Adventure with Gillian

Adventure with Gillian Travel planning doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

I share honest advice, practical strategies, and insider tips to help families plan Disney, Universal, cruises, and all-inclusive vacations with confidence.

09/19/2026

I love being on your mind 😏

09/18/2026

Let’s talk about hurricane season cruises because some of y’all are picturing a cruise ship getting yeeted directly into a Category 5. 😂

That’s not how this works.

Cruise lines monitor weather constantly, and if a storm threatens an itinerary, the ship can change course, adjust the schedule, or skip a port entirely.

THAT is the part I want you thinking about.

Because if you’re booking a cruise during hurricane season, you need to be okay with the possibility that your perfectly planned itinerary might not stay perfectly planned.

You might miss a port.

You might get an extra sea day.

Your arrival or departure could be affected.

And yes, you could have some rougher-than-expected seas.

Does that mean I wouldn’t cruise during hurricane season?

Absolutely not.

I’d just go into it knowing that flexibility is part of the deal.

Because personally? I’d rather understand the risk and make an informed decision than let the words “hurricane season” automatically scare me away from an entire season of cruising.

And if missing one specific port would make you feel like your entire vacation was ruined?

Then babe… maybe hurricane season isn’t your season. 😂

Would you cruise during hurricane season? Or absolutely the hell not?

09/17/2026

Art of Animation is overrated.

I said what I said.

And before the Disney internet comes for me… I’m not saying it’s a bad resort.

I’m saying I think it gets recommended WAY too often as the obvious “best resort for families.”

The Little Mermaid rooms?
Cute. Theming is fun.

But they can be LOUD.
They’re some of the furthest rooms from the main building.
And after a full park day with small kids, that walk can feel a whole lot longer than it looked on the map.

Now the family suites?

Different conversation.

If you have 4–6 people, need actual space, want a separate sleeping area, and are going to spend a decent amount of time at the resort, I think the suites can absolutely be worth the extra money.

But booking a Little Mermaid standard room simply because someone said “Art of Animation is perfect for families”?

Not automatically.

Your resort matters WAY more than people think.

Location. Room layout. Transportation. Noise. Pool. How much space you actually need.

Because the cheapest room at the most “family friendly” resort isn’t always the best fit for YOUR family.

I said what I said. You’re welcome.

Now tell me:

Which Disney resort do YOU think is overrated?

I know y’all have opinions. 👀

09/16/2026

If you’re traveling to Disney with kids and staying off property because you think you’re “saving money”…

I need you to hear me:

You are not just booking a hotel. You are booking the logistics of your vacation.

And with kids? Logistics matter. A LOT.

Being on property can mean:
• Less driving
• Easier transportation
• No dragging exhausted children across a giant parking lot
• Getting back to the room when someone inevitably melts down
• Midday pool breaks without turning it into a whole damn expedition
• More flexibility when nap schedules go straight to hell
• Staying in the Disney bubble when your kids are still little enough to think that’s basically heaven

And before somebody says, “But we can save $300 staying off property…”

Maybe.

But I want you to ask yourself what that $300 is actually buying you.

Because if you’re spending your vacation time driving, parking, hauling car seats, coordinating transportation, and trying to get everyone back to the hotel after a 12-hour park day…

Congratulations. You saved money and bought yourself a second job.

I’m not saying on-property is automatically right for every family.

I AM saying that when you’re traveling with little kids, your hotel is part of your vacation strategy.

Stop choosing the room based on the room.

Choose it based on how you want the entire vacation to feel.

And yes, this is exactly the kind of thing I look at when I help families plan Disney. Because the cheapest option on paper is not always the easiest option once you actually have to LIVE the vacation.

Would you stay on property with kids, or are you team off-property? Tell me why.

09/16/2026

COMMENT “DUMB” IF YOU’VE EVER LEARNED A TRAVEL LESSON THE HARD WAY.

I’m not giving you travel advice because I’m smarter than you.

I’m giving you travel advice because I’ve already done a LOT of dumb s**t. 😂

I’ve booked things I absolutely should not have booked.

I’ve underestimated how exhausting a day would be.

I’ve picked the wrong resort.

I’ve thought, “We’ll just figure it out when we get there.”

Spoiler: sometimes you do, in fact, NOT just figure it out when you get there.

I’ve learned what happens when you ignore travel time, park transportation, room location, weather, crowds, exhaustion, dining logistics, and the very real fact that children do not give a single s**t about your carefully planned itinerary.

And after years of doing this professionally, I’ve also learned how to spot the problems BEFORE they become the problems.

That’s the whole point.

You don’t need a travel planner because you’re incapable of planning a vacation.

You need one because you don’t have to personally make every dumb mistake to learn from it.

I’ll happily take the lessons from my own chaos and hand them to you.

You’re welcome. 😂

Follow me for the travel advice I wish someone had given me BEFORE I learned it the stupid way.

09/15/2026

The mom anxiety nobody talks about because everyone judges you for having it.

“What if they’re miserable?”

“What if I forgot something?”

“What if they get sick?”

“What if I picked the wrong resort?”

“What if we spend all this money and nobody has fun?”

“What if I’m ruining the vacation?”

And then you feel ridiculous because…

It’s Disney. You’re supposed to be excited.

Except your brain apparently didn’t get the memo.

You’re checking the weather 14 times.

Rebuilding the itinerary at midnight.

Worrying about naps.

Worrying about food.

Worrying about bathroom breaks.

Worrying about crowds.

Worrying about whether everyone else is having a good time.

And somehow you’re supposed to do all of that while smiling for the family photo.

Girl.

You are not failing at vacation.

You are carrying the mental load of making the vacation happen.

And I think we need to stop pretending that moms who are anxious about travel just need to “relax.”

Sometimes you don’t need another packing list.

You need a plan that leaves room for s**t going sideways.

Because it will.

Someone will melt down.

Someone will get hungry.

Someone will need a bathroom immediately.

Someone will hate the restaurant you spent three months trying to book.

And that doesn’t mean the vacation is ruined.

It means you’re on vacation with humans.

So if you’re the mom quietly spiraling while everyone else is screaming with excitement…

I see you.

And no, you don’t need to feel guilty for needing a plan.

09/15/2026

I would NEVER stay at a Disney All-Star Resort again.

There. I said it.

And before the comments come for me…

That does NOT mean I think All-Stars are bad resorts.

They can be an absolutely fantastic choice for the right family.

But for me?

Nope.

Because when I’m spending thousands of dollars on a Disney vacation, I want the resort to feel like part of the vacation.

I want a little more breathing room.

I want a pool day that actually feels relaxing.

I want to be able to slow down without feeling like I’m sitting in a giant, overstimulating extension of the theme park.

And after planning Disney vacations for years, I’ve learned something:

The cheapest resort isn’t always the best value.

Especially if you’re a family who actually plans to spend time at your resort.

Now, if your plan is basically:

wake up → Disney → collapse into bed → repeat…

You might LOVE an All-Star.

And honestly? I’d rather put your money toward the experiences that matter most to you than convince you that you need a deluxe resort.

Because there is no universally “best” Disney resort.

There is only the resort that makes sense for your family, your budget, and the way you actually vacation.

But me?

I said what I said. 😂

Would you stay at an All-Star again?

Or are you firmly in the “it’s just a place to sleep” camp?

09/14/2026

After planning Disney, Universal, cruises, and all-inclusives for YEARS, I have some thoughts. 😂

Travelers don’t usually need more information.

They need someone who knows which information actually matters.

Because yes, you can Google your vacation.

But Google doesn’t know your family, your priorities, your travel style, your budget, what will overwhelm you, what isn’t worth your money, or what happens when something goes sideways.

And #4?

That one makes me question humanity a little. 😂

So tell me: which one do you disagree with?

I’ll wait.

09/14/2026

To the mom crying in the Disney bathroom…

I see you.

You’re not doing Disney wrong.

You’re not a bad mom.

And your kids are not going to remember that you took 20 minutes alone while they were having the time of their lives.

They’re going to remember the trip.

You’re going to remember how f’ing exhausted you were if you keep trying to prove you can do it all.

You do not have to rope drop, close the park, hit every ride, make every dining reservation, take 900 pictures, keep everyone fed, hydrated, happy and entertained… and somehow enjoy yourself too.

Disney is not a competition.

Take the damn break.

Go back to the room.

Sit by the pool.

Get the snack.

Let your partner handle bedtime.

Skip the ride.

Change the plan.

Because the goal isn’t to survive Disney so you can say you “did it all.”

The goal is to come home with memories you actually want to keep.

And if nobody has told you this yet:

You are allowed to enjoy the vacation, too.

That’s literally why I plan them differently.

I plan for the humans, not just the itinerary.

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