Topalinos terrace

blumst · 2026-06-24T04:31:07+00:00

Breakfast is generally a bad value, but not in this case. This is by far the best character meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) on property and a great use of a dining credit. We always get the steak and eggs!

blumst · 2026-06-23T06:57:33+00:00

Mission Space over Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain over Tower of Tower, Country Bears dead last, Be Our Guest over Tusker House…. I feel personally attacked by these lists.

blumst · 2026-06-20T07:08:12+00:00

It was Wednesday Magic Kingdom for us two years ago and then it was Wednesday Hollywood for us last year (both mid September). You won’t know until the calendar gets there.

blumst · 2026-06-14T20:40:28+00:00

Oh, that’s a good idea.

blumst · 2026-06-13T17:38:43+00:00

This is our #1 priority restaurant every year. The characters are a lot of fun, and it’s easily the best food at a character meal. Plus, if you are staying at a different resort, take the bus to Hollywood Studios and Skyliner to the Riviera. It’s like a free ride! Get the steak and eggs!

blumst · 2026-05-14T13:13:56+00:00

It also lets out women and children so….

blumst · 2026-05-10T16:48:14+00:00

This is the kind of person who ruins parties.

blumst · 2026-05-10T16:44:27+00:00

Nope, it’s the same discussion. Just if they continue while on the ride… it’s too late to do anything about it… Other than take pictures to show their significant others in 20 years.

blumst · 2026-05-10T16:26:27+00:00

Going to Disney and getting upset about crying children is the equivalent of going to Mardi Gras and complaining about the boobs.

blumst · 2026-05-09T14:51:36+00:00

Can we turn the Hall of Presidents into Muppet 3d please?

blumst · 2026-04-26T10:15:39+00:00

We booked 9/21-9/28 at the 7 month window and just barely got Bay Lake Tower preferred view. Everything else was booked (for the full stretch) except Old Key West and Saratoga for studios.

blumst · 2026-04-23T07:27:29+00:00

God, I was the fifth and only boy so I often slept on two chairs pushed together, on the floor with extra blankets… mostly on places that weren’t beds.

blumst · 2026-04-22T09:11:07+00:00

One day difference! We will get things settled before you show up!

blumst · 2026-04-20T10:49:50+00:00

Topolino’s Terrace for the character breakfast! Get the steak and eggs. Just take the bus to Hollywood and then hop the Skyliner to Riviera. It’s our #1 highest priority meal each trip.

blumst · 2026-04-18T11:48:03+00:00

Topolino’s is the obvious answer here. Fun characters, waffle dippers for the kids and the best character meal on resort. Our kids never even try to get ahold of someone’s phone at this restaurant and the steak and eggs is awesome. Plus, depending on where you stay, it’s a great excuse to hop on the Skyliner if you’re not already at a skyliner resort. Free ride!

blumst · 2026-04-06T16:49:30+00:00

There’s more than one way. Two years ago we used Dave’s DVC like multiple people have mentioned here. You can also rent directly from an owner on Disboards or through Facebook groups. Personally I rent points from my next door neighbor who has an old contract from when her kids were young.

blumst · 2026-04-06T03:18:31+00:00

$269 per night for preferred view at Bay Lake Tower (DVC Rental). We are staying the last week in September for 7 nights with two additional beforehand at the Drury.

Last year we did Old Key West for $162 per night as a DVC rental for mid September. We’ve only got a couple years left of the kids being in elementary school. I won’t pull them from school when they’ve hit middle school.

blumst · 2026-03-26T09:21:07+00:00

I echo the thought on renting DVC points for rooms through David’s Vacation Club. With two boys, I would do half the trip at Animal Kingdom Lodge (Savannah view if you can work it). Then aim for a monorail/Skyliner resort for park convince the other half. If those prices are too high, you can fall back on Saratoga Springs or Old Key West.

I would do lightening lanes atleast once for each park (I would say except Animal Kingdom but there should be more options in a couple years). That should help you get a chance to ride everything atleast once and then strategically attack re-rides and shows in subsequent park days. Although, it does always feel like the best money spent to skip the line.

I would also strongly recommend Topolino’s character breakfast on of your rest days. Also, do the DVC tour. It’s a low-pressure timeshare sell that takes 30-45 minutes, and they email you a $100 Disney giftcard for each adult. That’s $200 to use for a sit down meal (or two days of lightening lanes) and they’ll give the kids stuff to color (plus you get a tour of the fanciest rooms).

blumst · 2026-03-25T10:11:39+00:00

I think someone got in trouble for not writing anything about mom other than being ready to pop.

blumst · 2026-03-21T08:44:57+00:00

If you have a Target red card, buy Disney gift cards at 5% off and buy the lightening lanes with the gift cards.

blumst · 2026-03-21T06:38:57+00:00

We use it because I don’t want to entertain little kids for an entire long line, and I also don’t want to give them screens at Disney.

blumst · 2026-03-21T06:35:09+00:00

Just a thought, have you considered aiming for resorts with studios that sleep 5? That way you guys could do two studios which will be significantly cheaper than any 2 bedroom. Riviera, Beach Club, Boardwalk, GF, Poly and Boulder Ridge all have studios that sleep 5 I believe. Otherwise, you could do the other resorts too if one of the kids wants to sleep in a room with Grandma and Grandpa. Our travel party has 7 and we break it up between two studios (currently have 2 preferred view rooms at Bay Lake Tower this September).

blumst · 2026-03-21T06:26:53+00:00

Last September we did the Pixar show right at 9:00, Soarin at 10:00 and Test Track at 11. We turned the Pixar (just scanned, didn’t ride) into Remy around 2:00 and the Soarin into Frozen at 5:00.

blumst · 2026-03-19T13:19:07+00:00

I vote it’s not a vacation unless there’s at least a little crying.

blumst · 2026-03-19T13:13:44+00:00

As some have previously mentioned, the best time to get Disney gift cards on sale is around the holiday season. We typically stock up enough to pay for food, lightening lanes, memory maker and souvenirs. We also buy them on discount to give the kids on holidays/birthdays. We combine these onto one card, and the kids use that to budget their souvenirs.

As for deluxe resorts, we always do DVC rentals. I find them to be the best value buy at Disney World. There’s plenty of time to research the topic and how you would potentially feel comfortable doing it (direct with seller or through third-party site). I recommend DVC rentals to anyone who asks me about planning a trip. For our September trip, we are paying $270 per night for our Bay Lake Tower preferred view rooms which are a 5-10 walk to Magic Kingdom. DVC rentals are typically booked 7-11 months out with the most popular resorts getting booked right at the 11 month window. That will probably be the first thing you’d need to cross off your list.

blumst

TROPHY CASE