Theme Parks Archives - Page 12 of 20

Disney100 at Disneyland Resort Review

May 24, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Just last week I was lucky enough to experience the Disney100 at Disneyland Resort. That’s the limited time celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company taking place at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California! Take a look at all of the things I was able to experience during this celebration!

Disney100 at Disneyland

If you have plans to visit the Disneyland Resort anytime soon, you can witness a few special limited time entertainment and food options celebrating 100 years of the Walt Disney Company. Here’s a look at what I experienced and my thoughts on the offerings.

Special Decor

Around the resort, you can find several platinum medallions, statues, and banners celebrating Disney100 at Disneyland. The medallions and statues interact with a MagicBand+! The beautiful banners make for unique photos in front of the castle. I also enjoyed seeing the Fab Five in their special outfits with the Disneyland Band on Main Street, U.S.A. Personally, I could have gone for more decor around the parks, but maybe that’s me. I loved seeing the special decor at the Disneyland Hotel and Grand Californian.

Disney100 Fireworks

At the Disneyland park, you can catch the special Disney100 fireworks show on weekends or the special projection show during the week! It’s called Wondrous Journeys and it showcases the past 100 years of films from the Walt Disney Company. I knew I had to see this show when I learned (spoiler alert!) that it featured Baymax flying through the air! He’s faster than you think! My pictures of him are a little blurry, but you can tell what’s happening. I really enjoyed this show. Seeing Baymax along with the blue fairy was the highlight of this day.

World of Color – One

World of Color – One is the special nighttime entertainment at Disney California Adventure park for the 100th. The park’s standard show is World of Color and this has a special twist to celebrate. I booked the World of Color – One dessert party and posted my review of the pricey ($89) experience last week. Click that link to see if I think it’s worth it.

Magic Happens Parade

Technically, the Magic Happens parade premiered right before the pandemic. However, they brought it back to celebrate! I loved this parade! There are so many amazing small details on the floats and on the characters’ costumes! If you have a trip planned, you must catch the parade!

Special Food

A good amount of restaurants have a special dessert or treat just for the celebration. The only one I had the time and stomach space to sample was the lemon chiffon pie from Plaza Inn. I really enjoyed it and would eat it again! It was tart and tasty! It was great for a warm day dessert after the somewhat heavy chicken they serve.

Is It Worth Visiting?

I think it’s a great time to visit the Disneyland Resort. The addition of the decor, entertainment, and food makes for a memorable trip. Plus, you will always know how you celebrated 100 years of the company!

World of Color – One Dessert Party Review

May 16, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I just returned from my first visit to Disneyland in 9 years. While there, I was lucky enough to do the World of Color – One dessert party at Disney California Adventure. So, I thought I would do my very first Disneyland post on this expensive, but possibly worthwhile add-on experience.

World of Color – One

The last time I visited DCA, I watched the original WoC show. Now, in celebration of 100 years of the Walt Disney Company, they have premiered the World of Color – One show. Both are beautiful light, laser, and water fountains shows. I think both shows are definitely worth seeing, if you happen to be visiting when either of them are playing. However, it tends to be a very popular show, especially the first (or only) showing of the night.

World of Color Viewing Options

As of May 2023, you can view the show with a few different options. First off, you can join the virtual queue (for free) at 12 PM. You simply need to ensure your tickets and park reservations are linked to your account ahead of time. You must also have scanned into the park prior to joining the queue. Either a blue or yellow section will be assigned to you when you join the queue.

Another way to view the show is with a dining package. You simply have to book an advance dining reservation for lunch or dinner at Wine Country Trattoria or dinner at Storytellers Cafe. Unfortunately, you can’t book a dining package in advance. Rather, you will have to let your server or host know that you would like the package when you arrive or pay the bill. If there are two showings, then dining reservations between 5 and 6 PM at Storytellers will be given passes to the first showing. Reservations between 6 and 7 PM at Storytellers Cafe will be assigned the second showing. The package costs $59 for an adult (aged 10+) and $35 for children ages 3 to 9.

It should be noted that technically there is a free walk-up option. However, this is not guaranteed as they will pull from the walk up line only if there is room and people don’t show up from the queue.

Dessert Party

When I visited DCA on May 4, 2023, I booked the World of Color – One dessert party! This is the only guaranteed seated viewing option available. For $89, you get a plate of goodies, a few beverages, and a great seated view of the show! During my party, I received a selection of cheeses, crackers, grapes, a riced cereal treat, raspberry filled shortbread cookie, mini bundt cake, triple chocolate layer cheesecake, and a birthday macaron. I enjoyed the cheese and crackers, grapes, cereal treat, bundt cake, and macaron. However, the cheesecake was really dry as was the shortbread cookie.

Unlike the dessert parties at Walt Disney World, this wasn’t unlimited food. Rather, I received just one plate of goodies. However, there really wasn’t time to visit a buffet and this was plenty of food for me personally. I also received a non-alcoholic blue cherry breeze drink, water, and a hot chocolate due to the unseasonably cool weather. I could have had some alcohol, but I don’t feel comfortable drinking alone. So, if you drink alcohol, you can count the costs of it towards the price of the party.

Tips

If you decide to book the dessert party, I highly recommend arriving early to check in and to be seated. I was able to choose my table at check in, so the earlier you check in, the better your selection. Then, when you are seated early, you have time to enjoy your treats as well as ask for more beverages. You are seated with other parties, so it’s also nice to get to know your tablemates during this time as well. Additionally, you have to pre-pay for this reservation, so keep that in mind when you register. Also, I noticed that the party came and went with availability. So, keep checking back if you want it.

High vs Low Table

Update: In May 2023, I selected a high table. When I returned with my mom in September 2023, she chose the low table view. She is short and thought it would be easier for her to sit down on a lower chair than to get out of a higher chair. While it was still a great view of the show, personally I prefer the high table now. Here are some pictures from the lower view for comparison.

Is it worth it?

At $89 a person, it’s a very pricey add-on to an already expensive trip. However, it was so nice to be able to sit down at the end of a long day. Plus, it made it easier to take pictures/video of the show since I was seated. I think it’s worth it if you can afford it. However, if you don’t want the food or to pay $89, the virtual queue would also work.

You can view my other post on the Disney100 at Disneyland Guide to see all of the other fun limited time celebratory events happening at the resort in 2023!

Disney’s All Star Resorts Overview

May 10, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

In the years that I wasn’t blogging, I visited Walt Disney World many times. So, I have a lot of content I can put out on those experiences. I figured that I would start with reviewing the resorts since there are so many options available. Over the years, I have stayed at most of the on-site resorts. To kick-off my coverage of the resorts, I’m starting with the most affordable, Disney’s All Star Resorts!

Disney’s All Star Resorts

There are three Disney’s All Star Resorts: Music, Movies, and Sports! Each of them is considered a “value” resort at WDW. That simply means these rooms will be the cheapest on-site rooms available. Personally, I’m a fan of staying on-site due to the included transportation to the parks. Often times, that makes it worth the higher prices to stay at an official Walt Disney World resort. So, here’s a look at the three cheapest hotels.

Disney’s All Star Movies

Of the three resorts, All Star Movies has my favorite theming. I guess it feels more Disney-like to wander around seeing big statues of movie characters. The sections here include: Toy Story, Fantasia, Love Bug, 101 Dalmatians, and Mighty Ducks. I have stayed here a couple of times, but I think I prefer the Toy Story section the most. It reminds me of my childhood and gets me in the mood to visit Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios. Plus, it’s considered a preferred section as it’s closer to transportation and the lobby, which is worth a lot after a long day in the parks.

Disney’s All Star Music

I’ve stayed here only once and it was a great solo trip. In fact, it was my last trip before the pandemic and my last as a WDW Annual Passholder. All Star Music has sections themed after popular music genres including: country, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, calypso, and Broadway. I paid extra to stay in the preferred section or calypso section and it was worth the few extra dollars to be close to everything.

Disney’s All Star Sports

Lastly, there’s Sports. I finally stayed at this Disney’s All Star Resort in December 2024! I guess it’s because I’m not super into sports. Also, this is a super popular one for guests competing at ESPN Wide World of Sports to stay at. So, it can sometimes be easier to get a room at the other two. Sports themed sections here include: baseball, basketball, football, surfing, and tennis. I stayed in the tennis section, which was great because I’m a Donald Duck fan.

Pros

Cheaper rates. This is compared to other on-site hotels and not necessarily off-site ones.
Family Suites at Music are usually the cheapest suites on property and great for a larger family.
On-site perks, including transportation, early entry, and booking dining length of stay 60 days out.
Fun theming to suit your tastes.
Newly refurbished rooms.

Cons

Noise. There are outside corridors, which leads to more noise. Additionally, the walls and floors tend to be thin. I’ve heard all kinds of things while staying in a value resort. In fact, I find the All Stars to be comparable to the Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites at Universal Orlando in terms of room quality and noise.
All three are popular with sports/tour groups. My advice: avoid them during competitions or school breaks.
One bed is a pull down bed. With the refurbishment, one of the beds became a pull-down bed/table. It’s just not as comfortable as a regular bed. It’s definitely not optimal for longer stays or older folks.
Buses are crowded. In fact, during slower times of the year, a bus will be shared between all three resorts.

Overall, I find Disney’s All Star Resorts to be great for a short trip on a budget. However, I think it’s worth it to spend a little extra for a longer trip or one when you need two actual beds.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Tips

May 4, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Now that I’ve been back from this trip for a few months, I thought I would give some Busch Gardens Tampa Bay tips in case anyone else is planning a trip here.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Tips

I previously posted about the Busch Gardens Tampa Animal Tours. So, I won’t go in to as much detail about those tours in this post. This is a general visiting and planning tips post.

Choose your hotel wisely. I had initially planned on staying near the park. However, some folks on Reddit made me change my mind. Once my mom and I visited the park, we realized what those people were saying was true. It’s in a safe area, but we much preferred the area near the airport. We ended up staying at the Hyatt House Tampa Airport Hotel and were pleased with that decision. The hotels near the airport were much nicer and it wasn’t too long of a drive/ride over to the park. Understand that it can be quite the drive from Orlando as well.
Download the park app and get acquainted with the map. The park no longer gives out maps of the park or a list of entertainment options. So, you will have to use the app to navigate the park. I didn’t realize that a portion of the park was closed and we had to backtrack at one point to get where we wanted to go. I might have known that if I had studied the app’s map a little closer.
Ride the train. While you will see lots of beautiful animals on the ride, it will also help you get acquainted with the layout of the park. We wished we had ridden the train earlier in the trip to get a better understanding of the park sooner.

Look at the park calendar. You can view the park hours on the website ahead of time. Be sure to look for any special events happening.
Book tours ahead of time. Some tours are popular and fill up quickly. Also, be on the lookout for specials to save money!
Arrive early. The park gets more crowded as the day goes on.

So, these are my Busch Gardens Tampa Bay tips. Do you have any others?

How to Save Money on a Disney World Trip

April 26, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Disney theme parks multiple times. So, here are my tips to save money on a Disney World trip!

How to Save Money on a Disney World Trip

Most people know how expensive and complicated it can be to plan a Walt Disney World trip. However, not everyone knows these tips to save money on a Disney World trip! This post will be similar to my general theme park saving tips post, but it’s filled with more specific info on WDW. Some of these are super easy to implement, while others may require a few steps. It just depends on your needs and time/money available.

Save on Disney World Rooms

My first piece of advice to someone looking to save is to consult the special offers page on the WDW website. On that page, you can see the official specials Disney is currently offering to entice people to visit during certain times of the year. Years ago, you could count on certain promos running like clockwork. However, since the pandemic, those offers are fewer and far between. Still, it’s best to consult that page as it’s easy to book the promo and save money by just looking at dates in the listed range.

Another way to save on lodging is to rent DVC. DVC is Disney’s timeshare program. So, you are essentially renting someone’s timeshare at a deluxe resort. You can rent from an individual DVC owner directly, which can be cheaper but has more risks involved. Personally, I’ve used the DVC rental program linked above twice without any issues. I stayed at the Polynesian Resort in 2018 and at Old Key West (as seen in my Instagram post below) in 2019 thru them. I also recommend taking a look at their confirmed reservations for an even bigger discount.

You can also save on a room by booking thru a third party website. I used Orbitz back in 2013 to book a room at Pop Century around the busy Christmas holidays because Disney’s site showed no availability.

Both of these options (DVC rental and third party sites) comes with some tradeoffs. For instance, their cancellation policy is typically stricter than Disney. Also, you may not have the option to make payments prior to the trip. You will also have to link your reservation to your Disney account in order to book other things, it won’t automatically link like it does when you book direct.

Lastly, you don’t have to stay on Disney property when you visit. Personally, I enjoy the included free bus transportation to the parks and have never stayed off property. However, I know that there are loads of good neighbor hotels that are usually a good bit cheaper. Some include breakfast and/or a free shuttle. However, word of advice on the free shuttle: most of those are pre-scheduled times, not whenever you want like Disney’s transportation is. Also, taking an Uber/Lyft to/from the parks can eat up savings real quick. You can also rent a house nearby from individuals. There again, consider the transportation costs.

Save on Tickets

I hesitated to include a section on tickets because I don’t have a lot of experience with it. However, I want this to be a complete post. I’ve heard (never used) good things about purchasing discounted tickets from Undercover Tourist. I always just purchase my tickets directly as I tend to book packages and prefer the ease that comes with booking directly.

You may also save on tickets with an annual pass, if they are available. However, passes have gotten so expensive, that it takes more days/trips to make them worth it now. I had one from 2018 to 2020, but then let it go during the pandemic. It was nice to be able to go whenever I wanted and always have a room discount (as well as food/merch discounts).

Save on Food

There are a couple of ways to save money on food. You can save money by cooking meals in the room/house. Generally speaking, quick service restaurants are cheaper than table service. The BBQ pictured below is from a quick service restaurant in Epcot and didn’t require an advanced dining reservation! You can also share some meals (particularly flatbreads) at quick service restaurants. Additionally, Walt Disney World is one of the very few theme parks that allows you to bring in outside food, as long as it’s not in glass containers or requires microwaving/refrigeration.

Save on Souvenirs

While the ShopDisney website does not offer everything you can find in the parks, it does sell quite a few items you may want for your trip. Plus, they offer sales from time to time. Additionally, if you (or your child) won’t know the difference from a Disney plush/shirt/ears to a WDW branded one, you can find Disney branded items at Walmart, Target, and Amazon. Those items are typically much cheaper than what you would find in the parks. However, they won’t say the parks on them.

Save on Gift Cards

This one is a bit more complicated and sometimes not worth it. If you have a Target RedCard, you can save 5% on gift cards, including Disney ones. Then, you can use those gift cards to make payments towards your trip or to buy food/merch in the parks. Personally, I buy my gift cards at Kroger to get Fuel Points and save on gas. You can also earn gift cards on various websites online.

Conclusion

Shew. This is a long post. However, I wanted to provide readers with a detailed list of ways you can save money on a Disney World trip. So, have I missed any tips/tricks you like to use to save?