Blog Archives
Our Travels – Walt Disney World During COVID
The following is the first installment in the “Our Travels” portion of our blog. We travel quite a bit & want to share with you our experiences about specific places in addition to general travel advice. Enjoy!
We finally made it back to the most magical place on earth – Walt Disney World! Normally we make at least three or four trips to both Walt Disney World & Disneyland each year, but with the current circumstances being what they are, we have not been back to Disney World since January. We know there are a lot of questions about safety & what it is really like in the parks right now, so here we are! To talk about just that.
First, let me say that we had a great time. This was probably the most enjoyable trip to Walt Disney World I’ve had in years. It’s not that I love wearing a mask all day, or that I could do without FastPasses forever, but rather, it’s the fact that I did have such a good time in spite of those additional changes. There is always good if you look for it & our experience, in my opinion, speaks highly to the fact that there is still magic there & you can still have a great time if you choose to.
That being said, there are a number of additional safety procedures in place at Walt Disney World to make sure the spread of COVID-19 is limited. I appreciated the efforts of the company & I believe it is because of these efforts that we were able to have such a good time & relax in spite of everything. Take a look at what our experience was with those procedures below.
Park Reservations
Our experience with the new health & safety mandates started long before we traveled to Florida. This is because to enter a park at this point, you must have a park reservation in addition to your purchased park ticket. These reservations can be made through your My Disney Experience account. Our experience with this process was overall, very positive. The online reservation system is fairly straight forward and easy to use. Simply link your tickets & pick your park for the date you want. We do, however, recommend making park reservations immediately after purchasing your tickets as the capacity of the parks is currently limited. The current trend with these reservations is that, for Hollywood Studios especially, reservations can fill up quickly and fairly far in advance. You can always make changes to your plans if there is availability, but it is best to make those reservations ASAP so you don’t miss out on a park you want to go to. Some may feel this extra step is just one more thing to deal with, and although that’s true, I have to say, we enjoyed knowing that the capacity of the parks was limited & controlled.
Face Coverings
As has become common practice nearly everywhere these days, Disney World does require that all patrons & cast members wear appropriate face coverings at all times unless you are eating or drinking while stationary. For us, we anticipated this requirement was going to be the hardest part of the trip. We were mostly concerned about the Florida heat, but we came prepared with multiple masks for each person each day so we could change our mask throughout the day for any reason (i.e. sweat soaks through, you drop it on the floor, etc.). Although we were initially worried about this, we didn’t have much trouble at all with our masks. You get used to it pretty fast & knowing that everyone else is in the same boat somehow makes it not that big of a deal. In fact, face coverings are becoming fashion accessories at Disney with a lot of cute options, so it can even be a bit fun as you personalize them for yourself. If you do end up needing a break, there are what they call “Relaxation Stations” throughout the park & they are meant to be a place where you can take off your mask for a bit of a break. You need to stay in the designated area, but you’re welcome to take a break as needed. I will say, if you are going to purchase masks for the occasion, make sure you wear it a few times before coming to the parks. Reason being, not all masks fit the same & you may think it’s cute, but it hurts your ears, or it rubs your face in an odd place, etc. Know what you’re getting yourself into before committing to wearing a mask all day that doesn’t feel good. Once you’ve found what works for you, make sure wash them before your trip so you can start out with a clean mask every day. You may not think you can wear a mask all day at the parks, but barring medical issues that prevent you from wearing one, I promise you really can do it with a bit of planning & preparation.
Temperature check
Prior to entering any of the parks or Disney Springs, guests are required to have their temperature taken via a touchless thermometer administered by AdventHealth employees. You must have a temperature of 100.4 degrees or less to enter. While this process may seem intimidating, it was honestly no big deal. Everyone we interacted with during this process was quick & professional. I personally didn’t witness anyone getting pulled aside because their temperature was too high. I’m sure it happens, but we didn’t witness it. For me, it was one more level of protection. We knew that everyone in those parks was not currently showing a temperature. While that’s not a guarantee they aren’t sick, it’s a good indicator & it was comforting to know that piece was in place. It took literally seconds to do & then we moved on with our day as normal.
Social distancing
Disney’s social distancing protocol is probably my favorite part of their safety procedures. I’m the type who likes my personal space bubble, so I enjoyed staying away from other people. They work really hard to keep parties at least 6 feet away from each other in all queues and public spaces using markers on the ground along with empty seats on buses & attractions. They also have plexiglass & various barriers put in place when social distancing is not possible. Honestly, it’s awesome. If you’re like me & don’t want others in your personal space bubble even when there isn’t a pandemic, it’s the best thing Disney has ever done. I will say, due to the distancing, sometimes it looks like the lines are ridiculously long because not everyone can fit in the traditional queue when you have to keep that much space between groups, but the lines all moved pretty quickly & we never waited more than an hour in line for anything. Most of what we rode didn’t have lines more than 30 minutes long. And bonus! You don’t end up brushing up against sweaty strangers. Oh, and not getting COVID. That’s good too.
Sanitizer & Washing stations
At the entrance & exit of all rides, stores, restaurants, etc. you will find automatic hand sanitizer dispensers. They are literally everywhere & from what I observed, most people were using them as they went past. Knowing that I could sanitize going in & out of places, especially after rides where you know someone else has touched the same seat belt, etc., was really reassuring & we took full advantage. Additionally, there were also a number of temporary hand washing stations throughout the park & announcements were made regularly that included a reminder to wash your hands. In the bathrooms, there were signs reminding people to wash for 20 seconds. It has definitely become a priority for the company & we appreciated it because although we can’t make other people use them, we knew we could use them & protect ourselves. Just one more thing that doesn’t take any extra time or effort on our part, but gave us some peace of mind.
Enhanced cleaning procedures
Occasionally, we would notice the queue of a ride stop for a few minutes. We learned that it was during these times that the ride operators were cleaning the ride vehicles. They were quick & efficient & it never slowed us down much. In fact, it was just one more thing that made our experience more comfortable. We also witnessed cast members disinfecting tables & chairs between uses, railings being sanitized, garbage cans tied open & many other procedures that made it obvious they were trying their best to keep everything as clean as possible.
Food & Beverage
Eating is one of our favorite parts of vacation & with the International Food & Wine Festival currently happening at Epcot, we definitely ate a lot. For sit-down restaurants, they are requiring you wear your mask if you’re not sitting at your table. All servers had masks & face shields & would “refill” your drink by bringing you a new glass. They also provided the check in a paper sleeve that could be recycled after use. Overall, we were very impressed with how they managed sit-down dining. Quick Service dining was done almost exclusively through the My Disney Experience app. You would order through the app, they give you a return time, you let them know when you’re there, and they prepare your meal for pick-up. This really reduced contact with cast members & other guests in line & it was easy to use. The only food providers not using online ordering were the small food stalls & carts. For those, they encouraged contactless payment & all cast members were wearing masks & face shields along with being behind plexiglass. Overall, I felt confident in how they were handling our food & at no point did I find myself worrying about it.
Shopping & Pin Trading
Some of the best-loved past times at Disney are of course, shopping & pin trading. There are gift shops at the exit of every ride & pretty much everywhere in between. In the stores, social distancing is encouraged & the queue lines & cashiers follow the same guidelines as they do everywhere else. Additionally, they have signs posted throughout the store asking people to limit their handling of product for the safety of everyone. Pin trading has evolved a bit more during these times. Now instead of cast members wearing lanyards, you’ll find them in specific areas with cork boards filled with pins. They have a box you can put the pin you’re trading in & then you tell the cast member which pin on the board you want & they will give it to you. It’s a bit different than before, but the point is, you can still do it & it is significantly safer for everyone.
Conclusion
Overall, we were impressed & pleased with the efforts Disney is taking to keep their guests & patrons safe. Is it foolproof? No, nothing is. But we feel they are doing things to the best of their ability. Ultimately, all travelers, no matter where you go, need to remember that you are responsible for your own safety. The company can do everything that’s listed above, but you’re responsible for your own actions. Choose to follow their guidelines, be courteous of others, wear your mask, wash your hands & recognize your safety is ultimately on you. Use the tools provided & keep yourself safe. If you’re wanting to visit & you feel comfortable doing so, then we believe you’ll find it to still be a wonderful and magical place. To request a quote for your next Walt Disney World vacation, visit our website: http://woodbreyfamilytravel.com/getaquote.php
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Contact us for more information and to book your next Walt Disney World Vacation!
Woodbrey Family Travel
Creating Dream Vacations
cody@woodbreyfamilytravel.com
http://www.woodbreyfamilytravel.com
Plan in Advance, Pay Over Time
There is something thrilling about dropping everything for a few days and escaping. Sometimes spontaneous trips are the best trips. As with everything though, these last-minute adventures typically come at a cost. Now I know what some of you are thinking. “But sometimes you can get great last-minute deals!” That’s true & last-minute deals can be fantastic, but more often than not, there will be some aspect of your trip that will be more expensive because you waited until the last minute. For example, maybe you got a super cheap cruise last minute, but then your airfare was super expensive. Or maybe you got a great deal on airfare, but hotels are limited due to the short notice, so their prices are higher. Plus, everything has to be paid for upfront. When you wait to book last minute, you have to be prepared to pay for everything at once. Most people’s budgets need a bit more advance notice to be able to accommodate a trip. Fortunately, quite a few aspects of the travel industry allow for payment to be made over time.
As outlined in our blog post, “Help Us, Help You,” the first thing anyone should do before making travel plans is to decide on a budget. I feel this is true for any kind of trip, whether it be spontaneous or planned well in advance. The world is amazing, but you’ll enjoy it more if you don’t have a mountain of debt to come home to. Budgeting & planning in advance can give you the flexibility to save up & pay for your trip over time so you don’t accrue unnecessary debt due to your travels.
Once you have determined your budget, I recommend working with a Travel Agent to help plan your trip. This is for a few reasons (see our blog post “Why Use a Travel Agent”), but a few of the most notable reasons is their ability to help you stay within your budget & to bundle the various pieces to your travel together into a package. Though not the only way to pay for a trip over time, having your travel agent put together a package for you will often give you more flexibility in terms of when you can pay.
For example, let’s say you’re traveling to the Disneyland or Walt Disney World Resort. If you were to buy a hotel or condo off Disney property & bought your theme park tickets separately, you would have to pay outright for those theme park tickets and maybe your lodgings too. If you haven’t been to a Disney park recently, tickets are a large bulk of the cost for that type of vacation and if you buy them separately, they have to be paid in full up-front & they are non-refundable. However, if you plan in advance & bundle your package to include both hotel & tickets on property or at a Good Neighbor hotel, then you could simply pay $200 down when you book & then the rest isn’t due until 30 days before you travel. Up until that 30-days before, you can change or cancel your reservation at no cost to you. This allows you much more freedom than if you purchased them separately. Additionally, as a package you are more than welcome to make partial payments over time, or if you’d rather keep your money accruing in the bank, you can wait until that due date 30 days before to make your final payment. This allows you significantly more time to save your money & spread out the cost of your vacation over several months.
Much like stand-alone tickets, airfare is also notorious for having to be paid for up-front & it is most often non-refundable. If you plan your trip in advance, it allows for large required purchases like airfare to not be such a burden. Maybe you’ve booked your hotel/tickets a year in advance, and have been saving up or making payments over time, but you wait to purchase airfare until three or four months in advance of your trip. Being able to spread out the payments for the other aspects of your package allow you to be able to pay for that airfare when it comes up without any budgetary constraints.
What you may not realize is that occasionally, your travel agent can package your airfare in with other aspects of your trip. This means that your airfare would follow the same rules as your package does. For example, if you were to book a Disney Cruise, you would be required to put 20% down up front & final payment is due 90-120 days before you travel. If you chose to book airfare as a package with your cruise & you select a flexible fare, that airfare gets bundled into your cruise package price as a whole. You would simply pay the 20% of the package price & then pay the remainder when final payment is due or in partial payments over time. Again, allowing for better budgeting in advance.
Besides being able to spread out paying for your trip, booking in advance will most often get you the best deal. There are last-minute deals that are worthwhile, but as previously mentioned, you’ll typically get hit with a larger than average bill in some other aspect of your trip. In general, the longer you wait to book, the more you will pay. For example, Disney is notorious for increasing their ticket prices in either late January or early February every year, but sometimes they do it multiple times per year. If you plan in advance, your ticket prices, or cruise fare, or nightly hotel price, gets locked in, ultimately saving you money than if you waited to book your trip last minute. Plus! If you use a travel agent & a deal does come up, they can often get it applied to your existing reservation. Just one more reason to use them!
Overall, making a budget, planning in advance, & taking advantage of what a travel agent can offer can really help you to spread the cost of you trip out over time. This can make a big difference to your everyday finances so that your trip really is a vacation & not a means to more debt. If you’re feeling unsure, ask your travel agent for help! They want to make sure you stay within your budget & have the best time possible. Paying over time can alleviate a lot of stress on you & your budget, so recognize it is an option. Plan in advance & take advantage!
We would be happy to help you along your way. Please visit our website to request a quote: http://woodbreyfamilytravel.com/getaquote.php
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Contact us for more information and to book your next Walt Disney World Trip!
Woodbrey Family Travel
Creating Dream Vacations
cody@woodbreyfamilytravel.com
http://www.woodbreyfamilytravel.com
Eating Your Way Through Vacation
Eating is one of my favorite things in general, but eating on vacation tends to be some of the highlights of the trip. There’s just something great about trying new things & diving into a culture using their food as the catalyst. As previously outlined in the blog, “Planning Never Hurt Anyone,” I believe that a little planning ahead of time can produce big dividends while on your trip. The same remains true for how you eat while on vacation. I’m talking less about what & where you end up eating and more about how you end up eating. Before you travel, there are a few things I would recommend you think about to make the most of your money & time in this regard.
What is Your Food Budget?
Often people plan for months, sometimes years, to go on vacation. They’ve decided their accommodations, they’ve purchased their airfare and they have budgeted for the activities they will be experiencing. However, it seems like budgeting for food is often overlooked. They just figure they will figure it out when they get there. While I agree that you don’t necessarily have to have every restaurant picked out before you go, knowing how much you can and are willing to spend each day will help you make sure you don’t overspend on dining.
Let me show you what I mean. It’s common knowledge that Europe is expensive, especially in high-tourism areas. Let’s say that you decide to sit down at an average restaurant for every meal. Nothing too fancy, but you do choose a sit-down restaurant, plus a few snacks along the way to keep you going between destinations. Per person, for breakfast you pay €15, plus later you grab a mid-morning coffee for €7. You stop and sit-down for lunch which costs you €20 followed by a mid-afternoon gelato for €5, and end the day you have dinner which costs €30 & then you stop at the pastry shop for dessert on the way back to the hotel and spend €8 there. By the end of the day, you’ve spent €85 PER PERSON. If you ate similarly for a week, and there were two of you traveling together, you’re looking at €1,190 just in food costs. At today’s Euro/American Dollar conversion, that’s $1,412.47.
Most people can’t afford to drop that kind of money without planning for it first, so make a budget! As you’re planning your trip, your travel agent can help you research how much you can expect to pay each day for food depending on your destination. That way, you can make sure food costs are accounted for in advance & you don’t end up in debt over something as basic as food.
Save Money (and Time) by Choosing Accommodations that Include Breakfast
One of the easiest ways to cut food costs & save time while on vacation, is to ask your travel agent to find you accommodations that include breakfast. Many hotels offer at least a continental breakfast spread that can get you going for the day without spending the time or money at a sit-down restaurant. Keep in mind that while hotels that do this are quite common in the States, it is less common in Europe and other destinations. The reality is many hotels now charge you extra for their breakfast, but often if you purchase that option in advance when you book the room, they will charge you less than if you pay at the hotel. Regardless, it tends to be more reasonable than going out to eat for breakfast. Tell your travel agent how much you’d be willing to pay (if anything) for breakfast & they can likely find you some good options and walk you through everything so you know in advance what to expect.
In addition to saving you money by avoiding going out for breakfast, eating at the hotel means you can get a faster start to your day. Whether you’re going to the parks at Walt Disney World, or visiting the Louvre in Paris, our biggest piece of advice is to arrive early. Major attractions attract major lines & if you’d rather spend your day exploring the amazing sights instead of standing in line, getting a quick start to your day by having breakfast at the hotel can be the key.
Street Vendors are Awesome
Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten on vacation have come from street vendors. They are no-frills options that are fast and give you awesome food without the big price-tag or the need to spend valuable time at a sit-down restaurant. Now, I can hear the voice of my mom in my head asking, “But are they clean?” Most cities require that their street vendors are licensed & they have to meet the same cleanliness standards as restaurants do. For example, in New York City, all restaurants are given a letter grade based on their cleanliness & they are required by law to post that grade in their front window. As of early 2019, they started giving their street vendors those same grades. If you’re feeling nervous, look for posted licenses & make your own observations. Only pick those vendors who make you comfortable. In my experience, I’ve only had positive experiences with street vendors. Worst case, I’ve eaten cheap food that was only okay. Best case, I’ve had some of the most delectable local treats you could get. In my opinion, they are a great option that will help you stick to your budget & give you the chance to try some of the local fare all while saving you time.
Remember, Hangry is a REAL Thing
We’ve all been there. It’s been too long between meals, your blood sugar is dropping, you’ve walked at least 10 miles that day, and you start picking at the people around you. My family is notorious for this – ask any of my in-laws. I’m not proud to say that I’ve let my “hangry” tendencies get the better of me more than once on vacation. I’m also confident it’s a bigger problem than most people realize (or are willing to admit). Realizing that it is a real thing can help you recognize it for what it is & help you avoid turning your vacation into an unpleasant experience for everyone. While I am personally all about saving time by eating at the hotel in the morning, or purchasing food from street vendors, I DO NOT believe that meals should be sacrificed for the sake of getting to the next thing. When you’re thrust into a different time zone, culture & daily routine, your body needs that consistent fuel more than ever. And as much as I’d like to say that gelato & macarons count as “real food,” they don’t. Sugar in its many delectable varieties is not a meal substitute. If you find yourself starting to get irritated, take stock of what you have eaten that day & then go get some real food. Trust me. Your vacation will be much more enjoyable if everyone stays fed.
Ask About Meal Plans
Depending on where you are traveling, there may be options to have your meals included. For example, cruising is a great way to see several locations in a short amount of time & all meals are included on the ship (with a few exceptions where surcharges apply to certain restaurants). At the Walt Disney World Resort, if you stay on property, they offer a variety of meal plans to fit every budget that typically save 15-20% (Temporarily suspended due to COVID-19. Don’t worry, it’ll be back.). There are also many all-inclusive resorts all over the world, particularly in tropical locations where meals are included. These are all viable options to have your food included in the overall price of your vacation. Ask your travel agent what options may be available to you based on where you are traveling.
We hope you can see how once again, a little planning can go a long way in regards to eating your way through vacation. It’s honestly one of the most enjoyable aspects of experiencing a culture & we hope these reminders will help you make your next vacation even better!
As always, we’d be happy to help you plan your next vacation. Visit our website & click on the “Get a Quote” feature to get started!
Why Use a Travel Agent?
Often when people ask what we do and we say, “We own a travel agency,” it is not uncommon for the next words out of their mouth to be, “Do people still use travel agents?” The answer is, “Yes! Or at least the people who want to save time, money, hassle & have a great experience do.” The truth is, travel is more accessible, and therefore more complicated, than ever. Travel agents are your own personalized search engine who can give you the best & most relevant information to make your dream vacation a reality. Still not convinced to allow someone else to shoulder the stress of planning your vacation? Read on! Here are our top five reasons you should use a travel agent.
There is no substitute for a human with experience.
Imagine traveling to a new place. You’re not familiar with the culture, the food, or how transportation works. Or maybe you’re been to that place, but it’s been a few years and you’re not sure what changes you’ll have to navigate. Wouldn’t it be nice to talk to someone who has “been there & done that?” That is what your travel agent is for!
In order to sell products, agents often have to go through significant training & most often, they also have the personal experience of traveling to those locations to back that training up. For example, at Woodbrey Family Travel, we specialize in planning Disney vacations (though we can and do book ANYTHING). But did you know that five out of six of our agents are either former or current Disney cast members? We have lived near & worked in the parks & you better believe we all make multiple trips each year. We make it our mission to stay up-to-date on what is happening so we can give you the BEST information possible.
Unlike the internet, travel agents care about the type of experience you have and are invested in your vacation. We WANT you to feel confident in your choices & to reduce the chance of unwanted surprises. We become your ONE point of contact & are happy to take care of any requests or adjustments you need to make. We will help you work through what you actually want & need while accurately rating hotels & experiences. We will give you the facts & information that is relevant. In a world where time is short & stress is high, let a travel agent save you both!
Our Services are FREE!
At this point maybe you’re thinking, “Okay, I can see the value of using an actual human. But what is that expertise going to cost me?” When you use Woodbrey Family Travel, the answer is NOTHING. No really, there’s no catch. The answer is NOTHING. So how and why?
The answer is simple. Our partners (Disney, Universal, Expedia, all major cruise lines, etc.) take care of us, so we can take care of you. It is a well-established fact within the travel industry that customers have a better experience when they work with a travel agent & they are more likely to return because they have a positive experience. Our partners believe in this so much, they are willing to cut into their own profits to pay us at no extra cost to you. Because they are willing to do that, we accept that as sufficient payment & do not charge you for our services. If you get all the benefits of working with an actual human & it doesn’t cost you anything, what are you waiting for?
We aren’t just trained, we’re “Authorized” too!
As previously mentioned, in order to sell various products, agents often go through training designed by our partners to help us become familiar with what they offer (plus, we travel A LOT). Once we complete these trainings, we are then “authorized” to sell the product on behalf of that organization (i.e. Disney, Universal, all major cruise lines, etc.).
However, sometimes an organization has even higher and more elite credentials. For example, the IATA & CLIA programs are industry certifications that have to be earned by an agency & renewed every year. Woodbrey Family Travel has its CLIA certification & we will continue to stay up-to-date on industry requirements to keep that credential.
Additionally, Disney also has a higher tier of agencies that only a few earn. Almost any travel agent can sell the product, but only a select few agencies are known as being “Earmarked” with Disney. Woodbrey Family Travel is one of those agencies and we are proud to be able to say we are officially “Authorized Disney Vacation Planners.” Why does that matter to you? If one of the world’s most successful & admired companies designates another company to represent them to their guests, it’s for a reason. Where Disney doesn’t have the ability to remember you as an individual, we do! Where they will not provide you with a personalized itinerary to navigate the parks, we will! We have the time to pay attention to you & we’re good enough at it, Disney has given us their stamp of approval.
From a monetary standpoint as well, the organizations we are partnered with send us daily updates on their products & promotions so we can get you the best deals out there. If you book through us & later on a promotion that is relevant to you comes up, we will know about it & can make the necessary changes to your reservation to save you money! When you book online, it is very rare that you’ll be made aware of new promotions & will be able to change it. Most of the time, whatever you pay, sticks. With a travel agent, you can be confident we will do our best to take care of you.
Avoid Costly Scams
Have you received a questionable email or text lately? Maybe a strange pop-up opened when you went to a certain website. In this day and age, sometimes it seems like there are more scams out there than legitimate enterprises. Unfortunately, the travel industry is not immune. In an effort to save a few bucks, many travelers will try to find the cheapest options out there. They will scour the internet looking for any sort of deal, and often, they don’t do adequate research on the companies they are using. We have seen situations where sometimes the organizations offering tickets or hotels for super cheap will take your money & not deliver the products, or maybe you show up to the hotel & instead of the four-star resort with the spectacular pictures you saw on their site, it’s a two-star motel and now you’re stuck. Even the legitimate sites that offer “discounts” often don’t give you the full price upfront.
For example, I had a guest who was buying Disney World tickets for her family. She said my price (which came directly from Disney) was $500 more than what she could get online with a third-party seller. I cautioned her to make sure the tickets were the right type (child vs. adult tickets) and that taxes were included. Turns out, even though she has four “kids,” some of them were over the age of 10, and are thus, considered “adults” when it comes to park tickets. The third-party website was trying to sell her child tickets instead of the necessary adult tickets and sure enough, the taxes were not included. Can you imagine the hassle she would have experienced if she got to the parks & at the gate they said, “I’m sorry, this is a child ticket and your teenager is obviously not a child?” Because she bought through a third-party “discount” seller, now she’s out the money for the ticket she bought from them, plus the price of a new appropriate adult ticket at the gate.
There are MANY third-party sellers out there who will buy tickets/hotel rooms in bulk & sell them for “cheaper” than what you can get through the company or their authorized travel agents directly. BEWARE of these providers. The best deal you will find will be through the organization you’re visiting directly. You can feel confident when you use an authorized travel agent that you will get what you pay for with no hidden fees or questionable products. How much is peace of mind worth? Remember cost & value are NOT the same thing. I can guarantee the value you receive from a travel agent will be greater than the few dollars you save buying through questionable websites.
You will be supporting a small business.
In a world where the “little guy” often gets lost in the shuffle, it’s more important than ever to frequent small businesses. When you use a travel agent, you not only get the vacation of your dreams with less stress, you are also supporting the livelihood of individuals you personally know. We work hard for no guarantee of your business, we will find the right answers to your questions, and we add value that can’t be quantified. We will appreciate your business in a way a faceless search engine cannot & we would love the opportunity to prove it to you! Please think small & use a travel agent the next time you’re booking a trip!
Well, there you have it! Our top five reasons to use a travel agent. We hope you can see the value we provide & will seriously consider using us for your next vacation. To request a quote with Woodbrey Family Travel, visit our website: http://woodbreyfamilytravel.com/getaquote.php. We look forward to working with you!
Passholder Room Offer for Summer and Early Fall
Annual Passholders can relax, unwind and rediscover the magic with a room offer at Walt Disney World Resort.
With this offer, Annual Passholders can enjoy great rates on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels for stays most nights July through August, 2020.
Guests can take advantage of this offer and get ready to return to the most magical place on Earth! There’s still so much to explore and enjoy when staying at a Disney Resort hotel at Walt Disney World Resort. Plus, there are new measures in place to promote the health and well-being of Guests and Cast Members.
Book Through
September 30, 2020
Eligibility
Passholder must present a valid Walt Disney World Pass at check-in.
Important Details
- Advance reservations required.
- Offer excludes the following room types: 3-bedroom villas, campsites, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.
- The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited.
- Length of stay requirements may apply.
- Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts and Studios at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts.
- Savings based on the non-discounted price a non-Passholder pays for the same room.
- Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion.
- A valid annual pass and park reservation are required to enjoy theme parks and special events and are not included in this offer.
Contact us for more information and to book your next Disney Adventure!
Woodbrey Family Travel
Creating Dream Vacations
cody@woodbreyfamilytravel.com
http://www.woodbreyfamilytravel.com
Florida Residents: Save Up to 35% on Select Disney Resorts in July & September
With this offer, Florida Residents can enjoy great rates on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels for stays most nights July 9 through September 30, 2020—including savings of up to 35% for September dates.
Guests can take advantage of this offer and get ready to return to the most magical place on Earth! There’s still so much to explore and enjoy when guests stay at a Disney Resort hotel at Walt Disney World Resort. Plus, there are new measures in place to promote the health and well-being of Guests and Cast Members.
Book through September 30, 2020.
This offer is valid for the Disney Resort hotels listed below. View the chart to explore savings within each Resort Category.
The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price a non-Florida resident pays for the same room. Length of stay requirements may apply. See Important Details.
Important Details
- Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts and Studios at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts.
- Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion.
- Advance reservations required.
- Offer excludes the following room types: 3-bedroom villas, campsites, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.
- Proof of Florida residency required at check-in.
- Valid admission and a park reservation are required to enjoy theme parks and special events and are not included in this offer.
Contact us for more information and to book your next Disney Adventure!
Woodbrey Family Travel
Creating Dream Vacations
cody@woodbreyfamilytravel.com
http://www.woodbreyfamilytravel.com
MY DISNEY EXPERIENCE’S MOBILE ORDER FEATURE EXPANDS TO 15 LOCATIONS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT
Now, it’s easier than ever to personalize your Walt Disney World Resort experience through the My Disney Experience app. My Disney Experience continues to add new features – including the new Mobile Order and Online Mobile Check-in at Disney Resort hotels – while still helping guests plan their vacation experience and make changes on the go through helpful tools like FastPass+, Disney PhotoPass and more.
Disney is pleased to share that the Mobile Order service is now available at 15 locations throughout Walt Disney World theme parks and at Disney Springs. The new service saves guests time when ordering meals at quick-service restaurants by allowing them to order on demand, pay in advance and skip the line, and not have mealtime interfere with time spent enjoying all of the other attractions and experiences throughout the resort.
To use Mobile Order, the guest can sign in to the My Disney Experience app and tap the “Order Food” button, which lists restaurants that offer the service. They can browse restaurant menus, select items, customize their order and prepay, all right through the app. Then, when they arrive at the restaurant, they simply tap “I’m Here, Prepare My Order” in the app, which notifies the kitchen to prepare their meal. When it’s ready, a notification will alert the guest to pick up their meal from the “Mobile Order Pick Up” area in the restaurant.
Here are the 15 restaurants that currently offer Mobile Order:
Magic Kingdom Park:
Columbia Harbour House
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe
Pinocchio Village Haus
Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant
Epcot:
Electric Umbrella
Liberty Inn
Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
ABC Commissary
Backlot Express
PizzeRizzo
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park:
Flame Tree Barbecue
Pizzafari
Restaurantosaurus
Satu’li Canteen
Disney Springs:
D-Luxe Burger
The only form of payment currently accepted through Mobile Order is credit card, but they’re working on adding more payment options soon. Anyone with special dietary restrictions, or those who want to use discounts or redeem dining plan entitlements must place their order with a cashier.
Woodbrey Family Travel
‘American Idol’ Bus Tour Visits Disney Springs for Open Auditions
The groundbreaking series, “American Idol,” will debut on its new home at ABC in 2018. And, there’s more exciting news! For the first time, the ‘Idol’ bus will kick off open auditions at the Walt Disney World® Resort.
If guests think they could be the next “American Idol”, they can head over to Disney Springs® on Aug. 17, 2017 to audition with “American Idol” Producers. (Celebrity Judges will not be on site). Early arrival is encouraged. And, for early birds, parking will be available as early as 4 a.m. – but not before. Registration will begin at 6 a.m. with auditions starting at 8 a.m. Early arrival is encouraged, as registration will close at 12 p.m or sooner due to capacity. No overnight camping.
The auditions will take place outdoors, so guests should make sure to bring water, sunscreen, and a hat to stay in top shape for their audition. Parking will be available at the surface parking lot on the West Side of Disney Springs, near House of Blues and Cirque du Soleil®.
All singers must be at least 15 years old to audition. Pre-Registration is encouraged. You can pre-register and access additional details, full eligibility requirements, submission forms, and terms and conditions, by visiting www.americanidol.com. Those auditioning can bring one guest to accompany them and the guest must be over 5 years old.
Woodbrey Family Travel
First Mickey-Themed Ride-Through Attraction, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
A new attraction featuring international icon Mickey Mouse is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios® at the Walt Disney World® Resort!
On Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, you will step through the movie screen and join Mickey and his friends like never before. The attraction will put guests inside the wacky and unpredictable world of a Mickey Mouse Cartoon Short where you’re the star and anything can happen. This zany out-of-control adventure features surprising twists and turns, dazzling visual effects and mind-boggling transformations that happen before you very eyes.
The attraction is inspired by the Mickey Shorts that you can see on the Disney Channel. And the people who bring you the shorts at Disney Television Animation are partnering with us to help bring the attraction to life.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will feature a new story and a new singable attraction theme song as well as a new experience we’re calling “2 1/2 D.” No glasses required. Walt Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty said teams are inventing new technologies that turn the flat world of a colorful cartoon short into a “dimensional display of amazingness.”
We also wanted to let you know that in order to begin to prepare the new home of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at the Chinese Theatre in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Aug. 13, 2017 will be the final day of operation for The Great Movie Ride presented by Turner Classic Movies. Until Aug. 13, you can still relive some of the greatest movie moments in history on the Great Movie Ride attraction.
Woodbrey Family Travel
Meet Cruz Ramirez from Disney·Pixar’s ‘Cars 3’ at Disney Parks
This summer, when guests head on down the highway to Disney California Adventure® Park at Disneyland® Resort, they’ll be able to meet one of the newest stars from Disney·Pixar’s “Cars 3,” Cruz Ramirez. Cruz has joined Lightning McQueen and Mater in Cars Land. She’ll also be taking a summer road trip down to the Sunshine State, stopping in on Pixar Place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® at Walt Disney World® Resort.
In Disney·Pixar’s “Cars 3,” Cruz Ramirez is a top-notch technician at the Rusteze Racing Center where she’s assigned to train the team’s talented rookies. Cruz always had racing dreams of her own, but it isn’t until she meets Lightning McQueen that she realizes her passion to compete is still there. Now she’ll finally get the chance to see if she’s got what it takes to win.
Woodbrey Family Travel
Pandora – The World of Avatar Opens May 27, Star Wars-Themed Lands Set to Open in 2019 and more!
Today Disney is excited to share that Pandora – The World of Avatar will open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Park at Walt Disney World® Resort on May 27, 2017.
This new land will transport guests to the visually stunning world of Pandora. Here, they will wonder at floating mountains and bioluminescent plants, and can join the Na’vi on two excursions that take adventure to the next level.
First, the family friendly Na’vi River Journey will send guests through a bioluminescent rainforest. Their journey will end in an unforgettable encounter with a Na’vi Shaman, a figure who has a deep connection to the life force of Pandora. And second, Avatar Flight of Passage will offer guests the jaw-dropping experience of exploring the world of Pandora atop a Banshee.
Guests will also be able to dine at Satu’li Canteen, grab a drink at Pongu Pongu or shop for Na’vi cultural items, toys, science kits, and more at Windtraders.
Also, Disney is excited to announce that their new Star Wars-themed lands at Disneyland® Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios® in Florida will be opening in 2019!
The Star Wars-themed lands are the largest-ever, single-themed land expansions at Disneyland® and Walt Disney World® Resorts. At each location, guests will be transported to a never-before-seen planet – a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space – where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life. Here’s a glimpse at one of the signature attractions which lets guests take the controls of the Millennium Falcon!
Woodbrey Family Travel
Pandora – The World of AVATAR Is Set To Open Summer of 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal is welcoming a new land known as “Pandora – The World of AVATAR”. For the last several years, Disney has been working on this land and it is expected to open the summer of 2017!
When traveling to this new land guests will be immersed in adventure and wonder with the following experiences:
- Satu’li Canteen – The main restaurant in Pandora – The World of AVATAR that will feature Na’vi art and cultural items
- Windtraders – The merchandise location where travelers can find Na’vi cultural items, toys, science kits and more
- Pongu Pongu – A special drink location with a design that is a eclectic as its Expat owner
- AVATAR Flight of Passage – Excursions that offer the jaw-dropping experience of riding on a Banshee over the world of Pandora
- Na’vi River Journey – A family-friendly experience that will send guests down a sacred river hidden within a bioluminescent rainforest
Cody Woodbrey
Minnie’s Halloween Dine!
Over the last year, Minnie Mouse has been inviting guests to meet her friends for a fun and exciting dinning parties at the Hollywood Vine restaurant in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For this upcoming Halloween season, Minnie and her friends will be dress in their all-new Halloween costumes for the parties. Minnie’s Halloween Dine starts on September 12th and runs through November 6th. The cost for this event is $46.99 per adult and $27.99 per child, plus tax and gratuity. Guests can book this character dining experience today online at DisneyWorld.com/dine or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
Cody Woodbrey
Woodbrey Family Travel Blog 