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7/19/2022 • Cruises, Tips •
Your Disney cruise is booked and the countdown clock is tickin’! You’ve scoured the internet for tips, booked excursions, scheduled a princess meet and greet, and are ready to order your Mickey bar at midnight from room service, but what should you expect on embarkation day? Let’s break it down so you make the most of your first afternoon exploring the ship! Online Check-In - 30 days prior to sailing, you can begin the online check-in. Add your flights, ensure your names and passport details are correct and select a port arrival time. Port Arrival - Unless you are arriving by DCL transfers, do not arrive early or you will be turned away from the port until your documented port arrival time. Luggage - If you have received DCL luggage tags, make sure those are attached to your luggage. * If taking DCL transfers, you will receive your DCL luggage […]
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7/12/2022 • Tips, Walt Disney World •
With summer upon us, the heat and humidity in Florida can send even the most southern of families screaming for some cooling relief. We know you’ve been eagerly anticipating your Disney World vacation for months and we don’t want you to miss out on any of the fun that Disney has to offer because of the heat. Here are some tips to help you survive the hottest and most humid of Disney days: 1. Take advantage of Disney’s Extra Magic Hours. By staying on property at Disney, you qualify to go early or stay late at Disney’s parks. The extra magic hours are the coolest of times to visit the parks not to mention the least busy times. Not a morning or a late person? Go back to your hotel during the hottest part of the day to rest so that you’ll have the energy for the extra magic hours. […]
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10/22/2024 • Adventures by Disney •
When you hear Disney, naturally you’ll think of Mickey, Minnie, and lots and lots of kids. But did you know that Disney is so much more than just the amusement parks? Read on to hear just a few of the amazing destinations offered through Adventures by Disney for the adult-exclusive trip of a lifetime! Adventures by Disney is unique as it offers guided international tours that allow you to travel in style and sophistication, but experience the world like a local. As the highest-rated Disney destination, ABD offers small guided group vacations where you get to touch, taste, hear and explore firsthand the places you visit, all with the goal of truly getting to know the culture and people who live there. And the best part is that so much is included in your trip! Transportation within your trip including transfers between airports and hotels, taxes, most gratuities, top of […]
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6/19/2026 • Reviews, Tips, Universal Studios Orlando •
When choosing table service restaurants for your next Universal Orlando vacation, look no further than Vivo Italian Kitchen. Located in Citywalk, you don't need park tickets to enjoy this delicious meal. Vivo has a modern look, with ample seating and an open kitchen. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked and smelled absolutely amazing, making us want to go back for another meal the next day. Each meal begins with a homemade loaf of Italian bread. Olive oil is provided at the table for dipping. Although all of the appetizers were tempting, we decided on the fried ricotta. The creamy rosemary and lemon ricotta was breaded and fried and served on a bed of homemade tomato sauce. It was so delicious we used the rest of the bread to mop up the tomato sauce. Entrees were an even more difficult decision. I was stuck between the lasagna made with […]
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5/31/2022 • Blog, Cruises •
Once you climb aboard the Scarlet Lady, the last stop you make is to Bimini, Bahamas. Sailors are invited to spend the day at an exclusive 4.5 acre-beach club. The Beach Club is a private, resort-like experience for when you’re not out visiting the island! Before you head to the beach, be sure to bring your wristband with you. Your bar tab will be as if you are on the ship. Need to get in touch with family or check emails? The Scarlet Lady’s wi-fi reaches the beach! The tram will be waiting to take you to your excursions or to Virgin Voyages Beach Club. This tram runs all day so if you would like to head back to the ship, your wait is no longer than 5-10 minutes. Upon entering the club, you will see a map of how the club is laid out. To the left, is an […]
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5/10/2022 • Blog •
Theme Park and cruise vacations are the best, right?! But have you ever wanted something different? For an awesome beach vacation, or trip to explore a lively city, Marriott properties might be just what you are looking for. Marriott has 25+ brands offering everything from single-night hotel stays to all-inclusive resorts and even a luxury yacht collection. I recently stayed at two of the luxury hotel properties – The JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort and The JW Marriott Marquis Miami. In this piece, I’ll go over some of the fantastic options each hotel has to offer. First up, The JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort – Wow, what a great resort! Marco Island, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida is connected to the mainland by bridges near Naples. The entire island is less than 25sq miles and this resort encompasses 3 of those miles […]
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5/3/2022 • Blog, Walt Disney World •
A fun feature when visiting Disney's magical theme parks is that you can take advantage of the Magic Band, an all-in-one wearable device that makes it easy to enjoy your time at Walt Disney World. But did you know that your Apple Watch may be used as a Magic Band? An Apple Watch can be a valuable asset on a visit to Walt Disney World. It can provide you with accurate wait times, keep you updated with park hours, keep you in touch with your family, show you where to find the nearest restroom, and more! While using an Apple Watch doesn't replace a smartphone for all of the tools that are available for a Walt Disney World vacation, it does offer some unique and convenient features. Here are my top 5 favorite features to use with your Apple Watch at Walt Disney World. 1. Use it as a theme […]
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4/15/2022 • Blog, Walt Disney World •
When visiting Walt Disney World over the years with my family, we always tried to take as many pictures as possible. It was something special that we could look back on to remember the fun times we had as a family. Our only problem was getting everyone in the picture. Disney’s solution is, a Capture Your Moment photo session! Capture Your Moment is an enchanting extra that Disney offers to guests at each of their 4 theme parks. With this enchanting extra, you’ll reserve a personalized 20-minute photo session that captures the excitement of your day and of your family being at Walt Disney World. Disney’s PhotoPass photographer will suggest different poses and places to take pictures around the parks all while snapping away. If you feel that 20 minutes just isn’t long enough, you can make back-to-back reservations and extend your session to 40 minutes. Here are some occasions […]
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4/7/2022 • Reviews, Walt Disney World •
My family loves to spend part of our Walt Disney World vacations visiting Disney Springs to explore the new restaurants and shops. This is a great way to use a day you may not be visiting a park or on your arrival or departure days and you need a few hours to fill your day. One of our new favorite eateries is Frontera Cocina by celebrity chef Rick Bayless. They offer delicious Mexican food with a “twist”. They are open for both lunch and dinner and offer specials Monday – Thursday. The inside of the restaurant is bright and inviting or you can be seated outside where it is a peaceful setting overlooking a small lake and great for people watching. A nice way to unwind after a busy day at the parks. The outside seating area is small and provides a more quaint and quiet dining experience. Even if […]
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3/29/2022 • Blog, Cruises •
If your vision of a cruise shore excursion is following a guide and a flag, you haven’t experienced a Virgin Voyage excursion. Virgin Voyages has taken the typical shore excursions and kicked it up a notch. The group sizes are small, and they offer experiences that are immersive by taking you off the beaten path. Virgin refers to their excursion as “shore things”. They can be booked through your travel agent or directly through the Virgin app. They are an excellent way to experience the culture and the area of each port. They give you memories to take home with you. For example, In Puerta Plata, in the Dominican Republic, I explored the jungle and mountains via a dune buggy. We had a small group of 28 people. This was a great way to explore the non-tourist area of the city. We got dirty – ok, VERY muddy riding through […]
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