Casual Eats in an Elegant Setting

As you stroll down the middle of Main Street U.S.A. at Disney’s Magic Kingdom Theme Park, right around the corner from the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor is the Plaza Restaurant. The Plaza is a smaller table service restaurant that is often overlooked. However, it can be a great choice for a tasty lunch or dinner with reasonable prices.

The inside of Plaza is decorated with Victorian touches with an Art Nouveau theme and comfortable seating. It is crisp, clean, cool and relaxing….a nice place to sit back and enjoy a break from the hustle and bustle of your day at the park.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and the menu consists mainly of deli-style sandwiches and burgers. You can also select a delicious Strawberry Chicken Salad or a Meatloaf Meal, complete with garlic mashed potatoes, gravy and corn. They also have a wonderful Vegetarian Sandwich made with fresh mozzarella, hummus and veggies. While the dessert menu features sundaes and ice cream, I would strongly suggest a slice of New York Style Cheesecake served with strawberries. Yum! The Kids’ Meals are pretty standard with Chicken Strips, Cheeseburgers, and Grilled Cheese but the drink and dessert is included.

The Plaza is a very good choice when paying out-of-pocket for a table service meal but may not be the best selection if you are on a Disney Dining Plan since the prices are so reasonable. The prices for sandwiches and burgers are not much more than what you would pay at a counter service dining location.

Consider making a reservation at the family-friendly Plaza Restaurant during your next Disney World vacation. You will enjoy a delightful meal in pleasant surroundings with a view of Cinderella’s Castle. You might even get a visit from the Mayor of Main Street U.S.A.! Who could ask for anything more?

Written by Sheri Morris, “Main Street Morris”   Sheri is a proud grandmother with a keen eye for detail. She specializes in Disney Travel for adults and RV travel.  Book your next vacation with Sheri at 804 405 5005 or at sheri@destinationsinflorida.com.

Refurbished Rooms at Disney Beach Club Resort (2015)

Disney’s Beach Club Resort is going through a room renovations.  The newly refurbished rooms are amazing!  We were lucky enough to get a tour of the new decor and features. Take a look at the photos and video tour below!

      

They are currently on the 3rd floor and expected to finish Disney’s Beach Club rooms by the end of May 2015. They will then move onto the Beach Club Villas and then over to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. Take a look at the incredible new rooms below.

More about Disney’s Beach Club Resort

Discover the casual elegance of this charming, New England-style Resort hotel. Savor exquisite dining, and explore the pools, lagoons and spas of Stormalong Bay. Sail around Crescent Lake on a rented mini-powerboat, and experience the luxurious comfort of a Club Level Suite. Sharing many amenities with its more formal sister, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort is walking distance to Epcot and a convenient boat ride to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Beachside Water Recreation Area

Fans of the Big and Small Screens Find Exciting Attractions in Orlando

Is the love story of Rose and Jack on the world’s most famous ocean liner one of your favorites? Do you long to solve a case like Grissom? How would you like to have a photo op with one of your favorite stars? No need to travel to California to be immersed in the glitz and glam of Hollywood. Your dreams can come true right in the heart of Orlando, Florida.

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition

Be transported back over 100 years to April 14, 1912 as you stroll through Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. Actors, dressed in period customs will take you on a guided tour of full-scale Titanic recreations such as the Grand Staircase, a First Class Cabin and the Boiler. You are able to view over 400 artifacts, including “Little Big Piece” (the second largest piece of Titanic ever recovered). If that isn’t enough, you can reserve your seat at the Titanic Gala Dinner. Each Friday and Saturday night, guests can enjoy a scrumptious dinner as “Molly Brown”, Captain Smith and other passengers reenact the legendary ship and the night of it’s tragic demise. Call 407-248-1166 for tickets and reservations.

CSI: The Experience

Is the drama of the lab and crime scene investigation more your style? Then head over to CSI: The Experience. This unique attraction, based on the “CSI” television shows, allows guests the chance to test their sleuthing and lab skills. You begin your investigation in one of three crime scenes. After you leave the crime scene you’ll visit the medical examiner and inspect evidence in the lab. Along the way you’ll be guided by videos featuring forensic scientists and TV show cast members. To complete the investigation you’ll be asked to submit a report on your findings. Your hard work will pay off in the end, you’ll be rewarded with a diploma.  Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 407-226-7220.

Madame Tussauds Orlando

For the ultimate celebrity experience, you won’t want to miss a visit to Madam Tussauds (opens May 4, 2015). Come meet the stars! Everyone from historical figures and famous scientists, to today’s top celebrities of music, sports, tv and film. Okay, you’re not meeting the actual celebrities; Madam Tussauds showcases a brilliant collection of wax figures.  The detailed artistry that goes into creating these figures is amazing. So detailed in fact, that when you show that selfie you took with your favorite star, you’ll be the trending topic on social media!  Tickets can be purchased as part of an Orlando ticket package or standard tickets are sold as well.

Be sure to include one or all of these experiences during your next visit to Orlando. With this much star power, you’ll be signing autographs before you know it!

Written by Kelly Barnes – As a travel agent Kelly combines her love of travel with her strengths in planning and organizing towards helping others. She specializes in Disney and Florida family vacations. As your dedicated vacation planner, Kelly will not only help you plan your vacation, but will help you create memories to last a lifetime. Book your next vacation with Kelly at 980-429-4499 or kellyb@destinationsinflorida.com

If you are looking for thrills and chills during your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World, Dinosaur may just be the perfect fit! You will find Dinosaur in the DinoLand U.S.A section of the park. It is a loud, frightening indoor attraction and riders must be at least 40 inches tall to ride.

As you enter The Dino Institute, you will find real fossils that date back to the Dinosaur age. There are exhibits with narration by Bill Nye (the Science Guy) and a huge skeleton of a Carnotaurus, one of the carnivorous dinosaurs. It’s a nice, cool place to cool off and let younger children and the faint of heart wait while the adventurous experience the scary attraction, Dinosaur!

After a brief introductory video, you will board the 12 seat CTX Time Rover which is your vehicle for the trip back in time to the Dinosaur Age.  As the story goes, you are recruited to rescue an Iguanodon dinosaur from extinction and return back to present time. The quest is to find the Iguanodon and return back to the present time before a giant meteor hits the earth.

Your Time Rover travels through a dark forest in search of the dinosaur. The ride is rough and bumpy with twists and hairpin turns along the way, not to mention the scary creatures around every corner! You might find yourself hiding your eyes as you speed by a creepy Alioramus, a frightful Velociraptor hunting for food and a Styracosaurus. Look out for the Cearadactylus looming overhead! Meteors are crashing about and the end of your mission is near. Hang on to your hat!

Dinosaur is not for anyone with back problems or those afraid of the dark but it is the ultimate blast to the past joyride for thrill-seekers. Will you dare to ride it during your next vacation to Disney’s Animal Kingdom?

Written by Sheri Morris, “Main Street Morris”   Sheri is a proud grandmother with a keen eye for detail. She specializes in Disney Travel for adults and RV travel.  Book your next vacation with Sheri at 804 405 5005 or at sheri@destinationsinflorida.com.

Disney Character Mousestaches

Kids love the Disney Characters and posing for pictures with them at the Disney Theme Parks.  Our agency owners decided to combine the two with these new fun Disney Characters Mousetaches!  They are super simple to make in just a couple minutes and make for really fun souvenir.  Make those photos even more fun with these Disney Characters Mousetaches!

You can download the april-fools-mousetaches-template and get started right away! Enjoy!

Disney’s Magic Kingdom Theme Park is filled with shows and attractions for the entire family. One of my favorite shows is Mickey’s PhilharMagic, located in Fantasyland. This 12 minute attraction features a lively 3D movie on a 150 foot wraparound screen that is filled with laughter, music and surprises!

Pick up a pair of “opera glasses” as you walk into the 486-seat theater and put them on when the lights go down.  The show begins with Donald Duck sleeping. Mickey Mouse wakes Donald and rushes offstage to get ready for the show. Donald Duck picks up the conductor’s baton and puts on Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat. Things start to get out of control and Donald goes into a 3D dream sequence filled with a host of Disney animated characters from popular films.

Donald Duck’s dreams take you into a world of fantasy with music from classic Disney movies such as:

• “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast
• “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid
• “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” from The Lion King
• “You Can Fly” from Peter Pan
• “A Whole New World” from Aladdin

Children (and adults!) will enjoy reaching out for the objects that “pop out” from the screen with the 3D technology. Fun, special effects such as sprinkles of water and sweet aromas are added to immerse you in the settings.  Be sure to look behind you at the end to see what happens to Donald Duck!

The theater is air-conditioned with comfortable seats. It’s a great place to retreat from the afternoon heat or thundershower. Mickey’s PhilharMagic is a delightful concert for everyone that is not to be missed on your next visit to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

Written by Sheri Morris, “Main Street Morris”   Sheri is a proud grandmother with a keen eye for detail. She specializes in Disney Travel for adults and RV travel.  Book your next vacation with Sheri at 804 405 5005 or at sheri@destinationsinflorida.com.

Stay in SpongeBob Suites at Nick Hotel

Wild, wacky, and family-focused, Nickelodeon Suites Resort is a destination hotel in Orlando dedicated to imagination, play and exploration! Experience our high-energy, kid-friendly Orlando hotel, where kids and parents alike make messy memories under sunny Florida skies.

Whether you’re visiting on a family vacation or celebrating a special event like a reunion or birthday, the Nick Hotel offers everything you need — from live entertainment to wild water parks to spacious accommodations!

1-Bedroom Suites

Kick back, stretch out and have a great time in one of our family-friendly 1-Bedroom Suites. With 485 square feet of comfortable space, a private master bedroom, parlor area, kitchen and festive decor, our resort suites have something for every member of the family.

2-Bedroom Suites

With space for up to six guests and a semi-private kids’ area, the 2-Bedroom Suites at Nickelodeon Suites Resort provide plenty of room to relax, and kids will love our creative character themes! Settle in and get comfortable in one of our spacious family accommodations in Orlando.

3-Bedroom Suites

The largest suite style available at Nickelodeon Suites Resort, our 3-Bedroom Suites offer two master bedrooms, two full bathrooms and a kitchen. With a semi-private Nickelodeon-themed kids’ area and three TVs, these expansive accommodations in Orlando are ideal for larger family groups and those looking for a little more space to stretch out and relax during their stay.

Services & Amenities at our Orlando Resort

• Two Water Parks* – Discover new ways to play at the Nick Hotel’s heated Lagoon and Oasis pools, featuring 13 slides and flumes, climbing nets, water jets, snack shops, kids’ play areas, and plenty of SLIME (included in resort fee)
• Poolside entertainment* – including wacky games and the guarantee that someone is going to get SLIMED (included in resort fee)
• Private Poolside Cabanas – with two lounge chairs, a table and chairs, flat-screen TV with cable, ceiling fan, mini fridge stocked with water, convenient towel service and cabana attendant
• 4-D Experience Theater – Experience a complete sensory overload: wind, water, bubbles, scents, snow and SLIME in our 73-seat theater
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Laser Lockdown laser maze – High Tech interactive game play using lasers, mirrors, haze, effects and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theming.
• Studio Nick* – A state-of-the-art theater offering live shows (Double Dare LIVE and others) (included in resort fee)
• Kids’ Spa – Pamper your kids with stylish manicures and pedicures, hair weaves, extensions, braiding and airbrush tattoos
• Netted basketball court with multiple-height hoops
• Nine-hole miniature golf course
• The Mall – featuring an arcade, a food court, breakfast buffet, restaurant, lounge, Studio Nick, 4-D Experience Theater and retail and snack shops
• Nicktoons Café – a full-service restaurant serving character breakfast and dinner
• Arcade – a 3,000-square-foot arcade room with new video games and prizes
• WiFi* – complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi is included in your stay and available anywhere on-property (included in resort fee)
• Scheduled shuttle service to Orlando attractions:
  • Complimentary scheduled shuttle transportation is available to Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica and Wet ‘n Wild. Reservations are required.
  • Scheduled bus transportation to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom is included in the Resort Fee. Reservations are required.
• Airport and taxi transportation services – Maingate Transportation will provide transportation services to Orlando International Airport, shopping malls and outlets and other Central Florida locations.  For pricing information, contact them direct at 407-390-0000 ext. 3.
• Nickelodeon activities* – happening daily across the property, including our Mass Sliming (included in resort fee)
• Character Dining – where your family can dine, sing and dance with SpongeBob SquarePants and friends or America’s Heroes in a Half Shell, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on select dates.
• Helpful Guest Service Staff – can offer assistance with Orlando attraction tickets and local information
• In-room dining – with friendly, prompt service
• Business center* – with email and printing capabilities (included in resort fee)
• Security – gated resort access and required wristbands, to ensure your kids’ safety (our top priority)
• Self-laundry and dry cleaning service
• Parking – First standard vehicle* is included in the resort fee; each additional standard vehicle and guest parking is $17 per vehicle, per day.  Other non-standard vehicle types will incur an additional charge
• ATM machine available on-property
• Fitness room – available to all guests

* Included in hotel resort fee.

Book your Disney & Orlando vacation with a local travel agency. World famous services, free gifts, guaranteed lowest prices, and all at no cost to you! Book your vacation with the local experts – we live where you’re traveling! Call 877-918-8941 or visit us online

Cowfish Orlando Restaurant at Universal Orlando Resort

The Cowfish™ is a one-of-a-kind dining experience, thriving on its ability to fuse two niche products seamlessly on the same menu. Fresh, innovative and delicious, the sushi segment of the menu is far beyond what you’re accustomed to. All natural, creative and hearty, the burgers entice with fresh, never frozen, ingredients and bold flavors. Spiked hand-spun milkshakes, premium sakes, craft beers, wine and 10oz exotic martinis round out a huge bar menu that is sure to please. The Cowfish™ aims to offer something for the entire family. Scrumptious appetizers for sharing, entree-sized salads, homemade desserts and a fun kid’s menu. If you can’t make up your mind, try a bento box to sample a mini-burger along with your choice of sushi roll and three tasty side items!

Check out our video tour of Cowfish Orlando, including a look at some of the food.

We tried “The Cowfish Has Offically Left The Building (A.K.A. The Hunka, Hunka),” which is a full-pound beef burger, creamy peanut butter, fried bananas, applewood bacon, brioche bun with a choice of side. (We made it a SINGLE HUNKA LOVE, half-pound beef burger for $12). The video also shows the Black Truffle Cheeseburger, which is a half-pound beef burger, black truffle cheese, roasted shallots, sautéed mushrooms, roasted garlic aioli, lettuce, brioche bun and choice of side, and a cute kid’s meal “bento box” with Tender, all natural chicken chunks flash fried, served with ranch, honey mustard, or BBQ sauce. All Kid’s meals are served with two sides. Choice of sides include: carrots, apples, oranges, edamame or house seasoned fries.