Exactly three weeks from now I’ll be experiencing my first trip to Aulani. As with most of our trips we booked far in advance, and it seems like it’s taken forever to get to departure. Now with 21 days to go, I can’t believe it’s almost here.

The most exciting thing about this trip for me is that I’m going with family. Our group is going to include my oldest daughter (and regular travel partner, Shelley), youngest son, his wife and two children and her parents. We’ll have six adults to help supervise my one-year old grandson and my three-year-old granddaughter. This trip is essentially all about the children and we only have one day scheduled off property. The remainder (and bulk) of the time is expected to be on sand, in the ocean, or in and around the pools. I haven’t started to pack yet, but I think I’m going to follow all the advice I’m gotten and focus primarily on swimsuits and cover-ups. Obviously, an outfit or two will need to be thrown in the mix, but what a difference from our normal cruise vacations when we’re packing multiple outfits for every day.

I’m a little wary about keeping an eye on two toddlers around water for an entire week and thinking we’ll come back just as exhausted as we normally do from a trip to Walt Disney World. But what a wonderful reason to be so tired! I am hoping to sneak in a visit to the Spa, but I’m going to play that by ear. Also, Shel and I were the only ones interested in the luau, so we do have one adult only night planned.

Next month I hope to fill you in on how wonderful Aulani was! For now, Aloha

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

We’ve just returned from our first trip to Disney’s Aulani. Since there is far too much to talk about in one article, I’ll be doing a series to go over different parts of the resort and what you might want to know to plan your future trip there!

The resort is stunningly beautiful and very Hawaiian. When walking the pathway along the ocean side of the resort and seeing the other resorts along the way, Aulani stands out because of how it’s design and architecture respects the traditions of the Hawaiian culture. This was true both inside and outside the resort. Although we felt we were at a Disney property, this was due more to the level of service provided, not to the general atmosphere. In other words, the “Disney” feel we’ve all come to expect at a Disney resort, takes a backseat to the Hawaiian culture.

The rooms, and the entire resort, are heavily detailed in natural materials; primarily carved woods. Everything about the architecture exudes a sense of relaxation. There is also an enormous amount of greenery present outside the central lobby. The entry way is quite large and beautiful, decorated with the Hawaiian artwork, carved wood, and some breathtaking lighting fixtures. Lighting played a big part of the décor and is prevalent as soon as you drive onto the property. The one complaint I had about the main lobby area of the hotel, however, was that it had very little seating. In WDW, it’s not unusual for us to arrange to meet others in the lobbies of the properties, or to just sit there and people watch or read a book. There’s always quite a lot of seating to pick from, but at Aulani there was only two couch/chair combination seating areas and a couple of round ottomans off by themselves. There is a lovely terrace outside of the lobby with some additional seating, but most of that was for only one or two people. I assume that this was planned; maybe as a way of keeping the area very serene. There were however small seating areas on each floor of both towers right outside of the elevator banks. One of these areas would serve as a good meeting place.

Our room, though lovely, was nothing special. It too had the Hawaiian feel with Hawaiian art and wood carved furniture. We were in the hotel this time, not a villa. However, they had villas open every day for touring, so of course I went through. Except for the additional space, i.e. kitchen, couch, extra bath, etc., the décor felt much the same. Our room (and all three rooms our group had) were missing one thing; the Hawaiian quilt/runner at the end of the bed, and that was a big disappointment to me. Crazy as this will sound, that missing little piece of Hawaiian culture made the room a little boring. But was made up for that (and what the studio and second bedrooms in the villas didn’t have), was an amazing bathtub! This tub was the longest and deepest tub I have ever been in.

The highlight of the property for me was the central hub between the towers, which encompassed all the many water features. There’s a koi pond, lazy river, a children’s splash pad and separate play area, water slides, a couple of grottos, and several pools and hot tubs. The truly amazing thing to me was that all these different areas interconnected to each other but seemed very private. We never felt crowded anywhere or overcome with noise. The massive amounts of greenery acted as both privacy and sound barrier. Of course, there is also the beautiful cove/ocean. Certainly, some of the areas were louder than others, but it was always possible to tuck yourself away someplace beautiful if you needed some quiet time. This area was definitely the “jewel in the crown” for me.

This trip was a “staycation” of sorts for us. We had only one day off property scheduled, and due to unforeseen circumstances, didn’t leave the resort that day after all. So, except for a couple of walks to the nearby stores and restaurants, we did stay put. This was very different from a trip to WDW or the cruises we typically take, and I did feel a little confined toward the end of the week. If you’re just planning on staying on property, this is most definitely a family vacation spot, devoted to sun, water and possibly food. Pretty much everything is closed by 9:00 PM each day. Even the pools closed at 8:00 PM. This suited us just fine this time around since the trip was all about family and enjoying time with two toddlers. All the adults on the trip got up and went to bed essentially when the kids did, so nightlife (or lack thereof) was not an issue this time around. But next trip we’d plan on having a car to branch out from the resort occasionally. This wasn’t our first trip to Hawaii, so we didn’t need to go explore, but next time I’d like to have that blend of relaxation and activity.
Still to come….. reviews of the food, luau and spa.

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

On our most recent trip to WDW we had the good fortune to experience a new dining experience: Storybook Dining at Artist Point with Snow White. This was an amazing experience and one I would highly recommend to all. Although pricey; $59.99 for adults, the food was amazing and that along with the setting and interactions with the characters made for a special evening.

When seated at your table you’re handed a leather-bound menu for the evening, and your table also has a tree with several branches in the center of it. This tree becomes the landing point for your starters as well as the desserts to round out the meal. It’s really makes for a lovely and unique presentation.

Your meal starts with a combination of Winter Squash Bisque, Hunter’s Pie and Wicket Shrimp Cocktail. The bisque came in tiny little caldrons, the pies were bite-size, and the shrimp was packed in a glass jar. Appetizers were my least favorite part of the meal, but still very good. The soup was just a little too sweet for my palate but combined with the savory taste of the pie and the freshness of the shrimp, it was a good way to start.

Diners are offered six entrees from which to choose for their main course and the two we chose were Royal Prime Rib Roast and Brother’s Grimm Roasted Chicken. I had the prime rib, and it was one of the best I have ever eaten. It was served with horseradish mashed potato, hay-smoked carrots, a popover and jus. Everything was absolutely delish! Shel opted for the chicken which came with confit potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, apples and chestnut butter. She also enjoyed her entrée and I have to say it was presented beautifully. Unfortunately, my picture doesn’t do it justice.

The dessert course was referred to as Miner’s Treasures (sponge cake w/buttercream frosting and chocolate gems), Fairy Tale Gooseberry Pie w/Meringue and a “Poison” Apple. The poison apple was the most unusual and my favorite. It was a white chocolate apple mousse with a sour center. Beautiful and delicious.

I’ve focused on the food here, but the locale and the character experience were also a big reason we enjoyed the experience. Artist Point has been transformed into a forest with lots of greenery and special lighting which changes throughout the show. Snow White, Grumpy and Dopey took their time with all of the guests and it was much less rushed than your typical character breakfast or dinner. The Queen had her own special place within the restaurant and guests approached her at their own peril! Kudos to the Queen! The most “in character” character ever. She was amazing!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

On our most recent trip to WDW we tried several new dining experiences, one of which was breakfast at The Plaza Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. This was advertised as a limited time event, but I’m hoping they decide to keep serving breakfast, because it was delicious!

We didn’t originally plan to go here, but made a last-minute decision to see if we could get in. Luckily, probably because it wasn’t highly advertised as being available, we had no problem snagging a reservation the day before we wanted to attend. I’m very excited that another sit-down breakfast option became available at the Magic Kingdom. For many years we had a tradition of going to breakfast at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant on our way in for the day. Alas, they stopped serving breakfast there many years ago, so it was nice to have another option added to our choices.

There are six breakfast entrees to choose from, as well as a few side dishes available. Menu items include an All-American breakfast platter, Mickey waffles, steak and eggs, a create your own omelet option, and two different styles of eggs benedict; country ham and eggs and lobster-fried green tomato eggs benedict. I was definitely temped to order this lobster concoction, but since I really don’t like poached eggs, it seemed like a poor choice, and I decided on the All-American. Shelley opted for the Mickey waffles.

The All-American was exactly what you might have expected; scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, sausage, bacon and a biscuit. Although a pretty typical choice, everything was really delicious. I mentioned I don’t like poached eggs, but in reality, I don’t really like eggs at all. I force myself to eat a few bites to make sure I am getting some protein in the morning. But, on this platter, I ate every last morsel of eggs! Not sure what they did to make them so yummy, but they were wonderful. The potatoes were also quite good and the bacon and sausage both had lovely flavor. The biscuit was also light and fluffy and very tasty. Shel’s waffles came with powdered sugar, Mickey sprinkles, syrup on the side, and rested on a bed of banana pastry cream. She often opts for Mickey waffles but said these were particularly good and the banana pastry cream was delightful. I will tell you that both breakfast platters were huge and could definitely have been shared. Although I ate all of my eggs, with everything else on the platter, there was more than enough to split between two adults, or certainly an adult and a child. For smaller appetites, the sides available included grits, oatmeal and biscuits and gravy, along with a lighter side of fresh fruit. Specialty cocktails were also available at breakfast including a Bellini, Mimosa and house-made sangria. Prices for the entrees ranged from $14-$18 dollars. For the amount of food received, and ability to share, this was really quite the bargain.

I’m hopeful Disney will decide to keep this option available permanently, but in case they don’t, make sure and make a breakfast ADR here for your next trip while it is still available. I’d give it a big two thumbs up!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

Today’s article takes us back to Hawaii and Aulani for a review of Aulani’s Ka Wa’a Luau. While planning our trip last year, Shel and I decided we both wanted to experience Ka Wa’a. Sadly, we were the only two of our group of eight who decided to go.

Both of us had had positive luau experiences before. Our very first tropical show was at the Polynesian’s Spirit of Aloha show when Shel and her sister and brother were all in the teen and pre-teen category. Everyone loved the show, but the food didn’t go over well. Two of the four of us were picky eaters and didn’t really enjoy much of what was offered. However, the storytelling, dancers and character appearances still made this a worthwhile experience. I enjoyed it enough that I went a second time on a trip to WDW with a friend.

Fast forward many years later to true traditional luau’s in the great state of Hawaii. I’ve been to the luau at Paradise Cove in Oahu twice, to a third on the Big Island, and another in Maui. Shel also attended a luau when she took a cruise of the Hawaii Islands. Since we enjoyed all the previous experiences, it seemed like a good bet to attend the luau at Aulani.

When booking our luau, we opted for the VIP package. Although this package included alcohol, the biggest reason we opted to go for the VIP experience was because we wanted to ensure good seating, and neither of us likes to wait for things if we don’t have to. Having drinks included was more just the cherry on top, but if alcohol is big on your list, than the VIP is the way to go. I’m pretty sure the alcohol wasn’t top shelf, but they would make pretty much anything you wanted, and it was totally unlimited. For us, the benefits of VIP were:

• We were one of the first to get in, even without standing in line. VIP ticket holders had a special line and were able to get into the venue earlier than everyone else. We only appeared about five minutes before we were allowed in and only had a handful of people in front of us.
• We were seated at the front middle table directly in front of the stage. Cast members told us that seating wasn’t dependent on when you showed up because tables were pre-assigned at the time of your reservation. We had booked months in advance, so that probably assisted in our front table. However, the time you arrived did matter if you wanted the very best seats, because seats at the table you were assigned to were loaded in the order of arrival; closest to the stage and then back further into the audience.
• We were able to attend all the activities first – without crowds.
• We were the first to be taken to the buffet tables, where everything was fresh and hot.
• The proximity to the entertainment was AMAZING!

The three components of the luau were: pre-show, food, and entertainment.

For the pre-show activities we had the opportunity to take pictures with performers, perform kapa printing, string flower lei wristlets, pound taro, and get temporary kahon tattoos. All these activities were surprisingly fun; even for two adults!

I thought the food was amazing! The best I’ve ever had at a luau!! Everything was hot and fresh, unlimited and delicious. It was head and shoulders over the food at every other luau I’ve been too. The only thing that I missed, was the Emu pit (the unearthing of the roasted pig). However, the quality of the food definitely made up for this missing element.

The show itself was incredible. Even though we had wonderful seats, close to the main stage, one of the things that I really liked at Ka Wa’a was the additional entertainer platforms throughout the venue. Instead of all the action being only on the main stage, at multiple times through the night the performers would step out among the audience onto these platforms. At several of the other luaus I’ve attended, we’ve been seated waaaay in the back! These platforms really brought the performers close to everyone and elevated the experience by making everyone feel included regardless of your seat. The show had a progression throughout the evening, with small pieces of entertainment happening throughout the meal and building to the full performance. There was a storyline of how Aulani came to be, wonderful singing and chanting, and incredible dancing. The fire dancers were certainly a crowd pleaser. And, of course as only Disney can do….. We had personal visits from Mickey, Minnie and Moana!

Prices for the luau are expensive, but we felt we really got a wonderful night of food and entertainment for what we paid. General admission was $129/$179 VIP for adults, and $79/$109 VIP for children. I’m not sure we would have paid for the VIP experience if we’d had children attending with us, but for the adult only crowd, I’d highly recommend it. We were seated next to a honeymooning couple and they agreed!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

Dining at Aulani

When planning our first trip to Aulani, we didn’t really pre-plan a lot of things. We knew this was going to be a resort “staycation” as we were planning on spending most of our time at the resort. We did book three meals in advance; our luau experience, a character breakfast, and Thanksgiving dinner. For everything else, we decided we would wing it with what Aulani offered and the options from the Ko Olina Shopping Center across from Aulani.

I love dining out and enjoying the dining experience as part of the overall enjoyment of vacation. To be frank, I wasn’t expecting a lot from this trip. When we go to Walt Disney World we always have ADR’s planned, and when cruising… well it’s cruising, and food is always available and included in the cost. I was afraid that Aulani didn’t have enough to offer and would probably be extra expensive. I was pleasantly surprised at how our dining worked out.

Here’s the breakdown of what Aulani offers:
• Makahiki – the buffet. We ate two meals here; a character breakfast and Thanksgiving dinner. Both were absolutely wonderful! The selection of items available and the quality and freshness of everything offered were the best I’ve had at any Disney buffet anywhere. Yes, both meals were expensive, but definitely added to the enjoyment of our vacation.
• Ama Ama – considered the premier dining experience at Aulani. We only had breakfast here, but I was not overly impressed. The food was fine, but nothing special. The highlight of our experience here was the view. It’s a beautiful location.
• Ulu Café – the quick service café. We ate a good number of our meals here. Selection and quality were good, and it was incredibly convenient. We were in hotel rooms on this trip and didn’t plan on preparing any meals in our rooms. Our group of eight also didn’t eat every meal together, and this was a quick place to pick up something individually anytime you were hungry. There pizza was particularly good, and that’s coming from someone who really doesn’t like pizza. Some items (like fruit) were very expensive, but most of the entrée items were reasonably priced.
• The ‘Olelo Room – the bar/lounge adjacent to Makahiki. Besides cocktails, a small menu of food items were offered. We had an impromptu dinner there one night with cocktails. It wasn’t fantastic, but it was good. And the setting is wonderful! Live music was also part of the experience.
• Wailana Pool Bar & Off the Hook – these two bars also offered food items throughout the day. Although we didn’t partake, but menus looked good. The best part was you didn’t even need to leave your pool chair, as servers came around on a regular basis to see if you needed anything.
• Mama’s Snack Stop – located by the largest of the pools, this became our (almost) daily stop for lunch. Chicken fingers, shrimp and fish and chips were the primary menu items and all were delicious; much better than typical snack items.
• Papalua Shave Ice – Unfortunately I never made it to the shave ice, but Shelley and my granddaughter thoroughly enjoyed their Mickey cone!
• Little “Opihi’s Beachside Kiosk – A little gem I discovered at the end of the trip. Both a sushi roll and a springroll were offered here, and it was a nice fresh change from the fried food at Mama’s.

And finally, all of our group did venture over to the shopping center for a couple of meals.

• Pizza Oven – The adults in the group said the pizza was just average, but of course the kids enjoyed it! Recommendation – only with kids
• Monkeypod Kitchen. It was good, but not anything I’d rush back for. The cocktails were delicious though! Recommendation – Okay, if you want to venture out, but I’d probably skip the food and just enjoy cocktails and the live music.
• Just Tacos Mexican Grill & Cantina – We had two extremely different experiences. The first time we dined there the service was good and the food was delicious. However, the second time around service was mediocre at best and the quality of the food was terrible! I don’t know if they employed two different chefs on the two occasions we dined, but the second experience was awful! Recommendation – NO.
• Eggs ‘n Things – Kind of a typical breakfast experience, but with a Hawaiian twist due to some of the items offered. Food was good, but not anything special, and it was VERY expensive. Recommendation – skip it.

So, to wrap this up, if you’re traveling around Oahu I’m sure there are plenty of options to consider for dining. But, if you want to limit any excursions and take advantage of just what Aulani offers, I believe it’s possible to do so and experience some wonderful food.

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

It’s 42 days until our next trip to WDW, and of course I get more and more excited as each day passes. Yes, we are going in July! I know it’s going to be hot, and typically this would not be a time of year that I would choose to go. However, as Shelley mentioned in a previous article of hers, this trip is an homage, and a celebration of a friend lost too soon.

My dear friend Donna and I had visited WDW once before in July. We also knew it was going to be hot, so for that trip, we had planned a resort staycation. Our plan was to spend every day at the pool and every night having a wonderful dinner. The only exception to this plan was our desire to see the 4th of July fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. However, we even did that without going into the Magic Kingdom due to a dining experience at Narcoosee’s. It was a truly magical vacation. We relaxed all day, ate well and saw what amounted to the most spectacular fireworks display ever!

So, when I asked Shel if we could go this year to honor that memory, she readily agreed. However, the first thing she said was, “You know it’s going to be hot!” I agreed, but we always have a plan in place when it gets extraordinarily hot in WDW, regardless of the season. We go to the movies! That may seem weird to individuals who go on a “once in a lifetime trip”, but we are fortunate to go to the most magical place on earth often, and we both love movies! So, between staying at the Polynesian for the first time (with two amazing pools), taking a break at the movies, and afternoon tea one afternoon, I’m not really stressing about the heat. We have a plan.

What’s got me upset though is the vast amount of negativity I’ve been seeing online lately regarding visiting in July. I recently joined a couple of new internet groups celebrating all things Disney, and I’ve been astonished at everyone complaining about the July heat. Or complaining that the fireworks weren’t all that good. Or complaining about the crowds. Okay, hot weather is HOT, there’s no disputing that. And I get that whether or not you enjoy a fireworks show is subjective. But for goodness sake, stop the complaining! I really don’t understand. Disney is my happy place, and I’ve always been under the impression that’s true for most anyone who goes there. So why the need to express all these negative comments?

We have such a wonderful group of individuals (both our writers and our readers!) on the WDW Fan Zone that I’ve never heard anything but positivity, so if you are one of the negative ones, you may not actually be reading this article. But if any “negative Nellies” from any of these other groups are reading this, I’d say lighten up! My mother (and everyone else’s when I was growing up) used to tell us, “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” I think that’s true not just about people, but also experiences. Maybe July in Florida is too hot for you. Or maybe your hometown fireworks are superior…. Or whatever. But don’t spoil a potentially amazing experience for someone else by complaining it was the worst possible time to go. Whatever your plan is, if it doesn’t involve gratitude and joy for being in the most amazing place ever, then don’t go. I’m sure I’m going to sweat a little more than normal, and I may need at least a couple of showers a day, but I can guarantee we’re going to have a wonderful time!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

This fall we’re going on another cruise on The Disney Fantasy; my favorite ship! I know it’s controversial, but I almost always use my DVC points for cruising. Some people think this is a really bad usage of points, but frankly I don’t share that opinion. This will be our 15th cruise aboard a Disney ship and I think we’ve only paid cash for three or possibly four of them. For me, it a no brainer… why wouldn’t I use them?

This time however Disney through us a curve. When it came time to look at the point charts and determine our sailing date and cabin, something new appeared on the points charts. Concierge was now avaiLable to book through points! What?!!! We’ve been fortunate enough to sail in concierge twice. The first time we did it, we stated it was going to be a once in a lifetime experience, and then somehow we booked for a second concierge cruise with the same group of friends we had sailed with previously. To be quite honest, I’d definitely sail this way every time, but it simply isn’t in our budgets. So, what a surprise when we saw that it was now available with points. The one setback was that I don’t have enough points (even with combining three years of points) to book both of us. There is an option however with points to book some people on points and some on cash. This certainly gave us something to think about. The negative with doing this half cash/have points booking is that the cash part has to be paid in full at the time of the booking. This differs from a regular booking that gives you many months ahead of time to pay for the cruise. But, we looked at the points, and the cash to split up the two of us, and decided to go for it. So we are sailing concierge again!

Yes, overall it’s considerably more money, but we figured if we could swing it, why not? I love, love, LOVE sailing! And, our trips in concierge have been ever so special. So maybe this will be the last time we do it, but maybe not. We’ll take every opportunity one decision at a time and see what makes sense for us.

One of the greatest benefits to staying in concierge is the ability to book a cabana at Castaway Cay. They are very limited and typically only those in concierge or platinum sailers get the opportunity due to early their early booking windows. We’ve only been in a cabana with a large group of people before. This will be the first time for just the two of us, and we are really looking forward to it. It’s by far the biggest spurge we’ve ever done since there is a minimum cost for six people. Obviously if you divide the cost of the cabana between two people instead of six, the cost per person goes up substantially. But we decided to try for one and did manage to snag one! I can’t think of a better way to end a cruise. Castaway Cay is on our last day and this will be a perfect ending to what I’m sure will be a perfect week!

We’re closing in on the 100 mark, and I can’t wait. But just to make it a little easier, we’ll be at WDW in about a week! Thank you DVC!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!</em

We just completed a July trip to WDW. One of the major factors behind the decision to visit during this very hot month was the ability to see the special 4th of July fireworks presentation at the Magic Kingdom. This special presentation took place two nights this year, on July 3rd and July 4th. In an effort to avoid the crush of crowds as much as possible we made a decision to book the Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace.

There are two options for the dessert party; both offer the same dessert options, but one has reserved standing viewing areas in the hub area and the second offers reserved seating throughout the show directly within the Tomorrowland Terrace area.

We opted for the seated viewing. Having a confirmed reservation, we didn’t think it would be necessary to queue up far in advance, so we got to the area about 20-30 minutes ahead of opening. Wow! Lines for both areas check in were crazy! I got really nervous thinking that by the time we made it to the front of the line all the food would be gone, and our reserved seats would revert to standing room only! I couldn’t have been more wrong. Disney did an amazing job with this event, starting with an actual reserved table and chairs just for us. Because of this, it really didn’t matter when we would have checked in.

As to the food, there were two buffet lines, one for each of the two areas, but attendees could visit either of the two lines. Food was plentiful and constantly refilled. Although called a dessert party, there were a few savory options as well. We had the famous (but formerly unknown to me!) cheeseburger spring (egg) rolls, cheese plate and a delicious spinach artichoke dip. Whether you called them spring rolls or egg rolls; they were amazing. These savory options were especially welcome because we hadn’t eaten dinner before attending this event. The dessert options included cupcake, cookies, edible cookie dough, brownies, mousse, ice cream, and a few other items I’m sure I’m forgetting. There was even a decorating station for those who wanted to decorate their own treats and a s’mores bar. Everything was decorated in red, white and blue; adding to the celebratory feel of the event. Beverages offered were coffee, tea, iced tea, juice, milk and sparkling apple cider.

All the food was delicious, but the best part of the event was our seats! Our reserved space for two ended up being right on the rail facing the castle. No one was in front of us! And we were sitting down, out of the crowds and relaxing! It was very pricey, but an amazing experience and one that was well worth the cost. Check the WDW Resort website for current pricing.

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!

I’m sure by now you’ve all read or heard of the rant that went viral from the mom who stated that childless millennials should be banned from Walt Disney World. When I initially read the story, I assumed it was generated purposefully by someone just to get attention. After all, there are millions of us who enjoy Disney (WDW, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line and all of the other Disney parks around the world) with and without children. I brought my first child to WDW when she was five, and we continue to travel there regularly together (both adults now) 35 plus years later.

Regardless of what this one individual’s thoughts regarding this issue were, I know (and will always believe), that Disney is a place for everyone, without or without children. But I must admit, one aspect of visiting Disney I have dramatically changed my opinion on, is visiting Disney with very small children. I mentioned already that I took Shel to WDW when she was five. She was a very mature five-year-old and I thought the visit went great. But I couldn’t even imagine taking my younger two children there at that age. The four of us took our first trip to WDW together when the kids were around 6, 7 and 9. As a single mom, this was still a challenge, but we had a great time, and it reinforced my opinion that children had to be beyond the toddler stage to truly enjoy themselves and make the trip worthwhile.

Fast forward to becoming a grandmother and being surprised on two separate occasions now by Shel, my son Mark, and my wonderful daughter-in-law Missy “appearing” magically on an adult-only trip with grandbabies. I am so in love with Reese and Cam, that I didn’t for a minute think about my past opinion on babies and toddlers being too small to be there. We quickly rearranged all of our pre-planned arrangements (those sometimes very difficult to get ADR’s and fast-passes) and dove head first into visiting the parks with small children. The first time really surprised me, Reese was just under three and Cam just under a year. Although Reese didn’t quite meet the requirements for all the attractions, she was able to go on quite a bit. Cam, at still under a year mostly could only go on attractions mostly sitting on an adult’s lap. Reese was crazy excited about everything and surprisingly well behaved. She patiently waited in lines; something we never would have expected. My biggest surprise was seeing the joy on Cam’s face though. I didn’t think a baby under a year of age would be able to enjoy any aspect of the park, but boy was I wrong. Cam was mesmerized by everything! The joy I felt watching Cam and Reese’s reactions to everything was amazing!

This year for my birthday recently, they surprised me again! This time the kids were about three and a half and one and a half year’s old. Cam was able to do a lot more this time around but was still too small for many attractions. It didn’t matter what they could or couldn’t go on though because everything was just so exciting to them; and consequently, to us as well.

So, here’s a heartfelt apology to anyone for my previous misconceptions. I am so happy I’ve been able to experience this wonderful opportunity to enjoy Disney through a child’s eyes. I truly didn’t know what I was missing!

Jo Scholl is a long time Walt Disney fan, grateful Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owner, and proud mom to three amazing adult children, one of whom is fellow columnist Shelley Scholl. Jo is also Grandma Jo to new Disney fans, Reese Ann, her new baby brother Camden Joseph, and now grandchild number three, lovely Ophelia Elaine! Life is good!! Jo also resides with a small black dog named Mickey Mouse!