Disney's Days of Christmas

Even Florida gets chilly, and when I pull out my jacket I start thinking about the holidays. Usually a stop at the Disney's Days of Christmas located at Downtown Disney Marketplace, gets me in the spirit. This shop is all about Christmas, every day of the year! You can get ornaments and cards, stockings and Christmas village sets in the middle of June. It's tucked out of the way, across from the carousel and near the Rainforest cafe. Get a dose of holiday cheer and stop by.

World of Disney

The World of Disney is located at Downtown Disney's Marketplace. You wont miss it because there's usually a group of children hanging outside, waiting for Stitch to 'spit' on them. This expansive store has huge rooms for everyone in the family. It even houses the "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique". The photo above was taken in the Adventure room and if you have any one in your family that loves pirates and anything from Pirates of the Caribbean, then they'll love this room. You can get swashbuckling swords, loot, treasure chests, pirate hats and even a skull or two!

Halloween Outside of the Parks

You don't need to go to the parks for Halloween to have fun at Disney. The resorts often have fun things to do. Both Downtown Disney and Disney's BoardWalk offer trick-or-treating and also have other activities for the children and the young at heart. I've seen in the past few years that the BoardWalk has had a pumpkin carving contest, in which the guests are the judges and the cast members display their creative side. They also had a d.j. and candy for everyone. Other resorts offer displays and candy, just make sure to ask at the front desk or concierge, they usually have notice of what they will be doing.

The Earl of Sandwich

The Earl of Sandwich is located at Downtown Disney Marketplace, across from Once Upon a Toy. They serve, you guessed it, sandwiches as well as freshly made salads, cookies, brownies, cupcakes, tea, coffee, lemonade and fountain drinks.

This used to be a favorite of ours because the prices were so reasonable and the sandwiches were divine. The bread was freshly baked and the quality of the meats for the sandwiches were excellent. However, we've noticed that on a few later trips that the prices did go up and the quality and service went down. The last time we were there I had a roast beef sandwich (The Full Montagu) and the beef was tough, chewy and inedible. My husband had the Scudetto and thought it was just okay. We haven't been back since.

It does get very busy and the line can go, literally, out the door, so plan on eating off of the conventional eating times. The prices are still reasonable compared to most of the Disney establishments but if your family just wants burgers and fries then go do the McDonald's down the path.

Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney Marketplace

There are two Rainforest Cafes located in Disney, one is located at the Animal Kingdom and the other is at Downtown Disney Marketplace. You can catch a glimpse of the rocky facade and blue waterfall of this particular Rainforest Cafe at the corner of the Marketplace.

Inside the restaurant, clusters of vines and low lying branches and leaves house an assortment of creatures from gorillas to elephants and every 30 minutes a thunderstorm starts and the animals move and make noises.

There is a large selection to choose from and the menu does not change for lunch or dinner. Although the ribs are good, the rest of the food is just the same fare you would get at any chain restaurant like Chili's, but a little pricier because of its location.

The Rainforest Cafe is not Disney owned and does not take reservations. They are a first come, first served restaurant so come early for lunch or dinner to miss the wait. A note for parents of young children, I've noticed the few times that we've been there that the simulated thunderstorms and the animals' chest-pounding and hollering can frighten children.

House of Blues

The House of Blues is located at Downtown Disney Westside, right across from Disney Quest and adjacent to Cirque Du Soleil. We went a few days ago for a late lunch/early dinner (the menu does not change for lunch/dinner).

My husband and I shared an appetizer of brick oven pizza with mozzarella, marinara and pepperoni and I tried a cup of 'file gumbo', which had shrimp and okra. Both were very good. My gumbo came with a corn muffin as well. For an entree, I ordered a Creole Jambalaya with shrimp, andouille sausages, chicken and rice. It came in what seemed like a never-ending bowl. It had a nice flavor but too spicy for my taste, the kind of spice that blooms long after you've gobbled down the food. My husband went with a po-boy sandwich which looked like a whole loaf of bread stuffed with fried shrimp. He thought it was just 'ok'.

From the outside the restaurant looks like a weathered roadhouse with folk art strewn about on the lawn. The inside is pretty much the same, with folk art placed along the walls, along with the molded faces of singers. They played a mix of blues from Joss Stone to Hendrix. It was a comfortable atmosphere until the dinner crowd came in, mostly parents with babies, but it's Disney, so what do you expect?

Overall, I'm not sure we were impressed enough to go back but it's worth a try if you've never been before.

Fulton's Crab House

Fulton's Crab House is situated right where Pleasure Island meets Downtown Disney Marketplace and looks like a docked riverboat. My husband and I recently had dinner here for the first time and were seated on the second floor, overlooking the water, what a nice view. I had the stuffed Gulf Shrimp and he had the Fried Platter. We were very disappointed with the food. His platter wasn't worth the expensive price tag. It consisted of three scallops, three shrimps and a meager helping of lobster on a skewer. My shrimp was stuffed with crab meat, corn and chives and came with a side of broccolini. I expected it to be great but the stuffing had a strong, salty flavor and although the shrimp was good, I only had five, and not worth the $30.00 price.

On a more positive note, the lemonade I ordered was one of the best I've had, and my broccolini was fresh and sauteed perfectly. Also the starter bread was warm and you can't go wrong with warm bread. But, if all you can praise is warm bread and lemonade, we suggest you go to another restaurant and just enjoy the exterior of Fulton's.