An amazing dynamic of our team at Believe Vacations is that we have agents all over the states. I am in Alabama where our owner is in Louisiana, via Pennsylvania. A few of us are in Texas, around the DC area, Kentucky and we even have a few agents close to the action in Florida. I mean like real close. Like almost at Disney close! Well not really but when you live in another state, mentally you think anyone in Florida is close to Disney. And that brought us an idea for today’s post:
Welcome to Believe Vacations’ Weekly Post where today, we’ll interview one of our Florida agents and determine if it truly is worth it to live so close to Disney. For this article, I would like everyone to meet Jessica Bouwsma.
Jessica has been with our team only a handful of months, is a stay at home mom and visits the parks regularly with her husband and boys. So Let’s jump right in the with the questions.
So, where exactly do you live?
I have lived in Melbourne for just over 8 years now as an adult (not counting when I was here in high school). We are about 75 miles from the parks.
Wow! I’m 75 miles from my mom and dad and, all love to them, but it may not be as exciting of a trip! So do you have annual passes?
Yes, we are annual passholders.
Is there a particular time you find best to go? Like is it better for your in the summer, winter, special events, etc.?
We go about the same amount of time regardless of season.
And how do you define “same amount of time?”
We go at least once a month, sometimes more.
So you go as regularly as I pay my rent? Yes, that’s really fair! But how long do you usually stay when you go? Is it like our family where we go to the playground for an hour or two and go home?
Sometimes we do a full day or a long weekend with a resort stay and sometimes we just head up for the evening like last year during Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival.
Oh sure, might as well. I mean since you’re in the area, right? Sounds like a night downtown with dinner and a show.
We drove over after lunch, had dinner at Biergarten and then I got to see 10,000 Manics (one of my all-time favorite bands and been on my life bucket list for decades) perform while I sipped champagne during the Eat to the Beat concert series.
And because you had passes and it was part of the entertainment that night, it was a free show. Not a bad house band! But surely you have to pack a bag and dress up like you’re on vacation right?
I wore a long flowy skirt with sandals, compared to my regular park attire of athletic Capri pants and Nikes, since we were just there for the evening and not doing quite as much walking around as usual.
So I have to ask, what do the kids enjoy about living so close?
The best thing is as my kids are totally in love with a certain character, we can quickly get there to meet them or ride that ride before the love shifts.
And your other family members bother you all the time to visit I assume?
I drove over to Epcot once to see my cousin for a few hours whom I haven’t seen in about 10 years! I dropped my oldest at school, drove over with my 2 year old, had some lunch and a nice chat, and then went back for school pickup!
Quite the Mother’s Day Out program you have there. Finally, I have to ask because we do work as colleagues, has it helped you as an agent at all living so close?
When clients come for their Disney trips, it’s easy to pop on over wherever they’re gonna be on a day that works for all of us so I can give them a hug or share a meal together without taking a big chunk out of their day.
Sounds amazing. Thanks for taking time to share Jessica and I speak for all of us when I say, JEALOUS!!!!!
And there you have it from a central Florida agent herself. I do not have to ask but I think living that close is worth it. I love how she can sekp over for a couple of hours and then leave at will. I also love the part about seeing friends and clients in the parks. That would be an amazing perk admittedly. Did I forget to ask her any questions that were on your mind? Leave your questions in the section below and remember there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow!
