My blog has moved and I didn't mention it here! That was dumb...

Hi Everyone.

Last spring I migrated my Disney Blog (and our travel agency's other blogs), over to being self-hosted on our own newly redesigned website and I stopped posting here...

I can't really think why I didn't mention that on Blogger, and provide a link to the new blog, once that feat was accomplished, as I AM still blogging regularly...

Here's the new location of the blog: http://www.letstakethekidstravel.com/blog?tag=alexs-disney-blog

Maybe I'll "see" some of you there soon!

All the best,
Alex

Apology for absence

Dear loyal readers (all 7 of you),

Based on the last few months of absence (yes, months...) you could be forgiven for thinking that

1. I don't love you any more
2. Disney simply has no news worth sharing.

Obviously, neither of these is true.

1. I do still love you all, deeply, but have been preoccupied with booking lots of you to various Disney destinations, and the many other non-Disney places that I also send folk (as some people are weird enough that they don't want to travel to Disney every year)... and
2. Disney have made lots of recent announcements that I am itching - nay, aching - to tell you about.

Here's a sampler of the articles I'll be posting about today or tomorrow:

• New promotional codes at Disney World
• A long-overdue update on Aulani, Disney's resort in Hawaii, which is already open for business. 
• 2013 sailing itineraries are available for all the Disney Cruise ships.

And there'll probably be more. Watch this space...

Disney Cruise Line – Canadian Resident Offer

This is something that might appeal more to those from the West Coast, as it applies to the Mexican Riviera cruises out of Los Angeles... though we have had East Coast clients that did this cruise this year - and loved it...

Why not consider visiting California - maybe take in Disneyland in Anaheim at the beginning or end of your vacation and enjoy the Disney Wonder cruise ship down to the Pacific coast of Mexico. Go at the quieter time of year and enjoy excellent "Canadian Resident" discounts.


Offer Details

Canada residents can save 25% off prevailing rates on select Mexican Riviera sailings on the Disney Wonder from Jan. 8 - Feb. 26, 2012

• This offer is only available for Canada residents.
• This offer is valid for stateroom Categories 4A - 11B. Excludes category with restriction IGT, OGT and VGT

Sail dates: Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Jan. 22, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 12, Feb. 19 and Feb. 26, 2012.

Booking code : CAN ( must be quoted at time of booking )

Contact me to take advantage of this offer... 613 594 5633 or alex@lttk.ca

New Walt Disney World - 20%-30% off room rates offer

While the Free Dining Promo is probably the best offer that Disney has going on right now for most people, the following "room-only" discount could suit you if the Free Dining dates don't work for you.

In fact, even if they do, but you are staying in Deluxe category resort, this new promo might actually save you money as the room discount could conceivably be higher than the value of the Free dining...

Unfortunately, the two promos can't be combined - come on, would you really expect that?! - but we would always check and see which one works best...


Offer Details

• 20% off Value and Moderate Resorts
• 30% off Deluxe and Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts 
• Excludes Campsites
• Booking Window : September 6- December 22, 2011
• Travel Window  : October 1 – December 22, 2011

** Please note that rooms will be priced at Rack Rate for November 23 – 25 **

Small update to our "How To Do Disney" website....

It has been a while since I updated the Disney pages on the Let's Take the Kids Travel "How to do Disney" section. While much of it didn't really need much updating, some of the more date-sensitive stuff was overdue for a change. Things like the season dates and ticket prices have now been fixed up.

I don't put specials and promos on that site, I post them here on this blog.

Along those lines, I will be posting a couple of other promos, one for Walt Disney World, and one for Disney Cruise Lines in a few moments.

Free dining is back! Dates through Sept NEXT YEAR!!

After an extended silence from me - sorry about that - I wanted to ensure that you are aware of the newest Walt Disney World Offer. Like last year the Disney Travel Company is offering Free Dining for an e-x-t-e-n-d-e-d set of dates in 2011 and 2012.

And if the next year is anything like this year (and it probably will be) they won't re-introduce the free dining again once the booking deadline has passed. That means that people willing to pre-plan will get the best deals. Waiting til next year will be TOO LATE - at least for this deal (which is typically their best offer of the year)...

Here's the scoop on the dates and booking deadline... (please note that the dates have changed just a little since Disney first announced them). This is the corrected list.

Magic Your Way plus Free Dine

Booking Window : August 3 – December 17 , 2011

Travel Window (valid for arrival most nights) :

• Oct. 1-6, 2011
• Oct. 22 - Nov. 3, 2011
• Nov. 12-17, 2011
• Nov. 26 - Dec. 1, 2011
• Dec. 10-15, 2011
• Jan. 8-12, 2012
• Jan. 21 - Feb. 2, 2012
• Feb. 11-16, 2012
• March 3-8, 2012
• March 24-29, 2012
• Aug. 19 - Sept. 29, 2012

Get the Quick Service Dining Plan FREE at a Disney Value Resort (you can upgrade to the Disney Dining Plan or Deluxe Disney Dining Plan at reduced rates)

Get the (regular) Disney Dining Plan FREE at a Disney Moderate, Deluxe,  Deluxe Villa Resort or Cabin.

You should definitely consider booking early for next year. Contact me to do so...

Disney World, Disneyland and the new Aulani resort in Hawaii - now available to book for 2012

Way earlier than in previous years, we can book Disney vacations for 2012. Usually we have had to wait til August, so this is GOOD NEWS!

Free dining "Memories Vacation Package"

Tentative details are emerging about a new "free dining" special for travel to Walt Disney World (in select Walt Disney World resort hotels) in late August-late September.

This offer is valid for stays for most nights between 28th August  2011 and 24th September 2011.

This new package - the "Memories Vacation Package" - includes:

• Accommodations in a select Walt Disney World resort hotel (3 nights minimum)
• Walt Disney World theme park Tickets (2 days minimum) - the Base Ticket is included in the offer, but this can be upgraded to the Park Hopper or Water Park Fun and More, at additional cost
• A Disney's PhotoPass Photo Book. Please note that this required item adds about $100 USD to the total cost of this package.

• If you stay at select Disney Value resorts you will get the Quick Service Dining Plan for FREE.
• If you stay at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas resorts you will get the regular Dining Plan for FREE.

You must book by 8/27/11, though the number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited and many dates will sell out well before this cut-off date. No group rates or other discounts apply.

I don't seem to be very consistent with the whole blogging thing...

Kind of defeats the object of blogging if you don't blog regularly...

I have good excuses, of course - I am still primarily a working travel agent and client files have to take precedence. There are certain times of year when it is very hard to get everything done.

However, there have been a number of Disney developments that should be reported, plus one rumour which is about 98% certain to pan out regarding "FREE DINING" for 28th Aug-24th Sep 2011...

Watch this space!

Disney Dream Christening Today

Today is a special day for the Disney Cruise company. They are christening their latest ship... the Disney Dream

You can watch live from 10.30 AM at disneycruise.com/dream - there's quite a party going on, as I type...

They are re-broadcasting the christening ceremony at 11.20 EST too...



The Disney Dream's maiden voyage is one week from today - the 26th Jan 2011...

Westjet Seat Sale to Orlando - silly prices for December...

I just checked some flights for clients for December. I was amazed to find the 13th or 14th December for a week, direct flights, round-trip, from Ottawa, for $350 - and that's TAX-IN... crazy!! (I just spent nearly double that for a flight to Edmonton...)

Considering that there was some (albeit extremely limited) availability on the free dining plan for the 13th-20th too, maybe you should call me and book!!

Launching a "Dream" - part 4...

Now for the 'Disney Fantasy" - the 4th and newest ship...

• Maiden voyage will be April 14 2012
• It will be doing Western and Eastern 7 night cruises
• Based out of Port Canaveral

We know that Disney clients love new stuff. If you want to be among the first people to book for the Disney Fantasy (if you want to be on that maiden voyage) - then you will be able to BOOK REAL SOON!

Previous Disney Cruisers that have reached Castaway Club "Gold" status (5+ cruises, I think) and above, have a one-day head start to book...

• Gold (and higher clients) can book starting TOMORROW 19th October.
• Everyone else will have to wait until Wednesday 20th.

Let's get a "Let's Take the Kids Travel" client on that first voyage of the Disney Fantasy!!

Launching a "Dream" - part 3...

Not too sure if you spotted a link that I put up a while ago, showing just what the ships can offer for kids, you should check out JustforKidsDCL.com

Just a short list of some of "What's included!" on a Disney Cruise

•  activites, 
• food, 
• shows, 
• theatre, 
• parties, 
• teen club, 
• games, 
• kids counselors, 
• deck party, 
• beaches, 
• water slides, 
• Disney characters, 
• fitness center, 
• pirates, 
• dancing 
• fun, 
• awesome staff
• private island
• free sodas
• and much more!

Launching a "Dream" - part 2...

There's a lot of new stuff at Castaway Cay. But it all went past too fast to really blog! Suffice it to say that they have added a lot more cool stuff to what was already most people's favourite port of call on any Disney Cruise...

Don't forget that you can only visit Castaway Cay on a Disney Cruise. My family and I can vouch for the fact that it is an awesome place!

You should check out this mini-site for more info - visitcastawaycay.com

Launching a "Dream" - part 1...

What we're going to hear about:

More availability. More itineraries. More Magic (of course!)

• Sneak peek at the new ship being built
• New stuff at Castaway Cay.
• New itinerary plans for the 4th ship, the "Disney Fantasy".

Let's start off with a really cool little video showing how the Disney Dream is coming along...

Building the "Dream" video

We just saw some cool pictures for stuff that has been finished already, as long as some of the other conceptual art.

Here are some of the cool new things that I haven't seen before:

• Virtual porthole in all inside staterooms - an industry first
• Enchanted art - art that "comes to life"
• Interactive playfloor (in kids club)
• Enchanted garden that changes from day to night

Looking good so far!

Here is a link to a mini-site exclusively about the Disney Dream. Check it out! 

 

Launching a dream - I got stuck on the slipway!

Welcome back Disney Fans...

I kind of forgot that I was going to be live-blogging the latest Disney cruise line announcements at noon today. So I kind of didn't do it... :-(

Luckily, they are replaying this event/webinar at 3 PM. :-)

So I'll blog that instead! YAY!

Launching a Dream

Hello again, Disney Cruise Fans...

Just a bit of a heads-up. On 18th October starting at around noon EST I plan to "live-blog" the latest big Disney Cruise Line announcement. Oooooh!!!

Here's what we are going to be finding out about...

We’re counting down to the January 26, 2011, maiden voyage of the Disney Dream™, the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line® fleet and we are excited to:
* Share a sneak peek of what’s going on in the shipyard in Germany
* Explore what’s new at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island paradise
* Take an in-depth look at some key Disney Differences
* Announce the itinerary plans for our fourth ship, the Disney Fantasy™

 
Cool! "See" you on the 18th...
 

Do you know the name of the 4th Disney Cruise ship?

It will called the "Disney Fantasy".

Now you know.

You're welcome!

New Disney Cruise Line mini-site

Just for Kids DCL mini-site

Welcome back, Disney fans...

Here's a quick update about a really cool little mini-website that Disney Cruises have just launched, showcasing all there is to do for kids (of all ages) on the Disney Cruise Line ships.



Featuring a number of videos and info on many of the aspects of the kids programming, you can explore what's on offer for kids, tweens, teens, and the littlest cruisers...  


Check out the site at http://www.justforkidsdcl.com/

New charter flight from Ottawa for the winter season

Knowing that at least one of my loyal readers is from Ottawa (like me) I thought there might be some mileage in mentioning that Air Transat will be flying direct flights from Ottawa to Orlando for the winter season. Flights are on Fridays, and many dates have quite attractive pricing. Flight times are OK too.

 OTTAWA - ORLANDO   TS940   07:30  10:40

 ORLANDO - OTTAWA   TS941   11:40  14:35

Right now for the 7th Jan, for example, the price is a ridiculous $99 plus tax & service (total around $350)...

A reminder that Westjet are still probably your best choice from Ottawa as they have direct flights 6-days a week, so offer much more flexibility. Right now they also have a seat sale with their lowest fare around the same $350 mark - very impressive...

Their flight times are the same Monday to Saturday...

 OTTAWA - ORLANDO   WS1278   11:30  14:45

 ORLANDO - OTTAWA   WS1279   15:35  18:26

Sundays are:

 OTTAWA - ORLANDO   WS1280   17:00  20:15

 ORLANDO - OTTAWA   WS1281   13:15  16:06

Unbelievable news about free dining at Walt Disney World

In what is a completely unprecedented move (in my 11-year memory at least!) Disney seem to have gone nuts and are offering free dining right through select dates in SEPTEMBER 2011! Yes, you read that right - more than a year of potential free dining dates to book!

We already knew that the free dining promotion was valid for arrivals most nights most dates up to the end of December this year:

•  Oct. 1-7, Oct. 22-28, Nov. 12-18, Nov. 27 — Dec. 2 and Dec. 10-21, 2010,

But here are the new dates for 2011...

• Jan. 1-5, 
• Jan. 9-13, 
• Jan. 21 — Feb. 3, 
• Feb. 11-17, 
• Feb. 25 — March 3, 
• May 27 — June 2 and 
• Aug. 19 — Sept. 29, 2011.

CRAZY!!!

Booking window is from today through 20th December, but, as always with the Free dining promos, the number of rooms is limited, so it is better to book earlier. There is no down side to booking early...

And that's not all.

In subsequent posts, I'll summarise a couple of more limited offers also announced today, that also may appeal to you. Although these other offers cannot be combined with the free dining, they fill in some of the dates that are not offered with free dining.

2011 Walt Disney World Packages are now available to book

Well, a few days earlier than expected, it is now possible to book 2011 packages. I'll wait a couple of days to swap over my existing client bookings to avoid the long phone wait times and the possible technological crashes that tend to happen in the first couple of days!

As for the rest of you that were waiting for this moment to book -- let's hear from you!!

The 2011 Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort vacation packages are now available to book.

The packages are valid for arrivals beginning January 2011 and feature brand-new enhancements, excellent value and exclusive benefits that only Disney can provide.

Learn more about 2011 vacation packages.

• Magic Your Way Package
• Magic Your Way Package Plus Quick Service Dining
• Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining
• Magic Your Way Package Plus Deluxe Dining
• Magic Your Way Premium Package
• Magic Your Way Platinum Package

 

Disney Park Ticket prices go up TOMORROW!

Not much notice, I agree.

Disney actually announced this officially yesterday, quietly. I missed it 'til today.

All tickets are going up. We mostly sell Walt Disney World, and their ticket prices are going up approx 5% (an increase of between $2 and $22 per ticket depending on duration). This is for travel in the remainder of 2010 and onwards. Tickets ALREADY PURCHASED (including tickets purchased as part of a package) will be honored at the price originally paid. (No supplements will be charged.)

So if you are in the market for a Disney trip in 2010 and have been sitting on the fence - you'd best buy today and save a few dollars!

As package prices for 2011 have not been announced yet, there is no sneaky way to avoid the price increase for 2011 that I can think of.

In the last month I had quoted a few clients "guesstimated prices", based on an estimated 5% increase in price, which turns out to have been pretty accurate. Though I am wondering why a 5% increase when inflation in the USA is only just above 1% right now, and hasn't been above 3% since the end of 2008...

Anyway...

Here's the official Disney Blog announcement

and here is a chart showing the new Walt Disney World prices

Get Ready to Book Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa Ko Olina, Hawai‘i

Illustration (c) Disney

Last year I mentioned that Disney had bought property in Hawaii with a view to building a resort there... well plans are obviously coming to fruition, as it was announced today that we will be able to book this amazing family destination resort, starting at the beginning of August for travel starting in the fall of 2011.

The resort promises to showcase the culture and beauty of Hawaii, through the magic of Disney, offering kids programming, adult activities, cultural experiences and much more.

If you love Disney (and the way they do things) and/or if you are interested in exploring Hawaii, you should consider being one of the first families to travel to Aulani. As always when Disney launch a new travel product, there will be strong demand!

Bookings open the first week in August 2010 for Disney's new family resort on the shores of O‘ahu.

Aulani connects you to all that's magical about Hawai‘i through storytelling and amazing cultural experiences as only Disney can deliver.

Learn more at the Aulani's resort webpage.

Final piece of the new "Disney Dream" cruise ship now in place!

The exterior of the newest Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Dream is now complete! Interior fitting out continues, with lots of cool innovations... especially interesting to me is the industry-first "virtual porthole" for inside staterooms! 

To learn more about the Disney Dream, be sure to check out the interactive Web site
it's really cool!
 

The following article's source - DisneyTravelAgents.com

 

The final building block for the newest Disney Cruise Line® ship, the Disney Dream™, is now in place at the Meyer Werft shipyard, signaling completion of a major milestone in the ship's overall construction. The final block was a 260-ton portion of the ship's bow, complete with the signature Disney Cruise Line golden filigree. With all 80 building blocks for the Disney Dream now in place, the focus shifts to outfitting the interiors spaces that include the whimsical, Disney-infused children's spaces, dynamically chic adult nightclubs, spectacular restaurants and elaborate theatres.
The Disney Dream will expand the one-of-a-kind family experience you will enjoy while on a Disney Cruise Line vacation. Some of the highlights:

• The ship will feature a first-of-its-kind water coaster, AquaDuck, which will send Guests racing above and around the upper decks of the ship.
• Animator's Palate restaurant will magically transform into an undersea wonderland with live, impromptu interactions with Crush, the animated sea turtle from Disney•Pixar's "Finding Nemo."
• Elaborately themed children's spaces will immerse kids in their favorite Disney stories and feature some of today's most innovative technology.
• A nighttime entertainment district just for adults will be filled with sophisticated, trendy, fanciful and fun-filled venues.
• Inside staterooms will have a "special" view thanks to a cruise-industry first, the Virtual Porthole

The Disney Dream is scheduled to set sail on its maiden voyage Jan. 26, 2011. It will sail alternating three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. During summer 2011, the ship will sail four- and five-night itineraries with two stops at Castaway Cay.

Last time I tried to book a client on the maiden voyage of the Disney Dream it was sold out, but there are still dates with availability in the months that follow. Come, be one of the first cruisers on what promises to be the newest, bestsest, family cruise ship afloat! Give me a shout! alex @ lttk.ca