MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet with Kathryn Finkelstein
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 Kathryn Finkestein from Connecticut!
Name: Kathryn Finkelstein
Where are you from? Middlebury, CT
First memory of Disney? Our first Disney trip was to Walt Disney World in 1983 and it was my birthday! That set the bar high for future birthday celebrations!!! It was my parents, 3 sisters and me…from the minute we arrived, we were hooked! We quickly became a Disney family and now my sisters and I share our Disney love with our husbands and kids!
What makes Disney MAGICAL in your eyes? I love that Disney brings out the kid in me! There is nothing like being a kid and finding the magic, wonder and happiness in everything…there is a genuine excitement that children have that cannot be described and I get to experience this over and over with each Disney vacation. It’s so magical to not only experience this myself, but to watch my kids and nieces and nephews experience this magic is truly incredible!
Favorite Disney destination and why? Although I love all the Disney destinations, I would have to say that Walt Disney World is the most magical to me. I have so many wonderful memories of being there with my parents and sisters and now so many more memories with my own family.
Favorite Disney Character and why? Mickey Mouse! I see Mickey and get just as excited as the kids around me! Seeing him makes me instantly happy…he represents all the magic of Disney! “I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.” ~Walt Disney
Favorite Disney Attraction and why? I absolutely am not able to choose just 1! I tried! So I will choose my favorite in each WDW park! I love Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train in Magic Kingdom, not only do you get to take a one-of-a-kind roller coaster ride in a mine train, but you also get a glimpse of Snow White and the dwarfs dancing in the cottage! Toy Story Mania at Hollywood Studios is amazing! I love this ride because it is interactive and such a great family ride…you can’t help but laugh and have so much fun…plus, it’s Toy Story and you are surrounded by all of your favorite childhood toys! Soarin’ in Epcot is awesome…this is the closest I will ever get to actually hang gliding, so it’s an amazing and beautiful experience! You get so caught up in it that you forget you are on a ride in the middle of Disney! My “can’t miss ride” in Animal Kingdom is Dinosaur! I love this ride so much, it’s another fun, family ride that brings you on a wild, prehistoric adventure!
Favorite Disney Resort and why? I haven’t stayed in a Disney resort that I haven’t loved, but I would say my favorite, so far, is BoardWalk! The theming and location of the resort are fantastic. There is so much to do along the BoardWalk…entertainment & dining options are everywhere. You are within walking distance to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. And really, it is just a short walk over to Beaches & Cream, where you can enjoy the Kitchen Sink with your family!
Favorite Disney Restaurant and why? I love everything about ‘Ohana, especially the character breakfast (I am a huge fan of character breakfasts and this one is my favorite!) It has a wonderful Polynesian atmosphere and serves Polynesian-inspired food, served family-style. The best part, though, is you get to meet, pose for photos with and play games with Lilo & Stitch!!
Favorite Disney Quick Service Restaurant and why? I have to choose Casey’s Corner at Magic Kingdom! There’s nothing better than grabbing a hot dog and fries and sitting along Main Street to watch the parade!
3 Disney characters you’d like to have dinner with and why? Mickey, Donald and Goofy! You can’t go wrong with these classic pals and you can’t get more “Disney” than these three!
Favorite Disney snack and why? Definitely cinnamon rolls from Norway!!! My sisters and I have been known to make a special stop at Epcot, with a quick stroll through the World Showcase just to grab this snack!
Favorite Disney Movie and why? Toy Story! I think it’s a movie everyone can relate to! We all have that special childhood toy…mine is Sad Sam! He came on all our vacations and overnights. I got him when I was 7 and still have him today! Now my kids snuggle him at bedtime! I love seeing all the classic toys in the movie and I love the thought that the owners are just as special to the toys as the toys are to the owners!
3 Favorite Disney Songs and why? A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Cinderella) because it is a song I sang to my kids at bedtime when they were babies (I still do sometimes!); In Summer (Frozen) because I just love Olaf because he really is a happy snowman; and Step In Time (Mary Poppins) because it is such a fun song and one of my favorite movie/show scenes!
Disney character you’re most similar to and why? Well, I think I would have to say Piglet! I try to always be helpful and a good friend, I definitely try to make everyone happy and am a problem-solver!
If you could be one Disney character for a day who would it be and why? I think it would kind of be fun to be a Disney villain for a day!! I don’t know which one, maybe Maleficent or Queen of Hearts or the Evil Stepmother, I’m not sure, but I think it would be so opposite of me that it may just be fun to be “bad” (but just for a day!)
If you could work at one of the Disney theme parks, what job would you want and why? There are so many options! I have always wanted to be in a parade on Main Street! Everyone loves a parade and it would be awesome to be a part of the magic…to see the smiles and waves of kids and adults, to sing and dance to all of our favorite Disney songs and to take a stroll down Main Street with Mickey and Minnie would be an experience I would never forget!
Best part about being a MickeyTravels Disney Travel Agent? I absolutely love working with families to find out exactly what they are looking for in a vacation and then getting to be a part of their magic! I get as excited as they get every step of the way- from the initial planning to getting that hard-to-get dining reservation to setting up their FastPasses! It is such a fun experience to help create a vacation in the most magical place on earth!
Why should I book my vacation with you? I will plan your vacation with the same detail and attention that I plan my own family’s vacations. I will listen to what you are looking for, provide you with tips and suggestions and will help you as much as you would like. I truly love what I do and I feel fortunate to be doing what I do and I believe it shows with each vacation I book. I absolutely look forward to customizing each and every trip. My goal is always to make your vacation as stress-free as possible, so that you can enjoy every minute of it with your family!
Contact me at kfinkelstein@mickeytravels.com for all my free Disney vacation planning services. I can’t wait to hear from you and to help make memories that will last forever!
