Lori Hardegree, President of Magical Memories Travel and Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts
Last week I did something that was new for me. I stepped out of the “Disney bubble” and spent an enjoyable day with Sandals and Beaches resorts.
For 8 years now I’ve worked as a Disney vacation specialist, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but recently I made the decision that Magical Memories Travel would begin to expand our vacation product knowledge and services to include other family-friendly vacation destinations. Because of that I was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend an all day event here in Atlanta hosted by Sandals and Beaches resorts. I even had a chance to meet their CEO, Adam Stewart.
When I made this decision to offer other family vacation options, it was very important to me that we didn’t offer just any vacation products. One of the reasons why we as an agency have specialized in Disney and why we choose to partner with the Walt Disney Travel Company is that we can count on them to provide a consistently fabulous vacation experience for our guests. We know once our guests arrive on Disney property that they are in good hands and will leave feeling that they got a great value for their hard earned vacation dollars and head home with tons of “magical memories.” We wanted to make sure that when you, our guests, are back from your Disney vacation and start dreaming about your next vacation, that we could recommend something else for you that we could have that same level of confidence in knowing that you’ll find a consistently superior vacation experience when you arrive. We want to know that the destinations we recommend for you will WOW you with wonderful attention to detail, customer service, amenities and “fun” options. I’m happy to say I believe we found just that with Beaches resorts!
Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort, Photo ©Sandals
Chances are you’ve heard of Sandals resorts. They are the leader in All-Inclusive vacation destinations in the Caribbean, and with good reason! Sandals is an adult only couples resort. It’s all about romance. From drop dead gorgeous suites with butler service to romantic private dinners on the beach with the perfect view of the sunset and a ton of fun in between, Sandals is a dream come true vacation for couples, but did you know there is an equally fabulous resort option for families? Beaches is owned and operated by Sandals and offer those same gorgeous suites and sunset dinners but they also have something for everyone in your family to enjoy, and best of all, those activities are all included in the price of your vacation. That’s right scuba diving, golf, kids clubs, water-skiing, paddle-boarding, even those tropical drinks with the umbrella that you can enjoy at the swim up pool bar or have delivered to you right on the beach are ALL completely included in the cost of your vacation! You can check in to your Beaches resort, toss your wallet in the safe and never reach for it once during your entire stay.
It’s always our goal to make family vacations as FUN and EASY for Mom and Dad as they are for the kids. As a Mom of 3 boys, I know that family vacations are typically a lot of work for Mom and she doesn’t always get to relax and enjoy things as much as everyone else does. I love that Disney does so many things to make sure that the whole family has an enjoyable time and that even Mom and Dad can relax and feel like a kid again. I wanted to make sure we could continue to bring you more vacation options that appeal to the entire family and that made vacation easy and relaxing for Mom. Beaches absolutely fits the bill here again!
Beaches Negril Resort, Photo ©Sandals
Parents tell us quite often how much they love how Disney Cruise Line provides dedicated activities and spaces for kids of all ages and how that gives them the opportunity to enjoy some time alone or with other adults in addition to the “family fun” on their vacation. You’ll find these same opportunities at Beaches. Even the youngest guests have their own area with trained and certified nannies to care for the little ones while Mom and Dad are out scuba diving, and unlike a cruise, child care for infants and toddlers is completely included in your vacation package pricing. Prescshool age children will flip to see their favorite Sesame Street characters join them for everything from tea parties to dance parties. My kindergartner has already mapped out his day of playing in the sand followed by hitting the water slides at Pirates Island waterpark. My “tween age” sons are counting the days until they can walk in to the “X-Box Game Garage” or “Scratch DJ academy” and have told pretty much anyone who will listen that they they will get to “take their first breath underwater” with some scuba lessons in the pool. My husband already has an eye on “our spot” at the pool bar and, since he fancies himself a bit of a foodie, is excited about fine dining and wine tastings. Me? Well all of that sounds fantastic and I can’t wait to do it all but hanging out in a beach chair with my kindle sounds like a dream come true most of the time.
One of our agents, Patricia Mickus, shared with us her impressions of her family reunion at Beaches Turks and Caicos. Here is what she had to say:
I have been recommending Beaches for years to friends and families who want a great family vacation option in addition to Disney! We never left the resort except to take the kids to Iguana Island. I loved putting my wallet in the safe and never taking it out until we left.
The Turks and Caicos resort is absolutely breathtaking! One reason I love it is you get off the plane and will be in the resort within minutes. Our kids loved all the amenities. One family traveling with us had an infant. I was really impressed with the nannies caring for them. They kept wonderful records so the parents could know what time each child was fed and when diapers where changes. I thought they were very thorough.
Paul and I enjoyed snorkeling each day and taking the kids on the sea kayak. The pools there are beautiful and each pool has its own vibe. There are quiet pools and pools with a party atmosphere.
There are a bunch of different restaurant options so it’s easy to find something everyone can agree on, even for the picky eaters. Because it was an all inclusive we pretty much could order what we wanted off the menus. After the first night the kids were having so much fun they didn’t even want to eat with us! We fed them an early dinner and put them in the kid’s club. All the adults in our party then had a nice long relaxing dinner and everyone was happy.
I think Beaches will be a good fit for us and for our clients. I’m really excited about this opportunity!
Beaches Ocho Rios Resort Photo ©Sandals
I know this is a little bit of a change from our typical weekly Disney content, but we’re all really excited about this new partnership with Beaches resorts so we couldn’t wait to tell you about it! We’ll be developing a web site with more information but while we do, if you have any questions or would like for us to send you a brochure or video on Beaches, drop us a line and let us know! We’ll be happy to tell you all about it!