Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

It’s been a busy few weeks for me so I apologize for my absence. And it’s been a busy day around MEI & Mouse Fan Travel as well. We’ve revamped our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/meimousefantravel  - come check us out and become a fan!

In keeping with the busy trend, it’s been a busy day for Disney. Walt Disney World announced a new offer -

Save up to 30% on rooms at the Walt Disney World® Resort.
Offer is valid most dates 5/2/10-8/14/10 -Book by 8/14/10
Save 15% - Value / Save 20% - Moderate
Save 25% - Deluxe / Save 30% - Deluxe Villa

Not to be outdone, Disney Cruise Line announced a new offer on two of the Mediterranean cruises as well!

Kids Sail Free - Just announced - Disney Cruise Line® sets sail on a 12-night cruise of Northern European Capitals, includes Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm and St. Petersburg. Kids Sail Free Dates: June 12, 2010 & June 24, 2010

Check out our web site or contact your favorite Mouse Fan Travel Planner for details! 

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

It’s been a busy few weeks for me so I apologize for my absence. And it’s been a busy day around MEI & < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

"Will Free Dining be offered again this year?" I must answer that question at least a few times a week this time of year. This is because historically speaking, the past few years a Free Dining Promotion has been announced in early April for late summer / early fall dates. And we are well within the 180 day mark for making dining reservations for this time period which always seems to generate some buzz as well.

The answer is that I honestly have no idea. Disney’s current "gift card" promotion can only be booked through March 27, 2010 so there certainly is a possibility that another promotion could be announced after that. But there are simply no guarantees IF there will be a promotion and IF there is, WHAT it will be! Tryig to guess what Disney will do next has been the cause of more gray hair in the travel planning community than anything else with the possible exceptions of weather crises.

My advice is that if you are planning a trip for this fall, by all means book it! Then cross your fingers and hope. But please keep in mind that even if Free Dining is announced again this year, this may or may not be the best deal for your family. Ir’s important to explore all the different possibilities and this is where your favorite Mouse Fan Travel Planner comes in!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

"Will Free Dining be offered again this year?" I must answer that question at least a few times a week this time of year. This is because historically speaking, the past few years a Free Dining Promotion has been announced in early April for late summer / early fall dates. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Spring has sprung, even here in New England. But in Walt Disney World, Spring is in full bloom at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. With millions of flowers, tons of topiaries and hundreds of butterflies, there is something for everyone, even those of us with black thumbs.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings feature the Flower Power concert series in the American Gardens Theatre. Any Partridge Fans out there? David Cassidy will be this weekend’s featured performer!

There are still great room rates out there for Spring so why not plana quick trip down to Walt Disney World to check it out?

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Spring has sprung, even here in New England. But in Walt Disney World, Spring is in full bloom at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. With millions of flowers, tons of topiaries and hundreds of butterflies, there is something for everyone, even those of us with black thumbs. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

So you’ve made the decision to plan downtime, you’ve worked downtime into your itinerary, then you arrive at Walt Disney World. You walk in the gates of the Magic Kingdom and down Main Street USA towards your first attraction. But there is a line or your child sees something they HAVE to ride or something else throws you off you game and you being to PANIC! What if we miss something, what if the rides we prioritized are down or the Fastpasses are gone? Our trip wil be ruined!!! 

Slow down! Take a breath. Take a DEEP breath. Now another. Ok, here is what I tell all my clients, "You can’t see everything, there’s just no way. And Walt Disney World isn’t going anywhere! Chances are you’ll be back. So don’t worry!" The world (and "The World") will continue to turn even if you can’t ride Space Mountain or have breakfast with Cinderella. Slow down and enjoy everything that Disney has to offer. The small moments of joy are the memories you will keep with you forever.

Choose your attitude and you choose your experience. Relax, enjoy and as they say on a Disney-owned ABC talk show, "Take a little time to enjoy the view!"

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

So you’ve made the decision to plan downtime, you’ve worked downtime into your itinerary, then you arrive at Walt Disney World. You walk in the gates of the Magic Kingdom and down Main Street USA towards your first attraction. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

So you’ve planned down time into your itinerary. Maybe I should take a step back - you DID make an itinerary, right? Planning even just a general outline of which park you plan to visit on which day can go a long ways towards avoiding getting overwhelmed at Walt Disney World and reverting to Park Commando mode. 

There are a variety of ways to plan an itinerary. In fact, if you book a qualifying package with your Mouse Fan Travel planner today, you will receive a free 1-year subscription to TouringPlans.com - one of the best itinerary planning sites out there! But if you prefer to start from scratch, be sure to check www.disneyworld.com for park hours, Extra Magic Hours and show times. This will help you decide which Extra Magic Hours you want to take advantage of and that can be a starting point for a touring plan. (Personal tip - we are early birds and LOVE being in the park for morning EMH. Then if and when the park starts to get crowded, we either park hop or go back to the resort for a break!)

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

So you’ve planned down time into your itinerary. Maybe I should take a step back - you DID make an itinerary, right? < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

"I need a vacation after that vacation!" This phrase has been uttered after countless Walt Disney World vacations. Walt Disney World is vast in size and with so much to see and do, it’s difficult to resist the instinct to go from dawn to dark with no rest for the weary. Is it possible to plan a trip to Disney that leaves you feeling satisfied that you saw what you truly needed to and yet didn’t overwhelm? Absolutely!

The word "plan" is key to a relaxing vacation. A little planning goes a long way! You have to plan breaks. Working down time into your itinerary can be the make or break point of a vacation. Even a tried and true park commando can benefit from a rest and a swim in the heat of the day. Especially if it means you will then have the energy to play far into the late night Extra Magic Hours!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

"I need a vacation after that vacation!" This phrase has been uttered after countless Walt Disney World vacations. Walt Disney World is vast in size and with so much to see and do, it’s difficult to resist the instinct to go from dawn to dark with no rest for the weary. < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Bad blogger… I know, I know. I really do apologize for disappearing periodically! I keep trying to cram 28 hours into a 24 hour day. But basically what I need to do is listen to my own advice! (Good luck with that one, right?)

I am forever telling clients to avoid trying to do too much on their trips. "There is no way to see or do it all, so don’t even try!" is my constant refrain. You’ll hear me say it often on the podcast and in this blog. So in honor of my resolution to find more balance in my own life, this week I’ll be discussing ways to avoid the dreaded "Commando Tourist" trap.

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Bad blogger… I know, I know. I really do apologize for disappearing periodically! I keep trying to cram 28 hours into a 24 hour day. But basically what I need to do is listen to my own advice! (Good luck with that one, right? < more... >

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Happy March! Spring is so close I can taste it. Enough snow, sleet, rain, etc. Bring on the sun! So why am I already looking forward to next February so much? Oh that’s right…

Because we are going on the Disney Dream!!! Woo-hooo! My little family of three will be celebrating my husband’s birthday onboard the Disney Dream next year. Let the countdown begin! Now all they have to do is finish the ship…

We are booked in an inside stateroom. While I swore up and down that I would never sail in an inside stateroom again after being quarantined on my last cruise, I simply could not resist the chance to check out the new Virtual Porthole! Not to mention the excellent pricing available for this category stateroom. 

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Happy March! Spring is so close I can taste it. Enough snow, sleet, rain, etc. Bring on the sun! So why am I already looking forward to next February so much? Oh that’s right…

Because we are going on the Disney Dream!!! Woo-hooo! < more... >