Category: Travel Places

Disney Parks Around The World – A Private Jet Adventure

This one sounds so incredible! You can take a private jet trip to all of the Disney Parks and several other iconic Disney locations around the world!

Spend 24 days jet-setting to 6 countries with the Adventures by Disney trip program, visiting 12 Disney theme parks, 3 Disney studios, and 3 iconic landmarks – the Taj Mahal, Pyramids of Giza, and Eiffel Tower! It includes private guides everywhere and VIP access for entrances, rides, and shows, lodging in deluxe resorts, dining in signature restaurants, plus many other Disney extras and the highly pampered Disney service level.

The total price is quite the initial sticker shock at $114,995 per person! Gasp! However, it includes so many extraordinary experiences that will probably add up pretty quickly, even if you can individually do them. This will be hard math to do! When can we win the lottery??

There are two trips scheduled for 2024, and bookings opening soon for them as well. They’re limited to 75 people per trip, so they could sell out quickly.

Booking will begin on the following dates:
* June 12: Previous Adventures by Disney guests who have traveled on 3+ Adventures
* June 14: All previous Adventures by Disney guests
* June 16: Golden Oak members
* June 19: General Public

For more details, including the full itinerary, of this trip, visit:

This definitely sounds like a bucket list item! Would you do it? Feel free to contact me if you want me to help you book it!

Pics ©Disney

Disney World 2024 Bookings Open

Disney World Magic Kingdom Park

Heads Up! You can now book Disney World tickets, rooms, and dining plans for 2024! Yes, dining plans are back!

As you can imagine, their systems got bogged down with the high volume this morning, but it looks like bookings are open again. If you’re interested in booking a 2024 trip, now’s the time.

Unfortunately, there is no one nice list of the prices for next year though. You just have to plug in your possible trip dates with the options you’re considering and see what the total is…or have a travel agent like me help you do the legwork.

In general, 2024 will cost more than 2023 though, but there are many factors that go into the total. Disney uses dynamic pricing, so the prices will vary depending on popularity and availability. Days that tend to be busier, such as weekends and holidays, will generally cost more than other days. The length of your stay and which resort you stay at will also affect the overall cost.

Finally, many people have been waiting for the dining plans to return. These are basically prepaid meal plans that folks like for the convenience. You should evaluate which restaurants you plan to really dine in, including what you might order there, to see if the plans are worthwhile to you though. Everyone in your booking will have to get the same plan if you opt-in for it, even the kids.

There are two types of dining plans that you can add to your resort packages. These are the prices and allocations per person per day of your resort stay. Both plans also include 1 Resort Refillable Drink Mug per person per stay.

Quick Service Dining Plan:

$57.01 per adult (ages 10+), $23.83 per child (ages 3 – 9)

  • 2 Quick Service Meals
  • 1 Alcoholic/non-Alcoholic Beverage per Meal
  • 1 Snack

Disney Dining Plan:

$94.28 per adult (ages 10+), $29.69 per child (ages 3-9)

  • 1 Table Service Meal
  • 1 Quick Service Meal
  • 1 Alcoholic/non-Alcoholic Beverage per Meal
  • 1 Snack

If you’re thinking about a 2024 trip, you can now begin to crunch the numbers. Resorts can fill up for popular times of the year, and prices will just go up the closer you get.

Packages (which means booking a resort room and tickets together) just need a $200 deposit and that’s fully refundable if you cancel at least 30 days before your check-in date.

Room-only bookings need to pay the first day’s amount and are refundable if you cancel at least 5 days before your check-in date.

Ticket-only bookings are not refundable but the tickets can stay in your account for future use. You’ll just have to pay the additional difference if ticket prices increase for the days you eventually use them.

If a special offer comes along in the future, you can get that applied if your booking qualifies for it too.

As always, feel free to contact me if you want to chat about booking a Disney World trip! See ya real soon!

Disney World entrance arch

Galactic Starcruiser Closing

Galactic Starcruiser ship

Breaking News! Disney just announced that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience in Orlando will be closing after the September 28-30, 2023 voyage!

If you’ve been meaning to book this, now’s the time. New reservations are paused for now but are expected to reopen on May 26th.

If you already have a booking for after September 30th, Disney will be contacting you in the coming days about your options.

The Galactic Starcruiser is a revolutionary 2-night experience where you will embark on a first-of-its-kind Star Wars adventure. Throughout the ship, you’ll interact with an eclectic collection of characters, sit down to exotic galactic cuisine and perhaps even plot a secret mission together. Seek out the inner workings of the legendary starship, learn the traditional art of wielding a lightsaber, and even jump on a transport to the planet Batuu—where your mission continues at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!

There are tons of YouTube videos if you want to see what the experience is like. For more details, visit the Galactic Starcruiser page.

If you would like me to help book your voyage, feel free to contact me.

Disney Castaway Club Level Changes

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line just introduced two big changes to its Castaway Club levels, the sailing loyalty club. The check-in day is now staggered for each level and the new Pearl level benefits have started. You will reach Pearl level after you complete your 25th cruise.

You are automatically a member of the Castaway Club after you complete your 1st Disney cruise. You don’t have to manually join anything. Then, you are considered a member of the corresponding level as you book anything for the cruise number indicated below in parenthesis. The different levels grant you different benefits for bookings and more.

New Check-in Days:

Pearl (26th+ cruise) – 40 days
Platinum (11th-25th cruise) – 38 days
Gold (6th-10th cruise) – 35 days
Silver (2nd-5th cruise) – 33 days
1st Disney Cruise – 30 days

Before this change, everyone started checking in for their cruise 30 days before sailing, so that often bogged down their site and many folks were left frustrated, especially if they stayed up til midnight ET to do it. Now, each level starts on a different day, so hopefully, spreading it out will help improve the process.

If you have a sailing coming up in the next 30-40 days, check your reservation to see if it reflects your new check-in date yet. You want to check in as soon as you can, once your window opens at midnight ET of that day, so you can pick an early port arrival time. The more time on the ship, the better!

Activity Booking Days:

The check-in day is different from the day when you can book your excursions and onboard activities. That is already staggered by Castaway Club level.

Pearl (26th+ cruise) – 123 days
Platinum (11th-25th cruise) – 120 days
Gold (6th-10th cruise) – 105 days
Silver (2nd-5th cruise) – 90 days
1st Disney Cruise – 75 days

You have to be paid in full by that day to book anything. Some of the most popular onboard activities like alcohol testings, adult specialty restaurants, and port excursions can fill up quickly, so make your bookings as soon as your window opens.

For details on how the DCL check-in process works, visit my Online Check-in page.

As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you want to chat about booking a cruise.

Bon voyage!

Plan Your Visit

Canyonlands National Park

Even though my National Park Week series has ended, I will continuously go back and add pages for other parks that we’ve visited in the past and for new ones that we’ll visit soon. Keep an eye on my Park Visits page as the list grows.

Hopefully, this has inspired you to visit some of the amazing national park sites yourself. As you begin to research your trip, refer to the National Park Service Plan Your Visit site for lots of useful information. This can help you decide which parks to visit and learn the vital info for your trip.

One thing to consider if you’re planning to visit several parks in a 12 month timeframe is to get an annual pass. Some parks do not have an entrance fee, but the ones that do could range from $10 – $30 approximately per car to enter. Research the parks that you think you might visit and tally up any entrance fees to see if an annual pass would make sense for you. The pass costs $80 USD, so it can be a good deal if you visit multiple parks in a year that charge fees. There are also specific annual passes for military members, senior citizens, 4th graders, and folks with physical disabilities, some of which are free. Visit their Passes page for more details.

You can get some ideas for possible trips on their Trip Ideas page or use their Find a Park search to find a park by location. Also, see if any Events are occurring during your visit.

As always, feel free to contact me if you would like to chat about a national park trip or would like me to help you plan your trip. See you out there!

Valley Forge NP Chapel

National Park Week Day 7 – Bryce Canyon National Park

To cap off the National Park Week series, we’re going to one of my all-time favorite parks!

We fell in love with Bryce Canyon during a tour of Southwest National Parks about 25 years ago and have been back several times since. I still remember waking up early to catch the sunrise and staying late to watch the sunset, seeing the amazingly vivid orange-red colors as the sunlight shined against the vast hoodoo formations. We also did a hike down to the canyon floor and across the canyon, walking amongst those mesmerizing hoodoos. I remember looking up at them in amazement! That is still one of the most favorite things I’ve ever done.

Come join us at Bryce Canyon National Park!

National Park Week

National Park Week Day 6 – Gateway Arch National Park

To continue the National Park Week series, we’re going to a different type of park!

Gateway Arch National Park

Did you know that there are National Park Service properties that are not the typical rugged outdoor park? Tons of memorial and monument parks are also under the National Park Service umbrella, such as the Washington Monument and others on the National Mall in Washington DC. One monument that was elevated to national park status a few years ago was the previously named St Louis Arch, now officially called the Gateway Arch National Park.

Let’s learn about this “monumental” park, Gateway Arch National Park!

National Park Week

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2023

Mickey n friends in Halloween costumes

The Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is returning this Fall to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World! The evening extra-ticketed event will take place on select nights from Aug 11 – Nov 1, 2023. Party festivities begin at 7pm but you may enter the park after 4pm with the party ticket.

Partake in all of this spooktacular fun:

  • Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular! – three sinister sisters bewitch and bedazzle the residents of Magic Kingdom park in this fun stage show.
  • Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular – a wickedly wild fireworks display featuring some of your favorite Disney characters, hosted by Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
  • Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade – fun parade unique to the party. Must see!
  • Disney Junior Jam – dance with some favorite Disney Junior friends at Cosmic Rays. Perfect for young partygoers!
  • Trick-or-Treat – collect candy as you roam trails around the park in search of some of your favorite sweets.
  • More treats – eat more Halloween-inspired food and beverages
  • Dress in costume – revel in the festive atmosphere around the park with fellow party-goers and Disney favorites in their Halloween finest.
  • Photo Ops – commemorate the night with themed back drops and magic shots.
  • Shopping – of course, there will be themed party merch!

Ticket sales for this party start TODAY for Disney resort guests at select resorts and on May 2, 2023 for everyone else. Prices range from $99-$199, depending on day. Annual passholders and DVC members get $10 savings per ticket.

For more details about the party and to buy tickets, go to this Disney World party page:

Be sure to read the costume guidelines and other Know-Before-You-Go before you go. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or want help planning your Disney trip.

©Disney

National Park Week Day 5 – Pinnacles National Park

To continue the National Park Week series, we’re going all the way over to the West Coast!

Pinnacles National Park

Today, I wanted to highlight Pinnacles National Park in western California because it is one of the newer national parks and may not be as well known as other California parks, such as Yosemite or Sequoia. We visited here several years ago as part of a Pacific Coast trip and spent an afternoon hiking in the park.

Let’s go hiking at Pinnacles National Park!

National Park Week