Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation
THE DISNEY NEWS
December 7, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon:
Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
http://affordabledisney.blogspot.com/atom.xml
: My Yahoo! users can instantly add our blog
content to My Yahoo! Add My Yahoo!
: You can also subscribe to our blog at MSN!
Add to My MSN!
=================================================
Hi Everyone!
In this blog...
* Deals and specials - including a 50% discount at WDW
Speedway
* The latest news from around the "World" - including a Food
Network Special celebrating Holidays at WDW
* Beth, our travel agent, concludes last week's trip report
* Holiday Celebrations Aboard the Disney Cruise Line
=================================================
Christmas Holiday Gift Special!
We're including with every new Lifetime Membership a Disney
Online Gift Card in the amount of $25.00! Use your Gift Card
at the Disney store online and give the gift of Disney to a
child, grandchild, spouse, friend - even yourself! Hurry!
This is a limited time offer. On the order form enter promo
code: "gift card" Click here to join our Disney family.
Imagine coming back for the 2007, 2008, 2009 - all future
versions at no extra charge!
Merry Christmas from John and Donna at AffordableDisney.com!
=================================================
We continuously update our information and you can find
these current specials in our Addenda:
WALT DISNEY WORLD:
Walt Disney World Vacation Packages for 2006 are now
available! We have Disney Vacation Packages for Canadians,
too! You must book NOW if you plan to visit WDW this winter!
--------------------------------
Celebrate the holidays at this luxury hotel located on
Disney property from $139 per night! We have the discount
code!
--------------------------------
Ten Walt Disney World Sweepstakes!
--------------------------------
Save 50% at Richard Petty Driving Experience Ride-Along at
the Walt Disney World Speedway with this promotion code.
--------------------------------
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA
Kids Fly Free!
Adult tickets for the child price!
Free kids tickets!
--------------------------------
Save $20.00 on 2-Day Disneyland Park Hopper tickets for
family and friends! Purchase as many as 8 tickets per day.
Expires 12/15/05.
--------------------------------
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.
=================================================
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"
WALT DISNEY WORLD
"The Walt Disney Co. has agreed to settle a wrongful-death
lawsuit brought by the family of a 22-year-old man killed on
a roller coaster at Disneyland in California. Disney said
Friday it accepts responsibility for incorrectly performing
maintenance on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride. An
axle assembly came loose on the ride on Sept. 5, 2003,
causing a passenger car to jackknife. Marcelo Torres died of
injuries from the accident."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/03/05)
--------------------------------
"Food Network Special: Holidays at Walt Disney World Resort
Come along as superstar Raven enjoys the holidays at Walt
Disney World. From Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party to
the most amazing holiday cake creations, celebrate the
season at one of America’s most enchanted destinations."
Click here for the schedule.
--------------------------------
Disney's Magical Express
"A coalition of tourism officials and luxury-car and shuttle
drivers appeared Wednesday to have successfully fought back
an effort by Orlando International Airport to ban them from
greeting their clients near baggage claim...
Still, there were indications that more changes could be on
the way for Disney's Magical Express, a seven-month-old free
shuttle between the airport and the Walt Disney World
Resort. The service sparked protests this year because it
caused a downturn in business for taxi and other drivers."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/01/05)
--------------------------------
"Walt Disney Co., the No. 2 U.S. media company, expanded its
online game business by starting a Web site with titles
tailored for adults. The site, disneysgamecafe.com, features
20 downloadable games intended to appeal to adults aged 25
to 45, the company said Wednesday. (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/01/05)
=================================================
Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar.
=================================================
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA
"Yamaha Corporation of America, the world's largest
manufacturer of musical instruments, has announced a new
phase in its long-standing relationship with The Walt Disney
Company that makes it the official supplier of musical
instruments to the Disneyland Resort.®
Under the terms of the renewable five-year agreement, Yamaha
will provide a full complement of musical instruments for
use in entertainment productions and rehearsal halls at the
Disneyland Resort." (Source: Disneyland Press Release,
12/01/05)
--------------------------------
Disneyland Resort Calendar
=================================================
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.
=================================================
Holiday Celebrations Aboard the Disney Cruise Line
"A magical tree lighting ceremony with Disney characters,
festive holiday décor, carolers, gingerbread house building
and even 'snow' that magically falls, await all those who
board a Disney Cruise during the month of December.
Just in time for the holiday season, both Disney ships
- Disney Magic and Disney Wonder - are decked with boughs of
holly and filled with holiday themed entertainment and
activities for the entire family.
It all starts at Disney’s private cruise terminal at Port
Canaveral, Fla., where holiday decorations and Disney
characters dressed in their season’s best await all who
board a Magical Holidays sailing. Onboard, guests find
highlights including:
* A nearly three-deck-tall tree-lighting ceremony in the
atrium lobby, where 'snow' magically falls
* A Christmas Day visit from Santa Goofy, with surprises for
all the kids
* International holiday caroling by crew members from around
the globe
* Special family time, when families join together to design
and decorate their own gingerbread houses
* A reading of T’was the Night Before Christmas by Mrs.
Claus
* Traditional holiday feasts in Disney’s three themed dining
rooms
* Multiple faith and inter-denominational holiday services
A ship-wide party to ring in 2006 and a New Year’s Day
tailgate party
The last stop for all Disney Cruises is the line’s private
island - Castaway Cay - where guests are treated to a
'Magical Wonderland,' a themed décor package that has
transformed the sandy Bahamian island into a 'snowy' holiday
hideaway.
In addition to 'snow' flurries, guests enjoy seeing
Christmas trees, Mr. and Mrs. Snowman (with shell noses and
tropical shirts), carolers and a sleigh full of presents in
the middle of the Bahamas. Even the island's tram that
transports guests across the 1,000-acre island has been
decorated to resemble a reindeer, complete with antlers and
tail.
At the beach, families learn the art of sand sculpting,
while kids try their hand at holiday themed children’s
activities including making candy cane reindeers, paper
plate angels and snowflake-mobiles.
Whether aboard or ashore, Disney Cruise Line guests will
find the first class cruise experience that Disney is known
for - now with a touch of the holidays - for every member of
the family." (Source: Disney Cruise Lines, 12/01/05)
To book a holiday cruise starting at $429, Affordable Disney
Members should contact Beth, our travel agent.
=================================================
Beth, our travel agent, concludes her trip report:
"I didn't really know what to expect from 'Ohana, but the
food was outstanding. Shortly after being seated (next to a
window with a great lake and castle view) we were given a
big bowl of fried wonton chips and three dipping sauces. I
wasn't crazy about the red and green ones, but the peanut
sauce is pure heaven. Then a big bowl of salad came. The
lime dressing was great, but not adequately coating the
lettuce so you really have to toss the salad a bit before
serving. Then came a bowl of peel-n-eat shrimp and a bowl of
chicken wings. The shrimp were called "spicy-sweet and
sour," but it's not what you'd expect. These big babies were
just plain yummy. The wings were coated with sort of a thick
barbecue sauce. Very good! Fortunately, this course is
followed with warm, moist hand towels and lemons for
cleaning up.
Our scalloped potatoes and stir-fried veggies came next. The
veggies were good and the potatoes were exceptional. Next
came the meats: steak, turkey, pork loin, and pork sausage.
They are served from long skewers, and each was very good -
especially when dipped in the peanut sauce! Finally, just
when we thought we couldn't eat another bite, the dessert
came - a big bowl of bread pudding with a hunk of vanilla
ice cream and bananas foster sauce in a pitcher on the side.
Truly heaven. If you're not a banana lover, don't worry; you
can't taste the bananas at all (and they're only in the
sauce so maybe they can leave them out for you).
All in all, simply fabulous food! My only two gripes would
be that the service is a little lacking, and then there's a
lady who pops in twice to "entertain." If she'd just sing
and play her ukulele that would be fine, but she gets the
kids up out of their seats both times to dance and play. I'm
trying to keep mine calm and get her to eat, so a lady
trying to get her out of her chair to play is the last thing
I need! In any case, I'd go back again in a heartbeat.
After 'Ohana we rode the monorail over to the Magic Kingdom
to check out the refurbished It's a Small World attraction.
You know the park is crowded when there's a long line for
that! The line moved quickly, though, and we were boarding
our boat 15 minutes or so later. The attraction looks
significantly nicer than it did before. Everything works
now, the colors and costumes are all bright and sparkling...
even the ceiling and the carpeting look better! It's not my
favorite ride, but it's sure better than it was from a
visual perspective. Unfortunately, you can no longer
understand the words to the song - in any language! Good
thing we all know the words already!
Next, I finally gave in and allowed my daughter to try
Stitch's Great Escape. I sat on a wall outside and talked
with a woman from New Jersey while our respective travel
parties checked out this one without us. Happily, my
daughter deemed it "not scary at all." Sadly, she wants to
do it the next time we go. I've deemed it the dumbest
attraction at WDW - although now I realize that Pocahontas
and Her Forest Friends might tie for that honor. Anyway, we
did a few more things before skipping the parade and Wishes
and heading back to the hotel for some ice cream before
bedtime.
This was a very short trip, and Sunday morning it was
already time to go. We thought we'd do something REALLY
different, though, and ride over to the Celebration Hotel
for breakfast. (For those not familiar, the town of
Celebration was created by Disney and is right across from
WDW.) The hotel's Plantation Room is a 4-diamond restaurant
so we were expecting big things, but were very disappointed.
The brunch wasn't starting for another 45 minutes, so we did
the regular breakfast. You get a choice of Continental
($9.95) or full American ($13.95) with no discount for
children. The Continental offering is a small buffet area
with cold cereal, pastries and muffins, yogurt, fruit and
cheeses. Coffee and juice are included. The fruit was good,
but the pastries were all either dried out or just plan
stale. We ate a lot of little muffins. In all fairness,
there was a chef preparing omelets, Belgian waffles,
pancakes and French toast to order for takers of the
American Breakfast.
What we saw looked and smelled very good, but the chef
prepared the requested items and disappeared for long
periods of time. What's more, I got the impression that this
was an "either/or" thing, not a little of each, and not
unlimited. The service was horrid. We had to flag down our
server for every beverage refill, and even for our check
(although by then we were the only ones there so it should
have been easy to see that we were finished and waiting). In
short, we could have had better food and better service for
a fraction of the price if we'd have gone to Perkins - or
even McDonalds.
Perhaps I wasn't in the best frame of mind to see a room,
but I asked anyway. The receptionist was clearly not pleased
that she had to get up from her desk, but given that there
was no one else around she wasn't exactly busy. She led us
to a standard room around the corner. There are many
different room configurations here, and I'm hoping (for the
sake of people that pay a lot to stay here) that the room we
were shown is one of the smallest. Size aside, it was fine -
but for over $200 a night I expected more. I don't know what
exactly, but more.
In summary, the town is quaint with lots of little shops and
plenty of restaurants within walking distance of the hotel,
so if you want a romantic getaway for two it would work -
but if you have the kids along, choose a Disney deluxe
resort instead. It's going to be awhile before I give this
hotel - and it's restaurant - another chance.
I'll be going back to WDW in a few weeks. That's all for
now!"
=================================================
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.
--------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------
Got Coupons?
With the Orlando Entertainment Book, you can save big on
travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets, and more!
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.
--------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------
Affordable Luggage
Save up to 60% on Luggage, Backpacks, and more! Donna and I
bought a beautiful 5-piece set of Samsonite luggage for our
daughter for Christmas for $144!
December 5-10: 10% OFF Plus Free Shipping!
December 11: 20% OFF Site-Wide
December 15-20: Free Second Day Air Upgrade
All other December Days not listed will offer Free Shipping.
Click here.
--------------------------------
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.
=============================================
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.
=============================================
December 7, 2005
Copyright © 1999 - 2005 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
To subscribe to Affordable Disney's blog, click the following
icon:
Or copy and paste the following URL into your RSS Reader:
http://affordabledisney.blogspot.com/atom.xml
: My Yahoo! users can instantly add our blogcontent to My Yahoo! Add My Yahoo!
: You can also subscribe to our blog at MSN! Add to My MSN!
=================================================
Hi Everyone!
In this blog...
* Deals and specials - including a 50% discount at WDW
Speedway
* The latest news from around the "World" - including a Food
Network Special celebrating Holidays at WDW
* Beth, our travel agent, concludes last week's trip report
* Holiday Celebrations Aboard the Disney Cruise Line
=================================================
Christmas Holiday Gift Special!
We're including with every new Lifetime Membership a Disney
Online Gift Card in the amount of $25.00! Use your Gift Card
at the Disney store online and give the gift of Disney to a
child, grandchild, spouse, friend - even yourself! Hurry!
This is a limited time offer. On the order form enter promo
code: "gift card" Click here to join our Disney family.
Imagine coming back for the 2007, 2008, 2009 - all future
versions at no extra charge!
Merry Christmas from John and Donna at AffordableDisney.com!
=================================================
We continuously update our information and you can find
these current specials in our Addenda:
WALT DISNEY WORLD:
Walt Disney World Vacation Packages for 2006 are now
available! We have Disney Vacation Packages for Canadians,
too! You must book NOW if you plan to visit WDW this winter!
--------------------------------
Celebrate the holidays at this luxury hotel located on
Disney property from $139 per night! We have the discount
code!
--------------------------------
Ten Walt Disney World Sweepstakes!
--------------------------------
Save 50% at Richard Petty Driving Experience Ride-Along at
the Walt Disney World Speedway with this promotion code.
--------------------------------
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA
Kids Fly Free!
Adult tickets for the child price!
Free kids tickets!
--------------------------------
Save $20.00 on 2-Day Disneyland Park Hopper tickets for
family and friends! Purchase as many as 8 tickets per day.
Expires 12/15/05.
--------------------------------
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.
=================================================
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"
WALT DISNEY WORLD
"The Walt Disney Co. has agreed to settle a wrongful-death
lawsuit brought by the family of a 22-year-old man killed on
a roller coaster at Disneyland in California. Disney said
Friday it accepts responsibility for incorrectly performing
maintenance on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride. An
axle assembly came loose on the ride on Sept. 5, 2003,
causing a passenger car to jackknife. Marcelo Torres died of
injuries from the accident."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/03/05)
--------------------------------
"Food Network Special: Holidays at Walt Disney World Resort
Come along as superstar Raven enjoys the holidays at Walt
Disney World. From Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party to
the most amazing holiday cake creations, celebrate the
season at one of America’s most enchanted destinations."
Click here for the schedule.
--------------------------------
Disney's Magical Express
"A coalition of tourism officials and luxury-car and shuttle
drivers appeared Wednesday to have successfully fought back
an effort by Orlando International Airport to ban them from
greeting their clients near baggage claim...
Still, there were indications that more changes could be on
the way for Disney's Magical Express, a seven-month-old free
shuttle between the airport and the Walt Disney World
Resort. The service sparked protests this year because it
caused a downturn in business for taxi and other drivers."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/01/05)
--------------------------------
"Walt Disney Co., the No. 2 U.S. media company, expanded its
online game business by starting a Web site with titles
tailored for adults. The site, disneysgamecafe.com, features
20 downloadable games intended to appeal to adults aged 25
to 45, the company said Wednesday. (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/01/05)
=================================================
Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar.
=================================================
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA
"Yamaha Corporation of America, the world's largest
manufacturer of musical instruments, has announced a new
phase in its long-standing relationship with The Walt Disney
Company that makes it the official supplier of musical
instruments to the Disneyland Resort.®
Under the terms of the renewable five-year agreement, Yamaha
will provide a full complement of musical instruments for
use in entertainment productions and rehearsal halls at the
Disneyland Resort." (Source: Disneyland Press Release,
12/01/05)
--------------------------------
Disneyland Resort Calendar
=================================================
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.
=================================================
Holiday Celebrations Aboard the Disney Cruise Line
"A magical tree lighting ceremony with Disney characters,
festive holiday décor, carolers, gingerbread house building
and even 'snow' that magically falls, await all those who
board a Disney Cruise during the month of December.
Just in time for the holiday season, both Disney ships
- Disney Magic and Disney Wonder - are decked with boughs of
holly and filled with holiday themed entertainment and
activities for the entire family.
It all starts at Disney’s private cruise terminal at Port
Canaveral, Fla., where holiday decorations and Disney
characters dressed in their season’s best await all who
board a Magical Holidays sailing. Onboard, guests find
highlights including:
* A nearly three-deck-tall tree-lighting ceremony in the
atrium lobby, where 'snow' magically falls
* A Christmas Day visit from Santa Goofy, with surprises for
all the kids
* International holiday caroling by crew members from around
the globe
* Special family time, when families join together to design
and decorate their own gingerbread houses
* A reading of T’was the Night Before Christmas by Mrs.
Claus
* Traditional holiday feasts in Disney’s three themed dining
rooms
* Multiple faith and inter-denominational holiday services
A ship-wide party to ring in 2006 and a New Year’s Day
tailgate party
The last stop for all Disney Cruises is the line’s private
island - Castaway Cay - where guests are treated to a
'Magical Wonderland,' a themed décor package that has
transformed the sandy Bahamian island into a 'snowy' holiday
hideaway.
In addition to 'snow' flurries, guests enjoy seeing
Christmas trees, Mr. and Mrs. Snowman (with shell noses and
tropical shirts), carolers and a sleigh full of presents in
the middle of the Bahamas. Even the island's tram that
transports guests across the 1,000-acre island has been
decorated to resemble a reindeer, complete with antlers and
tail.
At the beach, families learn the art of sand sculpting,
while kids try their hand at holiday themed children’s
activities including making candy cane reindeers, paper
plate angels and snowflake-mobiles.
Whether aboard or ashore, Disney Cruise Line guests will
find the first class cruise experience that Disney is known
for - now with a touch of the holidays - for every member of
the family." (Source: Disney Cruise Lines, 12/01/05)
To book a holiday cruise starting at $429, Affordable Disney
Members should contact Beth, our travel agent.
=================================================
Beth, our travel agent, concludes her trip report:
"I didn't really know what to expect from 'Ohana, but the
food was outstanding. Shortly after being seated (next to a
window with a great lake and castle view) we were given a
big bowl of fried wonton chips and three dipping sauces. I
wasn't crazy about the red and green ones, but the peanut
sauce is pure heaven. Then a big bowl of salad came. The
lime dressing was great, but not adequately coating the
lettuce so you really have to toss the salad a bit before
serving. Then came a bowl of peel-n-eat shrimp and a bowl of
chicken wings. The shrimp were called "spicy-sweet and
sour," but it's not what you'd expect. These big babies were
just plain yummy. The wings were coated with sort of a thick
barbecue sauce. Very good! Fortunately, this course is
followed with warm, moist hand towels and lemons for
cleaning up.
Our scalloped potatoes and stir-fried veggies came next. The
veggies were good and the potatoes were exceptional. Next
came the meats: steak, turkey, pork loin, and pork sausage.
They are served from long skewers, and each was very good -
especially when dipped in the peanut sauce! Finally, just
when we thought we couldn't eat another bite, the dessert
came - a big bowl of bread pudding with a hunk of vanilla
ice cream and bananas foster sauce in a pitcher on the side.
Truly heaven. If you're not a banana lover, don't worry; you
can't taste the bananas at all (and they're only in the
sauce so maybe they can leave them out for you).
All in all, simply fabulous food! My only two gripes would
be that the service is a little lacking, and then there's a
lady who pops in twice to "entertain." If she'd just sing
and play her ukulele that would be fine, but she gets the
kids up out of their seats both times to dance and play. I'm
trying to keep mine calm and get her to eat, so a lady
trying to get her out of her chair to play is the last thing
I need! In any case, I'd go back again in a heartbeat.
After 'Ohana we rode the monorail over to the Magic Kingdom
to check out the refurbished It's a Small World attraction.
You know the park is crowded when there's a long line for
that! The line moved quickly, though, and we were boarding
our boat 15 minutes or so later. The attraction looks
significantly nicer than it did before. Everything works
now, the colors and costumes are all bright and sparkling...
even the ceiling and the carpeting look better! It's not my
favorite ride, but it's sure better than it was from a
visual perspective. Unfortunately, you can no longer
understand the words to the song - in any language! Good
thing we all know the words already!
Next, I finally gave in and allowed my daughter to try
Stitch's Great Escape. I sat on a wall outside and talked
with a woman from New Jersey while our respective travel
parties checked out this one without us. Happily, my
daughter deemed it "not scary at all." Sadly, she wants to
do it the next time we go. I've deemed it the dumbest
attraction at WDW - although now I realize that Pocahontas
and Her Forest Friends might tie for that honor. Anyway, we
did a few more things before skipping the parade and Wishes
and heading back to the hotel for some ice cream before
bedtime.
This was a very short trip, and Sunday morning it was
already time to go. We thought we'd do something REALLY
different, though, and ride over to the Celebration Hotel
for breakfast. (For those not familiar, the town of
Celebration was created by Disney and is right across from
WDW.) The hotel's Plantation Room is a 4-diamond restaurant
so we were expecting big things, but were very disappointed.
The brunch wasn't starting for another 45 minutes, so we did
the regular breakfast. You get a choice of Continental
($9.95) or full American ($13.95) with no discount for
children. The Continental offering is a small buffet area
with cold cereal, pastries and muffins, yogurt, fruit and
cheeses. Coffee and juice are included. The fruit was good,
but the pastries were all either dried out or just plan
stale. We ate a lot of little muffins. In all fairness,
there was a chef preparing omelets, Belgian waffles,
pancakes and French toast to order for takers of the
American Breakfast.
What we saw looked and smelled very good, but the chef
prepared the requested items and disappeared for long
periods of time. What's more, I got the impression that this
was an "either/or" thing, not a little of each, and not
unlimited. The service was horrid. We had to flag down our
server for every beverage refill, and even for our check
(although by then we were the only ones there so it should
have been easy to see that we were finished and waiting). In
short, we could have had better food and better service for
a fraction of the price if we'd have gone to Perkins - or
even McDonalds.
Perhaps I wasn't in the best frame of mind to see a room,
but I asked anyway. The receptionist was clearly not pleased
that she had to get up from her desk, but given that there
was no one else around she wasn't exactly busy. She led us
to a standard room around the corner. There are many
different room configurations here, and I'm hoping (for the
sake of people that pay a lot to stay here) that the room we
were shown is one of the smallest. Size aside, it was fine -
but for over $200 a night I expected more. I don't know what
exactly, but more.
In summary, the town is quaint with lots of little shops and
plenty of restaurants within walking distance of the hotel,
so if you want a romantic getaway for two it would work -
but if you have the kids along, choose a Disney deluxe
resort instead. It's going to be awhile before I give this
hotel - and it's restaurant - another chance.
I'll be going back to WDW in a few weeks. That's all for
now!"
=================================================
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.
--------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------
Got Coupons?
With the Orlando Entertainment Book, you can save big on
travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets, and more!
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! Donna and I
bought a beautiful 5-piece set of Samsonite luggage for our
daughter for Christmas for $144!
December 5-10: 10% OFF Plus Free Shipping!
December 11: 20% OFF Site-Wide
December 15-20: Free Second Day Air Upgrade
All other December Days not listed will offer Free Shipping.
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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posted by AffordableDisney.Com at 7:49 AM
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