There’s ‘everything’ Mickey Mouse about Northwest Georgia’s love of Disney — and that’s what powers two local vacation specialists

By Natalie Simms
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With nearly 19 million visitors a year, Walt Disney World resort in Orlando has the title of the “most visited theme park in the world,” according to Forbes Magazine. And being within eight hours driving distance from Northwest Georgia, it is a popular destination for many with spring break here and summer just weeks away. That’s why planning these vacations is a big business for local Disney Authorized Vacation planners.

“About 95 percent of what we do is Disney travel,” says Christy Shadday, co-owner of FTM Travel and Fairy Trip Mother. “While we can book other destinations, we really focus on what we know and love best and that is Disney.”

Shadday and her business partner, Jami Hill, have researched and studied Disney for more than 15 years. They took that knowledge and started Fairy Trip Mother, a dream vacation itinerary planning service.

“I started writing travel plans and itineraries for Disney for a fee and then that turned in to me being like a travel agent and speaking to Disney on behalf of my clients. So, I decided to become a travel agent and create this home-based business that turned into FTM Travel. We now have 19 agents working for us worldwide,” she says.

Because Disney travel in Northwest Georgia is so popular, Shadday’s passion has turned into a full-time career in travel planning. Tha experience and training in “all things Disney” earned Shadday and her agency the privilege of being a Disney Authorized Vacation Planner, one of only a few in Northwest Georgia.

“We earned that distinction after one year because of our expertise and the number of trips that we booked from start to finish. We will guide you … we’ve been there, done that. We’ve invested a lot of time in training in online courses and we’re all graduates of the College of Disney Knowledge … a real place where we’ve traveled to Disney for training,” she says.

So what are the benefits of using a Disney Authorized Vacation Planner?

“We help our clients with dining plans, selecting the right resort, deciding what type of tickets they want and guide them to the best resorts for their budget,” she says. “The beauty of using one of our agents is we treat you like our babies. Anyone can plan a trip online but with us, we have done all the research for you and get you the same, if not better, pricing.”

Shadday says all of their FTM travel services are complimentary as they are compensated by Disney once trips are booked. However, her Fairy Trip Mother itinerary services are extra.

“For the Disney vacation you’ve always dreamed of, you need a Fairy Trip Mother. Our Fairy Trip Mother itinerary planning service can help you make the most of your vacation. We offer this valuable service in addition to all we do for you as your travel agent,” she says.

“We will get to know you and tailor your family’s vacation wishes into a dream vacation. From finding the characters you want to see to pinpointing the best spots to view the parade, we’ll give you our greatest and most prized Disney vacation tips. We will spend approximately 12 to 15 hours creating and writing your vacation itinerary.”

Some of the Fairy Trip Mother services include personalized daily park itineraries guiding you to visit the attractions in a specific order to reduce your wait time, dining reservations, pre-arranging FASTPASSES and consideration of your children’s height and fear factor and descriptions of the rides so you will know if it is appropriate.

“We have helped over 500 happy families navigate the parks and make magical memories,” she says.

Shadday says her company is the “new wave” of travel agency. “We don’t have a storefront, so I work all the time and am never closed. It’s a new wave of travel agent. I’m always here and ready to help. We’re amazed by what we’ve done with our business. I love it … this is what I’m meant to do,” she says.

For more information on FTM Travel and the Fairy Trip Mother services, visit www.FTMTravel.com or call 706-676-8016.

Another local Disney planner takes the more conventional route. Tammy Spivey with Take Time to Travel sees a large number of families wanting to plan a Disney vacation at her office at 315 E. Cherokee Ave. in Cartersville.

“Business is excellent right now. I have been covered up. We have a storefront in Cartersville with 12 agents and we’ve all been very busy,” she says. “While most of my work is done on the computer, it’s important to have a place where clients can come in and talk face-to-face about their travel plans.”

Spivey has owned Take Time to Travel for the last four years and the agency recently was certified as a Disney Authorized Vacation Planner. The agency also is listed as one of the Top 100 Travel Agencies in the nation with Expedia.

“Our business is definitely doing well. Disney is an extremely popular vacation destination. I have so many moms and parents that work for me that we can relate to those families planning a vacation. We make a sincere effort to get the best deal … we plan a vacation like our own,” she says.

Spivey’s Disney services include lodging reservations, meal planning and purchasing of park tickets.

“We can price out your vacation in different ways to see if it would be cheaper to stay in a Disney Value Resort or off-site. We work with a number of condos and nearby hotels that may fit better into your budget. You give us a budget and we will price out a package,” she says.

“You can spend hours and days searching online for deals or you can call us and we can do it for you. We can give you advice on where to book at lower prices. We don’t charge any service fees and only get paid commission once you book the vacation. There is no obligation to get a price.”

For more information, you can visit www.taketimetotravelga.com or call 770-334-2256.