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- The Wonder Scroll - December 2024
The Wonder Scroll - December 2024
2025 is your year to travel. Keep reading to find out why!
Autumn Hooton
December 30, 2024
Table of Contents
Cinderella’s Castle during the NYE Fireworks
Goodbye 2024! I am so thankful for 2024 allowing me to accomplish a dream years in the making: becoming a travel agent. It has been such a blessing getting to meet people and help them plan their vacations. Check out my 2024 Wondermakers Travel accomplishments and read about some of my 2025 goals! No matter where you are traveling in 2025, I hope you will consider booking with me. I can book SO much more than I mention on social medias or in my newsletters. If you are thinking about a vacation, let me know!
2025 is your year to travel
With a brand new Universal Orlando theme park opening, Disneyland celebrating its 70th birthday, free water park tickets to Walt Disney World, and MORE, 2025 is the PERFECT year to travel! Below, I will talk about some of the highlights!
Don’t forget that most locations only require a small deposit to lock in your vacation, with the remaining balance due at a later date. The sooner you book your vacation, the longer you will have to pay it off! As always, my services as a travel agent are FREE to you. When I am your travel agent, I will provide personalized resources for you, personal recommendations, help with dining reservations, and so much more! What’s great is that I can be as hands-on or as hands-off as you’d like! Request your quote here, or just reach out!
Walt Disney World 2025
 Funnel Cake at Hollywood Studios ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING! FREE DINING PLAN IS BACK!! One of the most popular Disney promotions was just announced this morning! The FREE DINING PLAN!! This means more food and less stress during your vacation! Food is one of the TOP reasons I go to Disney, so this promotion gets me SO excited every time! The details: MUST book your vacation between January 2 - February 10, 2025. Valid on most arrivals May 27 - June 26, 2025 and July 7 - August 6, 2025. Must book a non-discounted minimum 3-night stay at a Walt Disney World Resort plus 3-day park hopper tickets! I will help you with ALL of the details! Let me know if you are interested and I’ll get you all the information when this goes on sale January 2nd! Free Water Park Tickets! How does visiting a Walt Disney World water park for FREE sound? All guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel in 2025 will get a FREE ticket to one of Disney’s water park on check in day! If you are local to Walt Disney World, have a vacation home nearby, or usually don’t stay on Disney property, consider a one-night stay on Disney property for the FREE water park tickets. This route may be cheaper than buying your family one-day water park tickets! Reach out to see which option may fit your family best!  Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park | Save on Rooms Early 2025! Looking to visit Walt Disney World early 2025? Save up to 20% on rooms for stays most Sunday - Thursday nights January 1 - February 20, 2025. For most stays February 23 - April 30, 2025, you can save up to 25% on stays most nights! AND stack this with the FREE water park ticket on check in day! These savings are limited, so reach out today if you are considering an early 2025 Walt Disney World vacation! I can provide a FREE no-obligation quote to see if a trip is within your budget. Don’t forget - children under three are always free!  Paint-by-number mural during Festival of the Arts! Festival of the Arts 2025 My personal FAVORITE EPCOT festival returns January 17, 2025, with its last day being February 24th! Festival of the Arts is a short but oh so sweet festival celebrates the arts in all of its forms. Enjoy viewing (and purchasing) physical art and watching artists paint or create chalk art, eat delicious and artfully prepared food, and watch the Disney on Broadway Concert Series, where Disney on Broadway Stars sing songs you love! Be part of painting a GIANT paint by numbers mural too! Like I said, this is my FAVORITE EPCOT festival. The food is SO good and the vibes are so much fun!! EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival Do you love flowers and plants? What about topiaries that are shaped like things? What if I told you you can see 70+ topiaries shaped like some of your favorite Disney characters during the Flower and Garden Festival March 5 - June 2, 2025! Flower & Garden Festival hosts the Garden Rocks Concert Series that will feature Air Supply, 38 Special, Rick Springfield, and more throughout the festival! During the festival, you can try amazing cuisine, some featuring edible flowers, and the iconic Violet Lemonade! |
Universal Orlando Resort
There is a lot happening at Universal Orlando in 2025! Whether you are wanting to add a couple of days to your Disney World trip, or want to spend a few days exclusively at Universal, they have thrills that all ages will love! They have hotels for all budgets, but the Signature Hotels offer FREE Express passes to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure - a perk that pays for itself!  Universal Studios has a Minions Land! Up to $1,000 Dining Card on Select Hotel & Ticket Packages Early 2025 Receive a dining card up to $1,000 for FREE for stays 4 nights or longer with 4 or 5 day tickets, 1/5 - 4/10, 2025. The amount on your dining card will depend on your length of stay and the hotel you select. Pair this with a Signature Collection hotel to get the Dining Card AND Free Express Passes! What’s even better is that this dining card does NOT expire! Meaning you can bring it back on your next trip if you don’t use it all the first time. | Epic Universe Opens May 22, 2025! Earlier this year, Universal Orlando announced that it’s brand new theme park, Epic Universe will open May 22, 2025! This is EXCITING news and this park looks SO fun! It will have 5 new lands, including a How to Train Your Dragon area, a NEW Wizarding World area, Dark Universe featuring Dracula and other classic monsters, and Super Nintendo World. I cannot WAIT to visit. Right now, you can only visit Epic Universe with a three, four, or five-day ticket to Universal Orlando, with only ONE of those days being to Epic Universe. This can get confusing, so that’s another reason to book with me! I’ll make sure you book a vacation that meets your needs.  Epic Universe’s Dark Universe. Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors or Carnival My SECOND favorite time to visit Universal Orlando (right behind Christmas time) is during Mardi Gras! Celebrate Mardi Gras February 1 - March 30, 2025 at Universal Studios. During this celebration, there are floats, foods, music, and beads galore. You’ll get to see street performers decked out in their extravagant costumes. On select nights, there are even concerts included! In 2019, I was able to see one of my all-time favorite bands, Bush. I was so close that the lead singer grabbed my hand! |
Disneyland
2025 is THE year to visit Disneyland! Disneyland Celebrates its 70th Anniversary  A float from Paint the Night! Celebrate 70 years of magic with new and returning entertainment, starting May 16, 2025 and running until summer 2026. “Celebrate Happy” is the official theme of the celebration. In Disneyland Park, a brand new cavalcade “Mickey and Friends Celebrate Happy!” will debut and Mickey and his friends will be dressed in brand new celebration outfits! Paint the Night* is an ICONIC night-time parade that will be returning during this celebration. It floods the streets of Disneyland Park with stunning colors and more than a million LED lights! Another classics, Wondrous Journeys* will return, honoring the legacy of Walt Disney himself. On select nights it will feature fireworks! There will be stunning 70th decor, special treats, merchandise, and SO much more! In Disney California Adventure, a new surprise moment filled with music, lights, and projections will happen at Carthay Circle Theatre, and World of Color Happiness, an all-new nighttime spectacular will debut! Words can’t describe how fun this celebration looks. I’ll be trying my hardest to make it to California just for this celebration! If you want to celebrate Disneyland’s 70th, I would love to help you plan! *Certain parades and shows will not be available during holidays like Halloween or Christmas. | Kids’ Special Ticket Offer for Early 2025 Children ages 3 to 9 can visit Disneyland Resort for as low as $50 per child with a specially priced 1-day, 1-park ticket. Tickets are valid January 7th through March 20, 2025. Park reservations are required. As your travel agent, I can help with those reservations! Save Up to 25% on Select Stays Early 2025! From January 7th - March 20, 2025, save up to 25% on select stays of 4 or more nights! Southern California Residents Southern California Residents can get a 3-Day, 1-park per day ticket for only $67 per day! Tickets are vaild January 1 - May 15, 2025. Valid ID must show zip codes 90000 to 93599 to be eligible for this offer!  Mad Tea Party at Disneyland |
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Treasure, just had its maiden voyage! This ship looks AMAZING. Restaurants include Plaza de Coco, Worlds of Marvel, and 1923. It hosts a brand-new Broadway-style show: The tale of Moana, and has a water coaster, the AquaMouse! I can’t wait for my opportunity to cruise on this ship. If you are interested in a Disney Cruise, we can get your trip planned through May 2026!  Back massage from a sting ray during a port adventure to Sting Ray City Disney+ Subscribers Can Save! Listen, promotions for Disney Cruise Line are RARE. So if you are considering a Disney Cruise, you may want to take advantage of this promotion if you are a Disney+ subscriber! On select cruising on the Disney Dream, Disney Wish, and Disney Wonder, for sailings January 3 - June 13, 2025, third and fourth guest who are 17 and younger are HALF PRICE, with 2 full-fare guests in the same stateroom. The cruises this promotion for are very select, and very limited! So if this interests you, please reach out to me ASAP!  Animation classes are one of my favorite on board activities! | Limited-Time Offer: 50% or Required Deposit Due at Time of Booking! Book a Disney cruise by March 14, 2025, and only pay HALF of the required deposit to lock in your vacation! This is valid for select Disney cruises departing between June 16, 2025 and May 31, 2026. This means you pay a smaller amount upfront! The remaining balance will be due 90 - 120 before your sail date, depending on the length of cruise booked. Disney Cruise Line travels ALL over the world! If all works out, I’ll be taking an Alaskan Cruise on the Disney Wonder in May 2025, so be sure to follow me on social media to learn all about it!  In the lobby of the Disney Fantasy Disney cruises are truly an experience like no other. I will always recommend a Disney Cruise to everyone, whether your party is adults-only or a family! The service is unmatched. You get a surprise towel animal in your room at the end of every night. Your waiters for dinner rotate restaurants with you so they get to know your preferences. By day three, they may bring you that Diet Coke without you even having to ask! There are movies on the ship ALL day long. I got to watch The Marvels on the ship the week it came out! There are Adults-Only activities and fun for everyone. |
Carnival Cruise Line
I am now certified to book Carnival Cruise Line! While completing the training, I learned that Carnival Cruise Line is all about FUN, and it really seems like it. The cost of a Carnival Cruise includes your room, spectacular production shows and entertainment, lounges featuring live music, a fitness center, hot tubs and waterslides and other activities, youth programs for kids 2 - 17 years of age, a variety of dining options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and light night dining, soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt, and beverages in the Main Dining Room. Beverages like sodas, tea and lemonade are not included outside of the Main Dining room, but an all-inclusive beverage package can be purchased. Carnival Cruise Line is now booking through JUNE 2027!!! | Happy Cruise Year! Book now for cruises up to 40% off and a reduced deposit from $50 per person on sailings through April 2027. Contact me to take advantage of this offer!  Ropes course included on many Carnival ships! |
My 2024 Travel
2024 was a great year for travel! I visited Walt Disney World three times, St. Louis, Pigeon Forge, Nashville, Quebec City, and cities in Maine. My FAVORITE thing I did this year was my Maine and Quebec City trip in October! We spent a week driving through and sight seeing. View my recap on Reels here. Some of the places we visited:
Fort Foster in Kittery, ME. This was a beautiful place to take in views, and even had a playground!
Portland, ME: Portland Head Light at Fort Williams State Park. Technically in Cape Elizabeth, Portland Head light is not far from the Portland airport. There is some paid parking, but we parked for free a bit farther away. You can get AMAZING coastal, cliff views and of the light house! There is so much space for relaxing, walking, and picnics. There is a small museum at the lighthouse for a nominal fee. We skipped this, but it looks cute! There was also a food truck that sells Maine Lobster. We didn’t get this either, BUT I have heard amazing things!
Bangor, ME: We drove here just to see the Stephen King House. It was SO cool seeing all of the horror/gothic details in this house! While Stephen King himself doesn’t live here any more, it is still owned by his foundation. We also drove 5 minutes from the house to see the Paul Bunyan statue! This HAS to be the statue that inspired the giant Paul Bunyan scene in IT.
Bar Harbor, ME: We did not spend enough time here. It was insanely beautiful. We ate at Geddy's (reservations highly recommended) and walked around to take in the cute coastal town. There are lots of activities offered here like whale watching! Fun Fact for video game players: Fallout 4’s DLC, Far Harbor, is actually inspired by this location! This is a town we would LOVE to return to. Then we drove 5 minutes and visited Acadia National Park. This was BEAUTIFUL with all of the fall colors. We walked around Jordan Pond Loop, about a 3 mile or so hike!
Jackman, ME: This is a small town with less than 900 people, right by the Canadian border. Moose hunting season had just begun, so the town was popular. Here, we mostly drove around getting different views of Moose Head Lake and stopped for roadside views. We did see two moose cross the street!
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada: We spent most of our time in Old Quebec. I want to return here! While it was a little difficult due to the slight language barrier, most of the more touristy places did speak english. We stopped at Montmorencey Falls for views and visited Saint-Anne-de-Beaupre. I HIGHLY recommend this. You have to pay to get in the park, and then pay a fee to use the cable car to get to the top of the falls, but it is WORTH it. You can choose to take the stairs up or down for free - all 428 of them. We took the cable car up and then the stairs down. We then walked around Old Quebec just stopping places we thought were neat! It was a beautiful, safe, and friendly city.
I highly recommend a trip to these locations, especially in the fall. I have never seen fall colors like that, and it will be etched in my brain forever. Here are some of my favorite pictures from that trip:
 Portland, ME |  Portland Head Light |  Stephen King House |
 Montmorency Falls |  Saint-Anne-de-Beaupre |  Bar Harbor, ME |
My 2025 Plans
Of course I already have some travel planned in 2025! We typically plan trips one month or so in advance (I don’t recommend doing this since spaces and promotions are so limited!) due to work and our dog, Max. BUT I wanted to share some things I do have planned for 2025! It’s important for me as a travel agent to travel so that I can have first-hand experience in what I help my clients with.
February 2025: A one night stay in Indianapolis, IN. We are going specifically for WWE’s Royal Rumble, but we should get there in time to explore the area or at least try a restaurant!
May 2025: An Alaskan cruise with Disney Cruise Line
I am SO SO excited for this! Our plan is to fly into Seattle and take an Amtrack train to Vancouver, then use Vancouver’s public transportation to get to our hotel. We will be staying at the Pan Pacific Hotel which is RIGHT at the cruise port! We can book our cruise excursions in February, so stay tuned on my social medias to follow along!
July 2025: A weekend bachelorette trip to Boston. We may visit some other cities in the area as well!
December 2025: A week long family Walt Disney World Vacation! We are staying at All-Star Movies and we will have 4 park days, one park per day, with one rest day to explore the hotel or Disney Springs. We may take advantage of the Free water park ticket. Hopefully we can go to at least one Christmas party!
Let’s Start Planning!
Portland, ME
October 2024
As your travel agent, I will help you find the best vacation that fits your needs and keep you updated on any announcements that relate to your trip. I’ll even send you exclusive resources to help you prepare for your vacation!
Using me as your travel agent is FREE! And by booking with me, you will help me meet my 2025 goals! Want to know a little more about me? Watch this Reel!
Locations I can book:
Theme Parks  The Simpsons Ride Walt Disney World Disneyland Universal Orlando Resort Universal Studios Hollywood Hong Kong Disneyland Disneyland Paris | Cruise Lines  Docked at Castaway Cay Disney Cruise Line Carnival Cruise Line |
All-inclusive resorts  Beautiful views from a Sandals Resort! Sandals Resorts Beaches Resorts Excellence Resorts Marriott All-Inclusives | … And More!  Marriott Hotel Marriott Hotels Hotels & activities through Expedia Amtrack Vacations Activities through Viator And so much more! |
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