Magical Vacation Planner by Beth Blaydoe

06/05/2026

Cheers to the weekend!

Pictured: Athenian Milk Punch from Bar Helios at Helios Grand Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort

06/04/2026

Disney is giving us a tease about the currently under construction area of Monstropolis at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Since Disney loves hiding Easter eggs in everything they do, I wonder what is going to happen on 8/15 🤔

H.U.M.A.N. Day is a go 👍 Mike and Sulley are preparing to showcase life inside Monstropolis to humans ✨

http://di.sn/6000B8W4Xi

06/03/2026

Universal’s NEW U.K. theme park officially has a name:
Universal United Kingdom Resort!

With this massive project, Comcast says it plans to invest:
• More than $6.7 BILLION during construction
• Another $1.3 BILLION over the first 10 years of operation

The British government is also investing heavily in infrastructure and transportation to support the resort.

This new resort will be locates near Bedford, England and is expected to open in 2031.

According to Universal, the resort will feature:
• Immersive storytelling
• Thrill attractions
• Entertainment
• Hotels
• Large-scale resort experiences

👀 The project is expected to create:
• 28,000 jobs
• Billions in tourism revenue

What franchise do YOU think Universal NEEDS to include in the U.K. park? Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an obvious choice...but what else?



universal united kingdom resort
universal uk theme park 🎢🇬🇧

06/02/2026

Carnival Pride calls the Port of Baltimore home (and the Miracle will be coming soon). Cruising out of Baltimore is so easy and the ships have the best crew to passenger ratio in the entire Carnival fleet.

06/01/2026

One of my favorite things about travel is the change in perspective: there is always a perspective change. Whether you are learning about new cultures or areas outside of your home, your perspective shifts.

In a more literal sense, that's one of the reasons I love flying so much. I know that air travel can be a hassle, but once in the skies, it's mind-blowing that you are there with a literal bird's eye view of the land. In the age of technology, it's sometimes difficult to appreciate the human achievement behind it.

I was coming back from a long trip to Indiana, staying with family to help them out when I snapped the photo below. Being between the clouds made me forget about how long of a travel day I would have and the fact I had a connection in Tampa before getting back to Baltimore. I just sat in the awe of it all.

05/29/2026

Cheers to the weekend!

Pictured: Mo'ara Margarita and pongu lumpia (pineapple and cream cheese) from Pongu Pongu at Disney's Animal Kingdom

05/28/2026

Today is a day for announcements!

Universal has announced the opening of their Kids Resort in Frisco, TX as July 1! This is the first-ever family-focused resort by Universal and will feature Shrek, Jurassic World, SpongeBob SquarePants, Minions, Trolls, Puss in Boots, and Gabby's Dollhouse. The resort features rides, interactive play areas, character experiences, and a 300 room themed hotel and is geared towards families with kids ages 3-9. Yes, reservations are now open for hotel and ticket packages!

Over at Disney World, they have announced an update to the Magic Kingdom attraction that allowed Disney to perfect the audio-animatronic: the Carousel of Progress. It's one of the remaining attractions that Walt Disney created from beginning to end. If you are unfamiliar with the show, you follow the story of a family from the turn of the century in 1900 through to the future (which was about 1993). This update will change the time period from the 1960s to a possible future. The carousel will close July 6 and will reopen in 2027.

Also at Disney World, over at Hollywood Studios, they have announced what is going into the Magic of Animation building. There will be a play area with a Wonderland theme, drawing with Olaf, and more!

Magical Vacation Planner has a new preferred vendor in AmaWaterways! AmaWaterways is a respected brand within the luxury river cruising world. They are known for their beautiful ships, exceptional service, immersive itineraries, and outstanding experiences.

05/27/2026

Sometimes all it takes is one step to turn "someday" into something real...or one person. I have a friend (and client) who is an avid Disney cruiser. We chat about it all the time and I have always lamented how I have never been on one but would like to go.

Last year, this person booked a cabin aboard Disney Destiny. With a parlor dedicated to both Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion (two of my favorite rides) as well as a Marvel theme, it became difficult to say no to their chorus of "you should come, too." After a 50% off the deposit promo came around, it was even harder to say no.

So, I booked myself. Finally! It had to have been Destiny (see what I did there). Our sailing doesn't embark until September but to say I am excited about it is an understatement. The best part is I am traveling with one of my cousins as well as my friend and their spouse. Sometimes you just need the right push to find out someday is closer than you imagine it to be.

05/26/2026

Travel has a way of creating moments that stay with us. Sure, there may be a celebratory reason to travel, which in and of itself will make for unique memories, but it's the other little surprising moments that can stay with us.

My husband, Shaun, and I vacationed in Punta Cana for our honeymoon. What can be more memorable than a honeymoon, right? It's a magical trip already. I wanted to do a snorkel excursion and while looking through the AMStar catalog onsite, Shaun pointed at an excursion and said we should do that one, too. It was a place called Monkeyland. Aside from Shaun recounting me continuously going down waterslides to try to convince myself that I actually like them (jury's still out on that one), Monkeyland is the story we tell.

I don't know what we were expecting but Monkeyland surprised us. There's something about having squirrel monkeys roaming freely and climbing on you to get to the bowls of fruit and flowers in your hand that makes everything in the world seem right for a bit. Staying in the moment was easy and fun. It was so hard to leave the sanctuary and hop back on the van when it was time to go see the cacao farm.

It doesn't matter where you go, there will be small defining moments that become lifelong memories. All you have to do, is just take the trip.

05/25/2026

Reflecting this Memorial Day on those who made the ultimate sacrifice.