Fantastical Vacations by Jordan

21/06/2024

❓ Do you often book your travel through a big box store? I’ve got three reasons why next time you’re ready to book your vacation, you should skip booking with them - and consider calling me instead:

1️⃣ Customer Service: The big box stores might be able to offer you some type of savings on your vacation package (typically because their travel advisors forego commission), but historically, their customer service is lacking. The options I provide may not always be the cheapest available to you, but I’m committed to sticking by your side 24/7 from the time you book until the time you get home, especially if something goes wrong. I’ve heard so many horror stories from people who went the big box route - from hotels being overbooked and turning guests away, incorrect theme park tickets being purchased, and other vacation nightmares - and I can guarantee that won’t happen when you book with me.

2️⃣ A Custom Tailored Travel Experience: Vacations are not one-size-fits-all. I’ve worked with dozens of clients over the last six years, from multigenerational families to newlywed honeymooners, and no two vacations are the same - nor should they be. I know my stuff and I take the time to get to know you and your specific desires, so that I can provide you with the information you need to decide what works best for your travel party and budget.

3️⃣ Support a Small Business: When you book your vacation with Fantastical Vacations by Jordan, a real person—me!—does a happy dance. It brings me so much joy to be able to journey with my clients in this way. And your support helps pay for things like my oldest’s dance classes, which in turn supports another small business in the community.

⭐️ The bottom line: To the big box travel companies, your business is “one and done.” They won’t wake up at 6 a.m. ET to book your Walt Disney World dining reservations for you, or wait for hours on hold to apply promotional discounts or contact IT for tech support. They won’t be on standby while you travel in case of an emergency. When you book with them, you meet with them once, maybe for an hour, and maybe get a bit of a discount on your trip, and then never have contact with them again, even if something goes wrong. When you book with me, you get a real person in your corner who has a vested interest in ensuring that you have the absolute best vacation possible.

20/06/2024

Check out the latest details about Dark Universe, a new land that will be part of Universal Epic Universe, opening in 2025!

19/06/2024

A long, hot day at Lake Compounce! We had a blast checking out all the kid-friendly rides and I loved getting to experience this amusement park for the first time as an adult. My 6-year-old daughter said her favorite rides were the kiddie swings, the kiddie coaster, and the Little Critters bumper cars. She also absolutely loved Crocodile Cove water park. I finally got the cheese fries I’ve been craving for years 😂 and it’s always a joy to get to appreciate some local history in our own backyard.

Are there any local haunts that you love to visit in the summer?

19/06/2024

Good afternoon from Lake Compounce! This amusement park is local to us here in central Connecticut and I haven’t been in almost 15 years 😵‍💫 I don’t have great cell service but I’ll post in my Stories as much as I can and will share a roundup later today. Overall, we’re having a blast and my 6 year old is loving everything! 🎢

18/06/2024

Have you seen the latest from Universal Studios Florida? Check out DreamWorks Land, where you can meet Shrek and splash in his swamp for little ogres, hitch a ride on the Caterbus on the family-friendly Trollercoaster, and learn kung fu moves with Po at Panda Village. I’m loving the details of this land, especially the Trolls area - and I know my kiddos will love it, too!

Will you make a stop in DreamWorks Land on your next visit to Universal Orlando Resort?

17/06/2024

⭐️ JUST BOOKED ⭐️

Helping families narrow down on the details of their vacation to fit what they’re looking for is always one of my favorite parts of this job. Building this vacation package for my clients was no exception!

They’ll be staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, an on-site hotel and my go-to recommendation for families looking for a value resort option. Pop Century has immersive, fun theming that spans the decades from the 1950s through the 1990s, and all the amenities of staying on Disney property - including early park admission and the convenience of Disney’s Skyliner gondolas for transportation between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Excited for this family to start 2025 off with a touch of magic! ✨

16/06/2024

Happy Father’s Day to all you Disney dads out there! Special shoutout to my husband, Nathan, and the man who I give credit for passing on the “Disney gene” in our family, my dad. Thank you for making every day a magical one. ❤️

13/06/2024

🏖️ Disney Cruise Line’s newest private island, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, welcomed guests this week and I don’t think I’ve added a destination to my travel bucket list more quickly.

Lookout Cay offers a window into the rich culture, warm hospitality and breathtaking natural beauty of The Bahamas. Imagine digging your toes into the blush-sand shoreline, diving into the vivid blue waters and being mesmerized by stunning views of the sea, stretching into the horizon.

There’s plenty of family fun to be had at Lookout Cay, and of course adults-only spaces to enjoy, too. Throughout it all, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point pays tribute to the beauty of nature and, through a partnership with artists, historians and cultural ambassadors, has been infused with the colors, music and festive spirit of the Bahamian street parade, Junkanoo. Murals, sculptures and other designs created by Bahamian artists, including some from Eleuthera, are integrated into gathering spaces and cabanas.

Embark on a 3-, 4-, 5- or 10-Night cruise from Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral that includes a stop at the all-new Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. Take the first step toward planning your next adventure: https://forms.gle/8kwCAtUTrbmcPte38

10/06/2024

‼️ LAST CHANCE TO NOMINATE!

Nominations for the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards close today, June 10 at 12 p.m. ET, and I’d so appreciate your help getting on the ballot in the Best Travel Agency category. Thank you for your support!

🚨 Nominate me for Best Travel Agent in Central CT!

I’ve been honored to win the Travel Agency category for the last two years in the Record-Journal’s Best of Southington contest. This year, the Best Of contest has been combined with the paper’s Readers’ Choice contest, and I’d love your help defending my title!

But first, I need your help getting on the ballot. The contest is based on votes cast by consumers like you – your vote really counts!

It would be great if you could take 60 seconds out of your day to nominate me. I am competing in the Travel Agency category. You can submit a nomination every day, and only the top five businesses will advance to the voting rounds, so please make sure to head back daily!

Here's how to nominate in four easy steps:

1️⃣ Go to the CT Insider website: https://www.ctinsider.com/recordjournal/best/vote/
2️⃣ Select "Professional Services" from the categories, listed below "Home & Garden" and next to "Kids & Education"
3️⃣ Scroll down and find the "Travel Agency" category and enter "Fantastical Vacations by Jordan" in the "Your Nomination" field, followed by your email address.
4️⃣ Click the "Nominate" button to submit - and you're done!

Nominations are accepted now through June 10. Thank you so much for your support!

09/06/2024

Happy birthday to one of my favorite buddies to say hello to! 90 sure looks good on ya ✨

“Donald is a very outrageous fellow, with bad manners and a worse temper, and everyone is fond of him, including myself.” - Walt Disney

08/06/2024

There’s nothing more relaxing than a moonlit walk along the river.

📍 Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - Riverside | Orlando, Florida

06/06/2024

🚨 ‼️ GET HALF-OFF YOUR DEPOSIT FOR YOUR NEXT DISNEY CRUISE LINE VACATION WHEN YOU BOOK THROUGH AUGUST 9!

When you book by August 9, 2024, you’ll pay only half of the required deposit the day the reservation is made! This limited-time promotion is valid on new bookings aboard the Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Magic and Disney Wish.

Eligible departure dates are:

🚢 Disney Wonder: October 20, 2024, through February 24, 2025
🚢 Disney Dream: January 4, 2025, through March 29, 2025
🚢 Disney Magic: January 6, 2025, through March 20, 2025
🚢 Disney Wish: January 3, 2025, through March 31, 2025

Itineraries include departures from ports in Texas or Florida for cruises to the Western Caribbean or The Bahamas, including some with stops at one or both of Disney’s very own island destinations—Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. Or choose from another itinerary, including a Hawaiian voyage from Honolulu to Vancouver.

And don’t forget: when you book your Disney Cruise Line vacation with me, you’ll receive up to $1,000 in free onboard credit!

Contact me at [email protected] for more information, or fill out my cruise vacation quote request form to get started: https://forms.gle/8kwCAtUTrbmcPte38

06/06/2024

📣4️⃣! Only FOUR MORE DAYS left in the nomination round for this year's Record-Journal Readers' Choice Awards. I'd love your support as I try to get on the ballot for the voting round!

It just takes a few simple steps, and you can vote once a day - even if you've already voted! - until Monday, June 10 at noon ET. Just follow the instructions below.

Thank you! ❤

🚨 Nominate me for Best Travel Agent in Central CT!

I’ve been honored to win the Travel Agency category for the last two years in the Record-Journal’s Best of Southington contest. This year, the Best Of contest has been combined with the paper’s Readers’ Choice contest, and I’d love your help defending my title!

But first, I need your help getting on the ballot. The contest is based on votes cast by consumers like you – your vote really counts!

It would be great if you could take 60 seconds out of your day to nominate me. I am competing in the Travel Agency category. You can submit a nomination every day, and only the top five businesses will advance to the voting rounds, so please make sure to head back daily!

Here's how to nominate in four easy steps:

1️⃣ Go to the CT Insider website: https://www.ctinsider.com/recordjournal/best/vote/
2️⃣ Select "Professional Services" from the categories, listed below "Home & Garden" and next to "Kids & Education"
3️⃣ Scroll down and find the "Travel Agency" category and enter "Fantastical Vacations by Jordan" in the "Your Nomination" field, followed by your email address.
4️⃣ Click the "Nominate" button to submit - and you're done!

Nominations are accepted now through June 10. Thank you so much for your support!

05/06/2024

Hey, fellow parents of not-so-great sleepers - this one's for you. This is not an ad and I purchased this product on my own, but it was such a game changer for our family that I wanted to share our experience with it!

Neither one of my kids have ever been the type to easily fall asleep anywhere. They like their blackout curtains and white noise machines, especially as babies. Six years ago my husband and I traveled with our oldest, who was then 6 months old and - no exaggeration - she did not sleep for a whole week. She screamed almost all night, every night. It was … disastrous. We swore off family travel for a while after that. Global shutdown aside, we didn't go anywhere as a family again until she was turning 4 because we were so scarred 😅

As we were preparing for our most recent vacation in April, we knew we needed a solution for our then-16-month-old, who has seemed hell-bent on carrying on her older sister's time-honored tradition of requiring very specific conditions to sleep - especially since the four of us would be sharing sleeping quarters for a whole seven days.

Enter the SlumberPod. This is a portable blackout tent that fits over Pack N Plays and portable playards, mini cribs and toddler cots, giving your kiddo a private sleep space even when sharing a room. There's a pouch toward the bottom of the SlumberPod that fits SlumberPod's mini fan (or any other mini fan you may have), to help with air circulation. There is also a mesh pouch at the top, which is where we placed our portable white noise machine, as well as a see-through pouch, which is perfect if you are bringing along your video monitor.

It was SO easy to assemble, even in our stateroom aboard the Disney Wish. I'm not going to lie, I was worried about my daughter getting too hot while sleeping, but that was never a problem. The material is lighter than it looks, and very breathable. One of the best things about the SlumberPod for us was the ability to keep the lights on, watch TV, or do other quiet activities in our room while our youngest was sleeping. Our family wasn't sequestered to a dark hotel room/stateroom from 8 p.m. onward - which was our previous experience traveling with our oldest as a toddler.

If you are traveling with young kids who also are very particular about their sleep environment, I cannot recommend the SlumberPod enough. It saved my sanity during our most recent family trip, and allowed our WHOLE family to get decent rest while traveling.

Any questions for me about traveling with babies/toddlers? Drop 'em in the comments!

03/06/2024

⭐️ RECENTLY BOOKED ⭐️ A multigenerational family trip to Walt Disney World!

I’m so excited for my clients making a special return trip to Walt Disney World for the first time in over 10 years! They chose to stay at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, a moderate resort situated along the Disney Skyliner route with an amazing themed pool, playground, delicious dining options, and beautiful aesthetic.

Over the last almost-six years as a travel advisor, multigenerational family travel has become one of my specialities. My multigenerational families are always super fun to work with - there’s more excitement to go around!

Coordinating large travel parties and multiple rooms can be tricky, especially for Walt Disney World. This is where working with a travel advisor such as myself becomes indispensable - I’ll make sure your My Disney Experience account is set up properly so you can coordinate plans easily on the go. I’ll get up early and contend with Disney technology to book advanced dining reservations so you don’t have to. I’ll also employ the tricks I’ve honed over my many years spent traveling to Walt Disney World to do what I can to book reservations at popular dining locations. And when you travel, you’ll not only have my exclusive vacation guidebooks to help, but I’ll be on standby via text message to assist with whatever may arise.

I can’t wait to help my clients make magic next spring!

01/06/2024

Breakfast of champions.

📍 Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter | Orlando, Florida

31/05/2024

This photo popped up in my Facebook Memories from 12 years ago today. I decided to DisneyBound as a different character for every day of this trip and this was one of the last days. If you’re unfamiliar with DisneyBounding, it’s a method of styling an outfit where you take inspiration from a specific Disney character, such as their color scheme or elements of their costume design. The term was first coined by Leslie Kay in 2011, who shared visual boards of outfit inspirations to her Tumblr blog, Disneybound.

Can you guess who I was Disneybounding as with this outfit? I’ll give you a hint: this character is always enchanted to meet you 😉 🐿️

30/05/2024

Blue skies and sunshine, guaranteed ☀️

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure sure is looking beautiful ahead of its grand opening on June 28! 🐸 This attraction will be available to experience via virtual queue, or as a Lightning Lane entrance in Disney Genie+ service.

Will you be visiting Walt Disney World in the future to experience this reimagined attraction?

📸: Disney Parks

29/05/2024

It’s been almost two months and I’m still dreaming of our dinner at Narcoosee’s. It’s quickly become my go-to recommendation for an elevated dining experience at Walt Disney World. The restaurant was recently renovated and reopened with a reimagined menu, and it does not disappoint.

Located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Narcoossee’s serves a variety of fresh seafood and coastal specialties. We had a spectacular view of Magic Kingdom from our table - it’s hard to see in the photo but Cinderella Castle was perfectly visible just across Seven Seas Lagoon. If we’d had a later dinner reservation we would’ve had prime seating for Happily Ever After.

We started off with the Buttermilk Fried Calamari for our appetizer, which was hands down some of the best calamari I’ve ever had.

I chose the Plancha-Seared Scallops & Parisian Gnocchi for my entree, while my husband enjoyed the surf-and-turf dish that features Filet Mignon and a Butter-Poached Lobster Tail. I’m usually hit or miss on scallops but mine were cooked perfectly and the gnocchi was absolutely delicious. And Nate was rendered speechless by his lobster 😂

For dessert, I had to try the iconic Almond-Crusted Cheesecake with Lambert Cherry Sauce. It was so perfectly balanced and not too sweet, which I appreciate in a dessert. Nate selected the Hazelnut-Chocolate Bar, which is one of the most rich, chocolate-y desserts I’ve ever tasted. If you’re a chocolate lover you won’t want to skip out.

And I can’t forget our cocktails - I tried the Empress Lime Gimlet with Empress 1908 Gin, Rockey’s Botanical Liquer, Cane Sugar and Cold-Pressed Lime Juice. It was so refreshing and also my favorite color (purple), which I loved. Nate tried the Smoked Dark and Stormy, with Goslings Black Seal Rum, Charred Pineapple Syrup, Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth, Smoked Chili Bitters, and Fever-Tree Ginger Beer.

Have you been to Narcoosee’s before? What was your experience?

27/05/2024

Home of the free, because of the brave 🇺🇸 Today, we honor all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service. ❤️🤍💙

25/05/2024

Spent the morning celebrating my oldest and her second year of dance at her recital 🩰💃🏼 watching her progress from last year to this year has been amazing!

Hope your holiday weekend is off to a good start, too.

23/05/2024

When it rains, it pours, am I right? 😅

I’ve been MIA here for a little bit - Maycember is in full swing, as I’m sure you fellow parents know all too well, and our youngest decided to add some spice to the mix after an encounter with the playground slide over the weekend. She fractured her leg and is in a cast for the next four weeks but honestly, she’s living her best life of being pampered and waited on hand and foot. Just take a look at that mischievous smile 😉

I’m playing catch up today and tomorrow and am working through the backlog of emails in my inbox and prepping travel documents for my clients headed across the world in June (Disney World, Jamaica, and various cruises, to name a few!). If you’ve been waiting on a response from me, I want to apologize again for the delay and assure you that I will get back to you this week!

If you need something more urgently from me, please text me so I see it more quickly (sometimes my email doesn’t send me push notifications for new messages. I’ve tried to fix this for three years to no avail 😑).

Looking forward to connecting with you! ☀️

15/05/2024

⭐️ JUST BOOKED: A placeholder reservation aboard the Disney Magic for April 2025! ⭐️

My clients had such a blast sailing aboard the Disney Dream last month that they booked an onboard placeholder to secure a future Disney cruise at a discount, and now they have their next vacation to look forward to!

Yup, you read that right: for a deposit of $250, you’ll enjoy a 10% discount off prevailing rates for a future sailing if you book onboard, and you don’t even need to worry about having an itinerary already in mind. The offer is valid for up to two staterooms on one sail date per household on board, regardless of the number of adults in the household. The deposit is fully refundable if your reservation is canceled. Once a sail date is selected, standard cancellation fees apply.

This sweet family is going to enjoy the Disney Magic and all the ship has to offer while sailing to both Disney’s Castaway Cay AND Disney Cruise Line’s new private island, Disney’s Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. I couldn’t be more excited for them.

Concept Art 📸: Disney Cruise Line

13/05/2024

🚨 Nominate me for Best Travel Agent in Central CT!

I’ve been honored to win the Travel Agency category for the last two years in the Record-Journal’s Best of Southington contest. This year, the Best Of contest has been combined with the paper’s Readers’ Choice contest, and I’d love your help defending my title!

But first, I need your help getting on the ballot. The contest is based on votes cast by consumers like you – your vote really counts!

It would be great if you could take 60 seconds out of your day to nominate me. I am competing in the Travel Agency category. You can submit a nomination every day, and only the top five businesses will advance to the voting rounds, so please make sure to head back daily!

Here's how to nominate in four easy steps:

1️⃣ Go to the CT Insider website: https://www.ctinsider.com/recordjournal/best/vote/
2️⃣ Select "Professional Services" from the categories, listed below "Home & Garden" and next to "Kids & Education"
3️⃣ Scroll down and find the "Travel Agency" category and enter "Fantastical Vacations by Jordan" in the "Your Nomination" field, followed by your email address.
4️⃣ Click the "Nominate" button to submit - and you're done!

Nominations are accepted now through June 10. Thank you so much for your support!

12/05/2024

Happy Mother’s Day 💐 sending all my love and admiration to all my fellow moms out there. You’re doing great! 🧡

Today my thoughts are with those who have lost their mother in the last year, and who have experienced infertility and pregnancy or child loss. ❤️ you are seen and you are loved.

📸: Disney Junior

08/05/2024

🚨 NOW BOOKING: Tickets to the 2024 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, for resort guests!

Ticket sales open for the general public on May 15.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party takes place on select nights at Magic Kingdom between August 9 and October 31, 2024. Prices range from $119 to $199 per ticket, plus tax, depending on the event date.

Party dates for the 2024 season are:

🎃 August – 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27 and 30
🎃 September – 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27 and 29
🎃 October – 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29 and 31

I’ve already purchased clients for my existing clients traveling this fall - if you are thinking of visiting the Most Magical Place on Earth during the Halloween season, I can help you plan to experience this spooky celebration! Comment below and we’ll get you BOO-ked 👻

04/05/2024

“Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” — Yoda

💫 May the Fourth be with you , always 💫 Happy Star Wars Day!

📍 Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney’s Hollywood Studios | Orlando, Florida

03/05/2024

Jump for Joy - it’s Friday! ☀️

📍 Inside Out: Joyful Sweets | Disney Wish, Disney Cruise Line

02/05/2024

Universal Orlando Resort has released new details about Super Nintendo World, opening next year!

Check out the virtual tour of this new land, part of Universal's newest theme park, Epic Universe, and let me tell you about some of the most anticipated features that you'll be able to experience starting next year.

✅ Battle Team Bowser on Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge!
✅ Journey through colorful landscapes on Yoshi’s Adventure™
✅ Help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong protect the Golden Banana in Mine-Cart Madness™
✅ Meet your favorite characters, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad
✅ Enjoy Chef Toad’s tastiest creations at Toadstool Cafe while you watch the Mushroom Kingdom through the windows

Our family is so excited to visit Epic Universe, especially Super Nintendo World - what are you most looking forward to after this latest announcement?

01/05/2024

Happy first day of May!

Let me know how I can help you plan your next vacation, no matter how long you might be away 😉