family travel

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?

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.

Why Vacationing In A Mask Is The Most Normal Thing You Can Do Right Now!

November 21, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Marvelous Mouse agent Lindsay Smith gives us a great perspective on traveling during this unusual time!

When travel resumed in June, travel agents everywhere jumped in the first available plane, train or
automobile that would take them to their favorite vacation destinations. When the CDC lifted the No Sail Order last month, Royal Caribbean announced that in just 24 hours, more than 20,000 people had signed up for their mock sailings – many of whom were travel agents.

Travel agents were sure that clients would feel the same about travel resuming and would be thrilled to pack their bags and finally take their long-awaited vacations. However, the growing sentiment is not fear of Coronavirus, but rather, “I don’t want to wear a mask on my vacation. I don’t want to be reminded of this virus during my personal time.”

I get it. I will follow all rules and regulations and wear my mask when required, but it’s not my idea of a good time. However, I wanted to travel. My family wanted to travel. My friends wanted to travel. Even more so – we NEEDED to travel.

According to a report from the CDC on August 14, 2020, symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased considerably during April-June 2020. Our vacations were cancelled. Our family gatherings were cancelled. Our daily way of life was cancelled. We remained indoors to protect ourselves and others. For the foreseeable future, our holiday traditions will most likely be altered because of limits on social gatherings.

A study conducted by Nature Neuroscience in early 2020 tracked 132 people prior to the Coronavirus pandemic. Baseline assessments measured depression and anxiety and geolocation tracking apps tracked their activity, along with text messages asking about their current mood at random times during the study. At the end of the study, participants repeated the same initial depression and anxiety assessment as well as MRI scans. The results were a strong correlation between positive emotions and diverse activity, and participants responded with emotions such as “happy”, “relaxed” and “excited” when the tracker showed the respondent visiting different locations throughout the day.

A quick Google search will return numerous studies with the same outcome. In this alternate universe we are living in, traveling, even in a mask, is one of the most normal things you can do and could be beneficial in elevating your mood and overall outlook. Traveling in a mask doesn’t remind you of your current situation; it helps you escape it – safely.

I will never forget the first trip my family took in June to a beach house in Oak Island, NC. After 3 nights, we began the drive home and my 7 year old started to cry. He didn’t want to go back home. He didn’t want to go back to an environment where he stared at the same walls every day and was reminded of everything he was missing. The vacation was the most normal he had felt in months – even while wearing a mask!

We visited Walt Disney World in August with the same result. Face coverings are
required in the parks and all public areas but my children didn’t complain once. Sure, the experience was a little different but the outcome was the same. Smiles. Excitement. Fresh air. Escape.

Thinking of cancelling your next trip because of mask requirements? This is where your travel agent can be a huge asset! Express your concerns. Work with your agent to come up with a travel solution that works best for you! There are many destinations, such as all-inclusive resorts, that do not require a mask while on site because of pre-testing requirements! Still want to travel to Walt Disney World but worried about a mask? Your travel agent can help you plan activities and “mask-breaks” that will make your trip more enjoyable!

I encourage you to take the trip. Travel out of the box you’ve been living in since early 2020. By waiting for mask requirements to be lifted, you may be missing out on exactly what you didn’t know you needed! Take advantage of these opportunities to escape your “new normal” and find the joy in traveling again!

Navigating the Airport with Ease!

October 26, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

If you have flown in the last few years, you know probably already know that getting through airport security can be stressful and may even lead to significant delays. Before I became a Travel Agent, I used to work for Homeland Security as a TSA officer, and I have picked up a few tips that will help you navigate security easily and hopefully as quickly as possible.

Get to the airport two hours early.

First one you have probably heard over and over again, but it is essential, especially in larger airports. While most of the time, this will leave you with spare time at the gate, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Many times, an entire checkpoint can be close for various reasons which can cause major delays, having extra time will ensure you make it to your flight on time. Don’t count on the airlines holding the flights even when there are significant issues with security.

Find the checkpoint with the shortest wait times.

If your airport is the hub for a major airline, the checkpoints furthest from that airline will typically have much short wait times. Several airports are actually, now posting wait times near the airline check-in counters. If you are in a larger airport, take a peek at these and see which ones are shorter. But be sure you can get to your gate through that checkpoint first, many airports are set up where you can only access specific gates through certain checkpoints. Some airports are even listing wait times on their websites. Now if those numbers are low, don’t think you can now get to the airport later than the two hours, things happen, and those numbers can drastically change quickly.

Have your IDs and tickets out and ready to go

Once you arrive at TSA, have your IDs and tickets ready. To help expedite, each person should be holding their own paper ticket, even kids. Kids under the age of 18 do not need an ID to get through TSA, but the agent at the podium may ask them their name to verify they are the person on the ticket. If you have digital tickets, make sure they are open on your phone and ready to go. Don’t wait until you step up to the podium to open the app. Also, have a printed back up in just in case. Phones are not always 100% reliable (cell service is out, battery dies, it decides to update at that exact moment, etc.), if you can’t pull up your ticket you will have to get out of line and back up to the airline check-in counter then back through the line.

Take out those toiletries.

To get through the line as quickly as possible, be sure to take out your toiletries, even if they are within the legal limit. The limit is each item can be no larger than 3.4 ounces each, and they must all fit into a quart-sized bag, and only one bag per person (3-1-1 rule). If you have them out, they will not need to search your bag if something looks slightly large or just strange. Plenty of bags are pulled and searched just because the agent on the x-ray couldn’t tell what it was. If they are in a bin, the agent can pick it up to make sure it is good to go.

It’s not just liquids.

The rule above is not just for liquids. It also goes for gels, aerosols, and paste. That includes toothpaste, body scrubs, lotions, and even butter. Yes butter, you would be surprised what people fly with. If it is weird, you are better off taking it out of your bag and putting it in a bin. Things like the five pound Hersey Kiss you got at Hersey Park, or the giant bag of jelly beans, or the human femur (yes it happened), or your dog’s ashes. Even though all of those are ok to fly with, they look very strange on an x-ray. If you take them out of your bag, you will avoid having your bag pulled, swabbed, and searched. Also, just because you bought it at the airport does not mean it can go past security. Be sure to purchase those toiletries and gifts like snow globes after you get past security at the gate. The exception to this is duty-free liquors, but they need to be packed correctly by the shop, and you must have your receipt.

Laptops out

One of the biggest reasons why bags get checked is laptops and other large electronics left in the bag. If you don’t have a bag designed to have the laptop one side, take the laptop out of your bag and place it in a bin by itself. If it is small enough, you can put stuff on the side but not on top or under it. That goes even for jackets or hats. If they can’t get a good view, they may have to re-run the bin slowing down the process and causing you a delay in getting to your gate. Even if you do have a bag where the laptop is by itself, make sure there is nothing else in that section like papers, folders, or other electronics.

Everything out of your pockets

If you are traveling with a child under the age of 13, the entire family can go through the metal detector. Stay together as a family until everything is in the x-ray machine, and then the officer at the metal detector should wave you through one at a time. If you guys split up, they won’t know that you are all in the same family and may send some of you through the AIT (the body scanner). Everyone over the age of 13 still needs to take their shoes off.

If you are not going through the metal detector, you will be going through the AIT (Advanced Imaging Technology). Be sure to take off your shoes, hat, jackets, belts and everything out of your pockets and send it through the x-ray. That means everything. Even tissues will be picked up. Also, if you are wearing ‘bling’ on the back of your jeans, don’t be surprised if the machine picks it up. Might want to save those for non-traveling days or you might end up getting a brief pat down to your backside (or where ever the bling is).

TSA Pre-Check

These tips will help you get through faster and without issue, but the number one way to get through security fast is to sign up for TSA Pre-Check. The cost is around $85 for five years, so about $17 per year. You do need to fill out an application and do a background check, but after you are approved, you can leave your shoes on and everything in your bag. You can even wear your favorite pair of blingy jeans. On average passengers with Pre-check wait 5 minutes or less to get through security.

Thank you to our Marvelous Mouse agent Jennifer Suissa for this great information! When you are ready to plan your next vacation reach out to one of our travel experts!

www.marvelousmousetravels.com/contactus

Experience Kennedy Space Center!

August 24, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Thank you Megan Guinnup for this fun look at Kennedy Space Center!

Kennedy Space Center is located in Port Canaveral, Florida and is the perfect way to spend a day before or after you cruise. Many people like to come in a day before their cruise so that they can make sure that travel delays don’t prevent them from making it to the ship on time and to get a head start on their vacation if they get an early boarding time (some ships board as early as 10:30 am!).

On an agency training trip to Port Canaveral/Cocoa Beach Area, we were able to spend a day at Kennedy Space Center. There are so many interactive exhibits and opportunities to learn about space exploration.

We started off with a bus tour out to the launch sites and buildings where they assemble to rockets for launch. At one time, the vehicle assembly building at the Kennedy Space Center was considered the largest enclosed structure in the U.S! As part of the bus tour, we visited the Apollo/Saturn V Center where the full Apollo shuttle is located on display (spoiler alert: it was never sent to space). It is absolutely amazing to stand underneath such a massive structure. At this center, there are exhibits about the first landing on the moon, the invention of the space pen (and other inventions that have come out of the space program like memory foam, cochlear implants, and prosthetic limbs). Kids and kids at heart will also enjoy touching an actual moon rock!

One of the other impressive things to visit at the Kennedy Space Center is the permanent home of the actual space shuttle Atlantis. In the same building you can strap yourself in for liftoff at the Shuttle Launch Experience®. There is also a model play station for kids designed after the International Space Station and a two story tall Rocket slide that kids can play on to entertain themselves while the big kids explore the exhibit.

One of the coolest things we experienced, however, was the add-on experience Lunch with an Astronaut. There was a catered buffet lunch in a conference room and while we were enjoying the meal heard from a real life Astronaut, Steve Smith, who was fortunate enough to experience four space flights covering 16 million miles and seven space walks totaling 49 hours and 25 minutes. He told his story about applying to the space program, what it was like to prepare for a mission and to be in space. Then we got to ask him whatever questions we wanted for about 20 minutes. It was fascinating and I highly recommend it as an add-on experience if you are spending a full day at Kennedy Space Center.

It really was a great way to spend the day learning and appreciating the history of the U.S Space Program. Make sure to ask your Marvelous Mouse Travels agent about adding this experience onto your pre or post cruise plans or even onto a Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando vacation as a break day from the parks.