On The Road Travel

You’ve planned your dream vacation, and the excitement is building, but how do you tide yourself over until your trip? Movies of course! So many of the attractions, character experiences, and entertainment on your Disney vacation will be even more enjoyable if you’re familiar with the movies and stories from which they were dreamed up. Below is a list of the best movies to prepare you and your family for your upcoming trip! Disney World Toy Story 1, 2, and 3 - Take on Zurg at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin in the Magic Kingdom. At Hollywood Studios, become one of the toys in Toy Story Land where you can take a ride on Slinky Dog Dash, spin with the Aliens on their Swirling Saucers, and reach your high score at Toy Story Mania. Cinderella - See the castle in real life and meet the princess herself at Magic Kingdom. Dumbo - Fly along on Dumbo the Flying Elephant at Magic Kingdom. Beauty and the Beast - Become part of the story at Enchanted Tales with Belle and meet Belle ...

Planning for a Disney vacation can be simultaneously exciting and overwhelming! It’s such an amazing trip to look forward to but it’s a challenge to manage all the details in an organized way. Families that include members with special needs have additional details that need to be addressed when planning for time away from home and daily routine. Planning a vacation that includes people with autism and other special needs can best be met by someone who understands their unique needs and the detailed preparation involved in embarking on such a lengthy trip. At On The Road Travel you can plan with me, Dawn K. Zorilo, a Certified Autism Travel Professional (CATP) who also holds a Master’s Degree and New York State Certification in Students with Disabilities. In addition to formal training, I have years of experience working directly with children with special needs and their families. I understand the specific details and challenges that are involved and am ready to help you prepar...

You love Disney, right? But have you really experienced Disney on both coasts? Walt Disney World in Florida is HUGE and so magical, but Disneyland Resort in California is the original and a MUST do experience full of Walt’s footsteps--- and so much of the true history of Disney! Things that I love about experiencing Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks in California: Proximity: 2 parks - Disneyland and California Adventure - plus Downtown Disney are all within a walkable distance, which makes it perfect for multigenerational trips! Less walking and distance required! Onsite hotels: There are just 3 onsite hotels at Disneyland, but there are 49 good neighbor hotels that are also very close by and many are even within walking distance of the parks! Park hopping: EASY peasy - you can walk from the entry of Disneyland to California Adventure within a few minutes. Less upfront planning: For the California parks and resorts, dining reservations take place 60 days ...

January is here and it has me dreaming of a sandy beach with warm water! Sounds like a Disney Cruise is the perfect cure! One of the best parts of a Disney Cruise sailing out of Texas or Florida, is a stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island. On our first Disney Cruise, we were blown away with all that there was to do on the island. It can be overwhelming trying to decide what to hit and what to miss. Today I’m highlighting my top 5 do’s and don’ts to making the most of your visit at Castaway Cay! DO: Cross a 5K off of your bucket list! Whether you’re an avid runner or just want to cross this off your bucket list, The Castaway Cay 5k is the perfect way to start your day on the island. This race is free to all cruisers and allows you a chance to be first off the boat. Whether you run, walk, skip or hop it’s a great way to see the island. There is no pressure...just lots of happy faces cheering you on. And everyone gets a medal! Win. Win. DON’T: Forget Sunscreen. The sun is i...

Disneyland Vero Beach One of my favorite things about the holidays is decorating the Christmas Tree. I’m “one of those people” who is highly particular about ornament placement, light stringing, the cascade of the garland, etc, and I take little help from the rest of my family when it comes to decorating the tree. My boys have their own trees that they can decorate any way that they want, but the big tree is mine. When we were growing up, decorating the tree was a task that fell to my dad, with lots of help from my sister and me. Dad’s mantra was, and is, “lights make the tree,” and I could not agree more! So, after I string about a thousand lights on the tree (it’s a wonder the tree does not spontaneously combust), it’s time to place the ornaments. Walt Disney World Disney Cruise Line The real reason I love decorating our tree is that so many of the ornaments come from our family travels. When we travel, one souvenir that I always purchase is an ornament for the tree. If I can fi...

Looking for a fun and new Disney experience? How about a stay at The Fort Wilderness Cabins! Located in the Magic Kingdom area of Walt Disney World, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground offers themed camping and cabins so you can enjoy the outdoors in Disney Style.   Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground originally opened on November 19th, 1971. It sits on 750 wooded acres giving the resort the feel of the great American frontier. Wildlife is plentiful as you will find ducks, deer, armadillo, rabbits and peacocks roaming the grounds. The resort offers the best of the great outdoors while giving the Disney experience you expect. Camping is not for everyone, so the option of a Cabin that sleeps up to 6 can be great. Sitting at almost 504 square feet, the cabins offer plenty of space. The cabin contains a separate bedroom with bunk beds along with a full sized bed. The living room area has a pull out sofa along with a dining table and flat screen television. The...

Back in September, you may remember that I embarked on a girls trip with my dear friend, Megan. The first part of our trip saw us conquering all four Walt Disney World parks in one day. The second part of our trip had us setting sail on the high seas for our first ever Disney Cruise. The expectations for the cruise were high: I’ve rarely spoken with someone who wasn’t blown away with their DCL experience. But, having sailed other cruise lines before, I had to see the “Disney Difference” for myself. Spoiler alert: Disney did not disappoint. Here are just a few highlights of what set the Disney Cruise Line apart! Night time entertainment: Specifically for the cruise line, Disney produces Broadway style, and Broadway quality shows. Each night of our three night adventure was a different show that allowed us to connect with some of the more well-known characters (Belle and Beast) and those that are a little less common (Quasimodo or Tarzan). Staff: Every single cast member (aka Disne...