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Disney Hollywood Studios Resorts Guide

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Today, I am continuing on with my Walt Disney World hotel series with the Hollywood Studios Resorts guide!

Hollywood Studios Resorts

Hollywood Studios Resorts

Previously, I published a Magic Kingdom Resorts Guide as well as an Epcot Resorts Guide. Today, I wanted to highlight the hotels closest to the other theme park on the Skyliner – Hollywood Studios! There is a good bit of overlap with the Epcot resorts due to the Skyliner. In fact, 1/2 of these hotels are also on the Epcot list. I’m going by Disney World’s website for grouping and they put a couple of hotels in both theme park locations. So, I’m going to cover them in both posts!

Art of Animation

First up, we have Art of Animation. I most recently stayed here in December 2025 with my mom. I posted a Disney World Little Mermaid Rooms Review covering the standard rooms in the Little Mermaid section of the resort. However, there are family suites in the rest of the resort. I’ve not had the pleasure of staying in one of those rooms yet. Nonetheless, you can read my overall resort review here.

This resort is great for fans of specific Disney/Pixar movies (Little Mermaid, Cars, Finding Nemo, or Lion King). I love that it’s on the Skyliner too. It’s a fun theme that immerses you in the Disney bubble. It’s considered a value, but is priced higher thanks to the theme/popularity and suites.

Caribbean Beach Resort

Next up, is Caribbean Beach Resort. I posted a complete Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Review a few years ago. It’s a sprawling moderate resort on the Skyliner. It has fun, beachy vibes. My biggest complaint about this resort is its size. There’s multiple bus stops here. However, I did enjoy Sebastian’s Bistro the one time I ate there.

Pop Century

The other value resort on the Skyliner, is Pop Century! I’ve stayed here multiple times. It has fun retro vibes and is the most affordable resort on the Skyliner. You can read my entire Disney’s Pop Century Resort Review to get a better idea of what it’s like to stay here. I think it’s ideal for adults visiting Disney on a budget or for people on a budget who want access to the Skyliner.

Riviera Resort

Lastly, there’s the Riviera Resort. As I stated in the Epcot Resorts post, this is a fancy DVC/Deluxe resort. As such, I haven’t stayed here. However, I have visited a few times and really enjoyed the character breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace. I also appreciate its compact layout.

Disney Hollywood Studios Resorts

Those are the four resorts that Disney considers to be HS resorts. So, which one is your favorite to stay at? Do you like staying on the Skyliner?

Disney World Character Dining Guide

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Today, I’m finally doing a post that I have been putting off for months – a guide to Walt Disney World Character Dining!

Disney World Character Dining

Disney World Character Dining

As of the writing of this post, there are 12 on-site Disney World Character Dining options. Technically, there’s a 13th option at the Four Seasons, however I’m only covering options that are on-site. I’ve been putting this post off in hopes that I would eat at more of these restaurants and be able to provide a better analysis of each one. However, that doesn’t seem likely anytime soon. So, I’m going to cover all 12 and provide reviews as possible. Once I am able to try them out, I will update this post with a review.

1900 Park Fare

I was lucky enough to enjoy 1900 Park Fare about a decade ago. However, after the pandemic it’s a different meal now. There are different characters now. Initially, I was going to try it out with my mom on the December 2025 trip. Unfortunately, she was having mobility issues. So, we cancelled that reservation and enjoyed dinner at The Crystal Palace since we were attending the Christmas party.

It appears that you can currently meet prince/princesses here. This may include: Aladdin, Cinderella, Mirabel, and Princess Tiana. I think it’s fitting that you can meet Disney royalty here since it’s held at the Grand Floridian Resort. That resort is uber nice. I will encourage everyone to try the Strawberry Soup if you eat here.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Again, Akershus is another princess meal. This one is located in Epcot though. I also enjoyed this one about a decade ago. However, I was also able to visit it again for breakfast with my mom back in 2023. You can read my full Akershus Princess Breakfast Review at Epcot here. My mom and I enjoyed the interactions with the princesses and found the food to be good. Although, it was a bit rushed.

I want to point out that this meal is 1 table service for breakfast only. Both lunch and dinner will cost you 2 table service credits to dine here. I think that is because of the popularity of the restaurant. Personally, I find $69 for 2 table service credits to be a terrible value.

Cape May Cafe

Cape May Cafe is a character buffet for breakfast only! Dinner here is a seafood buffet without characters. It is located at the Beach Club Resort. I’ve been lucky enough to eat breakfast here a few times. In fact, it has the distinction of being my first character meal! I most recently ate here a few years ago in December 2022 with my mom. You can read my entire Cape May Café Breakfast Character Meal Review here, but suffice it to say that we really like this restaurant. There’s always a variety of foods available. Plus, who doesn’t love to see characters in beachy outfits? Also, my favorite character, Donald Duck, can be found here!

Chef Mickey’s

Chef Mickey’s is the character buffet located at the Contemporary Resort. Featuring the Fab Five in chef outfits, it’s a fun experience. Plus, it’s another opportunity to see Donald Duck! Once again, I have been lucky enough to enjoy a meal here several times over the years. Most recently, my mom and I ate dinner here in February 2024 prior to a Magic Kingdom After Hours event. You can read my Chef Mickey’s Character Dinner Review here. I know that some folks complain about the food here, but they have improved the quality of food. We were pleased with the variety of foods available and nothing we had was outright bad.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Cinderella’s Royal Table is the princess dining experience located in the castle in Magic Kingdom! Due to its location and popularity, it costs 2 Table Service Credits to dine here on the dining plan. It’s one of the more expensive places to eat on property. In fact, I’ve eaten here only once. I enjoyed breakfast here in 2021 with my husband. Due to Covid, the princesses didn’t come to the table. In fact, Cinderella just came out and waved. However, thanks to those changes, it was cheaper back then. It’s great to be able to say I’ve eaten here. However, I don’t know that I would pay the prices they are charging these days and certainly wouldn’t use 2 credits.

The Crystal Palace

The Crystal Palace is a greenhouse inspired restaurant featuring Winnie the Pooh and friends! I’ve had the pleasure of eating here a few times over the years. I had breakfast with my husband back in October 2023 and you can read my Crystal Palace Character Breakfast Review here for that experience. Then, in December 2025, I enjoyed dinner here with my mom prior to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. You can read my Crystal Palace Character Dinner Review too. Once again, I think Disney has improved the food here over the years as well. There’s something for everyone on the buffet and the characters are great!

Garden Grill Restaurant

Garden Grill is a classic character dining experience in Epcot. Featuring Chip, Dale, and farmer Mickey Mouse, it’s a meal that gives you a rotating view of the ride Living with the Land. The food leans more towards basic, but it’s done well and pleases most people. I’ve eaten here a couple of times as well. You can read my Garden Grill Dinner Epcot Character Meal Review from my most recent experience in February 2023.

Hollywood and Vine

Hollywood & Vine is a seasonal character dining experience in Hollywood Studios. I’ve dined here several times as well, since the characters’ outfits change seasonally! I haven’t posted my review yet, but my mom and I enjoyed dinner here during the Holiday Dining prior to Jollywood Nights in December 2025. It was a great way to get into the holiday spirit before the party. We enjoyed the character interactions and the buffet was plentiful. Again, kudos to Disney for improving food quality over the years. My only complaint is that they seem to have lost Donald at this location over the years. I hope they bring him back sometime.

‘Ohana

‘Ohana is a popular restaurant at the Polynesian Resort. This restaurant offers character dining for breakfast only. Dinner doesn’t have characters, but the meal is a favorite among Disney fans. Breakfast features Lilo & Stitch! It’s the only place where you can meet them currently. I haven’t eaten here in many years. However, I recall the pineapple-coconut bread at breakfast with fond memories. Plus, I wore a Lilo dress to this meal and it was a great core memory made to interact with the characters while being dressed like one of them.

Story Book Dining at Artist Point

Another restaurant I’ve been lucky to eat at previously, but not in recent years is Story Book Dining at Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. My husband and I cosplayed as Snow White and The Prince when we ate here and had a great time. The Queen glared at us in the photos! It was awesome. My mom enjoyed interacting with Grumpy. The food here was elevated as well. Due to the experience and popularity, this restaurant is also 2 Table Service dining credits. Although, it is open for dinner only.

Topolino’s Terrace

Topolino’s Terrace is a character breakfast at the Riviera Resort. Dinner does not feature characters and is a signature dining experience. The character breakfast only requires 1 dining credit though. However, since it’s a signature restaurant, the food is better here than at some other buffets. You can read my full Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast Review for a closer look at this experience. However, I gotta love an artsy Donald Duck!

Tusker House Restaurant

Lastly, we have Tusker House! It’s a safari themed character meal in Animal Kingdom. Open for all three meals and only 1 table service credit, it’s pretty popular. Plus, it features Donald Duck! You can read my full Tusker House Breakfast Review from my February 2023 trip. I have not eaten dinner here in many years though. However, it is the only character dining available at this park.

Disney World Character Dining

As you can see, there are loads of options for Disney World Character Dining. From parks to deluxe resorts, they are located all over the resort. However, I would encourage everyone to pay attention to the dining credits required at some of the restaurants (Cinderella’s Royal Table, Artist Point, and Akershus). While the seated meals tend to have better food, the buffets have greatly improved in recent years. So, what’s your favorite character meal at Disney?

Epcot Resorts Guide – Walt Disney World

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Today, I thought I would provide a look at the Epcot Resorts or the resorts that Disney says is located nearest this theme park at Walt Disney World.

Epcot Resorts

Epcot Resorts

I began looking at theme park area resorts last year with my Magic Kingdom Resorts Guide. Today, I am continuing that series by moving over to Epcot! Unfortunately, I have not had the privilege of staying at most of these resorts. However, I have visited most of them and have an idea of what they are about.

Beach Club

The one resort in this bunch that I have stayed at is Beach Club. It’s a deluxe resort with DVC villas. I was lucky enough to stay here a decade ago when I was invited to Disney Social Media Moms Celebration! I enjoyed my stay here and would love to return again someday. Unfortunately, price has been a hindrance on my return. It was so convenient to be walking distance to Epcot! Plus, it’s now walking distance to the Skyliner and Hollywood Studios! This is an upscale beachy vibes place. I can also recommend the Cape May Café Breakfast Character Meal here.

Additionally, they usually have a gingerbread carousel here during the holidays. The theme changes from year to year, but it’s always great.

Yacht Club

Yacht Club is located directly beside Beach Club. It looks very similar to the Beach Club, however it’s more of a muted grey color than the bright blue of Beach Club. I’ve not had the pleasure of staying here, but I did enjoy Ale and Compass Breakfast back in December 2024. Once again, I can recommend it for its location and close proximity to Epcot and the Skyliner. However, it is an expensive deluxe resort as well.

While they don’t typically get a gingerbread creation during the holidays, they display a nice train set. It’s fun to watch the train go around the village.

Boardwalk Inn

Another deluxe resort I haven’t stayed at is Boardwalk Inn. It is located across from Beach and Yacht Club. As such, it is also walking distance to the Skyliner and Epcot. I used to enjoy breakfast here when they had a character breakfast. My mom enjoys visiting as it reminds her of the boardwalk in New Jersey.

Swan/Dolphin Hotels

Technically, the Swan/Dolphin hotels aren’t owned by Disney. However, they are often grouped in with Disney resorts as they receive lots of the same perks as staying on property. Plus, they are located close to Epcot. I’ve never actually stayed at either one, but have heard nice things.

Riviera Resort

Yet another deluxe/DVC resort that I haven’t stayed at, but is located close to Epcot is Disney’s Riviera Resort. I have visited this resort twice for Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast, which I really enjoyed. I also like how compact this resort is. Plus, you are always close to the Skyliner. That makes a ride to Epcot and/or Hollywood Studios super easy.

Caribbean Beach

Lastly, Disney technically considers Caribbean Beach an Epcot resort. It’s the only moderate resort on this list and I’ve actually stayed here! You can read my Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Review to get a better idea of what this resort is like. However, it’s a sprawling resort with several bus stops. Although, it does have easy access to either Skyliner line with quick transportation to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot! I also enjoy Sebastian’s Bistro here.

Should you stay at Epcot Resorts?

If you have the means to stay at one of these deluxe resorts, I say go for it. It makes visiting Epcot so easy when you stay at one of these resorts. Personally, I typically pick a value on the Skyliner over Caribbean Beach. However, that’s just my preference. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the deluxe/DVC resorts on this list though.

So, which resorts on this list have you stayed at?

50’s Prime Time Cafe at Walt Disney World Review

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Back in December, my mom and I ate at 50’s Prime Time Cafe in Hollywood Studios for the first time! So, I thought I would share how that experience went.

50's Prime Time Cafe

50’s Prime Time Cafe

50’s Prime Time Cafe is a highly themed table service restaurant located in Hollywood Studios theme park at Walt Disney World. It harkens back to the 1950’s with kitschy decor and most tables having a black and white television! It’s supposed to resemble eating in a mom’s kitchen with tasty comfort food on the menu!

The Ambiance

My mom absolutely loved the theme here! She was born in the 60’s, but remembered some of the decor being in her mom’s kitchen. She couldn’t wait to take photos to share with a co-worker and her older mom since they had some of the decor as well.

It’s also fun that the televisions feature short clips from tv shows that were airing in the 1950’s. In fact, Walt Disney himself even makes an appearance from Disneyland (as seen in my blog post image above)! Again, my mom loved watching the clips of old shows and spotting famous actors.

Adding to the experience of eating here are the cast members. They treat you like family here. In fact, they will joke along with you and poke fun of things. For example, I got up to use the restroom and our waitress told me, “I didn’t excuse you,” followed by “wash your hands and use soap” when I responded that I had to use the restroom. It was fun to watch the cast members interact with other tables as well. There’s definitely lots of entertainment to be had at this restaurant.

The Food

Seeing as this is mom’s kitchen in the 1950’s, they serve up basic comfort food. Since we were on the dining plan, I selected a yummy peanut butter and jelly milkshake for my drink. It was heavy on the peanut butter and had very little jelly flavor to it. However, as a peanut butter fiend, I was in hog heaven. It was so good! My mom got a strawberry milkshake and she thought it was really good too! I highly recommend the milkshakes here.

For my entree, I went with Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken! It was juicy and tasty! It truly hit the spot. My mom got Cousin Megan’s Traditional Meatloaf and was really happy with it. It had flavor without being too spicy (my mom can’t handle any spice). Both portions were huge though. This isn’t the place to come for a small bite to eat. Both of us received roasted garlic mashed potatoes and corn for our sides. Both of which were pretty good.

We were pretty full by this point, but the dining plan comes with a dessert. So, continuing with the peanut butter theme, I got Dad’s Favorite Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layered Cake a la Mode! It was a rich, dense cake. It was a little dry though. So, the ice cream did a great job of adding some needed moisture to the dish. I would say the cake leans more towards chocolate than peanut butter, but it was still yummy to me! My mom got the Traditional Warm Apple Crisp. This dessert was a little disappointing, to be honest. It was like they dumped a can of sliced apples in a bowl and put some oats on top. It wasn’t bad, it just paled in comparison to my cake. Although, I bet it would have been improved with some ice cream on top.

Fantasmic Dining Package

While dining here, we booked a Fantasmic Dining Package. At $60/each, it’s a good use of a table service dining credit. My mom had never seen Fantasmic. So, we appreciated knowing that we would get good seats to the show. We got to sit pretty much dead center of the stadium and got a great view of everything. It was similar to the Fantasmic Dining Package Review at Sci-Fi Dine-In in that we got the same reserved area to sit in. However, I much preferred the food here at 50’s Prime Time Cafe. I highly recommend a Fantasmic Dining Package if you are seeing the show for the first time just to get a good view of the show. Although, if you are early enough, a dining package certainly isn’t necessary to get a good view.

Is 50’s Prime Time Cafe worth it?

I think the 50’s Prime Time Cafe Fantasmic Dining Package is a great use of a table service dining credit. However, it’s probably a little less “worth it” for a regular dining credit without the package. My meal would have been $47.25 otherwise, which is a little low if you are trying to get the biggest bang for your buck on the dining plan. My mom’s would have been $43.75. Out of pocket, that’s pricey. Although, if we had been paying out of pocket, we wouldn’t have ordered so much food. Overall, it’s a fun environment with comfort food that everyone can enjoy.

So, have you ever eaten here?

Disney World Little Mermaid Rooms Review

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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

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.