MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet with Jennifer Turner

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 Jennifer Turner from Georgia!

Name: Jennifer Turner

Where are you from?  Buford, GA

First memory of Disney?  I will always remember by first trip to Disney when I was 6 years old with my grandparents.  We went on so many rides, saw so many characters but the most memorable moment was watching the Main Street Electrical Parade on Main Street.  Sitting there with my grandparents and seeing the parade for the first time was truly magical!

What makes Disney MAGICAL in your eyes?  Everything Disney does brings Magic to everyone no matter how young or old.  I think it is the little touches Cast members do that brings that special magic.  What makes Disney SO Magical, is when you see the magic through your children’s eyes!  It is truly an indescribable moment!

Favorite Disney destination and why?  Walt Disney World Resort – specifically Magic Kingdom!  I could spend a whole week at Magic Kingdom and ride every one over and over.  Magic Kingdom is fun for everyone, has so many options and extra magic!

Favorite Disney Character and why?  Alice in Wonderland!  I have truly loved Alice in Wonderland since I was little and she has something special about her that brings out so much magic.

Favorite Disney Attraction and why?  It’s A Small World – can never get old!  I love all the detail (and music) of It’s A Small World.  I feel like I am in a different “world” when on the ride and in truly in an imaginary world.  This is our #1 ride we Fast Pass when visiting Magic Kingdom.

Favorite Disney Resort and why?  All-Star Movies!  When walking through All-Star Movies Resort, it truly feels you are part of the movie (especially Toy Story).  I love all the attention to detail to the resort decor and all the magic it brings for everyone!  It is my children’s favorite resort too!  It is a perfect resort for a family looking for kid-friendly, fun and on a budget.

Favorite Disney Restaurant and why?  1900 Park Fare!  I truly LOVE 1900 Park Fare, especially at breakfast time.  This is the only Disney Restaurant to meet Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins and Mad Hatter as part of a character meal.  I also love the restaurant decor and the Grand Floridian Resort.  1900 Park Fare is the perfect place to eat breakfast before heading to Magic Kingdom (and you can take a ferry).  I highly recommend booking 1900 Park Fare as a Character Dining Choice not only for the location but the special characters you get to meet!

Favorite Disney Quick Service Restaurant and why?  Be Our Guest!  I prefer to eat at Be Our Guest for Breakfast or Lunch over Dinner for Table Service.  Be Our Guest is my families #1 choice for Quick Service as the food is delicious and but most of all the Castle is gorgeous!  It truly feels you are living inside of Beauty & the Beast’s Castle, our favorite “room” to eat is of course the dancing hall.  All the true attention to detail from the movie was added to Be Our Guest!  I highly recommend booking Be Our Guest as a Quick Service Meal for any family.

3 Disney characters you’d like to have dinner with and why?  Mickey Mouse, Alice and Mary Poppins.  I remember watching the classic Mickey Mouse cartoons growing up and then meeting him for the first time was truly magical.  Mickey Mouse is the reason Disney exists and we can never forget that, he is one that I always want to dine with. I have loved Alice from the time the movie came out and seeing her go on an adventure through Wonderland.  I have always loved imagination (whether my own as a child or through my kids) because it builds creativity and let’s the mind wander.  My love for Alice has extended to my daughter who loves her even more, Alice has a very kind-heart and that is something we should all have.  I remember watching Mary Poppins for the first time at my grandparents house when I was in Elementary School.  After watching it, I wanted my own Mary Poppins to take me on fun adventures (through the chalk picture on the ground), to pull magical things out of her “bag of tricks” and someone who truly cared about the children she watched.  Mary Poppins has a sweet soul and cares for her kids, a very good role model.

Favorite Disney snack and why?  My favorite Disney snack is the iconic Mickey Ears Ice Cream bar.  I had my first Mickey Ears Ice Cream bar during my first visit to Disney and that tradition has continued with every Disney vacation.  It is now one I have passed onto my kids of enjoying a Mickey Ears Ice Cream bar on every Disney Vacation.  I know it is a typical vanilla ice cream dipped in chocolate, but what makes it so yummy, it’s Mickey Mouse.  Who can’t deny a Mickey Ears Ice Cream bar!

Favorite Disney Movie and why?  I have enjoyed so many Disney movies over the years from childhood to now, but one Disney Movie that will always be my all-time favorite is the classic Cinderella.  It is the first Disney movie I recall watching as a child and I would watch it over and over again.  I love how Cinderella did not let her stepmother & stepsisters ruin her dreams of finding true love & happiness.  She perceived, with a little help from her fairy Godmother (don’t we all need one of those) and found her Prince Charming.  We should never let someone try to bring us down and stop us from achieving our dreams!

3 Favorite Disney Songs and why?  I like songs that have a meaning, can help us inspire each other and our children.  My three favorite Disney Songs are “Once Upon A Dream,” “Let It Go,” and “How Far I’ll Go.”  All three songs give inspiration and courage to go after our dreams.  We all need to go after our dreams, let go of fears & limitations in life and go as far as we can go with amazing support of our friends and family.

Disney character you’re most similar to and why?  The character I am most similar to is Snow White, I look nothing like her but we share the same personality traits.  She is sweet, comforting, protective, innocent, multi-talented, motherly and orderly.  I would have also done the same thing as Snow White did in cleaning the Seven Dwarfs house…I cannot stand a mess.

If you could be one Disney character for a day who would it be and why?  If I could be one Disney character for the day, I would chose to be Alice.  I love Alice’s funny and creative personality that makes every Character Meet-n-Greet fun.  I also would love to have perfect straight blonde hair for a day, lol.  But I would honestly love to be any Disney mascot for a day to experience that “magic” when children are meeting their favorite & beloved Disney character for the first time (or even again).  This is a truly magical experience and one that they never forget, many memories to last a lifetime.

If you could work at one of the Disney theme parks, what job would you want and why?  I would like to work at Magic Kingdom as a photographer for a Disney Character Meet-n-Greet.  To be behind the camera and capture pictures of children/guests meeting their favorite Disney Character for the first time (or again), is truly a magical experience.  Pictures speak more than a thousand words and to capture a magical moment like that would be priceless!

Best part about being a MickeyTravels Disney Travel Agent?  The best part of being a MickeyTravels Disney Travel Agent is being part of creating a special and magical vacation!  When my clients share their pictures with me and their vacation experience – to mainly hear all the excitement of the vacation and how much “magic” there was, this is why I love what I do!  I love being able to turn my clients’ Wishlist into reality while adding some Pixie Dust along the way.

Why should I book my vacation with you?  I truly treat every Disney Vacation I plan, like I were planning my own with no stress. I will guide and do all your planning to create a Very Magical Disney Vacation! This includes resort selection, vacation package details, Disney Sining & FastPass reservations, create a custom itinerary, character meet & greets, special celebrations, and so much more!  I also check-in with you upon arrival to Disney and once you are home from your Magical Disney Vacation.  Just think all my services are FREE, Disney pays me in return.  I love being a Disney Travel Agent and I want to help turn your Disney Vacation Dreams into reality!  I look forward to the opportunity to work with you and your family in creating a Magical Disney Vacation with many memories to last a lifetime!

Contact me at jturner@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!

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!

MickeyTravels Agent Virtual Meet & Greet with Heather Lozzi

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 Heather Lozzi from Kansas!

Name: Heather Lozzi

Where are you from?  I grew up in rural Kansas.

First memory of Disney?  My first Disney memory was playing the Lonesome Ghosts cartridge on my Fisher Price Movie Viewer. My first Disney vacation memory is seeing Storm Troopers walking on top of the entrance to MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios).

What makes Disney MAGICAL in your eyes? Disney is so fun and playful! There is entertainment and exploration around every corner. You can easily fall into the immersion and become a kid again! Plus, I have yet to run out of new things to try.

Favorite Disney destination and why? My favorite Disney destination is Walt Disney World for purely sentimental reasons! I made a best friend on a high school band trip to Walt Disney World. It’s where my husband and I took our first big vacation as a couple. It’s the place where my son rode his first rollercoaster. I love being able to walk through the parks and relive those memories!

Favorite Disney Character and why?  My absolute favorite character is Vanellope Von Schweetz! She’s adorable, super sassy and she never gives up!

Favorite Disney Attraction and why?  My favorite ride is the Haunted Mansion. I love the optical illusions and general creepiness….and the smell. I’m that weirdo that loves the musty smell of Disney’s indoor rides.

Favorite Disney Resort and why? That’s a hard one but I think it’d be the Yacht Club. The sand bottom pool blows my mind, you can walk to Epcot and take the boat to Hollywood Studios. Plus, the nighttime views of the Boardwalk from across Crescent Lake are breathtaking.

Favorite Disney Restaurant and why?  Our family loves Tusker House. The food is really good and my son loves meeting the characters. We like to book an early morning breakfast and then hop on the Kilimanjaro safari to watch the animals start their day.

Favorite Disney Quick Service Restaurant and why?  For me, it’s all about the fixins bar at Pecos Bills! You just can’t beat unlimited guacamole.

3 Disney characters you’d like to have dinner with and why? I would love to have dinner with Cinderella and the evil stepsisters just to see the insane amounts of side-eye from Anastasia and Drizella.

Favorite Disney snack and why? My favorite is, hands down, the Peru Alto Mayo iced coffee from the Joffrey’s kiosks. Sipping it on the monorail is a delicious way to perk up for a morning full of fun!

Favorite Disney Movie and why?  The Little Mermaid was my first favorite movie and I practically wore out the VHS tape…and probably my parents’ sanity.

3 Favorite Disney Songs and why?  3) “When I See an Elephant Fly” from Dumbo – I love puns. 2) “Once Upon a Dream” from Sleeping Beauty – So dreamy! 1) “Wishes”…I swear I tear up every time I watched the fireworks.

Disney character you’re most similar to and why? I think I’m most similar to Rapunzel since she’s clever, quirky and also wears flowers in her hair.

If you could be one Disney character for a day who would it be and why? I would choose to be the Fairy Godmother so I could grant wishes all day!

If you could work at one of the Disney theme parks, what job would you want and why? I would love to be a ride operator for the Tower of Terror. The theming is pure creepy goodness and I think I could pull off a bellman’s cap.

Best part about being a MickeyTravels Disney Travel Agent? The memories I have made with my family are worth more than gold. Knowing that I am helping others create their own magical memories is so rewarding.

Why should I book my vacation with you? I go above and beyond for my clients. I can help you build a vacation that will create those life long memories. Plus, my services are 100% free! How could you go wrong?!

Contact me at hlozzi@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!