Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 22, 2006
Copyright © 1999 - 2006 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
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=================================================
Hi Everyone!

In this blog...

* Deals and specials - including three new deals at Disney
resorts
* The latest news from around the "World" - including a
smoking ban on Disney property
* Karen writes about her recent stay at the French Quarter
* Cherry writes about the Disney Dining Experience card
* Beth, our travel agent, sends us a note about the 2007
Disney Magic cruises
=================================================
We continuously update our information and you can find
these current specials in our Addenda:

WALT DISNEY WORLD

Disney Vacation Package Special for Spring! These members
receive a FREE ticket upgrade worth almost $400.00 to a
family of four! Special starts April 23. Book by 03/30/06!

--------------------------------

Summer Disney Deal! Stay at these luxury hotels on Disney
property from $129 per night and receive a FREE upgrade to a
one-category room! Hurry! You must book by 02/28/06!

--------------------------------

This group saves $25 at the Value resorts; $40 at Moderate
the resorts; and $100 at the Deluxe resorts. Reserve by
06/03/06 for stays late April - early June.

--------------------------------

Three new sweepstakes to win a vacation at Disney World!

--------------------------------

Dinner Show Discounts! Beth, our travel agent, writes: "The
wholesale company that I've been using for years to get
steals on great Orlando-area hotels (and elsewhere) now
offers discount tickets for dinner shows. Affordable Disney
members can drop me a note and I'll tell you what they
have."

--------------------------------

VEGAS

Enjoy Deluxe accommodations at this beautiful luxury Resort
& Casino now through March 1, 2006 starting at $159/Night!

--------------------------------

CRUISES

Italian Cruise Line Spring Special: Caribbean cruises from
$399 plus free upgrades - up to 3 categories - in March and
April, 2006! Valid for US residents only.

--------------------------------

If you are not a member, you can join our Disney family here.
Members can use the following URLs to log in:

Lifetime Deluxe Member
Lifetime Basic Member
Deluxe Member
Basic Member
=================================================
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"

WALT DISNEY WORLD

"The Walt Disney Company, an icon of mainstream America,
will move against the grain of conventional business
strategy this spring when it stops distributing a catalog
that has filled the mailboxes of tens of millions of
households for the last decade, and instead embarks on a
Web-only initiative." (Source: NY Times, 02/20/06)
--------------------------------
Mardi Gras at Universal Studios
Saturdays through April 22, 2006

LL Cool J - February 25
Bonnie Raitt - March 4
George Thorogood & the Destroyers - March 11
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes - March 11
Earth, Wind & Fire - March 18
Gavin DeGraw - April 1
Heart - April 8
Kool & the Gang - April 15
KC & the Sunshine Band - April 22
--------------------------------
"For the first time ever, a Disney World property is going
100 percent smoke-free. Guests can't smoke in the Swan Hotel
anymore, either in rooms or public areas."
(Source: Wesh.com, 02/17/06)
--------------------------------
"After Katrina, Universal officials decided their Mardi Gras
needed greater purpose, and more authentic flavor, so they
sought out displaced and struggling New Orleans musical
acts... Universal already features authentic floats, built
by the same family company that builds the floats in New
Orleans, and claims a close association with the city."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/17/06)
--------------------------------
"The family of the composer of The Lion Sleeps Tonight have
dropped a case against Disney after accepting an undisclosed
settlement... The settlement involves back payment of
royalties to the family and the right to participate in
future payments on a worldwide basis."
(Source: BBC NEWS, 02/16/06)
--------------------------------
Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar.
=================================================
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA

Six Flags to appeal more to families...

"We're ramping up our Main Street USA strategy; it's going
to be more about "streetmosphere." We're going to add a
parade every day, and from June to August we're going to do
a super-parade every night, complete with a fireworks show.

We're tripling the number of characters you see in the park.
We're introducing the Justice League for the first time, so
Superman, Batman, Robin, Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman,
they're all going to be visible.

We're adding character breakfasts and lunches and we're
doing afternoon story readings for the kids. We're
introducing the Chinese acrobats this year, which is clearly
aimed at attracting more families." (Source: LA Times, 02/21/06)
--------------------------------
"The Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier Hotel in Anaheim,
Calif., will ban smoking in guest rooms March 1, joining the
Grand Californian, which opened smoke-free in 2001.
Disneyland already is phasing out the smoking rooms and
deep-cleaning them. There will be designated smoking areas
outside... Walt Disney World, at this time, has no plans to
implement a no-smoking policy for their hotels."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/20/06)
--------------------------------
"Disneyland on Wednesday welcomed two additions to the
Disneyland Railroad - the new "Ward Kimball" (Disney
animator) steam engine and the returning "Lilly Belle" (Walt
Disney's wife) VIP parlor car." (Source: ocregister.com, 02/16/06)
--------------------------------
Disneyland Resort Calendar
=================================================
DISNEYLAND HONG KNOG

"Disney is being sued by a Singaporean woman who claims her
dying mother was made to wait nearly three hours for an
ambulance at the Hong Kong theme park, a news report said
Monday." (Source: monstersandcritics.com, 02/20/06)
--------------------------------
"Some angry Shenzhen tourists who aren't satisfied with Hong
Kong Disneyland's offer of compensation are now seeking
legal means to force the park to make amends for shutting
out throngs of tourists during the Spring Festival.
(Source: xinhuanet.com, 02/21/06)
=================================================
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.
=================================================
Karen writes:

"Hi John -

We just returned from our Disney World vacation (Feb. 2-13)
and had a wonderful time, as usual (this was our 21st trip -
our first trip was in 1978 when my daughter was 2 yrs.
old!). We stayed at The French Quarter, which we love. It is
a perfect place for adults. Very quiet and small.

The only glitch was the bus to Animal Kingdom. We went twice
and it took 40 minutes each time. This seems to be the norm
because my daughter also went on a different day and had the
same long ride. The commute is pick up at the FQ, proceed to
four stops at Riverside, stop at Blizzard beach and Animal
Kingdom destination. I hope this report will reach someone
at Disney so they can address this. We definitely would have
gone to AK one more day if the ride wasn't so long.

Thank you for your awesome site. I have received so many
great tips. The November Affordable Disney special through
Beth was the reason we found FQ to begin with. Thanks
again."

We've also waited quite a while for the bus to AK. Thanks
again for your generous comments.
=================================================
Cherry writes:

"Hi John,

I have a comment about the Disney Dining Plan.

When we use our Disney Vacation Club points for our room, we
don't qualify for a package that includes the Disney Dining
Plan. So, the best way for us to save on dining costs in the
Disney restaurants is the Disney Dining Experience card.
(See our book for details.)

During an October Disney trip, four of us were at Captain
Jacks in Downtown Disney having dinner. The food was very
mediocre but we wanted to order desserts to go. The waitress
told us the manager has adopted a policy of not allowing
'desserts to go' because many people on the Dining Plans
want to take their desserts back to the room. We had already
established we were not on a dining plan and this practice
seemed ludicrous so we complained. We were finally able to
buy our desserts 'to go.' However, we thought the policy
even for Dining Plan guests was unfair.

If you have paid for a plan that entitles you to dessert,
why should the management care if you eat it there or in
your room.....? We never got an answer to this question. Is
this typical?"

Beth, our travel agent, writes:

"First, advise Cherry that rumor has it she will soon be
able to start getting the dining plan when using her DVC
points to book space.

As for taking desserts with you, it is my understanding that
each restaurant operates pretty much as its own business -
just like the hotels do. The managers have some freedom to
be able to set their own rules, so what you can do in one
place you may not be able to do in another.

I've personally never heard about anyone being told they
couldn't get the desserts to go. In fact, every place I've
ever eaten has been very willing to accommodate my requests.
I can sort of understand why they'd say that for the dining
plan people (in that I'm sure they are banking on many
people not ordering all the food they are entitled to), but
when using the DDE card you're actually paying for each item
you order, so it makes little sense.

I would suggest that anyone that runs into that problem,
whether it's using the dining plan or the DDE card, go ahead
and order the desserts they want, take a bite, and then ask
for boxes to take the 'leftovers.' And I'd sure be writing a
comment card or sending an email to guest relations about
it, too!"
=================================================
Official DCL Statement: Beth writes: "My sales rep sends
this note: 'Per DCL, regarding the 2007 Disney Magic
cruises...

DCL has been collecting all waitlist requests for the 2007
itinerary and will process them in the order (date) they
were received.

These requests will be processed starting on 3/28 through
4/3 and we will open for regular sales on 4/4.

We will contact these guests at the time of processing their
request to inform them the waitlist has been cleared. Once
we confirm it with the guest, we will book the reservation
and send out confirmations for all reservations, as usual.'"
=================================================
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! 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! 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.
=============================================

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 16, 2006
Copyright © 1999 - 2006 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

: 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 how members of the press
can get free tickets to Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal
* The latest news from around the "World" - including the
return of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to Disney
* Andrea writes about the dining plan at WDW
* A newsletter subscriber writes about her visit to WDW in
December
=================================================
We continuously update our information and you can find
these current specials in our Addenda:

WALT DISNEY WORLD

Last minute Airfare Special: Travel to or from a nearby
airport and save money! Travel from BALTIMORE WASH, DC (BWI)
About 81 miles from Harrisburg INTL, PA (MDT) to TAMPA/ST
PETERSB, FL (TPA) About 93 miles from Orlando, FL (MCO):
$203 roundtrip! Estimated savings up to $96.00 per adult!
Estimated price $107.00+ per adult! Latest Travel: March 31,
2006.

--------------------------------

How members of the press can get FREE tickets to Disney
World, SeaWorld and Universal!

--------------------------------

Win a trip for four to the World's Fair for Kids 2006!
Win a trip to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex!
Win a trip for four to Walt Disney World!

--------------------------------

DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA

Receive a Disneyland Resort Gift Card for $150!

--------------------------------

These members can buy a 3-day adult park hopper bonus ticket
for $119!

--------------------------------

Information on Disneyland Annual Passholders Vacation
Packages.

--------------------------------

How to receive double Disney Dream Reward Dollars!

--------------------------------

A New Sweepstakes: Win a trip for 4 to Disneyland!

--------------------------------

DISNEY CRUISE LINE

Updated schedule of early booking savings on three-, four-,
and seven-night cruises!

--------------------------------

How to get a $50.00 Cruise credit!

--------------------------------

If you are not a member, you can join our Disney family here.
=================================================
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"

WALT DISNEY WORLD

Jaws Returns!

"Universal finished refurbishing the ride and put it back on
full-time operation this month, after all but shutting it
down last year. In September, park officials reduced Jaws'
operation to occasional after-hours events and holiday
crowds. Demand has brought it back, and visitors may cruise
the perilous waters of Amity at least through the end of the
summer, said Universal Orlando spokesman Tom Schroder."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/16/06)
--------------------------------
"A 70-year-old man was injured Tuesday evening when he was
pinned under [Peter Pan's Flight in Fantasyland] at Walt
Disney World's Magic Kingdom, authorities said."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/15/06)
--------------------------------
"Universal Orlando is getting rid of its Universal Express
service that allowed visitors to skip an occasional long
line -- and switching entirely to its Express Plus service,
in which people pay extra money for the privilege of cutting
lines all day... visitors pay extra -- a fee that ranges
from $15 to $50 depending on the season and package."
(Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/13/06)
--------------------------------
"It's not such a small world after all. As Disneyland
celebrates its 50th birthday, the park is grappling with a
harsh reality of middle age: Mickey Mouse's entourage has
put on a few pounds. To accommodate the ballooning bodies of
American workers, the Magic Kingdom is redesigning some of
its costumes for ride operators, shop clerks, waitresses and
other employees." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/09/06)
--------------------------------
"[Chief Executive Robert] Iger is trading "Monday Night
Football" sportscaster Al Michaels to NBC Universal... for
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit... The rabbit was a creation of
company founder Walt Disney's in 1927, and the source of 26
cartoons that he produced for Universal Studios. Disney
discovered, however, that Universal wanted ownership of
Oswald, so he set out to create a new character. That gave
birth to Mickey Mouse." (Source: MarketWatch, 02/09/06)
--------------------------------
Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar.
=================================================
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA

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.
=================================================
Andrea writes:

"We vacationed at WDW in September 2005. Thanks in part to
your web site, we took advantage of the "free" dining that
was offered at that time. Our family consists of 4, two
adults, a 13 year old & a 12 year old. We thought the dining
plan was terrific.

We were in WDW for 5 nights - 6 days. We stayed at
Wilderness Lodge (which was absolutely fantastic) and used 2
counter service meals for breakfast and split the meal and
used 2 counter service for lunch and again split the meal.

I had no problem what-so-ever in getting priority seating
for dinner anywhere. We ate at: Park Fare at the Grand
Floridian, Chef Mickey's, Hollywood & Vine, the Concourse
Steak House and the Crystal Palace. There was no problem
with service, especially at the Concourse and the bill was
way over $200.00 + the tip was included.

When we go again I will make sure we take the dining plan.
We thought it was great. We have been to Disney 7 times in 8
years and expect to return in 2006."
=================================================
A newsletter subscriber writes:

"Dear John,

Although we are not subscribers to your affordable disney, we
do receive your letters and enjoy them very much. I did
think that you might enjoy hearing about our recent trip
with our children and grandchildren to Disney World in
Orlando. There were 15 of us, 7 adults and 8 children
(2-13,1-9,1-7,2-5,1-3 and 1 almost 2). We left for Disney on
Dec.10th, 11 of us leaving from Illinois and four from
Minnesota.

We took advantage of the magical express transportation and
found it very good. We did have to wait for about a half an
hour for our turn to board the bus but found it efficient
and comfortable.

Upon arrival one group stayed at BoardWalk and the other at
Saratoga Springs. We were in two bedroom condos. We are time
share owners (not Disney) and had traded into Disney. Our
accommodations were wonderful. All of the workers are so
helpful and polite. Everyone and everything was exceptional.
Even the pools were very warm and the grandchildren had a
wonderful time in them.

Because we were there during what is considered low season
we hardly ever waited more then 15 minutes for a ride except
of course Soarin, which we got fastpasses for. We did wait
once without fastpass and it was only about 40 minutes.
Soarin is a wonderful experience and everyone really enjoyed
it. My husband and I were fortunate in that we had already
experienced Soarin last April before the official Grand
Opening so we knew it was well worth the wait.

We also purchased dining discount cards. As Annual pass
members we received them for 50% off. This was a huge
advantage for us. In it we received a extra 20% off our
meals up to 10 people. This card paid for itself over and
over. I took the girls to two Princess meals (one breakfast
and one lunch) and my husband took the boys to Mickey's
Breakfast and at that point the card was free and clear.

The Princess lunch in the castle is well worth the money.
The meal was wonderful and the restaurant is lovely. The
girls really enjoyed visiting with each of the Princesses
that were present. The Princess breakfast at Norway in Epcot
was enjoyable but the food was just ok, nothing to brag
about. The princesses in Magic Kingdom seem to spend more
time visiting then they did at Epcot.

My one Grand daughter is a huge Belle fan so we had to go to
the breakfast at Norway to get to have time with her. I had
made her a 'Belle" dress and she looked lovely with Belle.
When we visited the Beauty and the Beast we even got special
seating because she was in her "Belle" dress. It was
wonderful, she felt very special.

My husband and I did stop and listen to the symphony a
couple of nights at epcot also. It was truly a magical
experience well worth the time. We ate at Morocco (the men
loved the belly dancer), Japan, Mexico, and snacked at
several other countries. The food was all delicious and we
used our dining card at a couple of these countries too.

We also ate at Planet Hollywood and the kids loved it. Our
server was excellent and the food was very good. And once
again used our discount card.

One of our favorite places to eat is Bongo's in Downtown
Disney. This trip we did not eat there, but had in our
previous two visits this year.

Anyone who visits Disney World should take the time to
really visit each country in Epcot, their entertainment is
wonderful and it is very enjoyable. The children can make
something and go to each country to add a new piece to it
and a stamp showing they were there. If all countries are
visited and stamped something is given to them when they
complete it. My grandchildren loved this and raced from one
country to the next to see what was next. I think it is a
great idea to excite children into visiting each of the
countries.

We will probably not return to Disney World for a few years
now, but this year has been such a fun year for us. It had
always been my dream to take our children and grandchildren
all together for Christmas. This year we finally could
afford to take them. It was worth every penny (and dollar).
We now have memories to last ours and their lifetime.

My husband and I also saw La Nouba. What an experience. It
was so incredible. The acts are so good. It is well worth
the money. We were fortunate to get a discount because of
being Disney Card members and lucky to be in Disney at the
time it was offered. Our children had all left so it was
something for just the two of us to enjoy. And because we
stayed at Saratogo Springs we could walk to and from it with
ease.

Sorry for going on and on, but as you can hear I loved our
trip. Sincerely, one excited g'ma."

Looks like you made some wonderful memories for you and the
children! Thanks for sharing.
=================================================
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! 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! 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.
=============================================

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 08, 2006
Copyright © 1999 - 2006 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

: 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 program information for
Adventures by Disney
* The latest news from around the "World" - including the
closing of Pirates of the Caribbean
* Beth, our travel agent, continues her report on her recent
visit to Universal
* Joanne and Sara comment on Michael's dining experience at
the Crystal Palace in last week's issue
* Millie writes about Disney World's backstage tours
=================================================
We continuously update our information and you can find
these current specials in our Addenda:

WALT DISNEY WORLD

Beth, our travel agent, writes:

The new Adventures by Disney programs are now on sale.
Here's an overview...

* As previously mentioned, the trips are to Hawaii, Wyoming,
Costa Rica, Paris/London, Italy, and the Canadian Rockies.

* Trips vary in length from 6 to 8 nights, depending on
destination.

* Children are welcome, but must be at least 6 for the
Hawaiian itineraries and at least 8 for all others. There
are special activities planned as part of each trip for
children, so that they will enjoy any of the itineraries as
much as the adults will.

* There are two guides on each trip, and they will baby-sit
for you in the evening if you want a night out alone.

* The groups are all kept to a small, intimate group -
roughly 35-40 in most cases

* Prices are based on double occupancy and include all
ground transportation, airport transfers, and travel between
cities.

* Transportation is by motorcoach except in Italy and in
Paris/London where there are some Eurostar segments, and in
Hawaii where there is a short flight to the other island.

* The dates for most of these start in May and continue
through the summer. Many have adults-only departures in the
Fall, and several have an odd assortment of dates later in
the year as well. For instance, the Hawaiian trip that
includes Kauai has departures for the whole family on
November 22, December 17 and December 31. The other Hawaiian
itinerary has November 19 and January 7 (2007).

* Each itinerary includes LOTS of daily activities (no
charge) and a few optional ones that there may be fees for.
The included tours cover all the 'must see and do' things
for each area - but, of course, you're never required to do
anything you don't feel like doing. You're welcome to go off
and play on your own. (No refunds for the things you don't
participate in.)

* Hotels are all REALLY nice - 4 stars in most cases. Names
like JW Marriott, Hyatt, Fairmont, etc. In most cases, the
preferred views are included (ocean view, mountain view,
etc.) although there are a few exceptions.

* Many meals are included as well.

* Disney can book your air, or you can do it separately
(like, if you want to use frequent flyer miles). Airport
transfers are always included regardless of how you get your
air.

* These are very high-quality tours which provide you VIP
treatment across the board. As you might expect, that
doesn't come cheap. All pricing is based on two to a room.
Triples and quads are available in most places. Children are
charged the same as adults when they are the first or second
in a room, but there is a small price break ($300-$800) when
they are the 3rd or 4th person. There is also a per-person
break for adult triples and quads. For the most part, age 14
and down is considered a child.

SAMPLE PRICING:

HAWAII (either itinerary) - $3099 p/p double occupancy,
$2799 p/p triple occupancy, $2699 p/p quad occupancy. Break
for children as 3rd/4th person is $500 each. Max of three
adults and a child or two adults and three children.

AVAILABLE ITINERARIES:

* Escape to Paradise (Oahu and Kauai, Hawaii) - 6 nights/7
days
* Legends of the Islands (Oahu and the Big Island, Hawaii) -
6 nights / 7 days
* Quest for the West (Wyoming) - 7 nights / 8 days
* Magic of the Mountains (Canadian Rockies) - 7 nights / 8
days
* Costa Rica (not sure what it's officially called) - 7
nights / 8 days
* Land of Eternal Nights (London and Paris) - 7 nights / 8
days
* Viva Italian (Rome, Chianti and Venice, Italy) - 8 nights
/ 9 days

Want more information? Affordable Disney members should log
in for Beth's contact info. Beth will send a brochure when
they are available and provide specific pricing and details.

--------------------------------

Current Schedule for the Disney Dining Experience

--------------------------------

A new sweepstakes: Win a vacation for 4 to Orlando!

--------------------------------

If you are not a member, you can join our Disney family here.
=================================================
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"

WALT DISNEY WORLD

Sylvester McMonkey McBean's Very Unusual Driving Machines
Coming Summer 2006 to Universal's Islands of Adventure

"a children's monorail inspired by the Dr. Seuss rhyme that
klonks, bonks, jerks and berks, never worked in its nearly
seven years in the park. But that may be about to change.
The ride, perched 15 feet above ground in Seuss Landing, may
open later this year, though with a revised design and
possibly a new name." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/08/06)
--------------------------------
Click here for the official site for Disney's new roller coaster,
Expedition Everest!
--------------------------------
Here's the phone number for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
which opens in April in the Princess Room at the World of
Disney store in Downtown Disney. To arrange a royal makeover
for your little princess, call 407/WDW-STYLE (939-78953).
--------------------------------
"Pirates of the Caribbean, the classic Disney theme park
adventure brought to the big screen in Pirates of the
Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, is adding new
characters and features from the blockbuster entertainment
franchise and debuting when the next adventure begins in
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

Both the Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney
World Resort in Florida will close the attraction in March
to complete the updates in time for the opening of Pirates
of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest on July 7. The attraction
will re-open at Disneyland on June 24 and in Florida’s Magic
Kingdom on July 7.

The attraction will feature the addition of two of
Hollywood’s most infamous buccaneers, Captain Jack Sparrow
and his nemesis Barbossa. Joining the wildest crew that ever
sacked the Spanish Main, Captain Jack and Barbossa add an
exciting new twist to the attraction’s original storyline as
they race to be the first to claim a cache of plundered
treasure...

Woven into some of the attraction’s most memorable scenes,
the rival swashbucklers will be seen interacting with some
of the more familiar Audio-Animatronics buccaneers found
inside the ride-thru adventure. Also making a guest
appearance is the ghostly Davy Jones from the second movie
in the series, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.
But new characters are only the beginning. New special
effects will also be added to enhance the 'Pirates of the
Caribbean' theme park experience." (Source: Disney Press
Release, 02/02/06)

"Sparrow will make his first appearance at the ride's well
scene... The captain at the well is dunking the mayor,
asking him if he knows where Jack Sparrow is... In the
shadows, just outside of the scene, is going to be the
figure of Jack Sparrow... The Davy Jones character will be
'a brand new special effect and a brand new way of
presenting a character in the ride'" (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/03/06)
--------------------------------
Universal has posted at their site a comparison of a
vacation at Universal vs a vacation at WDW.
(Source: Universal Orlando, 02/01/06)
--------------------------------
Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar.
=================================================
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA

"Construction is underway on the newest attraction at the
Disneyland® Resort - Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
(scheduled to open in the spring of 2007)."
(Source: Promotional email from WDW Resort, 02/07/06)
--------------------------------
Disneyland Resort Calendar
--------------------------------
HONG KONG DISNEYLAND

"Over a hundred people who were denied entry to Hong Kong
Disneyland today because it was sold out as a result of the
Lunar New Year grew angry and raucous, with some trying to
force their way in, news reports said...

The visitors bought flexible tickets that are valid for six
months but do not guarantee entry on any day, said Betty
Law, a spokeswoman for Hong Kong Disneyland."
(Source: Associated Press, 02/02/06)

"In a sign that a deal may be imminent, Disney officials
have for the first time admitted it's negotiating to build a
theme park in Shanghai, shortly after disclosing that the
Lantau park contributed to the California-based
entertainment giant's stellar results in the quarter ended
December... While noting that no deal has yet been inked
between the two sides, a Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman
reiterated that another Chinese park would not open before
2010." (Source: The Standard, 02/08/06)
=================================================
TOKYO DISNEYLAND

"Oriental Land Co, Ltd. has announced that the new Disney
hotel scheduled to open in Tokyo Disney Resort in Japanese
fiscal year 2008 will be named 'Tokyo Disneyland Hotel.'

The new hotel will be built in front of Tokyo Disneyland
Park, with the Disney Resort Line’s Tokyo Disneyland Station
in between. The hotel will reflect the early 20th-century
Victorian architectural style found in the Park’s World
Bazaar themed land, the monorail station and the main
entrance area. While grand and elegant, the hotel will
generate a friendly, welcoming atmosphere for the Guests.

Stepping through the main entrance on the third floor,
Guests will find themselves in the most striking feature of
the hotel: the spacious, brightly lit atrium lobby with its
approximately 30-meter high ceiling. Descending to the first
floor, guests will be able to move outside into a pleasant,
spacious courtyard bordered by a restaurants and shops.
Beyond this courtyard the monorail station and the entrance
to Tokyo Disneyland will be waiting, promising fun things to
come.

Structure: 9 levels above ground
Floor Space: About 89,000 meters squared
Guestrooms: About 700
Other Facilities: Banquet rooms, restaurants, Disney shop,
etc." (Source: Disney Press Release, 02/07/06)
=================================================
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.
=================================================
Donna (Lifetime Affordable Disney Member) writes:

"Hi John,

I just returned from a wonderful five day trip to
DisneyWorld Jan. 29th - Feb. 3rd. My friend and I stayed at
Boardwalk and had a Boardwalk view which was great. The
weather was nice, it only rained part of Monday and the rest
of the week was sunny and mild.

The new ride SOARIN at EPCOT was so awesome, We really felt
like we were flying and could smell the evergreen trees and
orange groves. just how do they do that? Ha. There were
hardly any wait times for rides at the parks so most
fastpass machines were covered except for SOARIN. we used
the fastpass twice.

I wanted to say we used [your ticket agent] for our Disney
Passes and Cirque De Soleil La Neuba passes. We bought them
in Sept. '05. When we arrived at our resort we noticed the
Cirque passes expired 12/30/05. We we very upset because
they cost $75 each. I called and talked to [your agent's]
father who was wonderful. he told us that Disney expires
them every year and comes out with new prices. We knew the
hopper passes went up every year, but didn't know the other
pass would have an expiration date. He gave us new passes
and brought them to the Boardwalk and didn't charge me
anything! I have used [your ticket agent] three times and
will ALWAYS use them now.

We saved a lot of money by using suggestions from your book
about food and drinks, and your maps are so much easier to
follow. Thanks for all your advice. I enjoy looking over
your book even when my Disney trips are a year apart. Many
Thanks."

Thanks again, Donna, for your generous comments. We are very
proud of the service our ticket agent provides to our
members.

NOTE: In addition to his already low prices, our ticket
agent is currently running this special: Affordable Disney
members receive a 5th Day FREE when they purchase a Walt
Disney World Magic Your Way 4-Day Base or Hopper ticket with
14 day Expiration!
=================================================
Beth, our travel agent, continues her report on her recent
visit to Universal:

"Here's how the Universal Parks Meal Deal works...

When you walk into either park there is a place with a big
Meal Deal - Eat All Day sign where you can purchase
wristbands. You can also purchase the plan at any of the
places that participates in the program. It's about $20 with
tax for adults, and $10 with tax for kids. It's a few
dollars more if you want to be able to eat in BOTH parks.
There is no multiday version; you have to do this each day,
and the wristbands are color-coded (so you can't wear
today's wristband tomorrow and get free food).

There are three counter service places at each park that
honor the wristbands. Each time you go through the line you
can get an entree and a dessert. There is no limit to how
many times you can go through. The adults can choose from
ANY entree on the menu. Children have to choose from a
special child's menu which is NOT posted. There are small
red stand-up signs that tell you what the children's items
are, and if you don't see it you can ask. There are three
items to choose from for kids and they include things like
pizza, cheeseburger, spaghetti, PB&J, chicken, etc. The
children's options are apparently a new thing, and they do
have them for sale to people who are NOT on the plan as
well; however, they are priced higher than Disney's
children's options. (A mini-cheeseburger and fries for kids
was $5.39 at one of the places we went.)

There are some odd things about the plan for adults. For
instance, it was OK to get an eggroll with your orange
chicken platter at one place (no extra charge, even though
it's listed separately on the menu), but you can't get
cheese sauce for your fries at another place unless you pay
for it. Milkshakes and ice cream can't be your dessert, even
if they are listed in the dessert section of the menu;
they're extra. If you want two burgers you have to go
through the line twice, but if you want two slices of pizza
on one trip that seemed to be OK. For one meal I got a slice
of pizza and they offered me fries or onion rings to go with
it. At another place I ordered a chicken sandwich with onion
rings and I got BOTH fries and onion rings. In other words,
if you want something then ask and they might include it for
you, but don't make assumptions because logic really doesn't
apply here.

I should mention that beverages are NOT included. We
invested in a refillable cup. There were several to choose
from and they come at varying prices, but if you're on the
Meal Deal then they are all $7 - including the cool
Spongebob one that blows bubbles which normally sells for
over $12. You can have them refill it all day long for free
at any of the places that honor the Meal Deal, but it's
$1.30 (or something like that) to get a refill at the other
counter places - still about half off the regular drink
price. If we'd had the two-park Meal Deal we'd have been
allowed to get refills at the other park that day as well.
What we didn't realize, though, is that the other park also
sold Spongebob mugs (the bubble ones as well as the more
traditional handled kind) so we could have carried our mug
back on day two and refilled it again all day instead of
buying a new mug. I'm sure you're not supposed to do that,
but since some of the mugs are the same in both parks they
wouldn't know the difference.

Tips:

* The Meal Deal places don't open until 10AM or later, so
bring granola bars to hold you until then.

* We got two gorgeous fruit plates at the end of the day
from the International place at the Studios. They were
already wrapped in plastic so we just asked a store for a
plastic bag (which they were happy to give us) and we put
our fruit in there to haul back to the room. We had yummy
fresh fruit for breakfast the next day!

* Both days we made the rounds and collected enough food for
a good dinner shortly before leaving the park. We wrapped
everything in napkins and tossed them into plastic shopping
bags, adding napkins, condiments, and plastic flatware. If
you remember, bring ziplock bags in your fanny pack, though.
That would have been a lot easier than asking stores for
plastic bags. We weren't hungry for dinner at 6PM, but by
the time we got back to the room and settled in we were, so
this worked well for us and enabled us to really get a lot
out of the Meal Deal even with the parks closing so early.

* Food service stops 30 minutes before park closing, and the
lines for food can be longer than attraction lines, so be
sure to get in line for the last meal of the day about an
hour before closing to be sure you'll get through.

And yes, we could have had just one wristband and sent that
person through the line once or twice without raising
suspicion, then moved on to another location and done the
same thing - thus feeding all of us on that one wristband.
The cashiers have enough to do without watching the seating
areas to see if anyone is doing illegal sharing. We freely
passed food between the three of us and our wristbands were
usually not visible to anyone who may have watched. No one
ever paid any attention to us. Do I suggest doing this? No,
that wouldn't be right - and too many people doing it might
spell the end of the Meal Deal. Can you get away with it if
you're so inclined? I'd say yes, pretty easily - especially
if you don't mind visiting multiple locations for each meal.

And how much did we save? Well the Meal Deal for two
adults and a child was about $50 a day. Day one our food
total would have come to at least $110. Day two our total
would have been about $80. Had we NOT had the meal deal
we'd have definitely spent more than this - but we'd have
also been able to visit some of the better restaurants
without feeling that we were wasting our meal Deal wristband
privileges. All six participating restaurants (three in
each park) served pretty much the same food, with one or two
different things at each. We were really tired of having
the same options by the end of the second day, and the
desserts (cake, Jell-O parfait, chocolate chip cookies) were
identical at each place. So would we do it again? Yes, for
one day, and then for the second day we'd probably pay to
eat at better places. I'd say that the Studios have the
better three places to use the plan on (although there's
very little difference really)."
=================================================
Joanne writes about Michael's comments in last week's
newsletter about his dining experience at the Crystal
Palace:

"I read what Michael wrote about his experience at the
Crystal Palace and wanted to add my experience there in
December. We had a wonderful time there and the food was
excellent. Yes the children's food is at the very end of the
main buffet but it was not inconvenient at all. I thought
that there was an excellent selection on the buffet and
everything was so good. In regards to the characters, the
only character that did not come to our table was Pooh, we
had to go up and see him. When the characters had to go in
for a break, someone would put a paper corresponding to the
characters color on the table they need to start with when
their break is over. Our waitress was also wonderful, I
don't remember her name but she was very friendly and very
attentive."

Sara writes:

"Dear John,

I think Michael should write to Disney about the kid's
buffet table at the Crystal Palace. They should return it. I
think it would be a great suggestion to make to Disney."
=================================================
Millie writes:

"John

We're going to Disney again in January. Do you have any
suggestions for the backstage tours? Appreciate your insight
and all the newsletters. Thanks."

The most popular are the ones that go behind the scenes or,
in the case of the Magic Kingdom, under the streets!

You'll find some more info here:
http://www.affordabledisney.com/tours.html
=================================================
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! 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! February 12: 10% OFF Plus
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.
=============================================

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation

THE DISNEY NEWS
February 01, 2006
Copyright © 1999 - 2006 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
=================================================
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=================================================
Hi Everyone!

In this blog...

* Deals and specials - including a special offer from our
ticket agent
* The latest news from around the "World" - including the
scrapping of Disney's work on Toy Story 3 and handing it
over to Pixar
* Beth, our travel agent, continues her report on her recent
visit to Universal
* Michael writes about recent changes to the Disney Dining
Experience
=================================================
We continuously update our information and you can find
these current specials in our Addenda:

A Special Offer from our ticket agent! Members receive a 5th
Day FREE when they purchase a Walt Disney World Magic Your
Way 4-Day Base or Hopper ticket with 14 day Expiration!

--------------------------------

A new Walt Disney World vacation Sweepstakes!

--------------------------------

Update on Adventures by Disney

Beth, our travel agent writes: "A little bit more
information has come out now about this. There are some new
destinations added for this year, and some new activities
added to last year's Hawaii and Wyoming trips.

Summer 2007 Destinations:

London/Paris
Italy
Hawaii (two options - Oahu and Hawaii, or Oahu and Kauai)
Costa Rica
Wyoming
Canadian Rockies

Details are still sketchy, but last year the itineraries
included stays at top-notch hotels and resorts, included
MANY activities in the price, and also included many meals.
I often hear people say that they'd like to go to
(wherever), but they don't think they'd be comfortable in a
foreign country. Well, with these trips, you're not only
pampered, but you've got escorts that care for you in true
Disney style. If you've ever hesitated to do any of things,
knowing you've got a Disney-trained escort with you should
eliminate most of your worries.

These trips are scheduled to be available starting today,
February 1. I expect them to be expensive compared to some
other tour options, but a good deal for everything that is
included."

Affordable Disney members who would like Beth to have space
put on a courtesy hold for them should log in for Beth's
contact information and the list of personal details she
needs to put them on the list.

--------------------------------

DISNEY CRUISE LINE

Disney Cruise Line Special for Florida Residents for 3-, 4-,
and 7-night sailings!

--------------------------------

VEGAS

Stay at this Resort & Casino and experience AAA five diamond
award winning luxury February 5, 6 and 7, 2006 in a DELUXE
ROOM at $149/Night!

--------------------------------

If you are not a member, you can join our Disney family here.
=================================================
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "WORLD"

WALT DISNEY WORLD

"Betty Boop is being booted. Fred Flintstone is getting
fired. Popeye is being popped... Universal is ending the
roles of 10 of the 120 or so costumed characters and some
show hosts at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios...

But Popeye's and Olive Oyl's losses are Zorro's and Elena's
gains, while Fred and Wilma Flintstone are being replaced
full time by Lucy and Ricky Ricardo... the penguins and
other characters from the movie Madagascar... will become
full time." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 02/01/06)
--------------------------------
"Celebration was just three years old in 1999, the stuff
planners talk about and journalists write about, but still
more idea than reality: a town center hugging a lake, about
400 houses, and a school that went only to fourth grade...
For some, the Disney name was a big draw, but... most people
who bought in Celebration thinking it was an extension of
the theme park quickly left." (Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, 01/29/06)
--------------------------------
"The Walt Disney Co. will scrap production of the latest
'Toy Story' sequel and hand the project over to Pixar
Animation Studios Inc. as part of its deal to acquire Pixar,
sources familiar with the situation said on Thursday."
(Source: Reuters, 01/26/06)
--------------------------------
"Disney doesn't build rides by slapping some track down and
plopping a roller coaster on it. Disney creates stories that
surround its rides. This is the story behind Expedition
Everest." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 01/26/06)
--------------------------------
Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar.
=================================================
TOKYO DISNEYLAND

"The Oriental Land Co. today announced a new ride-style
attraction opening [in Tomorrowland] at Tokyo Disneyland in
2009. The ride is based on Monsters, Inc., a movie from
Pixar Animation Studios... guests will be able to
participate in a game of hide-and-seek at the Monsters, Inc.
building with Boo, Mike, Sulley and other characters from
the movie." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 01/30/06)
--------------------------------
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.
=================================================
Beth, our travel agent, continues her report on her recent
visit to Universal:

"So with a good night's sleep behind us, we popped out of
bed, did a quick check of the weather on TV, and then
showered and dressed appropriately, munching granola bars as
we did so. At 8:15 we were ready to roll, just 45 minutes
before the parks officially opened. With my Disney
background, I was concerned that with two parks opening at
9AM the hotel's transportation system would be overrun and
we'd have to walk. Down the elevator and out the doors of
the West Wing we flew, straight to the water taxi dock right
out front. There was no one there. A quick check of the sign
revealed that the water taxis didn't start until 30 minutes
prior to park opening! Afraid that perhaps the shuttle bus
schedule would cut it equally close, we went with walking.

The hotel does, after all, advertise that it is within
walking distance of the parks. And that's true - if you like
to walk. Although Portofino Bay Resort is the most expensive
of the three onsite hotels, it's also the furthest from the
two parks and the City Walk entertainment area.

The resort map from our room indicated that we needed to
walk around the lake and cross over the bridge. We later
figured out that it's actually much faster to go to the
right (past the West Wing and the water taxi dock) and go
under the bridge. Oh, well. The path led us across the
street and into the Hard Rock hotel. The lobby was beautiful
and we didn't have to go far before spying some of the
hotel's "famous rockers" clothing displays, but there was no
time to lose. We followed an employee's directions and went
across the lobby to the left, through the door marked POOL -
and then stopped.

A complete lack of signage greeted us. We opted to go left,
and were quickly met with yet another choice of paths and no
directional signage. The path ahead led to a gate with pool
hours posted on it, so we went right. Bad move. After
trudging uphill for several minutes, we found ourselves at
the top of the water slide. Drats! So back down the path we
went, unable to enjoy the pretty landscaping. At the bottom,
we realized that there WAS signage, but it was now facing
us. We'd approached it from the side before and hadn't
noticed it. Through the gate with the pool hours, and around
some more lovely walkways and we finally emerged at the
gates to Universal Studios Florida. Elapsed time: 28
minutes, moving at a good pace.

I pulled out the credit card used to buy [our tickets] as
well as my confirmation sheets and proceeded to the
electronic ticket stations. We were the ONLY people doing
this - and it was already 8:45! The screen led us through
the process, and in a matter of minutes I was holding our
tickets. We quickly found the Guest Services window to the
right of the ticket stations, and again there was no one
else waiting. We asked for our two coupon booklets - one for
each ticket order - and they were handed over with a
reminder that each coupon was good for up to 6 people.

It was now minutes before opening, and unlike Disney, they
don't let people in early. I had stopped worrying, though,
because there weren't even 100 people waiting to get in! It
was at this point that we realized our tickets were not
marked ADULT or CHILD. I took the one with the largest
serial number and packed it away, thinking it was probably
the free child ticket we'd be holding on to for a visit
later this year. The other three tickets got us through, so
I must have guessed right.

We also realized that the coupons we'd been given all
expired at the end of last year. Either no one had noticed,
or they were trying to use them up before printing new ones.
Not sure which, but we didn't have need for ANY of them.
Most are BOGO coupons or small discounts on merchandise. If
you don't do the meal plan they might be useful to you. I
won't bother to list them here, though, unless someone can
confirm that the vendors are still honoring them.

Our first stop inside the gate was to pick up our wristbands
for the dining plan, which I'll write about more in the next
installment. I'll also write up my review of the different
attractions separately.

What amazed me the most about this park was that we had the
place to ourselves for nearly an hour before we saw a
significant increase in attendance. It never did get truly
crowded. This was a VERY busy weekend at Disney with many
resorts being at or near capacity, and it was a 3-day
weekend to boot. The sky was blue, the temperatures were
cool (but not cold) - the perfect setup for a miserably
crowded day in a theme park, and that was not the case here
at all! Most attractions that involved water had the water
turned off. They apparently realize that drenching your
guests before it hits 50 degrees isn't a good idea. As the
day warmed, though, the water was turned back on.

Our room keys served as our Express Passes into nearly every
attraction. We blew right past whatever line there was and
quickly got into everything. That perk in itself is worth
paying to stay at an onsite resort (provided you can get one
for a good price). You CAN buy yourself an Express Pass if
you're not staying onsite, but it only gives you one line
bypass per attraction, so it's not as good as having the
room key.

I should mention that nearly every attraction has a WARNING
sign as you enter. My husband and I are complete wimps when
it comes to rides, so at every attraction I asked the
employee guarding the Express Pass lane if the attraction
did anything involving speed, spinning, or sudden drops.
They were very accurate in their descriptions and we only
avoided two things based on what we were told, so the park
is a good one for chickens.

I should also mention that there are a few attractions
requiring guests to put their loose items in lockers. This
includes water bottles, purses, etc. Again, the signage is a
little lacking, so here's how it works... You go to a
touchscreen and push it to get started. It will instruct you
to place one finger gently on the scanner. It will scan it
once and then instruct you to do it again. After it ensures
that the scans match, it will tell you what locker number is
yours and a light on that locker will flash. Open that
locker up and cram everything in. Careful, though... you are
only allowed in one time, and that's to remove the items. If
you forgot to put something in you'll have to start over.

After the ride, you come back and use that same finger for
the scan. Your locker number appears, its light flashes, and
the locker is unlocked so you can retrieve your items. There
IS a time limit on how long you can get in for free, though!
If you exceed your time limit you'll need a credit card to
get your things out, so don't be thinking you can stash
things in there for the day for free!

We left Universal Studios at about 6:30, a half hour prior
to closing. The wind was still blowing hard, so the water
taxis weren't running. We didn't want to walk in the dark
(and we hadn't yet figured out the secret of going UNDER the
bridge) so we thought we'd take the bus. There are no signs
to the buses. None. We asked several employees who were
clueless before finding an information booth in City Walk.
He sent us back toward the Studios entrance, but instructed
us to stay right and head for 'the circle.' Sure enough, we
found a traffic circle with sandwich board-type signs, one
for each hotel.

We found the sign for Portofino and waited along with about
30 other people. A few minutes later an 18-passenger minibus
arrived. The driver stopped the line at one point, and then
indicated that the two ladies in front of us would have to
wait for the next bus. There were still empty seats, and
parents onboard quickly grabbed their children and made them
into lap kids to allow for even more people to board, but
the driver refused to let anyone else on. He pulled away
with less than a full load and left the rest of us standing
there.

Twenty minutes went by and the same bus came back. Both
parks had just closed and it was the only bus running for
Portofino Bay Resort! We managed to get about 28 people
onto the bus using the lap seating method for kids.
Amazingly, there really wasn't much of a line left as we
pulled away. Apparently, word that the bus service isn't
great travels quickly!

Now, keep in mind that the driver had just picked us up next
to the Portofino Bay sign. You can imagine our confusion
when he passed up that resort and headed for Royal Pacific!
Someone called out that he'd missed the turn, but he
stubbornly insisted on going to Royal Pacific. There wasn't
room for anyone else onboard, and no one wanted to get off
there, but he went anyway. The door opened, we waited, the
door closed, and then we went back to Portofino. Insane!

Anyway, we got back to the West Wing, ate our dinners we'd
brought from the park (more on that later) and then settled
in for a movie and then bed. The room attendant had brought
ice, restocked the bathroom amenities, and one of the beds
was turned down with two pieces of chocolate laid out.
(Apparently, word that there were three of us didn't get to
him.)

I cannot believe that we managed to do everything we wanted,
moved at a leisurely pace all day, didn't wait more than
five minutes for any attraction, and still left the park
before it's 7PM closing. This is SO not Disney! Next
installment: Islands of Adventure."
=================================================
Michael writes:

"Hello,

We have a 4 year old Son and travel to WDW 3 times per
year. We are passholders to receive the specials (Not near as
Good as in the Past) and save on park admissions.

Our last trip was October 27 thru Nov 5 2005.

We try and have a character breakfast then pick up something
light for lunch then have a sit down dinner. Or have
breakfast on the go, have a Early lunch and then a sit down
dinner. We enjoy the time to relax and regroup from the days
activities.

All has gone well lately with our Dining until this trip.

We belong to the Disney Dining Experience to get the 20%
discount.

I have noticed that many of the restaurants have raised
prices quite considerably. While offering fewer choices in
the buffets, or shrinking the menu choices.

One of our dinner experience's at the Crystal Palace was
Much LESS than we have been accustomed to. Our service was
slow, drinks had to be asked to be refilled many times. The
choice on the buffet seemed limited. We noticed they have
moved the children's mac & cheese, chicken fingers and
cheese pizza into the main buffet.

This leaves less room for other choices and also means that
the children must stand in sometimes a slow line when they
want to pick out their own food.

We have always liked the Children's Low service table at the
child's height and the separate service area away from the
main crowd of persons waiting for the main buffet. We sure
would LOVE to see it come BACK! The old service area was
still being used, but now for peanut butter and jelly.

During dinner usually you have Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore and
Piglet come to your table to sign autograph books and
picture taking. The children look forward to EACH character
heading their way, and Their Own Moment with Each Character!

Our Son saw Piglet headed his way, then Piglet went in the
back and returned a few moments later to march in the
parade. After the parade Piglet went to the other side of
the restaurant. If you try to approach a character you are
told the character will come to your table. Well that is
supposed to be how things works!

A child no matter how many times they have been to Disney or
had autographs written or had pictures taken, ALWAYS enjoys
their SPECIAL Moment with their character!

Our Son was disappointed he did Not get to be with Piglet
for that dinner seating. To me that is the Sad part! I also
paid for a Complete Experience! Which our Son did Not have!

I hope this is Not a trend about to find home!

As always Our family LOVES Disney!

We have experienced the Disney magic before our Son was
born, But now as a Parent we are So Happy to be able to
Share and See the Disney Magic with our Son!

Our Son still mentions why Piglet did Not come see him?

We explain that Piglet had to go to the bathroom and then
join Pooh and the others, and that he will see him again.

We will be returning at Easter! Thank You!"
=================================================
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See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com.
johngross@affordabledisney.com
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