Rachel Plans Your Vacay

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Rachel Plans Your Vacay Rachel Hoeing

Independent Travel Consultant for The Magic for Less, LLC. Professional planning service at no charge!

Specializing in numerous cruise lines, Disney destinations, European travel, and Universal Orlando.

Spice Road Table was the hidden gem of restaurants on our last visit to Walt Disney World. It’s located in the Morocco P...
09/09/2024

Spice Road Table was the hidden gem of restaurants on our last visit to Walt Disney World. It’s located in the Morocco Pavilion in EPCOT and rarely has a wait. You would think this means it’s not a great dining experience, but I have found that to be untrue both times I have visited.

I have dined both indoors and outdoors, and both experiences exceeded my expectations. The waitstaff has been very personable, and the food is absolutely delicious. The pomegranate chili crispy cauliflower was our favorite dish. They also have a mint flavored iced tea that we chugged down so quickly. It was the perfect refreshing drink on a hot day.

They also have a fireworks package, which gives you a beautiful view of the “Luminous The Symphony of Us” nighttime show.

The Spice Road Table Dining Package includes a prix fixe menu:
• Your choice of 2 small plates
• A shared tagine
• A dessert platter
• Unlimited beverages

Next time you are looking for somewhere to dine in Epcot, don’t sleep on Spice Road! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Who loves a good casino? How about a casino on the ocean? Royal Caribbean’s ICON of the Seas hosts the amazing Casino Ro...
08/09/2024

Who loves a good casino? How about a casino on the ocean? Royal Caribbean’s ICON of the Seas hosts the amazing Casino Royale! This casino has a beautiful bar area and features 30 table games and over 370 slot machines. May the odds be ever in your favor!

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is one of the most unique places to stay when visiting Walt Disney World....
07/09/2024

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is one of the most unique places to stay when visiting Walt Disney World.

The campground includes cabins as well as camping spots for RVs and tents. The cabins include DVC rental options that have recently been renovated and upgraded (not pictured). The cabins can accommodate six people with a queen bed, bunk beds, and a double pullout sofa. They have one bathroom and a full size kitchen. They are great for those who may want to prepare their own meals while on vacation.

My family enjoys renting golf carts during our stays here to help make getting around easier. We also like visiting the horse stables, sitting on our deck, swimming in the pools, renting bikes & kayaks, and watching fireworks from the beach area.

The Hoop de Doo Review is located here and is an excellent dinner show for families. Crockett’s Tavern is a great watering hole, and Trail’s End Restaurant is the perfect spot for a quick bite to eat.

Other fun activities around the campground include Chip and Dale’s campfire sing-along, archery, movies under the stars, horse drawn carriage rides, pony rides, fishing, canoe rentals, basketball courts, playgrounds, arcade, and jogging trails. They’ve got it all!

Follow my stories today to see more! ⛺️

Aloha! Save up to 25% on your stay this winter at Aulani, a Disney resort and Spa.Aulani is a gorgeous resort that will ...
06/09/2024

Aloha!

Save up to 25% on your stay this winter at Aulani, a Disney resort and Spa.

Aulani is a gorgeous resort that will fill you with the spirit of Hawaii while providing touches of Disney magic. Enjoy a beautiful private beach, pools, waterslides, lazy river, splash area, amazing restaurants, kids activities, a lagoon for snorkeling, and of course character meet & greets.

If Hawaii is calling your name, email me at [email protected] for a no-obligation quote.

Imagine a spring vacation in the Netherlands! Viking offers an incredible Tulips & Windmills River Cruise March through ...
05/09/2024

Imagine a spring vacation in the Netherlands!

Viking offers an incredible Tulips & Windmills River Cruise March through May. It is 10 amazing days roundtrip from Amsterdam.

- Admire the genius of the Dutch Masters at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum.
- Explore Enkhuizen’s seafaring heritage, Dutch World War II history and Antwerp’s Renaissance splendor.
- See colorful tulips in bloom, and sample Belgian beers and chocolates.
- View well-preserved medieval buildings in Middelburg.
- Roam Keukenhof Gardens, the world’s largest floral park.

The best time to see the Low Countries is spring, and the best way to see them is on Viking’s 10-day voyage.

A river cruise is the perfect way to explore Europe on a small vessel with low crowds and no seasickness.

Contact me for a no-obligation quote!

The Disney Destiny will begin sailing November 2025. Bookings open September 12! The inaugural sailing on November 20, 2...
04/09/2024

The Disney Destiny will begin sailing November 2025. Bookings open September 12!

The inaugural sailing on November 20, 2025 will kick off a season of 4 and 5-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale to The Bahamas and Western Caribbean.

Want to be one of the first to cruise on this brand new ship? Message me to be added to my list for quotes when prices are released next week!

Disney Destiny Inaugural 2025 – 2026 Sailings

4-Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida • Lookout Cay • Castaway Cay • At Sea
11/20/25*, 11/24/25, 1/4/26, 1/8/26, 1/22/26, 2/5/26, 2/19/26, 3/5/26, 3/19/26, 4/2/26, 4/16/26, 4/30/26, 5/14/26, 5/28/26

4-Night Bahamian Cruise
Fort Lauderdale, Florida • Nassau, Bahamas • Lookout Cay • At Sea
12/3/25, 12/26/25

4-Night Bahamian Cruise
Fort Lauderdale, Florida • At Sea • Castaway Cay • At Sea
12/7/25

5-Night Bahamian Cruise
Fort Lauderdale, Florida • At Sea • Lookout Cay • Castaway Cay • At Sea
12/11/25, 12/16/25, 12/21/25, 12/30/25

5-Night Bahamian Cruise
Fort Lauderdale, Florida • At Sea • Lookout Cay • Nassau, Bahamas • At Sea�1/12/26, 1/26/26, 2/9/26, 2/23/26, 3/9/26, 3/23/26, 4/6/26, 4/20/26, 5/4/26, 5/18/26

5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Fort Lauderdale, Florida • At Sea • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea • Castaway Cay
1/17/26, 1/31/26, 2/14/26, 2/28/26, 3/14/26, 3/28/26, 4/11/26, 4/25/26, 5/9/26, 5/23/26

Travel Tip Tuesday The Disney parks are forever changing and improving. With each visit, there is usually something new ...
03/09/2024

Travel Tip Tuesday

The Disney parks are forever changing and improving. With each visit, there is usually something new or improved to discover.

The challenge when it comes to improvements is that attractions will sometimes need to be shut down for refurbishments. In order to prevent some broken hearts, check the park calendar online to see which attractions might be closed when you visit. There are also some times when attractions will close down at the last minute due to technical difficulties. Be sure to prepare family members for the chance that their favorite attraction may not be operating and come up with some alternatives!

🏰 Magical Memories Monday 🏰The Hendersons are always so much fun to work with because they truly love Disney. They have ...
02/09/2024

🏰 Magical Memories Monday 🏰

The Hendersons are always so much fun to work with because they truly love Disney. They have been to Walt Disney World many times, but finally got to experience Disneyland in California! They stayed at the new Villas at Disneyland Hotel. Here is what they shared …

“The trip was great! We are Disney World people at heart and probably always will be, but I am so glad we got to experience Disneyland.

The resort was so nice! We had a great lunch at the Palm Breeze Bar right by the pool. The room was a great size and I loved how close the resort was to Downtown Disney. We walked out the back gate and we were standing at the security entrance! Everything was so close together. I loved being able to walk to the parks. Park hopping was so simple since the two parks are literally right across from each other.

We ended up using Lightning Lane Multi Pass and early resort entry all three days we were there. It allowed us to make sure we rode all the things we wanted to.

Our favorite area was Cars Land. The theming and detail in that land was amazing. We paid for a lightning lane for Radiator Springs Racers and the rode it two more times by waiting in standby. It was worth it every time! We also loved Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. It was just a fun little ride and we rode it multiple times. If you’re around at sunset, watch them turn the neon lights in Cars Land!

Incredicoaster, Guardians of the Galaxy and Indiana Jones were some of our other favorites (in the non Disney World category). We rode a lot of rides that they have at both parks too. Even with slight differences there were a couple (Big Thunder Mountain & Pirates) that we decided that we might like the Disneyland version better (gasp!).

Beignets from the Mint Julep bar behind Tiana’s Palace and all the desserts at the Jolly Holiday Bakery were amazing.

We all agreed that the best meal we had our entire trip was at a newer restaurant in Downtown Disney called Din Tai Fung. Our waitress was so good about explaining everything to us and making the most amazing suggestions. The soup dumplings were so delicious.

Overall we had a great trip!“

Disney’s Contemporary Resort is one of the most iconic. It is original to the park and is the one that the monorail runs...
01/09/2024

Disney’s Contemporary Resort is one of the most iconic. It is original to the park and is the one that the monorail runs through!

You can stay in the A-frame Contemporary tower or the nearby Garden Wing. There is also a separate building, Bay Lake Tower, that hosts DVC rooms. One of the best parts of staying here is that you can walk to Magic Kingdom.

Enjoy beautiful pools, cabana rentals, an arcade, a basketball court, fishing, tennis, boat rentals, volleyball, fitness center and more!

Dining includes: Chef Mickey’s, Steakhouse 71, California Grill, Contempo Cafe, Cove Bar, Outer Rim, and the Sand Bar.

Choose from numerous types of rooms with an “Incredibles” theme. The rooms are spacious and include options for suites, club level, and even a gorgeous theme park view.

Norwegian Cruise Line is always at the forefront of innovation at sea. Both the Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy have r...
31/08/2024

Norwegian Cruise Line is always at the forefront of innovation at sea. Both the Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy have racetracks onboard their ships! These were inspired by the CEO’s grandchildren when asked what they would like to see on a cruise ship.

Even though your experience as a race track car driver will include those authentic race car sounds of revving engines and gearing down as you’re coming into a corner, no one else will hear them — except for your fellow drivers. That’s because both are eco-friendly electric-car Race Tracks so as not to disturb non-racing enthusiasts. Pretty cool, huh?

My travel buddies from home flew back yesterday, but I was able to connect with another one of my friends and colleagues...
30/08/2024

My travel buddies from home flew back yesterday, but I was able to connect with another one of my friends and colleagues from The Magic for Less. We spent time at Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival. It was the first day of the event, so the crowds were pretty high, but it was the heat that was the most rough! There were plenty of tasty sips and treats to keep us cool though!

It was a beautiful morning for Animal Kingdom, and that park was just the opposite- no crowds at all! The Festival of the Lion King show and Kilimanjaro Safaris are always two of my favorites.

I checked into my new resort, Animal Kingdom Lodge, where I got to spend just one night overlooking the beautiful Savanna!

And the best way to wrap up a Disney vacation is a trip back to Magic Kingdom to see the Happily Ever After nighttime show. All the feels! 💜💙

A rest day is always recommended when visiting Disney! We used our rest day for a wonderful dinner at Ohana 🌸(located at...
29/08/2024

A rest day is always recommended when visiting Disney! We used our rest day for a wonderful dinner at Ohana 🌸(located at Disney’s Polynesian Resort). We also spent the day at our resort pool 😎 (The Boardwalk Inn). We visited Disney Springs and did a little shopping 🛍️. We ended the night on our balcony where we watched Epcot’s Luminous nighttime show 💥.

Even on non-park days, you will never run out of things to do at Walt Disney World Resort!

Watch my stories for more videos today from Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. 🦒🏰

Magic Kingdom Day! 🏰We spent the day at Disney’s Magic Kingdom and enjoyed low crowd levels. It was a Halloween party ni...
28/08/2024

Magic Kingdom Day! 🏰

We spent the day at Disney’s Magic Kingdom and enjoyed low crowd levels. It was a Halloween party night, so although the park closes at 6pm, you can usually squish in so many attractions prior to then with the smaller number of people in the park.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is the newest attraction in this park and we absolutely loved it! The music and animatronics were adorable. We enjoyed many other favorites like the PeopleMover, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We were able to ride just about everything we wanted by using the new Lightning Land Multi Pass system and the Virtual Queue for Tron Lightcycle/Run.

None of us had ever dined in the castle, so we decided to treat ourselves to this special experience and it did not disappoint. Both the food and the atmosphere were fantastic.

When the park closed, we took the ferry to Wilderness Lodge and the monorail to The Polynesian and The Grand Floridian to enjoy a little resort bar crawl! We stopped by lounges at each of these and had excellent food and drink.

It was truly a magical day! ♥️

Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios were the parks we conquered on day two. We made use of the early park entry for ons...
27/08/2024

Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios were the parks we conquered on day two. We made use of the early park entry for onsite guests, as well as the extended evening hours for deluxe guests. We had so many fun experiences! Here are our top picks:

- drinks at Star Wars Oga’s Cantina
- Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster
- lunch at Spice Road Table in the Morocco pavilion
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Fantasmic Show and Dining Package
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Sweet treats from Karamell Kuche in the Germany pavilion
- midday rest back at our hotel in order to revitalize for the evening!

Every time I’m here I say I need another week to fit in everything we want to do! There is so much fun to be had. Today we will be spending the day at Magic Kingdom. Visit my stories to follow along with the fun!

It was a beautiful first day in Walt Disney World! The day started at Typhoon Lagoon with plenty of lazy river time, wat...
26/08/2024

It was a beautiful first day in Walt Disney World!

The day started at Typhoon Lagoon with plenty of lazy river time, water slides, and relaxation. (See videos by clicking on my stories.)

We checked in at our hotel, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, and found we have a gorgeous view of Epcot from our balcony. The room is spacious and we love the decor. Being right on the Boardwalk bodes well for lots of dining and entertainment options (including a dance club and piano bar!) We enjoyed drinks at AbracadaBar before heading to The Riviera for dinner at Topolino’s Terrace. The food was incredible, as was our waiter. It was so delightful!

We enjoyed watching the Epcot fireworks from the terrace at Topolino’s, explored the resort a bit, rode the Skyliner, visited the Dance Hall, and then turned in for the night.

Looking forward to visiting the parks today! Click on my profile pic for videos and photos!

You’ll find me here at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn this week! I’m looking forward to this Walt Disney World trip with friends...
25/08/2024

You’ll find me here at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn this week! I’m looking forward to this Walt Disney World trip with friends where we will be visiting the parks, relaxing by the resort pools, enjoying some new + favorite restaurants, testing out the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass system, shopping at Disney Springs, and so much more! Click on my profile pic throughout the week to see videos of whatever we may be up to!

Got questions or have something specific you want me to feature? Let me know!

Spooky season is in full swing at Walt Disney World Resort! 🎃 This is such a fun time of year to visit the parks and att...
24/08/2024

Spooky season is in full swing at Walt Disney World Resort! 🎃 This is such a fun time of year to visit the parks and attend Mickey’s Not-so-scary Halloween Party. The party has special parades, shows, trick-or-treating, character meets, and shorter lines for your favorite attractions! Have you ever visited the Disney parks during Halloween?

23/08/2024

🚢 Explore the Disney Treasure 🚢

Unbelievable awaits from Disney Cruise Line! Be among the first to book an adventure aboard the all-new Disney Treasure.

Receive onboard credits when you book with me! [email protected]

Sweet Treats & Savory Eats at Universal Orlando Resort! 🍽️Indulge your taste buds at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & ...
22/08/2024

Sweet Treats & Savory Eats at Universal Orlando Resort! 🍽️

Indulge your taste buds at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen™! From gourmet milkshakes to mouthwatering entrees, you’ll experience a fantastical feast. Plus, don’t miss out on the new Dining Card Package offer – up to $1,000 in culinary delights awaits you!



—————————————

Dining Package Offer:

• Travel Dates: 11/7/24 - 4/10/25
• Blackout Dates: 12/20/24 - 1/4/25
• Minimal Night Stay: 4+ Nights, for best offer 5+ Nights
• Limited Ticket Types: 2-Park or 3-Park, Park-to-Park Access, 4-Day or 5-Day ticket promo tickets
• Free 5 X7 Souvenir Photograph
• · Up to $1,000 Food and Beverage Card* for select food and beverage purchases across Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Volcano Bay, Universal CityWalk, and all Universal Orlando Hotels (One Per Room)

FOOD & BEVERAGE CARD VALUE

STAYS AT LOEWS PORTOFINO BAY HOTEL, HARD ROCK HOTEL, AND LOEWS ROYAL PACIFIC RESORT
4 Night Stay = $800
5+ Night Stay = $1,000

STAYS AT SAPPHIRE FALLS RESORT, CABANA BAY BEACH RESORT
4 Night Stay = $500
5+ Night Stay = $600

STAYS AT AVENTURA HOTEL, STELLA NOVA RESORT, TERRA LUNA RESORT
4 Night Stay = $400
5+ Night Stay = $500

STAYS AT ENDLESS SUMMER RESORT - SURFSIDE INN & SUITES, DOCKSIDE INN & SUITES
4 Night Stay = $300
5+ Night Stay = $400

It’s time to book your 2025 vacation to Disneyland Resort in California! Email me at Rachel.Hoeing@themagicforless.com f...
21/08/2024

It’s time to book your 2025 vacation to Disneyland Resort in California! Email me at [email protected] for your no-obligation quote!

Travel Tip Tuesday! Beginning October 11th, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open for extended evening hours! These hours...
20/08/2024

Travel Tip Tuesday!

Beginning October 11th, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open for extended evening hours! These hours are an exclusive perk to guests staying at a Walt Disney World deluxe resort. It’s a beautiful park during the day, but even more so at night!

My tip is to be sure you plan to visit Animal Kingdom on the same day when these extended hours are offered so that you can take advantage of it! The other option is to have park hopper tickets which will allow you to visit any park that day and then hop to Animal Kingdom that night.

Remember, this is for Disney deluxe resort guests only, so if you want to take advantage of this perk, let me know you would like to see options for deluxe resorts when we book your vacation!

🇮🇹 Magical Memories Monday! 🇮🇹 The Rademaker family returned from an incredible family trip to Italy this summer. They s...
19/08/2024

🇮🇹 Magical Memories Monday! 🇮🇹

The Rademaker family returned from an incredible family trip to Italy this summer. They said that this trip allowed their family to bond just with each other which made it tremendous! It was filled with so many magical moments! They had one instance where one of the cooking classes we scheduled was cancelled due to a sick chef, but they rolled with the punches and ended up with a great day. The pictures they shared will show:

1 - Sailing around Capri
2 - Colosseum in Rome
3 - On top of the isle of Capri
4 - Winery in Florence
5 - Family selfie from Inside the Duomo in Florence 
6 - Trevi Fountain by day
7 - Melissa outside the Duomo
8 - Glass of wine in Sorrento
9 - Pizza making in Sorrento
10 - 12 - Views from Hotel in Sorrento

Here is just a bit of what Lisa shared with me …

“We had a fabulous time! The hotels were all fantastic…especially the Sorrento Hotel…the view was unbelievable and having the pool in that heat was magical!  

We went to two fabulous wineries. Florence is such a beautiful city! We ended up booking our own pizza making class in Sorrento on our free day…we would highly recommend this place.  You can make meals or pizza.  It was called Tirabuscio!

We spent a fabulous day in Capri! Our tour guide was lovely. Highlights were definitely riding the chair lift to the top of Ana Capri and the boat ride around the Island. The views were spectacular!

It was extremely hot in Rome but our guide was excellent for The Forum, Coliseum and the Vatican/St. Peters. Also really enjoyed the lunch that day..delicious and quaint restaurant.  

We are truly grateful for your help. It was so helpful to have the hotels with daily delicious breakfasts, flights and trains booked in advance and some of our excursions with options to add other things.”

If you have ever wanted to visit Japan, Princess Cruise Line is a fantastic option! Princess has sailings that range fro...
18/08/2024

If you have ever wanted to visit Japan, Princess Cruise Line is a fantastic option!

Princess has sailings that range from 7 to 22 days long!

Just a few of the many choices included:
- Japanese Spring Flowers
- Southern Islands
- Kumano fireworks & summer festivals
- Sea of Japan
- Imperial Palace
- Mt Fuji
- Historical Temples & Shrines
- Ryugado Cave
- Immerse yourself in the Japanese style and culture
- Explore Tokyo on many levels
- Arts & Museums
- Panoramic views of natural landscapes

In addition to all of these options, you will also be able to dive into Japanese culture while onboard your Princess Cruise ship!

🌟 Unlock the Ultimate Universal Orlando Feast-cation! 🎡Ready for a vacation that tantalizes your taste buds as much as y...
17/08/2024

🌟 Unlock the Ultimate Universal Orlando Feast-cation! 🎡

Ready for a vacation that tantalizes your taste buds as much as your sense of adventure? Here’s your chance! Book a 5+ night stay at Universal Orlando Resort and receive up to $1,000 in dining credit.

Imagine indulging in Butterbeer ice cream after conquering Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure™, or refueling with a juicy burger before braving Jurassic World VelociCoaster. With this special offer, you can explore Universal’s incredible culinary landscape without breaking the bank.

The longer you stay, the more delicious perks you’ll enjoy. Five nights or more unlocks the maximum $1,000 dining credit, giving you even more reasons to extend your magical getaway.

Don’t wait – this delicious deal is only available for a limited time. Start planning your tasty Universal adventure today!

🏝️ Magical Memories Week 🏝️ I am so glad that Mary Kate contacted me years ago for her vacation needs! I have helped her...
16/08/2024

🏝️ Magical Memories Week 🏝️

I am so glad that Mary Kate contacted me years ago for her vacation needs! I have helped her plan numerous trips and she is always a joy to work with. This summer her family was lucky enough to stay at Disney’s Hilton Head Resort! This destination is always in high demand, so I was so excited when we were able to find availability for Mary Kate’s family! They had an amazing trip and she shared the following information with me …

“We had such a great time!! The renovated rooms were so beautiful and so comfortable. We were amazed by all the extra beds in the living room. We all slept comfortably and had plenty of extra room. The decor was also impressive and we kept constant eyes out for hidden mickeys everywhere!

The cast members were so magical, and the location was filled with so much Disney magic! We even had a quick run in with Pluto!! We just saw him in passing so we couldn’t take pictures, but he stopped and waved and we said hello, so magical!

Our shuttle bus driver to and from the beach house, Carol, was so knowledgeable and friendly, she had the whole bus sing happy birthday to my husband when I mentioned it was his birthday! Poor Chris was so embarrassed, lol whoops!

The beach house was also so comfortable. There was so much recreation, and just a few quick steps to the beach! The weather was on our side the entire time we were there. We got so lucky.

We spent every morning at the beach (I stayed by the pool with my books, total bliss) and then spent every afternoon at the resort pool. We absolutely loved the water slide and playing trivia with the life guards. We also had our fill of Mickey waffles, beignets, and everything else they had to offer.

All we could talk about was planning our next trip there, we absolutely loved it. Thank you so much for helping us make all of this possible!”

Magical Memories Week 🎲 This trip was a fun one to plan because it was for my cousin who I haven’t seen in so long! It w...
15/08/2024

Magical Memories Week 🎲

This trip was a fun one to plan because it was for my cousin who I haven’t seen in so long! It was so cool to connect with her and organize a summer trip to Las Vegas!

Beth Ann and her family stayed in a gorgeous suite at The Venetian, which they loved. It overlooked The Sphere, which means she got some incredible videos! I’ll share more in my stories today.

Some of the things they enjoyed were the Cirque de Soleil show “O”, exploring hotels on the strip, Fremont Street, and a kayak adventure!

The only downfall of the trip was the heat! After the kayaking, one of their family members took a while to recover due to heat stroke. So the season of visiting would have been the only thing they would change.

Otherwise, a successful trip with great family time!

🇬🇷 Magical Memories Week 🇬🇷Today’s featured family decided to take an incredible cruise this summer. Becky, along with h...
14/08/2024

🇬🇷 Magical Memories Week 🇬🇷

Today’s featured family decided to take an incredible cruise this summer. Becky, along with her husband and son, enjoyed Royal Caribbean‘s Explorer of the Seas on a seven night Greek Isles cruise!

Their beginning port was Ravenna, which made a great reason to explore Italy for a few days before the cruise! They then cruised to Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Argostoli, Greece before returning to Italy.

They enjoyed many excursions through Royal Caribbean, and we also booked them an incredible four hour Santorini tour that ended up being one of their favorites, largely in part to the incredible tour guide, Dimitris Papadopoulos (last picture).

Becky said that exploring Venice and Santorini were definitely their favorites! They loved their Gondola ride and seeing the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

She will forever remember the outdoor stairs in Santorini, Greece and said that next time they will l take the cable car, no matter how long the wait! 😆

They also loved Platis Gialos in Argostoli, which was a very family friendly beach and only about a 10-min taxi ride from the port.

They also were in awe of the water at the rocky shoreline of Mykonos that is so clear and beautiful. Becky enjoyed spotting the hot pink bougainvillea which grows everywhere on Mykonos.

As far as the cruise itself, they shared that the dining staff onboard the cruise ship was truly amazing and the service was top notch.

Becky also shared the following, “I’d also like to thank my friend Rachel who made all of our arrangements. She thinks of everything! I encourage you to take the leap if you’ve always wanted to go somewhere in this beautiful world. It had been a dream of mine to go to Greece and it did not disappoint!”

🏰 Magical Memories Week 🏰Today I am highlighting Amanda and her son who took an unforgettable trip to the west coast to ...
13/08/2024

🏰 Magical Memories Week 🏰

Today I am highlighting Amanda and her son who took an unforgettable trip to the west coast to visit Disneyland Resort. Here is what she shared!

“After two super fun trips to Walt Disney World in Florida and getting totally hooked, I am so glad we got the chance to experience the west coast parks. There are so many cool things at Disneyland that don’t exist at WDW in Florida.

Cars Land is really well done and nostalgic. It absolutely transports you to Route 66. The Radiator Springs Racers ride was a blast. The Avengers campus is also quite neat, and the Spiderman Web-slingers ride along with Indiana Jones are my 7 year old’s new favorites of all the parks. I personally loved Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Mr Toad and the Casey Jr train from Dumbo.

Our favorite dining was in California Adventure: Lamplight Lounge and Flo’s V8 cafe. We stayed at the Marriott Theme park entrance which was an easy walk to the park. Having dinner at Pixar Place and breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland resort were great ways to soak up the ambience of both those resorts and the food was excellent.

We didn’t make a dining reservation on the day we did the original DL park which was great for flexibility, but we did end up starving with no good food options at the end of the day. Jolly Holiday bakery would be my one food recommendation there...and when my kiddo saw what looks like the ACTUAL Pizza Planet from Toy Story, he HAD to eat there, but the pizza was not great and the only Disney food experience I’ve had that was meh.

Downtown Disney also had some great food. We liked Centrica and just wandering around. Everything is completely walkable which is great but my one tip is to know that if you need to get from good neighbor hotels to resort hotels you do have to go through Downtown Disney security which can have a line.

I liked having one full day to focus on each park, but a 3rd park-hopper day would have been ideal in a perfect world!”

🚢 Magical Memories Week 🚢 I’m sharing trip reports from my clients all week! Today we start with Christine and her son w...
12/08/2024

🚢 Magical Memories Week 🚢

I’m sharing trip reports from my clients all week! Today we start with Christine and her son who cruised to the Norwegian fjords along with a visit to London!

“I’ve always had a goal to take each of my kids on a big trip before they graduate high school. My older son had his heart set on seeing Norway. I wasn’t initially excited about it since I was hoping for somewhere like Italy or Greece. But, Norway was it for him. Even though we’d never been on a cruise, it ended up to be the perfect option. We wanted to see the Norwegian fjords, and also it was a bonus to be able to unpack once and see many different places. After we booked the cruise through Rachel, I started following the Visit Norway Instagram page, and my excitement for this trip grew.

We sailed out of the port in Southampton. Rachel helped with planning our transportation from London to the port, as well as our airport transfers. I’m so glad we decided to spend time in London. We even happened to wander up to Buckingham Palace just in time to see the Changing of the Guards!

The cruise was amazing! We traveled on Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas. It had great amenities and tons of good food options. My son especially liked connecting with other teenagers on the trip. He made friends from all over the world, which was a definite highlight for him.

Seeing the fjords was awe-inspiring. Two of our ports, Olden and Flam, were deep in the fjords, so this meant hours and hours of beautiful views of the landscape from our ship before and after each port. Some of these areas are really remote, so it would be difficult to see the views without the cruise option. We did Royal Caribbean excursions at every stop. They were very well-organized, and had options for more or less active adventures. Bruges, Belguim ended up being one of my favorite stops, in large part because of the chocolate shops at every corner!

Overall, we had an amazing adventure, and I’m glad my son picked somewhere that wasn’t on my radar. I would love to go back! Rachel’s help with the planning helped it be a more relaxing experience so we could enjoy our time and our big adventure together!”

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