Working with a Disney Travel Agent

When beginning to plan our trip to see Mickey, one of my friends recommended working with Andrea, a "Mouse Counselor" to get the details worked out for our trip. I was initially really hesitant, despite the FREE price tag. I love planning all of our travel. For me, the planning is half of the fun. I can't tell you how much time I've poured into our trips over the years. A few summers ago when we decided last minute to go to Italy, I genuinely researched for 8 hour days for several days. Honestly, being a travel agent is a job that I would love.. so why would I hire one? Let me answer quickly that the reason is that Andrea was like our fairy godmother! She knows the ins and outs of the stuff that isn't fun to research. One great example is that the package we booked went on sale a few months after booking. Andrea took care of the price adjustment and saved us some serious $$.. something I would never in a million years have caught, let alone known how to handle. In this season of life, some things need outsourcing, and this was a perfect one to get help with. I've still been able to have a ton of fun prepping... talking restaurants and rides with close friends who go often (shoutout Davidson/Forney family!!), sourcing outfits for Beau online, etc. I haven't been this excited for a trip in a REALLY long time. I honestly have tears of joyful anticipation in my eyes as I type this. 

I'll have many more reflections once we're back from Florida, but I thought it might be fun to have Andrea answer a few questions about Disney World for y'all... I'd love nothing more than for her to be able to help some of y'all visit the mouse!! She's so incredibly fast at responding and made me feel like no question was too small!

Andrea and her sweet family at Disney World!

Of all the times you’ve been to Disney, what has been your favorite trip and why? 

Oh my, that's a hard question! This is going to sound cheesy, but I think all of my trips have been my favorite for one reason or another! Each visit I find something new that I never experienced before. Disney World in particular is a place where my family really connects which makes each visit fun and unique.

What made you fall in love with the magic of Disney? 

I grew up watching Disney shows and movies, it was a big part of my childhood. A family friend took my Mom and I to the parks when I was 8, it was so exciting, but I ended up being sick the majority of the time, which was a bummer. It was a dream of mine to visit again one day so my husband and I decided to visit Walt Disney World on our honeymoon. That trip really sparked a new affection for all things Disney so we went back for our 1st anniversary and of course several times after that :) 

What’s your #1 piece of advice for a Disney trip? 

Plan ahead as much as you can and then just relax and enjoy. There is so much to see and do, you won't get to do it all, but pick some things that are important to you and make dining reservations and fast passes for those things. Don't be stressed about getting to everything else! A lot of the fun is found in the details, you never know what you might find so take in your surroundings and see what Disney brings out in your family. 

What are your favorite attractions at Disney World? 

There are so many!! It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, Toy Story Mania, Soarin', Frozen Ever After, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safari, The Lion King Show, Beauty and the Beat Live and all of the nighttime entertainment!

What is your favorite park at Disney World? 

Magic Kingdom! I love the nostalgia. I could stay there for days! 

What are your favorite foods at Disney World? 

Also, so many! There are so many great restaurants, our list of must have meals keeps getting longer. My favorite restaurant in the world is at Disney World...it's called Yachtsman's Steakhouse and it's at the Yacht Club Resort.  Epcot has the best food and we're still trying all the restaurants in world showcase. My husband always has to get popcorn, coconut candy and mickey bars. I always have to get cream cheese danishes. We all love Dole Whip Floats.

What is your favorite age for a child to visit Disney World?

I get this question a lot and my answer is always any age! The first time my daughter went she was 10 months old and it was as fun then as it is now that she's 6. Each year she's into different things so it never gets old. She has grown up at Walt Disney World, she learned how to clap there, she's learned new words, she's learned about other cultures, she's gotten to experience so many new things and we find new wonders together each time we visit. Our whole family loves it and that's one thing that makes it so special.

How can people get in touch with you? 

I love Disney so much I decided to become a travel agent that specializes in Disney vacations! I can help you with planning for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney and other Disney resorts like Aulani in Hawaii, and Disney's Hilton Head and Vero Beach Resorts. I would love to help anybody plan their own magical vacation! You can email me at andrea@mousecounselors.com anytime for more information. 

Be honest... y'all want to go to Disney World now, right? :) I'll be posting about 10 photos a day over on instagram, so keep up with us!

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