Nicole Willits

I’m writing this at the exit of Expedition Everest, waiting for my husband and son to come off it for the third time in a row. My post-baby body can no longer handle that ride, confirmed that today.

Last night, none of us would have guessed we’d be here.

THE PARTY WAS GOING GREAT

We went to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom. We arrived at 3:45pm and were in the park by 4pm to take advantage of the extra hours before the party started.

Things were going great. We got our party bags and full candy bar, rode Space Mountain, measured my son for Tron (he’s almost tall enough), and hit Barnstormer, Little Mermaid, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, plus a snack, all within the first 2 hours.

We truly made the most of our first couple hours. We hit up rides that were priorities for us and tried snacks that were party exclusives, which opened up right around 6pm (special beignets from Golden Oak Outpost, loaded sweet potato fries at Pecos Bill’s).

THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED

My son started feeling sick. We took a break, decided to try getting in line for Big Thunder, but didn’t make it more than halfway through the line when he was done. We left the line, and he got sick right as we walked out.

The evening I’d planned for was over. No parade, no stage show, no ride overlays, no candy trails.

THE PIVOT

Here’s the thing about Disney: when your day falls apart, you have options. But you have to know what to ask for.

We walked to Guest Relations and explained what happened, and they thankfully refunded our party tickets. My son woke up the next day feeling better. We took that refund and bought Animal Kingdom tickets instead. I knew we could have a great day there without prebooked lightning lanes or dining reservations, and Everest is my son’s favorite ride. No brainer for us.

One night, two parks, a completely different trip.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Most people panic when things go sideways at Disney. They either eat the loss or they call customer service and hope for the best. That’s stressful.

When you work with me as your travel advisor, I’m the one who knows what Guest Relations can do. I’m the one who’s planned enough trips to know which pivot makes sense. I’m the one you call when your kid gets sick in a theme park, and I’m helping you figure out what comes next.
You don’t have to know all the answers. You don’t have to panic. You call me, and we make a move together.

Plans change on a Disney trip. Having the right person in your corner means you know exactly what to do when they do.

If you’re a mom planning your next Disney vacation and wondering whether to choose a Disney Cruise or Walt Disney World, you’re not alone. After years of visiting the parks, my family finally sailed on the Disney Dream, and I