Growing Up Magical Travel

11/25/2021

New Travel Experience #3:
I have never stayed at a Universal Orlando resort! This time we stayed one night at Aventura Resort. The hotel has a super modern, chic atmosphere. The room was simple but nicely appointed. It was a little small but similar in size to other Disney resort studio rooms I have stayed in. The hotel is close to the Universal parks, especially Volcano Bay (they provide buses to the parks). The pool and amenities are nice. I would say the price is right. I would not recommend this one for a family going to Universal because the theming is not great, but it is a good option for a trip with the spouse or other adult trip.

11/24/2021

New Travel Experience #2: renting a car through Turo.com
I HIGHLY recommend Turo.com! We rarely rent a car when we go to Disney World but this time we needed one since we were also spending time at the beach. When searching for a rental, I could not find a basic car for less than $400. 👎🏻 Rental cars are so expensive these days! I had heard about Turo.com and decided to try it. Turo is like Airbnb for cars. You rent someone’s personal vehicle. I downloaded the app and quickly found a car. To my surprise, I was able to find basic cars for very cheap and a super nice sports car for less than the amount to rent with a car rental company! I chose a 2020 Ford Mustang convertible. Again - much less $$ than a basic car rental! When we got to the airport, the owner messaged me on the app with instructions on where to find the car at the the airport. The app connected with the car to unlock it and I was then able to get the key which had been locked in the car. We took a few pictures to show the condition of the car and then we were on our way! No car rental lines. No annoying rental people trying to sell me extra insurance. No shuttle ride to my car. The return process was similar. Make sure you read the reviews that owners have received in order to make a good choice, but I cannot recommend Turo.com enough!

11/24/2021

Tried a couple new things on this trip.
New Travel Experience #1: we flew into Orlando by way of Allegiant Airlines into Sanford International Airport. Allegiant Airlines is never my first choice, but sometimes they offer a price that is hard for me to refuse. This time our experience with the airline was fine. Our experience with Sanford airport was great. The airport is SMALL (Allegiant is their only airline), which equals no traffic, quick and easy parking, little wait time at the desk and no lines at security. There is a Hudson News in the terminal, as well as a burger place and a Cinnabon. Slim choices for food, but again, it’s small. The airport is a little farther from the parks than Orlando International Airport but not terrible. It took us about 40 minutes to drive to our hotel at Universal Studios. The drive to Walt Disney World from SFB is about 1 hour. Overall, it was a good experience and I would recommend this option if you find a cheap flight on Allegiant to Orlando.

11/24/2021

How to have a Disney Date @ Epcot…
- Don’t rush
- Sleep in a little. You don’t need to beat the crowds today.
- Buy Disney Genie+ since you decided to sleep in 😆
- Take the time to eat a nice meal (LOVE Space 220!!)
- Ride whatever you can with Genie+. If you have to wait in line for your favorite ride, don’t sweat it. Waiting in line with the one you love isn’t so bad.
- Explore every nook and cranny of every World Showcase pavilion (since you don’t get to when the kids are around because they complain that it’s too hot and boring)
- Eat yummy things from different countries

Best date ever! 😍

05/15/2021

The park isn’t quite officially open yet and we’ve gone on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Tower of Terror. Now Adam is relaxing with a donut the size of his head 😆

05/13/2021

If this isn’t magic then I don’t know what is. 🥰✨

05/12/2021

A surprise trip to Disney World for Adam!
5am: I wake him up - “Adam, do you want to go on an adventure today instead of going to school?!”
First surprise: we pick up his buddy - “Yes, he’s coming too!”
Second surprise: we pull into the airport. Huh? “Who wants to go to Disney World?!”
And there are more surprises to come (like that super cool PIRATE room that we are staying in at the Caribbean Beach Resort!)
4 days, just me and my little buddy ☺️

04/29/2021

Leaving you with a fun hidden Mickey. This one is in the Morocco pavilion at Epcot.
The Tragical (Magical, haha. It’s only “Tragical” when it’s taking you home) Express picked us up at our resort this evening and we are now home. No tears, though. I’ll be back with Adam in TWO weeks! 😁

04/29/2021

I have been dying to try Disney Springs’ new favorite bakery, Gideon’s Bakehouse. I finally got to! The cookies (which weigh a 1/2 pound each!) taste every bit as good as they look. The shop itself is as delightful to look at as the cookies are to eat. The Victorian-era decor is beautiful and a bit haunting. Loved this place!

04/27/2021

Sprinkled with pixie dust - we got a room upgrade from a studio to a 1-bedroom (I really must always travel with my mom because this is the third time that has happened when I’ve been in Disney with her)! The new rooms at Saratoga Springs are gorgeous 🤩

04/27/2021

Home again. ☺️❤️ But only for a short time. Flew in this morning and we go home tomorrow night (I can’t seem to resist the $30 roundtrip flights). We are here to shop Disney Springs and sit at the pool! 36 heavenly hours

09/15/2020

Today’s classroom: Animal Kingdom Lodge
We’re home! 🥳🥰

08/17/2020

Excited to share the latest addition to my shop: Disney Face Masks for Children https://etsy.me/3g3HxgT

08/17/2020

Excited to share the latest addition to my shop: Marvel Disney Face Masks for Children https://etsy.me/2YaDjOA

07/24/2020

Top 5 reasons to go to Disney NOW:
1. I found hope at Walt Disney World and you might too. I look around this park and know that all of these people are suffering the same world pandemic that I am. Like me, they have come here in search of refuge from the despair, loneliness and frustration that inevitably strikes all of us these days. Instead of judgment behind the masks, there are genuine smiles. Instead of avoidance in public, there is reaching out (from 6ft apart, of course). I was nervous to visit my favorite place. I was worried that it wouldn’t be the same. It isn’t the same. But it still has the same Disney magic. I have found hope knowing that, even during a time of such uncertainty, somewhere in the world there is still a place where my children can set sail in a pirate ship over Neverland, dive under the sea with a mermaid princess or soar through the skies on a banshee. A place where yetis are real and elephants fly. A place where I feel like everything is going to be okay. If ever there was a time that I needed to feel joy, hope and magic, it’s now; and I’m grateful to know that I can still find it at here at Walt Disney World.

07/24/2020

Top 5 reasons to go to Disney NOW:
2. Have a relaxed, slow-paced Disney vacation (what?!). No need to plan every minute of your day. No need to rush from one place to the next. With low wait times and minimal crowds, this is Disney Parks as you’ve NEVER experienced before! It has been amazing.

07/24/2020

Top 5 reasons to go to Disney NOW:
3. Disney service, plussed. Disney is known for awesome service, but I have never seen such wonderful service as I have in these few days at Disney World. It warmed my heart to watch, not 1 or 2, but 3 cast members in a gift shop descend upon my son to ask him if he was having a wonderful time. I loved seeing a sweet cast member at Satu’li Canteen show Adam special attention, giving him a private tour of their restaurant “museum” and then surprise him with a cupcake. All cast members have made special effort to take care of our every need, to ensure we feel comfortable and to sprinkle our experience with that magical Disney pixie dust.

07/24/2020

Top 5 reasons to go to Disney NOW:
4. Impeccable cleanliness standards. Walt Disney World has always given cleanliness high priority but they are taking it to a whole other level! Everywhere you turn, you’ll see cast members thoroughly wiping down surfaces. For example, for any group of tables, there is a cast member standing by and ready to wipe it down. We watched as a cast member wiped down every inch of the table AND 3 chairs that we were about to sit in.

07/24/2020

I preface these posts by acknowledging that not everyone feels comfortable traveling right now and I get that. It’s tough to make these kinds of decisions now and we all have our own comfort levels. If you ARE ready to pack your suitcases again, then here are:
Top 5 reasons to go to Disney NOW!
5. Health & Safety Precautions: From hand sanitizer everywhere to social distancing measures, from capacity regulations to mask enforcement, Disney is making every effort to keep cast members and guests safe. I see more people and come in closer contact with others in a 30 minute trip to Walmart than I did in a full day at Disney World. The safety measures Disney has taken are impressive and, from my experience, other guests are being so respectful in maintaining the new guidelines. I felt very safe.

07/19/2020

Walt Disney World, here we come!!

We’re on the Magical Express. Next stop: Wilderness Lodge!

01/29/2020

Dayton to Disney World. Earth to Batuu. We landed on an otherworldly planet and spent a few hours drinking blue milk, watching droids be assembled and piloting the Millennium Falcon. Does it get better than that?! Now all I need is to hold a baby Yoda

01/29/2020

I’m H💜ME again. ☺️🎉

(I’m pretty sure we’ve been sprinkled with pixie dust. Our flight left CVG @ 6:30 this morning. We landed in Orlando, hopped on Disney’s Magical Express, dropped our bags off at our resort, snagged a bus to Hollywood Studios and we were in the park by 9:45am. 3 hours people! Now THAT is magical 😆)

01/02/2020

Hi friends! Visit Walt Disney World this summer and enjoy FREE dining!! This promotion is for arrivals most nights Jun. 27 through 28, Jul. 5 through 7 and Aug. 29 through Sep. 8 2020. Let the dreaming begin!

11/07/2019

Book Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort for summer 2020 now! They have gorgeous beaches!

11/07/2019

More Disney's Hilton Head. Sand dollar searching, lighthouses, big waves & Mickey pretzels

11/07/2019

Did you know that Disney has a resort on Hilton Head Island?! We recently returned from a vacation there. It was amazing! Same Disney music we love, same favorite snacks, same entertainment and fun. The Disney Difference and all the magic - but on an island instead of in the parks! Now is a great time to start planning your summer 2020 Hilton Head vacation

10/05/2019

Planning a Walt Disney World vacation for Spring Break 2020? Save up to 25% on resort stays most dates Jan 1, 2020-Apr 25, 2020!

Save up to 25% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels, valid for stays most nights January 1 through April 25, 2020 when you book by January 1, 2020.

10/02/2019

Military friends - Discounted park tickets for 2020 are available as well. All tickets include Park Hopper. 4-day=$265, 5-day=$283 and 6-day=$301

Members of the U.S. Military can enjoy specially priced theme park tickets in 2020. Get details.

10/02/2019

Military friends - 2020 Walt Disney World military discounts are available. I can book awesome discounted resort rates for you!

As a member of the U.S. military, you can enjoy great rates at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels for stays most nights January 1 through April 4 and April 19 through December 18, 2020 when you book by December 18, 2020. Important DetailsThe number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited.Le...

09/30/2019

You can dream about the magic, or YOU CAN LIVE IT!!!