Subscribe for FREE!
Receive our Daily Disney Newsletter.
Have the best in Disney News & Views Delivered to you!
Category Archives: Planning 101
Less Stress and More Magic at Walt Disney World
When you stay on Disney property, you have everything you need, right at your fingertips? Right? Usually, that is the case. Small shops at resorts and Downtown Disney can provide some basic needs, there are a few grocery stores right in the area, and Disney even rents their own strollers…uncomfortable and slightly impractical…but you can rent a stroller at the parks. However, there are some businesses that can make your Disney experience even easier and more magical that I want to share with you today.
- Garden Grocer. These people are AWESOME! A week or so before you arrive at Disney, you can place your order on their website for almost anything you’ll need. All your favorite grocery brands are there, and they will deliver right to your Disney resort. Garden Grocer is great if you are flying OR driving. Some perishable items, such as milk & juice, may not travel well in the car. Or, if you prefer to have them bring over some diapers and other toiletry necessities so you don’t have to pack them in your luggage, they’re happy to do so. Their minimum order is $40, and they do charge a $14 delivery fee.
Staying at the New & Improved Disneyland Hotel
Disneyland Hotel – New And Improved!
Usually this just means new packaging. We’re often sold on things that are new and improved that are nothing more than a shining up of the previous product. I should note that I am calling Disneyland Hotel “New and Improved” on my own. To my knowledge Disney themselves haven’t referred to it that way. They will tell you they are a AAA 4-Diamond Award Hotel though… Which I would too, I suppose…
However, in the case of Disneyland Hotel it truly is new and improved with the same charm we’ve always known it to have. Disney truly went in and updated this hotel while maintaining the classic feel.
Disneyland Hotel has undergone major renovations this past few years. From the rooms, to new Suites and the pool. With very few exceptions, the new Disneyland Resort is fresh, fun and a blast to stay at. The first night we stayed in the room, my then 5 year old son went on a exploration of the room and found that when he turned a specific switch on the nightstand the mural on the wall behind us lit up with fireworks. Not only did this surprise us but he found that he could also make music play for us to go to sleep to, not that we could go to sleep after discovering this magic. Matter of fact, I’m pretty sure that we stayed up another hour to play with the fireworks and music. I’m not telling you the song that plays because you need to be surprised too!
Activities Available at Disney Aulani Resort and Spa
Disney Aulani Resort and Spa created this view just for you. Can you imagine sitting back in a pool lounge chair watching this sunset? If you visit Disney Aulani Resort and Spa you can.
Sure Sunsets are nice, but you can have those at home too right? Maybe not nearly as beautiful as that, or maybe yours are? You might want to know some of the other activities you could do beyond enjoying a leisurely day by the ocean or pool.
Here’s a highlight of the activities available at Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa:
Let’s start with the most obvious one since we’re on an island. The Beach. It was absolutely perfect, white sand beaches, and perfect ocean water. As the beach is located on an inlet, the man made breakers keep the big waves from entering the area. This allows you to enjoy some paddle surfing, canoeing, snorkeling and swimming for all ages.
Planning A Visit To Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa?
Have you been considering a visit to Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa? When you think of a trip to Hawaii what are you looking for? Warm sandy beaches with a fruity drink in your hand? Scuba or snorkeling around the islands? Sitting by the pool while the kids are entertained? Interacting with local species and natural wonders? Do you want to go Island hopping? What else are you thinking of when Planning A Visit To Disney’s Aulani?
I have some good news for everyone, Aulani is able to provide all of these options and of much more.
When you first start planning a trip to the middle of the Pacific Ocean to visit Hawaii and Aulani, you need to make some decisions, and honestly you should call a travel agent.
What’s My Budget: With all vacations, most of us have to start here. We all wish we didn’t have to of course, but this is a necessary truth. Once you’ve established your own comfort level you can begin to narrow down the rest of your trip.
Why use a Travel Agent?
Do you remember the time before smart phones? Internet Searches? Planning travel was a lot of phone calls, friends recommendations, driving to AAA or other places for maps and lots of other work. Sometimes people used a Travel Agent, but usually only on those big once in a lifetime trips. So now, we have our iPhones, HTC’s, Tablets, Laptops, and a wealth of information on all things, including Travel destinations. Nowadays the internet has taken over for all those calls, all those trips to the library and more to get stacks and stacks of information for your vacation.
Let me start by telling you a little about how I started in this business. I had two separate but each very good friends suggest to me that I should be a Travel Agent for Disney Vacations. When they first suggested it, I thought to myself “Are they insane, Travel Agents are a thing of the past, everyone uses the internet, right?” So I started looking into it more and more. Then I spent some time pondering the amount of my own time I spent planning my vacations. I was already a self-described expert whose friends would ask for help and suggestions from. It seemed a perfect fit. I realized I love all things Disney (and Universal, and Hawaii, and Cruises, and… Well traveling in general) and I love helping people to plan their trips. So yeah why not? It was probably the best decision I’ve made in a long, long time! Which if you know me, isn’t saying much…
I do often wonder if it gets easier with all this information or is it now just overwhelming? If you want to visit a place like Disneyland or Walt Disney World you could get lost in the amount of information and never make it back out. The pictures alone can be mesmerizing. But you don’t think of asking for help? Why? Travel Agents are still out there, and we are ready to help! Today more than ever Travel Agents are the best bet you have to navigate the information overload highway and keeping you on track. Most Travel Agents today are also specialists in specific areas. Take me for instance, can you perhaps guess where my specialties lie?
So I’ve shared a little with how I decided to become a Travel Agent. Really though I want to share with you why you need a Travel Agent (like me).
