Travel Advisor Blog
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  • August3rd

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    Buy DVC: Disney Raises Ticket Prices Again

    Posted in: Discounts, Disney, Florida, Hotels and Resorts

    In the ultimate carrot and stick move, days after extending Free Dining, Disney has significantly raised the prices of their tickets.  I have to say I am astounded that in these economic times Disney thinks that a one day one park pass is worth $84.14 – that is correct one park only.  If you want to park hop it is $139.52.

    I am sure the folks down the street at Universal are dancing with glee.  Universal is $99.00 for a season pass.

    We had planned to purchase park hoppers for our Walt Disney World Trip in October.  We usually buy Annual Passes but only planned this four day trip.  Well guess what the 4 Day Park Hopper is an outrageous $350.39 per person but our Disney Vacation Club Annual Pass Renewal is just $366.36.

    It is amazing.

    Probably another great reason to join DVC.  Okay let’s say you are a family of four and you normally stay at a moderate resort and go for a week.  You buy an annual pass for each person at $478.19, the DVC Discount is about $127 a person or roughly $500.

    But you say timeshares are expensive.  Well they are in most cases but what about this.  In DVC it is not week-based system but points.  The minimum points you can buy is 25 points.  So I went over to a timeshare reseller and found an Old Key West 25 point contract for sale for sale for $1850.

    If you bought that contract you could either stay 2 nights at Old Key West at no cost on each trip, not use the points and offer them to another member is a transfer (worth about $250 per year for the 25 points or do what we call bank and borrow and every three years get a 6 day value season trip for free.  Rack rate for an Old Key West Studio is $325 per night.

    The cost of maintenance for 25 points so let’s break down the various options:

    Do Nothing With the Points (Worst Choice):

    Maintenance Fee $100
    Annual Pass Savings <$500>
    Years to Break Even – Four

    Use The Points For Two Nights Per Year

    Maintenance Fee $100
    Annual Pass Savings <$500>
    Two Nights Moderate <$300>
    Years To Break Even – Three

    Transfer Points Yearly

    Maintenance Fee $100
    Annual Pass Savings <$500>
    Transfer Points Sale <$250>
    Years To Break Even – Three

    You could even do what is called “Bank and Borrow” and turn those points into a 6 night value season trip every three years.  And the best part is when you are done with your membership and want to sell, you still will have value and could probably sell them for the same or maybe even more as small contracts are premium.

    You do have to purchase small contracts on the resale market.  If you are interested feel free to e-mail me and I will refer you to one of the better resellers.  Or hey, I am about to put two Animal Kingdom Villas contracts up for sale, both are for 50 points.  If I do not have to put them out with a reseller they can go pretty cheap.  Let me know.

  • July30th

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    Great High Res Images of WDW Bay Lake Towers

    Posted in: Disney, Florida, Hotels and Resorts

    Just found these pictures uploaded that are the best and most comprehensive so far for the new WDW Bay Lake Towers.  For those of you unfamiliar with Disney World, Bay Lake Towers is the newest Disney Vacation Club resort.  Disney Vacation Club is the Disney version of a timeshare.  You purchase points, not weeks and can stay at your “home resort” or one of the other WDW DVC resorts or trade your points for other timeshares.

    Bay Lake Towers was Disney’s worst kept secret.  As they demolished the North Garden Wing of Contemporary they did so without any mention of what was going in there.  Kind of hard to ignore A BIG CRESCENT SHAPED BUILDING but they did there best “Building…what building?”

    Due to the economy it has not sold out as quick as expected but it is very popular with many of the people clamoring for monorail access.  Because of slower sales it is a wonderful opportunity for non-DVC member to try it out.

    A few things though different about BLT (I know it is a sandwich too!) first is that the pool area is for BLT only.  Unlike the other properties (BoardWalk, Beach Club and Animal Kingdom) where the DVC resort and the regular WDW resort share amenities, if you are staying at Contemporary you cannot use the pool at BLT.  This is because of the lake of real estate to build a large pool.  If the Contemporary folks were allowed in there would be crowding issues and let’s face it the Contemporary pool is not too exciting.

    Here is the tricky part, DVC members CAN pool hop so a DVC person staying at BLT can pool hop to Contemporary but a non-DVC member cannot, nor a Contemporary non-DVC pool hop to BLT.  Clear as mud?

    The other point is the bridge between the two resorts- that is simply a walkway from the fourth floor of Bay Lake Towers to Contemporary.  They actually frosted the glass and did not put in air conditioning to keep people from using it as a fireworks viewing area.  You will need to use your Bay Lake Tower room key to access it.  If you want to go over to Bay Lake Towers you will need to use the front entrance.

    The biggest controversy is the new Top of the World Lounge.  It is built on top of Bay Lake Towers and will probably have the best views of Magic Kingdom around.  This lounge is for DVC members and their guests only.  There is a ton of unhappiness over this by non-DVC people but think of it as the Airline Club rooms at the airport, sure you are flying that airline but just because you have a ticket does not mean you have access.  The Top of The Wolrd Lounge is the same for DVC – all of us who purchased Bay Lake Towers (yes me included) paid a huge premium for that resort.  Because of this DVC gave us a few perks.

    I am not sure how long it will continue like this, DVC and WDW have said they may change this at any times and DVCers remember the viewing area at Boardwalk Villas that was taken away and is now used for private function.  Anyone want to guess how long Top of The World will be open to anyone?  My guess is it will become a huge money maker for Disney and can only imagine what it will rent out for on New Year’s Eve.

    Before I forget West Marine has a special on Nuvi’s if you are interested.  We just bought one (Doh!) and they are super cheap. New Low Price on Garmin Nuvi 200W – Only $119.99!

  • July29th

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    Disney Extends Free Dining and Fall Discounts Are Up

    Posted in: Discounts, Disney, Florida, Restaurants

    I guess reservations must really be down because Free Dining is now ongoing through 11/24/2009 then star up after Thanksgiving and run through 12/17/2009. If you stay in a Value you get the Quick Serve Dining Plan which includes two Quick Service Meals and two snacks per day).  Moderates, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas will all get the regular Dining Plan (one quick service meal, one sit down meal and one snack).  It looks like the only Deluxe resorts in this are Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom and the two Deluxe Villa Resorts are Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.

    All sounds great huh?  Well here is the fine print.  There are some blackout dates and you have to stay at RACK rate.  You also have to buy a park pass too.  For some people it works out, if you have an annual pass it is not so good.  Run the numbers for yourself and decide.

    Here is another option:

    Fall Discount Rates are also up for Disney Visa holders, Annual Pass Holders (code JYF)  and anyone who has the codes (use KHP).  35% off selected resorts with availability.  No dining plan or tickets included in this one.  They do not say anywhere the list of hotels involved but I am going to guess the list is similar to the Free Dining Hotels.

    I hate the WDW reservation system, all of the codes are given to Expedia so I use them Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!

    Personally I would choose Saratoga Springs – one of my favorite resorts at WDW.  We are going for Food and Wine and staying at the new Bay Lake Towers.  I am so excited, we have been waiting for that Magic Kingdom view for a long time. No Free Dining or Discouts for us – DVC members are not eligible but hey I will be sitting on my balcony watching Wishes so it is a great trade off!

  • July24th

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    Your first trip to Walt Disney World

    Posted in: Articles, Disney, Florida

    People always are asking me about trips to Walt Disney World.  In my circle of friends I am considered a Disney Genius – okay maybe because we go there at least twice a year and some people think that is a bit over the top.

    Repeat after me – there is never too much Disney – got it?

    For first time travelers it is imperative to put your best foot forward.  Your first trip will either be great or something that your feet will never forgive you for – ever.

    Our trip was the latter; Steve and I would collapse at the end of the day and whimper in pain and literally crawl into the bathroom when we just had to go.  I still have flashbacks to one particular Epcot Death March where we took turns carrying our son on our shoulders.

    So here is some advice for the first time Disney traveler.

    Pick an off-season time of year – I highly suggest the fall.  Anytime between Labor Day and the first two weeks of December.  The weather is great and the crowds are manageable.  Do NOT choose a major holiday or the summer.  We love to go during Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival (the best choice for the adults!!!!)  You will be miserable, the crowds (and bugs) will eat you alive and you will probably never return.  Leave those times to the advanced travelers and the sadists.

    Now if you have school age kids and are like us, we don’t take our son out of school for trips then find a nice 3 or 4-day weekend and go then.  We find that we can do as much in four days off-season as ten days in the summer.

    Zig when others zag – there are tons of websites out there that will tell you good times for crowds but it really is not that hard to figure out.  Magic Kingdom is usually busy on the weekends and during Extra Magic Hours.  We shy away from Extra Magic Hours and will explain why in another blog so we go to the least appealing park we can find.

    Meaning, lets pretend it is Tuesday and Epcot has Evening Extra Magic Hours and Disney Studios has Fantasmic and Animal Kingdom has Early Magic Hours we will head to Magic Kingdom and have the lowest attendance.

    Take a break – I know you want to soak in the magic and squeeze every last dime out but after a few days your nerves will be fried and you won’t get It’s a Small World out of your head.  We usually get to the parks at rope drop (meaning when they open) ride everything until lunch then go back to the hotel and relax.  Swim or read or take a nap.  Then go out later on and hit the parks again.

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    I highly recommend the book below it has great tips on stretching your budget and making your trip enjoyable.

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