As I am sitting at the airport, I decided to write this post about a rookie mistake I made today.  I am heading on a trip and remembered to package my "day bag".  Since most hotels at Disney World and Orlando have check in after 3 PM, guests tend to arrive to DisneyResorts, before you are able to get into your luggage.  So, I was organized and packed by "day bag".

In my "day bag," I packed a very important essential for any sunny destination - sunblock.  Of course, I just grabbed the big bottle and totally forgot about security rules.  As I walked through the security check point at the airport, my bag got searched and the nice security guard pulled out my brand new container of sunblock and tossed it into the trash.  AHHH!  As a travel agent, I should have remembered the rule.

For carry on bags, your sunblock has to be under 3 ounces.  So, when I get to my destination I will have to buy another brand new container of sunblock.  When packing for your Disney World vacation, be sure you pack your big container of sunblock in your checked bag.  For your "day bag" for the first day at the Disney Theme Parks, be sure you pack a small container of sunblock.  It is sunny Florida and you will need it - just be sure you pack the right size to get through security!

Go back to the days of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn at Walt Disney World at the popular resort called Disney's Port Orleans Riverside.  This resort is themed after Mississippi, with a quiet and "laid back" atmosphere at Walt Disney World.  You will leisurely walk pass rabbits, along the river with lush trees and landscaping.  This quiet resort features elegant mansions in Magnolia Bend and more and rustic rooms in Alligator Bayou.

Here are some of the special amenities at Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort:

• Ol' Man Swimming Hole & Waterslide
• Hot Tub
• Horse Drawn Carriage Rides
• Water taxi to Downtown Disney Marketplace
• Bus Transportation to the Disney Theme Parks
• Food Court
• Sit Down Restaurant at Boatwright's Dining Hall
• Lounge
• Jogging Trail
• Marina with Pirate Adventure and Boat Rentals
• Playground
• Cane Pole Fishing
• Arcade
• Additional Heated Pools
• Bike Rentals
• Gift Shop...and so much more

This resort is considered a Disney Moderate Resort, so the prices range from $149-249 per night plus tax.  These rooms do sleep 4 people plus one infant under 3.  In the Alligator Bayou section, the rooms do have a child size trundle bed.  In these rooms, they do accommodate a family of 5 plus one infant under 3.  For the child size trundle bed, the recommended age is 3-9.  This is a small bed for younger children.  This is a great resort for larger families.

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside is a popular resort in the Disney Moderate Resort category.  Click on this link to request a quote at Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort.

For Universal Studios tickets in Orlando Florida, the best deal is pre-ordering your tickets.  If you pre-order your tickets, you can save alot of money and even get huge perks like free shuttle transfers.  Here are our favorite Universal Studios Florida tickets:

2-Park Unlimited Passes - This one ticket is the best Orlando Theme Park ticket!  For one price of $102.01 plus tax, you get 7 consecutive days of admission to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.  You are saving $25 per person off the gate prices for a regular 2-Day/2-Park Pass.  You are saving $25 plus you are getting 5 extra days for free!  You also get free admission to CityWalk!  Click here to purchase this discount ticket.

1-Day/2-Park Pass with Shuttle Transfers - If you are staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel or near Disney World, you can get free shuttle transfers from your Disney Resort or Disney Area Hotel to Universal Studios roundtrip via Mears Transportation.  For this ticket with shuttle transfers, you are getting the transfers for free.  Plus, the ticket is $5 less than a regular 1-Day/2-Park Pass.  Save $5 and get free shuttle transfers.  It is an incredible deal!  Click here to purchase this discount ticket.

2-Park Fun, Food & Drink Combo - This ticket and dining combo is great for two days at the Universal Studios Theme Parks!  You get the discount 2-Park Unlimited Pass with 7 consecutive days of admission to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.  You then get 2 days of meals and beverages at the Universal Studios Theme Parks.  Great food great value!  Click here to purchase this discount ticket.

If you are visiting Universal Studios Florida, take advantage of amazing ticket discounts, by ordering your tickets before you leave.

If you want to save money on a Universal Studios Florida vacation, take advantage of the discount package called Stay 4 Get More.  With this discount package, Universal Studios offers discounts on the entire package including hotel, tickets, and even meal plans.  What is included with this discount Universal Studios package?

Hotel - You can visit anytime in 2009 or 2010 and stay at one of the three Universal Studios Hotels called Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, or Royal Pacific Hotel.  You can choose the room and view best for your family.

Tickets - You can then save even more money with the discount ticket called the 2-Park Unlimited Pass.  This ticket allows you unlimited admission for 7 consecutive days to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.  You even get free Park Hopping and CityWalk admission.  This ticket is $25 less person than a regular 2-Day/2-Park Pass, plus you are getting 7 days instead of 2 days.

Meals - If you want to include meals, you can add one of the discount Meal Deal Plans to your package.  You can enjoy lots of great Meal Deal options at the park or just a discount Character Dining Experience with Spider Man and the Cat in the Hat.

Freebies - Besides the discounts, how about some free perks!  Universal Studios includes one of the best free perks called Universal Express.  The Universal Express allows you front of the line access at rides and attractions, by just using your room key.  Imagine having a theme park vacation where you walk to the front of every line - awesome!  Besides the Universal Express, you also get free transportation from your Universal Studios Hotel to the Universal Studios Theme Parks.

The new Stay 4 Play More discount package is one of the best Orlando deals on a theme park vacation.  Click here to request a quote for your Universal Studios vacation.

Destinations in Florida Travel is a Universal Studios Specialist agency selling Universal Studios vacations.  We are locally based, so we are the experts to help plan your Universal Studios and Orlando vacation.

Imagine having the help of a Disney Expert at your beckon call!  That is exactly what our agency started with our new Disney Vacation Planning live chats.  With our chatroll sessions, held several times each week, you can ask questions, learn about discounts, and "chat live" with other Disney fans.  These chats are free and you will even get the chance to win a prize each week at each chat session.  We are offering four chats to best fit your needs including:

Disney World Vacation Planning - You can learn all of the new discounts, openings, closings, tips, and more from our Disney World Experts (Stacey and John).  They are locally based in Central Florida, right down the road from Mickey Mouse!  This live chat is held every Friday from 7:30-9:00 PM Eastern.   Click here to join this chat.

Disney Vacations for the West Coast - For our friends that live on the West Coast, we know you love Disney World and Disneyland.  We offer a later chat for you on Mondays from 7-8:30 PM Pacific.  Our West Coast Disney Expert (Dee or Disney Dee) is happy to answer any questions you have about all of the Disney Destinations.  Click here to join this chat.

Visiting Disney World with Preschoolers - We know that it is tough to travel with toddlers and infants.  Add in the frustrating vacation planning of Walt Disney World Resort and it is enough to pull out your hair.  Our Disney World Expert that has Preschoolers of your own (Lea) is your person to contact about planning a vacation with little ones.  Join Lea every Wednesday from 8:00-9:30 PM Central to chat about planning a Disney World vacation with preschoolers.  Click here to join or subscribe to this chat.

Disney Cruise - With the new Disney Dream Cruise Ship, there is lots of excitement about a taking a Disney Cruise vacations.  Join our two Disney Cruise Experts (Sue and Thad) who just got back from a 7-Night Eastern Disney Cruise vacation.  They will offer tips, discounts, and news about all things Disney Cruise.  Join Sue and Thad on Sunday nights from 7:30-9:00 PM Eastern  Click here to join this chat.

These live chats are free and a fun way to chat with fellow Disney fans, learn about the latest discounts, tips, and possibly win prizes.  Put these dates on your calendar and join us for all of the FAQ about planning a Disney vacations.

It was an exciting afternoon today, when we learned all about the new Disney Dream Cruise Ship.  This new cruise ship will be 50% bigger than the Disney Magic and Wonder and feature some older favorites and lots of new imagination.  The Disney Dream will be docked in Port Canaveral, Florida and kick off the first cruise on January 26, 2011.

Some of the highlights of this new ship include virtual portholes inside the Interior Staterooms, a water coaster, fun kids themed play areas, and new themes for the dining rotation restaurants.

The Interior Staterooms will be more exciting than ever with virtual portholes.  There will be live feeds from the exterior of the ship of the water.  You will see the exact same view as if you had a window looking outside.  You may also see a little glimpse of Peach (from Finding Nemo) or Mickey Mouse pop in to the virtual porthole.

The water coaster is a one-of-a-kind water slide at over 4 stories high and over 2 1/2 times the size of a football field.  This clear tunnel water coaster is called the AquaDuck and is a high speed coaster with drops, twists, and turns around the ship.  You will even go outside the ship, where all you will see is the ocean below at 150 feet.

The Oceaneer Clubs will be updated on the Disney Dream with new themes and even more fun for kids.  The younger children will enjoy the larger than life theme of Andy's Room from Toy Story, explore the Laugh Floor from Monsters, Inc. or dive under the sea with Nemo.  For the older kids, the Oceaneer Lab, will be a great sea adventure with maps, maritime instruments, and artifacts.  Both the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab will allow children to interact with animated characters like Stitch and Crush on a plasma screen.

Since dining is always an important part of any vacation, the Disney Dream makes the dining rotation even more magical with new restaurants.  You will get to dine at Royal Palace themed after the classic Disney Princesses including Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, and Aurora.  For a more casual dining experience, you will enjoy the Enchanged Garden inspired by the gardens of Versailles that will take you from day to night while you dine.

The new Disney Dream will feature 3-Night, 4-Night and 5-Night Cruises out of Port Canaveral, Florida to Nassau and Castaway Cay.  You can start booking this incredible cruise on November 9.  Contact us for more details on the new Disney Dream setting sail on January 26, 2011.

As I am sitting at my desk at 6:00 AM (which is about 3 hours earlier than normal), I sip on my coffee as I gather all of my guest's information to book restaurant reservations for Walt Disney World.  Still not quite awake, I hop on the phone 5 minutes prior to when Disney Dining Reservations opens, hoping to grab that first spot.  As an agent for over 12 years, I know if you call a few minutes prior to opening, you may get lucky and get in before the rush.  After a 90 minute wait on the phone, I think this insider tip has been shared with lots and lots of other people.

I then start wondering as I am waiting for 90 minutes on the phone, just to book restaurant reservations.  Why do guest's visiting Disney World do this on their own?  To me 90 minutes could be spent with my children getting them ready for school, enjoying breakfast with my husband, getting an extra 90 minutes of much needed sleep.  Your time is valuable - why do everything on your own?

As a travel agent working for an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, we are your Travel Assistants to help you have the most magical vacation possible.  You get lower prices with us, we wake up at the crack of dawn to book your dining reservations for you, and you even get extra free Disney Merchandise when you book with us.  It still amazes me that people book their vacations on their own instead of hiring a Travel Assistant commonly known as a travel agent.  We are free...what are you waiting for?

Family time is more important that even.  Now, you can spend time with your family on not one, but two unbelievable Disney getaways.  It's family time - times two!

Purchase a select Adventures by Disney tour for 2010 and receive a free 3-Night Bahama Cruise from Disney Cruise Line.  You can book this promotion starting today through January 15, 2010.  Some of the Adventures by Disney itineraries include Costa Rica, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Alaska, London/Paris, California, Grand Canyon, Peru, and many more.  For more information on Adventures by Disney 2010 tours, click here.

Our latest contest is turning out to be quite a popular one.  Why?  Because everyone can win!  That is right.  You can win a Mickey Mouse ears, right from Walt Disney World.  How do I win these ears...you ask?  Easy, sign up as a Fan on our Facebook Page.  Then tell 9 of your friends about us.  When they sign up as a Fan, keep track of their names.  When you have 10 people (including yourself) signed up as our Fan, send us an email with everyone's names. That is it!  We will then mail you a Mickey Mouse ears.  Click here to go to our Facebook page to get started.

Every year the Disney Water Parks close during the cooler months for updates and renovations.  The Water Parks rotate on their closing.  At all times at least one of the Disney Water Parks will remain open, but not both.  Starting on November 1, Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will be closed until January 9.  Then starting on January 10, Blizzard Beach Water Park will be closed until March 20.

When planning your Disney World vacation, be sure you pay attention to these closings. This may affect your vacation and even your ticket choice.  If you need additional information, contact us at Destinations in Florida Travel.