Destination Weddings at El Dorado and Azul Resorts

Destination Weddings are HUGE!

El Dorado Royal This AAA Four Diamond Resort is located on a mile long beach with many setting options for your ceremony, including a wedding chapel. As an adults-only resort with two spas, relax with a wedding day spa package.
* Max wedding size: 120; ballroom 600

Pick a Package for Your Wedding

Beach Side Wedding Chapel at El Dorado Royale

Combine all the details you want with all the luxuries you’ll love for a destination wedding that surpasses your expectations.
Our Wedding Packages can be customized to fit your needs, click on one of the options below for more details:

• Free Sweet Wedding Package: If you meet the room stay requirements, you can take advantage of the Free Sweet Wedding Package offered at El Dorado Royale and Casitas Royale, and El Dorado Seaside Suites, El Dorado Maroma, Azul Sensatori and Azul Fives.
• Pearl Wedding Package: This package suits your wedding dreams and your budget! At only $950 you can still enjoy a beautiful event while staying within budget.
  Available at all hotels.
• Silver Wedding Package: The Silver Wedding Packages combine elegant details, tropical touches and value added services for extraordinary wedding celebrations. Our staff will handle all the details. There are no requirements for the number of rooms booked to reserve these packages.
  Available at all hotels. 
• Gold Wedding Package: The Gold Wedding Packages combine elegant details, tropical touches and value added services for extraordinary wedding celebrations. Our staff will handle all the details. There are no requirements for the number of rooms booked to reserve these packages. Perfect for Civil Wedding Ceremonies, this package includes the blood test required for a Civil marriage & the services of a professional wedding photographer. Available at all hotels. 
• Mayan Wedding Ritual Package: Celebrate your love for each other in an ancient, spiritual and interactive Mayan celebration performed by an authentic traditional Shaman that combines the four basic elements of the universe: fire, earth, water and air. Available at all hotels.

Azul Beach!

Azul Beach - Beachside Wedding!

It’s Your Day, So Have it Your Way

Choose your type of ceremony, your wedding package, and the extra details that make the event uniquely yours!

At Karisma Hotels and Resorts, you can have exactly the kind of personalized wedding you prefer. You don’t have to have the standardized, generic wedding booked hourly at many other all-inclusive hotels.
First, choose the type of ceremony you want. A civil/legal ceremony is the only one that is legal in the U.S. A symbolic ceremony isn’t legally recognized, but is often done when a couple has already wed at home or wants to renew their vows. Religious ceremonies are symbolic, but can be combined with a civil ceremony for legal status. We offer two beachside chapels especially for Catholic ceremonies.

Choose Among Eight Resorts For Your Dream Event

From adults-only to family friendly… from boutique size to large scale…we’ve got the right property to host your wedding.
With the variety of hotels in the Karisma Hotels and Resorts portfolio, one will exactly meet your needs for a destination wedding. If you are inviting families with children, focus on the three Azul Hotels. If you’re having a child-free event, you may prefer the El Dorado Spa Resorts.
There are hotels ranging in size, room styles and offerings. They all incorporate the Gourmet Inclusive® philosophy. These hotels will meet the needs of everyone attending your event and they provide romantic experiences for memorable honeymoons.

MackeyMouse Travel can help you with your Destination Wedding, wedding party accommodations, and honeymoons. El Dorado and Azul Resorts are among the top choices when it comes to destination weddings! Contact us today, space is limited!!

~Relaxing Pool~

Disney World's Contemporary Resort

Contemporary Resort

Copyright: Disney Travel Company

Enjoy accommodations in a dazzling lakeside environment. As monorails breeze quietly through the lobby, you're reminded that the Magic Kingdom® Park is just moments away. This Deluxe Hotel features a pool area, white-sand beach, and a complete array of dining and recreational options.

The Contemporary has 655 guest rooms with handicap accessible rooms. There are many options at the Contemporary! Know what you want for a view is important. The Garden wing is the side building to the right (nearest the canal the boats pass through) and offer 3 stories of rooms with views of the water or gardens. The Tower rooms are in the tower the monorail passes through. This is an awesome stay for anyone! Bay Lake Tower is the newest building and offers Home Away From Home options with anything from a kitchenette to a full kitchen.

Room categories are:

Garden Wing - Standard View

Garden Wing - Garden View

Garden Wing - King

Garden Wing - Deluxe Room

Tower - Bay Lake View

Tower - Theme Park View

Standard Room - Atrium Club Level

Standard Room - King - Club Level

Garden Wing - 1 Bedroom Suite

Garden Wing - Hospitality Suite

Bay Lake View - 1 Bedroom Suite - Club Level

Theme Park View - 1 Bedroom Suite - Club Level

Bay Lake View - 2 Bedroom Suite - Club Level

Theme Park View - 2 Bedroom Suite - Club Level

Bay Lake View Vice Presidential Suite - Club Level

Magic Kingdom View Presidential Suite - Club Level

Lots and lots of choices!! 

MackeyMouse Travel is a great resource about the Contemporary Resort! The benefits of hopping on the monorail and heading to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot can't be beat!! Call or email us today!!

Copyright: Disney Travel Company - Typical Standard Room

Copyright: Disney Travel Company

 

'Brave' the Competition

Copyright: Tom Smutny, photographer

'Brave' the Competition -- Immersing the whole family in traditional Scottish rivalry, Brave -The Highland Games Tournament at Epcot is a kid-focused offering that includes games like Mini Caber Toss, Cake Toss, Haggis Flip and archery. There also is a kids' playground with free enhanced wireless. The attraction will take place through July 8 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on the Rose Walk. Epcot admission is required.

Copyright: Tom Smutny, photographer

Be Our Guest Reservations in Late August!

Copyright: Disney Park Blog

Braised pork for lunch and a grilled strip steak for dinner – Chef Michael Deardorff had a hard time choosing, but says those are two of his favorites from the new menu for Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park.



Chef Deardorff has been at the helm in Disney kitchens for 25 years, most recently as part of the opening of the restaurants at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai’i. Now he’s back to open Be Our Guest, inspired by “Beauty and the Beast,” with three dining rooms and seats for over 500 guests.


“Lunch is quick service, but not traditional counter service,” says Deardorff. Guest-activated terminals make ordering a snap (there also will be traditional cashiers for cash orders and special dietary requests). You order, take a seat and lunch is delivered to your table – on china, not paper.

Back to the menu. “It’s all about simple, fresh ingredients,” says Deardorff. “Just like your favorite quick-service restaurants across Magic Kingdom Park, you’ll be able to enjoy sandwiches and salads at Be Our Guest Restaurant for lunch, but all with a twist that transports you to the French setting of ‘Beauty and the Beast.’”

There’s a little French bistro flavor with tuna Niçoise salad and a Croque Monsieur sandwich with carved ham, Gruyere cheese, béchamel and pommes frites (a fancy term for French fries). Or go for the carved turkey on a warm baguette with Dijon mayonnaise, or the grilled steak sandwich with garlic butter spread, both with pommes frites. Heartier fare includes braised pork that’s cooked for eight hours, and for vegetarians, there’s a loaded vegetable quiche or quinoa, shallot and chive salad.

Dinner is table service, with diverse starters such as a charcuterie plate with cured meats and sausages, mussels steamed in white wine, French onion or potato leek soup, and a salad with champagne vinaigrette. We’re intrigued by the salad trio with three mini tastes of roasted beet, raisins and orange; green beans, tomatoes and roasted shallots; and watermelon, radish and mint.

Entrées include a thyme-scented pork rack chop with au gratin pasta, rotisserie rock hen with roasted fingerling potatoes, pan-seared salmon in leek fondue, grilled strip steak with pommes frites, sautéed shrimp and scallops with veggies in puff pastry with creamy lobster sauce, and an oven-baked ratatouille.

Oh, and dessert – we vote for the cupcakes, strawberry cream cheese or triple chocolate. If cupcakes aren’t your favorite sweet ending, there’s a chocolate cream puff and a passion fruit cream puff.

For kids 9 and under, the lunch entrées include a carved turkey sandwich, roasted pulled pork, Mickey meatloaf, seared mahi mahi, or whole-grain macaroni topped with marinara and mozzarella. For dinner, it’s grilled steak, grilled fish of the day, whole-grain macaroni or grilled chicken breast.

Copyright: Disney Park Blog

Copyright: Disney Park Blog

How to Prepare for a Vacation at a Disney Park pt 3

New Series: How to Prepare for a Vacation at a Disney Park

Making the Most of Your TIME! 

If “a penny saved is a penny earned,” then what of time?  Shouldn’t it follow that saving time is also merit-worthy? Certainly using time purposefully is important, given that a guest has invested both money and time in a vacation. What is “purposeful” varies from person to person, however. Some guests at Epcot once shared that they were so enamored with the gardens that they hadn’t done any attractions – but they weren’t complaining; rather, they were complimenting … and beaming.  Here are some ways to “make time,” save time, add time and use time during a Disney park visit…

♦ Disney’s FASTPASS System allows guests to avoid waiting at designated popular attractions in all four Walt Disney World theme parks.  Here’s how it works:

• At the entrance to experiences offering FASTPASS, two times are posted – (1) approximate wait time using the normal queue and (2) return time for FASTPASS tickets currently being issued.
• If the wait in the normal queue is long, guests can choose to obtain a FASTPASS ticket (at no charge) with an assigned return time (an hour-long window) and then use the time until then to enjoy other experiences in the park.
• Upon returning to use their FASTPASS, the guest can experience the attraction with little or no waiting.

♦ A “rider swap” program lets both parents enjoy a ride – one parent waits with a child who is unable to ride an attraction while one parent rides.  Afterwards, the other parent can board the ride with minimal wait time.

♦ Tip Boards located at strategic “crossroads” in each theme park provide guests with a heads-up concerning attractions’ wait times.  Guests can save time – and “steps” – by consulting the boards throughout the day.

♦ Select mobile devices are capable of running downloadable apps that allow the user to obtain real-time wait information.

♦ Extra Magic Hours provide guests of select hotels at Walt Disney World Resort an opportunity for exclusive time in a Walt Disney World theme park.  The details:

• The exclusive time is one hour prior to scheduled park opening or up to three hours after park closing.
• The park varies from day to day.
• In all, there are up to 16 extra theme park hours available each week.
• The time is exclusively for guests of the Walt Disney World owned-and-operated hotels plus Walt Disney World Dolphin, Walt Disney World Swan, Shades of Green and the Hilton at Downtown Disney.
• Disney water parks sometimes open one hour early for guests of select Disney resort hotels.
• To take advantage of the additional time in the parks, guests must have a Magic Your Way ticket valid for the park(s) offering Extra Magic Hours – and, of course, their hotel ID.
• The Park Hopper option on Magic Your Way tickets allows guests to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours in a park or parks different from where the guest spends the rest of the day.

♦ Guests arriving at park opening frequently head to a favorite attraction and enjoy it before it gets busy.

♦ Guests who decide to forego viewing a popular parade frequently discover it’s a time to experience a popular attraction with less wait.

♦ Festivals and special events are times when the theme parks feature extra entertainment and excitement – included with regular admission.  Several long-running events are the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (spring), Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (fall), Star Wars Weekends (spring at Disney’s Hollywood Studios), and elaborate decorations and seasonal entertainment at all four parks for the holidays.

♦ The “best time” to visit…depends.  The busier times to visit Walt Disney World parks are when school’s out for major holidays, the summer and three-day weekends.  The very busiest times typically are Christmas to New Year’s and around Easter.  Some considerations:

• Avoiding the busy times likely means shorter waits for attractions and shows and better access to dining reservations.
• Busy times can mean extended operating hours and sometimes special incremental entertainment.
• Disney planners attempt to schedule periodic attraction closures for refurbishment at times other than vacation peaks.

♦ Quick Service meals can cut down dining time – and sometimes cost. Add in “flexibility” because you can catch a gulp on the go without a reservation, and quick service can make consummate “good sense.”

♦ Table Service restaurant experiences can enhance the theme park experience. There are restaurants that are worth the extra planning effort of a reservation, the extra time at the table, and possible extra expense.  These eateries, replete with elaborate theming, extend the entertainment experience of the park to mealtime.  Dining and relaxing in an ambiance reflecting a different time or place is an entertainment experience worth the time sitting.  Sometimes these restaurants serve up entertainment acts along with meals.  And sometimes the meal may be part of a package that provides preferred seating at no extra cost for a signature entertainment performance (such as Candlelight Processional at Epcot or “Fantasmic!” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios).

♦ A longer stay can yield a vacation at a more comfortable pace.  Guest surveys show higher satisfaction ratings for longer stays – with “pace” typically cited as the reason.  After a week-long visit, guests have reported that they “didn’t feel rushed” and they “discovered a pool at the hotel.”

♦ For a short-duration visit, make a short list of “must-sees” and “must-dos” based on the vacationing group’s interests.  One of the worst mistakes a guest can make is over-scheduling.  Be realistic in planning.  Don’t attempt to see and do everything.  Vacation shouldn’t feel like a track meet!  And remember to take into account any relevant factors such as height restrictions or ambulatory concerns.

One of the many services MackeyMouse Travel offers is a daily itinerary designed for your party along with Tiny Tidbits to help you make the most of your time! Email us today: mackeymousetravel@yahoo.com.

How to Prepare for a Vacation at a Disney Park pt 2

New Series: How to Prepare for a Vacation at a Disney Park

What Tickets Do You Need?! 

Copyright: Disney Travel Company

The Magic Your Way ticket system lets guests decide what ticket features best fit their Disney vacation plans … and that’s what they buy.  Guests decide the number of days and whether optional features – park hopping, visits to Disney attractions outside the theme parks and “non-expiration” of tickets – are important.  Some price and value considerations…

♦ Per-day ticket costs decrease for longer stays.  A seven-day ticket without optional features brings down the per-day cost to less than half the price, per day, compared to seven individual one-day Base Tickets.  And the per-day cost of a 10-day ticket is less than one-third the price, per day, compared to 10 individual one-day Base Tickets.

♦ Kids under age 3 are provided free admission to all Walt Disney World theme parks.

♦ The Water Park Fun & More option can produce significant savings for recreation and entertainment outside the theme parks. Here’s what you need to know about the option:

• It provides admissions to the guest’s choice of Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, DisneyQuest, Disney’s Oak Trail golf course and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
• The number of admissions it provides varies depending upon the number of days of the Base Ticket (the option added to a one- or two-day Base Ticket provides two visits to the guest’s choice from among the listed attractions; added to a seven-day Base Ticket, it provides seven visits).
• It costs $57.  Considering that one-day admission to a water park is $52 or to DisneyQuest is $44, substantial savings are possible.

♦ The Park Hopper option can enhance the value of the vacation by allowing a guest to take advantage of special fun offered at different times of day at different Disney theme parks.  Other potential Park Hopper benefits:

• If the vacation stay is longer, “hopping” is perfect for repeating favorite attractions at the various parks.
• If the guest is staying “on property,” park-hopping can be the ticket to extra time in the parks (more about this under “Making the best use of time”). 

MackeyMouse Travel can help you decide which ticket is perfect for your family and your vacation. Contact us today to discuss your options: mackeymousetravel@yahoo.com 

Disney Cruise Line® Weddings and Vow Renewals

Weddings and Vow Renewals

Weddings at Sea
A cruise wedding is the ultimate romantic adventure. Walk down the aisle onboard one of our magnificent and elegant cruise ships or make your vows on Disney's private island paradise, Castaway Cay. It's an unforgettable ceremony on land or sea.

As Disney Cruise Line® Senior Officers cannot perform legal ceremonies, the legalities of the wedding license must be taken care of before the ship leaves its departure port.

Vow Renewals
You're not just taking a cruise. You're reliving the romance of your wedding day. So set your sails on a magical voyage with Disney Cruise Line and experience the second honeymoon of your dreams with the magic of Disney. Choose from ceremonies onboard or at Disney's own private island paradise, Castaway Cay.

Wedding and Vow Renewal package options may change, vary by cruise and may not be available on all departure dates. Visit disneyweddings.com for more information.

Cruise Weddings - Carnival

CARNIVAL’S ALL-INCLUSIVE WEDDING PACKAGES OFFER COUPLES UNIQUE WAY TO SAY ‘I DO’

 Convenience, Affordability Cited as Key Factors in Carnival Hosting Nearly 2,200 Weddings This Year

With today’s couples increasingly seeking affordable, hassle-free wedding alternatives, Carnival Cruise Lines’ wedding packages offer not only a memorable way to “tie the knot” but also all the “extras” found in traditional land-based ceremonies – with prices to match any budget.

Because of the convenience and affordability provided by Carnival’s wedding packages, the company expects some 2,200 couples will marry aboard the “Fun Ships” this year – a nearly 60 percent increase from a decade ago.  Wedding vows renewal packages are also available. 

“‘Destination weddings’ – in which the wedding and honeymoon are held at the same location – are becoming increasingly popular and any one of these all-inclusive packages provide a unique, cost-effective alternative to traditional land-based ceremonies,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO.

Prices for Carnival’s “Just for the Bride & Groom” package start at $1,195 and includes an official civil ceremony, a champagne toast with keepsake flutes, flowers for both bride and groom, a wedding cake with cake topper, pre-recorded wedding music, a decorated bridal aisle and photographic services.

The “Welcome Aboard” package costs $1,635 and offers all the amenities of “Just for the Bride & Groom” as well as a reception with one-hour open bar and hot-and-cold hors d’oeuvres, a traditional two-tiered wedding cake and coffee service.  Couples may also select the “Deluxe Romance” package for $1,795, which includes a one-and-a-half hour reception and an ice carving, as well as all the features of the other programs.

A wide variety of options such as videography services, live music and tuxedo rental are also available at additional cost.

Shipboard ceremonies are available on embarkation day in any of Carnival’s continental U.S. ports, as well as in Vancouver during the line’s summer Alaska season.  On-island ceremonies combining a variety of all-inclusive amenities with a romantic tropical setting are available, as well.

The nearly 2,200 couples expected to marry aboard the “Fun Ships” this year will be among the tens of thousands of newlyweds who choose to spend their honeymoon on Carnival, which has been cited as a top honeymoon cruise choice in surveys conducted by Bride’s and Modern Bride magazines.

Couples can enjoy numerous amenities during their “Fun Ship” honeymoon cruise, including fine dining, pampering service, spacious accommodations and expansive spa facilities.

For additional information on Carnival’s wedding packages, call the line’s Bon Voyage Department at 1-800-933-4968.  Information and reservations on Carnival’s “Fun Ship” cruises can be obtained by contacting any travel agent, calling 1-800-CARNIVAL or visiting the line’s Web site at www.carnival.com.

NOW Let's go PLAN!!

Eleven Couples to Say ‘I Do’ at Walt Disney World Resort on 11/11/11

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – When Melanie LaValley and Eric Gocinski met in 2008 as Cast Members while working at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, little did they know that one day they’d be meeting face-to-face again at Walt Disney World…but this time, for their fairy tale wedding.

 The soon-to-be-wed pair, of Orlando, Fla., is among 11 couples from 11 different cities, including Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Mo., and Makawao, Hawaii, to say “I do” at Disney on 11/11/11—a date that has special meaning to LaValley and Gocinski.

“Eric’s wish was for us to get married on 11/11/11 in honor of my birthday on Dec. 11,” LaValley said. “And since we made our first memories together at Disney, there’s no better place to take this new step in our lives together than the happiest place on earth.”

Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings hosts more than 1,000 nuptials per year, but the 11 weddings on Nov. 11 will be the first time that the number of nuptials coincides with the number of the month, day and year of the wedding.

“Our couples have always loved sequential number wedding dates and we are already beginning to hold space for 12/12/12,” said Korri McFann, Worldwide Marketing & Business Development Director, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons. “Couples have even moved venues to make sure their wedding stays on one of these very special dates.”

Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings has been making memories come true for couples and their guests for more than two decades. Traditionally recognized as a top-ranked wedding and honeymoon destination, Walt Disney World offers a variety of locations, including Disney’s Wedding Pavilion, outdoor garden settings, gazebos and courtyards, as well as indoor resort locations. All told, more than 40,000 couples have married at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland and aboard the ships of Disney Cruise Line.

For more information on Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons, please visit DisneyWeddings.com or call 321/939-4610.