Hi! I’m Heather, and I live with my husband in Petal, Mississippi. I'm originally from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. After almost twenty years in the dental industry, and with our son off to college, I also returned. In recent news, our son graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a BA in English, my husband finished his MBA at American Military University, and I've completed my BA in Psychology. Yes, we were all in school at the same time and graduated within a month of each other. It was a busy time!

 

After checking that goal off the list, it was time to pursue my true passion…travel planning! My dad demonstrated the value of three things growing up: always take the trip, have a detailed travel folder, and take tons of pictures! I traveled with my family a great deal when I was younger and have done the same with my family. I was raised to place experiences above the collection of things. When we gift, we gift experiences! So how did we celebrate our graduations? We went to Disney World and Universal Orlando, of course!

 

This latest was my 12th trip to Disney World and 8th to Universal. So, why would I want to go again? The truth is, I have a new experience each time, especially regarding the shows. The Nighttime Lights over Hogwarts and the fireworks displays at Disney are indescribable. Calling them incredible hardly does these spectaculars any justice. They are magical! Our nephew joined us again, and this was the third trip with him included in the mix, and when we go, we go all out! It begins with early hours, includes nonstop food, pin trading, show, and rides, and ends with closing the parks! We even caught the new Avatar movie at Universal's Cinemark in CityWalk. It was a jam-packed trip that was only possible with a plan. Making dining reservations, utilizing early hours, having Universal Express passes, and using Disney's Genie+ saved countless hours of waiting in line!

 

As an adult, the planning bug bit me many moons ago when I planned my destination wedding in New Orleans while living in Washington. It's only grown from there! I'm a coastal girl and have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the West, East, and Florida coasts. I am willing and eager to travel, even last minute, which has taken me to incredible places, including Alaska and Saint Croix. As the planner of the bunch, my friends and family often call me first because they know that I am resourceful, and I find joy in the details! Remember that travel folder that my dad suggested? I still have it, only now it's become a detailed notebook.

 

We visit Orlando often because we live within an eight-hour drive, and the military pricing is fantastic! Are you ready to hear about a few of my favorite things? First and likely most importantly, we enjoy attending the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot, especially around our anniversary in October. We have participated in this festival six times, with plans to attend again this year. We have also attended Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. These are fantastic events for kids and adults, as they go all out with the decorations, and Disney World during the holidays is a must-see! Animal Kingdom and Epcot are my favorite parks because our son is a zookeeper (he even took his graduation photos there), and we enjoy trying new foods. We love to eat and drink around the world, and Animal Kingdom has the best rides, especially if you like Avatar. I don't do most of the big rides, but my boys finally convinced me to try all of them in Pandora this last time, and I couldn't believe I had waited. Wow! I was speechless. The Lightning Lane purchase for this ride was so worth it! You must see it to understand. If we have someone with us that has never been, we always take them to Magic Kingdom because I love to see the look on their face when they view the castle for the first time! They usually cry happy tears because it is just so magnificent. If I'm not in the mood for rides, I prefer to start at Epcot, hop over to Hollywood Studios on the Skyliner to watch all the Disney short films, and then jump back to Epcot for the fireworks. It's truly an ideal day for me!

 

What do I enjoy outside of traveling? I love to cook, but I have definite room for improvement in the baking department. I appreciate music of almost every genre and would be lost without the sound of it filling the house daily. We love to attend concerts, and in fact, I just purchased some tickets today! As a former instructor, I pride myself on being a lifetime learner. I want to learn all I can, striving to learn something new daily. I also enjoy the outdoors, whether gardening, walking, hiking, or snow skiing, but I'm not a fan of the South's bugs, weather events, or lack of snow!

 

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me! In all honesty, I had to pinch myself when blessed with the opportunity to join the Coasters & Castles family; what a dream come true to find something I love to do and then find a way to get paid for it! The training and testing required to become an advisor were intense, but the efforts made me appreciate it more when I passed and was selected. As your travel advisor, I can offer my time, travel knowledge, and connections to plan the best experience for you so that you can spend your time making memories. I will use your ideas to research the best prices and offer suggestions to make your trip seamless and personalized. Currently, I specialize in theme parks and military travel, but I'm taking on new training every day because I have a bucket list, too, just like you! What's at the top of my list? Disneyland Paris!