​By David Platt, your Mouse Master specialist

Ariel’s Grotto has the unique status of being the only character meal at Disney California Adventure® Park, and the only Disneyland® Resort character meal where you’re guaranteed to meet princesses. The sea-themed restaurant overlooks Paradise Bay, fitting in perfectly with the ocean/pier theme of Paradise Pier.
 
If you have a princess fan in the family, you’ll want to consider a reservation at Ariel’s Grotto at Disney California Adventure Park. Rather than spending a long time waiting in line to meet princesses at Princess Fantasy Faire Royal Hall at Disneyland® Park, guests at Ariel’s Grotto can get up close and personal with a host of royal visitors.
 
Unlike many character meals, Ariel's Grotto is not a buffet. Ordering from a prix fixe menu combines the benefits of knowing your cost in advance with no worries about missing a character while you're at the buffet for food. For a fixed price of $42-$48 for adults and $22-$26 for children (prices as of Oct 2016), guests get breakfast or lunch and face time with 4-5 princesses, who might include Ariel, Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, or Belle. A town crier periodically announces the arrival of each princess before she visits each table and poses for pictures with adoring fans.  
 
Note that while Ariel’s Grotto does serve dinner, at this time only breakfast and lunch are character dining experiences —dinner at Ariel’s Grotto is presently a World of Color dining package.
 
David's Mouse Master Tip: Don't waste precious early morning park hours eating breakfast. Make a 10:30 a.m. reservation instead. Use those first couple of park hours to enjoy your favorite attractions while the lines are shorter. Then enjoy your breakfast (preferably with a FASTPASS you grabbed just before breakfast in hand to use after your meal) while the park crowd is getting larger and wait times are getting longer.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-- Riverside

​By David Platt, your Mouse Master specialist
​
Today I'm taking a closer look at a Walt Disney World® moderate resort: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-- Riverside. Themed after picturesque New Orleans, this resort has several unique features that make it a great value in the moderate category.

Lush, manicured walks wind through the stately Magnolia Bend Mansions, down to the quaint Alligator Bayou. Enjoy the tranquility and hospitality of a picturesque waterfront resort that embodies the traditions born of steamboat travel, garden parties, mint juleps on the front porch, and life along the scenic Sassagoula River.
 
A huge plus for larger groups: Port Orleans— Riverside is one of the only moderate resorts that sleeps five people in a standard room. Some standard rooms have two queen beds as well as a smaller pull-down bed suitable for a young teen or smaller child.
 
Port Orleans— Riverside offers a wide variety of outdoor activities including exceptional swimming pools, children’s playgrounds, jogging trails, and even cane pole fishing at the Fishin’ Hole.
 
For swimming fans, Port Orleans— Riverside is the only on-property resort that allows pool-hopping. Guests at Port Orleans— Riverside may hop to its sister resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-- French Quarter, and use its fabulous Doubloon Lagoon pool in addition to Riverside’s own Ol’ Man Island swimming hole.
 
For princess fans, Port Orleans-- Riverside offers Royal Guest Rooms with a plethora of special touches from past royal visitors such as Tiana, Jasmine, Belle, and Cinderella. The lushly-decorated rooms, which sleep four, feature lots of special touches designed to make you feel like royalty.  
 
A Mouse Master Tip: While the Port Orleans resorts have their own dedicated bus line, for a relaxing scenic trip to Disney Springs, take advantage of the Sassagoula River Cruise ferry!