Agent Spotlight: Samantha
Samantha joined Magical Vacations Travels shortly after a planning session with fellow agent, Martha.
When your own travel agent suggests you should come join the team… you know it’s going to be a great fit.
Samantha’s journey with Magical Vacations Travel began back in 2012. After reaching out for help in planning her son’s 13th birthday trip, Samantha was paired with Agent Martha to talk dates, resorts, and Agency Exclusive Offers.
Well that initial planning meeting turned into a two-hour conversation, and ended with Martha’s recommendation that Samantha join MVT as a fellow travel advisor.
“She said I would love working for MVT, and insisted I have a call with Michele,” Samantha said. “I got the job and Martha did all my training! She has the patience of a saint!”
She hit the ground running. Joining MVT may have been a new experience for Samantha, but it was far from her first introduction to Walt Disney World and the numerous properties she now books.
“I have so many Disney memories,” she said, recalling vacations with her family, including her husband’s first time staying on property or when her young sons got to become heroes at Jedi Training Camp in Hollywood Studios.
“Plus, any trip that I took with my brother is a cherished memory, as he passed in 2018,” she said. “He was my best friend and coworker and all our Disney trips – including a Disney Cruise – are favorites.”
These days, Samantha has her Disney preferences finely tuned, from resorts and parks, down to specific dishes at her top restaurants. She adores the tranquility of the Yacht Club, along with its quick service restaurants, pool, and easy walk to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.
In the parks, she’s certainly not one to skip an adrenaline rush.
“I love Guardians of the Galaxy and Haunted Mansion, but in honor of my brother I make sure to ride his favorite, Tower of Terror,” she said.
Working with the agency has afforded Samantha opportunities she may not have otherwise had.
“Because of Michele I have been able to experience everything Disney, from VIP tours to cruises. I have learned so much and she has made it possible to work from home and be with my family!”
She cherishes the friendships that have been built with other agents, and talks of how much she enjoys getting to spend time with them during outings and agent education events.
Over the course of her time with MVT, Samantha has continued to build her skill set to meet a wide variety of needs, destinations and methods of transport.
In addition to Disney properties, she books clients at Universal, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Sandals and Beaches Resorts, AmaWaterways, Virgin Voyages and beyond.
“I love AmaWaterways!” she said of the company she’s worked with both as an agent and a passenger. “River cruising is amazing and their staff, ships and chefs are top notch. We got to see so much more of Europe in a more relaxed setting than we could with a larger cruise ship.”
Looking ahead, Samantha hopes to add more European river cruises to her roster, along with crossing Greece and Norway off her travel bucket list.
Samantha has learned the value of using a travel agent both before and after joining the industry herself.
“Having someone that you can connect with ang get to know, who can offer information and support is a great thing to have,” she said, adding that the right agent will understand your expectations and make recommendations to match.
For Disney newcomers, Samantha’s advice mirrors that of many other agents with MVT.
“Don’t try to do it all,” she said, “Instead of running from one thing to the next to ‘get it all done,’ stop and have an ice cream on Main Street or wander the countries of EPCOT.” Some of her top memories involve her family doing something different, like tasting their way around the world with chocolates from each country in World Showcase.
With years of experience, Samantha is more than ready to offer her top tips and tricks for making the most of whichever type of vacation you could possibly imagine.
