.

The Best Things in Universal Studios Florida

January 28, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Today, I want to highlight the best things in Universal Studios Florida at Universal Orlando Resort!

The Best Things in Universal Studios Florida

In 2025, I posted my favorite things in each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks. So, in 2026, I thought I would do the same thing with a look at each of the three theme parks at Universal Orlando Resort. I figured I’d start with the OG theme park at UO – Universal Studios Florida! Opened in 1990, it’s the park that started the resort! The park’s premise is bringing your favorite TV shows and movies to life! There’s currently 8 themed lands in the park with something for everyone!

Best Quick Service Restaurants

The place I find myself returning to the most in this park for a bite to eat is Today Cafe! The I Heart Vegan sandwich is a good way to get some more vegetables in my diet when I’m visiting. I also love that they have a rotation of seasonal desserts here. I sometimes think about the butternut squash tart and peanut caramel bar I got during the Halloween Horror Nights Daytime Tour back in 2023. It was a tasty meal that allowed me to eat in a hurry! Yummy!

I have also enjoyed the addition of the Illumination’s Minion Cafe to this park. Otto’s Pet Rock is tasty for peanut butter and jelly fans!

Best Full Service Restaurant

I’ve previously reviewed two of the full service restaurants in this park: Lombard’s Seafood Grille Review and Finnegan’s Bar and Grill at Universal Orlando Review. My mom and I weren’t overly impressed with Finnegan’s. However, it’s currently closed for refurbishment. So, I’m interested to see what it’s like afterwards. We enjoyed Lombard’s though. It had relaxing vibes and tasty key lime pie.

Best Ride

I think the title of best ride in any theme park can be controversial. Also, I’m not super into roller coasters, believe it or not. However, I grew up with Harry Potter and enjoy the highly themed area. So, I’m going to say the best ride in this park is Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts!

Seasonal Events

My absolute favorite thing about Universal Studios Florida is the seasonal events! It’s the location for Mardi Gras, Halloween Horror Nights, and the Holiday Parade! It’s hard to decide if HHN or Mardi Gras is my favorite though. Mardi Gras is included with park ticket, not scary just fun, and is carefree. HHN is separately ticketed, crowded, and high energy. Either way, these are fun events that no other theme park can rival yet.

The Best Things In Universal Studios Florida

Well, those are my favorite things in the original UO park. What are some of yours?

Crystal Palace Character Dinner Review

January 21, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Back in December, my mom and I enjoyed Crystal Palace character dinner prior to the start of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. So, I thought I would review that experience.

Crystal Palace Character Dinner

Two years ago, my husband and I enjoyed eating here for breakfast. In fact, if you click that link, you can read my review of that experience. On this trip, my mom and I had another character meal booked. However, my mom has started having mobility issues. So, at the least minute I switched from a resort meal to the only character dinner inside the Magic Kingdom – The Crystal Palace!

For those who don’t know, this is a Winnie the Pooh and friends character buffet meal! It takes place in a greenhouse-inspired restaurant featuring Victorian touches!

Dinner Food

Given that I last visited for breakfast, it was nice to enjoy a different menu this time. While the food here isn’t anything fancy, I think there’s a good variety. There’s definitely something for everyone. I really enjoyed the salmon! The shrimp and grits were pretty good too. The chicken was basic but tasty. I also like trying the pretzel roll (with a too big dollop of butter – haha!). Everything seemed fresh and tasted pretty good. I think Disney has definitely improved their buffet food.

The desserts were extra fun! I loved that most of the desserts were themed after characters! I don’t recall a particularly stand out dessert flavor wise though. They weren’t bad, but some were more fun to look at than to eat. It was a tad artificial in the flavor department.

Typically, I order plain water. However, since we were on the dining plan, I ordered the Pink Spritzer mocktail. It was a fun and fruity drink that had way more flavor than plain water. Plus, it helped increase the value of our meal.

Pooh and Friends

The first character we encountered in the restaurant was Tigger! Our server had us go meet him first thing since there wasn’t a line. Plus, she informed us that we were lucky enough to have Rabbit coming for a meet and greet! Since it’s winter, he’s come in from the garden to meet folks! I was excited to hear that as he was in the garden the last time I ate here.

After grabbing some food, Eeyore showed up at the table! He was fun! Then, Winnie the Pooh showed up! My mom told him that I liked honey too. I informed him that I do my stoutness exercises too. So, it was a great bonding moment.

The last character to come to our table was Piglet. He was as cute as ever! Finally, we got in a very short line to meet Rabbit prior to leaving the restaurant.

Overall, these were quick character interactions, but they were fun. We got several pictures with the characters and enjoyed ourselves.

Is The Crystal Palace Dinner worth it?

This meal is currently $64/adult and $44/child. We ate here because we were on the dining plan and a character meal is a great use of a dining credit. Plus, my mom really enjoys meeting the characters. However, if we weren’t on the dining plan, we probably would have grabbed something from a quick service restaurant. It’s a pricey meal but it is great for the dining plan and/or Winnie the Pooh fans. The food isn’t necessarily the star of the show, but it’s certainly not bad either. Plus, it was a pretty convenient meal for us since we were visiting the park for the Christmas party.

Have you eaten here for dinner?

Magic Kingdom Table Service Restaurants Guide

January 14, 2026 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I’ve been meaning to write a Magic Kingdom Table Service Restaurants guide for sometime now. So, here it finally is!

Magic Kingdom Table Service Restaurants

Magic Kingdom is one of my favorite theme parks. As such, I’ve spent the most time in this park and have eaten here lots of times. However, I will admit that this park is somewhat lacking in the food department. I’ve often left this park and gone to a nearby resort to enjoy a meal rather than eat in the park. The low number of sit down or table service restaurants makes it easy to visit each location and review. So, here’s a look at what your choices are at MK!

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant

I’m going to start with the first sit down restaurant you encounter when you enter the Magic Kingdom – Tony’s Town Square! It’s a Lady and the Tramp themed Italian restaurant! It’s a cute theme for any fan of the movies or dogs in general. I did a Tony’s Town Square Review back in 2023 and I think it’s fair to say that not much has changed since then. It’s very basic Italian food that sometimes lacks seasoning. It’s not as bad as much of the Internet would have you believe, but I can get better quality Italian food at home. You can use 1 dining plan credit here for 1 drink, 1 entree, and a dessert. However, I’d probably use it somewhere else.

The Plaza Restaurant

The next table service restaurant you come to in this park is The Plaza Restaurant. It’s on the right towards the end of Main Street. I’ve eaten here twice, but never done a full review of it. It has a great view of the castle. Although, it’s a small space and can feel cramped. Also, the menu rotates some items pretty regularly. However, it tends to be pretty basic stuff. The food is good, but I’ve just never felt like I had something here that warranted its own review. I mean there’s only so much you can say about a Triple Decker Turkey Club Sandwich. It’s fresh. It tastes good. It’s filling. Ha! Anyways, the food is good but I typically wouldn’t use my table service credit here just because I can’t imagine using 1 for a sandwich or salad.

The Crystal Palace

The next table service restaurant is on the left (and up from Main Street). I’m talking about The Crystal Palace! This is a Winnie the Pooh and Friends character buffet dining! I posted a review of the breakfast my husband and I ate here a few years ago. Back in December, my mom and I ate here for dinner. This is a fun one for any fans of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, or Eeyore! Plus, the buffet features a variety of foods to please many palates. It’s a good use of a dining credit, especially if you pick out a special beverage.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Technically, Cinderella’s Royal Table is considered a signature dining experience. As such, it costs 2 dining credits to eat here. So, I’ve never used the dining plan to eat here. In fact, I’ve eaten here only once! It was back in 2021 when there was a modified experience following Covid. My husband and I enjoyed breakfast here just so that we could say that we’d done it. Plus, it was a slightly lower price back then since it was a modified experience (the princesses didn’t do any meet and greets.). I know lots of people enjoy eating in the castle and meeting the princesses. It’s perfect for little princesses or anyone wanting a nicer meal in this park. My blog image above was taken from inside CRT and is looking out at the park.

Be Our Guest Restaurant

The other signature dining restaurant in Magic Kingdom is Be Our Guest. I haven’t eaten here since before the pandemic, when it offered a terrific quick service value for breakfast! There’s three separate highly themed Beauty and the Beast rooms here. However, it now offers a prix fixe menu with a hefty $72/adult or 2 dining credits price tag! While the food is certainly elevated over the other table service options in this park, I don’t think it’s worth 2 dining credits. It would be good for Beauty and the Beast fans to do once or maybe for a date night.

Liberty Tree Tavern

Over in Liberty Square, there’s the consistently good Liberty Tree Tavern. I wrote a Liberty Tree Tavern review the other year and assume it’s mostly the same as it was then. It’s a colonial themed restaurant with different rooms being themed after founding fathers. What people really like though is the food. If you are craving some Thanksgiving food, then this is the place for you. Just save room for the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake that’s served for dessert! This makes for an ok use of a dining credit if you pick an expensive drink.

The Diamond Horseshoe

Are you craving the tasty menu from Liberty Tree Tavern but can’t grab a reservation? Well, I’ve got good news for you! The Diamond Horseshoe located nearby is serving the exact same menu as Liberty Tree! I’ve actually never eaten here. However, I assume the food is just as good as it is at Liberty Tree. Although, I imagine it feels different to eat it in an Old West themed music hall.

Skipper Canteen

Last but not least is Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen. I’ve eaten here exactly once. It was with my husband and we actually enjoyed what we had. We enjoyed how different the menu was with its unique flavor pairings. Unfortunately, my husband ended up not feeling well later on. It probably wasn’t related to eating here, but we just haven’t felt like going back here. So, if you have some adventurous eaters, this is probably a good option for you. It would also be a pretty good use of a 1 table service credit, depending on the exact options you chose.

Magic Kingdom Table Service

There you have it! That’s all of the restaurants in the Magic Kingdom that accepts table service credits! Which one is your go-to?

Solo Mickey’s Christmas Party Guide

November 19, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Last year, I was able to do a Solo Mickey’s Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom! So, just in case anyone else is considering doing the same thing, I thought I’d make a little post to help.

Solo Mickey’s Christmas Party

For those who don’t know, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a separately ticketed event held at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World on select nights in November and December. I’ve been lucky enough to attend this party several times with my mom. In fact, you can read my general Very Merry party advice in an old post. Last year, I decided to attend it by myself for the first time!

Mickey’s Very Merry By Myself

As per usual, I entered the park prior to the 7 o’clock party start time. This year, I had an early dinner at The Plaza Restaurant. I got the Triple Decker Turkey Club Sandwich with fries. It’s basic, but good. Having traveled all day, I was really hungry and this hit the spot.

After dinner, I enjoyed the ambiance of the holidays in Magic Kingdom by sitting at a table in front of the restaurant. Right before the party began, I decided to get in line to see Minnie, Daisy, Donald, and Scrooge McDuck. Unfortunately, Scrooge ended up missing the picture since he was counting his money. That’s ok, I got a picture with him the next night at Jollywood Nights.

After the meet and greet, I grabbed a few cookies to take with me before wandering over to the dessert party. After standing in line (and traveling all day), it felt nice to sit down with some treats. During the party, another family started talking to me and we had a nice chat about Disney and other travel destinations. Then, we headed over to the Garden Plaza for fireworks viewing.

Following the fireworks, I got a spot on Main Street for the parade. I love the Christmas parade! It’s a must-see every time, for me. After the parade, I hit up the remaining cookie spots and met Mickey before exiting the park.

Tips

Do what you want – Do you want to stand in a long line to meet characters? Do it. Want to sit down and just enjoy being in the park? Do it. It’s your trip.
Have a list – I didn’t have a concrete plan for this trip considering it was last minute. However, I knew I wanted to see the parade, meet Donald, see the fireworks, and get some cookies. The party goes fast, so having an idea of what you want to accomplish helps.
Go fast or go slow – I tend to walk pretty quickly in a theme park, particularly when I’m alone. So, it’s nice to walk at my own speed. However, I also made time to sit down and chill during this party.
Consider a dessert party – The fireworks viewing included with the dessert party was nice to get away from some of the crowds. However, it can also be easier to snag a spot when you are alone. It depends what you value.
Don’t be afraid – It’s not awkward to meet the characters by yourself. Also, I often have conversations with other families when I’m in the parks. You might be attending alone, but that doesn’t mean you will be lonely.

Should you attend a Solo Mickey’s Christmas Party?

I love traveling by myself. However, it’s not for everyone. I enjoy going at my own speed and doing what I want to, when I want to. I also understand wanting to share the experience with someone else. I think it comes down to individual circumstances, but I think most people can enjoy a party by themselves.