Alternatively titled how mama’s do Disney kid-free! 😉
Have you ever dreamed of grabbing your girlfriends and jetting off to Disney for a long weekend? MEEEEE TOOO!
I finally made it happen with my internet friends turned real-life friends Grace, Mary Helen & Courtney! These gals love Disney just as much as I do and made this trip a dream come true! We all left Orlando feeling refreshed, inspired, and ready to do it again next year! Of course, we were ready to get home to our babies after a few days away but we knew they were in good hands with loved ones back home! Shoutout to the dads, grandmas, and parents that made this trip possible! 🙌
Itinerary printable is available to personalize & print in the Fernandina Paper Co. digital library!
ITINERARY:
Thursday: We arrived on a Thursday morning, checked into our room early, and quickly booked it to Animal Kingdom for our first Genie + Lightning Lane reservation of the day! After lunch + a ride on the Kilamanjaro Safari we popped back to our room to change for an afternoon at Epcot’s Festival of the Arts! Ended the night dining on the rooftop of our beautiful resort with the best fireworks views and even better conversation! Sounds dreamy because it absolutely was!
Friday: We took the Skyliner over to Hollywood Studios (bright and early!) where we rode Rise of the Resistance (I’m not a star wars girl but this was THE BEST RIDE worthy of all the hype!) ate all the churros (or maybe that was just me!) took a leisurely stroll down Hollywood Blvd and caught a few fun cavalcades! We grabbed lunch at our resort’s quick-service restaurant before meeting our photographer for an afternoon of “work” that didn’t feel like work. For dinner, we hopped over to the Grand Floridian for another extended dinner with Magic Kingdom fireworks views! Long dinners with no high chairs or interrupted conversations (sorry, not sorry) were surely the highlight of our trip! It was such a treat chatting about #allthethings with friends that just get it.
Saturday: We ventured over to the Magic Kingdom where we rode all of our favorites, snacked on popcorn, shopped around, and snagged a lunch reservation where we could, once more, sit and talk as loooong as we wanted! MK surely made us miss our babies more but it was a treat to take it all in stress-free! That afternoon the girls went back to our room to get ready for dinner but I wanted to stay for the fireworks so I did just that. Mary Helen’s rule for the trip was that we all did whatever we wanted to do! So I enjoyed a few hours of walking around Magic Kingdom by myself, riding my favorite rides, eating another Churro, and watching the MK fireworks show next to two other moms that were doing the same thing! AG isn’t a fan of fireworks these days so it was a treat to enjoy them for the first time in a hot minute! 🙂 After the fireworks, I met up with the girls at Disney’s Boardwalk for dinner!
Sunday: I worked on my laptop (with Riviera Espresso in hand!) for a bit and then loaded my car up to head home. I realized that I wasn’t quite ready to leave so Mary Helen and I spent the morning walking the world showcase at Epcot! Pro tip: The world showcase is the place to be before lunchtime if you want to avoid the crowds and take it all in!
We stayed up late each night talking, slept in as late as we wanted, splurged on restaurants we wanted to try, encouraged each other, asked hard questions, and dug deep into why we do what we do and the goals we have for the future! The most fun!!!! 10/10 recommend you grab your girls and head to Disney asap!
Shop our crosby outfits (c/o) here:
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We started the trip off right with these sweet swag bags! Thank you to Mae Wearable art for gorgeous handmade earrings perfect for our park days and fancy dinners, Posh Tots for lots of darling goodies we could take home to our littles, Breck & Grier for these amazing Minnie Mouse inspired bags, Shop Swank Co. for the cutest accessories, beach towels and sunnies, Victoria Phillips for the beautiful Disney stickers, and Fernandina Paper Co. for the luggage tags, placemats and paper goods!
WHERE WE STAYED:
We stayed at Disney’s newest resort, the Riviera! I love all things french and all things Disney so this resort is basically a dream! I’ve visited quite a few times to eat and explore but this was my first time staying. We booked a one-bedroom villa with plenty of room for all four of us thanks to the two murphy beds in the living room. Loved having a full kitchen, washer & dryer, separate bathroom & vanity space, dinette, and balcony! Check my Instagram highlights for a full room tour! You’ll notice french nods with Disney flair in all of the art and decor which makes the resort so unique. From the pool/splash pad theming to the restaurant offerings, it’s all in the fun details!
When you factor in the convenience of on-site dining options, access to the Skyliner, and room size… a stay at Disney’s Riviera Resort is a pretty good value! Definitely for a girl’s trip but also worth checking out for your next family trip! I know my girls would flip over the splash pad, pool, and Disney art throughout! This is a Disney deluxe property so you’ll also get those deluxe perks like after-hours, early park entry, and concierge-level service included in your stay.
Disney + Lilly pair well together! I don’t know what it is about going to visit Mickey that makes me want to bust out my Florida best but I’m not the only one who feels this way! Shop our Lilly resort looks:
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We rocked our Holly Shae Designs Tropical Toile (c/o) print on Saturday to celebrate Holly’s most recent launch! So fitting for a resort day! Shop the collection here!
WHAT WE ATE:
If you followed along on Instagram you know that this trip revolved around food! We ate like queens all weekend and don’t regret a single bite!
Tiffin’s: A hidden gem in Animal Kingdom. This might tie with Yak & Yeti as my favorite AK restaurant! Ordered the shrimp & grits (no surprise here) and loved every bite! Enjoyed getting out of the theme park chaos for a quiet lunch in a more formal setting. If your kiddos are close to naptime I’d skip this one but if everyone’s in good spirits – give it a try! Or opt for the neighboring lounge, Nomad’s Lounge where you can order off the menu in a more casual setting.
Topolino’s Terrace: I’ve done Topolino’s for breakfast (best character dining on property hands down!) but never for dinner. It was a wonderful experience with delicious Italian options. In my opinion, dinner was not as memorable as breakfast but that’s probably because finding a delicious breakfast option on Disney property was such a nice surprise! And it needs to be noted that there are no characters at dinner. We had a table overlooking the fireworks from Epcot which was a treat. Everything we ordered was delicious and we loved the convenience of on-site dining! If you visit be sure to try the gnocchi appetizer and ask your server for suggestions from the impressive wine list!
Primo Piatto: This might be my favorite quick service on property! When we’ve stayed at Art of Animation in the past we’ve taken the Skyliner over to the Riviera for Primo Piatto’s pizza and grilled chicken sandwich. The neighboring Bar Riva is also worth checking out! 🙂
Cítricos: In my opinion, this is the most underrated resort restaurant on property. Well, perhaps it should be tied with Steakhouse 71 (at The Contemporary) as Disney’s most underrated resort restaurant. We had such a wonderful time watching fireworks and chatting the night away. The service was exceptional! I basically created my own meal and cocktail and they were so accomodating! It’s recently been reimagined with Mary Poppins nods so I soaked in everything from the table linens to the appetizer offerings. Such a treat! Be sure to pop over to The Enchanted Rose lounge before or after your meal. The Beauty & The Beast-themed bar is something you won’t want to miss!
Be Our Guest – I don’t care what the haters say, I enjoy Be our Guest! Yes, it’s crowded and a bit loud but it’s also one of the best sit-down character restaurant offerings in the Magic Kingdom. So you have to take what you can get! The food is good, not great. I’ve had the french onion soup and filet twice now and enjoyed it both times. They just switched up the dessert trio recipes and now even the gray stuff is delicious! 😉 In conclusion, if there’s a BOG reservation available on a MK day I’m probably going to grab it! I personally prefer sit-down dining over the quick service offerings in the Magic Kingdom. We did sit in the West Wing on this trip which I enjoyed more than the Grand Ballroom because it’s a bit more private. However, if your littles are sensitive to thunder sounds and dark dining (*raises hand*), you should opt for the Grand Ballroom!
Flying Fish: Everyone I’ve talked to about this trip has heard me go on and on about the Flying Fish! It reopened the week we visited and we’re all so glad it did. This was hands down the best meal I’ve ever had on Disney property! We had a chance to chat with the manager and chef and quickly saw how passionate they were about what they do but it was our sweet server Danny that made the night so memorable! Everything we ordered was exceptional! Cannot wait to bring my entire family in May. Make a reservation immediately, you’re in for a treat!
Honorable Mention: Pork Belly Tacos at Choza de Margarita in the Mexico pavilion of Epcot’s World Showcase! I can’t seem to leave Epcot without devouring a plate of these. Even if there’s a festival going on!
PARK OUTFITS:
The best part of planning a girl’s trip is themed outfits right?! Click below for details on what I wore to each of the theme parks!
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Shoutout to Jessie Offer Photography for snapping so many of these awesome photos! She’s your girl if you need Disney or Orlando area photos on your next trip!
Ready for your girl’s trip?! Mary Helen, Courtney and their partner Natalie are all (fantastic!) travel agents so if you need help planning your vacation, be sure to shoot them a note!
