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Brought to you by...
John and Donna Gross "The Full Mickey - At a Discount!" The Wall Street Journal
Using public transportation is a very inexpensive way to get around. See our book for details. Buses now run an hour before and after the parks close. Call 407/WDW-RIDE.
Beth, our travel agent, writes: http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/index.html "John, this is an awesome site! I am frequently amazed at how many people show up at the airport 45 minutes before their flight time and are seemingly shocked to find lines at both the check-in desk and the security checkpoints. We all need to get used to thinking about the security points as being a place that can really hold you up now. That link above allows you to input some information about your flight and then see how long the typical wait time at security is for that day and time. There are two things that can SAVE you time on the check-in side of it, though. One is using the new self-service kiosks that most major airlines offer. You can feed in nearly any card with your name on a magnetic strip (credit card, frequent flyer card, etc.) so that they computer can locate your name, and then you select yours seats (if not already done), enter the number of bags you're checking, and you're done! Your boarding passes pop out of the kiosk and the counter person will tag your bags. You'll then probably be directed to another location nearby to hand the luggage over to the scanner people. The other option is to check in AT HOME! Yep, now many airlines will allow you to go on their website in advance (I did it the day before my last flight) and check in. You print out the boarding pass(es) right at home. Very cool. TIP: If your boarding pass has some sort of a **S** notation on it (and you don't see it on boarding passes for the rest of your family) then YOU have been randomly selected for a more thorough security screen. You'll be pulled out of the line after the initial scan and they'll use the wand on you to scan your whole body. They'll also go through every carry on you have (while you watch). This can take 10-15 minutes if they're a little backed up, or can go as quickly as 5 minutes. Just remember that it's not personal; everyone has an equal chance at getting selected. (They've even snagged my 6-year-old daughter!) Note that the boarding passes you print out at home will NOT randomly select people; however, it will refuse to let you do online check-in if you've been flagged by security in their routine reviews of passenger manifests." |
Resources
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Map of the Disney World transportation system... For buses, click here.
Two new services are now being offered at Orlando International Airport: Laptop Lane Ltd. is an area where travelers can access the Internet, printers, telephones and fax machines. Laptop Lane Ltd. also sells computer accessories and keeps a technician on duty to help visitors. The airport has also created a web site where customers can access flight arrival and departure schedules in real time. The information is updated every 10 minutes. Call 407/825-2055 or click here.
What to ake on the plane... Beth writes: This is the "official" TSA list of what is and is not allowed on planes (updated last week), both for carry-on and checked baggage. It's a great resource! Click here.
Earn FREE Flyer Miles: The Gold Delta SkyMiles card gives you up to two SkyMiles for every dollar you spend on groceries, gas, stamps, travel, etc. Get 10,000 free SkyMiles the first time you use the Card. Winning strategy: use it whenever you can, pay the bill when it comes due, and accumulate those flyer miles. That's like getting the sky miles for free! For more details, click here.
AAA Alert We booked the Auto Train for one of our vacations at WDW. We checked Amtrak's site to determine prices before we went to AAA to book the train in person. If you reserve your seats on the Internet, Amtrak mails your tickets or you can pick them up at the station. AAA gives you your tickets right away. We thought we would get a good deal and have our tickets in hand if we went in person. We were shocked to find out that AAA wanted $100 more than the price we were quoted at Amtrak's site! The agent called Amtrak personally to verify the price. She was not happy to learn that Amtrak was charging $100 less if the customer booked online. Needless to say, we went home and booked the train tickets online and saved ourselves $100! And that was for one-way tickets. We would have saved even more on round-trip tickets! Amtrak will mail our tickets at no additional charge and gave us our AAA discount online! Make sure you know what things cost before you see your travel agent. Our customers know what to expect since we put prices in our book. That's why they get the best deals!
Cheap Transportation
The Greyhound Bus Company has been known to offer a companion discount
where you pay for one ticket and another passenger rides for free! See
greyhound.com or call
800/231-2222.
Discount AirFare Seniors get a break from the airlines! Many airlines allow seniors to travel at a reduced "senior" rate. Moreover, they can travel with a companion (has to be under 62) who also gets the "senior" rate. So, let the grandparents take the grandchildren with them to WDW and they will all save money! These "senior" fares are generally hidden, but your travel agent knows how to find them. Recently, round-trip flights to several cities in Florida went for $158!
Several airlines offer a "student" rate to full time
college students. Be sure to ask for the discount. Like Disney, the airlines
will never volunteer the lowest rate!
Cheap Transportation to Busch Gardens Busch Gardens is now offering visitors to central Florida round-trip transportation to its park. Each of the five luxury coaches that make up The Shuttle Express will accommodate 47 passengers in air-conditioned comfort and include video entertainment. Five routes will shuttle customers from 40 different locations at a cost of only $10 per person! The Shuttle Express picks up passengers at Mercado Shopping Village, Kissimmee Old Town Shopping Village, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlet Mall; at 40 hotels in Central Florida; and at Flex Ticket transportation routes. Shuttles make morning pick-ups at 8 AM and 10:15 AM and return to locations in Orlando at 5, 6, and 8 PM. The service is free to those who buy the 5-Park Orlando Flex Ticket which grants unlimited admission to Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Wet 'n Wild. Reservations are recommended. Reservations are required for groups of six or larger. For information, reservations, and schedules, call 800/511-2450.
Driving to Walt Disney World We have driven down many times from Maryland. It takes 16-18 hours. Should take you longer. One time in an ice storm in Richmond it took 24 hours! That was scary sliding across the bridges! Make sure you stop at South of the Border. It's on the North Carolina/South Carolina border. It easy to spot. It has a towering sombrero and they advertise on billboards the last half of NC. If you want to stay over night, stay in Sanford, SC. That only leaves you eight hours of driving the next day.
Parking Those with Disney passes and staying off property may park at the Transportation and Ticket Center located near the Magic Kingdom. You can access all of WDW from there via monorail and bus. You will only have to pay one parking fee of per vehicle. Those with the Universal Flex Ticket pay once at the first park they visit.
Taxis and Drive Time
Taxis charge US$1.50 per mile. Universal is on Kirkman
Road (exit 30 on I-4), around the 5900 block of International Drive. SeaWorld
is 5 miles from Universal. WDW is 10 miles from Universal. Use the yellow cabs. Avoid the independent taxis. Ask a Disney employee to show you where to catch an official taxi.
Public Transportation Make sure you get to the store we recommend in our book for your souvenirs. We can't tell you how many good deals we have found there. Mears Motor Shuttles provides transportation to the theme parks. Call 407/423-5566. You can also take a taxi. (We list several hotels in our book that offer transportation to the parks for free or for a fee.) In regard to public transportation, LYNX buses serve Osceola, Orange, and Seminole counties from 5 AM to midnight/7 days a week. Routes include tourist attractions. Costs less than $1. Look for the LYNX Paw Sign to catch the bus. Call 407/841-8240 for more information. The I-RIDE TROLLEY SERVICE makes over 50 stops on International Drive from 7 AM to midnight/7days a week. The buses run every 15 minutes. Costs 75 cents. Seniors pay 25 cents. Drivers will not turn away passengers who have no money. You can buy a one-day unlimited pass for $2 ($3 for a three-day pass and $5 for a five-day pass) at most of the hotels along International Drive. Look for the I-Ride Trolley signs. Call 407/354-5656 for more information.
The MERCADO SHUTTLE provides free transportation 10 AM to 10 PM from the The Mercado shopping/dining/entertainment complex on International Drive to 15 hotels in the area. Call 407/345-9337 for more information.
Rent a car from the WDW resorts to go to
Universal. Visit one of the rental agencies at the resorts on Hotel
Plaza Blvd by Downtown Disney Marketplace.
AAA shuttle from WDW to Universal studios....
Contact your local AAA office or call 800/222-6424 for more information.
For camper rentals, click
here.
The auto train leaves Lorton, Virginia (outside Washington, D.C.) at
4:30 PM. Auto Train routes... I found what I wanted at their web site. You can also call 1-800-USARAIL.
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