Fantastical Vacations by Shannon

05/01/2025

N.S. is taking her significant other and kids to Italy! It will be their first time overseas and they are so excited to see the amazing sites. They'll be exploring Venice, Florence, Bologna and Rome on this big trip and make some awesome family memories together.

Thanks for planning your trip with me!

04/29/2025

04/28/2025

🥇5 MOST MEMORABLE SHORE EXCURSIONS 🥇

I've been fortunate enough to experience many cruises and so many wonderful adventures while in port. When I think back, there are some of the most memorable ones that come to mind. Pictures are from #1.

1️⃣ Touring Pompeii and visiting a family farm outside of Naples, Italy
2️⃣ Hiking to Middleham Falls in Dominica
3️⃣ Exploring Acapulco with a local and meeting her family at her house
4️⃣ Whale watching in Icy Strait Point in Alaska
5️⃣ Going on a pirate party boat in Barbados and walking the plank 🤣

04/27/2025

Resort Highlight ✨ Pixar Place Hotel in Disneyland ✨

Best bits about this resort:
👍Theming is so cute, colorful, tasteful and fun
👍Rooms can sleep five
👍Some have great views of Disney's California Adventure and the World of Color show
👍Joe from Soul comes to play live piano music in the lobby daily
👍Walking distance to Disney's California Adventure with it's own private entrance
👍 Fun pool area with activities, movies and a Crush slide
👍 You can watch the Disneyland fireworks from a viewing area

The not-so-great:
👎The private entrance is not helpful when you need to rent a stroller or wheelchair
👎No quick service option open late
👎You'll need to use elevators which can slow you down at times
👎Have to get inside the shower to turn it on

There is no "perfect" or "best" resort for everyone. It comes down to what is most important to your family, what level of convenience you want, what your budget is and what style of resort you like. ALL the Disney resorts have something great to offer and can be the perfect resort for someone.

04/25/2025

Just some pretty travel pics to start your weekend. 📍 Victoria, British Columbia

04/24/2025

🚌🚅The TEN things I do so I can travel as much as possible - PART TEN 🚌🚅

News flash - I'm not rich. Some people may think I am with as much as I travel. Rather I have learned some tricks to maximize my vacations without going into debt.

Check the surrounding airports for your destination. Look at adding a stopover flight. This could mean taking an extra long layover for a lower price or adding a destination in between so you can explore multiple places in one trip.

Few examples - we've added a stopover in Bologna, Italy for a few days and then took the train to Ravenna for a cruise. Or when we go to Disneyland, we check all three area airports to find the best deal. And a surprising one - last year, rather than flying home from Miami after a trip, it was significantly less expensive for my husband and I to rent a car, drive up the coast to Kennedy Space Center, spend the night and fly home from Orlando the next day. That means we got to have a mini road trip, enjoy an attraction and another night of vacation and STILL save money!

Now I realize these tips aren't for everyone and I don't follow every one of these ALL the time. But if you feel that you can't afford to travel, consider some of these ideas to save money so you can get out there!

04/24/2025

🚌🚅The TEN things I do so I can travel as much as possible - PART NINE 🚌🚅

News flash - I'm not rich. Some people may think I am with as much as I travel. Rather I have learned some tricks to maximize my vacations without going into debt.

If your destination is proving to be very expensive to stay in, consider staying on the outskirts and using public transportation or rideshare. Weigh the cost of convenience though. If you are only saving a little bit to stay outside of the city/destination and spending far more time commuting, it may not be worth it.

Now I realize these tips aren't for everyone and I don't follow every one of these ALL the time. But if you feel that you can't afford to travel, consider some of these ideas to save money so you can get out there!

04/24/2025

The K family are going with relatives for their FIRST ever family vacation! I'm so excited for this large family to get away to Mexico and enjoy the sun, the sand and the lovely blue waters together. They'll be enjoying a family suite at Crown Paradise Club in Cancun.

Thanks for planning your trip with me!

04/21/2025

2026 Walt Disney World packages are available starting April 22! There's also a sweet deal which snags kids under 10 free dining during the trip.

A look at offerings coming to Walt Disney World in 2026 🏰✨ http://di.sn/61822rU7M

04/20/2025

The award for my favorite Disneyland attraction goes to....Pirates of the Caribbean! 🏆

04/19/2025

Thank you for the review! 🥰

04/19/2025

Just some pretty travel pics to start your weekend. 📍 Disneyland Park, California

04/18/2025

DAY 🔟 Our daughter's birthday/Christmas trip recap! 🎁

We took a walk in Ensenada, Mexico. Not all ports you stop at on a cruise are going to be touristy or even pretty. Ensenada is a good example. We walked into town to find a gas station so we could pick up some Mexican candy and have Melody practice some Spanish. In the afternoon we did trivia in one of the pubs onboard, saw another INCREDIBLE stage show featuring a new cast member friend Melody made and enjoyed a really fun dinner at Animator's Palate - such a unique restaurant that comes to live throughout the meal.

🤔I learn something new on every trip!🧐 Today I realized how much our travels have helped Melody grow. She is picking up on cues around her and paying more attention to experiences. One example today was when she noticed someone wasn't understanding her Spanish so she asked them if they speak English. Another was "advocating" for herself to the dining staff at dinner when she needed something and understanding time constraints to manage the activities we want to participate in. Little things but all great life skills.