Orlando: Travel Articles
Getting FastPass Tickets 60 Days In Advance
Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort (WDW) can get FastPass tickets 60 days in advance of their visit. This is a significant advantage over those not staying “onsite”. There is a loophole that actually allows guests not staying at the resort to get FastPasses a full 60 days in advance of their visit. The method involves booking accommodations at the WDW resort, getting FastPasses 60 days in advance, then canceling the hotel stay.
Disney World Money Saving Tips
Staying on the Walt Disney World Resort vs Off-Site: This is probably the first decision any traveller needs to make when planning their trip to Disney World. There are many benefits to staying on-site (which I don’t go into) and the truth is, it’s hard to put a dollar value to them. Ignoring intangible benefits, I calculated the cost of staying in WDW versus staying at a hotel nearby. My results were consistent with what most travel books (including my favorite, the Unofficial Guide) say: You’re paying a premium for staying in Disney, even after you factor in the cost of renting a car (which is recommended if you’re staying off site), Disney dining plans and discounts, vacation packages, and other variables. The results were so lopsided that we simply couldn’t justify the extra expense of staying in WDW. Off site is cheaper, hands down.
Beyond the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
In preparation for an upcoming trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, I soon discovered one of my favorite travel sites: DisBoards.com, a Disney discussion community full of great tips, resources, and a group of friendly die-hard Disney fans sharing their exeriences and advice. In fact, I’m became of them. The folks here commonly recommend the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World as the de facto guide book to WDW, so without hesitation, I bought myself a copy.
The book is indeed as good as the raves about it. It’s very comprehensive, and covers just about everything you need to know about planning your trip to WDW. And for the most part, I agree with pretty much everything in the book (especially the tips about arriving early). However, there were a few areas where I felt the book was either not entirely accurate, left out, or simply not enough attention was paid to. While I strongly suggest picking up the guide, here are some additional tips for Walt Disney World.
Resort Fees Are Getting Out Of Hand
resort fees are a mandatory fee that guests must pay to the hotel in addition to the nightly room rate. In most cases they are on a per night basis and guests cannot opt out. They often include some perks and freebies such as usage of the hotel facilities, a complimentary newspaper, free telephone calls and internet. Here are the top 10 cities that charge resort fees and some tips on how to avoid them.
America’s Cheapest Cities For Luxury Hotels
Based on a new study by HotelDealsRevealed.com, here is a list of the cheapest (and most expensive cities for luxury hotels in America.
Ever notice that some cities are dirt cheap when it comes to high-end hotels while other cities are seemingly impossible t get a decent hotel at a decent price? You are not along, and in fact, it could be the city that you are staying. In a recent survey of travellers, I was able to determine the top 10 most affordable luxury hotel cities in America, as well as the most expensive. The cheapest cities for Luxury hotels are:
Priceline Express Deals Revealed
Booking on a hotel on blind bidding websites such as Priceline and Hotwire are great for travelers to save money. Only problem is, you don’t know what hotel you are going to get. However, thanks to fellow travelers it is now possible to have your Priceline Express Deals revealed. The Priceline Forum on this site has over 20,000 members who regularly share their winning bids. A “winning bid” is essentially a Priceline hotel purchase on NYOP or Express Deals. We have literally had thousands of winning bids reported and curated into Priceline hotel lists for virtually every city in North America (mostly Canada and the United States), and we are eagerly gathering data for Europe, Mexico and Caribbean destinations.