Walt Disney World 2014

One day while I was waiting for my taco salad at Pine Valley Market I got a phone call from my branch manager saying that my regional manager wanted to know if I would like to go on a FAM trip - travel agent education trip - in October. Well, sure! My bags are always packed and ready to go! I called my Momma to make sure she didn't mind if I was out of town for her birthday and I booked my flights for Disney!
Now, I have been to Walt Disney World several times but let me tell you going for a true Disney's College of Knowledge trip was a whole new experience! I arrived in Orlando and was whisked away to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge where I checked in to my Savannah View room, activated my new Magic Band, and set off for my favorite park, Epcot! I had some free time before the seminar began so I took in Epcot for lunch at the Rose & Crown Pub in the United Kingdom pavilion.

Once I arrived back at my room, my roommate Terri from the AAA Carolinas location in Winston Salem had arrived. She was such a sweetheart and a true Disney fanatic as she was returning with her family for Thanksgiving. We met up with the other participants and found out every one was from AAA but some were from the Carolinas, the Mid-Atlantic, Kansas, and Michigan.
The 6 AAA Carolinas girls stuck together and we had an incredible week touring the resorts, participating in training seminars on the new My Magic+ experience, experiencing the theme parks and restaurants, taking in the Epcot Food & Wine Festival, and trick or treating through Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

 

One of our last days, our group went to Port Canaveral and was able to tour the Disney Dream cruise ship! I had never seen any of the Disney Cruise Line ships and let's just say I would travel on this ship with or without children! The ship was so interactive from the way the crew welcomed you aboard to the digital artwork to the 3 different themed dining rooms to the cabins! The ship screamed Disney magic without being overly kiddy. There is even an entire area devoted to the adults complete with several bars, a swimming pool and sun deck, and 2 adults only restaurants. The kids are treated like royalty aboard the ship and their kids only areas are incredible and made me wish I was 6 years old again!

The training week taught me so much about Walt Disney World that I did not know just from experiencing the parks as a guest! I was and still am so excited to share my Disney knowledge with clients and my co-workers! It truly was a magical experience!