Edna Ray, Air Canada regional sales manager for BC; Angela Stecca, The Walt Disney Company district sales manager for western Canada; and Martha Dela Torre, Air Canada Vacations area sales manager for western Canada.
Matthew Bellomo, groups manager at Uniglobe; Cheryl Gray, leisure agent at Uniglobe One; and Eric Van Meter, cruise specialist at Cruiseship Centres.
Jade Bone, travel manager at Flight Centre, and April Caldwell, manager at Flight Centre.
Yvette Crossley, group specialist at Personal Travel Management; Bernie Abromaitis, adventure travel manager at Merit Travel; and Jenny Revesz, travel consultant at Personal Travel Management.
Nasim Amir, travel consultant at Flight Centre, and Amanda Grewall, team leader at Flight Centre.
Do you want to know a sure-fire way to get 120 travel agents ridiculously overexcited?
It’s easy: Invite them to the movies, update them on all the latest Disney news, ply them with popcorn and soda, have a whole lot of cute Disney swag to give away, and then let them settle down to watch Oprah Winfrey in the latest Disney blockbuster, A Wrinkle in Time.
It’s a fail-safe formula… Which explains why Air Canada Vacations’ latest Vancouver event was such a big hit with the region’s Disney-crazed agents.
Angela Stecca, The Walt Disney Company district sales manager for western Canada, provided an update on all things Disney this summer.
Florida Updates
“We are transforming Walt Disney World Resort into something bolder, bigger and more incredible than ever,” explained Stecca. “Starting on 25MAY, your clients can be immersed in their favourite Disney films with new, limited-time experiences in all four theme parks.”
30JUN will see the opening of ‘Toy Story Land’ at Disney Hollywood Studios, which will feature a ‘Slinky Dog Dash’ rollercoaster ride, an alien swirling saucers ride and a 4D arcade in Andy’s room.
Other highlights include an ‘Incredible Summer’ theme, ‘Happily Ever After’ firework displays and a ‘Frozen Ever After’ theme at Epcot’s Norway Pavilion. There will also be a Guardian of the Galaxies concert series and a new ‘Up: A Great Bird Adventure’ show in the Animal Kingdom.
California Updates
Over in the Golden State, a special Pixar Fest will bring together your clients’ favourite characters in a ‘celebration of friendship and beyond’ at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.
Taking place from 13APR to 3SEPT, the event will see the first all-Pixar themed fireworks display, as well as the award-winning Paint the Night parade. The Incredibles are set to join the parade 23JUN.
There are also big changes in store at Paradise Bay: “Pixar Pier will transform the southern shore of Paradise Bay with whimsical neighbourhoods filled with everyone’s favourite characters,” added Stecca.
Opening on 23JUN, Pixar Pier will include Ballast Point, Disney’s first ever onsite brewery, and the reimagined California Screaming rollercoaster, which will now be known as the ‘Incredicoaster.’
It’s a Small World
The highlight of the night had to be Air Canada’s Edna Ray leading the crowd in an impromptu rendition of It’s a Small World After All.
Ray gave the rundown of Air Canada’s direct flight operations from YVR to Disney destinations, and even received applause when she explained about changes to the airline’s Honolulu service.
“The exciting thing about Honolulu is that we’re going to be increasing the frequency for the winter season to two daily flights – and we’re transitioning them from rouge to Air Canada mainline.”
It was an applause worthy of an Oprah show crowd!
Bill Allan and Hanaa Haddad, travel agents at Marlin Travel.
Vickie Sam Paget Western Correspondent
Hailing from the UK, Vickie Sam Paget is a travel and tourism storyteller located in Vancouver, BC. When she’s not on the road, creating engaging travel content or gazing at the North Shore Mountains, you can usually find her curled up with a good book or sipping a pint of the good stuff in her local Irish bar.
