Off to Neverland Travel

Since Disney Cruise Line® first set sail in 1998, they have pioneered the family market in the cruise industry. Each of their ships have been designed to provide a unique vacation experience for all ages. Onboard, adults can relax and recharge while children experience all the magic Disney has to offer! Over the years, Disney Cruise Line® has received more than 100 awards in the travel industry!

As a continuation of our “Breaking the Myths” series, today we are focusing on our favorite vacation at sea!

1. Myth: All four of the Disney Cruise Line® ships features the AquaDuck.
   Each of the Disney Cruise Line® ships have something different or exclusive to offer their guests. From varying shows, restaurants and onboard features, no two ships are the same. The AquaDuck, the world’s first-ever shipboard water coaster, is only available on the Disney Dream® and Disney Fantasy™. 
2. Myth: Disney Cruise Line® sailings have nothing to offer for adults traveling without kids.
   There’s no hiding the fact that Disney Cruise Line® is the perfect vacation for the young, but they also offer a wide variery of events catered specifically for the young at heart! Onboard, adults will find endless ways to relax and enjoy themselves – from elegant dinners to backstage tours to an exclusive beach on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. And that is just the beginning, so ask your Magic Maker® for complete details.
3. Myth: We are early eaters – the second seating for dinner won’t work for my family.
   Typically the main seating for dinner is the first to become unavailable on Disney Cruise Line®. But, some of our young families are experiencing that the later seating is more convenient while on vacation for many reasons. First, your normal routine will inevitably be put on hold while you are on vacation. You will be staying up later for shows and parties, waking up early for Port Adventures, and maybe even skipping the normal naps to spend some extra time in the pool. When you are spending the day in port, some feel the main seating cuts your day short by having you back on the ship too early to get ready for dinner. Next, there is no shortage of food on Disney Cruise Line®! If your kids (or you) are hungry before dinner, you can make a quick trip to the pool deck and grab a small snack to hold them over until dinner! Lastly, Disney Cruise Line® offers Dine and Play for second seating – a service allowing families to enjoy dinner together then ushers kids to the Kid’s Clubs to give parents time to relax at the end of the meal and spend time in the adult-exclusive areas of the ship.

Disney Cruise Line® has just released itineraries through the end of 2014! Booking early is the best way to save on a Disney Vacation at sea, so contact your Magic Maker® today and start planning!

Miss some of our past “Breaking the Myth” articles? Click here to access them.

Disney Parks have released details on the next “Limited Time Magic” events, and the fun centers around Monday’s Presidents Day holiday!

Walt Disney World® Resort

• Presidents Day – A Weeklong Celebration – Epcot’s® popular a cappella group, Voices of Liberty, will perform special musical performances Feb. 18 – 24. Taking place at the American Garden Theatre, the show will pay honor to our past and current chiefs of our great nation. Check your Daily Times Guide for showtimes and additional information.

Disneyland® Resort

• Voices of Liberty: Presidential Celebration – Disneyland® Park’s Voices of Liberty will be performing a similar show at the Main Street Opera House Feb. 18, 19, 22, 23,and 24. Their impeccable 8-part harmonies in this special show is some “Limited Time Magic” that you won’t want to miss! 
  
• Oz The Great and Powerful Sneak Peek – Catch a special sneak peek of Walt Disney Studios upcoming movie, Oz The Great and Powerful, which opens in theaters Mar. 8. The extended preview will be shown in 3D with a few special 4D effects thrown in the mix! The preview will be held daily Feb. 16 – Mar. 31 in the Muppet*Vision 3D Theater at Disney California Adventure® Park.

The “Year of the Ear” continues on both coasts with the some Glitzy Ear headbands that are available for purchase in select Merchandise locations!

Off to Neverland Travel® will continue to bring you details on future ”Limited Time Magic” events as they become available!

Over Off to Neverland Travel’s® five year history, our Magic Makers® have become known for planning some amazingly whimsical vacations. From first to fiftieth visit, birthday to graduation, our Magic Makers® love working with you to make each and every trip your “Dreame get to plan something special for Lovebirds as the romantic side of Disney Destinations is something that often gets overlooked. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked our Magic Makers® to share with us some of their past plans and suggestions they’ve given clients looking for romance on their getaways.

Dinner for two at one of  Walt Disney World® Resort’s restaurants may be the easiest way to add romance into your trip. Magic Maker® Katie Simmons suggests selecting a restaurant with a view and then timing your dinner around that night’s showing of Wishes or IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. While Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is her favorite, many other restaurants overlooking the Seven Seas and World Showcase Lagoons are available. And for dessert, Magic Maker® Courtney Agnello suggests you call ahead and place a special preorder – maybe even the flavor of your wedding cake to celebrate your anniversary!

The fun doesn’t have to stop with dinner! Magic Maker® Allie Willits often directs those looking for a “night on the town” to Jellyrolls, a lively dueling piano bar on Disney’s Boardwalk.  Downtown Disney® Pleasure Island and West Side also offer a variety of nightlife with live performers nightly. Your children can have a “night out” too in one of the Children’s Activity Centers located at select Resort hotels!

Booking a specialty fireworks cruise is at the top of the list of romantic suggestions for Magic Maker® Courtney Harris. Cruises are available most nights for both Wishes and IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. For a different perspective of  Wishes, try watching it from a hammock on the beach at Disney’s Polynesian Resort – complete with soundtrack! Or for a quieter evening, Magic Maker® Heather Straight recommends a horse-drawn carriage ride at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside or Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

No vacation is complete without a souvenir, but Magic Maker® Sharon Rosenlieb has a tip for a keepsake much more memorable. She suggests a stop at one of the Wyland Galleries. With locations at Disney’s Boardwalk and Disney’s Polynesian Resort, they offer a great selection of custom made jewelry.

Last but not least, as home to some of the world’s most famous romances: Cinderella and Prince Charming, Lady and the Tramp, and even Beauty and the Beast – we would be remiss to not mention engagements! Magic Maker® Marcie Munoz shares of a magical proposal at the Walt Disney World® Resort. A character artists in Magic Kingdom® Park was asked in advance to draw a portrait of the couple, but the soon-to-be fiancee was shocked when the completed portrait was revealed and he was on his knee proposing. Just as illustrated, he proposed and she said YES!

Our list could go on and on as the possibilities are nearly endless! Whether you choose a moonlit stroll, a luxurious spa treatment, or  an intimate dinner at your next Disney Destination, our Magic Makers®  can make any day feel like Valentine’s Day!

New itineraries and new ports are on the horizon for Disney Cruise Line® in 2014! Just announced this morning, they will be expanding their collection of European cruises and sailing from two new homeports – Venice, Italy and San Juan, Puerto Rico!

Here’s a quick preview of their 2014 schedule:

Mediterranean from Venice and Barcelona

In anticipation of an amazing return in 2013, the Disney Magic® will set her sights on the Mediterranean from May through Aug. 2014. Offering a rich array of European itineraries with a variety of cruise lengths and ports of call, these Disney Cruise Line® sailings are a great way to see the best of Europe. You will experience richly diverse cities and cultures, iconic locations, sun-drenched islands and the brilliant blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

New for 2014, Disney Cruise Line® will use Venice, Italy as a homeport for select sailings. The best part of the cruises originating in Venice is that you will overnight in Venice, giving your the opportunity to experience a spectacular evening in the city! New destinations for the Disney Magic® in 2014 include popular locations in the Greek Isles and Sicily, including Katakolon, Rhodes, Heraklion (Crete), Santorini and Corfu, Greece and Catania, Sicily.

Southern Caribbean from San Juan

When things don’t go as planned, you have to be flexible! Just this past weekend, Winter Storm Nemo caused havoc to the Northeast corridor and brought transportation in the area to a standstill.  Earlier last week, fog delayed the arrival of the Disney Magic® into Port Galveston which created a strain for its passengers to make their flights home!

For today’s “Breaking the Myths” article, it only seems fitting to discuss being prepared for the unexpected!

1. Myth: There is no reason for a healthy family to purchase travel protection.
   There is no denying that purchasing a travel protection plan is an added expense to any vacation. But coverage for medical reasons is just one part of many plans. Most plans will cover trip cancellation & interruption, trip delays, baggage & personal effects loss, baggage delay, and medical expenses during your trip. Even if you have medical insurance at home, it may not cover you while you are away on vacation! You want to make sure you read through the insurance information closely and direct any specific questions on coverage to the Insurance Company itself as they will be the ones determining eligibility if needed.
2. Myth: If my credit card offers travel protection, there is no need to purchase an additional policy.
   Some credit card companies off various forms of travel protection, but they may not protect you in cases of travel delay, trip cancellation, or if you need to seek medical attention overseas. If your card does offer protection, be sure to research their coverage to ensure you’re fully protected.
3. Myth: Purchasing a passport for a cruise is an unnecessary expense.
   Current U.S. government regulations allow U.S. Citizens to cruise with a raised-seal birth certificate and government issued photo ID as long as the cruise both originates and terminates from the same U.S. port and sails within the Western Hemisphere. If you experience a family emergency during your cruise and need to return home via air, a passport would be required to do so. While a passport may not be necessary for all sailings, Off to Neverland Travel® suggests that every guests travels with a passport.  All current guidelines are subject to change at any time. Guests remain responsible for ensuring they have all the proper documentation to board the ship and enter each of the countries on the ship’s itinerary.

Expect the unexpected! Talk to you Magic Maker® about protecting your travel investment. The nominal fee you pay up front may save you in the long run!

Miss some of our past “Breaking the Myth” articles? Click here to access them.