Burie Finley

From a very early age, my parents instilled in me a love of travel, so much so, that when most kids dream of being a doctor, fire fighter or princess, I wanted to be an over-the-road truck driver, just so I could get paid to travel. Thankfully, several years later, that love of travel turned into graduation from TWA Travel School instead of something like Billy Bob’s Truck Academy. And, based on the name of my travel school, you’ve probably realized I’ve been booking international and domestic travel for the better part of 27 years. From corporate to leisure, groups and individuals, domestic to international, and from young to young-at-heart, I’ve booked all types of travel to all kinds of different destinations and I never get tired of making every trip unique and special. With every booking I learn something new and my “favorite destinations” change to whatever I might be working on at the time. Some of my favorites and specialties include Disney World, Universal/Central Florida, Riviera Maya Mexico, Hawaii, many continental US locations and Italy/Europe.

Another defining travel moment is my story of becoming a Magic Mouse Travel Agent. It didn’t happen as you would think. Let me explain. A couple of years ago, my husband and I were celebrating our 25th anniversary in Disney World on 4th of July. While at Pandora, in the middle of a 45 minute rainstorm, a cast member approached us and asked if we were from Kansas City. Both of us stared at each other wondering how she could’ve possibly known we were from KC when I noticed his hat…a very bland camo KC Royals hat. How she picked us out of the crowd I will never know, but she did, and thankfully she wasn’t shy. She learned I was pursuing a lifelong dream of transitioning to leisure travel. She suggested I contact her mom, Maralee Striker, who owned a homebased travel agency in Shawnee. At that point, I had no idea what Magic Mouse Travel was but I knew, if Maralee was anything like her daughter, and Magic Mouse Travel a reflection of both of them, I knew I wanted to be part of it. Little did I know how amazingly perfect and important that one small rainstorm was going to be. After several emails, missed calls, illnesses, scheduling conflicts and two hurricanes later, the rest is history. I got to become a Magic Mouse Travel and Off to Anyland Travel leisure agent!

Due to my love of Disney and travel, I was in the absolute right place at the right time and now, every day, I get to help people make their dreams come true. For me, that is way better than driving a truck could ever be!!!!!

Every day I’m GRATEFUL to work in an industry that serves others and makes people happy.
Every day I’m THANKFUL I get the opportunity to help people write their own unique stories.
Every day I’m BLESSED to wake up and do it all over again.