Fairytale Journeys by Kara

28/12/2024

Achieving Platinum status with the Disney Earmarked program is always an accomplishment, but even more so this year as Disney (substantially) raised the standards in response to an influx of travel agencies popping up. I’m so proud to say Fairytale Journeys maintained our platinum status, and is among the top 19 authorized Disney agencies in the entire country!

Experience, integrity, and a close relationship with the Disney support team matter when it comes to partnering with a Disney planning professional. I’m grateful for my wonderful clients over the last 9.5 years, and look forward to being YOUR guide to the magic in 2025!

✨ We are thrilled to share that Fairytale Journeys Travel has once again achieved Platinum-Level EarMarked status with Disney Destinations for the eighth consecutive year!
✨ This milestone reflects the passion, dedication, and expertise of our incredible Travel Advisors, who go above and beyond to create unforgettable Disney experiences! ❤️ To our amazing clients, thank you for trusting us to plan your magical Disney adventures—we are honored to be a part of your memories!
✨ A special thank you to our partnership with Disney Destinations and the Disney Sales Team. We truly appreciate all of your support and everything you do for us.
✨ Here’s to an exciting 2025 full of new opportunities, continued success, and the joy of helping even more families experience Disney's magic!

27/12/2024

Did you know this? The little details are my favorite! 💙

27/12/2024

And to all a good night after Christmas! 🏰🎄

26/12/2024

Hope no one burned the Christmas turkey with “that voice activatin’ stuff!”

25/12/2024

Yay made the Christmas Day parade! I wonder how many people he told were NAWDEE!! 😄📋

25/12/2024

Here we go!! Why am I crying?? 😄🥰 (Just kidding, of course I’m crying, I just love it so much!) Who’s watching?

25/12/2024

Your Christmas day programming reminder: Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade is on at 10:00AM eastern!🎄🎅❄️✨

25/12/2024

On our November trip to Disney World, I tried on a sweater in Creations in Epcot that I LOVED, but had to draw the line on spending somewhere ☹️, so I left it there.

On Christmas Eve we open gifts with my in laws so most of the presents are for the boys, but my 12 year old handed me a gift he said he just couldn’t wait to give me.

It was the sweater. 💚°o°❤️ Now I love it even more!

Hope everyone is having a happy Christmas Eve!

24/12/2024

They may not have snow at Legends Plaza at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, CA, but they’re in the Christmas spirit!

📸:

22/12/2024

The movie that started it all! It’s hard to imagine that before Snow White there had NEVER been a full length animated film. And hard to imagine how Walt sunk absolutely everything into it because he believed so completely that it would work. Thank goodness he did, and thank goodness it did! Not only a commercial success, but an artistic masterpiece as well, that we can enjoy any time. 🍎

On this date in 1937, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre to a wildly receptive audience. The film received a standing ovation at its completion from an audience that included Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, and Charles Laughton.

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was to be the first full-length cel animated feature in motion picture history, and as such Disney had to fight to get the film produced. Both his brother and business partner Roy and his wife Lillian attempted to talk him out of it, and the Hollywood movie industry referred to the film derisively as "Disney's Folly" while it was in production. He had to mortgage his house to help finance the film's production, which eventually ran up a total cost of $1,488,422.74, a massive sum for a feature film in 1937.

It had first been thought that the dwarfs would be the main focus of the story, and many sequences were written for the seven characters. However, at a certain point, it was decided that the main thrust of the story was provided by the relationship between the Queen and Snow White. For this reason, several sequences featuring the dwarfs were cut from the film. The first, which was animated in its entirety before being cut, showed Doc and Grumpy arguing about whether Snow White should stay with them. Another, also completely animated, would have shown the dwarfs eating soup noisily and messily; Snow White unsuccessfully attempts to teach them how to eat "like gentlemen." A partially animated sequence involved the dwarfs holding a "lodge meeting" in which they try to think of a gift for Snow White; this was to be followed by the elaborate "bed building sequence," in which the dwarfs and the forest animals construct and carve a bed for the princess. This also was cut, as it was thought to slow down the movement of the story.

During the film's production, Disney also encouraged his staff to see a variety of films. These ranged from the mainstream, such as MGM's "Romeo and Juliet" (1936)—to which Disney made direct reference in a story meeting pertaining to the scene in which Snow White lies in her glass coffin—to the more obscure, including European silent cinema. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", as well as the two Disney films to follow it, "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia" (both 1940) were also influenced by such German expressionist films as "Nosferatu" (1922) and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1919), both of which were recommended by Disney to his staff. This influence is particularly evident in the scenes of Snow White fleeing through the forest and the Queen's transformation into the Witch. The latter scene was also inspired by "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1931), to which Disney made specific reference in story meetings. (Wikipedia)

19/12/2024

Heeler fans - it’s happening!!! 'Bluey' is FINALLY coming to Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and Disney Cruise Line.

Starting in January, Bluey and Bingo will join Disney Cruise Line voyages originating from Australia. More details about Bluey at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort will be shared at a later date.

Josh D’Amaro: "Bluey has become a household name for families around the world and we are thrilled to bring her story to life in new ways. We can’t wait to watch our youngest guests and their families make memories with Bluey in our parks and on our cruises."

19/12/2024

🚢 Disney+ Subscribers: Set Sail & Save! 🚢

Starting TODAY, Dec 18th, Disney+ subscribers can save BIG on select Disney Cruise Line sailings from Jan 3 - June 30, 2025:

✨ 3rd & 4th guests (17 & under) sail at HALF PRICE on
•select 3-, 4- and 5-Night Cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to The Bahamas and Caribbean on the Disney Dream
•select 3- and 4-Night Cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida to The Bahamas on the Disney Wish
•select 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-Night Disney Magic at Sea Cruises from Melbourne, Australia

Availability is limited; click my quote request form to get started: https://rb.gy/tt3pab

Block-out dates below:
Disney Wish (Port Canaveral)
January 3, 2025
January 6, 2025
January 10, 2025
January 13, 2025
January 17, 2025
January 20, 2025
January 27, 2025
February 3, 2025
February 14, 2025
February 17, 2025
March 17, 2025
March 24, 2025
May 5, 2025

Disney Dream (Fort Lauderdale)
January 4, 2025
January 9, 2025
January 13, 2025
January 18, 2025
January 27, 2025
February 1, 2025
February 10, 2025
February 24, 2025
March 10, 2025
March 15, 2025
March 24, 2025
March 29, 2025
April 3, 2025
April 7, 2025

Disney Wonder
Offer ends with the February 3, 2025 sailing and excludes all sailings after February 7, 2025.

17/12/2024

Disney and BBC Studios announce the first animated “Bluey” film!! The movie is expected to hit theaters in 2027.

I REALLY hope they figure out a deal to get the characters into the parks.🤞

16/12/2024

The world lost Walt Disney 58 years ago today, 10 days after his 65th birthday.

As we commemorate that sad day, we are lucky that this optimistic visionary’s impact endures all these decades later.

Eric Sevareid of CBS news pointed out on the day Walt passed, “He probably did more to heal or at least to soothe troubled human spirits than all the psychiatrists in the world,” and that “What Walt Disney seemed to know was that while there is very little grown-up in a child, there is a lot of child in every grown-up. To a child this weary world is brand new, gift wrapped; Disney tried to keep it that way for adults.”

Every single one of you who enjoys Disney movies, parks, characters, music, and embrace its ideals of imagination, progress, and kindness (which is the real magic), helps to keep this uniquely American and incredibly special legacy alive.

As my license plates say, THXWALT. For everything.

13/12/2024

Not Disney-specific but a travel reminder: Be sure to keep your passports updated! Especially kids under 18, who need to get new ones every 5 years; adults can renew every 10 years.

I have heard SO MANY stories about people not realizing their passports are within 6 months of expiring, when many countries require passports have more than 6 months validity remaining. Not the kind of thing you want to find out when it’s too late!

Also, not all Disney cruises require passports - for example, cruises leaving from AND returning to the U.S. do not - however, it is a very, very good idea to have them anyway. Especially in case of emergency where you would need to return to the U.S. unexpectedly from one of the ports of call.

I was VERY pleasantly surprised to receive my kids’ new passports this week, considering we applied for them November 16 through the regular process, NOT expedited.

Happy traveling!! ✈️🧳

13/12/2024

Now these are old school resort mugs!! Anyone still have ones like this? I’ve seen “Dixie Landing” ones too, which was the previous name of Port Orleans.

When you stay at a Disney resort, you can purchase a refillable mug for $22.99 and get unlimited refills at the resort for the length of your stay. When you add a dining plan to your package, refillable mugs are included for everyone in your party!

12/12/2024

BREAKING: Pay half deposit up front promo is back from Disney Cruise Line!

With tropical cruises to the Caribbean or The Bahamas and fun-filled itineraries to Alaska, Europe, Mexico and beyond, take advantage of this limited time offer on select sailings between June 16, 2025 and May 31, 2026.

Book an eligible cruise by February 14, 2025, and pay only half of the required deposit! The remaining balance will be due at the time of final payment.

Money can be a little tight during and after the holidays, so this means you can pay less up front to secure your cruise, then have more time to pay the balance over the next 6-18 months, making budgeting a little easier!

Click here to fill out my quote request form: https://rb.gy/tt3pab

📸: Disney Cruise Line

11/12/2024

🌸BREAKING: The 30th Epcot Flower & Garden Festival will run from March 5 to June 2, 2025!🌸

In my opinion, late April/May is one of the very best times to go to Disney World - higher spring break crowds (and prices) are gone, it’s not summer-level hot, planned closures/refurbs are minimal, and the Flower & Garden Festival is so gorgeous and fun!

AND, there are discounts available through June! Pricing for a family of 4 staying at a Disney resort May 11-May 17 INCLUDING 5 day tickets…
🌸currently starts at $3772 at a value resort
🌸currently starts at $4206 at a moderate resort (on the Skyliner!)
🌸currently starts at $4781 at a deluxe resort

All it takes is a $200 refundable deposit (and, you could have your Christmas shopping done!) - click on my quote request form to get started: https://rb.gy/tt3pab

(I snapped this pic at 8:10am with no people in the background while walking into Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure - yet another benefit of Early Entry! 😊)