 I have been to Hawaii before, so I knew what the flight was like. The last time I flew to Hawaii I decided to have a layover. Well the price of the flight decided it for me! My flight took off from Atlanta and landed in San Francisco I was to have about an hour delay and then I would be on my way to Honolulu. We landed in Atlanta with no problem, but as our flight was scheduled to take off we all noticed we weren't preparing to board the plane. That's when it started! I'm not sure if you have been to Hawaii. Most of the flights that go across the Pacific are in a jumbo jet. That means you have two seats on each side and six seats in the middle. It's a very large plane! Probably four exits on each side I don't even know how many people it can hold. It's a very big plane. Our flight from Atlanta was on a normal plane, not very large so we had to change planes. As everyone started getting into the gate you can tell just how big this plane was. The first gate agent tells us that the plane hasn't arrived yet so are boarding would be delayed by a few minutes. 30 minutes later the same agent comes on and says the plane hasn't arrived yet and we're going to need time to service the plane so we're going to be an hour behind schedule. Now, this would not be a problem normally but I need to be in Honolulu at my Resort for a 6:30 welcome dinner. Where I would be introduced to the other agents and to the people who would be showing us the resort over the next three days. I decided to go ahead and get to the other gate, because our gate had already changed once. When I got to the next gate we were told sorry, wrong gate! Go back across the airport do this third gate. At this point I was not very happy that I had a carry on. We get to the gate that would finally be our departure Gates, and we're giving the news that the plane that arrived had some engine issues so they were waiting on a new plane to come in. It should only be 30 minutes, they said. After 30 minutes they came back on and said our flight crew that was supposed to go with us to Honolulu, has now gone over the FAA legal hours that they could work so we would have to wait on a new crew. At this point all 350 people in the gate we're not happy! They brought out snacks and Beverages and gave them out to everyone to try to calm people down. I'm not sure what the angry people thought they could do, I personally don't want to go on the plane with engine trouble. After a two and a half hour delay for our departure we start boarding the plane. Because of our delay they had already announced the entire plane would have free internet and they were sure to stop at full of plenty to eat and drink. With the free internet, would be free movies. On the seat back in front of you there was an individual screen that we would be able to watch movies for the six and a half hours it would take to fly from San Francisco. After getting in the air, people started trying to go in to the internet and watch movies. The flight attendants discovered that people were not able to get the movies to come up. So the pilot decided to make an announcement that after being in the air about an hour, they should be able to pull up the satellite and the movies would be able to start. An hour after his announcement, he comes back on and says I'm afraid our internet is not going to work. Now, we are in a very large plane oh, did I mention that? We have just been told that the internet is not working. My immediate thought was what else is not working? How are the pilots communicating with people? It was a very long flight! I will tell you on a flight to Honolulu generally you fly during the day you may arrive late in the evening but remember it's five hours behind our time zone. So it's likely that you will land while it's still daylight. We did on this day, but by the time I got to the resort it was dark. By the time we landed that plane every single person had been to the bathroom 12 times and drunk at least four bottles of water. The air is extremely dry for some reason going over the Pacific. If you ever fly to Hawaii, make sure you stand up and walk around, and make sure you drink a lot of water. I also suggest taking socks to put on your feet to walk around in the cabin and a lot of lotion. My skin felt like I needed to drink the lotion it was so dry. Also remember, when you're making plans for your first day, the day you arrived, remember anything can happen and sometimes it does. 
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 Just me doing what I do. Today Delta had a power outage causing all flights worldwide to be grounded until they could resolve the issue. It has been resolved but flights across the world (Delta only) are delayed and will be for at least today. It is very important when you are traveling to do 2 things.
First, consider travel insurance. Travel insurance is a small price to ensure your vacation runs as smoothly as possible. Travel insurance can be purchased with your vacation or as a separate policy. A good travel advisor can help you pick the correct one. Second, flying in the day your cruise departs is a risky plan any time of year! A delay like the one Delta had today causes an avalanche of delays which could cause you to miss your cruise!! Fly in the day before (night if you really don’t have any intention of seeing the sights in port) so that you can rest assured your cruise cabin is waiting for you and you’ll make it to the ship on time! Delays during travel are no fun, they happen. They can’t be controlled. But a good travel agent will help you plan to make sure your vacation isn’t interrupted too much. Have a fabulous cruise and above all else…..keep traveling! Happy Travels! Mia  How old should your child be before you take her/him to Disney? That is the million dollar question these days. Disney isn’t cheap. You’re afraid they won’t remember it. You don’t want to be changing diapers all day in a busy park. If she doesn’t get her nap we all pay. These are just a couple of the concerns parents have when taking their child to Disney for the first time.
First, I always tell parents of young children, GO! These are your memories! You get to create the trip your way (with a few accommodations for their schedule and needs of course). But you will remember how their face lights up, you will be able to recount memories of all the firsts for the rest of your lives! Second, they are free until they are three! That’s right, until they are three (3) you won’t pay for admission and you won’t pay for food (if sharing a plate with you on a buffet). That can add up, especially if you are going during a high season or with more than one child. Take advantage of the freeness of your little before you are paying adult prices for a 4 year old! Third, you will never have the flexibility to travel whenever once they start school. School calendars create havoc with the family vacation. I’m not one of those parents that insists that we never take them out of school for travel, I’m a travel agent, I am fully invested in travel! But there are many activities that come along with school aged children. Sports, extra curricular activities, projects, tests. It all happens fast and makes you keep pushing things off. Finally, even if your child will never remember, they will remember! We camped when our oldest was young. She was too young for many of our trips, but she remembers the bond it built. She loves looking at her albums (I know we are old school!) of herself holding bunnies, playing in creeks, dancing at the luau. Again, memories you can’t re-do and memories that aren’t the same as they grow. I’m a firm believer in go now and go often! Disney is an investment. I’m asked all the time why do you like it so much? A lot of times I can’t put words to the feeling. It’s simply magical and something I love sharing with my children and family. Happy Travels!  Time to Plan 2016! It is time to start planning your 2016 Walt Disney World vacation. Disney World will be releasing the pricing and availability for 2016 rooms and packages on June 22, 2015.
What do you need to do? First, decide on dates. When is the optimum time to go to Disney with your family? A lot of that can depend on your own vacation plans, likes and dislikes. For low crowds you will want to plan during “off” season. Disney has gotten very good at planning events that make it virtually impossible to plan a Disney vacation during the slow season. But some dates still exist where it’s not packed. Slower dates include:
Once you have your dates in mind, think about your resort. Most people consider it just a room and while it is, it can be so much more. If you are planning a week long vacation you will want to take a day and relax, enjoy the pool and get some R&R before returning to reality. Deluxe resorts offer a fabulous stay. You have nice large rooms, perfect for families of 4 or 5. Amazing pools with lots of amenities making that rest day perfect. Plus you have lots of dining options right at your resort so you don’t have to leave for a thing. Moderate resorts give you a wonderful option for families of 5 with upgraded pools. All of the moderate resorts offer great dining and some even have nice sit down restaurants. Value resorts are perfect for that active family on the go. Don’t plan on a leisure day by the pool? Would rather keep going and going and just literally need a place to sleep and shower? Value resorts deliver big on budget and big on theme! There is a lot to planning a Disney vacation. With every single family on a budget, it’s best to consult a Disney Travel Professional. A Travel Professional can help you make the most of your stay in the most magical place on Earth while keeping your budget in tact. Mia is a Disney Travel Professional with decades of Disney experience. We are geared up and ready to help your family have the most amazing magical vacation at Walt Disney World ever!! Email me today: mia@mackeymousetravel.com.  Certainly by now you have all heard the horrible news that Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World will be closing. The official dates are May 11 - September 25, 2015. That is an extremely long time for such a classic and must do to be closed. Many rumors are flying, but I can tell you from first hand experience it does get "stuck" a lot. There are many times people are evacuated and that just isn't good from a guest experience standpoint or for safety. We were stuck on the same ride in California for well over 10 minutes and I can tell you it's quite bad on the nerves! Alex was scared to death and cried the entire time we were on there. He wouldn't ride it for a long time after that and didn't ride it in California again, only recently in Florida and after a lot of coaxing to get on! So if you are traveling during this May 11 - September 25, 2015 period you will miss this awesome classic. I don't think much will change in the interior hopefully just an update of technology. Anytime Disney messes with a classic us old timers get a little unsettled and they quite frankly don't like it. Keep your ears open and let us know what you hear! Happy Planning! Mia
 If you are headed to Cancun or Cozumel after February 1, 2015 you'll get to enjoy an extra hour of daylight in the evening!
The Mexican state of Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun and Cozumel, is planning to change to Eastern Standard Time Zone effective February 1, 2015. The state will set its clocks ahead one hour at 3 a.m. This change will result in local destination times for arriving and departing flights being moved one hour forward. Domestic U.S. departure, arrival and connection times to and from Cancun and Cozumel will not change. At this time, the change impacts flights from February 1, 2015 to April 4, 2015. Airlines are submitting schedule changes over the next week. Check with your airline for any changes in your schedule before you depart. Have a fantastic time and Happy Planning! Mia Ideas to Surprise the Family with a Fantastic Gift! So, you have a fabulous trip planned but haven't told the kids yet! What a fun thing to do for Christmas! Here are just a few of our ideas to help you make this an amazing reveal!
Disney Themed: If you are planning a great Disney trip you could wrap each child a backpack with Disney stuff. Depending on the age, some great ideas are: drink cups, coloring books, tshirts, stuffed Mickey or Minnie, sunglasses, etc. Beach Themed: If you are planning on a family trip to the beach (local, in US) what about wrapping sand toys? Another fantastic idea is a beach towel rolled up with glasses and books to read while relaxing by the waves! All Inclusive Beach Themed: You have stepped it up a notch this year and are headed to the Caribbean or Mexico! Wrapping a Mexican poncho or sombrero would be fun and full of culture. You could also use the idea of beach towels to get the good news across. A little different would be to wrap their passports (if they are newly acquired and they don’t know about them) with a brochure of the destination. A nice carry-on piece of luggage or backpack would be practical and cool! Cruise Themed: Ahoy matey! You have a cruise planned and want to share the news! This could be fun! You could opt to showcase the ship itself or you could look at the ports of call for inspiration! Either way, you can get your family excited and help in the planning of your amazing cruise vacation! What about wrapping a digital photo frame loaded with pictures detailing the ship, the destinations and the amazing family fun that you will be having! Whatever you plan MackeyMouse Travel could help you share the great news and get everyone excited about planning this amazing vacation! Having help with the planning is great but to have help surprising your family is even more fun! I can provide you with pictures for frames or picture books. I can provide brochures to get your family excited and ready! Give me a call or email me so we can get the vacation planning started!  When should we go to Disney World? A question I hear often. There are of course busy times and less busy times. I tell everyone that Disney has done a wonderful job of making the entire year busy so what used to be the "best" time to go may not be as empty as it used to be. But here are the traditional times for crowds:
BUSIEST
How to Handle Busiest Times:
MODERATELY BUSY
How to Handle Moderately Busy Times:
LEAST BUSY
How to Handle Least Busy Times:
Whenever you choose remember a travel planner can help you keep track of the time you choose and what benefits you will have for going during that time! I know it seems easy, but Disney is complex and a true Disney Planner is vital to making the most of every dollar you spend on vacation! Happy Planning! Mia There is so much confusion in the world of travel these days. Knowing when you are getting a fair price is difficult and sometimes can be stressful. We want to offer a great comparison between the cost of a cruise vacation and an all inclusive vacation. 
Now all things will never be exactly the same but I will personally attest to the ease and convenience of booking an all inclusive vacation versus a cruise. If you want to truly get there, unpack once and enjoy all your resort could possibly hope to offer, than you need to book an all inclusive! 
As you can see an All Inclusive resort can offer you fantastic savings with an emphasis on relaxation and family. Check with Mia at mia@mackeymousetravel.com to find out how she can save you money for your family vacation!
How Can You Afford A Vacation?
Cara and Steve at Fort Wilderness Campground When Cara was young we had a small pop-up camper. We loved our camper! We would go camping every weekend and I could put it up by myself! Once I bought her actual play clothes (she was my first and I should have bought stock in Gymboree!), she could get out and tromp around in the creek or pet the bunnies, try to feed the peacocks. So many amazing memories! One day I was talking with my dad about camping and I said Cara just loves it! He said I know why, because she has you and here daddy 24/7. No phone, no tv (although we had tv with a DVD player because she needed her shows!), just us playing, relaxing and enjoying and growing. I miss those days! Blink and 9 years later and an addition of a little brother we don’t camp much anymore. Too many things to do, too many irons in the fire! I’m sure like most of you, we try to schedule family time, maybe a family movie night, a girl’s day or a boys going to the game, but it’s not the same. Sometimes the time isn’t always the issue. These days it’s hard to scrap together a large chunk of cash at once! That’s where MackeyMouse Travel can save the day! We can offer low deposits and monthly payments, giving your wallet a rest and allowing you to pay CASH for some much needed family time! How can we do that? MMT has partnered with suppliers who offer our clients the best service and the best options for your family’s budget. Our largest supplier (well outside of Disney!) has now lowered their deposit to $150! Even on packages that include air!!!! Unheard of!! Sit down tonight and talk to your kids, talk to your family and decide where you can reconnect together! Is it going to be on the beaches of the Caribbean with oodles of kid’s clubs activities? Or is it going to be on a ship at sea, where you can opt for a formal night for that family portrait? Or what about a magical trip to Walt Disney World where your princess can ride on daddy’s shoulders wearing her tiara and princess dress? Where ever your dreams take you, MackeyMouse Travel is ready to help you plan it! Contact us today so we can get that vacation planned! Trips with low deposits: Walt Disney World - $200.00 Disney Cruise Line – Percentage of cruise fare Major Cruise Lines - $100.00 - $250.00 per person All Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean - $150.00 per person Happy Planning! Mia |
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