Disney Resorts

Disney’s Art of Animation Video Tour With Imagineer Interviews

2 May 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

The Art of Animation Resort is a whimsical new place to stay on Walt Disney World property beginning Summer of 2012 with the opening of the Finding Nemo themed rooms. The family suites start at $249 and sleep up to six with two bathrooms and a kitchenette. Opening at later dates will be Cars (June 18), The Lion King (August 10) and The Little Mermaid (September 15) themed sections.

The theming of the resort is similar to the progression of the making of an animated film. In the lobby you are first presented with the Ink and Paint Shop, a merchandise store, and the character sketch wall which has renderings of some of your favorite pals from the resort’s featured movies. Then as you continue out to the pool area and guest room buildings you are rewarded with fabulous landscapes and backgrounds. Here in this video you’ll have a tour of the resort with interviews and commentary from Disney Imagineers like Gary Hoffman, who was the Senior Project Manager over design and architecture for the resort and offers a personal greeting for Zannaland readers below!

I can not get over the wondrous colors displayed here. It was a whole lot of fun to photograph, especially the pool area which was rich in tropical and undersea inspired hues. Check out this gallery and tell us what you think of the design!

Disney's Art of Animation Resort — It’s just like walking (driving?) into Radiator Springs.

We took so many photos we had to add them to flickr so you could see them all! Check out our flickr Art of Animation photo set to see even more images.

I think this will quickly be the most popular value resort upon opening. Would you like to stay here with your family? Which themed section are you most drawn to?

[Notes from Suzannah: I was also able to preview Art of Animation last weekend during Disney’s Social Media Moms Celebration and was blown away with the level of detail incorporated into this value resort. I think it sets the bar much, much higher for a value resort and with a family of five, I know the family suites here are now an option I will actually look forward to using.

In the Finding Nemo area, the landscaping around the pool and buildings look as though they are undersea plants, specifically chosen to make it look like you are in the Big Blue World. Brilliant. The design and details within the rooms are just breathtaking. They are bright and fun for families with young children, but the design palate is cool and mod; adults will appreciate and enjoy staying there as well. I also love that the family suite rooms are accessed by an interior hallway vs. the usual outdoor access value resorts offer. I asked about this decreasing noise level and was told that yes, sounds are reduced with the interior entry as are the instances of bugs getting into rooms (this is Florida after all, home to prehistoric armies of insects!).

After peeking through the construction fence into the Cars section, I can see the level of detail does not stop with Nemo. You truly feel as if you are walking into Radiator Springs. I’m excited to see the lush jungle-feel of the Lion King area as well, after getting a little taste of it in the food court – Landscape of Flavors. Be sure to check out all the photos and let us know what you think of this amazing new resort! Big thanks to Nicole for her wonderful video and photos! ~Suzannah]

Disney’s Best Kept Secret for Parents: Kids Activity Centers

9 April 2012 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

My husband and I are the kind of parents that, even when we want to tear our hair out dealing with the antics of our three children, ranging in age from 13 to 3, the minute we go out for a adults-only dinner or movie night, we miss them. We always joke about that and how pathetic we are, but the best part about hanging out at Walt Disney World is there is so much to entertain both grown-ups and kids alike. However, IF you need a little break, would like to enjoy an evening at Victoria & Alberts sans les enfants, or hang out at Jellyrolls or Atlantic Dance Hall, the Children’s Activity Centers are a fairy godmother for parents!

I have always walked by the Sandcastle Club in Disney’s Beach Club (wanting to hang out there myself!), but had never used them for our two older kids. When we started bringing our youngest to the parks and hanging out with friends locally, we wished he had reached the magical 3 year-old age to partake in the kids clubs. He’s been 3 (and potty-trained, the other criteria) for a while, but it just hit me that we can now try out these “magical babysitters” of sorts. With the upcoming Disney blogging conference “Disney’s Social Media Moms Celebration” about to kick off its third year, I thought I’d go over a run-down of what the Activity Centers offer and how to go about booking one for your little one.

Here’s the official info from DisneyWorld.com:

Located throughout Walt Disney World Resort, Children’s Activity Centers are delightful playspaces where children ages 3 to 12 are invited to enjoy video games, have dinner and snacks, watch Disney movies and interact with other kids their age—usually while parents are off experiencing more grownup fare.

There are 6 Children’s Activity Centers at Walt Disney World Resort hotels:

Simbas Cubhouse at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Open daily from 4:30 p.m. to midnight, Simba’s Cubhouse is based on Disney’s The Lion King and is located on the first floor near the Uzima pool deck area.
Never Land Club at Disney’s Polynesian Resort: Located near the Snack Isle and the bus stop across from the Great Ceremonial House, the Never Land Club is open daily from 4:00 p.m. to midnight.
Cub’s Den at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge: Open daily from 4:30 p.m. to midnight, Cub’s Den is a wilderness-themed activity center located outside the main lobby near Wilderness Lodge Mercantile.
Sandcastle Club at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort and The Villas at Disney’s Beach Club Resort: Located near Atlantic Wear just off the main lobby of Disney Beach Club Resort, Sandcastle Club is a nautical-themed activity center open daily from 4:30 p.m. to midnight.
Mouseketeer Club at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa: Open daily from 4:30 p.m. to midnight, Mouseketeer Club is located near Gasparilla Grill & Games.
Camp Dolphin at Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan Resort: Camp Dolphin is located near the health club in Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort and is open daily from 5:30 p.m. to midnight. (Age 4-12 here)

The cost per child is $11.50 per hour, with a 2-hour minimum charge. Reservations are recommended for all locations, except Camp Dolphin, where reservations are required and additional costs may apply. For advanced reservations, please call (407) WDW-DINE. Same day walk-ins are also welcome based on availability.

…

The Never Land Club at Disney's Polynesian Resort

You do not have to be a WDW Resort guest to book your child in an activity center, you still pay the same $11.50/hour either way. Cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance, otherwise a $20 fee per child is charged. Reservations are held for 30 minutes before being released to other guests, in case you are running late. Parents are provided pagers for communication with the caregivers and may of course call in to check on their children at any time.

The clubs all provide dinner; including some variation of Chicken Tenders, Hot Dogs, Macaroni and Cheese, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, French Fries, and Fruit. The Never Land Club offers a buffet, while other clubs allow the kids to “order” their dinner, letting them feel very grown-up. These meals do vary by location so ask at time of reservation or let them know if you have special dining needs.

As far as which clubs are the best, from what I’ve heard, the Never Land Club is the king of activity centers, with it’s magical entrance “through the nursery window” and Never Land themed decor. The other centers are themed to their resort but offer a more generic room with craft and gaming areas vs. the ultra-themed Never Land Club. I have heard that the Grand Floridian’s Mousketeer Club actually offers the smallest and least decorated theme, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Never Land Club window entrance — Never Land Club Wendy's window entrance

I can’t wait to let my little guy test this out and report back with a full review!

If your child is not yet 3, or you’d rather have some one-on-one care in your resort room, Disney recommends Kids Nite Out, and in-room babysitting service. Their rates are as follows:

In-Room Childcare Rates

1 child$16.00 per hour
2 children$18.50 per hour
3 children$21.00 per hour
4 children$23.50 per hour

For 5 or more children, or to make reservations, call 1-800-696-8105

These care-givers are certified in CPR and have been screened and trained. More information may be found at the Kids Nite Out site.

I hope this helps with your vacation planning and childcare needs while at the World. If you’ve experienced any of these services first-hand, share in the comments below!

Simba's Clubhouse at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

*Prices correct at time of posting, please call to confirm when planning.

Art of Animation Promises A Resort With Character In Late Spring

3 April 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

I realized I hadn’t really posted about the Walt Disney Resort’s newest Value resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and thought I would remedy that. While Value resorts aren’t usually my first choice, they have always been a great go-to choice for economy with Disney’s famous amenities and service. Additionally, as a family of five whose youngest member is no longer an infant, we have officially outgrown most of the room options at Disney resorts. The Art of Animation Resort offers a great alternative to booking two rooms or upgrading to a more costly DVC property with multiple bedrooms. The new resort will feature 112o Family Suites, accommodating up to 6 guests and featuring the following amenities:

3 separate sleeping areas, including a master bedroom with queen-size bed
A full-size sleeper sofa
A convertible table bed—a dining or work table that transforms into a comfortable bed
2 separate bathrooms
A kitchenette that includes a compact refrigerator, microwave and coffeemaker
A table and chairs
2 flat panel TVs

So that alone makes it a great choice for our family, and I’m sure many others as well. I’ll be getting a chance to preview these suites and the resort later this month, and will provide a complete report at that time. Until then, here are some of the official releases on the Art of Animation resort to tide you over:

Opening in phases, each of the four wings celebrates rich storytelling, spirited characters and playfulness with colorful icons and whimsical theming inspired by each beloved film depicted.

The wings dedicated to the popular films featured at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will now be opening than sooner than expected after the resort hotel’s grand opening May 31.

“We are excited that the Cars, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid wings at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will all open earlier than we originally planned, bringing more permanent resort jobs to Central Florida sooner,” said Kevin Myers, vice president of resort operations for Walt Disney World Resort. “Demand for family suites exists in the marketplace today and the new opening dates reflect how optimistic we are about tourism in Central Florida.”

The Finding Nemo wings of the resort will open May 31; Cars will now open June 18 instead of July 31; The Lion King will open August 10 instead of September 30. The value rooms at The Little Mermaid wings on September 15 instead of at the end of this year.

The three-story resort will immediately put guests into the worlds of favorite Disney characters and animated films beginning at check-in as pixilated patterns and wavy ribbons of color decorate the resort’s exterior. Pencil drawings of Ariel, Lightning McQueen, Nemo and Simba adorn the entryway, and a cleverly created chandelier composed of animation storyboards enhance the lively and modern lobby.

“Our goal is to make guests feel like they have been immersed in the artistry and enchantment of Walt Disney and Disney•Pixar animated classics,” said Walt Disney Imagineer Frank Paris.

Giant sketchbooks filled with favorite characters seem to come to life as they pave the way to each storyline revealed. Scenic settings, icons—including a brightly-colored coral landscape, a 35-foot-tall model of King Triton, a towering Mufasa and more—immerse guests into the playful world of animation. At the Cars wing, a freshly paved road leads to the Cozy Cone Motel complete with a Cozy Cone pool and cone-shaped cabanas. It’s a journey through an African landscape in The Lion King complete with an elephant graveyard play area that invites youngsters to seek hakuna matata time. Treasures from the human world fill Ariel’s grotto in an under the sea kingdom in Little Mermaid courtyard.

From linens and carpeting to fixtures and furniture, all details of the guestroom tie to the storyline. In Finding Nemo, there’s coral-shaped chairs and bubble ceiling lights; Zazu takes center stage on the headboards in The Lion King, while Pumbaa and Timon decorate the shower curtain.

Kids of all ages can make a splash at the “Big Blue” pool, the largest resort swimming pool at Walt Disney World Resort measuring 11,859 square feet. Guests enter scenes from the animated world and can explore the colorful reef with a giant-sized Mr. Ray whose wings span 27 feet, pose for a picture with Crush or frolic with Squirt in the Righteous Reef, a children’s play area. An arcade and two additional pools round out the fun.

In size and scope the construction of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is a major project at Walt Disney World Resort. The project has created 800 construction jobs and once open later this year, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will create 750 permanent resort hotel jobs.

The Lion King, Cars and Finding Nemo buildings will be entirely family suites, with 1,120 suites between them. The Little Mermaid buildings will feature 864 rooms in the “value” room category.

The construction of family suites at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is an innovative approach to a changing marketplace. Today more and more multi-generational families are traveling together for various celebrations, including family reunions. These families not only want to play together, they want to stay together, which has created tremendous demand for family suites.

Disney also unveiled the look of new Cast Member costumes at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
Each front desk Cast Member will wear a unique splattered-ink vest representing an animator’s unique creative process as part of their costume.

Also, as Guests move from the check-in area to Merchandise and Food & Beverage locations, Cast Members in those locations will be wearing colorful costumes that represent the color being added to animation.

Dining options were revealed earlier this year from Disney food writer Pam Brandon:

“Better-for-you” options at five mini shops serving breakfast, lunch and dinner is the overarching theme of the new Landscape of Flavors food court still being tweaked for Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, opening in May. The new restaurant will be adjacent to the lobby.

“The idea is that you customize your choice,” says Chef Ed Wronski, Director, Food & Beverage Concept Development, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “From burgers to pasta, salads, ethnic flavors, omelets, even parfaits and gelatos, everything is made fresh as you order.”

There’s a big focus on beverages, too. Fresh fruit smoothies are made to order, ditto for lemonade and pomegranate limeade. They’re stocking organic teas, beer (including gluten free), wine, coffee and juices. You can get a plain cup of coffee or a French vanilla or mocha iced. And half bottles of wine are paired with cuisine from the food shops.

We got a sneak peek at the menu, and here are some of the highlights:

The Soup-Salad-Sandwich Shop lets you create your own salad (with beef or chicken) and offers a caprese sandwich with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes on focaccia, or a Buffalo-style turkey sandwich with arugula and a blue cheese-Buffalo sauce-mayo spread. Both are served with delish house-made potato chips.
The World Flavors Shop adds Indian-African flair to breakfast, too, with scrambled eggs, tandoor potatoes, Portuguese sausage, slab bacon and a mini-naan; or a veggie flatbread sandwich on naan with cauliflower, spinach and paneer. Lunch and dinner is a choice of tandoori chicken or shrimp, Mongolian beef with vegetables, mahi mahi, Portuguese sausage or roasted acorn squash served with sides and naan bread.
The Pizza Shop features make-your-own pasta, cheese and pepperoni pizzas and meatballs on ciabatta bread. Room delivery is an option, too.
The Burger Shop includes a breakfast burger with chicken breakfast sausage, cheese and scrambled eggs on a multi-grain bun, and a steak-and-eggs breakfast burger with a burger topped with fried eggs, cheese and bacon. Besides the traditional burgers, lunch and dinner includes a surf and turf burger with crab cake and fried popcorn shrimp, and a pastrami cheeseburger topped with pepper jack cheese and a slice of fried green tomato.
The “grab ‘n go” Market Shop offers drinks, yogurt, bagels, pastries, gourmet cupcakes, cookies and gelato.

The food court will be part of the Disney Dining Plan, details to follow.

I can’t wait to see the finished Art of Animation Resort and share photos with you here.

VIDEO: Tour the Gorgeous Royal Guest Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans

21 March 2012 by Suzannah Otis 6 Comments

I was given an amazing opportunity to stay at one of the brand new Royal Guest Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort. I had a sneak preview of a room mock-up last June, when I also saw the refurbished Port Orleans French Quarter rooms, so I was thrilled to see the finished product in person. To sum up the experience, I was blown away. The rooms are SO gorgeous. After having seen the Cinderella Suite inside Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom last December, I can say that staying in this room would be the next best thing for me. I love all the little details and touches which make it a truly special experience. Rather than just talk about what I loved, I thought I’d create a video highlighting some of the magical embellishments that await guests.

First, let’s go over the back story of the room designs. Princess Tiana, hailing from New Orleans, has invited her royal friends to visit her home. As royalty often do, Tiana’s guests have left behind gifts for her over the years, which she has incorporated into these guest rooms. I’ve captured these gifts and nods to other royal guests in the video. Let’s see if you can find them all!

In addition, things like the wallpaper border in the main room and bathroom area pay homage to the little animal helpers featured in each Princess’s story, the bedspread features their crowns, and of course, some hidden Mickeys can be found here and there. My favorite part by far, is the dazzling fiber-optic effects on each headboard. I am not joking when I say I pressed the button to make it light up all night. I have a soft spot for fiber-optics, going back to the sparkling tiles over at Epcot, so this fun surprise made me insanely happy. I captured the effect on video too, so let’s watch!

The Royal Guest Rooms are now available for booking at only $189 per night, sleeping four. The brand new mattresses were super comfy too, not to mention the delightful “new hotel room scent,” we loved being there! There are 512 Royal Guest themed rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, which join the 384 Pirate Rooms over at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, featuring swashbuckling details including pirate ship beds and buccaneer accessories. Rooms may be booked by calling 407-W-DISNEY. I cannot wait to stay there again!

Special thanks to the folks at Disney Destinations and Laura Spencer for this opportunity. My family and I were truly grateful! Review of our dinner at Boatwright’s Dining Hall coming soon!

*If you’d like the run-down of the gifts from other princesses, here you go: Wooden carved frame from Snow White, Magic Carpet from Jasmine, Pumpkin Coach coat rack from Cinderella, Pooch foot rest/ottoman from Belle, Genie’s Magic Lamp is the faucet, look for the dinglehopper and snarfblatt from Ariel on the shower curtain…those are the ones I found anyway!

Fiber Optics in Royal Guest Room — Magical Fiber-optics in Royal Guest Room

Photo Tour of Disney’s Beach Club Presidential Suite

4 January 2012 by Suzannah Otis 7 Comments

One of my dearest Moms Panel family members is Kay, who is like a mom to us all and keeps us all full of magic and pixie dust year round. Kay was kind enough to let us visit her suite at the Beach Club last month, when a flock of ‘old’ moms came down to visit and welcome the ‘new’ moms for the 2012 class. With Kay’s permission, I took some photos of this amazing suite, since I know I’ll probably never step foot in it again! I thought I’d share them here with my readers to see all the lovely details and amenities Disney provides.

Enjoy the tour and big thanks again to Kay for sharing her suite with us!

Many people have asked for the music used in the video above, it’s from Poppin’ Guitars: A Tuneful of Sherman, which is a great CD! Check it out below:

Contemporary Sweets & Treats at Walt Disney World

2 December 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Contemporary Mary Blair gingerbread tree - my favorite display!

Yesterday we took a quick photo tour of Walt Disney World’s monorail resorts and their holiday decor. Today we’ll focus on what Disney’s Contemporary Resort is cooking up for guests who visit the Mary Blair-themed gingerbread tree in the Grand Canyon Concourse.

As you know, Mary Blair is the gifted artist responsible for so much within early Disney history, including the awe-inspiring murals on the fourth floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Perhaps her most famous contribution is whimsical design of the “it’s a small world” attraction. As a tribute to Mary’s art, Disney has created a gingerbread tree in her style for the past 3 years. This display instantly became my favorite of the Disney resorts, surpassing even the giant gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian, simply because of the simplicity and tribute to Mary Blair.

The gingerbread tree has changed a bit since its first year, when it was just a plain tree with some frosting ‘snow’. Last year candy canes and ornaments were added with space for photo ops. This year the tree has brighter ornaments, a hidden Mickey or two, and the “it’s a small world” background is now edged in lights, has a black backdrop, and Mr. Sun’s face moves as it does in the attraction. When the tree first appeared, all that was sold at the counter were gingerbread cookies in the shape and style of “it’s a small world” characters and a few other treats. Now there are quite the array of elegantly decorated and beautiful cookies and treats, in addition to a Contemporary Resort-shaped A-frame gingerbread house with white chocolate monorail inside! Let’s take a closer look:

Contemporary gingerbread treats — more views of the Contemporary gingerbread house

The Contemporary gingerbread house WITH monorail!

Disney Monorail Resort Holiday Highlights

1 December 2011 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

It’s a family tradition to do a Walt Disney World Monorail Resort tour during the holidays, and my mom and I did just that this week. Of course we’ll venture back with the rest of the family, and go at night so we can see all the lights, but this was a lovely day and I captured some photos to share here: (click for full-sized photos)

Polynesian wreath — One of the many hanging wreaths at the Polynesian Resort

Looking back across the waterfalls to the Polynesian Christmas tree

Elegant Grand Floridian deer, which light up at night

Grand Floridian gingerbread house — Be sure to look for the golden hidden Mickeys!

GF Gingerbread House sign — A sign in the shop upstairs tells guests to seek out the giant gingerbread house

Grand Floridian tree upstairs — Grand Floridian tree viewed from upstairs

Contemporary gingerbread guard shack-smells delicious in person!

Contemporary tree Mickey Topper — Chef Mickey atop the world atop the Mary Blair gingerbread tree

Stay tuned for more posts on the individual resort goodies, starting with the delicious treats offered at the Contemporary Resort. We’ll also visit the Grand Floridian gingerbread house up close, see what the Beach and Yacht Clubs have to share and come back to the Polynesian when their little gingerbread houses are out!

NEW Aulani Resort Disney Dooney Bags in Hawaii

3 September 2011 by Suzannah Otis 21 Comments

Well, Disney and Dooney & Bourke have done it again. With the grand opening of Disney’s newest Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property in Oahu, Hawaii, we Disney Dooney & Bourke fans have been treated to a new design available exclusively at the Aulani resort. Anyone heading to Hawaii and willing to take orders? 😉 As always, click to enlarge photos:

Aulani Disney Dooney & Bourke - Medium tote $220. Photo courtesy: Jeff Oh - DVC member since 2007

Aulani dark brown leather — Aulani print in dark brown leather - the design is embossed right onto the bag - $330

Thoughts? I love the color print and the muted colors in it. Actually, I would love to see one for the deluxe resorts at Walt Disney World, but I know that’s probably an extreme long-shot! In the meantime, I’ll be saving pennies to get to Aulani. Mahalo!

Don’t forget to check DisneyStore.com for sales of select current released Disney Dooney & Bourke purses and Zannaland’s Disney Dooney & Bourke page with ALL handbag photos and info.

*DisneyStore.com links are affiliate links, which means it costs you nothing extra to click or buy, but if you do, I get a small commission. Thanks for reading!

Port Orleans French Quarter Refurbished Rooms PHOTOS

13 July 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter has always held a special place in my heart. Aside from Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Villas, which were my family’s first foray in staying “on property,” Port Orleans French Quarter was our second experience of staying in a Disney hotel. The resort recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, which I didn’t realize also coincides with my high school graduation date, so that’s convenient to remember.

Some changes have taken place over the years; adding the “French Quarter” when its sister resort, the former Dixie Landings also received a name change to become Port Orleans Riverside. In addition, the table service restaurant, Bonfamillies, named of course for the Aristocats’ owner in the animated film of the same name, closed in 2000. Bonfamillies was a favorite of mine and husband’s for our anniversary dinners and we still miss it to this day.

Despite these changes, the resort is still one of the best themed, with the most beautiful grounds to walk through and relax in. It is the one place in the Walt Disney World Resort where you can get delicious, freshly made beignets, a wonderful treat any time of day inside the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, the resort’s food court. You can also enjoy a scenic ride down the Sassagoula River by boat, which stops at Riverside and Downtown Disney as well. To top it off, there is a pool with a giant sea serpent ridden by King Neptune, which doubles as a water slide.

As if that weren’t enough reason to stay at this delightful moderate resort, the French Quarter is now refurbishing and renovating all of their hotel rooms to make guests stays even more enjoyable. Let’s check out some photos of the new rooms: (click to enlarge)

Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Refurbished Room

I am excited to stay in one of these new rooms at some point in the future. I think it’s a beautiful renovation and will go well with the new Royal Guest Rooms over at Port Orleans Riverside (which we’ll see more about tomorrow!). What do you think?

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Turf Club 3 Blogger Dining Review!

24 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

Back in October, there was a perfect storm of Disney fans, bloggers and social media mavens swooping in to the place Where Dreams Come True, our beloved Walt Disney World. This little rendez-vous among the many came to be known as Epic October. There was a Walt Disney World Moms Panel Reunion, meet-ups, live podcasts, the first annual Disney Food Blog Foodie Fest and – when all was said and done and the proverbial dust had settled, three blogging friends sat down to enjoy a leisurely lunch at an off-the-beaten path spot where none of them had ever dined – The Turf Club at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. These three bloggers were myself, AJ Wolfe from The Disney Food Blog and Amanda Tinney from Disney Every Day. We decided in-between the great conversation and reconnecting, that we would each take one course and write it up on our respective blogs – a trifecta of reviews if you will. I have the honor of reviewing the main course entrees, so here we go!

As a little preface, I think we all agreed that the Turf Club is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the Parks. We had a lovely table outside on the covered veranda area, overlooking the Sassagoula River. In addition, because it is out of the way – a little hard to get to if you aren’t a Saratoga Springs guest (but not impossible) – and it isn’t shall we say known for its fare, the seclusion is paired with absence of crowds. The result is a quiet, serene, relaxing meal, which is hard to accomplish in most resort dining locations. So for this reason alone, I would definitely head back with my husband to enjoy a quiet meal if we were unable to secure a reservation at a favorite spot.

Turf Club Patio — View from our Turf Club table

Now on to the entrees!