Blog

Paradise Awaits at Beaches Turks & Caicos!

April 9, 2019 By Marvelous Mouse Travels Leave a Comment

A big thank you to Katie Eadie for this fantastic review of her visit to Beaches Turks & Caicos!

In September of 2018, I had the opportunity to travel to Beaches Turks and Caicos with Marvelous Mouse Travels for a few days of exploring and experiencing the resort, and learning more about the Sandals/Beaches brand. Below is a review of my experience at the resort.

Beautiful is an understatement when it comes to describing the water, the beaches, and the resort. My room was beautiful and the fridge was kept stocked with beer, sodas, water, and wine. (We’re off to a good start right?) I had a room that would sleep 5. It had a king size bed in one room, and in the other, a bunk bed that also had a trundle underneath! There was a big bathroom with a huge tub, double vanity, and a shower. There was also a small sink area in the kids’ room that would make it convenient for the kids to get ready if someone else was in the bathroom. The room had a great layout and is a perfect area for a family of 5.

The staff was PHENOMENAL. They saw to every need we had, made sure that we were happy, and they seemed genuinely happy to be doing their jobs. Anytime we would pass a member of the staff, they would say hello and ask if we needed anything. It really made them stand out because they want to make sure your every need/want is met.

The food and beverages were out of this world! And they made sure you always had a drink in your hand! The general manager even came up to us one time and asked if we needed drinks, and brought some back to us. Talk about service! You can eat as many times as you want because it is ALL INCLUDED. We had agents eat 1st, 2nd, and 3rd dinners. It was all included, so why not? My favorite place we ate was Barefoot by the Sea. The beef was cooked to PERFECTION! My favorite drink was a Miami Vice. I wish I was drinking one right now.

The pools are all HUGE and so beautiful. We spent most of our pool time in the Italian pool because this was the village we stayed in for training. There is a huge swim up bar in the pool, and at every pool. So you can take a dip in the pool, and enjoy a drink. Ultimate relaxation! They even have drinks for kids at the swim up bar. One little girl I saw was drinking a milkshake! YUM!

Pirates Island Water Park was so much fun! I loved it as an adult! And they have the CUTEST swim up bar for kids. You can order ice cream there. They also have two food trucks at the water park, Mr Mac’s, and Curls and Swirls! If you’re a fan of Mac and Cheese, you definitely need to check out Mr Mac’s. The Mac and Cheese was DELICIOUS! And again, it’s all included!

We had the opportunity to see someone setting up for their wedding, and the back drop was absolutely beautiful! Can you imagine the backdrop of the beautiful blue water behind you as you say your vows to the one you love? I would highly recommend it for a destination wedding. And if you stay 3 nights or more, it’s FREE!

So, would I recommend a Beaches resort to you? 100% YES. The service alone is enough for me to sell it to you. This is a place for everyone: Wedding parties, big families, girls’ trips, guys’ trips, whatever; it is the ultimate vacation destination. I can’t wait to travel back and take my family soon.

Universal Orlando’s Early Park Admission What It Is, How to Get It, and Why It’s Worth It!

April 1, 2019 By Marvelous Mouse Travels 2 Comments

A big thank you to Molly Davis for this great information on Universal Parks & Resorts!

Early Park Admission is a great benefit that Universal Orlando offers their hotel guests and other select groups. Early Park Admission allows guests to access one theme park each morning (either Universal Studios or Universal’s Islands of Adventure depending on the date) along with specific attractions an hour before the scheduled opening. Remember, valid theme park admission is required! This benefit can help you get a jump on the crowds, allowing you to experience specific attractions with little to no wait and see areas of the park with little to no guests in it.

For most of the year, Early Park Admission at Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure begins at 8:00 am, and the parks open to everyone else at 9:00 am. During busier seasons, this shifts up an hour, with Early Park Admission starting at 7:00 am while everyone else gets in at 8:00. (It is important to note that it is also possible for both theme parks to be open for early admission during busier seasons.)

Weather permitting, Universal Orlando hotel guests and other select groups can access Universal’s Volcano Bay with valid theme park admission every day. This Early Park Admission also starts an hour before the scheduled opening.

How to Get Early Park Admission

All of the Universal Orlando Resort hotels offer Early Park Admission, which is why staying on Universal property is a great convenience! Not only are you getting into the parks early, but you are steps from the parks.

A unique benefit to booking your next Universal Orlando trip through a Marvelous Mouse travel agent is that we have arranged for Early Park Admission for all of our clients, regardless of whether you stay in a Universal Orlando Resort or not! This is an exclusive and complimentary benefit for booking through Marvelous Mouse Travels.

How to Use Early Park Admission

To make the most of your extra hour in the park, we recommend you arrive 30-45 minutes before the start of Early Park Admission. This allows you to pick up your tickets from the ticket kiosk (which only needs to be done once on your first day at the park!). If you are staying on property, you will need your hotel room key and park tickets to enter the park. Getting to the parks early allows you to get through security and be ready to enter the parks right when the parks open.

Picking Up Park Tickets

There are 2 easy ways to pick up your Universal park tickets. You can pick them up at your Universal hotel, or you can go directly to the park entrance to the ticket kiosks. There is NO wait at the kiosks. You simply put in the credit card you used to purchase the tickets along with your ticket confirmation code, and out pop your tickets! These ticket kiosks are not to be confused with the guest services window. Now THAT will have a line. You don’t need to wait in this line if all you are doing is picking up your tickets with your credit card and ticket confirmation number. See below for picture reference on where you will go to pick up your tickets!

Park Ticket Pick Up Kiosks:

Guest Services Windows:

Ready to book your next trip to Universal Orlando? Make sure to e-mail Contactus@marvelousmousetravels.com for a free quote! Remember, Early Park Admission is just one of the many benefits of booking with one of our agents!

Park Bag Essentials

March 10, 2019 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Thank you so much to Katie Eadie for this helpful information on what to pack for a day in the parks!

Going to Walt Disney World can be so much fun, but in my opinion, it’s good to be prepared for the long day ahead! That’s why it’s important to me and my trip to have the right things in your park bag. Not everyone chooses to carry a backpack, and that’s okay, but when I go and have my kiddos, it’s important to me to keep all the essentials in a bag that they will need! And if you’re in Disney and have a cute Disney Bag, it’s even better!

If you do decide to carry a park bag, it’s important to not over pack it with things you don’t need! Here’s a list of 10 things I put in mine:

1. Ziploc Bag: I talked about this in another post, but Ziploc Bags are good for everything! Wet clothes, keeping things from getting wet, leftover snacks, etc. One thing I have always done is pack a gallon Ziploc bag with an extra pair of socks for everyone that way if your shoes and socks get wet on a Splash Mountain, you at least have a fresh new pair of DRY socks!

2. Baby Wipes: They’re good for everything! Sticky hands and faces, wiping up some ice cream someone might have spilled on a bench, even for a little refreshing cool down on a hot summer day!

3. Hand sanitizer: Because germs are EVERYWHERE! Use this!

4. Band-Aids: Accidents happen! Boo boos happen! Blisters happen! Band-Aids are your best friend! And I’m sure you can find some cute Disney ones to make the boo boo heal faster because the Band-Aid is obviously more magical if it’s Disney. ☺

5. Gum: Because Disney doesn’t sell it, so if you want it, you have to bring it!

6. Portable Charger: Good for charging your phone up to make sure you have enough battery to take pictures of EVERYTHING!

7. Chapstick and Sunscreen: That Florida Sun is HOT! Sunscreen is a must to keep your skin healthy and safe!

8. Light Jacket: For the evenings if it gets chilly.

9. Snacks: Snacks at Disney are expensive unless you’re on the dining plan, so it’s always a good idea to bring some extras just in case! We like to pack things like goldfish, trail mix, granola bars, and more easy stuff that is just grab and go!

10. Small Fan: We always find small battery operated fans at Walmart to keep in our bags for those hot afternoons! And the ones that are mist fans, are even better!

Resort Highlight: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

January 26, 2019 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Resort Highlight: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

When you are planning your next Walt Disney World vacation, make sure to check out Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. This Southwestern-themed Moderate resort is located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort area and features over 1900 rooms in 3 areas (Casitas, Ranchos & Cabanas), 6 on-site restaurants, the Dig Site – a large pool and recreation area – in addition to 3 leisure pools, jogging trail, playground and arcade. The newly refurbished rooms are comfortable, modern and still bring a bit of character fun into each room!

Our king-sized water view room in the Casitas area welcomed us with crisp, white linens, Southwestern colors and décor, a Mickey towel decoration with welcome letter and so many “upgrades” that you cannot see in the photo! Each bedside table came equipped with USB charging stations, personal reading lamps on each side of the headboard, and large surfaces for all of your travel items!

As you can tell by the photo, the updated dresser/desk combination provided tons of storage in addition to a coffee/tea station with Joffrey’s coffee stocked each day!

The refurbished bathrooms at this resort are a Deluxe feel at a Moderate price. Check out all of this storage! We were able to fully unpack our luggage and have plenty of room left over to store bags of souvenirs from the parks!

Thank you to Lindsay Smith for sharing her experience at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort! Reach out to Lindsay or any of our marvelous agents when you are ready to plan your next adventure!

Walt Disney World with Special Needs: What You Need to Know

August 27, 2018 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Thank you for joining me today as we discuss Special Needs, DAS, and Walt Disney World.

A little background about me: I have been with Marvelous Mouse Travels for 4 years this August. I have always loved Disney; loved so much that when I was given high school graduation gift of a choice of a trip to Paris or a week long trip to Disney staying at Yacht club ~~ I picked Disney! And I am a HUGE Stitch fan

Now you may be wondering how I know about special needs and what it takes to navigate WDW?

Meet Tommy and Abby!!

These two kids of mine SOMEHOW managed to gain the love for Disney also. My husband will tell you it’s genetic 😉 They both have Down Syndrome and both have their own personalities and things they like and don’t like so we have to navigate with those parameters.

This is a wonderful tool that is used to help decrease the time spent waiting in line. On the first day that you go

to the parks, go to guest services and ask for the DAS and explain why you need it. They will assign it to the one member of your party that needs it. Now in our case, we assign it to one child. It is good for that person and the others in the party up to 6. NOW, there have been cases they will allow more people on with the child. It is dependent on how busy the parks are.

Now.. how does DAS work??? So glad you asked. Say Tommy wants to go on Soarin. We get up to the line and the

wait is a L-O-N-G 60 minutes. Oh NO!! But, Tommy and I can walk up to the cast member with his magic band (or card if you are staying off-site or do not have a magic band). The Cast Member will then assign us a time to come back. Example: We walk up at 10am. The wait is 60 minutes. We are told to come back at 10:50 and go to the Fast Pass line. Easy! While we wait, we look at decorations, grab a snack or even catch a ride on something else! The big thing about DAS is that you are only allowed ONE AT A TIME! You cannot grab another ride until you have used the one on the Magic Band/Card.

So another question we get often as agents is do we really need to book the Fast Passes because we have the DAS?!?

One word: YES! Combining these two together will help cut down on wait times. After using the first 3 fast pases, go into the app and grab the next ride. Use the DAS pass between Fast Pass rides/times! It’s a sanity saving, meltdown preventing trick to do while there and it works in all the parks!

Next thing to discuss is loud noise. It’s everywhere! Between the crowds, the parades, and let’s not forget the

fireworks, it can be very overwhelming!! So my suggestion is to look at getting noise reducing headphones! These can be purchased on Amazon for fairly reasonable costs.

Some kids and adults do not have capabilities to regulate their body temps.

There are great items out there to help with this! Cooling vest, cooling towels, cooling head wraps to name a few. They are very easy to use. Some you simply wet with water and they will work for hours. Some you have to bring ice packs to use. Something I want to mention is if you do have a child/adult who needs these and find them pricey — Check with your insurance to see if they can be covered under your policy as Durable Medical Equipment. The doctor may have to submit for Pre-Determination to see if it may be covered along with the medical notes stating the condition is there. I can tell you that Abby does not tolerate the heat well and we have used the cooling wraps. They are a God-send!

Now … the meltdowns.. they happen! I am not going to lie and tell you our trips have been meltdown free.

They haven’t!

Sometimes you need a place to go to get away from all the stimulation the kids/adults are getting from the sights and sounds around them. This is where finding quiet spots and knowing where they are can help and sometimes you only need a few minutes to do so. The Disney transportation is great if you want to chill for while. Hop on the Monorail! Grab a seat on a ferry. If you only need a few minutes one great one is the baby care center. They can go in, relax for a bit, and then head back to the park recharged! There is one in every park.

Paradise Awaits at Beaches Turks & Caicos!

Universal Orlando’s Early Park Admission What It Is, How to Get It, and Why It’s Worth It!

Park Bag Essentials

Resort Highlight: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Walt Disney World with Special Needs: What You Need to Know

Search the Site

Connect With Us

Join Our Team