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Brought to you by...
John and Donna Gross "The Full Mickey - At a Discount!" The Wall Street Journal
Here you will find our money saving tips to make your visit to Walt Disney World more affordable! We will post your comments, answer your questions and announce the latest changes at the Walt Disney World Resorts and Theme Parks. We will also post updates to our book, Secrets To An Affordable Walt Disney World® Vacation, and bring you the latest news regarding the Disney Company and other attractions in Florida. To add your own message, contact us at johngross@affordabledisney.com.
Dread the hassle of booking your own vacation? Not sure you will get the best possible price? Beth, our full service Florida travel agent, handles all of our members' reservations. She is familiar with all of our deals and she will continue to monitor your reservations to make sure you are getting the best possible deal. If she finds a better deal, she will switch your reservation to the new deal without any intervention from you! Now that's peace of mind!
Don't let cash on hand keep you from booking your
Disney vacation! You can book now with a small down payment and pay the balance
later!
Click here to save BIG on all your Disney and non-Disney vacations! Remember: If you want to visit Walt Disney World when there is no deal for the general public, you will need to follow the discount strategies that are revealed in our online book, "Secrets To An Affordable Walt Disney World® Vacation," to make your vacation affordable.
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Do you know someone who, because of her service
to the community or family, deserves a vacation at Walt Disney World,
but feels she could never afford it?
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD" Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar What's new at Tokyo Disneyland What's new at Disneyland Hong Kong -------------------------------- NOTE: News sources remove their articles rather quickly. If you receive a "File Not Found" error message, search the source's archives for the story. Certain news organizations require a free registration to view their articles online. |
2013 Disney Cruise Line Itineraries Announced! Disney Wonder, starting December 23, 2011 - Mostly 4 and 5 night itineraries FROM MIAMI. Disney Magic, summer 2013 - back to the Med for 7, 10, 11 night itineraries plus two new 12-night itineraries. Also adding two 4-night departures (intended to be paired with land tours). Beth writes: "We are able to offer a DCL 'sale' once per quarter. Our sale for this quarter will start January 27 and will run for two weeks." Members should log in and contact Beth for details.
FYI It has come to our attention that certain companies have partnered with Senomyx to develop flavor enhancers. Unfortunately, Senomyx uses fetal tissue from aborted babies in the process. Pepsi, General Mills and Kraft use Senomyx. I'm sure there are many others that have not been named publicly. Splenda and other artificial sweeteners are also using Senomyx. I complained to Nestle and they informed me that they used to use Senomyx but no longer. Donna and I are switching from Kraft to Hellman's mayo; buying Post cereals instead of General Mills, using real sugar in our drinks at home, and buying fewer sodas or regular Cokes at the fast food restaurants. These companies are huge and own many of the brands consumers use every day. Just Google these companies and see the brands they own. It is amazing how they have taken over our food supply with these flavor enhancers from Senomyx! I contacted Kraft and they responded that they do not do anything that other companies have not done over the past 20 years! What a sad response. Don't they realize that you can't excuse one evil by committing another? In any event, let the buyer beware and let others know what these companies are doing.
RESOURCES Our AffordableDisney.Com Blog contains deal alerts, the latest news about Disney and other Florida attractions, and comments from Beth, our travel agent, and members. Click here to read our blog online or to subscribe. -------------------------------- As many of you know, I am an author of Catholic prayer books. One of the best ways to know Jesus more intimately and show our love for Him is through prayer. Prayer keeps us focused on the spiritual life and opens a channel for grace so He can make His presence known to us. For further help in forming your prayer life, see my prayer books below that I've written and compiled and posted on the 'Net for FREE. God bless.+ Let us choose life! Priests for Life Choose-Life.org "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child." We can interpret the Psalms from a Christocentric point of view. Let us pray with Jesus to the Father for the unborn. Click here to read the book for FREE. "Divine Intimacy Rosary." Pray the rosary with a masterpiece of Carmelite spirituality, "Divine Intimacy: Meditations on the Interior Life for Every Day of the Liturgical Year" by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen and published by Tan Books. This is one of the most inspiring books of meditations I have ever read. I can't recommend it too highly! Click here to learn about this novel approach to praying the rosary for FREE. "The Divine Word + Sacred Art Rosary: Praying the Rosary with Sacred Scripture and Art." Bible-based meditations for each bead of the rosary. Each Mystery is illustrated with beautiful art masterpieces inspired by God. Click here to read the book for FREE. "Beads of Salvation: Praying the Rosary to Reach Heaven." Rosary prayers drawn from the writings of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori. Click here to read the book for FREE. "Rosary Poetry: Poems on the Life of Jesus Christ." Twenty poems relating to the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Click here to read the book for FREE. "100 Prayers of Purity for the Mission of Our Lady of America." The Virgin Mary, Our Lady of America, encourages us to seek Her as our model of purity. The prayers in this book petition God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the great Saints for the grace we need to lead pure and holy lives. Click here to read the book for FREE. "Achieving Weight Loss through the Prayers of the Divine Office of the Virgin Mary." True peace with food can only come from establishing a close relationship with God. Click here to read the book for FREE. "Rosary Meditations: A Bouquet of Roses for Our Lady." Shows the beginner and the highly experienced how to meditate while praying the rosary. Click here to read the book for FREE. Be sure to check out Father Ron Camarda's "Tear in the Desert." It's one of the most spiritual books I have ever read!
Beth, our travel agent, writes: "Disney does a lot of things - most everything, in fact - really, really well. They fall a bit short with their package documents, though, when it comes to explanations. There isn't a week that goes by that I don't get someone saying they just got their documents and there were no tickets inside. Some folks are nearly panicked over it! In Disney's defense, if you read the fine print, it does indicate that certain package inclusions are presented on arrival - and tickets are noted as such. Let's face it, though... You get pretty excited when the documents arrive and reading all the tiny print isn't a high priority! So here's the deal: your tickets are encoded right into your room keys on arrival. So is access to your dining credits. That way, you carry only one item for each person: the Key to the Kingdom. If you're doing a land/sea package with Disney Cruise Line, that Key also serves as your stateroom access key. And while I'm thinking about it, let me also make mention of the upgrade of your tickets. When you buy a package everyone in the room needs to select the same ticket. (At least for now; there's rumor that they may change that at some point.) Sometimes you have people in the party that will be doing things elsewhere - attending a meeting, for instance. Other times, you might have a person or two that have leftover ticket days from a previous trip. Those people don't need as many admission days as the rest of their party. Not to worry! Book the package with the minimum number of ticket days needed by the entire party. Once you arrive, you can individually adjust the tickets and you'll only be charged the difference in price. For instance, you can add the Water Park Fun n' More option for just part of the family, or you can add hopping for just a few. You can add extra days or even make just some of the tickets non-expiring... whatever you want. One warning, though: you MUST do this while the tickets are still valid. You can't wait until they've been used up and then add to them. You can make these ticket changes at any ticket window or at your Disney resort front desk. -------------------------------- Don't' forget that October is NATIONAL CRUISE VACATION MONTH, the highlight of which is The World's Largest Cruise Night on October 16. Last year, nearly 35,000 cruise bookings nationwide were made as part of the event! The event is sponsored by Cruise Lines International Organization (CLIA) and nearly every major cruise line is a member. They'll all be offering specials like reduced rates, lower deposit requirements, onboard credits, free air, and so on. This is a great time to be planning your 2009 cruise vacation. Next year there are a LOT of new ships hitting the market, so if you've never cruised before it's the perfect time to start. Cruising remains one of the very best vacation values available. As soon as we get the details on what the lines will be offering I'll pass it on, but in the meantime feel free to let me know if you have questions about cruising. I'll be running the 'virtual' version of this event, so make a note on your calendar and plan to spend some time online that evening when you get home from work. (Actually, the event runs all day long, so I can get your information in advance if it's more convenient for you.) -------------------------------- WHAT'S UP WITH DISNEY DINING??? I know I mentioned it before, but just to reiterate: Disney is changing the dining reservation system to enable you to book dining online. In preparation for that change-over (tentatively scheduled to debut in November) reservations cannot currently be made beyond February 22. The change does not effect Victoria & Albert's, Cinderella's Royal Table, and Chef Mickey's; you will still be able to book those 180 days in advance by calling 1-407-WDW-DINE. Once the new system is up and running, the 180 day rule will return for the rest of the dining venues. Also, please, please, please don't forget to make your dining reservations as early as possible. That means as soon as you know that you'll be traveling to Disney World. If you wait until you arrive you will have little (if anything) to choose from, particularly over busy periods. Reservations are needed for ALL character meals, dinner shows, and sit-down meal locations whether you have a dining plan or not! I cannot stress this enough. (I know, I know... You didn't make reservations for your trip five years ago and getting in was no problem. Well, things have changed. MAKE RESERVATIONS!)"
Beth, our travel agent, writes about Walt Disney World closings and refurbishments: "If you're like me, you check the "closings and refurbishments" list maybe a few weeks before your scheduled trip just so you can mentally start planning your attack on the parks in advance... and also give your kids a heads-up so they aren't disappointed. You should, however, get in the habit of checking out that list when you FIRST START PLANNING your trip, and then continue checking it every so often since Disney has a tendency to change schedules frequently. I bring this up because there are a number of things going on in the next six months or so that planners need to consider. For instance, * There will only be one water park open from Sept 28 to March 21. This fact may have an effect on your decision to add Water Park Fun n' More to your tickets. * Animal Kingdom Lodge's Sunset Savanna will not have any animals on it 1/15/09 - 4/15/09. Given that specific room locations are never guaranteed, I'd hesitate to book a savanna view during that time. (What's the point if there are no animals??) * The coolest pool on Disney property, Stormalong Bay, will be closed 1/5/09-4/15/09. This is the themed pool used by both the Beach Club and Yacht Club well as the Beach Club Villas. The resorts are still great and in a wonderful location, and the regular pools will be open, but you might want to think twice about booking there if your kids will be devastated by not having a waterslide pool open. This list is by no means all-inclusive, and it's representative of the kinds of things that go on all the time. My point: Even those of us that book Disney all day long can't stay on top of ALL the changes, so be sure that you take a look at the list frequently in the months leading up to your trip so that you have a decent chance of being able to make changes if necessary." Click here for operational updates.
Beth, our travel agent, asks: Should I Get Insurance in Case There's a Hurricane? "With last week's Tropical Storm Fay finally just a memory for most of us, I've nonetheless been bombarded by inquiries about insurance. Hurricane season (also known as rainy season) runs from June 1 to November 30. Disney does offer insurance if you purchase a package (room and tickets with optional dining) and you can add the insurance anytime prior to doing your final payment. once you add the insurance, it is nonrefundable. Since there is no fee for canceling up until your final payment date, I always suggest that you wait until you're doing the final payment to add it on. The insurance covers a lot of things, but it does NOT cover bad weather. The fact is, it rains nearly daily this time of year - and when I say rain, picture torrential downpour. It generally only lasts about 20 minutes, though, and takes about 30 minutes to dry up. You can see it coming, too. The sky goes from cloudless and bright blue to ominous as the day progresses. When it starts to get really dark and a bit breezy you know you're minutes from getting drenched. During rainy season, always bring your rain gear and keep it close at hand! Speaking of rain gear, I recommend the dollar store "3 for a buck" rain ponchos. They are about the thickness of saran wrap and tear easily, but they are easy to carry and can be tossed away after the rain's gone. They aren't as hot as heavier options, and not as costly as those lovely ponchos with Disney characters on them. But I digress! Disney doesn't close the parks because it rains. In fact, it has to be a pretty serious storm before they consider closing. Even for hurricanes, you'd be surprised at how long they wait to close, and how fast they get the parks open again - and the parks look like nothing ever happened! It's really amazing. Admittedly, you probably don't envision sitting in your room for a day eating chips and watching movies because you've been told not to come out, but for many people being at Disney during a hurricane is an adventure that they talk about for years. When life gives you lemons.... Fortunately, we usually know days in advance if a bad storm is likely to hit the Disney area. If a hurricane is immanent they traditionally will allow you to rebook or even cancel without a fee even without insurance. They don't HAVE to do that, but they really don't want you arriving in the midst of it and they will probably need your room to accommodate people who got stuck an extra day or two because they couldn't leave as scheduled. Likewise, airlines don't like thousands of people sitting on the floors in airports because their flights got canceled. They will typically allow you to change your flights within a small time window, and they waive change fees. So I'm not saying don't buy insurance, but doing so for weather reasons won't work. If you still aren't liking that answer, though, let me know and I'll try to hook you up with some 'cancel for any reason' insurance. You don't get ALL your money back and you have to purchase within 14 days of making your reservation, but if it's a real concern for you then maybe such a policy is worth looking at."
Beth, our travel agent, writes about Adventures by Disney: "When Disney first announced they were venturing into the world of escorted tours I had a hard time imagining how Mickey was going to fit down the aisle of a bus! Turns out that isn't a problem because there is nary a character to be seen on these tours. And yes, that's a GOOD thing! Disney has proven over the last few years that they CAN compete with the best when it comes to doing guided tours all over the world. They use the very best hotels and restaurants, their guides are fabulously trained, and each itinerary makes sure that all participants will do not only the usual 'tourist' things, but also some things you'd otherwise not be able to do. (When the name Disney is attached to your company you can really work some magic!) And don't be surprised to see little gifts unexpected appearing in your room from time to time. As you'd imagine, these tours are great for families with children, and especially so for multi-generational families. There are opportunities for the adults to have a nice dinner alone while the kids are expertly entertained for the evening, and there are activities specially planned for the kids so they don't get bored while Grandma and Grandpa tour the Louvre or attend a wine tasting. They even keep the kids happy on the bus rides! Amazingly, though, the tours are equally good for adults traveling without children, but if you're still worried about that then you can sign up for one of the many "adults only" departures offered on many itineraries. You all know how much I love Disney World and Disney Cruise Line, but let's face it... Sometimes even the biggest Mouse fans need to do a character-free vacation. What's great about Adventures by Disney is that you get all the attention to detail that Disney is known for, and they somehow manage to make their mark on every aspect of the trip despite the lack of large furry beasts and pretty girls in big dresses. I am so supportive of this new endeavor that I've told my sales rep that I'm aiming to be their top agent for 2009. To that end, I've acquired a domain name for a new website and am currently working on a site that will be JUST for Adventures by Disney. In the meantime, we're trying to develop a number of promotions to run starting this fall that will be geared towards Affordable Disney readers and their friends and families. This is the PERFECT time to be planning your 2009 vacation, so if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to drop me a note!" Note from John: Affordable Disney members can find Beth's contact info on the welcome page - that's the page you're on when you log in.
Beth, our travel agent, shares her thoughts on some of the comments made in last week's newsletter: Dining at Boma in Animal Kingdom Lodge... "I had the pleasure of staying in a concierge level room at this resort once. While I loved very American breakfast offered in the lounge, I wasn't crazy about the hors d'oeuvres around dinner time. It turns out that (as you suspected, John) African spices are an acquired taste that I - apparently - haven't yet acquired the taste for. Not surprisingly, I found dinner at Boma to be equally disappointing. Even the desserts that I'd heard so much about fell short. A friend of mine that lived in Africa for a time tells me that this is one of her favorite places to eat, so if you want 'real' African food this is the place to go. Otherwise, skip it unless you have adventuresome taste buds. There are TONS of great places to eat where you can be nearly certain you'll like the food." Viewing Illuminations.... "Check to see which way the wind is blowing and be sure to NOT be where the wind will blow the smoke from the fireworks into your face. I learned that lesson the hard way! You cannot imagine how much smoke there is coming off the lake during those fireworks." Adult evening entertainment... "Don't forget about the Boardwalk area. There are several things going on over there in the evening that are a lot of fun and very much geared towards the adult crowd. The only down side is that there isn't any way to get back to your hotel late at night if you're not staying right in that area. You'd have to call a cab if you don't have a car with you. (It would be a cheap taxi ride, though.) And as John suggests, the deluxe resorts as well as Coronado Springs have lounges that get fun in the evenings. (Actually, all the moderate resorts have lounges, but Coronado's is a lot more interesting thanks to recent renovations as well as the fact that they have a convention center there that draws more of an adult crowd to that resort.)" Note from John: I think that might be a fun way to spend several evenings - visiting a different lounge every night! I just might have to write the "Walt Disney World Lounge Tour!"
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.
Beth, our travel agent, writes about booking hotels off Disney property: "There was a time when I booked a LOT of Disney World vacations for people using non-Disney hotels. That was before Disney offered free airport transfers, Extra Magic Hours, dining options, and packages that made sense. Those perks cannot be overlooked. At least one of them (probably several) can go a very long way towards providing you with a vacation more comfortable and convenient than any non-Disney hotel could. And if you plan ahead then you've got an excellent shot at a promotional discount for most times of the year. There are, however, times when you can't plan ahead. There are other times that there isn't a promotional offer for your dates, or nothing affordable is available under the promotional offer. For those times, it makes plenty of sense to look at hotels that aren't owned and operated by Disney - particularly true if you don't need airport transfers and aren't interested in a dining plan. What you need to keep in mind, though, is that a wide-angle camera lens and a creative hotel staff can make a real dump look like pure luxury online. I read an article recently posted in MSNBC.com's family travel section. They were suggesting six hotels in the Kissimmee area as non-Disney alternatives. Two of them I've never seen and two of them I often send people to myself. The other two, though, I was shocked to see listed. In fact, I list one of them among the worst hotels I've ever checked out! It's true that online it looks nice enough. The location is pretty good, it has a separate check-in desk for kids, and it has a name that makes it sound like Mickey himself probably vacations there. I was shown two rooms there, though, that I wouldn't have sent clients on the tightest budgets to. The carpets were so dirty they were sticky. The small refrigerators had mildew in them, and I'm pretty sure the microwaves has never been cleaned. I'd have been afraid to take a shower without flip-flops on my feet. Ick! I actually stayed at a different hotel once (not on the MSNBC list) that looked fabulous online... bedroom, living room, 'full' kitchen, manager's reception with beer, wine and hors d'oeuvres - nice! The pictures online were lovely. The actual units didn't look anything like the photos online. Well, they sort of did in that the layout was the same. The furniture we had, though, was stained and worn and falling apart. The bedding was dirty as were the towels. The little electric burner in our kitchen didn't work, and it was colder in the room than in the frig. There was no beer at the manager's reception; only a big jug of cheap red wine... which went well with the basket full of popcorn, the only food offered. The pool wasn't heated, but it was so dirty my daughter didn't want to go in anyway. BIG disappointment. Great location and a nice price, but I won't be going back. My point is that you need to do some homework if you're going to stay offsite - or at least talk with someone that's stayed in the place you're considering. Forget the online photos. Check out TripAdvisor.com or WeJustGotBack.com to see if there are recent reviews. Keep in mind that people tend to complain more than say nice things so you can't assume no nice comments means everything is bad. Do, however, consider the types of things being said. Are they things that you'd never notice, or things that would drive you nuts? If you need to stay offsite I can get you into rooms from about $32 a night including tax - but I wouldn't recommend those places. You really don't start getting into the moderately acceptable ones below $50-60 a night. Most times of the year $75 + tax will get you into something not too bad at all, and $100-120 will get you something pretty decent. There are exceptions, of course, but that's sort of a good scale to follow. Beware of places that are selling super-cheap. There's probably a reason for it, and you need to figure out what that reason is before you book."
Beth, our travel agent, writes about tipping on the Disney Dining Plan: Everyone that's ever asked me about the basic dining plan knows how much I love it. While it's not the least expensive way to eat at Disney, it's a real bargain if you are planning to do a character meal or full-service meal once a day for most of your stay - especially if you have children ages 3-9. You never have that little voice in your head telling you to order chicken or pasta when you really want prime rib (because it's all covered by the plan) and you're prepaying most of your food costs so you know in advance exactly what you're spending on food... or do you? I had a very interesting discussion with a man yesterday who told me of a family group that just returned from Disney World. They had a great time, and for the most part they loved the dining plan. What they didn't count on, though, was the gratuities. They were totally aware that gratuities were no longer included in the plan, and they understood that for parties of 6 or more 18% would automatically be added on, but in their minds they were budgeting 18% of the cost of the dining plan rather than 18% of the retail value of the food they ordered. This is a little detail that cannot be stressed enough: the gratuity is figured on the total of the bill as if you were paying out of pocket for everything you ordered. Now, if you're NOT a group of six or more, you can choose to leave less than 18% just like you can when you dine out anywhere else. If, however, you are dining with six or more that gratuity is going to be charged directly to your room. So, let's say your family of two adults and two teens heads out to Le Cellier for a nice steak dinner, a meal that takes one table-service credit each. To keep things simple, we'll say you all skip the appetizers since they aren't included, and you all decide to order the same entree and dessert: the filet mignon ($34.99) and the crème brulee ($6.99). You also each order Diet Coke (to cancel out the calories of the dessert) for $2.95 each. That's a total of $44.93 per person plus tax (another $2.92) and you're thrilled with your decision to spend $37.95 per person per night on your basic dining plan because you've spent more than that on just one meal! And then you realize you still have to pay a tip. A 15% gratuity is $26.96 - ouch! Of course, no one is going to MAKE you leave 15%, but you know that (or more) is what's customary for good service these days. Now, let's say that your family is dining with your sister's family of four. You're now a party of 8 so the gratuity is going to be billed to your room automatically, and it's billed at 18%. You're going to see a charge of $32.35 on your room bill at the end of the trip. If you ate like this every day for 7 days, the bill for gratuities at the end of the stay would be over $226!!! Didn't see THAT coming, did you? I'm not trying to say you should avoid the dining plan OR that you should eat pasta for every meal. I'm just saying that you need to understand in advance what to expect with these gratuities so you're not blind-sided. Those gratuities apply even if you're on the FREE dining offer, so plan for them. And if you've upgraded to deluxe dining then you REALLY need to think ahead because there's more of a tendency to eat 2-3 meals a day in the priciest places. By the way, if the gratuity thing is really an issue for you, you CAN find places that offer entrees for under $15. Also, gratuities are included when you use your credits for Grand Gathering events, dinner shows, room service, or pizza delivery (all of which take 2 table-service credits). Drop me a note if you need links to menus and/or tips for getting the most from your dining plan.
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Beth, our travel agent, shares her thoughts on cruising: "All of a sudden I'm being bombarded by requests for 'great deals on a summer cruise.' I've written many, many times about what a great vacation value cruising is. It seems that more people are finally willing to give it a chance. Bravo! The thing is, they're waiting too long to book. Gone are the days when you can call up the cruise line a week before sailing and snag a cabin for your family at bargain basement prices. OK, maybe not completely gone, but certainly very rare. The fact is, the cruise lines can't build ships fast enough to keep up with demand. That's especially true of the super liners. They're huge, but the demand far exceeds capacity. Think about it... There are currently only three of those ships that feature surfing onboard. Of their 1,817 cabins, about 20 of them sleep 6 or more. Those tend to book more than a year in advance, right when the sailings are first released. Well over half of the cabins hold only two passengers. Given that these are the coolest ships at sea, how long do you suppose those triple and quad cabins for June and July itineraries last? Not long! My point is that while the ships are really big and have lots of cabins, there aren't as many as you'd think that can accommodate a family. Those that can sell early, especially over times when schools tend to be on break. The tropical itineraries sell earlier than the Alaskan, European or other options as well. So while there are some amazing short-notice cruise deals to be had this summer, they tend to be on non-Caribbean itineraries, for cruises of 7 nights or longer, and on cabins that only sleep two people. NOW is the time to be booking your family cruise for next summer as well as for Thanksgiving and Christmas '09. For Disney cruises, which book up even earlier, I have a waiting list for 2010 sailings. Yes, seriously! You'll get the best pricing, the best choice of cabins, the best shot at free upgrades, and more if you book early. Your deposit will be refundable, so you really have nothing to risk. If you can't do it now, then watch for the World's Largest Cruise Night in October. It only lasts one day, though, so you have to know exactly what you want and have that deposit ready because we'll have to put it in at the time of booking to secure the promotional offers for that day. If you've got flexibility and there are just two of you, then by all means check with me about 90 days before you want to travel and I'll set you up with a bargain. If there are three or more of you, though, and you want just one cabin don't wait or you may miss out entirely."
Beth, our travel agent, writes about the travel agent business: "About once a month someone tells me they've been thinking about becoming a travel agent. My response is always the same: Why? Don't get me wrong. I love my job, and the fact that I specialize in cruising, Disney, and luxury properties - products that rarely produce unhappy customers - makes it even better. I've been in the industry for 23 years now (with just brief breaks from time to time), and I wouldn't still be doing it if I didn't find it both enjoyable AND profitable enough to put food on the table. As a divorced mom, I also find that being self-employed allows me the flexibility I need to get everything done. I'm a lucky woman! Being a travel agent does not, however, provide one with the glamorous and exciting life that many people seem to envision. At least 75% of the people that tell me they are considering being a travel agent do so after hearing about YTB. They are enticed by the prospect of not only earning money by selling friends and family travel, but also getting very low priced - or even free - travel opportunities for themselves. They all seem to have visions of putting in a few hours a week and, in return, earning some extra pocket money AND taking their family on a super-cheap cruise vacation next summer. What's not to love??!! But lets look at YTB a little more closely. According to their website, 99.65% of their representatives earned an average of less than $1900 per year. 80.92% earned nothing at all. The average annual income of all reps was $299.95, and the median income was $97. Now, you need to earn at least $5000 a year and work a verifiable 20 hours a week to get an IATAN card, considered the industry's leading type of identification identification and the ONLY way to qualify for many of the low-cost agent trips (called 'fam' trips, short for 'familiarization'). Under half a percent of all YTB reps earned that card - and every single one of them worked an average of 40 hours a week or more. Hmmmm.... Not exactly the picture that your neighbor was painting for you when trying to sign you up, huh? I'm only using YTB because it's the organization I hear the most about from clients, but there are several of them out there and the story is always the same. Folks, it's a great job to have, but it's a job like any other. To be successful it takes years to build the business, and a LOT of hard work. I usually put in seven days a week and average about 60-70 hours. It's commissioned sales and you don't get paid until the clients travel and the agency receives the check (and takes their cut off the top) so I never know from one month to the next how much I'm going to make until I submit a commission request. About 25% of every check is immediately set aside for the IRS. (You get to be VERY good at money management!) And as for all those great travel opportunities, the last discount on airfare I got was in 1992. I do get plenty of hotel discounts, but the rate is typically half off the full rack rate. Sometimes the AAA or promotional rate is better. I had a shot at a free week for two in Tuscany last summer with Adventures by Disney... but it didn't include the airfare (over $3000), and gratuities and spending money were also additional. Just as well since I couldn't take a week off anyway. In fact, I pretty much never go anywhere that doesn't have internet access, and my laptop is the first piece of luggage I pack. Walking away from email access for a week or more is the kiss of death in this business! Like I said, please don't misunderstand. I have dabbled in other industries and I always come back to travel. It's what I love, and I'm going to keep doing it. I'm good at it, I know my products, and I'm confident that I can help people plan great vacations. Maybe you can be good at it, too. Being a home-based travel agent might be the answer to your prayers. You need to approach it as a real job, though. Set aside a dedicated part of your home as office space. Be prepared to put in 20+ hours a week if you're serious about it, and don't expect to make more than a few hundred dollars the first six months. Sign up for every industry publication and read them cover to cover religiously. Take every online training course you can, and then choose just a few things to specialize in. (No travel agent can be really good at selling the whole world.) Join industry organizations that give you lots of support and the chance to meet and learn from others in the business. Avoid joining groups that want you to recruit others as agents. (Read this article.) And then go for it. I, for one, think there's always room for another awesome travel agent!"
Beth, our travel agent, explains the basics of Disney tickets: "This may seem like very basic information to nearly everyone that reads it, and yet there still seem to be a few people around that aren't completely familiar with how Disney tickets work. I thought maybe it's time to do a simple review... Adult tickets are needed for ages 10 and up, child tickets for ages 3-9 and NO TICKETS for children under the age of 3. They go by the age you are when you arrive. All Disney tickets start as 'base' tickets. That is, they are good for admission to one - and only one - of the four theme parks* for each of those days. You can go to Magic Kingdom one day and Animal Kingdom the next, but not both in the same day. That's called 'park hopping' and you have to add on the 'hopper' option to be able to do that. The cost for adding hopping is $47.93 per ticket, regardless of ticket length or age of the ticket holder. If you want to be able to enter Disney 'non-theme park' places (water parks, etc.) then you can consider adding the Water Parks Fun n' More (WPF&M) option. The cost is $53.25 per person, regardless of age or ticket length. You get one admission for each day of theme park entry in your main ticket. For instance, a 7-day ticket (base or hopper) would get you 7 days of WPF&M admissions; a 10-day park ticket would get you 10 WPF&M admissions. The admissions are good for the water parks, Pleasure Island, Disney Quest, and Wide World of Sports. You cannot hop between those places, even if you have added the park hopping option. (Hopping privileges apply only to the four theme parks.) You can come and go into the same place more than once in a day, but entering a different place will use another WPF&M admission. All tickets expire 14 days from first use unless you pay for the No Expiration option. The price for that depends on how many days you had to START with, not how many you have left over that you want to save. It gets expensive to make longer tickets non-expiring. Do you NEED hopping, WPF&M and/or No Expiration? Well, that depends on your situation and to get into it is a whole different topic. You can email if you have questions about your personal needs, though. Keep in mind that tickets now have your finger scan encoded into them after first use so you cannot share your ticket with anyone else. Tickets are nonrefundable, but most can be upgraded to more high-powered tickets as long as you do so while the original ticket is still valid. One note about ticket discounts... Yes, they exist. Florida residents, annual pass holders, and military personnel can get discounts and have (in the case of FL residents) access to some special tickets that aren't available to anyone else. If you're part of a group or convention you can also get discounted tickets. Many AAA clubs sell tickets at a small discount. Some wholesalers also sell at a discount - but be sure to use a reputable wholesaler like Affordable Disney's ticket agent. And remember that your best shot at a promotional offer is when booking a package and they all come with tickets, so if you run out and buy discounted tickets you may have to forego a promotional package offer (or shell out to buy very expensive 1-day base tickets for everyone in order to get it). My advice is always to NOT purchase discounted tickets until you are 100% certain that there won't be a package deal out that will work for you." * The theme parks are Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney's Hollywood Studios. The water parks, miniature and regular golf, DisneyQuest, Pleasure Island, etc. are NOT considered theme parks and require separate admission for entry.
Beth, our travel agent, writes about buying discounted theme park tickets: "I am frequently asked about purchasing theme park (and other) tickets at a discount. My advice is always the same: don't purchase until you're absolutely certain that a package deal isn't your better option. Disney typically releases discounts about 8-10 weeks before the applicable period starts. In other words, if you want a January discount the applicable promotion will probably be announced in late October or early November. There are exceptions, of course, but if you're booking your January vacation in July then you probably haven't seen the best deal yet. That doesn't mean you should wait to book, but it does mean that the price is likely to drop so you'll need to watch carefully for the discounts and try to get your price changed if and when they are announced. (We save you the hassle and track reservations automatically, trying to get you those deals on the first day they are released, but we can only track reservations we make in the first place.) These days, Disney shows a definite preference for discounting packages as opposed to room-only reservations, and ALL packages come with tickets. Also, given that you can normally only get the ever-popular dining plans with a package, even people that already have tickets will often shell out the extra cash ($64-$75 per person!) for 1-day base tickets in order to book a package with dining and/or the room discount. Annual pass discounts aren't what they used to be, so for the vast majority of people a package with room and tickets (and optional dining) is going to be the best way to go so you don't want to saddle yourself with nonrefundable park tickets until you know what the bottom line deal on a package is going to be. Recently, though, we've seen a wave of people trying to book their vacations just weeks before they want to go. This is a bad idea for many reasons, as these folks are finding out, but sometimes it's unavoidable. If you find that the promotions have expired for your dates (or all the promotional space is gone) you could be facing the prospect of paying full rack rate on your resort room. If you can live without a dining plan it makes sense to look at non-Disney properties as well as the idea of purchasing the room and tickets separately. Which brings us back to those discounted tickets… You cannot tell by looking at most theme park tickets how many days are left on them. Also, park tickets are not transferable; many Disney tickets even have names on them. If your finger scan doesn't match what's on the ticket you'll be asked to produce ID that matches the name on the ticket. (So no, you can't use the leftover days on your friend's ticket.) It is, therefore, critical that you purchase tickets from a reliable source. Affordable Disney's ticket agent has been around for a long time and they are great to work with. Their pricing is wonderful and I highly recommend them. (Affordable Disney members can log in and see the Walt Disney World Addendum for another tip for buying tickets at a discount from Beth.) And when comparing prices, don't forget to compare apples to apples by ensuring tax and shipping are included in all the prices you're looking at. (That's the #1 mistake that people make when shopping around!)"
Send FREE (I)nternet Post (Cards) From Walt Disney World! You can send free Internet post cards ("i-Cards") from our site, complete with graphics, text and music. You can choose from 18 languages and can send i-Cards to 10 people at the same time! You can even add your own photos and music! We've uploaded pictures of a theme park/beach motif that makes the service ideal for sending greetings from the parks or the beach to your family and friends! Or you may just want to use our cards to say hi to someone special while you're at home or the office. To send a free i-Card now, click here.
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