Starving? Choose a Restaurant on the Monorail Route!
The Monorail at Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Walt Disney World abounds with choices to fill a hungry tummy. But, since the Disney World resort is HUGE the restaurant you might want to go to could be a long way away. Consequently, a little preparation goes a long way! Read on to find out your Disney World Monorail dining possibilities!
Playing at the Magic Kingdom? The Monorail station is just outside the main gate. At the station, board the Resort Train if you would like to eat at a Monorail restaurant. This train stops at each resort.
Note: Eating at Epcot is not out of the realm of possibilities because the Monorail connects to Epcot through the Tickets and Transportation Center. But, due to further distance, extended travel time from the Monorail track, and having to enter another park, the Epcot Restaurants will be covered in another post.
Magic Kingdom has fantastic restaurant options but those also will be saved for another post.
Monorail Restaurants
Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower
The Wave…of American Flavors at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
The California Grill (2TS) Brunch, Dinner–Fine/Signature Dining–Savor the flavors of the Pacific Coast at this gourmet restaurant on the 15th floor for brunch. Delight your taste buds with sushi, seafood, and American cuisine. Plus, enjoy an extensive wine menu. Dinner
The Wave…of American Flavors (TS) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner–Serving up delicious American breakfast a la carte or buffet. Enjoy delicious sandwiches, burgers, and salads for lunch and dishes such as beef tenderloin and seared potato gnocchi for dinner.
Chef Mickey’s(TS) Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner–Join Mickey Mouse and friends at this delightful character meal. Serving up the classics for breakfast/brunch (don’t miss those Mickey waffles) and chicken, seafood, and kid’s favorites for dinner.
The Contempo Cafe (QS) Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner–Perfect for those in a hurry with many grab and go items. A diverse menu includes flatbreads, hot and cold sandwiches, salads, and yummy, yummy cupcakes.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Bungalows and Villas
The Kona Cafe at Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Ohana’s(TS) Breakfast, Dinner–Meet Lilo and Stitch at a fun-filled character breakfast serving classic American breakfast food (bring on the Mickey waffles). Dinner is an all-you-can-eat feast of Polynesian cuisine. During your meal kids and kids at heart enjoy games, music, and dancing.
Kona Cafe (TS) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner–American favorites with a hint of the South Seas. Home of the breakfast favorite, Tonga Toast. Try an inventive Hawaiian-style, Ruben, for lunch. Dine on sushi rolls, poke bowls or other deliciousness for dinner.
Captain Cook’s(QS) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Late Night–Have a hankerin’ for a quick meal of Tonga Toast to start your day? Get some here along with sandwiches, salads, and flatbreads for lunch, dinner and late-night snacks.
Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show (2TS)–An entertaining luau in true Disney style complete with dancers, drummers, and FIRE along with a family-style classic Polynesian feast.
Pineapple Lanai(QS) Snacks–This is not a restaurant but it is the only place outside of a Disney Park to enjoy Dole Whip. YUM! They have Pineapple and Lime flavors. Double YUM!!
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, Villas and Spa
A delightful atmosphere for a special character dining.
Citricos (2TS) Dinner–Award-winning wines pair fabulously with the carefully crafted Mediterranean inspired menu in this vineyard inspired Old World restaurant.
Narcoossee’s (2TS) Brunch, Dinner–Savor the innovative selections of fresh seafood or delicious beef. While eating you may enjoy the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom or the Electrical Water Pagent on the Seven Seas Lagoon.
Victoria and Albert’s (Superior Fine Dining) Dinner–This is one of the preeminent restaurants at Walt Disney World and has earned the AAA Five Diamond award since 2000. Choose to dine on extraordinary cuisine in the Dining Room, the Chef’s Table or the private Queen Victoria Room. This meal is not just dinner but an extra special event you will remember for years to come.
1900 Park Fare (TS) Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner–Join favorite friends at the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast (Mary Poppins, Alice, or Winnie the Pooh and friends*) or Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner (Cinderella and family*) at this delightfully fun character meal. Meals are served buffet-style with classic American breakfast choices in the morning and seafood, salad, pasta, and beef for dinner. *Characters are subject to change.
Grand Floridian Cafe(TS) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner–Casual American dining with beautiful views of the Rose Garden and courtyard makes this restaurant a convenient, hidden gem.
Gasparilla Island Grill (QS) open 24/7–This is the perfect place to have a quick sit-down meal or grab something to go before heading out for a day in the park. The menu consists of grill favorites such as burgers, and sandwiches as well as pizza, salads, and snacks.
As you can see your dining options accessible from the Monorail are vast in experience and flavor! The decision can be a bit overwhelming if you are deciding when you are hungry and ready to eat. Therefore, my suggestion is to familiarize yourself with the menus at the restaurants above to see if they fit into your Disney plan. If you click on each restaurant in this list you can find out more details about each dining venue and its current menu.
I hope you find this information useful! Here are some other links you might like:
While a river cruise might not be the perfect vacation for every family, it is definitely a great option for many! Whether you are traveling with just immediate family or a multi-generational expedition and river cruise just might fit the bill for every member. Read on and find out if a river cruise is right for your family!
Who might love a River Cruise:
Families with older children (usually about 8 and up) unless choosing family-specific cruise/cruise line with planned children’s activities
Adult families
Families who love the ease of unpacking only once, and ease of disembarking the ship in port
Families who love to spend a few days in one country (rather than one day) to be able to explore more of the history, culture, and geography
Families wanting to visit small towns and local life as well as major tourist attractions
Families who want to engage more with the places they are visiting and not on ship activities
Families who want to be part of a “family” on their vacation and get to know the other families who are traveling with them
Families who desire incredible food with options from the local area
Families who would like an included excursion to introduce the area before going out to explore on their own
Families who want to choose the activity level of their excursions
Families prone to motion sickness (river cruises have very little movement when compared to an ocean cruise)
Who might not love a River Cruise:
Families with young children
Families wanting vast children’s programming and babysitting
Families who thoroughly enjoy participating in a host of activities onboard the ship
Larger Families who need/want to stay in the same room
Families who really want a pool deck with a large pool
A very important part of a family river cruise is picking the correct cruise line and itinerary. Some lines cater to families better than others with specifically designed activities on specific sailings during the year.
Cruise Lines that might be a fantastic option for your family:
Adventures by Disney (on AmaWaterways) is an amazing river cruise option. Disney certainly knows how to elevate a vacation experience from great to out of this world! They carefully craft the itineraries with special activities onboard and onshore that kids and adults will love. Every detail is taken care of so that you can truly relax and enjoy your family. For adults who want to experience the top-notch Disney customer service and pampering but without children can book adult-only Adventure by Disney river cruises. Note of caution: Don’t expect to see any Disney characters just some very funloving Adventure Guides.
AmaWaterways is another nice option. Some of their ships have 3 and 4 person staterooms for families and features that will appeal to the younger set. They provide excursions of different activity levels so families can tailor their adventures to their needs. These cruises are probably more enjoyable for families with children 8 and up.
Tauck’s Bridges family journeys offer hugely popular river cruises during school breaks–summer and Christmas. These family designed river adventures can take you through much of Europe, or to the Galapagos. They also have land journeys on which you can experience Latin America, Africa or Alaska.
Uniworld might corner the market for luxury river cruise travel but that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to make a cruise fun for kids. Family-oriented cruises are scheduled around school breaks. Activities are designed to help children engage with the culture and country around them as well as being a lot of fun. They get pretty creative with their adventures for kids. Also included are kid-friendly menus, a special dinner table just for young travelers on specific nights, Young travelers lounge, movie nights and “learn the lingo” activities. To top it all off Uniworld offers a 25% discount for kids (ages 4-17) fares.
Have more questions about whether a river cruise is right for you or your family? About which cruise line would be best?
Hopefully, you have read Part 1 of this blog post giving you five great reasons that a Disney Cruise is worth the cost. (Click here if you missed Part 1) This post will give you seven more. Yes, there are seven more things that make a Disney Cruise special!
Rather watch a video? At the end of this post there is a link to a live video I recorded on what makes a Disney Cruise special. The post and the video aren’t identical.
Disney Characters
Yes! Disney Cruise Line is the only place at sea that you will still get to see Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Minnie, and Daisy. What could be better than spending your vacation with the Fab 5! But that’s not the only characters you will see. You might see Joy, Stitch, the Princesses, Elsa, Anna, Kristof, Dug, Boo, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Spiderman and even more. And get this! You don’t just see them in the awesome shows and deck parties. Nope! You can actually shake their hands, get pictures and autographs and tell them about your day. Woohoo!!!
Sure, other cruise lines have private islands so that doesn’t make Disney any different. BUT, what does set them apart is what they INCLUDE on their island experience. The really cool water slides and splash pad, INCLUDED! The tram around the island, INCLUDED. But since there is so much to see in the way of fantastic Disney Imagineering, walking is recommended. Special kids area with supervised youth activities, INCLUDED. Beach games and activities for the family, INCLUDED. Want to run a race on vacation? The Castaway 5K is, you guessed it, INCLUDED! There are so other really cool things to do but they will incur an additional fee. Any way you look at it though, your day at Castaway Cay will be AMAZING even if you don’t spend an extra dime!
Disney Kids Clubs have some of the longest hours at sea. Plenty of time for your family to have time together and time apart. The kids club is even open on port days if you should choose to use them. You can even choose to have your children eat dinner with you or relax without them while they enjoy the dinnertime kids activities. Or, opt for the best of both and have your kids go with the cast members halfway through dinner.
The counselors are all specially trained to work with children so you don’t have to worry. They are not just glorified babysitters but cast members who are there to interact with your children to give them the best vacation possible.
The kid’s zones are separated by age and they are quite strict about the cutoffs for the safety of all the children. Each area is themed to create an atmosphere geared toward that age group. The security measures are also dependent on age. Children under 12 must have a parent check them in and out. Tweens and teens get to decide when they come and go. Be careful, you kids may never want to leave!
It’s a Small World Nursery–ages 6 months to 3 years old
Oceaneers Club and Lab–ages 3-12
Edge–just for tweens (about 11-13)
Vibe–just for teens (about 13-17)
No Casinos
While for some this might not be a benefit for others it is definitely no casino makes for a better cruise experience. For those of you who love to win money or prizes on vacation, never fear! They do have Bingo almost daily!
No Beverage Package
This is another feature that some might love and others might not. The fantastic benefit of Disney Cruise line is that they include soda with all their meals and there is a beverage station on the pool deck. The beverage station is open all day long for everyone to enjoy as much as they want. Not only is there soda but also coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. My daughter and I loved the hot chocolate machine on our Alaska Cruise (just don’t try and take it off the boat). For cruisers who love to relax with an alcoholic beverage, they are available onboard. There are multiple bars and adult beverage locations.
Excursions
Yes, of course all cruise lines have excursions. But Disney Cruise line sets itself apart with the number of excursions available with kids in mind. Their goal is that the whole family be able to experience things together so many exciting things are crafted to allow younger travelers. Plus, where else can you see Disney Characters on your shore excursion?
Disney Cruise line not just wants kids to enjoy experiences but everyone! They have also crafted accessible port adventures in 25 different countries. So if mobility is an issue do a little research (or have your travel specialist) to find out which cruise itineraries might work best for you.
ICE CREAM!!
I know, I know. There is complimentary soft-serve ice cream available on other cruise lines. BUT, on a Disney Cruise you can savor many more flavors than just chocolate and vanilla. On our cruise we had strawberry, mango, blueberry, and quite a few others. I think that there were new flavors every day to try. That was awesome!
Watch my Facebook Live post on this subject
Well, I hoped you gleaned a couple facts to help you to decide if a Disney Cruise is worth it to you. There are many more great things about a Disney Cruise but these were standouts for me. Do you have something different? Let us know in the comments below.
Puerto Rico is a fantastic place to visit if you are a US Citizen without a passport. Since it is a US territory no passport is needed to travel to this beautiful country. There is something in this island country for just about everyone–beautiful beaches, jungles and rainforests to explore, delicious cuisine, historic sites, and vibrant culture.
El Yunque National Forest
Just one hour from San Juan is the El Yunque National Forest. Feel free to wander through the 25 miles of trails through the rainforest and even up to the top of Mt. Britton. After visiting you can check the only US tropical rainforest off your list of must visit destinations.
San Juan Beaches
There are beautiful beach options right in the city of San Juan. You can choose to go to the more chic and trendy option of Condado Beach or Ocean Park Beach with a more laid back vibe. Another beach you might love if you are dreaming of the gorgeous sand, crystal clear water and hundreds of palm trees is Escambron Beach. Maybe you are up for a bit of an adventure. Seek out the hidden gem of Playa Pena right across from the Capitol Building.
San Juan Historic Sites
This Caribbean island has a fascinating history to explore. Spend the day touring the Spanish forts right in Old San Juan. Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Castillo de San Cristobal are within easy walking distance from each other and the cruise ship port. Take yourself back to the time of the Conquistadors and imagine how they lived and protected the island from their strategic location. As you walk through Old San Juan you can also visit the second oldest church in the Americas and the home and burial place of Ponce de Leon.
San Juan Culture
Puerto Rican culture is evident everywhere you look. From just stepping off the ship you are treated to the gorgeous colors and architecture of the Old San Juan cobblestone streets. Take a trip to the more modern areas of San Juan and enjoy the exciting nightlife, delicious restaurants, and world-class shopping.
Put San Juan, Puerto Rico on your must visit list!
Ways to get to Puerto Rico:
Flights to San Juan are only about 3 ½ hours from many mainland US cities
San Juan is a port of call on many Eastern and Southern Caribbean Cruise itineraries
Fantabulous Resorts Options in Puerto Rico (certainly not exhaustive)
Royal Caribbean: 60% off 2nd guest + Kids Sail Free (good until March 3, 2020) + Up to $150 onboard credit + get even more savings cruising Alaska
Celebrity: 1 Perk Included + Up to $500 saving/person for 1st and 2nd guest + 50% off 3rd, 4th, and 5th guest (in the same stateroom) + more perks with non-refundable fare
Norwegian: 30% off fare + Kids Free + Free Open Bar + Free Specialty Dining + Free Wifi + Free Excursions (on select cruises and some restrictions apply) + book NOW and get 50% deposit.
Princess: Best. Sale. Ever! With Gratuities, drinks and wifi included!
Viking Ocean Cruises: Special Cruise Savings + 2-for-1 Deposit
River Cruise Specials:
AmaWaterways: Triple Savings on select European, Mekong, and Holiday cruises–Up to $2000 savings per stateroom, complimentary stateroom upgrade, and $100 onboard credit per stateroom. Also 5% 2021 Early Booking Savings.
Viking Rive Cruises: Special Cruise Savings + 2-for-1 Deposit + Book Now, Pay Later + Up to FREE Airfare
Please contact me if you would like to start planning your trip to Puerto Rico or to take advantage of a cruise special! Please note: the above specials are available at the time of posting Feb 2020 and are offered for a limited time.
Book your 2021 vacation early and save on your top-choice balcony stateroom or suite!
5% Cruise Savings on Balconies and Suites PLUS up to $1,500 savings per stateroom on select departures when you book your cruise by June 30, 2020
AmaWaterways is delighted to share our incredible 2021 river cruise collection with you, which includes a brand-new Rhine River ship, AmaLucia, and four spectacular new Europe itineraries. Experience the majesty of stunning Lake Como, Italy; venture to the “Peace Capital” of Geneva, Switzerland; discover romantic new châteaux and gardens in France; and take a deep dive into Belgian history.
Whether you prefer exploring on a hilltop hike, biking through the countryside or simply enjoying the scenery from your balcony, it’s all waiting for you on an unforgettable AmaWaterways river cruise in 2021.
Dont miss out! Early Booking Reward for 2021 and 2022 Egypt Cruises
Uncover the mysteries of the Nile River and beyond on our Secrets of Egypt & the Nile cruise and land adventures beginning in 2021! Book now and save on all balcony staterooms and suites!
5% Cruise Savings on Balconies and Suites OR save $500 per stateroom on Riverview categories when you book your cruise by June 30, 2020
**Terms and Conditions apply to all discounts. Talk to your Travel Advisor for details.
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