Disney Vacations

Chris Chew asked:


Tell people that you are going on a Disney vacation holiday and they will inevitably ask you which of the Disney theme parks you are visiting. Unknown to many people, Disney actually own a private island in the Caribbean Sea in the Bahamas called Castaway Cay. However, accessibility to this Mickey Mouse shaped exotic magic island is only through Disney cruise ships. Yes, Disney operates cruises too and in fact owns two of the most fun and luxurious cruise ships.

As a matter of fact, Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger announced in early 2007 that the company has signed a letter of intent with Meyer Werft Shipyards of Germany to build two 122,000-ton cruise ships, each with room for up to 4,000 guests. The unnamed ships will be delivered in 2011 and 2012 respectively taking the Disney fleet to 4 ships.

Castaway Cay, the beautiful Pacific island is lined with pristine beaches dotted with colorful umbrellas. Under each of these huge umbrellas are two adjustable lounge chairs and two beach chairs to relax in. There are also hammocks scattered around the beaches for visitors to doze off in the cool sea breezes.

There is a “Family Beach” for wholesome family fun and in Serenity Bay is the “Adult Beach” for those above 18 years old and a “Teen Beach” for teenagers. As you disembark from a Disney cruise ship, you can simply walk or head to the Tram Station for a tram ride to all three Castaway Cay beaches.

The water around Castaway Cay is crystal clear and is also comfortably warm for most of the year. As the beaches are sheltered, the tides rise and ebb with barely a ripple. This is certainly an excellent water condition for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. If you do not wish to plunge into the water, you can book a Stingray Adventure excursion and interact with these fascinating sea creatures.

Feeling hungry? Your hunger pang will be satisfied with a smorgasbord of seasonal fresh fruits and delicious barbecue meats, mouth watering seafood and the best potato salad you have ever tasted.

Naturally, there is also a souvenir store for you to get some Disney mementos to remember this island paradise fondly. Exclusive Disney Castaway Cay merchandise is sold here as well as any essentials you may have forgotten such as swim wear, sunglasses or sun blocks. There are also stores which sell Bahamian handicrafts, however the prices for these handicrafts are much higher than in any Bahamian port of call.

Hair braiding is a very popular vacation activity in Castaway Cay. Everyone wants to look like a Rastafarian or be a Jimi Hendrix look alike. Another relaxing activity is to head over to Serenity Bay open air massage cabanas for some body pampering.

There are many other excursions to choose from such as going on guided jetski tour, a banana boat ride or go parasailing. Just about everything you can expect to do at a beautiful beach, Disney’s Castaway Cay has them all and more.

If spending a full day under the sun is not your cup of tea, then do head for Groupers Pavilion’s sheltered area where you can play foosball, table tennis, basketball, golf, chess and checkers. There are also be favorite Disney cartoon characters making appearances and mingling with the children.

So if you are taking a vacation, why not take a Disney cruise instead and enjoy sailing to Disney’s magic island, the Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.



Johnathan

Kelley Falgout asked:


Walt Disney World and Disneyland are renowned for their time-honored hospitality and wide scope of entertainment opportunities which make them some of the most popular vacation destinations in the world. So it’s probably not a big leap that when you ask most people to think of a theme park, the first thought that comes to their minds is “Disney”. This is not an accident or coincidence.

Disney theme parks aren’t known as the places where “fantasies come true” for nothing, both for Disney fans and theme park enthusiasts alike. Walt Disney World and Disneyland parks are full of compelling, believable detail and home to countless characters that have beguiled generations for more than 50 years. They are synonymous with the great American family day out, so it’s no wonder that most adults associate the whole experience with childhood memories and take their own children back again and again.

They want you to come back and, believe me; you’ll want to go back. The kicker to going back repeatedly is that it can be a little (O.K., a lot!) cost prohibitive. There’s also a lot to do and see at a Disney theme park so don’t try to do everything all in one trip…you may not recover! If you’re planning an upcoming trip to one of the parks, spend a little time now and not big bucks later by doing a few things that are quick, easy and, better yet, free.

• Walt Disney World and Disneyland vacation planning has spawned its own cottage industry and there are several websites dedicated to helping you plan the best vacation for you and yours. A lot of them are travel agencies that specialize in Disney vacations while others are purely informational websites. Almost all of them have newsletters that you can subscribe to that can be full of special travel deals or just great information.

• Visit all the major airlines and sign up for their weekly email specials. Southwest Airlines usually has great deals on airfare and has an excellent all-in-one online vacation planner with deals on Walt Disney World and Disneyland parks. You also can book it all – air, rental cars, accommodations (even 5 bedroom rental homes), and park tickets - from their website.

• Check out your local library to see which “unofficial” Disney vacation guides they may have, especially if you don’t have that much vacation time and want to get really familiar with the park before you go. Most guides have a “must do’s” section for each park to help you make the most of your trip.

• Disney makes it pretty simple to plan a vacation, especially when you use their all-in-one online trip planning guide. Although you may find better deals elsewhere, it’s still a good idea to sign up for their email alerts. They are, after all, the experts on all things Disney. Be sure to request a free trip planning DVD. It’s excellent and serves as a great “video memory book” for your kids once they get home from the vacation!

These are good places to start, especially to get an idea of how much money you’re going to need. With that in mind, let’s take a look at just a few of the things that you’ll need to budget for:

• Travel expenses – plane, train or automobile (gas for your own car or cost of a rental)

• Length of stay

• Accommodations – Resort and area hotels, condos, rental homes

• Food – more choices than I can list…

• Souvenirs

• Special events – character dining, golf, scuba diving (EPCOT), etc.

• Park tickets – several options to choose from depending on your length of stay, park hopping options, meal packages, water parks, etc.

The bottom line is start now! Some of the special events are booked months in advance and the sooner you start planning, the better!



Jessie

mattrdaniels asked:


I really want to take my boyfriend to Disney World because he’s never been there. I want to go before we have our first kid. I want to go around september or october of next year and I want to stay in a resort and be able to go to all 4 major parks plus maybe one water park. What is the best way to make this affordable? I’d like to stay around $2500. Is this possible?

Kade

Amy asked:


I’d like to see the most elaborate decor at my hotel. Yay!

Chandler

maryt0917 asked:


I’m debating whether to sell my timeshare. I pay $85 a month on annual dues, and am thinking it’s a rip off. Any suggestions/comments?
I am a DVC member, and am wondering what gets applied with the money I pay per month? The annual dues seem to be outrageous!

Brandon

Chris Chew asked:


You have decided to bring your family to Disneyland in Orlando for a family holiday vacation. You do know that getting a comfortable hotel room for a family of 4 or more is usually a hassle because there is only one television set and your children will fight over which program to watch.

What is more, with only one bathroom, cleaning up and dressed is like waiting in a long queue for a thrill ride in, well, Disneyland. Your family will feel cramped, stifled and tempers can flare up easily unless you book two hotel rooms and that may be expensive in Orlando especially in hotels nearer Disney World.

Is this really a holiday vacation hotel room or a prison cell? Is there any better way to enjoy your Disney holiday?

Well, you certainly have other accommodation options such as staying in vacation rentals homes. Do you know that even Disney is in the business of renting out vacation homes? This is certainly an indication of the high demand of vacation rental homes in Orlando.

You can either book your vacation rental homes with Disney, your travel agent or the local home rental businesses. There is certainly no shortage of them in Orlando.

Vacation rental homes come in many shape and sizes and they range from 3 or more bedrooms. An up-market 3 bedroom rental vacation home could have 2 or 3 bathrooms so that everybody can shower, do what people normally do when they visit the bathrooms and everyone get ready at their own leisurely time.

Then, there may even be television sets in every bedroom so that your children need not fight over their favorite television program.

Since most, if not all vacation rental homes in Orlando come with a fully equipped kitchen, you can always choose to cook rather than eating out in expensive restaurants so as to cut down the cost of your family vacation.

What is even better, you can even dine al fresco style by the poolside under the stars without breaking any rigid hotel standing orders.

With a private swimming pool at your vacation rental home, every family member can have a dip and sun bathe under the tropical sun for a much needed sun tan without jostling with other hotel guests. Most vacation rental home’s swimming pools are enclosed with a net to keep out annoying biting insects thus allowing you absolute freedom to swim anytime without having to endure pesky irritating insect bites.

There are many beautiful villas for rental along the Florida coast where you can enjoy the sun, sea and fresh air in the comfort of your own vacation rental home. Your children will love frolicking in the sea, playing on the lovely beaches building sand castles by just stepping out of your vacation rental home. How much more convenient can it get?

Just like any full serviced apartments, many convenient services can be hired in vacation rental homes such as you can have laundry facilities in your holiday rental home at no extra cost.

If you think that cooking and washing dishes is a hassle, you can even order home deliveries. Again this saves you time and money as laundry services and dining can be quite expensive in hotels.

Therefore, when you are considering a family Disney vacation to Orlando, do give consideration to staying in a vacation rental home so that you can have a pleasant and fun filled holiday with your beloved family.



Lukas

Lissa asked:


I’m in charge of packing up our new camper and having everything ready Wed for our Florida Disney adventure. But I’m stressing now cause I keep thinking I’m forgetting something or should be bringing something. Any ideas? Thanks!

Evelyn

Sunshine asked:


Has anyone ever been to Disney World with a forecast of rain looming? Will it effect/ruin our family vacation?

Yesenia

Jay asked:


We plan on getting discount tickets for two or three days depending on finances, and a discount hotel maybe two or three
parks whatever is on the discount tickets, and a car rental. And
of course food too. We
live in Jacksonville Florida. I was thinking $1200 might be enough. What do you think

Carlos

alatriste asked:


Four days, three nights. Suggestions for a nice hotel (relaxation a must if that’s possible in Disney) and activities.

Tori