Hey Mamas! Welcome to my little corner, where I plan to chat about all things travel and one destination in particular, Walt Disney World. First, I want you to know a little about me and how I became so passionate about travel. For as far back as I can remember, my parents really made an effort to make travel and experiences part of our lifestyle. Growing up in South Florida, there are two main destinations you visit every chance you get, The Florida Keys and Walt Disney World. This meant that weekends were spent snorkeling in the ocean or riding, It’s a Small World. For me now as an adult, Walt Disney World is a place of nostalgia that many of us refer to as “Home”. Now that we have a family, my husband and I have decided to carry on the tradition of family vacations to Walt Disney World. We visit the Orlando parks quite often, and no we never get tired of them.
Even though I grew up with a love for Disney and cherishing my travel experiences, I still never really imagined having a career involving travel. Stepping into the travel advisor field was something that happened very organically and started as more of a “side hustle.” Almost 5 years ago, I was enjoying stay at home mom life with my son when I noticed a friend from college was planning Disney vacations as a travel agent. In 2017 I really did not think travel agents were even relevant anymore. As someone who had visited Disney World so many times, I didn’t quite understand how a travel agent could be useful. Then I realized I was that go-to friend who everyone knew as the “Disney girl.” I was actually already planning Disney vacations and giving travel advice. I just wasn’t getting paid for it. So, I started looking for travel agencies that planned Disney vacations and that is when I found Travelmation. After a quick phone interview with our president and founder Adam Duckworth, I knew I had found my people. Now, every day, I get to help families plan to make memories. I get to talk about something I never get tired of discussing, Disney, and it just really fills my cup. 5 years later I really love this side-hustle of mine because sometimes it’s hard to even call it work. Other days, I’m on hold for hours on behalf of my clients. Yes, the past 2 years of a pandemic were grueling to say the least but, I think it has given me a deeper appreciation of the exciting comeback the travel industry is making.
The past two years have given us a better perspective on the value of time spent with family and that trend is showing in the travel industry as well. Lately, I have helped so many grandparents who want to experience that first trip to Walt Disney World with their grandchildren and children. I love dreaming with families, getting to know them, and talking to them, so that I can carefully curate their ideal vacations. I also find it rewarding to be such a valuable resource when I help my clients save time and money instead of spending countless hours searching the internet for answers.
I am blessed enough to not only get pain to plan vacations to the happiest place on earth or but, I also have a career as a physical therapist. Sure, it’s kind of an odd combination. Remember, it was not part of my plan to have two jobs in completely different fields. That is just where life took me. I love the challenge and reward that working as a PT gives me. I also love the potential and flexibility that having a second job provides. It even brought me the opportunity to participate in this blog!
As a working mom and wife with two kids and two jobs I hope to bring you my honest and real life perspective on family travel. I know it’s time consuming to plan a vacation in between projects, homework, and baseball practice. I also know it’s really valuable to take a step back from all of that to bond with your family. My approach to planning travel is to help my clients with the details so they are able to focus on the experience itself. I want my clients to be in the moment on their vacations instead of worrying about perfection. I will always give clients my honest feedback based on experience and knowledge. I also like to sprinkle in my little nuggets of advice to help me clients save a little time and money. Above all, I want to encourage families who are reluctant to travel to get out there. I feel so passionately that every travel experience is valuable no matter how big or small and I am here to help you make the most out of each vacation.
