MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet with Shannon Wilt

MickeyTravels is excited to bring back The MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet! We feature a different MickeyTravels agent on a regular basis. We’re proud to have the best Disney Travel agents in the world as part of our MickeyTravels team and this will allow you to get to know them even better. Today the spotlight shines on Shannon Wilt from Lovettsville, VA!

Name:  Shannon Wilt

Where are you from?  I am from Lovettsville, VA. It’s a small quirky German settlement in Northern Virginia. I live there with my husband and our three children.

First memory of Disney?  My grandparents took me on my first trip to Walt Disney World when I was 6 years old. I remember being terrified of riding Big Thunder Mountain, but my no-nonsense Marine Grandfather insisted I get on the ride! I had so much fun and it became one of my favorite rides at Disney.

What makes Disney MAGICAL in your eyes? Everything! The unparalleled service provided to you by each Cast Member. The overwhelming thrill, excitement, and wonder that washes over you while enjoying any Disney experience. The amazing way that a Disney vacation brings together family members, old and young. The Disney attention to detail amazes me as well, even just standing in line for an attraction is an experience itself…I honestly could go on, but we would be here for days J

Favorite Disney destination and why? My favorite Disney destination is Walt Disney World. I have made so many amazing memories there with friends and family, and every trip feels like a completely different experience!

Favorite Disney Character and why? My favorite Disney character is Ariel. The Little Mermaid was the movie that sparked my Disney passion. I felt an emotional connection to the Ariel as soon as I heard her sing Part of Your World.

Favorite Disney Attraction and why?  That is a tough one! I think I must go with Under the Sea – Journey of The Little Mermaid, in Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland. When this ride opened, it took me right back to being a kid again!

Favorite Disney Resort and why? My favorite resort is All Star Movies. I don’t spend much time in my room while in Disney, so I love the deal I get staying in the Value resorts! Plus, the resort theme really puts you in that Disney spirit!

Favorite Disney Restaurant and why? I love so many of the Disney restaurants, and try to eat somewhere new on every trip (hopefully one day I’ll be able to say I’ve eaten at them all!) Most recently I have fallen in love with Yak & Yeti in the Animal Kingdom! My husband and I were shocked we had never eaten there before, and will be returning soon!

Favorite Disney Quick Service Restaurant and why?  La Cantina de San Angel in the Epcot World Showcase!  I love their Tacos de Barbacoa, and their margaritas are always refreshing.

3 Disney characters you’d like to have dinner with and why? The Tremaine sisters and Gaston! I believe dinner with these three would provide a very entertaining evening, they are some of my favorite meet & greets!

Favorite Disney snack and why? Mickey Pretzel with cheese, it is delicious and who doesn’t love their food Mickey-shaped!?

Favorite Disney Movie and why?  My favorite Disney movie is Princess and The Frog, it was my daughter’s first movie in the theaters. Watching her get out of her seat and dance to all the songs throughout the movie reminded me of my first time watching The Little Mermaid. That’s the Disney MAGIC, it evokes those amazing childhood memories.

3 Favorite Disney Songs and why?  “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid, it was the song that made me fall in love with Disney movies. “Almost There” from Princess and The Frog, Tiana is singing about her trials and tribulations and how she has almost made it. The first time I heard this song I was a single mom, I thought about my struggles I had overcome up to that point and I felt like I could relate to Tiana’s excitement about getting to where she wanted to be in life, it was a powerful moment for me. “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” from Mary Poppins, I’ve always loved Mary Poppins but I never connected to this song until I saw Saving Mr. Banks and learned the backstory behind it. If you haven’t seen Saving Mr. Banks, I highly recommend it! I can’t watch Mary Poppins without “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” bringing a tear to my eye now.

Disney character you’re most similar to and why? Oh gosh, I feel like I’ve related to a few different characters in every stage of life. Now I think I am most similar to Mrs. Incredible, taking care of and loving my family!

If you could be one Disney mascot for a day who would it be and why? I’d love to be one of the Tremaine sisters. They just have so much fun with the guests and each other, I love the idea of getting to make people laugh all day! -plus, I could never be a Princess, I don’t have the singing voice!

If you could work at one of the Disney theme parks, what job would you want and why? I would want to be a Cast Member at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! I’d love to help make the dreams of some of the smallest Disney guests come true, by transforming them into their favorite Princess!

Best part about being a MickeyTravels Disney Travel Agent? Hands down the best part of my job is knowing that I could help make MAGICAL moments and memories for my clients and their families!

Why should I book my vacation with you? The obvious reason being that my services are completely FREE, but also by booking with me you will have the comfort in knowing I will handle planning your family vacation with the same care, attention to detail, and passion for Disney, as I handle my own.

Shannon can be contacted by calling 703-431-2683 or via email shannon@mickeytravels.com – she can also be found on our website by clicking here!

MickeyTravels, LLC earns Platinum Earmarked Status from Disney…AGAIN!

LONG VALLEY, NJ (January 3, 2016) – MickeyTravels, LLC excels in “Making Magic” and 2016 was a banner year for the nationally recognized leader in planning Disney vacations.

MickeyTravels is thrilled to announce today that it has again earned Disney Destinations’ highest possible Earmarked award by receiving the exclusive PLATINUM level status.  This is the second consecutive year MickeyTravels has earned this impressive distinction.

As an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, MickeyTravels is proud to be the go-to travel agency of choice for tens of thousands of families across the United States.  All the magical services MickeyTravels offers are 100% FREE and their commitment to industry-leading customer service has earned them repeated high praise from their clients.

Being designated with PLATINUM Earmarked status places MickeyTravels in exclusive company.  In 2015, only a dozen travel agencies in the world earned PLATINUM level status with Disney, making this a very elite group within the travel industry.

“I’m humbled, grateful, and proud all at the same time,” said Elyssa Antonelle, Owner and Founder of MickeyTravels.  “This is such an outstanding accomplishment by our entire team, and I am so excited to share it with them.  From day one, we built MickeyTravels by emphasizing certain core values and beliefs.  These guiding principles set the framework for who we are, what we do, and how we treat our clients and each other,” Antonelle continued.

“Operating with integrity, transparency, and commitment are key factors to our success,” Antonelle explained.  “Because of this, our clients know that when they contact MickeyTravels to book their Disney vacation, they’re in the best hands possible when working with any of our amazing agents,” said Antonelle.

MickeyTravels is proud to be a “Disney-only” agency and specializes in planning magical Disney vacations to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, and Aulani.  “Because our sole focus is booking Disney vacations, our agents dedicate 100% of their time on the various Disney destinations.  Not 98% or 99%, but 100%.  We hear over and over how important this is to our clients,” Antonelle explained.

“I truly believe this unique Disney-only specialty, combined with each individual travel agent’s unbridled passion for Disney, makes our agents the most knowledgeable and best equipped in the Disney travel industry.  I am so proud of them,” Antonelle continued.

Disney Destinations recently released many exciting new promotions and discounts.  You can visit www.mickeytravels.com to learn how MickeyTravels can make all your Disney vacation dreams come true and to get a free quote on a magical vacation you and your family will remember forever.  You can find their agents easily by clicking here.  MickeyTravels – Making Magic One Vacation at a Time…

For more information, please contact Elyssa Antonelle at 1-888-812-8750 or elyssa@mickeytravels.com

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MickeyTravels Virtual Meet & Greet with Kenny the Pirate

MickeyTravels is excited to bring back The MickeyTravels  Virtual Meet & Greet! . We’re proud to have the best Disney Travel agents in the world as part of our MickeyTravels team, but today the spotlight shines on one of our partners, Kenny the Pirate!

Name:  KennythePirate

Where are you from?  I’m originally from Birmingham, Alabama, but have lived in Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina and now abide near Mickey’s place in Orlando, Florida.

First memory of Disney?  I remember watching the Walt Disney shows on Sunday nights as a child.  He was so full of life and loved to laugh and tell stories, so that captivated me and made me want to visit his parks.  I never had that opportunity as a child.  My first memory of the parks was our honeymoon visit in 1990.  We met Roger Rabbit as we entered the relatively new Hollywood Studios.  There was no Animal Kingdom back then and we found Epcot pretty boring, so we only spent a little time there that day.  The Magic Kingdom was a very special place.  I remember riding Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and the old submarine ride.

What makes Disney MAGICAL in your eyes?  When my children were young, the joy and amazement I saw in their eyes regularly in the parks caused us to keep returning multiple times per year.  We now enjoy sharing this joy with others, that’s why I started my blog and app.

Favorite Disney destination and why?  I’ve visited Aulani, 3 Disney Cruise Line Ships, an Adventures by Disney trip to China and Hong Kong, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland and Walt Disney World.  I’d say that my special place is Disneyland in California.  I can imagine Walt Disney driving his little car up and down Main Street waving at guests and I love all the atmosphere musical acts in the park. It seems like there is always a party going on there. It’s also fun that they offer characters that we can’t meet in Florida.

Favorite Disney Character and why?  My favorite character growing up was Goofy.  He is the perfect physical comedian and despite his many goofs, he never loses his joy for life and love for others.  My favorite characters to meet in the parks are Gaston and the Tremaine family as they are so funny and always come up with new things to say to guests to make them laugh.

Favorite Disney Attraction and why?  Tower of Terror in Hollywood Studios.  I’ve never found a ride that both thrills and entertains me like the Tower of Terror.  I remember the shaft moving forward on my first visit and how much I freaked out.  I love seeing other people have the same experience.

Favorite Disney Resort and why?  My favorite Resort is the Beach Club.  It has a light and fun atmosphere with the best child’s water play area.  My kids love riding the pirate slide and the zero entry pool with sand bottom is great fun.  It also has our favorite ice cream shop with Beaches and Cream where we enjoy (but rarely finish) the Kitchen Sink.  Another family favorite is Animal Kingdom where we enjoyed seeing animals just outside our room each morning.

Favorite Disney Restaurant and why?  For the quality of food, I’d say Shula’s Steakhouse in the Swan and Dolphin.  They had one of the best steaks I’ve ever eaten.  Mickey’s Backyard BBQ and Pirates and Pals Fireworks Cruise are my favorite character based meals along with the Garden Grill at Epcot.  I tend to be a meat and potatoes kind of guy.

Favorite Disney Quick Service Restaurant and why?  Flame Tree BBQ in Animal Kingdom is our family “go to” spot for Quick Service food.  We love the freshly prepared BBQ dishes and the baked beans should be a dinner to themselves.  The jalapeno corn bread is a great side item as well.  For a quick snack lunch we enjoy the Fried Rice at the Yak and Yeti Local Foods Cafe.

3 Disney characters you’d like to have dinner with and why?  Alice, Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat.  Who better to enjoy a dinner and tea with than the Alice in Wonderland characters and I’ve not had the joy of meeting Cheshire Cat 🙂  Mad Hatter is one of my favorite whacky characters too.

Favorite Disney snack and why?  Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar.  There’s nothing better on a hot day between May and October than biting the cute little ears of that creamy, cold snack.

Favorite Disney Movie and why?  The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.  One of my earliest Disney movie memories was the open wheel dune buggy having paint dumped all over it.  My favorite Disney cartoon movie would be Aladdin as I love the music and Robin Williams as Genie was a comedic genius.  My favorite Pixar movie is the Incredibles.  I remember my children running around the house for like a year playing Violet and Dash.  The joy my son had on his face when first meeting Mr. Incredible in Hollywood Studios was priceless, but he kept asking, “Where’s Dash?”

3 Favorite Disney Songs and why?  Bare Necessities, A Whole New World and I See the Light.

Bare Necessities was a great song that I enjoyed as a child from the Jungle Book and it has some important statements about focusing on what is most important in life.  A Whole New World is a great song from a favorite movie.  I See the Light from Tangled is probably my all time favorite Disney movie song, especially as a duet.

Disney character you’re most similar to and why?  That’s a tough one!  I can see myself in a variety of characters with both my strengths and weaknesses.  I’ll go with Mr. Incredible though because nothing has been more important to me than being a hero to my children.

If you could be one Disney mascot for a day who would it be and why?  I’m one of the few people who can say that I actually was one.  I had the opportunity to play “Bad Mood the Blackhearted” for a day at Disneyland.  It was part of the Disney Dream Job back in 2007 and it really helped redirect my life in many ways as KennythePirate was born from the experience with submitting my video.

If you could work at one of the Disney theme parks, what job would you want and why?  I’d love to be a balloon guy.  Who makes more positive memories each day than the guy selling baloons on Main Street?  Every transaction ends in a smile, right?

Best part about being a MickeyTravels partner?  Partnering with a company that is both professional and caring.  While the company offers so many agents, each one genuinely cares for their clients and wants them to have the most amazing vacation possible.

Why should you follow my pages/sites?  Because I offer the most current planning information possible including full schedules, crowd level projections and the latest important news.

You can follow Kenny the Pirate at www.facebook.com/RealKennythePirate and www.kennythepirate.com