D23 Expo Recap: Day 1

Friday, August 19 was opening day of the D23 Expo (I’m working under the assumption that you are familiar with D23 ) and it kicked off with a bang. Or a mouse, as the case may be. It always starts with a mouse

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D23 Expo Recap: Day 1

Disney World - Orlando Florida Lifestyle Photographer

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Disney World - Orlando Florida Lifestyle Photographer

Can You Trust Online Cruise Reviews?

  A good question lately!  Once there was a rather large dust-up when it was disclosed that a major cruise line had given away some free cruises to a core group of its fans who posted regularly on a large cruise community site.  There were many cries of “foul” and “reverse censorship”.  While this may have been blown a bit out of proportion, it does open the door to a question lots of novice cruisers ask.  And the question is “Should I trust the reviews I read on sites like Cruise Critic?”  The answer is Yes and No. Why the ambiguity?  Because the most important thing to remember that what you are reading is just one person (or couple’s) opinion about a particular ship, cruise line or service amenity.  Have you ever gone to a shore side restaurant that a friend raves about and found it to be very disappointing?  I think we all have.  And what about that fabulous plumber who was recommended strongly?  The one who broke the pipe and flooded your new carpet?  Oops

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Can You Trust Online Cruise Reviews?

Freebies and Offers for Tourists Stranded in Orlando due to Pesky Volcanic Ash Plume in Iceland

Orlando Florida has some freebies to offer to the tourists stranded in Orlando Florida because of pesky volcanic ash. It includes free beer, cigar and free day’s entry to Disney World and other famous amusement parks, or cash in on an additional free seat for a local swamp tour. Retailers, theme park operators and hoteliers in Orlando, one of the top tourist destinations on the planet, are looking to ease the pain of thousands of stranded foreign travelers with a raft of ‘freebies,’ discounts and cut-price promotions

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Freebies and Offers for Tourists Stranded in Orlando due to Pesky Volcanic Ash Plume in Iceland

Celebrate Jack Hanna’s Weekends this Earth Day at SeaWorld

As part of the Earth Day celebrations in 2010, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is hosting a Jack Hanna Weekend. On April 24 and 25 there is an opportunity to have Breakfast with Jack Hanna at the Crown Colony restaurant starting at 8:30 am.

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Celebrate Jack Hanna’s Weekends this Earth Day at SeaWorld

Late Bookings! Is It Worth Hanging On For A Deal?

I’m wondering if the mixed messages coming from the cruise industry at the moment are there to create a ‘smoke and mirrors’ effect?  Cruise lines are reporting bumper bookings for 2010, generated, no doubt from the early booking incentives and low deposits being offered.  It’s just as well given that they are having to provide value-added incentives, like onboard credits, in addition to reduced prices to generate bookings for this summer. The way that the cruise industry markets itself will need to change.  The Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) reported this week that more and more cruisers are booking late, within three months of departure.  That’s obviously a recession-driven pattern – people hold back from spending until the last minute, hoping they will get a bargain, and hoping they will be in a position to take a holiday.   The thing about trends like that is that they tend not to revert back once the economic situation changes.  So, the cruise lines could find themselves having to re-evaluate their pricing and discounting strategies to address the downward spiral.  Hopefully they will realise what the public has been reliant on … cruise holidays , just like food, have a sell-by date.  And the closer you get to that sell-by date, the lower the price goes

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Late Bookings! Is It Worth Hanging On For A Deal?

Late Bookings! Is It Worth Hanging On For A Deal?

I’m wondering if the mixed messages coming from the cruise industry at the moment are there to create a ‘smoke and mirrors’ effect?  Cruise lines are reporting bumper bookings for 2010, generated, no doubt from the early booking incentives and low deposits being offered.  It’s just as well given that they are having to provide value-added incentives, like onboard credits, in addition to reduced prices to generate bookings for this summer. The way that the cruise industry markets itself will need to change.  The Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) reported this week that more and more cruisers are booking late, within three months of departure.  That’s obviously a recession-driven pattern – people hold back from spending until the last minute, hoping they will get a bargain, and hoping they will be in a position to take a holiday

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Late Bookings! Is It Worth Hanging On For A Deal?

Piece of a review borrowed from Anthea’s report on the Message Board

We got a taxi to Kowloon to the terminal which is a WOW terminal …more like an airport…loads of shops.I used to think ours was good but it is not a patch on HK’s. The ship HAL Volendam 61,000 tons but someplaces is said to be 63,000 is what I would now call a mid sized ship. beautiful artwork and flower arrangements all over the place.

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Piece of a review borrowed from Anthea’s report on the Message Board

Disney Exclusive Online: Magical Disney World Vacations For Everyone & Every Budget

DisneyExclusiveOnline: Magical Disney World Vacations For Everyone & Every Budget By: Tollie Schmidt Being a former Cast member at the Walt Disney World resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. I get asked a lot about the best deal. How can a family get the most of Disney World for the less amount of money

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Disney Exclusive Online: Magical Disney World Vacations For Everyone & Every Budget

Hi-Ho! Hi-Ho! It’s Off to Disneyworld We Go!

Here’s Angela on the Ferry (yes, ferry) into Disney World. Obviously, the Florida park is built a little different than the California park, but our initial initiation into the transportation around the park was this ferry. When you first arrive at Disney World, you’re taken to the ticketing and transportation center–a massive structure that has bus stops, monorail stations, walking trails, ticket booths and this ferry that crosses the lake and dumps you right into the Magic Kingdom.

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Hi-Ho! Hi-Ho! It’s Off to Disneyworld We Go!