Saturday, February 26, 2005

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 26, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
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icon: Subscribe with Bloglines

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=================================================
Hi Everyone,

Disney offers special deals to Disney's Visa cardholders.
Plus, you'll get 25 Disney Dream Reward Dollars FREE after
your first purchase! For more details, click here.

Universal offers special deals to Universal Entertainment
MasterCard cardholders. Apply now and receive a movie ticket
with your first purchase! For more details, click here.

Now... Lean back, prop up your feet, and take a Disney break!
=================================================
Here is the conclusion of Amber's trip report:

"Then, we were off to Fantasyland's [Many Adventures of
Winnie the Pooh], where we opted to wait in line for 10
minutes, rather than do the fastpass. This ride was a bit
scarier than I expected. We tried to tone it down for our 2
year old and that seemed to work.

Then, my 2 year old begged to ride the Mad Tea Party. She
was fine with it, if we didn't make the cup go around in
circles. Then, we went to Mickey's Toontown. My 2 year old
got a little scared on Goofy's barnstormer, but refused to
be left behind. She loved Minnie's house!

We went back to Fantasyland where my 2 year old insisted on
riding Dumbo, which had the longest line of the day at 15
minutes. I got FassPass tickets to Peter Pan while the
grandparents waited in line. Both kids loved this ride.
Next was Snow White's adventures with a 5 minute wait. We
again played it down so my 2 year old actually enjoyed it.

Next, PhilharMagic was starting so we cruised on into the
theater. (No fastpass since there weren't any crowds.) Both
kids absolutely loved the movie! They kept trying to grab
everything that came at them. My son kept saying (again),
"That's real water! That's real wind!" Afterwards, we used
our Fastpass to get on to Peter Pan. Both kids really
enjoyed this ride. They loved "flying." My daughter is a
huge Tinkerbell fan so this ride was for her.

We ate at Pinocchio Village Haus. I was surprised how good
the burgers and fries were. Of course, Small World was
closed so we went on to the Haunted Mansion, where we walked
right into the pre-show. (Again, no Fastpass available.) My
2 year old did just fine with this ride. Everyone enjoyed
it.

Next we walked into the Bear Jamboree right as it started.
Both kids absolutely loved the show! My son never sat down
he liked it so much. Afterwards we found a perfect spot for
the parade. While we waited the next 20 minutes, I went and
got Fastpasses for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. They were
for 5 minutes after the parade was over. Perfect!

I can't say enough good things about the parade. The kids
loved it! Tigger even came over and patted both the kids on
the head. Next, we rode the Big Thunder Mountain RR. My son
loved it. Next, we rode the train. My 2 year old fell asleep
right beforehand so my mom rode the train for an hour while
my daughter slept.

In the meantime the rest of us had a 5-10 minute wait at
Splash Mountain since they weren't offering the fastpass.
This was a much longer ride than I expected. We all really
enjoyed it. We were in the front of the boat and still
didn't get too wet. We rode the Big Thunder Mountain
Railroad again using our Rider Switch Pass. We all met back
up and the kids had ice cream.

We then went to Pirates of the Caribbean. Very good ride. My
daughter got a bit scared when the pirates shot at us, but
she's told everyone about almost getting shot by the pirates
so she must have enjoyed it after the fact.

Next we got to the Tiki Birds right before the show started.
Very good show, but very short. We skipped the Jungle Cruise
to catch the last showing of Cinderella's Celebration at the
Castle. That was a very good decision. The kids both loved
it! This show and the Parade were really the only times we
got to see Disney's main characters. We couldn't find many
of them when we were in Toontown.

We decided to head back over to Tomorrowland one more time
before we left. We went on the Astro Orbiter, which my 2
year old didn't like. Big brother was "driving" so we got
too high for her.

Afterwards, we all walked right on to Buzz again. Then, my
daughter and I rode the Transit Authority and Buzz again. As
we were leaving, we caught most of the fireworks. However,
since my daughter thought they were too loud, we headed back
to the hotel.

We spent the remainder of our days playing at Liki Tiki
Lagoon at the hotel. It was free and great for kids ages 9
and under. They had 5 slides, 3 basketball goals in the
water, interactive water fountains, octopus swings in the
kiddie pool, an erupting water volcano, and a water
mushroom. The kids loved it.

Our big complaint was that the elevator in our building
didn't work for a day. We had a nice 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom
unit. The master bedroom and bathroom were gorgeous. We had
TV's in the living room and both bedrooms. Since it's a
condo, we didn't have maid service, but we did have a washer
and dryer in the room. That's about it."

Thanks, Amber, for the great trip report!
=================================================
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD!

If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE!
That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save
up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on
tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney
property, travel, parking, and MUCH more. Too much to list
here. See it all here.
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Affordable Disney Books

Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price.
Hundreds of books under $1.00! Shop now for an additional
50% off their already low prices on over 2500 titles. Items
will sell out fast. Don't miss out. Plus! Over 700 videos
have been marked down to $1.99. To check out the bargains, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Accommodations

Get the guaranteed lowest prices at the Downtown Disney
Resorts as well as at hotels, condos and vacation rentals
outside Disney property. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Car Rental

Just enter in your travel dates, select the kind of car you
want, and receive a list of car rental prices at over 12
companies starting with the cheapest price! Click here.

Cheryl writes: "I saved over $200.00 on my mini van rental!!!"
--------------------------------
Affordable Airfare

This service delivers as many as 230 flight options in a
single search - more options than any other travel site.
It's possible to save as much as 80%! To compare prices, click here.
=============================================
See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
=============================================
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.
=============================================

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 24, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon: Subscribe with Bloglines

Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
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=================================================
Hi Everyone,

Here's the latest news from around the "World"

"America's most popular film critics, Roger Ebert & Richard
Roeper, of the popular syndicated TV show "Ebert & Roeper,"
will host their Fifth Annual Film Festival at Sea aboard the
Disney Wonder® Oct. 2-6." Features film reviews, question
and answer sessions, and meet the critics reception. Guest
can participate by adding $225 to cruise rate.

The Atlanta Braves are returning to Disney's Wide World of
Sports Complex for Major League Baseball Spring Training in
February and March 2005." Tickets are available at
Ticketmaster 407/839-3900 and (www.ticketmaster.com) and at
Wide World of Sports box office. Cost: $13 (lawn seats); $21
(lower reserved).

(Source: Disney Cruise Line® and Walt Disney World® Resort,
02/15/05)
--------------------------------
To attract families, "Cypress Gardens owner Kent Buescher
plans to break ground today on a $10 million water park that
will include several speed slides, a wave pool, a lazy river
and a children's water play area... Designs for Splash
Island, which is slated to open this summer, include a
Polynesian theme with lush landscaping... An arcade complete
with interactive games and a DJ will open in a few weeks,
which will further appeal to teens." (Source: Orlando
Sentinel, 02/22/05) For the rest of the story, click here.
--------------------------------
"To test an expansion of its vacation business beyond theme
parks and cruises -- and beyond Florida and California --
the Walt Disney Co. will begin offering weeklong guided
tours later this year through the wilds of Wyoming and
Hawaii."

Cost: $5,600 - $7,800 per family of four, airfare excluded.

Sample tours:

Hawaii: surfing lessons and tours of volcanos
Wyoming: horseback riding

(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/19/05) For the rest of the
story, click here.
--------------------------------
DISNEYLAND PARIS

"Less than half the size of its American cousin in Florida,
the resort features two theme parks - Disneyland Park and
Walt Disney Studios Park - a Disney Village of shops,
restaurants and live entertainment, a golf course, and seven
on-site theme hotels. There are four more hotels within the
resort and nine more Disney-approved hotels nearby. If you
are staying in Paris, the Metro (RER line A to Marne La
Vallée/Chessy) will drop you at the front gates in 35
minutes.

Three full days will allow you to see just about everything
at Disney. Staying at the resort is definitely the way to go
if you plan on multiple-day visits to the parks. Some of the
hotels are within walking distance and free shuttle buses
operate at all of the resort's hotels." (Source: Toronto
Star, 02/17/05) For the rest of the story, click here.
--------------------------------
DISNEYLAND HONG KONG

"Walt Disney, the United States entertainment company whose
new theme park opens on Lantau in September, started taking
reservations Tuesday for the resort's two new hotels, and
the asking price is half the tariff charged at the company's
swankiest hotel at its Walt Disney World theme park in
Orlando, Florida."

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel: HK$1,600 per night
Disney's Hollywood Hotel: HK$1,000 per night
Grand Floridian Hotel at WDW: US$394 (HK$3,073) per night
(Source: The Standard, 02/16/05)

For the rest of the story, click here.

Here's another article.
=================================================
NOTE: Links to newspaper articles change quickly and without
notice. If you receive a "File Not Found" error message,
search the newspaper's archives for the story. Certain
newspapers require a free registration to view their
articles online.
=================================================
2004 DISNEY TICKETS ARE GOING, GOING...

Our Ticket agent has DISCOUNT TICKETS not available at the
gate or Disney's website! Plus! Great prices on tickets to
other Florida attractions!

NOTE: Disney's new ticket prices kicked in January 2, 2005,
but you still have a chance to purchase tickets at 2004
prices! Our ticket agent writes:

"We will have plenty of 4 and 5 day hopper Plus passes and 5
day regular hoppers at the old system and price. Disney will
be honoring them..."

"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even
being a member of the Magic Kingdom Club for over 15 years,
but just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family
over $300!!! Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD

Details on how to purchase these special passes will be
provided with your Disney access codes as soon as you join
our Disney family. Click here.
=================================================
MONEY SAVING TIPS

Here's a Directory of Free Things to Do in Florida and all
over the USA.
=================================================
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD!

If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE!
That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save
up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on
tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney
property, travel, parking, and MUCH more. Too much to list
here. See it all here.
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Affordable Disney Books

Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price.
Hundreds of books under $1.00! Shop now for an additional
50% off their already low prices on over 2500 titles. Items
will sell out fast. Don't miss out. Plus! Over 700 videos
have been marked down to $1.99. To check out the bargains, click here.
--------------------------------
Got Coupons?

With the 2005 Edition of the Orlando Entertainment Book, you
can save big on travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets,
and more! For a limited time, get $10.00 off! For details, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Accommodations

Get the guaranteed lowest prices at the Downtown Disney
Resorts as well as at hotels, condos and vacation rentals
outside Disney property. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Car Rental

Just enter in your travel dates, select the kind of car you
want, and receive a list of car rental prices at over 12
companies starting with the cheapest price! Click here.

Cheryl writes: "I saved over $200.00 on my mini van rental!!!"
--------------------------------
Affordable Airfare

This service delivers as many as 230 flight options in a
single search - more options than any other travel site.
It's possible to save as much as 80%! To compare prices, click here.
=============================================
See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
=============================================
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.
=============================================

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 20, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon: Subscribe with Bloglines

Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
http://affordabledisney.blogspot.com/atom.xml
=================================================
Hi Everyone,

This just in...

We continuously update our information and you can find the
latest additions in our Addenda:

WALT DISNEY WORLD:

* Luxury Orlando Values With 5th Night Free! Travel dates:
Feb 22, 2005 - Dec 15, 2005. Must book by Dec 11, 2005.
From $400 per person double occupancy for 6 days/5 nights
because your 5th night is FREE. Two fabulous Orlando
resorts adjoin the same spectacular 500-acre estate just
ten miles from Orlando International Airport and Walt
Disney World. Both offer superior dining, renowned spa and
18-hole championship golf course.

* Birthday parties at Universal. A Birthday Your Child Will
Never Forget!
* Enter Universal Studios to ride Shrek® 4-D prior to park
opening!

* Beth, our travel agent, writes:

"I've got some group space blocked on the awesome Mariner of
the Seas from port Canaveral on June 26 (7-night cruise). I
will be returning the space to the cruise line on February
25, so if you're interested in putting your June Disney trip
together with a cruise this is a great one, but I need to
hear from you FAST! (This is one of the ships with the ice
skating rinks and rock climbing walls that you see on TV.)"

DISNEYLAND, CALIFORNIA:

2nd Day FREE at Universal Studios Hollywood!


OTHER VACATION SPECIALS:

* Great Transatlantic Sale aboard this magnificent cruise
ship! Free upgrades from Inside to Balcony on select
sailings! From $1.599 per person. "Awesome deal!" says
Beth, our travel agent.

* Ultimate Escape Package at this luxury hotel and casino:

>> $25 dining credit
>> 15% off spa services
>> Free Tower Deluxe Premium View Room Upgrade
>> Starting at $89 per night based on double occupancy
>> Valid select nights February through April, 2005. Book
by March 25.

* "Spring Renewal" Special at this resort & casino: $99 per
night! Offer includes a $20 food and beverage credit and
FREE upgrade to a PREMIUM view room.

Members should log in for details. Not a member? You can
join our Disney family here.
=================================================
2004 DISNEY TICKETS ARE GOING, GOING...

Our Ticket agent has DISCOUNT TICKETS not available at the
gate or Disney's website! Plus! Great prices on tickets to
other Florida attractions!

NOTE: Disney's new ticket prices kicked in January 2, 2005,
but you still have a chance to purchase tickets at 2004
prices! Our ticket agent writes:

"We will have plenty of 4 and 5 day hopper Plus passes and 5
day regular hoppers at the old system and price. Disney will
be honoring them..."

"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even
being a member of the Magic Kingdom Club for over 15 years,
but just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family
over $300!!! Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD

Details on how to purchase these special passes will be
provided with your Disney access codes as soon as you join
our Disney family. Click here.
=================================================
Amber sent us her trip report:

"Hi, John! Just thought I'd let you know that we just got
back from our first family trip to Disney World! We spent
the week at Liki Tiki Village and spent 2 days at Disney:
Epcot on Sept 27th and Magic Kingdom on Sept. 29th. Yes, we
survived Hurricane Jeanne on Sunday and still went to Epcot
the next day!

The hurricane had strong winds and lots of rain, but our
building was sturdy so we actually enjoyed the hurricane.
It's probably a once in a lifetime experience for us since
we're from Indiana! The hurricane made for a wonderful trip
to Epcot since there was hardly anyone there! In our party
was me, my 6 year old son, my 2 year old girl, Grandma and
Grandpa.

Epcot opened an hour late due to some clean-up from the
Hurricane. When we got in we went directly to Test Track,
which my 6 year old son loved! The line was 5 minutes long
so we skipped the fastpass.

We got a FastPass for Mission: Space. The fasspass return
wait was for 40 minutes later so we grabbed a bite to eat
beforehand. I was surprised to find my 6 year old loved this
ride, too. He talked forever about how he got to land the
spaceship all by himself!

Wonders of Life was closed so then we went to the Universe
of Energy. The movie had all ready started so we went right
in and watched the last 5 minutes and got on the ride. Even
my 2 year old daughter loved the dinosaurs.

Next, we crossed over to the West side. We started with
Imagination since my son spotted the interactive water
fountains. After playing there for about a half hour, we
walked right into Honey, I shrunk the Audience. (There was
no Fastpass due to no crowd.) Both kids loved this movie. My
son kept saying, "That's real water!"

Next we went to see Figment, but the timing of the car
didn't match the timings of the animations so the kids were
confused. They would see the animations, but we'd be so far
ahead or behind them that they could hardly see them.

Next was the land pavilion. We got Fastpass tickets for the
Living Land ride for 40 minutes later and went to see the
Circle of life. Neither of the kids really liked this movie,
even with the Lion King characters. We'll skip it next time.
By the time we got out of there we only had 10 minutes until
the Living Land ride. Both kids really enjoyed the boat ride
and the baby alligators.

Then we went on to the Living Seas. The kids like the Nemo
room. The adults weren't very impressed. My son was
entranced with the scuba diving demonstration.

Then we went to Spaceship Earth, which of course, we walked
right onto. The kids enjoyed it. We then went back to the
test track and got a Fastpass before heading to Mexico and
Norway for their rides. Unfortunately, Mexico was broken.
However, both kids loved the Norway boat ride. I was
impressed that my 2 year old liked it so much.

On the way out of the park we rode the Test Track 2 more
times, once with the Fast Pass and once with the Rider
Switch Pass since my 2 year old couldn't ride it. My 2 year
old doesn't like load fireworks so we skipped them.

On Wed, Sept 29th, we went to the Magic Kingdom. All
fastpasses were for 35 minutes after you got you're fastpass
and you could get another one in 40 minutes. My kids fell
instantly in love with the Magic Kingdom! My daughter
absolutely loved seeing Cinderella's castle.

Our first ride of the day was Buzz Lightyear. We walked
right on. The fastpass wasn't even available all day. My 2
year old absolutely loved this ride. It was her favorite
ride and she wanted to ride it again all day! My 6 year old
son didn't like it because he couldn't get a very high
score.

Next we walked right on Space Mountain. This was my 6 year
old's favorite ride. I think the dark actually helped with
his fear of big roller coasters! The kids were begging to go
on the Transit Authority so we rode this one next. Both kids
really enjoyed it, especially my 2 year old.

Next was the Indy Speedway. It was interesting that we had
to travel from Indianapolis to Florida just to ride it! We
were lucky enough to be able to "race" each other since we
were side by side. Both kids got to drive and had a blast."

TO BE CONTINUED
=================================================
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD!

If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE!
That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save
up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on
tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney
property, travel, parking, and MUCH more. Too much to list
here. See it all here.
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Affordable Disney Books

Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price.
Hundreds of books under $1.00! Shop now for an additional
50% off their already low prices on over 2500 titles. Items
will sell out fast. Don't miss out. Plus! Over 700 videos
have been marked down to $1.99. To check out the bargains, click here.
--------------------------------
Got Coupons?

With the 2005 Edition of the Orlando Entertainment Book, you
can save big on travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets,
and more! For a limited time, get $10.00 off! For details, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Accommodations

Get the guaranteed lowest prices at the Downtown Disney
Resorts as well as at hotels, condos and vacation rentals
outside Disney property. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Car Rental

Just enter in your travel dates, select the kind of car you
want, and receive a list of car rental prices at over 12
companies starting with the cheapest price! Click here.

Cheryl writes: "I saved over $200.00 on my mini van rental!!!"
--------------------------------
Affordable Airfare

This service delivers as many as 230 flight options in a
single search - more options than any other travel site.
It's possible to save as much as 80%! To compare prices, click here.
=============================================
See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
=============================================
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.
=============================================

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 17, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon: Subscribe with Bloglines

Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
http://affordabledisney.blogspot.com/atom.xml
=================================================
Hi Everyone,

HOT OFF THE PRESS!

Donna and I are proud to announce that the 2005-2006 - 9th
edition - of our "Secrets To An Affordable Walt Disney
World® Vacation" is now available online for our members to
access. As Disney expands, so does the length of our book -
now 214 pages! Of course, we will update the book constantly
and post the latest changes on the Addenda, which currently
boast 65 pages of deals and discounts! Whew!

To spread the word, we're celebrating with a FREE Gift
Membership Special!

Be among the first 25 people to join our Disney family today
and we'll include a duplicate membership as a FREE gift to a
friend or loved one with your best wishes for a fun and
affordable Walt Disney World Vacation! Even if you enroll as
a Lifetime Deluxe Member, we'll send a FREE Lifetime Deluxe
Membership as a gift!

Just send the name and email address of your friend or
relative to: johngross@affordabledisney.com . If you don't
have the email address at hand, you can send it to me any
time.

You can join our Disney family here.
=================================================
This just in...

* Beth, our travel agent, writes:

"I've got some group space blocked on the awesome Mariner of
the Seas from port Canaveral on June 26 (7-night cruise). I
will be returning the space to the cruise line on February
25, so if you're interested in putting your June Disney trip
together with a cruise this is a great one, but I need to
hear from you FAST! (This is one of the ships with the ice
skating rinks and rock climbing walls that you see on TV.)"
Members should log in today for Beth's contact info.

* Stay at this Hotel & Casino with Strip View Tower Rooms
from $45! Valid now through July, 2005.

* Community Appreciation Fares: Special savings on cruises
to the Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal, South America and
Venice for Teachers, Firefighters (including volunteer),
Hospital Volunteers, Police Officers and Active Military.
Valid on select dates now through September 24, 2005.
Featuring spacious, elegant ships, gracious, unobtrusive
service, worldwide itineraries, extensive activities and
enrichment programs, and sophisticated five-star dining.

Members should log in for details.
=================================================
2004 DISNEY TICKETS ARE GOING, GOING...

Our Ticket agent has DISCOUNT TICKETS not available at the
gate or Disney's website! Plus! Great prices on tickets to
other Florida attractions!

NOTE: Disney's new ticket prices kicked in January 2, 2005,
but you still have a chance to purchase tickets at 2004
prices! Our ticket agent writes:

"We will have plenty of 4 and 5 day hopper Plus passes and 5
day regular hoppers at the old system and price. Disney will
be honoring them..."

"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even
being a member of the Magic Kingdom Club for over 15 years,
but just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family
over $300!!! Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD

Details on how to purchase these special passes will be
provided with your Disney access codes as soon as you join
our Disney family. Click here.
=================================================
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"

"Walt Disney World® Resort concierge-level clients can now
venture off the beaten path of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve
at Disney's Animal Kingdom for a unique wildlife discovery
excursion." A one-hour tour runs daily 10 AM - 1 PM. Cost:
$45.

"Downtown Disney Pleasure Island clubs have begun testing
new single-club ticket options at specific clubs. This
single-club ticket offers Guests the option to choose a
selected individual dance club to enjoy for the evening. The
price of the single club ticket during this test period is
$9.95." A multi-club ticket is still available that grants
admission to all the clubs. Cost: $20.95. There is no
admission to walk the streets of Pleasure Island.

A Harley-Davidson store is coming to Pleasure Island late
March 2005 in the location of the former Mouse House. The
store will showcase custom Harleys, T-shirts and
collectibles.

DISNEYLAND

Disney Imagineers have made some improvements at the Haunted
Mansion:

* "ghostly portraits now change in sync with the lightning
blasts and thunderclaps...
* A portrait of Master Gracey, the attraction's ghost host,
has also been added to the Disneyland® attraction...
* Madame Leota has been freed from her table and now
levitates across the room...
* new lighting has been added to the illusion by using
electrically operated candles."

(Source: Disneyland® Resort and Walt Disney World® Resort,
02/15/05)
--------------------------------
"One of the last remaining developable parcels next to Walt
Disney World and the Osceola County city of Celebration has
been sold. Two Asian business partners sold the prime 12.1-
acre tract to a mystery buyer for approximately $4.9 million
or $400,826 per acre... The buyer plans to erect a 250-unit
condo community on the site..." (Source: GlobeSt.com,
02/14/05) For the rest of the story, click here.
--------------------------------
DISNEYLAND HONG KONG

"Walt Disney World in Orlando is helping to prepare for the
grand opening of a new Disney theme park in China. About 500
Chinese visitors are being trained in Orlando to staff
Disneyland Hong Kong, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported." (Source:
Local - WESH NewsChannel2000.com, 02/10/05) For the rest of
the story, click here.
--------------------------------
TOKYO DISNEYLAND

"Have your wedding photos taken against the breathtaking
backdrop of Cinderella Castle at Tokyo Disneyland Castle
Photo in Fantasyland beginning April 11,2005

The Disney Ambassador Hotel, which in July 2005 will
celebrate five years of operation at the Tokyo Disney
Resort, announces the "Castle Photo in Fantasyland", an
option exclusive to Disney Fairytale Weddings, allowing
couples to take wedding photos at Tokyo Disneyland prior to
their wedding day.

Couples choosing this new option will have photographs taken
at various photo spots around Fantasyland at Tokyo
Disneyland, and these memories of their special day
presented in an original photo album. Having photos taken in
front of Cinderella Castle in a dress inspired by the Disney
princesses in particular is the cherished dream of many a
bride. "Castle Photo in Fantasyland" is sure to be the
perfect addition to an unforgettable Disney Fairytale
Wedding." (Source: Tokyo Disneyland Resort, 02/10/05) For
the rest of the story, click here.
=================================================
NOTE: Links to newspaper articles change quickly and without
notice. If you receive a "File Not Found" error message,
search the newspaper's archives for the story. Certain
newspapers require a free registration to view their
articles online.
=================================================
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD!

If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE!
That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save
up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on
tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney
property, travel, parking, and MUCH more. Too much to list
here. See it all here.
=================================================
MONEY SAVING TIP - Golf Coupons

* The Orlando Tourist Information Bureau recommends
searching for discount golf coupons in the sport section
of the Orlando Sentinel newspaper when you arrive.

* Here are 17 Coupons for golf and miniature golf. Save up
to $20 per person! Coupons expire 04/15/05.
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Affordable Disney Books

Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price.
Hundreds of books under $1.00! Shop now for an additional
50% off their already low prices on over 2500 titles. Items
will sell out fast. Don't miss out. Plus! Over 700 videos
have been marked down to $1.99. To check out the bargains, click here.
--------------------------------
Got Coupons?

With the 2005 Edition of the Orlando Entertainment Book, you
can save big on travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets,
and more! For a limited time, get $10.00 off! For details, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Accommodations

Get the guaranteed lowest prices at the Downtown Disney
Resorts as well as at hotels, condos and vacation rentals
outside Disney property. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Car Rental

Just enter in your travel dates, select the kind of car you
want, and receive a list of car rental prices at over 12
companies starting with the cheapest price! Click here.

Cheryl writes: "I saved over $200.00 on my mini van rental!!!"
--------------------------------
Affordable Airfare

This service delivers as many as 230 flight options in a
single search - more options than any other travel site.
It's possible to save as much as 80%! To compare prices, click here.
=============================================
See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
=============================================
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.
=============================================

Monday, February 14, 2005

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 14, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon: Subscribe with Bloglines

Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
http://affordabledisney.blogspot.com/atom.xml
=================================================
Hi Everyone,

This just in...

* April Caribbean Cruise Specials:

>> 7-Day Eastern or Western Caribbean Cruises from $699!
Upgrade to a Verandah from only $150!
>> 10- and 11-Day Eastern and Southern Caribbean Cruises
from $939!
Fares are per person, based on double occupancy.

* Spring Pacific Coast Cruise: Days abound with onboard
activities and indulgences, evenings are filled with fine
dining and dancing, while sailing for as long as ten days
or for as few as three. Experience the Pacific Coast,
between San Diego, California and Vancouver, B.C. from
$199, per person, based on double occupancy. For sailings
from April 20 to May 10. 2005.

Members should email me for details at
johngross@affordabledisney.com. Not a member? You can join
our Disney family here.
=================================================
2004 DISNEY TICKETS ARE GOING, GOING...

Our Ticket agent has DISCOUNT TICKETS not available at the
gate or Disney's website! Plus! Great prices on tickets to
other Florida attractions!

NOTE: Disney's new ticket prices kicked in January 2, 2005,
but you still have a chance to purchase tickets at 2004
prices! Our ticket agent writes:

"We will have plenty of 4 and 5 day hopper Plus passes and 5
day regular hoppers at the old system and price. Disney will
be honoring them..."

"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even
being a member of the Magic Kingdom Club for over 15 years,
but just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family
over $300!!! Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD

Details on how to purchase these special passes will be
provided with your Disney access codes as soon as you join
our Disney family. Click here.
=================================================
See how much you can identify from the air!

Beth writes:

"Go to http://www.terraserver.com . On the menu bar across
the top, select SEARCH, and then ADDRESS Enter EPCOT as the
street, ORLANDO as the city, and FL as the state The most
recent option is in color and offers a great overall view

Using the Quick Pan navigation tool on the left you can work
your way around to the other parks. Try zooming out for an
amazing view of the whole property. (resolution at 32 meters
should do it) And yes, you can put in your own address and
see your house! :-)

You can also try this at http://terraserver.microsoft.com .
At the top click on FAMOUS PLACES and then find Disney World
Epcot or Disney World Magic Kingdom. These are black and
white shots and are older, but you can zoom in closer. Use
"Advance Find" if you want to put in an address.

Have fun!"
=================================================
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD!

If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE!
That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save
up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on
tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney
property, travel, parking, and MUCH more. Too much to list
here. See it all here.
=================================================
Bettyann writes:

"We just booked a Disney Cruise for May 2005.....We plan on
staying at the Polynesian Resort before the cruise and were
wondering if there is any way to store golf clubs (my son-
in-law will be playing during the land part of the trip),
extra luggage (not needed on the cruise) and our extra
stroller (needed for the 4 yr old in the park, but not on
the ship)...who would we call about this question.....there
will be 3 adults and 2 children( 4 & 11mos) in a family
suite and we are not sure about what to do if you have to
bring all of this on the ship...thanks for your help."

I understand that your stateroom host/hostess will store
your excess luggage on the ship for you until you're ready
to repack your bags for departure.

You can send an email to the Disney Cruise Line here.
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Affordable Disney Books

Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price.
Hundreds of books under $1.00! Shop now for an additional
50% off their already low prices on over 2500 titles. Items
will sell out fast. Don't miss out. Plus! Over 700 videos
have been marked down to $1.99. To check out the bargains, click here.
--------------------------------
Got Coupons?

With the 2005 Edition of the Orlando Entertainment Book, you
can save big on travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets,
and more! For a limited time, get $10.00 off! For details, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Accommodations

Get the guaranteed lowest prices at the Downtown Disney
Resorts as well as at hotels, condos and vacation rentals
outside Disney property. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Car Rental

Just enter in your travel dates, select the kind of car you
want, and receive a list of car rental prices at over 12
companies starting with the cheapest price! Click here.

Cheryl writes: "I saved over $200.00 on my mini van rental!!!"
--------------------------------
Affordable Airfare

This service delivers as many as 230 flight options in a
single search - more options than any other travel site.
It's possible to save as much as 80%! To compare prices, click here.
=============================================
See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
=============================================
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.
=============================================

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 10, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon: Subscribe with Bloglines

Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
http://affordabledisney.blogspot.com/atom.xml
=================================================
Hi Everyone,

We will be publishing within a week the 2005-2006 - 9th
edition - of our "Secrets To An Affordable Walt Disney
World® Vacation."

To celebrate the event, we will include, with every new
membership, access to our new online book, "Walt Disney
World® Travelogues: Trip Reports For Arm Chair Travelers."
The book contains 57 pages of trip reports that we've
received from our members covering the years 2002-2004.
Reading the trip reports of others is almost as much fun as
being there. We hope you enjoy this nostalgic trip down
Disney's memory lane!

To join our Disney family and be among the first to read our
"Walt Disney World® Travelogues: Trip Reports For Arm Chair
Travelers," click here.

Current members can find the link to our new book on the
welcome page. That's the page you're on when you log in.

Now... Lean back, prop up your feet, and take a Disney
break!
=================================================
This just in...

* Universal Orlando Special: Book a 2-night stay at one of
Universal's Good Neighbor hotels and receive a 2-Day 2-
Park admission ticket with a CityWalk Party Pass from $174
per adult!

* Disney Cruise Specials for residents of this state:

>> 3-night Bahamian Cruise from $419 per person, double
occupancy (Category 10 - deluxe inside stateroom)
>> 7-night Western Caribbean Cruise from $649 per person,
double occupancy (Category 11 - inside stateroom)

Members should log in for details. Not a member? You can
join our Disney family here.
=================================================
2004 DISNEY TICKETS ARE GOING, GOING...

Our Ticket agent has DISCOUNT TICKETS not available at the
gate or Disney's website! Plus! Great prices on tickets to
other Florida attractions!

NOTE: Disney's new ticket prices kicked in January 2, 2005,
but you still have a chance to purchase tickets at 2004
prices! Our ticket agent writes:

"We will have plenty of 4 and 5 day hopper Plus passes and 5
day regular hoppers at the old system and price. Disney will
be honoring them..."

"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even
being a member of the Magic Kingdom Club for over 15 years,
but just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family
over $300!!! Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD

Details on how to purchase these special passes will be
provided with your Disney access codes as soon as you join
our Disney family. Click here.
=================================================
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"

Disney is adding gold, pixie dust, and statues of Disney
characters to the Castle in the Magic Kingdom at WDW in
celebration of Disneyland California's 50th anniversary
which begins in May. Preparatory work for the "Happiest
Celebration on Earth" is being done after hours and should be
completed by the end of March. (Source: Orlando Sentinel,
02/07/05)
--------------------------------
Guests at Pleasure Island's nightclub, Motion, must now be
18 years of age or older. The former policy of allowing
guests under 18 with a chaperone to enter has been
eliminated.

As mentioned above, Disney's castle is getting a makeover for
Disneyland's 50th anniversary. The statues that will adorn
the castle will include:

Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit
Peter Pan, Wendy and Tinker Bell
King Louie and Kaa
Flounder and Sebastian
Simba, Timon and Pumbaa
Victor, Hugo and Laverne

A gold frame will be placed above the front arch which will
display Disney's castles from around the world throughout the
day. The "Happiest Celebration on Earth" will run through
2006.

DISNEYLAND, CALIFORNIA

Two new interactive celebrations with the Disney characters
are now taking place:

"Each celebration includes up to 45 performers, characters
and dancers who will join Guests in an interactive street
show. After traveling along a parade route, the celebrations
become stage shows at their designated performance
location...

'Sleeping Beauty's Royal Celebration' is a princess-themed
show and takes place in the forecourt of Sleeping Beauty
Castle... At the north end of Main Street U.S.A., 'Mickey's
Magic Kingdom Celebration' will highlight each land at
Disneyland Park in a celebration that features Mickey,
Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Stitch."

Several performance will take place during the day through
May 3, 2005.

(Source: Disneyland® Resort and Walt Disney World® Resort,
02/08/05)
--------------------------------
"Word in the South Korean media is that the capital of Seoul
is hoping to interest Disney in opening a theme park there
-- and the big port city of Busan is trying to lure
Universal Studios." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/07/05)
--------------------------------
An Easter Celebration in Disneyland Paris

"Disneyland Resort Paris is getting ready to celebrate
Easter from 19 March to 8 April 2005! Disneyland Park will
invite children of all ages to enjoy this most enchanting
Easter season, along with a host of favourite characters
from Disney’s Classic animated feature, Alice in Wonderland.
Wonders are guaranteed!" (Source: Disneyland Resort Paris,
02/03/05) For the rest of the story, click here.
--------------------------------
New Disney Hotel to Open in Tokyo Disney Resort

"Oriental Land Co, Ltd. has announced the signing of an
agreement with The Walt Disney Company to open a third
Disney hotel within Tokyo Disney Resort in 2008 (tentative).
The nine-story high hotel will have about 700 guestrooms and
will be larger than either of the other two Disney hotels,
the Disney Ambassador Hotel and Tokyo DisneySea Hotel
MiraCosta." (Source: Oriental Land Co, Ltd., 02/04/05)
--------------------------------
New ship for the Disney Cruise Line!

"We have the designs for the new ship," Walt Disney World
President Al Weiss said. "It's just a matter of waiting for
a favorable exchange rate." Disney will probably anchor one
of the ships in California. (Source: floridatoday.com,
02/03/05) For the rest of the story, click here.
--------------------------------
"At a Wall Street analysts’ meeting in Orlando, Florida,
Disney studio chairman Dick Cook commented on a new
animation division and the possible release of SONG OF THE
SOUTH... the title was the most requested by fans and the
release would be handled in much the same way as the Walt
Disney Treasure’s release ON THE FRONT LINES, where
introductions by scholars would put racial stereotypes in a
cultural context. The film celebrates its 60th anniversary
in 2006." (Source: news.awn.com, 02/04/05) For the rest of
the story, click here.
=================================================
NOTE: Links to newspaper articles change quickly and without
notice. If you receive a "File Not Found" error message,
search the newspaper's archives for the story. Certain
newspapers require a free registration to view their
articles online.
=================================================
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD!

If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE!
That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save
up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on
tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney
property, travel, parking, and MUCH more. Too much to list
here. See it all here.
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Affordable Disney Books

Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price.
Hundreds of books under $1.00! Shop now for an additional
50% off their already low prices on over 2500 titles. Items
will sell out fast. Don't miss out. Plus! Over 700 videos
have been marked down to $1.99. To check out the bargains, click here.
--------------------------------
Got Coupons?

With the 2005 Edition of the Orlando Entertainment Book, you
can save big on travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets,
and more! For a limited time, get $10.00 off! For details, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Accommodations

Get the guaranteed lowest prices at the Downtown Disney
Resorts as well as at hotels, condos and vacation rentals
outside Disney property. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Car Rental

Just enter in your travel dates, select the kind of car you
want, and receive a list of car rental prices at over 12
companies starting with the cheapest price! Click here.

Cheryl writes: "I saved over $200.00 on my mini van rental!!!"
--------------------------------
Affordable Airfare

This service delivers as many as 230 flight options in a
single search - more options than any other travel site.
It's possible to save as much as 80%! To compare prices, click here.
=============================================
See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
=============================================
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.
=============================================

Monday, February 07, 2005

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 07, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon: Subscribe with Bloglines

Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
http://affordabledisney.blogspot.com/atom.xml
=================================================
Hi Everyone,

Our hearts go out to those who have suffered from the
Tsunami in Asia.

Here's a note from Operation Blessing:

"Your gifts are urgently needed at this time! You can help
bring loads of emergency rations, life-saving medicines,
shipments of fresh drinking water as well as send more teams
of health care professionals to survivors. Millions are
homeless. Tens of thousands are injured. Families that have
lost everything need your help today."

If you haven't made a contribution yet to this wonderful
organization, please do so today! Click here.


Click on the "secure online donations" link at the top of
the page.

Thank you!
=================================================
This just in...

DISNEYLAND, PARIS - I love Paris in the spring time!

* Easter Offers in Paris at this luxury hotel! Indulge in
shopping on Champs Elysees and enjoy romantic dinners with
stunning views of the Eiffel Tower. Take advantage of
great rates from USD120 per room per night including
breakfast.
* Special discounted rates on packages at Disney's Davy
Crockett Ranch
* Save 15% at Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show
* A free hotel upgrade for residents of this country
* Package includes FREE breakfast and a day FREE in the
Disney Parks

Members should email me for details at
johngross@affordabledisney.com. Not a member? You can join
our Disney family here.
=================================================
2004 DISNEY TICKETS ARE GOING, GOING...

Our Ticket agent has DISCOUNT TICKETS not available at the
gate or Disney's website! Plus! Great prices on tickets to
other Florida attractions!

NOTE: Disney's new ticket prices kicked in January 2, 2005,
but you still have a chance to purchase tickets at 2004
prices! Our ticket agent writes:

"We will have plenty of 4 and 5 day hopper Plus passes and 5
day regular hoppers at the old system and price. Disney will
be honoring them..."

"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even
being a member of the Magic Kingdom Club for over 15 years,
but just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family
over $300!!! Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD

Details on how to purchase these special passes will be
provided with your Disney access codes as soon as you join
our Disney family. click here.
=================================================
DISNEY'S PHOTOPASS

This new service for WDW guests allows you to view your
photos online and share them with others at no charge. (If
you wish to buy your photos on property, visit Disney's
Photo Centers located throughout the resort.)

Here's how to take advantage of Disney's PhotoPass:

* Disney's PhotoPass Photographers will take your photo in
the parks.
* The photographer will give you a PhotoPass card which will
give you access to all your photos online.
* To see your photos, enter your PhotoPass I.D. number at
DisneyPhotoPass.com where you can register online.
* Once registered, you can invite others to view your
photos, order prints, and add Disney's borders.
* Disney charges the same price for photos purchased online
or in person at the Photo Centers.

Charge your order to Disney's Visa and save 20% on your
order. Enter promotion code DISNEYVISA20P.

To sign up for Disney's Visa, click here.
=================================================
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD!

If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE!
That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save
up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on
tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney
property, travel, parking, and MUCH more. Too much to list
here. See it all here.
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Affordable Disney Books

Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price.
Hundreds of books under $1.00! Shop now for an additional
50% off their already low prices on over 2500 titles. Items
will sell out fast. Don't miss out. Plus! Over 700 videos
have been marked down to $1.99. To check out the bargains, click here.
--------------------------------
Got Coupons?

With the 2005 Edition of the Orlando Entertainment Book, you
can save big on travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets,
and more! For a limited time, get $10.00 off! For details, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Accommodations

Get the guaranteed lowest prices at the Downtown Disney
Resorts as well as at hotels, condos and vacation rentals
outside Disney property. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Car Rental

Just enter in your travel dates, select the kind of car you
want, and receive a list of car rental prices at over 12
companies starting with the cheapest price! Click here.

Cheryl writes: "I saved over $200.00 on my mini van rental!!!"
--------------------------------
Affordable Airfare

This service delivers as many as 230 flight options in a
single search - more options than any other travel site.
It's possible to save as much as 80%! To compare prices, click here.
=============================================
See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
=============================================
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.
=============================================

Friday, February 04, 2005

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 04, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon: Subscribe with Bloglines

Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
http://affordabledisney.blogspot.com/atom.xml
=================================================
Hi Everyone,

This just in...

Here's a great special for our men and women in the
military:

"SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are offering free single-day
admissions to members of the military... From Feb. 7 through
Dec. 31, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks will be open to
active military, active reservists, U.S. Coast Guard,
National Guardsmen and as many as three dependents per
family... To obtain the free one-day admissions, eligible
participants can register online at herosalute.com or at the
entrance plaza of participating parks. A military photo ID
is required. Dependents may take advantage of the offer if
their service-member relative is unable to attend, but an
adult must accompany minor dependents." (Source: Orlando
Sentinel, 02/04/05) For the rest of the story, click here.

Now... Lean back, prop up your feet, and take a Disney
break!
=================================================
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"

Disney has big plans for expansion overseas. (Source:
Orlando Sentinel, 02/02/05) Click here.
--------------------------------
Disney is now taking reservations for the Epcot
International Flower and Garden Mother's Day Brunch.
Date: May 7-8
Location: Epcot's World ShowPlace
Time: May 7 from 11 AM - 2 PM and May 8 from 9 AM - 3 PM
Cost: Cost: $29.99 + tax for adults; $12.99 + tax for ages 3-11
Regular Epcot admission is required.
Menu:
breakfast breads, pastries
breakfast station: eggs, bacon and sausage
lunch station: beef, potatoes, salads, pastas and desserts.
kid's menu available

"The Epcot International Flower and Garden Mother's Day
Brunch is part of the annual Epcot International Flower and
Garden Festival held this year from April 15 to June 5...
The festival is included with regular Epcot admission."

DISNEYLAND

The House of Blues at Downtown Disney now has a late night
happy hour on Wednesdays featuring karaoke and food and
drink specials.
Location: The Voodoo Karaoke lounge
Time: 10:30 PM - 1:30 AM
Cost: No cover charge or minimum purchase
Guests: All ages may attend until midnight; you must be over
21 after 12 AM.

Closed for rehab: Jungle Cruise - February 28 - May 3, 2005

(Source: Promotional email from Disneyland® Resort and Walt
Disney World® Resort 02/01/05)
--------------------------------
Disney.com has given a make-over to the Walt Disney Family
Museum
.
=================================================
NOTE: Links to newspaper articles change quickly and without
notice. If you receive a "File Not Found" error message,
search the newspaper's archives for the story. Certain
newspapers require a free registration to view their
articles online.
=================================================
A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

Our Ticket agent has DISCOUNT TICKETS not available at the
gate or Disney's website! Plus! Great prices on tickets to
other Florida attractions!

NOTE: Disney's new ticket prices kicked in January 2, 2005,
but you still have a chance to purchase tickets at 2004
prices! Our ticket agent writes:

"We will have plenty of 4 and 5 day hopper Plus passes and 5
day regular hoppers at the old system and price. Disney will
be honoring them..."

"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even
being a member of the Magic Kingdom Club for over 15 years,
but just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family
over $300!!! Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD

Details on how to purchase these special passes will be
provided with your Disney access codes as soon as you join
our Disney family. click here.
=================================================
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD!

If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE!
That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save
up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on
tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney
property, travel, parking, and MUCH more. Too much to list
here. See it all here.
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Affordable Disney Books

Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price.
Hundreds of books under $1.00! Shop now for an additional
50% off their already low prices on over 2500 titles. Items
will sell out fast. Don't miss out. Plus! Over 700 videos
have been marked down to $1.99. To check out the bargains, click here.
--------------------------------
Got Coupons?

With the 2005 Edition of the Orlando Entertainment Book, you
can save big on travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets,
and more! For a limited time, get $10.00 off! For details, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Accommodations

Get the guaranteed lowest prices at the Downtown Disney
Resorts as well as at hotels, condos and vacation rentals
outside Disney property. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, click here.
--------------------------------
Affordable Car Rental

Just enter in your travel dates, select the kind of car you
want, and receive a list of car rental prices at over 12
companies starting with the cheapest price! Click here.

Cheryl writes: "I saved over $200.00 on my mini van rental!!!"
--------------------------------
Affordable Airfare

This service delivers as many as 230 flight options in a
single search - more options than any other travel site.
It's possible to save as much as 80%! To compare prices, click here.
=============================================
See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
=============================================
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.
=============================================

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 02, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon: Subscribe with Bloglines

Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
http://affordabledisney.blogspot.com/atom.xml
=================================================
Hi Everyone,

Many thanks to John Matarese at Cincinnati's Channel 9 for
recommending us in his story on January 31, "Disney World
Savings," as a "great website [that] lists dozens of ways to
save" at WDW.

Thanks also to our new member, Suzanne, who brought the
report to my attention: Suzanne writes: "I saw this on
Cincinnati's Channel 9 last night and thought it looked
pretty cool."

Now... Lean back, prop up your feet, and take a Disney
break!
=================================================
We continuously update our information and you can find the
latest additions in our Addenda:

This just in...

WALT DISNEY WORLD:

* Valentine's Special at this Walt Disney World Resort -
Good Neighbor Hotel starts at $125 per night (2-night
minimum) until February 17, 2005. Located just minutes
from every attraction in Central Florida, this offer
includes:

>> a bottle of sparkling wine with dessert in your room
>> a romantic dinner for two
>> full breakfast buffet daily for two
>> extended checkout time of 1:00 PM

Members should log in for details. Not a member? You can
join our Disney family here.
=================================================
Renea sent us this trip report:

"Hello John:

In your newsletter "Kim" reported that while on her trip she
went to Downtown Disney via a boat? Which boat is she
speaking of?

>> She must have been referring to the boat from Port Orleans to
Downtown Disney. It's one of our favorite rides.

I would like to tell you and your readers about our trip to
Disneyworld in June.

We stayed at the Hotel Royal Plaza on a travel zoo special
for only $69 per night with a free upgrade to a tower room.
I usually stay at the Grand Floridian my entire stay usually
at Thanksgiving time.

We split the week up by staying at the Plaza some nights and
the Floridian the other nights.

We only took carry on luggage. We found last year this works
much better then checking bags because it take too much time
waiting in line for your luggage when you get off the plane.
We want to start our fun as soon as we arrive!

>> Disney has solved that problem with their new Magic
Express service that delivers your luggage to your hotel
while you start having fun!

We rented a full size car with a free upgrade to a premium
car with the coupon found in the Entertainment book.

>> Renea is referring to the Orlando Entertainment Book.
It's full of coupons on travel, groceries, shopping, movie
tickets, and more! For a limited time, get $10.00 off! For
details, click here.

When we arrived at the Avis counter in MCO (Orlando
International Airport) the registration went well. We went
downstairs to the garage to get our car. The gentleman was
taking a very long time to get our car for us. Eventually he
was entering data into the computer again. He came over with
the keys, apologized that he couldn't find our car and asked
if another upgrade to a Lincoln Continental was o.k. We
grabbed the keys and ran!

This car was pure luxury, leather inside, plenty of room for
6 people and drove like a cloud. I recommend Avis, they have
great service and nice cars.

We checked in at the Hotel Royal Plaza around 7:00 p.m. They
upgraded us yet again to a whirlpool tub room. The room was
on the 16th floor with really nice views of downtown Disney
and the fireworks at night. When I asked the clerk if
children ate for free like next door at the Holiday Inn, she
said they stopped that promotion but she had coupons left
over and gave me one for our entire stay. There is also a
coupon in the entertainment book for a free dinner. We got 3
dinners and 2 kids meals and only had to pay for 2 adult
meals! We did eat breakfast next door at the holiday inn
because it was much less $ for the adults to eat there and
kids also eat for free.

The room was o.k. but could of been spruced up. The hotel
staff was extremely nice and the maids kept the room nice.
There was a basket of goodies on the desk (way too
expensive). There was also free coffee and tea (no cream
though). Keep in mind Disney charges for coffee in their
rooms. The pool was nice and the Jacuzzi was small. they
also have a small outside bar there too.

>> Disney is now equipping the Deluxe and Moderate resorts
with coffee makers and providing free coffee and condiments!

We would stay again if we did another unexpected, quick trip
to Florida. I hear they are closed now, maybe it will be a
crown plaza. it could use the renovation!

They offered transportation to the parks via the bus.

We arrived 5 days later at the G.F. This is my favorite
resort in Disneyworld. We have stayed at the All-Star
resort, the Caribbean beach and the Polynesian.

Our room wasn't ready yet, but about 1/2 hour later it was.
We stay in the sugar loaf building which is a concierge
building with food and beverages all day long. we stay and
pay the extra because there are 3 children in our family and
it cost too much $ to eat out all of the time. when we
stayed at the value resort 4 years ago we did bring a
suitcase of snacks with us, but we won't do that again. this
is very convenient for us.

It was 95 degrees everyday so the 2 pools are great to sit
in! i ordered room service the last night i was. the prime
rib at this resort is great.

if you can stay at this resort, i would do it. it is close
to the magic kingdom. it is nice to see the fireworks from
the magic kingdom at the beach or the dock from this resort.
they also have a electric water parade that goes to all the
resorts by barge. the kids really like this.

we didn't have any problems during our stay to report to
you. we stayed in a tower room which is larger with a
sitting area, sofa (we ask for a sleeper sofa for more room
to spread out), and 2 t.v.'s. we stay on a floor that has a
balcony.

the last day we were there i went downstairs to get my
breakfast on a tray and sat on my balcony watching the
maintenance men use a machine that looks like street sweeper
to clean the sidewalks! the resort is kept spotless with
beautiful flower arrangements everywhere.

it is even more beautiful at thanksgiving time when they
have all of the Christmas decorations up. they have a 55
foot tree in their lobby with over 75,000 lights on it and a
full size, hand made, eatable gingerbread house! the chef
shows you how they make it and you can get a free sample as
well.

The G.F. is a must see if you can't afford to stay there.
You can catch the monorail upstairs in the main lobby to the
magic kingdom, it is great to keep the kids amused.

we flew out of Tampa at night, big mistake. the lightning
was so bad that the plane couldn't come to the gate and we
had to wait almost 2 hours for the storm to cease so they
could get the people off the plane, clean it and board us.
everything was closed and it was very difficult to keep 2
small children amused for that long period of time. it would
of been better to get stuck in MCO where there is much more
to do! Well that is it for this trip. Take care."
=================================================
A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

Our Ticket agent has DISCOUNT TICKETS not available at the
gate or Disney's website! Plus! Great prices on tickets to
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NOTE: Disney's new ticket prices kicked in January 2, 2005,
but you still have a chance to purchase tickets at 2004
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"We will have plenty of 4 and 5 day hopper Plus passes and 5
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"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even
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but just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family
over $300!!! Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD

Details on how to purchase these special passes will be
provided with your Disney access codes as soon as you join
our Disney family. click here.
=================================================
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD!

If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE!
That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save
up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on
tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney
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=================================================
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=============================================
See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
=============================================
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