ISSUE 8 JANUARY 2019

THE CASTLE CONNECT The monthly newsletter for Castle Connections Travel

In this Issue: - NEW HARRY POTTER

ROLLER COASTER: Move over forbidden journey… a NEW roller coaster is coming to Hogsmeade late 2019

- BIPPITY BOPPITY BOUTIQUE REVIEW: Give your little princess the Royal Treatment, find out all the details here!

- SANDALS - SAINT LUCIASREGENCY LA TOC: Check out this all inclusive luxurious resort that will make you want to start jump on a plane tomorrow!

Parents Planning Disney

On our Disney Planning Facebook page we asked members, ‘What is your favorite cruise line to sail?’ Here are the results:

-Disney Cruise Line —————— 55%

-Royal Caribbean Cruise Line —— 25%

-Norwegian Cruise Line ————— 8%

-Carnival Cruise Line —————— 5%

Join our facebook page (facebook.com/groups/parentsplanningdisney) to get all your Disney questions answered and to take

part in our poll next month!

Grab your running shoes and get ready for a fun-filled weekend! From January 9th- 13th Walt Disney World will be hosting their Annual RunDisney Marathon Weekend. What is Marathon Weekend you may ask? Marathon Weekend is a long weekend in January, where guests can run THROUGH Walt Disney World! How about that?! Races available include a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Full Marathon, and of course the Dopey Challenge (completing all 4 races). There are even Kids Races! By participating in the 5K, guests will race 3.1 miles through EPCOT! The 10K Race will take runners 6.2 miles through EPCOT and surrounding resorts. The Half Marathon runs 13.1 miles around EPCOT and Magic Kingdom. The full Marathon, all 26.2 miles of it, race around all four theme parks and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Don't worry-you won't have to run to the race starting point! Roundtrip bus transportation is provided for runners staying at a Walt Disney World Resorts to the start line and will also transport spectators to the finish line so they can be there to cheer you on! The kids races take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (WWOS). If you don't feel like running around Walt Disney World, why not enjoy the parks during RunDisney and be a part of the ChEARSquad? Here spectators can enjoy the fun while cheering on family and friends! When registering for a RunDisney Event, you will receive a t-shirt, medal, and certificate of completion. Water and Gatorade are also provided throughout the races. After the race is complete guests will receive a snack box with energy snacks and all the Gatorade you can carry. While running, guests can also enjoy the Disney Characters along the route as they cheer you on. There are many character photo stops along the race route, but be warned: the lines can get long, so you may be pressed for time. To participate, guests are required to be able to run/walk a 16 minute mile. Participation in a RunDisney event does not require a park ticket, but does require paying for race registration which can range from $85 to $500 per person depending on the race.  It can be challenging, but the medals make it worth it. The RunDisney Expo held at WWOS is where runners will pick up their race bibs and race shirts. There, runners can also find every run item possible from specialized running socks to the latest in running headphone technology (and even limited edition Disney running shoes!). Can't travel to Disney but want to participate? Disney has you covered! RunDisney also has a "Virtual Shorts Series" were those willing can participate in a 5k course of your choosing (your neighborhood, favorite park, etc) during the summer months and receive a race bib, finisher certificate and a 5k medal! Look inside this issue for a full list of RunDisney events happening throughout 2019!

RunDisney Marathon Weekend

ISSUE 8 JANUARY 2019

FREE DINING IS BACK You can enjoy a FREE dining plan when you purchase a non-

discounted 5-night/6-day vacation package that includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and a ticket with a Park

Hopper Option or Park Hopper Plus Option. A minimum 4-night length of stay is required.

Book through February 10, 2019 for arrivals most nights July 5 through September 30, 2019.

For more information please visit our Facebook page (facebook.com/CastleConnectionsTravel)

Disney Fun Fact:

Measuring 964 feet in length, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are each longer than Main Street U.S.A at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. At 1,115 feet, the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream are longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and longer than

the height of New York City’s famous Chrysler Building.

Upcoming WALT DISNEY WORLD 2019 Events:

January 18 - February 25, 2019 - Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts: The Epcot International Festival of the Arts celebrates visual, culinary and performing arts inspired from all around the world set against the incomparable backdrop of Epcot. The event will feature gallery exhibits, food experiences with art-inspired menus, live Broadway-style entertainment and more.

March 6 - June 3, 2019 - Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival: Epcot’s Future World and World Showcase will bloom with more than 30 million colorful blossoms, interactive garden activities for kids and workshops with gardening experts during this annual spring festival. Also during the festival are Marketplace Food Kiosks, topiaries that fill the park, and the Garden Rocks Concert Series.

UPCOMING RUNDISNEY MARATHONS: -Marathon Weekend in WDW 1/6-1/13/19

-Princess Half Marathon in WDW 2/21-2/24/19 -Star Wars Rival Run in WDW 4/4-4/7/19

-Disneyland Paris in DLP 9/19-9/22/19 -Wine & Dine in WDW 10/31-11/3/19

New Coaster Coming Soon to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

There is a new roller coaster coming to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando in 2019! This roller coaster will be replacing the Dragon Challenge. Although most of the details of this new ride are under wraps, we know that this ride will feature the Forbidden Forest beyond Hogwarts Castle. You will take a ride on Hagrid’s motorbike through the new forest that Universal is building, and will feature indoor and outdoor scenes, reverse tracks and a major drop. This is going to be a major addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so please stay tuned for more details and the opening date! @AbbyCCT

2018 Cruise Critic Awards The 2018 Cruise Awards are in and some of our Favorite Cruise Lines received some much deserved recognition!

Best New Ship: Celebrity EdgeBest Suites: Royal Caribbean Cruise LineBest Cabins: Harmony of the Seas- Royal Caribbean Cruise LineBest Solo Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise LineBest Family Cruise Line: Disney Cruise LineBest Ship Refurbishment Mariner of the Seas- Royal Caribbean Cruise LineBest Onboard Entertainment: Royal Caribbean Cruise LineBest North American Home Port: San Juan, PR.

ISSUE 8 JANUARY 2019

Sandals Spotlight: Sandals Regency La Toc [Castries, St. Lucia]

Sandals Regency La Toc is known as St. Lucia's most glamorous resort. It is set on 210 acres that roll through forested grounds and over dramatic cliffs to a half –mile of brown sugar sand beach located on the southern shore of the Castries Bay. This resort sports 18 guestroom categories' all decorated with rich mahogany furniture, king size four poster beds, plush fabrics and island art work. Many rooms have private plunge pools or outdoor soaking tubs perfect for just relaxing in your own island sanctuary. The focal point of this resort is the half mile crescent shaped beach, caressed by the warm turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean Sea! Perfect for sun bathing, socializing, or enjoying a multitude of watersports such as kayaking, windsurfing, snorkeling, sail boating and unlimited scuba diving for certified divers. As with all Sandals Resorts all watersports are included with your resort stay!

Sandals Regency La Toc is also home to 9 unique restaurants' boasting the cuisine and ambiance of Italy, France, England the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. With so many choices the hardest part of the day may very well be deciding where to dine! This resort also sports 8 bars with 2 of their signature pools providing swim- up bar service serving signature cocktails and premium spirts.

This resort is a golf lover's dream highlighting a sporty 9-hole golf course nestled in a picturesque valley surrounded by lush villa- studded hills, featuring narrow fairways caressed by rolling hills a jungle of white cedar almond trees and bamboo. Included in your resort stay are complimentary green fees and a PGA certified golf clinic provided once a week. If you enjoy a more challenging course free transfers are offered to Cap’s estate golf and country club providing an 18-hole par 71 course. As always when staying on a Sandals Resort property you will enjoy the stay at 1 play at 3 resort privileges! With complimentary transfers you can extend your snorkeling and diving experiences to include two more underwater playgrounds. You also have the option of exploring any of the 27 gourmet restaurants and entertainment offered by Sandals St. Lucia Resorts! @KarenCCT

Bippity Boppity Boutique Review I took my almost 5 year old daughter to the Bippity Boppity Boutique last month and it was an unforgettable experience. BBB offers 2 locations; one is at Disney Springs and allows guests to experience BBB without having to have a park ticket. The other location is in Cinderella’s castle, in Magic Kingdom. I wanted to make this an extra special experience, so I chose the Castle Package and made an appointment at Cinderella’s Castle. We arrived 15 minutes early, as instructed and got to select what dress we wanted. The castle package includes a dress, accessories (based on the dress), a hair style, sash, carriage necklace and cinch bag. My daughter selected Princess Anna, which came with a hair piece and box-like purse. Once we made our selection, they placed our new dress in a dressing room for my little princess to change. After we changed we waited maybe 15 minutes before we got called on. I will say, my only complaint is that the waiting area is very small. Given that you are on a family vacation, there is not too much space for anyone else. Once your fairy godmother calls your little one, they will be taken into the salon and given their makeover. My daughter was able to pick one of four hairstyles. Of course, she picked the pink extensions. While your little princess is getting pampered, a photopass photographer is going around and taking pictures; these pictures will go into your Disney Experience account (without water mark IF you have the memory maker). Your Princess will get her hair done, light make up applied, and their nails painted. Once the make over is complete your Fairy Godmother will sprinkle Pixie Dust on your Princess and spin them around to see themselves all dolled up in the mirror. My husband made it back just in time for the big reveal and the look on her face was priceless. She was so excited to see herself! And felt like a princess all day! Well…she was basically a Princess all week, but you get the idea! I don’t know that I would do this every time, but I would highly suggest you do it, at least once. If you are working on a tight budget, you can always bring your own dress and just get a hairstyle for around $60! Follow me on facebook at @JaclynCCT for more pictures from my trip!

Current Promotions for Sandals Regency La Toc:

-Vacation Packages from $223 PP/PN -Club Level Packages from $265 PP/PN -Butler Level Package from $320 PP/PN

-Up to $635 Instant Credit -Save 65% Off Rack Rate

-Receive 1 FREE night when you book 7 nights (Select Room Categories)

Special thanks to our newsletter contributors: Lindsay Geltz, Ruby Anne Chester, Jaclyn Noel, Karen Crawford, Michael Thomas, Abby Therriault, and Lisa Arduino

ISSUE 8 JANUARY 2019

From start to finish our service are at no extra cost to you! Call us

today for a free quote!

(678) 957-7500visit us at www.castleconnectionstravel.com

Follow us @Castle_Connections

Facebook.com/ CastleConnectionsTravel

740 Brand South Tr Lawrenceville, GA 30046

In this Issue: - NEW HARRY POTTER ROLLER

COASTER: Move over forbidden journey… a NEW roller coaster is coming to Hogsmeade late 2019

- BIPPITY BOPPITY BOUTIQUE REVIEW: Give your little princess the Royal Treatment, find out all the details here!

- SANDALS - SAINT LUCIAS REGENCY LA TOC: Check out this all inclusive luxurious resort that will make you want to jump on a plane tomorrow!

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THE CASTLE CONNECT