Reviews

Restaurant Review: Be Our Guest Restaurant

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WDW Park Planners Rating:

Location: Magic Kingdom

Who wouldn’t want to dine in Belle and the Beast’s castle? Because at Be Our Guest, that’s exactly what you get – an exquisite French meal alongside the Beast himself.

Dining is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner at Be Our Guest – and reservations are highly recommended for all three meals. We’ve had the opportunity to dine here for lunch and dinner, and enjoyed both tremendously.

Breakfast and lunch are considered quick-service meals, so you order at a kiosk and then your food is brought out to you on a cart by your waiter. For dinner, the menu has recently changed to a pre-fixe, 3-course dining experience. Dinner is much pricier than the other meals, and for us, lunch was just as enjoyable as the much fancier dinner.

The food is good for a Disney park, but you’re really coming to this spot for the full experience. Upon entering, you walk into the Grand Ballroom – which looks exactly like the original movie! It’s absolutely breathtaking and magical. There are two other rooms as well: the West Wing (where the forbidden rose is kept) and the Castle Gallery, which is Belle’s library. You’re able to dine in any of the three rooms, all of which are great.

Beast comes around and greets guests in each of the three rooms. After your meal, you will have the opportunity to get a picture with the Beast. This is always one of my favorite Disney pictures and one of the best characters to see, so definitely don’t pass this up!

WDW Park Planners Tip:

As with anything in Disney, ask and you shall receive (most of the time!). If you want to sit in a specific room in Beast’s castle, make that known upon arrival. You may have to wait a bit longer, but this one is worth the wait. Personally, I love the Grand Ballroom – watching the snow fall outside of the (fake) windows is so beautiful.

Reservations are so difficult to get for this spot, so make sure you book extra far in advance!

Reviews

Restaurant Review: Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant

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WDW Park Planners Rating:

Location: Disney Springs

Raglan Road is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in Walt Disney World. I might be a little biased because I’ve been an Irish Dancer for over twenty years, but I also think that gives some credibility to review the restaurant’s talent 😉

I’ve been to Raglan Road more times than I can count over the years, and each visit is as great as the last. The service is outstanding and the food is delicious. They serve traditional Irish fare, but there’s something on the menu for everyone (we have some picky eaters in our clan). I’ve typically been for dinner in the past, but this last trip my husband and I went for brunch on the weekend and it did not disappoint.

As an experienced traveler to Ireland from my years of Irish Dance competitions, I can confidently say that Raglan Road is as close as it gets to actually being in Dublin. The pub has such an authentic feel to it, and the live entertainment is some of the best Disney has to offer. The caliber of the musicians is incredible – they’re not just musically talented, but are world class entertainers.

The Irish Dancers are some of the best in the world, too. They come fresh off of tours with some of the biggest shows Irish Dance has to offer – Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, to name a few. The music and dancing goes on all night, and now they have it for the weekend brunch as well.

Add this Disney Must-Do to your list for your next WDW trip!

WDW Park Planners Tip:

Raglan Road is great for any type and size of group – big groups, families with kids of all ages, or even just adults. You’ll want to book your reservation in advance for this hotspot, though! After you check in for your reservation, you will likely have to wait for a little bit. There’s outdoor seating with separate live music at night, so grab a drink and say “Slainte!”

Planning Tips Reviews

Tips for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

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The holidays at Walt Disney World are a magical time. Every inch of the parks and resorts are decked out with festive decor that truly makes you feel the holiday spirit.

This year was our first time attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and it was the BEST. While you pay a separate ticket admission, it was worth every penny. To help make your future party experience more magical, I’ve pulled together my top 5 tips…

5. Make a dining reservation (far) in advance

Only certain restaurants are open for the parties, so if you want to do a sit down, make sure you book your reservation as far out as possible. We went to Be Our Guest, and it was so magical! Make sure you look at the show, parade and fireworks times before you make your dining reservation.

4. Look at the schedule and make a plan before you go

It’s so easy to get caught up once you’re there and to miss all of the “extras” that are offered on party nights. Do your research in advance to find out what is going on so you can hit your “Must Dos!” With our flights, we knew we wouldn’t get to the party until 8pm, so it was important to have a game plan before we got to Magic Kingdom.

3. Take advantage of the short wait times

At the party, the park felt empty in comparison to the usual holiday masses. There are limited tickets, so they don’t overcrowd the park that night. With our limited time, we picked a few attractions we definitely wanted to hit (Jingle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear). We watched the late parade (the parade runs twice) over by Big Thunder Mountain. As soon as it was over, we darted straight for the ride and were able to walk right on!

2. Stop and smell the…snoap?

The snow falling on Main Street looks beautiful (it’s actually soap!). Take a minute to just stand in the street to take it all in – the castle lights, the decorations, the Christmas music, everything – it’s absolute Christmas perfection.

1. Stay until the end of the party (or past the end!)

There’s something magical in the air when you’re one of the last ones left in the park. If you haven’t experienced this kind of a moment at Disney, I highly recommend it. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party ended at midnight, but we stayed until 1am (I only stay up late in Disney).

The highlight of my night was walking down Main Street at 1am when the crowds had died down. We were heading towards the exit and I just remember turning back to get one last look at the castle and being rushed with a flood of emotions. The snow was falling amidst the beautiful Main Street decorations as Bing Crosby sang “White Christmas.” That was a moment of pure Disney magic for me.

If you want to see our Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party adventures, head to my Instagram Highlights and view “WDW Weekend!”