restaurant |

Casa Bonita Restaurant

July 19, 2016 By Callie Leave a Comment

Denver,Co

We ended our Colorado trip by rushing to the famous Casa Bonita restaurant in Denver and it was the perfect stop as we drove back into Denver.

Casa Bonita is a family friendly restaurant that offers a Tex Mex menu with kids favorites as well. The outside is beautiful but the inside is crazy! It’s basically a Mexican village complete with twists and turns and lights! There is literally something around every corner and you could easily spend several hours here. We literally had one hour to spare but I was bound and determined to get it in and check it off my Colorado list.

Everyone who comes in must order but the dishes are super affordable and quick. Each meal comes with sopapillas which you can pick up at the sopapilla building or ask your server to grab for you. You order like a fast food joint-line, order-you can special order, grab your tray and walk out to the hostess. They then seat you and your server comes and brings drinks, etc.

There’s a waterfall where they have actual diving throughout the day. You can buy glow in the dark toys like you would at a parade. There was a man in a gorilla suit running through the restaurant. It was crazy and fun and you know what? The food was not half bad! Row loved it.

They also had little nooks and crannies throughout the restaurant with quarter pony rides for the kiddos and aquariums and so many other things. If you’re in the area stop by and if you’re heading to Denver add it to your must do list!

Be Our Guest-Walt Disney World

December 10, 2015 By Callie Leave a Comment

Be our guest…be our guest. I was in high school when Disney came out with the most amazing set of movies-Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast,Pocahontas…and since WDW opened their Beauty and the Beast Themed Be Our Guest restaurant it has been tops on my list. Be Our Guest is located in the Magic Kingdom.

The complete experience is magical. As you check in you can see the Beast’s castle off in the distance along with mountains and a waterfall as you cross the bridge to your hostess. As you walk in you literally walk into the castle. The detail is amazing. You are promptly greeted and given a rose to set at your table. If you have ordered ahead online-we did -you can promptly go to a table. If not you can choose your dishes as you check in. We opted to choose beforehand because of the toddler but it turned out to be great! I simply placed my order in my Disney Experience a month in advance.

You seat yourself and can choose between three rooms in the castle. The West Wing which is dark with thunder and a glowing fake fireplace. It’s true to movie form complete with the paintings slashed. The Ballroom-which we ate in! Complete with chandeliers and ceiling paintings and The Rose Gallery.

I opted and was lucky enough to find a place next to the window which has snow! Row adored it and as a result we got to eat! Once we sat down we placed that magic rose on our table. In less than five minutes our food was wheeled out on a cart complete with dessert. They have separate drink stations which are self serve for breakfast and lunch. The meals were actually incredible. I had the braised pork and the master cupcake featuring the grey stuff. That cupcake was the most amazing dessert we ate while we were there!

Be Our Guest is not to be missed. I was really hoping to get a dinner reservation because the Beast actually roams around the dining hall. While the Beast is not present at breakfast and lunch his amazing food is. Breakfast is served with a pastry plate. If you’re hoping to book this reservation it should be top of your list 180 days out. It was the first one I booked and I could only get a lunch. Also if you are using the meal plan breakfast and lunch can be used as a quick service credit-which is an amazing deal and experience for that credit. I’m hoping to book twice next year.

This restaurant is truly what Disney magic is all about! Not to be missed!

Chef Mickey’s @ The Contemporary Resort-Walt Disney World

November 17, 2015 By Callie Leave a Comment

Moving right along on my WDW bucket list…ahhh the table service restaurants. Do you have a WDW bucket list? You should! It’s chock full of fun ideas to do while you’re visiting. You can check mine out here.

Chef Mickey’s is located at the Contemporary Resort in the Magic Kingdom area of Walt Disney World. What’s great about that? You can easily spend your day at Magic Kingdom and then jump on the monorail to the Contemporary for a meal.

Oh the monorail-I love the monorail. We may have ridden it twice.

To get to Chef Mickey’s from riding the monorail you must go down an elevator which is a little confusing. I’m guessing that if you stayed at the Contemporary you’d get used to the monorail way. Our Home is Wilderness Lodge so we weren’t used to it.

After signing in at the hostess desk we were invited to go and get a picture taken by the WDW professional picture takes and since we had memory maker of course we said yes!

Row was a little crazed at our table reservations. I would say the waiting/over stimulation was what did it. She enjoyed terrorizing me and jumping on the couches. Note the look on mine and her face-exactly. They also had a tv area for the littles while they waited.

Like I said-terrorized…..but hey it is what it is. Uhem rapid movement.

We sat at our table and there was a great buffet! I really liked that everyone had an opportunity to choose what they liked. I would say the food was not as great as the non buffet table service dining offered at WDW but the atmosphere more than made up for it. The Fab 5 to be exact-Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto all dressed in Chef’s outfits came table to table for pictures and autographs. Now let it be known that 2 year olds and characters don’t exactly mix. I was hoping when she saw her girl Don Duck and Ninnie she would be excited but she was less than. I however was!

Not feeling it…

and notice the gaze….

and then she considered touching her….

The characters were amazing. We were celebrating Row’s birthday while on vacay so she got a special treat!

and even Mickey came over and blew her a special birthday kiss.

The characters really knew how to handle the littles and never over stepped their boundaries which is oh so appreciated for mommies of introverts. The bread pudding btw was so amazing.

Chef Mickey’s is definitely one for the bucket list. If you have a meal plan that includes table service dining you should definitely book Chef Mickey. I know we will be back when Row’s a little older. The downside of eating at character dining restaurants is you have to wait sometimes for the character rounds. They will come back to you, they will dance, and you will have an amazing time.

Did I mention that the monorail could be seen running through the hotel the whole time we ate-super cool!