Manchester, England

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I recently went on a whirlwind three day trip to lovely Manchester, England! I won an amazing 3 day trip to Manchester, England from Melitta and was able to take my best friend Melissa with me! It was a trip full of Manchester United fun-more to come on that! Let’s take a quick tour!

 

Manchester is a bustling city with a University, younger population and magnificent city center. Manchester has a number of historical hotels-including The Principal which I was fortunate stay at!

 

 

Manchester has a distinct British feel full of cobble stone walkways, fountains, old stone buildings and other interesting architecture easily within walking distance. Manchester has been know as an industrial city but that seems to be changing.

 

There are plenty of good restaurants and pubs but beware that during the term those pubs have more of a university feel than a good old sit down and chat at a pub feel.

 

Manchester is also famous for it’s soccer/football team Manchester United-which I was fortunate enough to meet thank to Melitta! More to come on that! You can also sign up for a stadium tour of Old Trafford-over 100 years old! Manchester is also home to the Manchester United Mega Store and Red Cafe also located at Trafford Stadium so it’s quite easy to spend an entire day just at the stadium if you’re lucky enough to score match tickets!

 

You can also find traditional and fun tea rooms throughout Manchester! Who doesn’t go to England and not have tea!

Are you thinking about making all your Manchester United dreams come true and spending a lovely trip in Manchester? Ask me, your Fairy Godmother to help! You can find me on Facebook at Callie at Fairy Godmother Travel or email me directly at callie@fairgodmothertravel.com  so that I can help you make all your travel dreams come true!

Garden Grill at Epcot

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Garden Grill is a character dining family style restaurant located inside Walt Disney World’s (WDW) Land Pavilion inside the Epcot Theme Park. Once you enter The Land Pavilion simply walk to the back of the top level and you will see the restaurant. There are also benches and bathrooms just outside in case you need them.

Garden Grill serves American food in a family style, meaning food is served in large plates with small plates for each person. You’ll be greeted upon arrival by a cute Mickey Mouse table setting!

Once seated you will notice the restaurant is actually moving! The tables slowly rotate in a circle and allow you to see scenes from The Land ride including homesteads, rain forests and prairies. Don’t worry it goes very slow. In fact, we did not make a complete circle before we were done eating. The food is great!!! They also serve mac and cheese for the kids (even though I particularly love WDW mac and cheese) and finish the meal off with a fruit cobbler.

While eating you will be visited by Mickey, Chip, Dale and Pluto so have your autograph books and cameras ready and on the table. Our family loves character dining because it saves us from standing in character lines in the park. Garden Grill also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also all the veggies served during meals at Garden Grill are grown inside The Land Pavilion!

We love Garden Grill! The food is delicious, the characters are fun and the restaurant rotates! Definitely one to add to your trip. Prices range from $35 for children to $60 for adults. This restaurant also has the option of Candlelight Processional tickets during the Holiday season.

Want to add this dining to your WDW vacation? Ask me how! You can message me at Callie@wanderkeep.com or you can find me on Facebook at Callie at Wanderkeep Travel. As always my services are complimentary!

Disney’s Magical Express

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Disney’s Magical Express is a shuttle system that offers transportation to and from the Orlando International Airport to Walt Disney World (WDW) Resort for guests staying on Disney property.

Once you have booked a reservation and WDW and have obtained flight information and tickets you can simply message your travel agent the details of your flight or sign up online for this included service. Roughly a month before your trip you will receive, in the mail, an envelope with yellow luggage tags and directions for how to attach your tags  to your luggage and how to reach the Magical Express bus transport, run by Mears at the Orlando International Airport. You will also receive paperwork with a map telling you which terminal to find your Magical Express bus. Your Magical Express reservation has been loaded onto your Magic Band so feel free to put them on once you board your flight.

 

The yellow tags are not in place of checking your bags at the baggage check before you board your flight but are merely for Disney Cast Members to know where you and your party are staying on Disney property. Simply check your bags upon arriving for you flight as you normally would. Once you reach Orlando no need to grab your bags at baggage claim, simply go straight to the Magical Express terminal. Bring your carry ons and any items you think you may need for the day-if you’re hoping to swim on arrival pack your swimsuit in your carry on. You will be off on your motor coach to WDW and Disney cast members will get your bags for you, transport them to your resort and bring them to your room. No need to wait around! If you have plans that day simply go and come back to your room to find your bags are already there. It usually takes about 2-3 hours. How amazing is that!

If you are traveling with a service animal or pet you are welcome to bring them on the motor coach with you. Children will not need car seats for the ride but you are welcome to bring them. There are 2 restrooms on the same level with the Magical Express and also one on the motor coach ride to WDW. You can expect about a 45 minute ride and you will stop at several resorts. There is not a ton of storage on the bus so make sure you store any larger carry ons beneath the motor coach, especially strollers and luggage. Magical Express runs non stop through out the day. The baggage claim portion of Magical Express runs from 5am-10pm so if you arrive before or after those times you will need to get your luggage at baggage claim and bring it to the motor coach with you.

 

The day before your check out of your Disney Resort you will get an envelope with all the information you need about Magical Express on your door. Do not loose this. It will have luggage tags and a paper ticket for your return to Orlando International Airport. This ticket must be given to the driver before entering the motor coach. The paperwork will also give you a specific time that your motor coach will pick you up. Simply check your luggage in the morning at the airline check in at your resort. The cast members will automatically check your bags for your flights and deliver them to the airport for you. You are welcome to leave any carry on items at bell check, usually right by airline check in at your resort. I recommend coming back at least an hour before your designated Magical Express time. You are also welcome to bring your luggage with your on the motor coach and go to baggage check at the airport. Bell services are available to help but usually take about an hour. We often grab our bags and walk down in both Deluxe and Value resorts-if you are staying at a Moderate resort you can hop on the resort bus and ride up to the lobby with your luggage.

 

The Magical Express is just one more way the Disney does vacationing right! Let me make all your vacation drems come true. You can fins me on Facebook at Callie at Fairy Godmother Travel or email me at Callie@fairygodmothertravel.com  my services are included when you book with me!