One Man’s Dream: A photo tour

One Man’s Dream is officially closing in it’s current location. On my last visit to the world I wanted to go visit for the first and last time. This is truly an extraordinary exhibit and a testimony to Walt Disney. My entire family left feeling awed and a little bit teary eyed, especially after the film that was showed after you walked through (you know how us diehard disney folk get).

I documented most of the exhibits and tidbits of information I found interesting. I took all the photos on my iPhone camera so unfortunately they are not the kind of photography I would normally share on this page, they are merely documentary style and low quality but a way to show others some interesting parts of the exhibit.

I took much too long writing this blog from the time I visited so I unfortunately don’t remember a lot about what each photo entailed but the gist of the exhibit is a walk through the making of Disney.

This is also where you may become an ‘honorary citizen of Walt Disney World’ by answering questions for a quiz that you obtained by asking the cast member at the entrance of the exhibit for a quiz. The answers were all in the exhibit and were pretty easy to find for the most part. At the end you turned your quiz in, got your answers corrected, received your pin and got to sign the guest book! Very fun activity, especially when it was raining outside.

I’ll now proceed to my virtual photo walk through the exhibit. Enjoy and feel free to leave any comments with anything you know or liked about the exhibit!

The quiz.

Walt’s desk.

How the animation worked.

Entrance to the theater.

Completed Quiz.

Quote on the back of the quiz.

Signing the guest book.

Honorary Citizen of Disney World!

A shout out to all my favorite Disney Facebook Groups: Diehard Disney Nuts, Loving Disney, Disney Vacation Club Members, Disney Worldwide Dreamers, and Disneyland Dreamers just to name a few.

Disney Vacation Club: Tricks and Tips

Introduction to vacation club

If you’ve never heard of Disney Vacation Club and are curious to learn more, please start reading here, if you know a bit about DVC feel free to skip this intro section and move on to the “tips and tricks sections”.

There are a variety of different resorts to choose from when you buy into Disney Vacation Club. There are currently 9 resorts at WDW (I’m sure more will be built in the future), they include: Animal Kingdom Villas, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Beach Club Villas, BoardWalk Villas, Villas at Grand Floridian, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, and the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows. In Disneyland there is the Villas at the Grand Californian. In addition to the park resorts there are three beach resorts that are destinations within themselves: Aulani in Hawaii, Vero Beach in Florida, and Hilton Head in South Carolina.

DVC operates on a point system. You buy a certain number of points and each year in your predetermined month you are rewarded that amount of points to use. You can use these points at the DVC resorts but they can also be exchanged for Disney Cruises, Adventures by Disney and partner hotel rooms around the globe. However, the most bang for your buck is to use them at the DVC resorts, if you want to do a different kind of vacation other than what the resorts offer, your best bet may be to rent out your points for that year and then use that money towards the vacation you wish to do.

Another bonus of having DVC is that when you go to the parks your room is larger than a regular studio and includes a microwave and a mini fridge and if there is no washer/dryer in your room you get tokens for free laundry! The one bedrooms and up have a full kitchen so you can make your own meals and save some money in the parks!

The initial cost to join is rather large, but continues to get larger each year so if you think this might be for you and you have the ability to join go ahead and do so before prices go up, you can always sell your contract if you find DVC is not for you. Keep in mind you will have to pay annual dues/maintenance every year so keep that in mind when you pick which resort to buy into.

Mickey Ice Cream bar

best ways to use points

There are plenty of options when it comes to using DVC points, but there are ways to get more bang for your buck! I’ve compiled a list of things to do to ensure you can go on more vacations- if that is indeed your goal!

1. Stay during the less busy season. This means the point chart will be in your favor and you can stay at all of the resorts for less points. This also means you can stay longer, or stay in a bigger room or even at a nicer resort if that is what you are looking for.
2. Stay in studios instead of one or two bedrooms. Sometimes it ends up being cheaper point wise to stay in a bunch of studios instead of the larger suites, be sure to check the point chart so you are getting the most for your points!
3. Rent points out and use the money toward cruising, or do half points/half cash to pay for the cruise so you can stretch the points as long as you can- the same applies to adventures by Disney.
4. Don’t be afraid to resort hop- stay a few nights at a monorail resort and then spend the rest of the time at a cheaper point resort for different experiences and point savings!
5. Try to use points for DVC resorts, not for exchange programs or cruise and adventures by Disney, the points go so much further at the resorts, but if you really want to use points for these things go ahead.

Fountain in Toontown

Travel hints and General tips

When you buy into DVC it comes with some perks- be sure that you utilize them! For example there are member get-togethers on board DCL and in the parks, just call member services or ask when you get to your destination for what is offered for members- and usually we get lanyards and sometimes hats when we ask what is going on for members. There are also special events that go on from time to time like the Typhoon Lagoon beach party that are going on later this summer.

Remember you get discounts throughout downtown Disney and in all of the parks and some of the resorts, a list can be found on line, but be sure to carry your membership card around with you and ask everywhere you go if there is a DVC discount- it never hurts to ask and many locations offer a discount!

At DVC resorts your self-service laundry is free! Even if you don’t stay in a unit with a washer and dryer you can ask for tokens to use in the laundry rooms!

Member lockers are a great way to leave stuff that you need at the park and not have to drag it back in forth, another good thing to look into if you visit the parks frequently!

Dining plans are available for DVC members and their guests while staying at a DVC resort- an opportunity only offered to those staying on packages if you are just the general public.

You aren’t charged extra when two or more adults (+18) are staying in a room, if you are not in DVC the resorts charge extra!

Conclusion

Overall, if you are planning on vacationing at Disney for at least the next 15-20 years (if not longer) DVC is a great idea for you! Even better if you have the cash to pay for the points at hand and you are wanting to stay at deluxe resorts and for sometimes extended periods of time, or a few shorter vacations a year. DVC isn’t for everyone, so if you aren’t a Disney die-hard, it is not recommended- but if you love all things Disney and think that you will continue to vacation at Disney, this is the program for you!

Disney Dilemma: Cruise or Park?

When it comes to planning a Disney Vacation you have endless opportunities to do so many different things, all centered around our favorite mouse!

I’ve had many people ask whether they should spring for a Disney Cruise or if they should go to the park, which was the better way to have a Disney vacation? There of course is no right or wrong answer- it just depends what your budget is and when and where you want to travel and what you want to do. If you just can’t decide- there are always the land and sea packages so you can do both!

So- like anything else I blog about, I usually make a list- if items on the list apply to you for the particular vacation experience you are wanting to have then look further into that destination! I hope this serves as a helpful tool for those who are deciding what kind of vacation to take!

You should cruise if:

• You have a fairly large budget (or if you don’t you are willing to compromise on stateroom or length of cruise)
• You love eating (so many great food options and so much is already included!)
• Your kids will utilize the kids areas (or your over-sized kids will utilize the fantastic adults only areas)
• You are willing to pay more than other cruise lines in exchange for the unforgettable Disney experience
• You enjoy live stage Broadway like performances
• You want a place where your family can all go and do their own thing and/or stick together and do family activities as well
• You want to experience the fantastic rotational dining Disney Cruise Line has to offer
• You don’t mind paying for shore excursions or doing some research on the ports you stop in and doing your own thing (remembering the boat doesn’t wait for you if you are on your own!)
• You want to have an opportunity to have something for every member of your family to do at any given time
• Your kids are more independent and like doing things on their own (kids club activities and teen spaces)
• You want to see different parts of the world with the comfort of knowing Disney is your guide
• You have smaller children (babysitting is available for charge for those children not yet old enough for the kids spaces)
• You want to see fireworks on the high seas and experience open air deck parties and princess gatherings and special character meet and greets
• You want to see the places on the itinerary of the cruise you’ve chosen or you don’t care where the cruise is going and just want time to relax and enjoy the ship

You should go to a Disney Park if:

• You have a smaller budget (you can always just stay in a Disney Resort Hotel and get the Disney experience without even paying to go inside the parks)
• You love rides and want to see the Disney theme parks and all they have to offer
• You want to do more family activities together and less splitting up
• You love sitting by the pool or going to water parks
• You have kids old enough to walk around and not be afraid of characters and rides
• You want to experience Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs in WDW)
• You want to be able to see things like Universal Studios or Sea World as well on your vacation (all are within reach)
• You don’t mind large crowds or waiting in lines
• You don’t mind paying a lot of money for food (or you don’t mind bringing in your own or investing in a meal plan)
• You don’t mind investing a small fortune in park tickets- or if you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for tickets you have something in mind you want to do outside of the parks
• You enjoy staying in interesting hotels and trying different kinds of foods

Overall, cruising is a great way to have a family vacation where everyone gets to do what they want. You can let your kids wander around the ship with no problems or worries and you can sit back and enjoy all the fantastic adult areas and entertainment and activities. Of course you can always do things as a family but cruising is a great way to let everyone do what they want.

A theme park vacation is also a great way to spend those vacation days, and there are many different ways you can enjoy the theme parks and Disney Resorts. There are less opportunities for kids to do their own thing and more opportunities for family activities as I’m sure very few parents are willing to let their young children wander around the park unsupervised. There are plenty of things to do even if you are just enjoying the spas and pools and shopping and not riding the rides and seeing the shows.

Most of the time I find it comes to the budget when it comes time to decide on a destination- cruises in general tend to be much more than a park vacation- but the food is all included (unless you go for Palo or Remy)- also keep in mind alcohol and specialty drinks are additional charge so that is something to keep in mind when budgeting!

I hope this little blog helps some of you determine where you go with Disney next! Enjoy and feel free to share 🙂

Eating at Disneyland: A Food Blog

A visit to Disneyland inevitably means that you will be eating and there are so many choices that sometimes it can be hard to pin point what exactly you want to eat. I’m here to try to make those choices a little easier by telling you where I ate and what I thought. There’s so much to try and everything smells so good it is hard to choose- we got to quite a few places but this blog will only scratch the surface- I’ll add a link to Disneyland’s website at the end of this post so you can look through all your choices.

Our first stop- Trader Sam’s at the Disneyland hotel.

Part of the drink menu at Trader Sam’s

The bar at Trader Sam’s

Sweet and Spicy wings with slaw

Pulled Pork sandwich with sweet potato fries

Flatbread

Next stop- Clarabelle’s in Disney California Adventure (in the Starbucks)

The Oswald Triple Scoop Kitchen Sink Sundae

Clarabelle’s in California Adventure

The Chocolate Mint Chip Triple Scoop Sundae

Some delicious snack options-

The smell wafts from Wetzel’s pretzels around the midsection of Downtown Disney, also a good snack option!

Need a snack that reminds you that you are at Disney? Look no further than a scrumptious churro from the California Churro cart!

I had to try the churro bites with the chocolate dipping sauce from the Cozy Cone, absolutely fantastic snack!

Cake pops (60th anniversary)

Mickey Ice Cream bar- found at various locations around the park.

Marshmallows dipped in chocolate- look like mickey pants!

Marshmallow Olafs!

Some great Chinese food can be found in California Adventure from Lucky Fortune Cookery-

Beef and teriyaki sauce with rice and fortune cookie. This quick serve has a “build your own” option where you choose your meat and your sauce!

Beef and the orange sauce also from Lucky Fortune.

Award Wieners in California Adventure is also a great option for great food, fast-

Award wiener’s menu

The veggie dog

Sicilian dog!

For somewhere nice to sit down and eat- The Blue Bayou is an excellent choice

The lunch menu at the Blue Bayou

Dark and quiet atmosphere leads you to believe you are dining somewhere remote in the deep south. A great place to stop and grab a delicious bite to eat.

Starter salad, comes with craisins, candied pecans, and blue cheese on it.

The Monte Cristo sandwich- split order.

These are some of my favorite things, here is a link to Disneyland’s dining list.

Disneyland: The World of Color

The World of Color is a nighttime show in Disneyland Resort’s California Adventure Park. Projections on water screens, fire, fountains and lights make this show fantastic. If you’ve been to Las Vegas and seen the Bellagio fountains you kind of have an idea of what is in store, but in true Disney fashion they’ve taken the fountain and light show up a notch.

Dancing fountains towards the end of the “old” world of color show.

If you’d like to see the World of Color I would recommend either booking a dining reservation that includes a viewing area or getting a fast pass upon park opening for a viewing area. Then when you go to redeem your fast pass, be sure to get there early to get the best spot in line for your viewing section. (The fast pass kiosk is by the grizzly river rapids fast pass kiosk).

The ending of the “old” world of color with “World of Color” lasers. We saw the last old World of Color show before the 60th celebration show kicked off!

Keep in mind, this is a water show so the closer to the water you are the wetter you will get! We were front and center for the last old show and we got pretty wet!

The fountains after the show ends.

We were in Disneyland just as they were beginning to kick off the 24 hour event and the kickoff celebration for the 60th, so we got lucky and were able to see the brand new show after they showed the press the night before (and a day before it was officially set to start).

The new show features a projection screen on the Mickey Fun wheel as well as uses California Screamin’ to project things on as well! One of the beginning scenes with Walt Disney.

The new diamond anniversary show is a tribute to the rides and to Walt’s dream and some of the movies that have made Disney the huge success that it is.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is one of the first movies to be featured in the show.

The show rotates around the notion of staying “forever young” and having a child like outlook on life. Huge water screens, fireballs and beautiful projections and lights (including the mickey ears that light up along with the show) make the entire experience unforgettable.

Of course Frozen had to make an appearance in the tribute to all of the movies during the show.

Next the show commemorates Disneyland and all of the wonderful rides that make the park special. From the haunted mansion to the Tiki Room and everything in between.

The beginning of the “Disneyland” section.

Splash mountain was one of the rides featured in this part of the show!

Pirates featured fire shooting out of the lagoon, so hot you can feel the warmth!

This new show is just as fantastic as the old one was, it was an amazing experience to see it for the first public show. Everyone was singing along with the songs and the new Christina Perri song- “Forever Young” put a lump in your throat and made me wish I was still a kid again. If you happen to be in Disneyland in the near future be sure to check out The World of Color.

(All images are my property, if you would like to use one for any purpose please leave a comment)

Disneyland: Toontown

Just like the Hollywood hills Toontown is written in the “hills”.

Toontown is another one of those special places within Disneyland where you step into an imaginary world previously only seen on a screen. It is also where you can meet the “Big Cheese” in his own house!

You walk through Mickey’s house as part of the line for photos with Mickey, it winds through his living room, his garden, his laundry room and even his garage. Great place to bring kids and adults will love the quirky charm.

Mickey’s mailbox outside his house in Toontown.

Minnie also has her own house, situated right next to Mickey’s house. There is also an opportunity to meet Minnie and have a photo with her.

The whole part of the park is filled with wonderful little quirky signs and things to look at.

A sign that even my niece who can’t read yet found hilarious.

Goofy’s house! Topped with of what else but Goffy’s hat!

One of the more popular attractions in Toontown- Rodger Rabbit’s car toon spin.

“City hall” in Toontown with a cute Mickey face clock.

Panorama of Toontown

Fish in a “gas” tank at a “Goofy Gas”

This isn’t any normal water fountain, it’s GOOFY water.

A second Clarabelle’s location, you can get Mickey’s Pants Kitchen Sink Sundae here as well!

Toontown is another one of those places where even if you don’t ride any rides, just looking around this area of the park is something that can be highly entertaining. After riding Rodger Rabbit Car Toon Spin, I just spent some time wandering around and enjoying the beautiful California day. Just sitting on the ledge of the fountain and people watching is a great way to rest tired feet and soak in some sunshine.

Disneyland: Celebrating 60 Years

When we initially planned our Disneyland vacation we didn’t even think about the fact it would be the 60th anniversary celebration going on. So we were pleasantly surprised to discover on the internet that we would be able to see some of the special things they had planned for the diamond celebration, even though we left on the official kick off day.

Sorcerer Mickey hat outside of the Disneyland hotel decked out for the diamond anniversary was one of the first special things we noticed when we arrived at the park.

Soon everywhere we went we started noticing all the special details that they had been adding for the diamond celebration. We came in on the Monday before they kicked off the celebration and noticed added touches here and there with more being added throughout the week.

Signs found in the Disneyland Hotel

Upon our arrival (after a stop at Trader Sam’s to refuel and have a quick drink) we went to DVC to ask what special diamond celebration things we could expect to see before Friday (and we picked up our DVC lanyards of course). We were informed that we would not be able to see the special night shows but to keep an eye to the skies for the fireworks (because obviously there’s not a good way to hide those).

Just walking into the park on our first day we already spotted a TON of Diamond bling already out around the park, so of course I had to photograph all that I could find! I especially loved the banners they had on the light posts, I found those to be quite elegant.

All the decor I felt was very well done, didn’t seem too over the top since everything was blue and pretty classy looking and just made the park look like it was dressed up and we felt like we were experiencing something special the whole time we were in the park, so it was pretty fun!

The signs as you came in also were done tastefully and on the last day (Thursday) banners were added to the “D” over the “As you leave today…” sign, pictured below.

Next, let me show you some of my favorite photos I snapped of the castle all dressed up for the special occasion. I loved how they individually glittered some of the roof so it really shines and is really nice looking when the sun shines.

I love all the big blue banners with the silver lining, they really make the castle look elegant!

This angle photo of the back of the castle is one of my favorite shots I got, especially love the beautiful blue sky behind it 🙂

I love when Disney does special things, they always do it so well. Their 60th decorations are just stunning and I am so glad we got to see the parks all decorated for the occasion since we were thinking we would just miss the celebration stuff since we were leaving the day they started.

Disney California Adventure Park was all dressed up for the occasion as well! Using the same blue banners really was a great touch.

The other thing we were afraid we were going to miss out on was the 60th merchandise, and again we were pleasantly surprised when we got to see and buy some of it because it was released early on Wednesday!

The popcorn buckets already had the 60th design on them!

60th anniversary pins- of course we had to collect them all!

Another “must have” diamond anniversary Minnie ears.

My favorite out of all the pins!

I got to collect my first Alex and Ani and it is a special “Disneyland Forever” one!

Pretty Minnie ears that were for sale for the diamond anniversary!

The special bedazzled Mickeys you could buy!

They of course had to continue that branding into the stores as well! Loved spotting the diamonds!

There were even candied apples that were decorated for the 60th!

And cake pops!

And marshmallow sticks!

Unfortunately I didn’t try any of the food, but it was sure fun to see! Not pictured were the clothing items we bought with the 60th designs on them- I was able to get a kids sized t-shirt because the kids XL is the same as an adult small! So if you fit in that size be sure to check out the kids stuff too because it is a bit cheaper (just by a little bit- but hey, every bit counts!)

I loved the geotags that snapchat had for the park as well!

This was my favorite filter snapchat had!

Me wearing my Minnie ears on main street!

And then we started noticing a difference in the crowds and we saw the media come in- and there was a TON of media.

Media tents set up for radio stations from around the local area- they set up on Thursday.

We caught a glimpse of Mickey doing an “interview” for something!

The diamond got added to Mickey’s bow tie on Thursday as well!

And these signs popped up as well- can’t believe how long some people stayed up!

Signs telling you to use the hashtag #disneyland60 started appearing on Thursday as well

And finally, one last photo of the beautiful blue flowers they had planted. Fun that they matched the rest of the theme of the blue decor!

I hope you enjoyed my coverage of what we saw unfolding at the parks while we were visiting, we were very excited to be able to experience the 60th celebrations and were even more excited to be able to see the BRAND NEW World of Color on Thursday night!

Disneyland Resort: Cars Land

Have you ever wished that one of your favorite animated movies would be re-created in real life? Ever wanted to walk through Radiator Springs? You can in Disneyland’s California Adventure Park! Cars Land is maybe one of the cutest areas I’ve been in out of any of the Disney parks except I still have a soft side for Toontown.

A postcard like sign greets you and marks the entrance to Cars Land- a photographer is almost always there ready to take your photo!

In addition to the adorable buildings there are two rides with a third one being re-imagined at the moment. Radiator Springs Racers is probably one of the most popular rides at the park at the moment so if you’d like to ride it either grab a fastpass, stand in the single riders line, or come early! The ride is definitely worth the wait, it is one of my new favorites.

You board your own car for a journey through Radiator Springs and end the ride with a race of course!

The entrance to Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land.

I took advantage of having some extra park time after getting a lot of rides in one of the magic mornings and spent a bit of the afternoon just enjoying Cars Land, taking photos and people watching.

The view of Cars Land from about halfway in.

In addition to the rides there are a lot of food options in this area that all sounded intriguing, but I only got the chance to try food at the Cozy Cone.

The sign for the Cozy Cone motel, just like in the movie!

Each cone had a different type of food in it, so you stood in line at the cone with the food you wanted! Clever!

Also there was a character meet and greet within the Cozy Cone, if you look at the above photo you can see Mater is there greeting guests! Lightning McQueen also came around for photos as well!

The churro cone!

I had to try the churro bites with the chocolate dipping sauce from the Cozy Cone, absolutely fantastic snack!

There were a few other places to grab a bite to eat as well as a gift shop with Cars themed gifts to bring home.

Flo’s V8 Cafe had a small but yummy sounding menu along with lots of seating.

Filmore’s Taste-in also had quick bites, some healthy fruit options and bottled beverages to go.

Overall, I would say they did a great job with Cars Land. I can’t wait to see what they re-imagine with Luigi’s Flying Tires area (was closed when we went). Whether your riding the rides or just there to eat everyone is sure to enjoy this creative area that brings a fan favorite movie to life! I can’t wait to see if they do something similar with Avatar land in Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World!

Disneyland Dining: Blue Bayou

Dark and quiet atmosphere leads you to believe you are dining somewhere remote in the deep south. A great place to stop and grab a delicious bite to eat.

One of the best places to eat in Disneyland is nestled in the French Quarter area connected to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. You can watch the boats go by as fellow visitors begin the ride. We love to come here for their lunch menu with the Monte Cristo sandwich that is to die for.

The lunch menu at the Blue Bayou

Most plates are big enough to share, but for the Monte Cristo you must pay a splitting fee (which is still cheaper than getting two plates) but it allows each guest to have their own salad or soup with the meal. However; when others in our group asked to share a different dish our waitress gladly brought out an extra plate for no charge.

Starter salad, comes with craisins, candied pecans, and blue cheese on it.

The service when we were last there was quite good, we were at an in between time and our waitresses were changing shifts so we had two different servers and each was very attentive which was nice because we had a rather large group and sometimes the big groups end up getting slower service, but we had no problems and were in and out of lunch in about an hour and back to riding the rides!

The Monte Cristo sandwich- split order.

In a split order of the Monte Cristo you get your own half sized meal complete with your own fruit skewer and three different dipping sauces. The fruit skewer had a unique collection of fruit on it, I wasn’t very brave and only sampled the ones I knew what they were. The three dipping sauces were also great, the top and bottom were berry flavored and the middle was more of a glaze that was my favorite.

Overall, this is a rather expensive restaurant so if you are trying to stick to a budget this is probably not your best bet- but for a splurge the Blue Bayou is a great choice to step out of the mayhem of the park and relax in the quiet and cool almost serenity of the Blue Bayou.

Downtown Disneyland

Downtown Disney in Disneyland is a tad different from Downtown Disney in Disney World. Serving more as a walkway and a smaller scale entertainment district. Live music can be found nightly, we saw a few musicians during our stay. If you stay at the Grand Californian Hotel you have easy access to downtown Disney and the shopping and dining it provides.

Need a snack that reminds you that you are at Disney? Look no further than a scrumptious churro from the California Churro cart!

The smell wafts from Wetzel’s pretzels around the midsection of Downtown Disney, also a good snack option!

There are quite a few options when it comes to snacking in the downtown Disney district, but there are also a few great options when it comes to sitting down and getting a real meal that prepares you for a long day in the park the next day or helps you recover from a day of walking you already got in!

Catal- a great restaurant with lots of options for everyone, a bit pricey though.

In the past we’ve eaten at the Napa Rose, Catal and ESPN zone as well as eaten snacks from Trader Sam’s. If you are looking to spend some money go ahead and splurge on a fantastic meal from Napa Rose (located just outside the California Adventure gate inside the Grand Californian Hotel). If you aren’t wanting to spend quite that much money, go for Catal, food is still very good but at a more reasonable price point (still an expensive meal though). If you are looking for a bit more reasonable still, try ESPN zone. You can catch a game and have some decent food, mostly Applebee’s quality food (hotdog, hamburger, chips and dip, cheese fries ect.) and this price point is a lot better than the establishments mentioned previously. There are still more options I haven’t mentioned, Jazz Kitchen, Earl of Sandwich, La Brea Bakery, House of Blues, Naples Ristorante E Pizzeria, Napolini, Rainforest Cafe, Taqueria and Tortilla Joe’s are also options.

Sorcerer’s hat as you enter Disneyland Hotel! Decorated for the diamond anniversary.

The second part of downtown Disney besides the food is the shopping! For a Disney lover this is heaven! From the World of Disney to find anything and everything Disney related to Anna and Elsa’s boutique that has everything Frozen inspired. A little miss matched store to get some crazy awesome socks, a build-a-bear workshop with Disney inspired creatures and outfits and a ride-makerz for kids to build their own toy cars. Boutique style smaller shops have Disney everything from Alex and Ani to Douney and Burke.

Every Lego imaginable can be found in the cute Lego store located in the heart of Downtown Disney.

Custom is the name of the game at Disney, choose your own Legos and even make your own Lego person!

Overall, there is more than enough to do in Downtown Disney. I love just sitting down and people watching while sipping on a Starbucks drink (also located in Downtown Disney in addition to a Jamba Juice as well if you would prefer). Everyone should be able to find a Disney inspired item to take home to remind them of their trip. I hope this was informative and I can’t wait to make a follow up blog when I visit downtown Disney again later in the summer, but this time in Disney World!