P&J’s Southern Takeout Review

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So on our girls trip back in November, the first restaurant we tried was Trail’s End/P&J’s Southern Takeout.  As we’ve mentioned before, we found Fort Wilderness a bit lacking in available food options.  It was about 1 or 2 in the afternoon by the time we stumbled upon Trail’s End, and at that time they were at the tail end of their brunch buffet.  None of us were in the mood for brunch, however, we found out that P&J’s inside Trail’s End does a few takeout lunch options.

Now, the keyword here is “takeout”.  I don’t believe you are meant to eat your food at the restaurant there.  There are a few picnic tables outside, however, when we were there all the tables under cover were occupied, and it had started raining.  Since the brunch buffet was over, there was no one eating inside Trail’s End, so we asked one of the cast members there if we could sit inside and eat.  They very nicely allowed us to do so.

The menu at P&J’s is quite limited.  You can choose from a large cheese or pepperoni pizza, a BBQ pork sandwich, a turkey wrap, a salami/ham/turkey sandwich on focaccia bread, a caesar salad with chicken, and fried chicken.

Shannon:  Tara and I had the pepperoni pizza.  It was made to order and served hot.  While it’s not Via Napoli, it was actually pretty good, I thought.  I’d eat it again.

Tara: The pizza was good. It was not the room service cardboard type pizza (thankfully!) and it was a decent pizza. I would definitely order it again and enjoyed it.

Jillian: I chose the Chuckwagon Wrap, which was smoked turkey, provolone cheese, lettuce, and basil aioli on a sundried tomato wrap for my first Disney meal.  It was filling without being so heavy.  The portion size was great and the chips were so delicious!  I love a homemade chip and these were perfectly cooked and salted.  Plus it came in a cute to go box!  I would definitely order this again!

Jamie: I had the “Lone Rider” which was 2 pieces of fried chicken with cornbread, plus a choice of 2 sides: macaroni and cheese, coleslaw and mashed potatoes. I chose the first two. The chicken was very good! Pretty typical fried chicken, but it hit the spot since I was so hungry. Neither the mac and cheese or coleslaw were very good in my opinion.

Overall, I feel like the food we had was fine, but Fort Wilderness is maybe not the best place to be if you’re looking for a lot of quick food options.

 

Podcast Episode 130: Early 2017 News

We’re back with more updates all about what’s happening at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Lines!  We’ve got dates for the new shows (Rivers of Light), new attraction openings (Pandora, anyone?), and more!

Happy listening!

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Walt Disney World 2017 on a $2,500 Budget

Recently we did a podcast with 2017 pricing and looked at many different budgets. My budget was for $2,500.  The guidelines were that is must be for 3 nights and 3 day park tickets for a family of 2 adults, 2 children 10 and 5.

My trip was June 12-16, 2017 at Port Orleans French Quarter in a standard room with 5 day base tickets the total is $2440.70

Photo via Disney.com

If we cheat a little bit and go over budget you can add Memory Maker and the grand total would be $2589.70

I wanted to also price out a similar vacation that included some type of dining plan.  Using the same dates of June 12-16 we move over to a value resort All Star Movies standard room.  For tickets we have the 3 day base tickets and the Quick Service Dining Plan the total is $2466.98.  Bringing this just under the budget!

Photo Via Disney.com

Of course these are priced out without any type of discount.  If a discount is available that will help you save some money as well.

New 2017 Walt Disney World Ticket Options

Each year it seems like there’s a new kind of ticket option at Walt Disney World so we thought we’d break down this year’s new options for you to make your planning a little bit easier!

Jillian covered your standard ticket options here, but this is what’s new for 2017 only.

4 Park Magic Ticket

This is a limited time offer that must be purchased by March 5, 2017 and used by May 27, 2017.  It’s actually a great deal for guests who are only going to be in the parks for a few days and want to visit each park only once.

The ticket allows you entry into each of the parks, but only one park per day, no hopping.  Of course, you may come and go from your chosen park for that day as often as you wish.

The cost for this is $279 plus tax for adults and $259 plus tax for children aged 3 – 9.  This is a pretty good savings as a standard 4 day base ticket runs $325 plus tax for adults and $305 plus tax for children aged 3 – 9.  A family of four can save almost $200 on their vacation.  That could buy you quite a few Dole Whips!

Florida Resident Discover Disney Tickets

The other new option they are offering is for Florida residents only.  This is going to be a discounted 3 or 4 day ticket that must be purchased by June 9, 2017.  The Park Hopper option may be added to these tickets. The 3 day is $139 plus tax for adults and children and the 4 day is $159 plus tax for adults and children.

Be aware that there is a blackout date for these tickets from May 27 to June 9, 2017 at Animal Kingdom only.  Guests will be required to show proof of Florida residency when they pick up their tickets.

Hope that makes your planning a bit easier!

 

Podcast Episode 129: A Disney Wedding

Have you ever wondered what goes into planning a Disney destination wedding?  You don’t need to wonder any longer!  Join us this week with our special guest, Amanda, as she tells us all about how she planned her fantastic Disney wedding.  From flowers, to catering, photography and more, she tells us from start to finish how to make that Disney wedding magic happen!

Happy listening!

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Walt Disney World for Two on a $5,000 Budget

You can go to Walt Disney World on all different types of budgets. You can make it work for $2,000 or less and you can splurge and go and drop the price of a car on a week going all out! There are so many ways and shapes of vacations and one option that I love is a fun and intimate trip for 2 on a moderately deluxe budget of $5,000. Yes, I say moderately deluxe at $5,000 and I know it is only two people, but you can throw down some serious money at Disney if you let me (um if you want!).

Pricing is rack rate, so this is without ANY special promotions or discounts and I always recommend booking what you can afford without a discount. Discounts/promotions are NOT guaranteed, inventory is limited, and if you do get a promotion applied I think it is awesome to use it to upgrade. Club level? Deluxe dining? Fireworks cruise? Or if not an upgrade, extra money in your pockets for some fun souvenirs (I am a fan of Olszewski’s trinkets, especially his light boxes).

Okay back to my romantic trip for 2! So, here is what I think would be great!

Option 1 – Dates September 18 – 24, 2017 – almost a whole week away from the world with your special someone!

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort  – Standard Room with Standard View. I love this resort for so many reasons. I find it romantic, nostalgic and such a beautiful property to walk around. Plus the dining options are some of the best and you can grab a daily Dole Whip!

Included in this option is a 5 day park hopper. You definitely want a park hopper on this trip, because you are going to want to hop over to different parks for some amazing dinners and have the freedom of changing your mind on this trip for 2. You only need 5 days because on your trip for 2 you are going to want at least one full day to spend at the resort, sleep in, no alarms, sit by the pool, leisurely stroll around, and do some shopping.

And also, the standard Disney Dining Plan. Did you want Deluxe on this trip so you could go all out with some 2 credit meals and really be Disney foodies? Yes, well I did too, but I wanted the Poly more on this option and I am a fan of longer trips. This is my romantic trip for 2, so this is what it is for Option 1.

This is coming in at $4,919.68 so right there at budget!

Option 2 – Dates September 18 – 24, 2017

Disney’s Beach Club Resort – Standard Room with Standard View. I love this resort for 01b5f40980d67c08bb48dc3ffd63d5cea01f079fcbyour trip for 2 as the location is great for 2 adults. You can walk or boat to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. So, easy peasy (lemon squeasy) to go to Epcot and drink or snack around the World in the afternoon, take a break and a nap, then back to finish your Around the World challenge. I have found whether it is Drink or Snack Around the World a nap is a must. Plus, the pool here at Beach Club, which is named Stormalong Bay, is the best on property and has a sandy bottom and lazy river which is perfect to spend some lazy time!

I included 5 day park hopper for same reasons as above. Plus with Stormalong Bay you are going to want to be lazy for at least a full day!

This time, I was able to get deluxe dining in without going over budget! The Epcot resorts are a great option for deluxe stays, they are typically a little less expensive than the monorail resorts, but for resorts they are super nice and super convenient to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Total Cost – $4,877.45

Option 3 – Dates September 20 – 24, 2017

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Outer Building, Standard View, CLUB LEVEL wanted to include the Grand Floridian as being the Flagship and such a great option. Plus, a trip for 2 that includes the G Flo and Club Level is a top option, but I did have to shorten the trip. Oh well, the club level makes up for it!

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4 day Park Hoppers since it is a shorter trip.

Standard Disney Dining Plan and club level makes this a dream trip for comfort and convenience! And being on the monorail is the cherry on top!

Total Cost – $4,901.91

Option 4 – Dates September 20 – 24, 2017

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn – Outer Building, Garden Room – CLUB LEVEL I had to include 0118bd0cb8c9ece4bc67c88835fd59fea18c5511cc
this option because the Garden Room (or cottages) are the most amazing option for a 2 person stay. You get your own little two-story cottage complete with your own fenced in garden, mail box and cute white picket fence. You are right across from a quiet pool and not too far from the club level lounge. These cottages are special and very limited (total of 14 I think). I truly loved everything about them.

I did 4 day Park Hoppers. Though you will love the cottage so much you may not want to leave!

No dining plan, which is sad, but to keep on budget and since you are going to love hanging around your cottage and pool area and be so close to club level it is okay to skip the dining plan this time!

Total Cost – $4,777.27

So, these are just a few options for your romantic trip for 2 to Disney! Which trip do you want to take?

 

Podcast Episode 128: Before And After – Which Is Better?

This week we discuss the changes Walt Disney World has undergone over the years and whether we liked it before the changes or after.  You might be surprised by some of our answers!

Happy listening!

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Podcast Episode 127: 2017 WDW Pricing With Sample Budgets

Affording the perfect Walt Disney World vacation can be easier than you think and we’re here to help!  This week, the four of us each took on a sample budget from $1500 – $4500 for a family of four and planned out exactly what you could afford within that budget.  We price in resorts, tickets, and even dining plans so you can get a good idea of how far your money will go at Disney.

Happy listening!

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