Beautiful Jamaica

While discussing travel with another couple, my wife and I heard about a holy grail all inclusive resort in Jamaica called the Franklyn D Resort and Spa. Ir is located on Runaway Bay within easy driving distance to shopping in Ocho Rios. Like many all inclusive it has pools, toys, beaches, and restaurants that as guests you are able to frequent. Unlike some other all inclusive resorts, it has some very attractive amenities that as a father and a person with a mobility issue I plan to take advantage of.

 Let me start by saying that this is not a giant faceless monolithic resort like a Club Med or Sandals resort. This is a smaller boutique resort, that specializes in families who may or may not have mobility issues or other special needs. I am not saying that this is a "special" resort, it just acknowledges that there are families who may have issues that they will need help with on vacation.

As a person who may need this type of assistance I appreciate it. 

The Franklyn D has just 80 guest rooms that I have been assured are wheelchair and stroller accessible. Most have a full or partial ocean view and are right on the beach. They have many accessible walking paths and one lovely dock/pier that goes over the water. Believe me this pier is what hooked my attention initially.

What reeled me in (to continue the fishing metaphore) was that included in the price or the room you not only got to eat, drink (including alcohol), and play with their beach toys, but the price include a vacation nanny from 9:30-4:45. I love my son but past vacations have shown that he quickly tires of his parents if we are all he is hanging around with for several days. These wonderful nannies show up to your room and are as hands on with your children as you want them to be. Want to have a kid free lunch while your little one rides the water slide? Done. Kid wants to go to the beach and play with his new friends while you ger a message or read your book? Done! We have looked at other all inclusives and  have not found a program similiar to this one (but believe me we are still looking).

True, I have not been to this resort (YET!!), but with all the research my wife and I have done (so far). AND the quick replys to my Facebook posted questions my wife and I are seriously considering on visiting them in 2014 (if not sooner).

Good wishes and be safe.

We at Have Wheels will travel are sending good thoughts to the people of the East coast of North America, and the Caribbean as Hurricane Sandy approaches. If you are traveling please heed the advice of the local authorities and be safe.

Heaven on the beach!

It has been a solid week since we returned from our trip to Orcas Island and I must tell you I was a fabulous trip. The weather we perfect and sunny allowing for spectacular sunsets and starry sky's over the fire pit. Beach Haven is a wonderfully secluded gem that has had a loyal following for over 70 years. Families have literally been booking trips out to this rustic resort for decades, and I myself can say I my family will be joining those ranks (we booked for next year on our last day so we can say we will be back). While I have nothing but a glowing feeling toward this place I will say it is not for everyone. If you are addicted to your cellphone and the Internet, I am sorry to say it may not be for you (although you might just like to be unplugged from the web). Cell phone reception is spotty and most Internet providers do not have a data plan for out here. Also there are no televisions, you can bring one but I guarantee you you won't watch it. W

hat it lacks in cell reception it makes up for in the sheer tranquility of the area. So you can't play on Facebook. You can have a conversation with people over a fire pit, or game board.

Lets get to some specifics about the resort and the area. The accommodations we stayed in was the lodge (although they have a larger cabin that is accessible and sleeps 10). This was like renting a small house, there was three beds many couches and several tables that were tall enough to get your legs under if you are in a wheelchair. The doors were wide enough to get my 30 inch wheel through and there is a ramp entry way in the cabin that takes you into the kitchen via a covered porch. The cabin has an open floor plan and hardwood floors as is usual in a cabin built int he 40's were spacious and very accessible even thought the buildings are back to the 40s.

The staff are amazing, helpful, friendly, and what you want to find in a resort. Every question or suggestion for easy improvements were met with a warm smile and open minded curiosity. They went out of their way when I was trying to get specifics about the cabin measurements, and I continue to get great service from them even now when I had to call about a question I had. Best service I have ever had at a resort. They told us about a few places on island that we could get food, some places of interest that would be accessible with a little work from me and my family (adventurous is what they called it, and they were right). They even let us in on some local secrets (which I won't share because I don't want to be shunned).

Some concerns. If you are in a wheelchair the beach will be very difficult for you to navigate. It is a steep and pebble filled north west beach that isn't kind to the small casters of a standard chair. As always if you want to do it you can access the beach from an area near the larger cabin. I myself was perfectly happy sitting on the large deck (approximately 20 feet from the water) or hanging by the fire pit (same distance) star gazing. As my son discovered this wasn't Hawaii and the water here is cold. There are plenty of hard packed roads that go into the natural setting of the resort so you don't feel like you are missing anything. The town of Eastsound is an older town and do their best to give the disabled the ability to move around within reason. There are areas with no side walks so you may have to use the road.

 

Orcas Island offers a multitude of beauty to see, you just have to research it a little and you can probably find something you will want to do. I personally cannot wait to get back to the cabin onthe beach and roast some more hot dogs over the fire.

When in Scenic Seattle

It is no secret that I love to travel to the Seattle area. Unfortunately Seattle is like a lot of cities and does a majority of their road construction during the summer. What this means is that it really messes your travel routes up with many detours. My family and I have found a sneaky trick to get around this. If we want to go downtown and do some shopping but do not want to hassle with the downtown parking, we simply park over by the Seattle Science Center (actually across from the EMP) and hop on the monorail that goes downtown. Sure from there you have to walk some but that is actually good for you to do. Also if you have a child who loves trains as my son does then it is a special treat on both ends of the shopping trip that he/she may not have wanted to go on in the first place. Keep this in mind when you are deciding to travel to a larger city. Most cities now have vamped up their mass transit systems due to more users do in part to the hike in gas prices.

On a side note I want to thank all of the readers who have followed me over the years. I have just hit 1000 page views, which might not seem a lot to some of you. But to me with this specialty blog it is incredible. I will continue to give out travel tips and ideas for vacations as fast as I can. Looking forward to many more trips together.

Day Tripper

Well here it is almost officially summer and here in the beautiful Northwest it is (you guessed it) cloudy. That is OK though because there are always some indoors activities to do. My wife and I are doing a day trip to Seattle to see the King Tut exhibit at the Seattle Science Center located by the world famous Space Needle, and Experience Music Project (or EMP). I have posted in the past that these mini vacations are extremely important for one's sanity (specifically if you have a small child). I was really glad to hear that it was being shown in Seattle and we booked it for my birthday. Will hopefully post  some pictures of it. Enjoy the links until then. 

Where to vacation next?

There are so many places that I would like to take my family on vacation I just do not know how to narrow them down. My wife is graduating next year with her masters degree and i really want to take her on a special vacation that will also be fun for my son. Here are some of the places we are discussing.

5. San Diego, California Pros: Sun, Beaches, Zoo and aquarium, Legoland, Comic Con (during summer) Con: not really relaxing, can be an expensive place, no place where we can drop the kid off.

4. Yellowstone National Park Pros: beautiful natural surroundings, sty in a lodge, plenty of space for kid to run around, peaceful and relaxing. Cons: can be expensive, we would have to drive to see places, no place where we can drop the kid off.

3. West coast cruise Pros: Be pampered and only have to unpack once, get to see more than one destination, Kids clubs, almost everything is inclusive. Cons: limited number of places to sail to (Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, up the coast (transition cruise)

2.Sanibel Island, Florida Pros: relaxing, warm, kid friendly Cons: long flight, can be expensive, no place where we can drop the kid off.

1. Bahamian or Caribbean cruise: Or maybe both. We decided to book a cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line that departs from New York and visits Nassau, Bahamas fir two days then their own private Bahamanian island, Afterwards it loops over to Port Canaveral for some theme park fun, or beach combing, and back to New York. The itinerary really spoke to us as we are on a mission to take my son to every state in the U.S. before he is 18 years old (at the ripe old age of three he has already been to Washington, California, Hawaii), and this will knock two more off the list.

I am so excited about our next big adventure! I will make sure that I post more information as I find it. As always happy travels!

Even More Travel Bug Bites

After having such a wonderful trip to Disneyland with my wife and son, we decided that we couldn't wait until next year to have another travel adventure. We wanted to book a vacation a little closer to home and just a little bit more relaxing.

So we have booked a fall get away to the San Juan Islands of Washington State. My wife and a co worker were discussing family trips when she (the co worker) mentioned their annual trip to Orcas Island. Her children (who are now adults) have amazing memories going out every year and meeting up with newly made friends.  They stayed in very nice waterfront cabins that are completely cut off from the internet. This may scare some of you but there is an appeal to not being reachable by every website on the universe.

After some quick looking around we discovered that they have an accessible cabin that sleeps 10, and also an apartment attached to their lodge. Unlike most accessible rooms these are both waterfront. After contacting them on Friday asking them about the accessibility of the apartment (door width, is there a ramp, how wheelchair friendly are the grounds) and getting a reply on Easter Sunday (cheerful and full of major details including an offer to move some furniture and creating a make shift ramp),  we booked the apartment as we do not need room for ten. I will share what I find about the area in future posts but let me just say that I am very much looking forward to cooking some seafood, Riding my handcycle, taking some pictures, and hanging out in a beach chair watching my kid play in the cold water of the Puget Sound.

Not that I don't love my Disneyland vacation but it will be very nice to connect to nature again.

Return the Conquering Heroes

It has taken me several weeks to figure out exactly what I want to post about this vacation. After all, this is my frst trip to Disneyland with a little kid (all  previous trips were with teens or adults), the first trip as a family. So it seemed to deserve a special post.  I can say per usual that the new and referbished Disney rides are gettting better accessibleized every trip I go. The Little Mermaid ride is prime example of that with it's roll in car with room for the family. The King Arthur Carousel has had a ramp added so that I could ride it along with my wife and son whjich was nice. The fear that my son wouldn't like the rides or be afraid to go on an atraction were totally unecessary, as he is quite the daredevil (whom I will have to keep up with when he is a little older and a little taller). It was a wonderful family vacation with the great Disney magic that I have beome spoiled to expect. The staff at the parks and hotels were top notch. My travel agent let them know that it was my son's first visit so that he had a special pin he could wear which blew his mind. He even got to meet the mouse himself. All in all it was a great vacation until we got sick. Yep we were exposed to a bug before our trip and went full blown sick the day before we were suppose to fly out (which really puts a damper on the close down on your vacation).

I have to say that it was still great to go down there. I rode some rides that I never had any interest in (until my son came along I had never explored the kiddie rides). It's a Small World has a specialized boat for people who want to stay in wheelchairs (which I knew, but it is still nice), I have heard that Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland both have a vehicle that has a wider opening for easier transfers (although we didn't ride it so I cannt tell you how easy the transfers are), in Toontown Mickey and Minnie's house are accessible for wheelchairs (if not a little tight in spots). In DCA the new Little Mermaid  ride has it's own ride vehicle that I can roll up on and ride with two other passengers. The Monster's INC ride has a roll up ride vehicle too and if you plan it just right you can go on it more than once in a row. SWEET!

There is a lot of construction going on with the addition of Carsland, and Buena Vista Street. This leads to some bottle necks and weird detours that do not flow as smoothly as previous trips. All that accounted for it was still a great family vacation with  wonderful Disney magic. We will definately go back....when my son is a little taller.

Kid Friendly restaurant choices in Disneyland

Here is a handy list that we had on our phones and on laminated index cards for food choices inside the Disneyland Resort. These were great when trying to find food that wasn't fried and also that were kid friendly. I hope they help you if you are heading to the happiest place on earth. Please excuse my shorthand but I am not quite a proficient smart phone typer.

Disneyland food choices



Main Street

Plaza Inn BLD

Refreshment Corner (Mikey pretzel + chili) Blue Ribbon Bakery ( yogurt veg) Fruit Cart


Adventureland

Bengal BBQ

Tiki juice bar ( Dole Whip)

Tropical Imports ( fruit stand )

New Orleans Square

Blue Bayou ( lunch )

French Market ( salad lunch)

Royal Street Veranda( soup)

Critter Country

Hungry Bear (L/D)

Fruit Cart (Kids power pAck)

Harbor Galley (soup&salad)

Frontierland
Riverbelle (BLD) fruit
Fantasyland

None

Toontown

Clarabelles (power pack salad sandwich)

Daisy's Dinner (pizza, applesauce )

Pluto's Doghouse (Mac-n-cheese, apples )

Tomorrowland

Tomorrow land terrace (fruit plate, vegiburger, sandwich)
 Reds Rocket Pizza Port (pasta/salads)
Fruit Cart tomorrow land terrace


DCA

Backlot

Fairfax Market ( fruit)

Schmoozies

Studio Catering Co. ( sandwich, salad)
Golden State

Taste pilots grill (burgers,ribs,)

Cucina Cucamonga (Mexican)

Lucky fortune cookery (Asian)

Pacific Wharf Cafe (Powerpacks, kids turkey wrap, soup,sandwich)

Paradise Pier

Boardwalk pizzeria & pasta (l/d)

Corndog Castle

Paridise garden grill ( l/d, kids meal, skewers)



Hotels

PP

PCH grill ( character breakfast, dinner)

DLH

Coffee House (breakfast fruit yogurt)

Goofy's Kitchen ( buffet Mac n cheese)

Tangara Terrace (bld, Hawaiian food yogurt. Vegi and to go)

GCH
White water snacks

Storytellers cafe

5 Fave Friday - Travel Apps

Where ever you look today it seems everyone has a smart phone. From IPhone, Droids, to Blackberry people want to stay connected. This seems particularly true for travelers who use apps for everything from checking in to the airlines to playing games while waiting for a cab, or even messaging someone and sending emails. I am no exception to this technological craze having had a quad band Blackberry that I could instant message my wife even when she was in Europe. I am now using an IPhone (mostly so I can message my wife without having a texting plan) but I do so like the deals of the apps while I am traveling. I am new to the apps so my experience is limited but here are my 5 for this trip:

5. Alaska Air check in app - I like the idea that I can check in for my flight while waiting on the plane for the isle seat. This is handy because I am the last one off the plane and that can make it difficult when trying to make the connection.

4. Angry Birds (free edition) - My 2 year old gets squirmy when we have to wait in lines so we discovered this game. He likes the sounds that the birds make when they are tossed into the air, and also yelling "BOOM!!" when the buildings are knocked over. I see us playing this while waiting for Dumbo, or Smallworld.

3. Packing (+TO DO!) by Quinn Genzel - We are list people. A smooth trip starts out with many lists and this is a great one for figuring out what you have and where it is. basically it gives a item by item inventory of your luggage and gives a guesstimating of weight. In this age of pay by the pound luggage and no frills flight it really is nice to have things organized.

2. FlightTrack - Live Flight information by Ben Kazez - This will be great for being able to see departure updates when I am away from the big board, it has great maps that I can zoom in on gives me gate numbers and much more. I figure I will have at least one more big trip in a year and this will be very handy to have for it.

1. Disneyland Magic Guide by VersaEdge Software LLC - I am going to Disneyland with a toddler for the first time so it is very important for me to know where things like "where is the closest bathroom" or "where can I get a kids power pack". This program (which offers a free version) is full of information like ride waits, GPS location tells you where you are, it shows a map with restaurants and restrooms, and has useful things like park hours, and priority dining reservations. All in all I will probably get my three bucks worth out of it on my trip, and future Disneyland trips to come.

List sharing

So I have mentioned that when our family travels we create some pretty extensive lists. Anything from Things to do, Things to buy, stuff to pack, and places to eat. I thought I would share a few of them so you can see what type of things we put on them. Who knows you may have suggestions for me. Please share.

1. Things to do

Pull out luggage -gets the old closet smell out and lets you see if there is any damage to them

Look through toiletry bag - dump half crusty bottles, replace razor blades, make sure that you have what you need

Clean- nothing worse than coming home to a messy house. Especially after staying at a nice hotel.
Pull warm/cold weather clothing- depending on where you live you don't always get to wear shorts or a coat best to go through them early to see if they still fit

Contact bank and CC company - let them know where you are going so that you don't have your cards turned off for suspicious charges. Really important when going outside of the US.

Stop mail - or arrange someone to pick it up for you. Also a good ideal to put a few lights on timers to discourage anyone who might break in

Get cash & Disney gift cards - always take small cash for tipping and food/magazine vendors, or vending machines it is appreciated. Also if you are going to a place like Disneyland that has gift cards buy some. It is much than juggling cash around and it keeps you on budget.

Pack - aways my job and I am REALLY good at it

Put clean sheets on bed - after a long or short flight it is nice to sleep on clean sheets on your own bed.

Snacks - don't buy a $5 can of nuts out of the mini bar. Leave a little room and take something to snack on. Spend the extra on  another trip

Measure Kid- you want to know how tall they are so you can keep them from being disappointed when they are to short for a ride.

Pay bills - in the heat of doing all the travel stuff things can be forgotten. Trust me.

Pack DVD and portable player - I have a kid who is good on planes but can get board after the third hour of flight. This is why you bring some favorites for them to watch.

5 Fave Fridays - Tough Jobs

I know that there are a ton of people that think that there couldn't be jobs in travel that are tough. I am here to say that you would be wrong if you think this. When I fly I see all the jobs that are overlooked when the ideal of airtravel (or travel in general) is thought. So in my opinion and breif knowledge, here are 5 tough travel jobs:

5. Train/Bus station ticket clerk - In larger cities this job gets exposed to amped up customers who may be suffering from being overstimulated, smaller towns this person may be exposed to the elements, or forced to stay in a tiny little booth until they are relieved. Have you ever tried to stay in a phone booth for 8 hours. Sounds tough to me.

4. Hotel/Cruise ship custodial - These under appreciated people have the thankless job of cleaning up after people who (lets face it) are on vacation and therefore not concerned that they left all the wet towels on the floor, or missed the toilet bowel all together. If you work on a ship you not only have to keep your area rooms clean but you have to make a towel animal every night (or people complain). They manage to do all this with a smile, or helpful attitude. Think you could smile at a person who just trashed a room you cleaned up less than 8 hours ago? Me neither.

3. Train Stewards/Flight Attendants - Despite what TV shows us these jobs are not "Pan Am" or "Thomas the Tank Engine". These folks are on the front lines taking abuse from intoxicated and rude passengers, disrespectful kids/teens, unruly seniors. Rarely do you hear a complaint from them (how they don't manage to spill a drink or toss more passengers...looking at you Alec Baldwin...is beyond me). Try to be nice on your next trip, you would be amazed.

2. Customer Service Operators - There are many names that this position goes by but basically they are there to answer your questions and help when something goes wrong (because no one ever calls when they have had a good trip). They have to put up with a ton of crap from people who have legitimate complaints, as well as those people who didn't prepare properly and missed their flight/bus/train/etc. I guarantee that you would cuss someone out if you had to deal with just a fraction of their calls.

1. Baggage Handlers and Support Personnel - These people are out in the elements, work holidays/nights/weekends, NEVER get compliments when they do a good job (when was the last time you heard someone say great job loading the bags into the airplane). As with all of these jobs they do not make a ton of money, and there isn't much job security thanks to the economy.

So if you are fortunate enough to get to travel, and you just happen to run into someone on this list (or someone who is not). Thank them for doing a great job. You will make their day

You may be right, I may be crazy...

I may very well be a little insane to use Disneyland as incentive to potty train my son, thinking I would have a little time before he would "meet Mickey". However whats done is done and I plan to uphold my part of the bargain. That being said I want it to be a good trip and that means planning. I and my wife have been to DL many times and I could probably give you directions around the park over the phone just by what you describe to me. Having a little one with us is a bit of a switch, as we will end up in all the areas we avoided on previous trips. As with all my trips I have a distinct order of how I plan (alongside my travel agent Mary in the Mt Vernon AAA office). Start off with the following and you should do well:

1. How much time do I have between now and the trip? This will let you figure out how much money you can save between now and then. Hopefully alleviating any need to go into debt. I know some people who wait until tax time because they figure they can use their refund on a trip. What ever you are comfortable with.
2. How much money do I currently have for the trip? This is very important, as it will determine not only if you can go, but were you can afford to stay/eat/souvenirs/and transportation/etc. Try to do a budget and then look at how much you can save realistically for this type of trip.
3. Once the money is figured out then you can start looking at the hotels that your budget will allow for. Even if you are on a bare bones budget you can get a decent hotel. You just have to look hard and consult experts ( travel agents, friends who go there a lot, you know). If you have little kids make sure that they have good ratings on travel sites, that they have a pool (your kids are not going to want to be at the park the whole time) and that it is in some part restful. After all that is the reason behind a vacation.
4. Admission and other askadentals. Park admission is steep. However we just learned that if your kiddo is under 2 years old he gets in free (partially the reason we are doing this trip before his birthday). Askadentals are the things that are not covered as incidentals (i.e. glow sticks, balloons, baked goods, and that glass of wine with dinner).
5. Transportation to the park. Do you live close enough to drive (or do you want to do a National Lampoon trip before the park). What would it cost to fly or take the train. Do I take shuttles, cabs, or rent a car. These are all deeply individualized things. I can tell you that we will fly and take a super shuttle, and use the ART system if we need to get around Anaheim.
6. Make your travel lists (what do I need to do/pack/buy/etc. before the trip). These will be revised over and over before you leave. It is just a guideline so that you don't forget your kids blankie.
7. Get in  "park shape". This may mean that you have to do some exercise. Walking, weights, any cardio to prepare you for the hours and hours of walking transfers, lifting of children, and various other activities. It would be a shame to hurt yourself, or get so exhausted on the first or second day that you cannot enjoy the rest of your time there.
8. Review all your travel documents. You will want to be relatively familiar with your travel itinerary so that you will know where you need to be, at what time, with which air carrier/bus company/train station/shuttle company/rental car agency. If you save this for the day of the trip you will just add stress to that day and make it more difficult than it needs to be.
9. Travel. Once you have prepared yourself as well as you can it is time to roll with the punches. Things will happen. It just will so try to remain calm, and work with the people who may be trying to help make your situation better. Yelling at the ticket person doesn't do any good and it might keep you from boarding the plane.

Number nine is very important because once you have stepped out of your house the day of the trip you are on vacation, and therefore have very little control. Things will go right, and things will go wrong. If you plan ahead it will make both scenarios go just a little smoother.

5 Fave Friday - Things not to scrimp on for a vacation.

Like all of you, I do not have unlimited funds to travel the world over so I try to cut corners where ever it is possible. I have filtered water bottles that I take instead of buying a new bottle for 4 bucks every time I want water. I pack snacks that I know will cost more on my trip. I even bring a portable WIFI with me when I know the hotel will charge me for it. There are some things that I believe whole heatedly that should never be scrimped on. These are just a few that I have come across in my years of traveling.

5. Luggage - I am not saying that you need to have the most expensive suitcases out there. I am saying that you want to have a few good quality pieces that will protect yoGur belongings that will, lets face it, not be handled like they are made of glass. My wife and I bought a good set of Samsonite that were rated highly and also made the choice of a distinct color so that we can find them easier when they are on the baggage carousel. We also purchased a quality backpack that has been all over the world and still looks like we could get another decade or more out of it. Be smart, and know what your specific needs are about your luggage and lay out some money up front and you will save in the long run.

4.Travelers insurance - This may sound like I am waiting for something bad to happen. In truth bad stuff does happen, and it is always best to be prepared for that eventuality. Do you really want to get sick/injured and still have to cover an expensive trip. And don't even get me started on travelers health insurance. You really have faith that your regular health insurance will cover you in full on vacation? I don't chance it, neither should you.

3. Tours - If you are on a vacation where guided trips are offered, best practice is to spend a little more and do one that is reputable. You do not want to be in a strange area with someone who doesn't know what they are doing, potentially putting you in danger.

2. Food Budget - When traveling my wife and I always over budget the amount we will spend on food. We usually do not come anywhere near this amount on vacation. When it was the two of us and this is totally destination dependent we would budget around $100 a day. We discovered that we snack and usually only eat two meals during a vacation day so this works well for us. We may bump it up another $50 now that we have our son but even if we do we will always come home with money in our pocket. As my wife says you can always take money home but if you run out there is nothing left for you to eat. Don't tell her I said this but she is very smart.

1. Hotel - This is where you are going to sleep, change your clothing, shower, eat (maybe), and potentially be your most vunerable. Do you really want to cheap out on this? End up at a hotel where there may be an insect infestation, or as I often think, have pin hole camera videos show up on the internet? I am not saying that you should spend a kings ransom on your room. There are great deals out there for good quality chain and boutique hotels, even big resorts and small independents. There is also the question of what kind of customer service are you going to get. Will there be someone to assist you with questions about the area? Someone to assist you with your bags. Even security is an issue to keep in mind. Can I park my car and not worry about it getting busted into. Can I leave my room without someone going through my stuff at turn down. Just remember the old addage "you get what you pay for"

Good Service Matters

So we decided to try a dry run of theme parks by going on a last minute Disneyland vacation with my son next month. This will give us a good ideal as to whether he can handle Walt Disney World next year, or if we just extend the cruise. We booked an on property hotel (Disney's Paradise Pier) and i wanted to upgrade it to the Grand Californian ( I just like the laid back feel). I want a specific room if it was available but could not remember the room number. I decided to call up the GC switchboard and see if I can get some assist with this problem. I talked to a nice guy named Nick who understood that I wanted this room becasue my son is a train nut. He spent 25 minutes on the phone with me as we narrowed our search using clues that I remembered. I believe that we finally got the room found, and will be reserving it. I just wanted to let everyone know:

1. There are cheaper hotels out there that offer really good service. You do get amazing sustomer service when you are staying at a Disney property though and they can and will go way above and beyond for you.

2. If you get great customer service let the managers know. People are all to eager to make complaints in hopes of getting comped something. It is a rare thing that people seek out the manager ( as I did) and tell him/her that their staff did something exceptional.

I just want to say again "Thanks Nick for your great help, See you in a month"

Checking out where you will check into.

I have learned the hard way that you must research the hotel that you are going to stay in. I have stayed at a Best Western in Anaheim that gave me an upside down lunch tray with lawn chair legs for a shower bench. It made all the water puddle on the floor and into the towels (could have been shocking for my wife when she used the hair dryer). Another experience was in Florida where we stayed at the Disney Port Orleans Riverside after our cruise disembarked. We discovered mold in the shower (lots of it), the hardest bed I have ever tried to sleep on and a questionable cleaning job (run a vacuum), plus no room service put me on edge. What I am saying is that just not all accessible rooms are created equal, and along those lines not all moderate rooms are equal either.

Our trip to Walt Disney World Resort in 2013 is over a year away and we are already scouring the Internet to figure out which place is best for me, my wife and our son (who will be 4). There are many great sites like Frommer's, Fodor's, and Trip Advisor that offer an unbiased review of the hotel. This is great because you get a ton of opinions. However you have to read the reviews because some of the complaints can be just nit picky little things like "the sheets were to rough", "I didn't like the soap", or "I had a pool view from my room that didn't look like the brochure". There can be serious ones like " we found cigarettes on the headboard under the pillows" and "there is old in the corner of the bathroom" which any reasonable hotel should want to correct right away.

We are weighing out several hotels on property for their location to the parks we really want to visit, reviews from independent sources, and information we have gotten from our travel agency. The front runners are the Animal Kingdom Lodge, The Beach Club, and The Polynesian. All of these have different ammenities that we may want to have access to. They are all located at different points of the resort so that we can have a home base near the parks that we may spend the most of our time at. As we get closer to the travel date the rates for next year will come out and there may be additional hotels we will look into with better rates. It is important to look ahead so that you do not get overwhelmed when you have to book. There is nothing worse than going into something blindly, as it can have a very negative effect on you vacation overall. I will revisit this as we get closer and review in depth each of our choices.

Quick Tip - TSA Cares

I had someone forward me this link to a new program called TSA Cares. It is aimed at assisting people with medical issues or disabilities getting through the airport experience with as much or little assistance as needed. Nice to see these types of programs being started up. Just bookmark this blog post on your smart phone and you won't have to look it up  yourself. Helps us both out.

5 Fav Friday - Extreme and Accessible Vacations

I am always looking for some types of vacation that I can take that is not the average vacation. I have to be realistic about my mobility needs, though. Here are 5 trips that are accessible and very much not your trip to the beach.

5. South African Safari - This sounds so cool. I have always wanted to go on a safari and thought those types of vacations were something I couldn't do. But I have found this site and many others like it have once again opened the possibilities up again. maybe in a few years I will be posting in Africa (wakka, wakka).

4. Thailand - So ancient is this land that you could imagine it being the Garden of Eden. I was excited to see several tour operators offering trips through not just Thailand but Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

3. China - I have to credit another blog for pointing out this Chinese tour operator. They specify in disabled travelers and are able to getting medical equipment, vans, hotels, and offer several packages that include the Great Wall.  There are other travel companies that offer tours of China so search carefully online and ask your travel agent if they can recommend someone.

2. Central America - Another place that I have always thought about going to. Several companies are now offering assistance with lodging and travel. This company even offers specials for cruise passengers. I would say it is worth a closer look.

1. Europe - European accessibility has been getting progressively better over the last few decades. There are also more and more niche travel agents that are specializing in disabled travelers. I have linked to one but I would again ask around to see if anyone you know has had experience with an experienced agent.

If you have any extreme and accessible travels please share by leaving a comment.

Oh Mama, The Bahamas

I already know that one of our stops will be Nassau, Bahamas so I decided to check out what kinds of stuff there is to do there, and also what if anything is wheelchair friendly. What I have discovered is that the accessibility in Nassau is improving as more and more travelers with special needs visit the tropical destination.Resorts and tourist hot spots do not want to alienate any of the visiting populace so they strive to make accommodations whenever it is feasible. That being said Nassau is a very old city and not everything will be easy to access if you can get into it. Here are some things that I have confirmed can be visited by a chair or scooter user:

Ardastra Gardens (Zoo and Conservation Center), this multi acre botanical paradise has been almost totally retrofitted to accommodate travelers with special needs. You can stroll through the gardens and view over 300 different types of animals and plants. I am told the dancing Flamingos are not to be missed.

Paradise Island  is where the well known resort Atlantis is situated. They have a limited number of  wheelchair accessible rooms and just about everything is set up so that someone with a mobility impairment can have a good time (just no water slides, and depending who you ask the beach. But there are other beaches)

The shopping districts are what you might expect on a Caribbean island. Some are accessible some are not, but if you are looking to spend some money at their stores I am sure they are willing to accommodate you. From the cruise terminal you can get to the Straw Markets and Bay Street which are pretty good in the accessibility department. I have read that you want to stay in the middle isle and edge because it can get pretty tight in the smaller isles. Also avoid Bay Street during the mid day rush because it can get very cramped if you are in a scooter or wheelchair.

Over all what I have found is that if you are visiting you will not feel short changed or that there was something you didn't get to experience. The people are very welcoming and warm...if you are not an obnoxious tourist (remember be nice to them, they will be nice to you). 

5 Fave Friday - When Bad Things Happen on Good Vacations

I was thinking about some of the bad thing that I have had happen on vacation. I am pretty lucky because non of my family's "bad things" have put us in harms way. I thought I would share what I thought were vacation wreckers, but in the grand scheme of things are very mild..

5. Lost luggage - This happened to my wife on a conference trip the one time that she strayed from our preferred airline. All that she had were the clothes on her back and a few things in her carry on. This was the moment when she decided to start changing the way she packed.


4. Wardrobe malfunction - WHile in Hawaii we decided to go to a Lauao. We got all fancy and dressed up in our island finest and headed over to the hotel and while pulling my wheelchair out the strap on her dress broke. Neither of us noticed it right away, and are not sure if some other people received a "Janet Jackson" from my wife. The bright spot was that I got to be the knight in shining armor. I found a lovely house keeper who was able to give me a travel sewing kit that had a safety pin in it. We pinned up the problem strap and had a lovely evening. Thank you Grand Hyatt Kauai for great service, helpful & friendly staff, and a wonderful night.

3. Door on vehicle broke on the way to the airport - My last vehicle was a demon, if it could go wrong it did. On our way to the airport to catch a plane we heard several pinging sounds from the sliding door. When we got to the airport parking lot we saw that the pin sensors that lock the door fell into the door. The lights wouldn't go off and the car wouldn't lock. We left the car totally unsecured, praying it would be there when we got back. A few years later the same vehicle broke down the night before I was to do a marathon (for which I trained for a year). I was unable to get there and therefor didn't run it. I got a new car 2 weeks later.

2. Flat tire/ Broken hand rim at amusement park- Two separate occasions when I visited Disneyland I have had wheelchair trouble. The first time my hand rim broke off leaving me at the mercy of my little sisters top get me around the park (they were not used to, nor adept at getting a wheelchair around the park). One of the most frustrating three days EVER! Felt like I had whiplash when I got home. Numero 2 was on my 30th birthday when my wife and I were going to go to the fireworks and have a nice dinner and I noticed my tire was completely flat and I didn't have a spare inner tube. BLERG!! Needless to say this changed my habits a bit. I do not leave the state without having my wheelchair looked over by a trained mechanic. I also do not leave the state/country without two spare inner tubes and a tire kit (compressed air included). Also have to give props to the Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa for trying to assist me with the problem and when it was clear we couldn't do it, helping me find a wheelchair mechanic that was open Saturday.

1. Sick on vacation - There is nothing worse than being on vacation an developing flu like symptoms. This has happened to me and my wife on different vacations. It really sucks. You are there and have been fantasizing about what you are going to do and WHAM, you just want your own pillow and for the ever present music to stop.

Well I tole you mine, now it is your turn. Leave me a comment of your bad experiences.

5 Fave Friday (the 13th edition) - Gadgets

As a guy it is hardwired into my DNA to love all things gadgetry. As such I have ended up with things that were useful and useless. There were however some that were gems and I take these with me on trips. In no particular order.

5. GPS device- in my case a Garmin that I purchased that was refurbished by the factory. There are many different brands (Magellan, Tom Tom, etc), types, and colors. You see I get lost easily in a new area. My wife also gets lost fairly easy. If you have two people get lost in a large city like Los Angeles then the stress is augmented and the arguments start. This isn't conducive to a relaxing vacation and things from the past can be drug up from obscurity causing an unpleasant vacation to be had. Take my advice, just get one.

4. World travel clock - I was looking around an Eddie Bower outlet store and found a very cool alarm clock that had a nob that you turn to change the timezone you were in. It was very handy when my wife went to Ethiopia because she didn't have to do any math to figure out what time it was. Plus it has a LED flashlight for those late night trips to the bathroom. I know what you are saying "my cell phone can do most of that". True, but your cell phone needs to be plugged in and some countries electricity is sketchy, my clock takes AA batteries and has never let me down.

3. Portable video player - This is a lifesaver on a long flight (or a short one if you are a toddler). We used this and Pixar movies (with a few Thomas the Tank Engine) to keep our 2 year old from making us and everyone else on the plane crazy. Plus when he went to sleep we could watch movies or our Netflix that we brought and mailed back from Hawaii. Tip is to find one with a super long battery life (Sony makes a nice one)

2. E readers - This will make a few of my friends mad because they are traditional book people. Let me say I love, love, love books. My wife and I have many shelves full. I just don't like the ideal of lugging them all over airports, cruise terminals, and the globe. While I do not own one of these myself, I have seen them in stores. I like the E-Ink on the Kindle ( haven't seen anything about the Fire), heard good things about the Sony and Nook if you like checking out books from the library. While they will never take the place of books they are better than back surgery from lugging the new Stephen King around.

1. Smart phones - I will admit I am addicted to my smart phone. I am not rude, I do not talk on it while checking out at the grocery store, and I do not drive playing Angry Birds. That being said it is great to be able to surf the web for the closest movie theater in Kauai, while simultaneously sending an email of you on the beach to your coworkers. My wife was in Ethiopia, and sounded like she was calling from Seattle. If you travel globally you want to make sure that your phone is a global phone and quad band. Also you will want to have your server unlock your phone or temporarily put the global plan in effect (it can save you $$).

There you go. My list of travel tech. For those who know me they may say "what no Digital Camera?" to which I respond " that is with me everywhere I go, it is a given"

5 Fave Friday-The planning

OK this is something I have blogged about alot recently but it is only because I am at the beginnings of planning my own big trip (of which I am a year and a half from taking). Here are my five tips that will assist you in having a smooth trip.

5. Discuss and research you destination. This seems like a no brainer, right? Trust me when I say that I have been on vacation and have overheard " so what is there to do here?". This was in Hawaii and there were literally a thousand things to do within a few miles of where we were eating. It doesn't have to be a chore to learn about where you are going. Check out some library books in the travel section of your library and make some food (or order it) from where you are going. It is a perfect way to get in the travel mood. You just may have to plan two trips if you are not quite sure where you want to go. Also go to your local travel agent and get some of their brochures, pick their brains for things to do while you are there. MAKE IT FUN!!

4. Find out how much things cost. Think you know what milk cost in Kauai? How about gas? You have got to look this stuff up in order to budget correctly. Just FYI a gallon of milk cost more than gas when I was in Kauai ($5).

3. If you have a disability, a small child, or just don't get around like you used to keep it in mind for your planning. I will fully admit that if I travel somewhere that is a few hours off I am jet lagged for two days so I really do not want to be scheduled to the last minute (got to get a nap somewhere). If you have arthritis in your hip perhaps a two hour tour of Athens won't do you any good (no fun if you are hurting). I have said it before, don't be the people dragging your little kids around and not taking account that for every one step you take it is two or more for them.

2. Don't over pack. My wife and I were horrible about this for years until she went to Ethiopia. Then you realize that you can purchase things, wash in sinks and dry on clothe lines, wear clothing more than one day in a row. What I am saying is that there are many options, not just put half your wardrobe into your carry on. In fact do a trial pack and narrow down what you need, what you THINK you need, and what you WANT. It is what I do before a big trip.

1. Make your lists. My wife is a list maker, and before every trip we have three or four lists going. I used to tease her about it until one of her lists reminded me to take some things that I would have been in trouble without. Thanks to my diligent wife, I am now a list maker too.

The adventure of picking your trip.

Picking the destination for your current year's vacation is always fun but usually difficult in my household, and having added our son has made it more so. Now we not only have to make sure that it is somewhere we want to go, that it is wheelchair accessible, and has a climate that will accommodate warmth and not roasting my fair skinned wife. But now we have to make sure that it will have something to do for a rambunctious 2 and a half year old boy (Family friendly is key). I am not the person who wants to wreck everyone else's party time by bringing my son, and adversely he is on vacation too (doesn't he deserve to have a good time). This is a tricky age because he can get frightened easily, and can never bee more than an half an hour from a restroom (ah potty training). Kauai was nice because it marked off a ton from the above requirements, theme parks are also great if you listen to your little ones and heed what they are saying. "I'm tired" means my legs are shorter than yours and I need a snack and a nap. "I'm hot" means that they are getting overheated and over stimulated and if you want to avoid a scene you will take me to the pool.

I specifically like the idea of a cruise for my traveling family. We have booked a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas because both my wife and I very much enjoyed the Disney Cruise Line and we also had a great time in the Caribbean on our last cruise. We believe that our son will get a kick out of the kids programs (where they hide all the children from site) and going to the out of the country will expose him to other cultures and expand his view of the world. This will also be a graduation trip for my wife who will have graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Master's degree (no small feat, I assure you). I wanted to make it a special trip that the whole family can enjoy. Yes we will spend a week before the cruise at Disney World ( which we are all looking forward to) but then we will also spend time as grown ups and a young family seeing the sites and eating the islands cuisine. It took a very long time deciding on this itinerary (3 weeks or so), and I believe it will be a great experience for all of us.

Now for all of you, some homework. Order a pizza and sit at the table to discuss where you will be going on vacation. It is all part of bringing the family together.

Happy New Year, Happy Traveling

If you are reading this post you made it through the holidays, and for that I congratulate you. If you traveled I hope that we have been of assistance in giving helpful advice.

I don't know about you but after the holidays always makes me want to start planing a trip (which is what my wife and I are doing but it will not be until a year from now). She is finishing grad school in May of 2013 and as a reward for sticking with her studies we are planning a big trip. The first part a week in Walt Disney World, and the last part a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas. I will be posting about the information I find over the next year or so to illustrate how we do our travel preparation. Neither of us have been to the Bahamas (outside of the cruiseline's private island) and we are looking forward to seeing it. I am also looking forward to exploring the WDW resort more, as our last trip only gave us a day and a half there and that isn't nearly enough time there. There is a big difference between my last cruise and this one because I  will be traveling with a toddler (no red eye flights, or quick connections). I hope you will follow along with me on this planning stage, and leave me comments if you have advice that you want to share.

I leave you with my hope that you have had a great holiday season and will have a prosperous new year in 2012.