16 December 2020

Brexit and Travelling to Europe Brexit seems to be finally happening, but what does that mean for us travelling to Europe? Things will change and what once was an easy process, with not many things to think about other than packing and making sure you have your passport and EHIC, unfortunately, there will be a few other things to remember and arrange before you go. Passports and Visa Requirements Check the date that your passport expires. After the 1st January 2021 you must have at least 6 months validity, on the date of your arrival to travel to the EU. Your passport must also be less than 10 years old. If you would like to check whether your passport is valid for travel, use this link https://www.gov.uk/check-a-passport-travel-europe-1-january-2021 If you need to renew your passport, I would highly recommend you renew sooner rather than later, to ensure you have it in your hands well before your travel date. You can find details of how to renew your passport here https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport/renew You will not require a visa to enter an EU country, if you are staying for less than 90 days, within a 180 day period. My recommendation would be to check the FCDO website for country specific guidance and this can be checked here https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice Travel Insurance and Health Care in Europe The European Health Insurance card or EHIC will no longer be valid for use by British citizens as of the 1st January 2021. As always, my advice is to ensure you have the appropriate travel insurance, adequate for the country you are travelling to and this forms part of your conditions for booking. I can offer a comprehensive travel insurance, using our preferred travel insurance provider, please contact me directly for details. When looking at insurance policies, please ensure that it will cover your individual circumstances, which includes any pre existing medical conditions. Use this link https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-insurance#history for general information and guidance on travel insurance. Driving abroad If you wish to drive in the EU on or after the 1st January 2021 you will need to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP). These can be bought at the Post Office for £5.50 per permit. Please note that you may need more than one permit, if you’re driving through more than one country. You can check to see which IDP you will require in which country here https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit If you are taking your own car abroad, you will no longer be able to take advantage of the EU’s automatic 3rd party motor insurance cover, so you will need to obtain a Green Card from your car insurance company. These are physical green cards, so you will need to apply for one with plenty of time for it to arrive before the start of your journey. These are issued free of charge. Mobile Data Roaming charges Check if your mobile phone operator will offer free roaming to avoid potential new charges when travelling to Europe. A new law means you will be notified when you reach a £45 spend, and you will need to opt-in to continue using mobile data. Border Control and Potential Disruption Be prepared to show a return ticket or proof of an onward journey when you enter an EU country from 1st January 2021. This will be to prove that you are not staying longer than 90 days. Also, please be prepared to give yourself more travelling time, as there maybe disruption to services for a short period after the 1st January 2021. This may mean travelling to the airport in plenty of time, to be able to get through passport control or security.

18 June 2019

We've been back a few months now, had time to readjust from the Disney bubble and there's a few tips and things I wanted to share, to help you plan and prepare for the most magical holiday! Planning is not everyone's cup of tea, some like to wing it/roll with it/take every day as it comes, but I do believe, especially if it's your first trip to Orlando, there needs to be some prep and planning, so you don't miss out on things you want to do. General Organisation Make a list of things you and the family want to see and do, this way, you won’t miss anything. (This includes places to eat, rides, characters to meet and places you want to see. Try and plan your days, but don't feel like you have to stick to everything on that plan. Make it flexible, just in case you get tired, or want to go to a park/shop/waterpark again. If you want character dining or to visit specific restaurants/have the Disney Dining Plan, I recommend you book restaurants at Disney for character dining, or have a dining plan. These are available to book from 180 days before and some get booked up very early, so worth booking then if you can. This can be done on the My Disney Experience App. Fast passes can be booked 60 days prior to your stay and for the full duration. I would recommend for the more popular rides, such as Avatar Flight of Passage, Slinky Dog Dash and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train and work backwards from the end of your stay. Most people go from the start and you are much more likely to find availability! You can also check the extra magic hours in advance, so you can see where you can go early or late! These are again available from 180 days. If you have the dining plan and don't use all your credits, these can be used towards bags of sweets, either at your hotel or in any of the Disney shops. They can also be used at Ghirardelli's and Goofy's Candy store at Disney Springs. Great for presents when you return home! Tipping! A controversial subject for many, but it is a way of life in the USA. As a rule, you should tip between 15 -20%, however, this is up to you. If you are a party of 6 or more, an 18% tip will be added onto your bill, automatically at the end of your meal. If you are on the dining plan, you will still be required to pay for the tips and this can be paid by card, cash or Magic Band onto your room bill. Utilise the extra magic hours. These are times when the parks are only open to guests staying onsite. They are great for getting on all those rides you don't want to queue ages for and getting those magical photos! Get those Magical shots! Use the Memory Maker to its full potential and when you are having your photo taken by a cast member, ask for some magic When using the water parks and staying onsite, you don't need to take towels with you from home! You can rent them for free - saves on that luggage space! Use the My Disney Experience App for the following: * ride times * opening times * restaurant bookings * fastpasses * a calendar of what you have booked * maps - these help you figure out where you need to go and how to get there! * your room bill * bus times (from the hotels to the parks only) * you can even use your app to get into your room! You can save $10 per night, if you don't have Mousekeeping (housekeeping in non-Disney hotels!) However, this does mean nothing will be cleaned or changed in your room. You can ask them for new towels, bin bags etc and they will take the old ones away. If you did want your room cleaned, you would just need to pay $10 each time you request it. If you were staying for 7 nights, you would get $60 onto a gift card, which is sent to your email. It will have a barcode, which is scanned when you wanted to purchase anything. A great way of saving money and housekeeping time, as well as the environment, with not having towels replaced every day! If you want to take photos when you're at a waterpark and don't want to buy a GoPro, invest in a waterproof pouch (see pic). These were amazing, although I was sceptical at first! They actually keep the water out and you can take photos in the water, with your phone! And they are clear - all of my photos in the water were taken with my phone and they've come out brilliantly. We got ours from Amazon at £10 for 2 pouches, or you can buy them in the parks at $30 each! Bumbags - went out of fashion in the 80's/90's but are now back! They will be your best friend and I can honestly say, I missed mine when I came home! They can go on rides with you, no achy shoulder from carrying a handbag with loads of stuff you don't need in it (ladies, you know what I'm talking about!) And they are quick and easy to remove if you need to. Bum bags also hold so much stuff! Well worth the purchase in my eyes! At the airport If you're arriving into Orlando international, you may want to be aware of a few things. Sometimes you can wait long periods of time, on arrival, to get through immigration. It depends on how many flights are due in and how many staff are on the desks. It can take up to an hour and a half to 2 hours (this is extreme but does happen). You cannot use phone during this time, so be prepared for things for kids to do (snacks, books, toys etc) there is no quick way around this unfortunately. However, being prepared is key. If you're taking small children, take carriers or something they can sit on - Trunkis are amazing! Once you are through security, you collect your bags. Don't get a trolley at this point! You will only have to give it up, the moment you walk less than 100 yards to the door! You can use the luggage belts, to send your luggage on and pick it up through the airport. This may seem an easier option (especially if like us you had 6 suitcases, a pushchair, 4 cabin cases, a trunki, a car seat and a backpack!) However, you will wait some time for it at the other end. If you are collecting a car, I can highly recommend from previous experience, to check in online beforehand if you have the option to. This will save you time. On your return home, arrive at the airport in plenty of time for your flight (I know this seems like common sense) the security queue can be very long. However, be advised that there is very little in terms of shops once you are past this point. There are a few restaurants, a Starbucks and a Burger King!

31 May 2019

For any wannabe Princesses, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is the ultimate treat! There are two locations, one in Disney Springs and the other at Cinderella’s Castle, in Magic Kingdom and its available for children aged 3-12. Both locations have the full boutique, with Fairy Godmothers in training and a full selection of dresses, tiaras and pixie dust! This experience is available to book 180 days prior to departure (I can book this for you) the earlier you book, the more chance you must get the Magic Kingdom boutique, as this is smaller than Disney Springs, as well as being more popular. To book, you just need a credit card to guarantee the booking and they will only charge you if you are a no show ($10pp). You don't even need to choose the packages there and then; you can choose this once you arrive for your reservation. The options you can choose from are: The Crown Package which includes the following: Hairstyling Shimmering make-up and face gem Princess sash and cinch sack Nail polish You can take your own dress or outfit to wear. The Courtyard Package which includes everything in the Crown Package as well as a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique T-shirt and Trendy tutu Castle Package which includes everything in the Crown Package as well as the following: Disney Princess gown of your choice (shoes not included) Additional coordinating accessories The Deluxe Castle Package which includes everything in the Castle Package except it's a Deluxe Disney Princess gown of your choice (shoes not included). Select from a limited number of Disney Princesses and a coordinating boxed accessory set. Each experience is amazing and on arrival you check in and get to meet some of the Fairy Godmothers in training! Whilst you wait, they will read you a story or colour in beautiful pictures of all the princesses with you, so you don't get bored before your appointment starts. If you're choosing your own dress, the boutique has a variety of princesses to choose from and once you have chosen, your Fairy Godmother in training, will go and search for the dress in your size. Then it’s time for the changing room! This is where you get changed, ready for your transformation. Once you are changed, you will be shown to your very own chair, where your makeover will begin. You choose from a variety of hairstyles and accessories. Darcie chose the Fairy-tale Princess look, with a matching hair piece (this was not the choice I had in mind, but it was her decision!) Her hair was put delicately, but firmly into a bun, with a gorgeous little tiara added (after the lovely pink hair piece!) Then the makeup was chosen (the princesses get to keep this little make up kit afterwards which is really cute), face gems were added, after Darcie had carefully chosen which ones she had wanted and while all of that was happening, her nails were painted in a sparkly, glitter nail polish (again, yours when you leave). Once she was ready, the Fairy Godmother in training applied some pixie dust and called over the photographer for the big reveal! This is where you need your tissues at the ready. The chair is turned in a 10 years younger fashion, where the young princess sees herself for the 1st time all made up! The reaction is just incredible and makes the cost all worthwhile! Photos are then taken by the mirror and you are handed your BBB cinch bag, with your goodies in (after the bank of Mum and Dad pay!) This whole experience lasts around 45 minutes to an hour and then you can go and have your photos taken in a studio (across for the BBB in the Magic Kingdom or with the Disney Springs location). Why not book your BBB experience, alongside a meal with the princesses at Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom or Arkeshus Hall at Epcot, where you can have a wonderful waiter service meal with a selection of Princesses, such as Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle and Snow White to name but a few. We booked into Arkeshus Hall for dinner, which was a wonderful experience, especially as the girls were all dressed up! My top tips for the best experience - Book early if you want the Magic Kingdom location - Try and get an appointment in the morning especially for the younger guests, they can get tired much quicker in the heat and by the afternoon (as we found out) can get a little grumpy and need a sleep once their hair has been done! - If you can get an appointment in the morning, book Cinderella's Royal Table for breakfast, it's easier to get a booking in the morning than for dinner! - You can take your own dresses. We decided as a treat for Darcie, she could choose one there. Next time, we will take one and save ourselves $70! Our nieces had theirs specially made for them and went down a treat! - Film it, take pictures and watch every glisten and facial expression! Those memories will last a lifetime!

19 November 2018

My Top 10 New York New York is a thrilling city, that really doesn’t sleep! There is always something to do! From Midtown and Greenwich, to Ellis Island and Battery Park, Manhattan itself has an array of activities for all types of visitors, from families to couples and solo travellers. I have personally been lucky enough to visit this wonderful city a few times and each time have done something a little different. To help you with planning, you can find my top ten things to do in New York with a few tips to help! Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island This lovely monument stands proudly in the Hudson River as a beacon welcoming everyone to the city. There are a few ways to see the Statue of Liberty. The free way, is to get on the Staten Island ferry and sail past. The best way is to book onto the Statue of Liberty cruises and sail to the island, with an audio tour. You can book a reserve ticket, a pedestal ticket (which gets you entry into the base of the statue, or the crown. You can go to the top of the crown, which has fabulous views, but it does need to be booked at least 3 months in advance to guarantee entry. You will also need to take ID such as your passport and although an amazing experience, it wouldn’t be suitable for anyone with walking difficulties or claustrophobia. You can also visit Ellis Island from here, which is a fantastic place to learn about the immigration and history of New York. There is a lot of security around here, so please be aware that things could take a little longer. Empire State Building This is the icon of New York, featured in countless movies, skyline pictures and the affections of many! You can’t really go to New York without a visit here. You can go to the Observatory decks on the 86th and 102nd floors and have a 360-degree view of New York. There is also the Dare to Dream Exhibit to visit if you have time. My favourite views here are in the morning, the Empire State Building is open from 8am, so get in early and avoid the crowds! The morning sun lights up the whole of the city in a spectacular fashion! The Observation decks are open until 2am, so you can definitely find time to fit in a visit. Rockefeller Centre/ Top of the Rock Again, another iconic building of New York. A wonderful place to go ice skating around Christmas time, the famous Christmas Tree lighting (usually end of November) and here are some spectacular views from the ‘Top of the Rock’. Tours around the building can be pre-booked, learning about the history and architecture of this famous building. Or you can just visit the Top of the Rock, three observation decks, with unobstructed views across the city, on the 67th, 69th and 70th floors. There are three levels of observation decks to explore at Top of the Rock. The first deck includes the Radiance Wall and gift shop. The second, featuring the Breezeway, is entirely outdoors. The third observation deck, located on the 70th floor open-air roof deck, is completely outdoors and free of a glass enclosure, making it perfect for photos. My favourite time to go to the Top of the Rock is in the evening, here you can see the Empire State building lit up and the rest of NYC with their dazzling lights! 9/11 Tribute Museum and Memorial This poignant landmark keeps the memories alive of the nearly 3000 people who lost their lives in the September 11th, 2001 and February 26th, 1993. The memorial is free to visit and a very surreal experience. My advice is to take tissues and be prepared to remember where you were on that fateful day. The memorial glade is beautiful and a great place to reflect and remember. You also have the survivor tree – the tree that survived the attack in 2001 and serves as a memory of hope. The museum is ticket only, but again a wonderful tribute to all that lost their lives and what many of them and firefighters, police officers and paramedics went through on that day. You may also bump into a few people working there, who were either survivors or assisted in the saving of many lives. Central Park This famous park houses so many treats for you to visit. A bike is the best way to see the park in a short space of time. These can be hired, and you can ride around the park alone if you want to or you could book a cycle tour? Visit the John Lennon memorial, Strawberry Fields on the West side of the park, the bridges and archways that found fame in many a New York based movie, the Central Park Carousel, Belvedere Castle and the many statues and monuments. Not forgetting Central Park Zoo, you could spend all day in this park. Carlo’s Bakery, Hoboken For anyone that has watched Buddy and his ‘familia’ in Cake Boss, this is a must visit. Just a short Path Train to Hoboken New Jersey and then a short walk from the station, this famous bakery houses all of those lovely treats from cannolis, Crumb Cake and full size cakes to take away, along with some lovely coffee! Times Square A must visit in the evening when everything is in lights! It’s a great place for shopping and dining too! Madison Square Garden If there is a basketball or ice hockey game on whilst you’re in New York, there is no better way to see Madison Square Garden. Be prepared to see some of the best teams in the USA play here, with a great atmosphere, just like you see on TV! You can buy tickets at the box office subject to availability, or they can be bought online prior to the event. Sex and the City Hotspots Tour An old one, but still fab! Follow Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte around all their hotspots in New York. From Carrie’s brownstone stoop, drinking in Scout to eating cupcakes in Magnolia Bakery and many more famous locations from the series and films! A very guilty pleasure! Some other ideas on where to visit whilst you’re in the Big Apple. Bike rental – Central park, Brooklyn bridge American Museum of Natural History MMA -Metropolitan Museum of Art MOMA – Museum of modern art Guggenheim Museum Central Park zoo Madame Tussauds Ripleys Believe it or Not Bronx's Little Italy Arthur Avenue Walking Tour Brooklyn Bridge & Dumbo Neighbourhood Walking Tour Hop on Hop off bus NYC TV & Movie tour NYC Gospel Walking Tour Harlem Gospel Tour Arthur Avenue Food Tour: NYC’s Real Little Italy Broadway Show Helicopter Tour over Manhattan

18 May 2017

We decided that daughters first visit to Disneyland, would be magical - one of the reasons we went at the end of November, so we could enjoy the Christmas season! Being passionate about Disney myself, I wanted my daughter to follow in my footsteps and love it as much as I do - I'm pleased to say she does! Transport We took the Eurostar from St Pancras, which was fairly straight forward and spent 2 hours and 52 minutes on the train. It wasn't busy, so there was plenty of room for little ones to walk around and enough to keep an inquisitive little toddler busy! Half way through the journey, a Disneyland Paris Representative passed through the carriage and handed us an envelope, with our hotel and meal vouchers, as well as our park tickets and Disney Express passes. Disney Express Once we arrived in Marne le Vallee (Disneyland Paris train station), we proceeded upstairs to drop out bags off at Disney Express. This is a fantastic option for anyone arriving by Eurostar, you drop your bags off and get a ticket and go straight into the park - saving time! Well worth paying for as you then don't see your bags until you get to your hotel. Fabulous! We then headed off into the park for an afternoon of fun. After having a look around the park and Darcie enjoying the snow on Main Street, we headed to our hotel for the next 3 nights. Hotels We stayed at the Newport Bay hotel, which is around a 15 minute walk from the parks, through the Disney Village. Around the lake, there is also the Disney’s New York Hotel and the Disney’s Sequoia Lodge, which are within walking distance of the parks. Each hotel has its own theme and the Newport Bay is based on a colonial New England Mansion, with wonderful maritime feel. We had a lovely room, overlooking the lake. Extra Magic Hours Daily, we had breakfast in the hotel and made use of the Extra Magic Hours, where the Disneyland Park opens at 8am. The park opens to the general public at 10am, so you get to do some of your favourite rides, before the masses descend! I would also recommend visiting Mickey in these first few hours, as the queue is next to nothing and we didn't even wait 5 minutes, it was great! The Walt Disney Studios doesn't open until 10am, but again, get in there as early as possible and you can do most things without a huge queue. I would recommend heading over to Ratatouille first thing, to avoid any large queues, as this is a very popular attraction. We managed to go on most of the main attractions without any fuss, and even got to meet a Princess and a few of the characters. Restaurants The restaurants are fantastic at catering for children and anyone with an allergy, they have plenty of choice, even on set menus and I would highly recommend paying the extra for Half or Full Board Plus as it takes the stress away from the cost and helps you budget for your trip. We booked the Full Board Plus option, which gave us access to various buffet and table service restaurants. The first evening, we decided to eat in the hotel, as it had been a long day, so we chose Cape Cod, the Mediterranean buffet restaurant. We weren't disappointed, there was enough choice for all of us and plenty of it. I would also highly advise to pre book restaurants, especially for the evening. They can get booked up very quickly whilst you are there and unfortunately, I didn't book anything on this occasion, apart from Café Mickey. All restaurants can be pre booked up to 60 days prior to arrival (this is whether you have a meal option or are paying for it yourself. Another wonderful thing about having the Half or Full Board Plus option, is that you can use Café Mickey for lunch or dinner and it's included in the price. Café Mickey provides character dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is an awesome experience, especially if you haven't managed to see all your favourite characters. We met Mickey, Minnie, Eeyore, Geppetto, Tigger, Goofy and Pluto. To see the children’s faces when the characters appear is just magical, and they get a chance to play with them! Photo Pass What a wonderful idea – advisable to pre book for £45 (in resort its €59.99), this photo pass allows you to download any photo that has been taken either on a ride or by one of the cast members, onto an app. A huge saving on photos and they stay on the app for one year, so you can easily use them when you return home. Finally, you can get pictures of the whole family, without asking someone to use your own camera! Christmas Season at Disneyland Paris One of my favourite times to visit is at Christmas. Snow on Main Street, a visit to Santa, Christmas Tree lighting parade and various other Christmas themed parades, characters and shows. It really brings the Christmas magic to life. As well as Christmas, they have a great Halloween period, summer season and currently, there is a wonderful celebration of 25 Years at Disneyland Paris, with specialist theme shows and the illuminations. If a visit to Disney is on your list, contact me for the most up to date information, advice on hotels, dining options and prices, call me today on 01183 914650 or email sarah.clarke@travelcounsellors.com