ClaudiaE

Epcot Food & Wine Fest and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Published on August 18, 2017 by ClaudiaELeave a comment

Since it is time for Epcot’s Food & Wine Fest, I thought it was a perfect time to write about our 2016 Fest experience. My husband and I went to the Fest during the last weekend of the festival. It was a last minute decision because we had already had a vacation in 2016 (see blog about Alaska) and we had not planned to go to the festival in the same year as our Alaskan cruise.

My husband is somewhat of a foodie, and the festival is something he had expressed a desire to experience “some day”. Once the decision was made to go, I was able to snag a Pirate room at the Caribbean Beach Resort. We thought the decor was fun!

We purchased the dining plan, so we made our first night’s dinner at Boma in Animal Kingdom Lodge, featuring an African flavor. We arrived early so that we would be able to enjoy the decor of the Lodge and go outside to view the animals housed on the grounds. The food was excellent at Boma.

After dinner, we went to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. The tickets are an additional expense, but I am a Christmas nut and I was very much looking forward to the party. Main Street U.S.A. was all decked out for Christmas with lights, wreaths, music, and it even ‘snowed’! We went on a few rides, enjoyed the free hot chocolate and cookies, shopped a bit and then watched the parade. The Disney characters were all dressed up for Christmas. The music, the lights, the smells……oh, how I loved it!

The following day we went to the Food & Wine Fest. I had done a little research and knew that we could use our quick service for some of the food (one quick service will get you 3 samples of food but must be used at the same booth). I figured that we both could pick up food at different booths and share. The booths all have a menu posted by them so it is easy to see what they each serve. Below are photos of one of the booths and a sample of food. I took many photos of booths and food and, looking through them, I wish I was back there!

During our trip, we enjoyed Mickey’s Party at the Magic Kingdom at night, two days at Epcot’s Food & Wine Fest, one day at the Magic Kingdom, and one day at Animal Kingdom. For a last minute trip, we were able to do all the things we wanted and even a few things we didn’t expect to do! We had a few fast passes but, when we did not have fast passes, we were still able to ride other rides without too long of a wait, with just a few exceptions. Since we did not have any little ones with us, if we chose to do a long wait, it was do-able.

Three tips: 1) instead if purchasing a dining plan, a quick service plan would do; 2) I would not recommend going on the last weekend of the festival. It got extremely crowded, especially after 4 o’clock or so; and 3) I recommend doing research before you go to find out which booths serve what foods so you can make a daily food plan.

If anyone was considering the Food and Wine Fest and/or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, I would definitely encourage them to do so!

Claudia Eggenberger

ALASKAN CRUISE 2016

Published on October 28, 2016 by ClaudiaELeave a comment

My husband and I went with a group of friends on a 7 day cruise to Alaska in July aboard the Carnival Legend. We flew to Seattle the night before our cruise was scheduled to leave port. We walked around the city until all of our party had arrived. Then some of us went to Pike Place Market. The Market had vendors set up, selling flowers, crafted jewelry, fruits, vegetables, and fish. It was fun to watch the fish vendors throw the fish! We also saw the gum wall.

One of our friends insisted we all chew bubble gum and leave our own addition to the “art”. After that, we walked down to the water and ate dinner at The Crab Pot. When we finished our delicious dinner, some of us walked back to our hotel, while the rest of our party went to a Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox ballgame. Since we live near Chicago, it was fun to see the Sox play in another ball park.

The next morning, some of us walked to the Space Needle and went up to the top. It was a clear day and was very scenic. We could see our ship while she was waiting for us to board!

Once we boarded our ship, we took time to eat lunch, unpack and familiarize ourselves with the ship. Then it was time for muster. It was very hot and took a long time but is a requirement before the ship leaves port. Muster is when the ship’s crew instructs the passengers where to go and what to do in case of an emergency evacuation of the ship. Good to know.

At dinner time, we were all seated at three tables close together (there were 18 of us). We ate at the same place every night and had the same servers. We got to know each other very well by the time our cruise was finished. In addition to the excellent service and delicious food, the servers would entertain us with a floor show. They would sing along with a different song every night and dance a choreographed dance. Lots of fun. After dinner, we usually went to the theatre for a live show then went to the comedy club. Finishing off the night would be a visit to the casino and/or bars or shopping in the onboard shops.

The first day was a day at sea. There are many activities when you are aboard a ship, so we all did whatever we chose. I enjoy getting a massage on sea day whenever we cruise, so I got a hot stone massage.

The second day we sailed the Tracy Arm Fjord. The best adjective I can use about the Fjord is: magnificent! It is a rain forest, so it was overcast and a little cool but no one stayed inside on that day. The beauty was breath taking. We saw whales, seals, eagles, icebergs, and a glacier. It was all so amazing and beautiful.

The third day, we docked at Skagway. Some of us had booked the White Pass Railroad Summit Excursion. We boarded a vintage passenger coach, which retraced the original route to the White Pass summit. We passed Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. We saw beautiful mountains, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, and trestles. We saw the original Klondike Trail worn into the rocks. After the excursion, we walked, shopped, and ate in Skagway.

On the fourth day, we docked at Juneau. It rained most of the day. We figured we would never have the opportunity to visit Juneau again so why not make the most of it? After lunch at the Red Dog Saloon, the weather cleared up a bit and we were able to see the beautiful area surrounding the city.

The fifth day was our stop at Ketchikan. We explored the city and saw many interesting totem poles. We walked over a plank bridge and saw salmon in the stream below. We were told that we were lucky we were there when we were because, a short time after we left the bridge, it was closed because a bear had decided to find his lunch in the stream!

Our final day of the cruise was mainly on ship. We made port around 7:30 p.m. at Victoria, British Columbia. Some of us went to see beautiful Butchart Gardens. Our only regret was that it turned dark shortly after our arrival. Our excursion by bus also included a narrated tour of the city.

What do we have planned for our next adventure? We are going to Epcot Food & Wine Festival! We are looking forward to that, as we have talked about going for the past several years. We also got tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! I am very excited about it. I hope to have lots of stories & photos for my next blog.

Claudia Eggenberger

Co-owner/Agent

Adventure Is Out There Travel, LLC

Tips and Experiences with European Travel

Published on June 9, 2016June 20, 2016 by ClaudiaELeave a comment

First step: Get a passport. Word of advice here: DO NOT get so anxious when signing your passport that you sign your maiden name and not the married name that is on the passport. – Yes, another one of my bloopers! Luckily, my trip organizer noticed it & there was enough room on the signature line to sign my married name after my maiden name.

Things to pack: travel documents (including properly signed passport), medication, sunglasses, rain gear, and personal items. Be sure to pack good walking shoes. And don’t forget your camera. This is the trip of a lifetime for most, and photos are priceless. We each packed a small journal and wrote in it every night before bed. I have read mine numerous times, as the journal obtains details of experiences I never want to forget.

Money: One member of our group had her purse stolen and another had her wallet removed from her purse. Be vigilant and don’t think that it can’t happen to you. Bring some cash but also your credit card. Be sure you tell your credit card company where you will be traveling. One lady on our trip was purchasing a birthday gift for her son who was with us and his birthday was that very day. Her credit card company denied payment because she hadn’t notified them. It ruined her day and she ended up in tears.

Souvenirs: if you see it and can afford it, buy it. When will you ever get the chance again? For me, the answer is simple. I do not expect to have the opportunity to go there again. Another word of advice: leave room for souvenirs while packing. I ended up buying a piece of luggage because I didn’t allow enough room in the luggage I had!

My first European trip was to Italy. We went to Verona, Venice, Florence, Assisi, Siena, Vatican City, and Rome. Women are required to wear dresses in some of the establishments (churches especially) and to have their shoulders covered. I wore a dress over comfy clothes and then peeled the dress off when finished touring churches. I am just not a dress-wearing-while-touring kind of gal.

Gelato: mmmmm.mmmmm.mmmmm. Get some. Every night.

My second European trip was to France. We went to Paris and saw the Eiffel Tower light up at night, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, the Bastile, the Louvre. We also went to Rouen, Etretat, Normandy, Omaha Beach, St. Malo, Chartres, and Giverny. Here is a photo of me & my sister on our last day at an outdoor café on L’Avenue des Champs Elysées in Paris.

Bucket list: My bucket list has Ireland & Scotland on it. If you have European travel on your bucket list, contact one of the friendly travel agents at Adventure Is Out There Travel, LLC and we would be happy to help you plan your European adventure.

Claudia Eggenberger Co-Owner/Agent Adventure Is Out There Travel, LLC

Traveling With Children Adventures

Published on April 27, 2016April 27, 2016 by ClaudiaELeave a comment

Wild Adventures (also known as travelling with children) ~~

I was about to write a bland blog about How To Travel With Children. About 420 words in, I thought ‘this is boring ~ anyone could write this’. So I decided to share the “fun” of some of our family travel experiences.

My husband and I did not have many opportunities of travel when we were growing up. We decided, when the kids were young, that we wanted to give them as many traveling adventures as we could. If you read my first blog, you know that I have 2 grown children. We are blessed enough to be able to say that we have traveled in all of the “Lower 48” with them. (I admit that sometimes the visit to a state may have been just a few miles in, so that we could at least say we had been there. Is that cheating?)

Travel by car hint: On a road trip, DO NOT give your 18-month-old son SweeTarts after breakfast in an attempt to keep him happy & quiet. You will find yourself – I happened to be pregnant at the time – on the side of the road, cleaning up a mess after he gets sick all over himself, car seat, blanket, and back seat. Your son will be crying. You might also have a grumpy husband if yours is like mine and feels the need to “Make Time” while on a road trip.

Travel by air hint: DO NOT give your 3-year-old daughter gum right before takeoff in an attempt to keep her happy & quiet. The theory is that it will help alleviate ear pain from change in air pressure. You will find yourself cleaning up a crying, sticky child’s face, hair, clothes, hands and a sticky airplane seat. You might also notice that your fellow travelers are grumpy. Your flight attendant might be on the grumpy side, too.

Additional hint: DO NOT forget to pack your health insurance card. That way, when your 5-year-old son splits open his chin from jumping into the hotel pool while turning to catch himself, you will have it handy for your trip to the emergency room. If I close my eyes, I can still see what the inside of his chin looks like. Also, be prepared. You will have a grumpy 5-year-old as he watches his 3-year-old sister swim and he is not allowed in the pool because he can’t get his stitches wet.

photo stitches — Sad about the stitches.

While I shared a few of the not-so-fun experiences of our family travel, there are many, many more happy times. We will never regret any of our family vacations and, instead, we are thankful that we had the means and opportunity to take our kids on so many adventures.

Claudia Eggenberger

Co-owner/Agent

Adventure Is Out There Travel, LLC

Family Vacation

Published on April 9, 2016April 10, 2016 by ClaudiaE1 Comment

Have you ever thought about vacationing with your entire family? Last summer, my husband and I went on vacation with our two adult children and their spouses and their children. What a great way to create heart-warming memories!

We were fortunate enough to go on the Disney Dream for 5 nights and experience a

tequila tasting.JPG — Tequila Tasting Setup

“double dip”. We went to Castaway Cay, Nassau, back to

watching sunrise on Dream — Watching the Sunrise

Castaway Cay, day at sea, and back to port. While on the ship, some of the adults had spa treatments, went to a tequila tasting, ran on the running deck (Deck 4), enjoyed a tour of the galley, and just took time to relax alone.

The kids went to the kids club, swam with family, spent time

with grandparents and cousins, and saw Disney characters & Princesses. We all saw several of the shows offered on the ship. While on the island, one of the adults ran the 5K and one went snorkeling.

After our delightful and memorable cruise, we all went to Walt Disney World for 5 nights. We stayed at the Polynesian Village Resort. It was so nice to be able to hop on the Monorail to get to the Magic Kingdom and also Epcot. In addition, there were Monorail stops at the Grand Floridian, the Contemporary, and the Ticket & Transportation Center.

3 angels on Castaway Cay — Cousins Playing in the Sand

This was convenient to reach the parks, of course, and dinners & shopping at the Contemporary and Grand Floridian. The Monorail isn’t the only transportation guests can use. We also took advantage of the water transportation and the bus system.

Thanks to great pre-trip planning, we were all able to do & see everything we wanted. Some days, Papa & Grandma went with daughter & family, while on other days we went with son & family. Most nights we all had dinner together. It was a nice way for everyone to have their own experiences and then meet to talk about them in the evening. Papa & Grandma were fortunate enough to have visited WDW several times in the past. This time, went on the Keys to the Kingdom Tour. This tour took us on a behind the scenes look at WDW and gave us insight into the planning and layout of WDW. If you have the time, I recommend this tour.

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Here is a photo of me while I
was waiting for the Magical Express to give us a ride to the airport for our flight home.

Claudia Eggenberger

Co-Owner/Agent Adventure Is Out There Travel, LLC