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Between the park options, magic bands, and fast passes, planning a trip to Disney World Vacation can be overwhelming. Our family of 4, along with some extended family members, recently enjoyed a trip in February where we stayed at a Disney resort and enjoyed a few special meals. This post includes some Disney World Vacation meals we enjoyed and where we stayed for anyone looking for a first hand recommendation.
My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are Disney Vacation Club members who are pros at these fun vacations! They did the hotel booking and some the character dining selections based on past experiences.
Where we stayed:
Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort – This beautiful resort was in walking distance to the Magic Kingdom, aka a great location to get right to the park!
Other pros:
- VERY spacious! This was our first hotel trip with both girls and we weren’t sure how the sleeping situation was going to go since they don’t share rooms and Hailey was still in a crib. We stayed in a 1 Bedroom Villa which was VERY spacious to accommodate our family. The girls slept in the main living space (with Hailey in the Pack n Play) as they had earlier bedtimes while we slept in the bedroom.
- This tower is connected to the Contemporary through a walkway. The Contemporary is a monorail stop, which we took to get to places like Epcot or the Polynesian for dining options.
- While the Magic Kingdom is also a monitor stop, it’s actually quicker to walk their 10 minute paved walkway from this resort.
- Our room had view of the fireworks every night! (which isn’t all rooms, of course, but a bonus for where ours was located in the hotel!)
- We didn’t have a warm enough day to venture out by the pool to swim but we did walk down by it and it looks super fun with a water slide!
Where we ate:
Most of our meals were packed food or grab and go style, but I wanted to highlight a few we enjoyed during our Disney World Vacation.
Best Friends Breakfast at Ohana at Polynesian resort – There’s a set menu as this meal is served family style. Lilo, Stitch, Pluto and Mickey come around to take photos and sign autograph books while you eat. At one point there is even a parade kids can participate in with each kid getting a maraca to play as you follow through the restaurant. While this is a fun breakfast, it’s pretty dark in there so you’ll need flash photography for your photos.
Chef Mickey’s Fun Time Buffet at Contemporary Resort – If you only choose one character breakfast on your trip, this is the one I’d recommend. There is a much larger food selection as it’s a buffet, the area itself is very open with bright light for great photos and the characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto) are much more recognizable ones that everyone loves.
La Cantina de San Angel At Epcot – I did not partake in this meal but my sister-in-law and husband liked the fish tacos here!
Raglan Road Irish Pub at Disney Springs – This isn’t in the parks but if you’re exploring the Disney Springs shopping area, this restaurant had food options and an atmosphere all 4 of us enjoyed. Both girls split a kids’ grilled chicken and veggies plate, Derek enjoyed the Fish and Chips, and I had a Chicken Ceaser salad, all of which we’d recommend. They had outdoor patio seating (with heat lamps as it was a bit chilly) where you could people watch (entertainment for the kids) and an Irish acoustic guitar player.
Pinocchio Village Haus in Magic Kingdom – My girls are not big chicken tenders or mac and cheese fans that was all over the kid’s menu options in the park so sometimes felt limited on dinner options for them since we had already packed a PB&J lunch. They did, however, both like the Caprese flatbread at this place, right near the Carousel.
Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Treats – We, of course, made sure our girls enjoyed the magic of the Mickey Mouse head Ice cream on a stick while at the park! Note: that while most food places at Disney take your magic bands, some of these ice cream carts are cash only so make sure to throw a few bucks in your purse. And by a few bucks, know these ice cream treats were $5 each!
Check out these follow up posts:
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