When my Sister called and told me she was pregnant, the first words I said to her is “Now we have a kid to take to Walt Disney World!” The last child I went to Disney World with was her at age 6 - about 18 years ago. So, I am very excited to take my nephew to Walt Disney World next. He is due on February 1, and I have lots of Disney plans for his future.

Over past trips, I have seen kids faces light up as the castle comes into view and hearing those little giggles of joy always made me smile.  I’m not sure exactly when his first trip down Main Street USA will occur but it will be sooner than later and more often then most.

I think we will stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge so he can see the animals from the room.  We can go for the holidays, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Trick or Treat at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.  Oh I can not wait!

I keep thinking, “Will he like this attraction or be afraid of it?” I just hope the little guy isn’t afraid of the characters so we can enjoy character interactions at meals. Winnie the Pooh and friends over at the Crystal Palace is a family favorite, and I’d like to keep that tradition.

The last time I ate at Chef Mickey’s was when it was at the Market Place in Downtown Disney - yes with my Sister 18 years ago. I guess I better go there first and get up to date. Ohana’s with Lilo and Stitch is still on my to do list. That place is very popular for the character breakfast. Maybe, we’ll try a Princess meal, at Akershus so he can charm a princess or two.

We can get his first hair cut at the Magic Kingdom BarberShop.

I can barely wait for him to be big enough to become a pirate at the Pirate League and then send him on a pirate cruise.

His Mother spent hours at Honey I shrunk the Kids playground, so she is thrilled about going back there.  More traditions.

We can’t forget Disneyland or Disney Cruise Line and when he is a little older Adventures by Disney. His Disney options are not limited to just Walt Disney World with me for an Aunt.

My Sister better try for a little girl next time. Oh the fun we will have with a little Princess.

Please share your favorite experience with a child at Disney World.

This is very exciting news.　 I was so happy to see T-Rex and both Rainforest Cafes now on the Disney dining list.　 These restaurants are favorites and have never been on the dining plan.

When planning a trip to the Walt Disney Resort, your dining plans play a big part of your vacation. Just knowing that the dining plan covers a lot of the restaurants on property makes planning a little easier. Downtown Disney has never had much of an option on the dining plans, but with these new additions you have many more options to choose from so that you can enjoy the Disney shopping without paying out of pocket for your meal.

Two Table Service Credits:

Bistro de Paris at EPCOT Here’s an Our Laughing Place video clip review to give you a feel for why this restaurnt takes two table service credits:

Fulton’s Crab House, and Wolfgang Puck (Dining Room) at Downtown Disney.

One Table Service Credit:

Rainforest Cafe (both locations Animal Kingdom & Downtown Disney)

 T-Rex Cafe, Bongos Cuban Cafe, Crossroads at House of Blues, Portobello and Paradiso 37, all at Downtown Disney.

Paradiso 37 has the BEST corn appetizer!  Here’s a video clip review to show you what I mean:

Counter Service Credit:

Beastly Kiosk, at Animal Kingdom

Mr. Kamal’s, at Animal Kingdom

 Katsura Grill (replaces Yakitori House),

at EPCOT

Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner, at Hollywood Studios

Diamond Horseshoe, at Magic Kingdom

Friar’s Nook, at Magic Kingdom

Golden Oak Outpost, at Magic Kingdom

Tortuga Tavern (replaces El Pirata y el Perico), at Magic Kingdom

Bongo’s Cuban Cafe Sandwich Window, at Downtown Disney

Marketplace Snacks, at Downtown Disney

Trails End Takeaway, at Fort Wilderness Campground

Turtle Shack, at Old Key West Resort

Paddock Grill, at Saratoga Springs Resort

Art of Animation Resort’s Landscapes Cafe (Phase 1 Scheduled to open Summer 2012)

Cooling Hut, at Blizzard Beach Water Park

Lowtide Lou’s, at Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Snack Shack, at Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Surf Doggies. at Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

NOW OPEN – Katsura Grill replaces the former Yakitori House.  Offering sushi to Japanese curry, teriyaki and udon noodles. It’s not a big change from the old menu, but Disney did tweak a few of the old favorites and added a few new items such as a Japanese pancake (Japanese pizza) and a crispy, panko -breaded chicken sandwich as well as cold ramen noodles.

On the new menu, the Sushi Combos - including the California Roll and the Spicy Tuna Roll - top out at $12.99, as does the Tonosama Combo, with comes with teriyaki beef, chicken, and salmon. The Teriyaki Salmon is $11.99, while the Curry Chicken Cutlet and the Shogun combo (with teriyaki chicken and beef) both go for $10.99.  So, a good meal can be had for a “Disney reasonable” price at the Katsura Grill!

The new restaurant gives you the option to sit outdoors or indoors, and it’s a great place to watch Illuminations.   If you are “hidden Mickeys” fan, I’ll give you a tip:  there are some good ones here.

I love it when Disney updates or changes a restaurant like they did with here – I immediately go add it to my list to try on my next World Showcase adventure!  Disney dining is a main attraction for me:)  And then I  write a dining review for my online DisneyKin.  It just makes me feel like Ohana while I’m exploring more Disney fun; >)

I’m hoping this will be a quick service restaurant that will accept the Dining Plan (the “old version did), but it hasn’t been updated yet on the official Disney sites so I won’t claim it until they do; >)  If you find out they do before I write about it here, please do follow that review link, and let all us DisneyKin know!

In the meantime, if you see me at  the Katsura Grill, wave!  I’ll be the one searching for new hidden Mickeys while I eat

Can you say lucky? 

My Husband won a stay in the Disneyland Dream Suite located in the New Orleans section of the park…  Meaning we got to sleep inside Disneyland.  Maybe I should reword that to “stay” inside Disneyland… You’ll see what I mean. 

Our stay was over the Labor Day weekend, 2010.  We were able to bring 2 more people to stay with us and we ask our friends and the owners of Our Laughing Place Travel to be our guests.  We were met at the Disneyland Hotel in the afternoon and escorted to the Dream Suite, just above the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction inside the park.  We felt very special as we were shown around the incredible suite and given instructions on how to exit and re-enter the suite.  There are several features in the suite that put on little shows in the bedrooms, the hallway, and in the formal sitting room.  So cool!

I choose to stay in the Frontierland Bedroom.

The Frontierland room also had a train that ran around the top of the room periodically, and the theming was incredible!
 

I gave Ahnalira and Alan the Adventureland Bedroom with the Fantasyland bathroom.

Ahnalira loves her tubbies, so I thought it would be nice for her to have the nicest tubbie in all the land.  There is a light show across the ceiling with magical music.

We also knew a few friends, Lazar and Aidee, that were visiting Disneyland so we arranged for them to come and see the Dream Suite before dinner at the Blue Bayou.  After dinner, two more friends, Beth and Rudy,  were able to come by check out the Dream Suite and enjoy the most awesome view of Fantasmic ever; off the Frontierland bedroom is a balcony that over looks New Orleans Square and the Rivers of America. 

We felt like Celebrities up there on that balcony.  Disney set up directors chairs, and supplied us with popcorn and sodas.  There was no one blocking our view, and the show was amazing.  I will never be able to view Fantasmic that way ever again.. breathtaking!

After Fantasmic we were able to catch the fireworks from behind the castle.  Then we all retreated into the formal sitting rooms were we tried to get Up to work on the big screen but it wasn’t working too well.  The park was about to close and our guest had to be out of the park so we said goodbye and rested for a little while.

Before the park closed JJ and I went to take a picture in front of the castle because no one would be around.

We turned in for the night, expecting fairtytale dreams… but were awakened instead to the fire alarms going off in the wee hours of the morning due to maintainence on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.  We were warned that this could happen - but it hadn’t in a while - so I guess we were lucky to get the whole affect of staying in the Dream Suite.  It was a false alarm so we didn’t have to leave the Dream Suite,  but the alarms went off long enough to make sure we were good and awake.

I still say we were lucky to have experienced staying inside the park and the Dream Suite is a once in a lifetime event to experience.  We were treated the four of us to breakfast the next morning at The Plaza Inn.  It is a character breakfast, and we had a wonderful time playing with the Fairy Godmother who remembered Lazar from his days as Prince Charming in Disneyland Tokyo.

If you are ever lucky enough to stay in the Disneyland Dream Suite, plan on having the time of your life…  and take a nap; >)

What a nice view from this hotel.   I was very impressed with Paradise Pier.  Being known as the less expensive of the 3 Disneyland Hotels, you can not go wrong with this hotel.  The location is right across the street from the Grand Californian Hotel so it’s a quick walk to Downtown Disney and California Adventure. 

The rooms are inviting and spacious.  There is a nice couch, a small refrigerator and a nice desk area.

I do have to say my favorite part of this hotel though is the view.

I had the chance to stay in one of the newly renovated rooms at the Disneyland Hotel, in September 2010.   Let’s just say some magic is happening in here.  Rooms are bright in color and the beds are super comfy.

These rooms seem classy, compared to the old rooms that were classic.

Disney did a great job and I think they got everything just right.

You have a small refrigerator, a couch, a small chair, a desk area and a nice dresser.   Don’t forget to look for the hidden Mickeys.

The bathrooms remind me of the DVC resort in Walt Disney World Bay Lake Towers.  Very contemporary.

Bright lights, standard tub, double sinks and a separate area for the toliet with a private door.

Unlike the Walt Disney World Resorts, the sinks are inside the bathroom not outside in the room.

So it can slow down the process of getting ready for the day if someone is showering.

Now the magic happens when you close the curtains and turn off all the lights.  You get a show, the head boards light up and there is a music box that plays, ” A Dream is a wish your heart makes.”