Disney Cruise Line

Experience Disney’s Castaway Cay!

January 31, 2021 By Marvelous Mouse Travels Leave a Comment

Anyone else miss cruising? Today agent Nikki Kennedy takes us on a tour of Disney’s Castaway Cay! When you are ready to travel reach out to Nikki https://www.facebook.com/NikkiMMT or any of our Marvelous Mouse agents! https://marvelousmousetravels.com/contactus/

So what’s so great about Castaway Cay? Let me just start with saying.. EVERYTHING…from the beaches, to the staff, excursions, food, unlimited ice cream, snorkeling trails, kids’ clubs, teen clubs, shopping… I could go on and on!

Grab your towel they have ready for you and lets head to the island!

Let’s start with the important part – ADULTS ONLY BEACH! Serenity Bay is on the far side of the island, and like I mentioned its only for 18+! the water is so clear, the sand is beautiful, and you honestly wouldn’t even know all the craziness happening on the other beaches is so close!

If you are thinking you won’t be able to enjoy that side of the island because you will have kiddos with you, think again! Just like on the ship, there is a play area for kids with the counselors they already know and love! Same with for teenagers and the nursery is also open on the ship!

Now let’s talk inclusions! There are wagons, strollers and wheelchairs on the island for your use, self-serve ice cream and sodas and of course FOOD! There are 3 Cookies BBQ locations, including one on the adult side that is 18+! The food is so good however the birds know it as well, when I left my plate to go get a drink, they got my chicken! By the time I got back the head server had already replaced it and was waiting there to tell me what had happened.. I was gone maybe a minute. The service isn’t just on the ship! and of course it’s delicious for humans not just birds.. its food on Disney’s private island! How could it not be?

There is an underwater snorkeling course, including sunken ships and a Mickey Mouse statue! The play area complete with fast slides isn’t just for the kids and the items you can buy are exclusive to Castaway Cay AND they will take them back to the ship for you to pick up in the gift shop!

After your day of fun in the sun you can walk or take the tram back to the ship! You will be greeted with flavored waters and air conditioning!

Take a Look at the Carnival Panorama!

October 31, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Our Marvelous Mouse agent Jaclyn Vercillo had the opportunity to check out the new Carnival Panorama! Let our experts help you plan your next cruise vacation!

The last time I was on a Carnival Cruise ship I was nine years old and believe it or not I came home with a 1st place trophy for a bikini contest. Now I know what you are thinking, but this was the early 90’s people. I heard “Bikini Contest in 5 minutes” and I raced to my room to grab my T-shirt that had a body with a bikini on it. Needless to say I beat out quite the crowd of contestants and my family was left with a fond and hilarious memory.Flash forward to almost 30 years later, I stepped onboard Carnival’s new ship the Panorama for the Feast of Fun and the ship naming ceremony. I truly didn’t know what to expect because I have been an avid DCL and Royal Caribbean Cruiser and in all honestly I have viewed Carnival as a cheaper “party cruise” boat. Well from the moment I stepped onboard, I started to eat crow. I was completely blown away but the decadence of the ship and all it has to offer. When we walked in we were swept through the Casino where they have a 2 story tall Panoramic screen (see what they did there) with floating stingrays hovering over the bar area. It was stunning. I then headed into the shop atrium to enjoy the music and see what was available. Well if diamonds and jewelry are your thing (they should be) then this is your stop, and gents the watch selection will make your mouth water. Beauty shops and Swarovski items are also glimmering throughout the shopping plaza. It’s 3 stories so give yourself some time to shop. They also have an adorable candy shop for the kids with a Dr. Seuss theme.

Speaking of kids, I snuck away to check out the tween and teen centers. Parents get ready to not see your kids at all on your trip because these areas are kid heaven. They also have a full arcade for kids and wait for it…they have the indoor trampoline park Skyzone ON THE SHIP! That was a first for me and I think it will be enjoyed by big and little kids.

Next I headed to the outside pool decks for the ship naming ceremony and the beautiful Vanna White did the honors as the ships Godmother. Emeril Lagasse also made an appearance since his culinary works will be on future ships and Guy Fieri came out since his restaurant is on the ship. It was quite the crew.

After the ceremony we roamed around the ship and had fantastic appetizers from the restaurants on the ship. Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse is beautiful, I ate a ton of sushi from Bonsai Sushi, and the pulled pork sandwich from Guy’s Pig and Anchor Smokehouse was incredible. With a full belly I decided to head into the piano bar and listen to some wonderful music.

Next up we sat down to a 3 course dinner. The menu featured a wide variety of cuisine from each restaurant but since I already had sushi, pulled pork sandwiches, and rock shrimp tempura, I decided to go the Italian route. First, can I talk about the bread basket?! It was incredible and on par with any fine dining restaurant I have been to. The Focaccia bread melted in your mouth and the butter was served with a little olive oil and sea salt. For my appetizer I had Il Capitano’s Signature Arancini which also melted in your mouth and my main course was Cavatelli with veal and pork shank bolognaise. Now I am Italian and have been to some of the best restaurants in Italy, and I have to say this pasta was amazing! There is a difference with handmade pasta and it showed in this meal and the sauce was amazing. My only downfall was dessert. You guys I was too full to eat it! But it looked beautiful and my fellow travel agents looked like they were enjoying it!

A few other highlights from this ship that delighted me were the Carnival Culinary Experience, the Havana Bar, the kids waterslides and play area, as well as all the live entertainment and shows. The Carnival Culinary experience looks amazing and I was able to meet the chefs. The kitchen is beautiful and you can enjoy gourmet cooking classes with wonderful wine pairings. Perfect date night while the kids are in the kids club! The Havana Bar was beautiful and had fantastic music. And the live entertainment and shows will blow you away! I don’t want to give away too much but you will be on the edge of your seat.

A major highlight for me was the Hero Bar in honor of those who are currently serving or have served our country. It’s a beautiful space and what a great way to meet up with other service members, or for people like myself, to drop in and thank them for their service.

Last thing I will touch on are the accommodations. What I loved about this ship was that they had a large quantity of suites and larger rooms for families. It’s often hard to accommodate larger parties but the Carnival Panorama has taken care of that. The rooms are not cramped at all and the theming is spectacular. But I have to say on this ship, you won’t be spending much time in your room with everything they have on board!

I was really impressed and I am lucky it’s home port is so close to me. Thank you Carnival Panorama for broadening my travel horizons!

A Look at Laniwai at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa!

October 11, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Nikki Kennedy gives us a look at the amazing spa at Aulani! When you are ready to plan your Hawaii vacation reach out and we will connect you to one of our Hawaii experts!

My favorite Spa in the whole world is located in the Gardens at Disney’s Aulani Resort on
Oahu, Hawaii. From the rain showers to the massages there is something for
everyone.

The Hydrotherapy gardens can be enjoyed after any full-service spa treatment. Inspired by the ancient Hawaiians healing techniques they truly will make you feel new! The reflexology path is an experience like nothing else. The vitality baths are also an amazing way to relax.

The lush grounds are heavenly. Everything is so green and calming.

While your kiddos are playing at Aunties Beach House, be sure to pamper
yourself at the Spa! You will not regret it!

Traveling With Children Who Struggle With Anxiety

August 19, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Anxiety? It’s a word that we hear very often today! Does your child struggle with anxiety and does this make you anxious and maybe even prevent you from traveling.? If so, here are some tips to help:

Include your child in the planning phases so they know what to expect.

Give them a copy of the travel schedule (if old enough of course). My son does well with a calendar with times and events so this may help when traveling as well.

Plan, plan, plan and plan again. Make sure that your vacation is planned and your son or daughter is aware of the plans.

Pack some things that you child loves and that may bring them comfort (stuffed animal, blanket, pillow, etc).

Go in with low expectations. I know this may be viewed in a negative manner, but we always travel knowing that it might not go the way we planned. If you have a picture perfect vacation in your head, it probably won’t happen.

Know when your child has had enough and needs a break. Being over-stimulated and riding rides for 12 hours straight may call for a break. Monitor your child’s body language, mood, etc.

I hope this has helped gain some ideas on how to travel with an anxious child. Please don’t let anxiety stand in your way of traveling. You can do it! Life is short, take the trip, and make the memories.

Thank you to our Marvelous Mouse agent Brenda Schruefer for these helpful tips! Many of our agents specialize in helping families with special needs. Reach out when you are ready to plan your next vacation, we would love to help!

What You Need to Know About Walt Disney World’s Reopening!

July 15, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Reopening Review

A fellow agent friend and I traveled to Walt Disney World last week to attend the Annual Pass Preview. We got to see what the airports, airlines, transportation services, hotels, and theme parks are doing to manage the health and safety of their guests.

The #1 thing: masks are required at all times, inside and outside. You can remove them while eating or drinking, but to keep you and everyone around you safe, masks are required.

The #2 thing: I felt very safe with the procedures in place. We flew from the Atlanta airport to Orlando and back, flew Southwest round-trip, rode Disney’s Magical Express, stayed at Contemporary’s Bay Lake Tower, went to Universal’s City Walk, Disney’s Disney Springs, and Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Temperature checks were required to enter the parks along with normal security procedures.

We sweat a lot, but we had the best time! It was awesome, and when you feel comfortable traveling again, I know you will have an amazing time! I can’t wait to help you plan your next vacation!

We enjoyed short wait times, characters showing up at random times either on a stage/a balcony or in a cavalcade. Social distancing was enforced and well marked. If there was a snake in the line, plexi-glass was installed so you weren’t on top of anyone. On rides, rows were kept empty between different parties like you see on the Small World boats in the collage. For shows, rows were marked “closed,” and seats were marked between parties. See image below at the Carousel of Progress. Speaking of a carousel, see the collage to the left? The Cast Member between the horses is spraying every horse and pole/handle down between rides.

Seeing characters, like the County Bears, was such a fun treat. I have only seen them in the show (Animatronics) or in special parades, so for them to just appear was a great way to get that Disney magic we all crave.

When can I take off my mask?

Dining is one of the best parts of any vacation, and now, it was also a great time to take a rest from the mask. Table-service dining is now a must on your park day; you can enjoy the AC and take off your mask.

At the dining locations, you can scan menus, scan a QR code to check-in to your table-service reservation, or place a mobile order at quick-service locations.

There are relaxation areas to have a snack/take a break from your mask.

We took advantage of these areas!!

Disney Springs and Disney’s On-Site Bus Transportation

We shopped till we dropped, and no Disney Springs visit is complete without some Ghirardelli’s! We rode Disney’s bus transportation from Disney Springs back to our on-site hotel. The social distancing was really easy to maintain! Masks were required on the bus and while you wait in line. Also, in the restaurants and shops, you had to wear your mask and keep your distance. Stores were limiting the number of guests allowed inside at one time, so we waited outside along the “please wait here” ground markings until it was our turn.

As you can see, Walt Disney World is doing things right considering the circumstances.

I would be remiss to not add a section about Universal Orlando; we didn’t go into their parks, but we did check out the Hard Rock Hotel and City Walk. Like WDW, we were comfortable and pleased with their health and safety procedures as well.

As you enter the hotels, employees will check your temperature

and give you a colored band (changes each day) to show that you

have been checked and are below 100.4 degrees.

COVID warnings and social distancing markers are throughout the property.

Social distancing continues on the boats that take you between City Walk and the hotels.

So lets get your trips to Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World booked. I can book you through 2021 for Universal Orlando and through 9/26/2021 for Walt Disney World. I was so impressed with both companies, not that I am surprised, during these difficult times; they really put health and safety above all else without skimping on the magic. Let me help you get there! Contact me today!

alyssa@marvelousmousetravels.com