Disney Area Timeshares and Restaurants

We buy annual passes to the Disney parks and come and go as we please. If you spend more than eight days at a Disney park in a year, then it is worth it to buy the annual passes.

Also, Sea world sometimes offers a second day free within a week's visit (check their web site).

Universal also offer specials (check out RCI's travel pages). I think Universal is great for adults or teens. If you have young children, I would focus more on Disney and Sea World.

We never run out of fun things to do in Orlando and we always try to squeeze in some beach time in Cocoa Beach, less than an hour away.

Quick Tips:

In summer, it rains mid-afternoon. Bring a poncho and take cover for the hour. The sun comes out afterward, and the parks are less crowded.

While the Disney restaurants can be fun, the food gets monotonous. For one nice meal onsite, try Ohana's. Also go for one character meal. Otherwise, travel around Orlando and try new places. Go to Celebration and try Columbia's. If you're there in December, you can see Celebration make it snow in the main town square every night.

Best Way To Get Around:

This is a perfect home base if you want to get the most out of Disney. Grounds aren’t plush, but parking is right in front of your door and everything is close. The units are beautiful with nothing lacking.

Resort Experience:
This was our second visit to this resort. Front desk had everything ready with no wait at all. The units are among the nicest in all of Orlando! Enjoyed a free barbecue by the pool with karaoke and giveaways. Pools are not as opulent as other timeshare resorts such as Vistana but are better than most hotels. Volcano in center was fun for kids. If you’re looking for a luxurious, spacious unit that is in close proximity to the theme parks, then this is the place for you. I would return here without hesitation.

Check out Joe’s Crab Shack across the street. Great seafood and fun!

The units have a large screen TV (biggest I’ve seen in a timeshare in Orlando) with a VCR (no DVD). The master bath has a large Jacuzzi. Beds are comfortable. Second bedroom in main unit is a little small and dark. Lock-off unit is very large and similar to having a second master bedroom/bathroom.

I've stayed in many Orlando area timeshares and this continues to be one of my favorites.

• Unit Type: 3 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

These are the biggest units I''ve stayed in in Orlando. Loved having two master bedroom suites. We participated in a few children''s activities. If you want a very comfortable, large unit and top-notch service, this is a great trade.

• Unit Type: 3 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Poor
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

The resort is incredibly large and requires a car to get around to most places (they also have a shuttle bus). There''s a security guard at both gates and a Publix down the road. You can fish in most of the ponds, and jet skis are available for rent on the lake. Very, very clean resort and units.

The location is further than Lake Buena Vista Resorts to non-Disney theme parks. Also, the traffic on 192 was not pleasant.

All in all, it is a great resort and I would return without hesitation.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

The pirates do their best to make you have a good time. They interact with the kids and adults. They first offer a free buffet (chips, veggies, salads) in the main room. You have to purchase your own drinks here. The homemade sangria is good, but potent! They have small shows, a few exhibits, and take your picture for purchase later. If you buy anything from the gift shop, you'll interact with the pirate there. Kids buying swords get into a sword fight that is funny. He also poses for a cute photo you can take with your own camera.

After the mini-show, you are brought into the main dinig room by the color of your ticket. If you want to be a part of the show and sit in the front row, you can pay extra (about $10) and get picked to participate.

The wine is all-you-can-drink and served in water glasses. Drink a few sips and the waitress refills it. I can tell you that I drank way too much and felt it the next day. Maybe go with the beer instead.

The kids got to dress up as pirates and shoot the bad guys with provided guns at the end of the show. They enjoyed it. From an adult's perspective, it was lame.

The food was just awful. You don't go to this show for the food.

All in all, if you pay half price, it is worth the night out with kids. My kids had fun. We had fun watching them.

Sip a margarita from their huge plastic tumblers and take home an instant margarita maker souvenir. They also offer beers and other fun party-type drinks. Try the clam chowder or lobster bisque soup (it's incredible) with big chunks of lobster (my mouth is watering thinking about it). I also like the crab popper appetizers. For dinner, enjoy the snow-crab legs (or any other variety of crab: Dungess, Alaskan, etc.). You can have your crab cooked the way you like it with different seasonings (garlic, Old Bay, barbecue, etc.) I've tried a few ways but I guess I'm a purist and like to taste the crab with it prepared steamed. You can also ask for coleslaw free of charge. Accompaniments are included in the price. Save room for dessert! Kids get to choose from different Edy's ice cream. Mine always go for the M&M.

Joe's a casual, fun atmosphere. If you go at dinnertime, you are sure to have a wait. Try getting there a little early. They have a playground outside for the kids. You can eat there and the kids can play when they're done or you can let them play while you wait to be seated or after dinner. The ground is covered in pebbles (which is a bit of a pain in their sneakers.)

One of the fun things about Joe's is their attitude. The servers are not prim and proper but kids there to serve you good food in a fun atmosphere. Every so often the disco lights blink and the servers come out dancing. Kids often get up and join in the fun. Servers wear tye die shirts which are available for purchase among other things in the gift shop.

My family purchased matching peace tie-dye shirts with their motto: "Peace, Love and Crabs," and wore them to Disney. Boy, did we get noticed! That night at Joe's, the waitress took our picture with a Polaroid camera and hung it by our table. One year later we visited and our photo was still there!

Another visit, I ordered the king crab legs. The order had several bodies and not too many legs. I didn't even say anything and the manager came over and said that he had noticed my order going out of the kitchen and ordered me another full order of legs for free! Another time, the waitress was slow and proceeded to sit at our table and crack our crab shells and get the meat out for us (wearing gloves). What amazing service!

The last tip I can offer is to go for lunch. You'll get a huge meal for half the price. Enjoy!!

RESERVATIONS: If you call ahead with a priority seating at the Sci Fi (407-wdw-dine), then you are put into a "car" with a view of the movie screen (as if you are sitting at a drive-in theater). The films are pretty funny old horror flicks, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes kind of stuff as well as black and white cartoons and News of the Day footage! However, if you don't have priority seating, you are seated in regular picnic style tables in the back. These tables resemble the outdoor tables one might have seen at the drive in years ago. It's not nearly as much fun. The waiting area is inside the door (air conditioned) and around outside. With the priority seating reservation, the wait was 5 to 10 minutes.

ATMOSPHERE: The big thrill for my boys was sitting in the front seat of the car. Each bench seat fits two, so a table for four has two people sitting behind two others. The lights are dimmed but the car has lighting on the dashboard. Some of the servers are on roller skates, which is really cute. Be aware that they don't have crayons for the kids coloring menus so the skaters don't trip. Bring a pen of your own if you want them entertained by drawing (mine got a little bored of the movies).

FOOD: The food is good--regular burgers and salads. It is expensive, however! We enjoyed the ham and cheese sandwich. It isn't anything gourmet but it's tasty. The real draw of the place is the atmosphere. Having been there once, I'm glad I went but I wouldn't go back for the food.

Try it once!

'Ohana is in the Polynesian Resort at Disney World. They offer special show nights (luaus) and regular dining with light entertainment from 5pm-10pm. 'Ohana is a place for family fun, laughter and good food. . . Hawaiian-style! They provide a family-interactive show and cater to special occasions, with everyone being called "Cousin". For example, the children were given brooms to race pushing coconuts around the room. The Hawaiian singer has fun with the guys and offers a mini hula lesson and a hula-hoop competition. Birthdays are extra special.

Your waiter will first serve you hot pineapple bread followed by your meal from three-foot skewers cooked on the 16-foot open fire pit in full view. The food is excellent (best in all of Disney). Everything is served family-style and all-you-can-eat.

Prices are:
Adults $23.99;
Children 3-11 $9.99
Price includes coffee, tea and soda, and dessert of fresh pineapple with caramel sauce.
Alternative children's selections are available upon request.

Starters include: stir-fried green beans and onions, salad with honey lime dressing, shrimp and vegetable wontons, honey coriander chicken wings, stir-fried rice, and dipping sauces: fruit, peanut, and cilantro ginger.

Dinner skewers offered include grilled tiger shrimp, marinated sirloin steak, mesquite seasoned turkey breast, and barbecued pork loin.

I enjoyed a specialty drink called the Trade Winds - Malibu and Myers rum, banana liqueur and blackberry brandy combined with pina colada mix and a dash of grenadine. For $6.99, it was worth it.

After dinner, you can take a ride on the monorail right outside the door.

Ohana means "family." This restaurant is fun for families and couples alike. I highly recommend both the atmosphere and food. Priority seating is highly suggested,

Walk to the end of Downtown Disney or to the entrance of the Animal Kingdom and you surely cannot miss the Rainforest Cafe with its elephants, giraffes, and monkeys larger than life. Parrots squawk at the tourists as tourists gawk at the parrots. It's entertainment in and of itself!

The restaurant bills itself as an adventure with guests going on a sort of safari through a tropical rainforest. The animations and atmosphere are quite elaborate and a neat gimmick. It's definitely worth a look if you've never been.

Inspired by Mexican, Italian, Cajun, or Caribbean flavors, the Rainforest Cafe's menu offers a good selection. The Rainforest Rascals children's menu is available for kids. I found their food to be very good though pricey. I particularly enjoy their salads. Be aware that the fries are seasoned and may be too spicy for children's tastes.

One thing you should be aware of is that the animals are very loud and the sound effects scared the life out of my three- and five-year-olds. The thunder and lightning mixed with the monkeys screaming forced me to leave as my sons were scared to death. You can ask to sit by a certain section (away from the monkeys or by the aquarium for example). I would suggest that you bring a young child into the restaurant before sitting down. Then, you'll know whether it's a fun or frightening experience.
I was told by the hostess that the Rainforest Café at the Animal Kingdom isn't as loud. That may be a better bet. We've eaten at Rainforests in other states and the kids weren't scared. I think the loudness at the Downtown location was the problem.

The restaurant welcomes groups of all sizes. For more information, call (407) 827-8500. For reservations for groups of 15 or larger, call (407) 827-6453.

There is an onsite store for all your tropical rainforest themed needs. Store Hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30am-11pm Fri and Sat; 11:30am-midnight. Retail Village opens daily at 9:30am.
The seating capacity at the downtown location is 692 with wheelchair access. Even with this large of a space, the wait can be long. Call ahead for reservations!

1. I usually spend the whole day at one park, but intersperse rides with shows and snacks. Getting a Fastpass every time you can (either after using one or within an hour of when you can use one--the pass will tell you when you can) guarantees that you'll go on the rides you want while avoiding waiting in long lines. Decide ahead of time which Fastpass rides are "must do" and get those passes early in the day.

2. Animal Kingdom closes early. Make that park the day you want to go to dinner outside Disney. I suggest Columbia's in Celebration (you get to see the Disney-engineered "perfect" town and have a really good Cuban meal. Try their 1905 salad. It's AMAZING!).

3. EPCOT's fireworks are the best. Get a table in Mexico if you want to get out before the crowds. Or make reservations for a late dinner in England and see the fireworks from your table in comfort.

4. The dinner in Cinderella's Castle is nice (Magic Kingdom). There are no characters, but it is magical to sit above the carousel. Many families with girls book the princess breakfast there. Get a priority seating reservation (1-407-wdw-DINE). While there, we saw Peter Pan being chased by the pirate.

5. My kids love Chef Mickey's for a character dinner. It's in the Contemporary. It's a buffet that gets everyone dancing. Another good bet is the Liberty Tavern in Magic Kingdom (for a family-style sit-down dinner with characters). My favorite is "The Land" in Epcot. It is also family-style, but the restaurant revolves and the major characters come to the table. If you don't want the dinner there, reserve the Ice Cream Social. You still get the characters, but only have to pay for dessert in the afternoon around 3pm. I'm not a huge fan of the character breakfasts. They seem expensive and cut into the best (read: most empty) time to be in the parks. Definitely make priority reservations. There isn't a charge if you don't go, but ask to be sure. Mickey's Barbecue isn't worth the price (you still have to wait in lines for characters). Buy an autograph book and a penny folder. Characters will sign the pages and penny machines are all over the parks.

6. For a special treat, you can reserve a chartered boat to take you on the Disney waters and view the fireworks. They have it for the Magic Kingdom fireworks and the Epcot fireworks. I'm not a big fan of the Epcot one as it keeps you too far away. The Magic Kingdom one was nice. You can have a little party onboard.

7. One of my favorite dinner shows in Orlando is the Wonderworks show (the upside-down building -- you can't miss it!). The free Orlando coupon books you see everywhere offer a few dollars off. It's an all-you-can-eat pizza and beer (or wine) comedy magic show. The entire family will die laughing. It is incredibly funny.

8. MGM offers a special Fantasia dinner package which gives you dinner at a restaurant and special priority seating for Fantasia. Otherwise, you will have to be there an hour before Fantasia to get a seat (not fun).

9. When you get to Animal Kingdom, go straight to the safari ride and get a Fastpass. Don't miss the Lion King show. Skip the Pocahontas show. Tarzons Rocks show is just ok. AK has a Rainforest Cafe for decent food. The diner in the dinosaur area serves McDonalds for fast food.

10. EPCOT has a few good restaurants. I have enjoyed the Japanese restaurant, the Italian restaurant (very popular), and the German restaurant (which also provides a show). Make priority seatings! Bring the kids to the Kids Zone area of each country. They'll make a mask with stamps and trinkets from each country and talk to the natives that work the tables.

I've stayed at Cypress Pointe, Sheraton's Vistana, Orange Lake Country Club, and Embassy Grand Beach.

I rate Cypress Pointe as the top resort, as it has both beautiful units and nice amenities. The pools are larger than hotel pools, though not as opulent as some resorts.

Embassy Grand Beach and Orange Lake tie for second. Embassy's unit was more spacious than Orange Lake’s, but Orange Lake far exceeded Embassy's activities and amenities. The master bedroom suites at Embassy were at the far opposite ends of the unit. Each had a king sized bed and a large full bathroom with Jacuzzi. It was nice to have two master suites. The living room was very large and had a beautiful screened lanai with nice furniture. Orange Lake is more geared for the family that wants to stay at the resort. They offer lakes, golf, playrooms, playgrounds, mini-golf, and loads of activities. The units are clean and nice though not as luxurious as Embassy. I would highly recommend staying at this resort, particularly if you could book one of the newer units.

Sheraton Vistana has the nicest pools of all the resorts. They have several sections, each with its own pool. One pool was a zero clearance, which allowed small children to play in the shallow end. They also offer activities for kids and teens. However, the unit we stayed in was so bad that I wouldn't return there. Perhaps I had a bad unit but I wouldn't chance a return visit nevertheless. Others have raved about the resort and did not have the problems I encountered.