Affordable Disney Vacations

Quick Planning Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Ct) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:49:00 +0000

Here are a few quick tips as advised by Orlando Vacation to help make your trip to Disney worry-free :

Make sure to take a break in the early afternoon. Arrive early to the park of your choice; then take a break in an air-conditioned shop or restaurant when the day is hottest; return to the parks in the evening.

Take advantage of Fastpass. It's free, it's simple, and it saves you from standing in line for the most popular rides at the Disney theme parks. Get the most out of Fastpass-- and your whole Disney World vacation-- by using them wisely.

Bring plenty snacks and drinks. These tips can save you money on hot and humid Florida days when your kids need to drink liquids all day long.

Use Advanced Reservations for restaurant meals. It's easy, it's free, and usually entails no commitment -- yet you get seated quickly instead of waiting in line.

Use the Disney Transportation System. Every hour of the day, and well into the night, blessedly cool Disney buses ferry people free from one park to another and to and from the Disney resorts.

10 Tips for an Affordable Family Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Ct) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:44:00 +0000

Here's how to keep costs under control -- and still have lots of fun

Summer -- it will be here before you know it. So it is time to kick your vacation planning into high gear -- especially if there are kids in the equation. That's because you have to find a locale that offers not just what you want but what your children will find fun and interesting, too. On top of that, it has to be affordable. And that can be tough when you're buying multiple plane tickets, staying in hotels, dining out and shelling out cash left and right for rounds of mini-golf, and kids' souvenirs.

Don't despair. It's actually a great time to find a good travel deal. "Every place has specials now," says Teresa Plowright, the About.com guide for Travel With Kids. "For bargain hunting, it's never been better." Our ten tips below will help you snag those deals and plan an affordable vacation. And our slide shows will give you ten fun and flexible destinations if you're traveling with infants or toddlers and ten great spots for families with children ages 5 and up.

1. Use the Web to find the best bargains in air travel and the cheapest rates for car rentals, hotel rooms and vacation packages, whether you travel in the U.S. or internationally. Our 25 favorite travel sites will help you get great deals. Also check sites that specialize in family travel. Travel With Kids lists promotions each month, as well as deals at major resorts, and has loads of vacation ideas and tips. Family Travel Network also is a good place to find a big list of bargains.

2. Visit off-the-beaten-path destinations. You can save up to 70% -- and avoid the crowds -- by picking a vacation spot that isn't a tourist mecca. Check out these five spots where your dollar will stretch futher and our slide show of 12 trips on the road less traveled.

3. Do Disney on the cheap. Okay, so maybe you really want to travel to a major tourist destination, perhaps even one of the most popular family-vacation spots: Disney World. But you'll have to pay a pretty penny to spend your holiday with Mickey Mouse, right? Not necessarily. Walt Disney World has four value resorts, with rooms starting at $82 a night and packages from $1,600 for a family of four that include lodging for six nights and theme park tickets. You can use the free bus system to get to the theme park. Or for real budget accommodations, consider camping for $41 a night at the resort's campground. For more Disney discounts and deals, check out Mousesavers.com.

4. Travel after peak season. This might not be an option if you have school-age children. But families with infants and toddlers can take advantage of discounted rates by traveling in the fall. If you want to head south of the border, off-season comes conveniently during the summer months. Caribbean and Mexican resorts and hotels are much cheaper from April or May through the fall, Plowright says. And some have kids-stay-free promotions for children under certain ages during this time.

5. Be flexible. You can save money by letting the available deals on flights and lodging determine where and when you'll go rather than picking a location and timeframe then trying to find affordable flights and lodging there. For example, Airfarewatchdog.com lets you see the best airfares departing from your city, and you can sign up for e-mail notifications for deals from the airport nearest you. Farecast.com, which predicts whether fares on 2,000 domestic routes will go up or down, has a flexible search option that lets you see a range of prices for flying on different dates and from different airports. Enter your itinerary and the site will say whether you should buy your ticket now -- or if an even better fare is probably on the way. For international flights, try ITA Software's flexible search (click "Looking for fares," log in as a guest, then do a month-long search). If you're really flexible, you can find deals for last-minute travel (as late as three hours before departure) at Site59.com.

6. Don't fear flying with infants. Gone are the days when airlines offered discounted rates for all children. But most airlines still let you hold a child younger than 2 on your lap for no charge -- or pay a discounted infant fare for a seat for your tot. Plenty of us here at Kiplinger's have flown across the country -- an even the ocean -- with small children and survived the experience. Besides, attending to a baby for a few hours on a plane beats several hours in a car -- especially when traffic is heavy and you need to concentrate on the road, not your child. Learn more about airline policies for traveling with infants.

7. Pick spots within driving distance. Driving is a good way to save money, Plowright says. But it can be as expensive as flying if you drive a gas-guzzling vehicle and have to pay for a hotel room on the way to your destination. So the key is to pick a destination that's just a few hours' drive away. In addition to saving money, you'll minimize the times you'll hear that inevitable question coming from the back seat: "Are we there yet?"

8. Consider camping. If you're really pinching pennies -- or just want to keep your kids away from a computer screen for a week -- pitch a tent rather than book a room. It's a great way to experience the national parks. And even places like Disney World have campgrounds. You may even want to send the whole family to summer camp, which can be a great value vacation. See the American Camp Association's directory to find a camp that's right for your family.

9. Don't write off all-inclusives as too expensive. If you head south of the border, you can score big deals at Mexican resorts that offer everything -- food, drinks, transportation and a room -- as part of the package. Sometimes the deal even includes airfare. For example, we recently found packages with a weeklong lodging at an all-inclusive Cancun resort and airfare from Washington, D.C., for as little as $600 a person.

10. Don't be afraid of luxury locales. So maybe you want to treat yourself to a luxurious vacation but you're worried that your children won't be welcome. "Even luxury places are welcoming kids," Plowright says. Over the past ten years she has seen a trend toward accommodating families at hotels and resorts that once were the domain of adults only. "It's hard now to find a place that doesn't cater to families," she says. So if you want to stay at a boutique hotel when visiting New York City, go for it. By using Priceline.com's bidding system, you can find deals on luxury lodging. Bids of less than $100 a night on luxury digs are often successful. Two catches: Priceline doesn't disclose the name of the hotel you're booking until you buy, and it doesn't refund your money if you cancel.

By Cameron Huddleston
Article Source : Kiplinger.com

How To Pick An Affordable Vacation Package

noreply@blogger.com (Ct) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:05:00 +0000

Ever since the Walt Disney World was created in Florida in 1971 with just the Magic Kingdom, it has grown tremendous and today is among the top preferred holiday destinations. And today, most of the people who visit here do their planning and reservations online through the Disney website or other companies offering competitive prices.

Since the minimum time required to enjoy the entire Walt Disney World is at least a week, one can pick up a 6days, 7nights packages, each with its own share of facilities. For those looking for cheap Disney Vacation Club, they can take the value package and for others there is the moderate and deluxe category of accommodation and attached amenities. There is also something called Magic your way deals, but these are available only in the Animal Kingdom lodge and in Wilderness lodge, so if you are ready to spend your days and night amidst animals and nature, this is perfect for you.

Apart from these, there are the private villas at Boardwalk, or resorts at old Key West to suit your tastes at crash prices during off season. They are all fully equipped with kitchens, dish washer and spacious bath areas. You can even make this your own unique discount Disney Vacation Club.

The Saratoga Springs villa is situated across from downtown Disney and is close to many shopping options and restaurants. The hill side, beautifully landscaped gardens and the springs themselves captivate your senses making you enjoy your holiday much more. As you make your way in your rented car or the shuttle you catch a glimpse of the looming Walt Disney tower that get you all excited and ready for some fun.

Make sure to pick up park entry passes at the resort at cheaper rates, else you will have to wait in line. If you have been reading about the Discovery Island, then head straight to Disney's Animal Kingdom and The Tree of Life theme park to begin your joy ride. It is no ordinary wildlife park, here you can take safaris to watch animals in their habitats or enjoy river rafting for that rush. This is where you see the towering tall tree of life, from where you begin your Discovery Island trail. You can walk through the foliage, catch a glimpse or two of the exotic bird and feast your eyes on various other species of animals and birds. The Pizzafari and Flame Tree Barbecue are popular dining areas in this part of the park. The decor of the place will be done to suit the theme of the park with murals of wildlife and nature.

After this you can watch the best musical of Finding Nemo in Dinoland USA, an almost real enacting of the characters in the movie by the same name. With colorful puppets and an outstanding performance, you will be transported into Nemo's world for that 40 minute duration. Check your Disney World map to know when the shows are played and don't miss them.

By Ian Wilkie
Article Source: Ezine Articles

Disneyland....the happiest place on earth.

noreply@blogger.com (Ct) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:25:00 +0000

Disneyland, marketed as the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH, is an American theme park in An ahe im, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of The Walt Disney Company. It opened on July 17, 1955, in ceremonies led by Walt Disney. Disneyland holds the distinction of being the only theme park to be designed, built, opened, and operated by Walt Disney.

The dedication to all Disney Parks, begins with the phrase "To all who come to this happy place welcome..."

Disneyland's Gateway, your getaway to Disney magical land....

Walt Disney World Resort is the most visited and largest recreational resort in the world, containing four theme parks, two water parks, twenty-three themed hotels, and numerous shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation venues. Owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts segment of The Walt Disney Company, it is located southwest of Orlando, Florida, USA. The property often is abbreviated Walt Disney World, Disney World or WDW.

Disney World is everyone dreams….its a place where a girl becomes a princess and every boy becomes a prince!! This blog I dedicated to those who share the same dreams and wanted to enjoy a magical time at Disney World….. ^_^