Page 22 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – January/February 2019

TRAVELER’S GUIDE
Travel Agent Spotlight:
Lynne Schmidt
AAA Every Day sat down with AAA Travel Agent Lynne Schmidt to learn more about her.
AAA Every Day: How long have you been in the travel industry?
Lynne Schmidt: 31 years.
ED: Are there any particular types of trips you most like to book for your clients?
LS: Of course! Anything Disney related, and I enjoy booking trips to Europe, especially Switzerland.
ED: We hear you have a pretty big love for Disney. Can you tell us more?
LS: My love for Disney and travel started when I was a child. My family and I, along with my grandparents, went on a cross-country trip to visit relatives in Southern California and went to Disneyland. I fell in love with it. My favorite attraction was the Matterhorn Bobsleds and my grandmother, a school teacher, enlightened me to the fact that there is a
real mountain in Switzerland called the Matterhorn. Walt Disney himself visited the real thing and he got the idea for the Matterhorn attraction in Disneyland. She said that maybe one day I would go to Switzerland and see the real mountain myself ... and many years later I did.
Growing up, my family and I visited Disneyland a few more times and also visited Walt Disney World in Florida. Over the years my own family and I have vacationed several times at Walt Disney World. My in-laws moved
to Florida, so every year my two daughters got to visit grandma and the mouse. Still, I always like to go back to Disneyland every few years because it is my favorite place, mainly because it was my first Disney Park and the original. We were fortunate enough to experience Disneyland’s 50th and 60th celebrations.
Schmidt, second from the right, with her husband at daughters at the Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park.
ED: How many different types of Disney Vacations have you been on?
LS: I have been to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, stayed
at their Vacation Club Resort in Vero Beach, and also experienced one of the “Adventures by Disney” land tours to Arizona and Utah. A lot of people don’t know about Adventures by Disney. It started back in 2005. It is a deluxe escorted tour company operating land-based trips around the world, including some European river cruises. They
are great for families and adults alike, with dates set aside as “adult only.” You get two Adventure Guides on each tour and they are amazing. Who’s better than Disney at storytelling? Basically everything is included! Sorry though, you won’t see Mickey Mouse on many of their tours.
ED: Can you give us a few tips for any future Disney Parks travelers?
LS: The best tip that I can give is to plan way in advance. With so many attractions, shows, tours and dining locations (both at Disneyland and Walt Disney World), you need to make a plan so you are not disappointed. And if you don’t happen to get the dining reservations or shows that you want right away, keep checking online on your MyDisneyExperience account. Also, stay at an onsite Disney Resort – it adds so much to your vacation experience. We like to include lazy days to enjoy the resort’s pools and non-park restaurants – not to mention just sleeping in and getting some much-needed rest.
ED: Is there anything else you want our readers to know? LS: Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary is coming up in 2021 and if it’s anything like Disneyland’s – it’s sure to be amazing.
To book your next vacation with Lynne, call 518-426-1000, ext. 2106, or email lschmidt@aaahv.com
22 I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019