Disney

Disney is NOT just for kids!

August 16, 2019 By Marvelous Mouse Travels Leave a Comment

Thank you Brittany Lapicki for this great post highlighting some of the adult fun at Walt Disney World Parks & Resorts!

I so often hear the typical stereotype that Disney is a place just for kids and families. Well I am here to tell you, how untrue that it is! While I traveled to Disney frequently with my family as a child, I have taken more trips than I count with my significant other. Disney is not just a theme park; it is its own world. No matter where you go or what you do on property, there is this special feeling in the air. Even if you or your significant other is not a believer in Disney Magic, you still can’t help but feel that inner joy! Disney has done an amazing job of catering to all ages. You absolutely do not need to get up before the sun comes up and head to the park and start waiting in line in the 100-degree weather. It comes down to what you are looking for out of your vacation!

Looking to relax in the morning? Disney has amazing pools at every resort, avoid the hot parks and hang by the pool all day and head to the park at dusk. Are you more into thrill rides and want to skip It’s a Small World and Peter Pan’s Flight? That is easy! With the availability of Fast Passes, you can book your thrill rides, skip the lines and move on to the next fun thing!

Depending on the time of year, there are some events that are made for adults! In the fall, you can experience Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival where you can drink and taste all the flavors of several different countries including over 40 booths! In the Spring, Epcot has the beautiful Flower & Garden Festival where you can see stunning flower displays throughout Epcot! There are close to 20 different booths for more food and drink samplings!

Maybe you are looking for more of the night life experience? Well you can head over to Disney Springs! Newly renovated, Disney Springs is FULL of amazing restaurants, bars and upscale stores. Stop over at Splitsville for yummy food and drinks while you bowl! Or catch the newest movie at AMC Movies at Disney Springs 24 which also has Dine-In theaters!

Whether you are an avid or novice golfer, Disney has 4 beautiful golf courses where you can play 18 or 9 holes! Not a fan of using the driver? Play a round of Mini Golf at Winter Summerland. This is an easy but fun Christmas themed course! Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course is a bit more challenging but another fun option!

Disney certainly is a special place for families and children, but there is nothing stopping adults of all ages from having just as much fun! No matter your age, you are guaranteed to have a magical time when on Disney Property!

Tips for Traveling with Kids

June 13, 2019 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Thank you so much to Stephanie Novarro for this great information on traveling with littles!

Anyone who know me knows that I love to travel. I have been traveling with my kids since my daughter was 4 months old. Some people look at you like you are crazy and wasting money on trips that the kids will never remember. But others, like me, understand why traveling is so important and they do it to.

Traveling with little ones, whether driving or flying, is different than traveling alone. The first trip we took with our daughter was supposed to be a quick 3-hour car ride down to Galveston for a long weekend. Well at 4 months old you can imagine that the car ride took closer to 6 hours with stops to feed and change her. If you are worried about the travel part of the trip, don’t be and just go with the flow and you will have a great time. Make sure you plan ahead for extra travel time for feedings or potty breaks for the little ones. I will forever remember our daughters first time at the beach.

When you are flying with small kids it is important to make sure you have enough supplies in your carry on to keep the kids fed and entertained. On a recent trip back home to NY we had our two kiddos with us. At the time, our daughter was 2 and still in diapers and our son was only 4 months and still drinking formula. Our flight was diverted to Pittsburgh because of bad weather in the tri state area and eventually a couple of hours later the flight crew timed out. You can imagine what happened next; there we are with 2 small kids, 2 car seats, a double stroller and luggage boarding a bus to a hotel for the night in Pittsburgh. Had I not packed enough supplies in my carry on being stuck in Pittsburgh could have been a disaster.

How we react as adults in these situations will have an impact on our kids. Were we upset that we were stuck in the airport with 2 kids, sure we were but we never let our kids see our frustrations. While we were in the airport my husband and daughter rode the moveable sidewalks back and forth for what seemed like hours. She LOVED it; she thought it was the best thing. They even stopped and got some Hershey Kisses at one of the newsstands.

Some of the things I always keep in my bag for my kids are SNACKS, lots and lots of SNACKS! I like to have more diapers and wipes than I think I would actually need because who knows how many blowouts your kid will decide to have on the plane. I also take crayons and a coloring book, and of course the iPad.

My advice to you is not to be afraid to travel with your kids when they are babies or even young kids. In most cases, the kids are better travelers than some adults. Make the memories with your kids. My daughter loves to fly and loves to talk about all of our past adventures.

Turn Your Red-Eye Into Some Shut Eye

May 15, 2019 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Thank you to Heath Hullihen for these great tips on flying!

Sleeping well on a plane has developed into a certain kind of art and into a healthy business with savvy travelers constantly scoping out new ways to make long flights more conducive to actual rest. Here are a few that really seem to have some payoff.

Splurge on a better seat. Sure, not everyone can afford a premium seat in first or business class, where you can take advantage of fully- or almost-fully-reclining seats and loads of leg room. But for long-distance flights, it can still be worth it to spend the extra money on an exit-row seat, a bulkhead seat, or a window seat. Flying on off-peak days, like a Tuesday evening, will also increase the likelihood that the flight will be less crowded and quieter.

Do the best you can with flight times and direct flights. While crossing many time zones always poses its own sleep challenges, do your best to pick a flight time and schedule that will sync up most naturally with your sleeping and waking times. Leaving in the evening will work better than trying to get REM at three in the afternoon.

Know your cues. Which side of the bed do you sleep on at home? Book on that side of the plane. Do you usually have a cup of tea before bed? Bring a few packets of your favorite herbal. And grab your own small travel blanket and comfy slippers while you’re at it (the airline pillow or blanket can be used for extra cushioning or lumbar support if you like). Spritz your pillow with a mild lavender essential oil. The more familiar things you can do, the more your brain will recognize the cues that it’s time for rest.

Sweet darkness, sweet silence. On most trans-oceanic flights, you’ll see the blue glow of nearly every seat-back screen flickering, no matter the time. We know that the type of light emitted by screens is proven to disrupt sleep. For any rest at all — let alone good rest — keep your screen off. Bring an eye mask or cap to block out as much light as possible. Use earplugs or noise-canceling headphones to create the quietest environment you can.

Buckle up over the blanket. When the plane hits turbulence, flight attendants are required to make sure people are safely buckled in. If they can’t see that your seat belt is fastened, they have to disturb you to check. Make it easy for them and for you — simply click the buckle over the blanket.

Rather than paying more for less in the airport, do some quick research before you leave to find the best travel pillow for you. There are dozens to choose from, and they range widely in price, portability, and visual quirkiness. Check out reviews like this one http://www.travelandleisure.com/style/travel-accessories/best-travel-pillows#therm-a-rest-compressible from the Travel + Leisure — and note how the reviewer coordinates the best pillows with each type of sleeper. Chances are, there’s a pillow out there that will support your head and neck and give you the rest you need.

What are your best tips for getting good sleep on an airplane? I’d love to hear them. And if you’re ready to plan your next (well-rested) journey, we are here to help! You can reach us today at www.MarvelousMouseTravels.com

2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

April 30, 2019 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

A big thank you to agent Ginger Pierce for this awesome trip report!

If you love Epcot as much as I do, then you probably already know that Epcot is home to
several festivals throughout the year. My family’s personal favorite is the Epcot International
Flower and Garden Festival, which takes place every spring. During this festival, Epcot comes
alive with the colors of spring and elaborate themed topiaries can be found throughout the park.
There are also special festival booths and kiosks that offer festival merchandise and seasonal
food and drink offerings. On our most recent trip to Disney World, my family and I took a day to
experience the festival and I can’t wait to share some of our favorites!

One of our favorite things to do at the Flower and Garden Festival is to take photographs of all
the beautiful flowers. If you have an interest in photography, or if you simply want to capture and
preserve family memories, you’ll find great subject matter during the festival. My husband is an
avid photographer and he captured all the beautiful photos you see in this post.

My husband is all about photography during the Flower and Garden Festival, but I’m all about
the food! There is so much great food to be enjoyed at the festival booths throughout Epcot and
some of my favorites were the Pizza Toscana at Primavera Kitchen in the Italy pavilion, the
Tarte au Chevre at Fleur De Lys in the France pavilion, and the ever popular Violet Lemonade
at the Pineapple Promenade. Violet Lemonade is a festival staple and has become so popular
that there’s even special merchandise commemorating it!

My favorite part of Epcot is World Showcase, and during the Flower and Garden Festival there’s
even more to love about this part of the park. Of course the gardens throughout World
Showcase are in full bloom during the Flower and Garden Festival, but each pavilion also has
unique topiaries, food items, and often special activities to take part in. For instance, the UK
pavilion offers a tea garden tour where you can learn all about what goes into brewing all the
different teas we enjoy. The Garden Rocks Concert Series in the America pavilion brings in live
entertainment by artists you know and love. Best of all, these concerts are included with your
regular park admission! You can check out this year’s lineup here.

If you’d love to visit the Flower and Garden Festival, but you’re concerned that your children
wouldn’t enjoy it, rest assured that there’s so much for kids to do at the festival! There’s a
special play area set up for children with plenty of seating for tired moms and dads as well. And,
for $6.99 plus tax, your children can purchase a map and take part in Spike’s Pollen Nation
scavenger hunt. This scavenger hunt takes participants all throughout the Flower and Garden
Festival asking them to find the bee Spike as he pollinates various flowers. Once the scavenger hunt is finished, kids can redeem their completed map for a special prize. To give you a little
help, I’ve revealed one of Spike’s locations in the photo below!

There’s so much to see and enjoy at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival and I
hope that you’ll get the chance to experience all this year’s festival has to offer. It runs now
through June 3rd, so be sure to book your vacation soon so you don’t miss out. As always, our
team of agents at Marvelous Mouse Travels is here to help you plan a magical vacation. Our
planning services are complimentary if you book your vacation through us and it costs the same
to book with us as it does to book on Disney’s website. Visit our website to select an agent to work with today or send an email to contactus@marvelousmousetravels.com!

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!

Disney is NOT just for kids!

Tips for Traveling with Kids

Turn Your Red-Eye Into Some Shut Eye

2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Park Bag Essentials

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