Going to an amusement park? It’s probably cheaper than last year

by Jamie Rhein on

Here’s a direct quote: “It would be crazy to spend full price to go to Disney right now,” said Mary Waring, founder of MouseSavers.com” I found this tidbit in a Practical Traveler article in the New York Times about cheap travel options for a Disney vacation and more.

Whether you’re looking for multiple night stays at a Disney resort or a one-day ticket to an amusement park, the deals have become cheaper than ever. Seven night stays can be had for the price of four. What I found interesting is how Disney’s price reduction is affecting hotels around Orlando. Three-star hotels are as cheap as $56 a night. For people who want to go to Walt Disney World for only one day, I’d check out this option. I’d rather stay at an outside the parks hotel in order to explore the area. There’s more to Orlando than resorts.

Other money saving deals include $50 off for swimming with the dolphins at Discovery Cove and child admission prices for adults at SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Aquatica if you book online at the Worlds of Discovery Web site a week before you go.

The article also pointed out that Six Flags amusement parks will be cheaper this summer as well. Personally, I perked up at the $43.99 for Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. This is the end of the season price from last year and cheaper by $1 than the ticket price in 2005. We usually go to Kings Island near Cincinnati because it’s generally cheaper and the water park is included. This may have us rethinking our amusement park strategy. Maybe we’ll do both.

There are also similar deals in California. Bottom line. Do research before you settle on the price.

10 tips for making a trip more affordable

by Jamie Rhein on

I read about a couple who bought a sailboat when common sense might have told them not to in this New York Times article awhile ago. Their kids were heading to college, and the economy had begun its rapid trip south. According to the couple, they have no regrets about the boat purchase.

The experiences they’ve had with their kids and friends on the boat have added to their good memories bank. Okay, sure they must have been rolling in dough to start off with, but they do have a point. As the author Rob Lieber pointed out, one doesn’t have to buy a boat to experience the benefits of a splurge.

I’m not advocating splurging at every turn in life, but sometimes acting solely on common sense can make life feel tight and without pleasure. In my mind, a splurge worth making involves travel because of the memories one gathers in the process.

One of the great things about travel is that there are so many aspects of the splurge where costs can be controlled. Making memories may not cost as much as you think if you plan right and alter your thinking about what a trip should look like.

Here are some ideas I’ve thought of to help balance out worthwhile travel with a budget in mind. I’ve used them on several occassions.

1. All meals don’t have to be worth writing home about. Head to a place that has good food, but nothing fancy–a place where locals on a budget might eat. Eateries like these tend to have the best stories anyway. Consider the places you’ve eaten a real find.

2. If you’re eating at a pricier place for the experience, browse the menu for the least expensive option and that’s what you will order. Or order the appetizer that sounds the most filling and buy the cheapest glass of wine to go with it. It will feel special and you can buy something cheaper later to fill you up.

3. Another way to afford more expensive food is to plan for the meal to be the main event for that day and pair it with a cheaper activity like a free walk in a park or an inexpensive museum. Many museums have free admission days. Find out when.

4.. On the day you spend more money at a museum, head to a cheaper restaurant, or buy fixings for a picnic lunch in a park. Mix it up. Have an expensive day followed by a cheaper one.

5. Sure it’s wonderful to sleep in luxury, but if you’re on vacation in an exciting place, think about how little time you’ll spend in the hotel. Two years ago when we went to Ft. Lauderdale, we stayed at a 1960s style bungalow two blocks from the beach at a substantial savings. We had access to the same beach as the people in the pricey rooms in beach front property. Also, we had a wonderful time talking with the proprietor who came to Ft. Lauderdale to open a motel to make his dreams come true. Much more interesting than a corporate style place with fluffy pillows and an overly priced mini bar that we wouldn’t use anyway.

6. Stay in a place that has free breakfast. Don’t eat that hardboiled egg or fruit for breakfast, but take it along with you for lunch.

7. Think about adjusting the time you spend in an expensive location. Instead of a five-day vacation, pair it down a day. One night less cuts down on the cost. Plus, if you plan out your trip according to the things you most want to see, you’ll leave feeling full and not like you didn’t have enough of a travel meal. Isn’t it better to eat something than nothing at all?

8. Also, think about the places where you have family and friends and combine a vacation with a visit. We’re fortunate to have friends in several places so we pair visits with them with exploring those sites we haven’t seen before. The extra time with our friends is always time worth spent and makes our destinations all that more sweet and memorable. Plus, the people who live in a place know its heartbeat much more than a guidebook does.

9. Decide how much money you’ll spend on souvenirs before you go. An item you buy on the road is part of memory making but you don’t have to go nuts about it. In this case, you’ll be doing as I say and not as I do. Our house looks like a store run by Unicef. You could buy stuff out of our house and I wouldn’t notice.

10. If you have children, make their souvenirs part of this budget. On a trip to Disney World, each of my kids could only spend $15 tops. That cut out a lot of options and arguments. My daughter didn’t buy anything, and my son bought a small stuffed animal which cost $12. The limit helped us corral him through the gift shops at the end of each ride.

No matter what the economy is up to, with planning and adjustments in expectations, travel still remains one of the best deals around. I’ve never regretted it–there are some souvenirs I’ve regretted, but never the trip. The memories I’ve collected are priceless.

Get a free ticket to a Disney theme park in 2009: Happy Birthday to you

by Jamie Rhein on

If you head to Disneyland or Disney World on your birthday in 2009, you can get in for free. That is a sweet present indeed. What’s the rub?

There isn’t one from what I can tell after reading the rules. There aren’t any hidden tricks.

To get the ticket, register your birthday on-line and a confirmation message will be sent. Then, show up on your birthday with the confirmation message, a proof of your birth date and a valid ID, and you’re in. It’s that simple.

The confirmation message will be sent two weeks before your birthday. You can register now, even if your birthday is December 31, 2009.

There are a couple of points note. If you have a multiple-day ticket already, or are a season pass holder, the one day ticket doesn’t make sense. Therefore, you’ll be given some other birthday treat, and it’s not shabby. One choice is a birthday fun card for merchandise and activities equal in value to the day admission.

For more details-like exactly what you need as proof of your birth date, click here. If the ticket is for a child, you’ll need the child’s birth certificate. Keep in mind, kids under three years-old get in Disney parks for free anyway. Also, you can upgrade the ticket.

Although scoring a ticket so easily might seem odd, consider this. Who goes to Disney World or Disneyland all by his or her lonesome? Give away one ticket and at least one will get sold–probably more. With the growing trend to go on celebration vacations, Disney is making it easy. A theme park also fits a multiple age category where everyone is happy.

Here’s another point. Let’s say you live in Iowa, and your birthday is in the middle of the week in October and you’re still in school, or you have kids who are. No Disneyland for you. No Disney World–not for free. But, if you’re birthday fits into weekend, why not go for it?

A water park does well its first year out and Disney is pleased with its earnings

by Jamie Rhein on

First of all, the water park Zoombezi Bay and Disney have nothing to do with each other, but there is a common element in their stories–their businesses have done swimmingly well this summer.

Zoombezi Bay, a new addition to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium opened on Memorial Day. When I was talking with the associate director last Thursday, he said that they are fiscally ahead of where they had hoped to be and have plans to increase offerings next year. Attendance has been terrific despite their worries that gas prices and the sluggish economy (in Ohio it’s a bit of the pits) may adversely affect the numbers. On the contrary. The thought is that perhaps the “stay-vacation” trend may have swung in the water park’s favor. The weather has also cooperated ever since June’s rainfest ended.

According to this article published in the L.A. Times, Disney resorts and theme parks have not been adversely affected by the economy either. Although, there has been a slight dip in Disneyland’s revenue because of an attendance drop, the numbers have not been as bad as feared. Disney World execs were worried that the number of flights being cut to Orlando would equal a lower attendance, but this had not occurred.

Perhaps Zoombezi Bay and Disney attractions hold what attracts many vacationers. You don’t have to play guesswork when figuring out what you’ll get when you hand over your hard-earned dollars. When the sun is shining, you are usually guaranteed a good time, and in the summer, the sun usually shines. Zoombezi Bay has the added bonus of being new.

(The photo of Zoombezi Bay is from Trip Advisor. Erinslone, the person who posted it, loved the park. Three other commenters were disappointed and frustrated because when they were there the park was incredibly busy. The associate director said more space is being added. I was there Thursday late afternoon and there was plenty of chairs available. My husband was there all day yesterday with our son and neighbor friends. They had a great time.)

Disneyland, a place to see stars

by Jamie Rhein on

Last week, somewhere, I saw a picture of Harrison Ford with his daughter on a ride at Disneyland. Turns out, according to Marla Matzer Rose who details in an article where to see stars in Los Angeles, Disneyland is a place to keep your eyes open. Here’s a shot of Diane Keaton taken two years ago. Interestingly, the only celebrity I’ve seen in Los Angeles when I’ve gone there over the years is Diane Keaton.

From what Matzer Rose says, look closely at anyone with baggy sweats and sunglasses. I’d throw in a baseball hat as well. In order to see Disneyland like a star, she suggests the “A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour.” This is a way to get the behind the scenes look at Disneyland’s beginnings which includes seeing Walt Disney’s apartment and a peek at Club 33, the members-only restaurant that Neil wrote about.

Even if you can’t afford the $400 a room price-tag for a night in the Grand Californian, the Disney resort hotel where stars frequent, you can go on a tour of it. Matzer Rose suggests calling ahead to find out when the tours are and to make a reservation.

My thinking is that if you don’t see a star, pretend that you are one. It might be kind of fun to wear dark sunglasses, baggy clothes and a baseball hat just to see if anyone might wonder who you are. My problem is, every time I go to Disneyland or Disney World it rains. Instead of looking mysterious, I end up in one of those plastic ponchos with Mickey Mouse on the back–not star material at all.

The other places Matzer Rose suggests for LA star sightings are: studio tours, coffee shops, upscale grocery stores, and independent movies. I saw Diane Keaton going to a movie. See? [via Columbus Dispatch] Here’s more about star spotting at Disneyland.