The Pool at Disney's Grand Californian

One of my favorite parts about staying at the Grand Californian at Disneyland was the amazing pool area. I didn't get to spend nearly enough time out there this trip, but trust me - I'll be back! So many great places to lounge, read, watch the kids, etc. It's a large pool area; there are three separate pools, including a waterslide, a hot tub and a shallow area for little ones who like to splash around.

You can also rent poolside cabanas for the day! I neglected to check the price but they looked awesome; a nice covered place to sit, beverages, towels, etc - perfect for a hot California day!

What Disney resort pool is your favorite?

Have a magical day!

Dining Review: World of Color Dining Package

As we were planning on June 2015 Disneyland vacation, my cousin and I knew we wanted to see World of Color, the AMAZING nighttime show at California Adventure. (Don't worry, I'll dedicate a whole post to that incredible-ness later.) In reading about the show, I knew how popular it was, and since we had three little ones with us, we wanted to avoid waiting in a line or jockeying for space in what I knew would be tight quarters.

I'd read about the World of Color dining package, and that seemed to be the best bet for us. After consulting the menus and dining options, we chose lunch at Wine Country Trattoria, located near the entrance to Cars Land in California Adventure. (You could also chose to eat dinner.)

We arrived on time for our reservation, and we seated shortly. The format for the meal is prix fixe - for about $40.00 per adult and $20.00 per child, you get your choice of soup or salad, an entree and then a desert sampler. There is also a kids menu with many standard choices - pizza, sandwiches, pasta, etc.

There were many delicious choices and we all tried to pick something different, so we could sample each other's meals.

I chose the salad and it did not disappoint. It was delicious and fresh, and the perfect meal starter. My cousin and her husband both chose soup; one getting the tomato and another the Italian wedding soup. I like the wedding soup the best - the little meatballs were delicious and it was all well-seasoned.

For the main meal, I chose the Potato Gnocchi. Oh MY this was so good - cooked perfectly and a large portion, as well. My cousin's husband chose the salad with sautéed shrimp, and once word got out how good those shrimp where, I think he only had one or two for himself!

My cousin Kim chose a special that wasn't listed on the menu; a pasta with broccoli, which she liked. In tasting the entrees, however, we agreed that my Gnocchi was perhaps the best of what we'd gotten. In the picture below, the items are: Gnocchi at top left, salad at top right, shrimp salad at bottom left and broccoli pasta at bottom right.

I didn't take pictures of the kid's meals but they enjoyed them; they each had a mini pizza and a side of vegetables.

Finally came the grand finale - the desserts! In looking at the menu, we thought we each had to choose something but they bring you a sampler platter with one of EACH of those amazing offerings listed on the menu - DROOL. We had a tiramisu, macaroons, panna cotta and a lemon creme puff. They give a full platter to each two adults, so we ended up with two platters of desserts which was more than enough. All of us, kids included, sampled a little bit of everything. As I gravitate towards fruity things, my personal favorite was the Lemon Cream Puff.

At the conclusion of the meal, our server came to our table with 6 FastPasses for the World of Color show. He told us where to go and the return time for the FastPasses.

However, here's a tip - go EARLIER than they say. On the tickets was printed a time of 8:45 PM, as the show starts at 9PM. However, lines start to form about 7:45ish and they start letting people into the WoC viewing area around 8PM. Ask the cast members where the line is forming for the dining packages, and they'll tell you where to go. This means that you'll be at the viewing area about an hour before the show starts, BUT you'll also have a better chance of standing right near the front. The WoC dining FastPasses are the very front of the viewing area and it's first come standing area only but the view cannot be beat. You will get a bit damp (as they project the images onto water) but it's so worth it.

I would do this again in a heartbeat; in fact, when I go back in November I plan on doing it again and trying another of the restaurants offered.

Have you done this dining package before? What did you think?

Have a magical day!

Top 5 Reasons This Walt Disney World Veteran Fell in Love with Disneyland

I've been going to Walt Disney World pretty regularly since the last 90s. After my first trip to the World when I was in high school, I was hooked.

I always knew I wanted to visit Disneyland but I'd never made it a point to go out there. When I was deciding on my next vacation, for whatever reason Walt Disney World always won out, and I'd say to myself, "One day I'll get out to Anaheim."

As you know, that "one day" came last week and can I tell you, I CANNOT BELIEVE that I didn't make it a priority to get out here sooner.

After an incredibly fun and successful first trip to Disneyland, I wanted to do a comparison between the two. Not a "this vs that" type of post, but one that lays out the Top 5 reasons that I, a Walt Disney World veteran with approximately 30 trips under her belt, fell in love with Disneyland.


1. Disneyland was Walt's park. The nostalgia is off the charts, folks.

Disneyland can boast something that Walt Disney World can't. Although Walt was a part of the creation of WDW, he passed away before the park was completed so he was never an actual physical presence in the parks. To be able to walk down Main Street, and think, Walt walked here. To ride it's a small world and know that Walt rode it, too. To watch kids laugh on the carousel and know that he watched his own grandkids on the same one. Ladies and gents, it made my heart soar.

2. The proximity of resorts to both theme parks CAN'T BE BEAT.

I stayed at the Grand Californian and let me tell you, was SO glad I did. At most, I was a 5-10 minute walk (10 minutes if I was very slowly strolling) from my hotel to both parks. Actually, I was much closer to California Adventure because there's an entrance from the Grand Californian into that park.

Having stayed there, The Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier are also on my list. Both are also a short walk from the parks and allow you the same "close to the magic" experience.

It was incredibly nice to be that close to both theme parks. Now, you can have sort of this same experience when, for example, you stay at the Beach Club or Boardwalk resort and their proximity to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. But there's no resort on WDW property where you can walk to all the theme parks, so that was huge.

Staying onsite can be pricier than staying at one of the myriad of hotels in the general area of Disneyland. However, for all my future trips I will plan on staying on-site for the sheer convenience of time and energy. It was amazing to watch the Disneyland Forever fireworks show on Main Street, and then be in my hotel room 10 minutes later. Not on a bus 10 minutes later, not waiting in line 10 minutes later. I was in my room. Amazing.

3. Disneyland is NOT just a two or three day vacation destination.

One opinion that I kept hearing was that Disneyland was, at most, a three day vacation. You needed to go to Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, Knott's Berry Farm, etc in order to really make the most of a week and make your travel to Anaheim worthwhile. Now, nothing against those destinations at all but after having been at Disneyland, I could have easily stayed another day. I had an awesome time at the parks but didn't have a whole lot of time to explore my resort, or stroll around Downtown Disney. Next time (in November! Eeek!!) I'm planning on being here an entire week.

4. Three Words, people: World of Color.

I might cause a minor Disney fan revolt by saying this, but the fireworks shows and parades aren't usually on my must-do list. (dodges flying objects.) I enjoy them, but I'm not a person who will sit on a curb for two hours to get a viewing spot before a parade. They're fun, but no thanks, man. There are other things I prefer doing instead.

I knew I wanted to see World of Color at California Adventure. I'd read about it and seen clips of the show and from everything I'd heard, people raved about how awesome it was. We decided to do a WoC dining package (more on that in another post!) to get FastPasses for a special viewing area. The appointed time came, we got in our AWESOME location to watch and waited to be dazzled.

And dazzled we were. There aren't words in the English language that can adequately convey the rush of love and emotions I had when watching this show. It's been recently re-done a bit for the 60th Anniversary and it's just AMAZING. I won't tell you every single detail because A) we'd be here all day and B) I want you to experience it for yourself.

And when they played a version of the song "Forever Young? Tears, tears everywhere.

5.  Foodies - you won't be disappointed.

Disneyland is no slouch in the food department, either. On this trip I had my first churro; it was delicious! I wore most of the sugar on my shirt, but it was very yummy. I also enjoyed a Disneyland corn dog; I can only assume they put actual magic in that batter because GOOD LORD it was amazing - and I'm not really a hot dog fan. If you're a soup person, you MUST go to the Pacific Warf Cafe and enjoy their Clam Chowder or Broccoli Cheese soups. TO DIE FOR.

Needless to say, there will be many posts on this here blog solely about the food because y'all, it was stinking good. Many times we had "progressive dinners" and shared food so we could all sample a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Nom nom nom.

So there you have it - some of the many reasons I fell in deep, passionate, abiding love with Disneyland. I'll be back in November and can't wait to experience it all again!

Have a magical day!

Book review - 501 Ways to Make the Most of your Walt Disney World Vacation

Today, I'm excited to bring you a book review! I was given a copy of Kristi Frederick's book 501 Ways to Make the Most of Your Walt Disney World Vacation. 501 ways, you say? I'm in!

Kristi is a frequent traveler to Walt Disney World, and according to her author bio, "she is thrilled to share her passion for the Disney parks and feels that there is nothing better than enjoying a Disney vacation with the ones you love." I couldn't agree more!

In addition to 501 Ways, Kristi is the author of A Tale of Two Resorts: Comparing Disneyland and Walt Disney World: A Traveler's Reference. She's also a blogger for TouringPlans.com, operates her website www.DisneyWorldEnthusiast.com, and lives in Colorado with her husband and two sons.

Kristi asked if I'd like to read her book, and share my review with all of you. Even though I've been to Walt Disney World somewhere between 25-30 times (I lost count a while ago!), I'm always game to read about ways to enhance my vacations. To me, you can always learn something from another WDW fan and I was excited to read her tips.

She divides the book into 6 sections; Before You Arrive, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Mousecellaneous. I loved this way to format the book, because although you can read tips 1-501 in order, you don't have to - it's super easy to go to the section you're most interested in, and start there. As you can see in my picture, I used sticky notes to tag all the tips I was most interested in, so I could reference them for later.

Some of my favorite tips of the 501 were:

 - If you like to wear hats and plan to ride lots of wild rides, buy an inexpensive carabineer at your local sporting goods store to clip your hat onto your belt loop so that you won't lose it while experience rough attractions. (page 112, Mousecellaneous) Raise your hand if you've lost a hat (or multiple hats) at WDW. Yep, I see you!

 - If you would like to get some incredible photos of the Tree of Life, don't snap them as soon as you get into the park. Instead, take one of the Discovery Islands Trails near the tree itself. These tranquil paths will take you up close to the park icon for a spectacular photo opportunity. (pages 81-82, Animal Kingdom)

 - Believe it or not, gum is not sold anywhere on Disney property. If you're a fan, you'll need to bring your own, (page 11, Before You Arrive) - this is a tip I knew about, but it bears repeating and most guests don't realize it. No gum is sold at WDW!

Kristi's book is a great resource for Walt Disney World novices, as well as experienced travelers. Those of us who've been to Walt Disney World can attest - you can NEVER know everything about the parks, touring, planning, etc and having a resource like 501 Ways is a great way to learn more about Walt Disney World, and also get yourself excited for your upcoming trip! And I have to say, Kristi's final tip in the book is my absolute favorite; you'll have to get a copy yourself to see what that is!

You can purchase Kristi's book on Amazon (link HERE). It comes in both softcover AND an ebook format (the ebook format would be GREAT for taking on vacation - just link to your smartphone and you can have the tips on the go!) Please make sure you check it out, and let her know you read about the book on The Most Delightful Place!



In addition to www.DisneyWorldEnthusiast.com, you can also find Kristi at Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Disneyworldenthusiast?fref=ts and on Twitter @DWEnthusiast.

Thank you Kristi, for sending me a copy of your book!

If you're a writer who'd like me to review your Disney-centric book, please email me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com.

Have a magical day!

I was provided with a complimentary copy of Kristi's book for the review. All opinions are my own.

My review of Baby Foot

You might remember that a few weeks back, I posted in the Facebook group that I had purchased Baby Foot, a product that claims to "make your feet feel as smooth and soft as a baby's foot." I struggle with calluses on my heels and big toes, and general dry and icky feet, and in the past not even pedicures have helped. After a pedicure my feet look better for a few days, and then it's back to their normal cracked, dry state. I read testimonials on the Baby Foot website, as well as reviews and YouTube videos posted from people who used the product and it seemed like the results were pretty incredible, so I wanted to try it out. I was getting ready to go on vacation and wanted my feet flip-flop ready.

I'd heard about Baby Foot from a friend, so I went on their website (www.babyfootusa.com) and ordered their foot peel pack. When I'd read reviews online, many people talked about how hard it was to get a hold of, so I don't know if they've stocked more or I just lucked out when I ordered, because they were in stock with no wait. The receipt told me it would take 5-7 days to process the order, and then ship from there, but I had the product in hand about 4 days after I ordered so I was pretty happy about that.

I read the directions, and got everything ready. The packet comes with two single-use booties that are filled with a solution which Baby Foot calls "17 kinds of natural extracts", including fruit acids, that over the course of 1-2 weeks make the dry skin peel off your feet, leaving you with smooth, baby soft skin.

I'd read reviews that suggested soaking your feet for up to 1/2 hour before you put on the booties, in order to prep your feet, so I did the initial soak. I then put on the booties, using the tape they also give you to secure them to my feet. I then covered my feet and the booties with socks, and put up my feet. You're supposed to leave the booties on for an hour - 90 minutes, and don't plan on walking around while it's working - your feet will squish around in there and it's pretty hard to move around.

Once the time is up, you'll want to wash and rinse your feet well, and then pat them dry. Now you play the waiting game.

My foot, before.

Baby Foot's literature doesn't really give you lots of instructions for the interim until your feet start to peel, but in reading other people's reviews it's suggested that you soak your feet every night. This is a GREAT tip and I think pretty crucial to the success of the peel. Even if you can only soak your feet for 5-10 minutes a night, it will help a lot with the process.

Also - make sure you do NOT lotion your feet. They will get dry, but lotion impedes the process so just soak your feet each night, then pat dry.

One thing I kept reading over and over again, in perusing reviews online, was a variation on: "It seemed like my feet would never peel and then one day, BAM." I have to say, this was my experience as well. I did the treatment on a Monday night, and I had ZERO action until Friday. I was kind of bummed, thinking it wouldn't work for me - - and then I took off my socks and shoes when we got to our hotel in Orlando on Friday night and OMG. Peel city. It was crazy - I didn't take pictures (because, ewwww) but if you want to see what your feel will look like mid-peel, Google the Baby Foot Peel pictures and prepare yourself.

My foot, after

Over the next 7-8 days, my feet continued to peel. The most action happened in the first 2-3 days, then tapered off from there but were still peeling a week later. On the day I write this post, it's been 2 weeks since I did the peel and I STILL have some skin coming off my toes. Incredible.

Here are some Before and After pictures; it's kind of hard to tell, but the I can tell you the difference is AMAZING. The skin on my feet is super soft, and areas of toughness are much better. I still have a small callus on my heels (because they were really bad before - like, deep cracks and everything) but they're 100% better than they used to be. The tops of my feet peeled as well, and that skin is also very soft. I live in the Midwest and our winters are pretty harsh - it gets really dry and my feet pay the price. But after the peel, my feet are soft, supple and and in great shape.

I wouldn't hesitate to do the peel again. They say you can do it every 3-4 months, so I'm going to take really good care of my feet in the meantime (lotion every night, for example, and soaking them in epsom salt at least once a week) but I'm planning on doing the peel again before I go to Disneyland in late May so my feet are great for the summer.

So if you're thinking of doing the Baby Foot treatment, here are my tips for getting the most out of your peel:

* Soak your feet every night. Even 5-10 minutes is great (but if you can do 30 minutes a night, even better).

* If you have a special event, plan on doing the peel at least 2-3 weeks in advance. You for sure don't want to do it a few days before your wedding, for example. I did the peel 5 days before we went on vacation, and in hindsight I should have done it the week before.

* Walking around really helps the process, so make sure you're active as the peel is working.

* Sleep in socks when the peeling starts; trust me on this, it's a lot less icky in your sheets once the skin starts falling off.

* The Baby Foot information says not to peel the skin away once the peeling starts (they suggest just letting it happen and not removing it yourself), but you kind of have to. You don't want to work at it where peeling isn't yet happening but when the skin starts to slough off, you really do need to help it along (otherwise, as previously mentioned - ewwww).

Let me know if you do the peel, and what your results are!

Have a magical day!

I was not provided with compensation for this review. All reviews and opinions are my own.

Let's Chat: With Mar from Mar Has That Bow!

When I see cool products and fun ways to bring Disney into your everyday life, I want to share them with you. Sharing is caring, right?

So, out of that desire to speak with other fun members of the Disney fan community and talk about how they show their love for Disney through creativity, a new feature on the blog was born - Let's Chat!

For our first installment I am super excited to bring you my chat with Mar from Mar Has That Bow! I have followed her on Instagram the last year or so and was immediately attracted to the ADORABLE bows she makes. She's super talented AND a really nice lady, and I can't wait for you all to check out the bows.

But first, Mar was nice enough to answer a few questions and share about her bows....so without further ado, Let's Chat!

* Your bows are super cute and creative! Where do you get your inspiration, and how do you choose what characters to feature?

Thank you so much! It's funny because I actually got the idea from the Minnie/Mickey mouse ears they sell at Disney World. I wanted another accessory that wasn't necessarily ears because they can't be worn in different ways, bows are more versatile.

In the beginning I used to choose my favorite characters, but with time I've learned which characters are the most popular ones or which ones my Bowtifuls like the most. Sometimes I also choose depending on what movie I watched that week, or I also get requests for custom ones that remind me of certain characters that aren't so popular.

[Mar calls her followers Bowtifuls -- how cute is that?!]

* How long have you been making bows?

It's been exactly one year and four months since I started Mar Has That Bow and I feel so blessed to have started, not only have I made bows, I've met some of the most amazing and wonderful people throughout.

* As an adult woman, I am ALL over the bows, I would totally rock them at the parks and on the cruise line! Do you have a lot of adults who buy the bows for themselves, vs their kids?

OMG yes! Honestly, believe it or not, I have more adults buying the bows for themselves than for their kids! And I love it, I mean who says adults can't wear bows, right? I also get a lot of mothers that want matching bows for them and their little princessess and I find that absolutely adorable.

* Which Disney destination is your favorite? And what Disney places are still on your travel bucket list?

This is a difficult one because I have been to Disney World, Disneyland Paris and on Disney Cruise Line (Castaway Cay is amazing!) and although I love them all, Disney World is home and it will hold my heart forever.

I would still love to visit Disneyland in California and in Tokyo as well as the Aulani Disney resort [in Hawaii] and more Disney cruises!

* OK, now for a silly question. What Disney character for you identify with, who best describes you?

Belle definitely ever since I was a little girl; I absolutely loved everything about her and the entire movie. However, my favourite characters in the movies are usually the grumpy ones, I don't know why but I absolutely love them (Grumpy from Snow White and Archimedes from The Sword in the Stone are my favourites).

Thank you so much for featuring me on your blog and thank you to all the Bowtifuls out there who have supported me on this journey!

Thank YOU, Mar! It was great to chat with you. Now, off to order my bows! :)

Because she's such a super sweetie, Mar is offering readers of The Most Delightful Place a discount on her items, now through March 15th, 2015! Just use code READER for 10% off of your order! Thanks, Mar! You can find her site at www.marhasthatbow.bigcartel.com.

And please follow her on social media! You'll be glad you did! Her Instagram account can be found at marhasthatbow.

Have a magical day!

My Review: Disney on Ice - Worlds of Fantasy!

Hello, everyone! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. The last few weeks of November got away from me - the holidays are so busy, aren't they? Busy, but fun.

On Sunday, November 30th, I went with my friend Katie to Des Moines to see Disney on Ice: Worlds of Fantasy! Katie contacted me a few months ago about going, and you know I was up for anything Disney! :) We decided to go to the Sunday matinee, grab lunch beforehand and have a nice day together. It was also Katie's birthday, so it was a fun way to celebrate with her!

We arrived at the Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines. Katie had gotten us GREAT seats; we were very close to the stage, which was awesome.

At the Arena, there were tables set up in the lobby area with food, plush characters, photos, coloring books, etc. The moral of the story here - if you go to a Disney show and want some snacks, bring PLENTY of cash! An 8oz cup with a slushie was $15, and a bag of cotton candy (with either a Tinkerbell or Lightning McQueen hat) was $12! So needless to say, we did not get any treats, although that light-up cup with the slushie was pretty cool!

The premise of the show is Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy showing you some of the magical fantasy worlds of their friends.  The friends we saw this show were Lightning McQueen, Mater and the gang from Radiator Springs; Tinker Bell and her fairy friends; the group from The Little Mermaid; and the toys from Toy Story 3. Each section of characters was about 20-25 minutes, and was a condensed version of the movie.

Each section was great; Katie and I both commented on how not only were they great skaters with the "tricks", they were also pretty impressive with running across the ice, climbing on pieces of the set, etc. I know for sure I would have ended up on my keister more than once!

My personal favorite section was Toy Story; the story was, of course, great but the costumes and set were AWESOME. Katie and I were both amazed at the coordination it took for TWO skaters to be in the Bullseye and Hamm costumes; can you imagine not only skating with a giant costume covering your whole body but ALSO making sure you move in synch with another person?! Crazy!!  Also, the skater/actor who played the Ken Doll was SPOT ON. His movements mimicked perfectly the motions of Ken from the movie, and his scene with Barbie where he tries on all his outfits was hysterical.

Katie said a Disney on Ice show is always at the Arena on Thanksgiving weekend, so this might become a yearly tradition for me!

To see all of the pictures I took (more than could fit on this post!) be sure and check out the photo album on the Most Delightful Place Facebook page.

Have a magical day!

A Passport....Don't Cruise Without One!

As I was writing the Trip Insurance post, it occurred to me that I should write a similar post about passports. So, here we are! Let's chat passports, shall we?

On certain itineraries on Disney Cruise Line (and many other lines, I believe) if you are a US citizen you are able to cruise with an original birth certificate and are not required to have a passport.

I, however, would never do this, and I always strongly recommend that my clients get a passport any time they are going to be out of the United States.

The short answer as to why is because, without a passport, you will not be able to fly back into the United States quickly, without hankering with the consulate or customs, if you have to disembark in a foreign port.

I admit, I am a "worst case scenario" person and I like to be prepared for as many situations as I can.  As with the Trip Insurance issue, is it likely that something awful would happen during your trip and you would need to get home? Probably not, God willing everything is fine - - but what if it DOES?

One of the biggest reasons I hear for not getting passports is the cost; and yes, they are not cheap. I think they are around $100 for an adult and for a family, that can add up. However, think of the cost (in money and in time) if you don't have it, and need it?

So without further ado, here are the reasons why I will never cruise without a passport:

* Today you can - tomorrow (the day before your cruise??) you might not be able to.
We all know that rules can change at any point - this is especially true for US Customs and travel in and out of the United States. Let's say your cruise is in June and come May 30th, an announcement is made that starting immediately US Customs will no longer allow cruise travelers to use their birth certificates. And it's days before your cruise, so you'll either A) not be able to go, or B) have to pay out the nose in last-minute passport fees. I guarantee you this will cost WAY more than that $100/person passport charge.

* In an emergency, getting home should not be a worry.
Unfortunately emergencies do happen, and they can happen on vacation as easily as at home.  Say, for example, you are on a cruise and your spouse has a stroke. Your disembark in a foreign port of call in order to get medical treatment, but unless you have a passport, you cannot board a flight to get home once you're cleared to do so. Imagine not only dealing with your loved one being sick, but having to add to that the headache and hassle of trying to get back to the United States.

A few months ago, a fellow travel agent relayed an incident involving two of her clients. On a cruise, one of the travelers passed away in their sleep. The decedent and the surviving spouse disembarked the ship in a Caribbean country, in accordance with cruise line rules - and they were sailing without passports. Not only was the spouse dealing with the tragedy of losing their loved one, and the legal steps needed to get the deceased back to the US - she was told she would most likely be in that country for at least 2 weeks while everything was getting sorted out to allow her back into the United States.

In an emergency, the LAST thing you want to do is stress about getting you (and your loved ones) back to the United States in a timely matter.

* Passports are good for a number of years.
Currently, if you are over 18 your passport is good for ten years; those younger than 18 have their valid for five years. 

"Well, I'm not planning any other cruises / foreign trips in the next 5-10 years", you say. Are you sure? What if you son/daughter comes home from school and tells you about the class trip to Toronto? (Yes, Canada is a foreign country so you need a passport!) What if your best friend calls you, says she's getting married in Cabo in 3 months and wants you there as her maid of honor?

These might be extreme examples, but you just never know when an opportunity to use the passport will present itself and if you already have it - easy peasy!

* It's another great form of government issued photo ID.
You can use your passport for more than foreign travel; it's also a great (if not the best) form of government ID. Let's say you misplace your drivers license, and you have a flight tomorrow morning. No worries! Just bring your passport. (After someone drives you to the airport, of course!) If you didn't have it, you wouldn't be getting on that flight.

Please share in the comments and on Facebook - were you ever in a situation where having your passport made things MUCH easier? What would you say to someone who was on the fence about getting one?

Have a magical day!

Trip Insurance - You Don't Need It....Until You Do

Travel Insurance is an issue and question that's been coming up again and again amongst my travel agent friends and colleagues, so I thought it was time to devote a blog post to it.

Essentially, trip or travel insurance is coverage you purchase with your vacation that can be used to cover, for example, medical expenses while traveling or if you're unable to travel due to a medical emergency or another covered reason. Some policies have allowances that allow you to cancel or any reason, or cover you if the company you're traveling with goes under before your trip. Many travel destinations offer their own travel insurance plans; there are also numerous companies out there and you can comparison shop for the plan that works best for you.

Each trip insurance plan can have different specifics, what's covered and what's not, etc and that is too nitty-gritty to go into here. Also, I am not an insurance agent and so I cannot give advice regarding specific plans or nuances of what a plan might or might not cover.

However, I thought it was still important to discuss here because there have been a few instances recently among my friends and colleagues that just reiterated to me why I personally will be getting travel insurance on any vacation, from here on out.

As the title of this post says, you might not think you need trip insurance...until you do. It's the same thought process as having car, health and/or home insurance. Is it very likely that you'll get in a serious car accident, need lots of medical care, a new car, etc? No, hopefully you will not - but it's nice to know that in the event you do, you won't go into financial ruin because of it.

What if any of the below issues happened to you?

* Two days before your once-in-a-lifetime European river cruise to celebrate your 25th anniversary, your husband falls at work and breaks his leg; you are unable to go on a trip that was booked and paid for years or months ago.

* You're at Disney World and your husband has a heart attack in the park. He not only needs medical transport to the local ER and emergency surgery, they also decide he needs to stay in the hospital for a week, perhaps longer.

In these instances, without any trip insurance coverage you would most likely be out of the money you'd paid for your trip, and could also have additional bills from needing medical care that your own health insurance might not cover. Most destinations will not refund your money, or reschedule your trip, simply because you had an incident and are unable to come. In most cases, without trip insurance, you are out of luck.

Again, this is a decision that everyone has to make for themselves but I'm a "better safe than sorry" person and so it's trip insurance for me, from here on out!

Have a magical day!

Be sure to carefully read and evaluate any trip insurance coverage to make sure it's best for you. As I am not an insurance agent, I am not able to provide you with specifics on any plan (nor is any other TA, unless they are also licensed in insurance) but encourage you to research and if necessary, contact your personal insurance agent with questions. My opinions expressed above are not an endorsement or recommendation of any specific trip insurance plan or company.