When Walt Disney World reopened on July 15, 2020, the Orlando theme parks made a number of pretty enormous operational changes. Now that the parks have been open for nearly 6 months, Disney has been making additional tweaks – both big and small – that affect the guest vacation experience. It’s now a new year, […]
First Timer’s Guide to Florida Panhandle Beaches: Destin, 30A, Panama City & Beyond
Just a few hours due south of my hometown of Montgomery, Alabama is the Florida Gulf Coast. That drive is a trip I’ve done more times than I can remember in my life and one of my favorite destinations – the Emerald Coast beaches of the Florida Panhandle. I’ve written before about the pristine white […]
Travel Resolutions for 2021
It has been a couple of years since I’ve made New Year’s resolutions about travel. But if there was ever a year to resolve to travel differently, 2021 is the year to do it! The past year has been devastating for travel. In 2020, family trips – to the extent that they happened at all […]
Disney MagicBands: Top 17 Questions Answered
If you haven’t been on a Disney vacation in the past few years, then you may not be familiar with Disney’s MagicBands. These bands, similar in size to a FitBit, were introduced in 2013 as part of a major technology overhaul to the guest experience at Walt Disney World. Disney guests start by planning their […]
What California’s Stay-at-Home Order Means for Travel in the State
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom issued a new comprehensive stay-at-home order last week that is starting to take effect in some regions of the state. It restricts capacity at or closes a number of business sectors. As might be expected, travel is one of the sectors substantially affected. In short, California is once again closed to […]
Why & How You Should Be Planning 2021 Travel NOW
The year 2020 is finally coming to a close. All of us are looking forward to a new year more than ever. I’m going to let you in on a little travel blogger secret that is essential to your travel planning for 2021. Every year on December 26, the traffic on your favorite travel blogs […]
Complete Guide to Disney World Transportation
Planes, trains, and automobiles? At Walt Disney World, the old transportation adage works a little differently. How about monorails and Magical Express? Or perhaps ridesharing and rental cars? Shuttles and skyliners? Ok, I’ll stop. Walt Disney World is a pretty enormous place. In fact, it’s basically a major city, with a transit network to match. […]
Christmas in San Francisco: 14+ Things to Do with Kids to Celebrate the Holiday Season
My favorite time of year in the San Francisco Bay Area is almost here! The weeks leading up to Christmas in San Francisco are always filled with kid-friendly special events and activities, so it is no surprise that many travelers choose to make their way to my hometown for the holidays. Whether you are a […]
Every Kid Outdoors: Guide to National Parks with 4th Graders
This post is sponsored by Perseus Books. All opinions are my own. My family was able to take advantage of a pretty amazing travel discount a couple of years ago thanks to my then 4th grade daughter. The National Park Service has a program called Every Kid Outdoors (formerly known as Every Kid in a […]
9 Things That Are Totally Different at Disney’s Aulani in 2020-2021
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, was the last Disney property in the world to shut its doors way back in late March of 2020. After over 7 months of closure, Aulani is back! The hotel, located on the island of O’ahu in Hawaii, just reopened to the public on November 1, 2020. Like Walt […]
