One Slice at a Time
Pizza is the passport. Travel advisors Stephanie Pakosta and Ryan Joy travel the world one slice at a time - chasing great pies, great cities, and the unexpected stories you find along the way. Plus the kind of trip-planning-know-how you only get from agents who book it for a living.
Episodes
67 episodes
What Is a River Cruise? | River Cruise 101, Part 1
A smaller ship. More time focused on the places you visit. And no need to change hotels every time you move to another town.In the first episode of River Cruise 101, Stephanie Pakosta and Ryan Joy explain what river cruising is act...
Episode 66: Can You Really Do Disney World in a Weekend?
Who says Walt Disney World has to be a weeklong vacation?This week, Stephanie and Ryan are talking about one of their favorite ways to visit Disney: the quick weekend trip.Think Friday through Sunday—or maybe Monday if you can str...
Beating the Heat at Disney World: What to Pack, Where to Cool Off & How to Plan Your Day | Ep. 65
Disney World's Florida sun does not need a Lightning Lane. It finds everybody.Stephanie and Ryan are talking about how to handle a hot Walt Disney World park day without having your entire family hot, tired and cranky by lunchtime.
Travel Day From Hell: Canceled Flights, Trains, Trees & No Rental Car
Ryan’s trip home from Portugal should have been simple: Porto to JFK, a long connection, then on to Rochester. Instead, one canceled flight became a very long series of planes, trains, and automobiles — with a few mistakes of his own mixed in.<...
Episode 63: A 9-Year-Old Reviews Disney Destiny — And She Did NOT Hold Back
Adults can tell you whether the stateroom is comfortable or whether dinner was good.But what does a kid actually think about Disney Destiny?Stephanie recently sailed Disney Destiny with her 9-year-old daughter Eva, so this week we...
Episode 62: This Portugal River Cruise Was NOT What We Expected
Ryan just returned from Portugal, and his review is simple: 10 out of 10—but he has notes.Before boarding his river cruise, Ryan spent five days working from Lisbon and Porto. His routine involved hotel breakfasts, plenty of trave...
Episode 61: Galapagos + Machu Picchu: The Ultimate Bucket-List Trip?
What if one of the world's best wildlife experiences didn't require an African safari?This week, we're heading to the Galapagos Islands, where giant tortoises, penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies are only p...
Episode 60: AmaWaterways Celebration of Beer Rhine Cruise | AmaFiora 2027
Is the Rhine the perfect place to take your first European river cruise?This week, we're heading from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam and talking through one of the best-known river cruise routes in Europe—with one very fun addition....
Episode 59: Is Disney’s Aulani Resort Worth It?
When most families think about a Disney vacation, they picture theme parks, early mornings, ride reservations, and packed schedules.Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii offers something very different.In this episode of One Slice at a...
Episode 58: A Marriage Board Meeting on Celebrity Reflection
Have you ever reached the middle of the year and realized that you have been so busy living your life that you have not stopped to ask whether you are building the life you actually want?Ryan and his wife, Maggie, decided to answer that ...
Episode 57: Is Animal Kingdom Really a Half-Day Park?
Animal Kingdom may be Disney World’s most debated park.Some guests call it a half-day park. Others say leaving after the headline rides means missing much of what makes it special.In this episode, Stephanie Pakosta and Ryan Joy co...
Episode 56 Hollywood Studios: Our Rides, Food and Lightning Lane Strategy
Should you wait to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios until all the park changes are complete?Stephanie and Ryan agree on this one: no. Disney parks are always changing, and waiting for every announced project to finish could mean putting ...
Episode 55: The Best Day at EPCOT
Is EPCOT good for kids?Stephanie and Ryan hear versions of that question all the time, and their answer is pretty clear: families are seriously underestimating this park.In this episode of One Slice at a Time, we're continuing our...
Episode 54 Magic Kingdom Tips: What to Ride, Skip, Eat & Book
What is the best way to spend a day at Magic Kingdom?That depends on who you ask.In this episode of One Slice at a Time, Stephanie Pakosta and Ryan Joy compare two very different Magic Kingdom strategies. Ryan is a Florida annual ...
Myths of Modern Air Travel Part Three - What to do When Travel Goes Wrong
Modern air travel is not always smooth, and even the best-planned trip can run into delays, cancellations, missed connections, overbooked flights, weather problems, crew issues, airport shutdowns, or lost documents.In this episode of
Sandals Ochi Review: What We Loved, What Surprised Us & What to Know Before You Book
Ryan just returned from Sandals Ochi in Jamaica, and we are giving you the real review. In this episode, we talk about the airport transfer from Montego Bay, Club MoBay, private transfers, the Seaside and Hillside areas, the beach, pools, fo...
Myths about Modern Air Travel Part 2 - Airport Survival Guide
In this episode of One Slice at a Time, we're moving beyond booking airfare and focusing on what happens next: surviving the airport.From family travel and seat selection to TSA rules, airport apps, Real ID requirements, and lost luggage...
Episode 50: Ireland Group Trip 2027 — Castles, Cliffs, Whiskey & Galway Pizza
In this episode of One Slice at a Time, Stephanie and Ryan are talking about one of Stephanie’s most exciting upcoming hosted trips: Ireland in 2027.This hosted group trip is designed for travelers who want to experience Ir...
Air Travel Part One: Airfare Tips, Basic Economy & Booking Mistakes
In this episode of One Slice at a Time, Stephanie and Ryan start a three-part air travel series with a practical look at modern airfare.Most travelers think they are simply buying a seat from point A to point B. But airfare also i...
Tahiti by Small Ship: Windstar Cruises, Bora Bora, Drift Snorkeling & Overwater Bungalows
Ryan is back from Tahiti, and this episode may have Stephanie ready to pack a bag.This week on One Slice at a Time, Stephanie and Ryan talk through Ryan’s seven-night Windstar Cruises Dreams of Tahiti sailing aboard the ...
Scenic River Cruises Review | Butler Service, Luxury Travel & Dutch Waterways
What is it really like to sail with Scenic River Cruises?In this episode of One Slice at a Time, Ryan shares his full experience aboard the Scenic Opal during a luxury Dutch Waterways river cruise through the Netherlands....
Emerald River Cruise Review: Modern, Fun & Surprisingly Different
This week on One Slice at a Time, Stephanie and Ryan continue their month-long river cruise series with a full review of Emerald Cruises after Ryan stayed onboard during the ASTA River Cruise Expo in Amsterdam.We talk about:...
Thinking About a River Cruise? What We Learned Touring Europe’s Top River Cruise Lines
Have you been curious about river cruising but not sure if it’s really worth the cost… or if it’s just for retired travelers?In this kickoff episode of our month-long river cruise series, Ryan shares what he learned after returning from ...
Celebrity Cruises Greece Group Trip: Ancient Ruins, Beaches & Greek Food
This week on One Slice at a Time, Stephanie and Ryan head to Greece — one of the few destinations that truly offers something for every type of traveler.We’re talking ancient ruins in Athens, blue-domed sunsets in Santorini, flexible bea...
The Cruise with a Roller Coaster (Norwegian Aqua Group Sailing)
Would you ride a roller coaster… on a cruise ship?In this episode, we break down a Caribbean group cruise sailing on Norwegian Aqua, one of the newest ships in Norwegian’s fleet—and why this type of trip might be one of the easies...