Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

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?

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort Review

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Having covered each of the Walt Disney World Value Resorts, I am finally beginning my reviews of the moderates today! I’m kicking it off with my favorite one in this category, Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter!

Port Orleans French Quarter

Port Orleans French Quarter

Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter is technically a sister resort to the larger Port Orleans – Riverside Resort. Both resorts celebrate the rich history and ornate decor found in New Orleans. As the name implies, this one feels like you are visiting a highly sanitized version of the French Quarter with wrought-iron balconies and a cobblestone street. The other resort celebrates the stately mansions found in the bayou. I will be staying at it in December, so stay tuned for a future review of it soon!

Both of these resorts are considered moderate resorts as they are more expensive than a value resort, but they also tend to have better themes and amenities. The values rely on big statues and bright colors for their themes. The moderates tend to have a classier vibe with nice touches around every corner. The food at the moderates tends to be a touch nicer as well.

Port Orleans French Quarter Room

In February 2023, I stayed in a standard two queen room with my mom. Having stayed primarily at value resorts in recent years, my mom was very impressed with POFQ. She noticed that the theme was a touch classier here. Plus, she realized the beds were a little more comfortable (no fighting over the pull down bed here). We were both happy with the quietness of the resort.

Now, I will do a pros and cons list to help you decide if this resort is a good fit for you.

Pros

  • Beignets – As I stated above, the food at the moderates tends to be a little more diverse than what is found at a value food court. Here, you can get Mickey-shaped beignets! They are an absolute must get if you visit here and I consider them a pro of staying here!
  • Compact layout – I love how small this resort is. Most of the moderate resorts are large, but this one has just one bus stop! That’s very handy when you are tired at the end of a busy park day.
  • Relaxing vibe – The whole vibe of this resort is smooth and calm. There’s even a jazz band on select nights at the Scat Cat’s Club!
  • Cool pool – I’ve actually never swam in this pool, but the Mardi Gras themed pool is in the middle of the resort and hard to miss.
  • Boat transportation – Yes, you can actually take a boat over to Disney Springs when you stay here! Talk about a relaxing mode of transportation!
  • On-site perks – Just like at the value resorts, staying on-site gives you certain perks like free park transportation (just buses here) and 60 day advanced dining reservations.

Cons

  • More expensive – The moderates are more expensive than value resorts, so it may be hard to swing it on a tight budget.
  • No table service restaurant – Riverside has a table service restaurant, but there isn’t one here. However, many table service restaurants are just a boat ride away at Disney Springs.
  • Not necessarily kid-friendly theme – Kids who aren’t familiar with New Orleans may not find the theme here appealing.
  • Bus only transportation to parks – Staying here costs more than staying at Pop Century (which has the Skyliner) but only offers bus transportation to the parks.

Overall

I love the French Quarter Resort. Prior to the Skyliner being installed, it was one of my husband and I’s go-to resorts. However, it’s a good bit more expensive than it was a few years ago. In my opinion, the value of staying here really depends on your budget and needs. This is a great resort for a couples only stay due to somewhat romantic vibes, but you pay for those nice touches too. Have you ever stayed at POFQ?

Christmas in Orlando Theme Parks Guide

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It’s hard to believe but it’s already time to discuss Christmas in Orlando theme parks! I feel like I just did my Fall in the theme parks post, but the parks tend to kick-off the holiday season immediately after Halloween. So, it’s time to breakdown what you can expect if you visit between now and the end of the year.

Christmas in Orlando

Christmas in Orlando

It goes without saying that the theme parks go all out for the holiday season! I love visiting during this time of the year as I’m a huge Christmas fan (who isn’t?). I also enjoy the typically cooler temperatures that can be found in November and December. So, here’s a look at what you can expect at each theme park.

Christmas at Walt Disney World

You can expect to see holiday decor at every theme park and resort on property. I love seeing the uniquely themed trees around the property. Disney Springs also has some amazing trees!

You can experience the holidays at Animal Kingdom and Epcot with a regular park ticket. Animal Kingdom has a menagerie of animal puppets that I hope to see this year! Beginning November 24th, Epcot has the Festival of the Holidays with food booths and special holiday storytelling in select country pavilions. Additionally, they have the massively popular Candlelight Processional with celebrity narrators each night. A dining package may also be purchased to guarantee a seat at the show.

Magic Kingdom has decorations up. However, there’s also a separately ticketed event called Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which I reviewed last year. The first party of the year is tomorrow night, November 9th. I love eating cookies and seeing the toy soldiers march down Main Street.

New in 2023, Hollywood Studios is hosting Jollywood Nights. Its first night is November 11th. Not much is known about this event. However, it seems like a highly themed after hours event. I will be attending next month and will know more about it after that.

Christmas at Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Orlando was late in announcing their holiday plans this year. However, I wrote an entire guide to the holidays at Universal Orlando last year. The highlights include a parade with balloons like the ones seen in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Additionally, there’s the highly sought after breakfast with the Grinch and Universal Holidays Tour. Don’t miss the holiday tribute store or themed trees at the resorts! The holidays kick-off at UO on November 17th and end December 31st.

Christmas at SeaWorld Orlando

Last, but certainly not least is SeaWorld Orlando. I posted a Christmas at SeaWorld Orlando Review last year outlining what you can expect here. Once again, you can partake in the festive activities with a regular park day ticket with special food booths and entertainment. The Christmas Celebration at SeaWorld begins November 10th and is mainly available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the season.

Where are you headed?

As you can see, there’s not a bad place to experience the holidays in Orlando. So, where are you headed?

You can view my other seasonal theme park guides here:

Fantasmic Dining Package Review at Sci-Fi Dine-In

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I’ve just returned from a short trip to Walt Disney World with my husband. We decided to book a Fantasmic Dining Package on our Hollywood Studios night. I’m doing a review to help others determine if this is a good option for their trip.

Fantasmic Dining Package

Fantasmic Dining Package

For those who don’t know, Fantasmic is a night-time show at Hollywood Studios. It’s been very popular since its return following the pandemic. I hadn’t seen the show in years, but was afraid of crowds given that we were visiting on a Saturday night. So, I booked one of these packages to ensure us a good seat for the show as well as a good meal. As you might have noticed, I’m a bit of a sucker for reserved show seating with food as I’ve reviewed World of Color – One Dessert Party and Oogie Boogie Dessert Party. This package though is for a whole meal prior to the show.

There are 5 restaurants to choose from when you book this package. Initially, I selected The Hollywood Brown Derby. However, when I glanced over the menu, I realized that it was too fancy for my palate and too expensive. So, a few days out from our trip, I switched us to the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. I had eaten here previously once before with my mom, but this was my husband’s first time.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

As a part of our special, we were able to select an entree, either an appetizer or dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage for our meals. We both elected to get appetizers since those seemed more appealing and worth more money. I got the onion rings, which were pretty good. Then again, I haven’t had many bad onion rings. Ha! My husband got the wings and they were tasty as well.

I had wanted to order the chicken salad sandwich for my entree, however they are unable to remove the cilantro from the mix. Sidenote to anyone from WDW reading: Please stop adding cilantro to everything. Some of us think it tastes like soap.

I ended up going with the plant based Impossible burger. While it tasted ok, it was dry as heck. My husband ordered the citrus chicken salad. His chicken was also dry, but he enjoyed the rest of the salad. Unfortunately, I can’t give the food here a glowing review. I wish it wasn’t just a bunch of burgers on the menu with 1 pasta dish. There needs to be more variety. Also, the foods we opted for that weren’t burgers weren’t amazing. So, I guess stick with the burgers or don’t eat here.

I have to say the theme is pretty cool here! My husband enjoyed seeing the sci-fi clips on the big screen. I like sitting in the cars and looking around the “drive-in”.

Fantasmic! Seating

After dinner, we headed over to the stadium to get in line for the show. Once we entered the stadium and saw the roped off area, I realized the benefit of booking this package. The prime view or middle of the stadium is reserved for these dining packages. So, if you want a great view of the show, this is how you get it.

We both really enjoyed the show and were pleased with our seats. Fantasmic is a must-do if you are visiting Hollywood Studios at night. The dining package allowed us to see the performers straight on instead of from the side.

Is it worth it?

The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is one of the cheapest restaurants available for this package. However, it’s still $51/adult and $23/children. So, it’s still a pretty expensive meal. Personally, I don’t think the food is worth the prices Disney is charging for the regular menu at Sci-Fi. The addition of the reserved seating area at Fantasmic though is worth a lot. My meal would normally cost $35 and my husband’s was $34. So, essentially we paid $17/18 for the seats. For the view, it’s worth it at least once. If I book the package again, it will be at a different restaurant. Have you ever eaten here or booked a Fantasmic dining package?