1. Peco’s Bills Cafe~Magic Kingdom

This restaurant is located in one of our favorite lands at Magic Kingdom, Frontierland. There are plenty of positives to this quick service restaurant. First off, the atmosphere is a great western theme which is so fun! If you can’t make it to Wilderness Lodge for a taste of the Ol’ West, then this is next best bet. Second, the food is pretty amazing and different for your typical theme park food. We happen to love the taco salad here. Peco’s Bills also offers a great toppings bar for your juicy burgers. Last, and most unique, is the automated ordering system that Peco’s Bills offers. Skip the line and use your Disney Dining Plan or credit card to order your meal.

2. Columbia Harbour House~Magic Kingdom

Columbia Harbour House is another Magic Kingdom quick service restaurant that we love. It’s located in Liberty Square and is one of the more spacious eateries. There is plenty of  indoor seating so you can enjoy your meal in the AC! Our favorite menu items here are the Shrimp Basket and Tuna Sandwich. The tuna might be an ordinary pick to some but we love it!

3. Wolfgang Puck Express~Downtown Disney

Want a table service meal at a quick service price? Then Wolfgang Puck Express is the place for you! Take a break from the parks and your resort and head over to Downtown Disney for some shopping and then get some yummy eats from this quick service restaurant. Enjoy scrumptious pizzas, salads, and more all with that great, raved-about Wolfgang Puck taste. You won’t regret dining here!

4. La Cantina de San Angel~Mexico Pavilion, Epcot

Epcot has great quick service restaurants, but this one stands out to us because it is one of our favorite pavilions, Mexico. At the La Cantina you can sit outdoors right by the lagoon and enjoy some wonderful, authentic Mexican cuisine. The kids menu is little lacking with just two choices, Empanadas de Queso (fried, cheese filled dough) and Chicken Tenders, but the empanadas have always been a big hit with our kids. The dessert here is great too! Who doesn’t love a Churro?!

5. Flame Tree Barbecue~Animal Kingdom

Another great place to get some bang for your buck and the really use your dining plan wisely. Flame Tree offers some very tasty barbecue meal choices in very large portions. Perfect for sharing if you want to save a buck or a dining credit. The ribs and chicken bbq is a  perfect meal for sharing. This is by far one of the best dining options within Animal Kingdom!

6. Riverside Mill Food Court~Port Orleans Riverside Resort

Why do we love the Mill? Well, it is at one of our favorite resorts, Port Orleans Riverside. You can dine here and when you’re done you can take the boat over to Downtown Disney or enjoy walking the grounds of the resort–sounds like a perfect evening to us! This restaurant offers great scenery of the iconic waterwheel and the Sassagoula River. The food options are abundant with five serving stations — bakery/ice cream, grill, pasta, carved meats, pizza, etc — plus the Grab and Go refrigerator which contains all your chilled drinks and pre-packaged items. Don’t miss out on the Riverside Mill experience during your next Disney vacation!

What are your favorite quick service dining spots within Walt Disney World? Share them with us in the comments below!

In no particular order…

1. Mexico Pavilion~Epcot

If your kids are little too young to truly enjoy everything about World Showcase–have no fear—they would most definitely enjoy Mexico as their favorite country. Why? It’s simple: The Gran Fiesta Tour. Hands down one of our favorite Epcot attractions and most all little children love this ride! Also, you can’t beat some of the yummy food you can find in Mexico. Most kids love the dessert choices!

2. Dinoland~Animal Kingdom

Another no-brainer in our book, especially if your kids love dinosaurs. If so, this land is a must do. Our favorite parts about Dinoland are the “little” kid friendly rides like the Tricertop Spin and the fun rides for older kids and adults like Dinosaur.

3. Adventureland~Magic Kingdom

Get your Dole Whips, ride some oldies but goodies like Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise and run into a character or two!

4. Africa~Animal Kingdom

So much to love about Africa! It houses one of our favorite restaurants, Tusker House, one of the best rides, The Kilaminjaro Safari, and is in close proximity to one of our favorite meet and greet spots, Camp Minnie Mickey!

5. Future World~Epcot

Test Track and Soarin’. ‘Nuf said.

6. Frontierland~Magic Kingdom

Have a rootin’ tootin’ good time in this land! Love the rides like Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Love the great eats like Peco’s Bills. Love some of the character meet and greets you can find while stopping through!

7. Tomorrowland~Magic Kingdom

Tomorrowland isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (too futuristic/outer space themed), but it’s a must do in our opinion. First of all, the Tomorrowland Terrace has great food for a counter service restaurant. So if you’re around this land for lunch, stop by! Tomorrowland also houses some great attractions like Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and Space Mountain.

8. Fantasyland~Magic Kingdom

What’s NOT to love about this land? It’s getting a facelift which will add some even better things to what is already pretty darn fantastic. This land hosts can not miss attractions like It’s a Small World, Peter Pan’s Flight, and The Many Adventure’s of Winnie the Pooh. You can always spot a few great characters in this land as well.

What are you favorite places at the Disney Parks? Please share them with us!

9. Princess Aurora

This is one of my girls’ favorite princesses! Her golden hair and pink dress make her so princess perfect! She’s pretty friendly in person too .

8. Daisy Duck

This character also makes the list due to another kids favorite. She is Donald’s heartthrob and Minnie’s best friend. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with this sweet, friendly duck?!

7. Donald Duck

Funny, stubborn, and knows how to pitch a pretty good fit–He fits right in with my clan and is again one of our favorites! We all love seeing him get into some mischief on the Gran Fiesta Tour and always hope to spot him for a meet and greet in the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot.

6. Mickey Mouse

Well, you can’t love Disney and not love this great mouse! He’s loveable, loyal, and an all around great pal. Plus, the entire reason all these wonderful places exist!

5. Princess Belle

Belle is what I like to call a “fixer”. She tries to help people become better from the inside. Patient, kind, and loving–she’s one gal you’d want on your side!

4. Pluto

He’s Mickey’s right-hand pooch. Wish he was mine!

3. Tigger

Wooo-hoo-hoo-hoooo! Love this character! He’s a great problem-solver, even if he goes about things in an unconventional way!

2. Minnie Mouse

Love her pink and red style!

1. Goofy

What a funny, goofy pal! Tons of fun and always seeing life from a funny standpoint. Definitely the top of my list!

Who’s your favorite Disney Character? Tell us in the comments below!

]]> http://sharpmoms.com/2012/03/top-favorite-disney-characters/feed/ 5 http://sharpmoms.com/2012/03/destination-disney-link-up-top-10-disney-attractions/ http://sharpmoms.com/2012/03/destination-disney-link-up-top-10-disney-attractions/#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:32:36 +0000 admin http://sharpmoms.com/?p=2326 We’ve linked up with Destination Disney over at Heidi’s Head to share our list of Top 10 Disney Attractions!

So, here we go…

10. Pirates of the Caribbean: This is a no-brainer! Who doesn’t love pirates these days? Plus, when you really need a good break from walking around the park, this boat ride offers a great place to sit, relax, and enjoy some AC and pirate action!

9. Magic Carpets of Aladdin: Well, when you’re traveling with little ones (like me!) and the line for Dumbo is waaaaaay too long, then your next best bet will the be The Magic Carpets of Aladdin. Same kind of ride as Dumbo…Spinning carpets with up and down motion, BUT my kids especially love the golden camels! Watch out! You just might get sprayed!

8. Gran Fiesta Tour: Nestled in the back of the San Angel Inn in Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion, this is probably not a top pick for most Disney goers. Let me say though, if you have small children, this is the ride for you! Our kids LOVE this silly little boat ride featuring Donald Duck. Best of all, there is hardly EVER a line! We say get your laughs in and take the time to enjoy the Gran Fiesta Tour!

7. Studio Backlot Tour: This is a great attraction at Hollywood Studios. Get a first look at how special effects work and also learn a little more about the history of Disney!

6. It’s a Small World: One word: Classic! It’s a must-do Fantasyland attraction no matter how young or old you may be!

5. Beauty and the Beast Live! On Stage: Sit back, relax, and enjoy this wonderful production put on at Hollywood Studios. Really and truly, this is a first rate show and a must see for all princess lovers!

4. Splash Mountain: Get a little wet and have a little fun on this log ride based on Disney’s film, Song of the South. Our kids love this ride and who doesn’t love the big drop into the Briar Patch?!

3. The Festival of the Lion King: Get in line early to see one of the showings of this live production at Animal Kingdom. Audience participation, live stunts, and good music make this attraction one of our very top picks! You definitely don’t want to miss this!

2. Kilimanjaro Safari: A favorite for many, this one comes in second, but a close first really! Get aboard a safari jeep and take an adventure through the African safari. See some beautiful animals up close and get some great pictures for your scrapbooks!

1. Toy Story Mania: Coming in at #1 for us is the very popular Toy Storia Mania at Hollywood Studios. Why? Well, it is far more fun that Buzz’s Space Ranger Spin (for many reasons but one being that the laser doesn’t ever seem to work correctly for me–I aim, but no points are ever credited)! You can shoot out all kind of targets in 3D on Toy Story Mania! Another fun feature of this attraction is the talking Mr. Potato Head. You’ll love seeing him as you walk through the stand-by line!

What are your favorite Disney Park attractions?

Edisto Beach is a quaint little beach town filled with many vacation rentals-all beach homes and condos. Looking for hotel? You won’t find one on Edisto Island. This beach has remained virtually uncommercialized. It’s very refreshing to visit a tourist town and not find one big building. Now, if you’re looking for great food you’ll definitely find some while you’re visiting. This beach has some great restaurants like Sea Cow, Dock Side, and The Old Post Office. The food is so good here that the town just held a food festival with events like oyster roasts, cook-offs, and charity dinners.

Alright, so in a town that has no big attractions you might be thinking you’ll get bored. Think again! The Edisto Beach State park is right on the island and a great place to visit or camp. The park offers RV sites as well as cabins. There is also the Edisto Island Serpentarium, a perfect place to take kids who love reptiles and amphibians. Like fishing? There are several boat charter and touring companies on the island ready to take you on a great adventure! Visit Botany Bay or take a small boat out to Shell Island, a treasure trove of beautiful shells. Does your husband like to golf? Edisto happens to be home to a wonderful course.

Still not sold? Another reason we love this easy-going beach town is simple. Edisto Beach is very close to a great southern city, Charleston, SC. We day trip to Charleston at least once a vacation when we travel to Edisto Beach. There is so much to do there! Great shopping, restaurants, and an aquarium (the kids will love it)!

We hope you’ll consider Edisto Beach as your family vacation. You will not find another beach like this! The whole town is so family oriented. You will really be “getting away from it all” when you visit!

For more information or vacation rentals and more, click here.

]]> http://sharpmoms.com/2012/03/a-hidden-treasure-edisto-beach-south-carolina/feed/ 0 http://sharpmoms.com/2012/03/review-of-columbia-harbour-house-the-best-quick-service-restaurant-at-magic-kingdom/ http://sharpmoms.com/2012/03/review-of-columbia-harbour-house-the-best-quick-service-restaurant-at-magic-kingdom/#comments Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:00:41 +0000 admin http://sharpmoms.com/?p=2201 With spring break upon many of us, we’ve been dedicating some of our blog posts to the happiest place on Earth, Walt Disney World, especially since many of our readers will be traveling there for their break (or sometime this year!). If you’re searching for a great quick service restaurant at Magic Kingdom consider Columbia Harbour House. Here’s one reason we like it: You can get to the park early, do all that you like in Fantasyland and then hit up the Columbia Harbour House on your way out of Fantasyland as you head to your next stop (we suggest Frontierland). Many people think that the quick service restaurants offer sub-par theme park food with run-of-the-mill choices like hamburgers and chicken fingers. That is so NOT the case at Columbia Harbour House. Their menu has a lot to offer like Lobster Rolls, a Shrimp Basket, and killer sandwiches.

When we dined here it was during a peak lunch time, around noon, but we didn’t have any trouble finding a table on the lower level. This visit we had the shrimp basket and fries, tuna sandwich and fries, and the kids each got a PB & J, grapes, yogurt and water. The portions on the adult meals were a great size and the kids got plenty with their meals to satisfy them as well. The food was stellar for quick service and very filling! I could go on and on about how they made a boring tuna sandwich taste so great! For dessert we chose the chocolate cake with Mickey sprinkles.

If you’re headed to Magic Kingdom and you’re not sure to where to land for a counter service meal, Columbia Harbour House is a great choice that will not disappoint!

1. Tusker House, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, 1 TS Credit per Person

Tusker House is a lovely buffet-style restaurant located near the entrance of Africa at Animal Kingdom. Many folks like this place because 1. the food is delish and 2. your children can enjoy meeting some of the Fab 5 characters during their meal. Characters at Tusker House are offered for breakfast and lunch. You and your family will meet Donald before you are seated. These pictures will be available for you to buy later on in your meal. It is upwards of $30 for the package. If you do not want to buy the package be sure to snap a few pics with your own personal camera. Lots of people enjoy the breakfast buffet, complete with Mickey Waffles. With the right reservation time you can dine as early as 8 a.m., which usually gets you into the park before it officially opens. My family dined at Tusker House during our last Animal Kingdom visit and enjoyed a scrumptious early lunch. We actually arrived during the breakfast/lunch transition around 11 a.m., so our kids were able to eat Mickey Waffles and some other yummy breakfast items as their lunch! They loved it! The lunch buffet was so great…rice pilaf, fish stews, and yummy meats–all with an African twist of course! During our time at Tusker House Goofy, Daisy, and Mickey came by our table more than once. If you’d like to avoid characters during your meal then book a dinner reservation. Tusker House is must a do on your next Disney vacation!

2. ‘Ohana, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, 1 TS Credit per Person

Lots of people get to Disney and then immediately get lost in the hustle and bustle of doing everything at the parks and not enjoying the wonderful sites and relaxation offered by the Disney Resorts. Even if you are not staying at a particular resort you can use the bus transportation to “resort-hop” and enjoy all the other resorts around Disney. One of the best sit down restaurants is ‘Ohana at the Polynesean Resort. This restaurant does offer character dining for breakfast with Lilo and Stitch, but we like it for other reasons too. Everything here is Haiwaiin Themed and the cast members are so fun here! ‘Ohana also offers a great view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks and to us this is a major plus! If you are not into waiting around for the nighttime fireworks at Magic Kingdom with cranky children and aching feet then check the events calendar online and coordinate your dinner reservation with the fireworks show. What better way to watch the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks than while enjoying a great meal at one of Disney’s most popular and beautiful resorts!

3. Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, 1 TS Credit per Person

Okay, before we begin let me start off by saying that we LOVE Hollywood Studios! Many people d0 not prefer this park, but it is not typically crowded and there are some great shows and attractions to be seen here. In fact, I was told not to plan on eating at this park at all because the restaurants were nothing to write home about, but I beg to differ! One of the best meals we had on our last Disney vacation was at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater located inside Hollywood Studios. We opted to eat lunch there and it was a great break from the busy morning we had at the park so far. The atmosphere inside is very neat! You and your family dine while in your very own 50s style car. While you eat you are entertained with a drive-in movie/shows straight from the 50s! I have to brag on my meal which was the Shrimp Bow-Tie Pasta. It was delicious! If you choose this restaurant don’t forget to pair your meal with a yummy shake! Our children are still talking about the fun time they had at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater!

{Shrimp Bow-Tie Pasta at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater}

4. Plaza Restaurant, Disney’s Magic Kingdom, 1 TS Credit per Person

If you are not big on character dining or are just tired of character dining, then give the Plaza Restaurant at Magic Kingdom a whirl. It offers a great change of pace from one of Disney’s busiest parks, Magic Kingdom, and is just one TS credit, as oppose to other dining options at MK, like dining with Cindy at the castle for 2 TS credits/person or with Pooh and Friends at the Crystal Palace. The Plaza Restaurant is located on the corner of Main Street near the entrance to Tomorrowland. Don’t let its size fool you–it is one of the smaller sit down restaurants that we’ve seen at the parks, but the food is great! Hot meals and some “down home” cooking is how I would describe its menu. The kids menu offers the pretty basic choices, even PB & J for your picky eaters. Since it’s right across from Cinderella’s Castle you can see everything that is going on outside right from the restaurant and will have an even better view if you’re at a table near the window. You will enjoy the food and atmosphere at the Plaza Restaurant, all tucked away in a corner of Main Street, while still at the ever busy Magic Kingdom Park.

5. The Coral Reef Restaurant, The Seas with Nemo and Friends Pavilion at Disney’s Epcot Theme Park, 1 TS Credit per Person

If you plan on visiting Epcot while using your dining plan you might be a bit overwhelmed by all the great food choices this park has to offer. We chose the Coral Reef Restaurant because it has a very unique setting…Wall-to-wall fish tanks! What better way to dine at a Disney Park than with tropical fish, and sometimes dolphin, swimming right beside you while you eat! The food at The Coral Reef Restaurant is not 5-star, but is very good. There are also vegetarian dishes on the menu, so a big plus for all the non-meat eaters out there. You may be swayed to dine at other restaurants within Epcot but, to us, nothing will beat the spectacular view you’ll have while dining here!

Why do we love this list of Table Service restaurants? Well, it’s simple. All these eateries offer a great atmosphere and are only ONE Table Service Credit vs. other Signature Dining Restaurants that will eat two Table Service Credits per person from your dining plan. What are your thoughts? Do you have a favorite sit down restaurant that you like to frequent at Walt Disney World? Share your comments with us!

All thoughts and opinions in this blog are those of SharpMoms. We were not paid or asked to promote Disney Parks or restaurants.

1. Take Advantage of Magic Hours

Magic Hours are offered to guests staying at Disney Resorts. While we were visiting we enjoyed Magic Hours at two parks, Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. Here was the difference: Hollywood Studios’ hours were offered in the morning, before the park opened to the public (aka visitors not staying at the resorts) and Magic Kingdom’s hours were offered after the fireworks show from 9pm-midnight. Our tip: Make sure to get to the park with morning Magic Hours. We were able to enjoy more than one attraction before the officially opened and we even got Fast Passes to one of the rides we really enjoyed (Toy Story Mania).

2. Character Photo Sessions…Skip a Few

At first, I wanted to be sure that the kids saw as many characters as possible, but as the trip went on I realized two things: 1. It was not going to be possible and 2. They didn’t seem to mind missing some characters in exchange for riding something fun or taking a break to have a Mickey Bar. You can easily snap some pictures of their favorite characters from a distance and share them with your kids after your trip. We even saw some characters in passing while they were heading in for a break and the kids still got a wave and a smile from some of their favorite Disney friends.

3. Arrive at Parks Early

We already noted that if you have extra Magic Hours in the morning to definitely take advantage. Chances are if you are traveling with kids they’ll be up early anyway for their days of fun, ours were! Tip: Arrive to the parks early, before “rope drop”. We did this each day and it really worked to our advantage. Keep in mind, the major crowds will peak around 10 a.m. so arriving early is to your benefit. At Animal Kingdom we buzzed back to Africa right after the rope drop to ride on the Kilaminjaro Safari–no line, no wait time. We were on and off and able to visit Camp Minnie Mickey and head on to lunch before those attractions got too crowded. At Magic Kingdom we saw the characters put on a little show before the park opened. Some characters arrived by train and Mickey welcomed everyone to Magic Kingdom. My kids enjoyed seeing some of their favorite characters before we were even in the park!

4. Do the Dining Plan

Many people say they don’t think the dining plan is worth it, but this was our first time with kids in tow to the parks and to use the plan. We wouldn’t have done it any other way! It was nice not to fork out more moolah every time a snack was needed and we were able to enjoy some great meals. We loved Columbia Harbor House for quick service at Magic Kingdom and also enjoyed the Plaza Restaurant for table service, again at Magic Kingdom. The kids loved their desserts at Plaza Restaurant: an upside-down ice cream cone complete with Mickey ears! It was a nice treat for on what was already great day!

5. Take Time to Relax

When we arrived at our resort we dropped off our bags and dashed off to a park. We really didn’t realized until the 3rd day of our vacation that we were approaching Disney all wrong! Be sure to take some time in the afternoons to go back to resort and refuel–take a nap, take a dip at the pool, check out the arcade, or browse the hotel shop. We finally caught on to this and then really enjoyed not only what our resort had to offer (many offer children’s activities at the pool and in the hotel throughout the day), but then also were relaxed and ready to take on the night life at a park or Downtown Disney.

6. Treat Your Princess like a Princess

If you have little girls then visiting with the princesses while at Disney World will be inevitable. If you choose a dining plan that allows table service as an option you may immediately consider Cinderella’s Royal Table at the castle in Magic Kingdom. Keep in mind this meal will use 2 TS credits, not 1 like many other character meals. To some this is worth it, to us it was not. Since we arrived at Magic Kingdom at rope drop we were able to go into the Princess Storybook Meet & Greet which is currently located at the front of the park in Liberty Square. Again arrive early because if you do the wait time will be low. We only waited 5 minutes and then met Belle, Cinderella, and Aurora. Since we were on dining I did want to take advantage of some character meals. We booked Akershus Storybook Lunch in Norway at Epcot. Here my kids got a picture taken with Belle. You get 2 4×6 prints and 1 8×10 as a part of your dining fee. Awesome! Then they also met Ariel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella! If you’re worried about Norwegian cuisine, don’t be! It was the best food and they have a special children’s menu for little ones to pick favorites like pizza or peanut butter & jelly.  At the end of meal they invite all princesses, and even princes, to join in on parade around the restaurant. Our kids were in Ariel’s line and had a great time!

7. Utilize the Fast Pass

Now that you arrived at the park early, make the most of Fast Pass availability. At Hollywood Studios a very popular ride is Toy Story Mania. If you arrive early you can grab a Fast Pass for later in the day and also ride then while the wait time is low. So here are our rules for Fast Pass use:

• Get your passes in the morning. You got there early, so get the most out of it.
• Don’t waste your Fast Pass. For instance, we really wanted to ride Splash Mountain but one of our children didn’t meet the height requirement. We decided to take turns with the child that could ride. While one parent rode, the other grabbed a Fast Pass. After the first turn on the ride we alternated kids. While our oldest got to ride twice our youngest spent her time meeting some characters in Frontierland.
• If you miss your wait time do not toss your passes. If your pass says to return to your attraction between 12:30 and 1:30 and it’s 1:45, don’t pass up riding. Just go ahead to the attraction. The fast pass doesn’t truly expire; you just have to use it before the day is over. **As of March 2012 this has changed. You must use your Fast Pass during the time frame provided. If you do not and arrive after the window, you will be sent to the stand-by line.

Remember, Fast Passes will not be available all day. We visited Hollywood Studios late one day and darted back to Toy Story Mania to grab some passes and at 10:30 a.m. the passes had all been handed out for the day!

8. Go to Disney When all Your Kids are over the age of 4

Lots of folks would disagree, BUT we found that even our 3 year old was just a hair too short for some things she really wanted to ride, while our almost 5 year old was tall enough for most everything. Another bonus: They walked everywhere on their own, no stroller needed, and they both were of potty training age. While Disney does have great baby care centers at all their parks, I was personally glad to not be changing diapers in the midst of the fun.

9. Be Prepared for Character Meet and Greets

If you forget to buy an autograph book, don’t worry, they are offered at almost all shops in the parks. Be sure to pack lots of pens. Some will get lost or quit working. If your child can handle Sharpies, we like those best. Grab a Times Guide when you enter the park and be sure to check and see when and where the characters you most want to meet will be in the park throughout the day. If you’re not sure about something, ask a Cast Member, they will be glad to help you.

10. Parades and Fireworks–Don’t Feel Obligated to See Them All

Every park either has a parade in the afternoon and some have parades and then fireworks at night as well. We just didn’t make it a priority to see every parade or fireworks show. Our first day was spent at Hollywood Studios and we did see the Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade. That was great for our kids because they love Bugs Life, Toy Story, Up and all those great Pixar movies.  At Magic Kingdom we were busy enjoying attractions so we missed the afternoon parade. However we made time to see the Wishes fireworks show and it was a nice way to end a fun day at Magic Kingdom. Do a little research before you go to the parks and pick and choose what parades and other special things you’ll want to see with your children.

11. Have Fun!

Of course having fun is a must since you’re going to be at the happiest place on Earth! When we were planning our Disney Vacation I started to pre-stress about how the days would unfold, but as you get into the swing of things at the parks you’ll learn that it’s okay not to see every show, ride every ride, or see every character. Having two Mickey Bars in one day is okay. Eating a big, fat turkey leg for a snack is okay, too.

We hope these tips help you relax and enjoy your Disney Vacation a little more! Don’t forget to download the Mobile Magic App (Available for Droid and iPhone). This app is gold! You can navigate the park you’re currently visiting, see attraction wait times, and more!

]]> http://sharpmoms.com/2012/03/how-to-have-a-happy-disney-vacation-at-the-happiest-place-on-earth/feed/ 0 http://sharpmoms.com/2011/07/what-we-love-right-now-july-20-2011-road-trips/ http://sharpmoms.com/2011/07/what-we-love-right-now-july-20-2011-road-trips/#comments Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:00:10 +0000 admin http://sharpmoms.com/?p=1784

Back-to-school time might be lurking around the corner for many of us, but there is still time to squeeze a little bit of fun out of the last few weeks of summer vacation. What better way to get away with your kids for a few days than a good, old fashioned road trip. Load up your car, fill up the tank, and head out for a great adventure!

1. Edisto Beach, SC

If you’re close to the east coast, this is a beach worth visiting. Serene and secluded, this is one beach town that is still just that. Full of nostalgia and quaint beach cottages, great eateries, a golf course, and of course a lovely beach. There’s a great serpentarium for your reptile lovers, spend a day at sea with chartered boat tours, or grab a bite to eat at the infamously popular Sea Cow restaurant. For more information, visit Edistobeach.com.

2. Kansas City, MO

Near the Mid West? Hit up Kansas City. There’s a great zoo…The Kansas City Zoo. See some Polar Bears or go on an African Safari! Too hot for the zoo? Beat the heat at Oceans of Fun, a great water park with slides, rides, and fantastic lazy river. This place is great for all ages. After your adventures you’ll have to eat. Try lunch or dinner at the Crayola Cafe, where you kids can color to their heart’s content on their placemats while they eat! (open Monday to Wednesday 11am to 6pm, Thursday and Friday 11am to 9pm, Saturday 11am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 5p).

3. Chicago, IL

Ah, we love the windy city! It’s a big city with a great feel. There’s plenty to do with your kids. Try Navy Pier and take ride on the Ferris Wheel. Then stroll around Millenium Park. You can always spend some time at The Field Museum. Take the kids to eat at the Rainforest Cafe (Wednesday Night is family night)

4. Nashville, TN

If you leave in the southeast, but don’t feel like taking another beach vacation, head to the music city! Get tickets to the Grand Ole Opry where there’s always a good show playing. Visit the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens where a great Family Night is hosted. Bring your picnic blanket and enjoy puppet shows, musical acts, and more! Forget dinner at a restaurant, try it aboard a dinner boat cruise on the Cumberland River!

5. San Diego, CA

If you’re remotely near the west coast, then a trip to San Diego is a must. There is so much to do: Legoland, Sea World, The San Diego Zoo, and La Jolla Beach. If you make it to just one or two of those places your trip will be a memorable one for sure! There are also lots of great family-friendly dining spots, like Wahoos and the Corvette Diner.

Have you been on a great family road trip? Tell us about it in a comment below!

First stop: Folly Beach, South Carolina. With Folly Beach rentals and a hotel right on the water, this small beach town packs a big bag of fun for the whole family. The beach is quiet, the peir is great for fishing, and the restaurants are super. SharpMoms suggests you stop by Rita’s for a super meal before you head back home. For more information on this beach, visit www.follybeach.com.

Next up, Edisto Island, South Carolina or Edisto Beach as it is also called. With serene beaches and a golf course right on the island, everyone is sure to stay happy during your stay! Edisto Island is a great family vacation destination and there are many beach homes and condos for rent at reasonable rates. For more information on where to stay and what Edisto has to offer, please visit www.edistoisland.com.

The best news? You are just minutes away from historic Charleston, SC if you stay at Folly Beach, and just a few more if you stay on Edisto!

Why does SharpMoms love these beach picks? Both are uncrowded and offer a wonderful family atmosphere. After your visit, let us know what you think! SharpMoms would love to hear about your stay!