Monday, January 31, 2011

83 DAYS TO GO . . .

      SUNDAY JANUARY 30, 2011

      TODAY I'M ON AIRFARE AND GROUND TRANSFERS.  THERE'S REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT YOU CAN DO ABOUT AIRFARE EXCEPT CONTINUE TO CHECK ON-LINE FOR THE PRICES OF THE DATES AND TIMES YOU WOULD CONSIDER.  FOR EXAMPLE: I'M 83 DAYS OUT NOW AND HAVE BEEN CHECKING IN PERIODICALLY AND HAVE SEEN THE PRICES, THE TIMES, THE STOPOVERS, ALL CHANGE UP AND DOWN ALONG THE WAY.  BECAUSE I'M STILL ALMOST 3 MONTHS OUT, SPECIALS FOR THOSE DATES HAVEN'T REALLY COME INTO PLAY YET, BUT I ALREADY HAVE AN IDEA WHAT FULL PRICE FARES ARE SO I CAN CONTINUE TO COMPARE AS WE GET CLOSER.   YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER "PRICELINE" OR A COMPANY THAT OFFERS LOWER PRICES (OR BIDS) ON FLIGHTS IF YOU'RE WILLING TO COMMIT TO PURCHASING AT THAT LOWER PRICE IMMEDIATELY.  AND IF AS YOU GET CLOSER (OR JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN YOU TO WAIT) YOU DON'T SEE A BETTER PRICE OR THE FLIGHT YOU WANT IS FILLING UP, YOU CAN GUARANTEE YOUR SEAT(S).
      YOU CAN ALSO USE DISNEY'S AIR PROGRAM, WHERE DISNEY WILL BOOK YOUR FLIGHT(S) FOR YOU.  THE BIGGEST DRAWBACK HERE IS THAT DISNEY DECIDES WHAT FLIGHT(S) YOU TAKE AND YOU MAY ARRIVE LATER THAN YOU PREFER, MAKING GROUND TRANSFERS TIGHT.  BUT IF YOU DO USE IT, YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR DISNEY'S ON-BOARD AIRLINE CHECK-IN PROGRAM.
     OBVIOUSLY THOSE WHO ARE DRIVING TO THE PORT DON'T HAVE THIS TO WORRY ABOUT, AND PARKING AT THE TERMINAL, OR EVEN NEAR BY, IS NOTHING IN PRICE COMPARISON.  GRANTED, GAS IS $3 - $4 PER GALLON, SO HOW FAR YOU DRIVE FACTORS IN, BUT IF YOU CAN, DRIVING WILL DEFINITELY SAVE YOU MONEY.  ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NO BAGS TO CHECK OR BE WEIGHED BY THE AIRLINE.  AND AS I'VE TOUCHED ON BEFORE, THIS ALSO GIVES YOU A BETTER OPTION TO BRING BOTTLES OF WATER, WINE, OR LIQUOR AS WELL.
      IF YOU DO FLY, NOW YOU HAVE TO GET FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE TERMINAL.  AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED IT'S TAKEN CARE OF IF YOU USE DISNEY'S AIRLINE PROGRAM.  DISNEY ROUND TRIP GROUND TRANSFERS ARE AVAILABLE TO/FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE CRUISE TERMINAL AND/OR WALT DISNEY WORLD (LAND) AND THE CRUISE TERMINAL.  PRICE PER GUEST IS $69 FOR CARIBBEAN CRUISES.  GROUND TRANSFERS INCLUDE BAGGAGE HANDLING.  FOR CRUISERS ARRIVING AT ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THE DAY OF YOUR CRUISE, BAGS GO DIRECTLY FROM THE PLANE TO YOUR SHIP (PROVIDED YOU AFFIX THE DISNEY-SUPPLIED LABELS PRIOR TO CHECKING YOUR BAGS WITH YOUR AIRLINE).  DISNEY CRUISE LINE HAS A LARGE DESK AT THE AIRPORT WITH REPRESENTATIVES TO DIRECT YOU TO A MOTOR COACH FOR YOUR TRANSFER.  YOUR CRUISE DOCUMENTS SHOULD HAVE THIS INFORMATION AS WELL.  IF YOU HAVEN'T BOOKED THIS IN ADVANCE YOU CAN FILL OUT THE DISNEY TRANSFER PAPERWORK IN YOUR CRUISE DOCUMENTS AND HAND THEM OVER AT THE AIRPORT AND THE CHARGE WILL APPEAR ON YOUR SHIPBOARD ACCOUNT.
     THE MOTOR COACH ITSELF IS A HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE DELUXE BUS PAINTED WITH THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE NAME AND LOGO, AS WELL AS "PORTHOLE" WINDOWS.  ON BOARD THE CUSHY SEATS RECLINE AND THERE'S EVEN A RESTROOM IN THE BACK.  ALONG THE WAY YOU'RE TREATED TO A CRUISE THEMED VIDEO STARRING ALL YOUR FAVORITE DISNEY CHARACTERS TO HELP BUILD THE ANTICIPATION.  ON THE RETURN TRIP YOU MAY WATCH A DISNEY MOVIE OR THE LIKE.  YOU MAY HAVE TO WAIT BEFORE BOARDING THE BUS AND LEAVING THE AIRPORT UNTIL THE BUS IS FULL.  SO YOU'LL HAVE TO DECIDE IF THE CONVENIENCE OF THE BUS OR THE SPEED OF PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION IS MORE IMPORTANT.
     THERE ARE MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR GETTING FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE PORT PRIVATELY.  A MORE LUXURIOUS OPTION IS TAKING A TOWN CAR OR LIMO THOUGH COMPANIES LIKE "QUICKSILVER" (888-468-6939) OR "HAPPY LIMO" (888-394-4277).  YOUR DRIVER WILL MEET YOU IN BAGGAGE CLAIM, HELP YOU WITH YOUR BAGS, AND DRIVE YOU DOOR TO DOOR TO THE PORT.  COST IS BETWEEN $200 AND $250 DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND SIZE OF THE VEHICLE YOU BOOK.  THE MORE PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE RIDE, THE CHEAPER IT IS PER PERSON.  OR YOU JUST MAY WANT TO SPLURGE ON THE SPACE AND LUXURY.
     TAXIS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE AIRPORT AS WELL, BUT AT ABOUT $100 EACH WAY, THEY'RE NOT THE MOST ECONOMICAL OF CHOICES.
     RENTAL CARS ARE AVAILABLE AT MULTIPLE PLACES AT AND NEAR THE AIRPORT.  THEY WORK PARTICULARLY WELL IF YOU'RE SPENDING TIME ELSEWHERE EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER YOUR CRUISE.  IT CAN ALSO BE A BETTER DEAL IF YOU SHOP AROUND AND FACTOR IN THE TIME IT TAKES FOR PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF.
     NO MATTER WHAT YOU CHOOSE, IF YOU DO A LITTLE SHOPPING AROUND PRIOR TO MAKING YOUR DECISION, YOU'LL BE MORE INFORMED AND BE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE THE CHOICE THAT BEST SUITS YOUR TRAVELING PARTY.
     SEE YA REAL SOON!   ºOº

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