Blog Posts Tagged Planning

Living the Suite Life on Royal Caribbean

11/19/2024 • Blog, Cruises • Have you ever sat on the bed inside your cruise cabin and thought “more space sure would be nice”? Well, it is possible, and it’s not that far out of reach when you sail with Royal Caribbean! My “kids” are both taller than me now, so we take up more space than in previous years. When planning our latest cruise, we knew space would be an issue, so I started comparing our normal cabins with different suite options and was surprised at how affordable a suite would be for us. Royal Caribbean has 3 different Royal Suite Classes - Sea, Sky and Star Class, and they vary by ship, so be sure to match what class and amenities you want with your ship when talking with your Me and The Mouse travel specialist. My family cruised on Allure of the Seas in a 2-bedroom Grand Suite, which is a Sky […]

Tipping at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando

11/11/2024 • Blog, Universal Studios, Walt Disney World • There are so many people on a Walt Disney World vacation that add to the magical feeling of your vacation that it’s easy to get confused on who to tip and how much is appropriate to thank them for helping you out so here’s a list of people to thank and general ranges for appropriate amounts to help answer your questions. Transportation Once you arrive in Orlando, if you are not renting a car, as many people don’t, you need to get to your resort and may have a rideshare driver, a shuttle service, or a private car driver. Rideshare apps will give you some options for tipping, usually 15-25%. Shuttle service drivers are usually tipped for handling your baggage – usually $1-3 per bag. Lastly, private drivers should be tipped between 15-25% of your ride fare of which some companies will charge an amount in advance. Bring along cash […]

Resort Spotlight: Disneyland Hotel

10/8/2024 • Blog, Disneyland • If you are looking for a magical room at Disneyland for your next resort stay, then look no further than the Disneyland Hotel. With nostalgic flair and touches of pixie dust inside your room and throughout the resort, this hotel pays tribute to the classic years of Disneyland while providing modern, state-of-the-art amenities that guests will want to return to trip after trip. Rooms Disneyland offers multiple styles of room for all sizes of families. In the Frontier, Fantasy, and Adventure Towers, rooms feature 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds or 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed with views of the Pool, Parking Lot, Trees, or the Downtown Disney District. The beds themselves feature Sleeping Beauty’s Castle fireworks headboards and play a sweet lullaby to encourage dreams of Neverland. Looking for concierge service? Try a Club Level room that has access to the E-Ticket Club Room where you […]

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 […]

12 EPCOT Photo Locations You Need to Visit!

8/28/2024 • Blog, Tips, Walt Disney World • 12 EPCOT Photo Locations You Need to Visit! EPCOT is full of amazing locations to capture fantastic memories for your family photo album or your social media accounts. While some are easy to identify, like Spaceship Earth, there are many hidden gems throughout the park that make spectacular backdrops for your vacation photos.   Checkout these 12 photo spots on your next visit to Epcot! 1.  Spaceship Earth -   The icon of this park, Spaceship Earth can be seen and photographed in various locations in the park due to its size (It's 180 feet tall!!).  With themed garden beds as you enter the park, this always makes this location a "must do" on any visit to Epcot.  Plan to get pictures both during the day and night as it twinkles and changes colors at night. 2.  Bubble Gum Wall (#bubblegumwall) - This location continues to be a trend for park goers and their photos! […]

Choosing the Best Time to Visit: Experiencing the Four Seasons of the Disneyland Resort!

8/13/2024 • Blog, Disneyland, Holidays & Events • The Disneyland Resort has so much to see and do throughout the year, and Southern California weather is always ready to welcome you! Whether you want to escape the cold temps at home, want to experience Disneyland's Food & Wine Festival, are looking for fun seasonal treats and attractions, or simply want to enjoy all the classic attractions of the parks after the big crowds have gone home, there is a season for you! SPRING (Mid-March – May 31) Crowd Levels: Spring is a wildly popular time to visit Disneyland. Spring Break crowds usually begin arriving around March 15 and remain fairly consistent through the end of April with a few weeks mixed in here and there with lighter crowds. Easter week, which falls in different weeks (and months) each year is often the busiest. May tends to be a good time to visit before the high temps hit and […]

2024 Update: Tips for Navigating the Disability Assistance Service at Walt Disney World

7/2/2024 • Blog, Walt Disney World • For families like mine, the Disability Assistance Service has allowed us to navigate and enjoy the many attractions and characters throughout Walt Disney World. My oldest son was diagnosed at birth with Fragile X Syndrome, the leading cause of inherited intellectual disability and the leading known single-gene cause of autism. Although he enjoys all that Walt Disney World has to offer, it can quickly overwhelm him. My family is incredibly appreciative of this service. Disney Parks recently updated the registration process and usage guidelines. This blog will help highlight the recent updates. What is the Disability Assistance Service (DAS)? A service intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar disorder are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended time. Do I need documentation of a disability? The Cast Member will ask several questions to determine eligibility. They will not […]

Utopia of the Seas – Royal Caribbean’s Spectacular New Mega-Ship Celebrates the World’s Biggest Weekend!

6/19/2024 • Blog, Cruises, Tips • Royal Caribbean has done it again with the launch of their newest mega-ship, the Utopia of the Seas. As a part of their groundbreaking Oasis Class, this ship promises to redefine luxury and adventure on the high seas. But what makes Utopia of the Seas so exciting and new? Let’s dive in and explore the wonders awaiting guests on this floating utopia. What’s New and Exciting? 1. Innovative Design and Technology: Utopia of the Seas boasts a revolutionary design that blends elegance with cutting-edge technology. The ship is sleek and modern with lots of open spaces, offering guests breathtaking ocean views. Utilizing liquified natural gas (LNG) to power the ship, it will be one of the most eco-friendly cruise ships on the seas. 2. Record-Breaking Features: This ship boasts some of the largest and most impressive features at sea. Highlights include: • Ultimate Abyss: The tallest slide at sea for […]

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – 2024

6/5/2024 • Blog, Walt Disney World • It's almost time for some not-so-spooky and frightful fun! This year's Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will be on select nights from August 9th to October 31st, 2024, from 7:00 PM to midnight. Prepare yourself for the spellbinding treats that you've grown to love, along with some new tricks that are up Mickey's sleeves. A crowd favorite, The Sanderson Sisters, will host a wickedly fun celebration at the Cinderella Castle center stage. Mickey's Boo-To-You Halloween Parade will once again march down Main Street, USA with dastardly villains, ghastly ghouls and other iconic Characters donning their Halloween best. Oh, but beware of hitchhiking ghosts! Young kids, and kids at heart, can once again Trick-or-Treat throughout the Park. Fill your bag with sweet treats as you travel from land to land. Allergy-Friendly options are also available. Cast Members will have a special, teal-colored treat bag. When you trick-or-treat with your teal bag, you’ll […]

Exploring the Different Worlds of EPCOT

5/7/2024 • Blog, Walt Disney World • After you enter Epcot and take your picture by Spaceship Earth, the big golf ball, everyone rushes to their favorite attractions. Test Track, Soarin’, and Frozen Ever After to name a few. What some people don’t realize is that there’s a lot of really cool hands-on areas as well as having the opportunity to not only learn more about our world, but there’s also a lot to learn about some of the different countries that are part of our world. Epcot consists of World Celebration, World Nature, World Discovery, and World Showcase. Within World Celebration, you’ll be able to learn about the history of innovation over the centuries while riding along in Spaceship Earth. It also includes Journey Into Imagination With Figment attraction and hands on activities within the Imagination Institute. Here you’re encouraged to stay and play with sensory activities and games that spark creativity. World Nature encompasses all […]