Veg Disney – D-Luxe Burger

Hi guys!

So I’m currently in Orlando, and the other night my friends and I went to D-Luxe Burger in Disney Springs. I’ve been here before for shakes and fries (which, by the way, I strongly recommend) but this was my first time going for real food. 

Basic info: D-Luxe Burger is located in Disney Springs near Frontera Cocina and Blaze Pizza. It runs $15 and less per adult. DDP, AP discount, and CM discount are accepted. They also have a Cast Member meal. 

Unsurprisingly, D-Luxe has very limited veggie options. This veggie burger, running me about $10, is the only one. However, it’s a really high-quality veggie burger, the best one I’ve had in a long time. It comes topped with green bean salad, dill spread, lettuce, tomato, and cheese if you ask. 

I’d also strongly recommend the $8 cake batter milkshake. These shakes are average size but very filling. My friends and I always share. 

This is a short one today but as a vegetarian I normally would never have even considered D-Luxe so this felt necessary!

Song of the day: Riptide // Vance Joy

Veg Disney – Columbia Harbour House

Hi guys!

So today I’m spotlighting my home location. Harbour House is located in Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom, and y’all. It’s home. 

For guests who are pesca, this is an awesome place to eat. CHH does sell a large variety of seafood, from fried shrimp to fried pollock to salmon. However, there are also quite a few options for true vegetarians. (Side note: I very strongly recommend against eating here if you’re allergic to shellfish/any kind of seafood. Cross-contamination is highly likely, especially in a kitchen as small as ours.)

Basic info: Columbia Harbour House is a quick-service dining location eligible for quick-service DDP credits. It is in the <$15 per adult category on Disney’s website. Cast members and annual passholders do not get a discount here. 

Lighthouse Sandwich – this is my favorite menu item. The Lighthouse will run you about $11 and has tomato, hummus, and broccoli slaw (don’t knock it ’til you try it). It comes with housemade chips but don’t be shy about swapping it for another side, like fries or green beans. 

Broccoli Peppercorn Salad – this salad is also about $11 and comes with chicken, but it’s not difficult for the kitchen cast to prep it without meat and it’s also a little cheaper that way. (Pesca eaters, you can sub salmon for a little extra money.) The toppings include corn, onions, peas, broccoli, parmesan cheese, and sunflower seeds. 

Macaroni & Cheese – the mac’n’cheese runs about $13 and comes topped with shrimp, but again, you can get it without. It’s actually the same mac served over at Friar’s Nook in Fantasyland. Personally, the way I go about ordering mac’n’cheese at Harbour is ordering a kid’s meal, since it comes with two sides and a drink (I’m partial to Gogo Squeez applesauce and a cookie). Cast members won’t give adults a hard time about ordering off the kids’ menu; most of us do it ourselves to save money. 

Blueberry Cobbler – oh my god guys. My coworkers had a running joke about how much I love that dumb cobbler. It’s $5 and worth every single penny. It’s my favorite thing at Harbour and the best days were the ones when our leaders let us take some home. I’ve included a picture below of the time I was on my break and my friend was playing in the park and I got him and his girlfriend to buy me a cobbler.  

That’s all for today guys! If you have any Harbour-specific questions feel free to comment. I know that place inside and out by now. I’ll be back in Disney next weekend so let me know if you have QSR restaurant suggestions!

Song of the day: Broadway // Goo Goo Dolls

Veg Disney – 50’s Prime Time Café

Hi guys!

So for today’s review of vegetarian Disney I’m jumping over to the parks…more specifically, Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Studios is going through a lot of changes currently (Star Wars fans are in for the experience of a lifetime!) but fortunately they’re keeping one of my favorite Disney table service restaurants: 50’s Prime Time Café!

The café is centered around the theme of a small home set in the 50’s, aka the era of the Mouseketeers and poodle skirts. Your servers become your family, and they harass you just like your real family. 

Basic info: 50’s Prime Time is a table-service location eligible for the Disney Dining Plan, Annual Passholder discount, and Cast Member discount. Prices run around $15-$35 per adult. If you only want one of the famous milkshakes, there’s a bar off to the left side of the restaurant. You can order there without reservations. 

So I went here around the third week of my program and ordered the vegetable lasagna. This is the only true vegetarian item on the adult menu (there is salmon, if you’re pesca, and chicken caesar salad without chicken, if you’re extra picky), and I was wary. I’ve never been a big lasagna person, and this dish contains zucchini (my least favorite food). But I ended up loving it! It costs $19 but I did have leftovers, just keep in mind that they don’t keep for very long. This contains soy protein, mushrooms, zucchini, and a boatload of cheese. It’s honestly awesome. 

I also indulged in the café’s specialty, a peanut butter & jelly milkshake. Shakes are $7 but easily shared. I can also vouch for the malts here!

Let me know if you guys have any more questions about this restaurant, or any requests for specific restaurants in the future. Happy eating!

Song of the day: Over My Head (Cable Car) // The Fray

Veg Disney – Sanaa

Hi guys!

So about a year and a half ago I went vegetarian. This was before I started my College Program, and before that my typical dining choices at Disney consisted of chicken nuggets with the occasional cheeseburger. Because of this, my CP became a learning journey of the vegetarian options at Disney. 

So I’ve decided to write semi-regular posts detailing what I order at certain Disney restaurants, spanning parks and resorts and quick service and table service. Today I’m writing about Sanaa, which I visited for the first time for lunch in September and then again for dinner two weeks ago. 

Basic info: Sanaa is a table service restaurant located in Kidani Village (the DVC section) of Animal Kingdom Lodge. WDW’s website lists it as being in the $15-$35 price range per adult. Table service DDP credits are accepted, Annual Passholders get a 20% discount, and Cast Members get a 40% discount after 8 pm. I would recommend having a reservation but you can usually find one last-second. 

Appetizer

The bread service is the reason people dine at Sanaa, and I honestly don’t blame them. Fortunately it is 100% vegetarian. It’s $13 for three dipping sauces but I recommend splurging an extra $2 for all nine sauces. I also found that when shared with just one friend it serves as a full meal, but when shared with three it was sufficient as an appetizer. 

Entree

This is an African-inspired biryani, which is rice topped with seasonal vegetables (in my case, brussels sprouts and carrots), nuts, and paneer cheese. It’s $19 and really incredible, possibly my favorite meal I’ve ever had at Disney. I ended up having leftovers, so even though it’s pricey keep in mind it can serve as two meals. 

Dessert

This is Kenyan chocolate-coffee mousse. It cost about $8 and to the best of my knowledge is vegetarian. I split it with a friend but half-wished I could have it all to myself!

And that was my dining experience at Sanaa! Food aside, I’d highly recommend eating here for the atmosphere. We got to watch animals playing outside throughout our meal and then wandered the resort after we finished eating. All in all it was an awesome night. 🙂

Song of the day: Mess is Mine // Vance Joy

DCP – In Retrospect

I’ve been looking back on my college program a lot lately, because my departure day was 3 months ago today and I feel like overall the program truly changed my life, and I’m not sure I ever talked about it like I wanted to. 

I’ve always wanted to work for Disney, but I went into my program absolutely terrified. I remember spending the night before I left tossing and turning, scared I had made the wrong decision. This fear did not go away. It hung around until the end of my program. But the difference was that by the end, I had friends to talk to about it, friends who understood. 

The beginning of my program was like every DCP vlog you’ve ever watched. My roommates and I exchanged gifts and went to the parks and Universal and training. But honestly, the biggest turning point of my program was when I began to hang out with my coworkers. I went to Waffle House with a small handful, Ale House with another group, Not-So-Scary with a close friend, and then Horror Nights with the people who were to become my best friends. 

I feel like this night was a turning point, even though I still complain about how my friends made me go into every house. We call ourselves the bonnet babes (because we wear bonnets, and we’re all really hot) but that was the first night I really felt like a Part of Something. And that feeling remained throughout the rest of my program, on the nights I stayed up until 6:30 AM at Wal Mart with my friends and on the nights I cried because I thought I’d made a mistake going to Disney. My last week, I posted on Instagram that the bonnet made me a part of something, and it really did. It made me a part of this incredible group of people, and even now when I go back I’m welcomed instantly. My friend Beth says it feels like I never left, and it truly does. 

At the end of my program I became close to Miranda, who now is my best friend. We met her first week but never quite clicked until the end, and now I don’t know what I would do without her. That’s what Disney does, what the college program does. I can’t even believe anymore that there was a part of my life during which I did not know Miranda, and Lauren, and Bess, and Ryan, and Lexi, and Beth, and Emma, and all of the incredible friends I made. I feel like I’ve known them forever. 

This is, in essence, a thank-you blog for the people who made magic for me. You all did it every single day, whether it was by making me a Diet Coke or looking happy to see me or just being you. Everyone I met at Harbour House has the most special place in my heart, and I don’t tell them enough. So here you guys go. I love you. Never change. HAGS. Columbia Harbour House on deck until the day I die, y’all. Thanks for taking my life by storm. 

Song of the day: We Know the Way // Lin Manuel Miranda

Planet Hollywood

Hi guys!

This past week I went back home to Disney, and two of my old coworkers and I decided to try the newly renovated Planet Hollywood Observatory. Planet Hollywood has been a staple of Disney Springs since the time of Pleasure Island, so I was interested to see how they revamped it. 

For me, the best part was the movie memorabilia. Planet Hollywood used to be a 3-D collage of memorabilia, with everything kind of haphazardly pinned to the walls or suspended over guests’s heads. The new arrangement includes about four stories of varied glass display cases, organized by movie. The top floor, intended for events, has memorabilia encased in the tables too. 

The menu comes straight from the mind of Guy Fieri, so everything is extravagant, to say the least. Pictured above is my meal, a pimento mac’n’cheese grilled cheese with triple fries (basically three kinds of fries covered in seasoning that we decided was some kind of barbecue flavor). It was good for sure, but not exceptional. My friend Emma got the chicken and really liked it. 

The star of the show was definitely the supernova shake. They have three kinds: chocolate, cake, and candy. The three of us shared the chocolate one and couldn’t finish it. They’re $14 a pop so I’d definitely recommend splitting, or going to Planet Hollywood just for dessert. 

My next trip will be after spring semester and I’m hoping to try all sorts of new stuff then!

Song of the day: Paris // The Chainsmokers

Birthday at Disney

About two weeks ago I turned 20, and because my birthday was on the weekend I figured the best way to celebrate was to go to Disney World!

Cast Members are all about celebration, so if you’re wearing a birthday pin (available at any merchandise location and, I believe, any quick service location) you’re bound to get a lot of free stuff. 

My day started off at midnight with my Harbour House friends at Splitsville, the bowling alley in Disney Springs (pro tip: it’s located right next to the Orange garage, so if you’re ending your night at Splitsville, park in Orange). Splitsville is one of our favorite hang-out spots because Cast Members get bowling and shoes for $6 per person after 10 pm. 

I also did Tiana’s Riverboat Party with two of my old coordinators. I frequently worked the party during my program, but I don’t remember if I ever talked about it here. It’s a separate ticket that allows guests to meet Princess Tiana and Naveen and view Festival of Fantasy from the Liberty Square Riverboat. You also get unlimited Mickey bars, soda, popcorn, cotton candy, and other snacks, all included with the price of admission. (Insider tip: before leaving the boat, stock up on the provided nonperishables. You won’t need to buy any other snacks all day.)

At night, we had dinner at Trail’s End, the all-you-can-eat buffet at Fort Wilderness. You can get there via a boat that departs from Magic Kingdom, and cast members get 40% off (annual passholders get 20% off). I particularly liked this because while they acknowledge birthdays with free strawberry shortcake and a brief announcement, they don’t sing to you (earlier in the day, we’d visited my old restaurant and, of course, they sang to us). It’s also easier to book large reservations here than at many other restaurants on property. While most restaurants maxed me out at 8 guests, I booked 10 at Trail’s End with no problem. 

Overall, spending a birthday at Disney is an incredible experience, and you’re bound to get a bunch of magical moments. This was my first time doing something like this and I hope to do it again next year. 

Song of the day: Guys My Age // Hey Violet

Changes Since My CP

Hi guys!

So even though I only just finished my college program, Disney has already made a few changes, which means some information in previous posts is outdated. I figured I’d remedy that here with a few main points. 

• Disney now provides in-apartment wifi. In my packing post I said that they didn’t; at the start of my program, this was true. About halfway through, Disney banned personal routers and installed company wifi in all the complexes. Unfortunately, I’ve heard that it’s inconsistent, but that may be fixed within a few weeks. 
• CP’s are no longer allowed to give away shifts. This was definitely the most controversial change, and it was put into place because some CP’s would give away all their shifts and pay rent out of pocket. Basically, you can trade a shift for another shift, but you can’t give something away to have the day off. This guarantees that all CP’s will work at least five days a week (except in cases of leader-approved ADO’s…which are still an option…or call-ins). You can get a leader-approved ADO by putting in a request in the Hub 3 weeks in advance, or you can do it the day of (also through the Hub). 
• You can buy a parking pass in advance. I heard this was because parking has become so limited, but I’m not sure if that’s true. Regardless, you can do that now, I believe when you get your DORMS paperwork. 
• You find out your location in advance. During my program, you knew your role when you got accepted, and you found out your location at Casting on day 1 or day 2. As of spring 2017, your location is listed on your itinerary, as is your Traditions date. 

Disney changes things all the time so I’ll update as needed! Fall 2017 applications just opened this week, so if you have any questions, please feel free to comment below or message me on my Tumblr!

Song of the day: Where You Are // Moana

The Disney Tag

Hi guys!

So post-Disney depression is in full swing (they told me this would happen, they really did and it still sucks). I’m a passholder but it’s hard for me to go all the time so I’m kind of tiding myself over with a Disney tag! Feel free to copy the template for your own Disney blog. 🙂

1. Favorite Disney movie: either The Little Mermaid or Tangled, they’re both my favorites!
2. Walt Disney World or Disneyland: I’ve never been to Disneyland but I grew up in WDW so I feel like DLR just would never quite come close to me. 
3. Favorite Disney character: Moana!
4. First Disney movie you remember seeing in theatres: Monsters, Inc. I know it’s Pixar but still. 
5. What type of Disney item do you collect the most?: definitely mouse ears. I have the basic sequin Minnie ears, a “class of 2015” cap from my high school graduation, my Traditions cap, my DCP graduation cap, purple & green Halloween ears, green & red Christmas ears, and Christmas ears with a plaid bow. 
6. Your favorite Disney song: either the Part of Your World reprise from Little Mermaid, the Bedtime score from Little Mermaid, or Out There from Hunchback
7. Favorite park attraction: Soarin’ and PhilharMagic
8. Dream job at Disney: either a planner with Fairytale Weddings or a concierge on one of the cruise ships
9. Which character do you never want to miss meeting at the park?: I love meeting Gaston! He’s such a fun person to talk to and he makes every interaction memorable. I also really like Chip & Dale. 
10. What’s your most treasured Disney item?: my cast member nametag and my Duffy bear
11. Which Disney voice actor would you most like to meet?: if they could be a person who’s no longer living, then Walt; if they have to be living, then Idina Menzel
12. Favorite Disney movie that’s not a classic/famous: I don’t know if this counts but I love Hunchback of Notre Dame and I feel like it’s underrated
13. If you could say anything to Walt Disney right now, what would it be?: I hope I made you proud. 
14. Favorite park snack: Mickey pretzels! Also the blue raspberry slushes they sell at Liberty Square Market
15. Favorite parade/show at the parks: Celebrate the Magic and Main Street Electrical Parade, both of which were phased out of WDW 😦
16. Flounder, Sebastian, or Scuttle?: Flounder!
17. Your favorite Disney memory: finding out I got accepted to the Disney College Program
18. Do you have a favorite pair of Mickey ears?: my traditional sequin ones are my favorites!!
19. What “forgotten princess” would you add to the lineup?: Giselle from Enchanted
20. Your favorite princess dress: Cinderella’s dress from the recent live-action version
21. Your favorite Disney soundtrack: definitely The Little Mermaid. I already owned it but bought the legacy collection edition when it came out last year. 
22. Genie, Abu, Carpet, Iago, or Rajah?: Carpet or Genie, I can’t pick
23. Favorite restaurant at the parks?: I’m slightly biased because I love Harbour House with my whole heart. Other than that, Garden Grill in Epcot. 
24. How did you first discover the magic of Disney?: my parents took me to WDW for the first time when I was six, but my nursery was Winnie the Pooh-themed so it’s always been a part of my life. 
25. What attraction do you go on first when you get to the parks?: either Peter Pan’s Flight or PhilharMagic, depending on when I get there
26. Favorite iconic moment: the carpet ride in Aladdin or the Part of Your World reprise in The Little Mermaid
27. What’s the saddest moment for you in any Disney film?: when Eric goes off into the sunset with Vanessa leaving Ariel crying on the dock
28. Best Disney kiss: Flynn & Rapunzel hands-down
29. If you could live in a world from any Disney movie which would you choose: Motunui from Moana
30. Favorite Disney musical sequence based on animation: I See the Light from Tangled
31. Which Disney princess has the best sidekicks?: Moana
32. If you could have a party themed around any Disney movie which would it be?: Tangled for sure, like the Kingdom Dance scene
33. Are you the only one in your family obsessed with Disney?: yeah pretty much. They’ll go to the parks for me but it’s not their top choice for a vacation. 
34. Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, or Chip?: Chip
35. What are your top 5 favorite Disney blogs on Tumblr?: mine is girlmeetsdisney so that one; animations-daily; dcpdoodles; disneycollective; faith-trust-disney
36. If you could choose the plot for the next Disney movie what would it be?: I’m honestly not sure…maybe an Into the Woods-style movie about what happens after happily ever after
37. Favorite hotel at the parks: oh god okay so either the Boardwalk, the Polynesian, or the Contemporary. I love the Grand but I’m also perfectly content to just visit without actually staying there. 
38. Which Disney movie do you turn to when you’re sad/upset?: Lilo & Stitch
39. Aladdin show or Little Mermaid show?: Little Mermaid
40. Do you plan to have your honeymoon at the Disney parks?: I want a honeymoon on a Disney cruise tbh
41. Favorite Disney piece of clothing/accessory to wear?: it’s not explicitly Disney but I bought an Alex & Ani at Disney with an anchor on it, all of my CHH coworkers have one. I also have this white sweater with the trademarks of all 4 parks on it, it’s super comfy and I wear it all the time 
42. Post a Disney-related picture of yourself:
43. Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck: Mickey
44. Which Disney movie do you want to see in the next Kingdom Hearts game?: I don’t pay attention to Kingdom Hearts oops
45. Which Disney movie will always have a special place in your heart and for what reason?: Hercules, because it took me forever to watch it but once I did I fell in love & “Go the Distance” was my apply-for-the-DCP anthem

Song of the day: Castle on the Hill // Ed Sheeran

DCP – Things They (Really) Never Tell You

1. Some days it won’t feel like working for Disney. It’ll just feel like work. This is true no matter how much you love your location or your role.
2. You’re going to know the music at your location like you know your own heartbeat. You and your coworkers will make up dances.
3. There’s always a place at your location that people go to cry. It’s okay to utilize it.
4. There are four 24-hour restaurants near Disney property: Steak & Shake, IHOP, Waffle House, and McDonald’s. You will spend more time at these four places combined than you do at your own apartment.
5. CP housing is not fun. You will (you will) want visitors after one AM and will have to move locations. The stove won’t work and the fridge will be too small and the carpets will be stained. It will still be home.
6. You might not like your roommates, even if you matched on Facebook. People are rarely really the way they are online. That’s okay because, as previously stated, you’ll rarely be home.
7. Your coworkers will be family. You’ll spend 12+ hours with them on holidays, you’ll scream at each other when the stress gets to be too much, you’ll hurt each other’s feelings, and you’ll cry on each other’s shoulders.
8. You may get holidays off. Don’t bet money on it, but I was scheduled Thanksgiving off and my friend Skylar was scheduled Christmas off. Sometimes it just kind of happens even if everyone says it won’t.
9. Christmas is not the busiest day of the year. New Year’s Eve is.
10. Your paychecks will break your heart. This is because they list your earnings before rent and your earnings after. It hurts like hell.
11. Disney Look sucks. I’ve never ever wanted to dye my hair but now I’m doing it just to spite Disney Look.
12. Guests will probably hit on you. So will some of your coworkers.
13. You should buy a bag of black socks before you arrive. They’re $5 at Walmart and they’re (sigh) Disney Look. Laundry day is when you use the last pair.
14. It’s better than you can imagine. Whatever you think this is gonna be is wrong, because you can’t prepare for making dozens of new best friends and making incredible memories and inside jokes. There’s nothing you can do to be ready but it’s inevitable.

These goodbyes are crappy but I’m just grateful for these people. Saying see ya real soon has never been so difficult.

Song of the day: I Miss You // blink-182