California Grill at Disney World's Contemporary resort

California Grill is a spectacular restaurant.  It is one of Disney World's signature restaurants near the Magic Kingdom, at the Contemporary Resort. 

I was thrilled when I found out the first night of my travelingmom.com conference would be spent dining at the California Grill.  I had always wanted to go there.  I had heard nothing but fabulous things about it for years.  I assumed eating here would be the highlight of my trip and it was.  It was even better than I had built it up to be in my mind.  The only thing I found disappointing was that I was not able eat more.

The atmosphere was bustling with energy and good times.  The views were outstanding.  You can see the firework show at the Magic Kingdom. (We watched the fireworks show from the roof of the Contemporary resort in between courses!) You can also see the Electrical Water Pageant at the Seven Seas Lagoon. 

Then came the exquisite food!  Course after course it just kept getting better.  The reception began with sushi and pizza, both incredibly fresh and delicious.  The appetizer was a Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Pesto, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Basil. Shown in this picture. 

 Every course was a surprise since we were given no menus.  With that in mind I had no idea what would be coming out for the entree.  As you can see from my picture below the entrees did not disappoint.  They were all beautifully presented and delicious. 

• Oak-fired Filet of Beef, Dauphinoise Potatoes with Smoked Bacon, Ginger-Scented Carrots, and Teriyaki Barbecue, 
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Goat Cheese Polenta, Roasted Mushrooms, Zinfandel Glaze, and Sage
• Crispy Chicken and Leg Confit, Heirloom Pumpkin with Pecans, Winter Vegetables, Tangerine-Pomegranate Jus
  Dinner finished with a perfect dessert of Bananas and Caramel: Crispy Baked Phyllo Squares layered with Banana, Caramel, Mascarpone Mousse, and Caramelized Banana.

Children are more than welcome and don't forget to check the dress code before you go.


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Free stuff around Disney World

English: ' observation balloon ride at Downtown Disney in Orlando, Florida. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We can no longer use our annual passes to get into Disney because the expired. Such a bummer. And we just found out that we might be going to Orlando for the New Year. My husband might do the fly by for the Capitol One Bowl game. So, I have begun looking for things to do with our kids that will be fun and won't break the bank! Here is what I have found so far:

You can park for free at any Disney resort, you just have to ask for the 3 hour parking pass!  You can also park at Downtown Disney for free.

Every night, beginning at 9 pm, the Electrical Water Pageant makes it's way around Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. It can be seen from 5 of the resorts. You could go to The Grand Floridian and then walk down to the beach and see the Pageant and the fireworks at Magic Kingdom.

Disney's Boardwalk is located right outside Epcot and modeled after Atlantic City's boardwalk. Every night they play a Disney movie and have a campfire on the beach side. The kids can play in the sand while they watch the movie. Apparently if you are around when they do Illuminations at Epcot, you can see a lot of the fireworks and hear the music. (we will definitely do this, because when we where at Epcot, we could barely see!) Sometimes there is a magician there. You can also take a boat ride.

Fort Wilderness Campground has a bonfire every night (around 8 pm) for free. It starts with a sing-a-long, Chip and Dale come for a meet and greet and then they play a Disney movie for free. You can bring items to make your own s'mores or you can buy it there. They also has a free petting zoo and you can visit the barn where they house the horses they use on Main Street. Small children can enjoy pony rides.

Animal Kingdom Lodge has over 100 grazing animals on property. You can view them for free. There is a place set up for kids to play musical instruments from Africa inside the gift shop.

Downtown Disney is free and there are lots of shops and restaurants. There are full size statues of Disney characters. My kids love the Lego store. They have an area set up where the kids can build and a playground. There are also really large Lego creation around the store. The Ghiradelli Chocolate store is always giving out free samples! My kids also like watching the hot air balloon go up and down.  Most nights there is a family friendly DJ near the toy store.  (He is really good)

The Gaylord Palms – My step mom said this was worth checking out! There is a large atrium with three destinations The Everglades which has REAL alligators, a Spanish Castle with pathways through the everglades and Key West – there is a large boat which is a bar inside the atrium. You do have to pay for parking however.


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