Monday, April 11, 2011

16 DAYS TO GO . . .

     THURSDAY APRIL 7, 2011

     CREATE YOUR OWN CHEAP EXCURSIONS.  HAVE YOU SEEN THE PRICES FOR THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE'S SHORE EXCURSIONS OR "PORT ADVENTURES"?  THEY'RE INSANE!
     LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.  THE ATLANTIS CASINO RESORT IN NASSAU, BAHAMAS HAS A FAIRLY NEW WATER PARK.  IT'S PRETTY BIG AND PRETTY COOL.  LOTS OF LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS TYPE THEMING AND SLIDES THAT ACTUALLY GO THROUGH AND AROUND ATLANTIS' HUGE AQUARIUM AND SHARK TANKS AND THE LIKE.  IT'S BECOME QUITE THE DRAW FOR THOSE VISITING THE RESORT OR JUST THE ISLAND FOR THAT MATTER.  WELL DISNEY RUNS A SHORE EXCURSION TO ATLANTIS THAT INCLUDES THE ABILITY TO TOUR THE AQUARIUM AND USE THE WATER PARK.  IT ALSO INCLUDES YOUR RIDE TO THE RESORT AND BACK AND A SMALL LUNCH.  GUESS HOW MUCH?  $169 PER ADULT AND $115 PER CHILD! 
     IF MY SON AND I WERE TO GO TO THIS WATER PARK WE'D BE LOOKING AT ALMOST $300 FOR MAYBE 5 HOURS.  YOU'D HAVE TO SEE THE AQUARIUM NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU TRIED TO GET IT IN, LEAVING YOU ABOUT HALF A DAY FOR THE WATER PARK . . . FOR $300.  I LIVE NEAR THE BEACH AND WATER PARKS, BIG AND SMALL, ARE PRETTY PLENTIFUL.  I TOOK MY SON TO A PRETTY BIG, AND ENTERTAINING, WATER PARK ON THE BOARDWALK IN WILDWOOD, NEW JERSEY.  WE DROVE THE 45 MINUTES EACH WAY BACK AND FORTH, PARKED IN A PRIVATE LOT, HAD LUNCH THERE (THAT WE PACKED), SPENT 8 HOURS THERE AND GOT FREE SUNTAN LOTION TO BOOT.  HOW MUCH?  LESS THAN $50 . . . TOTAL . . . INCLUDING GAS AND TOLLS.  SO NO MATTER HOW MANY SHARK TANKS WE SLIDE THROUGH, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO RATIONALIZE $300 NOW FOR A WATER PARK FOR HALF A DAY.  UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF SHORE EXCURSIONS THAT ARE SET UP FOR YOU ARE THE SAME WAY.  YOU'RE REALLY PAYING JUST FOR THE CONVENIENCE AND NOT MUCH ELSE.
     DO A LITTLE RESEARCH AND SET UP AN EXCURSION YOURSELF.  THE SAME WATER PARK EXCURSION CAN BE DONE FOR LESS BY BOOKING A ROOM AT A COMFORT INN ACROSS THE STREET FROM ATLANTIS THAT GETS ACCESS TO THEIR WATER PARK.  OTHER EXCURSIONS ARE THE SAME.  INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR A TOUR.  WALK TO THE END OF YOUR DOCK AND PAY SOMEONE, A LOT LESS, TO TAKE YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.  DISNEY HAS TO GET THEIR CUT, PLUS THE TRANSPORTERS, THE END DESTINATION OR TOUR GUIDES, ETC.  IF YOU CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN, YOU WILL SAVE YOURSELF A LOT OF MONEY AND BE ABLE TO CONTROL YOUR EXCURSION A LOT MORE YOURSELF.  DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE HUSTLING FOR YOUR BUCK IN A PORT ARE GOING TO MIND YOU NOT TAKING THE DISNEY TOUR?  HECK NO.  THEY'RE NOT INVOLVED.  THEY'LL BE HAPPY AS HECK THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING THEM AND WILL BE WILLING TO BARGAIN AS WELL.  IF YOU HAVE A GENERAL IDEA OF WHAT THINGS COST IN PORT YOU'LL ALREADY HAVE A HEAD START.  PRICE TAXIS OR TOURS.  DESTINATIONS OR MUSEUMS AND HIRE SOMEONE FOR THE DAY.  YOUR WALLET MAY JUST THANK YOU FOR IT!
     SEA YA REAL SOON!   ºOº
TONIGHT'S MOVIE IS "THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME".

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