Gran Destino Tower at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

I booked a room at Gran Destino Tower as soon as the window opened. We stayed at Coronado Springs right after the room renovation and I remember they were working on the tower at that time. I couldn't fathom why they would put a big eye sore right out in front of such a beautiful resort, but I have eaten my words. The tower is stunning, it's a work of art inside and out and I cannot wait to stay there again!

Kona Cafe at Disney's Polynesian Resort

The Polynesian Village Resort is home to some of my favorite food at Walt Disney World; great drinks and snacks at the Tambu Lounge and of course 'Ohana; endless shrimp and dumplings and the bread pudding...the amazing bread pudding! There's also Kona Cafe, which I had previously only done breakfast at, but we decided to grab a last minute dinner reservation and it was such a great decision.

A New Orleans Pre-Cruise Trip

Before our cruise we decided to head down to New Orleans a night early, go out, and then not have to get up too terribly early to make it to the cruise terminal the following morning. We were a group of 8 adults, 6 who would be going out that night, so we found the perfect Airbnb in Treme. So comfortable, beautifully decorated, and right next door to some really great seafood! I highly recommend booking a stay here whether you're cruising, going to a football game, or just want to enjoy the city. It's a quick Uber or Lyft to just about anywhere you might want to go!

Dining onboard Carnival Valor

 

I will start by saying that I am not overly fond of buffet style dining on a good day, so you won't find me raving about anything I got off the buffet, as I avoided it for the most part aside from pretty common things such as breakfast selections. I also didn't try many specialty drinks as I'm a Tito's & Vodka girl and I'll order the occasional Extra Dirty Martini, but this Mai Tai was a perfect start to my morning! 

Scarlett's Steakhouse Carnival Valor

I think the most asked question I receive is: Was Scarlett's Steakhouse on the Carnival Valor worth it? The answer is ABSOLUTELY! The price was $38 per adult, which is a steal for a good meal and we booked embarkation day so all premium bottled wine was half off for our wine loving companions!

Carnival Valor Oceanview Stateroom

 

We took a, much needed, 4 day cruise to Cozumel aboard the Carnival Valor! We were a group of 8 adults and it was just such a fun experience all the way around. 

Tequila Tasting Tour at Buccano's in Cozumel

 

Let me start by saying that the tequila tour was included with admission to Buccano's, otherwise this is not something we would have typically done. The tour itself had a lot of fun information about how tequila is made, about agave plants, and included some free samples. We liked that our guide was not overly pushy about purchasing the product too. I will say that these "dessert tequila" options we tasted were very tasty, but upon doing a quick web search we quickly learned that these were not luxury, "true tequila" products they were trying to sell us and many reviews claimed these tequilas were watered down. 

Buccanos Beach Club in Cozumel

We knew while we were in Mexico we definitely wanted somewhere to relax and just enjoy the sun and the sea, but without the large crowds that can be found at Mr. Sanchos. Buccanos was just what we were looking for! There was a $20 entrance fee but we ended up doing a group rate at the pier that included transportation to and from and even a stop for shopping. Buccanos has wonderful drinks, delicious food, and a very nice swimming pool! The food and drink prices were very affordable, especially for the portion size. 

Carnival Cruise Line Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast

 

I have absolutely no shame in saying that on a kid's free cruise 8 adults happily booked the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast! It was a really fun experience and a great value for $5 per person as the breakfast was much better than any of the other breakfast items we had the entire cruise.

Refurbished Rooms at Disney's All Star Movies Resort

I just got back from a stay at Disney's All Star Movies Resort and got the chance to stay in one of the newly refurbished rooms, like at Disney's Pop Century Resort. We were in a Preferred Room in the Toy Story Section. It's funny because I've stayed at All Star Movies two times previously; in 2001 and in 2015. In 2001 we stayed in the Mighty Ducks section and in 2015 we stayed in the Toy Story Section. Between 2001 - 2015 it didn't feel like much had changed, but this trip was like being at a whole new resort!

Disney's Beach Club Resort

Disney's Beach Club Resort is a beautiful New England-style Resort hotel set on Crescent Lake. It's situated right next door to it's more formal sister resort, Disney's Yacht Club Resort. 

Beaches & Cream at Disney's Beach Club Resort

 

Do you need to visit Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney's Beach Club Resort? Well...I'm going to let this picture speak for itself. I was just thankful we were staying here and our room wasn't far. It made a mess and I was happy to have somewhere to clean up. It was so incredibly decadent and delicious!

2019 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is always a favorite of mine...which is probably why I've done it twice this year lol.

Disney's Contemporary Resort

The Contemporary Resort has been on our bucket list for a few years now and we thought celebrating our daughter's fourth birthday would be a great opportunity to check-in for a few nights! We were not disappointed. From very modern and chic rooms to amazing dining and recreation, the resort did not disappoint.

Hei Hei Cone at Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom

 

I could not resist the Hei Hei cone from Aloha Isle. Come on, how cute is this? He's made with the famous pineapple soft-serve and raspberry soft serve. His eyes are just little sugar pieces and there's normally a sour candy draped over the top, but mine fell off. And that's all topped on a blue cone. Very yummy and super refreshing on a warm Florida day!

Favorite Eats at Disney World

While I'm going over my upcoming Walt Disney World vacations, thinking about everything to eat...basically it's always what to do eat...I started thinking about some of my favorites from 2018. I wanted to put those down so at the end of the year I can compare what my favorites were in 2019! Some of these were new favorites: like this lime sherbert with the edible chocolate feather, and some are old favorites. WARNING: This post may cause extreme hunger.