Mandi Roark with Storybook World Travel

09/07/2020

Hey everyone,
I know I have been quiet lately, but the world is a bit crazy at the moment! I don't feel comfortable actively encouraging people to think about booking a trip to Disney, but I am here for anyone who needs anything.

My family is heading to Disney at the end of November and we are all excited. I will be giving updates throughout the trip, but everyone has a different comfort level. Disney will still be there when the pandemic is over!

06/30/2020

Do you like spending hours waiting on hold? If the thought doesn't thrill you book your Disney vacation through me and it is my job to wait for you. I am guessing that hold times will continue to be outrageous as Disney navigates the covid world, so there is no better reason to take advantages of my free services for your vacation!

Travel Agents are also among the first to get told of changes in policy or new openings/closings, so I will be there to hold your hand as much or as little as you want.

06/25/2020

This is so exciting! I know there is a lot of controversy surrounding this, but I am glad to see Disney is making this change.

Today we are thrilled to share that Splash Mountain – at both Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida – will soon be completely reimagined with a new story inspired by an all-time favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios film, “The Princess and The Frog.” Learn more about what Imagineers have in development: https://bit.ly/2ViFXAg

06/24/2020

Who wants something to look forward to for next year? Disney has opened up booking for 2021 trips though Sep 27!! E-mail or PM me for a free, no-obligation quote.

2021 will be the perfect time to experience Disney, it is their fiftieth anniversary and by then they will have sorted out any new protocols arising because of Covid.

06/11/2020

I know I haven't been active on here lately, with so much going on in the world it is a bit hard to get in the Disney frame of mind. That will get easier though, since Disney is planning a phased re-opening starting July 11. They have plenty of safety measures in place and will constantly be re-evaluating their procedures.

Now is a great time to start thinking ahead for a trip in 2021! Packages have not been released yet, but if you are interested please reach out and we can start discussing options so that we can book your perfect vacation the day they are released! Don't forget that Disney has an awesome cancellation policy, so if you book and then need to re-schedule or cancel (30 days or more before your trip) it is a simple process.

05/25/2020

Universal Studios in Orlando is set to start opening June 5th! I have never been , but am considering cutting our Disney trip in Dec short and spending a few days at Universal instead. It is hard for me to give up even an hour at my happy place, but I might love Universal just as much!

05/20/2020

Select restaurants in Disney Springs re-opened today. It is looking quite a bit different from normal with required temperature checks, face masks, and social distancing, but I am sure there is still plenty of Disney magic.

05/06/2020

Shanghai Disney is set to open up May 11! They have had parts of the hotel, dining and shopping experiences open for awhile now and have been doing a lot of modeling and testing to keep guests safe. They will not be operating at full capacity and not offering shows, parades and night-time entertainment, but most rides will be open and Disney magic will definitely be there!

03/14/2020

Disney has closed all its parks and cancelled cruises and Adventures by Disney trips. I know a lot of people are disappointed, but I am happy that they are doing the right thing and trying to keep everyone safe. I know a lot of us are staying at home and practicing social distancing right now, so I am going to come up with a few fun games (Disney related of course) to help keep us sane, so keep an eye out!

03/11/2020

There is a lot of panic out there with the coronavirus impacting travel and people debating whether or not to cancel. One of the advantages of booking with a travel agent is that it is my job to keep you informed of any developments and call up to make necessary changes (which could save you hours on hold).

I know some people book Disney park tickets through a third party, to save a few dollars, but Disney is also far less likely to refund or extend the expiration on those tickets than if you book through a travel agent.

Have a look at how difficult people are finding it to get ahold of someone from Costco Travel. I always keep clients up-to-date on what is going on with their bookings and am easy to reach about any questions or concerns.

https://www.travelmarketreport.com/tmrarticle?ttl=Costco-Travel-Clients-Fill-Social-Media-with-Complaints-Amid-COVID-19-Outbreak&fbclid=IwAR3rMCaznsXJpE0Ur-6DRVqXXv49eEiQNTbTgU4ECUISQ6XeFkGciW68QUE #.XmbHo3UutZl.facebook

Hold times of as much as seven hours at the wholesale travel company’s call center are causing travel clients to air their anger on Facebook and Twitter.

03/04/2020

Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway opened at Hollywood Studios today! Wait times were around 300 minutes within minutes of opening and all reports say that it is amazing. I can't wait to go on this on my next trip. If you want to experience it for yourself reach out and let's work on making it happen.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/03/mickey-minnie-and-pals-celebrate-the-grand-opening-of-mickey-minnies-runaway-railway-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/

Tonight, Disney’s Hollywood Studios threw a red-carpet premiere nearly a century in the making with a special dedication ceremony for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – opening to the public tomorrow, March 4, here at Walt Disney World Resort

02/27/2020

Let's talk dining plans! Guests staying on-site have the option of adding a dining plan to their package, which is essentially pre-paying for all of your food. Disney offers several different tiers of dining plan and just released a new one today, the dining plan plus.

With the Dining Plan Plus you can use your meal credits for either table service or quick service dining, unlike the Dining Plan which gives you one quick service and one table service per day. As with all dining plans you get two snack credits per day and a refillable mug to use at the resort!

This is a great option for those who want to enjoy more character meals and other table service restaurants.

We don't usually do the dining plan, because I don't want to eat that many quick service meals and the thought of the Deluxe Dining Plan (with three meals a day, plus snacks) makes my stomach hurt, so this looks like the perfect option for our family!

02/25/2020

Tickets have been released for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP)! If you are planning a trip between Aug 13 and Nov 1 you can buy tickets for this special event at the Magic Kingdom. We haven't done this yet, but it is definitely on our list!

02/23/2020

I love Galaxy's Edge at Hollywood Studios. The entrance to this area is through a huge tunnel and it truly feels like you are entering a different world. The attention to detail is amazing and even the restroom is themed! You can ride the new rides here, make a droid or lightsaber, and try drinks and cuisine from another galaxy. A lot of these require advanced registration, which I can do for you. Even if you don't want to do these extra experiences walking around Galaxy's Edge is an experience in itself and definitely one to put on your list for your next trip!

02/19/2020

My speciality is planning Disney vacations, but did you know that I can also book Universal Studios and a number of cruise lines for you? I am currently working on planning a trip for my family to Universal after my daughter saw all of the rollercoasters on the training videos!

Reach out if you have any questions. Universal is a short ride from Disney and a lot of people combine them into one trip.

02/18/2020

Kids ages 4-12 can try and harness the force and train to defeat the dark side. This is at Hollywood Studios and included in admission. You do need to register for this experience. My kids love it, these photos are from last year, it rained the day they were going to do it last month so we did other things!

02/15/2020

Did you know that kids under three are free to take to Disney? They don't count toward the maximum room occupancy, they get into the parks for free and they can eat at buffets for free! If you are considering a trip with a younger child around 2 1/2 seems like the perfect age to take them! Here is the place to ask any questions about taking young kids to Disney World.

02/14/2020

The shows at Disney are just as amazing as the rides and if you are not really interested in rides they are a great way to experience Disney magic. A surprising favorite for us the Frozen Sing-along, which is hilarious. Here is my daughter’s reaction when she saw it for the first time!

My husband and son missed this show the first time due to illness. The next time we went to Disney my son reluctantly saw it and now requests it every trip!

What is your favorite show?

02/13/2020

There is still time left to book the Kid-Size Package for Disney World. With this package kids get the dining plan for free when you purchase a resort room, tickets and adult dining plan. If your kids are 9 and under this is a fabulous deal and there is still some availability.

To get an idea of cost I just checked rates for 2 adults and 2 children staying in a standard room at Pop Century from 16-22 August with 5 day tickets and the regular dining plan. The costs came out to $4000.44, which is a fabulous deal considering that your dining is included! You can use the table service credits to do character meals, which is so much better than spending hours in line waiting to meet those princesses or Mickey!

If you have specific dates or resorts you would like to look at please contact me for a free quote. This deal ends soon, so if you are interested lets get working!

This is a picture of my kids at 1900 Park Fare, one of our favorite dining experiences and included in the regular dining plan!

02/11/2020

And the news that no one likes to hear...Disney just increased their ticket prices. They have not yet increased their prices on packages for guests on-site (guests booking a room and tickets) so if you are wanting to head to Disney World in 2020 let me know ASAP!

No tickets/packages have been released for 2021 yet, but my advice would be that once they are you should book and put down a deposit, that way if a special deal comes out we can change your package, but your price can't increase!

02/11/2020

This is a photo of my husband and son taken on our last trip. Now, my husband always laughed at me when I talked about going to Disney, but about 4 years ago finally gave in. We were living in San Diego and went to Disneyland for four nights. It was the first trip to Disney for anyone in our family. He complained about the cost and wasn't excited about it at all, he thought it was just a glorified amusement park. Now he is almost as obsessed as I am! We had season passes to Disneyland while we lived in CA and have been to Disney World three times in the last eighteen months!

If you have a nay-sayer in your family (or if you are the nay-sayer) I definitely recommend giving Disney a chance! My job is to help you determine what you will enjoy most and together we will make it happen!

02/09/2020

Later in the year bookings for the Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World will open. My entire family is drooling over the thought of doing this, it is going to be unlike anything currently offered!

Before anyone asks, we have no information on prices yet, but I am sure it will be expensive, so start saving (my kids certainly are).

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/02/reservations-for-star-wars-galactic-starcruiser-the-new-multi-day-vacation-experience-coming-to-walt-disney-world-resort-open-later-this-year/?CMP=SOC-DPFY20Q2wo0206200212200001C&fbclid=IwAR2e59psYV6v1hoqcMRV5SfAyC6tZGKuOSsQbGWb_VNs_oYaSLjujl19W3g

his Disney Parks Blog exclusive, I can share today that reservations will open later this year for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, which debuts in 2021 at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

02/06/2020

Hollywood Studios has just made this available for FastPassez, starting March 4! It will be Tier 1, along with Slinky Dog Dash and Millenium Falcon. I can’t wait to go on this, but there will be some tough choices at Hollywood Stufios!

02/05/2020

Did you know that if you book your Disney vacation through a travel agent you don't pay any more than booking through Disney directly? When you book through me I can help you plan every part of your trip, from FastPasses to packing lists. Disney is very overwhelming and planning can get quite stressful, so my job is to help you decide what the perfect trip for your family looks like and make it happen! Don't become that person who arrives at Disney completely unprepared, gets overwhelmed and doesn't enjoy their trip!

02/03/2020

Character interactions are another awesome part of the Disney World experience. You can meet princesses, Mickey and friends, Star Wars characters and so many mire. My family’s best interactions have been with Chip and Dale, who are hilarious and never rush you. Don’t feel like these are only for kids either, there are plenty of adults without kids in these lines!

01/31/2020

Did you know you can see all of these animals at Disney World? Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom takes you on a journey through open areas where you can get an up-close view of these amazing animals (and sometimes have to temporarily stop for a crossing, we had a giraffe cross right in front of us). The first time we did this we booked FastPasses for the afternoon and it was hot and the animals were hiding from the sun, so we didn't bother with it again. This trip we decided to try it at rope drop and the animals were so much more active and I can't wait to do it again. Definitely do this one in the morning or evening though, skip it during the heat of the day! The driver shared plenty of interesting facts about the animals and they also talk a lot about the importance of conservation.

01/29/2020

My daughter's request for this trip was to eat at Cinderella's Royal Table. We chose to do breakfast because it was cheaper and there were more options that my kids would eat! It was definitely amazing eating inside the castle and my kids were in awe of the fancy decor. The food was yummy and nicely presented, although I felt that the characters were somewhat rushed compared to other places. I am definitely glad we had this experience.

01/28/2020

Everyone raves about Dole Whip, but I have to say that for me a Peter Pan Float is the clear winner of refreshing treats! This is lime soft serve topped with Sprite and topped by a chocolate feather. We make it a point to try new things each trip, but this is one no one in my family can pass up.

01/27/2020

Disney is not just about the rides, but it’s overall theming and atmosphere. There is so much attention to detail in everything that you truly feel like you are in a different world. Here are my kids having lunch in a restaurant on the planet Pandora, where the movie Avatar was set. Note the extensive theming of both the restaurant and food. This is a quick service restaurant, which means you don’t need a reservation or to wait for your food and it is not outrageously expensive. It is one of our faves and we usually go here after riding my favorite ride Flight if Passage.

01/26/2020

Exciting news! Anyone traveling to Disney World from Feb 19th on can now book FastPasses for Millenium Falcon! They have also changed the tiers around at Hollywood Studios so there are more options. If you are ready to travel to Galaxy’s Edge get ahold of me and let’s work on planning your trip.