Disney Crystal Palace review

Crystal Palace wasn’t on our original list to eat at however due to some switching around due to Star Wars Weekend in MGM, I need to make some changes. My mother in law raved about Crystal Palace in the past so I decided to make advance dining reservation there. We would be dinning with Winnie the Pooh and all of his friends!

Crystal Palace is located at the end of Main Street USA near Casey’s hot dogs in the

 Disney World   Magic Kingdom. park.  There is fantastic view of the castle from there. The inside has beautiful windows and there is natural light. . It is like an old Victorian building inside. We were going to eat an early dinner to Crystal Palace at 4:15. We checked in and were told that would be a short wait. We waited about 25 minutes to be seated.

Once we sat down, our waitress even explained what route the characters would be taking around the restaurant, so we'd have a good idea where and when to look for them.

Crystal Palace is a buffet and wow what a buffet. The all you can eat buffet offers a wide variety of choices including, salads, pasta dishes, soups, carved meats, seafood, breads, desserts and an ice cream station complete with soft serve and toppings. There is also a separate children’s buffet that had typical kid fare, chicken nuggets, hot dogs etc.

The character interaction is great. No waiting in lines like you do in the park. They come around to the table. We had Pooh, Tigger, Eyore, and Piglet all visited our table. They signed our autograph book and we were able to take pictures and get hugs! . The kids loved being able to get their autographs.

Crystal Palace was a wonderful dinner. We enjoyed the food and since we were on the Disney Dinning plan didn’t have to worry about the cost. The adult dinner buffet is $27.99 and the children was 12.99! Well worth the cost!

Disney MGM Sci Fi Dine-in Review

Going to the "Drive-in" is not something that everyone has a chance to do these days, however at

 Disney World  MGM studios there is the Sci Fi Dine in restaurant.

My husband is the biggest sci fi junkie and has passed that onto the 3 boys. My husband has watch Mystery Science Theatre for years so I thought that this would be the perfect place for us to dine.

Our reservation was at 11:15am for lunch. We had been to the park since it opened that morning and only did a quickly granola bar so we were hungry so we check to see if they could take us in early. They sure did!


The theatre restaurant was huge. They have fake stars on the ceiling and depending on the size of your group, will determine if you get a car or a table. Our car had 3 rows. The movie clips played were all stuff from the 1950 think aliens with scuba masks on etc, nothing too scary for little ones. They even played an old Tom and Jerry movie in there. Mom, this is a really cool according to my DS 8.

Now onto the food, since we were on the Disney Dinning Plan we appetizer, entree and desert. The waitress said the Reuben was the highly recommended for a sandwich but my husband got onion rings for appetizer and I got the spinach artichoke dip. They were both tasty. For our entrees, we got hamburgers. They were normal hamburgers that you would get at an Applebees or Chili's. Desert for us was fruit salad and honestly it wasn't even worth touching.

We were in there for more than 90 minutes, it was a little slow when we asked for the check.

They do recommend doing advanced dinning reservations there.

Disney 50s Prime Time Cafe review

If you enjoy comfort food, you will enjoy the 50s Prime time cafe at Disney MGM studios located near the Indiana Jones Stunt Show.

Our first night at Disney world, we had made advanced dining reservations for the the 50's Prime time dinner. Even though we had reservations, we still needed to wait about 15 minutes and they were turning away people at the door for walk-in. The waiting room/bar had couches that you could rest your weary legs on.

"Mom" is in the kitchen cooking the food while your Aunts are the servers. Black and White TVs play in the background. When calling you to your table, OK Smith kids time to eat. And my 8 year old had to set the table!

Our "Auntie Jen" review the rules of dinning there. No elbows on the table and you must eat your vegetables or no desert.

Since we were on the Disney Dinning plan, we were able to order Appetizer, Entree and Dessert.

My husband got the Beer Battered Onion Rings and I ordered the Shrimp Cocktail for my 8 year old for my appetizer. The  younger ones  each got the salad which I ate and my 8 DS got the chicken noodle soup.

For the dinner portion the kids menu includes chicken nuggets, hot dog, mac and cheese. All 3 chose something different. They ate them up. However the chicken nuggets didn't look all that good. My husband and I both got the meatloaf. It was truly comfort food with the mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans were on the side.

As for drinks, the boys had the choice of milk, bottled water or juice. They all got milk. Hubby got a root beer and I got a diet coke. We got several refills during our meal.

The kids menu had the choice of fruit salad or ice cream sundae. Guess what they got-ice cream. It was in a waffle bowl cone which they loved! My husband got the angel food cake with fruit and I got the huge brownie sundae that I think I took 2 bites of since I was so full.

We really enjoyed this resturant for the nostaglia and almost consider it a "Dinner show". It was fun and a nice way to celebrate our first night in Disney.  Need to tips to save money at

 Disney World

We are back from Disney World

The trip to Disney World that I have been planning for over 18 months is over. However my family and I had a wonderful time. Many memories made over the week.

We stayed in one of the suites at the All Star Music Resort. Since we had 5 of us we couldn't stay in the regular value rooms.


It was $6500 vacation-paid in full! I don't know how people do Disney each year. The kids want to do it again next year. We may do it in 3-4 years again. So I if I save $200 a month for the next few years, we maybe able to manage it.


Disney on a budget My original goal was $6,000 but we did spend a little more than I wanted in the world.


Ashley from the Kid Within shared some tips on how to do Disney on a budget

If you are looking to go really frugal check out some money saving tips at Disney part 1 and part 2

Save money on your Disney Trip Part 2

Here is our second set of tips for Saving Money at Walt Disney World. Check out our first 10 tips at Save money on your Disney Trip part 1

11. For larger families, reunions or any other get-together at Disney World, it may make better financial sense to look into renting a vacation home, many of which offer enclosed garages, private backyard pools and washer/dryers.

12. If you are visiting one of the Disney World theme parks with young children, don’t forget to bring along a backpack with some snacks or juice boxes.

13. You don’t have to shell out big bucks to stay on Disney World property at one of Disney’s budget all-star resorts – Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All Star Music Resort and Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort (all of which offer complimentary transportation to Disney theme parks and feature onsite food courts). The one downside of a value resort is that families with 5 or more people can't stay in one room, they must get two rooms or one of the All Star Music Family Suites.

14. Instead of spending a fortune at a Disney character breakfast, take your kids to Town Square at Main Street, U.S.A. for autograph and photo opportunities with Disney characters.

15. Choose the appropriate Disney World ticket deal based on your family’s length of stay in Orlando and remember not to overdo things – you will want to schedule time for rest and relaxation during your trip.

16. If you choose to eat at the Disney World theme parks, try to make lunch your big meal of the day when prices are considerably lower than for dinner (especially at Epcot’s World Showcase).

17. Whenever you leave one of Disney World’s theme parks, make sure to get your hand stamped. Then after you rest awhile and enjoy a cheaper dinner off site, you can head back to the park after the crowds have thinned out.

18. You may want to schedule your Walt Disney World vacation around one of Disney’s highly acclaimed annual events and festivals, many of which are included with the price of admission such as the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, Star Wars Weekends, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Festival of the Seasons, ABC Super Soap Weekend, Festival of the Masters and Holidays Around the World.

19. Carry your own water bottle into the Disney theme park and you can fill it up at any of the abundant water fountains throughout the day. ( It has been highly recommended to have Staples ship down a case or two or water to your resort as well.)

20. Establish a budget for Disney World souvenirs and stick to your budget (no matter how many cool gifts you see as you stroll through Epcot’s World Showcase!).

21. If you are an AAA or AARP member, take advantage of any special rates or discounts that are available during your Disney World vacation.

22. Many off-site hotels and motels with onsite restaurants offer “Kids Eat Free” deals (one child eats free per paying adult).

23. Purchase such necessities as film and sunscreen before you arrive at Disney World, since prices at the theme parks are more expensive for such items.

24. If you are staying at one of the Disney resorts, take advantage of Disney’s Magical Express, which provides complimentary shuttle service to and from the Orlando International Airport (reservations are required for Disney’s Magical Express).

25. If possible, try to avoid Disney World during holiday weekends and Spring Break when prices are higher and the theme parks are most crowded.



Orlando, Florida Guide, the most comprehensive online guide to Orlando and Disney World, also features discount Disney World tickets, incredible deals on Orlando hotels and individually tailored Orlando vacation packages

Saving money on your Disney World trip part 1

Believe it or not, you can live it up at Walt Disney World Resort – whether you plan on visiting Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios or Disney’s Animal Kingdom – without making a huge dent in your wallet. By planning ahead, seeking out the best online deals and following the money-saving tips listed below, you can enjoy significant savings on your Disney World vacation getaway – without sacrificing any of your family’s comfort or enjoyment.

1. Seek out discount Disney World tickets, budget accommodations convenient to Disney attractions and individually tailored Disney vacation packages before you arrive in Orlando.

2. If possible, plan your Disney World trip during the off-season and you will usually discover significantly lower airfares and hotel/resort rates.

3. If you are staying at a Disney resort, take advantage of complimentary transportation to all Walt Disney World theme parks, water parks and Downtown Disney.

4. Some of the area factory outlet stores such as Orlando Premium Outlets sell Disney merchandise at significantly lower prices than you will find at stores within the Disney World theme parks.

5. Check out some of the free things to do at Disney World such as strolling around Disney’s Boardwalk and Downtown Disney, or hiking through the Disney Wilderness Preserve.

6. Take the family to one of the all-you-can-eat buffets that lie just outside Disney World property such as Bill Wong’s Famous Buffet, Sweet Tomatoes, Boston Lobster Feast, Golden Corral, Ponderosa, Sizzler, Captain Nemo’s Seafood Feast or Angel’s Lobster, Crab & Prime Rib Buffet.

7. If you don’t mind staying off Disney property, you will discover numerous budget motels and hotels (many of which provide complimentary transportation to Disney World theme parks) along Highway 192 in Kissimmee just East of the main entrance to Walt Disney World Resort.

8. Look for free publications such as I Love Orlando magazine, which contain a multitude of discount coupons to Disney area attractions, restaurants and specialty shops.

9. Before you book a hotel or motel, check if they offer guests a complimentary continental or full breakfast each morning.

10. Check out comprehensive online guides to Disney World such as Orlando, Florida Guide for in-depth information on Disney World discount tickets, accommodations and vacation packages.

Orlando, Florida Guide, the most comprehensive online guide to Orlando and Disney World, also features discount Disney World tickets, incredible deals on Orlando hotels and individually tailored Orlando vacation packages.

Disney Trip paid in cash

We will be going to Disney over the summer! If you have been following my progress, we have been planning this for over 1.5 years-it is a once in a lifetime trip. I charged the trip, but immediately paid the credit card off!

Our trip will be costing us approximately $6000. It is not exactly a budget frugal mind vacation, but is a vacation that will a once in a life time trip.

1. We will be staying at the value resort-actually the Disney All-Star Music Suites. Since we are a family of 5, it was either two value rooms or this. So our room price isn't all that cheap.

2. We will be using the Disney Dining plan. The Disney Dining Plan puts guests on a two-meal-and-a-snack per day diet for each night of their stay. For adults it is 37.99 a day and for the under 10 crowd 9.99 a day. It is actually great not to have to worry about paying for each meal individually.

3. We will be using Disney Transportation called the Magical Express from the airport to the resort. Since we will not be renting a car, we will use the Disney buses.

4. Included in our $6,000 budgeted for this trip we have $1000 spending money. We probably won't spend all of that but I would rather budget more than not.

5. I saved about $250 a month for our trip plus used our tax refund for this year to help pay for this all. This will not be a trip that we will be paying for years.


So a frugal minded family can do Disney with some proper planning. My favorite resources for Disney include:

www.allears.net

www.mouseforless.com