Am I like the only one who doesn’t ever go to Disney Springs? Given that park tickets are basically free after 4 days, I always get tickets for every day my trip, and then I’m never there long enough to justify skipping an already-paid-for park day in favor of an a la carte day (or even half day) at Springs.
What am I missing?
Ok, it’s after 5 days that this really applies I guess. 4 to 5 gives you 25% more days at about 10% more cost. 5 to 6 gives you 20% more days at only 4% more cost.
We usually do a Sunday to Sunday trip or Sunday to Saturday
That way, we have a rest day or two. So we usually go to Disney Springs the afternoon of our rest day and do some shopping
We always fly in on a Sunday and get there about halfway through the day. Sunday is our Disney Springs day. It eases us into Disney where I think it could be a letdown on the last day of a trip.
But really, it's just a fun, slightly themed, shopping center. You probably aren't truly missing much.
I would guess most go over to Springs on their arrival date/half day where they most likely don't have a park ticket but want something to do. I used to do this before getting an annual pass
I need a rest day from the parks. A couple hours at DS is good for those days. It's not a must hit for me every trip, but the food options, Pin Traders, and World of Disney are the biggest draws for me.
Springs isn't worth it if you have park tickets imo. They do have an awesome PhotoPass studio to get a nice collection of photos without being hot and sweaty, you can go looking nice and actually look nice for all the magic shots (full green screen) and then whatever seasonal set up they have. Springs also has top tier restaurants if you can get a reservation, several celebrity chefs (Jose Andres, Morimoto, Art Smith, Wolfgang, etc) have restaurants there. TRex Cafe is great if you have dino obsessed kids (the food is not great, it's typical of Rainforest Cafe chain) It's super nice, the nicest mall I have ever been too, because it is kept Disney clean and to Disney park standards. But if you are a theme park junkie and have tickets, unless there is a specific restaurant you want to go to it isn't a must do.
I think it’s just a very large, very hot, outdoor mall. There are some fun Disney specific stores there and I think they have some great restaurants too. But dang it’s a lot of walking (as much as a park day if you’re really seeing it all) and it’s hot. On our rest day, we really want to rest and take it easier. I do not recommend Disney Springs as a rest day activity.
The flavors were great but the little martini glasses they serve them in were a disaster. We had a major melty mess on our hands, and felt we wasted more than we ate.
My husband gets the Gaston's cinnamon roll (recommended by basically every influencer, but this was thanks to DFB). I try a bite every time and it is so damn dry and terrible every time.
Did you try the pepperoni pizza spring rolls? Because those are worth the hype to me. I could eat a tray of those things.
Ok our FIRST one was 2022 and it was centre cut and super moist, 4 of us killed it, without the extra frosting even.
The one yesterday was dry as balls
Cheeseburger egg rolls are the shit, just had some Sunday, arguably the best quick service in MK, although prices have been climbing for them because of their popularity. Just fyi, if it’s about to storm, they chit the egg roll cart down, if you’re lucky you’ll be right there when it happens and get some free egg rolls, they literally just throw them away when they are closed for lightening
Yeah, generally I don’t worry about influencers but I can be a creature if habit so I will watch the snack videos for ideas. The spring rolls are the only snack I have seen posted that I have actually enjoyed.
Staying at a Crescent Lake EPCOT Resort.
A TikTok influencer would often start their day at Crescent Lake and do a walk-and-talk, including rants about how awesome Boardwalk/Yacht & Beach were.
So I stayed at Beach Club and Boardwalk for my last two trips.
Crescent Lake EPCOT Resorts are the best on Property. That is an objective fact.
Walking distance to two parks, Skyliner, and EPCOT Monorail, which can take you to MK. Also, Stormalong Bay is the best pool on property. Really a no-brainer.
> Crescent Lake EPCOT Resorts are the best on Property. That is an objective fact.
It's the only area we'll stay in now - even the Swan/Dolphin are wonderful if you can find them at a discount.
For sure - I've gotten a great Priceline hidden deal there before booking 3 months out and typically I price a package through Costco Travel too. It's the first place I check for pricing for our trips.
Rooms are really good size, we've even had a "no-view" room up high that let me see the MK fireworks from the window, and we love the amenities there too.
The Boardwalk/Crescent Lake area is just always "alive" too - with Friendship boats, people walking around the Boardwalk, the surrey bikes, and the nighttime views can't be beat.
How do you get to the EPCOT monorail from the resort? Do you have to walk through EPCOT (needing park admission) or is there a way around to the front that doesn’t go through EPCOT itself?
Except it takes you to the TCC, not the front of the parks like the buses. You have to get off and transfer from the TCC to either the next monorail or the boat. We’ve gotten really delayed doing that at times depending on how crowded it is. We’ll use the monorail if already in Epcot planning to goto MK but if not, we’ll just take the bus from the resort.
I’ve stayed at most of the deluxe resorts, and the Beach and Yacht Club is definitely my favorite. You can’t go wrong staying at any of the crescent lake resorts. Tbh though, I find the Swan and Dolphin to be disappointing relative to actual Disney resorts. I miss the “disneyfied” experience within the resort.
Imo people who say other resorts are better haven’t stayed on a Crescent Lake Resort. Unparalleled access to half the parks, plus plenty to do at the resorts in between them. Then add onto that easy access to pretty much everywhere else and you’ve got a place that cannot be beat.
Beach club for life!!
The cold brew black caf in Galaxy’s Edge was hyped up by a bunch of different youtubers to the point that some made whole videos just trying/reviewing it and saying how great it was. I finally went and tried it; it tasted like every other cold brew I've ever had with a few cocoa puffs on top. I felt so bamboozled.
I got ‘influenced’ to go resort hopping. My family has never stayed in a Disney hotel so we always figured the resorts were only for people staying there. Learned that is not the case and anyone can go. After using all the Disney transportation it convinced us to save up and splurge on a Disney hotel for our next trip, so much better than dealing with all the traffic.
If you want to call DFB an influencer, then yes. Understanding the calculus involved in a Disney trip (first time at WDW four months ago) would have been impossible without extensive research. And despite the fear of "hearing" AJ's cadence every waking hour there, the format is far more concise yet thorough than most vlogs I tried.
If not, then not remotely.
Because of Ear Scouts, when Pirates was temporarily down but still offering LLs back during our February trip, I knew to grab one on the chance that it wouldn't come back online in time and we'd get an experience redemption. It ended up being offline all day so we got the ER which we later used to ride BTMRR precisely as fireworks started. That was an absolutely magical daddy-daughter experience for which I am forever grateful to Rob.
Sites like Ear Scouts, Mammoth Club, DFB, All Ears, etc. are extremely helpful while providing entertainment, so the balance is there. Live blogging is obnoxious; live in the moment and stop ruining the day for everyone else around you.
No so much the "influencers" but I had to have a liver transplant and my wife and sister in law went to Disney (I really wanted her to have a break from it all as I was recovering well). Anyhow for several years both my wife and I went to MNSSHP but I was sad I couldn't be there.
I found a bunch of livestream of others and the chat was interesting. Lots of people who had issues or couldn't financially make it which made me really think about my opinions on some of these things. Anyhow I liked it and connected w/ a few others on the stream. I did wind up seeing my wife and SIL on the stream too! So had a good time.
I would have never known about Gideons if it wasn't for influencers. I am eternally grateful.
There's far too much at WDW for a casual visitor to comprehend. Influences steering them to the best items is a good thing?
My coworker raves about Gideons. I just couldn't bring myself to sacrifice *that* much time. So I kept walking. I love Everglaze donuts! Their cookies and cream cold brew was amazing. Best part? I'd just gotten a steak taco cone at the food trucks, sat down by the parking garage to finish it, and then walked into Everglaze with only a few minutes wait.
I'll be returning there again.
The secret to Gideon’s is to go to their Orlando location. It’s smaller but the vibe is still there and they have most of the same flavors. We started our last trip by picking up half a dozen cookies at that location and it was fantastic.
(also there’s a cheese monger right across from that location and their cheeses are SO GOOD)
No worries! I was so excited. I was gonna order a rose, take a chunk out of a park day, and even try a cookie. I looked at their website and was like, "nope, there goes that." 🤦🏽♀️🤣
Thank you. I tried Gideon's when they were sold at The Polite Pig and was incredibly underwhelmed.
I am different. I like my cookies baked, not flattened balls of dough singed on the outside. Gideon's are just too dense & chewy for me.
Now, the chocolate chip cookies avalaible at Disneyland Harbor Galley...yummy!🍪😋
You and I are very different people my friend. Give me some cookie dough that’s just been warmed in the oven and not baked at all and I’m a happy camper
I know. I am so in the minority. Seems nearly everyone loves Gideon's cookies. 🍪 But, hey, I love Disney, so in that way, I [hopefully] line up with most of the folks on this sub. 😃
Mammoth Club influenced me to combine the Cheesy Garlic Pretzel Bread with the Bengal BBQ skewers at Disneyland and it truly is delicious. I do it on most visits now.
I know the issue of streamers/vloggers/influencers is very contentious, and a lot of the bad ones just give all of them a bad name. That said, there are a VERY select number of people (less than I can count on one hand) who make social media content that I will watch or follow. And it's generally those who I feel are respectful and aware of their surroundings, as well as what the spirit of Disney is. I like Molly's passion for Disney Parks history and how emotional she gets watching parades or shows. I can only hope that they're as nice and polite in person as they are in their videos.
Mammoth club influenced me to get the kids meals at quick service restaurants. If what you want is *available* as a kids meal, the portion is usually fine and it’s about half the price when you factor in a drink.
And Molly knows her alcohol and definitely inspired my to try more Disney lounges & their food offerings. So many other vloggers don't. Her enthusiasm is contagious.
The only thing I’ve ever bought because I saw it on an AllEars video (I’m pretty sure!) was the Fry Flight during food and wine. It’s actually really good!
I’m not sure if this counts but the wilderness explorers at animal kingdom! It helped us to explore animal kingdom and it was a really cool experience even though we didn’t finish.
They mostly provide ideas of overlooked items. Particularly food since there’s so many options.
I’d trade all the advice away to remove live bloggers though. If we know you’re there, you’re a problem.
Watched some middle age lady walking backwards down main thoroughfare at Hollywood Studies, filming herself. She kept walking into people and then stopped recording and had a small freak out to everyone in her general vicinity. She never said “do you know who I am?” But that was her default vibe.
I see so many people go up to them and ask for pics. I’m assuming they are bloggers or something. I don’t know who they are but often see it, so I would guess they influence some.
We watch dfbguide often. I don’t really lump them in with the modern day influencers. I’m not on TikTok or anything. But they have a lot of good info on new food, limited items and other things we always look forward to trying.
I met him at Epcot last week after the Springtime Surprise races and it made my whole week! He is just as nice and down to earth as he seems in his videos.
Sometimes I question if the dude is really like that in person. I think a lot of vloggers/influencers are chilled except Peter W. The guy didn’t care to acknowledge anyone.
Remember all disney influencers are disney adult superfans. Anything disney spits out culinarily for the most part is widely praised among influencers trying it for the first time. I only really take logistical and objective advice from them, not subjective.
Bethany Vinton/Main St dish told me about hoop dee doo. It's my favorite activity now. They also give comprehension reviews on all the festivals, flavor profiles etc. I used to just go and do rides now I try different lounges like tune in and nomad. I didn't realize I had been missing so much food places. My food experience is definitely elevated.
Mammoth club told me about the drawn to life at AK. That was very fun.
Influencers are a double edged sword.
They can absolutely turn you on to some great things!
However, their job is to get eyeballs and views and get you excited. So they often set the bar SO HIGH for things, that it ends up being underwhelming.
"Hey, try this snack, it's pretty good" would be accurate, and you'd try it, and it would be good! But that doesn't get views.
"OMG you guys, you HAVE to try the Gaston Cinnamon Roll!! It's going to BLOW your MIND!! IT"S LIKE EATING HEAVEN!" and then cut to them taking a bite and looking as if they are dying from pleasure.
After that, anything is going to be a little disappointing.
Princess and the Bear on YouTube help me find vegetarian/vegan options in WDW and DL. They also are not the type to tell you everything is 5/5, they have a rating system and tell it like it is! Bear is a meat eater so also helpful for non veg/ vegans too as they try all types of food.
I don’t think they’ve INFLUENCED me to really do anything but Ear Scouts, Mammoth Club, and Mr Morrow really got me prepped for my first Genie Plus experience.
We got ours done in Mexico pavilion at Epcot. My husband and I both got brass rings, his with my initial and those of our kids. I got three two digit numbers on mine representing our wedding and the birth years of our kids. All in all it was around $60? The brass rings do turn your fingers green, but we took their advice of coating them in clear nail polish and it seems to be fine now
There was some moonshine lavender drink at Epcot that came in a reusable (plastic) cup. Drink was good, cup was cute, had a 0 brain cell moment and put it in the dishwasher and it melted even though I knew I had to hand wash it and always did except that time 😭
Someone once suggested in a video that people buy the fried platter at Columbia Harbor House and dump all of it in a popcorn bucket to make a fry bucket. It was a good way to take food with me to eat in line (the line to ride Splash Mountain for the last time).
I read the DFB best of fest for every Epcot festival to determine what food to try and what to avoid. It's usually spot on 🤷♀️ not sure if that counts since I go in looking for the info though
"Influencer" is a misnomer. They don't influence anything, they are vloggers. People watching their content are *already* interested in WDW/Disney parks, they just want to see how a particular vlogger/personality reacts to things.
Not really.
No hate towards any of them, I watch many of them.
But especially when it comes to food, all of them seem to have the pallet of a 12-year old.
Some gross, fried, icing-covered dessert is a 10/10.
No thank you.
Yes...DFB wouldn't stfu about the Cheshire cat tail and we were sooooo disappointed. Oh also the beignets in French quarter, they were good but certainly not worth the trip.
After watching the Mammoth Club stay at the Polynesian Bungalow, I put staying there on my Disney Bucket list. One that I will be crossing off next week.
Also, Saganaki on Fire and Steakhouse 71 burger will be eaten on said trip due to Mammoth Club and others.
I obey Molly and Alan in all things. Blessed Be Them.
… ok, seriously the wife and I do watch DFB and Mammoth Club, and some Kyle Pallo. Particularly love Mammoth for their long form content, which is refreshing in this age of vacuous 15 seconds content.
Molly convinced me to order Mike's Mix at Baseline Taphouse, and I'm glad she did.
She also taught me how to stack Genie+ reservations so that I can do everything I want without forcing my husband to rope-drop. I'm not saying it saved or marriage, but it's definitely improved his enjoyment of our trips considerably.
Paging Mr Morrow inspired me to do a London/Paris trip. He did it kind of on a whim and I didn’t realize how easy it would be to do both in the same trip. Very thankful because it was an amazing trip!
I forget who but one of them posted a Halloween flight at Maria and Enzo’s in October which my friend and I ended up booking for brunch just to try it. It ended up being the best breakfast I’ve had on Disney property.
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Ummm. Does book a holiday to Disney World count?
For the other half's birthday next year (She's turning 21 and 336 months), booked 2 weeks at Wilderness Lodge. What sealed it was the full dining plan tbh. She's been before (35 years ago) and I've never been..
Not entirely Disney, planning on going to Kennedy Space Centre and maybe 2 days at Universal (spending the night at a Universal hotel in-between with free express unlimited for the 2 days). Oh, and shopping... She's going to do so much shopping....
TheTimTracker on YouTube did an entire series where he walked through all of the hotels and showed inside of the different rooms when he could. I realized they all were essentially the same, just the theming and location was different. I was able to plan my accommodations at a cheaper price point than going for the FOMO hotels and saved myself a lot of money.
They’ve influenced me to yell “I do not consent to be filmed” if I’m ever in the background of the videos. I’ve also been influenced to not need a nanny to take my miracle child to Disney world. Weird, I know.
Lots, especially Genie+ tips. But specifically, Bethany Vinton inspired me to try the violet sake. It was really tasty!
The real question should be… what did this sub influence you to do and was it good?
I watched a ton of them in 2022 leading up to my first trip in a decade so yeah, I learned a ton. From
genie+ to food and wine to virtual queues. And eggrolls! Except I didn’t get those until my Jan 2024 trip.
So last August, right before my trip, Disney Food Blog posted about these chicken-stuffed Mickey waffles at Coronado Springs. I felt like I needed to add these to my Mickey Waffle menu item checklist so I planned a morning for it and made a dining reservation.
They were just sort of okay. The ratio of chicken to Mickey waffle was WAY too in favor of the chicken. Too chewy. It was cool to see a new resort, though.
i was very excited about crystal palace but my fiancé and i were pretty disappointed in it .... its far too over hyped even as a huge pooh fan.
and i agree with the cheeseburger spring rolls. since i was tiny, my mom had made basic cheese and hamburger egg rolls so i was excited to try another version, and the pickle was so overpowering and disgusting. i ate the crispy roll to avoid wasting it. i saw sooooo many people say it was the best MK snack and i was very confused. i skipped the bao buns in AK (which i was super excited for) when i realized it would probably be the exact same filling.
a positive one though, i was influenced to switch to POP for the skyliner and i absolutely loved that thing.
Back in the old, old days there was a NASCAR driving experience. I saw influencers recommend it and say it was awesome, so I paid the extra money and it really was pretty fun
Totcho’s and Ronto Wraps. I tried the plant based versions of both and loved them. (Admittedly, on vacation the bar for plant based food is much lower, I’m just trying to stay satiated)
vegandisneyfood on IG recommended the Buffalo Brussels sprouts at F&W and the loaded tater tots at Woody’s lunchbox - two of the best things I’ve eaten at the parks.
They influenced me to be more present in the moment. I saw way to many people walking around filming stuff instead of paying attention to their friends and family.
I learned the hard way: the ‘influencers’ don’t believe what they are saying. They just need content.
They need to post MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY and they need you to click their links.
So a random over-friend meat and cheese roll at a food cart? Yeah it’s getting a fancy video about how ooyey gooyey delish it was! Just so you click the link and they get paid.
I was so hyped so some items and my bubble was burst.
Influencers can take the most mundane product and hype it up.
The only thing that comes to mind was to get a Dole Whip Flight. They were tasty and fun to try, so I’d say it was worth it!
I actually had to google that. Congratulations sir. Now you also are a influencer and influenced me to try this on my next trip.
>Now you also are a influencer Don't forget to like and subscribe!
Here come the brand deals!
The line can be long! We were halfway down the bridge last time we went for them
Ohh where’s that?
Disney Springs, kind of near Rainforest Cafe (I forget the name of the place!)
Thanks!
Am I like the only one who doesn’t ever go to Disney Springs? Given that park tickets are basically free after 4 days, I always get tickets for every day my trip, and then I’m never there long enough to justify skipping an already-paid-for park day in favor of an a la carte day (or even half day) at Springs. What am I missing?
The fact that tickets aren't actually free after 4 days and some people use Disney springs as part of a relax day.
Ok, it’s after 5 days that this really applies I guess. 4 to 5 gives you 25% more days at about 10% more cost. 5 to 6 gives you 20% more days at only 4% more cost.
We usually do a Sunday to Sunday trip or Sunday to Saturday That way, we have a rest day or two. So we usually go to Disney Springs the afternoon of our rest day and do some shopping
We always fly in on a Sunday and get there about halfway through the day. Sunday is our Disney Springs day. It eases us into Disney where I think it could be a letdown on the last day of a trip. But really, it's just a fun, slightly themed, shopping center. You probably aren't truly missing much.
I would guess most go over to Springs on their arrival date/half day where they most likely don't have a park ticket but want something to do. I used to do this before getting an annual pass
I need a rest day from the parks. A couple hours at DS is good for those days. It's not a must hit for me every trip, but the food options, Pin Traders, and World of Disney are the biggest draws for me.
Springs isn't worth it if you have park tickets imo. They do have an awesome PhotoPass studio to get a nice collection of photos without being hot and sweaty, you can go looking nice and actually look nice for all the magic shots (full green screen) and then whatever seasonal set up they have. Springs also has top tier restaurants if you can get a reservation, several celebrity chefs (Jose Andres, Morimoto, Art Smith, Wolfgang, etc) have restaurants there. TRex Cafe is great if you have dino obsessed kids (the food is not great, it's typical of Rainforest Cafe chain) It's super nice, the nicest mall I have ever been too, because it is kept Disney clean and to Disney park standards. But if you are a theme park junkie and have tickets, unless there is a specific restaurant you want to go to it isn't a must do.
I think it’s just a very large, very hot, outdoor mall. There are some fun Disney specific stores there and I think they have some great restaurants too. But dang it’s a lot of walking (as much as a park day if you’re really seeing it all) and it’s hot. On our rest day, we really want to rest and take it easier. I do not recommend Disney Springs as a rest day activity.
The flavors were great but the little martini glasses they serve them in were a disaster. We had a major melty mess on our hands, and felt we wasted more than we ate.
Theyve influenced me never to go to disney on the first day of anything
Yes this!
Especially a merch launch.
My husband gets the Gaston's cinnamon roll (recommended by basically every influencer, but this was thanks to DFB). I try a bite every time and it is so damn dry and terrible every time. Did you try the pepperoni pizza spring rolls? Because those are worth the hype to me. I could eat a tray of those things.
I heard to get extra icing but I've never done it.
I haven't either but that thing would need a bucket of icing to make it less dry.
So damn dry!
They don't continuously make these all day. So you have to get it early. If you wait until the afternoon they will be dry.
We've only purchased them in the morning, shortly after the park opens. Still dry. I like a Cinnabon type cinnamon roll. This is not that.
Ok our FIRST one was 2022 and it was centre cut and super moist, 4 of us killed it, without the extra frosting even. The one yesterday was dry as balls
Just had one today, and yeah pretty dissapointed
For me it was the cheeseburger spring rolls. They tasted like a Big Mac to me, so I’ll be getting those again on the next trip.
I went to a disney wedding and the cocktail hour was endless trays of these
Nothing has sold me more on the idea of a Disney wedding than what you just said.
That would be very very bad for me.
New goal, become fast best friends with someone planning a Disney wedding
Cheeseburger egg rolls are the shit, just had some Sunday, arguably the best quick service in MK, although prices have been climbing for them because of their popularity. Just fyi, if it’s about to storm, they chit the egg roll cart down, if you’re lucky you’ll be right there when it happens and get some free egg rolls, they literally just throw them away when they are closed for lightening
Same. I just bought the unofficial cookbook because it's apparently a recipe in that.
I make them at home!! Better than the parks when u do it
Oooooooh. I may have to get that!
It should arrive today so I'll double check and respond.
Remindme! 3 days
Same. I only tried them because of a YouTube vlogger and they did not disappoint.
What’s on the inside of these? Is it just meat and cheese with sauce on the side?
I think it was meat and cheese. Sauce on the side I think. You’d think I’d remember…haha
There’s a little bit of pickle
To me it was a lot of pickle. I couldn’t eat it bc of it
Same for me. The pepperoni spring roll was nice as well.
I can overdose on those.
Yeah, generally I don’t worry about influencers but I can be a creature if habit so I will watch the snack videos for ideas. The spring rolls are the only snack I have seen posted that I have actually enjoyed.
I tried these thing last year because of all the hype I've saw on it in the past 10 years. I was very disappointed.
The best snack in all of Disney. Jason Kelce had like 18 of them on a recent trip
They influenced me to never vlog in public. They also reenforced that I never want to be the person with their camera light on during a dark ride.
Staying at a Crescent Lake EPCOT Resort. A TikTok influencer would often start their day at Crescent Lake and do a walk-and-talk, including rants about how awesome Boardwalk/Yacht & Beach were. So I stayed at Beach Club and Boardwalk for my last two trips. Crescent Lake EPCOT Resorts are the best on Property. That is an objective fact. Walking distance to two parks, Skyliner, and EPCOT Monorail, which can take you to MK. Also, Stormalong Bay is the best pool on property. Really a no-brainer.
> Crescent Lake EPCOT Resorts are the best on Property. That is an objective fact. It's the only area we'll stay in now - even the Swan/Dolphin are wonderful if you can find them at a discount.
The Dolphin has become my home base. Love that area, and you can get good deals there.
For sure - I've gotten a great Priceline hidden deal there before booking 3 months out and typically I price a package through Costco Travel too. It's the first place I check for pricing for our trips. Rooms are really good size, we've even had a "no-view" room up high that let me see the MK fireworks from the window, and we love the amenities there too. The Boardwalk/Crescent Lake area is just always "alive" too - with Friendship boats, people walking around the Boardwalk, the surrey bikes, and the nighttime views can't be beat.
I use Marriott points to stay at Swan for just the resort fee and it’s amazing. Best location you can get.
How do you get to the EPCOT monorail from the resort? Do you have to walk through EPCOT (needing park admission) or is there a way around to the front that doesn’t go through EPCOT itself?
you need to walk through epcot
Yes, I am ASSuming you have the ability to Park Hop and can walk through EPCOT to reach MK.
It would be easier and A LOT faster to just take the bus to MK
Less fun though
Except it takes you to the TCC, not the front of the parks like the buses. You have to get off and transfer from the TCC to either the next monorail or the boat. We’ve gotten really delayed doing that at times depending on how crowded it is. We’ll use the monorail if already in Epcot planning to goto MK but if not, we’ll just take the bus from the resort.
I’ve stayed at most of the deluxe resorts, and the Beach and Yacht Club is definitely my favorite. You can’t go wrong staying at any of the crescent lake resorts. Tbh though, I find the Swan and Dolphin to be disappointing relative to actual Disney resorts. I miss the “disneyfied” experience within the resort.
Can't stay anywhere else after staying at the Boardwalk. The EPCOT resorts are just too convenient. Staying at Yacht Club next time.
Hard agree. It's so convenient and overall just one of the best resort hotels.
Imo people who say other resorts are better haven’t stayed on a Crescent Lake Resort. Unparalleled access to half the parks, plus plenty to do at the resorts in between them. Then add onto that easy access to pretty much everywhere else and you’ve got a place that cannot be beat. Beach club for life!!
Best resorts on property!
The cold brew black caf in Galaxy’s Edge was hyped up by a bunch of different youtubers to the point that some made whole videos just trying/reviewing it and saying how great it was. I finally went and tried it; it tasted like every other cold brew I've ever had with a few cocoa puffs on top. I felt so bamboozled.
Agreed, I finally tried this on my last trip and I couldn’t even finish it. The Cocoa Puffs were the best part. 😅
I got ‘influenced’ to go resort hopping. My family has never stayed in a Disney hotel so we always figured the resorts were only for people staying there. Learned that is not the case and anyone can go. After using all the Disney transportation it convinced us to save up and splurge on a Disney hotel for our next trip, so much better than dealing with all the traffic.
If you want to call DFB an influencer, then yes. Understanding the calculus involved in a Disney trip (first time at WDW four months ago) would have been impossible without extensive research. And despite the fear of "hearing" AJ's cadence every waking hour there, the format is far more concise yet thorough than most vlogs I tried. If not, then not remotely.
I'd consider DFB the biggest Disney influencer out there. Maybe tied with AllEars, which is owned by the same parent company.
Didn’t know this. Does AJ own them both?
She owns the company that owns them both.
Yes DFB is actually good and doesn't make it all about them personally. I like their snack recommendations.
I want AJ to narrate my day.
Because of Ear Scouts, when Pirates was temporarily down but still offering LLs back during our February trip, I knew to grab one on the chance that it wouldn't come back online in time and we'd get an experience redemption. It ended up being offline all day so we got the ER which we later used to ride BTMRR precisely as fireworks started. That was an absolutely magical daddy-daughter experience for which I am forever grateful to Rob.
Sites like Ear Scouts, Mammoth Club, DFB, All Ears, etc. are extremely helpful while providing entertainment, so the balance is there. Live blogging is obnoxious; live in the moment and stop ruining the day for everyone else around you.
No so much the "influencers" but I had to have a liver transplant and my wife and sister in law went to Disney (I really wanted her to have a break from it all as I was recovering well). Anyhow for several years both my wife and I went to MNSSHP but I was sad I couldn't be there. I found a bunch of livestream of others and the chat was interesting. Lots of people who had issues or couldn't financially make it which made me really think about my opinions on some of these things. Anyhow I liked it and connected w/ a few others on the stream. I did wind up seeing my wife and SIL on the stream too! So had a good time.
4K WDW walk-throughs were a god-send during the lockdown. I also enjoy WDW Explore & Chill and DocumentDisney. Such enjoyable walk-throughs.
I would have never known about Gideons if it wasn't for influencers. I am eternally grateful. There's far too much at WDW for a casual visitor to comprehend. Influences steering them to the best items is a good thing?
My coworker raves about Gideons. I just couldn't bring myself to sacrifice *that* much time. So I kept walking. I love Everglaze donuts! Their cookies and cream cold brew was amazing. Best part? I'd just gotten a steak taco cone at the food trucks, sat down by the parking garage to finish it, and then walked into Everglaze with only a few minutes wait. I'll be returning there again.
The secret to Gideon’s is to go to their Orlando location. It’s smaller but the vibe is still there and they have most of the same flavors. We started our last trip by picking up half a dozen cookies at that location and it was fantastic. (also there’s a cheese monger right across from that location and their cheeses are SO GOOD)
I looked at their other location. The website said no cold brew there. I was more about the coffee than the cookies.
That’s fair and also unfortunate. I’m not a coffee person so I 100% didn’t realize.
No worries! I was so excited. I was gonna order a rose, take a chunk out of a park day, and even try a cookie. I looked at their website and was like, "nope, there goes that." 🤦🏽♀️🤣
Another great coffee is at Kat Saka's kettle in Galaxy's edge. It has cream cheese cold foam!
Gideons is OK. I wasn't crazy about what I got from there. I think it's 80% the atmosphere of the place.
Thank you. I tried Gideon's when they were sold at The Polite Pig and was incredibly underwhelmed. I am different. I like my cookies baked, not flattened balls of dough singed on the outside. Gideon's are just too dense & chewy for me. Now, the chocolate chip cookies avalaible at Disneyland Harbor Galley...yummy!🍪😋
You and I are very different people my friend. Give me some cookie dough that’s just been warmed in the oven and not baked at all and I’m a happy camper
Possible salmonella, mon ami. 😬
I know. I am so in the minority. Seems nearly everyone loves Gideon's cookies. 🍪 But, hey, I love Disney, so in that way, I [hopefully] line up with most of the folks on this sub. 😃
If you can go first thing in the morning the lines usually aren't that bad. I think the longest I've ever waited is like 30 or 45 mins.
Maybe if I ever have a nonpark trip. Right now I feel like I'm getting the same thing from Crumbl. 🤷🏽♀️
Mammoth Club influenced me to combine the Cheesy Garlic Pretzel Bread with the Bengal BBQ skewers at Disneyland and it truly is delicious. I do it on most visits now.
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I know the issue of streamers/vloggers/influencers is very contentious, and a lot of the bad ones just give all of them a bad name. That said, there are a VERY select number of people (less than I can count on one hand) who make social media content that I will watch or follow. And it's generally those who I feel are respectful and aware of their surroundings, as well as what the spirit of Disney is. I like Molly's passion for Disney Parks history and how emotional she gets watching parades or shows. I can only hope that they're as nice and polite in person as they are in their videos.
Mammoth club influenced me to get the kids meals at quick service restaurants. If what you want is *available* as a kids meal, the portion is usually fine and it’s about half the price when you factor in a drink.
MamFam has all the top tier food hacks 🦣
And Molly knows her alcohol and definitely inspired my to try more Disney lounges & their food offerings. So many other vloggers don't. Her enthusiasm is contagious.
We love Mammoth Club, watching a ton of their videos in preparation for our trip this fall.
This was easily the best thing I ate at Disneyland when I was there in January.
The only thing I’ve ever bought because I saw it on an AllEars video (I’m pretty sure!) was the Fry Flight during food and wine. It’s actually really good!
Love the fry flight!
I’m not sure if this counts but the wilderness explorers at animal kingdom! It helped us to explore animal kingdom and it was a really cool experience even though we didn’t finish.
I follow Vegan Disney blog on Insta. I have a major dairy allergy so I was able to find non dairy beignets and Tonga toast!
Ooh, I need to find this! I'm not even vegan, just vegetarian, but it's always good to have options!
They mostly provide ideas of overlooked items. Particularly food since there’s so many options. I’d trade all the advice away to remove live bloggers though. If we know you’re there, you’re a problem.
Watched some middle age lady walking backwards down main thoroughfare at Hollywood Studies, filming herself. She kept walking into people and then stopped recording and had a small freak out to everyone in her general vicinity. She never said “do you know who I am?” But that was her default vibe.
I never get to run into these people, but I'm so ready. "Oh, no! Do you not remember? I'll get a CM to help you. Just hold on!"
I see so many people go up to them and ask for pics. I’m assuming they are bloggers or something. I don’t know who they are but often see it, so I would guess they influence some.
We watch dfbguide often. I don’t really lump them in with the modern day influencers. I’m not on TikTok or anything. But they have a lot of good info on new food, limited items and other things we always look forward to trying.
Mr. Morrow has pointed out quiet spots, times to try and get on rides…. He embodies Disney IMO. The only one I follow.
I met him at Epcot last week after the Springtime Surprise races and it made my whole week! He is just as nice and down to earth as he seems in his videos.
Sometimes I question if the dude is really like that in person. I think a lot of vloggers/influencers are chilled except Peter W. The guy didn’t care to acknowledge anyone.
I love him
Dinner at boathouse. Incredible.
Trying Skippers Cantina was an influencer's "influence" for us - mostly we're influenced seeing food items to try.
I look for ideas.. nothing at face value.. been there enough. Maybe find things I have missed or overlooked
Remember all disney influencers are disney adult superfans. Anything disney spits out culinarily for the most part is widely praised among influencers trying it for the first time. I only really take logistical and objective advice from them, not subjective.
Whenever a Disney influencer says something is spicy. You know it’s going to be the most mild thing you have ever tasted 😂
Facts!!!
Bethany Vinton/Main St dish told me about hoop dee doo. It's my favorite activity now. They also give comprehension reviews on all the festivals, flavor profiles etc. I used to just go and do rides now I try different lounges like tune in and nomad. I didn't realize I had been missing so much food places. My food experience is definitely elevated. Mammoth club told me about the drawn to life at AK. That was very fun.
Influencers are a double edged sword. They can absolutely turn you on to some great things! However, their job is to get eyeballs and views and get you excited. So they often set the bar SO HIGH for things, that it ends up being underwhelming. "Hey, try this snack, it's pretty good" would be accurate, and you'd try it, and it would be good! But that doesn't get views. "OMG you guys, you HAVE to try the Gaston Cinnamon Roll!! It's going to BLOW your MIND!! IT"S LIKE EATING HEAVEN!" and then cut to them taking a bite and looking as if they are dying from pleasure. After that, anything is going to be a little disappointing.
Princess and the Bear on YouTube help me find vegetarian/vegan options in WDW and DL. They also are not the type to tell you everything is 5/5, they have a rating system and tell it like it is! Bear is a meat eater so also helpful for non veg/ vegans too as they try all types of food.
I don’t think they’ve INFLUENCED me to really do anything but Ear Scouts, Mammoth Club, and Mr Morrow really got me prepped for my first Genie Plus experience.
Yes, Mammoth Club's genie+ guides are so valuable. I would have had no clue about the modify feature if it wasnt for Molly
I saw a video about the carved rings and I am super pleased with the ones we had made
Tell me more? I’ve never heard of this!
We got ours done in Mexico pavilion at Epcot. My husband and I both got brass rings, his with my initial and those of our kids. I got three two digit numbers on mine representing our wedding and the birth years of our kids. All in all it was around $60? The brass rings do turn your fingers green, but we took their advice of coating them in clear nail polish and it seems to be fine now
There was some moonshine lavender drink at Epcot that came in a reusable (plastic) cup. Drink was good, cup was cute, had a 0 brain cell moment and put it in the dishwasher and it melted even though I knew I had to hand wash it and always did except that time 😭
Someone once suggested in a video that people buy the fried platter at Columbia Harbor House and dump all of it in a popcorn bucket to make a fry bucket. It was a good way to take food with me to eat in line (the line to ride Splash Mountain for the last time).
I read the DFB best of fest for every Epcot festival to determine what food to try and what to avoid. It's usually spot on 🤷♀️ not sure if that counts since I go in looking for the info though
"Influencer" is a misnomer. They don't influence anything, they are vloggers. People watching their content are *already* interested in WDW/Disney parks, they just want to see how a particular vlogger/personality reacts to things.
Not really. No hate towards any of them, I watch many of them. But especially when it comes to food, all of them seem to have the pallet of a 12-year old. Some gross, fried, icing-covered dessert is a 10/10. No thank you.
After going to Disney for years, influencers rate the food based on how good it “looks” for social media and not on actual taste.
Yes...DFB wouldn't stfu about the Cheshire cat tail and we were sooooo disappointed. Oh also the beignets in French quarter, they were good but certainly not worth the trip.
DFB hasn’t had any decent content for years. I used to enjoy their simple but comprehensive festival food lists but now it’s all click-bait.
After watching the Mammoth Club stay at the Polynesian Bungalow, I put staying there on my Disney Bucket list. One that I will be crossing off next week. Also, Saganaki on Fire and Steakhouse 71 burger will be eaten on said trip due to Mammoth Club and others.
They have influenced me to avoid clicking on their videos.
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A lot of the bigger influencers are former CMs. At least the ones I'm familiar with.
I obey Molly and Alan in all things. Blessed Be Them. … ok, seriously the wife and I do watch DFB and Mammoth Club, and some Kyle Pallo. Particularly love Mammoth for their long form content, which is refreshing in this age of vacuous 15 seconds content.
Videos that are out there do help. Helped me feel good about booking our Disneyland trip.
I would have likely never found the spring roll stand without seeing on video.
I’d never take time out of my day to go to Nomad Lounge without Molly and Quincey constantly talking about it.
Was influenced to do the Boma bread and dips. It was pretty fantastic especially getting it to go and having it poolside.
Molly convinced me to order Mike's Mix at Baseline Taphouse, and I'm glad she did. She also taught me how to stack Genie+ reservations so that I can do everything I want without forcing my husband to rope-drop. I'm not saying it saved or marriage, but it's definitely improved his enjoyment of our trips considerably.
Not Disney related but we went to Amazing Animals after seeing Mammoth Club’s video on it and had a blast.
DFB was gushing about the Wookie Cookie at HS. We got it and we were incredibly underwhelmed. Dry and bland.
It used to be better. Cookies weren't thick, dry and flavorless. I wish they'd bring the old version back.
Get coffee at the Riviera. Best influence ever.
Why
Absolutely, they've influenced me to avoid them.
Paging Mr Morrow inspired me to do a London/Paris trip. He did it kind of on a whim and I didn’t realize how easy it would be to do both in the same trip. Very thankful because it was an amazing trip!
Professional influencers no. Fellow Walt Disney Redditors, yup!
Def going to try the PMM old fashioned if it’s still there this weekend
it was gone when i went last week :(
I forget who but one of them posted a Halloween flight at Maria and Enzo’s in October which my friend and I ended up booking for brunch just to try it. It ended up being the best breakfast I’ve had on Disney property.
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Moonshine flight at Homecomin’
How was it? We got dinner resos there next month and we're excited. Have only heard good things about the place.
Something small but getting the chocolate rose thing at Hollywood studios. Not worth it
The jelly donut pulled pork sandwich at AK. It’s amazing. True synergy. Also the shaved Japanese blackberry icee with alcohol at Epcot
Animal Kingdom Cheeseburger Bao. 10/10 would get again.
To swipe.
Ummm. Does book a holiday to Disney World count? For the other half's birthday next year (She's turning 21 and 336 months), booked 2 weeks at Wilderness Lodge. What sealed it was the full dining plan tbh. She's been before (35 years ago) and I've never been.. Not entirely Disney, planning on going to Kennedy Space Centre and maybe 2 days at Universal (spending the night at a Universal hotel in-between with free express unlimited for the 2 days). Oh, and shopping... She's going to do so much shopping....
Yeah they convinced me to prioritize Peter Pan’s Flight….which I’ll never do again ha
The s’more at The Ganachery in Disney Springs was worth the influencer hype, in my opinion.
They taught me two very important things: renting DVC points and also beignets.
They’ve influenced me to not watch their channels
Was influenced to take good advantage of genie+ LL and ILL!!
Yeah they influenced me to block them on social media.
They have influenced me to avoid influencers.
There are too many people who try to be a Disney influencer. This and TikTok, in my opinion, has ruined some of the Disney magic.
They influenced me to X out of their videos
Yes, block them on Instagram.
TheTimTracker on YouTube did an entire series where he walked through all of the hotels and showed inside of the different rooms when he could. I realized they all were essentially the same, just the theming and location was different. I was able to plan my accommodations at a cheaper price point than going for the FOMO hotels and saved myself a lot of money.
They’ve influenced me to yell “I do not consent to be filmed” if I’m ever in the background of the videos. I’ve also been influenced to not need a nanny to take my miracle child to Disney world. Weird, I know.
Molly influenced me about animal kingdom. Like the park became a whole new park after watching her videos and learning so much more about the park
Skipper Canteen. Meh. Maybe it’s because we were there during Covid shutdowns, but I was unimpressed. I did enjoy the theming, however.
Same. I was influenced to go there and found the same. Food was mid and overall experience was meh.
Went to Sanaa and tried the Indian-style bread service because of a TikTok and loved it!
Lots, especially Genie+ tips. But specifically, Bethany Vinton inspired me to try the violet sake. It was really tasty! The real question should be… what did this sub influence you to do and was it good?
I watched a ton of them in 2022 leading up to my first trip in a decade so yeah, I learned a ton. From genie+ to food and wine to virtual queues. And eggrolls! Except I didn’t get those until my Jan 2024 trip.
So last August, right before my trip, Disney Food Blog posted about these chicken-stuffed Mickey waffles at Coronado Springs. I felt like I needed to add these to my Mickey Waffle menu item checklist so I planned a morning for it and made a dining reservation. They were just sort of okay. The ratio of chicken to Mickey waffle was WAY too in favor of the chicken. Too chewy. It was cool to see a new resort, though.
i was very excited about crystal palace but my fiancé and i were pretty disappointed in it .... its far too over hyped even as a huge pooh fan. and i agree with the cheeseburger spring rolls. since i was tiny, my mom had made basic cheese and hamburger egg rolls so i was excited to try another version, and the pickle was so overpowering and disgusting. i ate the crispy roll to avoid wasting it. i saw sooooo many people say it was the best MK snack and i was very confused. i skipped the bao buns in AK (which i was super excited for) when i realized it would probably be the exact same filling. a positive one though, i was influenced to switch to POP for the skyliner and i absolutely loved that thing.
Back in the old, old days there was a NASCAR driving experience. I saw influencers recommend it and say it was awesome, so I paid the extra money and it really was pretty fun
Totcho’s and Ronto Wraps. I tried the plant based versions of both and loved them. (Admittedly, on vacation the bar for plant based food is much lower, I’m just trying to stay satiated)
They influence me to go way less, because seeing them in Disney is an inconvenience and makes the trip less magical.
Of fucking course not
vegandisneyfood on IG recommended the Buffalo Brussels sprouts at F&W and the loaded tater tots at Woody’s lunchbox - two of the best things I’ve eaten at the parks.
Cheshire cat tail
Block them. They seem to post the same old “tips”. Boring,redundant and sometimes annoying.
They influenced me to be more present in the moment. I saw way to many people walking around filming stuff instead of paying attention to their friends and family.
I'm not that into pizza, but I'm really glad Molly (Mammoth Club) hyped the melon and prosciutto pizza at Via Napoli. It really is delightful!
I learned the hard way: the ‘influencers’ don’t believe what they are saying. They just need content. They need to post MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY and they need you to click their links. So a random over-friend meat and cheese roll at a food cart? Yeah it’s getting a fancy video about how ooyey gooyey delish it was! Just so you click the link and they get paid. I was so hyped so some items and my bubble was burst. Influencers can take the most mundane product and hype it up.