Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation
October 26, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
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Hi Everyone!
In this blog...
* Deals and specials - spend Thanksgiving and Christmas at
Walt Disney World
* The latest news from around the "World" - Hurricane Wilma
at Disney World
* A note from Beth, our travel agent, about how she
weathered the storm
* A Disney’s Magical Express update
* Beth's recommendation for renting a car on Disney property
* Cheri writes about Fiascos, a comedy family dinner show
* A profile of The Swan and Dolphin's new Mandara Spa
* This week's money saving tip
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We continuously update our information and you can find
these current specials in our Addenda:
WALT DISNEY WORLD:
Spend Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World!
Stay at this three-star hotel located one mile from Walt
Disney World for $636.50 including tax and service fees for
5 nights for a family of 4! Enjoy all the comforts of home
in their spacious suites which include separate living,
dining and private sleeping areas. This location is perfect
for walking to dozens of restaurants, midway rides, shopping
and other family-friendly entertainment options.
The resort also provides complimentary scheduled
transportation to Walt Disney World attractions, Universal
Studios and SeaWorld. Guests can start their day with a 20-
item complimentary deluxe continental breakfast buffet.
Then, treat themselves to the poolside Manager's Reception
with complimentary beer, wine, sodas, music and family fun
every day from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Hurry and book this one while
rooms are still available!
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Spend Christmas at Walt Disney World!
Stay at this Downtown Disney Resort for Christmas for
$781.52 including tax and service fees for 5 nights for a
family of 4! Not bad for holiday rates for a hotel on Disney
property. Downtown Disney Marketplace and Pleasure Island
are within walking distance. Guests receive continuous
shuttle rides to Walt Disney World theme parks and two water
parks.
Inside the hotel, a spacious lobby with palms, floral
carpets and wicker sofas lend relaxed ambience to this
family-friendly resort. The Resort has extensive
recreational facilities, including two heated pools, two
lighted tennis courts, basketball and sand volleyball
courts, and a fitness center. The children's pool,
playground and game room provide options for younger
travelers. A restaurant is located on the mezzanine and a
24-hour food court offers varied cuisine options. Disney
Characters appear at breakfast in the hotel three times
every week. Hurry and book this one while rooms are still
available!
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LAS VEGAS
Take a time out in Vegas at this beautiful Hotel & Casino.
Strip view high tower room from $40! Floors 9 - 16. King or
Two Queens. Single/Double Occupancy. Valid select nights in
October - December, 2005. Make your reservation by November
3 to take advantage of these special rates.
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This winter, return to the life exotic! Stay between
November 15, 2005 and February 2, 2006 and enjoy a deluxe
room rate from $85/night (Sunday-Thursday). Upgrade to a
luxurious one-bedroom suite for an additional $125/night.
Special Offer: November 20-23, 2005 or December 11-24, 2005:
* Deluxe room rates from $74/night (Sunday-Thursday) and
$95/night (Friday-Saturday). Includes a complimentary $50
food & beverage credit.
* Upgrade to a luxurious one-bedroom suite for an additional
$100/night.
Rate is per room/suite per night, based on single or double
occupancy, plus 9% tax. Triple and quad rates are available
upon request at $30 for each additional person (four
maximum). Receive a complimentary premium view upgrade
(applies to Deluxe Room only)!
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Stay at this luxurious Resort & Casino from $59.95 October -
December, 2005. Hurry! You must book by October 31!
Includes:
* $30 food and beverage credit
* Buy one, get one free breakfast buffet
* Buy one, get one free microbrew or cocktail
* Buy one, get one free Spa admission
* Upgrade to a Suite starting at $129.95 (Sunday - Thursday)
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Affordable Disney Members should log in at our password-
protected site (The Disney Reading Room) to access the
particulars about the above mentioned specials.
If you are not a member, you can join our Disney family here.
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Beth, our travel agent in Naples, Florida, reports:
"I'm getting a bunch of emails asking how we are, so I
thought I'd update everyone at once.
[My travel offices in Naples] currently do not have phone
service or electricity; however, my HOME office has both -
and internet service! - so I'm up and running, pretty much
business as usual.
Personally, we had some tree damage, lost some roof tiles
and part of our lanai screen enclosure, and I have three
soggy carpets, but structurally we were unscathed so we were
very lucky!
Many thanks for all the prayers and well-wishes sent this
way!"
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NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"
WALT DISNEY WORLD
"The Walt Disney World Resort safely withstood Hurricane
Wilma, maintaining power throughout the storm and housing
tens of thousands of Guests in its hotels." Operations are
now functioning normally. (Source: Disney Flash Email Blast,
10/24/05)
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"Las Vegas-based Allegiant said it will fly nonstop twice a
week between MidAmerica and Orlando Sanford, filling a void
left when TransMeridian abruptly halted operations after
failing to restructure its debt."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel,10/19/05)
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Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar.
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DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA
Disneyland Resort Calendar
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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. If web addresses are broken into more than
one line, copy and paste all lines.
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Disney’s Magical Express Update
Effective November 1, 2005 at Orlando International Airport:
All guests must have reservations for Disney’s Magical
Express before they arrive at OIA.
Guests with reservations will meet castmembers on Level 2
(on side A or B of the airport) instead of Level 3 for
directions to the Disney Welcome Center (on side A of level
1.)
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Last week Brian asked about the most convenient Alamo
location to rent his car on property: from the Car Care
Center near the Magic Kingdom or the Dolphin location.
Beth, our travel agent, writes:
"I love using the Dolphin location because no matter where
you are, there's probably a bus to MGM Studios approaching
your location and you don't have to remember to request it
in advance. You can jump on that bus, then (instead of
taking a left through the gates of MGM) take a short stroll
around the lake to the Dolphin.
Car rentals are usually cheapest done in 24 hours
increments, so if you pick the car up in the morning to go
to SeaWorld or Universal, plan on dropping it off at the
Dolphin 24 or 48 hours later. You won't have to rush to get
it back at night, AND you can walk back over and start with
MGM Studios that morning.
It's also not a big deal to return the car to the airport,
giving you an extra hour or so to play compared to using
Magical Express. While it costs more to rent a car at the
airport because of various taxes and fees, you can usually
return the car to the airport for the same price it would
have been to return it to the Dolphin or the Car Care
Center. And yes, I keep a stack of discount coupons for
Alamo right next to my desk!"
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DISNEY SECRETS NOW IN HARD COVER!
The Hard Cover/CD version of our "Secrets To An Affordable
Walt Disney World® Vacation" is now available with a Deluxe
Lifetime Membership!
These professionally printed works (weighing over 6 1/2 lbs)
come in two beautiful 3- ring binders with inside pockets.
You can easily add more pages to the binders in the future,
if you wish, and keep important documents in the inside
pockets where you can quickly access them.
Plus! Our book and all our reports are now available on CD!
You'll be able to access our book and reports on your
computer without paying for costly Internet access or trying
to figure out how to download!
Plus! We'll donate $25.00 of each new Deluxe Lifetime
Membership to the American Red Cross to help those suffering
from Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Mississippi and
Alabama.
You can subscribe to our Deluxe Lifetime Membership here.
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Cheri writes:
"This past May I went to disney. I went out to eat at this
place called FIASCOS.
it was hilarious! they had gold fish races and other mishaps
all through the show. my sister and her family went to
disney in June. I told her about this place. she went with
the kids. they loved it. they wanted to go again the next
night! when you order dinner it comes in take out
containers. they have dog acts, singing, high wire acts and
other shenanigans going on throughout dinner. you should
recommend this place to families its worth the money.
It's in the same shopping center as sleuths. it looks like a
run down place. the people are very friendly and funny. I
would go there again. as a matter of fact I'm going to
Florida again in Oct with my daughter and grandson. we might
go to this dinner show. I think my grandson would love this
show. We might also go to sleuths dinner show. I've been to
capones, medieval times, murder mystery at the grosvenor,
hoop de doo, chef mickey. they were good shows but in my
opinion fiascos is one of the funniest for kids and adults.
they have something for every age. It's located in Republic
square on carrier drive. I highly recommend this show for
families. I hope you suggest it to your readers."
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"Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel Showcases the
Finest in Asian Decor and Asian-Inspired Treatments With New
Mandara Spa
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel has something
new and exciting in store for its guests. Amidst a newly
designed 'modern luxury' guest room that exudes comfort and
relaxation and a complementing new corridor design, the
hotel has opened a new Mandara Spa. (Click for Photo)
Located in the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, this 12,000
sq. ft ancient Asian-inspired retreat showcases an
impressive look and feel of its own. A highlight of the
spa's services is Mandara's signature Balinese massage, an
eclectic variation of the traditional Swedish massage
developed in Bali, which incorporates stretching, vigorous
yet relaxing movements and elements of shiatsu. All of the
spa's offerings reflect the beauty, spirit and traditions of
ancient times, along with the soul and ritual of Asian
culture.
The spa includes 13 treatment rooms, including two couples
suites; a steam room in designated male and female locker
areas; a tea garden and meditation garden, featuring
lakefront views and balconies, and a sophisticated nail and
hair salon. The spa uses notable body products, Elemis and
La Therapie, both highly regarded worldwide.
As a tribute to the intricate art and architecture of
ancient Bali, the decor has been specially crafted to
reflect contemporary Balinese handiwork. The tea garden is a
hand-carved replica of a traditional Balinese bale, a
thatched-roof open pavilion used for relaxation. The
interior wall of this structure is flanked by contiguous
seating, providing a restful relaxation area for guests to
occupy in between services.
The meditation garden is customized to provide the most
serene atmosphere, featuring a 25-ft Meru sculpture
centerpiece (similar to a pagoda), surrounded by stone
lanterns and thematic rock gardens. Guests can indulge in a
selection of teas, mini facials and other 'mini' services
while relaxing in this area. The entire facility is
designed in the truest Balinese style, including the trim
work throughout the spa, which was hand-carved in Bali.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel is already
noted for its unique architectural and thematic design. This
colossal work of art, situated on 87 acres of lush lakefront
property in the heart of the Walt Disney World (R) Resort,
is a surprising icon noted for its 60,000-pound swans and
mythical dolphins perched atop the peach and teal hotel,
which can be seen throughout the Walt Disney World area. The
addition of the Mandara Spa is another symbol of
architectural achievement at the hotel and an attractive new
facility for guests to enjoy.
According to Erik Berger, general manager, 'The spa adds
another dimension to the magical experience we provide.' The
hotel can be reached at 800-227-1500 or
http://www.swandolphin.com)."
(Source: The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel. Distributed by
PRNewswire, 10/12/05)
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MONEY SAVING TIP
Samba Room)
7468 Sand Lake Road
Orlando, FL 32819
Phone: 407/226-0550
Fax: 407/226-7226
Features award-winning Latin fusion cuisine. "Palm trees,
sheer curtains, amber lighting, cool cocktails and
intoxicating Latin rhythms provide a recipe for escape."
Save 50% on select Liquors, Wines and Mojitos 4 PM to 7 PM
daily with this (Source: coupon
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Don't Leave Home Without It!
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.
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Affordable Disney Books
Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price.
Hundreds of books under $1.00! Plus! Over 700 videos have
been marked down to $1.99!
Exclusively for Affordable Disney Readers!
Save $5.00 on an order of $35 or more!
Coupon code: bookcloseouts
Coupon password: bargainbooks
Expires: December 31, 2005
To check out the bargains, click here.
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Got Coupons?
With the Orlando Entertainment Book, you can save big on
travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets, and more!
Receive a FREE $5.00 gift card from Target when you order
the 2006 version. Coupons in the 2006 book are valid through
11/01/06. Save at hotels and restaurants near Walt Disney
World, on car rental, airfare, admission to Universal
Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa!
For details, click here.
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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.
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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!!!"
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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.
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Affordable Luggage
Save up to 60% on Luggage, Backpacks, and more! Click here.
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Own a piece of the Magic Kingdom
Disney framed stock certificates are works of art. They
feature Walt Disney and the Disney characters. Unlike stock
brokers that require you to purchase several shares of
stock, OneShare sells one share of stock and mails you the
certificate. You can frame the stock certificate yourself or
OneShare will frame if for you at a nominal cost. Click here.
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See You Real Soon!
John
AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
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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.
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