Hi Everyone! 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. -------------------------------- Now on with the show....
In this issue...
Now... lean back, prop up your feet, and take a Disney break!
NEW THIS WEEK WALT DISNEY WORLD Beth, our travel agent, writes: "Ever know of someone headed to Disney for the first time, or maybe a special occasion, and wish you could surprise them with a gift? Well, here’s your chance. Check out http://www.disneyflorist.com. They’ve got every occasion covered, and prices start at about $30 (although, admittedly, most items cost a lot more). Delivery to Disney and immediate vicinity is $9.00 and the service fee is $3.45 per order; 6.5% tax is additional. They do have some cute stuff, and it would be really fun to send something like this." -------------------------------- ADVENTURES BY DISNEY GATEWAY COLLECTION Information on Disney's newest vacation option that gives families more free time to visit locales of their choice in a more affordable way. -------------------------------- DOWNTOWN DISNEY RESORT HOTEL SPECIAL Save 20% on guest room rates. Book prior to January 29, 2010 for a stay in 2010. -------------------------------- DISNEY CRUISE LINE Residents of this country save 25% on 3-, 4- and 5-night Bahamian cruises with this discount code! -------------------------------- BUY A DAY, GET A 2ND DAY FREE Enjoy two days for the price of one at this California theme park! -------------------------------- FINALLY! A CRUISE LINE THAT CATERS TO THE SOLO TRAVELER This Luxury Cruise Line will feature 128 studios for solo travelers. The pricing penalty and the single supplement for singles will be eliminated. -------------------------------- 5TH ANNIVERSARY SALE AT HOTEL AND SUITES JUST OUTSIDE WDW Receive 5 nights for the price of 4! Beth writes: "I've seen this hotel and it's very close to Disney and you can't beat the price. Kids 12 and under always eat free. I'd give it a very solid 3 to 3.5 stars." An Official Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel. One of the closest hotels in Kissimmee to Walt Disney World and all the other Orlando and Kissimmee attractions - located just 3 short miles to the Main Gate. Pet friendly. Free shuttle to the parks. Full service restaurant and food court. -------------------------------- BRANSON, MO LOG CABINS
Cabins as low as $125 a night! Valid through Mar. 11, 2010 with this coupon.
2-bedroom cabin with private spa and wood burning fireplace; 3- and
4-bedroom cabins available.
Members can use the following URLs to log in:
Lifetime
Deluxe Member If you are not a member, click here to join our Disney family!
|
|
|
|
|
||||
 |
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD" WALT DISNEY WORLD Disney Announces Name and Launches Web Site for New Family Destination Resort on O‘ahu Walt Disney Imagineering is very serious when it comes to play testing New Dining Room at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Rumors swirl about Disney's 'NextGen' Parents Warned Against Use of Cheap Kids' Jewelry - "Princess and the Frog" pendant included New Tables in Wonderland for 2010 (Formerly known as the Disney Dining Experience, a program where Florida residents and annual passholders save 20% on dining at the resort. (See our book for more details.) Disney to close several stores across the United States Delta hiking fees for checked bags More Magic Coming to Castaway Cay Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar -------------------------------- OUTSIDE WALT DISNEY WORLD Universal's Korean theme park moves ahead American Airlines hikes charge for checked bags by $5 for tickets bought after Feb. 1 A taste of France in Celebration Ghosts to fly at Fantasy of Flight Options for Cypress Gardens devotees now that park is closed
Legoland
owner buys Cypress Gardens DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA What to do at Disney parks in the rain -------------------------------- DISNEYLAND PARIS -------------------------------- DISNEYLAND TOKYO What's new at Tokyo Disneyland -------------------------------- LAS VEGAS -------------------------------- BRANSON, MO -------------------------------- 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.
Affordable Disney Mailbag It's time again to empty the folder filled with unpublished comments we've received from our members and newsletter subscribers. Thank you all for your generous comments.
Beth, our travel agent, writes about HAWTHORN SUITES: "If you’ve been an Affordable Disney reader for a few years, have used me to plan your Disney trip, and have chosen to do an offsite hotel then chances are you’ve heard me sing the praises of Hawthorn Suites on Palm Parkway. I’ve done so based on a tour I once took of the property. (I rarely recommend places that I haven’t seen personally.) Last month was my daughter’s 12th birthday and she wanted to go to Disney World. We had to be at my father’s place in Sarasota for Thanksgiving anyway, so we took her to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This was a big-time budget trip since I’d just spent five days at Disney the week before for a conference. Conveniently, my 'significant other' and I still had valid park tickets from that trip, and my daughter got her free birthday ticket. We dined by grazing rather than doing big, sit-down meals and found the associated costs of doing so were quite reasonable. So that just left us with needing a hotel for one night. Now, as a travel agent, I usually have access to some pretty decent rates… but when booking at the last minute, and needing the night before Thanksgiving in a major Florida resort destination, not so much. I decided this was the perfect chance for me to actually try out Hawthorn Suites myself and I booked it at the AAA rate of $89. We arrived right around lunch time - several hours before check-in time - but they gave us the option of waiting for a king room to be cleaned or taking a room with two queen beds. We took what was ready. The suite was smaller than I remembered, but clean and well-maintained (as was the rest of the hotel). I was responsible for some veggie dishes for Thanksgiving dinner, so I had to make them prior to leaving and haul them all the way to Orlando and toss them in our room frig on arrival. (Good thing these suites have full-sized refrigerators!) We also had plenty of room in the semi-fully-equipped kitchen to store a small birthday cake, some bananas, several bottles of water, a bag of chips, and my bottle of non-alcoholic champagne. (What’s a birthday party for a 12-year-old without that?!) It was a rather cold, rainy day so we didn’t get to use the pool or sip umbrella drinks under the tiki hut - nor did we return that evening for the Manager’s reception and dinner. Still, the idea that they even HAVE a reception and light dinner is a nice one. (It’s held several nights a week.) We did stick our heads into the fitness center and the arcade, though. Didn’t use them, but we looked. Two thumbs up. The drive over to Downtown Disney was maybe five minutes at most. It took longer to find a parking space than it did to get over there. We then jumped on the first bus headed toward the Studios. In our case, it was a bus to the Swan and Dolphin resorts. (Downtown Disney buses don’t go direct to theme parks.) We got off at the Swan and walked over to the Studios, a 10-minute excursion if you move along at a decent pace. At the end of our day, we jumped on a bus to Caribbean Beach Resort, got off at the first stop, and waited maybe five minutes for a bus to Downtown Disney where we hunted down our car and drove back to the hotel. In the morning, we enjoyed a complimentary breakfast buffet in a sunny area off the main lobby. Admittedly, it wasn’t as extensive as some I’ve seen at similar hotels, but they did offer fruit, eggs, bacon, sausage, assorted breads and pastries, etc. It was more than adequate, and better than going to McDonald’s. Summary: Hawthorn Suites Palm Parkway is in a wonderful, convenient location and you get a lot for your money. You can sleep six in a suite (although you’d drive each other nuts after a few days) and breakfast is included. The kitchen has a sink, microwave, full frig, and a two-plate cooktop. No oven, though, and the kitchen equipment is just enough to get by. With a pool, half-court basketball, fitness center and small arcade there are enough amenities to suit most families. So I will continue to whole-heartedly recommend this location for those that need to stay off Disney property. However, getting to and from the parks when it can’t work around the free hotel shuttle times is still a major hassle so if there’s any way at all that you can afford a Disney-owned resort then it’s still the better choice."
Are You Suffering Withdrawal From WDW? You know ... that empty feeling you get when you arrive back home from your vacation at WDW and realize it may be a while before you experience that Disney magic again? We have had that feeling ourselves many times. Yet, we always seem to feel better when we read about the experiences of others who share their trip reports with us. It's almost like being there again. We invite you, our readers, to send us some feedback about your experiences during your latest vacation at WDW. Reports on Disney weddings, honeymoons, cruises, and resort vacations on and off Disney property are all welcome. Send your email to: johngross@affordabledisney.com . Thanks!
By the same author: "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!
Well, that's it for now. THE DISNEY NEWS is a free service provided by
AffordableDisney.Com. Please forward our newsletter to your friends and family.
See You Real Soon! John
http://www.affordabledisney.com
(c) 2010 John Gross Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information contained in The Disney News. Always check to be sure. The views and opinions expressed by others in The Disney News do not necessarily reflect the views of AffordableDisney.Com. Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and other companies mentioned on our site and in our newsletter are registered trademarks of their respective companies. The use of these trademarks is for editorial reasons only. No endorsement by the Walt Disney Company or any other company is implied. |