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Jamaica is Calling!

January 17, 2021 By Marvelous Mouse Travels Leave a Comment

I recently returned from Jamaica and had the opportunity to visit Sandals Negril! It was so wonderful to travel again! Sandals resorts are doing an amazing job with Covid protocols. I was also very impressed with the precautions in place at Montego Bay airport as well. Sandals Negril is located along the longest and best stretch of Negril’s 7-Mile Beach! Lush landscape, white sand and a laid back vibe, what more could you ask for?

Although you will likely want to spend most of your time with your toes in the sand let’s take a look at one of the rooms here at Sandals Negril.

Imagine having your morning cup of coffee with this view!

The two story one bedroom butler villas with a tranquility soaking tub are so luxurious! This beautiful retreat features a spacious living area, a fully stocked wet bar and a smart TV. Upstairs you will find a king size bed and gorgeous bathroom with a rain shower and natural skylights. Best of all this category room comes with Butler Elite and 24 hour room service!

I loved the relaxing atmosphere here and so many places to grab a drink and sit, lounge or swing!

When you are ready to plan your next tropical escape I’d love to help you find the perfect destination! https://www.facebook.com/marvelousmousetravelsdonna

You can also reach out to our agency and be connected to Caribbean travel expert! Our services are complimentary when you book with us!

https://marvelousmousetravels.com/contactus/

 

 

Filed Under: All-Inclusive, General Travel, Sandals Tagged With: adult trip, All Inclusive resort, covid, honeymoon, Jamaica, luxury vacation

Holiday Treats Galore!

December 19, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

It’s the yummiest time of the year! Take a look at these delicious treats our Marvelous Mouse agent Mary Alys Foutz and her family experienced on their recent Walt Disney World vacation!

You can never go wrong with cupcakes! There are so many festive choices this time of year, you are sure to find the perfect one! Check out Main Street Bakery in Magic Kingdom, they always have a great selection!

One of my personal favorites the Mickey Crispy Treat gets a holiday makeover and taste better than ever!

Let’s talk milkshakes for a minute! Just A Dream Away Shake, I love the name and I bet it’s amazing! Salted caramel with a silver sugar churro! Yes, please! You will find this deliciousness at Auntie Gravity’s in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom.

I love the classic carrot cake whoopie pie at Disney’s Hollywood Studios so I’m really excited to try this Red Velvet whoopie pie for the holidays! Red Velvet cake, cream cheese filling and sprinkles, perfection!

Do you love pecan pie? Are you a rice crispy treat fan? If so you will definitely want to try this Rice Crispy Pecan Pie from Disney Springs!

These are just a few treats for you and your family to enjoy this Christmas season. Don’t forget about the Holiday Cookie Stroll at Epcot! Calories don’t count on vacation, right?

 

 

Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, Disney, Epcot, Food, General Travel, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, Special Events, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Christmas, family resort, family travel, family trip, holiday travel, Walt Disney World

Queen’s Bath Kauai!

December 14, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Queen’s Bath is on the North Shore of Kauai, near Princeville.

This is a beautiful and somewhat hidden spot that’s worth the hike! It’s a short, steep and sometimes muddy, hike to the bath. Once you’re over the bluff, go left over the volcanic rock and you’ll see the bath.

There’s limited street parking so very early, or sometimes very late, in the day may be best. If possible,
though, also try for low tide. Once you reach the baths, you’ll understand why. At high tide, and in some weather, the water could be crashing over the rocks of the bath, making it dangerous. Pay attention while walking on the rocks as unexpected large waves and/or currents have carried people
away!

Summer is a more calm and better time of year to visit, where Winter can be more dangerous.
Once you are there, it’s a beautiful place and well worth the journey.

Thank you to our Marvelous Mouse agent Karen Fitting for this unique look at Hawaii! When you are ready to plan your Hawaiian vacation reach out to be connected to one of our vacation experts! Join our Hawaii Facebook group for lots of great travel tips and information! https://www.facebook.com/groups/273478080049202

Filed Under: General Travel Tagged With: adventure, beach, Hawaii, Hiking, travel

Discover Sandals Resorts in Montego Bay!

November 30, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Our Marvelous Mouse agent Jen McGurn shares with us her recent experience at Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Montego Bay! Protocols and procedures are always changing, be sure to check with your travel agent for the most up to date Covid requirements for your destination. If you do not have an agent reach out to us!  We would love to curate your next adventure!

 

I recently had the opportunity to spend 5 days at Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort. During my stay, I toured the resort, as well as Sandals Montego Bay. Join me as I share information on both resorts, as well as talk about the health screening process required for entry into Jamaica and the safety protocols in place at the resorts.

Let’s start by talking about my trip preparation and arrival in Jamaica. Jamaica is requiring a negative COVID test for entry. At the time of this post, you need to be tested between 10 and 2 days prior to travel. My husband and I both tested at a local Urgent Care Facility and thankfully tested negative. Jamaica is very specific about the documentation you need to present in order to be allowed entry. This is where having a travel agent can be especially helpful! We literally saw people being denied entry because they did not have the proper paperwork! We made sure everything was in place, applied for our Travel Authorization and anxiously awaited our trip!

At our airport, we were required to present the appropriate forms and test results prior to check in. Once we arrived, all of our documentation was checked again at Customs. We booked a service called Club Mobay and I would never travel to Jamaica without it. We were greeted at the gate and escorted through the entire process. We bypassed a huge line and went straight through. The entire process took about one hour from touch down to resort shuttle.

Now, on to the fun stuff! Sandals provides complimentary transfers to and from your resort. For the transports, whether a shared shuttle or private vehicle (based on your room category), masks are required by the driver and all passengers. The 2 resorts in Montego Bay that I visited are a very short ride from the airport. We were greeted at the entrance with cool towels, water and porters who handled getting our luggage right to our room.

As guests booked in a Butler category room, we were taken to the Club Sandals lounge for private check-in. We were offered a variety of finger foods and beverages. We decided to toast the start of our vacation with champagne. Our Butler greeted us once check-in was complete and gave us a walking tour of the entire resort, even stopping to make sure we had the drink of the day right off the bat! He also gave us a complete overview of our room and asked what we would like to have our in room mini bar stocked with during our stay. Our room was absolutely beautiful! We had a large balcony that overlooked our semi-private pool, a King Size 4 Poster bed, and a jetted tub/shower combination. We also were located just steps from the main pool, dining and 2 bars!

Throughout our stay, we took advantage of the Water Sports that are included with your stay. We went snorkeling and enjoyed a ride on a glass bottom boat. We also spent quite a bit of time on the private island, which is just a short, complimentary boat ride away.

Let’s talk food and drinks! Between the two resorts, you have 21 Restaurants to choose from. They range from counter service options for pizza, sandwiches, Jerk Fish or chicken and Empanadas to full service, gourmet dining. There is something for even the pickiest eater. We primarily ate at our resort , but we did enjoy two of our favorite dinners at Sandals Montego Bay. We also loved Cafe de Paris, where we would go for iced coffee and sweet treats.

There are several bars located on each property, including swim up bars so you don’t need to leave the pool to get a drink! Each resort has a drink of the day, as well as your favorites. The bartenders are super accommodating and the drinks are made with top shelf liquor. 
 Absolutely delicious!After dinner, head to the Main Stage area and enjoy dance parties, trivia and game shows. My husband and I actually walked away with a bottle of rum after we won the Couple’s Game Show. We had a blast! The entertainment crew was so fun. There was never a dull moment.

Alright, back to that Butler! Butler service is absolutely worth the splurge! Shout-out to Nicolas and Steve, our amazing Butlers. In addition to making dining and activity reservations for us, they also escorted us to dinner each night. Each night, they would check in to see what we would like in our cooler that they filled for us when they reserved us a spot on the beach. We were greeted by a treat or two each afternoon. We returned to fresh cookies, fruit and cheese plates, champagne, a bubble bath and flower petals on the bed. It was heavenly.

Having a Butler also means you can have room service. I awoke each morning to a delicious breakfast with fresh coffee and a Mimosa. Another perk of having a Butler is the private transfers to and from the airport. Nicolas escorted us to the BMW waiting for us on our final day, introduced us to our driver and loaded our bags into the car.

In addition to experiencing the resorts for myself, I also spent a day touring the resorts and seeing a wide variety of room categories.

I was so lucky to get to tour both an Over the Water Villa and and an Over the Water Bungalow! Check out my walkthrough below!

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2810553289234044

Regarding COVID, Sandals is taking every precaution to keep guests safe. As I mentioned, everyone entering the country must provide a negative COVID test. Temperatures are checked upon arrival and it is possible that you will be retested at the airport.

On resort, guests are only required to wear masks when using the shuttle service. Masks are optional the rest of the time. Staff is wearing masks at all times. Rooms are cleaned based on an 18 Touchpoint system. Rooms are cleaned and then sealed from the outside. The common areas throughout the resort are constantly being cleaned. Hand Sanitizer is also required when entering a dining or shopping are. Sandals has over 20 All Inclusive Resorts throughout the Caribbean. At each resort, there are numerous room categories. Being able to experience these resorts first hand is so important for me as your travel partner.

As a travel agent, I am familiar with each category and notice details you may not, such as which rooms have very high beds, whether there is a deep tub to step into or a Walk In Shower (or BOTH!), which rooms are closest to dining and which are right on the beach. So much goes in to choosing the best room for your wants and needs. I also have built personal relationships with the General Managers and Hotel Managers. They encourage us to contact them prior to our clients visiting so that they can take extra good care of them. Additionally, if an issue should arise, I know exactly who to call to get it taken care of ASAP!

If you are engaged, and dreaming of a destination wedding, Sandals is the place for you! Couples receive a free wedding ceremony with a 3 Night Stay. A wedding specialist is assigned to you and they help you create the wedding of your dreams!

Sandals Resorts are All Inclusive.

That means you do not pay extra for any of the inclusions below:

Meals
Drinks, including Top Shelf Alcohol
Entertainment
Water Sports
Round Trip Airport Transfers
Gratuities

If you are interested in planning a romantic escape, honeymoon, vow renewal or destination wedding at one of Sandals stunning Caribbean Resorts, please reach out to Jen or any of our Marvelous Mouse agents! We would love to help you plan an experience you will never forget!

Filed Under: All-Inclusive, Beaches, General Travel, Sandals Tagged With: adult trip, All Inclusive resort, beach, covid, destination wedding, honeymoon, spa, tours, travel tips

Amy’s Gluten Free Around the World Adventures…Disney World, that is!

November 26, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Take a gluten free food journey with Marvelous Mouse agent Amy Wold!

Disney World is seriously the best vacation spot I’ve been since being diagnosed with celiac disease in 2014. At home I don’t struggle with being gluten free, actually I rarely even think about it. Traveling/eating out is a different story, and let me tell you, intestinal issues while traveling ruins the fun! So, while I loved Disney before going gluten free, I REALLY love Disney now.

Our last vacation was filled with delicious foods! I apologize for not taking pictures of everything I ate, but I will do my best to describe. Oh, and we had the Disney Dining plan, which I love so I can order whatever I want on the menu not worrying about the cost. < think: filet mignon> Also, just a heads up – the gluten free food at Disney World is normal, delicious food! Not just one dry bun that you get sick of. Tons of different options! 

Breakfast #1: Art of Animation Resort, Landscape of Flavors

I really like this food court, and have heard that it has the best selection of all the Value Resorts. I talked to the chef, and ordered one fried egg over hard, one piece of bacon, Simba waffles (They called them “character waffles”), and a side of fruit. The waffles had the perfect mix of crisp outer and soft inner. All of it was delicious! 

Breakfast #2: Wilderness Lodge, Roaring Fork

My wonderful hubby walked down and picked up an order of gluten free toast with a side of peanut butter for me, and brought it back up to our room. They put a lot more bread in than we were expecting, so there was enough for four of us to eat for breakfast! This was something like $3 too – very economical! The toast was perfectly toasted. No complaints!

Breakfast #3: Wilderness Lodge, Whispering Canyon Café

We were not in a hurry to get to the parks on this day, so decided to take a leisurely breakfast at the table service restaurant at our resort. This time I ordered fried eggs, toast, bacon, and a side of fruit. I’m kind of boring at breakfast! My daughter, who is also gluten free, ordered the Mickey waffles. They were served with whipped cream and strawberries! Her review was two thumbs up.  

Breakfast #4: Kind bar on the way to the bus. What? We were in a hurry to ride Navi River Journey! 😉 

Breakfast #5: Magic Kingdom, Be Our Guest

I just love this restaurant! I ordered the scrambled egg whites that came with chicken sausage, roasted tomatoes, and fresh fruit. The eggs looked grossly white (and like they were cooked in a microwave,) so I was expecting them to be gross and bland, but they really were good! I’m not anti-yolk, and would never order only the whites unless that was the only option. The roasted tomatoes were a nice touch. (I love roasted veggies!) The sausage was kind of dry, but had good flavor. They also bring what they call “pastries” to the table. The gluten free version of that was an assortment of quick breads like banana, chocolate, and cinnamon. They were pretty good, but not great. The chocolate one was a bit soggy – I think it had fruit in it, but the sogginess made me not want to even eat more than a bite. I really think the draw to this restaurant is the beautiful ambiance more than the food (at least for breakfast and lunch,) especially if you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast! My favorite room is the Grand Ballroom with the snow falling when you look out the windows. <3 It was the perfect start to a fun Magic Kingdom day. 

Snack #1: One of my favorite snacks at Disney World is the frozen chocolate covered banana. I feel so healthy when I eat it, so that’s a plus. This I ate it as we were walking around Animal Kingdom, and I’m pretty sure I left a trail of chocolate pieces behind me. It was kind of crumbly!

Snack #2: Mickey ice cream bar. What can I say? So good. Vanilla ice cream with flavorful chocolate covering. You know how sometimes the chocolate on an ice cream bar tastes like wax? This one didn’t. It tasted like good quality chocolate. I ate this while watching the fireworks at Magic Kingdom. 

Snacks #3 & 4: Dole Whip! At Aloha Aisle I ordered the swirl Dole Whip the first time eating that frosty goodness after getting completely drenched on Splash Mountain. Warning: use the ziplock bag to protect your phone! Also, at Aloha Aisle the line was very long, so we used the mobile order. Super slick. Definitely do that. The second Dole Whip was savored at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort’s Pineapple Lanai (but we sat at the tables by the water feature at Trader Sam’s overlooking the water.) I prefer the regular Dole Whip to the swirl. 

 

Snack #5: Epcot Flower and Garden Food Booth Called Flavor Full Kitchen

Here I ordered the citrus-poached salmon with ancient grain salad, roasted vegetables, and citrus greens. It was delicious! I loved th citrus flavor in the salmon and on the greens. Note: I have read to double check the things marked gluten free at the festival, so did just that. For my salmon the workers called the chef who verified that it was safe for me to eat. Over at France I was eagerly anticipating a macaron that was labeled gluten free. Sure enough, they told me it definitely is not gluten free so don’t eat it. I feel like if it is labeled gluten free it should be gluten free! Epic fail at the France pavilion. 

Filed Under: Disney, General Travel Tagged With: Disney Parks, Epcot, Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, family travel, food allergies, food and wine festival, foodie, gluten free, Walt Disney World

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