​You're not dreaming! Walt Disney World packages for 2022 opened this morning! 

​Currently, your Road to Relaxation Travel Professional can book through July 1, 2022 and availability will continue to open on a daily basis. 

Currently closed resorts are still unavailable and Park Pass Reservations are required. Book early for the best availability! 

Want a quote? Have questions? Contact your RTR Agent or email vacations@rtrtravel.com. 

Lauren Regan, Travel Professional with Road To Relaxation Travel

​Travel planning has always been something I loved to do. I found that researching a trip and learning everything I possibly could about a destination was something that gave me immense satisfaction. However, I knew that not everyone enjoyed this aspect of traveling as much as I do.

​In January 2016, I joined Road to Relaxation Travel. My goal: to make my client’s vacations as stress free as possible. I know that my clients don’t necessarily get to travel as much as they’d like to - and I want them to have the best possible experience they can.

Walt Disney World has just announced that starting with January 1, 2022 arrivals, Disney's Magical Express will no longer be offered.    This announcement gives us lots of time to plan as we are not even able to book vacations at Walt Disney World into 2022 just yet.   

Your Road To Relaxation Travel Professional has relationships with various ground transportation companies and can help you travel group (of any size and age range) get to Walt Disney World from Orlando International Airport safely and in style.  While we are sad to see Magical Express end, we are excited about all the opportunities still available for our clients.

We have also been told that Extra Magic Hours will not be returning.  However Disney is planning to introduce a 30 minute early entry perk for onsite guests to ANY of their theme parks on any day.   This will be a great change to help with crowd management for our guests.

If you are ready to book your Walt Disney World vacation for 2022, please reach out to your RTR Travel Travel Professional and they will put you on a list to contact as soon as we have pricing.  We don't expect that for another five to six months.  If you want to get to Walt Disney World in 2021 (this is my recommendation), reach out to us right now so we can get your vacation booked and planned.  You won't be sorry!

Starting January 5th, Walt Disney World is offering a new promotion.  Get 2 extra days added to your ticket when you buy a 4-night/3-day room-and-ticket package at select Disney Resort hotels, valid for arrivals most nights January 8, 2021 through September 25, 2021.

The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. 5-day theme park tickets included in this package are valid for admission beginning on date of check-in and must be used within 8 days.  Theme park reservations are also required for park entry.

This offer cannot be combined with any other promotions.   Offer excludes the following room types: 3-bedroom villas, Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, Cabins at Disney's Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows.

Reach out to your Road To Relaxation Travel Travel Professional for a no obligation quote today.   Your 2021 vacation awaits you now!

As the phased reopening of Walt Disney World Resort continues, another exciting milestone is approaching that many Guests have been looking forward to: the return of the Park Hopper option!

How It Works:  Starting January 1, 2021, Guests who purchased a ticket or annual pass with the Park Hopper benefits will be able to visit more than one park per day, with some new modifications as part of our ongoing focus on health and safety. These modifications are designed to help us continue managing attendance in a way that fosters physical distancing.

• We will set specific Park Hopper hours during which this option will be available. Park Hopper hours will start at 2 PM each day and end at the park’s scheduled close time. Guests will soon be able to check DisneyWorld.com/ParkHours and the My Disney Experience app for the most up-to-date Park Hopper hours, as they could start earlier at a later date, depending on the day and park.
• With the updated Park Hopper experience, Guests must make a Disney Park Pass reservation for the first park they plan to visit AND enter that first park prior to visiting another. At this time, a park reservation is not required after the first park, however, reservation requirements are subject to change.

Please note that the ability to visit another park will be subject to the park’s capacity limitations.

I was able to experience some new things: like visiting Disney’s Riviera Resort, which had a delicious quick service breakfast and was so convenient to get to via Disney’s Skyliner. I also had plenty of time to enjoy my favorite attractions. ​

Hannah Sosebee, Travel Professional with Road to Relaxation Travel
My family has always been a Disney family, going once a year for many years. As an adult I decided to use what I thought was “useless knowledge” to help others while planning their magical Disney vacation.
I joined Road to Relaxation in 2018 with the goal of giving my clients the best experience possible!

​One of my favorite features of the My Disney Experience app is Mobile Ordering. Absolutely no one enjoys standing in line to order food at a Quick Service restaurant, right? Mobile Ordering takes care of that problem with just a few taps on your phone screen. 

In an effort to assist with Social Distancing guidelines, Disney is asking all guests to use Mobile Ordering whenever possible. I've put together a step by step guide to Mobile Ordering to help you prepare for your next trip!

When you're ready to order, open up the My Disney Experience app and navigate to the menu by tapping the button with three lines on the bottom right of the screen. 

From there, you can choose "Mobile Food Orders". 

Then select "Create New Order". Tip: this screen will show you pending orders, so go ahead an order WAY in advance and then navigate back to this screen when you're ready to pickup your food. ​

Once you've chosen your restaurant and arrival window, you can browse the menu and start building your order. 

​Once you've selected your items and customized them, you can add them to your order. 

At checkout, you can add any applicable discounts and purchase your meal. ​

When you are ready to pickup your food, head over to the restaurant and tap "I'm Here, Prepare My Order". You'll be able to see updates about your order on this screen and you'll receive a push notification when it's time to pick it up. ​

​If you have any questions, make sure to speak with the Cast Members at the restaurant. So far, we've found that Mobile Ordering is a great way to avoid crowds and lines in the parks! I usually build my order with my family while standing in line for an attraction so that when we're finished riding, we can head right to the restaurant! You can use the app to order at most Quick Service restaurants, including popular spots like Aloha Isle, Docking Bay 7, Flame Tree BBQ, and Satu'li Canteen. 

So, are you hungry yet?

I know what you are thinking. Cruising is still not allowed in the U.S. much less Alaska, but UnCruise has stepped up to be the exception.  Before we get into the specifics of how they plan to depart on Saturday for a 7-night Glacier Bay National Park Adventure, let's give you some details behind the company. 

UnCruise Adventures focuses on Small Boats, Small Groups and Small Footprint.  Unlike larger cruise lines, UnCruise's ships host a max of 86 people thus allowing them to be exempt from the current CDC No Sail policy.  In fact, the first cruise will have 38 guests on board!  One other draw to UnCruise is they can sail where the bigger ships cannot.  This allows you to visit amazing destinations.  For example, the August 1st sailing has the following itinerary:

DAY 1
Juneau, Alaska – Embarkation
Arriving in Juneau, you will be transferred from the airport to our hospitality area. Upon boarding, your crew greets you with champagne and smiles. Set sail for a week of scenic channels and secluded wilderness.
DAY 2
Tracy Arm
Take an early peek outside. Fjord cliffs reach skyward. Floating ice. And deep u-shaped valleys. There’s no abracadabra here. Mother Nature’s magic is real. Cruise past harbor seals and their pups lounging on chunks of ice. Tracy Arm delivers with the cotton-candy blue twin Sawyer Glaciers of its furthest reaches. Tides permitting, your skiff driver knows the ropes and guides you along. It’s a mashup of towering walls, temperamental currents, and the Coastal Mountains. So many waterfalls. Mountain goats show off fancy footwork on the cliffs. Look for them.
DAY 3
Frederick Sound
Humpbacks beeline it here each season to feed on krill, zooplankton, and herring. Watch for whales feasting in these abundant glacial waters. Hang out and enjoy the show. Cruise past Five Fingers Lighthouse, Alaska’s oldest light station, and The Brothers Islands, where sea lions nap on rocky nobs. Tonight, toast to a whale of a day in Alaska.
DAY 4
Icy Strait
Before you do anything, look out the window. From kelp-lined channels to hemlock and spruce forests, every inch of this far northwest corner is worth exploring. And today’s adventures promise to be as big as the water is deep! Seals and sea lions haul out on rocky outcroppings, resting before they disappear in the water to search for food. If the tides are right, head out in the skiff with one of the guides for a closer exploration of the rugged shore, or perhaps, make it all the way to George Island. Whatever you do—wilderness trekking, skiffing, or paddling—your expedition team guides the way.
DAY 5
Glacier Bay National Park
This crown jewel of America’s national parks covers 3.3 million acres (that’s a tad smaller than the state of Connecticut). Let that sink in. Most visitors see the same sliver of the park as everyone else. Not you. You’re going the furthest and exploring parts that 99% of visitors never go to. And you have two days to do it. Get started! Taylor Bay sea stacks and rocky shores make for good adventure. Or hike the outwash field of glaciers winding down the Fairweather Mountain Range. The cool breeze off the nearby snow and icefields is energizing. If you motor over to Dundas Bay, keep your eye out for bears, humpbacks, and if you’re lucky, a wolf sighting. Kayak the bay. Bushwhack into the forest. Discover Glacier Bay outback.
DAY 6
Glacier Bay National Park
Your camera’s memory card needs plenty of room. South Marble Island is abuzz with activity. Rare sea birds, black oystercatchers, and orange-beaked tufted puffins can’t be missed. A colony of raucous sea lions adds to the hubbub. They add a distinct aroma to the air, too. Tucking into silent Tidal Inlet—the stomping grounds for bears, wolves, mountain goats, eagles—the backdrop is spectacular. At the end of the western-most arm of the bay sits Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers. And possible views of glacial calving. Take it all in on deck.
DAY 7
Chatham Strait
Find a perch on the bridge with your captain, or with your guides on the bow, and watch for whales and other creatures before tucking into Port Frederick or another inlet in the Tongass National Forest. Any spot’s a good one to pull over and stretch your legs. Hike, paddle, or skiff your way through this remote corner with bears on the shoreline, seals bobbing on the surface, and welcoming boughs of moss in the trees. It’s all yours to explore. Back on the boat, there's a treat in store—the Farewell Dinner and some special memories from your crew.
DAY 8
​Juneau - Disembarkation
Linger over breakfast this morning cruising into Juneau. Wish your crew and new friends goodbye. Then it’s off to the airport or begin your UnCruise hotel stay or land tour.

Walt Disney World has taken a lot of measures to help their guests social distance while visiting! One of the initiatives they introduced prior to the parks opening was Mobile Dining Check-In. Our agents were able to experience this at Skipper's Canteen this week.

Prior to your dining reservation time, you'll be able to use the My Disney Experience app to check-in for your reservation while in the proximity of select Walt Disney World restaurants. This means you'll be able to wait outside and make sure you're 6 feet away from other guests, instead of a crowded podium area.

Below are some screenshots that show some of the options you can choose while checking in!

Celebrating something? Let Disney know so your servers can make sure your special day is acknowledged. 

​Have dietary restrictions? Your server will be notified of the allergy and they'll help you navigate the allergy friendly menu options. You also can ask your server to speak with a chef or a manager if you have any questions. Disney is amazing with special diets!

Need to request accessible spaces? The app allows you to notify the restaurant ahead of time, so your table can be set appropriately. ​

​When you're finished checking in, the app will be updated and you'll receive text updates about your reservation. 

​Overall, we love having this option as sometimes the check-in areas get crowded. We hope to see the feature rolled out to more restaurants soon!

We were fortunate enough to participate in the reopening of Walt Disney World this past week.  While we have lots to catch you up on with resorts, attractions, dining, shows, transportation, and more, we feel it's best to begin with safety around these items and give you first hand knowledge of the measures that have been implemented by Walt Disney World.

We flew from Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) on Southwest Airlines.  The RDU airport was not busy and they have made a few changes in regards to parking and security.  The only parking available at the airport is garage parking and it is $10 per day.  When going through security in Terminal 2 they were combining TSA Precheck and regular security lines while we were there.  If you are TSA Precheck you still go through the designated line, you will be given a card by the security officer and you will proceed to regular security.  You will go through just like the normal TSA Precheck lane once you give the card to the security officer in line.  The seating areas have been marked to allow for proper social distancing and when boarding the SWA flight, they limited each group to 10.  You must have a proper face covering that covers your mouth and nose to be allowed to board.  Once on the plane, they will not allow you to sit in the middle seat unless you are part of a group that is together.  They had one water and snack service.  Overall, SWA was professional as always and very consistent with enforcing their rules that are in place.  The passengers were all cordial and everyone seemed to be respectful of each others' space.  When we arrived at MCO, we experienced the same with full face coverings being worn and everyone practicing social distancing.​

When it comes to transportation, Disney did a masterful job of providing social distancing while maintaining as much efficiency as possible to get you transported throughout the resort.  When riding buses, you line up on a marked spot that is distanced from others and when the bus arrives the driver will ask you how many people in your group and then he will give you a number.  This number corresponds to where you will sit on the bus.  They have installed partitions between numbers along with eliminating seats to keep you separated from other parties.  

We were also excited to see USB ports on some of the buses.   Have you seen these on Walt Disney World buses previously?  This was a first for us.

​​This takes us to the end of Part 1.  In Part 2 we will talk about a few other modes of transportation that we took during the week along with.....wait for it.....THE PARKS!

If you are interested in booking a 2020 or 2021 trip to Walt Disney World, reach out to your Travel Professional today, call us at 833.RTR.TRAV or email us at Vacations@rtrtravel.com !!