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Ama Waterways April 16, 2021

Regensburg, Germany: River Cruise Your Family Back to Medieval Times

Regensburg, Germany is the oldest medieval town in Bavaria and a great port for the family on a river cruise.

Regensburg, Germany is one of the wonderful ports you might visit while on a Danube River Cruise. This town is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Bavaria. In fact, the entire medieval Old Town is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Regensburg, Germany is a fantastic town to visit on a river cruise and take a walk back into medieval times with your family!

Visit Regensburg, Germany on a river cruise with family of all ages–what is there to see and do?

So, what is there to do and see in Regensburg? And, if you are traveling with family of all ages what might be of interest to everyone? Read on and find out what your family might enjoy when visiting Regensburg, Germany on a river cruise!

Old Town

Just like most European port towns on the Danube taking a tour of the Old Town is top on the list of things to do. Walking through Old Town in Regensburg you will get a feel for its long history. You will enjoy the charming, tall residences, lovely Old Town Hall, and impressive Gothic clock tower. Some highlights are…

Old Stone Bridge is not to be missed in Regensburg, Germany and will be enjoyed by the whole family.

Steinerne Brucke (Old Stone Bridge)–This stone bridge with 15 arches was one of the few bridges across the Danube River in the middle ages.
Brucketurm (Bridge Watchtower)–Climb up the tower steps for an excellent view of the bridge and the Danube River. There is also a nice museum of dioramas of the bridge through the years and clock mechanism.
Ostentor (Eastern Gate), a 14th century stone gateway flanked by turreted towers
Porta Praetoria–Built in 179 AD, it’s one of the two remaining Roman gates in Germany

Regensburg Cathedral

Also called St. Peters Cathedral, the Regensburg Cathedral is considered the most impressive Gothic cathedral in Bavaria. You will feel dwarfed by the 105 meter Gothic spires and awed by the beautiful stained glass. Inside you will be impressed with the decorative arches, canopies, and sculptures.

Wurtskuchl (Regensburg Sausage Kitchen)

Back in the 1100’s the building was the construction office for the Old Stone Bridge. Once completed, workers vacated the building and it began its new life as a food stand. Today, it is still serving up grilled sausages and sauerkraut making it one of the oldest restaurants in the world. It’s so good even the locals eat there!

Walhalla (Hall of Fame)

About 10 kilometers east of Regensburg sits Walhalla. Built as a reproduction of the Parthenon in Athens, this Teutonic temple honors famous Germans in history. Inside the ornate, marble hall you will find busts of more than a hundred historic figures including King Ludwig I, Goethe, Luther, Gutenberg, and empress Katarina the Great. What a great place for a historical person scavenger hunt! Seeing all the famous statues is also a great starting point for an exploration into the life and times of a historical character.

This imposing structure is built on a foundation of 358 marble steps and while it provides a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside and Danube River it might be a little too taxing for some members of your family. Kids often enjoy exploring the surrounding woods over looking at all the statues and plaques. But the impressive structure is definitely worth the visit. Some river cruise itineraries include Walhalla (along with a bike ride there) as one of the included excursion options.

Regensburg, Germany will be a memorable stop on your family river cruise adventure. There is so much history to explore and share together. Just another reason why a river cruise might be just the perfect vacation for your multi-generational family reunion!

Want to check out some Danube River Cruise itineraries, click here.

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

Here ar some other articles you might enjoy!

Cruising October 20, 2020

Experience the Culture of Costa Maya, Mexico

Costa Maya, Mexico is a great place to experience the Mayan culture. The port of Costa Maya is fairly small and the fishing village of Mahahual is just a short ride (2 miles) away. As you get off your ship you will find yourself in a delightful shopping/dining/entertainment area. Right here there are 3 swimming pools and just a quick walk to a beach. You could easily spend all your time in the port area of Costa Maya but there is quite a bit more out there with just a little bit of planning and a sense of adventure.

Costa Maya is a great place to experience Mayan culture watching the hanging acrobats spin around the very tall post. — Hanging acrobat show you can watch right after exiting your cruise ship

The people of this town are more than ready to show you a little bit about their culture. Let’s explore some wonderful activities to experience the culture of Costa Maya, Mexico.

Visit Mahahual

This fishing village is only 2 miles from the cruise ship port. Many visitors feel this is where you see the real culture of this area. Only about 1000 people live in Mahahual and their living is dependant on tourism. You will find beautiful beaches and beach clubs, restaurants, bars, shopping and people ready to help you learn about their culture.

Cooking Classes

One excursion that many guests love is the cooking classes taught by local residents. Guests are taught traditional cooking techniques of the Yucatecan Mexican people. Guests might learn to cook foods like tortillas, empanadas, flautas, pico de gallo, tamales, coconut helado, jicama salad and even more. This is definitely an excursion that you can take home with you and bring back fond memories when you cook the foods at home. Ask your travel advisor for help finding a great cooking class.

Visit the Mayan Ruins

One of the most popular cultural activities is to visit Myan ruins. You will find ruins from as early as 200 BC.

Chacchoben Ruins

Visiting Chacchoben is a great way to experience Mayan culture in Costa Maya, Mexico.

Chacchoben is the closest ruin site to Costa Maya. It is about 50 minutes away. You can schedule an excursion ahead of time or hire a taxi or shttle when you get to the port. Renting a car is also a possibility. The roads are clearly marked.

Chacchoben includes two main temple pyramids dated 200 B.C. to A.D. 700. These ruins are relatively newly discovered as they weren’t found until 1941. The site was opened to the public in 2002 after 8 years of restoration. You can either take a guided tour or explore the area on your own. There isn’t much signage so you will learn a lot more about the history and Mayan culture if you have a guide. The surrounding jungle gives this area a very ancient feel. And, because the nearby jungle is lush you might spot a spider monkey. Note: you are not allowed to climb up the ruins.

Dzibanche and Kohunlich Ruins

These two ruin sites are less traveled as they are a bit farther away. A guided tour will really bring the Mayan history and their culture to life for you. Vegetation enveloped this area at one point so the archeological history is also very interesting. Both sites can be visited in one day.

Dzibanche was a large city between 300 and 900 A.D. There were plazas, palaces, temples, homes, and public buildings that you see remnants of today. The most impressive pyramid is the Cormoranes Pyramid from the 5th Century A.D. You are allowed to climb these ruins to get a bird’s eye view of the surrounding jungle and archeological site. Be careful and watch your footing!

Kohunlich is the largest and most spectacular site. It isn’t as busy as it is about an hour and a half away. You can also climb to the top of the temples here for another beautiful view of the jungle. You are most likely to see those pesky spider monkeys here.

Today was all about the Mayan Culture that you can discover in when your cruise ship docks in the port of Costa Maya. But, this certainly isn’t all there is to do in Costa Maya. Oh no! Stay tuned for a future post about all the adventureous activities available in Costa Maya!

Have you visited Chacchoben? Is this ruin site or one of the others on your bucket list for your next cruise to Costa Maya?

If you would like more information about cruise lines and intineraries that visit Costa Maya I would love to point you in the right direction. Contact me and we can get started planning right away.

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

Other links that might be interesting to read:

Disney World April 13, 2020

Welcome to the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

In March, I was able to spend some time at Disney World. Spending time at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival has been a dream of mine for quite some time so I was thrilled when I realized that my planned trip coincided with this festival. Woohoo! I am so excited to share some pictures (well, quite a few actually) with you to give you a glimpse of Epcot during this time.

Explore the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

What’s the Flower and Garden Festival all about?

The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival celebrates the beauty of flowers, plants and farm-fresh foods. Master gardeners plan all year to magically transform Epcot with beautiful topiaries, garden play areas, landscaping masterpieces and beautiful floral displays. This year (and maybe every year) there was a butterfly garden for visitors to learn about and enjoy the lives of butterflies. You might even have one land upon your head!

When is the Flower and Garden Festival?

Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival runs every year from the beginning of March through the end of May (sometimes a tad into June).

What’s new during the festival?

Amazing topiaries of Disney characters
Beautiful floral arrangements
Rest and play area gardens
Inventive/very creative landscaping
Garden scavenger hunt ($6.99 for map)
Easter egg hunt of Disney themed egg (during the couple weeks before Easter–$6.99 for map)
Guided tours of the gardens and the planning behind the beauty (additional cost)

Click here for a full list of the topiaries and gardens!

Let’s not forget the food!

Outdoor kitchens are another important part of the Flower and Garden Festival. You will find all different kinds of foods focusing on the delicious flavors of farm-fresh specialties. Enjoy flavors from around the world and local cuisines (such as yummy citrus and honey). These cute little booths dot the perimeter of the World Showcase Lagoon. Below are some pictures of a couple of the booths. You can see the 2020 menus here but every year you are treated to something different.

French food booth at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival — Delicous snacks in France

Serving up yummy honey snacks was open the next day.

Plant-based selections from Impossible Foods

Pictures from Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2020

Topiaries at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival — Bo Peeps Play Area over by the Test Track

A lovely garden play/rest area on the way to the World Showcase

Beautiful flower garden at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival — A garden on the way to the World Showcase

See Tigger and Friends in the England Pavillion

Each animal of the Zodiak was crafted out of beans and seeds. So fascinating!

Butterflies lead the way to the Butterfly Pavillion

Inside the butterfly pavillion at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival — Encounter hundreds of butterflies and learn about their life cycle.

One more thing–The Music!

Get your groove on in the American Garden Theater at the American Pavillion with the Garden Rocks Concert Series. Below is a schedule of the 2020 concert series. Each year has different performers and they schedule sometimes changes during the festival.

Rick Springfield — April 19 and 20
Christopher Cross — April 21 through 23
Plain White T’s — April 24 through 27
Don Felder – Formerly of The Eagles — April 28 through 30
Don McLean — May 1 and 2
Casting Crowns — May 3 and 4
Ambrosia with Peter Beckett — May 5 through 7
Thelma Houston — May 8 and 9
The Allman Betts Band – -May 10 and 11
Air Supply — May 12 through 14
Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone — May 15 through 18
Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot — May 19 through 21
Claudia Leitte — May 22 and 23
Daughtry — May 24 and 25
Marshall Tucker Band — May 26 through 28
Crowder — May 29 and 30
Survivor — May 31 and June 1

Want to guarantee great seats for the concert? Book a Garden Rocks Dining Package! Dining is available at the Biergarten Restaurant, The Coral Reef Restaurant, The Garden Grill Restaurant, or the Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room. There is an additional cost or you can use 2 Table Service credits. With the package, you are able to choose one of three concert times for the evening. When you arrive at the concert you will be escorted to your special seats. What a great way to rock the night away!

Well, I hope that your imagination is brimming with excitement to see the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival for yourself someday. It was a fantastic visit for me and I am sure it will be for you too!

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

5 Fabulous US Passport-free Vacation Destinations

**While now is not the time to travel, it is the perfect time to start figuring out when and where your next vacation will be. Check out our upcoming posts for some stunning travel inspiration. I hope that this post spurs your imagination and your bucket list. Read on to learn about some fantastic passport-free vacation destinations. **

Have you ever wanted to just jump on plane and get away to a relaxing beach? Did you have to think twice because you remembered that you didn’t have a passport? Well, pack those bags because there are a number of wonderful, relaxing tropical vacation destinations that you will not need to pack your US passport.

This blog will introduce you to 5 US Territories that would be fantastic options for your next vacation.

#1 U.S. Virgin Islands

Passport free vacation destination of St John U.S. Virgin Islands — St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

This gorgeous Caribbean island group, which is just a few hours from Florida, thrives on tourism. The U.S. Virgin Islands has created a vast array of opportunities to satisfy any vacation style. Travelers can visit St. Croix, St. Thomas or the smaller St. John and explore white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, legendary diving and snorkeling, secluded coves, rainforests, world-class shopping, diverse dining, and so much more (or nothing at all). St. Croix and St. Thomas, the bigger islands, have a little more “action” where St. John strives to keep the civilization blending with nature. Accessible only by ferry from the larger islands, St. John is a little quieter especially since much of the island is set aside as a US National Park.

#2 Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a passport-free vacation destination — Old San Juan, Puerto Rico street scene.

This Caribbean island is another excellent choice for a quick getaway or a longer stay as it is also just a few hours from Florida. Puerto Rico boasts stunning beaches, rainforests, and nature to explore, exciting nightlife, delicious food, vibrant culture, and fascinating history. A smorgasbord of activities for every visitor is available on this wonderful island. Check out this blog post for more about Puerto Rico.

#3 American Samoa

The Pacific Ocean is not without some terrific options for a vacation without an American passport. One such option is American Samoa. This island nation is one of the least touristy and most remote options, a 13-hour flight from Los Angeles. American Samoa is probably better for adventurous people. There aren’t any chain resorts but instead a small variety of nice family-run accommodations of different sizes and experiences. Relaxing the days away is one of the best activities on American Samoa. If you need a little more then there are some island tours, shopping, and dining that really immerses guests in the Polynesian culture. You can also explore the most remote US National park and the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. Since American Samoa is below the equator the hottest months are December and January and the coolest is July.

#4 Guam

Guam a Pacific Ocean passport-free vacation destination — A beach on Guam.

Due to the military presence, Guam is a relatively know destination but not usually considered for a vacation. But don’t let that stop you from booking your next vacation to this intriguing locale just a few hours from the Philipines. Guam is a fantastic place to experience another distinct culture and also wonderfully preserved World War II history. Combine that with the beautiful beaches, resorts, colorful marine life, many attractions, vivid entertainment, nightlife and places to eat and you have a recipe for one very exciting passport-free vacation destination!

#5 Northern Mariana Islands

Raise your hand if you have heard of the Northern Mariana Islands. This one is new to me but definitely now on my list. Even though they are a collection of 15 islands, 3 are the most popular- Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. There is so much to see and do on these little islands. Resorts and country clubs dot the spectacular beaches looking out over the vast ocean awaiting divers, snorkelers and other marine enthusiasts. Casinos, nightlife, activities, shopping, and dining also make up the civilized area. Head out of town a bit and discover untouched beauty. If you enjoy learning about history and cultures you can not only experience World War II artifacts and remnants but also the long archeological and prehistoric history of the Chamorro people.

Bonus Destinations

There are some other destinations that I would like to mention as great tropical destinations you obviously don’t need a U.S. passport because they are actual states:

Hawaiian Islands
Key West, Florida
Sanibel Island, Texas

Cruising Without a Passport

I also want to mention that there are a number of cruises that passports are not necessary for American citizens. If you have a closed loop cruise–meaning they cruise begins and ends at the same U.S. port–certain itineraries are made up of countries in the Caribbean that do not require passports.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I DO NOT recommend doing this but it is possible. I always recommend you cruise with passports because if something happens while you are in one of the countries you are unable to fly back to the U.S. without a passport.

I hope this post has kick-started your imagination with these 5 beautiful and relaxing passport-free vacation destinations. We will travel again someday so enjoy dreaming as you wait!

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

Cruising February 11, 2020

What Makes a Disney Cruise Special–Part Two

Hopefully, you have read Part 1 of this blog post giving you five great reasons that a Disney Cruise is worth the cost. (Click here if you missed Part 1) This post will give you seven more. Yes, there are seven more things that make a Disney Cruise special!

Rather watch a video? At the end of this post there is a link to a live video I recorded on what makes a Disney Cruise special. The post and the video aren’t identical.

Disney Characters

Yes! Disney Cruise Line is the only place at sea that you will still get to see Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Minnie, and Daisy. What could be better than spending your vacation with the Fab 5! But that’s not the only characters you will see. You might see Joy, Stitch, the Princesses, Elsa, Anna, Kristof, Dug, Boo, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Spiderman and even more. And get this! You don’t just see them in the awesome shows and deck parties. Nope! You can actually shake their hands, get pictures and autographs and tell them about your day. Woohoo!!!

Castaway Cay

Sure, other cruise lines have private islands so that doesn’t make Disney any different. BUT, what does set them apart is what they INCLUDE on their island experience. The really cool water slides and splash pad, INCLUDED! The tram around the island, INCLUDED. But since there is so much to see in the way of fantastic Disney Imagineering, walking is recommended. Special kids area with supervised youth activities, INCLUDED. Beach games and activities for the family, INCLUDED. Want to run a race on vacation? The Castaway 5K is, you guessed it, INCLUDED! There are so other really cool things to do but they will incur an additional fee. Any way you look at it though, your day at Castaway Cay will be AMAZING even if you don’t spend an extra dime!

Kids Clubs

Disney Kids Clubs have some of the longest hours at sea. Plenty of time for your family to have time together and time apart. The kids club is even open on port days if you should choose to use them. You can even choose to have your children eat dinner with you or relax without them while they enjoy the dinnertime kids activities. Or, opt for the best of both and have your kids go with the cast members halfway through dinner.

The counselors are all specially trained to work with children so you don’t have to worry. They are not just glorified babysitters but cast members who are there to interact with your children to give them the best vacation possible.

The kid’s zones are separated by age and they are quite strict about the cutoffs for the safety of all the children. Each area is themed to create an atmosphere geared toward that age group. The security measures are also dependent on age. Children under 12 must have a parent check them in and out. Tweens and teens get to decide when they come and go. Be careful, you kids may never want to leave!

It’s a Small World Nursery–ages 6 months to 3 years old
Oceaneers Club and Lab–ages 3-12
Edge–just for tweens (about 11-13)
Vibe–just for teens (about 13-17)

No Casinos

While for some this might not be a benefit for others it is definitely no casino makes for a better cruise experience. For those of you who love to win money or prizes on vacation, never fear! They do have Bingo almost daily!

No Beverage Package

This is another feature that some might love and others might not. The fantastic benefit of Disney Cruise line is that they include soda with all their meals and there is a beverage station on the pool deck. The beverage station is open all day long for everyone to enjoy as much as they want. Not only is there soda but also coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. My daughter and I loved the hot chocolate machine on our Alaska Cruise (just don’t try and take it off the boat). For cruisers who love to relax with an alcoholic beverage, they are available onboard. There are multiple bars and adult beverage locations.

Excursions

Yes, of course all cruise lines have excursions. But Disney Cruise line sets itself apart with the number of excursions available with kids in mind. Their goal is that the whole family be able to experience things together so many exciting things are crafted to allow younger travelers. Plus, where else can you see Disney Characters on your shore excursion?

Disney Cruise line not just wants kids to enjoy experiences but everyone! They have also crafted accessible port adventures in 25 different countries. So if mobility is an issue do a little research (or have your travel specialist) to find out which cruise itineraries might work best for you.

ICE CREAM!!

I know, I know. There is complimentary soft-serve ice cream available on other cruise lines. BUT, on a Disney Cruise you can savor many more flavors than just chocolate and vanilla. On our cruise we had strawberry, mango, blueberry, and quite a few others. I think that there were new flavors every day to try. That was awesome!

Watch my Facebook Live post on this subject

Well, I hoped you gleaned a couple facts to help you to decide if a Disney Cruise is worth it to you. There are many more great things about a Disney Cruise but these were standouts for me. Do you have something different? Let us know in the comments below.

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

Links of interest:

Disney Cruise Line November 12, 2019

Guide to Character Meeting on Disney Cruise Line

So many characters to meet, so little time!

As I am typing this Guide to Character Meeting on Disney Cruise Line I am excitedly watching movie on Disney+ (the new streaming service). There were so many choices but I decided to go with one of my favorites, The Apple Dumpling Gang and I am LOVING it!

Now, on to the real reason for this post.

A guide to meeting characters on Disney cruise line

Character appearances are a fantastic part of a Disney cruise. Some people avoid the parks and take a cruise instead. They still get to see the Disney characters but stay away from the madness of the parks. There is no shortage of characters. While on board it feels like they are everywhere! Hopefully you will find this Guide to Character Meeting on Disney Cruise Line helpful!

Where do I go to meet the characters?

The Navigator (paper and app)

Do you wonder how you are going to find all the many characters on your Disney Cruise? Who to meet? When they will be there? Where to go? The Navigator is your complete guide to finding the characters. Each evening you can pick up the paper Navigator at Guest Services and plan for the next day. OR…

Even better, is to use the Navigator App. Download the app before leaving on your cruise. On the app you can search by character or by day to plan your day or even your whole week.

Schedule of character meeting times on Disney cruise line

Navigator schedule showing character meeting times on Disney cruise line — Excerpt from a Navigator showing Character appearances

Meet and greets all over the ship

You will find characters all over the ship. Most of the time the characters on our ship were centered around the Atrium on 3 floors. They would also meet and greet outside the Walt Disney Theater, the ticketed gatherings (more later), character breakfast, and of course, the Oceaneers Club.

Character meeting with Spiderman at Oceaneers Club on Disney cruise line — Meeting Spiderman in the Oceaneers Club

At the parties, shows, dinner and some excursions

Your favorite Disney characters are also the stars of so many of the shows. It all starts with the Sail-a-Wave Party. Other shows with characters include the Pixar Pals Party (loved this one!), Frozen Deck Party, Pirate Deck Party, sometimes the Family Dance Parties, and the Goodbye party. Mickey, Minnie and Friends also show up at the Golden Mickeys. You also might book an excursion that gives an opportunity for you to spend some time with your favorite characters.

And, of course, you might see characters at dinner or just walking around the ship. At these times the characters do not stop for pictures or autographs. They welcome a high 5 or a wave as they pass by. You might even get really lucky with a quick hug.

When can we interact with the characters?

Meet and Greet

At the meet and greet times the characters will sign autographs, talk with you for a moment or two, and take a picture with you. There is a photographer that will take your picture. They are also happy to use your camera to snap a pic or two. This is your opportunity to bring your autograph books, pillowcases, photo mats, t-shirts or whatever else you might want the characters to sign as a keepsake.

MEET AND GREET DETAILS: The Meet and Greet sessions are scheduled for 15 minutes. A cast member will not allow anyone else to enter they line when it gets close to ending time. Some characters have nice backgrounds. The lines go pretty quickly even when they look long. Remember, the character will only be there for 15 minutes so you shouldn’t be waiting longer than that.

NOTE ABOUT USING YOUR OWN CAMERA: The lighting at the meet and greets is not very good. It can be kind of dark and often a lot of shadowing. I will note that the Disney pictures, while better than mine, were sometimes not spectacular.

Parties

You also get to have a lot of interaction during the parties. For example, during the Pixar Pals Party we could dance with the characters, take pictures and have a ton of fun with them. At the end of the cruise at the goodbye party the characters stood around for pictures and some fun.

A quick pic with Mrs. Incredible at the Pixar Pals party.

Gatherings

The gatherings are separate ticketed events. Prior to your cruise you can reserve a special time to meet the Princesses or Elsa and Anna. Reservations are free and are made based on your Castaway Club status. Platinum members can book 120 days before sailing, Gold members 105 days ahead, Silver members 90 days ahead and first time cruisers can book 75 days ahead. NOTE: If you are unable to get a reservation prior to departure check with Guest Service immediately after boarding to possibly get a time slot.

Character meeting at Frozen gathering on Disney cruise line

FROZEN Gathering: This is the only time you have to interact with Elsa and Anna.

PRINCESS Gathering: For us this was in the Atrium. It was nice to be able to see all of them at once. But, you will have a chance to see Princesses at other times. On our cruise we saw Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, and Tiana.

Royal Court Royal Tea Party

This extra special event delights children ages 3-12. During this whimsical tea time your prince and princesses enjoy stories, songs, and dancing with your Tea Party Hostess and Royal Pastry Chef. And, of course, devoted time with Disney Princesses.

In addition, your taste buds will be temped with tea and two delicious courses. Keepsake gifts will be given to remember this special teatime experience.

Cost: $220 for children and $69 for adults

Character Breakfast

Character meeting at breakfast on Disney cruise line

This is also a special ticketed event. It is free but reservations must be made. What characters will be at the breakfast is constantly changing. It is an exciting surprise when you get there. We saw Mickey, Minnie, Chip and Dale. Make sure you tell your server if all of the characters have not visited your child.

Is every session with a character the same?

Throughout the cruise you will see multiple greeting times for some characters. There are a couple reasons. One reason is to give many people a chance to visit the characters. There is so much going on during the cruise that there needs to be multiple scheduled times to accommodate.

The other reason is that some characters, mainly Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Friends want to don more than one outfit to brighten up your day. They might show up in cruise wear one day, formal wear on Formal night, pirate garb, rain gear, or local outfits. One day on our Alaska cruise Mickey and Minnie wore Native Alaskan Parkas.

My biggest character meeting tip!

Use your Navigator app to plan out when you want to go and meet specific characters. On the app you can choose favorites and it will remind you at the time. If you do this at the beginning of your trip you can relax knowing you won’t miss out on any characters you really want to meet.

Thank you for reading this Guide to Character Meeting on Disney Cruise Line. I hope you found some helpful tips and tricks for cruise.

Is there a character that you just have to meet? One you would be heartbroken to miss? For me it was Joy! I love her!

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

Other posts you might be interest in reading:

Budget Travel May 25, 2019

New Disney Summer One World Ticket Offer

Disney World 2019 Summer One World Ticket offer

The 2019 Summer One World Ticket

Enjoy Dino Land will all of Disney World with the Disney World Summer One World Ticket — Experience all of Disney World this summer including Dino Land

I am so excited to tell you about the Disney World 2019 Summer One World Ticket offer. This awesome deal starts June 4, 2019! Purchase this ticket anytime between June 4, 2019 and August 28, 2019 and have up to 6 days of fun.

Ticket Includes

One 1-day Admission to each Disney World park

Magic Kingdom
Animal Kingdom
Epcot
Hollywood Studios
Typhoon Lagoon
Blizzard Beach

Yes! You read correctly! This ticket even includes water parks. This ticket is the first of it’s kind. Normally to add on water parks you would have to purchase the Park Hopper Plus option for an additional $100/day. With this ticket you experience the water parks for less.

Enjoy Blizzard Beach the Disney World Summer One World Ticket — Blizzard Beach overlooking Kids Ski Patrol Training Camp

Important Details

Ticket can be purchased as of June 4, 2019
Use tickets any day until August 28, 2019
Allows one entry into each park but you can go to more than one in a day. (but not a park hopper ticket)

Do I save $ with this ticket?

The cost of this ticket will be $444 (not including tax) which is only $74/day.

When I priced the current cost of tickets (on 5/25/19) I found that on the cheapest day of the summer a 4 day (1 park/day) ticket would cost $400 (not including tax). Most days of the summer this same ticket would cost even more (up to $433 if you purchase tickets to go in June).

So, YES! Using this ticket you get to splash and play at the the water parks for hardly any extra cost. How AWESOME is that!!

What if I need a place to stay?

Purchasing the Summer One World ticket also gives you the option to immerse yourself in the Magic by staying in a Disney resort. You save up to 25% on select rooms at select Disney resorts.

If you would like to learn more or to purchase these awesome tickets just let me know! Email me at tamara@alaskatomickey.com or use the contact form in the link above.

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

The Story of How Alaska to Mickey Came to Be

Let’s Start at the Very Beginning…

My husband and I skiing in Colorado in 1999.

Well, maybe just back a few months

At the end of 2018 we adopted two of our four foster children. We were beyond thrilled but reality also started to sink in. We were now the ones solely responsible to feed, clothe, educate, and show them the world. $$$$ Now we are confident that God placed these children in our family to care for and He is going to equip us for this tremendous task. But, in order for us to be able to have some of the extras we have enjoyed (TRAVEL springs to mind) we would probably need a little extra income.

Our first multi-day trip to Disney World 2007

As a family, we are committed to me being a stay-at-home Mom. Throughout the years God has provided for our children to attend a Christian school but that has involved sacrifices. We feel very blessed but we don’t have the largest house, the fanciest cars, all name brand clothing, or take extravagant vacations. Over the years I have had a few different home businesses to help make ends meet (my favorite has been teaching sewing lessons).

Thoughts of a blog take root

In January, I decided that in order to be able to fund some of the extras in our lives (travel, helping our our kids in college, and some home remodeling) I needed to work at something from home. I thought I would enjoy trying to start a blog. Originally, I tried my hand at a saving money blog. I do like to save money and try to do so each day. But, as I researched different aspects of creating a profitable blog I kept hitting roadblocks.

My world upends with just one pin

Then one day I was on Pinterest ( I LOVE Pinterest!!) getting some ideas for a family command center. I wanted to make a board with chores for my kids with money attached. I looked up “Work for Hire” as that is what these projects are often called. What popped up was a couple ideas of what I was looking for and then a ton of work from home pins. As I scrolled down I came across a pin that BLEW MY MIND!! The pin led to a post about becoming a travel agent selling Disney vacations. WHAAAAT??!!

Now, many years ago I though that I would love to be a travel agent. How fun would it be to help people plan dream vacations! But, I watched as one by one the travel agents closed up in our city and put those dreams aside. In the last few years I have planned a number of vacations to Disney World and Disneyland. I would see posts for travel agents wanting to help plan Disney trips. How cool would that be!! I didn’t look into it too much thinking that the agents would have to be based in Florida. So, when I read these posts it was like MY WHOLE WORLD WAS ROCKED!

New blog ideas soar to new heights

I immediately started researching, thinking and planning. Now when though about writing a blog all the pieces seemed to fall into place. All the road blocks toppled. My confusion and trepidation diminished. My plan is to pursue becoming a travel agent specializing in selling Disney vacations and possibly Alaska and Hawaii. But, even if the travel agent career doesn’t pan out I am still OVER the MOON about my new blog direction.

Spinning on the teacups in Disneyland in 2019

An so it begins..

I can’t wait to share with you about some topics I am very passionate about…travel to Disney, Alaska, and everywhere in between. My desire through this blog is to share inspiration, ideas, and planning tips. I hope to encourage you to grab a hold of your vacation dreams and make them a reality.