Happy Birthday to me! Today is my birthday, which means that we’re at Walt Disney World! We’re spending some time at the Magic Kingdom. I always think long and hard about where to have my birthday dinner, and for the second year in a row we’ll be dining outside of the theme parks.
I decided to make a dinner reservation at Steakhouse 71. Dining at a steakhouse might be a surprise to anyone who knows that I’m vegetarian, but Disney is great with special diets. I have only eaten there once before, and I loved it! The Vegetable “Wellington” is one of my favorite plant-based meals on property.
Since we’re at the Magic Kingdom, why are we headed to one of the resorts for dinner? This is not as strange as some may think. One thing that I love about Steakhouse 71 is the convenience. We can easily walk to Disney’s Contemporary Resort from the Magic Kingdom. This allows us a break from the crowd at the theme park, while still being close to the action.
Another thing that is nice about dining at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is that you can still see the fireworks! If you’re at California Grill you’ll see them 15 stories up, but that isn’t the only option. There is an observation deck on the fourth level that has great views of the Magic Kingdom. I’ve watched from there before. I’ve even watched from the parking lot at the Contemporary.
I’m still not sure what we’ll do as far as the fireworks are concerned. We might head back to the Magic Kingdom after dinner and watch from there, since my husband hasn’t yet seen Happily Ever After. The other choice is to stay at the Contemporary and watch from there. We’ll play it by ear.
I’m rambling, which is allowed, since it’s my birthday. But I do have a point. If it’s a special day, don’t think only in the box. Consider trying something new, or something that you’ve only had once and can’t stop thinking about. There is nothing wrong with leaving a theme park and going to a restaurant that is near. You could have the best meal of your vacation.