Disney Deals

Florida Resident Rates Announced Through April 2019

Published on November 17, 2018November 17, 2018 by RebeccaLeave a comment

Now, more than ever is a great time to stay in the middle of the magic at Walt Disney World® Resort with great Florida resident rates valid for travel Jan. 1 – April 27, 2019.

For example, as a Florida Resident you can take advantage of rates as low as $79* per night, plus tax in a standard room at a select Disney’s All-Star Resort for stays most Monday through Wednesday nights Jan. 7 – Feb. 13, 2019. Book through April 27, 2019.

 *The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Length-of-stay requirements may apply. Additional per adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts and Studios at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Advance reservations required. Offer excludes the following room types: campsites, 3-bedroom Grand Villas, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows. Proof of Florida residency required at check-in.

Disneyland Visit Part 1-Arrival and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Published on February 19, 2017February 19, 2017 by Adventure is Out There Travel, LLCLeave a comment

Our family traveled to Disneyland over the Thanksgiving holiday. Ideally, we would have chosen a different time to visit, but several personal factors impacted our travel dates. We flew out of Midway, located in Chicago, IL, on Tuesday morning. The flight lasted four hours. We have only flown as a family of four on one previous trip. Our five-year-old son and two-year-old daughter fly a lot easier than their anxious father. My wife, Tracy, is definitely the “team captain” when it comes to flying, and dad just plays pack mule. Moving the kids through security and other congested areas is definitely a team effort, but Tracy handles most of their needs throughout the airport. Additionally, she flies with a child on each side of her, which demands a great deal of energy and effort. My primary duties are hauling the luggage and assisting our son to and from the restroom. The first time we flew into LAX, we obtained a rental vehicle with AVIS. (Remind me to create a short post on how big of a nightmare getting the vehicle was.) This time we used Disney-contracted transportation.

As expected, the contracted shuttle service in L.A. is much different than that of Orlando. In L.A., there are no cast members to make your luggage magically appear in your resort room. You have to gather your luggage and haul it out to a waiting area. The area is labelled and identified with green markers. The pickup area at LAX is a step above (as in worse than most) the cluster most airports are. It is setup in a giant “U.” (See the graphic below.) We waited in one of the first stops, which meant it took nearly an hour for the shuttle to make its way around the entire pickup area. It was miserable. After completing the tour of the pickup area, the driver announced that we were on our way to Disneyland which could take up to an hour and a half. Luckily, the traffic was not bad and we made it in about 40 minutes. This commute was a stark contrast to our drive to Yorba Linda in the summer of 2016. The round trip cost our family slightly less than $100. I don’t recall the exact dollar amount. Here is a link to Disneyland transportation site: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/transportation/

We arrived at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa mid-afternoon. The resort is incredible. Upon arrival, cast members welcomed and asked us if we needed anything. They also directed us to the lobby’s check-in desks. The cast member was efficient and friendly. He also was quick with valuable information about getting to our dining reservation and utilizing the extra magic hour the next morning. He also shared information about the resort. Overall, the cast member was a great introduction to the Grand Californian.

The lobby and atrium of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa are magnificent. The theme is described as “Craftsman-style Elegance” by Disney. It is so much more than that. The color is a dark wood, which comforts guests with a cozy feeling. Within the atrium is a very large fireplace with a sitting area near it. We were there while Christmas decorations adorned the area. The decorations featured an extremely large tree and a magnificent gingerbread house. The decorations had a classic feel without going over the top. This trend continued throughout the parks. Our first day in California was the warmest, but we did not swim. However, the pool area is extremely nice and offers enough space for a vast amount of guests. The Grand Californian offers two amazing features, which no other Disneyland resort can offer-an entrance to California Adventure and Downtown Disney. The resort also has multiple dining areas highlighted by Napa Rose and Storytellers Café. Both offer wonderful dining experiences. There is also a snack area called White Water Snacks and two lounges. Overall, we decided we would stay at this resort when we return to Disneyland.

Come back to enjoy the rest of our Disneyland trip.

Justin Eggenberger, Co-owner of Adventure is Out There Travel, LLC

justin@adventureisouttheretravel.com Twitter @JAEggenberger

Vacation Planning That Makes “Cents”

Published on April 26, 2016April 26, 2016 by Need The Mouse RadioLeave a comment

Recently, I read an article on another site that asked the question, “Does Disney Ever Help with Low Income Families Visit Disney World?” (their wording, not mine). Of course, I knew the answer to the question being asked, but as a Disney NUT, I was curious how this question was to be answered. The response was, as I expected, “no,” Disney does not offer any specific service to assist low-income families with their Walt Disney vacation. What I did not expect, was the alternative suggested by the author. The writer went on to suggest that a person’s best approach would be to finance their vacation; either through your personal bank or a credit card.

No… Let me say again, No…

A Walt Disney World vacation is an absolute amazing experience that you and your family will treasure for years to come. What you don’t want to do, especially if you are on a limited income, is to have the expense of that vacation follow you home for years to come too. I am a big believer that everyone NEEDS a vacation. We all need that opportunity to allow our personal batteries to recharge while we reconnect with our loved ones. However, financing your vacation, at what can be ridiculous interest rates is not the way to go (as of the writing of this article, the Disney® Visa by Chase® has a 16.24% interest rate, ouch).

Let me offer you an alternative, and one of the great benefits of working with a Disney Travel Agent like the folks here at ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE TRAVEL, LLC (AIOT TRAVEL). A good agent will listen and get to know you. Many of us take pride in developing personal relationships with our clients while working with you to plan that memorable vacation. That’s what we do, we work for you, and that includes understanding your financial situation.

We know when Disney typically releases their deals and can help plan accordingly. Are you worried that there may not be a discounted offer when you’re ready to book? Book anyways, many times Disney will announce these discounts up to 4 months ahead of time. Your AIOT TRAVEL Consultant is constantly checking for these great offers and will automatically apply them to your vacation when they can.

If you find yourself struggling with the idea of how you will pay for your Disney vacation, let’s talk! We can help you plan your vacation several months or years in advance. Did you know that Disney prices are available up to 499 days in advance; that’s almost a year and a half of saving! If you can put away $100.00 a month for 16 months, you’d have $1,600.00; $150.00 a month would equal $2,400, and $200 a month… Well, that would give you $3,200.00 to put towards your dream Disney vacation. Hey, this is just putting money in a sock drawer, I’m not even going to discuss compounding interest! 😉

Your AIOT TRAVEL Consultant will also help you budget out and plan how much you will need to save to meet Disney’s “Paid in Full” deadline (typically 45 Days prior to arrival).

Not a natural saver??? That’s OK. Many direct deposit companies will allow you to set up an allotment that allows a portion of your paycheck to go into a designated account.

Afraid of having easy access to and spending the money, Disney can help with that!

Disney now offers the “Disney Vacation Account (DVA)!” This tool, operated by Disney, is an online savings plan that can help you save for your Disney vacation. When you’re ready to book, your AIOT TRAVEL, Independent Travel Consultant will book your reservation and then provide you with a confirmation number. All you will need to do is contact DVA and they will deduct the money directly from the account. Your AIOT TRAVEL Consultant will handle all other arrangements for you beyond that.

So please, take the time to contact an AIOT TRAVEL Consultant. Our time is free and many times we can save you money.

-Rob Edwards

rob@adventureisouttheretravel.com