 If you're a fan of movies and theme parks, Universal Hollywood is a must-visit destination. And if you're looking for the ultimate VIP experience, you won't want to miss the VIP tour. Here's why. The VIP tour at Universal Hollywood is a premium experience that offers a range of exclusive perks and benefits. You'll get to enjoy priority access to all the rides and attractions, skip the long lines, and enjoy behind-the-scenes access to some of the park's most iconic movie sets and studios. I got to experience this recently and had a blast. This is a review based on my experiences, and tour offerings are subject to change.  The tour begins with a continental breakfast and a private tour of the Universal Studios backlot, where you'll get to see the sets of famous movies and TV shows, including Jaws, Psycho, and Desperate Housewives. You'll also get to visit the prop and costume departments and learn about the movie-making process from a knowledgeable tour guide.  Next up, you'll get to experience the park's most popular attractions, including Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, The Simpsons Ride, and Transformers: The Ride-3D. You'll be able to bypass the regular lines and enjoy priority access to all the rides, which means you'll have more time to explore the park and take in all the sights and sounds.  We walked around and took photos of this set, which was so realistic it brought back my PTSD from the 2011 Tuscaloosa tornado we lived through. After I had a moment of reassuring myself that it was all fake, I enjoyed the details and the believability of this set. Getting to walk around it is unique to the VIP tour and was an incredible experience. You can see more in the highlights of the tour on Instagram by going here. But that's not all. The VIP tour also includes a gourmet lunch at the exclusive VIP dining room, where you'll be able to enjoy a delicious meal and take in stunning views of the park. And if you're a fan of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you'll get to enjoy a private wand-fitting experience, where you'll be able to choose your own wand and cast spells throughout the park. We were also visited by some iconic characters (excuse the action shots!). Super Nintendo World is now open, and with the tour you'll get guaranteed admission to this exciting new attraction. Here you can explore a fully immersive world of Mario and his friends. You can ride on Yoshi's Adventure, compete in Mario Kart races, and even collect virtual coins throughout the park.  They were having annual pass-holder previews on the day of our tour so we didn't get to go inside. It looks amazing from what we saw, and I'm excited for this addition to the park!  Our tour ended at 3:45pm, and the parks closed at 8pm, so we had access to the Express line for any ride we wanted to experience for the rest of the day.  After a call back home to my family and looking up to see Frankenstein staring at me, which was a little shocking, I explored the front of the park, did some shopping and then departed for CityWalk. I had reservations at the new to Hollywood Chocolate Emporium, and it is still one of my CityWalk favorites.  Overall, the VIP tour at Universal Hollywood is an incredible experience that offers unparalleled access to the park's most popular attractions and behind-the-scenes areas. It's perfect for movie buffs, theme park enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to enjoy a truly unforgettable day at one of the world's most iconic theme parks. So what are you waiting for? Let's start planning your VIP tour today and get ready for an experience you'll never forget! 
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 A brand new discount is out today for Walt Disney World Resort! The new Disney Dining Promo Card Giveaway could save you and your family up to $750! Check out all the details below, then click here to start planning your next vacation with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner today!  Fine print: For arrivals July 1 - July 10, and August 1 - September 14, 2023, receive up to a $150 per night dining gift card. For arrivals June 25 - June 30 and July 11 - July 31, receive up to a $125 per night dining gift card Availability is limited! Terms and conditions apply.  Our team of experts is here to help you experience the best of the best in the parks, and we specialize in helping you have more fun on your vacation! Click the link below to send us an email, and soon you will be on your way to the most magical place on earth!
 In this day and age, is there a reason to use a travel agent to plan your next family vacation? The answer is, that depends! (Keep reading and I'll answer this question for you.) When you first begin the process of planning a trip to Disney, you may begin by googling "best resort at Disney World" or "best time to go to Disney". The problem is that you will get someone else's opinion of when it's best for them to go.  As you continue reading blog posts and watching reels and TikTok's, you may begin to feel overwhelmed by all of the options. How do you know which resort would be perfect for you and your kids? Let's say you move forward and decide on a resort. Great! The next step is deciding when to go. Oh geez. More searching. Should we go for spring break? Wait, the resort pool is getting refurbished when we want to go? What are the crowds like? Is it too hot in the summer? We only get 14 days of vacation for Christmas - should we go then? Once you decide on dates and resort, then come the ticket options. Do you need park hopper? What is Genie+? I need a park pass reservation AND a ticket?!  Many times this is the point where a client will reach out to us. We are a team of 18 professional travel agents who focus on planning Disney trips for families. That's right! We work directly with you to determine the best possible combination of resort, tickets, dining, and so much more. With Disney-focused trip planning, it's all about the details.  You should use a Travel Bug Travel Professional if you'd like to hire a someone who can help make your trip planning and travel experience better. We delight in helping you with that once-in-a-lifetime trip you've been dreaming of, or if you want to go back and have a better experience than last time, we can help with that too! We provide insider knowledge, a listening ear, convenience, help with the decision making process and the peace of mind you need so you can relax, have more fun and enjoy the magical moments of your vacation. We are also an advocate in case you need it.  If you'd like to find out more about how we do this, send us an email! We would love to talk more about the process and what it's like to work with us. Thanks for reading! Your time is valuable and we don't take it for granted that you are here. Best wishes to you and your family!
Nearly all of us are ready to get the suitcases down and pack them up for travel. Here are our top 10 Travel Bug tips for flying this summer:  10. Carry an external battery in your carry-on, just in case your flights are delayed and you need more power for finishing the Obi-Wan series. 9. Bring snacks - the non-strong-smelling kind. 8. Purchase noise cancelling headphones. This will completely upgrade your flying experience. Pay attention to boarding directions because you won't be able to hear a blessed thing.  7. Consider joining an airport lounge. This is a huge benefit if you're spending more than 90 minutes in the airport. A couple to consider are the Delta Sky Club or the American Express Centurion Lounge. Double check that your favorite airports have these before joining. 6. Bring an empty refillable water bottle. It's important to stay hydrated, and most airports have refilling stations near the bathrooms. However, if you go with option seven you won't need your own water bottle! 5. Purchase travel protection for peace of mind.  4. Have the airline app on your phone to help with updates and delays. It will also alert you when your flight is boarding (in case you're really into your episode of Obi Wan and miss the loudspeaker buzz). 3. And that brings us to number three... download movies or episodes of your favorite shows to your phone. Somehow this is the one I tend to forget, and airport wifi is not the best. Prepare by downloading at home while you pack. 2. Even if you bring a checked bag, have at least three days of clothes with you in your carry-on and all your medications. Bags are rarely lost, however, if you are separated from your bags it can take up to three days to track them down. Be prepared to enjoy the first few days of your vacation by bringing the most important items in your carry-on, plus some spare outfits.  1. Pack your patience. There will most likely be some unforeseen events while you travel. Take a breath and be kind. Give yourself grace, and then get in line to speak to the desk agent. While you're waiting, check the app, put in a call, do what you need to do to adjust. The gate agent has a lot of power, so be very nice when asking for help. We also highly recommend using a travel professional that specializes in the destination where you are traveling to. If there's an issue you have an advocate in your corner working hard to smooth things out. Check out their reviews or go with a friend's recommendation. Google is a great source for travel agent referrals too. Traveling can be fun with a little prep. Let's get out there and take that hard-earned vacation!
 On a recent visit to Walt Disney World Resort, we visited the new restaurant at Epcot, Space 220.  The theming is very fun and outer-space themed.  When you arrive, you are put on an elevator that takes you 220 miles above the earth (visually, not literally). It gives you the feeling of departing and then arriving, which contributes to the feeling of leaving Epcot and going to outer space.  Once you "arrive" you are taken in to the main dining area, which is surrounded with images of earth and an occasional astronaut or space craft. It's very relaxing, and I can see this being a fantastic way to get out of the heat in mid-day summer. For this particular day, it was a great way to get out of the cold and wind.  Our waiter was great and made fantastic drink recommendations. The Planetary Punch is great and they smoke! My drink was called the Red Star. Not too sweet but a lot of fun.  We tried the infamous fried cauliflower, "Blue Moon Cauliflower". Spoiler alert: it didn't taste like cauliflower! Everyone at our table enjoyed it and decided we would order it again.  Next, our entrees arrived. First pictured, the Seared Tuna. I enjoyed it! The flavors were great, and it wasn't a heavy dish.  Next at the table was the Bluehouse Salmon.  And the Flat Iron Steak. We skipped desert so we could head outside and eat some deconstructed Key Lime pie. Overall, we enjoyed our experience and will be recommending this restaurant to clients who are looking to upscale their dining experience at Epcot. It's a really fun experience, the food was fantastic, atmosphere was unique and befitting of a themed restaurant experience. It reminded me just a bit of Sci-Fi drive-in, but with upgraded food. 
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