Blog Posts by Janene Jaroscak

Experiencing Europe on Virgin Voyages

10/1/2024 • Cruises • We have cruised Europe on a few different cruise lines, both river and ocean. We just returned from Virgin Voyages English Sights & European Delights out of Portsmouth, UK with stops to La Coruna, Spain, Bilbao, Spain, and Le Verdon, France. It was a very relaxing and easy itinerary since we were able to walk off the ship and walk the towns of La Coruna and Bilbao without needing an excursion. Portsmouth, UK This is a very easy port for both embarkation and disembarkation. Taking advantage of a pre-night stay as an add-on to our cruise fare also made it seamless. The city is filled with history and is easy to walk from the Marriott hotel to many dining options. La Coruna, Spain Such a charming city and an easy walk from the ship. This historical port city dates to the Roman times and the city is lined with outdoor […]

“Hey Disney” Let’s Have Fun!

4/9/2024 • Walt Disney World • The fun doesn’t stop when you get to your Disney resort room. Adding a little Disney magic to your resort hotel stay just got a little more fun. In each resort room, you can now find the “Hey Disney” device which allows you to ask questions, play games and even get a character greeting. It’s easy and fun. You simply activate the microphone on the “Hey Disney” device and you are set to go. And when you are done playing, you simply turn off the microphone and the interaction stops. “Hey Disney, read me a story”, which is a great way to get your littles a bedtime story before dreaming of the fun day they had in the park. “Hey Disney, play a soundscape”, is a soothing way to drift off to sleep listening to their favorite Disney tunes. Other entertaining options are the ability to play trivia or even […]

Onboard The Disney Wish – Adult Lounge Areas

11/14/2023 • Blog, Cruises • Taking a Disney Cruise doesn’t mean the entire cruise is about kids. Many adults sail as couples and for girls’ getaways. But for the family cruisers, adults may want a little adult time while the kids enjoy the kids' clubs. On the Disney Wish, there are many locations where adults can grab a drink, have a lively conversation with fellow passengers, or just kick back and relax with a cup of coffee and a book. Areas that adults can enjoy their own time: • Keg & Compass – Deck 5 - Grab a brew in this maritime pub while catching live sports on one of the tv’s. • Luna – Deck 4 & 5, which is the event/entertainment space onboard the Disney Wish. It is a family use area during the day and at night is an adult exclusive entertainment area. • Nightingale's – Deck 3 – Piano bar offering […]

Le Cellier – EPCOT

10/17/2023 • Blog, Walt Disney World • One of the common questions people ask when their dining booking window approaches is where they can find the best steak. Disney parks, resorts, and Disney Springs have a few choices, but the one my family has enjoyed for years is Le Cellier in the Canadian Pavilion in EPCOT. The interior is meant to resemble a wine cellar, which gives you a cozy and quaint environment to enjoy your meal. Each section of the restaurant represents a different province in Canada. Once you are seated in the restaurant, you are greeted by your waitstaff who are always eager to share the highlights of their Canadian hometowns. Your meal starts off with bread service that includes pretzel bread and sourdough multi-grai bread served with maple syrup whipped butter. For an appetizer, we ordered the Signature Poutine, which consisted of Fresh-cut French Fries, Canadian Cheddar Cheese Curds, Truffle, Red Wine Reduction. We […]

Disney’s Vero Beach Resort

5/30/2023 • Blog, Walt Disney World • Did you know that Disney is more than theme parks and cruises? Disney has beach destinations in Vero Beach, FL, Hilton Head Island, SC and Aulani in Ko Olina, HI. After spending a few days in the parks, my family looks forward to some time relaxing and a little beach time. Disney’s Vero Beach Resort is heaven on earth. It is perfect for a getaway or adding on a few days before or after a Walt Disney World Park vacation or a Disney Cruise Line vacation. Vero Beach is a 2-hour drive from Orlando and 1 ½ hours from Port Canaveral cruise port. There are multiple places tucked away to enjoy a good book, a cocktail or just a nap. You will find rocking chairs, hammocks, and lounge chairs throughout the resort enjoy the sea breeze and the ocean view. To end the evening, you can join other families beside […]

Our Experience with the Viking Ocean Cruise

3/28/2023 • Blog, Cruises • As their motto states, “Explore the World with Viking”. We recently embarked on our first Viking Ocean cruise. We previously experienced their river cruise and enjoyed that so much we decided to try their ocean. We were blown out of the water “pun intended”. For an adult only experience, it was amazing. The ships are smaller and accommodate 900 guests, therefore, it is a more intimate sailing than larger ships. In my opinion, this is different than many cruise lines as it is more focused on the educational and port history experience through the exploration of the destination. It was a very relaxing way to gain knowledge of new destinations by attending guest Lectures & port talks, that provide the history and culture of the next destination. Viking makes the travel as seamless and easy as you would like. Therefore, guests with little international travel experience, Viking will “hand hold” […]

Seeing the World with Disney Cruise Line

9/27/2022 • Blog, Cruises • My family enjoys Disney and the quality of service that is synonymous with the Disney name. So, when we travel, Disney is our go-to company. Because we love to travel and see the world, we hop on a Disney Cruise and explore. The port excursions offer a variety of options that are both family-friendly and also selections that are for adults only. Disney Cruise Line has a variety of itineraries throughout Europe and they will be introducing new ports of call in 2023 and 2024 when they add Australia to one of their amazing destinations. My family always makes sure to add a couple of days to either the beginning or end of our sailing to truly experience one city more in-depth than just a port of call. We plan this in our own, but many of the embarkation/debarkation cities also have Adventures by Disney tour options that can be […]

Having Fun with Hidden Mickeys

9/20/2022 • Cruises, Walt Disney World • Look up, look down, and pay attention to the detail created by Disney Imagineers and Cast Members because hidden surprises are around every corner. Looking for Hidden Mickeys is a fun activity and provides an opportunity to explore all the creativity the Imagineer’s put into designing Disney. They can be found throughout the resorts, parks, Disney Cruise Line, and even on some Disney products. Or, it can even be as simple as a Cast Member being creative with the placement of dinnerware on the tables at a restaurant. Our family makes a game to see who can find the most Hidden Mickeys. We noticed it forces us to slow down and truly enjoy our surroundings and appreciate the little touches of magic that goes into creating all the magic. Since there are thousands of hidden Mickey’s all over Disney World, there are enough to keep you busy to discover new […]

Recommended Clothes to Pack for an Alaskan Cruise

8/23/2022 • Cruises, Tips • For most cruisers, packing for a warm weather destination cruise is a piece of cake. However, sailing to Alaska can require a little more thought. For our Alaskan cruise, I was concerned about having enough variety of clothes for all potential weather while still being able to pack light. I didn’t want to pack a lot of heavier clothes that would add to the number of pieces of luggage. Layers, layers, layers was our motto. For most days, we started in jeans, t-shirts, a fleece jacket and windbreakers.  As the day went on, we peeled off layers. We also purchased waterproof hiking shoes that were perfect for all of our excursions and our feet stayed dry. They were our go to shoes for rainy weather or hiking out to the base of a waterfall. Hats and gloves were only necessary when sailing through Tracy Arms. It got rather breezy and […]

Benefits of Staying On Property at Universal Orlando

9/10/2024 • Blog, Reviews, Universal Studios • If you are weighing the idea of staying on property or off for a Universal Orlando vacation, consider the following list of benefits of enjoying one of Universal's incredible properties. • Early Admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Volcano Bay. You are able to get in 1 hour prior to the public. • Shuttle busses to the theme parks and CityWalk, however, all of the resorts are within walking distance if you would like to take a leisurely walk to and from the parks. • Charging privileges with your room key. • Complimentary transportation to Sea World and Aquatica. • If golf is on your agenda, you are given priority tee times and complimentary transportation to select area golf courses. • Shop, shop, shop throughout the Universal property and enjoy complimentary delivery of packages to your resort. • Being on-site also provides easy access to and from […]