A Thanksgiving Family Vacation to Remember!

During the years my family lived in England, we opted out of the traditional Thanksgiving celebration in order to travel to European destinations.  One year, Romania was the destination of choice!  In preparation for our trip, my husband and I both read Dracula and Bran Castle, a.k.a. "Dracula's castle" was a top destination on our list.  I was not a travel agent at this point and consulted with a friend who was from Eastern Europe thinking she'd be a great resource for me.  She advised me on the airport and recommended a great hotel owned by friends of her family.  Sadly, I did not do my homework and we flew into an airport...4 hours from Bran Castle.  (There were 2 others much closer.)  The hotel also didn't work out due to availability issues. That was  a great blessing in disguise!  We passed that hotel on our 4 hour trek from the airport towards Bran Castle. It was in the middle of nowhere and near nothing on our list of attractions we wished to visit!! - Moral of the story..unless your friend really is a travel agent...he or she may not be a the best resource for your travel plans!! Lucky for you though if you are reading this, you know a travel agent who is a great resource and can advise you better than my well-intentioned, but poorly informed friend!

In spite of the overwhelming stress of the poor plans, I was determined not to let the disappointing turn of events deter us from making some great family memories,  and we found other accomodations, rented a car and begin a long snowy trek from one side of Romania to the other.  

In lieu of the hotel in the middle of nowhere, we stayed in this adorable pensione right in the center of the city and were able to walk to see many attractions which included this interesting church.

 On the drive we saw the real Romania and were fascinated by the transitions between Eastern European Communist block villages interspersed with the traditional sites of horses and wagons (on the highway no less!) and women in the traditional peasant attire of dirndl skirts and kerchiefs upon their heads.

 And of course, we did make it to Bran Castle!

As well as Peles Castle which was also quite interesting.  No English tours were available the day we were there but happily a woman travelling with her husband who also didn't speak Romanian took pity on us and took us under her wing and translated the tour for us as well.

And in case you're worrying about our not having a nice Thanksgiving meal rest assured while not traditional...or even remotely what we thought we were ordering, we did indeed have a memorable Thanksgiving dinner!

Vegetarian Pizza - Romania Style

Walt Disney World - not just for kids!

Walt Disney World is without a doubt a FABULOUS place to visit as a family with your children, and I confess I was one of "those" adults who wondered why you'd want to go without children.  Honeymoon in Disney?  Adult only vacation at Disney?  WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU DO THAT??

Well, now I know.  Why do adults go to Walt Disney World when there are no children involved in the vacation?


BECAUSE IT IS FUN!!!

There are so many yummy treats and eats to choose from!

Plenty of opportunities to see your favorite characters...onstage.....

And off stage.  Mary Poppins and her English wit were a delight!

Even without children of your own in tow, there's just something completely magical and precious seeing little girls chatting with a princess.

And obviously,  big girls love to talk to princesses too!!

Everyone's a kid at heart at Walt Disney World.  

Shows....

and more shows!

Fireworks AND a castle! What's not to love?!?!

And adults and kids alike ALL love Mickey!!

We would love to help you plan your Magical Walt Disney World Vacation - Family Style or Kid at Heart Style!

Recently released Disney package discounts for early 2018 are available!!

Meet Kristy

Where are you from?  I’m never quite sure how to answer that question.  I grew up a military child, and married a military man.  I have spent my entire life traveling around the world, and enjoying what it has to offer.  Growing up, we lived in Europe, and spent our formative years exploring castles and skiing in the Alps.  We spent time in the Midwest, and traveling across the United States and Canada.  In my late teens, we lived on the beautiful island of Guam, and learned to scuba dive in some of the most amazing dive sites in the world.  As a military wife and mom, I’ve gotten to explore the world even more.  When our older two children were babies, we explored the beautiful country of Japan.  We took in the beauty of the California coastline, and the wonder of the Grand Canyon.  When my husband was deployed, the kids and I took to the road to visit states all the way from Indiana to Mississippi.  We, as a family, fell in love with the magic of Disney, both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, using it as a place to celebrate homecomings from deployments. 

Traveling can be overwhelming for those who aren’t used to it.  It can be even more overwhelming for those with cognitive special needs, food allergies, or mobility issues.  Where do you begin?  How do you even know what to look for?  In my house, we have a combined total of 16 food allergies, 3 autoimmune disorders that cause mobility issues, and a child with special needs.  Needless to say, we understand how difficult it can be.  Because of this, I am passionate about seeking out companies that go above and beyond for my clients.  My goal is to provide my clients with as worry free of a vacation as possible, so that they are able to enjoy every aspect of it, and I am determined to only work with providers who excel in customer service.  My heart is for the satisfaction of my clients. I truly adore building relationships as we plan, and every transaction is a joy to complete. I look forward to helping you build your incredible memories