Judy - Mouse Counselor

TRAVEL BLOG # 3

DISNEY WORLD!!! We just returned from our first ever family vacation to Disney World! Our kids - and us - of course LOVED it all. Our oldest is 6 years old and our youngest, a girl, is 3 1/2 and I would say that these are perfect ages for Disney. They are perfect ages since the kids are not yet interested in any of the thrill rides so most of our rides had short lines and we used lightning lane just for one day (our first day at Magic Kingdom). We did only Magic Kingdom (2 days) and Epcot for one day and then a day at the resort. We'll save Animal Kingdom for next time and we'll save Hollywood Studios for the time after that.

The magic of Disney is so apparent everywhere you look in the parks and the resorts. Both of our children totally adored meeting all the characters - in particular, our little three year old who, everyday at the parks, wore a princess dress. When she met Ariel in Airel's grotto (adjacent to the Under the Sea ride at Magic Kingdom) she was so proud that Ariel (of course) noticed her dress right away and gave her a big hug. The photos taken by the Disney professionals at each of the character greetings are our favorite photos from the trip. We started our first night there/our arrival night at Chef Mickey's for an early 5pm dinner and we ate our fill of great food AND of course met Mickey, Minnie and their friends. It was the best way to start the vacation.

One surprising thing is that by 3pm each day our kids were ready to leave the parks - we arrived at 8am each day for early entry but I still thought we'd stay longer. So, each day we returned to the hotel and spent time at the amazing splash pad at our hotel and had casual, easy dinners poolside. A relaxing end to fun and busy days. We only did one planned dinner (Chef Mickey's). I have a full "tip sheet" for traveling with preschooler and one of the tips is not to schedule dinners during park days as the kids will likely run out of steam before dinnertime.

Also, where you stay when visiting Disney can really make the trip special. We stayed at Contemporary in their garden wing and requested and received a Monorail view room. Every few minutes the monoral would quietly soar right past our room and it never got old - we all loved watching it fly by. Also, a bonus, we had a restricted fireworks view so we watched the fireworks from the comfort of our room - after baths and pjs - as the final event of a perfect day, each day, at Disney.

TRAVEL BLOG # 2

The beginning of summer has inspired us to focus this blog on Italy. Beautiful Italy! There are so many amazing things about Italy, but my favorite has to be the warm and friendly Italian people, almost all of whom seem to have a relative in New York or elsewhere in the U.S. I know a little about Italian culture and customs as many of my cousins are half-Italian --- and what a great culture it is!

The historic sites and churches, the modern stylish Italians, the very fresh food and pasta, beautiful sunlight, and amazing wine make for a perfect vacation no matter where in the country you travel. There is a general sense in Italy that things that are worth doing take time – whether that’s building the next impressive building, cooking your delicious dinner at a local restaurant, leading a tour of a museum, of simply working a desk job – no one in Italy seems to be in a hurry but they also seem to do things with care and attention. It’s a perfect combination for a relaxing vacation full of amazing sites and experiences.

With so much to see, where should you start? The best advice I ever got about Italy is to start in the north and head south…if you’re traveling south to Rome and still loving Italy, then go further south, it gets better, but if Italy is getting on your nerves by the time you get to Rome, don’t go any further South, it gets worse. 😊 Rome is amazing (and the subject of a future post) but it is very different from the north of Italy and Naples and further south is different even more so.

For the best experience consider an Adventures by Disney vacation focused on Italy – both land and sea tours – or a National Geographic land/sea tour focused on the amazing, ancient history of the country… and the vibrant modern Italy as well!

Want to see what Italian tour is right for you or your family? Contact us today!

TRAVEL BLOG #1

One of the greatest experiences in my life was the year I spent teaching English in Prague, Czech Republic in my early 20s. Lovely Czech people, great history and architecture, and a truly amazing experience. We recommend that parents let your children experience a year abroad in college or slightly before or after – and, if you have not had the experience, we recommend seeing if your job can transfer you there for a year or so, or, if you’re retired, maybe doing a long-term volunteer project or working in Europe. It’s such a great experience to be immersed in a new culture for a temporary time.

But, the point of this post… the beautiful city of Prague. Prague is an old city – it’s literally over a thousand years old and has the oldest university (Charles University) in all of Central Europe. Prague is reportedly the fifth most visited city in the Europe after London, Paris, Istanbul and Rome...so you won’t be alone! Nonetheless, the Czechs are quietly welcoming and rightfully proud of their clean and beautiful historical city.

Spend your first full day seeing the most famous sites. Start at Old Town Square and the amazing Astronomical clock, then walk across the Charles Bridge to Prague Castle – seeing the castle and the quaint old streets surrounding it – of course making sure to stop for coffee and pastries in Old Town Square and then stop for a very late lunch (or early dinner/happy hour) in one of the cafes near the castle. Whatever you do you must try the local Czech Pilsners – the famous Budvar (the recipe on which Budweiser is based), Pilsner Urquell, or, our favorite, Staropramen (we recommend going to the Staropramen brewery – about half a mile down the hill from Prague Castle). This can literally be a 12 hour day of walking around and enjoying the sites and we recommend you enjoy it and take your time.

Over the next days, sperate your time between the Old Town, Jewish Quarter, seeing the Castle neighborhood in depth, and then the neighborhoods of Petřín hill and Vyšehrad. You should also not miss the Mucha museum and spend a leisure mid-morning or mid-afternoon at a café with the best coffee and pastries you have ever had. And lots of happy hours drinking fresh, clean, crisp, Czceh Pilsners. Ideally schedule four full but leisurely days (or three packed ones) to see the city before heading off on a train to other near-by gems… including Vienna or Slovakia.

Want to see what European tour is right for you or your family? Contact us today!