About Joshua Powell

Joshua Powell is a travel writer who specializes in mastering the art of the family vacation. A veteran of the theme park and cruising circuit, he spends his time scouting Disney, Universal, and tropical resorts with his wife and two children. He turns those frequent adventures into practical advice to help other families plan better, stress-free trips.

Disney World Resort Reservations Available for All of 2021

We have some great news for you early birds. Guests are now allowed to book their Disney resort reservations for all of 2021. This includes the 2021 holiday season AND the highly anticipated 50th-anniversary celebration. Up until this announcement, we could only make our reservations through September 26, 2021. Now reservations can be made [...]

By |2023-04-11T11:55:51-04:00October 19th, 2020|MagicGuides Blog - Disney World Updates|

Is It Cheaper to Book Disney Through a Travel Agent?

From time to time, Disney releases special promotional rates on hotels, dining, tickets, and vacation packages.  Disney travel agents match the deals that Disney offers through its own website. Disney travel agents get their clients the lowest possible rates. If a better discount comes along after a trip is already booked, then they will [...]

By |2025-02-27T17:21:00-05:00October 8th, 2020|Budgeting for Disney, Disney Travel Agents|

How Long Should we Stay at Disney World?

Disney World vacations should never feel rushed. But how long do you really need? A Disney World trip lasting 4 or 5 days allows you to spend one full day at each theme park. However, the ideal amount of time is 6 to 7 days to get the full Disney experience without feeling rushed. [...]

By |2025-03-04T13:50:28-05:00October 5th, 2020|Disney World Tips|

Can You Go to Disney Without Planning?

Back in college, a couple of friends and I went to Disney World on our spring break. I volunteered to make the arrangements and plan our itinerary. At first, I wasn't sure how much planning I should do, if any at all. Can you go to Disney World without Planning? Because of its size [...]

By |2024-07-25T15:10:17-04:00September 22nd, 2020|Disney Travel Agents|

How Do I Start Planning a Disney Trip?

My motto has always been to plan ahead, and Disney World vacations are no different. I book my trip and then immediately begin to plan every detail – months in advance. It’s easy for me because I’ve been to Disney World so many times. However, many guests don't know where to start their planning. [...]

By |2025-03-21T10:32:40-04:00September 15th, 2020|Disney World Tips|

Costumes Allowed at Magic Kingdom for Fall 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on Disney parks this year. After closing down the resort for several months, Disney World is now back in business, albeit with reduced capacity, reduced operating hours, and enhanced public health and safety measures. And, after Disney canceled its annual Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party for 2020, many were [...]

By |2023-04-10T12:31:48-04:00August 28th, 2020|MagicGuides Blog - Disney World Updates|

Disney Executives Get Paychecks Restored While Many Cast Members Remain on Furlough 

We some good news - and some not so good news - on the job front at Disney. Disney Executives get their Paychecks Restored According to Deadline, The Walt Disney Company has restored paychecks to its executives as of August 23rd. This comes after temporary salary reductions were introduced amidst the pandemic. These reductions, [...]

By |2023-04-10T12:40:13-04:00August 27th, 2020|MagicGuides Blog - Disney World Updates|

Disney Park Pass is Here to Stay

NOTE: On May 8, 2023, Disney announced its biggest relaxation of park reservation rules to date: effective January 9, 2024, all date-based theme park tickets will not require reservations (but other ticket types may still require a reservation). Disney had already announced that as of December 2022, all one-day one-park tickets would include a [...]

By |2023-05-08T22:29:46-04:00August 27th, 2020|MagicGuides Blog - Disney World Updates|
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