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Amtrak Auto Train

September 25, 2015 By Stacey Leave a Comment

Those of you who follow me on Facebook (Stacey Raker with Magical Travel) know that I have provided a review and feedback from my latest magical vacation to Walt Disney World. One thing I had not talked about was our journey to the destination. In an effort to always further my knowledge and do something different, we decided to take the Amtrak Auto Train to Florida and drive back. This blog post will be about our experience.

To catch the auto train from our home base outside of Philadelphia, we traveled to Lorton, Virginia which was about a two hour ride. One tip I have is eat prior to arriving in Lorton, there isn’t much available other than fast food. You can begin arriving at 11:30am and the latest arrival time is 2:00pm. We arrived at 1:45pm not realizing that 2:00pm was the cutoff! We did not have to wait long to have our vehicle checked in and grab our overnight bags.

Once your vehicle is checked in, you proceed to the terminal and check in at the desk. You will be given a dining time and an assigned seat. Seats are two by two on the train so we had one person in our group sitting along. We boarded rather quickly and they separate you by sleeping car and regular coach class. The sleeping car accommodations are a bit more pricey and aren’t more than a small bunk, so we opted for coach class when purchasing our ticket. We found our seats and they were quite roomy and comfortable. They is a foot rest as well as a leg rest you can raise like an ordinary reclining chair. One observation I made is that you cannot control the air flow as you can on an airplane. You have an overhead light and overhead compartments for storage. We settled in and started our journey a few minutes early.

The ride was quite peaceful and before long, they called us for dinner. As I mentioned, we were a party of five and the maximum at a dining table is four so again, our fifth person had to eat with strangers. There was a nice selection of food choices, a fish, a red meat, a chicken and a vegetarian dish. We chose the steak which was quite tasty and accompanied by mashed potatoes. Dessert was a choice of ice cream, lemoncello, cheese cake and a sugar free option. We all had something different and everyone liked their choice.

Upon returning to our seats, we started to get settled into our area for the evening. The train moves at a nice pace and the bathrooms are typical of an airline bathroom, however the accessible bathroom was quite roomy. You have electric outlets at your seat to charge computers, phones etc, but you only have internet access in the lounge area. They offer an evening movie selection in the lounge for entertainment as well. When it came time to sleep, everyone was respectful and kept the noise level down. The reclining seats were comfortable and you were able to get to almost a completely reclined pose. The rocking motion of the train helps you to fall asleep but it was quite noisy if people opened the doors of the car to walk through and of course the train whistles at every intersection!

We popped our headphones on and slept rather well. Continental breakfast is served beginning at 6:00am. Our arrival in Sanford, Florida was uneventful and a little delayed. We arrived around 10:30am. We discovered that although we were very late checking our car in back in Virginia, it worked to our advantage because it came off the train rather quickly. Everyone sits in the terminal and they call the cars by number. Once ours was called we were loaded in the car and off to Disney within four minutes.

All in all, I believe this is a great alternative transportation to Florida. The biggest bonus is that you have a car when you are there and you can park hop, park for free (if you are staying at a Disney resort), you do not have to rely on buses or worry about overcrowded buses and you aren’t limited on luggage which means more room for awesome Disney souvenirs! If you want more information on the Amtrak Auto Train, please contact me at Stacey.magicaltravel@gmail.com

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Do You Have A Disney Must Do List?

August 20, 2015 By Stacey Leave a Comment

Whether you have been to Walt Disney World or not, chances are you have a must do list. Most first time visitors do research on the internet or utilize a travel agent to give them ideas of what are some must do activities. I have been to Walt Disney World too many times to count and I still have a list of must dos or my trip doesn’t seem complete. On the flip side, there are things I have not yet tried at Disney. So now when I go, along with my must dos, I make it a priority to try at least one new experience, whether it is a ride, a restaurant, a tour or even check out a resort I haven’t stayed at. Here is a list of some of my must dos:

1. Soarin’ – This Epcot attraction simulates a hang gliding ride over California. I just love the scent of oranges as you “soar” over the orange grove and the ocean scent that you experience over the Pacific Ocean. By far one of the best rides to experience.

2. Rockin Roller Coaster – Not for the faint of heart, but this limo style roller coaster will take your from zero to 60 in about three seconds launching you into a darkness filled with Aerosmith music, twists and a loop. This is my all-time favorite ride in Disney.

3. Electric Parade – I remember this parade from my childhood and I get that same feeling of excitement when I see it now. Something so simple as little twinkling lights put together to create favorite Disney characters can bring joy and brighten your spirits. Catch this parade on select nights on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.

4. It’s A Small World – I know, that song! It will get stuck in your head but it is a classic and how can you do Magic Kingdom without it? I love that little ride in all it’s pre-high tech glory, plus I like to annoy my son!

5. Pirates of the Caribbean – This is always our first ride at Magic Kingdom. We just love it and it brings back childhood memories of our family trips to Disney. Now they have updated it to add Captain Jack Sparrow, who wouldn’t want to do this ride!

6. Fantasmic! – Without a doubt my favorite nighttime show at Disney. Sorcerer Mickey fights the Disney Villains in this spectacular show with pictures and film clips displayed on a screen of water! You can feel the heat from the pyrotechnics and spray from the water. All of the Disney characters float by on a riverboat at the end and it is the perfect way to end a day in the parks.

7. Kilimanjaro Safari – We hit this attraction first thing when we get to Animal Kingdom. The animals are more active in the morning and we have been up close and personal with giraffes, rhinos and several other animals. Make sure you don’t miss this at Animal Kingdom.

8. Character Interaction – Whether it is a character meal, or getting in line to meet your favorite character or princess, you have to do this no matter what your age! This is all part of the Disney magic. Some of our favorite character meals are Tusker House in Animal Kingdom, Ohana Breakfast at the Polynesian and breakfast or dinner at 1900 Park Fare.

9. Take Pictures – No matter what, capture those memories. When my whole family goes we like to utilize Memory Maker which allows for all of us to be in the picture and the photographers at Disney know how to capture the best shots with the icons in the background. We have even found Tinkerbell photobombing our pictures when we get home! The Memory Maker includes ride photos as well.

10. Have Fun! This is a vacation after all! Go with a plan and understand that you may not get everything done on your list, and that is ok. That is what a return trip is for. If it is your first visit or your twentieth visit, you may find yourself planning the next visit before this one is even over!

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Why Book A Disney Vacation With Me?

January 9, 2015 By Stacey Leave a Comment

My personal love of all things Disney translates into truly loving my ability to share the magic with others! My services are always free! That being said, I am a Graduate of the College of Disney Knowledge and a Certified Disney Destination Specialist. These courses provide me with extensive insider knowledge and hold me to a higher standard of continuing education. This specialized knowledge, paired with my extensive personal travel to Disney destinations, allows me to provide exceptional service to all of my clients and I can custom tailor your Disney vacation to make it truly memorable. I am able to plan your trip details and provide you with the information you need to get the most out of your vacation time! If you should need recommendations on resort accommodations, ticket choices, and dining ideas, I am able to provide you with plenty of options that will fit your family’s needs and wants.

I am a full service agent and can book a variety of vacations for you at all Disney destinations, including Adventures by Disney. Please check out my prices before you book with anyone else. I do not charge more for the packages and there are no service fees added!  Disney prices and availability at Disney resorts can change throughout the year. Using my services, if Disney offers a discount for your travel dates, I will automatically apply that to your reservation and save you money! When specials are announced, I monitor all bookings to see if I can change your reservation to that discount offer. This includes Annual Passholder Rates, Disney Visa Discounts, Special Code Rates, Special Postcard and Pin Number Rates. Usually these specials are based on availability and although there is no guarantee Disney will reduce their rates, I do my best to get you the lowest rate and package price!

Whether you book a package or a room only, I am available by telephone and email to answer any questions you may have regarding your vacation and reservation. While you are away on vacation, should you need something, I will be available to assist you.

Some of the great benefits you get when you book a Disney Destination Vacation Package with me:

  • FREE Magical “extras”.
  • FREE Disney Resort Information and Brochures – to make the most out of your magical vacation.
  • FREE USPS Confirmed Priority Shipping of your documents -To insure safe arrival of your Disney Documents.
  • FREE Priority Seating Arrangements for your dining -Benefit from my dining knowledge and experience Disney Dining at its best.
  • FREE Expert Advice from a Disney Destination Expert – Personal service always available to you even during your vacation.

REMEMBER when comparing prices compare the exact components and packages and you will find that booking your vacation with Stacey Raker of Magical Travel is the better value.

I look forward to assisting you in planning your Magical Vacation to a Disney Destination!

610-457-4748

Stacey.magicaltravel@gmail.com

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