Greetings fellow Mouse Fans! 

Today…more for those traveling child-free…

For the adrenaline junkies among us, there is the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Walt Disney World® Speedway. NASCAR fans can live out their dreams by driving themselves or riding along with a pro at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour! This experience can be booked by calling 1-800-BE-PETTY or visiting www.1800bepetty.com. 

 IndyCar fans - don’t feel left out! The Walt Disney World® Speedway is also home to the Indy Racing Experience where you can drive actual IndyCar Series race cars that have competed in the Indy 500. Reservations can be made by calling 1-888-357-5002 or by visiting www.indyracingexperience.com.

Tomorrow - Romance? Why yes, please!

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

 

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans! 

Today…more for those traveling child-free…

For the adrenaline junkies among us, there is the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Walt Disney World® Speedway. < more... >

 

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Today’s snippet is courtesy of exhaustion. My exhaustion specifically thanks to a late night thunderstorm, 7 hours without power and my five year old who could not sleep because it is "too dark to sleep!" Sigh…

Sleep is a priority that often takes a back seat while on vacation. But getting enough rest can make or break a vacation! This is especially true not only for children but also for adults. A mid-day break can go a long way towards keeping you going into those evening Extra Magic Hours. While ideally a mid-day break might include a return to your resort, a nap and a refreshing swim, sometimes this just isn’t feasible. Even if you can’t drag yourself or your family away from the parks, be sure to make time to take a break and grab a drink and get out of the sun.

At night, do your best to get a good night’s sleep. This is often easier said than done in a hotel room! Bring something familiar from home if possible whether it is a comfy pillow case or a stuffed animal. (I’m not proud - I always bring my son’s stuffed Mickey with me when I travel without him!) If you normally sleep with a fan or white noise, consider investing in a travel white noise machine to help muffle hallway or neighbor noise.

That said - I’m off to bed to get some sleep! Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

 

Greetings fellow Mouse Fans!

Today’s snippet is courtesy of exhaustion. My exhaustion specifically thanks to a late night thunderstorm, 7 hours without power and my five year old who could not sleep because it is "too dark to sleep! < more... >

  I have been meaning to write this blog for a long time, probably about a year and half since that is when Oswalt joined our family.  Oswalt is a mini dachshund and from the second I met him I knew he was just meant to be my dog - he even has a hidden Mickey!

   

Anyway enough about that, on to what this blog is really about - traveling and pets.   Having Oswalt has got me thinking more and more about what to do when it comes time to travel.   I have noticed that long gone are the days when your only option was to leave your furry family member at something called a kennel (which never sounded very fun to me).  Now there are pet resorts, pet camps, and even pet spas.   If you are like me though you might perfer that your pet travel with you instead of leaving him behind.   So far Oswalt has made the long car ride from Orlando to Philadelphia and back again.   He has also flown in the cabin of the plane with us once.  Most airlines, including Southwest just recently, allow a certian number of small pets to travel in the cabin for a fee.  I have to admit I perfer the car trip since everything is more in my control.   Now there is even a new flight option for pets -   www.petairways.com  They were to have their first flight today which is what reminded me to write this blog.   This is a pet only airline - no humans allowed, except for the pet attendants of course.   They only service a few cities as of now but hopefully they will add Orlando soon.   I think this is an interesting idea and hope it will take off (just had to say it).   

Once you decide on how you are going to get your pet to your destination next you need to find a pet friendly place to stay.   More and more hotels are saying "pets welcome here" these days.   Most will charge a fee or only put you in a certian room type so it is good to do some investigating to be sure everyone will enjoy thier stay.   I recentenly checked out a Loews Hotel to see if thier motto of Loews Loves Pets really was true. 

  We stayed at the Loews on St Pete Beach, FL and they did prove it to me.   At check in they welcomed Oswalt and told us all about the pet perks such as the doggie bag that would arrive in our room which included bowls and placemat to use during our stay and some treats.   You can also borrow things such as toys and leash or make a pet sitter appointment if needed.   They even have a room service menu for pets and pet spa treatments!   Loews only charges a one time fee of just $25 for the length of your stay per pet (only up to 2 pets per room).   They also have an area for pet walking and waste stations around the property.   While Oswalt wasn’t welcome on the resort’s beach I did surf the web and found there was a doggy beach close by so we checked that out during our stay.   Most times you should be able to find a dog beach close to any major beach. 

   The are many Loews Hotels around the country, inlcuding the 3 Universal Orlando resorts, so if you are wanting to take your pet on vacation they would be my top recomendation.   You would think that since Mickey and Pluto are always together he would realize he needs to let his guests bring thier pets to enjoy vacation too.  Hopefully one day pets will be allowed to stay somewhere other than the campground at Disney.  

No matter where you might be thinking of traveling to don’t forget to think about your furry family members.   Be sure they are ok to travel and you check on all saftey considerations before hitting the road.  If you have traveled with your pet and have some favorite places you have visited together please share them with us.   Oswalt is always ready for a new adventure!

  

  I have been meaning to write this blog for a long time, probably about a year and half since that is when Oswalt joined our family.  Oswalt is a mini dachshund and from the second I met him I knew he was just meant to be my dog - he even has a hidden Mickey!

  < more... >

Greetings Mouse Fans!

Today’s FAQ: Why do I need trip insurance?

Trip insurance is a critical part of protecting your investment in your vacation. And make no mistake - vacations are investments! Not only financially but also in the memories your family creates together while traveling. Trip insurance is rarely used for anything you could predict, it’s always the thing you didn’t see coming. Believe me, dear readers, I learned this the hard way.

On a family trip to Walt Disney World, on the last night of our trip, a family member was very badly injured after tripping and falling. This resulted in their being hospitalized for 4 days and all of us extending our trip, changing our flights, etc. Hundreds and thousands of dollars in fees, extra hotel nights, food, rental cars, etc. Much of which could have been reimbursed if ANY of us had trip insurance. Alas, we were not as smart as all of you will be going forward.

Trip insurance is important for everyone but especially for families with children. Let’s face it, things happen! Children get sick or break bones at what always seems to be the worst possible moment. Trip insurance can really be a life saver in these situations. 

So for your next trip - wherever you go - PLEASE consider adding trip insurance. Your travel planner can help you choose the coverage that is right for your family. It’s a small price to pay for a little peace of mind.

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings Mouse Fans!

Today’s FAQ: Why do I need trip insurance?

Trip insurance is a critical part of protecting your investment in your vacation. And make no mistake - vacations are investments! Not only financially but also in the memories your family creates together while traveling. < more... >

Those of you who signed up for the email updates back in the day may notice that everything posted in the past two years is no flooding your inbox. Rest assured that this is a one time flood, and that it’s only happening because technology hates us all… er… because I forgot to reset the counter. So sorry for the flood, and huzzah for the working email updates again.

Those of you who signed up for the email updates back in the day may notice that everything posted in the past two years is no flooding your inbox. Rest assured that this is a one time flood, and that it’s only happening because technology hates us all… er… because I forgot to reset the counter. < more... >

Greetings Mouse Fans!

Today’s FAQ: What is FastPass? How much does it cost?

Answer: Disney’s FastPass service allows you to "reserve" a time slot to ride popular attractions and enjoy the rest of the park while you wait. It is free to all park guests with the price of admission! There is no additional charge.

Look for a FastPass distribution area near the entrance of popular attractions. Check the displayed Return Time and make sure it suits your plans. Then place your park admission (Key To the World Card, annual pass, paper ticket, etc) in the FastPass machine and receive a ticket with a one hour window on it. Just return to the attraction any time during this window and go straight to the FastPass Return queue, bypassing the Standby (regular) queue. This allows you to make the most of your time in the parks, enjoying all your favorite rides and attractions.

 Be well and make magic wherever you go!

 Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings Mouse Fans!

Today’s FAQ: What is FastPass? How much does it cost?

Answer: Disney’s FastPass service allows you to "reserve" a time slot to ride popular attractions and enjoy the rest of the park while you wait. < more... >

Greetings Mouse Fans!

Today I’m wrapping up the Disney’s Magical Express (DME) FAQ’s! I’ll be moving on to other topics tomorrow. If there is anything I missed or you would like to see me answer, feel free to drop me a note at sarav@MEI-Travel.com!

Today’s FAQ: Does DME run 24 hours? I am arriving late at night!

Answer: DME does run 24 hours! However, guests arriving between the hours of 10:00 pm and 6:00 am are asked to get their own luggage before checking in at the DME desk. Keep in mind that it can be a few hours before your luggage catches up with you at your resort, so even if you are arriving later in the evening, it may be worthwhile to get your own luggage if you are planning on going right to bed once you get to the resort.

Tomorrow: FastPass!!

 Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings Mouse Fans!

Today I’m wrapping up the Disney’s Magical Express (DME) FAQ’s! I’ll be moving on to other topics tomorrow. If there is anything I missed or you would like to see me answer, feel free to drop me a note at sarav@MEI-Travel.com! < more... >

Greetings Mouse Fans!

Today’s FAQ: Is XXX airline part of Disney’s Magical Express (DME)?

Answer: Yes! DME works with all airlines flying into and out of Orlando Int’l Airport otherwise known as MCO. DME is not available at any other area airports such as Sanford or Melbourne. Disney’s Magical Express Service is often confused with Resort Airline Check In - a service provided at Disney Resorts where guests can check in for their flights and check their baggage right at the resort. At this time Resort Airline Check In is only available for the following participating airlines: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, AirTrain, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Northwest, United Airlines, US Airways

Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings Mouse Fans!

Today’s FAQ: Is XXX airline part of Disney’s Magical Express (DME)?

Answer: Yes! DME works with all airlines flying into and out of Orlando Int’l Airport otherwise known as MCO. DME is not available at any other area airports such as Sanford or Melbourne. < more... >

Greetings Mouse Fans!

 Today’s FAQ: "Is Disney’s Magical Express Service free?"

Answer: This one is one of my favorite answers - "Yes! It is free!" How often do you get to say that when talking about Walt Disney World? Disney’s Magical Express (DME) service is currently set to remain free for Walt Disney World resort guests until the end of 2016.

DME is not actually without cost to the Walt Disney Company. In addition to the obvious expenses such as the buses, the drivers, gas, etc. Orlando International Airport charges Disney $0.75 per passenger. So sit back and leave the driving to Disney!

 Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings Mouse Fans!

 Today’s FAQ: "Is Disney’s Magical Express Service free?"

Answer: This one is one of my favorite answers - "Yes! It is free!" How often do you get to say that when talking about Walt Disney World? < more... >

Greetings Mouse Fans!

 I often get e-mails from clients that open with, "I hate to bother you…" or "I have a stupid question." These e-mails are never a bother and never contain a stupid question! The truth is that Disney travel is such a vast topic that there is no such thing as a stupid question. And if an e-mail from a client is a bother, I should be in a different business! So over the next few days I will be going over some of our most frequently asked questions. I’ve asked our agents to send me their FAQ’s and I’ll be using some of my own. And hopefully, you’ll learn something new!

 Be well and make magic wherever you go!

Sara Varney
Travel Planner

Greetings Mouse Fans!

 I often get e-mails from clients that open with, "I hate to bother you…" or "I have a stupid question." These e-mails are never a bother and never contain a stupid question! The truth is that Disney travel is such a vast topic that there is no such thing as a stupid question. < more... >