Disney's free dining plan

When I first heard about the Disney dining plan I looked into it and couldn't see any benefits to it. You don't get a discount on food. You pay for a set amount of food upfront. And I couldn't see paying for food I might not eat. So we had ruled it out, but when my new WDW travel agent talked to my wife about it, she looked into it again. We scavenged other blogs, discussion forums, and even the Disney webpage. What we found out was amazing. If you do your research, and travel during off peak times, and are very lucky, the dining plan could cover your food.....for FREE! Take a minute to let that sink in. I couldn't believe it at first. I thought "well they must limit your choices". Nope. "You must have to eat quick service only (Disney speak for fast food)" Nope. They will pay for a snack, a quick service, and a sit down meal per day per person. AND you have a refillable cup that you refill at designated places. FANTASTIC!!

 

The catch is you must purchase it at the time you book your travel package. If you book out as far as my wife and I do, they may not have it available. Also it is not a guarantee that if they did it the last five years they will do it again. You gotta buy it on faith and hope like heck they do it again, and rebook your package with the free meal plan. If you are good at researching, and pick your times judiciously, with a bit of luck you can get the meal plan free. It is saving us over a thousand dollars for eight days in Walt Disney World.

I would probably not do this while visiting Disneyland because there are cheaper eats within walking distance. But when you are enjoying the bubble of WDW, I think it is a great move.

6 Ways to Add On to Your Disney Vacation

We all know that when you are on vacation you tend to let your budgeting slide some. I am as guilty of this as anyone when it comes to impulse purchases while on vacation (I mean really where am I going to wear gold Mickey Mouse Ears?). A lot of people tend to swing the other way to far when this occurs -- those are the "NO!! I cant buy anything, or do anything while I am enjoying my vacation" sort. There is a middle ground when it comes to adding and purchasing while on your vacation. Let me share a few tips with you about what we are doing on this trip.

First, food. When we are on the cruise we will not have to worry about paying for any on-board meals because that is included with the ticket. This doesn't extend to the nice Mojito, or Cosmo that you want to nurse while you are reading by the pool. That is an extra add on. We have figured into our vacation budget that we will both probably have two drinks a day while on the ship, and another three or so while we are visiting the park (can you say Grand Mariner Slush at Epcot? I can, YUM!!). Once we have reached our maximum if we want another it comes out of our souvenir money. Yes you heard right, you either get a nice glass of wine, or a t-shirt. This is what we are demonstrating to our son as choices and repercussions, and it is a good thing for kids (and some adults) to know. Will this be easy? I don't think so, but to have a really great trip this is how we have chosen to work our bar tab.

Now on to the real food savings AND a refillable beverage cup. Walt Disney World has a dining plan that is good for its parks and resorts. With their most popular dining plan, you get one quick service meal, one table service meal, and one snack per person per day. This adds about a hundred bucks a day to your vacation budget, UNLESS you plan a time when the resorts are including the dining plan with a vacation package. Then those meals are free, and you can use them at all the parks, resorts, and some participating Downtown Disney restaurants. Also you can use the snacks to purchase things that are wrapped up like Rice Krispie treats and take home with you. So if my wife and I want to go to Jiko we have the dining plan (all we have to worry about is a tip for the server). I specifically like that we have one table meal so we MUST all sit down and interact with one another and slow down. If you are doing a WDW trip,check to see if they are offering free dining plans during your window. If it is a choice between that or 30% off your room, do the dining as it is a much more cost-effective option.

Child Care. I have discovered that family vacations are much smoother if mom and dad can get away from the kiddo for a few hours. To this end the wonderful folks at WDW have for their guests (at certain resorts) a kids club where you can check your kid in to play, while you go have a nice kid-unfriendly meal. The kids club is an extra cost, but I think familial bliss is worth it. Now if you happen to be staying off-property there are several prescreened childcare options for you too. These are not specifically recommended by Walt Disney World and if you get them to give you the information you have to sign a waiver to get the names of these places but they do in-room sitting or can come to your vacation home to watch your kids. I haven't done this at Disney World, but did on other trips and can say that if you research a bit you really can find a good babysitter while on vacation. The pricing I have found is not terribly bad -- you are looking at about $40 for a few hours of kid-free fun. Well worth it in my book.

Souvenirs. This is where most people lose their minds. I go into it with this set of criteria in mind. First, will I use it at home? Second can I buy it online, or at the Disney Store? Let me address the first question. This is basically asking if what you purchase will be used when you are not surrounded by giant cartoon characters in close approximation to a fairy tale castle/tree/giant golf ball. A cap, t-shirt, sweatshirt, or print all can be useful away from the parks. Bedazzled Mickey Ears, a Giant Mad Hatter hat, or a Disney Princess gown are not things that are generally used once you you step foot off the park. Also ALL of these things are expensive, so don't you want to use your new purchase for more than a few hours? I sure do.

Palo. On the Disney Cruise Line all food is free, except the adults-only fine dining establishments such as Palo. At Palo you pay $25-$30 per person and eat food that would cost you three times that. If you want to linger over a glass of wine while looking over the ocean this is a purchase you could and should do (if you can get reservations). If your taste in food runs a little less frilly it may be that you could pass this up for something else you feel passionate about. It depends on the individual desire.

Spa Treatment. I received my first massage on the Disney Wonder. A wonderful hot stone couples massage. It made me so relaxed that the muscle spasms and general tension in my body go away for several days. This was different for me since I use my spasms during transfers. This is an expensive, EXPENSIVE luxury. I was only able to take advantage of it because it was a gift. That being said, if you can save the money beforehand, it is well worth it. Also if you are nice to the spa people you may be treated a little extra special (just saying, be nice and they may upgrade you to a pedicure too).

Special Party while in park. There are special times of the year that have events that add to the price of admission. It usually is around a holiday or a special event such as the dessert showing of Fantasmic, or Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween. The basic rule of thumb on making this kind of add-on is simple. Do you love this event/holiday/character/etc. enough to justify the expense? If so add it on. My family will be at Disney World over the Halloween holiday, we LOVE Halloween and celebrate it like fiends anyhow. It is a no brainer that we are going to add this on. How many 4-year-olds can say that they got to trick-or-treat Disney World.

Much more to come.

In the Bubble -- Disney Trip Planning Continued

So we decided not to use a rental house because we had expanded our trip. This still left us with where to stay. We have stayed on property at Walt Disney World once before and it wasn't entirely a pleasant stay. However we figured that might give it another try if we found a good deal.

First thing you need to do when trying to figure which hotel you want to stay at is figure out which park you are likely to be at most. Walt Disney World is HUGE. Not like Disneyland which you can walk from park-to-park multiple times (or even from the park to the hotels). There are four major parks with distinctive feels to them and the resorts around them (Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom) plus the Downtown Disney District (retail, food, clubs, and other ways to part you from your money). There are also two water parks, and several impressive golf courses. All that to say, figure out what you are most likely to want to do a lot of and look at the hotels, resorts, condos, and many off-property "good neighbor" (non-Disney) hotels in that area. Don't worry there will be plenty of options for you regardless of your economic status.

As the title of this post states my family likes to be "in the bubble". That is an immersible experience where you stay on property, use the resort transportation,  use a meal plan to eat at the fine establishments, and take advantage of the childcare that the resorts offer. We don't get into arguments after leaving the parks trying to find our way back to the rental house. We don't have to cook after a day of walking (miles and miles) around one or more parks. We try to book places at Disneyland (and WDW) that have mild theming so that you go back and have a place to unwind. After all you are around a stimulating environment all day give your senses a break.

Last time we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside which is decked out to look like a sanitized version of the Big Easy. This time we have a room saved at Coronado Springs. This is the convention hotel so the decor is very mild. This is a LARGE resort that is spread out around a lake. If you are at the far side you will have a mile or more walk to the main buildings where the food court and restaurant is located. This is a moderate hotel. However I can tell you that I have never seen a moderate that had such a consistent look to it. The buildings are designed after Southwestern and Mexican villages and the main pool has a pyramid with a waterfall and water slide. For smaller kids there is the playground and archaeology dig site that they can play at when you are resting away from the park, as well as a kiddie pool. I have never stayed there but I can say that from all the review, blogs, Trip Advisor posts, and conversations I have had, I believe this is the best choice for us.

Now for some honorable mentions of hotels we considered in other categories.

Art of Animation Resort.
Technically a value plus, this is the newest in Disney's value resort arsenal. The rooms are decked out in cartoon motifs such as The Little Mermaid, Cars, Princesses, or The Lion King. This continues out to the grounds where you can take your picture with various characters and have a drink at the Cozy Cone next to the pool. Also looked at Pop Century which looked great. The rates for these hotels are a LOT less than the other categories.

Animal Kingdom Lodge:
This is a deluxe resort located near Animal Kingdom. It is stylized with African and Indian decorations. The best part, you can get a room facing the Sahara and watch animals graze from the comfort of your balcony. They have an African inspired buffet, as well as a a higher end restaurant, Jiko. Don't worry there is a food court and plenty of kid and picky adult fare also. Another thing that I liked about this resort is that they have their own designated buses that are only for this hotel. That may not mean anything while you are reading this, but just wait until you are just wanting to get back to the hotel and put the kids to bed. This will matter.

Planning the Family Vacation part 1

Our family decided to take a big trip to celebrate my  wife's 40th birthday and her graduating from grad school. We wanted to take a cruise, and we wanted to go to Walt Disney World too. We figured we couldn't do both. Lets face it these kinds of vacations are expensive, or at least I thought we would not be able to save enough to do both. I was wrong. We discovered that we could take a cruise to Nassau, Bahamas that would be four nights AND have some time at Disney World. It was a tricky and we compared several travel agent quotes, online deals, rental houses, and even looked at using Costco travel. I am going to try to blog our process so that you can skip all the hard stuff and do the trip that works for your family. By the way we are taking this trip as a surprise that my son will not know about until we get on the airplane. If you know my son please do not spoil the fun by telling him. Thanks.

First step, where to stay. Once we decided we wanted to visit Walt Disney World, we had to figure out where we wanted to stay (on property or off). We had very good luck using Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO) and thought about looking to rent a condo or vacation house in Orlando. We were surprised by the amount of homes that are accessible near the parks and some of the great amenities that were included with some of them. Things like a pool with a lift were very common in most of the places that we looked at, as well as roll in showers, and free cable and WiFi. the prices were amazing too. We were considering a 4 bedroom house that was 10 minutes away from WDW that was 132.00 a night (if you wanted the pool heated) which included the taxes. We came across many deals like that, which if you have a mobility impairment is very, VERY rare. This is a great option if you are on a tight budget because you can cook meals at home, have the flexibility to go to other parks if you rent a car, and did I mention private pool which is great if you have kids who are difficult to get out of the park. We saw many amazing properties but after crunching some numbers we decided that staying on property made the most sense for us since we changed our vacation to include a cruise. I believe when we eventually go back to Orlando (and we will once my son realizes that there are other parks besides Disney World there) we will definitely keep this in mind as an affordable and restful option. Stay Tuned.

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.