Jason Knox
(978) 600-TRIP (8747)
Magic And Memories Travel
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Memorable Moments Honeymoon & Honeymoon Anniversary Package

4/30/2018

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Are you looking into a Honeymoon or Anniversary? Take a peek at this vacation package.
Memorable Moments Honeymoon & Honeymoon Anniversary Package
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Promotion Details:
  • Personal services of a Romance Maître D
  • Private Gourmet four course candlelight dinner on the beach
  • Romantically decorated suite with rose petals, aroma therapy, and candles following private dinner.
  • Chef’s special gourmet breakfast in bed morning after dinner
  • Chilled bottle of champagne delivered to room upon arrival
  • 15% discount on spa services
  • Fresh tropical floral arrangement in room
  • One night anniversary return stay voucher
Restrictions:
Complimentary when booking a 5 night stay or longer in a qualifying category or higher. Not valid for any reservations traveling with a group or wedding party. Package can be reserved for use up to 30 days after wedding date. A copy of marriage certificate required at check-in (or wedding invitation with wedding photo). Not combinable with Taste of Romance. One night return stay voucher valid for future stays of 5 nights (not including free nights) or longer, non-transferrable, holidays excluded and must be used within 395 days of check out date.
Qualifying Categories:
  • El Dorado Royale- Swim Up Jacuzzi Suite
  • El Dorado Casitas Royale- Casita Suite
  • El Dorado Seaside Suite- Oceanfront Infinity Suite
  • Sensimar Seaside Suites- Beachfront Jacuzzi Junior Suite
  • El Dorado Maroma- Honeymoon Suite
  • Azul Sensatori Mexico- Jacuzzi Junior Suite- USA
  • Azul Sensatori Mexico- Premium Suite- Canada
  • Azul Beach- Jacuzzi Junior Suite
  • Azul Fives- One Bedroom Essence- USA
  • Azul Fives- One Bedroom Jacuzzi Sky Suite- Canada
  • Azul Sensatori Jamaica- Ocean view Deluxe Suite
  • Azul Seven- Ocean View Luxury Swim Up Suite
  • Generations Riviera Maya- Oceanfront Luxury Jacuzzi Suite
  • Hidden Beach Resort- Oceanfront Junior Suite Swim Up
  • Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts, Punta Cana- Flat Suite
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Landslide Buries Part of California's Famed Highway 1

5/25/2017

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A screen grab from a Monterey County Sheriff's Office video showing the extent of a massive landslide near the Big Sur community of Gorda. (Monterey County Sheriff's Office via Facebook)


Landslide Buries Part of California's Famed Highway 1
5/24/2017
A massive landslide has swallowed up a one-quarter mile stretch of California's iconic Highway 1 and likely permanently altered the Big Sur coastline.
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According to the Associated Press, the slide sent more than one million tons of rock and dirt falling down the hillside, burying the road in as much as 40 feet of debris.

California Department of Transportation spokeswoman Susana Cruz said the landslide occurred on Saturday night in an area known as Mud Creek.

Fortunately, the stretch of highway that was impacted was already closed for repairs stemming from an earlier landslide and work crews had been pulled out because of unstable soil.

BIG SUR, CA - Video shows stretch of iconic California highway buried after a massive landslide https://t.co/yZzJOAeTSb pic.twitter.com/OWHmN5yB2O
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) May 24, 2017

No damage has been reported, but officials have been limited in their investigation.
"We haven't been able to go up there and assess. It's still moving," Cruz told the AP. "We have geologists and engineers who are going to check it out this week to see how do we pick up the pieces."

This is best before/after photo pair I've spotted for the Big Sur landslide. Despite size & water, looks like no fluidization or long runout pic.twitter.com/sHunJshs7A
— Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) May 24, 2017

Big Sur landslide pic - shared by some friends at USGS. #landslide pic.twitter.com/tnWCPv7xhZ
— Claire Masteller (@ccmasteller) May 24, 2017
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CNN reported that authorities have closed all access to that stretch of highway and have no timetable on when it will reopen.
Situated south of Monterey in between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the rugged stretch through Big Sur is immensely popular among tourists. The seaside views are unrivaled, and there are plenty of opportunities for camping, hiking and exploring beaches.

Even prior to Saturday's incident, the region had been hit hard by one of the rainiest winters in California history. The AP reported several resorts were forced to shut down or bringing guests in via helicopter in wake of multiple road closures resulting from landslides.



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Flight Delays, Cancellations Expected Due to Winter Storm Niko

2/9/2017

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​For travelers along the East Coast, Winter Storm Niko is expected to bring heavy snow and travel headaches along the Interstate 95 Northeast corridor beginning Wednesday night and carrying through Thursday.
 
According to Weather.com, meteorologists are expecting some areas in the Northeast to see six inches of snow or more in a short time period, and flight delays are expected in major cities including Boston, New York City and Philadelphia.
 
The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for all of southern New England, eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, northern Delaware and northern Maryland. Winter storm watches have been issued for southern New Hampshire, coastal Maine and eastern West Virginia.
 
For those scheduled to fly to or from one of the impacted cities, several airlines have issued travel alerts. Major carriers like American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue have announced passengers will be able to change their scheduled flight date and time without any fees.
 
In addition, rail services like Amtrak have not changed any of their scheduled rides as of Wednesday morning, but travelers are being advised to call ahead to ensure their scheduled departure times haven’t been pushed back or canceled altogether.
 
Roads and highways along the Interstate 95 Northeast corridor are also expected to be treacherous, so travelers should allow themselves more time and drive more slowly to ensure they get to their destinations safe.
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Disneyland adds new FastPass Options to Classic Rides

1/15/2017

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FastPass. You either live by it, or you stand in line. The front-of-the-line ticket option has been a Disney staple for the better part of 20 years, at least on the East Coast.

At Walt Disney World, guests can plan their vacation up to two months in advance and find FastPass tickets for just about every major attraction using their smartphone or computer. Disneyland has been a bit of a different story, as the classic park didn’t even have FastPass for some of their most popular and iconic attractions. Until now.

Disneyland has announced the introduction of FastPass at two attractions that did not have it before: Toy Story Mania at Disney’s California Adventure and Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland. That brings the total FastPass count up to 16 at both parks. Both of these attractions are extremely popular, and bring huge lines on a regular basis. Whether or not FastPass will help the lines is an argument that remains to be seen, but there is hope that you can get at least a few more things done with these two new additions.

The biggest news comes with FastPass Max. This is an all-new system that will allow guests to book FastPass reservations with the Disneyland App. The new option will cost $10 dollars a day, with annual passholders able to add the option on to their pass for an unspecified price. There are no details on when it will launch, or if the price will eventually go up or down.

There’s also no information on how many FastPasses the $10 dollars will include. What we do know is that this will not be like the Walt Disney World MyMagic+ System, where you can book months in advance. These reservations are purchased and booked the same day, while you are in the park. Once you’re out of the park, it doesn’t work.

You traditionalists should not see this as a reason to panic. The paper passes are not going away. Guests at Disneyland will not be forced to purchase FastPasses. This is just an extra option that is being tested right now, and will most likely be worked into a bigger plan in the future. Paper passes are still able to be booked in-park at the kiosks with your park ticket.

There is a downside, however. If people are paying for FastPasses they have to be able to actually book the FastPasses that they want. You can probably expect to see paper FastPasses get limited at certain attractions significantly, though that hasn’t been confirmed yet. All in all, this new move looks like a way that Disney is trying to increase profit while making a new experience for guests.

Having used the Walt Disney World version, I can definitely say that it’s much more convenient to book a FastPass on your phone than it is to do it in the park. Eventually, the mad dash for FastPasses will become a thing of the past as you simply pull out your smartphone and open the app.


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Winter air travel tips

12/21/2016

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Baby, it’s cold outside.
But that’s no reason to hibernate. Some destinations are best experienced when the thermometer dips. There’s no Ice Hotel in July, and forget about seeing the Iditarod in September. But before you head off into the tundra, consider that flying during the winter months can present a whole host of issues that you won’t find when the temperatures soar.
To make sure your winter break lends itself to holiday bragging rights, Air Canada offers these simple tips:
The devil is in the details. When planning your trip, pay as much attention to your flights as you do your final destination and accommodations. Try to book as many nonstop flights as possible, especially if you otherwise might be connecting in winter trouble zones such as Chicago, New York City, and San Francisco. If possible, it might even be worth driving to an airport slightly farther away in order to avoid connecting flights.
Time is on your side. If there’s no way around a connection, then lessen the risk of a cancelled flight or missed connection by allowing ample time between flights and avoiding those airports that are known to have problems in the winter. Also, remember that travel delays have a domino effect, so try to book flights as early in the day as possible.
Check the weather. It goes without saying, but check the forecast. If a storm is anticipated, check with your travel agent or airline and start thinking of a Plan B.
Alert! Alert! Be sure to sign up for travel alerts from your air carrier. That way you’ll be the first to know if your flight (or connection) is delayed or cancelled or if there’s something as simple as a gate change.

Pack right, pack light. Winter clothes have one job—to keep us warm (and hopefully, keep us looking good while keeping us warm), problem is they are bulky. And as awesome as that fuchsia puffer jacket that only goes with one outfit might be, leave it at home. Try packing neutrals and then brightening up the look with accessories. And to keep your suitcase relatively light, consider wearing your bulkiest items on the plane as part of a layered look. That way you have more room for all those gifts, whether given or received.
Carry on, carry near. As always, make sure that any valuables you’re taking with you are stored in your carry-on luggage. This goes double for any medications you might need, as well as power cords and backup power packs. And whatever you do, don’t put your car and house keys in your checked bag—your homecoming might not be as happy as anticipated.
It’s better to give than receive. Don’t bother wrapping those holiday gifts—TSA might just want to take a peek to see if you’ve been naughty or nice.
Documentation is key. Whether traveling as a single parent with your child, or traveling to Norway to see your Great Uncle Knut, make sure you have the right documentation.
They’ve got an app for that. Consider downloading your carrier’s app, as well as other apps designed to make air travel easier. Some provide airport maps, allowing you to search for restaurants, shops and other amenities by terminal.
Book with a travel agent. In the event a problem arises, you can get busy finding the nearest coffee shop or spot for something a little stronger, while your agent does the hard work of getting you rerouted. One call to your agent and rather than standing in a long line for customer service, you can be catching up on those episodes of Empire that you’ve been meaning to watch.
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December 01st, 2016

12/1/2016

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Just an hour’s drive east of Orlando lies the relaxing, funky town of New Smyrna Beach. Travel & Leisure Magazine placed this city on its list of the Top 15 “World’s Coolest Surf Towns,” the only one on the U.S. east coast to be included. A mere fifteen miles south of its more famous cousin, Daytona Beach, this sleepy, seaside community might be just what a vacationer needs to escape the frenetic pace of the theme parks.

Check out these five reasons to head to the beach...

1) The Black Dolphin Inn

This jewel of a bed and breakfast lies on the Intracoastal waterway, close to the north bridge, on the mainland. Not your grandma’s B&B, the Black Dolphin exudes mid-century modern class along with touches of old Florida artifacts. The Inn is the only AAA 4-Diamond rated lodging in the area and was just awarded Trivago’s number two spot in the country of Alternative Lodging for 2017.

Identical twins, Brett and Scott Smith, took an old, Mediterranean-style home in the historic district of town, turning it into a stunning, 14-room boutique B&B. Using their lifetime of experience in the hospitality industry (Scott still owns and operates the Chateau Inn & Suites in Spring Lake, New Jersey), they designed a gorgeous Inn taking advantage of the original building’s ambiance and riverside location.

Enjoying a glass of wine on their dock, watching dolphin frolic in the river or spotting a lazy manatee, you might never want to leave. The gourmet breakfasts provided by the welcoming hosts will also convince you that this is a special place, worthy of a return visit.


2) Park your car on the beach

New Smyrna and Daytona are but a few beaches left in the country where you can actually drive your car and park directly on the ocean’s hard-packed sand. For $10 per day, you can kick off your shoes and step onto the sandy shore. Just be careful of soft sand and rising tides, drive slow and leave your alcoholic beverages behind, as they are not allowed on the beach.

On your way, pick up one of Mon Delice French Bakery’s famous subs to share as a picnic. This favorite of locals will prepare one of their French bread delicacies as well as tempt you with their famous eclairs. Just try not to get sand in your sandwich!

3) Great food

Across the street from Mon Delice, you’ll find The Garlic & Blu Bar, an Italian culinary adventure with hints of the Tuscan countryside. You will forget you are in Florida when walking through the lush garden area or beautifully tiled ristorante.

Flagler Avenue is the main street which runs a half mile, east to west, from the ocean to the river. Chocked full of restaurants, you might want to start at The Breakers, located directly on the beach. No need to kick the sand off your feet at this place. Having been rebuilt after being washed out to sea during a hurricane, several years ago, The Breakers withstood the recent Hurricane Matthew and is still in business. Known for their burgers, fish sandwiches and beer, this is another local favorite, especially during the off-season.

If you’re not tempted by the Mexican, Italian, Sushi or Vietnamese offerings along the Avenue, and looking for something a bit more upscale, you might try Grille at Riverview, located on the river, adjacent to the Riverview Hotel, a “coastal, Victorian getaway,” established in 1885.

Canal Street, on the mainland, is also lined with restaurants and bars to please any taste. Yellow Dog Eats Kitchen & Bar offers craft beer along with their signature BBQ and pulled pork sandwiches. Check out their Smoochy Poochy or What the Fig? Salad.

4) Boutique shopping

Both Flagler Avenue and Canal Street are lined with independently-owned shops offering everything from kitschy Florida tchotchkes to fine wines. On beachside a favorite is Gyftz for the shopper looking to buy quality gifts and holiday items, as well as the aforementioned wine. They have a varied selection of spirits along with gourmet gifts. For something a bit more organic, cross the street to Gifts With Humanity, benefitting crafters all over the world through environmentally sustainable fair trade.

5) Shark-bite capital of the world

OK, don’t cancel your plans yet! Yes, New Smyrna Beach is officially the Shark-Bite Capital of the World according to the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. However, the sharks are small and most of the bite incidents take place in a small area about a mile north of the most popular swimming areas off the Flagler Avenue ramp.

The area around the jetties, a formation of rocks forming an inlet, invite a plethora of bait fish, which, in turn, attract the sharks. The waves formed by the inlet attract surfers whose dangling feet are mistaken for food and sometimes result in nips requiring stitches. There has never been a fatal attack documented so no need to worry.

Plan a visit to New Smyrna Beach as part of your Orlando sojourn. The ocean air is invigorating and the variety of activity choices won’t disappoint. Just remember the sunscreen!
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Star Wars Land Officially Announced (FINALLY)

8/18/2015

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So lets start off with the Big news. 

STAR WARS LAND HAS FINALLY BEEN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED!!!!
D23 happened this weekend and day one was a lot of expected stuff. Then day 2 happened. Bob Iger let out a comment about Star Wars land early in the day. Later on it was confirmed. Star Wars land will be coming to both coasts. Disneyland and WDW are to get 14 acre expansions for this new world.

During the announcement they said that the 'Land' will be designed like that of a planet we have not seen before - a gateway planet located on the outer rim, full of places and characters familiar and not so familiar.  There will be 2 new rides. One will set you in the Millennium Falcon and fly what is described as a "secret mission." The other is a battle that puts visitors between the New Order and the Resistance. Bob Iger also confirmed that there will be a Cantina

Star Tours will get an update to include scene setups from the upcoming film, Star Wars 7: The force awakens. This is set to be done in 2016

Another new attraction in Hollywood Studios will be Star Wars Launch Bay. Set to open in early 2016, it is an interactive experience that will preview the new movie. When it opens it will be in the Animation Courtyard. It will include opportunities to visit with Star Wars characters, special merchandise and food.

Also a new seasonal event called Season of the Force beginning in early 2016 will feature a new fireworks show set to the score of the Star Wars movies on weekend nights. It sounds like this will be an extension of Star Wars weekends.

Disneyland's Space Mountain will get a overlay during the Season of the Force and will be renamed Hyperspace Mountain. I have not heard if this will also be coming to WDW.

No dates or time frames were given on the Star Wars Land and also no land layouts were shown. Now I am hoping (as are a lot of people) that this doesn't become another stunt to keep the Star War fans at bay. Last year at D23 there was all kinds of teasers of Star Wars Land, or hopes of one. It was called Orange Harvest. And as the picture says, It apparently was nothing but speculation because nothing ever came of it.
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So, we again have speculations until we get an official time frame and landscape design. So what is on the block to be removed to make way. Well, there is possibly a lot. Muppets is on the fence. It is rumored that it will end up surviving. The two pictures show earth view and map view.
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As you can see, Indy will probably be going. American Idol is already gone and being used for Frozen right now, (Ugh, so sick of Frozen.......). Now star Tours is not going anywhere but will become a part of the area.

There is one possibility that they may keep what is in the park just because they can't afford to lose too much at this park. Now this is a stretch but it is a possibility. There is a section of land on the other side of Studios Drive. There is then a waterway next to that. Right now that is in a "Conservation" set aside and is also in the 100 Year Flood plain. It would be a lot of work to get approval to use this land but, if they get approval, and of course if there is a solid base to build on, they can swap the conservation land with other unusable land they own to offset that value. Move Studios Drive to the other side of the waterway. Then they can infill the area to raise it above the 100 yr flood plain and boom. Up to 25 Acres added to Hollywood Studios.  
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Now, One benefit I see to trying to reclaim this portion for expansion is there have been rumors of more Pixar areas. Toy Story land has already been confirmed, and I will discuss that in the days to come. The Honey I shrunk the kids play area has been speculated to be re-themed into a bugs life. If they get this land, they can expand the new Star Wars Land without closing any more of the park. Which is a huge plus. Also that section in the above picture is about 25 Acres. If 14 was for Star Wars then the rest can be future expansion.  

Now another thing that has not been mentioned is a timeframe. I have heard some people say that these new lands will not start until Avitarland opens in 2017 and that is possible. I do however feel that they will have an end timeline of 2021. Why 2021? That will be WDW 40th anniversary. What better way to kick off a 40th Celebration than to have Star Wars land, Toy Story Land, Possible other Hollywood studio areas, the Animal Kingdom Nighttime events (Yes, Animal Kingdom is looking like it will soon be open past 5pm continuously), all done and ready for the 40th celebration and no major construction going to take away from the events that may occur that year. So many possibilities.

So that is what I have heard and think. Let us know what you think or what your ideas are. We look forward to hearing them.
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Blue Sky WDW

4/16/2015

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Wow, it has been almost a year since my last post. With all the rumors, news, changes and such happening at WDW I figured I could branch out. I could put my two cents in that ever growing pot of ideas, hopes and rumors. 

So here we go. 
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1) Stop the Frozen take over. They have enough. There is a point where it becomes too much and once the fad dies out (and yes it is a fad that will die), there is going to be a lot of space to fill with something else. 

Picture"Chewy, We're home" Starwars - The Force Awakens www.smh.com.au
2) I would bring futuristic stuff back to future world in Epcot. The kitchen of the future was neat to see Inventions that could be coming our way. Take that big empty space that is only ever used for flower and garden displays as an inventors showcase. New science stuff is cool. While i don't agree with everything Bill Nye has to say, I grew up watching his shows. he made science fun while teaching at the same time. This is what Disney can do. Get the guests involved with the testing. 

3) Expand HS, If they are going to stick with the movie shtick, then get some more movie stuff in there. More audience participation. Pictures, video, keepsakes. It sells. If they are going to move away from movies and go more to a ride base then do that and remove the movie stuff. It is a conflicted park. While i love that park and miss the backlot tour when it used to actually show houses of popular tv shows, there is the need to keep people interested. The expansion at Toy Story Midway Mania is happening to hopefully help with the bottleneck that occurs there. Many rumors of pixarplace expanding and/or Starwars expanding have been floating. If there is a plan to do it. DO IT. And if not, WHY NOT. Starwars alone is a huge money bag just sitting on a low branch ripe for the picking. I mean come on. The new movie comes out around Christmas of this year. Would make an easy lead into a park expansion. 

PictureChernabog - Disneyvillans.wika.com
4) Expand Animal Kingdom through Dinoland. Yes i know they are creating Avatarland. Oooh, ahhh. Not very many are into this and so far Disney isn't making anyone jump the fence to see it. Here is my idea. Finish avatarland (wooo) and start to make a fantasy/fable/mystic kind of area though Dinoland. While I think Walt would have loved the african safari, i think he was intrigued by the imagination and dragons, dwarfs, wizards ect. and to push through dinoland into that would be neat to see what could be done there. There is so much more that can be done in that realm without being harry potter. 
I mean if you look at the movies he did, 
Sleeping Beuty - Dragon, sorcery
Snow White - Dwarves, sorcery
Fantaisia - wizards, sorcery, Churnabog
Sword in the Stone - Wizards, sorcery
Pete's Dragon - Dragon
Peter Pan -  Fiaries

That realm of stuff has infinite possibilities. And to me it appears that Walt was also interested in this realm too. He was just before his time on this as far as acceptance goes. I mean you have Lord of the rings, Harry Potter, Maleficent, all did well for themselves in the theaters. Then there is all the Elder Scroll and other dragon/wizardry games that do quite well in sales. There are lots of things that could be thought up on this trend. This also would help this park stay open past 5pm. 

So that is a few of my Blue Sky WDW ideas. Let us know your thoughts on these ideas and give us some of your ideas for the parks. 

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Why would I book with you?

6/5/2014

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We have had several people ask us, "Why would i book with you when I can just go to expedia or bookit and do it myself?" Well, there are multiple reasons to book with us or another agent instead of an online service. 

Reason 1: We can usually get you the same price for what you find online, so it usually doesn't cost anymore than if you booked on your own. Now I say usually, because there are some prices we can't match. Group rates are an example of a rate we may not be able to match.  

Now if you are reading and saying well reason 1 doesn't sell me. If you can't save me money I should just book online. Well just hold on, I will give you an example to think about for reason 3.

Reason 2: So to add to reason 1, Personalized service. 
Now this is kind of general. Not only do we get to know you, when we book for you we know your booking. This is good for you because if you run into an issue or problem, we know where you are going, what you wanted to do, and can help a lot more than some of the online services. To compare, when you call the 800 number to speak to a rep for the online service, you will get a random person that you don't know and they don't know you or your plans. You will have to work with them on things that may take at least twice as long as if you went through an agent. The personalization is not there and some could care less about if you are happy or not. Then there is the problem of if you lose a connection. When you call back you will get someone completely different and now you are starting over.  When you work with an agent, we care to make you and keep you happy. You are in a way our advertising. Word of mouth is a powerful thing and if we don't make you happy we will lose business. So, travel agents will work harder for you and give you that personlized service you will not receive from an online service. 

Reason 3: Offers. 
Again to add on to reason 1, we may know of an offer or deal available or coming out that you may not be aware of or the online service does not advertise. This could save you money over booking it yourself online. Also an agent should know some of the ins and outs that will help with the booking or quirks that may be there that if you book by yourself could cost you hundreds. Sometimes the prices in an ad for the online services don't show the full actual price. Some ads don't show resort fees, island or country fees that may be added later or taxes. We have seen examples of the ads where it will give a price and yes it beats our price, then a person will book it online and by the time they finish they are now priced over what an agent had quoted. So if you do decide to book yourself be careful and aware of that. 

Reason 4: Knowledge. 
Most agents should have some kind of training on the destination(s) they are selling. If they don't they should have access to rescources and/or other agents to get any and all information you would be looking for. These are rescources the general public may or may not be able to get but you definitely won't get it from an online service. That will become your time you will get to spend with Google. 

Reason 5: We do the legwork so you don't have to. 
Think about it. Your time is precious and with everyone working so much at work and home and on the go all the time your time becomes very valuable. For example, lets say you spend 20 mins with a travel agent, you tell them your needs, wants and thoughts. They then do all of the work for you. Looking at deals, offers, rooms, packages etc. They get back to you and another 10-20 mins your are booked and excited. In total you may be out an hour of your time. 
Now lets flip it. You go to book it yourself. You look online, read reviews, price things out, and do some figuring and planning. Before you know it you have worked on this for possibly several nights after coming home from work. You are possibly stressed out and maybe overwhelmed. 

Now for an example. Walt Disney World. 
It seems like every offer Disney makes, it is getting worse. It, being the call wait times. The latest offer to come out was free dining for the fall/winter. I was lucky from the posts I was reading. My clients that are going to the world in the fall/winter had Disney Visa cards which allowed them to make reservation changes and add the free dining offer several days before the offer became available to the general public.  My on hold wait was still over 4 hours. Yes I said 4 HOURS. No I am not exaggerating either.  I have a screen capture from my phone to prove it.   
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So as you can see, My first call was at 7:56 AM for 4 secs. The lines were busy and i couldn't get through. Redial at 7:57 AM got through but on hold............. Got disconnected after 36  mins (this happens a lot with Disney for some reason). Call again at 8:34am and hold for over 3 hours this time. Total call time on the third call was 3:36 for the hold time and to make the changes Total time of 4 hours, 12 mins, 49 seconds. 

Now like I said, this was for the release to Disney Visa cardholders only. When this came out to the general public this year I was hearing from other agents that they had waited for over 8 hours. Some were disconnected multiple times, some made it through in less time and some waited more only to get though to be told the system went down and to call back later. This is frustrating to us agents and Disney says they are working on it, but this is time away from your family and stress you don't have to worry about because your agent will do this for you. This is a good example of the legwork that I mentioned that we do so you don't have to. 

Reason 6: Now this one pertains just to our agency but every time we make a booking a percentage of what we make we donate to the Make A Wish - Wisconsin foundation. So not only are you going on vacation but in a way you are helping a cause too. We donate to this foundation because they assisted my family when my sister had leukemia. Unfortunately my sister didn't make it but, they did help my family and help so many others. It is hard not to give back. 

So we have personlized service, legwork,  inside advantage or knowledge, donations, same or better prices than the online guys sometimes, and full cost up front in our quotes. Now some agencies do extra and others don't. I know there are some out there that will even do itineraries for you. This is an added bonus that an agent will do for you. Again it is to make things easier for you and to keep you happy. If you are not happy, we didn't do our job to our fullest. 

Our phrase is Making Magic Now for Memories Later and that is more than a motto, it is our guideline and our goal. We want to get you what you want and and make the magic now. Then when you do go on your vacation you can enjoy it with your family and make memories together like you are supposed to. That way you are not be tied up doing things you don't need to do that take you away from the memory making. 

So the next time you are looking into a vacation, look to a travel agent. We are here to help you make your vacation simple, magical and memorable. 
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More Disney Infinity News and Updates

2/20/2014

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Well, It didn't take long to spread so to most this won't be news to you. For others this may be a lead into some exciting things to come. 

There have been several videos and posts regarding what happens when you get all of the characters in your Hall of Heros (HOH). Once you have all of your characters (non crystal) unlocked (to level 1) and on pedestals in the HOH a special Toybox usable tool is released. A LIGHTSABER!!
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Now as you can see, we now know that center rock formation in the HOH is for more than just looks. Now could this be the lead in to Star Wars characters and playsets? No one is sure. 
I do know i am anxiously awaiting the release of Phineas and Agent P. 

Now in other news, in my last post we were discussing crystal figures and podiums and expansions. Well I have some updates on that. The empty pedestal for the crystal figures is said to not be for Crystal Sorcerer Mickey. It is rumored that it is actually for a crystal Agent P and that they are unsure where Crystal Mickey will go. An Australian website JB Hi Fi currently has Crystal Agent P for pre order. Sorry America. I tried. They won't ship it to us. 
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To add to the news, there have been a lot of rumors going about that Disney Infinity 2 is prepping for release sometime in the end of this year. If the rumors are true, the Wii will be cut from the platforms(Wii U is still going to be supported) and Xbox One and PS4 will be added. No word yet as to if the base and characters will work with DI2 or if it will be all new. Some rumors support the possibility of the characters continuing with the game. I know I for one certainly hope so. 

What are your thoughts or hopes for the future of DI or even DI2? Let us know.
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    Jason is a husband, father, volunteer firefighter, Disdad, Disney enthusiast and travel agent. 


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    Speaking of Disney Infinity, Do you have the game? Do you have power discs? Do you have extras and want to find rare ones or trade for others? Well then you need to check out InfiniTrader.net


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    Here at Magic and Memories Travel we’re a proud supporter of Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, helping grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions

    10% of our commission will be donated to the Make a Wish foundation. 

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