Mickey's Surf's Up Breakfast

Today we head to Disneyland to Surf's Up! Breakfast with Mickey and friends. Those of you that follow my blog posts know Walt Disney World is where my heart is most of the time. I am a fan of Disneyland too though and this particular breakfast is one of the best ones in all of Disney! That's huge coming from me to give such an honor to a Disneyland option.

This breakfast takes place at Disney's PCH Grill at Paradise Pier, one of Disney's resorts. Breakfast is served most days from 7-11 AM.

First you are greeted by Mickey Mouse. He does not make the rounds to the tables but you do get quite a bit of time upon your greeting with him and of course the photo op as well.

Then it's on to the breakfast buffet. I love that this buffet has an Omelet station and of course all the yummy meat accompaniments from bacon to multiple kinds of sausage. There are Mickey waffles here too! And Mickey Pancakes! You can't go wrong with the Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana with Chocolate Stuffed French Toast either. You certainly will not go hungry on this buffet.


Who will you see at this breakfast? We've covered Mickey already. You will also see Minnie Mouse, Stitch, Pluto and Goofy. We've also seen Daisy but she's not usually in the line up here. They will come to your table for a greet and photo op.

What really sets this character meal apart from some of the others is the interactive aspect. Throughout the meal the kids get to go up and dance with the characters, learn to surf, and have an all around great time! While we certainly got some great photos, this is not the time for the one on one photos. Please be respectful of all the children and save those for your table's turn.

So what do you think, Yay or Nay to the Surf's Up Breakfast?

Free Dining and Other Disney Discount Rumors

I get asked daily if Disney's Free Dining for October-December is released yet. Disney rumors fly around on the internet and people claim to have inside sources. I've never been one to get all excited over the Disney rumor mill. There's a lot of people to claim to have "inside" information. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. Either way, I've seen some of the most popular "insider" claims to be proven false. Those people usually delete their prior prediction posts or alter their blog entries so there's no trail of how many times they were wrong.

The reality is Disney tends to release a discount close to the time a current discount is expiring. (Current discount is expiring July 31st.) I could throw a bunch of dates at you and get you excited and then pull those dates back as they come and go. The most recent rumored dates have ranged from July 1st all they way to August 1st. Clearly most of those rumors were wrong. I take a different approach. Instead what I do is check bright and early on any day I think a deal might be released. No stress for my clients-I take care of it all! They just wake up one morning with an email saying I've rebooked them and how much money I saved them. I have not missed a single discount deal release morning yet with my approach. And in the mean time I haven't gotten a lot of people hopeful for something that may or may not happen.




What has Disney told us about the upcoming discounts? Absolutely nothing. What do I know from educated research and trends? Disney is cutting back on discounts which means that I expect there to be fewer dates included and fewer rooms overall as part of the discounts. The current PIN code offers are consistent with this theory. This is normal as the economy improves, discounts and deals go down a bit. It's the same across other industries too. There might even be a different kind of discount. Will Disney visa card holders get the first dibs like the past? I honestly don't know. There's some strong indications that they won't but I certainly wouldn't count on it one way or the other.

So what can you do to make sure that you are in the know for all Disney discounts? Simple-work with a travel agent(preferably me of course) that is going to look out for YOUR reservation. When looking make sure you choose someone who is going to go that extra mile. Generally the day a discount is released I don't get my email alert from Disney until mid afternoon. I've already rebooked by clients well before lunch time and have contacted anyone that is interested in the offer with their quote and/or  a courtesy hold placed for them.  I also post the deals as soon as I can on my facebook page. My existing clients take priority over this but I get it up as soon as I possibly can.

If you like getting excited about the potential dates, by all means read the rumor mill. Around here we've found the Magic 8 ball sometimes knows the answer too. But if you want to just know someone else is taking care of it while you go about your business, email me and I've got you covered.

Keep Looking Up, Cause That's Where It All Is

I promise there is a bit if Disney in this post if you hang in there with me. If you know that phrase, you know what this post is about. Kidd Kraddick passed away this weekend. He was a DJ in Dallas but his show was heard in other cities. He was so much more than just a DJ though. I grew up listening to Kidd back when he had a show on at night. When he went to KISS FM I was in high school. I drove 30 miles to school every morning and the only show I listened to was Kidd Kraddick's. I stayed in Dallas for college and continued to listen to him, then post college he was my companion on the way to work every day until I moved to Austin. It was actually really hard not being able to listen to his show on the commutes here in Austin especially when I was so homesick. I was ecstatic when the show was syndicated and aired here though I am sure some of the Dallas humor was lost on some parts of the nation. I remember when Jocelyn White left the show and Kelly Rasberry came on board. She took some warming up to but it's hard to picture Kidd without her now. So you get it, I listened to him a huge portion of my life. I eventually stopped commuting and stopped listening but the news of him passing away struck a nerve.

I only had the pleasure of meeting him a few times personally but listening to him you really got to know who he was. He loved his family, especially his daughter. He was real when he got a divorce and owned it and his mistakes. The thing that was evident though was he knew he was meant to be part of something bigger than just himself. Radio personalities have egos no doubt, and Kidd did too but he used his for good. He founded Kidd's Foundation that is the charity that sponsors Kidd's Kids. They are like a home grown Make a Wish Foundation but better in my opinion. They send terminally ill kids to Disney World. I loved hearing about the trips on the show. They would charter a plane(eventually www.southwest.com jumped on board as a sponsor) and load it up with as many families as they could and off to the most Magical Place on Earth they went! Kidd went too and he had so much fun with these kids. He gave them the opportunity to just be a kid and have fun with their families.

In his own words :

I founded Kidd's Kids in 1991 with the hope of making a difference in the lives of terminally and chronically ill children. Each year, Kidd's Kids offers five amazing days of suspended reality to children whose lives have been ravaged by disease. Kidd's Kids children and their families are given the chance to experience the exuberance of being "normal." That is the gift that you and I can offer by supporting the Kidd's Kids organization.

Signed,

Kidd Kraddick


I know Kidd touched so many lives. He helped so many children and families experience a trip of a lifetime. He also was a constant in so many lives. He was funny but not mean. He respected people and himself. Kidd really cared about his listeners. He cared about his colleagues. He was so much bigger than just a morning radio show. There are a lot of lonely people in this world and he made them less lonely. There are people hurting every day and he made them smile. His voice will be missed. I have never been so attached to a morning show in the way I was to Kidd Kraddick In The Morning.

If you share my sentiments, please consider donating to Kidd's Kids. All of the words in the world won't bring Kidd back but his charity can live on and do the big things it is intended to do. You can text KIDD to 52000 to donate $10 and the funds go straight to Kidd's Kids. The 2013 trip is going forward and the publicized plan is the foundation will continue on. I think this is the biggest way you can thank Kidd for being there in your life and making you smile.

You know I love Disney and think every trip is magical but there is really something special about the trips for kids that are dealing with so many health concerns and physical barriers. It is a real escape from reality. I feel beyond blessed that I get to help people every day make their Disney dreams come true but this organization makes dreams on a much bigger scale come true.

You can check out the actual donate site here but do know the website has been up and down today. http://www.kiddskids.com/donate/text-to-donate/   or you can also check out their facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/kiddskids .

Keep looking up, cause that's where it all is.

Mama Monday : Tusker House Review

Hi Mamas,  Today I am taking you to one of my favorite places to see Mickey Mouse at a character meal. It is at Donald's Dining Safari Breakfast and Lunch at the Tusker House inside Animal Kingdom Park. Poor Donald has to share the spotlight with Mickey, but he doesn't seem to mind. This restaurant is located near the Kilimanjaro Safaris. We have dined at the Tusker House for both meals. It is a Harambe Marketplace Eatery. The colors inside are enticing.

The food is a great combination of American fare along with African inspired dishes. I think it is a perfect location for a family who might have some picky eaters along with some adventuresome eaters. It will please both kinds! Our family leans more towards the adventuresome side. Our kids will thankfully try just about anything once but before you start to hate us, do know that mac and cheese is one of their favorite dishes!

Breakfast is served from 8-10:55 most days.  The buffet is huge! Some of our favorite items that are the non-traditional items include the Coconut sweet potato casserole and the sweet plaintains.

Don't worry-the Mickey waffles are ON the menu! You can't have a character breakfast at Disney without the Mickey waffles.

And my very favorite item is the Jungle Juice. I could drink this all day long! It has orange, guava, and passion fruit juices. You will also find your eggs, bacons, quiches, etc and a huge selection of pastries on the buffet.








Lunch is served 11-2:45 most days. It is also a huge selection.

Our favorite African selections are couscous, the Kenyan coffee pork loin, samosa, and saffron infused root veggies-delish! (these two photos courtesy of our friends at The Disney Food Blog)








Sound a little too adventuresome for the kids? They have corn dog nuggets, mac and cheese, chicken drumsticks, etc too. My husband's favorite dessert there is the banana cinnamon bread pudding. I don't do bread pudding so I will take his word for it. And of course they have a selection of African beers and a sugar cane mojito offered at lunch too.

While food selection is very important at a character meal, the best part is the characters! You will see the following at The Tusker House for breakfast and lunch. There are no characters appearing at dinner and as with all character meals, they are subject to change without notice.

The Main Host-Donald Duck!

The lovely Daisy Duck!

Goofy!

and last but not least Mickey Mouse!

There you have The Tusker House! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Mama Monday : Breaks

Hi Mamas, This week we continue our month of favorites with our favorite place to take a break. No matter which resort we are staying at, my very favorite place to take a break is at our resort. Every resort in every room category has a lot to offer. I have stayed at every level of hotel and not one has disappointed me in what there is to do at the resort. I do recommend a break every single day with the exception of your arrival and departure days.

There's the obvious thing to do on a break- NAP time! Even if your kids are beyond the napping age, sometimes a little down time in the room relaxing is a good thing.Other times our kids play with their souvenirs.

What kiddo wouldn't want to take a nap in Tow Mater's Bed?

Sometimes while our kids are napping we veg out in front of the TV.








If you just need a break from the parks, there's the pool. Every Disney pool is incredible. The moderates and deluxes do offer more as far as slides, etc. But they are all a fun place to spend the afternoon and not even in the same league as your typical hotel pool.

Then there are times when one of the adults needs a break from the kids. Trust me I get that! My husband and I take turns on our trips. If one of us needs a mommy or daddy time out, one stays with the kids for a rest and the other goes to the lounge/bar for an adult beverage. It's completely ok to not spend every single minute of your family vacation together.

Another option for a break at your resort is to just explore it. There are activities posted in the lobbies for events happening throughout the day. Or you can just take a tour on your own and see what you discover.

No matter how many times we've stayed at a resort, we always find new things to explore and see. Take a stroll with no time line and see what you find or who you meet along the way.

You might even find a place for a snack.











And the last tip I have for break time when traveling with young kids is to do bath time during your break. The way I recommend touring the parks, you go more fast paced during the day and a little slower more relaxed in the evenings. This way the kids get their baths in and when they crash out on the way home, it's ok to just put them into their bed dreaming of the magic they experienced for the day.

Where do you like to take a break? Come over and share it on facebook.

Mama Monday : Journey Into Imagination

Hi Mamas,  One of my favorite rides might surprise you. It is Journey Into Imagination With Figment at Epcot. I just love Figment! It is a cheesy ride and there's no thrill involved in it. But it captured a part of my heart the first time I rode it and it is a must ride every trip.

Dr. Nigel Channing greets you and takes you on a tour of his lab that will explore the five senses-sound, sight, smell, touch and taste- and how they affect your imagination. Silly Figment comes along for the ride though! Figment is a purple dragon with a funny sense of humor that causes trouble all along the way.

After the ride you end up at ImageWorks. It is an interactive play area. Our kids love making music here! And I can't lie, I do too. The only thing I don't like about this ride, or any ride that has this for that matter, is to exit you have to walk through a gift shop. I understand why they have them there, but I still don't like it. I love that there is still Figment merchandise for sale but forcing kids to walk through the shops is a bit much in my opinion.

It has been rumored for years that this attraction was going to be replaced with something else. Prior to the spring of 2008 you could actually meet Figment. He was retired then and that fueled the rumors even more. However in 2011, Disney did a complete refurbishment of this ride so I believe that Figment will continue to exist. Plus if they are going to keep Captain EO around, surely Figment can survive! The wait is always light for this ride. It is a great spot to get into the AC on a hot day.

Anyone who has booked their vacation with me knows I put it on your must do ride list because in my book it is a classic to Epcot. It has changed quite a bit though from the original ride that was there in 1983-1998. I wouldn't mind them reincarnating that version but for now I am happy to ride this version.

If you want to have a fun song stuck in your head, watch the video.

So I want to know, do you love this ride too?

(PS-Check back Wednesday this week for another one of my favorite rides)

Mama Monday : Karamell Kuche Review

Hi Mamas,

Today we visit Karamell Kuche at Epcot in Germany! Karamell Kuche means caramel kitchen. I know I have mentioned this wonderful place in previous posts but it really deserves its own blog entry. Formerly this location was the home of Glas und Porsellan. I enjoyed that store but I had a little anxiety with the idea of taking children in it. Thankfully, they replaced this store with a store dedicated to everything caramel!

When a new location opens at Disney, there is usually a ribbon cutting with Mickey himself!

As you can see Werthers'(Storck) is a sponsor of this location. They have an entire wall of Werther's packaged candies you can choose from too.

When you walk by the store, you smell the caramel wafting out calling you inside. Upon entering you will see that the chefs are preparing the caramel treats right before your eyes! You might see them making the caramel apples, dipping fruit in caramel, or drizzling caramel on many of the cookies and other treats.

One of the best parts of Karamell Kuche is that a lot of these items count as a snack on your Disney Dining Plan! Score! When you see the purple and white emblem you know it counts on your dining plan.

So you've seen a few of the delicious items-caramel apple oatmeal cookies, caramel chocolate brownies, fruit dipped in chocolate and caramel, cupcakes, and the list goes on.  My three favorite treats are :

Caramel Cluster, Milk Chocolate, and nuts and the Chewy Caramel Werther's Bar! YUM!

And my other favorite treat is the salted milk chocolate covered caramel! The picture is courtesy of our friends over at the Disney Food Blog.

Every trip since the Karamell Kuche has opened I have purchased one or two of these and taken them back to the room for a late night snack. It practically melts in your mouth.

Remember 2014 packages get released this week on Wednesday July 10th!

Mama Monday : Favorite Pictures

Hi Mamas,  I'm taking a break this week but scheduled this post for you. Here's a few of my favorite pictures.

Mason's first visit with Mickey at Chef Mickey's. 

Mason's first birthday pictures at the Wilderness Lodge.

Reed's first birthday pictures at the Beach Club.

The toys played while we were at the parks! Love how Mousekeeping adds to the magic.

 Hope you enjoyed this picture post! We will be back blogging next week.