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Orlando Theme Parks Guide

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I know that it can be difficult to narrow down where to go on vacation. So, I thought I would make an Orlando Theme Parks Guide to help people figure out which park is right for their trip.

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

When planning a family vacation to Florida, it can be difficult to know which destinations are worth your hard earned money and limited time. Having visited most of the area’s parks, I thought I would do a quick overview of each park and who it’s ideal for.

Magic Kingdom

First up, I’ll start with the busiest one – Magic Kingdom. It’s the OG, the first theme park in Orlando. It’s the one with the big castle. Ha! It’s located at the Walt Disney World resort and typically costs the most to visit on a single day. I think it has a reputation for being for children (given it has Fantasyland) but I think it’s great for everyone. It seemingly has the most to do for laid back types. The food in the park is a little lacking, but I can recommend Crystal Palace Character Breakfast. This park is great for those who are young at heart.

Epcot

Epcot, also at WDW, is seen as an adults park. It’s a food mecca with a plethora of options! There’s also lots of drinks to be had, if you are of age and into that. I love visiting when there’s a festival going on for even more food and drink options! This park also has some cool stuff for kids including the Frozen and Remy rides. It is great for history buffs to learn about different countries. Kids would probably enjoy Akershus Princess Breakfast or Garden Grill Character Dinner. Adults can just pick any restaurant in the World Showcase!

Hollywood Studios

This was originally similar to visiting the big studios in Hollywood. When it opened in 1989, it was supposed to give you a behind the scenes look at movies. It doesn’t do that anymore, but it’s still fun. It’s obviously great for Star Wars and Toy Story fans. Plus, the Fantasmic Dining Package is lots of fun for all ages. It has similar vibes to Disney’s California Adventure Park, if you are familiar with it.

Animal Kingdom

Opened in the 90’s, it’s WDW newest theme park. As its name implies, it’s perfect for animal lovers! You have to ride the Kilimanjaro Safari ride! The Caring for Giants Tour is also great for elephant fans. This park has several good food options: Yak and Yeti for adults or Tusker House Character Meal are just two good places.

Universal Studios Florida

Moving over to Universal Orlando Resort, there’s Universal Studios Florida. Opened in 1990, it’s an edgier park. I love the seasonal events held at this park. I highly recommend visiting during Mardi Gras. If you are into horror/Halloween, then Halloween Horror Nights is amazing as well! The rides here are more intense than the ones at Disney. However, they just added Minion Land in 2023 and DreamWorks Land is coming in 2024! My preferred meals here are at Minions Cafe and Today Cafe (unless the seasonal booths are an option).

Islands of Adventure

Almost a decade after opening USF, Universal opened Islands of Adventure. Personally, I spend way more time at USF than IoA. However, I make time to check out Grinchmas here during the Holidays. Lots of people like Jurassic Park here as well. I don’t have a go to food place here. I guess this one is best if you like the specific IPs represented here.

Epic Universe

The newest theme park in Orlando is Epic Universe! Opened in May 2025, it features another Harry Potter land, a Universal Monsters land, Super Nintendo World, Isle of Berk, and Celestial Park. I wrote a whole separate Universal Epic Universe Tips post with tips for visiting this park. As of August 2025, you still have to purchase a one day ticket to this park to visit it. However, it’s a great addition to the Orlando theme park space!

SeaWorld Orlando

If you have a big marine animal lover or a roller coaster enthusiast, then SeaWorld Orlando may be worth a day or two. My mom and I have done several animal add-on experiences here and loved each one! The Sharks Underwater Grill makes for a fun meal. They have lots of fun shows to watch and have been adding a new coaster about once a year for the past several years. In a few years, they will even have their own resort! So, this one is growing and will have even more to enjoy in a few years time.

Legoland Florida

Technically, Legoland Florida is in Cypress Gardens. However, it looks neat for the Lego fans in your life. I wish they were closer to an airport or provided a shuttle. You would probably need to rent a car to visit this one, but it looks fun. I’ve never visited, but I’m open to it.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

This is also technically not in Orlando. However, I know some people will rent a car to drive over to Tampa or ride a shuttle over. Busch Gardens Tampa is owned by the same company that owns SeaWorld. It is also great for animal lovers and coaster enthusiasts. My mom and I enjoyed our short visit here last year. You can read my Busch Gardens Tampa Animal Tours review for insight into some of their add-on experiences.

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

I attempted to cover the main “big” Orlando theme parks in this post, along with a few bonus parks. Which ones have you visited? Which one is your favorite?

Disney Dining Plan Tips ~ Walt Disney World

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At the beginning of 2024, Walt Disney World brought back the very popular Disney Dining Plan. My mom and I had the dining plan on our most recent trip (February 2024). So, I thought I would provide some easy tips for getting the most bang for your buck.

Disney Dining Plan

Disney Dining Plan

As of this writing, there are currently two dining plan options: Quick-Service and the regular Dining Plan. Both options include a Resort Refillable Mug and 1 snack per person per night of stay. The Quick-Service plan comes with 2 quick meals or credits per person per night of stay. The original one comes with 1 quick service and 1 table service meal per person per night of stay. FYI: “quick service” is typically a place similar to fast food or fast casual restaurants. If you want a seated meal with a waitress, that’s considered a table service.

I want to point out something important here: Disney counts the credits per night of stay. That means the nights you are staying in the Disney resort, not the days you are there. So, don’t make that mistake when planning your meals.

As of this writing the quick service plan is $57.01 per adult per night of stay and $23.83 per child (ages 3 to 9) per night of stay. The regular plan is $94.28 per adult per night of stay and $29.69 per child per night of stay. That’s a pricey thing to add on to your trip. So, here are my general tips to help you maximize your credits.

Tips for Maximizing the Disney Dining Plan

  • Make a plan – You will have to do some math to break even or maybe come out slightly ahead with the dining plan. You will have to plan out your meals along with specific foods you plan to eat to maximize your credits.
  • Order a special beverage – For both a quick service and table service meal, you can order a specialty beverage. These will really help you get the most bang for your buck. In fact, adults can even order alcohol on the dining plan. Drinks at Disney World tend to be really strong, in my opinion though. So, pace yourself there.
  • Book a character dining meal – With a few exceptions (Cinderella’s Royal Table, Lunch/Dinner at Akershus, and Storybook Dining at Artist Point are all 2 credits) character meals are an excellent use of dining credits. For instance, we did Chef Mickey’s character dinner using the plan. It’s $66 per adult and then we both got an alcoholic beverage, which put it over $70! So, that was a great use of credit!
  • Book lunch or dinner over breakfast – Lunch and dinner are more expensive than breakfast. Unless you are talking about Akershus Princess Breakfast or Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast in which case those are your only options for a 1 table service credit way to enjoy those meals. Otherwise, opt for lunch or dinner.
  • Use snack credits at Epcot festivals – We used ours at the Festival of the Arts. Some of the foods there were over $10 and were a single snack credit! Just look for the “DDP” logo on the boards to indicate if it’s eligible or ask a cast member!
  • Know credit values – Generally speaking, table service credits need to be $59-63 to be a “good use” of credit. Quick service needs to be $23-25. Snacks are $6+. I think the quick service credit is the hardest to maximize. The Polite Pig in Disney Springs is an excellent use of quick service credits though.
  • Pay for lesser value items out of pocket – You don’t have to use your dining plan for everything you eat. I’ve been known to grab a kid’s quick service meal (like at Woody’s Lunch Box) and pay out of pocket. Then, I use my credits for the other two meals of the day.
  • Order the most expensive items – Go ahead! Get the steak!

Is it worth it?

Truly, you will have to calculate your meals to decide if the dining plan is worth it or not. Although, some people will find value in the fact that the meals are pre-paid (minus gratuity). Plus, you don’t have to worry about keeping up with receipts. I think trying to maximize the credits can be fun but it can also add some stress to things. So, it comes down to how you want to spend your time and money.

Dollywood Seasonal Events Guide

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Since Dollywood opens in early March, I thought I would do a nice Dollywood Seasonal Events Guide. This post will highlight the various limited time festivals happening at the park this year. I will also link to separate, more in-depth posts on what to expect during each season of the year!

Dollywood Seasonal Events

Dollywood Seasonal Events

Over the past several years, the park has really invested in their seasonal festivals. Each of these experiences is unique and fun. However, if you are wanting to see a certain festival then it’s important to plan your trip around the dates of the event and the park operating calendar. Without further ado, here’s a look at each of the festivals that you can experience at Dollywood.

I Will Always Love You Music Festival

The I Will Always Love You Music Festival was introduced in 2023 and is the newest festival. It starts when the park opens for the season and goes until mid-April. I visited in 2025 and wrote a guide to the festival. It’s perfect for any Dolly fans.

Flower & Food Festival

The Flower and Food Festival is the one most people think of when they consider a spring break trip to the park. I enjoyed my one visit to the park for this event and highlighted it in my Spring at Dollywood post. I loved looking at all of the Mosaicultures around the park. Plus, the food was pretty good! This event typically runs from mid-April to early June.

Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration

My post Summer at Dollywood 2022 was my return to blogging. So, you know it’s must be something good to inspire me to start this blog back up. My husband and I really enjoyed trying the different foods here and the delightful drone show! They also have lots of bright decor around the park. The Summer Celebration runs from mid-June to early August.

Harvest Festival

I think fall at Dollywood is one of my favorite times to visit! I love seeing all of the autumnal decor in the daytime and then seeing the park light up for the Great Pumpkin LumiNights. DW embraces the beauty of fall in the Smoky Mountains with their Harvest Festival. It’s not about Halloween here, but rather simple and beautiful fall! I’ve been lucky enough to attend this one several times! This festival typically goes from mid-September to late October.

Smoky Mountain Christmas

Last but certainly not least it’s Christmas at Dollywood! I’ve visited this one a few times as well. Pro tip: check the weather forecast if you are visiting this one as it could be really cold or a little warm, you never really know what to expect. This festival features lots of gorgeous decor and amazing lights! Smoky Mountain Christmas is a great time for all! Christmas starts in early November and goes until the end of the season/early January.

2024 Dollywood Seasonal Events

Well, there you have the full list of special limited time festivals that take place at Dollywood. Each festival is included with the price of admission. Plus, each event highlights the beauty of the location during that time of the year or embraces the public love for Dolly. So, which of these events have you attended or have you been eyeing?

Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival Tips

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Last year, I took a solo trip across the country to visit the great state of California. While there, I had the pleasure of experiencing Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival! It was towards the end of the event last year, so I didn’t write a post. However, this year’s event kicks-off in just a few days. So, I thought I would do a little guide with tips for anyone out there planning a trip!

Knott's Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival

Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival

For those who don’t know, Knott’s Berry Farm is a theme park in California. In fact, it’s just minutes away from Disneyland! I visited Knott’s while staying at the Sheraton Park Hotel, however I considered staying at their hotel. The fact it was undergoing refurbishment and didn’t have a working restaurant is the only reason I didn’t stay there on that trip. However, if I go back I’d like to stay there and explore that area a little more.

For those interested, you can read the full boysenberry history on the theme park’s blog. I recommend reading it if you plan on visiting. Suffice it to say: this hybrid berry is what started Knott’s Berry Farm and why the boysenberry festival is an annual tradition to this day!

2024 Festival

Something to keep in mind whenever visiting non-Universal/Disney theme parks is that other parks aren’t always open everyday or have their festivals going on every single day. That being said, the Boysenberry Festival will be taking place everyday between March 8 and April 7 and then weekends only until April 28. So, if you want to experience the festival, there’s a small window to catch it.

Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival Tips

  • Visit early – I visited on the last weekend of the festival last year. I pre-purchased a shirt and pin for the festival online. However, upon entering the park I discovered that they had sold out of all but a few festival shirts. So, I wasn’t able to get said shirt and received a refund. If specialty merch is important to you, I encourage you to visit early in the festival for the best selection.
  • Arrive early – I went on a Friday in May (they extended the festival last year) and was shocked by the crowds! Apparently, it’s a massively popular end of the year field trip for lots of California schools. I rope dropped the park and still encountered long lines for everything. My advice is to rope drop one important ride and maybe go on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Also, pay for the skip the line offering if rides are important. Also, grab food early as lines got long.
  • Check out the entertainment schedule – Granted, I attended a day that was considered part of the extension. However, I was disappointed to learn after planning my trip that Knott’s didn’t have some of the regular festival entertainment on the day I attended as it was seemingly reserved for the weekends. I’ve heard good things about the shows at this park, but I was unable to experience them for myself.
  • Make a plan – This festival is known for fun food offerings. So, I highly recommend examining the menus and watching YouTube videos for food reviews to make your selections before you visit the park.
  • Buy the Festival Tasting Card – I purchased the Boysenberry Festival Bundle last year, which included admission to the park as well as 3 food items from the festival. That made for a fun lunch and seemed like a good value to me. The regular 6 Festival Tasting Card seems like a great value as well.
  • Download the app – The official app has a map along with show times.

Why I would go back

As you might have noticed, I encountered some issues when I visited last year. However, the food was really good. In fact, thanks to this trip I learned that I loved a new berry. So, now I get excited whenever I stumble upon something with boysenberries in it and buy it. Ha! I wouldn’t mind going back on a weekday in early March or April to get the full experience. Have you ever experienced the Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival?

Magic Kingdom After Hours 2024 Review

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I just returned from a lovely trip to the Orlando theme parks. While there, my mom and I attended a Magic Kingdom after hours event. So, I thought I would do a little review of the experience to help others decide if it’s a good event for them.

Magic Kingdom After Hours

Magic Kingdom After Hours

Walt Disney World hosts special after hours events at their theme parks. These are separately ticketed events that take place after normal park hours. They are more expensive than a regular theme park ticket. However, they are limited capacity events so there are significantly fewer people in the park.

Currently, only three parks are hosting these special events: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. The Magic Kingdom dates are either a Monday or Thursday, from now until June 27th. Technically, the event is only three hours: 10 PM to 1 AM. However, your ticket will allow you to enter the park at 7 PM.

The Rides

The main appeal of these events is the ability to ride the rides without much wait. The night we attended started out rainy. So, we were able to ride lots of rides before the event officially started! By 10:05 PM we had been on Pirates, Big Thunder Mountain, and Haunted Mansion! If we had skipped the first fireworks show (more on that below), we probably could have hit up even more rides.

By the end of the night we had ridden Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder 2x each! We also managed to ride Mine Train with minimal wait as we got on right before they closed the line for the second fireworks show. We also rode It’s a Small World, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Tomorrowland Speedway once each! As you can see, this is an amazing opportunity to ride lots of rides in a short amount of time!

The Free Snacks

These events also come with some free snacks! Select ice cream novelties and popcorn are provided for free during the event! You can also get bottled beverages included with the price of admission! They start handing them out at 10 PM, so we grabbed a couple of drinks and ice creams prior to the second fireworks show. I got an ice cream sandwich and my mom got an ice cream bar. They also had a strawberry bar available. This was a nice break and a chance to relax in between running around the park for rides.

The Entertainment

New for 2024, this event comes with a special showing of the Disney Enchantment fireworks! So, for the price of one ticket, you can see two fireworks shows! Plus, the second one is with much smaller crowds. We watched the regular fireworks show, Happily Ever After with the regular park guests on Main Street. Even with the rain and wind, it was a huge crowd. So, it was a rare (and very nice) opportunity to experience Enchantment from right in front of the castle with plenty of elbow room! Then again, we are the same people who will pay extra for a seated fireworks dessert party.

Is the Magic Kingdom After Hours event worth it?

The event costs $155-175 per person, with discounts for DVC owners and passholders. So, it’s a pricey 3-6 hours in the park. However, it was worth it for us. It allowed us to rides countless rides as well as watch two fireworks shows and enjoy a few snacks. I don’t think it would be worth it if you go often or if you have young kids who can’t stay up late. However, for two adults it’s a great night in the park.

Have you ever attended one of these events?