Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation
THE DISNEY NEWS
Updates From Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation
October 7, 2009
Copyright © 1999 - 2009 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!
Beth, our travel agent writes:
"Once again I will be participating in the World’s Largest Cruise Night, this year to be held on October 14. This is a 'virtual' event meaning that you can browse from the comfort of your own home. I will be sharing with you a website address that you can use to access cruise videos, and I’ll also be listing the wide range of awesome promotions that the lines are featuring for this event. They range from onboard credits to reduced deposits to free upgrades, free airfare, pre-paid gratuities and more. Cruising is always a great value, but this year that’s more true than ever."
The 2009 World’s Largest Cruise Night will be held October 14.
Several Cruise Lines are offering incentives, including the Disney Cruise Line:
* onboard credits of $50 to $250 per stateroom depending on length of sailing
* special fares and reduced deposits on a wide variety of destinations, including Alaska, the Caribbean and Europe
Beth has a temporary CLIA-sponsored website that will be available from October 14 through the end of the month and will feature several cruise line videos. I've posted the URL on Addendum 1 at our members' site.
If you’re interested in checking out the cruise deals offered this year, please log in and contact Beth as soon as possible so she can collect the necessary information from you. She will then get the pricing on the 14th and (where possible) put space on a no-obligation courtesy hold for you.
--------------------------------
Beth adds a note about how fast the dates are being gobbled up with Disney's latest deal:
"The first week of December is nearly sold out even at full price. Everyone's trying to get in on that offer and it simply isn't there. I know sometimes they blackout dates and then go ahead and honor the offer anyway, but in this case they just can't."
--------------------------------
NOTE: If you want to visit Walt Disney World when there is no deal for the general public, you will need to follow the discount strategies that are revealed in our online book, "Secrets To An Affordable Walt Disney World® Vacation," to make your vacation affordable.
Now on with the show...
In this blog...
Deals and specials - FREE Disney movie ticket offer, Kids sale FREE, luxury cruise line sale, new cruise ship promotion, and deals at Vegas resorts
News from around the "World":
* This day in Disney history
* Changes aim to make Disney restaurants more pleasant
* Disney and NASA ‘Launch’ Mission Patch Design Challenge
* Disney Park Merchandise Expands Online Offerings
* Pooh rights belong to Disney, judge rules
* Engineers reviewing monorail after smoke, electrical shortage
* Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar
* Florida air show guide: Planes fill fall skies and beyond
* SeaWorld to be sold this week
* CityWalk Calendar And Venue Entertainment - October 2009
* Harbor Nights at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando
* The Disney Gallery Reopens in a New Location
* Museum charts the wonderful world of Disney
* Inside Disneyland’s new Halloween fireworks show
* Disneyland Resort Calendar
* This week at Disneyland Paris
* What's new at Disneyland Tokyo
* This week in Las Vegas
* Branson Calendar of Events
* Beth writes about saving $$$ on new ships and Coronado Springs
* Donna and I visit Disney's Christmas Carol train
=================================================
NEW THIS WEEK
WALT DISNEY WORLD
Kids can see "The Princess and the Frog" for FREE at participating theaters with this offer!
--------------------------------
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
Kids Sail Free on 7-night cruises! Hurry! You must book by October 14, 2009.
--------------------------------
LUXURY CRUISE LINE SALE!
They've reduced deposits by 50% and giving up to $200 to spend onboard. But you must reserve your cruise or cruisetour land package today, October 7, 2009!
--------------------------------
NEW CRUISE SHIP PROMOTION
This cruise line is offering a FREE balcony stateroom upgrade on select Caribbean cruises for bookings made by October 16, 2009. You save up to 60 percent! Rates begin at $899 per person on their new ship on the following 10-night Caribbean itineraries departing from Fort Lauderdale:
* Baseball Greats Cruise featuring Bob Feller, Frank Howard, Cito Gaston, Stan Bahnsen and Bill Russell to the "Dazzling Dutch Caribbean & The Panama Canal" Southern Caribbean, calls at Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba; Cartagena, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama; and Playa del Carmen, Mexico; departs Nov. 20. Fare: $949
* "Tropical Splendors, European Charm," Eastern Caribbean, calls at San Juan, Puerto Rico; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort de France, Martinique; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Nassau, Bahamas; departs Nov. 30. Fare: $899
* Les DeMerle Big Band Cruise to the "Remarkable Rainforests & The Panama Canal," Panama, calls at Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Cartagena, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; and Playa del Carmen; departs Dec. 10. Fare: $899
All cruises offer just a $100 deposit on all sailings and itineraries!
PLUS! FOR SINGLE TRAVELERS
Save Up To 50% Off Single Supplement Rates On All Interior, Oceanview & Balcony Staterooms!
--------------------------------
LAS VEGAS
* New York-New York from $51!
* Save 32% at Monte Carlo's HOTEL32!
=================================================
Below are just some of the deals drawn from over 70 pages of current specials posted at our password-protected members-only site:
* BIG Downtown Disney Resort Hotel discount
* FREE night at a Walt Disney World luxury resort
* Sale on WDW Moderates, Deluxe, Villas, and Ft Wilderness
* Florida Resident Discounts Galore! Too many to list here!
* Disneyland Vacation Club special
* Cirque du Soleil discount
* Universal Orlando Resorts half off strategy
* American Idol Experience options
* Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
* Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
* Orlando resort vacation package for dog owners
* Disneyland ticket deal for locals
* Disneyland Paris vacation package discount
* Luxury cruise discount exclusively for police and firefighters
* New parties for Walt Disney World Resort guests
* SeaWorld Partner Hotel Special
* CityPass discount for Affordable Disney members
* FREE night at Disney Deluxe Resort
* Disney Cruise Line discounts for Floridians and the military
* Non-Disney theme park/cruise vacation packages
* New source for discounted Disney Villas
* SeaWorld San Diego ticket deal
* Walt Disney World discounts for passholders and Floridians
* Las Vegas room discounts
* Universal hotel discounts
* Disneyland California hotel special
* Universal Orlando discounted vacation packages
* SeaWorld Discovery Cove discounts
* Orlando Theme Park Package
* Room discounts and FREE tickets for the military
* 2 Days for the Price of 1 at Universal Hollywood
* Downtown Disney Resort Hotel discount
* Universal Blue Man Group discount
* Disneyland Annual Passes on a monthly payment plan
* Kids stay and play FREE at Disneyland Paris
* Save 50% at these deluxe Walt Disney World resorts
* 2010 Disney cruises now booking
* Get a FREE ticket to the Walt Disney World theme parks in 2009
* Nickelodeon Family Cruise
* Kids eat FREE membership card
* Disney cruise early booking discounts
* Super Branson promotion
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
This Day in Disney History
Changes aim to make Disney restaurants more pleasant, profitable
Disney Parks and NASA ‘Launch’ Buzz Lightyear Mission Patch Design Challenge
Disney Theme Park Merchandise Expands Online Offerings to 500 Favorites
Pooh rights belong to Disney, judge rules - and aren't we glad this story is finally over after 18 years!
Engineers reviewing monorail after smoke, electrical shortage at Disney
Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar.
=================================================
OUTSIDE WALT DISNEY WORLD
Florida air show guide: Planes fill fall skies and beyond
SeaWorld to be sold this week
CityWalk Calendar And Venue Entertainment - October 2009
Harbor Nights at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando set for Friday, October 23
=================================================
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA
The Disney Gallery Reopens in a New Location; ‘Enchanting the Classics’ is the Theme of the Inaugural Show in Former Bank of Main Street
Museum charts the wonderful world of Disney
Inside Disneyland’s new Halloween fireworks show - watch the video - that is one fun fireworks show!
Disneyland Resort Calendar
--------------------------------
DISNEYLAND PARIS
This week at Disneyland Paris
--------------------------------
DISNEYLAND TOKYO
What's new at Tokyo Disneyland
--------------------------------
BRANSON, MO
Branson Calendar of Events
--------------------------------
LAS VEGAS
This Week in Las Vegas
--------------------------------
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 addres
=================================================
Beth, our travel agent, writes:
"Oasis vs Allure of the Seas
By now, you’ve probably seen the ads for her… A ship that towers over all others, with dancing fountains across the back, zip-lining over atriums, TWO flow riders (surfing), open air parks, interior balconies and more. Oasis of the Seas, debuting in December, will be the largest passenger ship ever built and she’s exquisite. I spent two days (on and off) this week doing a virtual exhibition that showcased dozens of dining options, heavenly children’s facilities, gorgeous theaters and nightclubs… I could go on and on. Trouble is, she’s a pricey vacation. Make that a REALLY pricey vacation. While other lines are pushing 7-night December cruises for $400 p/p (with kids sail free, onboard credits, free upgrades and the like), Oasis starts at $1150 and goes up from there. So what’s a cruiseaholic like myself to do?
Enter Allure of the Seas. She’s the still-under-construction sister to Oasis and won’t be out until late NEXT year. You can book her now, though, and at a fraction of the cost of what Oasis is booking for. There’s a mid-January 2011 cruise that starts at just $849 p/p plus tax – which is really a very reasonable rate for ANY new ship. To think that you could get onto Allure for this is incredible.
So, if you’re a lover of new ships like I am, and your bank account is looking a little lean these days, think ahead and book Allure now while you can get in cheap. You’ll get all the bells and whistles AND the fun of being on a brand new ship for a fraction of the cost. The deposit is refundable until final payment, and you’ve got lots of time to save up.
--------------------------------
Coronado Springs has always been one of my favorite moderate resorts. In case you haven’t noticed, throughout the year the beds there have all been bumped up to queens in the standard rooms. That’s both a good and a bad thing… Good because we all love big beds, but bad because, now that they’re pretty much all changed over, you’re going to have to pay more to stay there. Yep, starting in 2010, it will run you $5 more a night to stay at CS. Disney’s long charged more for king beds, so I guess charging more for queens makes sense (if you’re using Mouse logic), but here’s a strange one for you… They are ALSO charging $5 more a night for the rooms with king beds, compared to the king rooms at other moderate resorts. Very odd, if you ask me, and it’s making the pricing structure way more complicated than it should be. When they put ME in charge I’ll fix that."
=================================================
Disney's Christmas Carol Train
Donna and I drove down from Gettysburg Saturday to the B&O Museum in Baltimore to take the tour of the Christmas Carol train. It has been making its way throughout the USA promoting the release in November of Disney's newest film, The Christmas Carol starring Jim Carrey. Admission was free and it was certainly worth the trip for all Disney movie fans as well as lovers of Dickens' immortal classic tale.
We snaked our way through the lines. Our wait was an hour. When we left, the waiting period had increased to two hours. The AMTRAK train was wrapped in snow flakes and London scenes from the movie.
Entering the first train car, Disney had placed on display a copy of the first edition of Dickens' The Christmas Carol as well as pages from Nicholas Nickleby and The Pickwick Papers. Also on display were Dickens' portrait, quill pen and inkwell.
The second car was devoted to costumes from the movie. They were beautiful. The third car showcased scenes from the movie: Fred's Foyer, Scrooge & Marley's shop by night and day, the London-Royal Exchange, and Fred's house. The next car displayed scale models of some of the buildings used in the movie.
Then came the car where they set up a mannequin to show you how Performance technology works. In short, Jim Carrey had to wear a suit and head gear that captured his every move and sound. I always thought that they made the movie and then had the actors voice over. Actually, the opposite happens: the actors have to act out the entire movie and then their movements are captured and translated via computer to the animated character. I can't imagine acting out an entire movie in such a sterile - no sets! - environment, just using your imagination to flesh out what is going on around you in a movie. Amazing!
You then passed through a car with suspended monitors depicting stages of production. The next to last car contained stations where you and your kids could use HP technology to morph pictures of yourself into characters from the movie. You could, of course, buy these as you left!
The last car presented a festive holiday room complete with fireplace and turkey dinner! Here you were welcome to take a photo of yourself. We took a photo of the family in front of us and they took a photo of Donna and me. We're going to use that one for our Christmas cards this year!
Upon exiting the train, you made your way to the theater where you got to experience 3-D scenes from the movie. Very impressive!
Upon leaving they gave us $1 off coupons for the Imax movie to be shown at the Baltimore Science Center as well as a coupon for 50% off companion fare for AMTRAK!
I've posted some of the photos we took below. Enjoy!
train wrapped in snowflakes
Christmas Carol train upclose
display case
Christmas Carol book first edition
more books on display
portrait, pen and inkwell
Nicholas Nickleby and Pickwick Papers
yours truly standing next to a costume
Fred's Foyer
Scrooge & Marley Night and Day
London-Royal Exchange
Fred's House
scale models
mannequin with Donna and me in the mirror
our 2009 Christmas card
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
By the same author:
"Achieving Weight Loss through the Prayers of the Divine Office of the Virgin Mary." True peace with food can only come from establishing a close relationship with God. Click here to read the book for FREE.
"Rosary Meditations: A Bouquet of Roses for Our Lady." Shows the beginner and the highly experienced how to meditate while praying the rosary. Click here to read the book for FREE.
Be sure to check out Father Ron Camarda's "Tear in the Desert." It's one of the most spiritual books I have ever read! Christian Peshken, producer and director, is planning to make a film based on the book.
--------------------------------
Affordable Disney Books
Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price. 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! 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
Enjoy Special Rates at select hotels, condos and vacation rentals near Disney. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, 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.
=============================================
Updates From Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation
October 7, 2009
Copyright © 1999 - 2009 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!
Beth, our travel agent writes:
"Once again I will be participating in the World’s Largest Cruise Night, this year to be held on October 14. This is a 'virtual' event meaning that you can browse from the comfort of your own home. I will be sharing with you a website address that you can use to access cruise videos, and I’ll also be listing the wide range of awesome promotions that the lines are featuring for this event. They range from onboard credits to reduced deposits to free upgrades, free airfare, pre-paid gratuities and more. Cruising is always a great value, but this year that’s more true than ever."
The 2009 World’s Largest Cruise Night will be held October 14.
Several Cruise Lines are offering incentives, including the Disney Cruise Line:
* onboard credits of $50 to $250 per stateroom depending on length of sailing
* special fares and reduced deposits on a wide variety of destinations, including Alaska, the Caribbean and Europe
Beth has a temporary CLIA-sponsored website that will be available from October 14 through the end of the month and will feature several cruise line videos. I've posted the URL on Addendum 1 at our members' site.
If you’re interested in checking out the cruise deals offered this year, please log in and contact Beth as soon as possible so she can collect the necessary information from you. She will then get the pricing on the 14th and (where possible) put space on a no-obligation courtesy hold for you.
--------------------------------
Beth adds a note about how fast the dates are being gobbled up with Disney's latest deal:
"The first week of December is nearly sold out even at full price. Everyone's trying to get in on that offer and it simply isn't there. I know sometimes they blackout dates and then go ahead and honor the offer anyway, but in this case they just can't."
--------------------------------
NOTE: If you want to visit Walt Disney World when there is no deal for the general public, you will need to follow the discount strategies that are revealed in our online book, "Secrets To An Affordable Walt Disney World® Vacation," to make your vacation affordable.
Now on with the show...
In this blog...
Deals and specials - FREE Disney movie ticket offer, Kids sale FREE, luxury cruise line sale, new cruise ship promotion, and deals at Vegas resorts
News from around the "World":
* This day in Disney history
* Changes aim to make Disney restaurants more pleasant
* Disney and NASA ‘Launch’ Mission Patch Design Challenge
* Disney Park Merchandise Expands Online Offerings
* Pooh rights belong to Disney, judge rules
* Engineers reviewing monorail after smoke, electrical shortage
* Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar
* Florida air show guide: Planes fill fall skies and beyond
* SeaWorld to be sold this week
* CityWalk Calendar And Venue Entertainment - October 2009
* Harbor Nights at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando
* The Disney Gallery Reopens in a New Location
* Museum charts the wonderful world of Disney
* Inside Disneyland’s new Halloween fireworks show
* Disneyland Resort Calendar
* This week at Disneyland Paris
* What's new at Disneyland Tokyo
* This week in Las Vegas
* Branson Calendar of Events
* Beth writes about saving $$$ on new ships and Coronado Springs
* Donna and I visit Disney's Christmas Carol train
=================================================
NEW THIS WEEK
WALT DISNEY WORLD
Kids can see "The Princess and the Frog" for FREE at participating theaters with this offer!
--------------------------------
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
Kids Sail Free on 7-night cruises! Hurry! You must book by October 14, 2009.
--------------------------------
LUXURY CRUISE LINE SALE!
They've reduced deposits by 50% and giving up to $200 to spend onboard. But you must reserve your cruise or cruisetour land package today, October 7, 2009!
--------------------------------
NEW CRUISE SHIP PROMOTION
This cruise line is offering a FREE balcony stateroom upgrade on select Caribbean cruises for bookings made by October 16, 2009. You save up to 60 percent! Rates begin at $899 per person on their new ship on the following 10-night Caribbean itineraries departing from Fort Lauderdale:
* Baseball Greats Cruise featuring Bob Feller, Frank Howard, Cito Gaston, Stan Bahnsen and Bill Russell to the "Dazzling Dutch Caribbean & The Panama Canal" Southern Caribbean, calls at Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba; Cartagena, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama; and Playa del Carmen, Mexico; departs Nov. 20. Fare: $949
* "Tropical Splendors, European Charm," Eastern Caribbean, calls at San Juan, Puerto Rico; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort de France, Martinique; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Nassau, Bahamas; departs Nov. 30. Fare: $899
* Les DeMerle Big Band Cruise to the "Remarkable Rainforests & The Panama Canal," Panama, calls at Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Cartagena, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; and Playa del Carmen; departs Dec. 10. Fare: $899
All cruises offer just a $100 deposit on all sailings and itineraries!
PLUS! FOR SINGLE TRAVELERS
Save Up To 50% Off Single Supplement Rates On All Interior, Oceanview & Balcony Staterooms!
--------------------------------
LAS VEGAS
* New York-New York from $51!
* Save 32% at Monte Carlo's HOTEL32!
=================================================
Below are just some of the deals drawn from over 70 pages of current specials posted at our password-protected members-only site:
* BIG Downtown Disney Resort Hotel discount
* FREE night at a Walt Disney World luxury resort
* Sale on WDW Moderates, Deluxe, Villas, and Ft Wilderness
* Florida Resident Discounts Galore! Too many to list here!
* Disneyland Vacation Club special
* Cirque du Soleil discount
* Universal Orlando Resorts half off strategy
* American Idol Experience options
* Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
* Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
* Orlando resort vacation package for dog owners
* Disneyland ticket deal for locals
* Disneyland Paris vacation package discount
* Luxury cruise discount exclusively for police and firefighters
* New parties for Walt Disney World Resort guests
* SeaWorld Partner Hotel Special
* CityPass discount for Affordable Disney members
* FREE night at Disney Deluxe Resort
* Disney Cruise Line discounts for Floridians and the military
* Non-Disney theme park/cruise vacation packages
* New source for discounted Disney Villas
* SeaWorld San Diego ticket deal
* Walt Disney World discounts for passholders and Floridians
* Las Vegas room discounts
* Universal hotel discounts
* Disneyland California hotel special
* Universal Orlando discounted vacation packages
* SeaWorld Discovery Cove discounts
* Orlando Theme Park Package
* Room discounts and FREE tickets for the military
* 2 Days for the Price of 1 at Universal Hollywood
* Downtown Disney Resort Hotel discount
* Universal Blue Man Group discount
* Disneyland Annual Passes on a monthly payment plan
* Kids stay and play FREE at Disneyland Paris
* Save 50% at these deluxe Walt Disney World resorts
* 2010 Disney cruises now booking
* Get a FREE ticket to the Walt Disney World theme parks in 2009
* Nickelodeon Family Cruise
* Kids eat FREE membership card
* Disney cruise early booking discounts
* Super Branson promotion
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
This Day in Disney History
Changes aim to make Disney restaurants more pleasant, profitable
Disney Parks and NASA ‘Launch’ Buzz Lightyear Mission Patch Design Challenge
Disney Theme Park Merchandise Expands Online Offerings to 500 Favorites
Pooh rights belong to Disney, judge rules - and aren't we glad this story is finally over after 18 years!
Engineers reviewing monorail after smoke, electrical shortage at Disney
Walt Disney World Monthly Calendar.
=================================================
OUTSIDE WALT DISNEY WORLD
Florida air show guide: Planes fill fall skies and beyond
SeaWorld to be sold this week
CityWalk Calendar And Venue Entertainment - October 2009
Harbor Nights at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando set for Friday, October 23
=================================================
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA
The Disney Gallery Reopens in a New Location; ‘Enchanting the Classics’ is the Theme of the Inaugural Show in Former Bank of Main Street
Museum charts the wonderful world of Disney
Inside Disneyland’s new Halloween fireworks show - watch the video - that is one fun fireworks show!
Disneyland Resort Calendar
--------------------------------
DISNEYLAND PARIS
This week at Disneyland Paris
--------------------------------
DISNEYLAND TOKYO
What's new at Tokyo Disneyland
--------------------------------
BRANSON, MO
Branson Calendar of Events
--------------------------------
LAS VEGAS
This Week in Las Vegas
--------------------------------
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 addres
=================================================
Beth, our travel agent, writes:
"Oasis vs Allure of the Seas
By now, you’ve probably seen the ads for her… A ship that towers over all others, with dancing fountains across the back, zip-lining over atriums, TWO flow riders (surfing), open air parks, interior balconies and more. Oasis of the Seas, debuting in December, will be the largest passenger ship ever built and she’s exquisite. I spent two days (on and off) this week doing a virtual exhibition that showcased dozens of dining options, heavenly children’s facilities, gorgeous theaters and nightclubs… I could go on and on. Trouble is, she’s a pricey vacation. Make that a REALLY pricey vacation. While other lines are pushing 7-night December cruises for $400 p/p (with kids sail free, onboard credits, free upgrades and the like), Oasis starts at $1150 and goes up from there. So what’s a cruiseaholic like myself to do?
Enter Allure of the Seas. She’s the still-under-construction sister to Oasis and won’t be out until late NEXT year. You can book her now, though, and at a fraction of the cost of what Oasis is booking for. There’s a mid-January 2011 cruise that starts at just $849 p/p plus tax – which is really a very reasonable rate for ANY new ship. To think that you could get onto Allure for this is incredible.
So, if you’re a lover of new ships like I am, and your bank account is looking a little lean these days, think ahead and book Allure now while you can get in cheap. You’ll get all the bells and whistles AND the fun of being on a brand new ship for a fraction of the cost. The deposit is refundable until final payment, and you’ve got lots of time to save up.
--------------------------------
Coronado Springs has always been one of my favorite moderate resorts. In case you haven’t noticed, throughout the year the beds there have all been bumped up to queens in the standard rooms. That’s both a good and a bad thing… Good because we all love big beds, but bad because, now that they’re pretty much all changed over, you’re going to have to pay more to stay there. Yep, starting in 2010, it will run you $5 more a night to stay at CS. Disney’s long charged more for king beds, so I guess charging more for queens makes sense (if you’re using Mouse logic), but here’s a strange one for you… They are ALSO charging $5 more a night for the rooms with king beds, compared to the king rooms at other moderate resorts. Very odd, if you ask me, and it’s making the pricing structure way more complicated than it should be. When they put ME in charge I’ll fix that."
=================================================
Disney's Christmas Carol Train
Donna and I drove down from Gettysburg Saturday to the B&O Museum in Baltimore to take the tour of the Christmas Carol train. It has been making its way throughout the USA promoting the release in November of Disney's newest film, The Christmas Carol starring Jim Carrey. Admission was free and it was certainly worth the trip for all Disney movie fans as well as lovers of Dickens' immortal classic tale.
We snaked our way through the lines. Our wait was an hour. When we left, the waiting period had increased to two hours. The AMTRAK train was wrapped in snow flakes and London scenes from the movie.
Entering the first train car, Disney had placed on display a copy of the first edition of Dickens' The Christmas Carol as well as pages from Nicholas Nickleby and The Pickwick Papers. Also on display were Dickens' portrait, quill pen and inkwell.
The second car was devoted to costumes from the movie. They were beautiful. The third car showcased scenes from the movie: Fred's Foyer, Scrooge & Marley's shop by night and day, the London-Royal Exchange, and Fred's house. The next car displayed scale models of some of the buildings used in the movie.
Then came the car where they set up a mannequin to show you how Performance technology works. In short, Jim Carrey had to wear a suit and head gear that captured his every move and sound. I always thought that they made the movie and then had the actors voice over. Actually, the opposite happens: the actors have to act out the entire movie and then their movements are captured and translated via computer to the animated character. I can't imagine acting out an entire movie in such a sterile - no sets! - environment, just using your imagination to flesh out what is going on around you in a movie. Amazing!
You then passed through a car with suspended monitors depicting stages of production. The next to last car contained stations where you and your kids could use HP technology to morph pictures of yourself into characters from the movie. You could, of course, buy these as you left!
The last car presented a festive holiday room complete with fireplace and turkey dinner! Here you were welcome to take a photo of yourself. We took a photo of the family in front of us and they took a photo of Donna and me. We're going to use that one for our Christmas cards this year!
Upon exiting the train, you made your way to the theater where you got to experience 3-D scenes from the movie. Very impressive!
Upon leaving they gave us $1 off coupons for the Imax movie to be shown at the Baltimore Science Center as well as a coupon for 50% off companion fare for AMTRAK!
I've posted some of the photos we took below. Enjoy!
train wrapped in snowflakes
Christmas Carol train upclose
display case
Christmas Carol book first edition
more books on display
portrait, pen and inkwell
Nicholas Nickleby and Pickwick Papers
yours truly standing next to a costume
Fred's Foyer
Scrooge & Marley Night and Day
London-Royal Exchange
Fred's House
scale models
mannequin with Donna and me in the mirror
our 2009 Christmas card
=================================================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
By the same author:
"Achieving Weight Loss through the Prayers of the Divine Office of the Virgin Mary." True peace with food can only come from establishing a close relationship with God. Click here to read the book for FREE.
"Rosary Meditations: A Bouquet of Roses for Our Lady." Shows the beginner and the highly experienced how to meditate while praying the rosary. Click here to read the book for FREE.
Be sure to check out Father Ron Camarda's "Tear in the Desert." It's one of the most spiritual books I have ever read! Christian Peshken, producer and director, is planning to make a film based on the book.
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Affordable Disney Books
Disney and other new books 50-90% off the list price. To check out the bargains, click here.
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Got Coupons?
With the Orlando Entertainment Book, you can save big on travel, groceries, shopping, movie tickets, and more! 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
Enjoy Special Rates at select hotels, condos and vacation rentals near Disney. Plus! Receive up to a $100.00 rebate! For hotels, 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 6:26 AM
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