Jollywood Nights is the NEWEST specialty ticketed event at Walt Disney World and possibly the BEST Holiday celebration in the Orlando Area. You DO NOT want to miss it!

Unlike Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party there is no parade but so many character meet and greets, three specialty shows and an unforgettable fireworks spectacular. This event is from 7pm until 12:30am and there is so much to do, make sure to have a plan or at least an idea of which festivities you'd like to prioritize. Let's break down the key events of the evening so you know what to spend your time on. 

The first full page of the map has all of the character meet and greets, but you have to flip the page to find where each of them are located on the map. 

Here's my recommendation on how to maximize the character meet and greets. 
​Santa Duffy is the hot ticket meet and greet and you may think to get in line for him first, BUT at the end of the night his line was only 20 minutes long. So, if you are willing to wait until midnight, that is when I recommend getting in line for Duffy. The other popular meet and greet is Santa Stitch, and his line was around 20-30 minutes all night. I recommend seeing him either before the fireworks show or imminently after, as that will give you enough time to wait and not miss any of the shows or the fireworks show.

All of the attractions had much shorter wait times than during the day, and the only long one was Slinky Dog Dash which experienced wait times up to 50 minutes but averaged 30 minutes throughout the night. Rise of the Resistance was around 30 minutes for the beginning of the evening but after 10pm all of the lines dropped and Rise of the Resistance became a walk on for the rest of the night. If you're looking to ride attractions this event is great for short wait times, and many of the rides had little to no wait for most of the evening including Smuggler's Run and Tower of Terror. I would recommend fitting in the rides around the event exclusive festivities. The wait times did fluxuate throughout the evening but during the shows is always a great time to hit rides, especially since there are multiple show times for everything except the fireworks show. 

Here's all of the specialty food that can be found for an additional cost at Jollywood Nights. The food is pretty spread out throughout the park and most of the quick service locations stay open as well, just note that Backlot Express does not, so there are not chicken nuggets or hamburgers available during the evening, but there are so many other food options available. There are also so many fun drinks - non-alcoholic and alcoholic available.
Here are the snacks and drinks you don't want to miss! 
Kermit's Frozen Banana Shake - found by Tower of Terror this white chocolate caramel swirl shake topped with matcha whipped cream is shockingly light. 
Buffalo Spring Rolls - these are absolutely FANTASTIC and can be found right outside of Pixar Place, where there's also a dance party. These are the perfect combination of spicy and savory. 
Jollie's Vegan Gingerbread Bites - found at several snack carts around the park, these are small and bite size and perfect for eating as you walk around the park and enjoy all of the other festivities. 
Holiday Cheer (alcoholic) - this drink is from PizzaRizzo and is great if you are waiting in the long line for Santa Duffy or to grab after you meet him. It is sweeter than some of the other drinks offered and has an interesting cranberry cookie taste.

There are three stage shows spread out across the park and all three are completely different. 

Holidays in Hollywood is held in the theater of the stars (where the Beauty and the Beast stage show goes on during the day). This show has Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Tiana and Belle where they all sing different songs that share their meaning of Christmas. It's showtimes are 8:15pm, 9:15pm, 11:15pm & 12:15am. 

What's This? Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-a-long is exactly what the title sounds like. Hosted in the Hyperion theater where you can find the Frozen sing-a-long during the day, this Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-a-long is so much fun for Nightmare Before Christmas fans and Oogie Boogie even makes an appearance. This show happens at 7:30pm, 8:30pm, 9:30pm, 11:30pm & 12:30am. 

Glisten! is the newest edition to Jollywood Nights and has real ice skaters on the stage in front of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.  Make sure to see it at 8:15pm, 9:15pm, 11:15pm and 12:15am. The last showing of this has the best opportunity for up close seating. 

There is one fireworks show at 10pm - Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam! This is a revival of an old fireworks show with some new editions. This show only has one appearance at 10pm. I recommend not getting too close to Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway as the projection show goes onto the buildings on both sides of it. This show is only about 16 minutes long, but definitely worth seeing! There's no bad viewing in the area, but make sure to get there at least 15 minutes so you can find a spot to see.  

Unlike Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party you do not need to get there early to maximize the night as none of the events start until 7pm and you can't get in line for any of the event exclusive events until 6:45pm. I recommend starting with the shows as the lines for the characters and the rides get shorter throughout the night. There are also two dance parties, one is a Latin dance party by the Star Wars Launch bay and near a character meet and greet for Jose/Panchito. 

This is the schedule I'd recommend following
7:30pm - Nightmare Before Christmas Show
8pm - Any character that's NOT Stitch or Duffy
8:30pm - Snacks by Tower of Terror
9:15pm -Holidays in Hollywood Show
9:45pm - head to Fireworks 
10pm - Fireworks 
10pm-11:30pm - Santa Duffy then Stitch
11:30pm - Rides and finishing characters 
12:15am Glisten!

All of the shows can be done in any order, but I recommend them in this order based off of the other character meet and greets and food locations around each one. At for meeting characters also make sure to stop by the dance parties!

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is a special ticketed event select nights November through December after hours at the Magic Kingdom. The party officially starts at 7pm but guests can get into the park starting at 4pm. There's so much to do so here's the Ultimate Guide to help maximize your time

This event is full of specialty character meet and greets, exclusive treats, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, and Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks show. Because there are so many things to do it is best to have a plan.

There are so many specialty characters at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Here I will break them down by which lands in Magic Kingdom then give advice on which ones to prioritize at which times of night. 

Main Street USA
Mickey Mouse - Town Square Theater (right)
Jack Skellington and Sally - Town Square Theater (left) 
Princess Elena - Town Square Theater (exit)

Adventureland 
Captain Jack Sparrow - outside of Pirates of the Caribbean 
Moana - inside the Tiki Room 
Friends from Aladdin (rotating Jasmine, Genie, Aladdin and Abu) - across from the Magic Carpets of Aladdin on the edge of the store

Liberty Square 
Mary Poppins - in the gazebo behind the Christmas shop 
​Princess Tiana and Naveen - on the Liberty boat 

Fantasyland 
Anna and Elsa (in their Christmas outfits) - Fairytale Princess Hall 
Cinderella and Prince Charming - Fairytale Princess Hall 
Rapunzel and Flynn Rider - Fairytale Princess Hall
Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip - behind the turrets next to the carousel 
Snow White and the Prince - turrets across from Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 
Belle - enchanted tales with Belle
Ariel and Eric - to the left of the Little Mermaid attraction 
Friends from Winnie the Pooh (Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore) - to the left of the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 
Friends from Alice in Wonderland - by the Mad Tea Cups on the side by Cosmic Rays
Mirabel and Bruno - in Mirabel's regular meet and greet location 

There are three major meet and greets, Jack Skellington in his Sandy Claws suit, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Scrooge McDuck and Anna and Elsa in their winter Christmas outfits. 
The BEST time to meet any of these characters is during the parade or fireworks show, but if you don't want to miss either of these make sure to head there imminently after. Jack Skellington had a line over an hour for most of the evening but when right after the fireworks show we waited only 25 minutes. To see Minnie, Daisy, Donald and Scrooge we went right to their meet and greet location and were in line for them before their meet and greet location before it opened at 7pm. 

There are so many treats to try at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and there's no way to eat them all in one night, so make sure to look at the  map and decide which ones are a must try for you. There are many treats that are not shown in the map, but you cand find all of them in the My Disney Experience App. 
The best way to get all of the treats and snacks without waiting is to mobile order them! 
The one must try snack I'd recommend is the giant red velvet Mickey Waffle with peppermint ice cream. This can be found at Sleepy Hollow where funnel cakes are sold. 

There are so many FREE treats included with the event ticket that it is almost not needed to spend more money on additional treats. Look for the candy cane poles on the map to find the free cookies. There are many different flavors around the park including sugar cookies, red velvet, and gingerbread. All of the cookie stops also have specialty drinks they have eggnog, apple cider or hot coco. These are all included in the event ticket! There are also allergy friendly options available at each location. 

Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade goes twice at the night once at 8:30pm and once at 11pm. There are two strategies I recommend if wanting to see the parade and it just depends on what works for you and your family.
ONE – if you have younger kids or just don’t want to be at the party super late, I recommend seeing the first parade. There truly isn’t a bad place to watch it as it starts in Frontierland and ends on Main Street USA, however, my favorite place to watch it is to the righthand side of the hub by the castle. Inside by the partners statue of Walt and Mickey fills up quickly but that is a great area to watch the parade if you are going to stay in one place for the fireworks. Frontierland and Liberty Square are also really great places to watch from if you want it to be less crowded and don’t care about being on Main Street. 
TWO – if you are willing to stay till the later parade there is a strategy, I have that allows you to see the parade TWICE and beat the crowds out. At around 10:45 go to the start of the parade route. This is highlighted on the map by a Toy Solider head icon between Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Peco’s Bill. Go to the side by Peco’s Bill so Pirate’s of the Caribbean is behind you. Watch the parade from this location and immediately as the parade has passed you make your way to Main Street via Adventureland. Cut through the shops on Main Street and make sure to cross the street to Guest Services and watch from the steps there. Once the parade is over, from there the park is closed and you will be able to get out before the mad rush and see the parade twice!

If you choose to watch the parade from Main Street the street will fill with snow making the experience extra magical. If you want to watch it on Main Street, make sure to get there at least 45 minutes ahead of time to get a good spot. 

There are two incredible stage shows you don't want to miss! Frozen Holiday Surprise is at 8:15pm and is a must see for fans of Frozen, especially fans of Olaf - as he is the host of the show. 

Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration has four showings throughout the night one at 7:40pm, 9:25pm, 10:35pm and 11:55pm. I recommend seeing one of the showings right before the parade and watching it from a parade spot closer to the castle. Viewing is good from anywhere around the hub and getting closer is not necessary for a good view. 

There is only one fireworks show at 10pm called Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks show and it is not something you want to miss. Projections are an important part of this show so make sure to be close enough to the castle to see them. Any part of the hub area is castle viewing is good! 

​This leaves guests with up to 8 hours to enjoy the party – but there’s a lot to do and we’re here to give you an ULTIMATE GUIDE on how to maximize your time at the party, where we recommend watching the parade and fireworks and more!
FIRST, it is important to go into the night having a plan. Having a plan, looking at maps and seeing which activities are right for you and your family. However – there are a few things you don’t want to miss!

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is known for its specialty character meet and greets, being home to not only character meet and greets that are exclusive to the party but characters in their Halloween costumes! It’s impossible to see all of the characters at the party unless you only focus on that, so let’s breakdown the list and then go through what I’d recommend.
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Main Street USA
              Mickey Mouse
              Jack Skellington & Sally
Adventureland
              Rotating Friends from Aladdin (Genie, Jasmine, Aladdin, & Abu but two at a time – Jafar has his own queue and meets separate from the Heroes)
              Captain Jack Sparrow
              Moana
Fantasyland
              Anastasia & Drizella
              Friends from Alice in Wonderland (Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum rotate with Alice, the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts has her own queue nearby)
              Friends from Winnie the Pooh – in their Halloween Costumes – Pooh (as a bumble Bee), Piglet (as a butterfly), Euyoree (as a clown) Tigger (as a pirate)
              Belle (in her blue dress)
              Donald Duck (as a pumpkin) Daisy Duck (as a princes) Minnie Mouse (as a witch) and Goofy (as a pirate)
              Ariel & Prince Eric
              Mirabel & Bruno
Tomorrowland
              Stitch (in his Elvis costume)

WHAT I RECOMMEND
              There are a few characters that are more popular than others and those can have wait times up to 2 hours or more. The biggest wait time is almost always for Jack and Sally. If you are interested in seeing them, be prepared to wait. I recommend waiting in a character line before they get there for at least one character – pick which one is most important to you. Getting in line as soon as possible for a popular character meet and greet can ensure you see them and miss as little of the party as possible. Here are the ones I recommend getting in line early for – unfortunately you’d only be able to meet one during this time, but I recommend choosing from this list.
              Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Minnie Mouse and Goofy
              Jack & Sally
              Winnie the Pooh and friends

The rest of the lines tend to die down as the evening goes on, but these three tend to stay consistently long. Stitch’s line also tends to get long, however he tends to be more popular with the younger crowd and if seeing Stitch is important to you I recommend seeing him during the first parade as that’s when his line tends to be the shortest.
Characters who are not special to the party like Jasmine, Ariel and Belle tend to have the shortest lines. All of the characters are marked on the party map, except the Hitch Hiking Ghosts who switch out with the Cadaver Dans by Country Bear Jamboree. 

​Food
There are many exclusive food items to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party that are available at an additional fee. There are a few offered at different quick service locations throughout the park, but the one I recommend you don’t skip – the Anastasia Cone, this dole whip strawberry cone with a white chocolate decoration of Anastasia was absolutely delicious.
Unfortunately, I did not get to try all of the specialty food offerings, but I was able to taste all of the special offerings at Cosmic Rays (The Sinister Satay Burger, Terrifyin’ Twice-spiced Chicken Sandwich, Halloween Pot Roast Sandwich and the Witches Fingers). These were all subpar at best and I recommend skipping all of them. 

​Trick or Treating
Trick or Treating is included in the price of your party ticket so make the best of it! All of the trick or treat stations are marked with a Mickey Pumpkin on the map, but there are a few you don’t want to miss.
              Philharmagic– there is a trick or treat trail through Philharmagic with TWO stops for candy, AND special Halloween shorts playing on the screen in the theater.

              Tron path to Storybook Circus – this path gives the coolest views from underneath Tron in the dark and leads you right into a second trick or treat stop in the train station.

              Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor – this trick or treat station is combined with a spooky laugh floor experience that you can sit and watch or just walk through. Either way, it is worth checking out.
​
Guests with allergies who can’t eat the treats at the trick or treats stations can collect tokens and exchange these for allergy friendly treats at allergy exchange centers marked on the map with a teal pumpkin. There is one exchange location in Liberty Square across from the Christmas shop and behind hall of presidents, the other is next to guest services on Main Street USA.

​Attractions
During Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party most rides are open with a very short wait. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Tron Lightcycle Run are both open with no virtual queue needed to experience either. These two rides also both had the longest waits between 40 minutes and an hour. Only Mine Train had more than a 30 minute wait throughout the night, other than that most wait times were between 5 and 20 minutes. The party is a perfect time to hit some major attractions with little to no wait.
There are three attractions with Halloween layovers exclusive to the event. The first one is the previously mentioned version of Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor, this is super cute and I highly recommend at least passing through on the trick or treat trail.
The Mad Tea Party has Halloween themed strobe lights and spooky music playing. I recommend walking by and seeing what it looks like and seeing if it is something your family would enjoy. It’s super cute but I am personally not a fan of the teacups in general, so this one was a pass for.
The last one is Space Mountain with the lights off and spooky music. Space Mountain with all of the lights off is super disorienting and I do not recommend this one at all. This is the ONLY thing at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party that I do not like. 

Boo to You Parade
The Boo to You Parade has two show times each night one at 8:15pm and one at 11:15pm. Whichever you choose you do not want to miss the parade. There are two ways I recommend going about seeing the parade depending on the needs of your family.
ONE – if you have younger kids or just don’t want to be at the party super late, I recommend seeing the first parade. There truly isn’t a bad place to watch it as it starts in Frontierland and ends on Main Street USA, however, my favorite place to watch it is to the righthand side of the hub by the castle. Inside by the partners statue of Walt and Mickey fills up quickly but that is a great area to watch the parade if you are going to stay in one place for the fireworks. Frontierland and Liberty Square are also really great places to watch from if you want it to be less crowded and don’t care about being on Main Street. Fans of A Goofy Movie will want to make sure they are on Main Street, Max in his Powerline costume does a little pre-parade bash that is only on Main Street.
TWO – if you are willing to stay till the later parade there is a strategy, I have that allows you to see the parade TWICE and beat the crowds out. At around 10:45 go to the start of the parade route. This is highlighted on the map by a Boo to You icon between Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Peco’s Bill. Go to the side by Peco’s Bill so Pirate’s of the Caribbean is behind you. Watch the parade from this location and immediately as the parade has passed you make your way to Main Street via Adventureland. Cut through the shops on Main Street and make sure to cross the street to Guest Services and watch from the steps there. Once the parade is over, from there the park is closed and you will be able to get out before the mad rush and see the parade twice!

​Fireworks
Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular is the exclusive fireworks show that is exclusive to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and it is only at 10pm. This is a fireworks show so it can be seen from anywhere in the park, but I recommend being in the hub area by the partners statue. The further back you watch it you may not be able to see the projections or Jack Skellington in front of the castle. To either side of the partners statue in the road will give you a great view and you don’t have to get there more than 20 minutes before show time to get a great view. 

Nine Dragons is the authentic sit down Chinese Restaurant in the China Pavilion in Epcot. Being new to living in the Central Florida area we had been desperately searching for some good, authentic Chinese food and we finally found it in Epcot!

We started the meal with veggie potstickers and veggie spring rolls. These were both absolutely delicious, they also came with the option of having pork in the potstickers or shrimp in the spring rolls. We opted for the veggie ones for a more fair comparison between the two. Both were very delicious and I highly recommend both but the pot stickers were so good we ordered some to take home. 

In our party we tried two alcoholic drinks, the Jade Beauty was a vodka based drink with honeydew melon liqueur, pineapple juice and lemon-lime soda. This drink was super good and not too strong or too sweet. The second drink was a Dragon Blossom draft beer, this one was not as good.

For the main course we tried two different options, the vegetable and tofu stir fry and the spicy honey crispy chicken. The vegetable and tofu stir fry was a little bland and we needed duck sauce to save the taste of the dish. However, the honey crispy chicken was full of flavor and absolutely delicious, it was the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy. The last thing we tried was the strawberry-red bean ice cream and the caramel ginger ice cream. According to our waiter who was from China originally said that the strawberry-red bean ice cream is one of the most popular flavors in China - and after tasting it, it was clear why. Not only were both ice creams delicious they had unique flavors that we had never tried before.

Overall this was a great dining experience in a quiet place in Epcot inside air conditioning with some great food options. 

​We were some of the first guests to experience Disney’s new destination in the Bahamas – Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, on the island of Eleuthera. This destination is truly a must visit, but there’s a bit you need to know before visiting to make the most of your trip!

Check out a full map of the island before we get started on all the details! The bike path was the only thing not open when we visited. 

Getting to the beach
To start your day at Lookout Cay guests must get down the half a mile pier to board a tram that takes them to the beach. Featured  to the right, you get an amazing view of the ship. Golf carts are available via prior request at Guest Services onboard the ship for those requiring assistance or are unable to walk the half mile. For those with younger kids who aren't up to walking that distance there are strollers and wagons right when you get off the ship. At a walking pace it takes about 10 minutes to walk the pier. In comparison to Castaway Cay it is a .40 mile walk to the first area of the family beach if you don't take the tram, so the pier is just a little longer than that on Lookout Cay. There is a section in the middle with a water stop and cast members have cool towels as needed to combat the heat.
Then, there is a short 11-13 minute tram ride to the beach. Guests in the Mabrika Cove will find that there is no need to use the tram as their preresereved Cabanas are just to the right of the end of the pier – ask your Tink’s agent how to acquire one of these! There is entertainment on the tram as well - listen along as Sandy the land crab and Lizzy the curly tailed lizard share about history of the island and insight on fun activities to do on the island.

Entertainment 
There are two entertainment offerings you DON’T WANT TO MISS – RUSH: A Junkanoo Celebration and Disney Beach Bash! These two unique offerings are truly unlike anything Disney has ever offered on land or sea.
RUSH: A Junkanoo Celebration is celebration of traditional Bahamian culture, usually only done around New Years or other large holidays, however Disney worked with locals to bring the celebration to their guests on a daily basis. Here you’ll find local Bahamians in colorful outfits all made from recycled items! It started with Mickey and friends dancing before a parade of Bahamians joined with their traditional Junkanoo celebration, this was so fun and a bright way to experience Bahamian culture.  
Disney Beach Bash is an assortment of fun beach games (in the shade) with some of your favorite Disney pals! This is where kids of all ages can play games with characters and really spend time making memories with each one. ​This gave me such "old Disney" vibes, where the characters interact with kids and adults in a more casual setting, no lines and just fun. 

The Beach at Lighthouse Point is STUNNING! As seen in the picture above the waters are crystal clear and turquoise.  The sand is super soft and when you look at it from the water it even has a pinkish tint to it. There are also no shells, I walked down most of the beach and could only find about four shells total. This was a bit of a bummer for me since I like walking the beach for shells, but it was really nice getting into the water without stepping on any shells or rocks. 
Guests do have to cross over a small bridge to access the beach, but there are so many of them they are never busy. There are also ramps between most of them so it is super easy to get to the beach for those who can't do stairs. 
There's also seating areas on both sides of the  stairs, giving guests plenty of options on where to sit and also meaning seats are always available. The beach at Lighthouse Point is truly one of the most stunning beaches I've ever seen and I can't wait to go back and experience it again. The beach alone is a reason to visit Lighthouse Point alone, even if you don't do anything but sit on the beach all day and take in the sights it is worth the voyage to the island. ​

​There are three options for food at Lookout Cay, one at Serenity Bay - the adult only area of the beach and then two options for families, Tru Tru BBQ and Tru Tru Too BBQ. All areas serve the exact same type of food, so there is no need shop around for different options. 
At all three BBQs there are so many options with  the menu being very similar to that at Cookies and Cookies Too at Castaway Cay with the most notable differences being more seafood options and French Fries. Initial reports from the media sailing said that the food areas were "overrun with flies" I am here to tell you that is not the case. We visited Lighthouse Point twice during our 7 day sailing, and by the second visit there was already a significant difference in the number of flies around the food. There were only a slightly annoying amount on the first day near the meat areas. On the second day they only bothered us when a member of out party was eating steak. At this point the number of flies had been reduced to the amount you would see at an outdoor summer picnic. There are flies at the island, but not as many as initial reports suggested. I would still book a trip to Lighthouse Point despite the flies, they did not detract from the experience much at all and I know Disney is working to get rid of them entirely. 

Shopping 
There are two main stores for shopping as well as one small kiosk near the Mabrika Cove Cabanas and the tram stop closest to the ship. The main store is called Disney T'ings, this is where you can find the officially licensed Disney Lighthouse Point at Lookout Cay merchandise. All of this merchandise is exclusive to the island. These shirts on the left were definitely a fan favorite. The Disney merchandise was greatly inspired by Bahamian culture, it was so nice to see all of the bright colors and prints incorporated into Disney's designs. Right behind Disney T'ings is Treasures of Eleuthera a store that showcases the art and products of local Bahamians. There was some truly amazing craftsman ship in here, from paintings to handmade bags and jewelry. I loved that this store was right in the center and had some truly incredible items. 

Overall thoughts on Lighthouse Point
Lighthouse Point at Lookout Cay is truly a blend of Disney and Bahamian culture. It is clear that celebrating local traditions in a way that was interesting and exciting for guests was at the heart of creating this destination. Prior to the opening of the island guests had expressed concern about Bahamians or other nonDisney guests "crashing" the beach. One family was able to do so via an almost two hour boat ride, but after speaking to many island locals (even one that lived and worked on Castaway Cay) Disney's Lighthouse Cay is far away for most island locals and would take some over five hours to get to Disney's part of the island. The locals also seemed disinterested as they have other beaches that don't have tourists on them. While I'm not saying locals or nonDisney guests will never visit Disney's Lighthouse Point, I think it is going to be an uncommon occurrence. Disney found a truly beautiful place in Lighthouse Point and were able to create a vacation destination of dreams while still respecting the local nature and cultures. Personally, I WOULD book a cruise JUST to go to Lighthouse Point again. ​

If you prefer a YouTube video of the island, make sure to check out our friend's The Taste Buzz as they give a full tour and review of the island on YouTube!

Come check out all of the details of the Mabrika Cove Cabanas (the family cabanas) at Lookout Cay! 
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These cabanas are located on their own private beach and have a perfect view of the ship.

The Mabrika Cove Cabanas are the Family Cabanas at Lookout Cay, these are on their own private beach and no tram ride is needed to get to. Here's an up close look at the Mabrika Cove on a map of Lookout Cay.

Views and Beaches - unlike the rest of Lookout Cay, Mabrika Cove has a stunning view of the Disney ship. Above is the picture from our cabana, it was a little cloudy when we went, but it was still a great day. You may also notice some rocks in the picture. There are rocks in front of cabanas 16-21 making it a little harder to get into the ocean there. We were in cabana 18 on our visit, and will definitely be requesting a lower number cabana on our next visit to avoid these rocks. The sand was VERY soft there was a little bit of seaweed but absolutely no shells. 
​
Seating Options - The only lounge chairs on the beach are right in front of the food station in the middle of all of the cabanas. This is likely because we were the second overall visit to the island and were told that not all of the chairs has arrived. We hope in the future there are beachside seats available in front of all of the cabanas. There are plenty of seating options inside the cabana including a full table with four chairs perfect for dining in the cabana. There are also two lounge chairs on the deck in addition to a full couch and two chairs on the inside of the cabana.

Food and Beverage Options - The food options are truly impressive at Mabrika Cove. Mabrika Cove has it's very own food station right between cabanas 10 and 11. The food offering were mostly the same as on the Family Beach and Serenity Bay, but there was scoopable ice cream with toppings for no extra cost. There are plenty of barbeque options as well as an option to have drinks brought to your cabana as you can order them via an iPad in the wall in your cabana. There are also snacks inside the cabana like chips, granola bars and a bowl of fruit.

​Extra Amenities - The Mabrika Cove Cabanas also include bike rentals and snorkel gear. Concierge or guest services will contact you to get your foot sizes for the flippers for snorkeling. One of the extra amenities available for an additional cost only at the Mabrika Cove Cabanas is an in cabana massage from senses spa. The in cabana massage cost $200 for an hour massage plus a tip. This hour can be split among any number of guests, we split it between four people for 20 minutes each. They brought a massage chair to our cabana and a masseuse from Senses Spa cane to our cabana. This was an incredibly relaxing experience, I only wish we hadn't split it so I could have had the whole hour for myself. 

Check out the Serenity Bay Cabanas at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point - Disney's new destination in the Bahamas.

Lookout Cay is Disney's new destination in the Bahamas, and just like their first island Disney has provided complete serenity for adults in the adult only section of the island - called Serenity Bay. There are also cabanas available to rent for an additional cost for those who want complete privacy.

There are 6 cabanas available for rent with 2 grand cabanas. Each regular cabanas holds up to 10 guests, so let's breakdown the cost, the details and if it's worth it or not. ALL guests in the Serenity Bay Cabanas MUST be ages 18 and up

Regular Cabana cost breakdown - $563 for the first 4 guests and an additional $56 for any additional guests after that. The regular cabana holds up to 10 guests total. (guests 5-10 are an additional $56 each). There are 5 regular cabanas available on Serenity Bay at Lookout Cay. 

Grand Cabana cost breakdown - $963 for the first 10 guests and $56 for any additional guests after that. The grand cabana holds up to 16 guests total. There is one grand cabanas available on Serenity Bay. 

I've decided to breakdown everything into the four main categories you may have questions about so you can easily find them for your connivence. 

Views and Beaches - Each cabana has a small private beach area in front of the cabana. The above photo is the view from Cabana C, the cabanas are all labeled by letter, A through G. There are beach chairs and an umbrella in the sand in front of the cabana, although it is not clearly marked as reserved for cabana guests and I did have to ask non-cabana guests to not take our chairs. This was rather annoying but once we put our stuff on them and started actively using them we did not have an issue. Like the rest of the beaches on this side of the island, all guests must cross a short foot bridge (pictured left) to get to the beach.  The beach itself is absolutely stunning with crystal clear waters and the softest sand on the beaches.

Seating Options - as previously mentioned people did try to take the chairs in front of the cabana as they were not marked as reserved, but it was quickly resolved. There was plenty of seating options inside the cabana itself. There are two large lounge chairs with cushioning on the deck of the cabana as well as a full table with four chairs - perfect for dining inside of the cabana. Inside the cabana there is a full couch, perfect for taking naps. There are also two individual seats inside. Unlike any of the cabanas on Castaway, there are no hammocks near the cabana or anywhere on the island for that matter. 
​
Food and Beverage Options - Inside the cabana there are a few snacks, including chips, granola bars and a fruit basket. The mini fridge inside the cabana is full of water and soft drinks like soda that can be refilled all day for no additional cost. There is also a drink menu and the ability to order drinks from an iPad in the wall for an additional price. The Serenity Bay Cabanas do not have their own food area but are conveniently located right near the Serenity Bay food offerings. 

Extra Amenities - some of the extra things included in the Serenity Bay Cabanas are also bike rentals (subject to availability as of June 15, 2024 the bikes had not arrived to the island yet) and snorkel gear. Concierge or guest services will contact you to get your foot size prior to your arrival at Lookout Cay to ensure the snorkel flippers are the right size for you. 

Overall, the Serenity Bay Cabanas on Lookout Cay are absolutely stunning and well worth the price point. It wasn't a far walk from the beach that was gorgeous. The Cabanas had their own fans and were very relaxing.

Mickey Mouse and the gang got all new outfits for Lookout Cay so let's take a closer look!

Minnie Mouse rocked some new Bahamian inspired polka dots in her new lime green dress. She has a matching green headband and contrasting magenta shoes. The final touches to Minnie's perfect Lookout cay outfit has to be her purse - donned with a large pineapple on the front and pink ruffles on the sides!

We got to check out the brand new Dreamworks Land at Universal Studios park in Orlando. This land officially opens on June 14th, it is a must do on your next Universal vacation!

We got the opportunity to go to an annual passholder preview of Dreamworks Land at Universal Studios Orlando - and it was fantastic. This brand new land features around the characters from beloved Dreamworks films like Trolls, Kung Fu Panda and Shrek. 

Upon entering the land there are two character meet and greets to the lefthand side, one being for Gabby from Gabby's Dollhouse and the other for rotating Dreamworks characters. In that second location we saw Puss in Boots and King Julian from Madagascar at different times. There are so many opportunities for character meet and greets within the land and all of the characters took so much time in their interactions. 

Just past these meet and greets is Swamp Snacks - a snack booth that serves "Shrekzels" Shrek shaped pretzels as well as other Shrek shaped and inspired snacks. In addition to the "Shrekzel" I tried a Frozen Ogre Sour Apple Ice Pop, both were delicious. Additional snacks included a Far Far Away Waffle that offer pepperoni or ham and cheese inside of them.

Across from Swamp Snacks is the meet and greet location for Shrek, Donkey and Princess Fiona. They have officially posted times and you need to get there earlier than the posted time if you want to see them. Their posted meet and greet time was 1:15pm and I arrived around 1:05pm and saw them around 1:20, but the line closed promptly at 1:15 and only guests already in the line were seen. 

The middle of the land has four new unique attractions and a small little store. The store is called High Five Hideaway. The store is super cute and offers a cute selection of Dreamworks merchandise including plushies and headbands. Also offered are a kids collection of Dreamsworks clothing which is great if your kids play in one of the many splash areas and don't want to be in wet clothes all day.

Mama Luna's is right in the middle of the land off to the left hand side. It's this cute little area with virtual gaming systems. There are tables with large buttons and the buttons activate different parts of a game on a large screen. This is also where Kitty Soft Paws makes her unscheduled appearances, so make sure to be on the look out for her.

Troll's Treats is where guests can get Trolls themed ice cream treats. The stand for the Troll's Treats is shaped like a giant boom box and it is so cute. There are two types of ice creams offered, one themed after Branch that is huckleberry flavored called 'BroZone Berry' and one for Princess Poppy that is pink lemonade flavored called 'Poppy-licious Pink'. I tried 'Poppy-licious Pink' and it was alright, it tasted more like frozen yogurt than soft serve ice right, but other than that it was good. 

Shrek has his own treehouse and water zone play area. This area was super cute. There were plenty of slides as well as various ropes courses. Ropes courses like these always make me a little nervous so I had to had to try it out. I crawled through a suspended rope tunnel and jumped on a suspended net. I felt like it was really safe and actually sized appropriately for adults who were accompanying their children, which is awesome as kids under 48 inches have to be accompanied by an adult. There is also a farting slide that makes farting noises when guests ride down it.

​King Harold's Swamp Symphony is a super cute area right in front of Mama Luna that has frogs that make different musical noises based on stepping on different lily pads!

The Trollicoaster is the only ride in Dreamworks Land. This is a super cute kiddie rollercoaster that is fun for all ages. The carts are very small and larger adults have to sit by themselves, but the ride fits two kids or one adult and one kid in one cart. This attraction is most similar to Goofy's Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom or Flight of Hippogriff at Island's of Adventure. This is a great introductory rollercoaster for kids who aren't ready for some of Universal's more thrilling attractions.

Princess Poppy's Playground pictured at the top of the page is a cute area for little kids to play under a giant mushroom to protect them from the hot Florida sun. There are even little caterpillars to play on as well as flower bulbs for kids to sit in. I did overhear a team member say that the bulbs were supposed to spin but they weren't working and it appeared none of the guests had noticed. Hopefully they will be spinning sometime in the future. However, out of the entire land this was the only thing that was not functional during our preview. 

My favorite of Dreamworks Land was by far Imagination Celebration - a celebration of the imagination of Dreamworks characters and what they inspire. It was filled with fun musical numbers and dancing. The team members who were singing and dancing in this show were incredible talented. Princess Poppy, Branch, Shrek, Donkey, Po the Panda and King Julian all made appearances to show off their dance moves.

Dreamworks Land officially opens June 14th! Make sure to contact your Tink's Magical Vacations agent to help plan your next Universal vacation and check out our Instagram for more looks at Dreamworks Land and other new things at Universal!

Check out the brand new drone show - Dreams that Soar at Disney Springs with nightly showings now through September 2nd. 

Disney Dreams that Soar is the brand new drone show at Disney Springs. This show has over 800 preprogramed drones that take to the night sky and bring Disney stories and characters to life. 
The show runs twice, with the first showing at 9pm and the second showing at 10:45pm. 

You may recognize these drones if you have seen the 30th anniversary drone show at Disneyland Paris, as it's the same company that supplied and preprogramed the drones. 

Each of these drones is preprogramed on a route and they are actually unaware that they are a part of the masterpiece they are creating. 

The show features characters characters like Wall E, Eve, Dumbo, Orange Bird, Peter Pan and more - with the Death Star and Guardians of the Galaxy making appearances as well!

Disney Springs celebrated Donald Duck's 90th Birthday with a brand new limited edition popcorn bucket modeled after the new munchling of the same desgin! 

Disney released a new line with a Donald Duck popcorn munchling and several souvenirs inspired by the new munchling released in celebration of Donald Duck's 90th birthday. 
We spotted three new items in this line at Disney Springs. 
The first, was the brand new Donald Duck munchling popcorn bucket. This can be found next to the Starbucks West side across from the Star Wars Outpost store. The popcorn Donald Duck can also be removed from the popcorn container. 
​The second item is a giant plush Donald Duck munchling. This is the original item released that the rest were based off of. You can find this at the World of Disney Store and the Disney Style store. 
​The final item is definitely the most delicious. Found at The Ganachery, this smashable Donald Duck popcorn munchling is made of chocolate and provides both an activity and a yummy treat.   

​Recently I got to experience Nomad Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. Nomad Lounge is located between the entrance to Tiffins restaurant and the bridge heading into Pandora. It is a true hidden gem that I’m going to share with you. This had come highly recommended to me from friends so I knew I had to try it.
                                         AND IT WAS AMAZING! 

​First, it is important to note that Nomad Lounge does not accept advance dining reservations, they have a walk up list only. Normally, it is a very short wait, but the day I went it was super rainy so they had over an hour call back time.
There are two seating areas, one in door and one outdoor. The outdoor seating area is covered and views the river. I was with my sister who had been there before, and we decided to eat outside so we can see the character boats float by as we ate.
We were seated right along the water. We started out with drinks, she ordered the Leaping Lizard ($17), a pineapple rum drink and I tried the Hibiscus Henna ($7.25), a non-alcoholic watermelon drink. Both were super light and delicious.
Nomad Lounge was advertised as serving only small appetizers, but I thought that they were pretty regular sized. I tried the Tiffins Bread Service ($18), The Land Salad ($14) and Churros ($10) and my sister tried the Plant Based Korean Barbeque Mushroom Bao Buns ($15). The Land Salad was much larger than advertised, but it was delicious. Like the name indicates, the vegetables in this salad were grown in The Land pavilion at Epcot. I always take any opportunity I get to eat food grown from The Land because it’s always fresh and delicious, and this salad did not disappoint. The Tiffins Bread surface offered a variety of bread options and it was more than enough to share with my sister. All of the breads were super fresh and warmed. Out of all of the bread offerings the Brazilian Cheese Bread was my favorite. Finally, the churros did not disappoint. Not only were they warm and freshly made, they were the perfect amount of crunchiness and sugariness. Dare I say they are the best churros on Walt Disney World property? I’ll let you be the final judge of that. 

​Did you know that there is a character dining experience at the Four Seasons Orlando? This is the only dining experience where you can dine with official Disney characters at a location that is not owned by Disney.
This dining experience is called, Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy & His Pals. We had the privilege of being hosted here by the Four Seasons so let’s chat all the details!

While you can only meet three characters, they spend so much time with you. The three characters are always Goofy, Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Unlike other Disney character dining experiences where characters switch out, it is always these three. On average we found that each character was spending lots of time with our table and we were not rushed at all. Goofy even had his own personal photopass photographer that came around with him to each table. We were given a special Four Seasons photopass card to link to our MyDisneyExperience account with the complimentary photos! This was amazing, and the photos were surprisingly really good given the lighting in the background.
The buffet has a large variety of options, including a make your own omelet station. Here are a few pictures of the options below. Usually, at character dining buffets I find that the food is not always the best, but this was not the case here! There were a wide variety of Danishes, there were also hot eggs, sausage, potatoes and more! The server was even able to accommodate my sister’s dairy allergy and bring her specially made dairy free pancakes.
Additionally, there is a full drink menu including different flavored mimosas. In our party we tried the pineapple and guava mimosas and two different types of smoothies. These smoothies are made fresh when ordered and were delicious. ​

Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy & His Pals is hosted at the Four Season’s restaurant Ravello and only on Thursdays and occasional Saturdays. Pricing is $54 per adult and $34 per kid before gratuities and add on drinks. ​

By Travel Planner Vanessa
​My family was invited by dear friends of ours to join them on a once-in-a-lifetime VIP tour. It was hands down one of the BEST experiences of my life. It’s no secret that it is pricey, BUT we received the real VIP treatment. I’m now debating if we need to spend money on things like groceries and clothing going forward OR if we can just spend all of our money and all of our lives on VIP tours… Kidding. (Sort of). There were 10 of us total which is the maximum the tour allows per guide. We had 4 adults, 4 teenagers (17, 17, 15, and 14), and 2 children (10 and 9.) 

Truth be told, I hardly have any pictures to share, but for good reason. Pictures are not allowed behind the scenes where some of the VIP tour takes place. We got to see some cool places that most guests never get to see. Our VIP tour guide, Kelsey, was so attentive and catered to our every wish. The Disney magic (even through the excessive heat and humidity) was alive all day. 
We started the tour at 9:00 am at the entrance of the International Gateway of Epcot. As a reminder, valid park tickets and park reservations are still required. We visited all four parks after talking to Kelsey about our goals for the day. Of course we wanted to go on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot and Tron Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom as our number one goals. We went on two rides at Epcot (ride number 1 - Soarin' and ride number 2 - Guardians). True Cosmic Rewind fans will want to know that we got I Ran (So Far Away) by Flock of Seagulls as our song. #iykyk!  One of the best parts is that we entered the Lightning Lane for all rides and when we came out of Guardians, Kelsey had bottles of cold water for us. It was an amazing touch - did I mention it was surface-of-the sun HOT that day??
After we left Epcot, we headed over to Hollywood Studios. One of the best parts was that each time we got into our private van, it was already running and waiting for us with the air conditioning blasting for us. We were greeted with a snack basket filled with individual bags of several types of chips, packages of cookies, granola bars, etc. to choose from for the van rides throughout the day. 
After we arrived at Hollywood Studios, we started out on 3. Rock n Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith before heading to Star Wars land and riding  number 4 - Rise of the Resistance and number 5 - Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. After we left there, we headed to Ride number 6 Slinky Dog Dash and number 7 - Toy Story Midway Mania! After these rides, more waters were waiting for us and we each got to choose a snack from a cart! Due to the heat, most of us chose a frozen novelty. Personally I love the frozen cup of lemonade and was so glad I could put the lid back on while we headed on to ride number 8, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. 
Our next stop was Magic Kingdom where we headed directly to ride number 9, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and number 10, Tron. It was worth the hype! We finished up Magic Kingdom with one last stop at ride number 11, Space Mountain. We were exhausted. And hot. And having the time of our lives! 
The final park of the day was Animal Kingdom. We had a LONG walk from where we entered behind Dinosaur and headed over to ride number 12, Expedition Everest. Kelsey was, again, waiting for us once we got off with ice cold bottles of water. We stayed well hydrated and full of snacks all day long thanks to Kelsey and the VIP tour interns. Our last stop of the day was ride number 13 - Avatar Flight of Passage. 
Kelsey gave each of us our own exclusive Disney VIP private tour pin to end our time with her. We were finished with this amazing itinerary by 4:30 p.m. We headed back to our resort, Swan Reserve, to relax for a bit, and get ready for our dinner we had planned at Biergarten. We also bought individual Lightning Lanes early that morning so we could go on Guardians of the Galaxy a second time. That time we got Disco Inferno! Our favorite song will always be September but we also like that one too!
⭐️PRO TIPS:⭐️ You may be wondering how we made it all day with 4 adults, 4 teenagers, and 2 kids without eating a real meal or having any meltdowns.. Here are some ways to plan your day with stamina in mind:
⭐️ Eat a huge meal before and after the tour hours ... We ate a huge breakfast at Amare at Swan Reserve where we were staying followed by a huge dinner at Biergarten in Epcot Germany. The snacks and water during the day were plentiful and really helped us get through the day. Note: we could have stopped for a meal if we wanted but decided the best bang for our buck was to eat before and after. If we had stopped to eat, it would have cut down on the number of rides we completed. 
⭐️ Wear comfortable shoes and have a back-up pair. I love my Hokas and they served me well. I had a back up pair of flip flops just in case I needed them. (I didn't). We were able to leave a bag in the van throughout the day
⭐️ Dress for the weather. Depending on the season, dress in layers, bring disposable ponchos in case of rain. Florida weather is predictably unpredictable. Wear lots of sunscreen on hot, sunny days.
⭐️ Take advantage of group bathroom breaks - everyone goes!!! Kelsey has great suggestions for bathrooms that were not busy so our entire group got in and out quickly
⭐️ If your goal is to accomplish as many rides as possible, avoid shows and character visits. Prepare younger children in advance for this. 
⭐️ Take advice from your VIP tour guide. They are the experts! Kelsey made it clear that ultimately we were in charge of the itinerary for the day but she gave us many helpful hints that maximized our time. The two youngest members of our group and one of the adults chose not to go on Space Mountain. Instead, they went on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. Kelsey first scanned 7 of us on to Space Mountain and then brought them over to Buzz. We all met up afterwards - it was perfect timing and everyone was happy!
⭐️ Our VIP Tour guide, Kelsey, was professional, attentive, and nothing short of amazing. If you feel the same way about a Cast Member, be sure to pay them the ultimate compliment and complete a Cast Compliment found in your My Disney Experience app. My family LOVES to call out cast members for great service. Of course, we also tipped her at the end of the day, but I know that cast members also love reading the compliments as well. 
⭐️ Wondering how to make all of this a bit more affordable? The greater the number of people who can split the cost of the tour, the less expensive it will be per person. The cost of the tour is the same whether you have one person or ten. I would recommend going in a group of 10 adults and splitting the total cost by 10! It is still an expensive day but much more affordable than if you paid for the whole tour yourself. In addition, consider crowd levels when booking. VIP Tour pricing is cut in half during the less crowded times of the year vs. the busier and more expensive times of the year! 
🏆 I am a senior agent for Tink's Magical Vacations with 10 years of Disney travel planning experience. Please contact me at vanessa@tinksmagicalvacations.com and I can help you plan your dream Disney vacation!

By Tink's Travel Planner, Missy
I was lucky enough the go on the maiden voyage of the Disney Wish.  It is beautiful!  While there are a lot of amazing things to do for all ages on the ship, they do have plenty of adult only spaces.  ​

The Bayou is on Deck 3 and is the main bar.  It has a New Orleans theme and has live music.  The Hurricane is their signature drink. 
Nightingales is also on deck 3 and is very close to the Grand Hall.  It is themed after Cinderella.  It has a grand piano and live music.  A fun drink to try there is the Ice Bubbles Cocktail.  Your cocktail comes in an ice ball and they give you a little hammer to break it open.  
Also on Deck 3 is the Hyperspace Lounge.   This is a fully immersive Star Wars experience.  They have a fun drink menus with collectible cups you can purchase. You need a reservation to get in.  
Keg and Compass is on deck 5.  It is the sports bar on the ship.  It is a nautical themed pub.  It is beautiful.  The wood carvings are amazing.  They do have a menu for food that is not included in the cruise fare. 
The Rose is on deck 12 outside of Palo and Enchante.   The view is amazing.  It has floor to ceiling windows. Free The bar is very elegant.  You can find a very extensive wine list and signature cocktails. 
Deck 12 also has the quiet cove pool area.  Adults only.  It is in the back of the ship and no kids need to walk back there.  Unlike the other ships, where kids were able to walk through the adults sections.  There is a bar and the quiet cove cafe.  
There is a secret bourbon bar in Hook's Barbary where you can get a smoked old fashioned!