Happy Friday, everyone! It’s been awhile, but I’m so excited to share all about this week’s theme: Peter Pan!
If you’ve been following along on my Instagram account {@the_magikrull_life}, you’ve seen the bound {Wendy}, the resort {Riviera}, and the play {Treasure Map}. Today {& every weekly blog post for this month}, we are going to dig a little deeper on those posts to give more details and fun. So let’s get started!
1. The Look
This week’s DisneyBound is a 50s-style Wendy bound. This is one of my all-time favorite bounds {as you could probably guess since we even had family pictures with this look 😉 }. It combines my two favorite pieces from my wardrobe – a polyester blend periwinkle dress {The Limited} and long, white pea coat {Banana Republic}. Both have been since college, so unfortunately no exact links, but I found some nice alternatives.
The shoes are black, vintage Mary Janes that I borrowed from a friend {thanks, Karin! 🙂 } that I think add a nice, dapper touch and really sell the 50s look. Again, no exact link, but I found some great look-a-likes.
The background is part of the AMAZING mosaic tile murals at Disney’s Riviera Resort. There is this Peter Pan inspired creation, along with a Tangled mural. Both can be found walking from the main lobby to Riviera’s Skyliner station.
Speaking of Riviera…let’s talk about the resort!
2. The Location
Disney’s Riviera Resort is the newest Disney resort on WDW property. It’s theming leans into the traditional French Riviera feel with some Mediterranean touches. While I have yet to stay at this resort {it’s definitely on my list!}, I have had the chance to enjoy visiting as well as experience some of the dining options and want to share some of the amazing offerings this resort provides.
Dining. We have to talk about the food first, of course. The noms. They are the important factor. Always.
So let’s talk about the different dining options first:
- Topolino’s Terrace {Table Service | Character Breakfast}
- Le Petit Café {Lobby Café}
- Bar Riva {Pool Bar}
- Primo Piatto {Quick Service}
Topolino’s is one of my FAVORITE character breakfasts. It’s styled with an “artist’s flair” and that can be seen from the characters’ costumes to the food presentation. At this breakfast, Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and Donald make appearances in their Riviera attire {Please note: Right now, COVID protocols are in place, so the characters wave from a distance, not come up to your table. However, this is one of the few character dining options actually open right now}. The menu is French-inspired cuisine, and my favorite dishes are the Sour Cream Waffle {for me}, the Mickey Waffle Dippers {for the kids – it’s like a Mickey Waffle lollipop 🙂 }, and the pastries and bread for the table {one looks like a paint brush, and all are DELICIOUS}.
Since it is one of the few character dining offerings currently available, reservations are vital and can be hard to come by. If you have your heart set on eating here, highly recommend booking as soon as opens.
The dinner offering is still French-inspired cuisine, however, it’s definitely a fancier dinner dining option. There is a dress code, and I probably wouldn’t take my young kids. Think more of mom and dad {or just couple or couple of friends 😉 } occasion for a nice night out.
Le Petit Café is this adorable coffee/pastry bar set up in the lobby. The café is right next to the Voyageurs’ Lounge, which gives the sweetest Beauty & the Beast library vibes with it’s cozy lounging options and extensive book collection. It’s one of my favorite places to grab a cup of coffee and snack.
Bar Riva and Primo Piatto are the two quick serve locations found in the lower lobby area. Primo Piatto offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as mobile ordering {hooray!}. The menu has something for everyone from the adventurous adult looking for something different at Disney to the picky toddler. While I haven’t had a meal here {yet}, I have been wanting to try their breakfast for a loooongg time. It looks so good, and I have heard nothing but great things.
Bar Riva is a lounge bar by the pool and offers a few meal options, along with drinks. It opens around lunch and stays open through the dinner and drink hours.
Pools & Recreation. Okay, let’s talk about the grounds. First, the pools. The pools, and specifically the splash pad, are top notch here. The Splash pad is Fantasia themed and is so stinkin’ cute. It is a huge draw for me wanting to stay with the kids here.
I mean LOOK AT IT. So cute. Okay, that is all on that.
The pool attached to the splash pad is Mediterranean themed with this fun slide and cute picturesque area. And then there is another more “classic French Riviera” themed pool in the main lawn space.
As for the recreation, the resort itself is U-shaped and in the center is this huge green space that has a bocce ball court and chess lawn. I love this space so much! It is perfect to just let the kids go and run out all that energy. There are also porch swings in this area, which is exactly where I park myself while the kids run free.
Beyond the lawn, there are paths to walk around the resort that have beautiful water and Skyliner views, a beach space, and the Rapunzel and Peter Pan mosiac murals. These paths connect to the resort’s Skyliner station as well as the Carribbean Beach Resort, which has an awesome playground {so great for littles}.
Skyliner Access. Speaking of the Skyliner, another huge plus of staying at Riviera is the Skyliner access. Riviera has a station right on the grounds that connects to Epcot and the Caribbean Beach Resort {main hub}. It has quickly become one of our kids’ and my favorite mode of Disney transportation. The kids even treat a trip on the Skyliner as a ride, which is a major bonus for us.
Another noteworthy aspect of the Riviera station is ambiance. The the walk from the lobby to the gondolas is simply magical due to these beauties:
The Imagineers outdid themselves when they dreamed up the Tangled and Peter Pan mosaic murals. They are truly stunning and one of my favorite photo spots on property.
3. The Activity
Last, but certainly not least, THE PLAY. This week’s activity was a Peter Pan Inspired Treasure Hunt. I created a treasure map that identified icons from around our home and each location held a different musical instrument {some actual, some “home made” | ex: a pan with a large wooden spoon}. Once all collected, the search ended outside, where we had a “follow the leader” parade.
This was an easy activity to throw together, and L {3.5} absolutely LOVED it. She wanted to continue doing more scavenger hunts, so I started using different Wishables and alien figurines for her to find. I think she did it 3 or 4 times. haha. W {almost 2} was a little indifferent, but it may have been the time of day we chose to play {right after breakfast}.
To create this activity at home, you’ll need:
- Treasure Map
- Searchable Items
- Adventurous Spirit
The beauty of this play is that there are so many possible variations. I want to touch on each a little bit to help you find your vibe.
Treasure Map. I drew ours to customize it to our home. However, I fully acknowledge that drawing is not everyone’s thing, or even if it is, you may just not have the time {kids, they are a handful haha}. Some other alternatives to a hand-drawn map are:
- Riddles {forgo the entire map and just do riddles}
- Printable Map with Stickers or pictures {print out a Neverland map from online and just use stickers or actual snapshots of different areas of your home}
- String {use string to connect the Searchable Items that the littles follow to find all the hidden pieces}
These are just a few that I thought would be faster to create but still keep the fun and flavor.
Searchable Items. I began with musical instruments because I wanted to end with a parade. However, I quickly turned to stuffies {specifically Wishables – another fun use!} and figurines {specifically Toy Story aliens} when L wanted additional search & find options. These items truly can be anything. Scavenge your home and find what works for you.
Another option is also to just do riddles at each station or potentially even keys or trinkets that would later open a treasure chest with goodies. The ending could have a real treasure chest with prizes {or even pixie dust! – if you are a glitter friendly home…haha} instead of ending with a parade. So many possibilities!
Adventurous Spirit. Well, you could have a playful spirit, childlike spirit, spirit filled with wonder…but I recommend the spirit part. Because how else would you venture to Neverland!
That’s all for today! Thanks for stopping by and following along all week long! I hope you enjoyed the Peter Pan theme this week, and next week will be a brand new week to celebrate the 60s! Any guesses…???
Until Next Time…
Stay Magical!
Jasmine
*Disclaimer: All opinions shared are in no way affiliated with the Walt Disney Company. They are completely my own and shared from a Disney guest perspective.
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