MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet – Erica M. Lamb

MickeyTravels is excited about our new initiative – The MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet. We will feature a different MickeyTravels agent on a daily 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 Erica Lamb from Louisville, KY!

Name:Erica M. Lamb

Where are you from?

I am from Germantown, Ohio, but have moved around quite a bit. I spent most of my childhood in Waukesha, Wisconsin, middle school and high school years in Dublin, Ohio, and then moved to Florida where I spent the next 17 years. I currently reside in Louisville, Kentucky.

First memory of Disney?

I didn’t make my first trip to Disney World until I was 20 years old so I remember most of it quite well. I loved the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain and, of course, my first glimpse of Cinderella’s Castle while walking down Main Street U.S.A., was amazing! However, the most important memory I have of that first visit was spending it with my entire family, including my grandparents who have since passed away. I will always have the memory of that trip even if they are no longer with us.

What makes Disney MAGICAL in your eyes?

Disney is magical because once I’m there, the real world fades away and I feel like I have been transported to another place entirely.

Favorite Disney destination and why?

Walt Disney World! Where else can I go with my family and know that everyone will have a great time? Amazing international restaurants, tons of rides and shows, spectacular shopping, beautiful resorts, and plenty of recreational activities and non-park attractions make it the perfect place to spend a week (or more)!

Favorite Disney Character and why?

Stitch! He’s so sassy!

Favorite Disney Attraction and why?

I love the Haunted Mansion and have to ride it multiple times each visit, it’s just the right mix of creepy and fun. I also have a great fondness for Peter Pan’s Flight – I always feel like a kid again on this ride.

Favorite Disney Resort and why?

Port Orleans – French Quarter! I love the tranquil setting and strolling the grounds in the evening. The rooms are as beautiful as the grounds! I also like that it’s a very small resort, which makes getting around that much easier. Not to mention the boat ride from the resort to Downtown Disney. Oh, and the beignets!

Favorite Disney Restaurant and why?

Boma, Boma, Boma! This is a must do each and every trip – non-negotiable. Boma has an amazing assortment of food and will please everyone from the pickiest eater to the most adventurous. Everything is prepared to perfection and I love sampling a little of everything on the buffet. It’s a little hard making room for dessert, but I always manage somehow. I also love taking an after-dinner stroll through the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the grounds to look at the giraffes and zebras.

Favorite Disney Quick Service Restaurant and why?

1. Tangerine Café in the Morocco pavilion in Epcot – the vegetarian platter offers a sample of 4 different salads, plus hummus and bread. It’s very filling, but also light enough that I don’t feel tired after lunch.
2. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café – I have to have a burger from here each trip just so I can indulge in the toppings bar. Sautéed onions and mushrooms – yum! Also, the back patio offers a spectacular view of the Magic Kingdom.
3. Sunshine Seasons in the Land pavilion at Epcot – It has its own bakery! The food is so fresh and this restaurant has such a great variety of dishes. But really, the bakery keeps me coming back!

3 Disney characters you’d like to have dinner with and why?

Stitch, Mary Poppins and Alice. I have always loved Alice in Wonderland and would love to hear about her adventures. Stitch would be great entertainment, and I would love to watch Mary Poppins try to correct his behavior throughout a meal.

Favorite Disney snack and why?

My absolute favorite snack is the fruit tulip that I used to be able to find in Epcot at the Kringla Og Kafe in the Norway pavilion. This delicious treat has a cookie that is dipped in chocolate, filled with custard and topped with fresh berries. A perfect breakfast or mid-afternoon snack! I also really like green tea ice cream which can be found at a cart outside of the Japan pavilion.

Favorite Disney Movie and why?

This will sound pretty strange coming from a Disney enthusiast, but I really don’t like Disney movies. Most of them are just too sad for me. However, way back in 1973, Disney produced a live action film called Mystery in Dracula’s Castle, which starred Johnny Whitaker of Family Affair fame, and I have very fond memories of this film – even though it scared me at the time. This was presented on The Wonderful World of Walt Disney which used to air on Sunday evenings.

3 Favorite Disney Song and why?

Grimm Grinning Ghosts – Spooky and fun, I love singing along with this tune.

A Pirate’s Life for Me – A swashbuckling tune that makes a great travel tune while driving to Florida.

The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers – I love singing this to my dog when she is in a particularly bouncy mood.

Disney character you’re most similar to and why?

Alice in Wonderland, because I have been cast as Alice in a few different productions.

If you could be one Disney mascot for a day who would it be and why?

Figment – the ultimate imaginative trickster. What fun!

If you could work at one of the Disney theme parks, what job would you want and why?

I would love to be a tour guide on The Great Movie Ride. I love all of those movies, and it requires a bit of acting.

Best part about being a MickeyTravels Disney Travel Agent?

Guiding my clients through all of the different options and knowing that I am helping them choose the best possible resort, entertainment and dining options.

Why should I book my vacation with you?

I love to get to know my clients and put together options that will make their vacation personal, unique and, of course, magical.

Feel free to reach out to Erica with any questions or comments. Erica can be reached at erica@mickeytravels.com or 1-502-727-0562. She can also be found on our website at https://mickeytravels.com/erica

 

MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet – Donna Rossi

MickeyTravels is excited about our new initiative – The MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet. We will feature a different MickeyTravels agent on a daily 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 Donna Rossi from Pennsylvania!

Name: Donna Rossi

Where are you from? I live in Ardmore, Pennsylvania – a suburb of Philadelphia. I grew up in the nearby town of Broomall, PA.

First memory of Disney? My first trip to a Disney Park was a family trip to Walt Disney World when I was 8 years old. I remember seeing the Castle, a feeling of amazement walking down Main Street USA, and the Monorail!

What makes Disney MAGICAL in your eyes? I believe the Magic of Disney is in the storytelling. There is storytelling all around and the subtle details that support these stories are amazing! Think of waiting in line for a Disney attraction, walking into a gift shop and looking above the merchandise at the wall decor, or how the background music will change seamlessly when you move from one part of a park to another. The resorts also work their own Magic with storytelling, giving every resort a unique look and feel. With Disney no detail is forgotten and everything tells a story – and that is MAGICAL!

Favorite Disney destination and why? It is difficult to select just one Disney destination, mostly because I’ve never had a bad vacation when it was a Disney one… but I think my favorite would be Disney Cruise Line. Unlike the theme parks, when sailing on a Disney ship you can experience all the terrific elements of a Disney vacation while enjoying unparalleled convenience and service. This is particularly true when traveling with small children. Your room is always a few steps for naptime (kids or adults!), and the kid’s clubs are outstanding. No worries about being too hot, waiting in long lines, or generally wearing yourselves out. Practically everything is included when you sail, there are seemingly endless activities and leisure opportunities, plus you have more chances enjoy food and drink than you can imagine! I’m ready to set sail again!

Favorite Disney Character and why? My favorite Disney character is good old Mickey Mouse because he is always so warm, friendly, and welcoming.

Favorite Disney Attraction and why? My favorite Disney attraction hands down is Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios or California Adventure. This attraction has it all – amazing theming, thrilling drops, and it is comfortable (scary, yes; hard on the body, no). I love that they randomize the drops so it’s never know how your trip to the Twilight Zone will go!

Favorite Disney Resort and why? There are no bad Disney resorts, but if I had to pick just one it would be Disney’s Contemporary because the location to the Magic Kingdom just can’t be beat. An easy Monorail ride, or even easier 10-minute walk, makes the Contemporary a super convenient resort to stay when traveling with small children (or adults who also can’t get enjoy of the Magic Kingdom!). The views are stunning – a Theme Park view where Cinderella Castle greets you each time you look out on your balcony, or the Bay Lake View where you can enjoy the nighttime Lagoon Show while your children sleep. I also appreciate the day bed giving the rooms at Disney’s Contemporary Resort a good fit for a family of 5.

Favorite Disney Restaurant and why? LeCellier in Epcot’s Canadian Pavilion earns my vote for favorite restaurant, followed very closely by Disneyland’s Blue Bayou, which is set inside the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Both have outstanding food, service, and fantastic theming!

Favorite Disney Quick Service Restaurant and why? Lunch at Be Our Guest Restaurant inside the Beast’s castle in the Magic Kingdom has become my favorite Quick Service spot because it’s gorgeous inside (and it’s snowing!), plus the desserts are incredible. Close to my heart is Sleep Hollow, also in the Magic Kingdom, for their delicious waffle sandwiches!

3 Disney characters you’d like to have dinner with and why? Three Disney characters I would enjoy dining with would be: Walt Disney from Saving Mr. Banks, Mrs. Incredible (a.k.a. Elastigirl) from The Incredibles, and Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. I realize that I might be cheating the question a little by responding Walt Disney, but how amazing would it be to share a meal with the man that started it all! Walt was the ultimate storyteller and a man genuinely interested in making the world a better, happier place for all. I would want that meal to go on for hours! Spending time with Mrs. Incredible would be enjoyable as well since I would have several things in common with her (being a mother for one; sadly not the super hero thing). She has spirit and depth to her character, and I believe I could learn many things from her. Finally, Captain Jack Sparrow because… well, it’s Johnny Depp… ‘nuf said J

Favorite Disney snack and why? Oh, Dole Whip pineapple soft-serve ice cream… I think it’s what happiness tastes like!

Favorite Disney Movie and why? I adore so many of Disney’s movies, particularly the animated ones, but my very favorite is The Little Mermaid. I purchased it when I was a young teenager and it drew me more into Disney than you would think a cartoon could to a kid in late middle school. The music, story, and characters were a delight to experience over and over again. The movies that followed (Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King) proved that The Little Mermaid ushered in the second Golden Age of Disney Animation.

3 Favorite Disney Song and why? It’s tough to select just three Disney songs as my favorite, but here goes: the soundtrack to “Fantasmic!”, “King of New York” from Newsies, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” from Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. I chose the music from Fantasmic because it gives me goose bumps each time I hear it – such energy and life that you can’t help but be excited just listening to it (and all the better when you are watching the show!). The Newsies song “King of New York” makes the list because it’s a great example of what a musical number should be: catchy, clever, and moves the story along while entertaining the audience. Finally, the Sherman brothers tribute to the very spirit Walt Disney himself embodied – the eternal optimism that things will get better when people work together and are given the freedom to put ideas into action.

Disney character you’re most similar to and why? Belle from Beauty and the Beast would be the character I feel most similar to because she is independent, optimistic, friendly without being a push over, and loves to read. Plus we both have brown hair.

If you could be one Disney mascot for a day who would it be and why? I would love to be Tigger for one day because of his wonderful energy and sense of pure joy with his every bounce!

If you could work at one of the Disney theme parks, what job would you want and why? The job I would pick for myself if I were to work in one of the Disney theme parks would be to care for the ducks that live in the Castle moat and waterways in the Magic Kingdom. If reincarnation happens, I want to come back as a Disney duck!

Best part about being a MickeyTravels Disney Travel Agent? The best part of being a MickeyTravels Disney Travel Agent is being a part of family that’s filled with people who want nothing more than to give others the very best experience possible during their Disney vacations. I knew I’d love helping families plan their Disney vacations because that’s so much fun (I’ve been doing it for my friends and family for years before I knew it was an actual job). What I didn’t expect was to find a group of dedicated, passionate, and highly collaborative agents who want to help each other make every single client’s experience Magical. There is something very special and all together wonderful about working with people who all want everyone else to succeed in a goal – and that goal is to do our very best for each and every client.

Why should I book my vacation with you? You should book your vacation with me because I love helping people get the most out of their Disney vacations. I want you to get the best value for your money, have the most magical experience while on vacation, and think back to the planning process and feel like it was a breeze. When you book with me or any other MickeyTravels agent you get outstanding customer service, a dedicated individual who will help you with every step of the planning process, and someone who is always looking for ways to make your vacation the best it can be. These services are free to you, so it’s a “win” all around!

Feel free to reach out to Donna with any questions or comments. Donna can be reached at donna@mickeytravels.com or 1-484-802-2836. She can also be found on our website at https://mickeytravels.com/donna

 

 

MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet – Stephanie McCarty

MickeyTravels is excited about our new initiative – The MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet. We will feature a different MickeyTravels agent on a daily 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 Stephanie McCarty from Ohio!

Name: Stephanie McCarty

Where are you from? Born and raised in FLORIDA, an hour from Walt Disney World, but currently live in Ohio.

First memory of Disney? Walt Disney World opened the same year I was born, so we visited often since it was so close by. I remember my dad riding “It’s a Small World” 13 times in a row with me!

What makes Disney MAGICAL in your eyes? Disney brings so much happiness to so many people, young and old. I love that no matter how many times I go there, I always find something new to enjoy and appreciate. It truly does feel like going home!

Favorite Disney destination and why? I LOVE Walt Disney World so much because I’ve visited with my parents as a child, my own kids as an adult, and even had a few adults only trips with my husband and friends – so it holds a very special place in my heart. I always feel like I’m HOME when I’m there. However, I took my first Disney Cruise this year and fell in love! My family has another planned for 2015.

Favorite Disney Character and why? As a child, I loved all the classic Disney characters, especially Goofy and Pluto because I loved dogs. Now, Stitch is my favorite because my daughter met him for the first time when she was about 3 years old – she was tired and cranky after a very long day so she was lying on the floor in the Animation Studios area at DHS; Stitch got down next to her and tried to cheer her up – it was so sweet! He’s been our must-see character every Disney trip since then!

Favorite Disney Attraction and why? Soarin’ because there is no other ride like it at any other theme park – it’s such a unique experience!

Favorite Disney Resort and why? I love both the Beach Club for it’s awesome pool complex and fantastic Boardwalk location – close to Epcot and Hollywood Studios; AND the Polynesian for it’s wonderful atmosphere and amenities – including the monorail access and close proximity to Magic Kingdom. There’s nothing like watching the Electrical Water Pageant and Wishes from Poly Beach, with a Dole Whip in hand – the resort just feels like home!

Favorite Disney Restaurant and why? ‘Ohana for breakfast – so we can see our favorites: Lilo and Stitch, along with Mickey and Pluto; and for the delicious family-style breakfast and our favorite juice anywhere!

Favorite Disney Quick Service Restaurant and why? Hmm—we have a lot of favorite quick service restaurants at Disney. I love getting corn dog bites at Casey’s Corner after a fun-filled Magic Kingdom day – it just feels so all-American  We also love having lunch at Be Our Guest – the Beast’s Castle is gorgeous inside and there are some delicious dessert choices. (This is also a great option if you’re unable to get into Be Our Guest for dinner).

3 Disney characters you’d like to have dinner with and why? Lilo, Stitch and Mickey, and we’re lucky to have all 3 of them, along with one of my childhood favorites, Pluto, at the ‘Ohana character breakfast!

Favorite Disney snack and why? I can’t pick a favorite here either! Dole Whips for their pineapple yummy-ness and Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bars because, well, they’re Mickey Bars!

Favorite Disney Movie and why? The Little Mermaid because I love the soundtrack!

3 Favorite Disney Song and why? See above: I love the soundtrack from Disney’s Little Mermaid, especially Part of this World and Under the Sea. I also love the music from Soarin’! Listening to it makes me feel like I’m on my favorite ride at Disney!

Disney character you’re most similar to and why? As a kid, I was always drawn to Goofy – because he’s tall like I am and has a similar Goofy personality.

If you could be one Disney mascot for a day who would it be and why? Stitch, because he’s my favorite – he has a great personality and gets to have lots of fun!

If you could work at one of the Disney theme parks, what job would you want and why? I would love to be “friends” with one of the characters because you get to see all of the kids’ faces filled with joy when they get to meet their favorite characters!

Best part about being a MickeyTravels Disney Travel Agent? Helping families plan magical Disney vacations! I especially love helping families with their first trips, when it’s all brand new to them. First-timers are often a little overwhelmed when they start looking at the planning, so I love to help take the stress away, allowing them to relax and enjoy their vacation! It is so rewarding when they come back and have had such a wonderful time and are so appreciative of the guidance I was able to provide. I love helping families make wonderful memories together!

Why should I book my vacation with you? Because I love Disney and treat each family’s vacation as if it were my own – paying special attention to the details that help make a Disney vacation MAGICAL. I will provide lots of tips and helpful information to make the most of your vacation, and help with the planning every step of the way. I am honored when clients have enjoyed working with me so much that they refer me to their friends, or book another vacation of their own! I am so fortunate to have a job that allows me to bring Disney magic to so many families!

Feel free to reach out to Stephanie with any questions or comments. Stephanie can be reached at stephanie@mickeytravels.com or 1-888-960-1250. She can also be found on our website at https://mickeytravels.com/stephanie