Most Disney fans have a favorite sweet treat when they hit the parks, and those of us who actively use social media love to share our enthusiasm for these desserts. Some of these have even achieved cult status among Disney fans or have entire websites devoted to them. But when it comes right down to it, how good are these treats compared to their counterparts in the real world? Does a Dole Whip really trump a Pinkberry? Would you buy Mickey Crisped Rice Treats if they weren’t shaped like mouse ears? And who can actually get through an entire “Buy 4, Get 2 free” box of fudge?

The desserts on this list aren’t terrible—they just inspire WAY more rave reviews than they deserve.

#10: Fudge – I think maybe the sheer variety of flavors is what makes Disney fudge seem like it’s really good. Cookies & Cream, Butterfinger, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Candy Cane, Celebration Cake, Reese’s Pieces, Rocky Road? Yes, please! However the texture of the fudge falls somewhere between dry and mealy, and the fake, chemically aftertaste doesn’t help. To be fair, most commercially made fudge has these problems, and I’ve yet to buy fudge anywhere that tastes as good as homemade.

#9: School Bread – I’ve tried to like the school bread at Kringla Bakeri Og Café, I really have. But I can get a tough doughnut filled with bland custard and covered in waxy coconut flakes at my local Dunkin’ Donuts.

#8: Chocolate Moose – I get it. It’s chocolate mousse shaped like a moose with its tongue sticking out. But this kids’ menu staple at Le Cellier has very little flavor—from the mousse or the cookie crumbs it’s rolled in.

#7: Babycakes NYC Cookie Sandwich – This item is a relative newcomer, but already it’s inspired lots of online ardor. Who doesn’t like the sound of two chocolate chip cookies sandwiching a huge scoop of frosting? Unfortunately, Babycakes NYC’s vegan baking practices render this treat nearly inedible: The cookies are tooth-shatteringly hard and weirdly sticky, while the frosting has the consistency of whipped Crisco and almost no flavor.

#6: Most things at the Karamell-Küche – Another relative newcomer to the Disney dessert scene, the Germany Pavilion’s Karamell-Küche is a wonderland of sweet treats that I really want to love. But, as with so many Disney desserts, the taste of these items never lives up to their descriptions. Caramel popcorn? Chewy and stale. Peanut Butter Caramel Crunch Cookie? Dry and crumbly, with the merest suggestion of peanut butter flavor. Caramel Cupcake? Gritty frosting on dry cake, topped with strands of caramel so sticky you might loose a tooth. (I should probably note my pet conspiracy theory that all of Disney’s candy varieties skew heavily toward caramel because it’s cheaper to produce than fruit and chocolate fillings—and now there’s a whole shop of the stuff!)

#5: Cinderella Slipper Dessert – This is another treat that gets its cachet from its shape. When it comes right down to it, the Cinderella Slipper Dessert offered at Cinderella’s Royal Table, the Grand Floridian and the Contemporary is just waxy white or milk chocolate in an enchanting form, filled with mediocre mousse and topped with a few berries. That’ll be $15, please!

#4: Starring Rolls’ Cupcakes – Let’s be clear: I am not a cupcake snob (I’ll even eat supermarket cupcakes!) and I don’t know the meaning of the phrase “too sweet.” But I am continually let down by the cupcakes at Starring Rolls. As with Disney fudge, I think part of their popularity lies in the variety of over-the-top-sounding flavor combinations: Chocolate Butterfinger, Red Velvet Cheesecake, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Marble. But if you can actually get your mouth around one of these babies, the problems start with the dry, flavorless cake and extend to the mile-high pile of greasy frosting on top. Many are filled with a baseball-sized glob of something that resembles cold Smucker’s fudge topping. It’s not awful, but when they mix it with something else—like my beloved peanut butter—the two flavors seem to cancel each other out.

#3: Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor – I love the atmosphere of the charming, old-fashioned ice cream parlor on Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. But I never actually order anything here because all they serve is a few flavors of the same boring Dreyer’s ice cream I can buy at the supermarket. Granted, the ice cream parlors at Walt Disney World serve Dreyer’s/Edy’s too. But Beaches & Cream makes up for it with their sundaes’ wacky names and fun flavor combinations, while the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain covers a multitude of Edy’s sins with plenty of delicious Ghirardelli hot fudge. (Plus the chocolate ice cream there is actually made by Ghirardelli!)

#2: Mickey Crisped Rice Treats – Mickey Crisped Rice Treats (a.k.a. Mickey Crispies) are right up there with Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bars as an edible icon of the Disney parks. But if you’ve ever had a homemade Rice Krispies Treat, Disney’s can’t compare—no matter how adorable the shape. Dry and dense where they should be gooey and yielding, Mickey Crispies also have an off-putting chemical aftertaste that can’t be masked by the low-grade chocolate coating on the ears.

#1: Disney Wedding Cake – One of the things we Disney brides most like to rave about is our wedding cakes. Maybe this is because so many of us have memories of the dry wedding cake of yesteryear (and surely the wonderful memories of the wedding day play a part too). But just because Disney’s cakes are moist doesn’t mean they’re flavorful. In the years since my wedding, I have ordered numerous special-occasion cakes at Walt Disney World, trying to figure out what the fuss is about. I have yet to taste one that is as good as anything at my local independent bakeries. I’ve tried red velvet, chocolate, marble, and vanilla, and once I even had them add chocolate chips to the chocolate cake to make it more chocolatey. But the flavors all pretty much tasted the same. The mousse fillings are similarly bland, with an almost cream cheese-like texture. When it comes to frosting, there seem to be two types of people: those who like whipped cream frosting and consider it possible for cake to be too sweet, and those who go for buttercream in all its sugary, lardy glory. Disney’s buttercream is the high-class variety reminiscent of whipped unsalted butter, not the thick, rich, sweet kind I adore, so whether you’ll like it depends on which camp you fall into.

So which Disney desserts do I like? I definitely think Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bars live up to the hype. I avoided them for years, thinking they’d have that thin, artificially flavored chocolate coating you find on novelties like Choco Tacos and the sort of cheap, icy vanilla ice cream that comes in plastic cups with wooden spoons. But when I finally got one for free at a special event, I fell in love with the rich, creamy ice cream and its equally rich and creamy chocolate coating. My other favorite Disney desserts are the brownie sandwich at Earl of Sandwich and, as you probably guessed, Ghirardelli sundaes. And if I liked pineapple, I’d probably dig Dole Whips too!

Now, what do you think are the most overrated Disney desserts?

Big thanks to Carrie Hayward for writing this great article! Carrie is the author of PassPorter’s Disney Weddings & Honeymoons and a fan of SusieCakes, See’s Candies and Ben & Jerry’s (just so you know where she’s coming from). You can follow her adventures in the Disney parks at Disney Travel Babble and @Lurkyloo on Twitter.

Disneyland, being the very first Disney theme park, has quite a few unique rides not found anywhere else. OK, some of these rides can be found in foreign Disney parks like Tokyo Disneyland or Disneyland Paris, but honestly, we really only care about Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Below are the Top 10 unique rides to Disneyland, and by unique, we mean not found at Walt Disney World.

#10: Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln – Funny thing, this ride/attraction has been around for ever, as long as I have been going to Disneyland, I don’t ever remember sitting through a show before a few years ago. It appeared at the 1964 World Fair and then was installed in Disneyland in 1965, and has gone through several changes, including the removal of Mr. Lincoln from time to time. The current version, “The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” is wonderful. While it may not entertain your little ones, I was surprised at how well it was done and how much I liked it. Way, way better than The Hall of Presidents or the The American Adventure, must more intimate, much shorter.

#9: Pinocchio’s Daring Journey – Can also be found at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris, both in Fantasyland. Fun ride through replication of the Pinocchio movie, complete with Pleasure Island and Monstro. Nothing earth shattering or super fun, but a solid family ride through that you can do several times during your stay.

#8: Mickey’s Fun Wheel – Located in California Adventure, Mickey’s Fun Wheel is one of only two of it’s kind in the world. The ride is basically a huge ferris wheel (160 feet tall!) that features fantastic views of the Disneyland Resort. The unique part of the ride (and the reason why I love it) is that 16 of the 24 gondolas are on tracks that swing in and out as the ferris wheel rotates. Now, this may not sound like much, but honestly, the first time you ride it, you think are going to fling right off of the wheel and become part of the California Adventure sidewalk below. You really need to ride in a swinging car to get the thrill of the ride. And if you can ride it with a lady who tends to scream a lot for no reason, it gets even better.

#7: Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride – Probably the one ride that bugs Disney World visitors the most, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride once existed in the Magic Kingdom, but was replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Uggh. Mr Toad can’t drive, but he is going to try anyway. Ride along with Mr Toad through the countryside, visit the docks, London streets, a pub, a courtroom and finally jail (and eventually hell). A simple ride through, but always fun as little kids and adults love pretending they are driving the car. By the way, did you know you can still find a statue of Mr. Toad in the pet cemetery of the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom.

#6: Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage – While Disney World decided to fill in their Fantasyland/Tomorrowland lagoon, Disneyland kept theirs under wraps for nearly 10 years. Originally launched as the Submarine Voyage thru liquid space in 1959, the subs toured an underwater world for nearly 40 years until they were closed in 1998. While they were a bit of an eyesore, and rumors abound about their future reincarnation (Atlantis anyone?), Disney finally found a suitable theme and relaunched the ride as Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage in 2007. Guests take a wonderful ride through the Finding Nemo adventure, including some unique use of underwater movie screens. Really a fun ride, unless you are claustrophobic, then you might want to stay away.

#5: Alice in Wonderland – One of my all time favorite rides as a child, I just loved following that pesky white rabbit down the rabbit hole. A bit more complex than your standard ride through, Alice features multiple levels and spinning cars. Funny that it has lasted 50+ years, since Walt said he regretted building it, as the Mad Tea Party next door was more popular.

#4: Storybook Land Canal Boats – If it weren’t for the dang line on this ride, it may have been higher on the list. Because of the ride vehicles, and the slowness of loading and unloading, the line often looks short, but is almost always a 45 minute or longer wait. You start out getting swallowed by Monstro, and emerge into a Lilliputian land featuring buildings and locations from many of the older animated Disney movies, including Toad Hall, the Dwarf’s cottage and King Triton’s castle. Super fun ride, not exciting in any way, but a ride you can do over and over with or without your kids. All hail Monstro!

#3: Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye – While the mechanics are similar to Dinosaur! in Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the Disneyland version is a much, much better ride. Indian Jones is a dark adventure ride following the ever adventurous Indian Jones who is in search of the Jewel of Power. The lost temple has been turned into a bit of a tourist attraction, and you are sent on a tour of the temple to see it’s wonders. Things go horribly wrong and Indy has to save the day (what else is new?).

#2: California Screamin’ – California Adventure’s signature ride, California Screamin’ is the world’s 6th longest roller coaster, the longest coaster with a loop and Disneyland’s only ride with an inversion. The ride starts on flat ground, and you accelerate from 0 – 60 in less than 4 seconds. The ride is set to music, is fast, and honestly, puts Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster to shame (it is nearly twice as long). Ride it if you dare.

#1: Matterhorn Bobsleds – OK, bit of a guilty pleasure here, but I love the Matterhorn, possibly the best Disney ride anywhere. It isn’t the fastest, or tallest nor does it have the best Yeti (up to debate though, you broken down Animal Kingdom yeti), but it has been around forever, is still a fun, fast ride, and holds a ton of memories for those who have been visiting Disneyland for decades. If you haven’t been on the Matterhorn, you aren’t a Disney fan. Get it done!

Disneyland has some fantastic rides unique to the parks there, if you haven’t been, you really must. There are considerably more than 10 rides I could have listed. I can’t believe I had to leave off the Casey Jr. Circus Train, though it always creeps me out a bit seeing those kids ride around in circus cage. No harm done. Enjoy Disneyland if/when you go.

Most people, when they visit Disney World, love the character interaction. Who can blame them? Mickey, Donald, Goofy. Say cheese! But there are other characters in the parks, at the resorts, on the buses, everywhere, who won’t say cheese and who may turn your trip into one of terror.

Meet the Disney Dreadfuls!

#10: Bus Beast: The Rigid Riser Another harmless type of Bus Beast is the Rigid Riser. On a full bus, these male miscreants rise the moment they see a woman board the bus. Chivalry dictates relinquishing one’s seat for the elderly and for others in need, but the Rigid Riser takes chivalry to the extreme and offers his seat to women in far better physical shape who are often offended at the continued insistence of the Riser that they take his seat. In extreme cases, the seat will remain empty during the bus ride since the Riser will not sit back down and his intended damsel-in-distress will continue to stand with the rest of her family.

#9: Line Leper: The Lounger I haven’t done the medical research, but I’m sure that the adrenaline of most park guests increases while standing in line for popular attractions. Folks pack together closely, taking advantage of any slight forward movement of the line to inch closer, closer to the fun. Except, of course, for the Line Lounger, an annoying, ‘slackerly’ beast who seems not to realize his purpose in life – for the next few minutes, at least – is to pay attention to the people in front of him and move when they move. Instead, the Line Lounger busies himself with his park paperwork, or his cell phone, or with the pretty pictures playing on the movie screen in his mind. Often, Loungers engage in conversations with fellow Loungers, creating a Lounger log-jam. It’s fun to watch the Lounger when he finally notices the wide span of empty space between himself and the front part of the line: the Lounger jumps slightly, then sprightly advances – only to lounge once more.

#8: Line Leper: The Lunger Related to the Lounger, the Lunger is its polar opposite. This hyper-active horror permits no space whatsoever beneath himself and the next person in line. As soon as the line moves, he moves with it. If you happen to be standing in front of him, the Lunger’s wide-open eyes will fixate on your back and you can almost hear the chant he mentally repeats to himself: move, move, [drumbeat], move, move. You feel his turkey leg breath on your neck. You sense (and smell!) his uncomfortable closeness. You pray others don’t think he’s with you. Absent leaving the line yourself, the best defense against this nasty is to wear a backpack and use it as a buffer. In this situation, and only in this situation, it’s acceptable to ‘stop-short’ when the line begins to move and hope that the Lunger gets a faceful of backpack. Sadly, though, Lungers never learn.

#7: Buffet Buffoon: The Slopper Of the many different Buffet Buffoons, Sloppers are the ones who most deserve our pity. They often know not what they do – nor how not to do it. What they do, of course, is slop. Soup, mostly, but also sauce, juice, and any other liquid or solid that requires ladling, spooning, or even grasping. If it were just a drip or two, a speck or three, the Slopper would not even be a Dreadful. But more often they leave in their wake a puddle or a pile. And the worst Sloppers don’t just slop: they synthesize. These graceless gibbons integrate foods never meant to meet such as Au Jus over salad, barbecue sauce on bananas, peanut butter on pate. The Slopper is not a true danger and its creations can be expunged quickly by a well-trained buffet crew.

#6: Park Pariah: The Stop Shorter Imagine yourself walking briskly toward a busy attraction, making good time despite the crowds, when suddenly right in front of you looms a boulder in your stream, a stalled semi in your path. The Stop Shorter! Often found in groups of two or three, Stop Shorters look and behave just like regular people until, for reasons known only to their primal selves, they screech to a sudden halt, forcing those behind them either to halt as well or else perform a nimble ballet to avoid collision. Stop Shorters have usually stopped to consult a map, to take a picture, or to provide dubious care to their stroller-bound offspring. They have neither the sense nor the manners to pull off the ‘road’. They may, in fact, not even notice the disruption they’ve caused to the normal ebb and flow of park traffic. More likely, though, they don’t care. And the ironic thing is that Stop Shorters rarely benefit from their brief time in stasis: if they’ve halted to consult a park map, for example, they resume their march equally unsure of their destination, not to mention their overall purpose in the park that day.

#5: Bus Beast: The Driver Dad A more nefarious off-shoot of the traditional Bus Beast is the Driver Dad. These harmless but annoying little monkeys choose a seat close to the bus driver and attempt to strike up a conversation. During the conversation, the Driver Dad will attempt to become the real driver’s BFF by asking questions about Disney, about driving buses, about where the driver came from, about the driver’s military service, and lots more, often in an attempt to impress the Driver Dad’s young male children who typically roll their eyes at this behavior and look at their mother whose catatonic stare indicates that it’s not an isolated occurrence. If you’re near a Driver Dad, ignore him – and pray that the bus driver is also ignoring him enough to keep his attention on the road.

#4: Buffet Buffoon: The Head-on Heavy One of the most aggressive, formidible Buffet Buffoons is the Head-on Heavy. These hungry locomotives either don’t care or are unaware of where a line starts. They begin at the opposite end, forcing their way against the stream of buffet traffic, stubbornly refusing to yield. Heavies often wear bulky purses over their shoulders, adding yet more heft to their sturdy frames. When confronted with a Heavy, you have two choices: cede your place in line or treat the Heavy as your opponent in an absurd game of chicken. When you’re finally shoulder to shoulder, the slight core of courtesy that dimly twinkles inside most Heavies will at this point flare in a momentary show of manners and compel the Heavy to move around you – a most delicious victory and one for which you should be proud.

#3: Meal Monster: The Turned-Around Tot This mini-Dreadful may be short in stature but his power to turn your meal into mush is great, indeed. You can spot this pint-sized pain easily enough: he’s the kid who kneels on his seat – it’s usually a booth – and faces backwards, toward you. He often needs a nose wipe. If he’s eating, he’s doing so with his mouth open. And he never stops staring. It’s a perplexed stare, at first, but soon the kid gains courage and that’s when your dreadful Disney moment begins. The monster speaks! Often, it’s gibberish. Sometimes, however, real words come out, and you’re then forced either to respond or to ignore the terrible tot – whereupon other members of his brood may mumble about your impoliteness. While the best course of action would be a small creme pie in the tot’s face, it’s better to smile vacantly and hope the tot will lose interest – as they always do.

#2: Bus Beast: The Door Rusher The most common form taken by the Bus Beast is the Door Rusher. This fierce foe rushes to board the bus before it has even stopped and stakes its territory directly in front of the still-closed door. Particularly nasty specimens will even attempt to step into the bus as soon as the door has opened despite the presence of many people attempting to step off. Fortunately, bus drivers are skilled in taming most Door Rushers with a simple ‘step back, please, sir’ (which in the bus driver’s mind sounds like ‘another freakin’ idiot gettin’ up close to my bus’), but if the driver isn’t up to the task, the Rusher is always cowed by the sheer mass of tired, sweaty humanity about to walk into him.

#1: Buffet Buffoon: The Food Fondler The Food Fondler, contrary to popular belief, is a delicate creature; its touch is gentle, and it often appears to caress items, especially rolls or cookies, before gently replacing them. But too late! The spoor of the Fondler now crawls microscopically on that roll, ready for transfer to the palate of whomever selects it next. Children, technically, can be food fondlers, though they lack the requisite grace of the real deal – some scholars term them Grub Grabbers, a more accurate description of their antics. When faced with a Food Fondler, the important thing is to keep your wits about you and your eyes on the fondled food. Do not touch it yourself. For added safety, do not touch any of the food touched by the fondled food. Your best bet is to select items from far in the back as Fondlers are inherently lazy and tend to finger only the food closest to themselves.

Frightened? Relax. Even if you meet every Disney Dreadful in existence, you’re still at Disney where the magic will render them powerless. Just close your eyes and think of Mickey.

Big thanks to Bob McLain of Disney Dispatch for writing this great article. For more information on Disney Dreadfuls, be sure to visit Disney Dispatch! You can also follow Bob on Twitter @DisneyDispatch.

The Disney Wonder and Magic are fantastic cruise ships, and even 10 years after their introduction, they retain the classy looks Disney intended for them to have. With the introduction of the Disney Dream in 2011 and Disney Fantasy in 2012, Disney once again is changing the cruise industry. The Disney Dream still has the classic feel of the older ships, but goes beyond and above in most of the public areas. The following are the top 10 improvements introduced on the Disney Dream.

#10: Edge Tween Club – This improvement is most in name at the moment, rather than execution. In the past, the kids club was for kids 12 and under, they then went immediately to the teen club. On the Disney Dream, they have set up a separate tween club in the stack called Edge. Kids 11 – 13 have their own space, free of the little kids and free of the teens, which can be imposing for these kids. The space is fun and unique, though the times I visited, seemed a bit quite, and the kids were a bit bored. I am sure as time passes, the staff will pick up on what the kids like to do both inside and outside the club. The Wonder has recently installed an Edge Tween club on deck 2.

#9: Ship Layout – This covers several different aspects of the cruise ship. On the Wonder and Magic, most of the public areas are right off of the main lobby. Disney did a great job of “hiding” many of the areas from public view. The nightclubs are all in one area, in the back of the ship away from where most of the kids may wander. You can often be feet away from a restaurant and not know it is there until you go around a corner. It makes the ship feel must smaller than it is, so you aren’t looking down a long hallway with a restaurant at the end, which is needed in a ship this large. They also did a good job of providing more seating areas in the lobby, including the Vista Cafe and other semi-private areas.

#8: Animator’s Palate – This is a tricky one. I talked to many people on board who love the old black and white Animator’s Palate found on the Wonder and Magic. I however, fell in love with the new version, it really feels like an animator’s studio, full of knick knacks and plenty of wood. My problem with the older version is it is static, same show every night, night after night. The new version features plenty of flat screen TVs, so everyone has a great view, and it even includes Crush, who “swims” around the restaurant and talks to people. It is now a great restaurant, look for this version to be installed on the Wonder and Magic during the next dry dock.

#7: Pools – On the Magic and Wonder, the family pool and Mickey pool are separate by a stack, and are quite a ways away. On the new Dream, the two pools are in one are, so you can go back and forth between the two. The great Mickey slide is still there, but what makes this a huge improvement is at night, when the pools are closed, it gives Disney almost three times the area to hold deck parties or to watch fireworks. The Funnelvision large screen TV is still there, but again, there is now a huge space for people to enjoy the events. There always seems to be something going on up on deck 11. In addition to the pools, Disney added Nemo’s Reef, a child play area featuring Nemo and friends, full of water, water and more water. Really cute, really fun.

#6: Category 8 Staterooms – The biggest improvement for families of 5 are the ocean view family staterooms. One the older ships, if you are a family of 5, your only options would be to go to a category 4 veranda stateroom or book 2 connecting rooms, both of which are expensive options. The new ocean view family staterooms fit 5, but just have a window, allowing you to book a less expensive room, but all be in one room. Plus, these rooms have the cool round showers, way, way better than the tub/shower combos.

#5: Palo and Remy – Palo has existed on the Wonder and Magic from the beginning, but with the new ships, they took it a step further. Palo is the adult only restaurant, it requires reservations, and there is a small fee to dine there, which basically covers the gratuities for the serving staff (currently $15 per person). Remy is a step beyond Palo in both atmosphere and food. The cost is quite a bit higher as well, $75 per person. However, when you consider the cost of the cruise, $75 per person is nothing for a world class meal, which Remy provides. The option to dine at these nicer restaurants is fantastic, especially on the longer cruises were you visit each of the rotational restaurants 2 or 3 times.

#4: Enchanted Art – Located throughout the ship, the Enchanted Art appears to be a normal piece of Disney art, but as you approach, the scene comes to life, a mini-cartoon if you will. Not only do they look beautiful around the ship, but they entertain everyone from little kids to senior citizens. Each piece of Enchanted Art has several different scenes, so you will see something different each time you approach. The art is so mesmerizing you see adults approach everything hanging on the walls to see if it will spring to life.

Not only does the enchanted art entertain you, it is part of the game Mickey’s Midship Detective Agency. In the lobby, you can sign up for the game, and get a guide booklet and card. As you approach each image with the card, the image springs to life with clues about where to find the kidnapped dalmatian puppies. The game changes each time you play, so you can play more than once.

#3: AquaDuck – Disney’s most visible addition, the first ever water roller coaster on a cruise ship. While fun, and a novelty, the AquaDuck really wouldn’t make it at a waterpark, it is too slow and too short, but on a cruise ship, it works really well. The AquaDuck will be popular with kids and teens, I think most adults will ride it once or twice just to say they did. This is probably one addition we will never see added to the Wonder and Magic.

#2: Vibe – Without a doubt, the coolest area on the ship is Vibe, the teen club. From the hidden entrance (if you aren’t a teen, you may never find it) to the night club feel as you walk in, Vibe is the place to be. Disney really went overboard to make the teen club a place where teens will feel welcome and want to hang out. With huge play areas, a 100+ inch TV with video games attached, their own coffee/juice bar, private movie theater, outdoor water area and hot tubs, most adults wish Vibe were open to all.

#1: Virtual Portholes – Ok, probably the best idea Disney Cruise has ever had, after Castaway Cay of course. On the Magic and Wonder, the inside staterooms are boring, and booked only because they are the cheapest on board, and there are a ton of them. On the Dream, Disney built very few inside staterooms, but added the Virtual Porthole to each room, giving guests a live view of what is going on outside, plus fantastic Disney characters showing up from time to time to entertain you. On the Disney Dream, Disney is finding that the inside staterooms are booking up quicker than any other category, as guests want to experience the portholes. In fact, Disney is often selling the inside staterooms for more money than the bigger ones with windows. If you get a chance, you need to experience these first hand to realize how well it works, and how cool they actually are.

Look for Disney to install these on the Wonder and Magica sometime in the futre. As stated, those two ships have a ton of inside rooms, added these will immediately make those rooms more valuable and more in demand.

Overall, the Disney Dream is a fantastic ship, full of surprises and amazing technology. We didn’t even talk about the fantastic Oceaneer’s Club with video floor and much improved layout, or Cabanas, the expanded buffet restaurant. It would be easy to do a top 20 list for improvements, but you will have to cruise on the Dream to find out the rest.

Have you cruised on the Disney Dream? What are your favorite improvements?

Walt Disney World is full of restaurants and places to grab a good alcoholic drink (Magic Kingdom excluded, of course). Some drinks are pretty standard Disney cocktails that you can find at most restaurants, others are a little more unusual and are specific to the restaurant. Here are some of my favorite drinks to get when visiting the World.

#10: Campari and Strawberry (Todd English’s bluezoo @ Walt Disney World’s Dolphin Resort) – This drink is a apertif concoction of Campari (a bitter liquor made in Italy), Sweet Vermouth, muddled Strawberries and lemon juice topped with Ginger Beer. It’s an usual drink because it combines the bitterness of Campari with the sweetness of strawberries. This drink has a very interesting flavor and I highly recommend trying it if you are looking for something unusual and aren’t afraid of a little bit to your drink. Cost: $13

#9: Sangria (Cape May Cafe @ Disney’s Beach Club) – I have tasted Sangria at a few different locations on Disney property. Some of them made with citrus, others made with berries, some white, some red but definitely this has been the best and had the best price. This one is red wine with citrus fruit and came in a good size glass with just the right amount of fruit slices in it. Cost: $8

#8: Beer Flight (Raglan Road @ Downtown Disney) – This Irish Pub has some great food and drinks but I can never pass up a good beer flight from this restaurant to go along with my Irish entree. My favorite is their beer flight with Guinness, Murphy’s, Smithwicks and Harp. So if you are looking to sample some beers or can’t decide on just one, give this flight a try. Cost: $8.50

#7: Italian Margarita (Italy Pavilion @ Epcot) – This Italian version of a margarita is nothing like it’s Mexican counterpart. It is a frozen, slushy version but the difference is that it contains Grappa, Limoncello and margarita mix. I find this to be a nice change to what you get in Mexico and very refreshing on a hot day when walking around the park. Cost: $10

#6: Gluhwein (Weinkeller @ the Germany Pavilion in Epcot)- A seasonal drink that is served in the Christkndl Markets (Christmas Markets) of Germany. While shopping these markets this drink is often purchased along with traditional German foods. The drink is a spiced red wine served hot and can be found seasonal in Epcot. – Cost: $5.63

#5: Seaside Martini (Flying Fish @ Disney’s Boardwalk Inn) – This beachy sounding drinks is made with Mount Gay Eclipse Rum, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, agave nectar with pineapple & Myer’s lemon juice. It’s a sweet drink that is perfect for starting off your meal or ending it as a dessert. Cost: $9.25

#4: Lapu Lapu (Kona Cafe @ Disney’s Polynesian Resort) – This very popular and fun drink is made with Myer’s Original Dark Rum and tropical fruit juices served in a pineapple topped with Bacardi 151 rum. Not only does this drink have a lot of alcohol in it, but it’s fun to drink because it’s served in a pineapple. Now that is a fun way to have a drink! Cost: $13.25

#3: Sultan’s Colada (Morocco Pavilion @ Epcot) -  This tasty alcoholic treat is sweet and delicious with rum, pineapple and coconut juice and Almond liquor. This is always a nice drink to pick up while walking around the World Showcase. Cost: $7.99

#2: Pear Martini (Cape May Cafe @ Disney’s Beach Club) – One of the best drinks in Walt Disney World! A combination of Glenfiddich 12 years, Hendrick’s Gin, Kern’s Pear Nectar, agave nectar and fresh lime juice. It has a slight sweetness and full of flavor with top shelf liquor. Cost: $11

and the number one drink is…

#1: Orange Mango Fire Margarita (La Hacienda de San Angel @ the Mexico Pavilion in Epcot) – The number one drink on my list is my favorite drink I’ve found at Disney so far. It has everything you could want from a unique margarita. There is sweetness from the mango, sour from the orange, bitter from the lime and heat from the Tabasco and to top it all off, the Tajin powder on the rim just is the icing on the cake or should I say… maragrita. This wonderful margarita is made with El Mayor premium silver Tequila, Ginger liqueur, mango, orange juice, fresh lime juice, dash of Tabasco served on the rocks with Tajin powder on the rim. Next time you dine at La Hacienda de San Angel give it a try… you won’t regret it! Cost: $12.50

Big thanks to Kristen, who is the creator of CookingwithMickey, a foodie who has traveled extensively (22+ countries) and dined at 80% of the Walt Disney World restaurants, including the Five Diamond Award winning restaurant, Victoria and Albert’s and the members-only exclusive, Club 33 in Disneyland. She’s host of Cooking with Mickey videos, DJ on Sorcerer Radio for WDW Tiki Room, Castaway Midday and the interactive vidcast WDW After Dark, host of “The Disney Foodie” on Character Breakfast Podcast, as well as a blog writer for a wide variety of Disney sites. In addition to her love of Disney, cooking, dining and traveling; she enjoys photography and NHL hockey (Nashville Predators fan). Feel free to follow Kristen on twitter @CookingwMickey