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John and Donna Gross "The Full Mickey - At a Discount!" The Wall Street Journal
Colleen from Canada writes: "Hi John, I just wanted to drop you a line to tell you that your site has saved us over 250.00 on a mini van rental. We just came back from Disney last week and I couldn't believe how much your website can save. We are planning another trip to Orlando in October and definitely checking your site weekly..... Thanks for your help." Thanks, Colleen, for the great feedback! Readers can check out the great rates on rental cars here.
Alice writes: "Hi John, Thanks also for always answering my questions. I am working my way through the info-the maps are great. We are renting vehicles because we want to attend church Sun., and also see the ocean. The hotel we are staying at [Kingstonian] has shuttle service. What is parking like at the Disney parks? Would you recommend driving or using the shuttle?" Shuttles at off property hotels can be a problem if they don't run often enough. I would check with your hotel and see how often the buses leave and come back. Disney's buses run about every 20 minutes. If your hotel's service is reliable, use it. What you could do is try them one day. If you don't like it, use your rental car for the remainder of your stay. Glad you like the maps! |
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Q: Does Disney do air? Does everyone have to fly from the same place? A: Beth, our travel agent, writes: "Yes, Disney will do your air for you, but only if you are getting a package and only if you need domestic air. (They don't even cover Canada.) Sometimes they have better rates than you can get otherwise, but more often the rate is the same or even higher than what you can get otherwise. So it pays to see what Disney can do, and if they can beat or match what you find then great. If not, don't hesitate to do the air separately. And no, not everyone in the room has to fly from the same place, but Disney's online reservation system can't handle multiple origin points so you'll have to go through a travel agent or Disney directly to get the different cities."
Priscilla writes: "I'm planning a return trip to WDW Orlando and will be trying the Magical Express for the first time. In the past we always had carry on luggage and booked Mears. Do you know if Magical Express accepts carry on luggage or will I need to check it in?" Priscilla went on to explain how she got an answer to her first question: "FYI- after fighting with Disney's electronic Phone service, a human being was able to answer this question and the answer is YES i'm allowed to bring with me carry-on luggage. Also I booked a regular room at Pop Century, somewhere I read that once there I can ask for an upgrade to my room free if they have it. Am I right? How do I go about asking just for an upgrade?" You can always ask for a free upgrade during the slow season. Just say you understand that Disney gives free upgrades if available and ask if there is one available for you.
Fines in Florida for those who run red lights have more than doubled to $125. With court costs, fees reach up to $186.50, depending on the county where you get your ticket. You'll also receive 4 points on your driving record. (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 10/01/05)
"Disney's Magical Express, the free service that shuttles Disney tourists and their baggage to and from Orlando International Airport, will no longer be able to lure in travelers with greeters on the airport's third level... 'We don't let anybody else have greeters there,' said airport board Chairman Jeffry Fuqua. 'Everybody needs to have a fair opportunity and equal playing field.' (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 09/22/05)
Beth, our travel agent, sends this update on passports: "In April 2005, the Departments of State (DOS) and Homeland Security (DHS) announced a proposed plan to be implemented in three phases beginning on December 31, 2005 for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. After further review and considering the delay in publishing the public notice in the Federal Register, DOS and DHS recognized that implementing the December 31, 2005, phase would be problematic for travelers during the upcoming winter tourism season. This change will simplify the implementation and provide a longer lead-time for travelers to come into compliance with the requirements.
In the proposed [revised] implementation plan, which is subject to a period
of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing
as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them
to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as
follows:
What this means is that if you are cruising (or otherwise traveling outside the US) after December 31 this year and were scrambling to get a passport, you're probably going to be off the hook for another year - BUT, that said, we don't know for sure at this point that this new date scheduled will pass, and you will have to have a passport eventually, so if you are inclined to head beyond US borders, you'd might as well get your passport before the wait is really long."
Beth, our travel agent, sends this Magical Express tip: "When you put a Magical Express baggage tag on your luggage before you leave home, you will not see it again until it gets to your room. That can take four hours (or more, in some cases) after you arrive at the resort! The reason is that the baggage tags are scanned when they arrive at the airport, then they are scanned when they get loaded into the Disney containers. The containers are held at the airport until they are full and then they get sent to the appropriate areas of the resort. (Several hotels can be loaded into one container.) Not all airlines are quick about getting the bags from the belt to that container for loading. When the bags finally get the hotel they are scanned a third time, and then each name has to be looked up on a master room list to have the room put on them. Finally, the bags are delivered to the rooms and scanned one more time as they are dropped off. In other words, they go to great lengths to be sure that your bags are carefully tracked - but it all takes time. It is strongly recommended that you take along a carry-on with anything you might need in the first few hours (change of clothes, bathing suites, etc.) You have the option of NOT putting the Magical Express tags on your bags (or tagging all but one), and grabbing them off the conveyor belt yourself at the airport. Any bag that doesn't have a Magical Express tag will not be grabbed behind the scenes, so you can get to them easily. At that point, you'd check in for the bus and take the suitcase(s) on the bus with you. This would be especially good if you're arriving late at night and don't want to be disturbed by baggage delivery. This tip was given to me by Magical Express personnel, so I know that they're OK with it."
"Freedom Airlines will begin flying out of Orlando International Airport in October as a contract carrier for Delta Air Lines giving travelers from Orlando new nonstop service... The new nonstop destinations are Austin, Texas; Charlottesville, Va.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Jackson, Miss... Freedom will add service between Orlando and more than a dozen other destinations throughout the South and Midwest by December." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 08/11/05)
"AAA's relatively new Fuel Cost Calculator is a popular online feature for the nation's oldest auto-travel club. By filling out the info at fuelcostcalculator.com travelers can get estimates of how much gas they most likely will use on a trip and what it will cost them, for one way or round-trip." Click here to access calculator.
Beth, our travel agent, writes about a Magical Express perk for Floridians: "If you're a Florida resident that flies from time to time then you learn very quickly that Orlando often has fares significantly lower than other airports in the state. While driving several hours to the Orlando airport to save $50 may not make any sense, if you're going to save hundreds then it's worth a thought. I did it myself once, and checked into a Days Inn near the airport that allowed me to leave my car there while I was gone. They provided free transportation to the airport and back, too. It was a yucky hotel with nothing to do close by, but I saved a lot on the air. Now, though, I and the rest of my fellow Floridians have another option! Disney confirms that you ARE permitted to leave your car parked at Disney for free and use their new complimentary airport shuttle service provided you spend at least one night before and one night after your trip at a Disney hotel, and it has to be the SAME hotel on both ends. You just add one-way Magical Express information to each reservation, and let the front desk know that you'll be leaving your car in the lot until you get back. (Note that only Disney resort guests with reservations can use the Magical Express, so you can't stay offsite and then just park at Disney and use their airport transfers.)"
Beth, our travel agent, writes: "Jet Blue has just recently joined the family of "preferred" Magical Express airlines. The service handles incoming traffic from ALL airlines, but if you book on of the (now) seven preferred airlines then you can check in your bags and get your boarding passes at the hotel before you even head to the airport, thus allowing you to bypass the check-in line at the airport and go straight to security. Those airlines are Delta, Song, United, Ted, American, Continental and Jet Blue."
Disney's free transportation program, Magical Express, is taking a toll on transportation services in the area. "... some in Orlando's tourism industry say Magical Express is causing not-so-magical financial distress for cabbies, limo drivers and the other little guys who could always count on the bucks they make from Disney visitors. Some cab drivers report losing as much as 90 percent of their business, and limo services say business is down by more than a third. There's even evidence that car-rental agencies have been affected." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 07/06/05)
Beth, our travel agent, writes: "John, it's probably time once again to remind readers of what they can and cannot take with them on a plane these days. There are changes being made to the list all the time." The current list can be found here in several languages. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read the file. To download a free copy, click here.
Beth, our travel agent, made the following observations regarding Disney's new transportation program, Magical Express: 1. When will I receive my Magical Express documents? Disney's Answer: Your travel agents will receive your Air Transportation Booklet two weeks before your flight. Beth writes: "Actually, we're thrilled to just get them in time to send them to the client. The printer is getting better about sending them out, but we still often get them AFTER the clients have gone, or just right before (with no time to even express mail them). Fortunately, it doesn't matter if you have them or not. If you don't have your bags tagged it only takes a few extra minutes at the counter so they can collect the baggage information. Everything else is the same, and the service proceeds just as if all your bags were tagged." 2. How long is the trip from the airport to the WDW hotel? Disney's Answer: One hour and 40 minutes. Beth writes: "Once the bus actually departs the airport, it should reach the first hotel in about 30 minutes. Most Magical Express buses stop at THREE hotels, though, so if your hotel is the last on the list it will (obviously) take longer. None of the luggage goes on the buses, though, so they are only stopping for about 5 minutes to let everyone off and then continue to the next resort. Even if you're the last stop you should be there within an hour. Buses depart the airport frequently, so if you've just missed one the next one will be leaving very soon." 3. When will my luggage arrive from the airport? Disney's Answer: Allow six hours. Take a small bag with you for important items while you're waiting. Beth writes: "I'm told that they are now getting pretty good at this and, for the most part, luggage should arrive in your room within 3-4 hours. Of course, if you arrive in the morning, the luggage won't be delivered until your room is ready (officially 3:00) no matter how long you've been there. Taking a carry-on for valuables, medications, and things you'll need until you get your luggage is VERY important!"
4. When do I leave my hotel to return to the airport?
"Orlando International Airport passengers [can] enroll in a registered traveler program that will save time at the security gates... Those passengers who register as a "known traveler" -- submitting to a background check, a series of questions, and iris and fingerprint scanning -- will be granted express access at the airport's security checkpoint, avoiding long lines and random secondary inspections... Eventually, passengers may be able to subscribe to a national registered-traveler network, which would grant them express access at any airport's security checkpoint." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 06/02/05)
Christa writes: "John, We are planning a trip to Disney/DCL in October. I have planned for magical express for transportation. How long is the wait at the airport? Is it worth it....or should I book through Mears? Our flight is due to get in at noon...and I don't want to wait long...can't wait to get to WDW!!! thanks for your help with our dilemma!" The wait at the airport is short - just minutes. The wait for your luggage to arrive at your hotel can take hours. I would use it. Disney should have the bugs worked out by October! Karen loved it: "I just returned from a land/sea/land trip it was wonderful. The Magical Express was great. We had booked this trip before this system went into effect, but it worked great, a little confusion at the airport on arrival, but overall it was great. Leaving the French Quarter was so easy, we did the resort/airport check in so we were able to get our boarding passes right at the resort, the luggage was taken and tagged from there so when we got to Orlando airport all we had to do was go through the security screening and we were all set. When we got off the plane at home, everything was there! I love your site and have gotten so much information from you, I just had to let you know about this." Thanks again, Karen, for the wonderful feedback and your kind comments.
Lisa writes: "Hi John, We just got back from WDW and I wanted to give you a Magical Express Update.. I will give a full trip report later in the week. Ok so the Magical Express has A LOT of bugs to be worked out. We got off the plane fine. found the people who directed us to the visitors center in the lower level of the airport. They asked for one person from each party to check in.. however we were a party of 10 representing 4 different families. One person from each family should have gone to check in since they ask you to identify your luggage.. color, size, style, etc. They did not hassle us in terms of not having luggage tags from them. they scanned our claim checks to identify bags. Since we did not receive our tags and I read on the newsletter that there was a coupon for a pin and lanyard I asked for coupons. They gave us 5 coupons which we redeemed for a pack of 2 lanyards each with 1 pin... (However when tour ME tags finally arrived they had only put in 2 coupons for the lanyards and we would have been 6 short.. so it pays to ask for extra). Also the coupon was marked with a D. there are other coupons marked with different letters for different things and the lanyard may vary based on the letter on the coupon. After checking in at the counter we were told that the luggage would be delivered within 4 hours. We went into the line for our hotel waited maybe 3 minutes and loaded up onto the bus. We had priority seating at Planet Hollywood at 7:00 pm for dinner. went to Dinner and walked around downtown disney afterwards. My husband, son and myself then went to MK to catch spectromagic and the last extended hour. The rest of the family went back to the hotel.. at this point it had been 6 hours and the bags were not there when they arrived.. the hotel did very little to accommodate them. My mother and father in law were offered nothing. My sister-in-law and her 2 kids and husband were told to wait. My husband's 67 year old Aunt who made the biggest stink was offered a credit card at midnight to go buy stuff.. she declined it and said she didn't want to go anywhere except to bed. She finally found someone who located all the bags - hers in particular were still sitting on the loading dock 6 hours after we landed. The bags finally arrived around 1 am when my father-in-law mentioned that they had been waiting for 7 hours for their bags the baggage handler said oh that's nothing a couple last week had you beat - they waited for 10 hours. When my husband, son and I returned at 2 am from MK our bags were there and we were none the wiser. We didn't find out about all the hassle until we met everyone at Epcot for lunch the next day. After the negative experience on arrival everyone except my family chose not to check their stuff. We did. It was simple and easy. we packed up our stuff, called the bellman who loaded up our stuff, and drove us and our luggage to the airport check in area at the hotel. He unloaded our stuff - our bags were checked and NOT WEIGHED - crucial for all the current overage charges. they aren't equipped to weigh bags and do not represent one airline. if you have bought too many souvenirs then definitely use this service if you can! The only glitch was through United. They were unable to print our boarding passes so we still had to check in at the airport. Our luggage arrived without problem and was actually the first down the ramp. I asked the worker about the system. he said the way back is completely different and Disney will continue to have problems with ME because they only have 50% of the staff they need to handle the volume of bags they get. The check in at the hotel is a privately contracted company. they are not employees of the airport or Disney." Thank you, Lisa, for the great feedback! I'm looking forward to your trip report.
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