Summer is Over~ Now it's Really Time to Plan!

After seriously neglecting my blog, no excuses just a sign of the times! I hope you will spend some time here today and consider these thoughts and ideas.

Let me first share some information about Disney! As some may know this year Walt Disney World will celebrate 50 Years! The World opened on October 1, 1971, and has grown and expanded and been reinvented ever since. But with the current "situation" (I.e. the pandemic issues) so much has changed, and things are different at the Disney Parks.

For example; did you know that having a ticket (of any type) is just not enough anymore? You must also have a park reservation! It's how Disney is able to control capacity. Which leads me back to the big celebration. On the opening day of the celebration, if you didn't make a park reservation for the Magic Kingdom months ago, you will not be there! But don't be too sad, this party will be going on for 18 months!

Skipping over to the "West Coast", Disneyland has it's share of excitement too! As just this week (end of summer) the new annual pass program, called "Magic Key", was introduced. Needless to say, the crazy "AP Folks", are back in droves! One of the reasons Disney stopped the "annual pass" in SoCal was simply because they had sold too many! After seeing several vlogs from regular AP holders... I sincerely hope that Disney put some kind of limit on those sales! (The rush on those tickets was absolutely insane!) The coming weeks should reveal a lot!

From the "magic" to "the aloha", my other passion is of course Hawaii! What a mess... sorry Hawaii, it's true and you know it! I love my islands, and they have been a part of my life pretty much most of my life! I will not be popular for saying this (my blog- my opinion!) but the pandemic issues have not been handled well almost from the start. In their efforts to subdue new cases Hawaii went into complete lockdown~ no visitors, understandable and also very effective. But they stayed that way too long! Now they are seeing a big uptick in new cases and considering closures again! BAD idea again Hawaii! Why not go back to what was working! Everyone gets tested inside of 72 hours before arrival! Haven't people figured out yet... the "shot" does not prevent COVID, and just because people get it does not mean they won't spread it... and they have! These islands have been almost financially destroyed by these extended closures! They can't tolerate it happening again! (Now hold on!!!) I care SO much about these islands and have so many friends and ohana there! I am just sharing a very real point of view, and it has nothing to do with caring or not caring about the health of the residents of these islands! But I am suggesting that there are other ways to stop the madness.

After sharing all of that, do I agree with the Governor of Hawaii, that visitors should not come at all? NO. When these types of statements are made public, they have very-very long lasting effects! Hawaii is still very safe. You do however need to be respectful and aware. If you are able to postpone your dates of travel to late 2021 or early 2022... do that! But please do not just cancel! Get the shot (if you believe in it~ your choice!), definitely get tested (because that does work). Expect things to be different, and availability to be limited. Be patient. None of us want this pandemic and the heart-ache it has brought our world. But people~ we must learn to live with it, we can not stop living our lives!

I hope you have found some new information here today~ or something that made you think! Please remember; this is my blog, and my opinion. As a Travel Professional I do have a different point of view. But I am also a traveler myself, and will never stop visiting the places that I love! If you share a different point of view, that's fine! Just please do not feel the "right" to comment in an ugly way. (I will just delete it.)

It's Time for Recovery...

I have one message for everyone in this new year 2021... support small business! If you are able and ready to travel, please consider working with an expert!

There are few industries that have suffered deeper than travel. This includes; businesses people might not think about, but are all connected to it! Restaurants, hotels, airlines, transportation services, sight-seeing companies, the list is very long. The "domino affect" is vast, and so many lives have been touched.

The scariest part of all this, it touches us all around the world! Working at my level in travel planning, I see this affect going even deeper. People I have known for 20 plus years are just gone. Example; every hotel has an on-site sales team and a "regional sales representative". Many of my associates (for example) in Hawaii that I now consider ohana (family), are just gone! People I could count on to help me make my guest's experiences even better, were tossed out- eliminated! We are all having to start over, years of building trust and relationships just gone!

For some people moving forward is an easy choice. I have already begun traveling so I may share my experiences with my guests. Rebuilding new relationships and future contacts! I believe 100%, if you do all the things we have been doing since March 2020 (wash your hands, wear the mask, social distance) you can enjoy traveling and being someplace other than your home! I am evidence of that, and wouldn't tell you, you are safe- if it wasn't true!

It's time my friends! At least consider it. Let's talk about it, maybe doing that will start you moving towards the planning! (Many people are planning now for 2022!) A friend of mine said it very well I think; ..."It's time we stop waiting to die~ and start moving to live!"

www.dreamcatchervacations.com ~ or~ teri@dreamcatchervacations.com

Good-bye 2020... Not Sorry!

I guess this year is finally going to end... I pray that 2021 is not just more of the same! But I did want to share my final thoughts this month, with positive words and ideas for the future!

I did not share in November because I was blessed with the gift of travel! I never realized how truly blessed and lucky I have been until this pandemic took it away. Now I completely get what an amazing industry I have been a part of for these past 27 years! It has made it possible for me to travel (a lot) to all the places I send my guests, so their experiences would be great ones! I hope that 2021 reveals hope and that we regain some sense of "normal".

My first visit was returning to Hawaii Island for nine days beginning the end of October, and into November. It was good to be home. But it was very sad to see what the closures have done to them. It's bad on the Mainland. It's ten times worse in the islands! They (local people and businesses) are fearful, and need us at the same time. I think in the next two months the "arrival procedures and requirements" will be figured out, and it will be worth your time to visit! Hawaii IS the safest place in the world right now! As long as visitors follow these new guidelines and rules, it will stay that way! The hassle to get there will be so very worth it~ it was for me!

My next getaway filled me with joy, and made me feel normal again! Only five days after returning from Hawaii, I left for Walt Disney World! No matter what your level of appreciation for Disney... you really should go there! Disney IS doing it right, and it's working! They have all the procedures in place, and have zero tolerance for guests who do not follow the rules! Short of looking around me and seeing everyone wearing a mask, it felt good! I felt totally safe, and confident in my surroundings. I HAD FUN! How long has it been since you felt free? When was the last time you were able to escape from the reality of our situation, even for a little while? What that trip did for me~ priceless!

I may be a little prejudice. But travel will make you feel joy and hope again! I know many are too afraid to travel right now. But at least consider planning for spring, or even this summer! Give yourself the gift of travel, and something to look forward to this Christmas!

Whatever your choice, destination, or time frame ~ just do it! You simply can not put a price on your mental health, and we have all been affected. Travel to me has always been "essential", and to most countries except the USA, it is considered just that! Allow yourself this freedom. Do not be afraid... #TravelWillHappen.

September ~October Updates from DreamCatcher

Wow... September has flown by with so many emotions and changes! Especially the changes, and I think many of them are very positive!

Let's start with the obvious~ because it's OPEN... Walt Disney World! Since July this "Most Magical Place on Earth", has been providing joy and magic to guests once again! With loads of safety measures, always updating and improving every day! It's all working! Though some things we know and love are not yet open, and masks are in sight everywhere. Disney has succeeded in Florida! Contact me today for help and assistance... teri@dreamcatchervacations.com.

Then I, with a heavy heart must mention Disneyland. The "original" Disney Park, and still the only Disney Park in the world... not yet reopened! As of this day (September 30th), an ongoing lack of communication from the Governor of California, has Disneyland and all other theme/amusement parks still closed. After several requests from; The Mayor of Anaheim, Chairman of Disney Parks Josh D'Amoro, CAPA (California Attractions and Parks Assoc.), 18 of California's Legislator's, and others. The Governor has still refused to communicate the exclusive "guidelines for opening" that he has been promising now for weeks! Then also (as of today) another 28,000 Cast Members (Disney Employees) have been laid off due to the extended closures! (Total number are combined from Disneyland and Walt Disney World.) All we can do at this point is pray, hope, and stay as positive as possible.

On the Hawaii front, the news is quite a bit more positive! The Governor of Hawaii has finally made it "official", and Hawaii will re-open to visitors starting October 15, 2020. The big stipulation of course; you must be in possession of a "negative result", for COVID tested within 72 hours of your arrival! This seemed impossible at first! (All the labs were saying at least a week!) But in the last 48 hours alone the test and prices for those tests are changing fast and furious! It started with the announcement from United Airlines, that they would be offering tests to travelers on the day of departure from San Francisco and Los Angeles. Those rapid test results however come at a very steep cost... $250! Within 24 hours of United's announcement came Hawaiian Air's, day of testing for only $150 (also from San Francisco and Los Angeles as of today), and if you drive over the day before your flight- only $90! Now... as of today... if you fly from Oakland, California... it's FREE! According to Governor Ige, the test required within the 72 hours, will soon be offered at CVS and Kaiser also, but no cost has yet been released.

But wait there's more! As an expert it is my job to know as much about these kind of details- for you- as possible! This one I learned the hard way! I hope you (of course) will contact me to help you plan your special visit to the Islands! But at the least... beware! Many of the large wholesalers (online booking companies) are confirming your reservations for hotels that are NOT open! This has in fact happened to me twice! Many of the hotels across Hawaii are just not going to be ready by October 15th! So why then are they being confirmed? I have asked many people in my industry, and honestly they do not seem to know. (A very clear sign of the times!) My advice to everyone that reads this, especially if you are scheduled to arrive before November 1st... call, do not write, do not text... call your hotel directly and ask!

There are SO many new guidelines and rules, they are even hard for me to keep up with these days! But if you are ready to live again and travel~ if you feel confident and need to get away? These examples are actually just a few. The Caribbean, Tahiti, and Mexico are also waiting for you, just to name a few! (Most all require the negative COVID test with 72 hours or less from arrival.)

I do hope this information has been helpful! After 27 years in this industry~ nothing shocks me anymore! But I do still love what I do, and I am very eager to get back to doin it!

A Travel Advisor's Thoughts ... August 2020

During this time of great unpleasantness I try very hard to stay-out of ALL things political! But I need to say this one thing; YOU ARE BEING PLAYED!

Yes, there is a virus, and in some (albeit rare) cases it causes death, and for those affected in this way- I am very sorry. The "real numbers" may never be known. The research does however prove, this thing that some people want you to hide from and fear, is simply not what it has been made out to be. (I have many contacts in the medical field and the "numbers" are SO inflated it's an absolute scandal!)

Now before you go getting all outraged, I am not suggesting we should not be cautious and take the necessary steps. We ALL know them; wash your hands, wear the mask, and social distance. However I am saying the damage done to this country, small business, and ALL of our collective emotional health is beyond explanation and possibly even recovery!

For just a moment I will speak of the one industry in particular closest to me, and that of course is travel. Billions of dollars lost, and the numbers of lives it has touched is in the millions. I am talking about everything from the obvious (I.e. Disney, the Cruise Lines, and hotels around the world), to small business owners~ like me. I personally went from making a "living", to literally zero income in the same month! With no end in sight, the future looks very sad.

Today I offer myself and services in a VERY different way! I take this "down-time" to stay educated and informed. I urge ALL of my clients, friends, and people who might be thinking about travel... contact me! Allow me to ease your mind, and share all the precautionary measures in place and being practiced to protect you and your family! I believe the sooner we all start to get back out there and explore, the better chance we have of returning to normal! Because folks; this time we are stuck in right now... is NOT normal!

(Thank you for taking the time to read this post~ your comments and questions are encouraged. But I ask that you please be kind~ I am open always to healthy debate. However unnecessary hate ~ is not okay.)

A Summer Like No Other!

Happy July? Talking today about Disney and Hawaii...

It's been a minute since I posted last, sorry! But I have always believed that if you have not got something constructive to say~ just don't! It's been a very tough ride these past four or five months, and sadly not progressing nearly as well as many of us had hoped. But today I want to talk about the progress that is happening in my two favorite vacation destinations in the world!

I want to first talk about Disney! What a wild ride for sure! Things have been pretty steady with Walt Disney World, fingers crossed for the beginning of the parks opening next Saturday! (Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11th.) With the remaining two parks (Epcot and Hollywood Studios) on July 15th. Unfortunately, not so great with Disneyland!

As some of you know (it was really quite the gigantic announcement!) Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure was supposed to open on July 17th! (Not coincidentally the 65th Birthday of Disneyland!) Due to decisions made by California Health Officials, that opening has been delayed, with no news on a possible new date. So, we wait.

Staying positive; Disney has been diligent in setting up procedures to protect their Cast Members and guests! There will be some huge changes when everything is finally opened! Not all of us are very happy about either~ but~ we will follow all these new guidelines for the sake of getting our "magic" back! Some of those new rules; masks (of course), temperature checks, and dramatically lower numbers of guests in the parks! This will be achieved by way of the new "parks reservation system". This means that you will have to make a reservation to get in the park! To make a park reservation you must; (for the here and now) already have a ticket or an annual pass, and having a hotel reservation is a plus! If you are thinking about just waiting for 2021~ don't wait ~ plan for that now! The upside is complete packages are being sold, so you are able to get tickets, and that means you are able to make a park reservation!

Now, if all of that just gave you a headache... you are not alone! It's a lot, and Disney knows that! But I will take the moment to point out this is why Disney Master Specialists (like me!) are standing by to help! Since no one has been able to go (anywhere) for four long months! Learning about all these new rules and procedures is what I have been doing for my guests! So #AskMe ... I love Disney and I really look forward to help you get back to the "magic" very soon!

Then there is my beautiful "second home"... Hawaii! I have been visiting the Islands of Hawaii since I was a little girl! It captured my heart from the first visit! I have been very sad since March when Governor Ige made the decision to "close" the state to any visitors. It made me very angry at first. But I have come to understand his motivations behind such a dramatic decision. Did it work? Yes and no! It all but eliminated the virus from growing and spreading! But the devastation it has also caused may not be repairable.

More than 60% of the population of Hawaii is in/related to the travel industry. I alone know so many people that have no job now, and may have no hotel, restaurant, or tour company to go back to after the state opens! Yes, there is an "attempt" to reopen the state to visitors starting August 1st. However, unless you want to be quarantined for 14-days, you must be holding a "negative" test result for COVID-19... that was received within 72 hours of your arrival! The Governor is working diligently (I am told) to make this even possible! (Until now that time frame, and the cost alone, are completely impossible for most people!) So, stay tuned and let's all pray he is successful so we are able to return to our beautiful islands!

I hope you found this blog informational and good reading! Your comments and questions are always encouraged! Want to plan your next vacation, contact Teri Young, Dream Vacation Designer today! You can email at  teri@dreamcatchervacations.com or call direct at 916-927-0445.

Mahalo!

Spring 2020 ~ Updates and Thoughts!

It's late April as I am writing this new blog. The weather has been outstanding, and normally I would be eagerly awaiting my next getaway! But "getting away" has not been a freedom we have been allowed for over a month now!

The last time I wrote, early March, all this "self-isolation" stuff was really just getting started. I was irate, and blowing up over the media! That actually has not changed much at all! The media is still over-doing the COVID-19 reporting, and I for one am 100% over it!

Now before you get all upset with that last statement... allow me to explain! I start once again with the facts; COVID-19 is a virus, a bad one that spreads far too fast and easy! But it is just a virus! You get pretty sick, bad cough is awful, and it takes a good week before you start feeling human! But... the reporting these days should be more of an emphasis on how many people have been diagnosed and recovered! Not on the deaths.

I am not at any level saying we should discount or forget the ones we have lost! But the people of the United States are becoming very restless and even more depressed. We need to start putting more of a spin on the positives!

Then there are all the "predictions", the speculation on what is going to happen next! Please STOP it! What we are all living through right now today~ never happened before! So no one really knows! Even our government officials don't really have a clue. How could they! Making a plan, and executing that plan. Then we just watch and see how it goes. That is what is going to happen!

So for all those doom and gloom prophets out there... stuff it!

My final topic for this post is my own industry. Now I do not expect too many folks to have given it much of a thought. Most people have been far too busy taking care of there own. Making it from day to day, and hoping there is "enough" to keep going. As it should be!

But travel should be considered, there should be some value put on it! It is an escape, and what we all look forward to after working hard. When this is over (and it will be), many of you will want a vacation! Will your favorite destination be there, and ready to receive you?

I truly 100% believe that now more than ever travelers should be trusting and relying on Travel Professionals! ALL the rules have changed, and continue to change almost daily! If you try and plan your own vacation on line, I guarantee you~ it could really come back to "bite you"! In the past two months I have done nothing except cancel beautiful vacations experiences. Each and every time the results were different, and I was able to get refunds for my guests they would have not gotten if they had cancelled online! I know (from painful experience) that taking the time to speak with experts is still your best deal!

For those of you that use my services~ THANK YOU! For people who do not understand the value of working with a Travel Advisor~ now is the time to try me! In this world today, anyone who is still passionate about what they do, is going to provide you with the extra magic that we all deserve and expect after the darkness we have come through!

Stay positive~ this is a marathon, not a sprint! If you are ready~ it's okay to plan today... #TravelWillHappen!