Have you heard the news? A new restaurant is coming to Magic Kingdom!

The brand-new Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. Skipper Canteen restaurant is opening late 2015 in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Park! Staffed by Jungle Cruise Skippers, this location will allow Guests to experience the “World Famous Jungle Cruise” in one of several unique dining rooms.

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel

Favorite Souvenirs

What are some of your must buy souvenirs? Coffee mugs are big around here. We're a coffee every morning kind of couple and that leads to some pretty interesting coffee mugs. We both have our favorites, and it feels like a little piece of Disney is home with us every morning.
Another favorite is a watercolor of our resort found in every resort gift shop, as well as Downtown Disney's Art of Disney.

Here are a sampling of ours:

Our kids favorite would be Disney board games. Every family night we play at least one.

Souvenirs are a way your trip lives on, brings back memories and fond smiles when you see them. What ever you bring home, we hope you keep living the magic of Disney!

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel

Time

When on vacation - time is money. I mean, you want to get the most out of the money you've invested, right? One of the biggest mistakes people make at Disney is the amount of time it takes you to get to your destination. Let me see if I can give you some perspective.

When planning your trip, I will almost always ask you to first visit a crowd calendar website to plan what days you'll be in what park. Crowds are a time suck. For instance Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday tends to be the busiest days for Magic Kingdom, but Sunday is generally recommended. Once you know what days you want to visit where, then you can plan fast passes and dining reservations. This is the first way to help limit your frustrations.

Another suggestion is to look at your resort and figure out the time it will take you to go from your building to the bus terminal for pick up. How long to walk to the pool. How long to walk to the main area for dining and drink refills, etc. Buses generally run every 20 min so sometimes it's faster to walk, especially if you just missed your bus. From your resort you will watch for the bus that says resort, park or Downtown Disney.

Examples from 2013 featuring the Wilderness Lodge times.

BUSES:

Animal Kingdom: Stops at GF: 29 min 22 min return
Epcot: Stops at FW: 23 min 15 min return
Hollywood Studios: Stops at GF: 21 min 15 min return
Magic Kingdom: Direct bus: 5 min to/from ,p. Blizzard Beach: Stops at GF: 23 min 13 min return
Typhoon Lagoon: Stops at GF: 20 min 15 min return
Downtown Disney Marketplace: Stops at GF: 26 min 24 min return

BOATS:

Red Flag boat: 12 min to/from MK
Red/Green Flag boat: 20 min to/from MK via FW (Used at off peak times to serve both FW and WL with one larger boat.)
Blue Flag boat: 5 min direct to/from CR
5 min direct to/from FW
14 min CR via FW
14 min FW via CR

BUSES FOR EARLY ADRs (Advance Dining Reservations) ONLY - not early entrance to park
.
Buses for the Magic Kingdom and Magic Kingdom Resort Area will start running at 6:30am DAILY.
Buses for Animal Kingdom/Animal Kingdom Lodge will start running at 7:00-7:15am DAILY.
Buses for the Disney's Hollywood Studios (covering the Epcot Resort Area) will start running at 7:00-7:15am DAILY.
Buses for Epcot (Princess Breakfast at Norway) will start running at 7:00-7:15am DAILY.

This information is valid EVERY DAY, and for ALL DISNEY RESORTS serviced by Bus transportation.

From Wilderness Lodge to Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Car directly to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park Estimated Time: 15 minutes
Bus directly to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park Estimated Time: 41 minutes
These are just a few of examples to give you an idea. When you get your travel packet we'll make sure to include information for your resort. This is one of the many perks of utilizing our travel agents at Archer Luxury Travel.

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel

D23 2015

Every year Disney has an Expo where they will present what's new and upcoming. At D23 2015 it did not disappoint. Here are some of the exciting announcements made:

Toy Story Land coming to Hollywood Studios. A new 11 acre expansion will be all things we love about Buzz, Woody and the rest of the beloved toy gang. What we've learned so far is that you will be shrunk to the size of the toys in Andy's backyard and one new ride will be Slinky Dog's roller coaster. No completion dates have been given at this time.

Star Wars Land is coming to both Disneyland and Disney World Resorts. This will be the largest themed expansion adding an additional 14 acres to the parks. You can start seeing new Star Wars debuting in the next few months starting with Star Wars Launch Bay. An interactive experience bringing guests into the new movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens. During Star Wars Weekend in May 2016 even more surprises will be in store including Hollywood Studios fireworks featuring classic Star Wars music, as well as themed merchandise, entertainment, food and drinks. Disneyland will also see special features including Space Mountain being transformed to Hyperpace Mountain with new effects and music.

In 2016 Soarin' gets a facelift at both Disney California Adventure and Epcot with Soarin’ Around the World. Not only will the epic flight simulator attraction ride change with scenery but also improved sound and picture quality.

If Disneyland Hong Kong is on your agenda you will be excited to hear that the Iron Man Experience is coming. This feature will lead you through the history and technology of Stark dynasty featured in the movies. The theme will be similar to the technology expo that is featured in the first Iron Man movie. It's sure to be a wild ride!

In the next few years you will see a change coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom to expand into the evening hours. If you aren't aware Pandora, from the Avatar movie, is coming to Animal Kingdom set to open in 2017. The magical nighttime lights seen in the movie will be represented in a nighttime spectacular. For the park that once closed at 6 p.m. this is just the beginning of a whole new evening experience. Next spring you'll be able to experience Kilimanjaro Safaris in perpetual dusk with new animals, African wild dogs and hyenas. Rivers of Light, a new over the water show similar to Fantasmic and Illuminations, will amaze guests with cascading water, dancing fountains, live performers, and amazing projections.

We're looking forward to all the new and exciting features coming to Disney in the new few years.

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel

20th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

If you've never been before here are a few tips to help you get the most from this delectable festival. Try and go earlier in the day. Remember that World Showcase opens at 11. In to dinner and evening hours, it gets really crowded, especially around Germany. There are some amazing food and beverages to be had. Here are some examples of what will be available for purchase.


In Australia you will find grilled sweet and spicy bush berry shrimp with pineapple, peppers, onions, and snap peas. Wonder over to Canada's “Le Cellier” booth and try the wild mushroom beef filet mignon with truffle butter sauce. You won't be disappointed! The Cheese Studio is new this year. Here you will be able to sample several concoctions including cheese fondue with sourdough bread and Rogue Creamery Oregon Blue Cheese with berry port compote.

If you are looking for a beverage, you will find many to choose from, but how can you go wrong with Dom Pérignon and a Guylian® Belgian chocolate seashell truffle from Desserts and Champagne.

The ever popular Tropical Delight Mango Smoothie with Coconut Syrup and Grey Goose Vodka can be found at the Odyssey Coffee Cart.

Some other new offerings will be found at Wine Studio, Sustainable Chew, Chew Lab, as well as welcoming back the Dominican Republic that hasn't been at Food and Wine Festival since 2007.
Most menu items range from $3 to 8$, with several offerings in the Disney Dining Plan snack credit. Keep an eye out for the DDP symbol! Beer servings will be 6 oz, and flights will be four 4 oz pours. Wines have ranged in the past from $2.50- $4.75 and mixed drinks are roughly $7-9$.

 

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel

Are you traveling to Disneyland for the 60th diamond celebration?

If so, this is a great list for you.


Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel

Here are some great tips for families of 5 or more staying at Walt Disney World Resorts

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel 

Here are some travel services that are worth paying for:


1)Concierge - Don't always assume it's out of budget, or not worth the money. Weigh in on convenience, inclusions, personal services and "extra's" just might sway your opinion. I know when we stayed concierge at Disney's Beach Club resort for our 20th anniversary it was amazing. The food was exceptional, but so was the service. There is someone at the concierge desk ready to help you night and day. I can tell you that having a glass of wine, with a dessert platter, watching the fireworks on our veranda is a memory I'll not forget.


2)VIP services at the airport - If you have a long layover this could be especially true. Once when traveling alone with my 3 year old we ended up having a 12 hour delay to the next flight. I had had very little sleep the night before prepping for the trip, but the 3 yo? Boy howdy was she full of energy and rarin' to go. If we had had VIP services on that trip I can guarantee I would have been a little less close to a full on nervous breakdown. There isn't a whole lot to do in an airport, ya know. One of the many perks is a fast track through passport and customs control. Some airports will even allow you to do these in the VIP lounge. So sometimes it pays to look into extra services like this, especially if time is critical or traveling with children/special needs.


3)Global Entry - If you are a frequent traveler outside of the US and back, this might be something you need to look into. This is an expedited service for those that are at low risk and pre-approved by US Customs and Border Patrol. At a kiosk in the airport you will then scan your fingerprint and passport, completing online customs declaration. After the traveler completes the tasks, a receipt is printed directing you to baggage claim and exit. There is a one time fee of $100 to use this service as well as a in depth background check and interview.


4)Passport and Visa Services - If you are a frequent traveler overseas, then you will be well aware of the needs and requirements for Visas and keeping your passport up to date. Sometimes these services can take weeks, if not months. As well as numerous calls, visits and paperwork to keep things on track. When time is of an essence, using express services and paying the fees to do so, may be in your favor. You just never know when you may need to keep in mind that it's an option available to you.


5)Travel Agent - Last but not least on the list, is utilizing a travel agent. With online capabilities most anyone can book a trip. However, a travel agent is going to be knowledgeable in answering questions you may have. We will best guide you on how to plan your vacation. The details of your destination will be ironed out by someone who knows what to look for, if any hiccups should occur. We are there to take away your frustrations and worry in all the small details. We work to get you the best deal available. Best of all, our travel agent services are entirely at no cost to you. We're here to make your vacation planning easy and stress free.

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel

Art of Animation is a great way to visit the Disney World Theme Parks on a budget. A perfect family friendly resort with so much to see and do! Have you stayed at here before? What did you love about it?

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel 

When was the last time you took a vacation? I mean a real, honest to goodness I'm not cooking or making beds vacation? Where someone else pampered you and made you feel so energized you actually didn't mind doing the day to day things when your vacation was over. How much of a priority do you make it to get away and recharge? Besides relaxing and getting away from it all, vacations give us a chance to reconnect, make memories and remind our loved ones and ourselves that there is more to life than the monotony that we find ourselves part of. If you could go anywhere tomorrow, where would you choose?

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel

Welcome to the Archer Luxury Travel blog spot! We'll be featuring travel tips and featured destination locations and details. Please stay tuned for further details. My name is Angela, and I'm one of the Archer Luxury Travel, travel agents. I'm a mom to 4 and a wife of 22 years to my Air Force retired husband, John. Our son is off to college soon and I homeschool our 3 girls. Our favorite vacation destination is Walt Disney World.

Angela Wilson - Archer Luxury Travel