Cindy and Kevin were looking for a quick domestic getaway with new friends they met on a nonmystery trip that Stephanie, MMT cofounder, had arranged for them. They were hoping for beautiful scenery, delicious food and wine, and some fun adventure.
When they headed to the airport in September 2016, they found out they were headed to…Colorado Springs! Their trip included a Jeep tour through the mountains, a sunset helicopter tour, and a fabulous dinner at the legendary luxury resort, The Broadmoor.
MMT: So you are a repeat customer for MMT—thank you for choosing us! What was your first experience with mystery travel like?
Cindy and Kevin: We were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, and I thought the whole concept behind Magical Mystery Tours was perfect for this type of celebration. The romance and mystery of the concept seemed perfect in celebrating both the romance and mystery in a great marriage. We went to Newport, Rhode Island, and we both had a wonderful time.
Have you been completely surprised both times with your mystery trip destinations?
We have been surprised both times, but this last trip, my friend and I thought we were going to Napa.
Your most recent trip was a couples trip. Can you share the story of how you met the couple you traveled with and how you all decided to take a mystery trip?
We met the couple we traveled with on an Oceania cruise in January 2016 that Stephanie arranged for us. It wasn’t a mystery tour, but she did a wonderful job with the arrangements. On the cruise, I told my friend—who also likes to travel—about Magical Mystery Tours, and she thought it sounded like a fun idea. Since we all live in separate areas, we were trying to arrange another trip together, and we decided to try MMT for the trip.
What have you liked best about mystery travel with MMT?
The things I like best are the surprise, the fact that Stephanie often sends us places that I enjoy but would not necessarily have chosen, that Stephanie comes up with some great resorts/hotels, and that Stephanie listens to feedback and tries to incorporate it in the next trip. For instance, the only negative of the Rhode Island trip involved complex travel for only five days of vacation, so on our next trip, she made the travel shorter and less involved, which gave us more vacation time.
What would you say to someone who isn’t sure if mystery travel is for them?
I would advise them to try a trip, perhaps a long weekend trip, and see how they feel. I would also say this is the perfect trip for non-planners. Stephanie takes care of everything, plus the surprise and anticipation are so much fun.
What’s your best tip for new mystery travelers?
I would say be very detailed in the initial survey about likes/dislikes. If you like making reservations early, you might want to look at the destination a few days ahead of time so that you can set up the most important dining spots or plan other events. (For the less obsessive people, this won’t be a problem.) Also, see it as the adventure it is: Perhaps you won’t love everything, but you are on vacation with people you like or love, you don’t have to go to work or cook/clean/look after kids, so I think wherever I am sent will be pretty fantastic (and it is)!!
Interested in a mystery trip? Just fill out our mystery travel survey to get the process started!
