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Explore Sandals & Beaches Resorts Vacations

in Beaches/International Travel/Sandals by

Enjoy all-inclusive luxury vacations at Sandals & Beaches resorts for getaways with more quality inclusions than any other luxury beach resort. With gorgeous white-sand beaches, savory dining experiences, opulent accommodations, unlimited refreshing beverages, exciting water sports and more, it’s no wonder why so many choose Sandals & Beaches as their tropical escape.

Sandals Resorts are adults only romantic getaways!
Perfect for honeymoons and weddings but also adventure!

Beaches Resorts are family friendly
tropical getaways with luxury included!

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What would YOU do with a $300 Travel Credit?

in Travel by

We are almost halfway thru the year – I know, hard to believe! – and I am SO CLOSE to my 2023 goal. I still have a few months to hit it, but I need YOUR help – Oh, and there’s a $300 potential travel credit for helping me reach my goal too!!

Check out the details below…

Be sure to share with any family & friends that may be looking to travel yet this year!
The more you refer the more chances you have to WIN!

Thank you in advance for your help with meeting my goal for 2023 and best of luck with earning YOUR $300 travel credit!

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Disney Cruise Line Beds are AMAZING!

in Disney Cruise Line by

We LOVE our new bed!!

If you want an AMAZING bed too, reach out to Sydney Murray at Orlando Furniture Expo & Mattress / 407-801-3658.

SPECIAL OFFER

When you reach out to Sydney give him the code
DCLC5 and get 5% off your purchase!!

The Disney Cruise Line bed is the Biscayne Bedding Calmness Euro Top.

Sydney took great care of us and made the process so easy! From initial contact to ordering to delivery – everything was seamless – and it was even delivered 2 days earlier than he promised!

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SPECIALIZING IN LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
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JUST ANNOUNCED: MINION LAND

in Universal Orlando/Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations by

Illumination’s Minions are taking over an entire street at Universal Orlando. Blast your way to supervillain stardom in the new Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast attraction. Visit Illumination’s Minion Cafe where mischief is always on the menu. Get a sweet treat at Bake My Day and more. It’s Minion mayhem like you’ve never experienced before. Opening Summer 2023.

As soon as guests enter the land, they will be greeted by a “Minion Land” marquee featuring 22 Minions before embarking on the mischief that awaits along Illumination Ave. Guests can blast their way to supervillain stardom in Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast, savor tasty dishes at the Minion Café, snack on banana-flavored popcorn at Pop-a-Nana, and meet fan-favorite characters along the way.

Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast: Guests can put their villainous skills to the test in Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast, an all-new attraction where they compete against each other in a fully interactive gaming experience. Afterward, they exit through Evil Stuff, an all-new retail location where they can stock up on Villain-Con and Minions merchandise. More details about Villain-Con Minion Blast will be revealed soon.

Illumination’s Minion Café: It’s Minions in the kitchen, mischief in the dining room, and tons of tasty food at the new Illumination’s Minion Café, the marquee dining location within Minion Land. This immersive new eatery offers something for every palate in a highly entertaining dining experience that features three themed areas designed after beloved Minions Kevin, Stuart, Bob and Otto. This includes the Kitchen, where guests will get a glimpse of the equipment and gear the Minions have used to whip up the cafe’s menu; the Breakroom, where guests can dine in the Minions’ break space that includes everything from “Office Safety Tips” to a vending machine stocked with mischievous items; and the Dining Room, a vibrant space adorned with colorful artwork courtesy of the Minions and more. Guests can also enjoy their meal on an outdoor patio that overlooks the fun of Minion Land.

Just as eye-catching as Minion Cafe’s themed surroundings is its delicious menu, the latest example of how Universal Orlando’s culinary team continues to raise the bar when it comes to theme park dining. Guests of all ages can enjoy inventive, family-friendly fare featuring nearly 20 items inspired by memorable characters and staples from the Minions franchise, including eclectic “despica-bowls” such as Otto’s Noodle Bowl, Agnes’s Honeymoon Soup and Carl’s Crispy Cauliflower (vegan offering); delectable handhelds such as the Steak & “Cheese Ray” Sandwich; desserts such as Bob’s Teddy Bear Chocolate Cream Puff; a kids’ menu for the “mini Minions” in the family that includes items like the Mini Boss’ Mega Melt.

The Minion Cafe will also feature an express window with a limited menu for those looking to satisfy their mischievous cravings quickly and return to the mayhem in Minion Land. Other attractions include:

Bake My Day: Topped with a massive pink cupcake that’s visible from anywhere in the land, Bake My Day is a whimsical retail location and bakery featuring a selection of Minion-themed sweet treats, including cupcakes, macarons, s’mores and more, along with exclusive Minion-inspired merchandise like apparel, plush, drinkware, accessories, keychains and more.

Pop-a-Nana: Banana-flavored popcorn, anyone? This walkup location features sweet and savory popcorn inspired by the Minions’ love for bananas. Here, guests can also find an assortment of cute popcorn buckets, including the Minion Selfie bucket.

Freeze Ray Pops: Guests can cool off with a visit to Freeze Ray Pops, featuring a variety of colorful popsicles inspired by Gru, the Minions and Vector, along with beverages.

Illumination Theater: Guests can meet, greet and interact with beloved characters like the Minions, Gru, Margo, Edith and Agnes, plus new additions from the hit film “Sing”—Rosita, Gunter and Johnny—at an outdoor Illumination Theater facade.

Guests can also discover murals, photo ops and more throughout Minion Land that celebrate additional characters from popular Illumination films. Minion Land is yet another example of how Universal Destinations & Experiences is raising the bar on immersive storytelling for the entire family using beloved stories and franchises often seen in films.

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SPECIALIZING IN LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
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The Disney Wish

in Cruise Vacations/Disney Cruise Line/Disney Destinations/Disney Wish/Travel/Travel Agent by

I have now experienced all five Disney ships – Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy, and the NEW Disney Wish!

If you have experienced the other ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, drop all comparisons when you cruise onboard the Disney Wish because she definitely has a personality all her own! She’s a beautiful ship with some familiar experiences and a whole lot of new experiences and imaginative surprises too.

Let’s start with the food…

Marceline Market is the buffet option onboard the Disney Wish and it was so good that I forgot to go to the sit-down breakfast at least one morning during our cruise, which is something I always do.

The buffet offered my favorite peel and eat shrimp, which is how I always start my cruise, and made-to-order omelets for breakfast as well as many other delicious selections for breakfast and lunch.

The quick service dining options at Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods were similar as well with a few new options – such as Mickey’s Smokestack Barbecue which was a favorite for my husband – he was so excited to dig in he forgot to take photos of the food so we will get some during out next cruise!

For dinner service, the rotational dining exclusive to Disney Cruise Line is still included but is called ‘Signature Dining’ onboard the Disney Wish. We enjoyed all three dining experiences and, as adults only, 1923 was our favorite. We even wore our 1920’s attire.

There are many lounge areas to explore…

The lounge areas on the Disney Wish can be found throughout the ship – small venues all with their own theming. My personal favorite was The Rose which is located at the entrance to Palo Steakhouse and Enchanté. The ocean view is amazing as you experience creative beverages that are full of special surprises too! We enjoyed some favorite activities in the lounges such as Match Your Mate and the Silent DJ party as well as Trivia.

We also were able to secure a reservation for the Star Wars themed Hyperspace Lounge. This was an interesting venue with Star Wars themed beverages and, currently, you are limited to a 45-minute experience.

One of the specialty beverages at The Rose.

Pools and more for everyone…

The Disney Wish also offers many small pool areas, for families, kids and adults only. While I explored these pools, my favorite was the infinity pool at the AFT of the ship and I can’t wait to enjoy this location onboard again during our next cruise. The main family pool area is where they do the “Set Sail on a Wish” sail-away party and Pirate Night fun! You can also see many movies on the Funnel Vision screen during the day and evening.

The Disney Wish also offers the Senses Spa and Fitness Center and laundry room as well as the kids clubs with a slide from the Grand Hall for access to the kids clubs! I plan to explore these areas more on futures sailings, except for the laundry room…

And, of course, the characters!

We were able to reserve a spot for the Royal Gathering and now HUGS ARE BACK so we will get a bit more personal with the characters during our next cruise!

Stateroom theming…

Again, while all Disney ships offer stateroom theming, the Disney Wish is a bit different. Each deck has a theme and then the staterooms on each deck have different princess themes. This time we had the Sleeping Beauty theme and our friends in the connecting stateroom had Princess & the Frog. We are excited to see the other stateroom themes on future sailings onboard the Disney Wish!

The Grand Hall…

One final little tip, be sure to go to the Grand Hall at least one evening of your cruise for the Kiss Goodnight!  It is currently happening at 10 pm, 11 pm and midnight each night [TIP: Pirate Night is a bit different].

And, remember, you can cruise with your Travel Agent!  Check my events page for dates.

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SPECIALIZING IN LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner Travel Agency – EarMarked GoldProducer
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St. Augustine Tours & Experiences

in Florida Locales/Travel by

Are you planning a trip to the St. Augustine, FL area? Are you looking for new experiences during your trip?

If you answered yes to both questions, check out these tour ideas and add something fun to your itinerary.

You can either book direct on your own or reach out to me and I can assist with any questions or reserving your experiences.

crystal@wishuponastarwithus.com

You can even search for different experiences or destinations once you click any experience listed below.

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SPECIALIZING IN LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
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Miami Tours & Experiences

in Florida Locales/Travel by

Are you planning a trip to the Miami area? Are you looking for new experiences during your trip?

If you answered yes to both questions, check out these tour ideas and add something fun to your itinerary.

You can either book direct on your own or reach out to me and I can assist with any questions or reserving your experiences.

crystal@wishuponastarwithus.com

You can even search for different experiences or destinations once you click any experience listed below.

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SPECIALIZING IN LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner Travel Agency – EarMarked GoldProducer
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Key West Tours & Experiences

in Florida Locales/Travel by

Are you planning a trip to the Key West area? Are you looking for new experiences during your trip?

If you answered yes to both questions, check out these tour ideas and add something fun to your itinerary.

You can either book direct on your own or reach out to me and I can assist with any questions or reserving your experiences.

crystal@wishuponastarwithus.com

You can even search for different experiences or destinations once you click any experience listed below.

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SPECIALIZING IN LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner Travel Agency – EarMarked GoldProducer
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All About the Disney Genie Service

in Walt Disney World by

ALL INFORMATION BELOW IS OBSOLETE EFFECTIVE JULY 24, 2024

Updated: June 21, 2024

There are 3 options for the new Disney Genie Service with access via your My Disney Experience Mobile App.

  • Disney Genie Service
  • Disney Genie+ [Lightning Lane]
  • Individual Attraction Selections [Lightning Lane – 2 per Guest, per day]

Beginning June 27, 2023, Guests at Walt Disney World Resort will purchase Disney Genie+ service based on how they want to visit the parks. Guests will be able to select either a single-park option or a multiple-parks option, subject to availability. With this update, prices may be lower at some Walt Disney World theme parks compared to others.

MAKING YOUR SELECTION FOR SINGLE-PARK OR MULTIPLE-PARKS OPTION:

When purchasing Disney Genie+, guests will have the option to select either a single park, or multiple-parks option. Prices will vary by park and date.

The multiple-parks option will be the most expensive, and will operate the same way as the original Disney Genie+ option.

For the single park Disney Genie+ option, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and EPCOT will be priced lower than Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom.

Example pricing is as follows:

  • Multiple Parks – $27
  • Magic Kingdom – $27
  • EPCOT – $18
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios – $24
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom – $16

Pro Tip: For single-park selections, until January 9, 2024 when Park Pass Reservations are no longer necessary for date based tickets, be sure to select the park that you have your Park Pass Reservation confirmed for.

Disney Genie, Disney Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selections are now available for all Guests.

Disney Genie Service is a free service that is available to all guests with valid theme park tickets and offers a personalized day planner, tip board, wait times, virtual assistant, mobile order, virtual queues and more. No action is required to use the Disney Genie Service. Standby lines will be available to all guests. Ahead of or on the day of your visit, you can input your “Top Picks” for attractions, entertainment and dining, as well as your park hopping plans, and Disney Genie will generate a recommended itinerary based on your selections.

Pro Tip: Disney Genie recommendations are just that — recommendations. If Genie adds something to your itinerary that you’re not interested in doing, you can remove it and Genie will re-optimize your day with new recommendations.

Disney Genie+ is an additional purchase that can be added on the day of your visit via the My Disney Experience app, one day at a time, subject to availability, for an additional fee per ticket, per day. Disney Genie+ offers a next-available time to arrive at a variety of attractions using the Lightning Lane entrance – one at a time, throughout the day – to help you navigate through longer wait times. Lightning Lane is offered at more than 40 attractions throughout all 4 theme parks. Guests may use Lightning Lane for one attraction at a time, no more than once per attraction, per day. Disney Genie+ also includes AR PhotoPass lenses and a series of audio tours.

Pro Tip: Popular attractions fill up quickly and, if you want to maximize your morning, you’ll want to confirm your first Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane reservation as early as possible starting at 7 am each day. The quickest attractions to ‘sell out’ in each park are Slinky Dog Dash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Test Track at EPCOT, Peter Pan’s Flight at Magic Kingdom, and Na’vi River Journey and Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

NOTE: With the purchase of Genie+ you will receive your attraction photos, where offered. It is important to note that the PhotoPass with Genie+ will be for attraction photos only. Magic Shots and pictures around the parks will not be part of the photo benefit when purchasing Genie+. To ensure you receive all of your vacation photos, be sure to ask me about Memory Maker!

Individual Attraction Selections: This is an additional, day of, purchase to help you skip the lines to some of the most popular headliner attractions, such as Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Avatar Flight of Passage, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and more. Pricing is dynamic and will vary by date, attraction and park, per attraction, per person. Pricing will be displayed before purchasing your Individual Attraction Selection. This option may be purchased at up to 2 different attractions each day per Guest.

Pro Tip: While you can only reserve one Lightning Lane reservation at a time, it is possible to hold multiple reservations by utilizing the 2 hour window to your advantage, particularly if you plan to get a late start to your day. To do this, book a Lightning Lane return time that is more than two hours after park opening. When it’s time to book your next one (two hours after park opening time), choose another Lightning Lane reservation more than two hours into the future. This sets you up for eligibility for two Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations at a time for the rest of the day. Continue to do this and you’ll get even more simultaneous entitlements. Note, this method will require you to rely on the standby queue or paid Individual Attraction Selections until it’s time to begin redeeming.

NOTE: For larger groups of 10+, you will need to have 2 people ready to purchase the Individual Attraction Selections and split your group into 2 or more groups. The system will only recognize a maximum of 10 Guests per purchase.

The purchase of Disney Genie+ service is available in addition to standby entrance.

*Attractions with Lightning Lane entrances that are Disney Genie+ and individual purchases are limited in availability, subject to change or closure, may vary by date, are not guaranteed and may not be available at all on the date of visit or at the time you make a selection. 

For the full list of experiences offered through Disney Genie+, please check the My Disney Experience mobile app on the day of your visit, as attractions are subject to change.

Pro Tip: Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels who want to avoid the upcharge of Individual Attraction Selections should take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry for Disney resort hotel guests. Disney hotel guests are able to enter all four theme parks 30 minutes before official park opening time. Head straight for the two Individual Lightning Lane attractions (do the more expensive one first — it will fill up the fastest) and you should be able to ride both attractions quickly without having to pay. To maximize your Early Theme Park Entry time, plan to arrive an hour and 15 minutes ahead of the ‘official‘ park opening time.

Note: If you opt to not purchase Disney Genie+, you will still have access to the complimentary Disney Genie service, which includes personalized itinerary planning in your My Disney Experience Mobile app and standby access to park attractions.

MORE PRO TIPS:

Make Sure You Have Plenty of Battery for Your Phone

Using Disney Genie all day means you’ll be spending more time on your phone during your park days than you might have previously. Be sure to fully charge your phone and bring an extra battery pack.

When in Doubt, Ask the Guest Experience Team

Disney has stationed a number of Guest Experience Teams around all four parks. If you need help with Disney Genie, look for the blue umbrella and blue-shirted Cast Members.

Don’t Rely on Posted Wait Times

Many times, posted wait times are not 100% accurate. In the ‘Tip Board’ section of your My Disney Experience Mobile App there’s an Experiences tab that provides, by theme park, standby wait times, next available Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane times [$] and next available Individual Lightning Lane times [$$] that you can quickly reference to determine the best plan for your next experience.

Take Advantage of the Dining Tab in the Tip Board

Don’t miss one of the best new features introduced by Disney Genie – the Dining tab. In the ‘Tip Board’ section of your My Disney Experience Mobile App there’s a Dining tab that enables you to see, by theme park, walk-up wait times, next available table service reservations, and next available mobile order arrival windows, all at a glance.

FAQ’s:

When can Disney Genie+ be added to existing vacation packages?

Disney Genie+ can be added on the day of your visit via the My Disney Experience app, one day at a time, subject to availability.

Can I purchase Disney Genie+ for partial days of my vacation?

Yes, you can choose each day to add Disney Genie+ via your My Disney Experience mobile app starting at 7 am EST each day.

Can Individual Attraction Selections be purchased prior to my check-in date?

No, Individual Attraction Selections can only be purchased same day beginning at 7 am ET for resort hotel Guests. Guests off-property must wait until park opening.

If I want to “skip the line” at the parks, which do I need?

You need Disney Genie+, at a minimum, to skip lines at more than 40 attractions. If you’d like to skip the lines at the top headliner attractions, you will want to purchase Individual Attraction Selections at 7 am ET each morning of your vacation via your My Disney Experience mobile app.

Can I still enjoy attractions without Disney Genie+ or Individual Attraction Selections?

Yes, standby lines and virtual queues are offered without Disney Genie+ or Individual Attraction Selections.

Will Disney Genie+ “sell out”?

No, Disney Genie+ will be available to all guests who would like to purchase the feature.

Can I purchase Individual Attraction Selections without purchasing Disney Genie+?

Yes. You do not need to purchase Disney Genie+ in order to purchase Individual Attraction Selections.

Can Individual Attraction Selections be made for more than one park? For example, can one be for Magic Kingdom and the other EPCOT for the same day?

Yes, with a Park Hopper ticket type, Individual Attraction Selections can be made for more than one park in the same day. For example, you could purchase Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom and Frozen Ever After at EPCOT. The second park selection must be after 2 pm ET which is when park hopping opens.

Does Disney Genie+ open at 7 am ET for all guests, or only for those staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels?

All Guests with Disney Genie+ can select their first Lightning Lane attraction beginning at 7 am ET.  

Do Individual Attraction Selections open at 7 am ET for all guests, or only for those staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels?

Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels, Shades of Green® Resort or the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels can purchase Individual Attraction Selections on the day of their visit, starting at 7 am ET. All other Guests can purchase Individual Attraction Selections on the day of their visit, starting at each park’s opening time.

Can I modify a Disney Genie+ selection?

Yes, you can modify your selections to an available time/attraction, based on availability.

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SPECIALIZING IN LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
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My Experience Back Onboard Disney Ships

in Cruise Vacations/Disney Cruise Line/Travel/Travel Agent by

Can I just say, it’s been a [really] long 18 months for someone that had become somewhat addicted to cruising! It was so exciting to be back onboard, especially on a Disney ship!

Disney Cruise Line has implemented many new protocols to insure a safe and healthy return to sailing and I felt incredibly comfortable onboard. While there are some changes that I hope remain and some I hope return to a more normal onboard experience, overall, it was a very positive experience. I did experience a back-to-back sailing [2 separate sailings, one immediately following the other] and there were a few protocol changes as I transitioned from my first cruise to my second so many things are still being evaluated and modified for optimum efficiency and experience.

Port arrival times are staggered to insure physical distancing can be maintained during the arrival and pre-cruise testing process so the port terminal is quite empty most of the time.

Captain Mickey and Captain Minnie are onboard and waiting to welcome you!  There are large “Mickey” circles on the floor for each family to stand in together while you wait for the welcome show. Following your welcome, you can then head to your stateroom to drop anything you have carried onboard with you or go straight to your assembly station for your mandatory safety drill. Everyone in your stateroom must check in for the safety drill, it’s a good idea to plan to do this first thing so you can get on with your FUN!

The changes with the safety drill are changes I hope will stay in place because it’s a much quicker process now and the whole ship is no longer required to wait together in lines while those still enjoying their pool time etc. get to their assembly stations. The new way allows you to get it done and then go enjoy your first day onboard!

Your staterooms are the same as they have always been, and daily service is still in place as well as nightly turndown service – with towel art surprises! If you do need anything, you can easily us the chat feature in your Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. It was super easy, and Crew Members responded quickly.

On the pool decks, chairs are spaced to promote physical distancing and you sign up for virtual queues for the family pool area. The adult pool area is open and no virtual queues are required.

Virtual queues are also required for disembarking the ship at ports of call.

The food offered on a Disney cruise is still exceptional and the service is the same, or even better, as I have experienced before! The Crew Members are all very happy to be back onboard and working again and they are very happy to see YOU!

For quick service dining options and beverage stations, Crew Members now serve you, it’s no longer self-serve. This is a good change, in my opinion, and, while I don’t think this will be the way forever, I do think it will be the way for some time.

Although still challenging reservations to confirm, Palo and Remy are also still offered for brunch and dinner. Be sure to check your Disney Cruise line Navigator app for availability before and during your cruise.

The nightly dinner rotation is still in place and your service team will still follow you each evening to your dining location. A good change that I hope remains is that characters have been added to Enchanted Garden [Mickey, Minnie & Goofy] and Royal Palace [Disney Princesses]. At Animator’s Palate, Crush remains as the character experience.

In addition, characters can be experienced throughout your sailing in the atrium area as well as other areas onboard and at Castaway Cay. You can easily check where and when to find characters via your Disney Cruise Line Navigator app but I normally was just surprised [and happy] when I came across characters and Princesses!

While I, personally, did not experience many of the adult venues onboard this sailing, most experiences were available but with limited capacity – tastings, trivia, musicians, movies, live entertainment, karaoke. However, the evening adult area, known as The District, was not as “hopping” as normal and I did miss the silent DJ Party. Hopefully this is something that will return in the near future.

Castaway Cay definitely did not disappoint, it is my favorite port of call with Disney Cruise Line and I truly enjoyed my three days on this private island!

Our group rented a cabana for the first time and, even though the island was quiet due to lower capacity, it was a nice little space to gather and relax while enjoying the amazing view.

The Castaway Cay 5k is still offered but it is a self-guided experience now and, if earning a medal for your run is important to you, you do need to check with Port Adventures before your Castaway Cay day to see if medals are available. If you have not participated in the Castaway Cay 5k previously, I suggest you wait until this experience returns as a planned event because the route can be a bit tricky [but who wouldn’t love to get lost and be left behind on the island??!!].

While the first part of my back-to-back sailing was in a stateroom type I had experienced before, the second part of my back-to-back was a first for me – Concierge! Oh my, the experience was amazing, there is so much included, and cruising Concierge just ups the magic on a Disney cruise!

And, of course, one of my other favorite experiences on a Disney ship is fireworks at sea – Disney is the only cruise line permitted to display fireworks and, while the experience is a bit different now, it was still an amazing display!

I can’t wait to be back onboard again real soon! And, if you are thinking about a Disney Cruise Line vacation, with ships about half capacity [or less], now is the perfect time to cruise, reach out to me and I will help you make the most of your magical cruise experience!

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