Theme Parks Archives - Page 7 of 9

Transportation at Walt Disney World & Universal Orlando

March 4, 2017 by Danielle

As many of you know, I’m a seasoned Disneyland traveler – I’ve been there more times than I can count, and consider myself a bit of an expert. When it comes to my trip to Orlando last October, though, I was in a whole new adventure trying to figure everything out. There’s so many aspects to my trip to Disney World & Universal that were new and different, but one of the most confusing was getting around places! Here’s what I learned about Transportation at Walt Disney World & Orlando.

Magical Express

If you’re staying at a Disney World resort, you can utilize their FREE Magical Express bus system. They even grab your checked bags and deliver them to your hotel room for you, if you like! You reserve this in advance, and they send you special tags for your bags so they have an easier time locating them and making sure they end up at the correct destination. I don’t have photos of them because, of course, I lost them the day prior to leaving so wasn’t able to utilize this 🙁

When you arrive in Orlando, you follow the signs for Magical Express, use your magic band to scan at the desk, then they direct you to the appropriate line. And guys….where is line #7?!

I’ll be honest, it felt a LOT like a herd of cattle there, being divided into our different lines and waiting until the next bus came. At least we were waiting indoors, so that’s a perk.

When they arrived, we scanned our bands again to make sure we were boarding the correct one, handed bags (if you have some) to the driver to store under the bus, then climb on board.

There’s a TV screen that does short cartoons, announcements or fun little ‘safety briefings’. And yes, there’s a restroom on the bus, for those that may need it. The bus wasn’t anything elaborate, just a regular tour bus type ride – not extremely uncomfortable, but not too comfy either.

The buses go to various Disney hotels – some only go to 1, while others make a couple of stops. We stayed at the All-Star Movies Resort first, so it did a quick stop at All-Star Sports and Music before hitting ours.

For the return trip, just confirm at your hotel lobby and get your tickets and time you need to be down to meet the Magical Express to go back to the airport.

Other Airport Options

If you want to do your OWN time and place for when you arrive, you could always use one of these other options to get to and from the airport…

Uber
Taxi Cab
Private Car
Shuttle (like Mears)

At Walt Disney World

This is where I kept getting really confused – luckily I had Michael’s VIPs to help me know what I should take and when! It seems like every hotel has a shuttle for each of the Disney parks, as well as Disney Springs. I was told they leave every 20 minutes or so, which seemed mostly accurate for the times we used them. There are seats, but also standing room with poles and bars you can hold on to for when it’s extremely crowded – which it seemed to be mostly at the start and end of the day. Not a very comfortable ride, but it got us where we needed to go just fine and it was free.

The Disney Monorail was convenient when we were at the Contemporary just going in that small loop between the main monorail station, the Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian, and the Magic Kingdom (then back to Contemporary). It stopped at each, and sometimes was VERY crowded – especially at the end of the day, which is when everyone is tired so the seats are often taken. The monorail that goes from outside that little loop and then back to the main monorail station was a nightmare, though! When we were trying to get back to Contemporary from Epcot, it had such a long line – and the wait for the monorail to even get there was quite extensive. Then we had to hop onto the loop monorail, which took another long wait, until we finally got back to the Contemporary. From getting in line at the Epcot monorail to getting off at Contemporary took us over an hour – not fun.

When we had early breakfast reservations, it was much easier to just call an Uber. They can’t go EVERYWHERE, like certain park entrances, but you can have them drop you off at hotels or somewhere nearby when needed. Yes, you have to pay, but the time and hassle it saved us some days was more than worth it, especially if you’re park hopping.

At Universal Studios

Since Universal’s parks are all right around each other, there’s not much of a hassle getting between places. From their on-site hotels, you can take the shuttle, or the closer ones like Loews Royal Pacific offer boats to take you from the hotel to City Walk. From there, you can also take a beautiful walking path that wasn’t that long – the kids even did fine on it at the end of a long day. The Hard Rock Hotel seemed to be the closest, being able to just walk right out by the park entrances.

I didn’t have to worry about further distances here, so can’t offer much more input there. We did take a private car from Disney World to Universal on this particular trip, and it made it super convenient – our own timing and pick-up/drop-off locations, professional service, very comfortable ride, and our driver was able to tell us about things we passed.

Just ask Michael’s VIPs when you’re planning your trip, and they can help with all your transportation coordinating!

Don’t forget to check Get Away Today for great ticket/hotel prices for your trip – and use

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Toothsome Chocolate Emporium Store

January 12, 2017 by Danielle

This post is not sponsored, I simply loved the Toothsome Store & wanted to share about all the fun stuff inside!

Guys, I was in heaven when we browsed through the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium Store when we visited Universal Orlando last October – there were just so many things I would’ve loved to have! It all fit right along with their fun steampunk theme, with gears and wheels, lots of metals, and – of course- plenty of fun chocolates and sweets.

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium Store

May contain affiliate links that help support this blog. See our disclosure.

Remember a week or two ago when I shared about our amazingly delicious experience at the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium restaurant at Universal Orlando’s City Walk? There was so much good stuff to discuss there, I had to put the goodies we found at the Toothsome store in it’s own post. I seriously could’ve spent a LONG while in here looking through all the trinkets and treats, but here’s some highlights to give you an idea of what you can find here…

Home Decor & Souvenirs

From cool bronze octupus mugs, to full-on steampunk skeleton heads, there was something for any household here. Some was a bit more ‘themed’ than others, so rest assured there’s a nice variety.

Bronze colored monkey statue with a top hat? Sure. Mirrors and clocks? Of course. Keychains – obviously! It was super hard for me to resist buying one of the fabulous boot keychains!

Clothing

I’m not sure I could pull off the look of these awesome hats – although I really wanted to! The shirts were definitely my type, and I believe there were even actual BOOTS to buy – I didn’t look closely at those, though, because I knew my resistance to buy anything would’ve been totally shot 😉

Candy, Sweets & Treats

Penelope – the storyline founder of Toothsome Chocolate Emporium – obviously has a thing for sweets. There’s huge, colorful columns of candy floss, dispensers full of varied snacks, and clever liquid candies and other creative fun for your taste buds, like shot-glass shaped suckers.

Chocolate, Chocolate and….more Chocolate!

If you’re looking for goodies to take home (or enjoy on your travels), they’ve got everything from Mint Chocolate Chip, to S’mores, to Limeade, and even Absinthe and Bourbon flavored chocolates in boxes ready to grab.

And how fun are these chocolate ‘tools’, like a key? Or the stop watch chocolates are fantastic, too!

The Chocolate Counter

Yes, there’s a good ol’ chocolate counter there featuring such amazingly fun desserts, it was hard not to try them all! Check out the cute little gear designs on top…

They don’t JUST have little chocolate pieces, though, there’s also elaborate desserts like these special treats…

And who could resist a gear-shaped chocolate pop?

Yes, you can also buy an assortment and take them in a fun box – what a perfect gift for any sweet-toothed person on your list!

When I was showing hubby all the neat things we saw there from my photos, he was really impressed I controlled myself and didn’t buy bags full. There were so many neat things – whether you’re actually shopping, or even just to look at. Better head to Toothsome Chocolate Emporium for a quick peak – and don’t forget to try their amazing food while you’re there!

Don’t forget to check Get Away Today for the best deals on your vacation – plus use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for even more special savings!

My new Favorite Universal Restaurant: Toothsome Chocolate Emporium

December 27, 2016 by Danielle

While I was provided a reservation for our meal, this was not sponsored in any way and is simply me sharing my new favorite Universal Orlando City Walk restaurant: Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen! (originally posted December 2016, some photos updated from October 2017 trip)

Yes, there’s TONS of tasty food options at Universal in Orlando, from london-themed fair at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, to amazing fusions like at Cowfish, up to the huge pink donuts from Simpsons. When I read that a new restaurant was coming to City Walk, it sounded really good and fun, so I insisted on giving it a try during my trip this past October. I sure wasn’t disappointed, and it’s now my favorite restaurant that will be a DO NOT MISS for any of my Orlando travels, and for so many reasons! Be sure to nab your Universal tickets from Get Away Today for the best deals – Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper gives you extra savings, too!

The Food

I can’t help but compare Toothsome to another one of my all-time favorite restaurants The Cheesecake Factory, not only because the food at both is so fresh, full of flavor and large portions that can be easily shared (unless you’d rather enjoy it yourself – then go right ahead!), but also the menu is super extensive. Here’s a bunch of shots just to show you how thick it is, with a few peaks at some of there numerous offerings…

I love that inside it has a page with the ‘story’ behind Toothsome Chocolate Emporium – Penelope sounds like quite the adventurous type that could tell a few interesting tales, if you happen to catch her at the restaurant. She was an absolute blast, always writing in her little notebook as she walked around, chatting with everyone she could. And it wasn’t just a quick ‘good morning’, but an interactive conversation. Loved her!

There’s food offerings from various appetizers, soups and salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, burgers, chicken, steak and seafood, pasta, even crepes, waffles and french toast. Plus their MANY milkshakes – I’ll cover those more later 🙂 Oh, and here’s a peak at the fun kids menu, as well, which I thought was an excellent price and a good variety to appease kids’ varying appetites.

We had the hardest time choosing what to order, since there were so many items I would’ve loved to try! We started with the Fried Zucchini, battered in Parmesan cheese and served warm with a yummy sesame soy dip.

I couldn’t resist trying the Coffee and Chocolate Stout Chicken Wings, as well which were incredible and had such a lick-your-fingers good flavor that I can’t even begin to describe! These are one of the things I’m ‘making’ my hubby try next time we go to Universal because I know he’ll love them, too.

For our main dish, Jason (our awesome guide from Michael’s VIPs that joined us that day) ordered the Waldorf Chicken Salad which had grilled chicken breast, grapes, Granny Smith apples, sundried cranberries, celery, candied walnuts, shredded romaine, Dijon vinaigrette, and topped with crunchy apple chips. Check out how big that salad was!

My mom and I kind of shared two different chicken entrees, since we simply couldn’t narrow it down further! The Chicken Bercy was so fresh with a smooth-yet-flavorful sauce. To be more exact, in case you want details, it was boneless breast with white wine, demi-glaze, lemon juice, shallots, butter, mushrooms, fresh herbs, asparagus, and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

The Chicken Bourguignon was my favorite dish, but I have to admit I STILL don’t know the correct way to pronounce it! 🙂 I loved the boneless breast with red wine, demi-glaze, pearl onions, quartered mushrooms, bacon, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, and asparagus – although I gave the asparagus to my mom since I’m not a big fan of those.

Since I KNEW I was going to have to share this City Walk restaurant with y’all, I decided I should try a different type of meal while we were there – and the Berries & Cream French Toast seemed just the ticket! I mean check out the thick slices of challah toast, lemon curd filling, fresh seasonal berries, and pile of fresh whipped cream. Holy YUM!

October 2017 trip – hubby ordered one of their massive burgers and said it was amazing!

No, we couldn’t eat everything – but we sure gave it our best try! We were too full for dessert – BUT with their ginormous milkshakes in so many varieties, we made it a point to come back later that day just to get milkshakes at the counter to give them a try, which leads us to…

The Milkshakes

These are NOT just your regular milkshakes – they’re seriously HUGE, some even topped with a whole cupcake or slice of cheesecake!

If you order with your meal in the restaurant, you get it in a glass that I believe you have to leave there. But if you order from the counter, it’s a fun plastic jar that I was told we could take with us. There’s about 12 or so options to choose from – ranging from crazy (yet tasty) options like Bacon Brittle, Chocolate Banana Brain Freeze, Marshmallow Crisp and more. We finally decided on Strawberry Cheesecake (far left), Chocolate X5 (middle – my choice, of course!), and Espresso Buzzzz (far right).

We enjoyed every single bite we could of these massive desserts – but despite our best attempts, we simply couldn’t finish them!

In our October 2017 trip, hubby and I tried the Marshmallow one, which was delicious as well!

If you get a chance sometime, sit up at the bar on the 2nd floor – especially when it’s not too busy, like in the morning, it’s got a lovely view out the big windows of CityWalk and is fun to chat with the bar tender.

For hubby and I’s trip in October 2017, we also went back for brunch because the crepes had sounded so good – he got the apple one and I got the berries and cream. INCREDIBLE!!!

The Atmosphere

As you walk up to Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, you’re greeted by tall smoke stacks, lots of copper and metal, cogs, gears and wheels – a whole steampunk theme. They really went all-out with the theming, from the bags of Toothsome Cocoa Beans in displays and all around…..

…..to the dishes and salt & pepper shakers! They had screens on the walls making it appear as though you were in the factory full of working parts. Check it out!

Even the lighting fit right into the atmosphere, along with Penelope’s ‘office’ and other parts you could walk around and see.

It was really busy when we were there, so sadly I wasn’t able to get a clear, non-fuzzy photo of the staff’s outfits…

Aren’t they perfect for this type of environment? I really want one of the dress ones for myself 🙂 The whole staff was super friendly, and despite it being a newly-opened restaurant, they sure knew their stuff when we had questions! They had some open kitchen areas where they were making desserts and milkshakes for the restaurant area, so that was neat watching for a bit.

The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium Store

Guys, I took as many (possibly MORE) photos as we browsed the store as I did at the restaurant, so I think that needs to be a post all it’s own. Stay tuned in the next week or two and we’ll share all the incredible chocolates, cotton candy, clothing, keychains, and gift ideas galore in this fun shop. I wanted so many of the incredible things!

The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen exceeded my expectations like crazy, and when my hubby and I started discussing a possible trip to Universal Orlando later this year, I told him that eating here was an absolutely MUST!

Give Toothsome a try – and let us know what foods or desserts you’ve tried and what you thought!

Don’t forget to check with Get Away Today for best prices on your vacation, and use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for even more special savings!

Be Our Guest Restaurant: Breakfast

November 19, 2016 by Danielle

What’s your favorite childhood movie? Mine was always Beauty and the Beast, so of course I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to dine at the Beast’s Castle during my first visit to Walt Disney World a few weeks ago. It was everything I’d hoped for and more! Check out all the beautiful (and tasty) details of Be Our Guest Restaurant: Breakfast below. (originally shared November 2016, with some photos updated from our October 2017 trip)

May contain affiliate links that help support this blog. See our Disclosure.

First, you need to know that reservations at Be Our Guest Restaurant can fill up super fast, so you need to book the dining time you want the full 180 days in advance. It’s one of the most popular dining venues at Magic Kingdom – if not all Walt Disney World! There MIGHT be a few last cancellations/openings as it gets closer, but don’t rely on that if it’s your dream to eat here. If you’re doing breakfast, I highly recommend getting the earliest time you can because then you get to enter the park before everyone else to make it to the back of the park for your meal. Pictures in front of the castle without a big crowd – bonus!

There’s a stand to the side of the entrance where you check in, by a tiny rolling stream. Then you go enter the large castle doors, complete with lion statues and beautiful glass window above featuring the famous rose.

For breakfast (and I heard lunch is the same way) you stand in line to order your food from a kiosk. The line is actually really fun, taking in all the decor – from chandeliers and glowing candles, to these hilarious suits of armor! Listen closely, they sure have some fun conversations with each other 🙂

At the kiosk, it explains that you can use your MagicBand to order, or get a magic ‘rose’ disk to take to your table. Once you place your order with one of the friendly cast members, you go choose your own table in one of the three rooms (more on them below). They ‘magically’ find your table with your food! Really, they find your band or rose.

The drinks for breakfast and lunch are self-serve, so you can go get those filled while you wait for your food to be delivered. They come pushed in fun little carts, too!

This guy was gracious enough to pose for a photo with our cart.

Every table gets the pastry tray to share – it includes little rolls and tasty pastries. Nothing spectacular, but they were okay.

The menu is a little different, with foods that may not appeal to some. In case you’re for more ‘regular’ food, they told me it was perfectly fine for adults to order off the kids menu. You can check out the menu HERE. I got the Assorted Cured Meats and Cheese – it was good, but again not extremely great.

I couldn’t resist also ordering off the kids menu, and got the Crepes de Cogsworth – these were REALLY good and fresh, and that wildberry foam is phenomenal! It was a good portion for a child meal.

My mom ordered the Feast a la Gaston, and said it was good. It’s a lot of food, so that’s a definite bonus!

Grand Ballroom: I know I’m weird, but when we walked into the grand ballroom and I felt like I was transported right into the movie, I got giddy like a little school girl! Seriously, it was a dream come true and a major highlight of my trip – I was enough of a dork to even get tears in my eyes.

It was BEAUTIFUL! I was told the babies on the ceiling were actually from baby pictures of the designers – what a fun little memento! It was bright in this room, and out the far window was a lovely ‘night’ scenery like you were really looking out at the forest surrounding the beast’s castle. My absolute FAVORITE room!

West Wing: Of course you HAVE to walk around the West Wing (if you don’t choose to eat there) and check out the incredible details. From the torn, draping curtains all over, to the slashed photo of the Prince, to the glowing, magical rose in the corner – it’s an incredible room! There was a ‘fireplace’, and glowing candles in this more dark room, still setting a really neat atmosphere. It was less crowded and noisy in there as far as people eating their breakfast, although lots of people kept walking through to see the rose.

Rose Gallery: What’s more amazing than a HUGE music box of Belle and the Beast dancing? This was a neat third room, and a bit quieter than the grand ballroom. I liked walking around in there seeing the different artwork of scenes from the film, and of course seeing the Belle and Beast twirl in the center of the room.

Needless to say, this was an amazing experience both with dining AND with feeling like I was in my favorite Disney movie. If you can nab a reservation, I HIGHLY recommend eating at Be Our Guest Restaurant for breakfast!

What room would YOU choose?

Be sure to check Get Away Today for the best deals for your Disney vacation – and use

Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for even more savings!

Disneyland Foods that are Worth Trying

November 2, 2016 by Nikki Cole

Disneyland is one of my favorite places, if you haven’t noticed by all the posts I do about it. This time I wanted to know if the Disneyland foods were worth the price, and yes I was very surprised by most of them. So here is a list of Disneyland Foods that are Worth Trying.

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Disneyland Foods that are Worth Trying will show you some places to get meals or just simple snacks like the Matterhorn Macaroon, which was amazing! Now some of these are a little pricey but worth getting instead of just bringing your own sandwich or McDonalds outside the park.

Book your Disney vacation with Get Away Today for the best deals – and use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for extra savings!

First stop was the Plaza Inn on Main Street USA in Disneyland. This was an all you can eat breakfast with Mickey Mouse Waffles, sausage, cinnamon rolls, drinks, cereal, and a melt in your mouth French toast. We definitely ate way more than our stomachs could hold so we had to stay off some big rides for a while but completely worth it, and it filled us up for hours. With the amazing all you can eat food you also have characters walking around saying hi and taking pictures with you. This is obviously a full meal and it was a little pricey but worth every bite.

My favorite on this list of Disneyland Foods that are worth trying is the Matterhorn Macaroon. This is a coconut, melt in your mouth snack that you will absolutely not want to miss. It is located just inside Jolly Holiday Bakery Café which also provides a great view of the Matterhorn.

Dole Whip from the Tiki Room is also a must have and a perfect treat to enjoy while watching the Enchanted Tiki Room. Dole Whip pineapple ice cream in the style of soft served or a float is sure to quench your thirst for something sweet.

Princess and the Frog is one of my favorite Disney shows so when I heard Tianna’s Beignets were served in New Orleans Square I was there. These beignets are delicious, better than doughnuts, and during Halloween time you can stop by for pumpkin flavored beignets.

Cinnamon rolls at Fiddler Fifer and Practical are warm and very filling. These cinnamon rolls we get every time we go to Disneyland because they are a perfect and quick breakfast. They also serve as a Starbucks so all you coffee lovers will also love to stop in.

Disneyland too hot for some of you? Well cool off with one of Disneyland’s Minute Maid Frozen Strawberry Lemonade. These are cold and perfect for those hot days in the park, and conveniently located at the ice cream carts throughout the parks.

Also located at the ice cream carts you can grab a Mickey Mouse ice cream sandwich, sure to add excitement to your little kids.

Pizza is always a great dinner right? Well it smells amazing and at the Pizza Port by Space Mountain they have pasta, pizza, salad, drinks, and several items at a reasonable price are sure to fill up your whole family for more fun memories at Disneyland.

Flo’s Café in Cars Land is one restaurant that I never even really knew about, well I missed out. Flo’s is a little pricey but you do get a lot of food and the food is delicious. I got the Brioche French Toast and my husband got the American Breakfast. Both were amazing, now the Brioche French Toast not only sounds a little different than what I am use to but it looked a lot different too but don’t be fooled, it was melt in your mouth, more of a dessert than breakfast French toast, so go ahead and be adventurous.

Need a late night snack? Well it was big enough to be a meal so be prepared to share. Ghiradelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop in California Adventures has and wonderful Crissy Field Cookie Bits Sundae, hot fudge, cookies and cream ice cream, whipped cream, and lots of chocolate chip cookie bits on top what’s not to love? This dessert was huge which didn’t stop my husband and me from eating all of it but if you can’t eat very much ice cream or sweets find some people to share with, I’m sure it won’t be hard to convince people.

Churros are also one of those things you always get at Disneyland and they make it easy by having a million stands selling them. I think I smelt churros all the way through the park which made it horrible not eating one every five minutes.

Last but not least, our family tradition of going to Goofy’s Kitchen for dinner. Goofy’s Kitchen isn’t in Disneyland itself but in Disneyland Hotel so it kind of works. This is an all you can eat buffet with ribs, pizza, pasta, chicken, salad, fruit, huge dessert bar, and drinks. They also have characters walking around taking pictures and signing autographs and randomly dancing through the restaurant. One of my favorite things there is their Crème Brulee , it is amazing and I think I ate six of them, oops, probably not great on my weight but totally worth it.

There you have it, Disneyland Foods that are Worth Trying, plus there’s millions of other foods in the park that are just as amazing so if you go to Disneyland try to set a little money aside to indulge in some of their mouthwatering foods.

Don’t forget to check out Get Away Today for the best vacation deals, plus use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for even more special savings!

Copycat Disneyland Monte Cristo Sandwich

October 24, 2016 by Danielle

In preparations for my awesome Walt Disney World trip, I couldn’t help but look back at all the great times I’ve spent at it’s sister, Disneyland. The rides are exciting, the characters hilarious and fun, and the whole atmosphere makes it a truly magical vacation. The FOOD is another thing that I can’t help but get really hyped about and remember – like the famous Disneyland Monte Cristo Sandwich! This copycat version is much easier to make at home that you’d think, and maybe it’ll help tide over the cravings until the next big Disney vacation.

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Now, don’t worry if you don’t have a deep fryer – I just used a pot and tongs. Yes, tongs are your best friend with this recipe if you want to avoid getting burned! Just use common sense and be careful, especially if pets or children are anywhere nearby. If you’ve never tried a Disneyland Monte Cristo before – it’s such an interesting blend of a typical sandwich, fried outside, then served with powdered sugar and jam. I know, sounds weird, right? Just trust me – and the countless other people who rave about it – that it’s a must-try recipe!

Ingredients – 2 Sandwiches

6 Slices Bread
2 Slices Swiss Cheese
2 Slices Provolone Cheese
2-4 Slices Sliced Deli Ham
2-4 Slices Sliced Deli Turkey

Ingredients – Batter

2 Eggs
1 cup Water
1 cup Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tbsp. Sugar

Also: Vegetable or Olive Oil (for frying), Powdered Sugar (for sprinkling) and Raspberry Jam served on the side

Directions

Make your 2 sandwiches. It goes: slice bread, slice swiss, slice turkey, slice bread, slice ham, slice provolone, slice bread. Repeat with second sandwich. Press down to flatten each of them. Cut in half diagonally.
Heat the oil in either your deep fryer or a pot. Make sure it’s deep enough it’ll cook up the sides of each sandwich, too.
Mix the batter ingredients until smooth. Dip each sandwich half into the batter, flipping so all sides are coated. Use tongs/etc. to place in hot oil and cook about 2-3 minutes each side, or until a golden brown. Remove and cool slightly.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry jam. They’re best warm.

Now you can whip up these delicious Disneyland favorites in your own home! And when you DO want to make another visit to Disney, be sure to check here for the best prices. Use Promo: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

Walt Disney World Bucket List

October 5, 2016 by Danielle

Y’all probably know that I’ve been blessed to visit Disneyland many times. If you don’t know that, you now should because it’s an important part of who I am personality: I love Disney everything!!! That being said – I’ve NEVER been to Walt Disney World before. I know, ridiculous, right? In less than 3 weeks I’ll be heading there for my first visit, and am SUPER excited! As I’m getting ready with all the trip planning, I thought it’d be fun to make my Walt Disney World Bucket List – all the fun things I want to check off between this visit and (hopefully) many more in the future.

(photos courtesy of Walt Disney World, used with permission)

If you’re making this list for YOUR upcoming vacation, be sure to check out Get Away Today for great prices! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package! To make it a bit easier to go through (and check things off) I’m breaking it into the different parks – that way if you’re just visiting one, you know which items on this bucket list you may want to try!

Magic Kingdom

Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween Party – done October 2016 & 2017
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – done December 2017
Do Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique with my girl(s)
Get family caricatures – done September 2018
Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Game
Stay after closing to see the “Kiss Goodnight”
Do a Hidden Mickey Hunt
Mail out something at the Main Street Mail Box
Make a wish at Cinderella’s Wishing Well
Ride the Walt Disney World Railroad around the entire park
Try a special Fireworks Dessert Party
Stay in the Cinderella Castle Suite
Try the ‘grey stuff’ at Be Our Guest Restaurant – Several times, love it!
Make a pressed penny
Eat a Dole Whip – Several times, still amazing!

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Kicking this trip off right! #dolewhip #dolewhipfloat #bmhtravel #magickingdom #waltdisneyworld
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Eat a Turkey Leg
Try LeFou’s Brew from Gaston’s Tavern – done October 2017 (good, but very sweet)
Participate in a Run Disney race
Eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table – done October 2016

Epcot

Pick-a-Pearl at Epcot’s Japan Pavilion
Try an authentic dessert from each country in Epcot World Showcase: Canada, UK, France, Morocco, Japan, United States, Italy, Germany, China, Norway, Mexico
Eat an authentic dish from each country in Epcot World Showcase: Canada, UK, France, Morocco, Japan, United States, Italy, Germany, China, Norway, Mexico
Do Agent P’s Search in Epcot
Try all the drinks at Club Cool – even the Beverly – did October 2017 and September 2018

Attend Epcot Food & Wine Festival – done October 2016, October 2017 & September 2018
Attend Epcot Flower & Garden Festival
Attend Epcot International Festival of the Arts – done February 2018

Hollywood Studios

Eat at the Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater
Dine with an Imagineer – done October 2016
Be the ‘rebel spy’ on Star Tours
Meet Kilo Ren – done October 2016 & September 2018
Trade with a Jawa – done October 2016
Meet Chewbacca – done October 2016 & September 2018

Animal Kingdom

Watch DiVine perform
See the Lion King show – done October 2016, October 2017 & September 2018 (still as amazing as the first time!)
Squirt people from the bridge on “Kali River Rapids”
Take a sunrise safari at Animal Kingdom
Experience the Tree of Life at night

Resorts/Disney Springs

Try out the spa at Grand Floridian
Try the kitchen sink at Beaches & Cream
Get a fully-stocked Mr. Potato Head w/accessories
Horse & Carriage Ride
See the Christmas gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian
Watch fireworks from California Grill
Disney movie & S’mores at Fort Wilderness Campground
Dine at the Chef’s table at “Victoria and Albert’s” – done October 2017
Attend the “Hoop Dee Doo Revue” at the Fort Wilderness Lodge

What’s on YOUR Walt Disney World Bucket List?

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Legoland Brick or Treat

September 29, 2016 by Danielle

We were so excited last year when we made our trip to California, as we had a spare day and were finally going to take the kids to Legoland! Neither of us had ever been, but we’d been eager to take our Lego-loving family there ever since they were little. Our day was full of rides, Lego-building and much more. What made it even better was the time of year, because we got to experience Legoland Brick or Treat!

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This was just a fun family trip, not sponsored, so we were free to do everything just as we pleased. Nab your park tickets from Get Away Today for the best deals, then check your dates to see if they’re doing Brick-or-Treat a night you’ll be there. Use promo code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package.

Even during the day, before the fun party starts in the evening, you can find Halloween themed treats, cups and other souvenirs. We got the fun mug, and were very tempted to try one of the tasty caramel apples!

The decor was fantastic – Pumpkins built from Legos, lanterns and lights everywhere, complete with hanging cobwebs. The GIANT lego spider wasn’t my personal favorite, but the kids thought it was hilarious!

They have a little ‘Enchanted Walk’ area that opens when the Brick-or-Treat party starts, but it was too crowded so we didn’t try it out. It looked like more fun Lego scenes and decorations, possibly more treat stops.

Once the party starts, they begin to separate those who have at ticket (wrist band) for it from those that need to leave the park. It doesn’t get super busy or crazy at first, but after a little bit the lines for the treat stops are massive and it’s a bit difficult to get around. To make up for that, though, there’s so much entertainment! From bands and live music, to costumed people walking around on stilts. There’s also plenty of Lego characters, such as FRIENDS, walking around to keep guests happy. The kids LOVED it!

The treat stops were everywhere, and they weren’t skimping on the candy! We finally told our kids we weren’t going to anymore, since they’d already gotten way more candy than we could eat the whole trip! We enjoyed the music, dancers, characters and decor a bit more. The lines for rides were a bit busy, but not too bad.

While we weren’t big fans of how busy the Brick-or-Treating was, I think it was a popular night so not all of them would be that way. It was still WAY fun and worth going, especially if your kids want to dress up and really get into the fun!

Get our Legoland tickets & deals HERE!

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Exciting News for Walt Disney World Summer 2016

June 18, 2016 by Danielle

From added entertainment and magical new shows, to extended hours or discounted bonus tours, there’s a LOT to look forward to if you’re planning a trip to Orlando this year. Here’s some of the fun and Exciting News for Walt Disney World Summer 2016! (photos courtesy of WDW News, used with permission)

I’m receiving a major discount from Michael’s VIP Tours so I can give a full and complete review of my experience with them. All opinions are mine alone.

Since crowds can be higher in the summer months with all the kiddos out of school, it makes services such as Michael’s VIP Tours even more beneficial for your family or group! They understand this, and wanted to make it even easier for people to afford their already-great-priced services, so they dropped their rates from $150/hour to $125/hour for the summer! Woot woot! This is for up to 9 guests, so even if you have a larger family it’s certainly do-able. The knowledgeable guides know the best routes, how the crowds typically move, and what rides/parks are busiest when – this allows them to guide you through your best, customized-to-you vacation experience with wait times 15 minutes or less, regardless of the time of year. Don’t like a strict schedule? Don’t worry, the trip is completely up to you, but the more you trust in your guide (who will strive to make the trip the best for YOU based on your own preferences, goals and group) the more they’re able to help you. YOU are ultimately in charge, though.

Animal Kingdom is even BETTER THAN EVER, as they’re kicking off their evening entertainment this summer! Stay later into the evening for more adventure and magical memories, such as the fabulous Rivers of Light. They’ve also opened a very nice restaurant called Tiffins, open for both lunch and dinner offering a ‘diverse menu drawing from places that inspired the creation of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’.

In Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Toy Story Mania ride opened a 3rd track, which has helped wait times and fast pass availability. While we haven’t been to WDW in Orlando, yet, my kiddos LOVE this ride and are always begging to ride it again and again to see who can beat the best scores! For the record, I hold the record in my family 😉

Frozen Ever After is scheduled to open June 21st at EPCOT’s World Showcase in the Norwegian pavilion! “Hoist the sails in Arendelle aboard an ancient Norwegian vessel as you set out into the wondrous wintery world of Frozen!” There will also be Frozen meet ‘n greets available in Royal Sommerhus for all those Elsa and Anna fans. Be ready to ‘Let it Go’ and just have fun!

Magical List of Disney Vacation Fun and Resources

June 13, 2016 by Danielle

While we do most of our family trips during the school year (I know, shame, right? Oh well!) it’s getting to be vacation season for a lot of others. I decided to put together this Magical List of Disney Vacation Fun and Resources to help you out for your next family Disney trip!

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Planning

The Best Times to visit Disneyland

Visit Get Away Today to get the best deals, find out current Disney news & much more! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package

Walt Disney World Planning vs. Disneyland Planning

Disneyland & California Adventure Printable Height Requirements

Our Disneyland Rental House

You can count on Michael’s VIPs for the best tour guide services, from planning, to at the parks & everywhere between!

Disneyland Countdown Banner

Printable Ride Lists & Height Requirements for Walt Disney World

DIY Disney Countdown

Fun Before You Go

‘Unofficial’ Disneyland Activity & Autograph Book

20+ Disney Copycat Recipes

Disney Themed Crafts & Activities

Disney Top Five List Printables

More Disney Themed Crafts & Activities

Disneyland Churros

Disney Themed Parties

Disney Themed Preschool Playdate Party

Frozen Themed Party

Big Hero 6 Party

Recaps & Past Disney Experiences

Disney isn’t just for kids!

Disneyland’s 60th Diamond Celebration

Disneyland’s NEW Paint the Night Parade

Disneyland 2014 Recap

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Walt Disney World Planning vs. Disneyland

May 22, 2016 by Danielle

If you follow me regularly, you know how much my family LOVES Disney – it’s our home-away-from-home! But while we’ve been to Disneyland many, many times, I’m planning my very first visit to Walt Disney World in Orlando for this October. I never knew that Walt Disney World Planning vs. Disneyland, but it is! Here’s some important things to keep in mind when planning your first Walt Disney World vacation. This post contains affiliate links.

To book your trip to Walt Disney World, Disneyland OR Universal, be sure to swing by Get Away Today for the best prices! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package.

I’m receiving an extreme discount from Michael’s VIP Tours to try out there service so I can share my experience with you. As always, I’ll only provide my 100% honest opinion and personal experience.

Most photos in the post courtesy of Three Different Directions

#1: Dining Reservations 180 Days in Advance

If you’re staying at a Disney-run hotel, you can make your dining reservations up to 180 days in advance. For popular, fill-up-quick places like Be Our Guest restaurant or Cinderella’s Royal Table, this is something you need to take advantage of. Not only that – once it’s 180 days from your check-in date, you can reserve all the days you’re booked to be there (up to 10 days, I believe)! So consider where you want to eat ahead of time, then when that 180 day mark hits book them in order of popularity (do the ones that are likely to book faster first) not chronological.

Except for things like Goofy’s Kitchen or Blue Bayou, our family hasn’t worried about dining reservations at Disneyland. Yes, we’ve had once or twice where we couldn’t eat where we wanted just by walking up, but rarely, especially if we were willing to wait 15-ish minutes. From what I can tell, reservations are highly recommended at WDW – especially because of the dining plan many people use.

#2: Park Hopping isn’t as Easy

At Disneyland, while it does still take time to hop between the main park and California Adventure, it’s not awful and we do it most days. What I’ve learned about WDW though – the parks aren’t walking distance to each other! Yes, there’s transportation you can take, but from what people have said plan on 1-2 hours going between parks. WHAT?! I’m happy sticking with one park, in that case. Another thought, maybe, is that you could do one park all day, but if there’s another one right by your hotel and it’s still open when you’re heading back anyway, that’s not exactly an extra trip.

#3: Fast Pass vs. Fast Pass+

Y’all, I’m still pretty darn confused by the whole fast pass thing at WDW. Now at Disneyland, you do the paper tickets, which you don’t book ahead of time. You just go up to the fast pass systems at the ride you want, use your park ticket, and it prints your fast pass to use at the designated time. It even tells you what time you’re able to get another fast pass.

At WDW, I guess, you can schedule your fast passes up to 60 days in advance (if staying at a Disney hotel) or 30 days (if staying somewhere else). Then it’s a certain amount you can schedule, and different ‘tiers/levels’ of ride that you can choose between…..I’m so lost! Luckily I’ve got Michaels’ VIP Tour company helping me out – read about them below 🙂

#4: Weather

It’s Orlando, not Anaheim, so of course the weather is going to be different. My trip to WDW is in October, and have been told to expect rain probably every single afternoon. It’s just the norm there! At Disneyland, over all the visits we’ve made (usually October/November and March/April times) it’s only rained a handful of times, and never like a hard downpour. You also need to keep in mind hurricane season – so when you’re doing your Walt Disney World planning, take a peak at weather for that time of year and be prepared.

#5: The Size

You know that WDW is much, MUCH larger than Disneyland. It has four big parks (not including the two water parks), Disneyland has two. Each park has special events, parades, fire works or whatnot as well as the rides, places to see and eat, etc. It adds up to a LOT more walking, and needing a lot more time to see everything you may want to. While you COULD do Disneyland/California Adventure in two days, we usually do 5-6 so we can take our time and ride our favorites many times. For WDW, I don’t see any way you could fit a half-decent visit to each park into 2 days, much less see even a portion. It needs more time for the parks, events, travelling between, and be prepared for a TON of walking.

Yes, Walt Disney World Planning is different than Disneyland – although it does make it a bit exciting as I prepare to experience WDW for the first time! I’d be a lot more stressed about it if I didn’t have some help though….

Michael’s’ VIP Tours

I admit, I was a little leary at first when discussing using a tour company to help with my vacation, then have a private guide assisting us throughout the parks. Now that we’ve been talking for a couple months now and they’ve helped me tackle things such as the dining reservations (yes, I’m past the 180 day mark!) I don’t think I’ll ever do a Disney (or Orlando/Anaheim – they do more than just Disney!) vacation without them!

What They Do/Are:

Help you plan your vacation – this can be helping with dining reservations, booking hotel, getting tickets, handling fast passes, etc. They’re very knowledgeable so can give excellent feedback or suggestions.
During the time you schedule them at the parks (minimum 6 consecutive hours) they help guide you through the best rides, shows and dining you want to do. They help you make a great plan to minimize wait times, while remaining flexible so you have the most enjoyable vacation possible.
They help arrange transportation you may need during the ride to ensure you get to where you need to be on time with little-to-no stress

Keep in mind that they’re a company outside of Disney, so they can’t take you to the front of the line on every ride or get you impossibly booked reservations – they’re not magicians 😀 But they ARE experienced enough to know when to be where to make things go smoothly and quickly.

I asked my friend Adam there what he’d like you to know about the company:

“We were the first private guided tour company in central Florida, starting operations in 1999. Founded by our owner, Michael Hewell, who was a former Disney cast member and in the original class of their Private Hosts as well. We offer minimized wait times at attractions throughout our guest’s experiences in the parks. Never more than 15 minutes, typically much less! Beyond the immense amounts of fun and efficiency we offer in the parks we custom-tailor itineraries to meet each individual guest’s needs for their time in Orlando. Transportation, reservations, open communication, and friendly advice all are a part of the process before arrival based on preferences. We offer concierge service to central Florida as well as private guided service inside the theme parks. We just want our clients to have a great time while they’re in town!”

Like I said, we’ve been speaking for a couple of months about my vacation this October, and they’ve been FANTASTIC! I can’t wait to see how great and invaluable they are DURING the trip – I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!

Now go out and plan your next Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation!

Copy-Cat Disneyland Churros

May 18, 2016 by Nikki Cole

Disneyland has some of the best Churros ever, wait, no they DO have the best Churros ever! At least my favorite, I’ve tried different Churros at stores, frozen ones, or other amusement parks but they didn’t taste the same. My husband decided one day he wanted to make Copy-cat Disneyland Churros and they are just as good, maybe even better, than the Disneyland treat.

The recipe is pretty simple but squeezing the dough out into the fryer is a little tricky but not to horribly bad. These Churros are perfect for dessert, a light snack, or an impressive dessert to bring to all those parties coming up in the summer. The chocolate sauce is nice and chocolaty, but personally I almost would rather just plain churros – but it does add a nice twist to a favorite treat.

Ingredients

1 cup water
2 Tbls brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter
2 cups white flour
2 eggs
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup sugar
½ to 1 tsp ground cinnamon, depending on your taste

Chocolate sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups milk
4 ounces dark chocolate
¼ cup sugar

Directions

Preheat 1 ½ to 2 inches of vegetable oil in a 10 to 12 inch frying pan to 375 degrees. (we just used our deep fryer) In a separate dish mix the ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon and set aside. I just guessed on this to what I liked and I usually had extra but it sure made it easier trying to cover the churros.
In a 3 quart sauce pan add the water, brown sugar, salt, and butter and heat to a good boil. Remove from the heat and add the flour. Mix until well blended. We do this in our kitchen aid because it does get pretty tough.
In a separate bowl, mix the eggs and vanilla together and then add this mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until well blended and all the egg is completely mixed in.
Fill your decorating bag with the churro dough and attach the largest star tip.
Test your oil by placing a small amount of dough in it. the dough should bubble up right away or that means the oil is not hot enough and a soggy churro is on the way.
Once the oil is hot enough, squeeze some dough (with the decorator) into the oil about 4 inches long. I used a fork to release the dough from the decorator.
Cook them about 1 minute and turn them over with a slotted spoon. Cook an additional minute or two. You’re looking for that nice golden brown color.
Remove the churros with the slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-covered plate to absorb excess grease. While still warm, roll each churro into the dish with the sugar and cinnamon until coated.

Chocolate sauce

In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 cup of milk and reserve. Combine the chocolate with the remaining cup of milk in a saucepan. Stirring constantly, melt the chocolate over medium-low heat.
Whisk the sugar and the dissolved cornstarch into the melted chocolate mixture. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until the chocolate is thickened, about 5 minutes. (add extra cornstarch if it doesn’t start to thicken after 5 minutes.) remove the pan from the heat and whisk until smooth then reserve in a warm place