Trip Tales: May 2025, pt. 2
All four parks in two days, plus an all-time favorite character meal
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Happy Wednesday, readers! I’m back with a second installment to this Trip Tales series where I chat about the next two days of our recent vacation to Walt Disney World. If you missed the first post, it can be found below:
We’ve got lots to cover so grab a nice snack and/or beverage and let’s get going!
The trip digest
Trip dates: Saturday, May 3rd to Friday, May 9th, 2025
My travel party: I was with my husband 95% of the time, but seven members of my immediate family were also there
Resort(s) we stayed at: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (one night) and Animal Kingdom Lodge — Jambo House (five nights)
Overall weather conditions: Warm, sunny, and sticky
Theme of the trip: “We’re doing everything, baby - eating, riding attractions, relaxing, shopping, resort-hopping, you name it!”
Number of days using Lightning Lanes: Every park day, which ended up being five days
Walking mileage: A whoppin’ 62 miles
Times we got rained on: Only a few times but one instance was…kinda brutal
Day 3: Wildin’ out at Animal Kingdom, basking in Magic Kingdom golden hour, and trying a new-to-us restaurant
We woke up to our first morning at Animal Kingdom Lodge and, well — we swapped power washers for honking flamingos but I have to say that I much prefer the latter. The early hours of this resort are some of my favorite. It’s so peaceful, and the way that the soft sun hits the pool area always makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside.
It was an Animal Kingdom day and since we were so close to our morning destination, we slept in a lil’ bit and arrived just after park opening around 8:20 a.m.
Our first Lightning Lanes (“LLs”) of the day had us situated in Africa and Pandora — The World of Avatar, and we were able to ride Na’vi River Journey, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Avatar: Flight of Passage before 10 a.m. Booyah!
A lil’ note: Most folks will tell you that you don’t really need Multi Pass for Animal Kingdom if you plan your day carefully. I agree with that but if you decide to park hop afterwards, it can be a great tool and actually save you some money since Multi Pass for this park costs less than the other three.
With that said — since we were heading to Magic Kingdom later, I immediately booked a LL for Peter Pan’s Flight once we scanned into our first LL of the day. By the time we sat down for lunch, we had already secured our first three evening picks. Popular attractions can “sell out” earlier in the day (for my fellow data nerds), so that’s why I recommend scheduling and using at least one of your initial LLs as close to park opening as possible.
While we were in the very short queue for Kilimanjaro Safaris, I placed two mobile orders at one of our favorite quick service spots, Satu’li Canteen — one for breakfast and one for lunch.
We love eating lunch here, so we wanted to try some breakfast items for the first time. Our mobile order was originally scheduled for 9:30 a.m. but I switched it to 9:55 a.m. after realizing I underestimated the time we’d spend on Flight of Passage.
We exited the attraction around 9:50 a.m. and a made a beeline for breakfast. Our order consisted of the Frittata and Beef ($14.29), Tropical Pandoran Forest Fruits ($11.99), and kids’ Cinnamon French Toast ($7.99). I’m writing a separate review of our meals at Sat’li Canteen (stay tuned!), but for the quick and dirty, TLDR version: it was delicious.1
After a late breakfast, we moseyed through the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail and spent some time observing all the gorgeous birds and fish in the Gorilla Falls Aviary.
This is one of our favorite things to do at Animal Kingdom because it’s usually pretty peaceful and the critters are always active because their environment encourages them to be. For example, we noticed a few birds going back and forth from a large, potted plant that was clearly placed for enrichment purposes to the nests that they were currently building. It’s a little thing, but it was super cool to see that work in action!
Next up — the Himalayas. Our final LL for Animal Kingdom was one of our favorites, Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. This is one attraction that I can ride over and over again because I adore the thrilling aspects of it. It goes backwards, hits you with g-forces, and has an incredibly fun outdoor drop. What’s not to love?
Our walk back to Pandora involved the scenic route through Discovery Island. So much of Animal Kingdom’s charm is found within these meandering, self-paced nature trails. This one in particular allows an up-close view of some of the carvings and intricate details of the Tree of Life, and we love perusing it with a cup of coffee in hand.
Upon arriving in Pandora, we grabbed our mobile order at Satu-li Canteen and enjoyed the Smoked Chimichurri-braised Beef with Red and Sweet Potato Hash and Charred Green Onion Vinaigrette ($14.99), the Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken Bowl with Hearty Salad and the same vinaigrette ($13.49), kids’ Cheeseburger Steamed Pod ($8.59), and Metkayina Mousse ($6.29).
Again, you just can’t go wrong at this restaurant. Everything usually tastes so fresh and flavorful, while also being a fantastic value. I think I prefer the tried-and-true Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse ($5.79) to the new dessert but if you’ve got a hankering for some chocolate, definitely consider it!
A lil’ note: During busier times of year, Satu’li Canteen can get overwhelmingly crowded at peak lunchtime period. If you can manage it, I’d recommend scheduling your mobile order for earlier or later to ensure you can grab a table.
After a delicious lunch, we decided that it was time to return to the resort. Normally, we would make a pit-stop at Nomad Lounge for one or two rounds of cocktails (try the Annapurna Zing!) but it was sunny, hot, and…we needed to be submerged in a body of water. We changed into our swimsuits, applied yet another layer of sunscreen, and met my family at the pool for a bit of mid-day rest and relaxation.
The Uzima Pool and adjacent hot tubs at Jambo House are quite accommodating, even at busier times of day. There’s always some activity going on, and snacks and drinks are only a stone’s throw away at The Mara and Uzima Springs Pool Bar. My niece and nephew participated in a poolside sand art craft, but there’s also DIY Mickey tie-dye t-shirts and African bangle crafts offered throughout the week for a small charge.
Around 4 p.m., we made our way back to the room to shower and get ready for an evening at the Magic Kingdom. We arrived at the park just after 5 p.m. and headed to Fantasyland to ride Peter Pan’s Flight and one of my favorites, “it’s a small world”. I love the history and art of the attraction, and I even wrote a lil’ bit about it in this post:
We got a few more rides in on that side of the park, grabbed a Orange Cream Soft Serve ($5.29) at Sunshine Tree Terrace, and found our buddy Tyler from Daily FastPass in line at the Haunted Mansion. It was super fun to see him in action, and we joined him on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover before we had to head to the nearby Contemporary Resort for dinner.
If you click “play” on the livestream below, it’ll start right when we spooked him in line.
After saying “see ya real soon” to Tyler, we exited the Magic Kingdom and followed the pathway to the Contemporary Resort for dinner at Steakhouse 71. Our reservation wasn’t until 8:45 p.m., so we explored the main floors of the resort and did a lil’ shopping to pass the time.
Out of all the reservations we booked, an evening table for two at Steakhouse 71 was actually the most challenging one to secure. I get it though; the vibes are great. The restaurant is right next to the lobby, which is outfitted with the mid-century theming of my dreams. There’s even a corner that pays homage to Mary Blair and her artistic contributions to the resort (swoon).
Once you make your way into Steakhouse 71, you’re greeted with black-and-white photos of the construction and planning of the Walt Disney World Resort, as well as snapshots from its opening year. Judging by restaurant’s name, can you guess when that occurred?
Once we were seated, we ordered drinks and a couple appetizers. My husband chose the Cigar City Jai Alai IPA and I decided on the gin-based Last Concourse ($15.30) cocktail. We couldn’t make up our minds about which appetizer we wanted so…we ordered both — the Steakhouse 71 Onion Rings ($10.00) and Sea Salt-dusted Potato Brioche ($12.00).
For our entrées, we each ordered the 10-ounce New York Strip ($38.00) medium-rare with the Red Wine sauces and Mashed Potatoes and Au Gratin Potatoes as our sides. Big night for starches.
As far as the food goes, it was tasty. I’m not joking when I say that I think about the potato brioche rolls every day. However, I’m a native Texan and there was steak involved so you know I have more thoughts to share. Keep your eyes peeled for a full dining review coming soon!
We caught the Monorail afterwards and hopped off at the Magic Kingdom to grab a bus back to the resort for some much-needed shut-eye. Another day in the books!
Day 4: Dining at one of my favorite spots, hanging out at Epcot, and spending the evening in Hollywood Studios
On Tuesday, we took an Uber to the Riviera Resort for an early breakfast reservation at my all-time favorite character meal, Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera.
This rooftop dining experience is appropriately called Breakfast à la Art, and features painter Mickey, writer Minnie, sculptor Donald, and ballerina Daisy as they take a break from their artist commune on the French Riviera to join you for a bite to eat.
A lil’ note: The characters only appear during breakfast. Dinner is more of a signature dining experience so if you really want to see Donald hammin’ it up or Daisy performing her favorite dance move, be sure to grab a breakfast reservation.
The breakfast menu is prix fixe, meaning that it’s a multi-course meal with a set price of $33-52.00 per person. My husband and I both ordered coffee and passionfruit-orange-guava (“POG”) juice for our drinks, and our waitress brought us a selection of small pastries and baked goods with jams and sauces to nibble on as we were deciding on our entrées.
Since you’re paying the same price no matter what you order, I always recommend going for what would be one of the more expensive items. In this case, we always order the Wood-fired Steak and Eggs. It’s so, so delicious, and the portions are perfect. Not too much and not too little. Given the theming, character interactions, service, and quality of the food, the entire meal is a fantastic value.
After breakfast, we popped into Le Petit Café downstairs for…more coffee and pastries. We grabbed a Cinnamon Cold Brew ($5.79) and plain ole Cold Brew Coffee ($5.29) to sip on, along with the Hazelnut-Chocolate Bomboloni ($6.29) and Raspberry Brioche ($5.49). The bombolone was insanely good (fluffy, nutty, and not too sweet), and I think the brioche sent my husband to another dimension for a lil’ bit while I was shopping at La Boutique next door.
By 9:30 a.m., we were off to the Skyliner for our first park of the day — Epcot.
Our morning LLs consisted of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Living with the Land, and Soarin’ Around the World, so we mostly stayed on the western side of the park to be close to everything.
On the way over to World Nature, we checked out many of the topiaries for the International Flower and Garden Festival and I got this adorable bucket hat from the Lords and Ladies shop in the United Kingdom Pavilion. It’s Alice in Wonderland themed and reversible! I was infatuated with it for the remainder of the trip.
Since we were park-hopping to Hollywood Studios in the afternoon, I started making LL reservations as soon as I could that morning. I noticed after using our first one that The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was already gone for the day, so I used a third-party application called Standby Skipper to see if it could score us reservations for later in the evening.
The service costs $25 per day or $45 for the length of your trip (up to seven days), and can be used for up to 12 people. It was my first time using Standby Skipper, and it was able to find us two LLs for 6:35 p.m. within minutes of placing the request. Pretty cool, huh? It’s one great way to utilize the LL system without feeling like you have to be on your phone the whole time.
It was pretty toasty by noon and since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped by the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) ImaginAtrium Lounge to bask in the air conditioning with an ice-cold beverage. This lounge is located on the top floor of the Imagination! Pavilion and can be accessed from the staircase in the ImageWorks shop.
Once we charged up, we headed out to scan into our early-afternoon LL for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This attraction is a favorite of ours for its ability to produce pure, euphoric bliss each and every time we ride it. It features a song that’s randomly selected from a list of six from the late 1970s and early 1980s and today, we got a new-to-us song — “I Ran (So Far Away)”.
Our buddy Tyler was live-streaming in the park that morning, so we returned to the ImaginAtrium Lounge to hang out with him for a bit before taking the Skyliner to Hollywood Studios.
We had a late lunch reservation at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant at 3:50 p.m., and we made it across the park just in the knick of time! This meal was part of the Fantasmic! Dining Package, which is a great option if you’d like to enjoy a sit-down meal before watching one of the best nighttime spectaculars on property from the best seats in the house.
A lil’ note: Although Sci-Fi does offer a 10% Annual Passholder (“AP”) and DVC discount, they don’t apply it to meals booked through the Fantasmic! Dining Package.
The dining package allows each guest to choose one appetizer (or dessert), one entrée, and one beverage (with or without alcohol). This is another instance of maximizing your picks to receive the best value at a flat price, which depends on the restaurant you select.2
We’ve been to Sci-Fi many times before and always leave full and happy, so we decided on this tried-and-true favorite for $57.00 per person. The restaurant is a really fun environment with immersive, mid-century drive-in theater theming, and it’s a great place to recharge after being in the hot, Florida sun all day.
To start, I ordered the Spicy Martian Margarita ($17.50) and my husband decided on the Orange Blossom Pilsner ($11.25). I thought the margarita was fairly average but boy, did it taste good at that point in the day. I would’ve also ordered an appetizer but was under the impression that we could only order desserts with the dining package. I didn’t ask our waiter about it, so we just skipped to our main course.
For our entrées, my husband ordered the Classic American Burger ($25.00) and I opted for the lighter Grilled Chicken Citrus Salad ($20.00). I’m not a huge savory-citrus person but I did really enjoy this salad. The greens were really fresh, and the flavor from the orange slices and house-made citrus vinaigrette blended wonderfully with the creamy feta cheese and pecans.
We finished off the meal with a chocolate milkshake ($7.00 — not on the menu but can be requested) and the new Cerulean Moon ($9.50) dessert. The taste and texture of the milkshake reminded us of a Wendy’s shake, which we normally quite enjoy. Nothing to write home about, but it was simple, chocolate-y, and satisfying. The Cerulean Moon is a chocolate mousse dome with a graham cracker crust and strawberry filling garnished with chocolate-caramel sauce and lil’ galactic toppings. The mousse was chilled and flavorful, and I really enjoyed the strawberry filling and chocolate-caramel sauce as they gave the dessert a bit more complexity. The toppings also provided a nice, crunchy texture to each bite.
A lil’ note: At the end of your meal, your server will hand you tickets that grant you and your party entry into the priority seating section of the Fantasmic! amphitheater. These tickets are stamped with the date of the showing, and they will be checked by Cast Members (“CMs”) upon arriving to the show.
Once we were done, we decided to head to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance to use our Experience Redemption Passes from Sunday. We followed it up with a limited-edition Star Wars treat and beverage from Backlot Express — the Battle of Hoth Macaroon ($6.49) and Sith Lord Libation ($14.79).
While a bit messy, the macaroon was loaded with coconut and pretty tasty. The graham cracker, however, was…not the best. The Sith Lord Libation was insanely sweet and potent, and we had to water it down multiple times for it to be even remotely palatable. If you love the colonoscopy and CT-scan oral contrast beverages, you’ll probably enjoy it. To be honest, we mainly ordered this drink for the light saber.
Shortly after, we made our way to Sunset Boulevard to check into the Hollywood Tower Hotel.
I love Tower of Terror and have so many fond memories of it. My family used to ride it over and over again, so it’s got a special place in my heart. I always watch the coordinating Disney film around Halloween, and I’ve been meaning to rewatch the Twilight Zone series from the beginning. I might have to do that soon!
Our Fantasmic! showing was scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. so once we checked out of the hotel, we grabbed some coffee from The Trolley Car Café (aka Starbucks) and began the trek to the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater.
If you choose the dining package, there will be multiple signs guiding you from the entrance on Sunset Boulevard to the designated section in the amphitheater. We had our tickets checked by two CMs before we were ushered to our seats. You can bring food and drinks into the amphitheater, but there’s also snacks and beverages (with and without alcohol) available for purchase.
The seats are the best in the house; you’re front and center! They are, however, bleachers so if you’ve got any back or hip issues, I’d recommend bringing something padded to sit on.
This was my husband’s first time seeing Fantasmic! and as a major Sorcerer Mickey fan, he was basically on cloud nine the entire time. It really is such a phenomenal show, and I love the updates that were made to include some of the more recent films.
The park had closed by the time we exited the theater so to avoid being caught up in the mad-dash of guests to the buses, we spent a little bit of time bopping around the shops on Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards.
These are actually some of my favorite shopping locations on property because I always come across items that I haven’t seen anywhere else in the parks. This time around, I found the White Rabbit Mini Mix-Its Plush which I immediately purchased. I’m…kind of in love with these plushies. They look so cute on a bag strap!
By 10:20 p.m., we were on the bus back to the resort and ready to hit the hay and rest up for an upcoming full-day at the Magic Kingdom.
Four days down and three-ish to go! Our next and final installment will feature a restaurant that we still talk about, a full day of festival fun at Epcot, and some things that we would do differently on our next trip.
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As of May 2025, the restaurants included in the Fantasmic! Dining Package are 50’s Prime Time Cafe, The Hollywood Brown Derby, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, and Hollywood & Vine.
That lil’ plushie is so cute!!!