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Brought to you by...
John and Donna Gross "The Full Mickey - At a Discount!" The Wall Street Journal
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A recent visitor to Walt Disney World complained that her SUV had been
taken for a joyride. Fortunately, she complained and Disney sent her
park tickets and a gift card. Moral of the story? It pays to
complain!
"Here's a look at how different airlines deal with the 'customer of size.'"
"Free Wi-Fi aside, [Orlando International] airport officials say the
giant facility has been a leader in trying new technologies because it has
more room and is more willing to take risks than airports in bigger cities
such as Washington, D.C., or New York."
Beth, our travel agent, writes about booking airfare: "Not a day goes by that someone doesn't ask me if I can do their flights for them. The truth is, I pretty much stopped doing air years ago. You can't imagine the amount of time I used to spend helping people find the right flights, booking them, ticketing them, and then staying on top of the frequent flight changes that followed. It was an easy hour or more of time for each and every trip. And about 20% of those trips would have additional issues... the need to cancel or make a change, a drop in price requiring a ticket reissue and fare refund, you name it. I can't tell you how much I hated doing air. It did, however, pay well sometimes. The commission was 10% on the base fare (price before taxes and fees). That meant I could make $15-30 per ticket on average, so for a family of 4 or more it was still worth the effort most of the time. Then the commission dropped to 8% - and then to 5%. Finally, commission disappeared completely. The airlines are no longer willing to pay travel agents for the headaches involved in putting people onto their planes. As such, I'm no longer willing to endure the headaches. I do, however, try to help clients as much as I can in booking air they will be happy with. Here are my top tips: 1) Check Southwest.com to see if they service your area. If so, see what their flight schedules and prices look like. Even if they aren't currently booking for your dates, you can still get a good idea of what Southwest offers. 2) Compare that to what you find on Kayak.com. Kayak doesn't sell airfare; they just help you compare fares from those that do sell it. They cover nearly every major airline except Southwest. The results filter allows you to easily adjust your arrival and departure times, dates, alternate airports, and more so that you can tweak the results to exactly fit your needs. 3) Once you've found flights that you like, GO TO THE AIRLINE'S OWN WEBSITE to book the flights. You'll avoid booking fees and, if you find yourself in need of a real person to help with a problem down the road, you're going to have a much better shot at a good result when dealing with an airline rather than with Expedia, Travelocity, etc. That's especially true if your flight gets canceled or there is a significant delay. 4) Once you've booked, don't look back. You'll just drive yourself nuts. There's no way to know if the flights will go up or down in price, and these days the change fees are so high that there probably isn't anything you can do about a lower price anyway. Just tuck your confirmation away with your travel documents, check "air" off your list, and move on. Yes, I can book (domestic) air through Disney as an add-on to your package - and I'll admit that every once in awhile they have a good deal, especially for groups of 10 or more, but it's rare. In the vast majority of cases, I find that Disney air is priced the same or higher (sometimes significantly higher) than what you'd pay online for the same flights. What's more, if you cancel your Disney reservation, nonrefundable air on the reservation is canceled as well and you lose that money. If you booked separately, you'd still have those air tickets to do with as you please. You might be able to pay a change fee and use them for a different trip. I'd be happy to get a price on Disney air for you, but unless they come in significantly lower than what you're finding online, book it separately. Disney will still provide Magical Express airport transfers (from MCO only!). Speaking of Magical Express, you can get that service regardless of what airline you fly, what time of day you arrive or depart, or how you booked the air. They will even provide transfers for international flights. (You just have to claim your bags and get through customs first.) Disney's optional insurance coverage also covers most air - even if you booked the air yourself! Affordable Disney members can contact me if they'd like to see a PDF copy of their insurance policy. Finally, be sure to stay on top of the current rules and regulations regarding luggage and other details:
Current list of baggage fees for most airlines.
Current TSA list of what you can pack. |
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To lessen wait times at the airport... Leave your cigarette lighters at home: "In Orlando, the TSA seizes 600 to 800 cigarette lighters every day from passengers. Congress banned lighters on aircraft last year. (You can still bring up to three packs of matches)... Parents often don't realize they need to take all of their belongings out of the stroller and fold it up to be scanned." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 05/26/06)
Alamo Rent A Car, Disney's official rental car company, now has an office in Downtown Disney.
"Orlando International Airport and Walt Disney World officials agreed Wednesday to a plan that will keep Disney's popular Magical Express shuttle and baggage service -- which has attracted national attention -- running through 2011... Magical Express will relocate from the terminal's A side to the B side, where more bus parking spaces are available. Six spaces will be assigned to Magical Express... Disney's uniformed greeters -- minus their original oversized Mickey Mouse gloves -- will be allowed back on the terminal's second level to help passengers find their way." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 03/16/06)
Alison writes: "If time permits we would like to go to SeaWorld, how is the best way to get there since we don't have a car? All advice will be greatly appreciated. And I love all the info so far. Thanks." Limo services provide affordable transportation to Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and other Florida attractions. (See our online book for recommendations.) You can take a Mears shuttle from WDW to SeaWorld. Call 800/759-5219 or 407/423-5566. You can take a taxi. Taxis cost $1.50 per mile. SeaWorld is about 15 miles from WDW. You can rent a car at any Disney resort. See Guest Services for details. The Downtown Disney Resort Hotels also have rental car agencies on property. These Downtown Disney hotel agencies are less expensive than Disney's official rental car company, Alamo. You could take a WDW bus to downtown Disney and then walk to one of these nearby hotels.
SeatGuru.com has great info about airplane seating and in-flight services. It provides details on:
Shampoo on a plane "Question: So now I can't even take shampoo in my carry-on bag when traveling by air? I travel light and don't need to check my bag. Do I really have to make time to buy shampoo at each destination? Answer: You have three options: Start checking your luggage, complete with as many bottles of shampoo as you like. Use the shampoo supplied in your hotel room. Or purchase single-application sachets of shampoo, conditioner and styling products such as those made by Beauty-id. Boxes of 20 sachets of each product are available online at beautyideas.com for $18.50 per box." Regarding cosmetics, use products that last longer. (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 08/18/06)
Amtrak stations in Boston, Providence, New York, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore are Wi-Fi enabled for wireless access to the Internet.
Overbooked? You Have Rights! Airlines "If you're denied boarding on an oversold flight, U.S. carriers, by law, must refund your ticket or let you use it for another flight and they may owe you up to $400." For details, click here. Rental Cars You should receive an upgrade at the quoted price or "insist that the agent obtain a comparable vehicle from a competitor or ask whether one will be available soon. Or get the company to pay for a taxi to your hotel and deliver your car later." Hotels "If you show up with confirmed reservations and there's no room at the inn, the solution is straightforward: Expect the hotel to find you a comparable room at another hotel, pay for transportation there and pick up the tab for the night... If you're inconvenienced... Ask for a manager. Suggest a room upgrade, a discount, free meals or other compensation." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 08/10/06)
Services like BAGS will tag your luggage and have them cleared by security. However, fees can run as high as $20 per person. WDW uses BAGS and Disneyland California is thinking about using the service there. (Source: latimes.com, 07/30/06) For learn more about BAGS, call 407/447-5547 or visit their website.
Beth, our travel agent, writes: "I recently saw a note in an Affordable Disney newsletter from a reader who commented that Pop Century resort didn't share buses with other resorts, while a friend of hers that stayed at "another moderate resort" said their bus DID pick up elsewhere. I feel that this needs a little clarification. First, Pop Century isn't a moderate resort; it's in the "value resort" category - and don't let the $116 per night price tag mentioned scare you off... The value resorts start off as low as $79 a night at certain times of the year. It's true that while Pop Century buses usually don't service any other resort, the buses servicing the All Star resorts often stop at two or even all three in that group. Usually, though, that's only outside park opening and closing times when each resort is less likely to have need of a full bus. I should also mention that Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter, while treated as separate resorts in some ways, are treated as one big resort in others. In addition to being able to use the pools at both sides, guests will often find that park buses stop first at French Quarter and then make the 4-stop loop at Riverside. (This is but one of the reasons that I prefer French Quarter personally.) If you ARE staying at Riverside, though, consider heading to the stop in front of the main building - or even walking over to French Quarter - during peak morning hours to increase your chances of getting a seat." Note from John: I've never really been bothered by the buses stopping at French Quarter on our way to Riverside. Patience comes with age, I guess. :) However, like Beth recommends, we always catch the bus at the South depot near the gift shop at the main building.
"After Independence Air shuts down Thursday, airfares in many of the more than 30 cities it serves could double or even triple, airfare experts predict." (Source: USA Today, 01/03/05) Beth adds: "Passengers with roundtrip tickets are being contacted to see if they can return to their points- of-origin before the shutdown. Independence Air will ask a bankruptcy court to give refunds to those who cannot, as well as to people who booked flights for Friday and beyond. There will be no refunds for vouchers or free tickets. People holding tickets on Independence Air for flights from Thursday onward should contact the airline if they haven't yet heard from them."
SET LOVE FREE! Beth, our travel agent, writes: "If you live in the state of Texas, you probably know all about the Wright Amendment. It was passed some 26 years ago to eliminate competition for the then-new DFW airport. DFW is now the third largest airport in the world, and it no longer needs protection from competition. In fact, quite the opposite. If the Wright Amendment didn't so severely limit the routes flown from nearby Love Field, home of Southwest Airlines, we'd surely see a nice drop in price for flights to and through DFW as well as many more flight choices. A recent study indicated that the Wright Amendment costs consumers nationwide over $4 billion a year! That means that we ALL pay for it, not just Texans. If you want to join the fight to have the Wright Amendment repealed, click here to learn more and email your legislators."
Allan writes about rental cars: "We are due to depart for Disney from the United Kingdom on 8 October 2005, returning on 22 October 2005 with our two boys aged 4 & 8. We are flying into Sanford Airport and staying at the Marriot World Centre Resort at Lake Buena Vista. Tens of thousands of fastidiously saved Airmiles over the last 15 years have provided us with this (hopefully) fantastic holiday. Sad, I know... Over the two week period, we are looking at going to 9 attractions (Magic Kingdom, MGM studios, Universal Studios, Epcot, Kennedy Space Centre (maybe), Seaworld, Discovery Cove, The Animal Kingdom and a Disney Water Park. We have already booked the Discovery Cove tickets (which included a free SeaWorld Ticket). No other tickets have yet been booked. We are also on a very limited budget. Would it be possible to ask your advice on: 1. Do we need a car to get to the various attractions, or is it easy to use the public transport? I ask this because I drive about 1,000 miles per week and ideally wanted a holiday where I didn't have to drive. But if the public transport is too restrictive bearing in mind we will have 4 & 8 year olds with us, then perhaps a car is the only option. Can you advise? >> I would rent a car or use a limo service. See the book for recommendations. 2. If we don't hire a car, is there a sensible way to get public transport from where we land at Sanford Airport to lake Buena Vista where the Marriot hotel is? >> You will have to rent a car to get to LBV from Sanford - it's 45 minutes by car. 3. What are the most cost effective Disney/Universal tickets to purchase for a family of four? We don't anticipate returning for many years, so we don't need the 'no expiration' option. We don't believe we will need to switch between parks on the same day, unless you would advise otherwise? >> You don't need a hopper. You'll be there plenty of time to see one park each day. The base ticket is fine. Buy your tickets from [our ticket agent]. 4. On your web-site, you have suggested planned 1-day tours of each of the Disney parks. Do you have a similar tour guide for Universal? >> No customized tour for Universal. For helpful tips, click here. 5. As we leave the United Kingdom at the end of next week, we will need to purchase the tickets quickly so we get them in time. Would you still recommend these are purchased from [your agent] or do you sell them directly? Buy them from our agent. He can even drop them off at your hotel for you before you get there. Thank you for your help. Keep well." >> Have a safe and fun vacation! Send me a trip report when you get back.
Beth, our travel agent, writes: "This bears repeating from time to time because it's a big money- saver... When you purchase non-refundable plane tickets, don't stop watching the fares. If the fare drops for your exact flights on those exact days, contact the airline or the place where you bought the ticket and ask for a voucher for the difference toward future travel. There are a few other factors involved so it doesn't always work, but it often does. The last time I bought a plane ticket over $80 of it was paid for with vouchers from previous flight cost reductions! Remember that the fare reduction must be available on the exact flights that you already ticketed, though. That's the key. Sign up for Travelocity's fare watch service (or any other) so that you're notified when fares drop on your route."
Brian writes: "We're going to Disney world and looking into renting a car for 2 nights from one of the onsite Alamo rental places. We're staying at Pop Century, so would you suggest renting from the Car Care Center Alamo or the one in the Dolphin? Also, which would be easiest to get to, and how would you go about getting there?" Your hotel's front desk can arrange for a shuttle to take you to the Car Car Center. Give them one day's notice. Beth, our travel agent, writes: "I love using the Dolphin location because no matter where you are, there's probably a bus to MGM Studios approaching your location and you don't have to remember to request it in advance. You can jump on that bus, then (instead of taking a left through the gates of MGM) take a short stroll around the lake to the Dolphin. Car rentals are usually cheapest done in 24 hours increments, so if you pick the car up in the morning to go to SeaWorld or Universal, plan on dropping it off at the Dolphin 24 or 48 hours later. You won't have to rush to get it back at night, AND you can walk back over and start with MGM Studios that morning. It's also not a big deal to return the car to the airport, giving you an extra hour or so to play compared to using Magical Express. While it costs more to rent a car at the airport because of various taxes and fees, you can usually return the car to the airport for the same price it would have been to return it to the Dolphin or the Car Care Center. And yes, I keep a stack of discount coupons for Alamo right next to my desk!"
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