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John and Donna Gross "The Full Mickey - At a Discount!" The Wall Street Journal
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Beth, our travel agent, provides important tips for those driving in Florida: "Have you ever seen a June bug? If not, come to Florida a few weeks from now and they'll be everywhere. How do I know? Because they always follow the annual infestation of Love bugs which is, as evidenced by the little dead bug bodies all over the front of my car, currently in full swing. If you're driving through the state in the next couple weeks you need to be prepared. Put plenty of RainX on the windshield; it makes it a little easier to clean them off. Frequently check the front grill of your car; if you get too many of them smashed on there your car can overheat. Clean the grill and the windshield often. Also keep in mind that the bug guts can do terrible damage to the finish of your car, so don't let them bake onto it; wash them off as best you can as often as you can. On a more pleasant topic - sort of - don't forget that with the increasing heat comes the more frequent rains and they are truly torrential downpours. Headlights are mandatory if your wipers are on, but we 'natives' often also use our flashers (hazard lights) when it’s really raining hard; they seem easier to see. DO NOT pull off to the side of the road because you could be hit from behind. Instead, get to the next exit and wait it out in a parking lot. Unless there’s a front moving through the rain generally lasts no more than 20 minutes. If you've got kids in the car, remember that Florida law requires children ages 3 and under to be in a car seat. Bring one with you or rent one from the car rental agency. And finally, be aware that many Florida cities have red light cameras. Although right on red is permitted (except where noted), these cameras will snap several photos (and maybe even video) of you if you fail to stop TWICE before turning right. You need to stop the first time on or before the white line (because the light is red) and a second time as you come closer to the intersection and check to be sure the coast is clear. The cameras were meant to catch red light runners, but it turns out cities are making a fortune on the fines for right turns made without adequate stops."
Senior Travel: Be sure to take advantage of city transit discounts offered
across the nation
Mickey always plans a few moves ahead when it comes to Walt Disney World
- Fantasyland renovation, Animal Kingdom tour, and valet parking
Orlando wants to crack down on gas gougers near airport
Amtrak wants you to ride the railway down Florida's east coast
Senior Travel: Amtrak 2010 offers the same old, same old
Road-trip tips: Beating boredom on the road
Disney World bus accidents: GPS units on buses is distracting, critics
say Disney and Universal have raised their parking fees: both now charge $14.
2 drivers killed in head-on collision near Disney
Megabus gives away 100,000 free tickets
Beth, our travel agent, writes about getting to Universal Studios / Island of Adventure: "Hardly a week goes by that someone doesn't ask me about getting from Disney to US/IoA (or Sea World / Aquatica / Discovery Cove, Wet n' Wild, etc.) These are all Disney's competition so they obviously don't want to make it easy for you. It can, however, be done and you have some options. You can rent a car, take a cab, get a private driver, or take the Mears attraction shuttle. If you rent a car you can easily get if from Alamo at the Disney Dolphin or the Disney Car Care Center. I usually have a discount code for these locations and they will come pick you up. It's easy and ultra-flexible, also giving you the chance to stop at the grocery store or elsewhere if you choose. (Hard to do if you select another transportation method.) Of course, the down sides are that you'll have to pay parking at US/IoA and there's that pesky cost of gas. It still may be the lowest cost option, though. Calling a cab is easy enough. In fact, there are usually a few hanging around most resorts, but if not the resort will call one for you. The cost depends on traffic, but it's typically around $35-40 each way, plus a tip for the drivers. Be sure to have them quote you the price BEFORE you get going. No parking or hassling with rental pickups and returns - but you might have to wait a bit to get the cab for the return and you may have to use your cell phone to call, so be sure to get the number before you get out of the cab that takes you over. A private driver costs about the same as a cab, but the car is usually nicer and you get more personal service. Also, it's a flat rate, regardless of traffic conditions. They have vehicles that will accommodate up to 10 people, and it costs about the same for 10 as it does for 4! Again, you have to add in a tip for the drivers, and you need to give them a time for the pick up and return you when you initially make the reservation. Finally, there's the Mears attraction shuttle. You can call Mears to set this up (407-423-5566) or you can arrange it at one of their kiosks in the MCO airport. The cost is $16 p/p each way. Obviously, if you have more than a few people then the flat-rate option is better. Also, the shuttle has set times and isn't flexible on them."
Online tool calculates gas cost for any drive
Amtrak is going to spend $6 million to renovate its Auto Train station
in Sanford. The refurbished station will provide seating for 600 travelers.
"The American Automobile Association is urging U.S. residents who plan to
drive while traveling abroad to avoid purchasing fraudulent international
driving permits, especially over the Internet."
The price of gas keeps rising, but there may be a theme park near you.
See this article for a list of new attractions at parks in the USA and
Canada:
"A new express-commuter bus linking Poinciana with Walt Disney World
might result from a new deal involving Lynx, the state Department of
Transportation and Disney."
For a helpful article about how to travel with pets, see:
Florida Department of Transportation Launches New
Southwest Florida 511 Travel Information System
FORT MYERS - For the first time, residents and visitors in Southwest Florida can get free real-time travel information about 30 major roadways in Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties by calling 511. The Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) is launching the new regional Southwest Florida 511 Travel Information System. 511 provides callers with real-time travel information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by cell phone or landline and on the Web at www.SouthwestFlorida511.com. Traffic information is free, though cellular minutes or roaming charges may apply. 511 uses speech-recognition technology that allows callers to simply speak the name of the roadway or area where they want traffic information. Callers automatically are connected to Florida’s Statewide 511 system and then can ask for Southwest Florida 511. Once connected to the new regional service, callers can request information by saying a road’s name or number," or they may say the city or county. For example, callers may ask for Cleveland Avenue or US 41, or they may ask for Fort Myers or Lee County. 511 allows people to make better travel decisions, said Debbie Tower, public information director for Florida DOT’s District One. By calling 511 or logging onto the Web site before getting into their cars, drivers can know before they go. They can choose to alter their route or the time they plan to travel to avoid trouble spots. 511 operators monitor information about roadway incidents from the Florida Highway Patrol and other law enforcement and emergency service agencies across the region. Updates are available to 511 callers and on the Web site as conditions change. In a planned expansion of the service expected by the end of 2007, roadside sensors along the interstate will monitor the flow of traffic, allowing the 511 system to report actual travel times on I-75. Also available through 511 is information about lane closures and construction, severe weather, and Amber Alerts about missing or abducted children. During an evacuation, 511 provides information about traffic conditions, suspended tolls, weather-related road closings and reverse laning (when all lanes of the highway flow in one direction). Southwest Florida 511 covers these 30 roadways: I-75, Alico Road, Bermont Road, Bonita Beach Road, Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral Bridge/College Parkway, Colonial Boulevard/SR 884, Corkscrew Road, Daniels Parkway, Davis Boulevard, Del Prado Boulevard, Immokalee Road, Isle of Capri Road/Collier Boulevard, McCall Road, McGregor Boulevard, Midpoint Bridge, SR 82/MLK/Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, SR 80/Palm Beach Boulevard, Pine Island Road/Bayshore Road, Pine Ridge Road, Sanibel Causeway, Summerlin Road, Toledo Blade Boulevard, Tuckers Grade, Vanderbilt Beach Road, Veteran’s Memorial Parkway, SR 29, US 17/Duncan Road, US 41 and US Business 41. Callers can also hear route and schedule information for Charlotte County Transit, LeeTran and Collier Area Transit, as well as arrival and departure times, parking, ground transportation, car rental and directional information for the Southwest Florida International Airport. Southwest Florida 511 is part of Florida’s free statewide service which provides travel information about all Florida interstate highways and Florida’s Turnpike. Florida has additional regional 511 systems in Northeast Florida, Central Florida, Tampa Bay and Southeast Florida. Callers to 511 can request information from any of the four regional systems by asking for the region by name. Currently, 511 systems are operating in 33 regions in 27 states. Real-time traffic updates coast-to-coast are expected by 2012. Depending on location, the caller will be connected to the 511 service in the region or state in which he or she is traveling. (Source: Press Release)
Cheap Gas Stations: Just enter your zip code at this site and it will tell you which gas stations have the cheapest prices (and the highest) in your area. It's updated every evening.
Check out www.fl511.com for current road conditions throughout Central Florida. Click here for a similar free service provided by the Orlando Sentinel.
If you're staying at WDW, but want to visit the parks off Disney property, you have some options: Mears Shuttle Service (407/423-5566) from Disney Resorts. Rates are for round trip per person:
Universal Studios: $14 Town Car Services: For up to five people round trip, rates range from $50 to $80 trip. Make reservations in advance to avoid disappointment. You can pay by credit card or cash and they expect to be paid upon arrival at the theme park. See our book for limo/towncar services. Taxi: Taxis can take up to six passengers, but the trip can cost $50 or more each way. They charge $3.25 for the first mile and $1.75 for each additional mile. They also charge for idle time and fees for each passenger. Rental Cars: Rates vary from $20 to $60 per day. National Car Rental (Alamo and National are owned by the same company and they share locations at WDW) is located on Disney property (Alamo has recently opened another office in Downtown Disney) and will provide transportation from their location (Disney's Car Care Center) to your hotel. They also rent child safety seats. Call 800/227-7368 or 407/855-4170. For more information, call Guest Relations at your resort or Universal's Guest Services at 407224-6350. (Should you need to get from your hotel to the Car Care Center, your hotel's front desk can arrange for a shuttle to take you. Give them one day's notice.) Note: You can reserve your rental car at the Dolphin resort. Fill out the paperwork at the Dolphin's National Car Rental office and they'll shuttle you to the car at the Magic Kingdom office. National is also located at the Wyndham Palace Resort in the Downtown Disney Resort area.
Driving Tips: Universal Boulevard parallels I-Drive to the east and has very little traffic. As might be expected, gas prices are higher in the tourist areas. If you're low on gas and don't want to overpay, just buy $5 worth of gas to hold you over. Then fill up the tank when you get out of the tourist areas. Disney Radio: Want to get in the Disney mood as you drive to the parks? Set your car radio to Radio Disney in Orlando at 990 on your AM dial. To locate a station near you, click here. For information about WDW transportation, call 407/WDW-RIDE.
Parking is free at the theme parks for WDW resort guests. 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 only pay one parking fee per vehicle and receive a parking voucher that is good all day at any park. Valet Service is no longer free at WDW. Disney now charges for valet parking at the Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Contemporary, Polynesian, and Wilderness Lodge. Disney was already charging for valet parking at the BoardWalk Inn. Pay for valet parking once at WDW and you can receive valet parking for the rest of the day at Disney's other resorts at no additional cost. Handicapped parking is available throughout Walt Disney World. A disability parking permit is necessary. If you can't walk short distances, you can park next to the entrance at each theme park. Attendants at the Auto Plaza can explain parking options as you arrive.
You will only have to pay one parking fee per vehicle. Your parking voucher is good all day at any park. You want to be at the park gates 30 minutes before they open. So, arriving an hour before opening seems reasonable. Lots fill quickly. The official line is that only WDW resort guests and those with multi-day passes are allowed to use Disney transportation. All others must drive.
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