Blog Update

I have recently discovered that my blog is having some technical difficulties and at least half the photos have been deleted. While all the great content is there, it will take me a while to get through and fix the missing photos. Please bear with me during this time! Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Mommy and Me Trip Recap (Part 2)

Last I left off the kids were asleep and I was waiting on our Magical Express luggage to arrive.  Around 11 p.m. it did indeed show up and we slept nice and soundly...until 3 a.m. when my youngest decided she did in fact NOT want to sleep in the pack n' play and would rather sleep on my face instead.  Waking up every hour with different requests (Momma...Momma....TV?? TV??).  Finally it was time to actually get up and get ready for our first day! Our plan today was to spend the morning at EPCOT and then the evening at Hollywood Studios. I set the kids up with drinks (that I had grabbed from the food court the night before) and Pop Tarts I had packed in our luggage, and grabbed a quick shower. Soon we were dressed and out the door!

So excited she couldn't sit still!

Mommy and Me Trip Recap (Part 1)

We are back from our first annual, ever Mommy and Me trip! I needed to digest this trip for a few days before writing this post. We had a lot of great moments...and a lot of moments that made me realize why everyone thought I was crazy for bringing them.  Let's start at the beginning though!
For this trip it was just myself, and my 2 girls. Kennedy is now 4 and a half and Finley  just turned 19 months.  Our plan was to visit Walt Disney World for 3 nights with 2 full park days. This trip was a TOTAL surprise for Kennedy also!

Mommy and Me Trip Planning

I've said it before and I'll say it again...travel agents can make the WORST clients!  When it comes to other people it's easy for me to make decisions based on my professional opinion. I can suggest the logical, and best way to tour the parks, which parks to visit, how many times to visit....etc, etc,etc...but when it comes to my own trip? Well I seem to change my mind over and over again!

The Girls (Christmas 2014)

A Very Dapper Girls Getaway Trip Recap - Trader Sams and Kona Cafe Review

One of the highlights of this trip was definitely going to be a visit to check out the new Polynesian Lobby as well as Trader Sams, followed by dinner at Kona Cafe. This visit was a trip of new experiences and while I have been to Kona Cafe, it was about 6 years ago. After a quick rest at our resort, we changed our clothes and headed out to the Polynesian.

A Very Dapper Girls Getaway Trip Recap - Day 2

Our 2nd day was one I was really looking forward to. I'll just put it out there...I'm not outdoorsy. I don't camp...I have no interest in camping or being outside with all the creepy crawly things. SO it should come as no surprise that I've only been to the campgrounds ONCE (to go horseback riding).  As part of our mission to try new things, we opted for an early reservation at Trails End.

Mommy and Me Trip 2015

Last week my husband and I made the decision for me to take the girls on an impromptu Christmas trip to Disney. I've thought long and hard about how I wanted to write this trip up and if I wanted to (or should) explain our thoughts behind this trip. I think it will be a fun trip to recap for those of you traveling with little one's so I'm taking the leap and sharing with you a bit more about the trip today.

Girls Getaway Weekend FAQ

We've had a lot of question regarding the 1st Annual Girls Getaway Weekend so I thought I would take a few moments to answer them!

What is the Girls Getaway Weekend? This weekend is a chance to reconnect with your friends and family in a relaxing and magical  place!  It's a weekend just for the ladies....just because! Everyone has their own reasons for joining. Some need a break from work, others want to reconnect with friends that maybe they haven't seen in a while.  The weekend is whatever you want it to be!

What group is running this...I don't know who's going and don't think it's for me. While the weekend is being hosted by Living With The Magic Vacations, everyone is welcome! There is no specific club or group attending. It's a mix of friends, family, past and future clients. Everyone is welcome, and everyone is welcome to invite whomever they like!
Ok...but what if I don't have anyone to go with? That's ok! We have a singles list started. Come meet some great ladies and find someone to room with, regardless of your budget. Join our Facebook group HERE.
I'm still not quite sure I get it...what exactly goes on during this event? While we have a variety of events planned, you are welcome to participate as much or as little as you'd like! We'll have some official events like a private dessert party at EPCOT and a Safari breakfast at Animal Kingdom, as well as some unofficial events like a meet up at Jelly Rolls. Our unofficial itinerary is posted in our Facebook Group and you are welcome to join us during the day, at our dining reservations....basically whenever you want! Our hope is for a great group of women to get together and have an amazing, stressfree weekend!
Ok what's the catch...how much does it cost? That's up to you! We have special resort pricing available for May 19-23 at 3 different resorts, along with discounted tickets. Stay for as long or as little as you'd like. We also have special pricing for our events, t-shirts/tank tops and much more! The entire weekend is flexible and customizable to your budget!
May is a long time off...how long do I have to decide? While we recommend booking your resort as soon as you can (just one night's room deposit) as rooms are limited, you have until the end of February to sign up. As rooms are limited we can't guarantee how long you'll be able to book!
I have more questions...can I contact you? Anytime! We can be reached through our Facebook Group, at info@livingwiththemagic.com or 888.557.9690. We hope to see you soon!

A Very Dapper Girls Getaway Trip Recap - Day 1

Our first full day! We woke up to more drizzle from the day before and HOT temps. We were rested (mostly) and excited for another day full of new and exciting things!

A Very Dapper Girls Getaway Trip Recap - Arrival Day

I'm so excited to share with you our amazing week long stay at the Walt Disney World Resort! It was a week full of new and exciting experiences and it feels good to have spent a week learning so much! Unfortunately pretty early on in my trip I lost or had my phone stolen (more likely)...which also means I lost the majority of the photos taken up until that point. I'm VERY  lucky that my traveling partner, Lauren Kennedy, took some amazing photos and was kind enough to share them with me! Be sure to check out her photography page!  So let's get started! 

Why I Vacation Without My Kids

It's no secret around here that my kids do not always accompany me on vacation and today I want to share a little more about that.

Let me preface all of this with saying that I don't ALWAYS vacation without my kids. I mean look at those sweet faces! We love spending time together as a family and going places that everyone will enjoy. There are times and reasons however, that I feel the need to head out the door and leave those sweet faces behind. I will also that I realize the following reasons apply to my family and obviously aren't hard and fast reasons for EVERY family.

A Very Dapper Girls Getaway - Itinerary and Plans

T-Minus 2 weeks and counting until our Very Dapper Girls Getaway! We've been busy finalizing all the details of our trip...including some last minute changes!! I'd like to go over what our plans our and some of our thought process!! Arrival Day The most exciting day of all!! Lauren and I went back and forth on our transportation options from the airport to Disney...um about 100 times! Ultimately for the price difference in a private car service, taxis/uber and a rental car...rental won out! We have so much running around to do that this is the most convenient and fast option. As usual we are renting from Alamo and got an awesome Annual Passholder discount! I'm arriving a bit earlier than Lauren so I'll pick the car up, then her and off we'll head to Disney's Boardwalk Inn and Villa's...our favorite resort!

After we check-in we'll head right over to EPCOT for some Food and Wine Festival goodies before ending our night at Tutto Gusto!! Day 2 We'll kick off Day 2 with a meal over at Disney's Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. I'm super excited to try out Trails End before spending the rest of the day at Hollywood Studios.  That evening we are spending some time at Disney's Polynesian with drinks at Trader Sams and dinner at  Kona Cafe before heading to Disney Springs to check out Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar Day 3 Today is a FULL Magic Kingdom day!! We'll start out with breakfast at Be Our Guest and end with dinner at Tony's right before the Halloween Party! I can't wait to share with you all my costume! Day 4 Today is a full day at Food and Wine Festival. I can't wait to try out our EPCOT F&W Festival Sampler!! Day 5 Probably the day I'm most excited for...Dapper Day!! We are getting all dolled up and heading to the Studios where we'll have lunch at 50's Prime Time Cafe!! We'll spend the evening back at the Magic Kingdom. Day 6 Animal Kingdom today before heading back to either Magic Kingdom or EPCOT depending on how we are feeling. It's our last night at Disney!! We actually check out today before heading to Universal! Day 7 It's Universal Day! We have until early evening to explore Harry Potter and I'm SOOO excited! That's the long and short of it! We have a lot of new things to try and not a lot of time to do it in. We are so excited about so much of this trip and I can't wait to report back!

A Very Dapper Girls Getaway....the FOOD!

Really it's what you've been waiting for right? For me to share with you all the yummy goodness of our trip? Well this trip will henceforth be known as the trip of NEW experiences!! We try and make these "work" trips once a  year, without husbands or kids in tow. We take tons of photos and try to experience things we haven't done before, all for the sake of education. Let's jump right in and talk about our dining selections!

Due to Food and Wine Festival we have opted to do things a bit differently and skip the dining plan. We are going to be trying a variety of table service, counter service and food booths and will be sharing A LOT, all for the sake of education. I know...we have it rough!!

Meet Me In Disney Instagram Challenge

Welcome to our First Instagram Challenge. Join Living With The Magic Vacations for a month of Disney related photos. Septembers Instatheme is‪#‎MeetMeInDisney‬. Each day there will be a new topic for you to post a Disneyphoto. We are looking forward to seeing all of your creative Disney posts. Each day make sure you tag your photo with‪#‎LivingWithTheMagicVacationsChallenge‬ #MeetMeInDisney.

Also follow your favorite travelagents:www.instagram.com/livingwiththemagic
www.instagram.com/meganplansmagic
www.instagram.com/mirandaplansmagic and
www.instagram.com/allyplansmagic


‪#‎instagramchallenge‬ ‪#‎disneyobsessed‬ ‪#‎disneysmmoms‬ ‪#‎instatravel‬‪#‎disneyworld‬ ‪#‎disneycruiseline‬ ‪#‎familyvacation‬ ‪#‎disneyland‬ ‪#‎disneytravel‬

A Very Dapper Girls Getaway - Resort Selection

Wow...this summer has REALLY flown by! I need to spend some time catching you all up on our Very Dapper  Girls Getaway in just 29 days.

Today let's talk about our resort selection. I think this may be the hardest part of our trip every time!

The Boathouse in Disney Springs

We've had the pleasure of eating and drinking at one of the newest restaurants in Disney Springs, The Boathouse.  We've walked in right off the street and sat at the bar and at the surrounding first come first serve tables.  We've had reservations a couple times and one time even walked up and got a table immediately.  At first the Disney Dining app did not allow for reservations, however it does now.
The atmosphere is amazing, even if you're not a nautical person.  Each wall is decorated with some sort of miniaturized boat, a full size boat engine, some sort of propeller or part of a boat or ship.  Outside are multiple boats, most of which are 'art work' and not meant for use.  Two boats are for hire and offer champagne and strawberry cruises around the lake.  We have not taken advantage of this yet but plan to.  Boathouse also has the amphicars for hire and the price was $125 for an hour (with a captain), however I believe this price has been reduced recently.

These half boat half car machines are really cool to see, and while we haven't made the time to actually ride one we have stopped and watched them in the lake from time to time.  With the prices dropping, I suspect lots of people will be giving them a go very soon.

New Alcohol Policy for Disney Cruise Line

New Alcohol Policy in Effect Starting
 September 30th for Disney Cruise Line
Effective for cruises embarking on or after September 30, 2015, Disney Cruise Line Guests 21 years and older may bring a maximum of 2 bottles of unopened wine or champagne (no larger than 750 ml) or 6 beers (no larger than 12 ounces) on board at the beginning of the voyage and at each port-of-call.

• Guests wishing to consume wine or champagne that they have brought on board in one of the dining rooms will be charged a corking fee of $25.00 per bottle.
  Please note:
• These beverages must be packed in carry-on (not checked) bags or luggage.
• Any alcohol packed in checked luggage will be removed and stored until the end of the cruise.
• Any wine or champagne in excess of 2 bottles or beer in excess of 6 beers will be stored until the end of the cruise.
• Bringing liquors and spirits (including powdered alcohol) on board is prohibited. These items will be stored until the end of the cruise.
• Guest MUST retrieve any stored alcohol at the end of the cruise. Items not retrieved will be destroyed, and no compensation will be offered.
• Alcohol brought on board may not be consumed in any lounge or public area.

Please note that the Disney Cruise Line alcohol policy is subject to change without notice.

A Very Dapper Girls Getaway - Let's Get Started!

To be honest...I'm not sure where it all started! I'm not sure the first time that we heard about Dapper Day, or when we started dreaming of going. All I know is for years Lauren and I have dreampt of being lucky enough to attend! But what is Dapper Day and why do we want to go so bad?

Fall Offer!

Booking Window: July 20 – Sept. 18, 2015

Travel Window: Oct 4 – Nov. 24 and Nov. 28 – Dec. 23, 2015

For Oct. 4-10, Oct. 16-17, Oct. 23-31 and Nov. 8-21, 2015:

• Save up to 10% at Select Value Resorts
• Save up to 15% at Select Moderate Resorts
• Save up to 20% at Select Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts

For Oct. 11-15, Oct 18-22, Nov. 1-7, Nov 22-24 and Nov. 28 – Dec. 23, 2015:

• Save up to 15% at Select Value Resorts
• Save up to 20% at Select Moderate Resorts
• Save up to 25% at Select Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts

Offer Exclusions: 3-bedroom villas, campsites, the Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort – The Little Mermaid Standard View Room

Contact us today to book!

1st Annual Girls Weekend Getaway!

Join Living with the Magic Vacations for our FIRST Annual Girls Weekend Getaway at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL from May 19-23rd. Whether you want to celebrate a belated Mother's Day or have some time away with your girlfriends we have you covered with a weekend filled with events just for the girls, including a private Epcot dessert party!. So grab your Mom, your aunts, neighbors, and girlfriends and join us for a a weekend filled with Disney Magic. We have special package pricing available on a limited basis!

Contact us today!

Graduation Celebration: Recap and FAQ

Well the trip report has finally come to an end! It's sad but true...now we countdown until our next Disney Cruise!! Below you will find a recap of our trip, everyone's favorite moments, a stateroom review and a few FAQ as requested by YOU!

Resort Review
Walt Disney World Trip Report
Embarkation Day
Nassau
Castaway Cay
Day At Sea and Debarkation Day

Graduation Celebration: Day at Sea and Debarkation

Our final day aboard the Disney Dream was a day at Sea! Unfortunately this will be a rather short post! We spent our last day aboard the Dream relaxing. We spent some more time in the pool, tried our hand at BINGO one more time...and just spent time together!

This was probably the "busiest" cruise we've ever been on but even still, most days the pool was not overcrowded. Here is an empty view early one morning.

Candlelight Processional 2015

The rich sounds of a full orchestra and choir fill the America Gardens Theatre, and a special celebrity narrator takes the stage for a stirring retelling of the Christmas story as Candlelight Processional returns to Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort Nov 27-Dec. 30, 2015.

Here’s a look at a few of the Celebrity Narrators scheduled to make appearances this year (subject to change without notice):

TBD Nov. 27-29, 2015
Neil Patrick Harris Nov. 30-Dec. 3, 2015
Whoopi Goldberg Dec. 4-5, 2015
Joe Morton Dec. 6-8, 2015
TBD Dec. 9-11, 2015
Meredith Vieira Dec. 12-14, 2015
TBD Dec.15-23, 2015
Edward James Olmos Dec. 24-26, 2015
TBD Dec. 27-28, 2015
Amy Grant Dec. 29-30

Showtimes are 5 p.m., 6:45 p.m and 8:15 p.m. nightly. Showtimes on Dec. 6 are 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.

• 5:00pm show: Lunch meals will be from 1:45-2:45pm
• 6:45pm show: Dinner meals will be from 3:30-4:30pm
• 8:15pm show: Dinner meals will be from 5:00-6:00pm

Restaurant Options

Biergarten
Lunch and Dinner

Coral Reef
Lunch and Dinner

Garden Grill
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

La Hacienda de San Angel
*Dinner Only

Les Chefs de France
Lunch and Dinner

Nine Dragons
Lunch and Dinner

Restaurant Marrakesh
Lunch and Dinner

Rose and Crown
Lunch and Dinner

San Angel Inn
Lunch and Dinner

Teppan Edo
Lunch and Dinner

Tokyo Dining
Lunch and Dinner

Tutto Italia
Lunch and Dinner

Contact your Disney Travel Planner to book your Candlelight Processional Package!

Graduation Celebration: Day 3 Castaway Cay

I've been waiting for weeks to share this with you all. If you've read my posts before you'll know that we aren't beach people...we don't like to sit around and well...relax! We like to be on the go!! So on cruises we take that stop in Castaway Cay we usually get off the ship, have lunch, wander around and then head back...looking for something to do! Well this trip was going to be a bit different!

Graduation Celebration: Nassau

Hello and we are back!! It's time to talk about our first full day aboard the Disney Dream!  Today was are docked in Nassau. Despite feeling the vibrations of the ship pulling in we did the unthinkable....we SLEPT IN!! I couldn't believe it...twice in one trip!!

After breakfast there wasn't much going on because we were docked in  Nassua. We opted to not get off the ship and just enjoy a relaxing day! Nassau offers some great excursions but since we opted for something special the next day in Castaway Cay, we were just going to lay low.

The guys had reservations to play up on the Goofy Sports Deck. They were signed up to play golf in the Virtual Sports Simulators. In advance we could only get my husband reservations but had no trouble getting them both in once we stopped the Port Adventures Desk.

We also had all signed up for a day pass at the Senses Spa Rainforest Room.  Erin and I had planned some girl only time and then we'd all head back later on.

Upon checking in we traded in our Key to the World card for our Rainforest Room wristbands.  We made a quick pit stop at the changing rooms. We already had on our swim suits but we dropped off some of our stuff, including shoes. Then we put on some robes and went across the hall.

After you first enter you are greeted with some flavored water

You have the options of purchasing the passes with or without the scrubs. We purchased WITH the scrubs and for each person the total is around $26.  Since there were four of us, we got one of each kind. Erin and I opted to wait until the guys joined us in the afternoon to use ours. That's the great thing about having a day pass...you have ALL day!

There are 3 saunas of very heat and humidity. We hung out in the dry sauna for a while. This one has a great view out the ship!

After the sauna we tried some of the showers. They have all have varying types of shower heads, temperature water and some even have a slight scent. They were all amazing...beware that some are COLD!

After that we went out to the hot tub. I wish I had brought my phone so you could have seen the AMAZING view we had of Nassau and Atlantis.

After a quick soak it was time to relax on the heated stone loungers.  It was SO relaxing (my neighbor...not Erin, even fell asleep!)

I can't say enough about this space. Especially for the price, it's an amazing experience! I prefer the spa's on board the Dream and Fantasy but you can also experience the Rainforest room on the Magic and Wonder.

After the spa we grabbed lunch and spent some time on the pool deck...where I napped! Honestly this vacation was so needed.  I NEVER nap in the middle of the day, and certainly not in a public place! It was wonderful to lay by the adult pool, have some drinks and just unwind!

Later that night we played some BINGO, watched Villians Tonight (not a favorite) and had a great dinner in the Enchanted Garden.

We didn't take too many photos since we spent most of the day lounging but here we are at BINGO!

After dinner we did one of my ALL time favorite things...and one I IMPLORE you to do as well. We got to see the awesome, only found on a Disney Cruise ship gameshow...MATCH YOUR MATE! Seriously...the funniest thing you will experience in a LONG time!

It was a great day and a relaxing one at that! Next up will be our day at Castaway Cay!!

Graduation Celebration: Let's Set Sail!

It's finally time! It's been two weeks since we last set sail and we already  miss it! This cruise was one of our favorites so far and I'm excited to share it with you! So let's get started!

Graduation Celebration: Walt Disney World (Land)

Let's get started shall we? I'm so excited to share some photos and tips from our trip! So just to recap a little, here's what we planned!

• 2 nights at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter (our favorite moderate)
• 1 night at Disney's Pop Century
• 3 days at the parks

Day 1 Magic Kingdom

Our original plan was to swing by EPCOT on our arrival to see Eddie and order our photo. Once we did that we'd spend the evening at Magic Kingdom. By the time we finally arrived after all our delay's, he had left for the day so we literally walked in the park and turned around and walked out!

Special note...Normally I do not recommend Park Hoppers for my clients. The majority of my new clients are first time visitors and by the time we schedule dining and fastpass's there isn't much time to hop. Also each park has a different crowd level each day and I help my clients optimize their day by getting them to the least crowded park.  We park hop because we visit often and know the systems and transportation inside and out! Be sure to chat with your travel planner before spending money on this option!!

After our quick visit we hopped on the monorail and sped off to the Magic Kingdom. It was dinner and we were HUNGRY!!

My favorite place to be in the entire world!

We checked out the new garden areas and I have to say...I really loved them (more on this later in the trip!)

After that we had a bit of dinner, a snack and a lot of rides before calling it a night and heading back to the hotel. We had an early morning!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 2 Animal Kingdom and EPCOT

We were up bright and early on Saturday to head to Animal Kingdom. My FAVORITE part of this trip was NO bags! No purses, no diaper bags..NOTHING. That means we didn't have to wait in bag check. Checkout those lines!

We got lucky and caught DeVine on the way in!

 There is a lot of construction going on right now but it's going to be worth it in the end!

We stopped by the new Harambe Market unfortunately too early for lunch. It's a really neat space and we stopped to have a snack (from the snack cart in Harambe)

After a ride on Everest it was time for the Safari. I took way too many photos that I'll share with you another time, but for now, maybe my favorite picture ever!

After a few more rides it was HOT! A perfect time to grab some "dole whip"!

Since we snacked our way through Animal Kingdom we split a quick service lunch late in the day. The salad wasn't my favorite but the pizza was pretty good!

 
A trip to Animal Kingdom wouldn't be complete without a trip to Festival of the Lion King which was amazing as usual!

Let's stop for a second...I ALWAYS tell people that Animal Kingdom is NOT a half day park and even though we only spent half a day there, I stand by my original theory.  With only 3 days at the parks we were really were just hitting the highlights. We missed so much by leaving Animal Kingdom early  but we hit our favorites. We went back to the hotel before heading to EPCOT.

It was time to head to EPCOT for the evening. We had an earlier dinner at La Hacienda followed by some drinks and snacks and Illuminations. We spent some time doing things hubby hadn't before (like exploring China and seeing the Circlevision movie)

Our favorite meal...La Hacienda Mixed Grill! 

Day 3 Magic Kingdom...and our friends arrive!

I know this post is a long one, but bare with me! Today was the day our friends finally arrived and we were so excited. Our plan was to hit Hollywood Studios early so I could ride Rock-n-Roller Coaster but ultimately we decided it was vacation (without our kids) and we would sleep in! We took the long way home the night before stopping by the Boardwalk and Disney Springs.

After a quick breakfast we were off to the airport!

We made a quick pit stop at Pop Century to drop our bags and have some lunch before we headed to the Magic Kingdom!

It was HOT and it was BUSY so we hit up a bunch of rides and shows with low wait times, saving our Faspass's and the popular attractions for later! Here is what we did before dinner:

• Mickey's Philharmagic
• Peoplemover
• Carousel of Progress
• Laugh Floor
• Buzz Lightyear
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid

The park was fairly quiet!

Then it was time...time for dinner at Be Our Guest! We were giddy!

After dinner we spent time exploring and sharing all of our favorites; Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain, Jungle Cruise and more!  We were lucky enough to snag Fastpass's for Wishes viewing so about 20 minutes before the fireworks were set to start we went over to the viewing area.  It was already pretty crowded but we found a great spot and sat down.

A few minutes before it was set to start we were asked to stand up for Safety issues.  The viewing area was AMAZING. I can't say enough good things about it. It was a great spot, not crowded and we had a great view. The only downside is that you are using your last Fastpass at the end of the day so you can't get anymore.

After fireworks we took a quick ride on Splash Mountain before grabbing some ice cream. It's my favorite time in the park...it's quiet and sparkly and just so pretty!

It was time to head back to the resort and get a few hours sleep before heading to the cruise!!