Marvelous Mouse Travels

Aulani ~ A Disney Resort & Spa

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Thank you Nikki Kennedy for this post on Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa!

When you get to Hawaii you are exhausted, and even though you just want to sleep the 4-6-hour time change just doesn’t let you! When we stayed at Disney’s Aulani we used this extra couple hour of being awake the best way possible, with a delicious meal overlooking the sunrise over the ocean at ‘AMA ‘AMA! Could there be anything more gorgeous? 

I ordered the Captain Crunch French Toast – It’s vacation right? Calories don’t count?  It was so dang good I actually tried to make it when we got home! 

Of course, since we were in Hawaii we had to order the pineapple as well, soooo yummy! Be sure to schedule your reservations before you arrive on the Aulani website! These reservations go quick! Of course, if you book with me, I will take care of all of that for you! 

 

Family or Group Disney Halloween Costume Ideas

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Thank you Megan Guinnup for these great group costume ideas!

It’s that time of year again when the stress of figuring out your clever, puny, “wow, great job!” Halloween costume choice for the year. The struggle is real! Whether you’re heading to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (a hard ticket event with spooky lighting, trick or treating, a Halloween themed parade, fireworks, and characters in their costumes) or just preparing for the 31st, here are some family or group Disney costume ideas for you to consider:

  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

  • 101 Dalmatians

  • Ariel and Friends

  • The Fab 5 (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy)

  • The Incredibles

  • Peter Pan and The Darling Family with Captain Hook/Smee and Tink

  • Winnie the Pooh and Friends

  • Frozen Characters (Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, Sven)

  • Marvel Characters

  • Alice and Wonderland (Alice, White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts)

 
To purchase your tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom for your Fall Walt Disney World vacation contact us at Marvelous Mouse Travels. Parties happen select nights until October 31st!
Happy Halloween!

Now More than Ever! D23 Recap

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A big thank you to Molly Davis for putting together this awesome information and Suzanne Sevier for the pictures!

Now More than Ever. That is the phrase used to describe all things Disney and how NOW more than EVER is going to be the time to visit all of the Disney theme parks! Marvelous Mouse Travels had the great opportunity to visit the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, and learned about all of the latest and greatest updates and what is to come in the next couple of years for all things Disney.

Special thanks to Suzanne Sevier for sharing her pictures from the D23 Expo!

Disneyland: Anaheim, California

Disneyland will be getting a new parade called, “Magic Happens,” featuring new floats, an all-new musical soundtrack, characters than have never been in parades before (including Moana, Cocoa, which are just to name a few!) This will debut in Spring of 2020!

Disney California Adventure: Anaheim, California

The Avengers Campus will feature the first Spiderman attraction. Guests will be able to slink webs just like Spiderman. The Pym Test Kitchen as well as Ant Man and the Wasp will also be part of Avengers Campus and guests will have the opportunity to meet characters along with Black Panther, Thor, Ironman, and others as part of their meet and greet! The WEB (World Wide Engineering Brigade) will allows guests to play and create new inventions including the web slinger vehicle.  These features will also be available at Disneyland in Paris, France!

Disney’s California Adventure will also be getting an all new E-ticket attraction where guests will be able to fly to Wakanda!

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort

Disneyland’s castle in Hong Kong will not be inspired by any of the princesses, rather instead they will be inspired by the heroines. This castle will be called Castle of Magical Dreams.

Hong Kong will also get 2 new Frozen themed attractions! One of these will be a near clone of Maelstrom at Walt Disney World’s Epcot.

Walt Disney World: Orlando, Florida

Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort has announced that Cirque du Soleil is back with a live action show inspired by Disney animation. The classic Disney characters will interact with live performers of Cirque du Soleil. This show will also feature a soundtrack that will compliment the acrobatics and stunts being performed. This show begins previews on March 20, 2020 and will open to the public on April 17, 2020.

The Disney Skyliner will open on September 29th.

The 50th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort will take place in all 4 parks in 2021.

Disney Genie is a new digital offering coming to Walt Disney World. This feature will suggest options and attractions based on your likes and preferences and can be changed on demand. This will debut in late 2020.

Reflections: A Lakeside Lodge and Resort will open as a reimagined classic country lodge. It will feature various hotel rooms like A-Framed villas and tree houses, and the first of its kind “Princess and the Frog” themed restaurant.

Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Hotel will be available for 2 days and 2 nights. It will immerse adults and children in the world of Star Wars and include a new attraction where guests will face a training robot that fires lasers while guests wield lightsabers. Guests will also be able to access the bridge of Halcyon and pilot it.

Epcot will receive its biggest reconstruction EVER attempted for a Disney park! Epcot will be divided into 4 new neighborhoods including World Discovery, World Celebration, World Nature, and World Showcase.

World Showcase: Celebrates culture, cuisine, and traditions.

  • In the China pavilion, a new film called “Wondrous China” will take guests on a journey across the country filmed and presented in a 360-degree digital format.
  • “Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360” will debut in 2020 in the Canada pavilion featuring a new story.
  • France will now have two films called “Impressions de France” and a “Beauty and the Beast” sing along that will debut in January 2020. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will open in Summer of 2020, where you will shrink to the size of Chef Remy and race through Gusteau’s restaurant. A new restaurant will also open in the France pavilion called La Creperie de Paris, which will offer both table and quick service options.
  • The United Kingdom pavilion will feature its first attraction inspired by Mary Poppins. You will go back in time and walk down Cherry Tree Lane and enter Number 17, which is the home of the Banks family, where you will begin your adventure.
  • In 2020, “HarmonioUS” will debut as the largest nighttime show in Disney’s history. This will follow the limited time run of “Epcot Forever.”

World Celebration: World Celebration will offer new experiences that connect us to one another and the world around us.

  • A new 3-tiered festival pavilion will be added. The pavilion will be the perfect place for live events and the home base for Epcot’s signature festivals. It will provide a stunning elevated view of the entire park and an ideal spot to witness Epcot’s nighttime spectacular. This three-level structure will have amazing designs featuring a plaza level, a middle expo level, and a park that sits in the sky on the top level.
  • Spaceship Earth will remain in its iconic location, but will be reconstructed to include new scenes, different narrations, a new guide, and different exit locations. Dreamers Point will also host a new statue of Walt Disney as you exit Spaceship Earth. This will also feature a garden, wishing tree, and an interactive fountain.

World Discovery: Stories about science, technology, and intergalactic adventure are brought to life.

  • Guardians of the Galaxy coaster  which is currently under construction at Epcot, will be called “Cosmic Rewind” featuring the first backwards launch coaster for any Disney park!
  • Mission Space will add a new restaurant called Space 2020. This restaurant is currently already under construction and expected to open Winter 2019.
  • The Play Pavilion will feature Huey, Dewey, and Louis in a water balloon fight attraction. This will open in 2021.

World Nature:  Dedicated to understanding and preserving the beauty of the natural world. This will include the Land and The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion.

  • Awesome Planet will open in January 2020 to showcase the beauty, diversity, and story of Earth.
  • The Moana attraction called “Journey of Water” will open and teach guests about the water cycle and why it is important to be saving our water resources.

Disney Stores: Nationwide

The Disney Store will be coming to 25 different Target stores! Various Disney products will now be available at select Target stores and will also be available on Target’s website.

Disney Cruise Lines

Disney Cruise Line’s new second private island will be called Lighthouse Point on Eluthera in the Bahamas. Disney will create a new experience that preserves the natural environment and culture. Disney will work with local artists on the island to create the artwork. It will be a place unlike any other!

Disney Cruise Line’s new ship will be called Disney Wish. The 3-story atrium will be inspired by Disney fairytales and will sail in January 2022. The character on the stern will be Rapunzel. Disney has helped grant over 150,000 wishes, which coincides with the name of the new Disney ship. Nearly 1 in 3 wishes are Make a Wish grants for Disney!

Ready to book your next trip to a Disney destination? Now more than ever is the time to visit, especially in the next coming years! Make sure to e-mail Contactus@marvelousmousetravels.com for a free quote!  

Tips for Traveling with Kids

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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. 

Paradise Awaits at Beaches Turks & Caicos!

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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.

Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
Sandals Preferred Agency
Univeral Orlando Authorized Travel Planner
FTAF Selected Travel Advisor
CLIA
American Society of Travel Advisors
Mark Travel

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