JN Travel

Plotting Disney world vacations

January 11th, 2009

During a Disney world vacations, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and all their friends await you and your children. After knowing that going into a Disney vacation is not that stressful physically, financially and emotionally by surfing the net, now is the time to start finding your perfect Disney trip from the wide selection of Disney vacation travel choices.

Indeed, going to a Disney Vacation soothes not only ones nerves but it can somehow change a stressed persons outlook towards life and family. Going on a Disney vacation can be intimidating and overwhelming. You will be pressured to identify all the necessary things to do. These include places to stay in, tickets to buy, places to dine or eat, renting a car, fly, drive or take the train, venues to buy souvenirs and other merchandise, the perfect attractions suitable for everybody and the affordability of all these. But, there is still time to do some research.

The best tool

Indeed, conducting research is the best tool that you can use to plot a Disney world vacations well. You can do this by simply surfing the Internet and looking for sites that will link you to Disney world vacations.

Once you have these sites, try to see if all of them have the same information so that you won’t be misled in your research. (TIP: Always surf the official Disney world vacations sites so you will be getting accurate information especially in discounted rates and services.)

Cut down your sites into a manageable number so you will have the time to conduct your research thoroughly. Once you have found a perfect site to start with, keep in mind of the things that you need to pay attention to.

Make sure that before you finalize your Disney world vacation, you are aware of the things like admission prices, affordable accommodations, dining places, theme Parks, car rental and ground transportation, and airfare. You better check out some Disney vacation packages, affordable Merchandise, and admission prices to other attractions so you can save money.

During your research, you can search for some tips that you can use. Who knows? Through these tips, you might discover the list of things that you can do while on a Disney vacation. Even if you have a tight budget, you can find shopping tips in places such as Disney Marketplace, Pleasure Island, Disney West Side, and Planet Hollywood. You may scout for affordable Disney world vacations destination the next time you plan to go there.

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Places to stay in during Disney world vacations

January 9th, 2009

Disney world vacations require a lot of preparation especially when it comes to finding the places to stay. Housing at the Walt Disney World, one of the largest places to visit, you may need to do your research early.

Even if you have limited time, you’ll never run out of places to stay in. But the problem is that the rates may tend to be out of your budget’s ranges especially if you plan to go there on peak seasons. For enjoyable Disney world vacations, the question now would be where are the best places to stay?

Find the right hotel in Disney

There are several factors that you need to consider when booking a hotel room at Disney. These factors are a must to remember if you want to have a good time in Walt Disney World resort.

- Number one is location. To enjoy Disney world you must be centrally located to the free transportation, the shuttle services etc. the reason behind it is simple: you don’t want to be left out. One good example of a hotel that’s centrally located is the Hilton Orlando. The Hilton Orlando Resort Lake Buena Vista overlooks Downtown Disney in Orlando, Fla. This 23-acre resort stands one mile from Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and three miles from Epcot. Considering the location of the Hilton it is easy for the people staying there to go to the main theme parks.

- Another thing to consider is the Disney’s Magical Express Service. People may be wondering, “what is it?” Well, this is the service that Disney owned hotels offer their customers: the service allows customers to forget about their luggage from the time it is placed on the conveyer to the time they get to their room. Special luggage tags allow Disney personnel to get your luggage and place it in your room right before you arrive. To use the service customers must register for the service online or they can book a hotel room with a Disney accredited travel agency to use the magical express service. Remember that only hotels owned by Walt Disney World participate in this service.

- And finally budget. During Disney vacations, one of the things you have to remember when you are in Orlando is that the closer the hotel to Disney Worlds the pricier it gets. Now there are budget hotels in the area that can be found in the downtown Disney village. The Downtown Disney is the place where people can look for more affordable options for dining and accommodation. But if you still think that it’s a little too steep, one can always stay at the closest city to Orlando, Kissimee, Florida.

 

 

 

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Finding affordable Disney world vacations

January 7th, 2009

If you are computing your expenses during the Disney world vacations, make sure that you list down everything that you will need for the trip. This includes a place to stay, budget for food, places to eats, fares to getting around, tickets fees, and pocket money for excess expenditures as well and for the souvenirs you are planning to buy.

Listing down everything you will be needing can greatly help you prepare for all the expenditures and can even help you save some money to be used for incidental expenses or emergency.

The best solution

If you are dreaming of go on a Disney world vacations but don’t have enough means to do so, the “all-inclusive vacation” package is for you. If you want to use this offer, all you need to do is to conduct a little research. You can do this by surfing the Internet and finding sites that provide this kind of information.

1. Finding the right site. Once you type in the words “all-inclusive vacation” in the search button, many links will appear before you. Don’t waste your time clicking each site because some of these only use the phrase to get people visit their site even if they don’t have information to offer. For your questions about an all-inclusive vacations to Disney world, make sure that you visit the official and legal sites. These sites contain pieces of information and numerous details on getting the “all-inclusive vacation package” to Disney world. Some of which even guide you to the steps you need to do in order to use it. Despite so many of promo hotels, reservations, and bookings, don’t be discouraged because you will never know if you can find a nice slot for yourself or for your family.

2. Getting the “all-inclusive vacations package” is good. It offers affordable rates and discounted offers for those ultimate Disney world vacation. There are only a few slots that you can use for this kind of package. What you can do is book as early as possible for the dates you have in mind or book for your ideal date of vacation. You can be placed on a waiting list and once somebody cancels his or her reservation, there’s a big possibility of getting that slot right away. You should monitor regularly so you will be updated with everything related to your trip.

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How to Take Advantage of the Disney World Fastpass

January 5th, 2009

People who have visited a Disney World theme park have always had to wait patiently in long lines before they are able to enjoy one of the more popular rides. These days, you don’t have to do that anymore should you use the Fastpass.

The Fastpass is a ticket that allows you to skip through the long lines. Instead of walking to the standby entrance which means you have to wait for 30 minutes, you can immediately ride it again by going to the Fastpass Return Time entrance that only takes a minute.

So where do you get the Fastpass ticket? You can get this from the Fastpass distribution area near the entrance of the attraction. Here you will find the list of attractions where this can be used and the return time display which tells you how long you have to go back to that ride to use your ticket. In some cases, you can only use the Fastpass after one to two hours. If that is the case, you can explore the other attractions in the theme park then just return when it is just minutes away.

But how do you take advantage of the Fastpass? Well for that, given that it can only be used once, it is best to get a new one before you ride. You should do some comparison shopping because knowing the standby entrance time and Fastpass return will let you know which one makes better use of this privilege.

The best thing about the Fastpass is that it is free so you should get yours early before the machine runs out of these tickets.

The existing rides where the Fastpass can be used include Autopia in Tomorrowland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters in Tomorrowland, Haunted Mansion Holiday in New Orleans Square, Indiana Jones Adventure in Adventureland, Roger Rabbits Car Toon Spin in Toontown, Space Mountain in Tomorrowland and Splash Mountain in Critter Country.

Aside from the Fastpass, another way to fight the long lines is to split up from your group and use the Single Rider option. To maximize the number of passengers on each trip, a cast member will let you be seated in one of the open seats left on the ride. This is very ideal especially for the teenagers who like to ride it again. The only problem is that only a handful of rides allow this and you have to wait in the standby line.

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How to Plan a Vacation to Disney World

January 3rd, 2009

Everyone needs a vacation. With 4 major theme parks, 2 water parks as well as 14 themed resorts and attractions that occupy a total land area the size of Boston, why not have it at Disney World? If you think it is going to cost you a fortune, here is how you can do it.

First, travel during the off season. This means coming here during the lean months not during the summer and during the Christmas holidays. Ideally, this should be planned during the first few weeks of September, after Christmas and just before Spring Break.

You can save money by visiting a timeshare resort because after arranging a 90 minute tour of the place and sitting through the presentation, everyone is given two to four nights free accommodations at a local resort or hotel. It may not be inside the Disney complex but at least you get discounted tickets when you enter the park.

Some people plan their own vacations. If you are one of them, book your airline tickets early. Ideally, this should be done 3 months in advance and look at various carriers to see which one is offering any promos.

But if you have a travel agent, let this person do the work because he or she could let you join a group. Traveling with a large number of people entitles you to a group discount rate not only in the park but also for airfare, chartered buses and even the hotel.

If you want great discounts on food and shopping, perhaps it will be a good idea to buy an Entertainment Book which is offered online. This is ideal for those who are not staying in any of the Disney hotels because they are free to roam outside and see the rest of the city.

If you decide to stay in a Disney hotel, remember that there are complimentary rides that can take you to the park and back as well as other nearby attractions. Just find out the time they depart so you can be there when the shuttle pulls up so you don’t have to rent a car.

Almost everybody would like to take some souvenirs home. You better buy these from local retail shops because those sold in the park are expensive. Chances are, you can even get this at half the price.

You don’t always have to spend a fortune to enjoy a fun filled vacation if you are able to plan ahead and use whatever discounts there are around.

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How much Disney world vacations could cost you

January 1st, 2009

Since Disney world vacations can be quite expensive, most people cannot afford it. That is why many of them just let this dream go not knowing that they can do something to make their dream vacation come true.

But of course, not everybody can afford everything when on Disney world vacations without proper planning and budgeting. If you are planning to go on Disney world vacations, it is best to have an estimate of how much you will be spend during the grand trip.

By having an estimate of how much it will cost you, you can decide if it is wise to go on the vacation or wait until you have saved enough for the once in a lifetime experience.

When you are staring to compute your expenses during the trip, make sure that you list down everything that you will need for the trip:

1. A place to stay. This is very crucial because this will serve as your temporary house outside the comforts of your own. This is where you will leave all your valuables, where you will rest after a long day of strolling, and a place where you will be doing the things that you cannot do in public. The starting rate for the best rooms Disney’s grand hotels and suites start from $500 up to $3,000 per night on peak periods. Despite this, you need not worry too much because you can always find “value lodgings” where you can stay and be comfortable. You can find lodgings that can cost your less than $100 that is decent, neat and clean. Although these are smaller compared to those rooms in hotels, they are cozy enough to stay in. Besides, what do you need a large room for when you can stay outdoors and enjoy the beauty of Disney world?

2. Food and places to eat. This can eat the biggest chunk of your budget because food in here can be too expensive. Dining in restaurants could cost you around $50 above. So, the best way to cut on this budget is plan in advance and bring foods that are not easy to spoil and you can carry with you while strolling. (TIP: You can also eat in food stalls that would cost you $5 or even less.)

3. Budget for getting around. The best way to get around Disney world is to rent a car that would cost you around $200 per week or you can take cabs that would cost you $40 and above. If you don’t have a budget for getting around during your Disney world vacations, you will have to stay inside the properties of Disney and a shuttle can take you places within the vicinity for free.

 

 

 

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Having A Meal With A Disney Character

December 30th, 2008

Have you ever dreamt of eating with your favorite cartoon? Have you ever wondered how it would feel to eat your Mickey Mouse shaped waffle with the Mouse himself? Well, you don’t have to dream any more. As Disney says, it’s the Place Where Dreams Come True.

Transforming Dreams Into Reality

Disney has made million of dreams of both children and adults come true with all their magical cartoons and animations. However, they don’t stop with just that. They want people to experience all the magic that they see in the cartoons.

Seeing mouse ears scattered all over the place is not the only way Disney wants you to experience their magic. They want to make it more sensational which is why you can meet their characters in real life! Not only that, they want to make it more personal too. This is why you can have a meal with your favorite character!

Meal? What Meal?

Yes, a meal as in real meal! You can eat breakfast, lunch or dinner, along with your favorite Disney character sitting. This shows how special you are as a guest and how valued you are if you get to visit Disneyland.

How?

If you want to have a Character Dining experience, you should make a reservation. If you are going to get a vacation package, then it will be easier to get a character dining reservation. All you have to do is indicate it to on the reservation you are make online. If you’re not making your reservation online, calling is possible too. Tell the customer representative that you wish to make a Character Dining reservation during your stay in the park.

They will make arrangements and ask you about your preferences. Date, time and place are specified too. They will discuss terms and condition of the package and what happens if you cancel the appointment with short notice.

Where?

There are a number of restaurants that you can experience Character Dining at Disneyland/World. Some places have only specialized characters while some may have all the characters. Here are some of the restaurant choices that you can choose from.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Cinderella’s Palace is a favorite spots to have an intimate character experience. Cinderella’s Royal Table caters to the Character Dining experience. It is the place to transform your once-upon-a-time dream; if not, your children’s dreams. Cinderella herself will invite you into her castles glorious private dining hall and have a storybook meal. You meet various characters from Disney’s Royal Family. You can eat all you can at the Once Upon a Time Breakfast or at the Fairytale Lunch.

Liberty Tree Tavern

Declare your appetite at the Liberty Tree Tavern as you have a Character Dining experience with Minnie and her friends. With the place’s Revolutionary War-era feel, you join forces together and have a revolutionary dinner feast. Minnie invites you to have a hearty American meal of marinated flank steak, roasted turkey, and other colonial dishes with all the trimmings.

The Crystal Palace

Go to the Crystal Palace and have a hearty meal with Pooh and friends. The bountiful buffet along with the airy ambience perfectly jives with the energy that characters from the Hundred Acre Wood bring. You even get to see the food prepared on a live kitchen. Indulge in America’s favorites, most especially the renowned sundae bar. Don’t let your kid miss out on the “Pooh Corner,” which is the exclusive buffet for kids!

‘Ohana’s Best Friends Breakfast With Lilo & Stitch

If you want an American style breakfast served with Polynesian hospitality, then Disney’s Polynesian Resort is the way to go. Have your breakfast with Lilo & Stitch and be a part of their big Ohana Family.

 

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Getting around while on Disney world vacations

December 28th, 2008

Conducting research is the best way to equip yourself on how to get around during Disney world vacations. If you understand and memorize the sure-way steps of getting around the area, rest assured that you will have the finest vacation of your life.

Despite its huge size, getting around Disney world can be bliss. The easiest and cheapest means would be by foot. Walking from one place to another is the most convenient way of getting around especially if the attractions are “walk able.” You don’t have to worry that you might get lost when you walk because most of the theme park features are interconnected by walkways and accompanied by lots of sign boards that will point you where you want to go. If you, one of your family members or friends have feet problems, you can make use a strollers and wheelchairs that can be rented.

You can also get around the place by taking bus rides. One great thing about Disney world is that it is a showcases a wonderful and reliable bus system. If you are staying inside the Disney property, you really don’t have to rent a car because the routes of the buses are facilitated in such a way that it is convenient for those who are coming from the resort to the theme park. The most common buses would be the “Typhoon Lagoon” and “Blizzard Beach.” Bus rides are efficient, however, you might find it a waste of time to wait 15 minutes just for the bus to get you to a specific place.

Monorail is another means of getting around Disney world. Monorail systems include the “Express,” “Resort,” and “Epcot” which travels from once specific place to another. Although traveling by monorail is fast and time-saving, it is disappointing to know that the monorail service is limited to certain areas only.

If you need to travel on top of the water, opt for a small and large ferry boats that can transfer you from the one place to another inside the Disney world. Traveling through ferry boats can give you a different view of the theme parks that will really make you appreciate how beautiful these facilities are.

If your budget can afford it, renting a car is the best means of getting around during Disney world vacations. This is quite applicable especially to those who are staying outside the Disney property. Having your own transportation can ensure that you can control your activities without having to wait or mingle with so many people on public transportation systems.

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First Timers Tips for Those Going To Disney World Tour

December 26th, 2008

Disneyland has grown. Through the years, it has expanded to 4 theme parks in the US with one in Europe and two in Asia. Wherever you go, you are likely to enjoy your experience. For those who have never been before, here are some first timer tips.

If Disneyland is far from where you live, it is a good idea to start planning for this trip months in advance. Should this trip bring you to either California or Florida, be sure to come during the winter because it is pretty hot in both places during the summer.

It wouldn’t hurt to access Disney’s website at Disneyworld.com to find out the current ticket prices, the rate at the Disney resort hotel, ongoing and upcoming special events so you know which rides and shows are suitable for your kids. Although you can get a map at the entrance, you can download and print this from their website as well as make your lodging reservations.

First timers can buy the one day one park admissions. But given that the price is not that far from the premium annual pass, you can buy the annual pass which will allow you to return next year without having to pay the admission. This may get you a hotel at a discounted rate.

In case you don’t have access to the web, you can get a brochure or look at bulletin board once you get there to see what time the shows are especially the fireworks, which attractions are undergoing maintenance, if there are any parades and who will take part in the live entertainment.

Whatever you do, keep 4 things in mind when you are here on vacation the crowd, the heat, the peak hours and the special events so you can maximize this trip to its fullest. If you find the Disney hotel rates a bit expensive, rent a car and stay in a hotel a few miles away as this will allow you to get there early.

First timers who have been to Disneyland are likely to come back in the future. Important items not to forget to bring aside from your plane tickets include your camera, pair of sunglasses and sunscreen. This will allow you to take pictures or even videos which you can watch over again while keeping your skin protected from the sun’s rays.

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Enjoyable Disney World Vacations

December 24th, 2008

Disney world vacations are indeed the ultimate stress relievers for any person young and old. Here, the chance of dreams filled with fun and excitement turning into reality is higher because of the amenities you can use and the activities that you can do.

But, if not planned properly, Disney world vacations can be quite a hassle. Aside from spending a huge sum of money, there is a possibility that you won’t enjoy it because of the loopholes that may come along the way.

To ensure that you have an enjoyable Disney world vacations, it is a must that you plan it very carefully. Aside from ensuring that you and your family have a good time, it also lessens the possibilities of you spending too much money.

What you can do

Just like in any vacation, Disney world vacations require a lot of preparation to ensure that it will be an enjoyable and memorable event not only for you but also for the people you are with. To ensure that you have enjoyable Disney world vacations, here are some of the things that you should do:

1. Getting Disney world vacations help and tips online. With the aid of the Internet, Disney has created some sites where people especially families who plan to go on a Disney vacation can get help and some tips in making the vacation worthwhile with less expenditure. Disney has created a Disney family club for people who wants to have a Disney vacation can get immediate access to the site. Since a Disney vacation costs so much, Disney also created the ultimate Disney savings site where people can save more on their total trip. Through this site, people who are planning and who are saving some bucks for the most-anticipated Disney vacation can learn more about discounts on tickets, foods, Disney merchandise, hotels and much more.

2. Check out the services and amenities available. If you want a successful vacation at the Disney world, check out the services and amenities available. You can do this by asking friends who have been on a vacation or surfing the net. Many links can connect you to the official sites which have been around for years and has been helping a lot of families to have fun and affordable Disney vacations.

3. Look for great deals and discounted offers. Vacations will surely be nicer if you can use discounts and limited offers. Make sure that before you book anything for your vacation, you have checked the sites because there might be great deals offered by Disney. Some of the tempting deals include low prices on Disney rooms, tickets, dining, souvenirs, cruises, and Disney vacations.

After doing these simple steps, you can now start plotting and planning your vacation and dream about all the fun that awaits you and your family during Disney world vacations.

 

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