Devine Fairytale

a magical lifestyle blog

Categories: Disney, Travel

Hyatt Regency at Orlando International Airport

Thank you to the Hyatt Regency for generously hosting our stay! All opinions are my own.

Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport Hotel

Did you know there is a hotel inside the Orlando International Airport? The Hyatt Regency helps make travel stress-free and way more enjoyable! Since Orlando is just a short drive from us and they tend to have much better flight options than our smaller airport where we live, we booked our flights for our trip out west to fly in and out of MCO. Not only were we able to enjoy a little bit of Orlando but we were able to start our vacation a little bit earlier!

This hotel is a great option if you have an early outgoing flight or late incoming flight, a cruise out of Port Canaveral, or other plans within driving distance of Orlando. The staff was wonderful and we really enjoyed our time spent here.

The Hotel

The hotel is located in the main terminal of the airport. You can view the security checkpoint entrance and airline check in from the hotel. You will take the elevator or escalators to the 4th floor to find the lobby and hotel check in. This is also the level with the hotel bar and McCoy’s Bar and Grill restaurant.

Check in is 4:00 pm; check out is 12:00 pm.

Our Room

Our room was located on the 6th floor both nights, near both the outdoor pool and indoor fitness center. We stayed in a King room that featured a balcony, the perfect spot to view some beautiful sunsets.

The bed was so comfortable! I also loved all of the counter space and bathroom layout. There was a double vanity in the bathroom as well as outside of it. The room had a seating area and a small desk. Even though we were on vacation, this was a great space to get some work done! The rooms are newly renovated and soundproof.

Parking

You are able to park your car easily when you stay at the hotel. The hotel offers discounted self-parking and valet for guests. Please note, the discount is only valid for the date of your hotel stay.

For valet parking, follow the signs to Terminal B and you will find the hotel entrance on Jeff Fuqua Boulevard. For self-parking, follow the signs to Terminal B Self-Parking Garage and then Terminal Top Level 4. Make sure you’re paying attention since the lanes and turns happen quickly. Be sure to pull a ticket and see the front desk for in and out access, they will give you a pass and you’ll need this to receive the discounted rate for the nights you stayed at the hotel.

To find the best rates on long term airport parking (for overnight parking longer than stay date) visit their offers page for details on 4 nights or 7 nights Park, Stay and Go Packages.

Self Parking:

$12 / Overnight Guest

$19 /Daily/Non Guest

Valet Parking:

$16 /Overnight Guest

$25+ /Daily/Non Guest

Dining

This hotel features two main dining locations. The Lobby Bar is a great place to enjoy a small plate and a beverage before your flight or gather with the rest of your travel party after you arrive.

McCoy’s offers a wide variety of menu items focusing on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We had two meals here and absolutely enjoyed everything! From sushi to pizza, even a Hot Honey Chicken Club, it was all delicious.

If you have late-night cravings or want to order an early breakfast or lunch in the privacy of your room, check out the McCoy’s To-Go menu. All-day in-room dining includes sandwiches, salads, entrees, and their sushi menu.

(The Hemisphere restaurant located on the 9th floor is currently closed.)

Amenities

There is a nice outdoor pool area located on the 6th floor with runway views. The same floor also features an indoor, 24 hour fitness center. You are able to print boarding passes before leaving the hotel as well.

There is also a Day Pass option available to purchase if you have a long layover and want to have a room for a nap and a shower.

Flight Arrivals and Departures

We had an early flight out but instead of having to drive straight to the airport, we drove down the night before and stayed at the hotel. Once we woke up on the morning of our flight, we just had to get our bags down to the main terminal which you can see from the hotel lobby and then head through security. This saved us so much time and hassle! Our return flight arrived in the evening and after long day of travel, it was the best feeling to get our luggage up to our room and crash.

You can check out some more videos and photos from our stay on my Instagram story highlight. If you have more questions about our stay, feel free to reach out!

Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport Hotel

Categories: Disney, Travel

Capture Your Moment Photo Session at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Capture Your Moment Photo Session at Disney's Animal Kingdom

On a recent trip to Disney, I scheduled one of the new Capture Your Moment Photo Session at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for myself and my husband. This photo session is also available to book at Magic Kingdom, but we have not been able to experience one in this location yet.

What is it?

A Capture Your Moment is a 20 minute private session with a Disney PhotoPass photographer. This is such a great way to commemorate your Disney vacation, especially if you are celebrating something special like an engagement, graduation, or honeymoon. This is the perfect way to get everyone in the picture and have a way to remember all of the fun you had! Sessions are booked online and paid for ahead of time, up to 60 days in advance.

How much does it cost?

The cost is $50 for a 20 minute session. Photos captured during your session must be purchased separately. If you have purchase Memory Maker for your trip or if you have a qualifying Annual Pass, then you will be able to download the photos captured by the photographer during the experience at no extra cost.

Theme Park Admission

A theme park reservation AND a valid park ticket or annual pass are required to enter Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park for the photo session. A park ticket or annual pass is not included in the price of this experience and booking a photo session alone does not guarantee entry to the theme park.

Cancellation Policy

There is a 1 day cancellation policy. The full price will be charged and forfeited if you cancel within 1 day or do not show up for your reservation.

Party Size and Attire

Each photo session reservation is valid for a maximum of 8 people in the pictures, excluding children 2 years of age and younger. Attire and guest-supplied props must abide by the Park Policies. Wedding attire and clothing that drags on the ground is not permitted. There are some props available to use, ask at check-in to see if there’s anything you would like to use in your photos.

Checking In

Plan to arrive at the ticket and information desk outside of Island Mercantile at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park at least 10 minutes prior to your reservation time. If you are walking from the park entrance straight towards the Tree of Life, it’s the shop on your left after you’ve crossed over the bridge. Your photographer will meet you here and escort you to the selected location. Sessions cannot be extended due to late arrival.

Our Experience

Our session was at noon, so we arrived and checked in at about 11:45 am. They asked if there were any specific locations or photos we wanted, but I was open to wherever the photographer wanted to take us. We started over on the right side of the Tree of Life and walked through one of the trails for some additional photos.

Then we made our way over to Harambe Market and found some of the well-known Instagram worthy walls located throughout.

We finished our session at the exit of the Kilimanjaro Safari.

Since we have Annual Passes, within an hour there were almost 100 photos available for us to view and download in the app. It was such a wonderful experience and I highly recommend making a reservation if you want a private photo session while on your Disney vacation. Our photographer was personable and made sure we were able to get any specific shots that we wanted. We did a lot of pictures together but also did some individually; you can mix it up as much as you like.

I am proud to partner with Chatbooks and offer you a discount code to print out all of your vacation memories into a pretty photo book or create a wall tile to always remember the magical time you had! You can use code CBTEAM20 on their website at checkout and receive 20% off everything (excluding Monthly Minis and gift cards).

Have questions? Let me know in the comments! Hopefully we can snag a Capture Your Moment session at Magic Kingdom soon!

Capture Your Moment Photo Session at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Categories: Disney, Travel

Melia Orlando Celebration: A Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel

Melia Orlando Celebration Hotel Review

Melia Orlando Celebration is close to the magic of the Disney parks and a great option for staying off property!

This post is sponsored by the Melia Orlando Celebration hotel. Our stay was complimentary but all opinions are my own.

Location

Melia Orlando Celebration is located just 5 miles from Disney which makes for a quick drive to the theme parks. It is definitely worth checking out some of the shops and restaurants in the Celebration Town Center area. The town of Celebration was originally developed by the Walt Disney Company as a master-planned community. The hotel is located just off of US 192.

The Hotel

The hotel features standard rooms and suites. We stayed in a one-bedroom suite with a pool view. Our room featured a full size refrigerator and small kitchen area, a dining table, and a living room in addition to the bedroom and full bathroom. This is perfect to have drinks, snacks, and even meals all taken care of in your room! This is definitely a way to save money. The bedroom also had a desk area where I was able to get some work done each morning during our stay.

The Food

We had some really great meals while we were there! In the lobby, they serve Starbucks coffee and have some quick & easy grab-and-go options for food and drinks. These options are perfect to get on your way to the parks or to take back to your room.

The 360 American Bistro & Bar is their on-site restaurant. We had an amazing Saturday morning brunch complete with mimosas. The portions were huge and the lobster benedict and breakfast burrito got two thumbs up from us!

They also have a cute new sushi garden, SASA, just outside of the lobby and near the pool area.

The Pool

The 360 degree pool located in the center of the property is the gem of this hotel! We spent an entire afternoon here soaking up the sun in the lounge chairs. We had cocktails from the pool bar and the DJ played some of our favorite songs. They set up a paella tent for lunch and brought out some fun crafts to keep the kids entertained. There was a volleyball net set up in one section of the pool, putt putt in the center island, cornhole, and more!

Other Amenities

As a guest, you are able to get a voucher from the front desk to use the Celebration Fitness Center that is within walking distance.

Parking on site is complimentary and there is also a charging station for electric vehicles.

A Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel

Being a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel means that the Melia Orlando Celebration hotel meets Disney standards and they have the ability to sell park tickets. This hotel can also be booked as part of a Disney vacation package with your room and tickets. The front desk is also able to set up transportation for you to and from the theme parks.

I’m so glad we were able to check out this hotel; we will absolutely be back. If you’re looking for an affordable hotel in the Orlando area where you can relax and enjoy the amenities and still get your Disney fix…this is it. You can save up to 50% off your stay by using Code 00609878JQP!

Going to the parks? Make sure you have your park pass reservations ahead of time and my park bag checklist!

Categories: Disney, Travel

What Should You Pack in Your Disney Park Bag?

With all of our trips, there are a few things that I ALWAYS pack in my Disney park bag! I’m giving you my list (and links!) so you can be prepared for your next trip. I’ll include my top recommendations as well as some others that come in handy if you have the room to bring them too.

The Basics

My go-to bag is a Disney Loungefly backpack because it’s the perfect size and I can match it to my outfit for the day. Crossbody bags and belt bags are also great, convenient options. Keep the bag fairly small and make sure it’s hands-free so you aren’t having to mess with it all day. If you needed a locker, they are located towards the front of each park to rent for the day. Just keep in my mind that this may not always be convenient to get back to during the day. There are three different sized lockers ranging in price from $10 to $15 for the day. Everyone who enters the theme park will need to go through a security screening and there will be a bag check. There is usually a separate (and shorter) line for guests without bags.

If you have little ones in a stroller, you have a bit more flexibility as far as the size goes since you can keep the bag in the stroller compartment. As a reminder, strollers cannot exceed 31 inches in width and 52 inched in length. Stroller wagons are not allowed.

I am by no means a ‘minimalist.’ Sure, you could have a great day at the parks without any of these things. This is totally up to you and your travel party’s preferences so feel free to take what works for you.

Top Items

  • MagicBand or Key to the World Card
  • Photo ID
  • Cash, Debit or Credit Card, Gift Card, etc.
  • Annual Passholder or Disney Vacation Club Card
    • To receive exclusive discounts, you will need to show the physical card and (most times) and an ID.
  • Cell Phone with the My Disney Experience App downloaded
  • Portable Battery Pack and Compatible USB Cord
    • Park days can be long and using our phones for photos, videos, checking wait times, and more can run the battery down quickly.
  • Face Masks + Extra Masks
    • As long as face masks are required, I would recommend bringing at least one extra mask for each person.
  • Travel Bag or Ziplocs for Clean vs Dirty Masks
    • I have these travel pouches but Ziploc bags would work just as well. It lets you know which masks need to be washed and keeps them separate from everything else. Even if you don’t bring this in your park bag, it’s still handy to have on a trip.
  • Pair of Minnie Ears
  • Sunglasses
  • Hair Elastic
  • Liquid I.V. Hydration Packets
    • Stay hydrated in the Florida heat with these flavored hydration multiplier packets. You can get a cup of ice water for free or add to a bottle of water and mix it up. You can use my code DEVINEFAIRYTALE at checkout and save 25% and get free shipping.
  • Snacks
    • I always bring a couple of protein bars or nuts in case I need a quick snack. Always nice to have something on hand in a pinch, especially with kids.
  • Handheld Fan
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Antibacterial Wipes
  • Sunscreen
  • Lip Balm
  • Gum or Mints
    • Disney does not sell gum in their parks, so make sure to bring your own if you’ll want it!
  • Pins to Trade
    • With Covid, Pin Trading is a bit different but there still are some locations that have pin boards available.

Other Ideas

For Kids

  • Small Toys and Activities
    • Something to play with that will keep them occupied while waiting in lines will be helpful.
  • Bubbles or Glow Sticks
    • If you think your kids will see the carts with bubble wands and glow toys and want them, it might be smart to save some money and bring your own.
  • Change of Clothes
    • If they get wet or make a mess, having a backup outfit might be a good idea.

Not Allowed

  • Alcohol, Drugs, Weapons. etc.
  • Glass Containers (except for baby food jars)
  • Loose or Dry Ice
  • Horns, Whistles, Other Noise Makers
  • Drones
  • Remote Control Toys, Skateboards, Skates, Shoes with Built-In Wheels
  • Folding Chairs
  • Selfie Sticks
  • Tripod or Monopod that does not fit in a standard backpack or extends over 6 feet
  • Flags or Banners
  • Anything you can pull behind you such as a cooler, wagon, etc.

Do you have any other must have items for the theme parks? Tell us in the comments!

Here’s a handy checklist you can download to print out or save on your phone! Drop your email and it will be delivered straight to your inbox.

Park Bag Checklist

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Categories: Disney, Travel

2021 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival: Top Picks

One of my favorite festivals, Taste of EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival begins March 3, 2021! Spring will be in the air and you can find fresh foods, character topiaries, and beautiful flowers throughout the park until July 5, 2021.

Throughout the World Showcase, there will be more than 20 spots to try the food and drink that’s exclusive to the festival. You can find the complete Foodie Guide on the Disney Parks Blog, and I’ll share some of my favorites! The EPCOT Sunshine Griddle is a new outdoor kitchen featuring brunch items that sounds like a perfect new addition. Not to be missed though, longtime favorites like Violet Lemonade and Frushi will be back.

A great way to work your way through the outdoor kitchens is by following along the Garden Graze. The Festival Passport lists five items and with each purchase of those items, you’ll receive a stamp. Once you have all five, you can show your completed passport page at the Pineapple Promenade for a complimentary gift! This is great if you’ll have multiple trips to the festival because you do not need to complete it all in one day.

For the little ones, Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration scavenger hunt is a fun activity with a special prize once completed. The cost to purchase the map is $7.99 + tax. The Spike and Orange Bird sippers are back this year too!

In the past, the Flower and Garden Festival featured the Garden Rocks concert series, featuring musical acts like Sister Hazel, Rick Springfield, and more. This year will be a bit different as the stage at the America Gardens Theatre will feature local bands from the Orlando area Friday through Monday evenings.

5 Items on My Must-Try List:

  1. Arancini: Sweet Sausage Fried Risotto Balls with Pomodoro Sauce – Primavera Kitchen in Italy
  2. Seared Scallops with French Green Beans, Butter Potatoes, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Apple-wood-smoked Bacon – Northern Bloom in Canada
  3. Key Lime Tart with Toasted Meringue – Festival Favorites in World Showplace
  4. Shrimp and Grits: Blackened Shrimp and Cheddar Cheese Grits with Brown Gravy and Sweet Corn Salsa – EPCOT Sunshine Griddle in Future World East
  5. Lavender Honey Mustard-marinated Chicken Flatbread with Whipped Honey-Ricotta Cheese, Marinated Vegetables, and Purple Haze Lavender Goat Cheese – The Honey Bee-stro in Showcase Plaza

Do you need some outfit inspo for your trip to the Flower and Garden Festival? Check out these looks linked below! If you shop on ShopMagicallyMegan on Etsy, you can use code SHANNON15 to save as long as it’s not already on sale.

The festival is included with a regular park ticket to EPCOT, just make sure to make a Park Pass reservation for the day you plan to visit! Let me know what new foodie items you tried in the comments so we can know what’s a hit or miss.

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