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THE RAINFOREST CAFE AT DOWNTOWN DISNEY

All of this site’s eight night itineraries include an evening at Downtown Disney to see the amazing Cirque du Soleil.

And you gotta eat, so among the dozens of options available at Downtown Disney, the dining spot recommended in the itineraries is the Downtown Disney Rainforest Cafe.

Now the Rainforest Cafe is no Cress; it’s not even Whispering Canyon. But it is a wonderfully themed, usually reliable family dining spot.

DINING AT DOWNTOWN DISNEY AND THE RAINFOREST CAFE

There’s a variety of dining options at Downtown Disney, many either national brands or with some nationally known chef or celebrity in the name.

Rainforest Cafe is one of the national chains, which make some resist going there. I get this, but there’s only a couple of dozen of them in the country, in fewer than a dozen states, so for most families it will be new.

What makes it stand out among the Downtown Disney offerings is its distinctive and broadly appealing theming.

Rainforest Cafe has a…well…rainforest theme with elements of a safari tied in. The rainforest theme fills the ceiling, walls, and the spaces between seating areas, creating the impression you are in an active forest.

The theming is supported by animatronic figures of animals, which move every now and then, thunderstorms and lighting, and other effects.

This theming makes it fun for kids, and situates it well within an overall Disney World experience.

The menu is adequate without being special; not being special is usually good for kids! For menu details, see this. We enjoyed our meals–especially the “Awesome Appetizer Adventure.”

But the reason to go here is for the physical environment, not the food.  It’s the most fun restaurant for kids at Downtown Disney.

(You’ll find reviews saying that it’s loud and scary.  It’s no louder than most restaurants filled with kids, and it’s not scary for kids older than five who have already been on Disney rides.)

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JANUARY 19, 2013 TO JANUARY 27, 2013

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the table, but organized by park, not by topic.

(For more on January 2013, see this.)

[Read more →]

CELEBRATE THE MAGIC: A GREAT FOLLOW UP TO THE MAGIC, THE MEMORIES AND YOU

On our December visit we had a chance to see the new evening show at the Magic Kingdom, Celebrate the Magic.

This show replaces the stunning prior show The Magic The Memories and You, and is just as good–though a little different.

It continues the jaw-dropping transformations of Cinderella’s Castle, but leaves out the former show’s photos of park guests.  Instead, it has a much more extensive focus on classic Disney films and characters–making it even more fun to most, but a little less personal. [Read more →]

OVERVIEW: AUGUST 2013 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews August 2013 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.

[Read more →]

Try the grey stuff
It’s delicious
Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes!

(Be Our Guest, from Beauty and the Beast, music and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken)

THE ENCHANTED FOREST: A MISSED OPPORTUNITY, BUT STILL A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT

The Enchanted Forest is one of two areas–the other being Storybook Circus–that together make up New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom.

It contains two attractions–Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid and Enchanted Tales with Belle, two dining spots–Be Our Guest and Gaston’s Tavern, and Ariel’s Grotto, a meet and greet opportunity.

Under the Sea is too slight for the opportunity this expansion presented, and that casts a sense of disappointment over all of the Enchanted Forest.

But Enchanted Tales with Belle is as good as anything Disney World has opened since 2005.

Moreover, although both Be Our Guest and Gaston’s Tavern have menu issues (Gaston’s is too limited, Be Our Guest is scarce on simple options for little kids), Be Our Guest is overall by far the best table service restaurant in the Magic Kingdom (and the first legit “date night” option there ever)–while Gaston’s is the most charming counter service option in the park.

Add to this the fact that the Enchanted Forest is incomplete, with the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train still to open (I had thought this would be in 2013, but it’s now looking like 2014), and what you’ve got is a work in process that despite the disappointment of Under the Sea, has already demonstrated greatness, with the potential for more greatness to come.

REVIEW: THE ENCHANTED FOREST IN NEW FANTASYLAND AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM [Read more →]

POP WARNER WEEK AT WALT DISNEY WORLD IN  2013 WILL BEGIN DECEMBER 7

Spurred by crack commenter Chasity, I asked my spies on Friday to see if Pop Warner dates for 2013 had, in fact, been confirmed.

The last time I wrote about this, in mid-November, the word was as follows:

“Both Disney and Pop Warner have told my sources that there is as yet no contract for Pop Warner to be at Disney World in 2013, and that therefore there simply are no official dates for 2013.

Pop Warner went on to tell my source that “it is always that first week in December and it will probably be the same next year.””

Well, yesterday my friends discovered that Chasity was right. After “changing and re-negotiating 2013 dates” the word now is that Pop Warner 2013 dates are confirmed for December 7-14, and that these are the “final” dates.

This means that my two top ranked 2013 weeks will swap places, because the crowd ratings for the respective weeks will also flip.

I’ve made the fixes…and Chasity, thanks again!

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