Dream Travel with Sam

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Dream Travel with Sam

Can’t wait to help you plan your dream vacation
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Willow + Wand travel agent specializing in worldwide vacations including travel to all 7 continents, Disney, Universal Studios,ocean and river cruises, and more!

10/16/2026

🎃 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary vs. Oogie Boogie Bash: I’ve done both, so let’s settle this.

The short version: Team Mickey for the parade and shows, Team Oogie for the villain treat trails (my personal favorite!). Swipe for the full breakdown 👉

Both parties are sold out for 2026, but 2027 planning starts now. Dates and pricing aren’t out yet, and when they drop, these can sell out FAST. 👀

Time to start planning on if you want to visit Florida or California now!

MNSSHP wins this one for me. The Boo to You Parade is, in my opinion, the best parade Disney does, and the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular is amazing for Hocus Pocus fans.

Oogie counters with Villains Grove, a one-of-a-kind experience at Disney parks. In 2026, Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake replaced the parade and showed up in 3 spots with a dance. Not bad if you caught it!

Oogie takes it for me. The villain treat trails let you collect candy while listening to and interacting with the villains. They’re not set meet and greets, but they’re my favorite part of either party.

MNSSHP has candy spots with cast members throughout the park. Both give you WAY too much candy. 🍬

Both have unique characters you won’t see on a normal day. MNSSHP has the better meet and greets, but the Sanderson Sisters at OBB are always a win.

MNSSHP has 3 party-night ride overlays: Space Mountain, Mad Tea Party, and Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. Oogie has 3 overlays too (Guardians of the Galaxy, Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree, and Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-o-ween), but they aren’t specific to party nights.

Nothing beats Space Mountain in complete darkness!

Costumes are encouraged on both coasts. We had a great time with group costumes at both parties and even caught attention for cast member awards.

Winners: Team Oogie for villains and treat trails, Team Mickey for the parade and shows.

For me, if I had to pick one, I am going to Oogie Boogie Bash!

Both are sold out for 2026, but dates and pricing for 2027 aren’t out yet. DM me and I’ll make sure you’re first to know!

Which team are you? 👇

10/10/2026

World Mental Health Day reminder (and long post warning): You deserve to make time for the things that make you happy. ❤️

Maybe it’s standing on top of a mountain after a challenging hike.

Maybe it’s feeling the ocean breeze on a beach, watching the world go by from a cruise ship, or wandering through a new city with no plans other than seeing where the day takes you.

Maybe it’s running toward your favorite theme park ride like you’re 10 years old again. 🎢

Whatever it is, make time for it.

Life gets busy. Work piles up. Responsibilities never seem to end. And sometimes we get so caught up in everything we have to do that we forget to make room for the things we love to do.

Travel isn’t a cure-all for mental health, and not everyone has the time or budget for a big vacation. But having something to look forward to, stepping away from your everyday routine, spending time with people you love, and making memories that remind you what brings you joy can all be meaningful ways to care for yourself.

You don’t have to wait until you’re completely burned out to take a break. You don’t have to earn a vacation by working yourself into the ground first.

Whether it’s a weekend getaway, a day trip, a local adventure, or that big bucket-list trip you’ve been dreaming about, give yourself permission to make it happen.

Your happiness matters, too. And life is meant to be lived, not just managed. 💚

So tell me: Where do YOU go to recharge? The mountains, the beach, a theme park, a cruise ship, or somewhere completely different?
Let’s fill those calendars with a little more joy. ✨

09/30/2026

Banff was a dream!

Banff and Jasper had been on my must-see list for almost a decade, and they did NOT disappoint.

The trip was all about big hikes and bigger views especially the turquoise lakes: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Maligne Lake, Medicine Lake, and more. We even timed it perfectly with the aspens and larches changing colors at the end of September. 🍂

The stats:
🥾7 hikes
📏50.6 miles
🏔️15,000+ ft of elevation gain
🏃‍♀️Topped it off with Melissa’s Road Race half marathon

This is a hiker’s dream vacation, but stay tuned, because I’ll be sharing plenty of incredible sights you can see without walking far.

Swipe through for our day-by-day itinerary. ➡️

Is Banff on your must-see list? Tell me in the comments. 👇

08/26/2026

Happy 110th Birthday National Park Service! 110 years of protecting the wildest, most breathtaking corners of the US.

While I’ll always love a good European getaway or cruise, there is something different about exploring a national park.

Which National Park is your favorite? 👇

08/14/2026

Alaska Packing Fun

Packing for Alaska is a challenge, especially when trying to keep to carry on luggage and deal with a range of weather.

While my summer river cruise packing was full of sun dresses and sandals, this trip is all about active outdoor attire and layers!

We will be running a half marathon in Anchorage and exploring two Alaska National Parks: Kenai Fjords and Denali.

The weather will vary across our destinations so while I may not need warm layers in Anchorage, I will likely need them on the cool, rainy boat ride through Kenai Fjords and early morning hikes in Denali.

Hoping I did a great job, but thankfully there are always stores for anything I forgot 😁

I will always be Team Carry On! No change of lost luggage and no waiting on the other end.

The main reason for the trip is to run a half marathon in Anchorage! This will be my 16th state I have run at least a half marathon.

Almost all of our fun will be outside at national parks so I have a mix of t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, hiking pants, and capris.

Remember, Alaska is always about layers!

Yes, it is still summer in Alaska and a perfect time to visit, but some days will still have lows in the 40s and rainy so I brought warm clothes just in case. And you always need a rain jacket for Alaska.

We have some time to explore Anchorage and Seward so it is always nice to clean up a little for dinner.

Important other things to bring:
- Toiletries including sunscreen
- Computer so I can keep an eye on client emails
- Kindle full of books
- Snacks for the plane
- Games to play while driving thru Alaska

The most important thing when packing is bringing things that cannot be easily bought at your destination. Anything I forgot, I can easily purchase in Alaska.

07/22/2026

Bucharest, you surprised me in the best way. 🇷🇴

This city doesn’t get talked about enough on river cruise itineraries, and it should. I spent 1.5 days wandering — incredible food, beautiful architecture, and a walking tour focused on Communism that completely changed how I understood this place.

Bucharest’s history is turbulent, complicated, and important — and getting to learn it on the ground made this stop one of my favorites of the whole trip.

Curious what a Communism walking tour is actually like? Ask me anything in the comments.

07/11/2026

I did not expect to be this obsessed with the food on a river cruise, but here we are. You will not go hungry on this ship.

AmaWaterways focuses on regional cuisine, so I got to try Hungarian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, and Romanian dishes at lunch and dinner — plus classics like burger, pizza, and steak any time you want them. Swipe through for the full breakdown.

Full breakfast served in Journey’s Restaurant, or bistro-style pastries, eggs, and sausage in the Lark Lounge.

Choose from a sit-down lunch in Journey’s Restaurant, Italian favorites at Chef’s Table, or finger food in the Lark Lounge.

Regionally sourced delicious multi course meals in Journey’s Restaurant every night.

An 8-course tasting experience, offered once per cruise for each guest. Easily one of the best meals of the trip.

And yes, there’s always room for dessert. From pastries to plated finales, this ship does not hold back.

Address

951 16th Street Mall
Denver, CO
80202

Website

http://www.letsgoparkhopping.com/samform

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