Blog – Adventures by Kelly at Looking Glass Travel

9 In Disney/ Star Wars

Star Wars Fans Get Ready For This New Disney World Resort.

It is finally here… the new Star Wars themed hotel vacation experience at Walt Disney World begins bookings this month for trips starting March 1st, 2022. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is the first of its kind; a revolutionary themed experience that is less like a typical hotel stay and instead, an immersive story experience, where you become a part of the Star Wars universe. It’s part live immersive theater, part themed environment, part culinary extravaganza, and part real-life role-playing game.

When you first arrive at the Walt Disney World Resort, you will head to the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Terminal. From there you will take a launch pod to the Starcruiser. You will then step off the launch pod and enter your own Star Wars story, where you decide how the story plays out. It is like a real life ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’. Will you join the First Order or join the Resistance? It’s up to you. Costumes and themed outfits are encouraged to really get into character, though not required.

Each all-inclusive Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser vacation will include a 2-night stay in a themed cabin or suite, all meals (excluding acoholic and specialty beverages), and full experiences, missions, and activities. The trip also includes entry to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as well as the rest of Disney’s Hollywood Studios where you’ll visit Batuu. Valet parking is also included.

All meals will be served in the Crown of Crellia Dining Room. During the day it will be more casual while transitioning at night into an enticing supper club with a lavish multi-course menu as well as including elements such as live musical entertainment, and unfolding storylines.

Your cabin will be aboard the Chandrila Star Line’s finest ship, the Halcyon. This 100-cabin starcruiser will provide comfort and luxury during your stay as you live out your Star Wars adventure.

Bookings for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser open to the general public on October 28th. Eligible Disney Vacation Club members and active Annual Passholders book early during a pre-sale window October 7 and 9 for voyages March 1-May 4, 2022.

If you are interested in channeling your inner Jedi (or Stormtrooper), contact me today for assistance in planning this out-of-this-world vacation experience.

By Kelly

5 In Cruising/ Disney/ Family/ Guided Travel/ Travel

Guided Travel & Cruising on the Danube

Danube River Cruise Adventures by Disney

While we wait for the world to slowly open, I wanted to look back at one of my most memorable vacations, an Adventures by Disney river cruise on the Danube River in the summer of 2019.

First, let me start with how we ended up on this trip. My husband and I were contestants on the Wheel of Fortune in 2018 during their Disney Cruise week. Crazy, right? We had auditioned in late 2016 and didn’t hear until late 2017 that we were cotenants… and that we needed to go to L.A. two weeks later to film.

On the show, we solved the prize puzzle and won a river cruise for two. As Pat Sajack was telling us about the trip my brain went blank and for a moment I thought…”Where is the Danube River?” We eventually made it to the bonus round but sadly did not solve the bonus puzzle but still left with some cash and an amazing trip. I will have to share our whole W.O.F. journey in another post. For now, let’s get back to the cruise.

My husband, kids, and I are all big Disney Cruise Line fans but have never been on a river cruise, let alone one in Europe. The husband and I have each spent time in Europe in our younger days but the kids have never been. Since the prize was only for two, we knew we needed to book a connecting room for the kids. This was a trip they just could not miss, and because it was an Adventures by Disney, we knew it would cater to us as a family.

In June of 2019, we flew into Munich, Germany before departing on an 8-night cruise that would take us through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. We met the rest of our tour group in Munich, taking a two-hour bus ride to our departure port in Vilshofen. During the bus ride, we got to know our Disney Adventure Guides that would be with us the entire journey. They would become part of the family by the end of the trip. Once we arrived and were settled into our cabins, we met for an Oktoberfest style send-off, complete with a polka band, dancing, beer, and lederhosen.

Adventures by Kelly Travel Danube River Cruise Oktoberfest

If you have never done a guided tour before, this will be the biggest difference in the type of traveling you are used to. We’ve always been the type to go off on our own so I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of group travel but it ended up being fabulous, particularly when in a new country. Here is a breakdown of how it works. Each evening you get a guide for the following day’s itinerary along with information about the city you are visiting.

From there, your family can decide what it is you want to do. You can even split up and go on different excursions. There are typically at least two options for the morning and for the afternoon with lunch usually onboard the ship. However there are day long excursion options as well. They range from very relaxed and easy going to much more adventurous and physically challenging. Each ship (during pre-Covid times) held around 150 guests with everyone splitting into different groups each day based on the activity. But because you could choose whatever excursion you wanted, the people in your group often varied. You always had at least two Adventure Guides with you on every excursion as well. They made you feel comfortable where every you were going, took care of all the little details, and had tons of inside knowledge and info to share. Since it is Disney, they are focused on kids and making sure they have a great time. Within many of the excursions, the kids went off separately with two guides for a more kid-friendly tour. So while the adults were visiting a castle and taking in all the architecture and culture, the kids might be off baking authentic Austrian cookies in the castle’s kitchen. The number of kids on the ship was actually just a dozen or so and they all became pretty close by the end of the trip.

Adventures by Kelly Travel Danube River Cruise Kids

If I were to go day by day for our trip, this could easily be a dozen or more posts. We did so much as we sailed along the river and explored four countries. Instead, I’ll just share a few of the highlights of things we did on this trip.

Walking Tour of Passau, Germany with a costumed guide
Hike in the treetops along the famous Tree Path Kopfing in Austria
Visit famous filming locations from the Sound of Music in Salzburg
Explore the Hallein Salt Mines, one of the oldest in the world that is open to the public

Danube River Cruise Adventures by Disney Hundertwaser

Visit the Melk Benedictine Abbey
Learn a traditional Austrian dance
Make apricot marmalade
Explore Vienna on our own – saw some Hundertwasser buildings I’ve wanted to see my whole life

Tour the historic Schönbrunn Palace and attend a private marionette show at the palace
Attend an evening Mozart and Strauss concert at the palace
Take a walking tour of Bratislava, Slovakia
Lunch and tour at the Schloss Hof Baroque palace

A trip to the Lazar Equestrian Park in Hungary
Visit the Budapest Central Market Hall
A walking tour of Budapest, Hungary
A farewell celebration with live music, dancing which involved balancing bottles of wine on your head

These are just a few of the highlights. We saw so much more than this but I don’t want to keep you all day. If you are interested in learning more about the cruise we did, you can learn more here. In addition to Danube River Cruises, Adventures by Disney also covers other river cruises in Europe as well as land adventures all over the world. I’ve got my island on their Iceland trip next. They have also added some incredible adventures to the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica. Those are definite travel goals.

Have you ever done guided travel? Let me know in the comments.

By Kelly

10 In Cruising/ Disney/ Travel

Meet Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship

For Disney Cruise Line (DCL) fanatics like me, the reveal of their newest ship, feels like Christmas. Pushed back a year due to Covid, the Disney Wish will be setting sail starting in June of 2022 and just recently, Disney has shared renderings of what we can expect.

DCL currently has four ships in its fleet. The first ship, the Magic, was built in 1998. Next came the Wonder in 1999. Both are part of their Magic Class. The third and fourth ships, the Dream and the Fantasy, were built in 2011 and 2012 respectively. These two ships are larger than the first two and make up the Dream Class.

Between 2022 and 2025 DCL will release three new ships as part of their Triton Class. They will be the largest ships in Disney’s fleet. The first ship released in the Triton Class is the Disney Wish.

Inspired by Cinderella and the theme of “enchantment” that guided the design of the ship, guests will enter the ship in the grand atrium. From a three-story staircase, the Cinderella statue, and the chandelier with a ‘wishing star’ guests will start their trip in style. This is part of what I love so much about Disney cruise ships – the decor. Everything is just stunning. It isn’t over-the-top cartoony like some might expect from Disney. It isn’t bright and garish like many expect from cruise ships. Every touch is elegant and classy and harkens back to classic ocean liners.

Staterooms will vary from smaller inside cabins to large 2-story suites. Most rooms will be rooms with verandahs that typically hold up to 4 guests. The design looks more like an upscale hotel than a cruise ship. For parents, the cabins are set up perfectly. A large bed for the adults can be separated by a large curtain, leaving an area for the kids.

The sofa turns into a single bed while a drop down bunk is just above it. Plus they have a split bathroom feature with a toilet and sink in one bathroom and the shower and another sink right next to it. Compared to other cruise lines, DCL has the best configurations for families.

Some of our favorite things on the Disney ships are the dining rooms. There are three main dining rooms and you rotate between the three each night. The best part is that your servers travel with you so you have the same staff the entire trip. You get to know each other and they develop bonds with the kids. Since they are from all over the world, you hear stories about where they are from, which the kids always enjoy. Each dining room has a theme with unique menus that change nightly and often entertainment to match the theme.

The Arendelle dining room will be similar to a theater in the round, with entertainment at the center of the room. In Worlds of Marvel, guests will have a more interactive experience that has yet to be revealed. 1923 will pay homage to Disney’s beginnings in an elegant room with touches of classic animation. There will be plenty of other options such as adults-only dining, casual dining, and more, to be revealed in the coming months.

For most families, the kids’ clubs are a highlight. They are a place where parents can safely drop off their kids and enjoy some kid-free time in the many adults-only areas. The themed rooms, let kids of various ages interact and play with their favorite characters. For kids ages 3-12, they can visit the Ocenear’s Lab which will include the Marvel Superhero Academy, Fairylate Hall, and the Walt Disney Imagineering Lab. For babies and toddlers, parents can feel at ease dropping their wee ones off in the It’s a Small World Nursery. If you are like me and also have a teen, there will also be the tween and teen lounges, Edge and Vibe on board. Kids 11-14 can hang out in an NYC loft-inspired club while kids ages 14-17 can watch movies and play games in a Parisian artist-style loft.I can’t tell you how many times our kids begged to go to the clubs in order to hang out with friends they’ve made on the ship. From movies, games, crafts and more, it is one of the best places on the ship for your children.

Another feature families love are the recreation areas. On the Disney Wish, there will be plenty to explore. Starting with the very first Disney attraction at sea, the Aqua Mouse will be blend of a water slide and immersive roller coaster. With video, lights, and sound, guests will zoom though 760 feet of winding tubes high above the upper decks. There will also be a pool area with six pools where families can swim or just relax. As for the little ones, there will be a Toy Story Splash Zone with toddler-sized slides, jets, geysers and bubblers. For the grown-ups a visit to the adults-only Quiet Cove which will offer breathtaking views of the ocean from a luxurious infinity pool along with a whirlpool spa, and area to lounge, and the Cove Bar.

There is so much to share for this newest Disney ship, and so much that still has yet to be revealed. For those wanting to see even more, check out this video with even more exciting revelations.

The Disney Wish will set sail in June 2022 with 3 and 4 night cruises to the Bahamas and their private island Castaway Cay. For those interested in booking a trip, booking opens in just a few days for Castaway Cay and DVC members. Booking for the general public opens on May 27. Please let me know if you are interested in sailing on this newest ship, and making all your ‘wishes’ come true.

By Kelly

12 In Family/ Travel

DNA Travel

I’ve always been interested in genealogy. Growing up, I was always interested in my 1/4 Lebanese side, hearing stories from my dad. I knew the rest was a mix of European, thinking mostly German, but It wasn’t until I’d taken a DNA test that I found out that I was roughly 40% French.

I started spending countless hours researching on various genealogy sites, tracing both my and my husband’s lineage. It was during this time that I started to read about the increase in “DNA travel” or “heritage travel”. As a travel specialist, who also loved genealogy research, I was intrigued.

Many people are now taking ancestry results one step further and arranging trips to explore the countries from their families’ past. With some DNA testing companies giving you real-world matches of relatives, some are even connecting with people across the globe with a shared family tree, like Kieron’s trip to Africa highlighted in this video.

After getting their DNA results, many people choose to travel to one of the countries their ancestors come from. Whether it is parts of Europe, South America, or even further away, that is where I can step in to help. Together, we can track down specific towns where relatives once lived (or perhaps still are), and get you there…visit an ancestral home, walk in the footsteps of relatives’ past, or connect with direct descendants from the same lineage.

On our last vacation, BC (before Covid), we traveled through parts of Eastern Europe, stopping in Bratislava, Slovakia.

My husband’s great grandparents immigrated from Slovakia in the early 1900s and he has grown up with a few stories about ‘the old country’. It was interesting to visit a place I’d heard about often from my in-laws and for my kids to experience some of their heritage as well.

Not really knowing much about my large French side (which actually comes from both sides of my family), I still always felt drawn to France. I loved the language, the culture. I loved visiting Paris as well as the south of France many years ago. But I’d never thought much about my fascination nor did I ever discuss it with anyone. My daughter seems to have inherited the same love. Inexplicably, she is drawn to all things French. Her school requires language classes starting in 1st grade and while we encouraged her to take Spanish, she insisted on French. Her French teacher always tells me she is a natural and has the best pronunciation. My daughter is also very desperate to visit France. After learning about my deep French roots, it seems to make more sense now and we have talked about planning our next trip to France after I do some more digging into what parts of France my relatives came from.

Is there somewhere from your DNA results you are itching to visit? Any long-lost relatives you’d like to get to know or significant sites you want to explore? Let me know how I can help you plan a trip that gets you back to your roots.

By Kelly

10 In Travel/ Travel Agent Tips

Top 5 Reasons to Use a Travel Agent

Chances are, you are like me. You are used to doing things yourself, particularly when it comes to looking up things on the internet, and specifically when it comes to travel. In the age of those big online travel reservation sites, the internet has made planning your own vacations and booking your own hotel rooms seem easy. As much as I thought that was the cheapest way to go and that the concept of a ‘travel agent’ was about as outdated as those old foil-covered TV dinners, I’m here to tell you, that isn’t so with this list of the top 5 reasons you should use a travel agent for your next journey.

5. Knowledge & Experience

While I am a licensed travel agent, really I am a travel specialist, specially trained in various destinations to be able to answer your questions and help you with anything. I’m constantly following the market, monitoring deals, making sure I know all the latest and greatest updates to various parks and resorts, all while keeping apprised of those hidden gems and untapped destinations. You can read more about me and all the places I’ve traveled here. I take part in extensive training from all the various travel providers so that I can answer any question. And for anything I may not know, I am privileged to be a part of a great agency where we help each other on a daily basis. So while you are working with me, you not only have my knowledge and experience but a network of agents’ knowledge and experience that I can tap into at a moment’s notice.

4. Savings

Travel, particularly when large groups are involved, can be expensive. You could spend hours scouring the internet trying to figure out what days have cheaper flights or which hotels have the best rates. Or you could let me do all the legwork to find the best deals. The best part is that as new deals are constantly released, I am able to modify your reservation, often saving you even more. For example, a recent family of 6 has a trip planned for Walt Disney World this spring. We found the best deal at the time of booking but a few months later, a promotion came out that saved them another $500. Even better, a few weeks ago, yet another new promotion was released that I was able to take advantage of, and from their initial booking to right now, I’ve been able to save them an additional $1500. Typically when people book their own vacations, they look for the best deal at the time but are unable or unaware of how to take advantage of savings that may happen after booking.

3. Convenience

What always drove me crazy about booking my own vacations was having to investigate a bunch of different sources, trying to get the best deal. While I loved the research aspect, it was always so much work that often left me exhausted and at times, not even wanting to go on my trip anymore. Having to keep track of reservations for hotels, planes, rental cars, excursions, and more, all sourced from different websites, was tedious. Even during the trip, I found I was always stressing out about the plans I’d made and whether everything was confirmed. The whole point of the vacation was to relax and enjoy myself.

Now, as a travel agent, I have the inside scoop along with a multitude of resources that make it much easier to research and plan your trip than it would be for the average person. Everything can be done in a way that seamlessly integrates all of your travel plans into one perfect vacation package, leaving you with only the best parts of the vacation to enjoy. Let me do the research while you relax!

2. 100% Complimentary

One reason I never considered using a travel agent back in the day, is because I thought it was expensive. I didn’t have the luxury of being able to pay for a trip AND pay a travel agent. I was shocked to learn that it is free to use a travel agent. How is that possible? Commission. I know… commission makes you think of pushy car salesmen. I had the same thought too. In the travel world, agents receive a % commission from the different providers. For every vacation we are able to book for them, it saves them time and money in staff and advertising. Since we are doing the legwork in helping them find customers, they give us a small percentage of the sale. Unlike other jobs where you have a set salary no matter how much or little you work, this structure encourages us to work harder for you. Having a happy client means that we have hopefully earned your business in the future and that you may even share our information with your friends. Using a travel agent should never cost you anything extra, however, there are agencies that have now started charging service fees that typically range from $100-500. They use the same resources I use so they don’t have any advantages that would make their service more valuable to you. Whether you would use me or a different agent, I’d always encourage you to look for those that will not charge you any fees.

1. Peace of Mind

When the world shut down because of Covid, travel agents were there to advocate for our clients. In an uncertain time, we were the ones spending hours on the phone, working to get refunds. As restrictions and guidelines were in flux, we had to stay one step ahead, to know what was allowed in every state and country our clients were coming to and from. In many cases, we had clients that were overseas during the initial lockdown and helped to guide them back home as the world shuttered. Now, more than ever, travel agents are a vital part of ensuring that your trip goes off without a hitch. Travel planning is no longer as simple as hitting up a booking site and making a quick reservation. There are border restrictions, quarantine requirements, mask mandates, Covid testing stipulations, and so much more that are not only changing daily but vary by city, state, and even country. With me in your corner, you will have peace of mind that you are traveling safely and responsibly in a post-Covid era and that if an emergency does arrive, you will have someone to fight to resolve any issues on your behalf.

It is a crazy world right now, and travel may be forever changed but with the right help, you can still enjoy traveling. Whenever you are ready, I will be here waiting to assist you.

By Kelly

14 In Cruising/ Disney/ Family/ Travel

Disney Cruising – Embarkation Day

Disney Cruise Embarkation Day Family Travel Wonder

Read part 1 of this series here.

What to know what embarkation day is like? Read on. When we took our first Disney cruise, I tried to be as prepared as possible. I joined message boards and Facebook groups. Looked through a million blogs. Checked out books from the library. Yet, nothing really prepared us for what it was really like walking on the ship, that very first time.

Depending on your port and situation, you may arrive at the cruise terminal by Disney’s Magic Bus (only for Port Canaveral departures), by taxi, or your own car. You’ll be assigned a check-in time for the terminal and will want to be on time. When you arrive you’ll check-in and then be assigned a boarding group. This will let you know when you can actually get on the ship. At check-in they will take a photo of each person in your group for their computer system, will give you your Key to the World card and a lanyard. You can also sign your kids up for the kids club at this time as well (if you hadn’t done so online earlier). The Port Canaveral terminal is by far the nicest as it is a dedicated building just for DCL. There is just more pomp and circumstance involved and I would suggest sailing out of this port for your very first cruise with Disney, just for this experience.

Once your boarding group is called you can head towards the gangway to the ship. Anytime you go on or off the ship they will scan your KTTW card. Next, you’ll have the chance to have your family’s photo taken. Do it. It is always fun to have that moment captured. Side note… Photographers are wandering the ships all day every day. Anytime you have a chance, let them take your photo. You’ll have a chance to purchase them later (some or all) and it is worth it. Will talk more about this in an upcoming post.

Arrival

You will enter the ship into the atrium where crew members will announce your family. The first time we gave our real family name but on later cruises, we have given fun, fake names. One time we were the ‘Stroopwaffles’ (a tasty dessert by the way). Don’t judge us. We were on vacation! Now you are officially on the ship and there is no turning back. Important to note, by this point Disney will have your luggage and they will deliver it to your room. I suggest having a small backpack or day bag to carry on with you. You can’t go to your room until 1:30 so if you arrive any earlier, you’ll have time to spare, so make the most of it. A lot of people throw their bathing suits into their bag and head straight for the pool when they arrive. It may feel overwhelming but here is my list of what I’d suggest you do on embarkation day.

1. Snap a Photo. When you first enter the Atrium, soak it all in. The first thing we do is head immediately to the statue by the stairs for a family photo. There are tons of staff on board ready to snap a pic with your camera, so let them.

2. Eat. If you board the ship around lunchtime, I’d make getting food one of your top priorities. You can head up to the buffet restaurant for lunch or head to the main dining room. Both will have a lunch buffet but the dining room will probably be quieter if your kids are feeling a little overwhelmed.

3. Visit the Kids Clubs. This is one of the few times that all the kids’ clubs are open for anyone who wants to wander. You can’t drop your kids off during this time but it is a good way for everyone in your group to see what they have to offer. As a parent, it is great to know where your kids will be when you check them in so that everyone feels comfortable. Plus they are pretty darn cool and I can usually sneak in playing some games with the kiddos.

4. Walk around the Ship. Just like the Kids Clubs, everything is open. Take this time to wander around the ship. Go into all the bars, clubs, restaurants. Take photos, let the kids explore.

Advice from my 11 yr old to other kids:

Just explore the boat and get used to where everything is.

Disney Cruise Cruising with Kids First Time Cruising

If you haven’t noticed, my kids like to make goofy faces! Get used to it.

What Comes Next

After 1:30 we head to our room to freshen up. Walking into your stateroom for the first time can be very exciting. Your luggage may still not be there yet so don’t panic. It can take a few hours. Just relax, check out the room, look out the window or go on the balcony. Enjoy!

In the afternoon on embarkation day, usually around 4 pm, you’ll have to do a mandatory muster drill. This is where everyone on the ship assembles in designated areas in case of an emergency. For someone afraid to cruise, this can seem a bit scary because the last thing you want to think about is any sort of emergency. But it can also be reassuring as well. The crew is well-rehearsed and everything is organized to ensure everyone’s safety. So if you keep this in mind, the 15 minutes or so that the drill takes, will go by in a flash.

After the drill, there is a Sail Away Celebration on the top deck. There is music, dancing, and all the Disney characters you’d expect, decked out in their sailor outfits. It can get crowded but it is fun nonetheless. The kids love it and have a blast.

By this time you’ll either be ready for dinner or your first show. When you book your cruise you can request a dinner seating; early or later. The early seating is usually 5:45 while the later seating is 8:15. While half the ship is at dinner in one of the 3 restaurants, the other half is watching one of Disney’s shows in the Walt Disney Theater. The shows are typically Broadway-style productions but also include comedy or other entertainment. Since we have always had young kids, we do the early dinner. Most people with younger kids do. The later seating tends to be mostly adults with older kids or no kids. Choose whatever works best for your family. So for us, we go to dinner at 5:45 then afterward, head to the theatre for the evening’s entertainment.

When all of this wraps up, you’ll either be ready to retire to your room for a good night’s sleep or drop the kids off in one of the clubs and wander around to some of the adult-only locations on the ship. The great thing about the cruise is that there are so many options. You simply can’t go wrong.

Part 3 coming soon. Check back soon.

Interested in booking a Disney Cruise? I’m now a licensed Disney authorized travel agent. My services are 100% complimentary and I am more than happy to help you plan your cruise. Visit my travel site Adventures by Kelly.

By Kelly

Older Posts

Star Wars Fans Get Ready For This New Disney World Resort.

Guided Travel & Cruising on the Danube

Meet Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship

DNA Travel

Top 5 Reasons to Use a Travel Agent

5. Knowledge & Experience

4. Savings

3. Convenience

2. 100% Complimentary

1. Peace of Mind

Disney Cruising – Embarkation Day

Arrival

What Comes Next

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