Rachel with Never Look Back Vacations

07/01/2025

Pull up a chair as I spill some piping hot tea about working with a travel agent! 🫖☕️🔥

Anytime you book a vacation, Disney or otherwise, you are paying for a travel agent’s services whether you use one or not. That’s because the cost of a TA is already factored into your total, which is why it doesn’t cost you extra to work with me!

I’m all about getting the most bang for your buck, so if you book a vacation and DON’T use a travel agent, you’re really losing value. It’s like buying that bag of lettuce and then letting it sit in the fridge until it can’t be used anymore and needs to be thrown out. Don’t throw your money away!

(This is also a stern reminder to myself that I need to eat those mixed greens chilling in my fridge…)

05/01/2025

Fireworks at sea?!? 🎆🎇

Did you know that Disney Cruise Line is the only cruise line to set off fireworks on nearly every sailing? You know that all other ships in the area are so jealous and secretly watching along.

One thing I love about fireworks on DCL versus fireworks in a Disney theme park is the ease of leaving after the show. Sometimes I skip fireworks at the parks because the mad dash to the exit after the show is over is soooo huge. Those crowds are scary! 🫣

On a cruise ship, however, it’s much easier for the crowd to disperse so everyone can get where they need to go. Magic AND convenience…what more could you ask for??

02/01/2025

It’s national buffet day, but inquiring minds need to know…are you TEAM BUFFET or TEAM FAMILY STYLE?

There’s pros and cons to each dining style.

BUFFET
👍 More options and food constantly being refreshed and replenished
👍 Chance to get up and walk around, to make more room in your tummy or allow kids to get some energy out
👍 Often features foods you might not try otherwise, giving you a chance to try some unique eats
👍 Less waste since you take only what you want
👎 At character dining buffets, you could miss a character passing by if you’re out of your seat
👎 Can get crowded or may need to wait in line depending on the meal/time of dining

FAMILY STYLE (Specifically in the “all-you-care-to-enjoy” category)
👍 Ability to sit and relax without needing to constantly get up and down to get food
👍 Allows you to focus in on your favorite items and ask for more of certain dishes over others
👍 Especially nice for character dining because you can enjoy the atmosphere and characters without fear of missing anything
👍 If presentation matters to you, family style plates are often more thoughtfully arranged to allow for a great photo-op
👎 Can be more wasteful since you often can’t take leftovers with you and portions are pre-determined, so you might be leaving food behind

Which type of dining do you prefer and why? Let me know! 👇

01/01/2025

Let’s look ahead to ✨incredible✨ things in 2025! As our lady Edna says, “I never look back, darling. It distracts from the now.”

31/12/2024

Before I say “peace out” to 2024 and hello to 2025, let’s take a look back on some highlights from this year:

🐈‍⬛ Adopted Gus, our lovey tuxedo boy
☀️ Visited Myrtle Beach for the first time
✈️ Traveled with the agency to Orlando for a Walt Disney World and Universal split stay
🌎 Experienced Universal Orlando Resort with Nolan - our first Orlando vacay together!
🛳️ Sailed on 3 cruises, two of which were media preview sailings
📸 Took a selfie with Meghan Trainor
🧠 Continued to put my mental health first, celebrating four years in therapy
📚 Read and reread the Throne of Glass series
💕 Celebrated my 8 year anniversary with Nolan
🎉 Celebrated the agency’s third birthday!

Thank you to all of those that have trusted me with their memory making this year! Cheers to many more experiences and adventures in the new year!

30/12/2024

🚨Don’t close your eyes or you might miss out on the chance to score a FREE dining plan at Walt Disney World!🚨

Starting January 2nd, guests booking a minimum 3-night, 3-day Walt Disney World Resort vacation package can receive a free dining plan for everyone in their travel party!

This offer is for arrivals from May 27th through June 26th and July 7th through August 6th, 2025! As with any offer, availability is limited so if you’re thinking about traveling to the most magical place on earth this summer, there’s no better time to start planning!

Message me so I can be ready to secure your reservation as soon as this offer becomes available! 😍

28/12/2024

It’s a private island showdown! 😱

Most major cruise lines have access to a private island exclusively available to guests sailing on their ships. Having been to three such islands, I wanted to share some of my thoughts on each to help you decide which cruise line itinerary is right for your next trip!

Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay is colorful and vibrant, just like its fleet of ships. I loved the ample amount of seating and umbrellas, as well as the distinct sections for families, kids, and adults. These areas all have similar offerings in terms of food and accommodations, but it’s still so nice to have a space for everyone! As with all Disney spaces, the friendliness of the cast members on Castaway Cay is unmatched!

MSC’s Marine Reserve Ocean Cay is much more relaxed with less variety than others but with some features I really enjoy! I love their commitment to conservation, which is evident in many of the decisions made in the reserve’s design. I loved the lagoon area, as this gave an alternate option to swimming in the ocean while still being in a natural water feature! We had a cabana on Ocean Cay and I don’t know that I’d visit again without one, as it was so convenient and relaxing!

Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at Coco Cay is huge compared to other islands in this category. Because of this, there is so much to see that it’s impossible to do it all in one day and getting from one section of the island to another can be a bit time consuming. However, I love the adults-only area which has a partially covered pool. As someone who burns easily, I found this area of Coco Cay perfect because I could enjoy the water and sunshine from the comfort of the shade!

Have you been to any of these (or other) cruise line private islands? Weigh in with your thoughts! Who do you think is the champ? 🏆

26/12/2024

Christmas might be behind us, but there’s still a few nights left of Hanukkah and plenty of other special occasions ahead that you could cover with this amazing Royal Caribbean promotion!

Book a qualifying Royal sailing and get up to 60% off 2nd guests plus up to 30% off your 3rd and 4th guests. That alone not enticing enough? Bring the whole family with kids sailing for free! These offers end on January 2nd, so there’s no time to waste!

25/12/2024

Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas! 🎄

23/12/2024

Tomorrow is the anniversary of when The Aristocats premiered 54 years ago! As a cat lover, I feel like this movie is highly underrated, but I was so pleased it’s getting some time in the spotlight with Disney Treasure’s S**t Cat Lounge. This piano bar is jazzy and purrfectly themed. 😉

You can find a variety of different fun cocktails here as well as stunning artwork and a calm atmosphere.

Fun Fact: At a panel on board the ship last week, one of the many amazing imagineers that worked on the Treasure said she hid drawings of her cats among the decor in this lounge! If I were an imagineer, I know I’d do the same! 🤪

21/12/2024

Tell us your story for a chance to win! 😍

If you're like us — Disney-obsessed adults — you've probably heard this question a thousand times:

"Why do you visit Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort so often?"

The answers vary from person to person on our team, but there's one thing we all agree on here at Never Look Back Vacations: Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort are our happy places. They’re our second homes. 🏰💖

Now, we want to hear from YOU!

What's your favorite Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort moment?

• Was it the first time you took your children?
• The magical moment when your now-spouse proposed?
• Meeting Mickey Mouse for the very first time?

Tell us your story in the comments below! 💬

Plus, one lucky person who shares their favorite Disney moment below in the comments will win this adorable festive plush! 🎅🐭

Let the holiday magic begin — we can’t wait to read your magical memories! ✨🎄

Giveaway is hosted by Never Look Back Vacations & not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company, Facebook or Instagram. Giveaway will end at 11:59pm EST on Thursday December 26th & winner will be notified on Friday December 27th. Winner must be a U.S. resident.

20/12/2024

I checked a dream resort off my bucket list recently! 🦒🦓🐃

Animal Kingdom Lodge is stunning and a much more laid back resort than others I’ve stayed at. I don’t always love having limited transportation options (AKL is limited to bus transportation to and from the parks) but for a trip where I’m most looking forward to relaxing and waking up to gorgeous views, this is THE resort.

Have you ever stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge? What did you think?

18/12/2024

Let’s talk rotational dining aboard the Disney Treasure!

Disney Cruise Line’s signature rotational dining allows guests to experience different dining rooms and dining experiences while on board. Your waitstaff rotates with you so they get to know you, your party, and your preferences. Let me tell you about the 3 dining experiences on board the Treasure:

1923
This is the most ✨classic✨ dining experience, similar to what you’d find in the main dining room on other cruise lines and ships but with some added Disney magic!
📸 The chocolate lava cake I had for dessert this night was the best dessert I had all trip!

Plaza de Coco
This is an all new dining experience exclusive to the Disney Treasure. You become part of the Rivera family’s neighborhood to experience authentic mariachi music and pieces of the beloved Coco story. Since the Disney Treasure has mainly 7-night sailings, guests get to enjoy two rotations in this dining room with two completely different shows that weave a complete story.
📸 Per the recommendation of our server, I had the carnitas and they did NOT disappoint.

World of Marvel
Although this atmosphere is not unique to the Treasure, the show itself (hosted by baby Groot) is! I’ll be honest that I don’t know much about the Marvel Cinematic Universe so I was nervous I wouldn’t enjoy myself here, but it was such a fun atmosphere that I felt right at home!
📸 The chicken satay skewer appetizer was a highlight of this meal! Super flavorful and unique!

Which of these three dining rotations do you think you’d love the most? 😍

16/12/2024

That’s a wrap on my time aboard the Disney Treasure! I have so many photos and videos and stories to share, I don’t even know where to start! Help me decide what you’d like to hear more about this week:
🍽️ Dining experiences
🍿 Snacks on board
🧞‍♂️ Magical moments we had while on board
❗️ Fun facts and details about the ship
🏝️ Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island

Let me know with a comment or emoji to help me choose what to chat about first! 👇👇👇

15/12/2024

Do you hear the sound of opportunity knocking at your door? (Or should I say ringing your doorbell?!)

Book a Disney cruise by March 14, 2025 and pay only half of your required deposit on the day you make your reservation!

A couple of important things to know:
🛳️ Your remaining balance is due at the time of final payment, which is typically 90 to 120 days before your departure!
🛳️ A standard deposit for a Disney cruise is 20%, so you would only pay 10% at time of booking
🛳️ This offer is valid on select cruises sailing between June 16, 2025 and May 31, 2026 that do not require final payment at time of booking
🛳️ This offer is not valid on Disney Destiny sailings departing November 20, 2025 through December 3, 2025

If you’re experiencing FOMO from my Disney Treasure content, we can definitely fix that!

📸: Tomorrow Tower 2-Story Suite, Disney Treasure

14/12/2024

Yesterday was a day chock full of AMAZING character interactions on board the Disney Treasure for Day 2 of the ! Here are a few things I LOVED about character meet and greets on this sailing:

✨ They’re close together (both time and space)! We made our way to the grand hall and were able to bounce from character to character so easily! By the time we’d seen 1 or 2, another was coming out!
✨ The lines are small and move fast! This was not like waiting in a queue at Walt Disney World; these interactions felt more sporadic and casual.
✨ The characters are attentive and fun! So many of the characters were taking guests by the hand to lead them around the space or having very personal and unique moments.
✨ Convenience of photo ops! The photographer scanned our “Key to the World” card before snapping photos but another cast member was always standing by to take pictures on guest devices too!

What character would you LOVE to meet on board a Disney Cruise Line sailing?

13/12/2024

I am still speechless from Day 1 of the but please enjoy this windswept picture of me while I gather my thoughts on how amazing this ship is so I can share more information with you soon. ✨

11/12/2024

“This is it. This is a very big day, Pascal.” ✨🌸

I’m so excited to share that I will be headed to Orlando today to embark on a truly unforgettable trip! Tomorrow, I’ll be boarding Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Treasure, for a special preview sailing! I can’t wait to represent neverlookbackvacations and learn more about this incredible new addition to the DCL fleet! I will be sharing my experiences here along the way!

Since I’ll be flying down to Orlando, let’s kick off today with a question: when was your last flight and where was it to? Let me know! ✈️👇