Alana Bedra - The Vacationeer

25/10/2024

Continuing to recap out August 2024 Walt Disney World Trip…
Day 5 – Magic Kingdom

Since we moved over to Wilderness Lodge (full recap coming!), we were able to take a boat to Magic Kingdom. This is such a nice and peaceful way to get to the park.

If you want to get good castle pictures with your kids, try to do it right when you get there! If you wait until later, you might end up with crabby kids/no smiles.

Magic Kingdom definitely has the MOST for kids, in terms of both attractions and characters.

Because we did so many character meals earlier in the trip, we prioritized rides.

We did meet Pooh and Tigger though, and that was such a cute highlight.

Our favorite attractions with our kids: Little Mermaid, Dumbo, Haunted Mansion, Winnie the Pooh, Pirates of the Caribbean, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight, Small World, Jungle Cruise.
We also LOVE the Festival of Fantasy parade. Highly recommend prioritizing this for little ones.

We took a break in the afternoon to let the kids rest, but returned in time for our Fireworks Dessert Pre-party. This prepaid event allows guests entrance to Tomorrowland Terrace to enjoy dessert and drinks before heading to their private guaranteed viewing spot for the fireworks. This is costly, but I really loved not having to stress about getting a fireworks like usual.

Because we were staying in a deluxe resort, we got to stay 2-hours after park closing to regular guests. We had an almost-empty park from 11 pm to 1 am. The kids were asleep in the stroller while my husband and I took turns riding some roller coasters. This is SUCH a great perk for deluxe guests. It happens on select nights each week.

Magic Kingdom is always a park I wish I had more time at! There truly is too much to do in one day.

22/10/2024

The day has finally arrived! Universal Epic Universe is now open for bookings for May 22 - December 31, 2025.

Four amazing theme parks. Spectacular themed hotels. Universal Orlando Resort now offers an entire week’s worth of vacation awesome.

Send me a message to get started on a quote. Remember, booking your Universal vacation with me is completely FREE to you.

21/10/2024

My favorite Epcot festival returns in 2025! One month isn’t long enough in my opinion 😉

Who will be attending next year?

17/10/2024

HUGE. GIANT.....EPIC News!

Universal's fourth park in Orlando, Epic Universe, has an opening date: May 22, 2025!

Vacation package and ticket-only booking go onsale October 22.

Note that at launch, in order to visit Epic Universe, you will have to purchase at least a 3-day ticket to the Universal parks. You can visit Epic only ONCE with that ticket. There is not currently a two-day Epic Universe ticket option.

The Helio Grand Hotel is also opening on May 22 along with the new theme park. This hotel is connected to the park and has its own dedicated entrance.

Okay...so who is ready to experience Epic Universe?

Email me [email protected] if you are interested!

16/10/2024

BREAKING DISNEY NEWS!

Today Disney announced a pilot program beginning later this month: Lightning Lane Premier Pass!

Here is what you need to know:

Premier Pass is available in addition to the current Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass System.

The pass will be available at both Disney World and Disneyland.

Guests that purchase the pass will have Lightning Lane access for each attraction at the purchased park ONCE. This includes the Single Pass attractions. They will NOT be required to reserve timeslots in the My Disney Experience App. They simply use the Lightning Lane for the attraction whenever they want.

At Walt Disney World, this is available for guests staying in deluxe resorts ONLY. Guests can purchase 7 days before check-in in the My Disney Experience App. Costs will vary based on the specific park and the day, but pricing ranges from $129 - $449 per person.

At Disneyland, ANY guest can purchase in the Disneyland App 2 days before their park visit. Guests will be able to use the Lightning Lane for all attractions at BOTH parks. Cost is $400 per person per day (in 2025, pricing will range from $300-400 per person per day).

So, what do we think of this new offering?
Drop any questions below and I will do my best to answer.

15/10/2024

14/10/2024

🚨Breaking Walt Disney World Attraction News🚨

Big Thunder Mountain at Magic Kingdom will close temporarily on January 6,2025 and not return until 2026 😱 I’m guessing this has something to do with the “beyond big thunder” attractions coming in the years ahead.

Additionally, Triceratop Spin will close forever at Animal Kingdom on January 12 to make way for the Tropical Americas land coming to the park🪦

14/10/2024

Continuing to recap our August 2024 Walt Disney World trip…

Day 4- Epcot!

Staying at Caribbean Beach means we could take the Skyliner over to Epcot. It was a super quick 5 minute ride.

I think Akershus is the best princess character dining on property (vs Cinderella’s Royal Table). We started our day here with breakfast. Dani was delighted by all the conversations with her favorite princesses 🥰

Our highlight of the day was getting to finally experience Moana: Journey of Water. This is a walk-through experience, not a ride, but it was perfect for a hot Summer day and we had to beg Dani to leave. Definitely take your littles to this.

The Seas Pavillion that has the aquarium, Nemo ride and Turtle Talk with Crush show continues to be a favorite for our family.

There was no festival going on at the time, so we tried some of the standard food around World Showcase. The School Bread from Norway and Pretzel Bread Pudding in Germany were so delicious.

Jake and I got to ride Guardians of the Galaxy, which is up there as my favorite ride at Disney.

We didn’t make it to the fireworks as the kids were getting sleepy, but we had tacos in Mexico to end the night.

09/10/2024

With all the scary news surrounding Florida this week, I wanted to share some positivity today.

This little cutie just got back from her second Walt Disney World trip.
Her mom said she HAD to meet Mickey and Minnie every single day :) They enjoyed Chef Mickey's character dining and visited all 4 parks. Can't wait to plan more trips for this family in the future.

08/10/2024

Hurricane Milton Update for Universal Orlando Resort. Your Vacationeer travel advisors are aware and available to help with questions and changes you may have.

08/10/2024

Walt Disney World operational updates for Tuesday and Wednesday for Hurricane Milton ⬇️

🚨October 8: Hurricane Milton - Walt Disney World Update

“We continue to closely monitor the path of Hurricane Milton. Based on the latest projection, we are making additional operational adjustments for the safety of our Guests and Cast Members beginning tomorrow, Oct. 9.

The Walt Disney World Emergency Operations Center is connected to weather experts and community leaders. Please know these adjustments have been made in order to leave plenty of time for our Guests and Cast Members to return to their Resort hotels or homes safely hours before higher winds are expected to reach Central Florida.

Operational Impacts Include:

🌀Walt Disney World Theme Parks
On Oct. 9, our theme parks and Disney Springs will be closed in phases beginning at 1 p.m.
-Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close at 1 p.m.
-Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Disney Springs will close at 2 p.m.

🛍️It is likely the theme parks will remain closed on Thursday, Oct. 10. We will consider opening Disney Springs Thursday late afternoon with limited offerings.

🎃This includes the cancellation of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom on Oct. 10. Event tickets will be refunded.

🧳Disney Resort Hotel Closures

⛺️Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will temporarily close beginning at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9. They are likely to remain closed until Sunday, Oct. 13.
Transportation

🚌Walt Disney World Transportation will stop operating Wednesday, Oct. 9 after Disney Springs and the Walt Disney World theme parks close. Limited Minnie Van and Mears taxi service will be available to Walt Disney World Resort Guests.
Recreation

⛳️Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will be closed on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Disney’s Blizzard Beach remains closed for planned refurbishment.
Reservations for Dining and Other Experiences”

03/10/2024

Disneyland Resort in California is bringing back their $50 kids’ ticket in early 2025!

This is a wonderful deal that saved my clients so much money this year.

This promo goes live on Oct 22! Message me for a quote 😊

02/10/2024

Continuing to recap our August family trip to Disney World…

Day 3 - Break Day - Topolino's Terrace and Disney Springs

I think doing a character breakfast at a Disney resort is a perfect start to a "break day" from the parks.

We ate breakfast at Topolino's Terrace at the Riviera Resort. Since this resort is right next to Caribbean Beach, we walked over there. It took less than 10 minutes from our room.

Topolino's Terrace is now my absolute favorite character dining location on property. The restaurant is beautiful and the tables are spread out. The characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy) spent a lot of time with our kids. The FOOD! The food is so good. Instead of the typical buffet, you get to order off a menu and pastries are included as an appetizer. This restaurant is on the top floor of the resort, so we stepped on to the terrace and took in the sights after our meal.

I will never forget how Mickey played catch with Dani and Daisy danced with her. My daughter was SOO happy interacting with them.

We spent most of the day at the main pool at Caribbean Beach Resort, which has a waterslide as well as a water play area for kids.

We headed over to Disney Springs for some shopping and dining. We ate dinner at Boathouse - one of my absolute favorites - before shopping at the World of Disney. I recommend doing most of your shopping at Disney Springs so you don't have to carry your purchases around a theme park all day. CC’s

01/10/2024

🚨2025 DISNEY WORLD SAVINGS JUST DROPPED

🤑Save Up to $200 Per Night on a 3-Night, 2-Day Room-and-Ticket Package at Select Disney Resort Hotels

🤑Save Up to 25% on Rooms at Select Disney Resort Hotels in Early 2025

🤑Florida Residents: Save Up to 30% on Rooms at Select Disney Resort Hotels in Early 2025

💻If you haven’t booked your 2025 Disney vacation yet, now is a great time! Message me for a quote today

25/09/2024

Continuing to recap our August family trip to Disney World…

Day 2 - Hollywood Studios

Staying at Caribbean Beach makes getting to Hollywood Studios a BREEZE since you can hop on the Skyliner and take a 5 minute ride over.

We started off the day by rope dropping Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Since we got to the park early and rode it during early entry it was only a 15 minute wait. I highly recommend doing this.

We tried Hollywood and Vine character dining for lunch! This was the highlight of the day for Dani as she got to meet Mickey and friends.

Other toddler friendly things we did:
-Alien Swirling Saucers
-Toy Story Mania
-Slinky Dog Dash (38 inches)
-Met Olaf, Mrs Incredible, Edna Mode, Woody, Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, Donald and Daisy
-Watched the projection nighttime show on the Chinese Theatre

There are several other things for kids that we could have done, but with a toddler and a baby in the heat moving slow and taking breaks is essential!

The kids took a stroller nap in the middle of the day and my husband and I were able to walk around and enjoy Galaxy’s Edge.

Questions about Hollywood Studios? Drop them below ⬇️

10/09/2024

We took our family vacation to Walt Disney World in August! I wanted to share a day by day “trip report” in the hopes of giving others some tips for their vacations.

Day 1 – Flight + Arrival to Caribbean Beach

Flying with 2 kids under 3 is NO JOKE. I know it can be a stressful time, but we did a couple of things to help make the process a little smoother.
1) Bring snacks! Bored? Snacks. Crabby? Snacks
2) For infants, try to plan flight around nap time. I fed my son right as we were taking off and he instantly fell asleep for an hour
3) Download movies to your phone/tablet and bring headphones for your toddler
4) Pack a little activity bag for your toddler. We brought some little figurines from the dollar store, color wonder packets and a magna doodle.
Because I wanted my infant to have a car seat, I booked us private transportation to the hotel. It wasn’t too expensive and I am really glad we did it! If you don’t have children, honestly uber is the fastest.
Once we got to Caribbean Beach, we got settled in the room and then explored! Disney resorts are SO. BIG. So we like to look around the resort, lobby, pools, kid play areas, etc.
We let my daughter play on the playground before heading to Sebastian’s Bistro, the table-service restaurant on property. Honestly, my kids were crabby from the flight, so in the future I may opt for a quick service meal on day 1 with my kids.
We went to bed early as we were hitting the parks the next day.
My daughter LOVED the “bedtime stories” you can find on your hotel room TV. She watched them every night.
One final tip: You can get groceries delivered to your hotel! Drivers drop it off to bell services and you can pick it up at your convenience. We got breakfast food, BOTTLED WATER and snacks and it saved us so much money. Bottled water is close to $5 in the parks!
Questions about Day 1 of a Disney World vacation? Drop them below!

04/09/2024

Walt Disney World Resort Spotlight:
Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa🐎🏇

I just got back from a quick 1-night stay in a one-bedroom villa, so let’s talk about it!

🏝️Disney Vacation Club property
🏨Deluxe studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom villas
🌳Treehouse villas that sleep up to 9 and are standalon buildings
🏇Theming inspired by late 1800s New York Saratoga Springs retreat famous for spas and horse racing. The resort has a Victorian feel
⛳️Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course is located on the resort’s property!
🚤Located next to Disney Springs! Guests can walk or take the boat
🚌Complimentary bus service to all theme parks. There is an internal bus loop, so there is a stop located near all buildings

Alana’s Analysis: This was my first time staying here! The best thing about it is the proximity to Disney Springs.

This resort is also one of the EASIEST AND CHEAPEST ways to get one- and two-bedroom villas, so if that is a must for your family, this resort is a great option.

Our one-bedroom suite had a full kitchen, living room, laundry, two bathrooms (tub/sink and shower/sink/toilet) and could sleep 5 (one king bed and two pull down murphy beds in the living room). It gives a LOT of space and is ideal for adults traveling with kids.

While I like the cute Disney horse murals in the lobby, I don’t think the theme, pool areas or grounds are necessarily the best Disney has to offer. The resort is also HUGE. While there is an internal bus loop, it does take a while to get everywhere.

If you plan to spend a lot of time at Disney Springs or need a villa with a kitchen and living room at a cheaper price point, you should consider this resort

Questions? Drop them in the comment or email me [email protected]

27/08/2024

2025 Disneyland resort packages are available to book NOW!

If you are a Disney World fan that hasn't been to Disneyland yet, let's make 2025 your year :)

Email me: [email protected] for a quote, or to set up time to chat about if a Disneyland vacation is right for you.

14/08/2024

~Out of Office~
The Bedra family is heading to Walt Disney World this weekend for our Summer trip!

Here's what is on our agenda:
-Split stay between Caribbean Beach and Wilderness Lodge
-Visiting all 4 parks
-Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
-Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party
-Lots of new character dining!

I will be posting about our adventures/tips for navigating the parks with an infant and a toddler in my stories on Instagram. Give me a follow if you want to join us :)

https://www.instagram.com/magicbylaney/

11/08/2024

We got SO.MUCH.NEWS. for Walt Disney World at D23 last night

A Villians Land!
New nighttime parade!
Cars attractions at Magic Kingdom!
Monsters Inc Land!

Check out all the incredible announcements ⬇️

The future is bight for WDW 🥰

07/08/2024

🛳 2 MORE DAYS OF 50% OFF DEPOSIT🛳

Guests have until August 9th to secure select Disney Cruise Line sailings with a 50% Deposit!

Below is a comprehensive list of all available sailings with 50% Deposit. As you can see, there's a LOT of availability!

🛳The Vacationeer offers On Board Credit on Disney Cruise Line sailings!

Here are all available sailings:

2 Night Disney Magic at Sea Cruise from Melbourne, Disney Wonder, sailing November 1, 2024

2 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Auckland, Disney Wonder, sailing December 2, 2024

2 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Sydney, ending in Brisbane, sailing October 20, 2024

2 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Sydney, Disney Wonder, select sailings January 14, 2025

3 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Melbourne, Disney Wonder, November 10 and November 17, 2024

3 Night Disney Magic at Sea Cruise from Sydney, Disney Wonder, sailing select sailings from December 2024-February 2025

3 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Auckland, November 29, 2024

4 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Melbourne, Disney Wonder, select sailings November 13 2024-January 2025

4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Galveston, Disney Magic, select sailings January-March 2025

4 Night Disney Magic at Seas from Melbourne ending in Sydney, Disney Wonder, sailing Feb 3, 2025

3 Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral, Disney Wish, select sailings January-March 2025

3 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Brisbane, Disney Wonder, October 22 and October 25, 2024

4 Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Disney Dream, select dates select dates January-March 2025

4 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Auckland, Disney Wonder, sailing December 4 and 13, 2024

4 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Brisbane ending in Melbourne, sailing October 28, 2024

4 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Auckland ending in Sydney, Disney Wonder, sailing December 17, 2024

5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Galveston, Disney Magic, select sailings January- February, 2025

5 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Auckland, Disney Wonder, sailing December 8, 2024

4 Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral, Disney Wish, select dates February- March 2025

5 Night Disney Magic at Sea from Melbourne ending in Auckland, sailing November 24-29, 2024

5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Fort Lauderdale, ⚡️*Marvel Day at Sea*⚡️, Disney Dream, select sailings February- March 2025

6 Night Western Caribbean from Galveston, Disney Dream, sailing February 24 & March 10, 2025

5 Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale, ⚡️*Marvel Day at Sea*⚡️, Disney Dream, sailing Feb 10, February 24, and March 10 2025

5 Night Western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, Disney Dream, sailing March 29, 2025

9 Night Hawaiian Cruise from Honolulu ending in Vancouver, Disney Wonder, sailing February 24, 2025

5 Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Disney Dream, sailing March 24, 2025

15 Night South Pacific Cruise from Sydney, ending in Honolulu, Disney Wonder, sailing February 10

06/08/2024

Visiting Walt Disney World soon?

Check out our guide for everything you need to know before using the ✨new✨Lightning Lane system.

Still have questions? Drop them in the comments ⬇️

⚡️There’s nothing to fear! The Vacationeer is answering all your questions about the new Lightning Lane systems at Disney World, Multi Pass/Single Pass.⚡️

🔗Click the link below to view a full tutorial on how to book your lightning lanes in advance of your next Disney World trip.

https://youtu.be/UgHVpqrAoPA?si=rNO0BjLht_zfD4J9

30/07/2024

Disney Cruise Line is dropping BIG news about its 7th ship, Disney Destiny, making its debut in December 2025 sailing out of Fort Lauderdale!

The newest ship in the Wish class will have a heroes vs villians theme.

Today we learned about dining, treats, and heroic sleeping quarters.

First up, we are getting a brand new dinner show featuring The Lion King! PRIDE LAND: Feast of The Lion King will have live musicians and storytellers along with your favorite music from the movie.

Next, our favorite fashionista is brining us the sweet treats you’ve been dreaming of at Edna Á La Mode Sweets.

We will have two coffee shops onboard: Cafe Megara and Cafe Merida!

Lastly, we got a glipse into the staterooms, with "Hercules" art featured in select rooms.

Concierge rooms with also highlight "Hercules" and "The Incredibles".

I am so excited for this theme! I love seeing Hercules represented, as I have always felt its presence missing in the parks.

DCL will release more Destiny news the next two days...stay tuned!

23/07/2024

Ummm…Deadpool is officially coming to Avengers Campus in Disney’s California Adventure (beginning July 26 for a limited time)and I am sooooo here for this unhinged move by Disney 👏