Agent Spotlight: Stephen K.

By Stephanie Malone

After years of using a travel advisor for his own family trips, Stephen decided to make it official and join the team at Magical Vacations Travel.

For some, Disney isn’t such a small world after all.

MVT Agent Stephen broke into the travel industry after years of visiting Walt Disney World with his family and friends, always under the trusted care of his own travel advisors.

For Stephen, looking back to memories of his children turning the corner on Main Street, U.S.A. for the first time and seeing Cinderella’s Castle brings memories of pure happiness.

A former music educator, he even found himself back in the Disney bubble when he’d accompany school bands to Orlando for student programs in and around the parks. Just like with his own children, Stephen would always get so much enjoyment from seeing his students turn the corner onto Main Street, U.S.A. for the first time, taking in the view of the castle and the magic of the park.

“Being from a small town in Kentucky, many of our students had never traveled out of the state,” he said. “Watching these ‘cool teenagers’ turn into kids is something I will never forget.”

Once friends started asking for help to plan their own Disney vacations, Stephen decided it was time to make it official.

“I knew I wanted to be an official Disney travel advisor,” he said, “so I searched all the message boards and looked for reviews of different agencies. Magical Vacations Travel kept popping up with excellent reviews and ratings, so I called and spoke to the owner. After that phone call, I was brought on and have loved it ever since.”

Stephen hails Disney Cruise Line as the perfect combination of beachy getaways and Disney magic.

Since joining the agency in 2011, Stephen has built a formidable skill set, booking clients across Disney parks, Disney Cruise Line, Universal, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Sandals Resorts. He’s known locally as the “Disney Dude,” hailing Disney Cruise Line as his favorite itineraries to book.

“A cruise on Disney Cruise Line is the perfect combination of Disney, sand, surf, and of course, food,” he said. “It will absolutely spoil you from the moment you walk on the ship.”

Back on land, Stephen has a rich bank of experiences to pull from, spanning coasts as well as continents. Of all of the pinpoints on his map, Disneyland tops the list.

“I love the history of the original park and being able to walk where Walt walked,” he said.

“I just love the history of the original park and being able to walk where Walt walked.”

He and his family also frequently visit the Orlando parks, with an almost-complete goal of staying at every resort on property. As a family of EPCOT and Hollywood Studios fans, they find themselves coming back to the BoardWalk time and time again, thanks to the unbeatable location.

An added bonus to staying within walking distance to the parks is wasting no time in reaching their top choice attractions. Stephen is a self-proclaimed Star Wars fan – having seen every movie on opening day – so getting to Galaxy’s Edge is a priority whenever they’re in town.

“They’ve done such an amazing job of creating an immersive Star Wars land,” he said. “You can spend hours just exploring.”

Still, a 2023 trip to Tokyo DisneySea raised the bar. The unique Japan-based park celebrates world-famous harbors and shores, and has drawn acclaim worldwide for its attractions, food, views and engineering.

Now that he’s seen Tokyo DisneySea, Stephen wants to check Disneyland Paris off his list before tackling every Disney park in the world!

“There is a reason it has become known as the ‘World’s Best Theme Park,’” he said, “I really hope to go back one day” adding that Disneyland Paris has become his next “bucket list” destination since returning from Tokyo.

Stephen’s experiences have given him a well-rounded view of the possibilities when booking a vacation, especially to Disney properties.

He explained how using a travel agent brings immeasurable value to a trip, taking pressure off the client by understanding wants and needs, and helping select smart options based on those answers. Plus, not only do agency services come at no extra cost, but the right agent can even save clients big bucks by helping choose the right resorts, ticket packages, and even travel dates.

“Let our experience and knowledge guide you,” he said.

Though it’s been a while since Stephen was a newcomer to the Disney universe, he’s confident that first-timers can have a wonderful experience without having to “do it all.” He recommends flexibility as the key, noting that you can over-plan a trip and come to regret it later.

You won’t be able to do it “all” in one trip. Be flexible and lean into entertainment outside of the parks, too, like visiting Disney Springs or lounging by your resort pool.

“Don’t be afraid to go back to your resort and rest up or catch a swim in the pool,” he said of avoiding the “Disney meltdown” with cranky kids or adults.

“We have traveled there and never went to a park. We lounged by the pool and went to Disney Springs. We have gone and rope dropped every day,” he said. “You can have the perfect vacation based on your wants and needs at Walt Disney World.”