MouseChat.net – Family Travel Podcast - Disney, Universal, Cruises, All Inclusive, Travel News & Rev

Just back from Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas, the MouseChat team skips the standard beach day and tests three off-the-beaten-path shore excursions in Costa Maya, Roatan and Cozumel. Lisa, Steve, Caitlin and Sharpie also compare the cruise line private islands: Disney Castaway Cay, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, and Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay. The three excursions we did

Planning a Christmas trip to Walt Disney World in 2026? On this episode of MouseChat, the weekly family travel podcast sponsored by Pixie Vacations (an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner since 2009), Lisa, Debbie, Kaitlyn and Steve walk through every park, party and holiday tradition. They cover what's worth paying for, what's free, and the deals still open.

Caitlyn is back from maternity leave (welcome, baby Clara!) and Steve and Lisa are just home from their annual Labor Day weekend at Universal Orlando, this year with a new addition: a full day at Epic Universe before Halloween Horror Nights. First up, an honest Epic Universe review now that the park has had time to settle in. Is Express Pass worth it? (Short version: if you're only there for one day, yes, and note that Epic's Express is a separate ticket that isn't included with the Universal hotel unlimited Express perk.) We talk about the jaw-dropping walk into Super...

Level 99 has taken over the old DisneyQuest and NBA Experience building at Disney Springs, and it's exactly Lisa's kind of place. This week Steve and Lisa are joined by special guest Laura from Game Masters Escapes, who has designed 21 escape rooms, runs 14 of them (plus three holiday rooms) in Canada, and has installed rooms everywhere from the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas to Mexico City. Laura walks us through what makes Level 99 such a smart addition to Disney Springs, why interactive entertainment is so good for families (grandparents, parents, and kids all playing on the same team), and what goes...

Lisa, Debbie "Sharpie," and Steve sit down with Steven, a Doctor of Physical Therapy in Orlando and host of the Happily Ever Active podcast, to talk about how to actually get your body ready for a Disney World vacation — before you ever set foot in the parks. Steven breaks down how most people walk only 4,000–5,000 steps a day but need to handle 20,000+ at Disney, and why that sudden jump (not the walking itself) is what causes sore feet, back pain, and injuries like plantar fasciitis and shin splints. He shares his progressive walking plan to build up mileage in the 1–3 months...

D23 2026 was stacked — for the first time in a long while, Disney made major announcements for all six U.S. parks, plus Disney Cruise Line and a full lineup of movies. In this episode, Lisa, Debby, Sharpie and Steve give you the fast, fun rundown of everything that matters, with the context and honest takes you only get from planners who've actually been there. Here's what's coming to the Disney parks (and when): Magic Kingdom Villains Land — a new immersive land roughly the size of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, anchored by a Maleficent family coaster and a Magic Mirror dark ride...

Epcot or Magic Kingdom? Dole Whip or Mickey pretzel? Castaway Cay or Lighthouse Point? This week Lisa puts Steve and Debbie in the hot seat for a rapid-fire (okay… not-so-rapid-fire) round of "This or That." Two options, gut-instinct answers, and a whole lot of friendly disagreement — with plenty of insider reasoning packed in along the way. Some are total no-brainers, a few get controversial, and Lisa tries (and mostly fails) to predict everyone's answers. It's a fun, easy listen packed with real opinions from travel agents who live and breathe Disney. Play along at home and see how many you matc...

Is it worth it? That's the question the Mouse Chat crew tackles this week as Steve, Lisa, and Debbie go around the table and put Disney World's most debated add-ons on trial. From Lightning Lanes and the Dining Plan to dessert parties, park hoppers, Disney Cruise concierge, pin trading, and popcorn buckets — we call out what's a total skip and what's absolutely worth every penny. Expect some hot takes, a few friendly arguments, and a whole lot of real-world advice from travel agents who book Disney every single day. Grab a Mickey bar and settle in — this is a fun one.

It's the question every parent asks: "How old should my kids be before we take them to Disney World?" This week on Mouse Chat, we tackle it head-on. There's no single magic number — but there ARE ages and stages that make the trip smoother, more magical, and more worth the money. We talk through the real trade-offs at every stage: the baby and toddler years (naps, strollers, and "will they even remember it?"), the sweet spot of the preschool and early-elementary years when the magic hits hardest, the tween and teen years when thrill rides and independence change the whole tr...

This week on Mouse Chat, Sharpie takes us to Europe for a father-son high-school graduation trip through Spain and Portugal — a destination his oldest son picked as he heads off to study architecture. From Gaudí's Sagrada Família to a flamenco tablao, high-speed trains, beach towns, and Lisbon's tile shops, here's an honest trip report with real tips you can use to plan your own visit. What we cover this week: The route: flying Aer Lingus out of Pittsburgh with a 12-hour Dublin layover each way, then Barcelona (3 nights) → high-speed train to Madrid → train to Seville → local train to Cádiz → ba...

Disney Springs and Disney's BoardWalk are both getting a major refresh in 2026, and this week the Mouse Chat team walks through every new restaurant, lounge, shop, and attraction worth knowing about — plus when each one opens. At Disney Springs, we dig into Six Ravens, the mysterious savory spin-off from Gideon's Bakehouse (signage is up and it's coming this summer), Morimoto's new Kakigori Kool shaved-ice cart, and LEVEL99 — a 45,000-square-foot, two-story game palace with 60+ challenge rooms opening June 29, 2026 (tickets from $29.99). New retail from Vuori and Columbia Sportswear is on the way too. Over at the BoardWalk, Disney finally confirmed the long-rumored addi...

Disney Springs and Disney's BoardWalk are both getting a major refresh in 2026 — and this week the Mouse Chat team breaks down every new restaurant, lounge, shop, and entertainment venue worth knowing about. From Gideon's Bakehouse's mysterious savory spin-off to a 45,000-square-foot game palace, plus the long-rumored BoardWalk additions Disney finally confirmed, here's what's coming and when. Ready to turn any of this into a trip? [Get a free, no-fee Disney World quote from Pixie Vacations »](https://pixievacations.com/get-a-quote/?utm_source=mousechat&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=july2026) ### Disney Springs — New Food & Dining **Six Ravens (Gideon's Bakehouse savory concept) — signage up, ope...

East Coast vs. West Coast Disney! On this episode of Mouse Chat, the gang shares two fresh trip reports — Debbie heads to Disneyland and Caitlin does a Disney World Beach Club staycation — with real tips you can actually use to plan your own trip.

Is a European cruise worth it? We took the whole family on a 7-night Mediterranean cruise out of Rome aboard Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas — and on this episode of Mouse Chat we give you the honest answer: the magic, the heat, the lost luggage, and what we'd do differently next time. We sailed Rome → Santorini → Ephesus (Turkey) → Mykonos → Naples/Pompeii → Rome, and we get into the real tips that made (and almost broke) the trip: • Why you should ALWAYS arrive a day early — our lost-luggage story • The Santorini insider move: a water taxi to Oia that skips the 2-hour cable car li...

Vacation Spots to Beat the Summer Heat

Why Universal Studios Orlando Should be on Your Vacation List

Which Disney World Resort is Perfect for You

What is Drinking around the World at Epcot?

Must Do Disney World EXTRAS, The Top Rated Worth It Extras To Do

What's Happening at Walt DIsney World Summer Thru Halloween?

Our Love of Disney and How Mouse Chat Started

These are the top 10 rated restraunts at Epcot as rated by Travelers. Do you agree?

We take You to Tenerife canary islands

Disney's Interesting Movie Line Up

This week on Mouse Chat we break down everything you need to know about staying at Disney's World for Easter— Easter, dining, tips, activities. The Mouse Chatters share firsthand tips from Easter trips most recent stay. If you're planning a Walt Disney World vacation this Easter, this is the episode for you.

Caitlyn does a Full Disney Cruise Line Review of both Disney Islands and also the newest Disney Cruise Ship in the USA, teh Disney Destiny.

Is Beaches Turks & Caicos Treasure Beach Worth it? the new Beaches Resort Village, Treasure Beach is open and I sayed there for 4 days. Here is my full Beaches Turks Treasure Beach Review and Rating.

Best Options to get to Disney World

EPCOT Flower & Garden - What's Happening This Year

Disney World Top Listener Questions

Which VIP Tour is the best? We do the Disney World and Universal Orlando VIP Tours and give you the skinny

We are with Jayde who just wrapped up TWO Disney College Programs at Walt Disney World. Jayde was nice enough to share all the ins and outs about the Disney College Program so if you are interested in applying for the program, be sure to listen to this weeks Mouse Chat Disney Podcast. How to Apply for the Disney College Program Tips about the Disney college program interview process What Does the Disney College Program Pay? Who can apply to the Disney College Program? Where do you live and what does it cost? How much do you get paid on...

We are back from Walt Disney World after Lisa and Caitlyn both enjoyed two different Disney Resorts and the parks. Here is our full Disney Trip Report.

Before you travel to Walt Disney World, here are the Disney World resort refurbishment schedules for all the walt disney world resort hotels

I hate when I go to Disney World and my favorite rides are closed for updates. Don't go to Disney World in 2026 without first checking what's going to be open. Here is our complete list of Disney World Park updates and refurbishments.

There are some amazing deals for families for Disney World Vacations in 2026

Ways To Get Your Disney KICKS in 2026

With so many dining options at Disney World's Disney Springs shopping location, we put together some of our favorites for you

With 2026 days away, here is what we are looking forward to in travel for 2026.

Here's what is coming to Disney World in 2026