Tips for Room Requests and Pixie Dust

I've had a lot of questions over the past few years but the one that keeps popping up is this: "how do you get so much cool stuff for free when you visit Disney?!" Pull up a chair because I'm about to share all of my tips and tricks for finding pixie dust on your next vacation!

Step 1: Preparation

The first step for any organized trip is to make sure you've got your ducks in a row. This means picking the perfect dates and, if you want freebies, find something to celebrate! We all have a great reason to celebrate each day because we've been blessed with another morning to wake up and enjoy life but push that enthusiasm to the max at Disney and you're bound to be noticed by a cast member! Try combining your next trip with a birthday, anniversary, graduation, pregnancy/adoption announcement, or any other special event and plan accordingly! There are lots of ways to fit Disney into life's celebrations!

Whatever you do - whether you're pairing a special event with your Disney trip or not - I absolutely recommend a TouringPlans subscription. For about $15/year, you'll have access to itinerary and fastpass recommendations, a stellar crowd calendar, dining reservation finder, and their exclusive room reservation fax service. TouringPlans has photos of the view from almost every room/angle at each Disney resort and they can help you find exactly the location you want to request through their user-friendly virtual maps. Once you've got your perfect room or location selected, TouringPlans will allow you to customize a fax message that they'll automatically send to the resort for you about three days before check-in. This service is amazing because it guarantees that a cast member will physically retrieve your request and increases your odds of snagging the perfect room.

Here's what it looks like from the TouringPlans dashboard:

Select "configure fax"

Add your message - the room will be auto-populated if you select it from the map

We aren't picky people when it comes to room locations but we've had a few requests over the years and they have almost always been accommodated. A request for a king bed turned into an upgrade to a signature suite on our last trip!

Even if you don't use TouringPlans, you can still fax your own room request to your resort and make sure to mention your special event. You can also bring it up at the front desk if you prefer to chat with the cast members face-to-face.

Step 2: Advertisement

The cast members won't know you're celebrating if you don't make it known! There are plenty of ways to draw attention to yourself at Disney and potentially snag free stuff. Customized, matching shirts are a fun way to let cast members know that you're part of a group or visiting for a special occasion. Family reunions, school trips, annual vacation - you can pick any reason to make a shirt and let the world know you're happy to be at Disney! Pro tip: matching shirts also make it easier to find your group if you lose anyone in a crowd.

What better way to drum up interest in your event than to plan it at Disney?! Retirement party, engagement proposal, girls' trip - you name it, Disney can help you celebrate it! Make a restaurant reservation or ask for a PhotoPass photographer's help in capturing your special moment and you never know who might notice - a cast member might just offer you free dessert or souvenirs!

I'm saving the best advertisement for last: buttons. I'm such a huge fan of buttons that I don't think I'll ever go to Disney without one! 

Disney offers their own buttons for free but there is a limited selection and you may not find a message that perfectly fits your special occasion. In those instances, you would want to grab the generic "I'm Celebrating" button and use a permanent marker to add your own message at the bottom. Another cool idea is to browse Etsy or other online shops to find custom buttons or Disney's retired designs to find something that matches your style. Check out these buttons for examples:

Disney offers a 'Happily Ever After' button for romantic occasions but my fiance found these more specific engagement buttons on Etsy for a few dollars each

Disneyland retired the "Just Married!" buttons in 2016 but I found a pair on eBay for about $15

We received free souvenir lantern mugs at Animal Kingdom while wearing our Just Engaged! buttons and free beignets at Disneyland by sporting the Just Married! buttons. It really works!

The most important thing to remember is that a trip to Disney is magic in itself; anything extra is pixie dust and it won't happen every time. Savor the fun moments when you get the room you requested, get upgraded to nicer accommodations, or receive an item for free because that means a cast member went out of their way to make your experience extra magical. And, as always, be sure to write up a nice compliment card for any cast member that makes your visit special because it's always nice to pay it forward!

Disneyland Review Feb/Mar 2017

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Ramsey!

It's so good to be home! We don't have the professional photos from our wedding yet but I've included a snapshot that my dear friend's husband captured while we were exchanging rings. Table Rock Beach in Laguna Beach, CA is beautiful and you should definitely stop there if you're ever in the area!

In other fun news, Disney upgraded our standard room to a signature suite at check-in! We got a heaping cup of pixie dust on this trip and it won't soon be forgotten. The cast member that assisted us at check-in, Dalton, was a really great guy and super funny and helpful. He likely noticed that we had bags under our eyes from our 3am alarm to catch our flight that morning, but he treated us like VIPs the whole time. I've included a few pictures of the room for your viewing pleasure:

According to Disneyland's hotel reservation site, a standard one-bedroom suite runs about $735/night and this was the Newport Suite, which is considered a signature accommodation. Signature accommodations require booking via phone because price and availability are not provided online. We probably got at least a $3,000 upgrade all thanks to Dalton's compassion and kindness.

As for the hotel itself, Paradise Pier was pretty great. We especially loved the smell of suntan lotion every time we entered the lobby and the digital elevator system was super efficient! Each bank of elevators includes a screen where you select your destination and it directs you to a specific elevator. It took the guesswork out of finding which elevator would open for us and it usually decreased our wait time by quite a bit. The layout of the hotel is a bit confusing; we were on the third floor but couldn't find a consistent set of stairs anywhere. One set would lead us outside but left us at a pair of locked doors. I'm sure we could have searched a little more if we had some extra time but for now I'll just say that the layout was not friendly for first-timers. We only dined at the Surfside Lounge for breakfast but the cast members were extremely friendly and the food was delicious. We paid about $20 total for a hefty breakfast burrito and croissant sandwich (a steal by Disney's standards!)

Dining throughout our stay was certainly a major focus for us and we weren't disappointed. Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures from Steakhouse 55 but it was an excellent experience with the best service I've ever received! Our group of six ordered the pork belly and mushroom ravioli appetizers; wagyu beef, filet, chicken, and lamb entrees; and scalloped potatoes, truffle macaroni and cheese, and asparagus side dishes. Patrick and I ordered the wagyu beef, which was cooked perfectly to order and literally melted in my mouth. The best steak I've ever had! And the kitchen provided us with these little samplers before our appetizers arrived:

So cute and fancy! 

The Steakhouse 55 experience was hard to beat, but we stopped by the limited-time-only Red Rose Taverne to check out the new menu and take pictures of the Beauty and the Beast-inspired interior. 

We ordered the pulled pork flatbread and grey stuff to share - both of which totally blew us away! The pulled pork is in a vinegar-based barbecue sauce, which was slightly spicy but incredibly flavorful. They grey stuff had a slightly sweet biscuit on the bottom which wasn't exactly delicious but the grey stuff was most definitely the star of the dessert show.

We joined a couple of friends for dinner at Cafe Orleans and ate to our Cajun hearts' content. The Monte Cristo sandwich was a hit, as always, but the chicken gumbo crepe, fried green tomato sandwich, and vegetable ragout also did not disappoint. We shared our meals across the table and got a good taste of everything. I ordered the fried green tomato sandwich and it delivered a huge burst of flavor with each bite. The remoulade used on the sandwich pulled all of the ingredients together like magic. Patrick ordered the vegetable ragout and he noticed that the bell pepper notes stood out the most. The corn cake in the center of the dish was delightfully sweet and contrasted nicely with the peppers.

Our server at Cafe Orleans delivered even more Disney magic with a surprise order of Mickey and Minnie beignets for the newlywed couple to share!

The beignets are a very special treat - you can get them at New Orleans Square in Disneyland or Port Orleans French Quarter resort at Disney World. During the holiday season, Disneyland will often serve special beignet flavors like peppermint or gingerbread, too!

Our final dining experience was lunch at Carthay Circle Restaurant in Disney's California Adventure. This was our first time visiting this restaurant, and I am certain that we will return again and again. The first floor is a replica of the original Carthay Circle Theatre, which is where Snow White debuted in 1937. The ceiling of the restaurant depicts the forest from Snow White:

Service was a little shaky but our server was very friendly and helpful. The food took more than the anticipated time to arrive, however the restaurant provided more than enough detail for us to enjoy looking around while we waited. We started with the signature fried biscuits, which oozed white cheddar, bacon, and a hint of jalapeno! They were served with an apricot-honey butter that was definitely not needed. For our entrees, Patrick ordered the Grilled Angus Tri-Tip and I played it safe with the Carthay 8oz Angus Burger. Patrick insisted that the Tri-Tip meal rivaled Steakhouse 55 with its blue cheese risotto and generous mushrooms portions. My burger was pretty average (I definitely should have ordered something else!) We also enjoyed a couple signature non-alcoholic drinks, Twin Bill and Wildberry Lemonade. The Twin Bill (lemonade, iced tea, and agave nectar) was a sweet drink but very refreshing. The Wildberry Lemonade was slightly tart and defied all standards of lemonade with edible garnishes and superior presentation.

The parks were probably less crowded than usual but the ongoing construction for Star Wars Land has restricted access to several walking paths, which funneled a large number of guests to one area. We generally tried to avoid the construction zone and found that the rest of Disneyland was quite enjoyable. Disney's California Adventure, however, was a different story. We checked the refurbishment schedule about two weeks in advance and realized that a lot of attractions would be closed - namely, Grizzly River Run, Tower of Terror, and Mickey's Fun Wheel. What we did not know is that Disney updated the refurbishment schedule a day before our arrival to add that World of Color would ALSO be cancelled for refurbishment. Anyone that has heard my tales of Disneyland knows that World of Color is my absolute favorite and I would return to California just to see this fantastic presentation of water and lights. Unfortunately, that didn't happen on this trip and I was devastated. With so many attractions closed, most of the interest in California Adventure turned to Cars Land and its main ride, Radiator Springs Racers, had fastpasses sold out just an hour after park opening. The line to get a fastpass was nearly two hours long on its own! This is the first negative experience I've ever witnessed at Disneyland and hope that it's just a reflection of poor planning and not an indicator of a bigger issue with park management.

Overall, our trip was fantastic and the Disney experience was delightful. We turned our short California Adventure day into time spent at our resort, which was the perfect opportunity to enjoy our suite. We're sold on the idea of staying onsite at Disneyland and can't wait to book our next trip at Grand Californian or the Disneyland Hotel!

Universal Orlando Dining Review

Universal is foodie paradise in many ways - City Walk is especially important for this reason because it has something for everyone! Our time at Universal spanned just three days so I think it's best if I put all of our dining experiences in one post. This will be a mix of resort, City Walk, and park food but I'll present the dining experiences in that order to keep things organized.

We only enjoyed one meal at our resort (Cabana Bay) but it was pretty decent for what I would consider "food court" food. If you haven't experienced Bayliner Diner, it's a multi-counter venue with a different theme to each option. In this case, we chose the burger and sandwich counter because it was the least busy.

Chicken Strips and Fries

Baja Chicken Sandwich and Fries

I'm pretty certain the young lady behind the counter gave me too many chicken strips but she really didn't seem bothered by food service policy at the time. As you can probably tell, these meals are somewhat standard fare for a quick option and it definitely filled us up. The price isn't bad either - about $20 for both meals and two drinks. The best part about Bayliner Diner isn't the food, though; the dining area has several large screens playing clips from old tv shows and movies which totally matches the theme of Cabana Bay and emits a sense of nostalgia. 

Another important point about Cabana Bay - I previously mentioned the amazing pool drinks from Hideaway Bar & Grill in this post and I'm ecstatic to let everyone know that the souvenir cups are now provided with lids so that they can be taken in the pool or lazy river! This was a major game-changer for me because I hated spending $10 on a drink and then leaving it at the table when I wanted to swim.

There are so many dining options at City Walk that you'll probably need to take a look at the options first to decide where to go. For this trip, we decided to try two new restaurants and we weren't disappointed at all! First up, Cowfish. It may have a funny name but the food is really delicious - it's a burger/sushi fusion with a fun theme and great curb appeal. The views from the balcony are pretty great as you can see both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure from its perch. 

California Roll

Black Truffle Cheeseburger

The Cowfish Has Officially Left the Building Burger

We started our meal pretty safe with a California Roll (Patrick is the sushi master, not me) and it was better than average. I have to admit that this trip was a little unfair on the sushi side of things because nothing can live up to the standard of Disney's California Grill. Our entrees are where things got a little crazy - Patrick selected the Black Truffle Cheeseburger which is a beef patty with black truffle cheese, roasted shallots, sauteed mushrooms, and roasted garlic aioli. I ordered The Cowfish Has Officially Left the Building Burger and if you know anything about Elvis then you're probably aware that the King of Rock n Roll loved his peanut butter and bananas - which is exactly what adorned my beef patty. It was surprisingly delicious!! If you are an adventurous eater and you can take some weird toppings on your burger then you should definitely look at the Cowfish menu and consider it for your next trip!

Marshmallow Crisp Milkshake

Gimme More S'more Shake

A major theme for desserts on City Walk is the colossal milkshake - you'll see more of these in the next review (scroll down for a spoiler!) We enjoyed these huge shakes but they were a little too much for a post-meal treat.

Our other City Walk selection was the brand-new Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen (try saying that five times fast!) We were quoted an hour wait but it only took about 10 minutes to get seated on the patio. Please take this review lightly because we visited Toothsome in its first week open and I'm sure they've made improvements since our visit.

If you opt to sit outside, make sure to at least walk indoors to take a gander at the theme and decorations. I'm a fan of anything related to steampunk so this place totally tickled my funny bone. It's really awe-inspiring! I followed the construction on this restaurant really closely and I still can't believe it's finished. They made a remarkable amount of progressive in what I thought was a short amount of time.

We weren't very hungry when we sat down for a late lunch at Toothsome but we ordered an appetizer, entrees, and dessert anyway because - duh - it's Toothsome.

Kettle Chip Nachos

We started with the kettle chip nachos, which could have easily fed four or five people. We didn't finish the plate but they were a great start to our meal and the homemade chips were salty and crisp. 

Croque Monsieur

Reuben

We took the entrees easy with two selections from the sandwich menu. The Croque Monsieur is not something that can be found at your local deli so I try to order it whenever possible (ham and Gruyere cheese topped with bechamel sauce). It was so rich that I couldn't eat the whole sandwich in one sitting but it was just as good warmed up in the hotel room later that night! Patrick is a fan of the Reuben, in general, and he said that Toothsome's rendition was worthy of ordering again. It was loaded with corned beef, Swiss cheese, red cabbage, and 1000 Island dressing which is just the way he likes it.

Heavenly Hazelnut

Cinnamon Fantasy

The real draw at Toothsome is their milkshakes - in fact, they've started a major trend in Orlando with these over-the-top concoctions! I don't think it's possible to go wrong with any selection, but we settled on the Heavenly Hazelnut (think, Nutella) and Cinnamon Fantasy. Again, both shakes were too much for us to finish after such a big meal but we definitely appreciated the presentation and the souvenir mugs.

Finally - Universal park food. I've saved the best for last! The quick service options are nothing to write home about but the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has the BEST signature drink ...do I really have to tell you? Butterbeer. I would drink in a mug, on a rug, wrestle a thug, then take a chug...you get the idea. It's amazing and I will forever hold this drink sacred in my heart.

Cold (not frozen) butterbeer and butterbeer ice cream

And last, but never ever least, is Mythos. A trip to Islands of Adventure is not complete until I've had a meal at Mythos and I will probably keep that tradition the rest of my life. There is a reason it's consistently voted one of the best theme park restaurants and if you have a meal here then you'll understand what I mean! 

Spanakopita Dip with Pita Chips

Falafel Burger

Gnocchi Bolognese

We started with the Spanakopita dip with pita chips - it looks like a lot of food but we devoured it in a matter of minutes! I was truly expecting to be on-the-fence about this appetizer but it blew me away and I instantly wanted more. I think I've talked about my love of falafel enough already, but I couldn't walk away from Mythos without trying their falafel burger - O.M.G. It's ruined me for regular burgers the rest of my life! The feta-olive aioli on the side was absolutely divine and there was enough to spread on my burger as well as my fries. Patrick didn't stop talking about the Gnocchi Bolognese for days. He was truly enamored with this dish and said the flavor was out of this world! Cowfish and Toothsome were pretty great but Mythos is definitely the best dining option on Universal property. 10/10 would make myself look like a glutton all day every day again and again

So there you have it - our indulgences from Universal and its associated properties. We won't be fitting Universal into our next Orlando itinerary but I'll continue to drool over these pictures until our return (which I hope is sooner than later!) 

Halloween Festivities and Epcot's Food & Wine Festival

Welcome!

Okay so I kinda took that line from the sign, but this is exactly how we were greeted at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party on our first night in Orlando. We didn't get checked into our room until 3:15pm and the party unofficially starts at 4:00pm so it was quite a rush to change into our costumes (yes! you can dress up!) and make it to Magic Kingdom at the top of the hour. I'll admit we were a little late and missed a couple of our FastPasses but we were there for our 4:40pm dinner reservation and that's what mattered most.

So here's a quick rundown: Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is held on select nights in September and October (sometimes a few nights in November, as well) and it is a family-friendly event. All ages can dress up although there are restrictions on things such as realistic weapons and face masks for adults. The event has a special ticket price BUT that ticket will get you into Magic Kingdom at 4pm, which means you can probably save a day on your park tickets by using your event ticket instead (that's what we did). Daytime park attendees will be escorted out of the party at 7pm. Be prepared to get lots of candy! There are candy buckets stationed all around the park and all ages are encouraged to participate. There are also specialty snacks and souvenirs available only during the party so if you're a pin collector or a foodie then you won't want to miss this opportunity!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcake from Gaston's Tavern

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party also offers up a wonderful exclusive parade and fireworks show that rival all other parades and fireworks! And of course, there are a lot of special characters to meet during the party; Jack and Sally are always crowd favorites. Overall, we really enjoyed the party and would probably say it was one of the best nights of our trip. We will definitely be back!

Halloween decorations for the party

Spooky projections on Cinderella's Castle

The next event we attended on our trip was the much-anticipated Epcot Food & Wine Festival. This was pretty much my sole reason for planning this trip in late September (the Halloween party was an added bonus!) although I have to admit that I made a rookie mistake. While my itinerary showed two days for Epcot, I really only devoted one day to the Food & Wine Festival and it's something that has to be experienced across multiple days to gain full appreciation for it. 

The purpose of this event is to educate and appreciate global cuisine and wine. It's a very popular offering at Epcot and is almost always packed in the evenings and on the weekends. World Showcase is littered with food kiosks offering small or moderately portioned snacks for about $5 each. You can usually get a full menu in July or August from disneyfoodblog.com and you'll definitely want to give it a good look because stopping at every kiosk is probably going to hurt your tummy and your wallet. 

Our Food & Wine Festival day was really hot and muggy. We didn't really feel like stuffing ourselves full of food and drinks but we felt obligated to try a few things because it was a major focal point of our trip. Our favorite was the cheddar soup and pretzel roll from Canada; Patrick absolutely loved this dish and would have returned for seconds if we didn't have other places to go. 

I feel like I need to make another trip during Food & Wine Festival season to give it a fair shot. I made a couple of mistakes on this trip (only one dedicated day for the event, eating full meals instead of just the festival food) and I will be better prepared for all of the savory goodness next time!

Universal's Halloween Horror Nights - The Exorcist haunted house entrance

Hold on because we're about to switch gears! As you know, we finished our trip at Universal Studios and snagged a couple of tickets to the Halloween Horror Nights. This event requires separate admission from the parks and it's nothing like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. If you like more adult-themed entertainment then this might be your scene but be prepared for the swarm of drunk people that you'll have to fight to get into the haunted houses. Oh, and there will be lines to wait. They had nine houses this year but we only completed six of them because the waits grew to 45 minutes or an hour by the end of the night. 

Scare actor for Halloween Horror Nights

Of all the special events we attended on this trip, we were the most disappointed in the money we spent on Halloween Horror Nights. Unlike Disney's Halloween Party, there wasn't any overlap in the park hours and the party hours, which means that someone's day is getting cut short - whether it's the daytime park goers or the nighttime party goers, unless you fork over the money for both a park ticket and a party ticket. Also, the general demeanor of the party crowd is pretty different. Of course the party attendees are mostly adults and many are imbibing so that probably has a lot to do with it, but there seemed to be a lot more lewd and aggressive behavior - especially in the haunted house lines - while we were there.

Entrance to Texas Chainsaw Massacre haunted house

While I won't say that you should avoid Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, I will say that I won't return to this event and I hope that my experience was just an isolated incident. And to end this review on a positive note: the haunted houses are amazingly themed and well-executed! Of course they use some of the same elements in nearly every house (smoke machine, oddly textured objects hanging from ceiling, jump scares) but it was pretty much the only reprieve from the real horror that was happening among the drunken crowds outside.