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You will now need to check Disneyland and Disney World menu’s for future dining for the kids options to see if there are items your pickey eaters will eat. Disney has changed up the menu’s to have a more rounded meals for your children. You now many not be able to find pizza, chicken nuggets, or macaroni and cheese.

This change to the kids menu has been done at both quick service restaurants as well as table service. It id to meet calorie, saturated gat, sodium, and sugar 2006 nutrition guidelines.

So, what kind of changes will you have? How about a seared salmon, spaghetti, broccolini and frsh fruit at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland. Le Cellier will have a grilled sirlion with green beans and brown rice.

How will these changes affect your dining? Do you like them? No matter – I do believe that parents should be given a choice and I do have a nephew that will only eat chicken nuggets and pizza (I know – not good) and I wonder what his parents would do with this new Disney Menu.

Looking to sail on the Disney Cruise Line in 2014? On 12/09/2012 Disney will be releasing the availability to book your 2014 sailing. However you can book now with a Travel Agent. I have booked my 2014 Cruise and will be sailing to the Eastern Caribbean on Disney’s Fantasy in March as I already book my Oceanview stateroom. Get to booking, since as you know that you get the best rate if you book early. Where do you want to go?

The 2014 Disney Cruise Line Itineraries will be departing from Port Canaveral as well as Miami and will feature stops at Castaway Cay. Lets look at your options.

2014 Disney Cruise Port Canavaral Itineraries

• Three-night Bahamian
  Rates start at $420 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.
  Ports: Port Canaveral, Nassau, Castaway Cay
  Dates: Disney Dream departures Jan.-Aug., 2014; Disney Magic departures Jan.-May, 2014
• Four-night Bahamian
  Rates start at $480 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.
  Ports: Port Canaveral, Nassau, Castaway Cay
  Dates: Disney Dream departures Jan.-Aug., 2014; Disney Magic departures Jan.-May, 2014
• Seven-night Eastern Caribbean
  Rates start at $1,155 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.
  Ports: Port Canaveral, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Castaway Cay
  Dates: Disney Fantasy departures Jan.-Aug., 2014
• Seven-night Western Caribbean
  Rates start at $1,120 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.
  Ports: Port Canaveral, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Castaway Cay
  Dates: Disney Fantasy departures Jan.-April, 2014
• Seven-night Western Caribbean, including Jamaica.
  Rates start at $1,120 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.
  Ports: Port Canaveral, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Falmouth, Castaway Cay
  Departure dates: Disney Fantasy departures May-Aug., 2014

2014 Disney Cruise Miami Itineraries

The Disney Wonder will sail from Miami in January to May 2014. The rates start at $352 per person for four-night cruises and $440 for five-night cruises departing from Miami for a standard inside stateroom, this is based on double occupancy.

• Four-night Bahamas
  Ports: Miami, Castaway Cay, Nassau, Key West
  Departure dates: Jan. 15, 29, Feb. 12, 26, March 12, 26, April 9, 23
• Five-night Caribbean
  Ports: Miami, Grand Cayman, Cozumel
  Departure dates: Jan. 10, 24, Feb. 7, 21, March 7, 21, April 4, 18
• Five-night Caribbean, including Castaway Cay
  Ports: Miami, Cozumel, Castaway Cay
  Departure dates: Jan. 19, Feb. 2, 16, March 2, 16, 30, April 13, 27

You will end up seeing other 2014 Disney Cruise Line Itineraries coming out at a later date I would wager. Book these cruises now!

When traveling to Disney World and going on the wifi systems at your hotel, make sure you understand that depending on where your room is, you might not have the best service, and if you are like me on this trip, the service was nonexistent. When we came into our room we tried to connect on the wifi with many different devices with many different operating systems and nothing worked. So, what can you do if this happens to you?

When I called tech support the lady I spoke to said she never has anyone with problems and she booked a technician to come to our room. Well, I am guessing that she doesn’t get complaints since we called so early, since the technician said they have so many problems that they work on the wifi system all day. He also said they weren’t trained well in it, so getting it fixed isn’t always the best. Well, he couldn’t do anything and left.

He did tell me some interesting things. I was told that the boxes that route the signals are just about in every few rooms. So, if you connect to a bad box you may be able to disconnect and hit a better one. He also said due to the construction type of the building that the coverage isn’t always as good.

So, still had many problems; Iphones/Ipad would not connect, my wife’s netbook would not connect, and my computer would connect but would go to limited access with no internet. At this point I called again and the tech support person escalated this to a level 2 technician. He went through all the settings on the boxes and saw more of the problems in which he sent over a technician to fix.

The point of all of this, if you can connect at home you should be able to connect at Disney World. Remember, it not you it’s them. Just call the Disney tech support for assistance and keep calling until you get it fixed. Likely unless you are in a room with a good wifi box you will have problems. I know it took me two days to get it fixed only for it to break again on day 5. At that point you will be spending more time with tech support.

The Disney Hotel wifi system is a horrid system and their techs need way more training in it.

To call Disney tech support dial 56 on your phone.

I did find the Wifi in the parks to be off and on. It all depends where you are at on how good you connect!

The sun and gorgeous weather of Southern California make it the ideal playground for family vacations and road trips. Places like Disneyland and SeaWorld bring out the kid in vacationers of all ages and make a trip to southern California memorable. To continue making memories in Southern California, there are several must-see attractions in the cities of San Diego, Anaheim and Los Angeles and a Southern California CityPASS can help you save money on visiting the big ones. However, there are a few others you should consider seeing while you’re in the area.

How does it work?

With the Southern California CityPASS, guests can gain admission with a 3 day Park Hopper discount pass to Disneyland and California Adventure, including one Magic Morning admission which allows you to enter Disneyland one hour early. That same CityPASS also offers visitors discounted one day passes to both SeaWorld and Universal Studios, allowing families to participate in the fun world of southern California amusement parks.

San Diego

The city of San Diego is the second largest city in California and sees an approximate amount of 30 million visitors a year. Because of such a high tourism industry, it has resulted in San Diego having some of the best tourist attractions in the world. Places like the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld play host to thousands of guests a day and see returning visitors every year… making San Diego the place to create a complete southern Californian experience.

• San Diego Zoo

More than 3,700 animals reside in the San Diego Zoo and the main and most appealing attraction is that of the giant panda that calls the zoo home. The zoo is one of a very few zoos that can facilitate a giant panda and that alone makes a trip to the zoo a memorable and enjoyable experience.

• San Diego Museum of Art – Not in the Citypass, but worth Doing!
  

Half a million guests attend the San Diego Museum of Art each year to view its collection of Spanish influenced art and exhibits from the eras of 5000 BC to 2001 AD. This cultural iconic museum is a key attraction in the world of San Diego tourism.

• SeaWorld

No trip to San Diego is complete without a stop at the famous SeaWorld. This marine amusement park allows its guests to have up close views of polar bears, sea turtles, sharks, whale and penguins, among other marine animals. Live shows and a gliding coaster complete this memory making experience and have put SeaWorld on the list of must-go places for Southern California tourists.

Anaheim

Anaheim is home to the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland and the famous Angel Stadium, making it a must-go place on the list of cities to see in California.

• Angel Stadium of Anaheim – Not in the Citypass, but worth Doing!
  

Home to the American League baseball team, the Los Angeles Angels, “The Big A” is a stadium to take in a baseball game with family and friends. Hopefully the Angels will win the game and visitors can shout with fans, “Light up the Halo!”

•   Disneyland & California Adventure

Disneyland is a place to create memories and the number one reason guests visit the city of Anaheim. Perfect for every family vacation, Disneyland and California Adventure offer one of a kind walks down memory lane for the young and old with new attractions, iconic Disney characters and a world of make-believe.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles is the central hub for all the cities in southern California. Home to Hollywood, Rodeo Drive and Universal Studios, LA offers its guests a bit of glamour mixed with immeasurable fun.

• Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – Not in the Citypass, but worth Doing!

Located on the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Grauman’s Theatre is a symbol of old and new Hollywood glamour for locals and visitors alike. Guests can place their hands in the prints of famous celebrities like Harrison Ford or Judy Garland and take in a movie with a tour in this iconic LA attraction.

• Santa Monica Pier – Not in the Citypass, but worth Doing!

This hundred year old Los Angeles landmark is home to an ocean side amusement park that attracts visitors and guests from all over the world. Featured in several films and holding a special heart to Angelenos, the Santa Monica Pier is a must-see for visitors to the southern California region.

• Universal Studios

For the complete Hollywood experience, Californian guests attend the fabled amusement park, Universal Studios. Travelers can ride film inspired roller coasters, experience 3D movies and walk through epic movie sets, taking in the last of the great southern Californian tourist attractions.

Experience Southern California with CityPASS

Traveling to all of these wonderful Southern California attractions can an exciting and memorable experience but in all honesty, family vacations to each of these places can be expensive. The Southern California CityPASS has created an alternative to expensive park fees through creating a program that allow families to see the wonderful theme parks of San Diego, Anaheim and LA for a reasonable price.

The event is a ton of fun. You get to see some amazing parades and shows as well as getting a ton of candy.

Here you can view the Headless Horseman as he comes before the parade starts.

Check out the Villains Mix & Mingle.

• Cuisine: Southern European inspired American
• Meal Style: Signature Dining
• Meal Seatings: Dinner
• Character Dining: No
• Location: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney Dining Plan Credits: 2 Table Service Credits
• Tables in Wonderland: Yes
• Reservations: Required
• Price Range: $$$

Citricos is located at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa at the Walt Disney World Resort. Cuisines from Europe as well as the United States are fused together to create the dishes at Citricos. Citricos has a proper four course meal comprised of appetizers, soups and salads, entrees and desserts is offered for your enjoyment.

Citricos  being a Signature Dining restaurant means that when you make your reservation, you are asked for a credit card and the new more stringent reservation cancellation guidelines are in place for this restaurant. There is also a dress code for Citricos Restaurant, but it’s been relaxed a bit, you’re ok in t-shirt and jeans as long as nothing is ripped up and the t-shirt is inoffensive, but no tank tops, hats, cutoffs, torn clothing, or swim wear is allowed and I would suggest trying to dress a little nicer since Citricos is an expensive restaurant.

Citricos Menu

The entire menu at Citricos includes wine pairing ideas for each item, as well as an extensive wine list and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic offerings.

The Citricos appetizers served in this restaurant include Italian, French, and Spanish dishes as well as American food. A crispy risotto made with Italian sausage, cheese and a white truffle sauce, along with a panada spiced with beef and pork served with tamarind sauce are served here as appetizers. Other Citricos appetizers include the selection of three cheeses which showcases offerings from Florida, as well as Spain and France and the sautéed shrimp which is served with Tuscan pasta, lemon, white wine, tomatoes and feta cheese.

The Citricos Soup and Salad offerings are heavy on the salads, none of which are your traditional garden salad. There is a special heirloom tomato offering made with mozarella cheese, olive oil, basil, balsamic glaze and served with a breadstick. The Romaine lettuce salad is probably the most tradidtional salad offering, being lettuce served with anchovies, parmesan cheese, and a citrus-garlic emulsion. The soup is a gazpacho made with tomatoes, shrimp, cucumbers, and a vinegar-lime ice. But the most unique offering for this course is probably the Charcuterie, made with multiple types of meat; plus cheese, dates, fennel, and almonds.

Citricos entrees consist of dishes made using chicken, pork, veal, beef, fish and tofu. Vegetarians can opt for the seared tofu which is accompanied by mushrooms, a sun-dried tomato puree, lentils, and ratatouille. The braised short ribs are served with pasta, mushrooms and crème fraiche. The chicken breast is pan roasted with a nectarine glaze, served with a sweet potato hash, summer squash, and bacon sherry vinaigrette. The pork dish is cooked and served in two different styles, as a rotisserie pork tenderloin and as a braised pork belly served corn salsa and cheddar polenta. The Braised veal shank is served with carrot-potato puree, toasted citrus gremolata and roasted vegetables. The beef filet is oak grilled and served with Spanish onions, several different peppers and Quattro Formaggi potatoe puree. The black grouper is pan seared and served with pasta and a variety of shellfish. The salmon is served with a green pea dish and a cabernet risotto.

The desserts served here at Citricos includes a seasonal berry dish, a flavored cheese cake, and tiramisu as well as the gelato trio which contains three flavors of gelato, the tropical fruit crème brulee and the chocolate banana torte. The no sugar added option is the granny smith green apple sorbet.

As with pretty much all Disney restaurants, there is a separate menu for kids available at Citricos. However, unlike some restaurants at Disney World which offer a kids meal that includes appetizer, entrée and dessert selections for one price, the kids menu at Citricos is a la carte, meaning if your little one wants an appetizer, entrée, and dessert you will be paying for each item. But on the other hand, if they only want an entrée then you don’t have to worry about paying for food that will go to waste. The appetizers for kids are carrot and celery sticks, cheese and grapes or the romaine salad. The chicken noodle soup is available for kids who like soup. The entrees for kids include peanut butter and jelly sandwich, pasta, macaroni and cheese, crisp fried shrimp, grilled beef tenderloin and the grilled chicken breast. The desserts for kids include a plain ice cream scoop, build your own ice cream sundaes, fruit salads and éclairs.

Citricos is a nice restaurant worth trying, you will find the menu to be filled with dishes that tend to be very good. The food at Citricos isn’t for everyone, so I would review the menu to make sure that there is food that fits your tastes before making a reservations. We ate at Citricos last night and I found the food to be much better than I was expecting. We tried the three cheese appetizer and found it to be tasty, but wished it had maybe one more type of cheese for the price. I had the veal shank and my husband had the pork two ways. The veal came out and it looked amazing, and the taste wasn’t far off. It is hard to get used to eating the marrow from the bone, since it has a fatty consistency, and I’m not really into it.

John had the pork two ways and both were good. The pork belly has a fat layer that is also hard for us to get through, but not thinking about it made it a very nice flavor of meat with a sweet undertone. Not being into brussel sprouts, I found this side over the polenta to be very good.

Citricos really surprised me, I always looked at the menu and didn’t think the flavors were for us. What this tells me is that you need to try new foods and you can be amazed at the flavors you end up liking. Check out Citricos, as we really liked it.

When Disney decided to expand their park offerings to a wild animal park, it only made sense to include an African-themed lodge in the middle of the 43-acre wildlife preserve thus Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge was built. Solidifying the commitment of the park to educating the public about wildlife and the needs of all people the world over, this park and the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge work to showcase the importance of the animals.

You will also find that Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of the Disney Vacation Club hotels so if you are looking to buy into, you do have access to many sizes of rooms.

One of the best parts of the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is that you can see the animals, and even at night, from this hotel. The African style artifacts will make you feel like you are on a real safari in Africa. You have panoramic views of the surrounding savanna and you will be able to look out at the animals any time of day or night from up high or the special glass observatories. You can even make reservations for the Wanyama Safari for an up close and personal experience with the wildlife. The Waynyama Safari is only for guests of the hotel, and you get dinner at Jiko as well as a Safari drive which gives you some time to learn about the animals.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Activities

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, as with many of the other Disney resorts you have access to the community hall for play time with foosball, pool, video games and various arts and crafts for rainy days. You can hit up the playground, appropriately named Hakuna Matata or enjoy movies under the stars every night, weather permitting. The Samawati Springs is a 4700 square foot pool with a long slide and attached hot tubs for all to enjoy.

The Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Fitness center and jogging trails are a great way to stay on top of your training even when on vacation. Simba’s clubhouse is on the first floor of the pool deck and you can send the kids there for various daily activities. Specifically set up for this hotel are various animal programs so you can get up and close with some of the local wildlife like giraffes. Uwanja camp is a observation themed water playground that gives kids a chance to play with various water guns.

Dining Options

You will find some amazing restaurants located within.. Specific to the African themed Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge you can enjoy Boma-Flavors of Africa. These meals will be interesting and unique, but works as a buffet so you can pick and choose what you eat. The food featured represents many different countries. You can find Boma in the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House.

The more expensive option is Jiko, where you can watch the sunset. This is a marriage of African, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine and you can even pair it with wine. If you are looking for something fast, hit up the Mara, open from breakfast to dinner you can pick from soups, sandwiches and pizza to then get on your way to the park or whatever other plans you may have. For adult beverages you can check out Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar or Victoria Falls. Sanaa is a sit down tandoor style food restaurant located in the Kidani Village.

Amenities

You can order Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge room service six am to midnight everyday. You can choose from the African inspired food and the regular American fare. If you want to enjoy food on your balcony for sunset, feel free to pre-order. The concierge will help you with tickets for the park or any type of reservations you might need. This includes restaurants on premises or in the surrounding area.

You can also count on Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge for great babysitting if you want a night out on your own. You will never have to move your car as the shuttle service will take you to any place you’d like to go at the Walt Disney World Resort. It is nice to know you have all the transportation you need.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is truly unique and for the animal lover is probably the best choice. You will enjoy the proximity to the animals as well as the ability to scope out the animals early in the morning and late at night. It gives you a once in a lifetime experience of being close to animals without having to travel all the way to the true African desert.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a nice hotel with some great dining options and an amazing pool. The only problem we have with Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is the distance to the other parks. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a must do for the food.

• Cuisine: Irish
• Meal Style: Quick Service
• Meal Seatings: Lunch & Dinner
• Character Dining: No
• Location: Pleasure Island District of Downtown Disney
• Disney Dining Plan Credits: 1 Quick Service Credit (also offers items on Snack Credits)
• Tables in Wonderland: No
• Reservations: Accepted, but Not Required
• Price Range: $

Cookes of Dublin is, as pointed out by the name, a themed restaurant that brings to Disney World the foods served in Ireland. The Cookes of Dublin restaurant is easy to find in the Pleasure Island portion of Downtown Disney. The restaurant is located right next to Raglan Road, a sit down restaurant also specializing in Irish cuisine. Right from the entrance you can tell that Cookes of Dublin is a different kind of counter service eating establishment. The views from the Cookes of Dublin windows are full of the action of Downtown Disney and can be pretty impressive, especially during the evening. At times, you wont be able to find a seat, since this counter service restaurant has very limited seating. So, try to eat not at peak times, this way you can be sure that you will be seated at your favorite spot.

The special light batter used in the Irish recipes served here at Cookes of Dublin is a secret handed down for generations in the ruling family of the restaurant, Cooke. They admit no compromises in quality; so they strive to offer the best quality meals and service. The highest standards are met at Cookes of Dublin and this may be the most positive aspect of the whole venue that you will be treated with maximum respect and you will not be able to complain about the served food, created using unique recipes.

Cookes of Dublin Menu

Even if the Cookes of Dublin menu entries are limited, the choice will still be hard to make, because of the uniqueness of each dish. Battered chicken served on a skewer with a portion of chips may be an easy choice, but when you discover the Georges Bank Atlantic Scallops or the Smoked Haddock Pie, you will find it hard to stick with the first option. A special recipe is served by Cookes of Dublin as an entrée, The Original One & One – an order of classic fish and chips, which should also be taken into consideration. The only side dish available for purchase is a portion of fresh chips but this is not an impediment, as every main dish is already garnished with a lot of tasty ingredients.

When you order a Cooke’s of Dublin dessert, you will discover that Cookes of Dublin is not the place to start a diet. The unique Doh-Bars are created to give you a unique dessert experience, and even they appear as simple fried candy bars, the recipe used for their preparation is unique, the secret being well kept in order to create such a great product. Children can also purchase different Cookes of Dublin menu entries, such as Baby Sausages & Chips, Battered Chicken Skewer & Chips or a more familiar choice, Fish and Chips.

If you enjoy your Cookes of Dublin fish & chips with a nice pint, this is probably not the place for you since Cookes of Dublin does not serve anything but sodas and water. But the drinks can pretty much be ignored; with such great meals at your finger tips, literally. You may find you only want water so as not to disturb the flavors of your Cookes of Dublin meal.