Hidden Disney Gems: The Most Underrated Walt Disney World Attractions

Not every Disney memory comes from the biggest ride or the longest Lightning Lane. Sometimes, the most magical moments happen in the places guests walk right past.

This week on All Things Travel, Ryan and Julie are sharing their favorite underrated attractions, hidden gems, and overlooked experiences throughout Walt Disney World. From relaxing rides and interactive shows to hidden dining spots and resort favorites, this episode is packed with ideas that can help make your next Disney vacation feel more immersive, memorable, and less rushed.

They break the conversation down park-by-park, highlighting experiences that families often miss while running between the headline attractions. Whether you’re planning your very first Disney trip or you’re a longtime Disney fan looking for something new, this episode will help you slow down and discover a different side of Walt Disney World.

Some of the hidden gems discussed include:

•  The PeopleMover and Enchanted Tales with Belle in Magic Kingdom 
•  Living with the Land and the films around World Showcase in EPCOT 
•  Frozen Sing-Along Celebration and Star Tours in Hollywood Studios 
•  Winged Encounters and underrated character meet-and-greets in Animal Kingdom 
•  Resort dining favorites like Sebastian’s Bistro, Whispering Canyon, Olivia’s Cafe, Toledo, and more 

Along the way, Ryan and Julie also share:

•  Why these attractions often become the most meaningful family memories 
•  Tips for using underrated experiences to escape crowds and heat 
•  Ways to balance Lightning Lanes and downtime during your Disney vacation 
•  A quick recap of Julie’s recent Washington DC family trip 
•  A “Where in the World is Wonder & Beyond Travel?” segment featuring a last-minute Disney trip planned around riding Carousel of Progress before its refurbishment 

If your Disney planning style has become all about checking boxes and racing from one attraction to the next, this episode is a reminder that some of the best Disney magic happens when you slow down a little.

The world is full of wonder — and sometimes the most unforgettable Disney moments are the ones you never expected. 

Transcript

Julie 0:00

hello, and welcome to All Things Travel. Today we're sharing our take on underrated Disney attractions. These are the experiences you may not plan your trip for, but are definitely a can't miss for your trip

Ryan 0:15

Listen in with travel advisors and destination experts, Ryan and Julie. I'm your travel professor teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation, and she's a Disney-loving Maryland mom of three and a specialist in family travel. And together, we're the co-owners of Wonder and Beyond Travel. Whether we're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories, it's always all things travel.

Julie 0:42

Okay, it's Monday morning. Again, not a typical time for us to record. I'm, like, running onto this recording sweaty from playing, uh, in a sandbox this morning because that's just my life.

Ryan 0:57

Okay.

Julie 0:57

that you did not have the same experience.

Ryan 1:00

No, no.

Julie 1:01

No, that's- that's nice for you. That's nice. Uh, we were actually in DC this weekend. So that was a rescheduled trip, which fortunately, you know, we're close enough to DC that, like last weekend it was supposed to be super rainy, so we were able to just push it a week. That did mean that I had to find a new hotel based on availability and, like, the last minute move, and I will honestly say I did not love our hotel. we were supposed to stay two nights. We ended up coming home after one night because I just so badly wanted to be home. But we still did spend, like, two full days there. So day one, quick recap, my kids are seven, five, three. We drove down. It's like an hour and a half, hour 45 for us, we went to the Air and Space Museum Friday. My kids loved it.

Ryan 1:47

Yeah

Julie 1:47

my husband, if I've ever mentioned this, is a space nerd. I mean, black holes are his jam, and they terrify me, so it's interesting. my kids love space, and fun fact, there was, like, a, an X-wing hanging with R2-D2 in it. Um, so that was just a fun little toss-in that my kids loved. but they really enjoyed it. They were just, like, in awe of the size of the, you know, some of the rocket pieces that were in there. That was really cool. Found a phenomenal Mexican spot for dinner. Fit right in with us. the next day, we went to the Washington Zoo, which was amazing.

Ryan 2:28

I've never been. Yeah

Julie 2:29

W- oh my gosh. So we have a zoo in Baltimore. it was okay. We went a couple weeks ago for a field trip. The Washington Zoo was amazing. I cannot wait to go back. It was so well-kept, so easy to navigate. The downside, and if anyone i-is from local to me, they'll know this, it is a hill. Like, a literal... You can't really avoid the hill. you're either going downhill or going uphill. It's brutal. and then after that, we went over to the Smithsonians on the Mall. We went to the Museum of Natural History to check out the dinosaurs, and then we went over to the Museum of American History to check out the van that I had as a child, because that is in the, uh, like, transportation section. And then there was a...

Ryan 3:18

kitchen

Julie 3:19

Oh, yeah, that is in there. You're right.

Ryan 3:21

Yeah, absolutely

Julie 3:22

I remember seeing that, and it was actually near the Tupperware I had growing up. so just a lot of relics. And then there was a cool, like, entertainment section, so the kids loved that. It was highlighting, like, a lot of, like, movies and, and shows. of course, there was some Star Wars stuff in there, so they loved that. But man, exhausting. We forgot our stroller. Rookie move. so that was brutal. We rented a stroller at the zoo, but just, like, walking to them from the Metro, like, it's a lot. And maybe this is a mom thing, but my anxiety on the Metro was, like, through the roof. So that was exhausting, too.

Ryan 3:57

it doesn't sound like a relaxing family trip

Julie 4:01

But the zoo was cool, and my kids really did enjoy, We tried to be smart about it. we knew we weren't gonna get through a museum. Like, we went in and we're like, "Let's see the dinosaurs," and then, "Let's see this specific thing," because they're not gonna meander around a museum. It's just not gonna happen. there is a children's museum, so if we had had, another day, I think we would have also done that, 'cause that's also pretty close to the National Mall. But anyways, good little weekend getaway. Happy to be back home and right back into it

Ryan 4:32

Well, I love having you talk about, these not so hidden gems in Washington DC, 'cause that's what we're talking about today. We're looking at Walt Disney World and we're kind of some of these things that you may not go to Disney directly for, but are definitely worth your time while you're there. Julie's put together a really cool list here that we're gonna talk through to make sure you put these on your to-do list for the next trip. first, if you did not listen to last week's episode, boy, we hit some of those fine print things that come out of planning a trip that you really need to pay attention to, um, because it makes your trip run more smoothly and helps you avoid a lot of issues. So make sure you check out that episode

Julie 5:20

so this is gonna focus with Walt Disney World because that's just where the majority of our clients go. It's what we're the most familiar with, although we do love Disneyland. It would just be way too much to cover, so maybe another episode idea. So let's start in the Magic Kingdom because that is, what you think of when you think of Walt Disney World, you think of the castle and Magic Kingdom. And these are in, like, no particular order. The first one is the PeopleMover. I love the PeopleMover, and sometimes,

Ryan 5:48

it. It's so much fun

Julie 5:50

sometimes you don't even know, like, that If you don't know it's there, like, you might not even see it, honestly. The PeopleMover is a very nostalgic attraction. It is kind of like a leftover, idea from, like, way, way, way back, I wanna say when Epcot was being built. But it's in Magic Kingdom. It was truly meant to be, like, a transportation system for people, right? so essentially in Magic Kingdom, to board the PeopleMover you have to go up an escalator that's, like, underneath the Astro Orbiter, so it's a little bit, like, hidden in there. It usually doesn't have a long line because it's one of those attractions that is continuously moving for the most part. So once you go up this moving ramp, you sit on it. Probably four to six people can fit in one. so a whole family could usually fit in one, and you just kind of ride around Tomorrowland. You get to go inside Space Mountain. You go through a Monsters Inc. laugh floor area. You go through, Carousel of Progress a little bit. You go over one of the stores, and if it's in the evening you get an awesome little fireworks view, and it's just such a nice place to just kind of sit for a minute

Ryan 7:06

that's what I like about it is it's one of those things where it's a rest your legs moment without the kids realizing that that's what you're doing because there's enough things to focus on and hear about. It's kinda how I feel about the train,

Julie 7:19

Yes. Yes

Ryan 7:21

it is very much an attraction and very much a ride, but the advantage is you're also resting while you're doing it, which helps you keep on with your day.

Julie 7:30

Yeah, you also get out of the heat a little bit

Ryan 7:34

Yes, absolutely. Okay, this next one I completely disagree with you, Julie

Julie 7:38

Oh, man. This is not one that I hit every time, but the times that I hit it, I'm like, "Wow, this is really fun." Moderately terrifying, really fun. it's the Astro Orbiter. It's up above Tomorrowland. It's truly, like, one of the icons of Tomorrowland. And I feel like people, like, never go on this ride, but the couple times I have...

Ryan 7:59

There's a

Julie 7:59

Why d-

Ryan 8:00

why

Julie 8:00

why don't you like it?

Ryan 8:02

Well, first of all, it's not for bigger people.

Julie 8:07

that's a solid point. That's a good point. it goes really fast.

Ryan 8:12

don't like it. It's,

Julie 8:14

Okay.

Ryan 8:14

like a county fair ride that you're kind of like, "Am I, is

Julie 8:19

yeah

Ryan 8:20

is this, you know, safe?" I get

Julie 8:23

I can see where you're coming from

Ryan 8:27

I don't personally like it. I've literally done it one time in all of

Julie 8:30

I still think it's underrated.

Ryan 8:31

World

Julie 8:32

I think it's one of those rides that I go on it and I feel like it's gonna be a kid ride, and I am very pleasantly surprised that it is not a kiddie ride.

Ryan 8:40

this next

Julie 8:41

Uh-huh

Ryan 8:42

they were actually building on my first trip with my kids, and so my kids never really experienced this, but I think this is a great, idea for small kiddos when they go to Walt Disney World. What is this, Julie?

Julie 8:56

This is the play area that's inside the Dumbo line. when you walk up to Dumbo in the Magic Kingdom back in Fantasyland and Storybook Circus, there's two Dumbo attractions, and in the middle is this huge tent or huge building, I guess, that's meant to look like a circus tent. and you're kind of like, "I guess that's the line." The line for Dumbo is never that long. so while you're in line, you have the choice to kind of get out of line and go into this huge indoor playground, and it is such a hidden gem. I swear the first couple times we did Dumbo, we had no idea it was there, probably because the line was so short and we were just focused on getting on the ride.

Ryan 9:38

walk

Julie 9:38

it's,

Ryan 9:39

yeah

Julie 9:39

it's inside. It's air-conditioned. You just kind of hang out in there until your kids are ready to go on Dumbo, and they just play. There's a smaller, like, toddler area. There's a bigger kid area. It is a awesome hidden gem, and it is on every touring plan that I send out to clients with kids. There's a little pro tip, like don't miss this inside area. another thing I think people miss, is Enchanted Tales with Belle. It's kind of like tucked back there near Gaston's Tavern area. And the great thing about this is it's a show and a meet and greet, and not just any show. It's an interactive show. Like, they are picking people from the audience to have little parts in the retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story, and at the end, everyone gets to meet Belle, and you get a little PhotoPass card to add that photo to your account. It is such a little hidden gem. It doesn't open till 10:30, and it's not on Lightning Lane, so I think that's also why a lot of people kind of miss it. It's not one of these things that you can see the ride. Um, I don't think it's talked about very much, everyone I have with little kids, I'm like, "You have to go here. You're gonna miss it if you don't know it's there."

Ryan 10:49

This was the attraction that turned my family into a Disney family.

Julie 10:55

What?

Ryan 10:55

it was watching my son as the Beast dancing with Belle during the show I think that really clicked. Because when I first took the kids to Walt Disney World, I think my son was four and my daughter was six, if I'm remembering correctly. And it was kind of one of those things where you go and you're like, "Well, everybody needs to do this, so now's the time. And I'm either going to fall in love with Disney or I'm gonna say I'm never going on Disney property ever again." And that was the moment where it just clicked and yeah. So I mean, this is the attraction. If you have small kids, you cannot miss this

Julie 11:35

do you agree that it kind of feels like a hidden, like you would miss it if you didn't know what it was?

Ryan 11:40

Yeah, absolutely.

Julie 11:41

All right, the last one for Magic Kingdom, at least that I thought of, was the Swiss Family Treehouse. Everyone sees this. There's never a wait. My kids love running up and down through this thing. it is a great little like, "We have some time. We don't feel like waiting in a line. Let's just let them run up and down this thing." It's really cool to try to see like the different rooms, and the kids' imaginations kind of talk about that. But it is an awesome spot to watch the fireworks if you can get up to the top of the treehouse around the time of fireworks

Ryan 12:11

That's a really good idea. I like that. I've never tried that before

Julie 12:14

Yeah

Ryan 12:15

definitely something to think about

Julie 12:17

it was refurbished a couple of years ago, but this is also something that, is constantly coming up for, should Disney get rid of it? It's not popular. But I think people just, don't utilize it the way that it could be utilized, especially with little kids. Anything else that you wanna add for Magic Kingdom, Ryan? I know I talked a lot about, little kid rides

Ryan 12:36

I think you've hit it. I think these are things that people don't always think about or... What I like about this is this list is can we fill in of the space,

Julie 12:49

Yeah

Ryan 12:50

have when it comes to juggling Lightning Lanes and stuff. Oh, I will say, I think it's a hidden gem. One of my favorite things in Magic Kingdom is Mickey's PhilharMagic,

Julie 12:59

Yeah

Ryan 12:59

I absolutely love it. I think each park used to have kinda their version of this, and Mickey's PhilharMagic is definitely the best one. it's one of those things where in the afternoon where it's hot, where you need to rest your legs, you go inside and it's dark and it's air-conditioned, and you can just sit down for a few minutes, and it's just such a fun show. So I would definitely add it to the list

Julie 13:21

Yeah, that's back in Fantasyland. It's kind of right behind the castle there, near the carousel and the princess, meet and greets at Princess Fairytale Hall. It is 3D, but it is a really cute, obviously IP-heavy show, and they did redo it recently to have more IP in it. But yeah, that's a great add-on

Ryan 13:42

So let's head over to Epcot, and I love this first one. And if you're not paying attention when you go into the Mexico Pavilion, you may not know it's there, and that's Three Caballeros, and it is so fun. it is a boat ride going through Mexico. features Donald Duck and some of his friends, and It's such a fun little show. the song will stick with you. It's a great thing to have either before or after a margarita, or with a margarita. I love it

Julie 14:13

it's dark in there, it's air-conditioned in that pavilion. It's a great place to be. And again, like so many people walk right past that going to, you know, Frozen Ever After, or Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, off to a dining reservation, and completely miss it. I love Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and all like the Donald Duck characters. And I do think that They've added some characters from Coco recently

Ryan 14:40

The Pixar Short Film Festival, this is an interesting choice, Julie, because all of these films are on Disney+. not everybody has Disney+, of course, but my guess is a lot of Disney families have Disney+. What's the advantage of going during your time at Epcot?

Julie 15:00

though they're on Disney+, I never watch them on Disney+, and some of them are really funny. It's always a great time in there. it's not a 3D experience, and sometimes my kids don't like 3D experiences. It is also a hidden gem, Mickey and Minnie used to greet right inside the lobby there. There was really no signage that they were there, and it was one of the only spots that you could meet them together. it's also not a crowded area of the park, so if you needed just some quiet time, you could go there. Pooh usually greets outside in, like, the grassy area near there. I just really like it. You know, on a hot day, We know Epcot does not have a ton of attractions and thrill rides, so this is just a fun little Disney experience

Ryan 15:51

Living with the land. Is this underrated? I, maybe for my visits it's just always a must-do, but maybe you feel like it's an underrated it's in the same building as Soarin'.

Julie 16:02

Yeah, so one, because it's in the same building as Soarin', and two, because I feel like people, think it's boring. I think it's really lovely. I think it's such a nostalgic, like, peak Epcot attraction, and I feel like I'm always convincing people that they should go on it

Ryan 16:17

Well, and I will say, um, if you are interested in living with the land, if you like to kinda geek out about some of that stuff, the Behind the Seeds tour is a really good kind of dipping your toe into some of those extra experiences that Disney has. my, extended family did that on one trip, and we really had a fun time with it. Um-

Julie 16:38

And I think, too, like you mentioned, people go into the Land Pavilion, and they're like Soarin'.

Ryan 16:43

Yeah

Julie 16:44

Living with the Land is on the other side, or like Garden Grill. Like they're just like on that left side of the pavilion, and this is on the right side. and then the last thing I wanna mention in Epcot are the films in the different countries. I think a lot of times people go to Epcot, and they're focusing on the food, they're focusing on the drinking around the world, and they're focusing on the attractions in the countries. But to really just, I guess, a hidden gem in general could just be like meandering the countries. I think that that gets lost, as you're trying to go around and hit attractions. And in France, China, and Canada, there are films about those countries. It's a great place to go get inside. it's a great place to learn a little bit more and that's kind of what Epcot was founded on that edutainment idea where you're learning and being entertained, and it's just a great way to make that country a little bit more fulfilling and immersive. And the film back in France actually alternates with a Beauty and the Beast singalong, so you'll wanna check the timing of what's going on when. But I think that Beauty and the Beast singalong is also a hidden gem. I always forget it's there

Ryan 17:56

along with this, what I would add to the list is the entertainment acts in Epcot.

Julie 18:04

Mm-hmm.

Ryan 18:05

a lot of people don't look at that in the schedule, but, you know, when you're talking about the Jammitors, and you're talking about

Julie 18:10

Yeah

Ryan 18:11

and you're talking about the drummers in Japan,

Julie 18:14

back in the UK there's bands

Ryan 18:17

Yeah, so take the time, especially because a lot of people do, the futuristic side of Epcot in the morning, and then have the afternoon with the countries because of the time that it opens. Take the time to map out some of those shows. I think you'll really enjoy it

Julie 18:33

Yeah, I really like going back and watching in the UK Pavilion. It tends to be, kind of hidden back there. I love that area. And for Epcot in general, I always have families that they want maybe a three-day ticket for their first experience, and they're like, "Well, do we do Epcot or Animal Kingdom?" And I feel like I'm always fighting for one park or the other, because I think all four parks are a must for your first trip. Okay, onto Hollywood Studios

Ryan 19:03

I love this first one on your list, Julie. For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along. It's such a fun show and it's one of the things that Disney does really well, which is entertain the kids but also have kind of humor above their head for the adults. And this is the perfect example of that

Julie 19:22

It's like cheeky, just slapstick funny, hilarious, and there's different narrators depending on the show, but they're all so good. And I always tell families, "You have to go to this show. It's so good." And the kids love... Like, the kids are pumped to go, and it's such a nice experience. One thing to know about this show is it is pretty popular. it's not a huge theater, so you cannot show up at showtime and expect to get into the show. you wanna arrive a couple minutes early. And then my other thought for Hollywood Studios is Star Tours. I think a lot of people go to the Star Wars Galaxy's Edge area and see the Millennium Falcon. They see the Rise of the Resistance, and maybe they kind of miss that Star Tours is there because it's outside of Galaxy's Edge.

Ryan 20:15

now. Yeah

Julie 20:17

Every time I go on it, it's so much fun. They're always adding new movies. They just added, a couple Mandalorian sequences this past spring, So the area around Star Tours I wanna say is themed to Endor with the really tall trees, and Darth Vader greets there sometimes now. so that's also a really cool add-on

Ryan 20:39

Okay. think for me, an underrated attraction is going and seeing Vacation Fun, was just a Mickey short. I think it's a fun little show. I

Julie 20:51

It's funny

Ryan 20:51

kids, the kids like it because it's the newer version of Mickey Mouse and those cartoons. and again, it's a good way to get out of the sun for a minute, maybe sit down in the afternoon. and then they kinda make fun of themselves, you know, with the theme park and then there's some good photo opportunities. I think it's a really fun thing to do

Julie 21:12

The way I usually build that into itineraries for my clients is I say, "Hey, while some of the adults are going on Rise of the Resistance, or Star Tours, or watching Indiana Jones, take the littles over to Mickey and Minnie Vacation Fun, or to meet Olaf." And I have personally done that. Meet Olaf is right next to Mickey and Minnie Vacation Fun. The line usually isn't super long, 'cause a lot of people don't know it's there. On our last trip, while, all the adults were doing Rise of the Resistance, I took the two girls over to meet Olaf. And then another trip a couple years ago, we tried to see Indiana Jones, and the fire and the loud just terrified some of the kids. Not all three, but I think two of them. We went over to the Vacation Fun. So it's right across. So I love that Disney kind of pairs those things, whether they do it on purpose or not. that's another thing I, I try to put in clients' itineraries is like, "Hey, if the older kids wanna see Indiana Jones, take the little ones over here." that's a great way to work those in.

Ryan 22:15

All right, before we finish the list, Julie, I wanna know where in the world is Wonder and Beyond Travel, and I think you're gonna talk about a trip that really fits, today's topic

Julie 22:26

My gosh, you're right. I didn't even put that together when I wrote this in. so the month of May, I have never had so many last minute requests for Disney World. The amount of clients and trips that I have been planning for June, like this month, is like at an all-time high. There is so much new stuff at Disney this summer. There's things that are closing and refurbishing, and there are attractions that just opened. There's Cool Kids Summer going on. So this was a very unique request that I got from my very good friends, and it was to go to Walt Disney World at the end of June, specifically to see the Carousel of Progress before it closed. And the text specifically said, "We need to go see Carousel of Progress. It's the husband's favorite at- you know, one of his favorite attractions, and no, I'm not joking about this." because, Carousel of Progress just announced a massive refurbishment, which it does need. If you've been on it recently, Carousel of Progress, it goes through, like, decades in time and shows progress, and it moves like a carousel. so Disney announced, I think at the last D23, that the Walt Disney animatronic was gonna be going in there, which was exciting. But what timeframes would you say it is now? Like the '20s, the '40s, something like that, right?

Ryan 23:44

Yeah

Julie 23:45

far back.

Ryan 23:46

Yeah

Julie 23:47

and now it's gonna re-theme to, I wanna say, '60s, '80s, 2000s, and the future. So really a very big upgrade, and it's closing this July. Early July is when it's gonna close. So we love celebrating and sharing where our clients are headed, and we can't wait to hear about their trip

Ryan 24:06

All right, Animal Kingdom. Winged Encounters is a awesome show. and, and you know, if you're at Animal Kingdom, you need to see some animals, right? You need to take advantage of some of those live animal encounters, and this bird show is really, really cool

Julie 24:24

Yeah, it's right in front of the Tree of Life. it takes place quarter after the hour every hour from like maybe 8:15 until 1:15 or 2:15. You can confirm the times in the app for that day. But this is the show that you line up in front of the Tree of Life, they do a quick little talk, and then the macaws come flying out from the back of the park over your head, and they loop around a little bit, and those are those beautiful birds. You can also see these in the Feathered Friends in Flight show, which is in the back of Animal Kingdom in between Africa and Asia. I just love Winged Encounters, 'cause it feels like one of those spontaneous shows, and it's easy to miss it. It's easy to just walk right by it. But I try to be in that area around quarter after the hour in the morning so that I can try to see it, 'cause I just love it. There's also a little small segment about the macaws in the Disney's Animal Kingdom show on Disney Plus, where they talk about training them and teaching them to go out and come back, and that's really cool, too

Ryan 25:29

You've got a list of meet and greets that may be underrated for some folks. Who can we meet in Animal Kingdom that may fit that list?

Julie 25:37

Yep. So these guys are kind of hidden around the parks, and if you don't know to look for them, you're probably gonna walk right past them. So Baloo and King Louie from The Jungle Book are greeting. they are a very fun meet and greet. They're so silly. Russell, Dug from Up, they are greeting. And we know Kevin is walking around the park, and she is just so much fun to interact with. But you can also meet Russell and Dug, and sometimes Mr. Fredricksen. It just kind of depends if you get lucky on the day. Nick and Judy from Zootopia also tend to greet here right by the new Zootopia show, Zootopia: Better Zoogether at the Tree of Life. those are just characters that you're not really seeing anywhere else, and I think it's fun to try to squeeze one of those into your trip. And the last one I wanna mention for Animal Kingdom is Na'vi River Journey. I do think this is still pretty popular, but I think it gets overlooked for Flight of Passage and for the safari. I love the peacefulness of this attraction. I go in there and I feel s- it is so calming and it is so lovely. And I know the... There's a really big Avatar, um, animatronic at the end of the attraction that isn't always functioning, but I still think it is such a relaxing experience. So The last section I wanna talk about are some quick dining experiences, whether they're in the parks or at the resorts, that get overlooked as far as, like, these aren't the ones that you hear about that are on everyone's top list. But I think they're awesome options for families, and part of it is 'cause they're not as busy

Ryan 27:15

Yeah. The first is to mobile order at your resort or at a resort that's close to you if you wanna, let's say you're over at Riviera and you wanna take a walk over to Caribbean Beach or vice versa, this would be a great way to do it. Mobile order your meal and either, take it back to your room or eat at the quick service spot or find a spot at the resort. I'm thinking, why not mobile order at Animal Kingdom and then go check out the animals on one of those nice porches at the Jambo House.

Julie 27:46

and the other thing with mobile ordering at resorts, and you usually have to be at the resort to do this, is you can mobile order from the table service restaurants people forget about that. Like, the one we love to do is at the Polynesian. We love to mobile order from Kona Cafe for dinner and then just find somewhere to eat that outside. you know, you just need a break from the quick service food and you're at a resort that offers the mobile order from their table service restaurant. Steakhouse 71 does that over at The Contemporary. A lot of the restaurants do it, and it's right in the app, right on that restaurant, and I think this is such a hidden gem that people forget about. I'm pretty sure Sanaa does it over at Animal Kingdom. Pretty much anything but a buffet is gonna do it, and it's just a great way to, to experience more food options without having a reservation. the next one is Yak and Yeti local food cafes over at Animal Kingdom. Everyone thinks of the big Yak and Yeti restaurant, which is good, but right next door is a little quick service. And the thing I love about this is you can get side dishes like fried rice or egg rolls, and I know those are things that my kids eat. it's different than just feeding them another serving of mac and cheese and chicken tenders.

Ryan 29:02

Whispering Canyon over at Wilderness Lodge. I haven't been here, Julie, but I believe you have.

Julie 29:08

You've never been to Whispering Canyon?

Ryan 29:09

been here. No, no

Julie 29:11

So Whispering Canyon is known for their skillets. a lot of their food is served in skillets. So at breakfast they have various breakfast skillets, and the great thing is, Ryan, you would love it. You can get your skillet refilled. same thing at dinner. They have a bunch of different barbecue options for skillets, maybe four different skillets to choose from. They do have vegetarian options at both, and it's a little bit of a silly vibe, and I'm not gonna tell you all the silly things that they do, but it is a fun place to dine. It's very easy to get to from Magic Kingdom. I love to use this as a restaurant to go to, before, the Halloween party or the Christmas party, get nice and filled up, and then take the boat right over to the Magic Kingdom. next I'm gonna mention Sebastian's Bistro over at Caribbean Beach. This is such a good restaurant right on the Skyliner if you're getting out of Epcot and Hollywood Studios or just wanna go check out a new resort or staying at Caribbean Beach. Almost every client I have that stays at Caribbean Beach, we book this for their arrival day. It is family style, Caribbean themed food. The restaurant is gorgeous. It is so beautiful inside. I'm sure that you have not eaten there, Ryan, but I really, really Yeah, I really love it. it is good food, and it's not super popular because it's at a resort. but yeah, I really love that.

Ryan 30:34

Now,

Julie 30:34

go s-

Ryan 30:35

I have eaten several times is at Old Key West Resort is Olivia's, for both breakfast and

Julie 30:41

Mm-hmm.

Ryan 30:41

It is a fabulous meal. I don't know if I took many breaths between eating the fried chicken before

Julie 30:47

Oh

Ryan 30:48

all of it the last time I was there. I will say, if you take the time to go over to Old Key West, whether you're staying there or going over there, if you're at Olivia's, walk around the corner and go to the Gurgling Suitcase, which is the smallest bar on Walt Disney property. It's a lot of fun

Julie 31:04

Yeah. And a lot of people truly forget about Olivia's, but if you've got a resort day, it is an awesome restaurant. The theming is very cool inside as well. All right, I'm gonna mention Ale Compass over at the Yacht Club. This is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Super easy to get to from Epcot and Hollywood Studios. And if you peek at their menu, they've got some really unique items on there that are very good. They've got, chocolate waffles in the morning for breakfast. So who doesn't love that? but really just all day they've got some really unique entrees. It's also only, one table service credit if you're on the dining plan, but it feels like a more elevated experience

Ryan 31:44

And I love these last two. Both of them are at Coronado Springs. The first we've talked about several times, and that's Toledo, which is on the top floor. It's a very, very nice restaurant that not many people know about. Very interesting Spanish menu, but very comprehensive, so you're gonna find things that everybody's gonna want. And then Three Bridges is the lounge bar in the middle of the resort. Really, really good menu, and such a unique place to enjoy it. All right, Julie, we have covered a lot of things when it comes to underrated or lesser-known. I think that may be the term that I wanna use for this stuff today when it comes to Walt Disney World. Any final thoughts here of things that came to mind as we had our discussion?

Julie 32:35

I just want, guests of Walt Disney World to remember to slow down a little bit, experience these attractions. They really do kind of round out that Disney magic experience. Instead of just running from one headliner attraction to the next, instead of just going by the list of the best top 10 things and the best this and the best that, someone else's best is not gonna be your best. And like Ryan said when we talked about Enchanted Tales with Belle, some of these smaller underrated experiences, that's where you're really going to create more family memories,

Ryan 33:10

The world is full of wonder, and your next great adventure is waiting. At Wonder and Beyond Travel, we work with you to create a one-of-a-kind journey, taking the stress off your plate so you can focus on the joy of exploring and the memories that will stay with you forever. If you're ready to start planning, or you just wanna dream a little bigger, over to wonderandbeyondtravel.com. We'd love to help you get started. We look forward to talking to you next week on all things travel when we discuss tropical US destinations where no passport is needed