Tammy Richardson, Author at Fairytales and Sunsets Travel, LLC

Should You Experience Extra Magic Hours?

Should You Experience Extra Magic Hours?

Our clients often ask what are the Extra Magic Hours and should we use them on our next Walt Disney World vacation?

What are Extra Magic Hours? This perk is offered each day at one outof the four Walt Disney World theme parks. The park will either open one hour early or remains open up to two hours after the park’s regular scheduled closing time.

It is important to note that Magic Kingdom is typically only scheduled for the Early Extra Magic Hours at 8:00am on select days each week. However, Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are operating with 7:00 AM openings beginning on August 29^th through November 2^nd, 2019.

Who can experience the Extra Magic Hours? They are offered to clients that stay onsite at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel or some select Walt Disney World Hotels. There is no additional charge for this opportunity. You will have to use your Magic Band at the turnstile for early access into the park that is participating in the Extra Magic Hour for that day.

So now for the most asked question about this feature, should our family participate in Extra Magic Hours? Most onsite guests will use this wonderful perk, which can cause the park to be crowded on the same day. However, if you are park hopping, this is an excellent opportunity to ride a few rides and head to another one of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World. We also like the idea of the availability to enter the parks early in the morning while everyone else is still sleeping. Yes, other guests may sleep in so park openings are a huge bonus to ride your favorite rides.

The parks tend to get busier from 1:00pm and throughout the remainder of the day. Also, the evening Extra Magic Hours are great also because some guests will leave the park earlier than planned.

You will want to decide what fits your family’s vacation style. If you prefer to sleep in or cannot stay up late, this perk may not fit your family’s needs. You can also utilize the Extra Magic Hours on any one certain day of your vacation. We hope this helps you decide what works best for your vacation.

As always, we are here to help our clients with all of the fun planning so feel free to ask us at Fairytales and Sunsets Travel any questions about this onsite perk.

Extra, Extra Magic Hours News!

We are excited for the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We also realize the new land will be popular with large crowds. Disney has just announced they will offer Extra, Extra Magic Hours at Walt Disney World for three of their theme parks with specific dates and new times (Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios). This will include Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

Here is what you can expect this Fall:

Disney’s Hollywood Studios — Each day beginning on September 1^st through November 2^nd, 2019, the park will have Extra, Extra Magic Hours from 6:00am to 9:00am. Yes, this includes Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land attractions, and select other attractions. August 29^th through August 31^st, 2019, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open at 6:00am for all guests. This means there will not be any Extra, Extra Magic Hours during this time.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Each day beginning on August 29^th through November 2^nd, 2019, the park will have Extra, Extra Magic Hours from 7:00am to 8:00am. This will includePandora – The World of Avatar and other attractions throughout the park. You can experience the same attractions that are offered now with Extra Magic Hours.
Magic Kingdom Park Each day beginning on August 29^th through November 2^nd, 2019, the park will have Extra, Extra Magic Hours from 7:00am to 8:00am. You can experience the same attractions that are offered now with Extra Magic Hours. (Fantasyland and Tomorrowland).
Epcot will continue as normal with Extra Magic Hours on select days. There are no changes being made to Epcot’s Extra Magic Hours.

Please note these important requirements:

Requires a valid theme park admission and hotel identification.
If you want to visit more than one park in the same day, you must have the Park Hopper Option.
Times and offerings are subject to Walt Disney World schedule and attractions changes, without notice.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its experiences are subject to availability and capacity.

Our agency specializes in all Disney Destinations. We would love to help create Magical moments for your next Disney vacation.

Tammy Richardson Certified Sandals Specialist

READY TO GIVE YOU NEXT LEVEL INFO & SERVICE: TAMMY RICHARDSON OF FAIRYTALES AND SUNSETS TRAVEL, LLC ATTENDS SANDALS RESORTS LUXURY INCLUDED® WORSKSHOP

Nashville, TN, July 3, 2018 – Certified Sandals Specialist Tammy Richardson of Fairytales and Sunsets Travel, LLC has successfully completed ALWAYS NEXT LEVEL, the latest Sandals Resorts’ travel agent workshop and is now fully prepared to share with travelers the most exciting reasons to visit the Caribbean’s leading Luxury Included® resorts right now.

According to Richardson, the immersive workshop covered all that’s new and exciting across the Sandals Resorts International (SRI) family of brands that include adult couples-only Sandals Resorts; family-friendly Beaches Resorts; Island Routes Caribbean Adventures for fun excursions in the Caribbean and is a critical opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of these distinct brands. “From the opening of Sandals Royal Barbados, Sandals’ second luxury resort here and the launch of Aisle to Isle, a new destination wedding program to Beaches Resorts’ groundbreaking certified autism centers, travelers can be confident that my counsel is informed and expert,” said Richardson.

Richardson is a Certified Sandals Specialist (CSS), part of an elite group of travel agents recognized by the travel industry as experts in the world’s only Luxury Included® Resorts. ALWAYS NEXT LEVEL fulfills the crucial educational requirement for travel agents pursuing their Certified Sandals Specialist designation.

“We applaud Tammy Richardson on this tremendous accomplishment. CSS agents are uniquely qualified to help travelers select their best Caribbean vacation, and it is a sincere pleasure to recognize Fairytales and Sunsets Travel, LLC for their dedication to serving their clients so well,” said Gary Sadler, Senior Vice President of Sales for North America at Unique Vacations, Inc., an affiliate of the worldwide representatives for Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts.

Tammy Richardson specializes in Disney Destinations, Universal Orlando Resort & Universal Hollywood, Sandals and Beaches, Hawaii, and Saint Lucia. Contact Tammy for your next amazing vacation!

When Should I Book My Walt Disney World Vacation?

When Should I Book My Walt Disney World Vacation?

Clients often ask how far in advance they should consider booking their Walt Disney World vacation with us. The answer is simple, sooner is better for the best room category, dining reservations, and FastPass+ selections.

We suggest the following tips to help you decide on when you should book your next Magical vacation with Fairytales and Sunsets Travel.

We suggest you book at least seven months in advance.
When you book your Disney vacation in advance, you can book your dining reservations 180+ days in advance. This is a significant part of your vacation planning, especially if you are searching for character meals.
All Disney onsite guests can book their FastPass reservations 60 days in advance before you ever leave home. This is crucial for those hard to get FastPass+ selections!
Layaway Plan! Yes, you can book your Walt Disney World vacation via layaway! You can book your Disney reservation with us for a minimum down payment per room of $200.00. You can make payments of any amount at any time as long as you are paid in full at least 30 days in advance.

We hope this helps you decide on when to book your next Magical vacation! Contact us for a quote for your next Walt Disney World vacation and enjoy our complimentary planning services.

Best Times to Visit Saint Lucia

Best Times to Visit Saint Lucia

We are Saint Lucia experts and want to help you plan your next getaway! Saint Lucia is one of the most beautiful Caribbean destinations in the world. Here are some things to consider for your next Saint Lucia experience!

What about the Weather?

Temperatures range from 86°F to 71.6°F throughout the year. December to April are some of the most popular times to visit Saint Lucia. It is important to note that at the end of the year until February, the breeze can be chilly at night and breezy during the day.

April to June are some of the best months as well. June through November do experience the most rain and includes hurricane season. This is also a great way to get some of the best pricing. Be sure to include travel insurance!

You can enjoy whale watching from October to February.

Be sure you take in the beauty of The Pitons!

When should I go?

Let’s start with the obvious, the holidays! Imagine you and your loved ones are celebrating Easter, Christmas, or ringing in the New Year together in Saint Lucia! Doesn’t that sound lovely?

This is not an all-inclusive list of the great experiences in Saint Lucia and more of a brief overview.

May during the Annual Saint Lucia Jazz Festival, which features some local and international acts and amazing jazz!

July brings Carnival, the island’s major festival with festivities and beauty queen competitions, band competitions for the “band of the year” title, and more!

August and October will have more fun celebrations, Saint Lucia’s two flower festivals, and Creole Festivals!

September is probably our favorite! Roots & Soul Festival with concerts on parts of the island and the Saint Lucia Food & Rum Festival. Did someone say rum? You can sip some of the finest rums of the Caribbean and the world!

One thing is for sure, when you visit Saint Lucia you should check out a street party and enjoy learning about the heritage, but most of all, let her inspire you to explore the beautiful island!

We hope this inspires you to visit Saint Lucia soon! Let us help you pick out the perfect time to visit Saint Lucia!

Vacation Layaway Tips

Vacation Layaway Tips

The New Year brings lots of new beginnings and the cold weather has us all focused on planning our vacation getaways. We love to travel with our significant other to adult only resorts and with our family to fun filled top destinations! No matter the type of travel you are planning, be sure to make Vacation Layaway work for you!

A seamless stress-free vacation should be filled with priceless memories. Here are some tips we have compiled to help you utilize vacation layaway.

1. Book Early and save money! For example, Walt Disney World vacation packages require a $200.00 deposit per room to secure your reservation. Bonus: Your package paid in full date is 30 days before your vacation is to begin! Pay your $200.00 deposit and you can pay as you go; the same as most layaway plans.

2. A Universal Orlando vacation is unique. First, book early to save money as they utilize dynamic pricing. This means the sooner you book your package, the cheaper your rate! Second, you will have a wider variety of resorts and room categories to choose from.

3. Yes, we do have layaway plans for Hawaii, the Caribbean, Cruises, Mexico, destinations around the world, plus, other destinations in the United States. Most deposits will range from 7%-20%. This will vary by locations and suppliers. Cruise Line pricing is best when rates are released so booking early is your best savings!

Fairytales and Sunsets Travel makes your vacation planning seamless and stress-free.

We listen to your travel wishes and make suggestions that fit your travel style.
Our services are complimentary for our clients.
We provide you with our expertise tips.
We monitor all promotions and make sure you are getting the best deal.
We stay on top of travel trends and changes that may affect your travel.
We will be your advocate from the beginning of the planning, during travel, and even after you return home.

You Need A Travel Designer in 2019

Many times, we are asked why should I book with you or what can a travel agent do for me?

We compiled a list of our top reasons to use a trusted travel designer with Fairytales and Sunsets Travel:

We are experts in our field. We stay on top of the travel trends and changes and what is hot and what is not! Let’s be honest, we all need experts. We would not go to the foot doctor for a heart surgery. Always trust someone who is an expert in the field!
Your life is busy, you book your vacation, things go wrong, and you have no one to help. This is why you should book with us. We are with you before, during, and after your travel. This is true. We once had a refund due to a client from a resort and we stayed on it for two weeks after they arrived home. We worked diligently on their behalf and they did receive their refund!
We listen! We want to know what makes you happy and your dislikes. We are not a search engine, we are real people with compassion and understanding.
We work with our top suppliers and search for the best pricing and accommodations for our clients. We hand pick our suppliers because we prefer quality over quantity.
We take all the work out of the DIY. You really should use this time for the important things: family, friends, relaxation, and living life.
Stuck at the airport? No worries, we are on top of it. We track your flights when you book with us. We want to know you have issues before you do! While we cannot control the airlines and mechanical breakdowns, we can assist with changing reservations, flights, and more!
Flights again: We had clients with a delayed flight, which delayed them getting through Customs. We called the airline, changed our client’s flight and got them on the last two seats flying out that night. If the clients had waited and went to the airline desk after getting through customs, you guessed it, they would have spent the night at the airport.
We are passionate about our clients and love helping you plan amazing adventures!
We study hard to become specialists. We are always learning because we want to give you our best!
We put you first! We will plan your vacation as if it were our own.