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What I LOVE about Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class Ships

 There is something for everyone on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line vacation.  All the ships are packed with fun and activities, but the Oasis Class ships take things up a notch!  There are currently 4 Oasis Class ships available for booking: Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas.  The first ship in the class, Oasis of the Seas made its maiden voyage in 2009.   These ships are huge!  In fact, Symphony of the Seas is currently the world's largest cruise ship.  In March of 2019, I was able to take a 7 night sailing on Allure of the Seas and we absolutely fell in love with the Oasis Class of ships.  Here's a list of things that we enjoyed and what you may also love on an Oasis Class ship: 1) The Ship is a Destination  -With all there is to see and do on an Oasis Class ship, it's a destination itself!  I'm convinced that you could have a full vacation with all the ship has to offer without ever getting off the ship at a port.  Th
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Why We Switched to Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

 Flexibility has become increasingly important as travel continues to change as a result of the impact of COVID-19.  While I absolutely LOVE Disney's Pop Century resort and I think it offers one of the best values of all the Disney Resorts, we decided to make a change for our upcoming Walt Disney World trip.  We will be staying at Disney's Caribbean Beach resort for the first time in TWENTY years. There have been a lot of changes to the resort since the last time we stayed there.  One thing that hasn't changed is the beautiful and lush vegetation surrounding the resort, giving it a great Caribbean feel.  In fact, since this is the most "mature" (re:oldest) of Disney's Moderate resorts, the plant life will be more grown in and I'm excited for that. Disney's Caribbean Beach is located near both Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios.  It was first opened in 1988 (which makes us the same age!). The main check in area is Old Port Royale and the resort is

Date Based Ticketing Coming to Walt Disney World

In a move that had been highly rumored for months, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida introduced date based ticketing today.  Here's what we know: What is Date Based Ticketing?  -Instead of paying one set price to enter any of Walt Disney World's four theme parks, your price will vary depending on when you go.  Busier times of year (think school breaks and the holidays) are more popular times of the year to go to WDW, so those tickets will be more expensive.  If you travel during a less crowded time of year, those tickets will be less expensive.  This is a system that has been in place at Disneyland Resort in California for single-day tickets for some time now. Disneyland Resort already has date-based ticketing What about Multi-Day Tickets? - The date based ticketing will also apply to multi-day tickets.  So your three day park hopper ticket will vary in price depending on the time of year you travel.  You must also select the time-frame in which you plan to use your t

The Saratoga Palio Melanie Merola O'Donnell Memorial Half -Recap

On Sunday, September 16, Nicole and I, along with hundreds of other runners took to the streets of Saratoga Springs, New York to run the Saratoga Palio Melanie Merola O'Donnell Memorial Half Marathon .  It was a great way to spend a Sunday!  Both Nicole and I had a great experience with all aspects of this event. Adding this race to our calendar was a last minute decision.  I have been wanting to do a fall half marathon before our planned Wine and Dine honeymoon trip.  With so many trips planned for this fall, it was hard to find a half that fit our schedule.  We also didn't want to travel to a race, since we'll be doing so much traveling already.  While in Saratoga last weekend, Nicole and I saw a sign for this race and figured since it's local, to check if there were still spots open. Lucky us! We were able to register on the Tuesday before the race. When you come from the world of runDisney, where you have to register months in advance, sometimes it's nice to

Storybook Character Dining to Debut at Artist Point at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

I'm so excited about today's update!  Character dining is coming to Disney's Wilderness Lodge.  This winter, Snow White, Dopey, Grumpy, and the Evil Queen will welcome guests to dine with them at Artist Point.  Information is limited at this time, but we do know that it will be a prix fixe menu with shared appetizers, a delicious entree and dessert.  We're still eagerly waiting for information on the opening date, menus, and how many dining plan credits this experience will require.  However, I immediately thought of my fellow Dopeys when this information was released.  How great would this be as a celebration meal after completing the Dopey Challenge? What do you think? Are you excited for this option? Start planning your magical adventure today! I am an authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Magical Adventures Travel, an earmarked agency.  E-mail me at kellyp@magicaladventurestravel.com for your free no-obligation quote today!

2018 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival Menu Preview

The waiting is finally over!  The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival starts today!  There’s good news all around, with some of the classic favorites returning and some exciting new tastes to try.  Here is a breakdown of the menus with what I’m most looking forward to tasting! Active Eats • Loaded mac’n’cheese w/ Nueske’s pepper bacon, cheddar cheese, peppers, and green onions (This is a recurring festival favorite) • Spice-crusted Verlasso salmon with warm lentil power salad, crushed avocado, and sherry vinegar (I’m excited to try this dish this year) • Active Eats energy bar bites: a mixture of chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and dates • M.I.A. Beer Company HRD WTR Pineapple Coconut Hard Sparkling Water (This sounds refreshing!) • L’Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc Old Vines • Evolution by Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Africa • Berbere-style beef tenderloin tips with onions, jalapenos, tomato and pap • Spicy Ethopian red lentil stew with vegan yogurt and quinoa (This one

9 Tips for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party 2018 Edition

It may be August and kids are just getting back to school, but it’s finally Halloween in Walt Disney World!    Fall decorations went up last week in Magic Kingdom and the first Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was August 17!   There’s so much to do at the party and it’s one of my favorite events in all of Walt Disney World.   I’ll be making my way there in September (when it hopefully cools down a little), but here are some tips to help you make the most of your time at the party!  Magic Kingdom all decked out for Halloween 1)       Enter at 4:00PM -While the party officially starts at 7:00PM, your MNSSHP ticket has historically allowed you to enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4:00PM.  Make sure you go through the Halloween Party Turnstiles which are located on the right-hand side, next to Guest Relations.  Once you enter the park, you’ll get your MNSSHP wristband and a party map. There’s even a special trick or treat station set up, so you can get a head start on you