During our most recent visit to Walt Disney World our family decided to try a new place-- Kona Cafe.

Kona Cafe is located in the Polynesian Resort, a Deluxe Resort, right next to 'Ohana.  With a modern Polynesian vibe the decor of the Kona Cafe really brings the restaurant to life.  Its open lay out on the second floor of the Polynesian also gives the feeling of a lot of energy inside the restaurant.

Kona Cafe is known for its breakfast service.  Its signature item is Tonga Toast-- french toast with a touch of cinnamon and stuffed with bananas.

During this trip we stopped into Kona Cafe for lunch service-- arriving without making advanced reservations, but still being able to find a table for four and a baby.

I had the Asian Noodle Bowl ($14.99)-- a mixture of spiced beef, peas, carrots and asian noodles in a warm beef broth.  My husband went with the Angus Chuck Cheeseburger ($12.99)-- which he thought was a great burger.  Our oldest son went with the Fish of the Day ($8.59) option from the child's menu, Mahi Mahi, which he enjoyed and I thought was a great healthy option.

The food was very good and a break from your typical theme park fare.  While its location does not make Kona Cafe a destination restaurant outside of breakfast, it is a great restaurant if you find yourself at the Polynesian Resort looking for a bite to eat.  I would recommend this restaurant to all of my clients.

Jenn Whitney, a Disney College of Knowledge Graduate, is a wife and mother of four children. Jenn first experienced Disney on her honeymoon and since then she has been hooked-- doing adult-only trips, large family gatherings and even traveling to Disney while seven months pregnant!  She specializes in providing best-in-class service to clients seeking vacations to Disney Destinations, cruises and the Caribbean.  Follow her on Twitter at @JennCMTravel and contact her at Jenn@WhiteGloveDestinations.com.

If you are a Walt Disney World commando than you're probably the type of person calling right at 6am, 180 days prior to your trip, in order to book your advanced dining reservations.  But if you aren't one of this hard core park experts you're probably asking yourself-- why do I need to make reservation???

With the Disney Dining Plan, Disney has made it more affordable for the average park guests to get to experience some of the amazing dining options available on property.  If you get lucky you might land a Free Dining promotion.  Even if it is not free, if you buy the Plus Dining option, which includes one table service meal, you're going to save around 20% on your meals.

These savings mean more people trying to get the ideal dining times at the most popular restaurants at Walt Disney World!

So you need to try and get ahead of the ball and make advanced dining reservations.  The likelihood of walking up to get a dining time at the more popular restaurants, especially for larger families, is very very low.  Advanced dining reservations help make sure you get the dining time and location you want.  But they fill up fast!  People start making reservations six months in advance-- so waiting until the last minute is not an option!

Does this seem a little overwhelming?  Well good news for you-- book your Walt Disney World vacation with us and we will take care of planning your travel itinerary and making your advanced dining reservations for you!  This is just one of the many FREE perks we offer clients of White Glove Destinations.

Jenn Whitney, a Disney College of Knowledge Graduate, is a wife and mother of four children. Jenn first experienced Disney on her honeymoon and since then she has been hooked-- doing adult-only trips, large family gatherings and even traveling to Disney while seven months pregnant!  She specializes in providing best-in-class service to clients seeking vacations to Disney Destinations, cruises and the Caribbean.  Follow her on Twitter at @JennCMTravel and contact her at Jenn@WhiteGloveDestinations.com.

Alright ladies we've all been there before-- you're trying to get your husband to come along on a great family trip, maybe a romantic weekend for two, and all he seems to care about is "The Game".  Well Walt Disney World has the perfect answer for you-- the ESPN Club at the Boardwalk Inn.

ESPN Club has a great menu of consisting of American sports bar favorites for the entire family.  With over 100 screens, you can watch just about any live sporting event taking place anywhere in the world!  On big game days the place is packed with sports fans rooting on their favorite teams.

You should also check out  The Yard at ESPN Club-- an urban playground-themed gameroom packed with sports video games for all ages. Go ahead and play–you won't miss your other game, as it's piped in from Sports Central. Between sessions, be sure to pick up some authentic ESPN merchandise for sale. Take one home for the team!

ESPN Club is the perfect place for a family meal or to send of your husband to watch the game as you and kids enjoy the parks.

New treats in France, a new menu at Le Cellier in the Canada pavilion at Epcot, a renovation for California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and the new Mickey Check headline Disney dining news.

•The expansive new Boulangerie Patisserie Les Halles bakery is open in the Epcot France pavilion, located in the space adjacent to the France movie theater exit.  The bakery offers sweets, soups, sandwiches, salads and authentic French dishes such as quiche and Croque Monsieur (grilled ham and cheese).  Plenty of choices are on the Disney Dining Plan. The bakery opens daily at 9 a.m., ahead of the 11 a.m. opening of World Showcase.

•The popular Le Cellier in the Canada pavilion at Epcot recently debuted an all-day menu, with Canadian-raised beef as the sophisticated star of the show, from the signature filet mignon with white truffle-butter sauce to a grilled Wagyu short rib and grilled bone-in ribeye.  The longtime favorite Cheddar Cheese Soup made with Moosehead beer stays on the menu, along with classic poutine fries with Canadian Cheddar. Pair with some of Canada’s best wines and beer from Quebec for a meal to remember.

•The new Mickey Check for Kids’ Meals is now featured in both quick-service and table-service restaurants across Walt Disney World Resort, making it easier to identify healthier food options in all of the Disney theme parks and resorts.   Kids’ Complete Meals must be ordered without substitutions and include at least three of the following food groups: fruits and vegetables; low-fat dairy; whole grains or lean protein, beans, eggs and nuts.   For more information, visit www.disneymickeycheck.com.

•California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort will reopen later this summer with new décor, a new kitchen and a new menu that’s already in the works. But Chef Brian Piasecki already has started to work on the new menu, which updates some of the restaurant’s classics, like the pork and polenta, which becomes “Pork Two Ways” with wood-fired tenderloin with goat cheese polenta, and braised lacquered pork belly with country applesauce.  Sushi also stays on the new menu.

Contact White Glove Destinations at 877-899-8912 or visit us online now to learn more about this and other dining opportunities at Walt Disney World.

Disney's Art of Animation Resort is a Disney Value Resort that offers some great amenities. Check them out below.

Amenities include:

• 4.3 cu. ft. refrigerator in suites; mini-fridge in standard rooms
• Coffee maker in Suites
• Flat screen TV
• Wireless internet access
• Concierge services

Special Features include:

• A Disney artist teaches you how to animate favorite characters in a special hands-on, interactive area
• Pixel Play Arcade-Features a variety of video games and a special area for parents to relax
• Dedicated Disney's Magical Express and airport check-in area for added comfort
• Specially-designed Guest Service desks allow Cast Members to come around and personally greet you and interact with your children
• The artwork displayed in the lobby are reproductions of actual storyboard and concept art used in creating the animated movies
• Ink and Paint Shop-offers Disney merchandise and vacation items

Landscape of Flavors Food Shops offer:

• Dining area features five distinctive food shops-The Soup, Salad and Sandwich Shop, The World Flavors Shop, The Pizza Shop, The Burger Shop and The Market
• Traditional favorites, like pizza and burgers and healthy alternatives such as egg-white fajitas, buckwheat pasta and low-fat smoothies
• Four tandoor ovens and a Magnolian grill for on-stage cooking
• Eco-friendly dining, featuring melamine plates, real silverware and recycle bins

Have you stayed at Disney's Art of Animation Resort?  What is your favorite amenity or special feature?

To find our more about Disney's Art of Animation Resort, contact us at 877-899-8912 or request your free quote online now!

During a recent trip to Disney World we took the opportunity to eat at Via Napoli in the Italian pavilion at Epcot.  And boy have we been missing some great food!

Via Napoli is located in the back of Italy.  Opened in 2010, this authentic Italian pizzeria has an open lay out with brick ovens where you can watch your pizza get made by the chefs.  While the speciality is pizza, the menu also offers a selection of pastas and salads making this a place just about anyone can enjoy.

We ate at Via Napoli during a peak season weekend and despite expected heavy crowds we actually walked up and got a table for 11 at 12:30pm.  We were shocked that the Cast Members could find seating for us, but the manager was very accommodating and found a table that could fit our six adults and five children.

For the majority of the table we ordered the house speciality-- pizza!  We selected a 1/2 meter pepperoni pizza that is listed as able to feed five, but it could easily feed six.  The price was reasonable (for Disney) at $41.  In addition to the pizza we also selected the family style salad option for $6 per person, which was a nice mixed green salad with tomatoes, olives and peppers. 

In addition to the pizza, one table guest also got the Gamberetti Fagioli ($8)-- an appetizer course with shrimp and a cannelloni bean salad.  Most of the children chose individual sized pizzas with one eating the Calzoncino-- a ham and cheese calzone.  The child entrees all cost $9.50.

The pizza was absolutely amazing.  Not only was it excellent by Disney standards, but I believe it holds up to some of the best pizzeria's I have been to across the United States.  The Gamberetti received rave reviews, which shocked me as it was just shrimp and beans tossed in a little olive oil and lemon juice, but all who tried it highly recommended the dish.  All of the children items also received strong recommendations for the younger ones in our party.

And as expected with any Disney restaurant-- the service was excellent.  We highly recommend Via Napoli the next time you are looking for a dining option in Epcot.

Featuring a large music box centerpiece nearly 7 feet tall with Belle and the Beast slowly twirling atop, the Rose Gallery is one of three dining rooms at Be Our Guest Restaurant. Adorned with rose accents, paintings and tapestries, the Rose Gallery features French-inspired cuisine for quick-service lunch.

It’s almost time! You can make reservations for you Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom® Park beginning at noon on Aug. 20 by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

You can make reservations up to 180 days out – the very first seating will be for dinner on Nov. 19 – by calling 407-WDW-DINE (3463), or visiting any Walt Disney World® Guest Relations Theme Park location or Guest Services desk at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Online reservations will be available beginning on Aug. 22. at www.disneyworld.com/dine.

On the Disney Dining Plan, Be Our Guest is one quick-service entitlement for lunch, and one table-service restaurant entitlement for dinner. When booking a reservation, you will be required to provide a credit card number in advance and you will be charged $10.00 per person if a cancellation isn’t made at least one day in advance. This helps ensure that more guests can enjoy the dining experiences available at Walt Disney World Resort restaurants.

Located at the base of the mountain below Beast’s castle, this themed venue transports diners to the magical world of “Beauty and the Beast.” Lunch is quick and casual (no reservations required), with guest-activated terminals that make ordering a snap (there also will be traditional cashiers for cash orders and special dietary requests). Once you have ordered, simply take a seat and lunch will be delivered to your table – on china, not paper. Dinner is table service.

Cuisine is French inspired to match the hit animated film’s theme. Dinner selections include the usual favorites like steak, poultry and fish; but with a French flair befitting of the environment. Grilled strip steak with pommes frites (French fries), French onion soup and thyme-scented pork chop are just a few of the things found on the dinner menu. For lunch, you will be able to enjoy salads like the tuna Nicoise and sandwiches such as the Croque Monsieur (ham and cheese) and grilled steak sandwich with garlic butter spread. There will also be heartier fare, like braised pork and vegetable quiche.

The restaurant features three themed dining rooms: the mysterious West Wing with the “enchanted rose;” the Rose Gallery with twirling, larger-than-life figures of Belle and Beast; and The Ballroom with elegant details, such as a domed ceiling, twinkling chandeliers and glimpses of softly falling snow outside.

If you are planning on taking preschoolers to Walt Disney World, then don't miss out on some great character interactions at my top 5 restaurants to take preschoolers to!

5.  Tusker House: Preschoolers will love seeing Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters all dressed up in their safari gear! The buffet here is top notch and you and your preschooler will surely find something to fill your tummies! Tusker House is located inside Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

4. 1900 Park Fare:  For breakfast, you will find Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter and more! For dinner, you can't miss the opportunity to dine with the characters from Cinderella.....Cinderella herself along with Prince Charming will make their rounds and greet your preschoolers while dining. This is also the only dining location where you will find the Evil Stepmom and Stepsisters from Cinderella. The Evil Stepmom may be a bit intimidating for your preschooler but just let your waiter/waitress know and the characters will be sensitive to this.  The Evil Stepsisters are hysterical and I think your preschoolers will enjoy their interaction.  The food here is served buffet style and again, you are bound to find something that your preschooler will enjoy eating! 1900 Park Fare is located inside Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, next door to Magic Kingdom.

3. Garden Grill: Open only for dinner, this restaurant, located inside 'The Land' at Epcot, is sure to please any preschooler with the added feature that this restaurant rotates while you dine! So fun!  Plus, you will get to visit with Mickey, Minnie and Chip n Dale. Food here is served family style so that makes it even more convenient when traveling with preschoolers....no getting up and down to fill your plates!

2. Crystal Palace:  Located inside Magic Kingdom, this dining location offers character buffet dining with Winnie the Pooh and Friends!  Crystal Palace serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and will offer something for every palate. Plus, since it is located within Magic Kingdom (probably your preschoolers favorite theme park) you won't have to travel far to dine with characters! 

1. Disney Junior Play 'n Dine at Hollywood and Vine:  Character dining at breakfast and lunch only, this is the most popular dining spot for preschoolers. Located inside Disney's Hollywood Studios Theme Park, your little ones will love meeting the following Disney Junior characters: June from Disney's Little Einsteins, Jake the Neverland pirate, Handy Manny and Special Agent Oso.  Food is served buffet style and if you can get a reservation for 8am, you will be able to enter the theme park before general public enters!

What is your favorite dining location when traveling with preschoolers?

Contact White Glove Destinations at 281-380-3437 or visit us online now for more information on this and other great dining experiences at Walt Disney World. 

Taste your way around the world.....Walt Disney World that is!

Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
September 28-November 11, 2012
Contact us now at 281-380-3437 or visit us online now for your free vacation quote!