Walt Disney World 101--Part 1

A very long-overdue series related to booking a Walt Disney World vacation. This the first part in a series that I have planned which are directed more towards the 1st time Disney vacationer. Please feel free to ask questions or leave comments. And as always...thanks for watching and reading.

The "American Vacation"

Just a short survey to get an idea of where vacation time fits in the lives of the American family. Please take a moment and answer 4 very short questions. I plan on writing about the results in a future post and/or book.

Travel Myths Debunked...

So much is written online and shared online when it comes to travel, vacations, the booking of vacations etc, and so much of that information is portrayed as fact when it reality it is simply one person's opinion.  As you know from some of my previous posts, I often feel compelled to respond to some of those "opinions" and offer more of the facts instead.  Such is the case with this post/video.  I want to debunk the myth that it is "always cheaper to book online through an online travel site." 

I welcome your comments, questions etc.  Thanks for reading and watching.

February/March Quiz: North American Landscape

Purcell, Bighorn and Medicine Bow are all a part of which North American mountain range?

A) Catskills
B) Sierra Nevadas
C) Appalachians
D) Rockies

Send me the correct answer and you will be entered into a drawing to have a chance to win a $20 Target Gift Card.  You can send in an answer by commenting on this post, or via Twitter or visit my page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Operationdestination. All entries must be received no later than March 31st.  The Drawing will be held on April 1, 2011.

As always...thanks for reading and participating.

Disney Question: How Much Money Do I Really Save Staying Off-Site?

If you have ever planned a trip to Walt Disney World or if you have ever even mentioned that you are starting to plan or think about a trip to the “House of Mouse,” then inevitably you have had people parachute in and try to convince you why you should do x, y or z.  And I guarantee that you have had some try to tell you how staying off-site will save you mucho amounts of moolah. 

Well...let’s put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard and really look at some numbers to really see if that is true.  The hardest thing to do with any price comparison is to make sure you are comparing tangerines to tangerines versus making a claim and in reality you have compared spuds to cantaloupes.  So I am here to help clear the muddy waters of Disney resort versus off-site pricing.

Here are some assumptions I have made for this comparison:

6 night stay
6 day Magic Your Way base ticket
2 adults and 2 children (ages 9 & 7)
Value level accommodations
Driving to Walt Disney World
Dates during Disney’s non-peak period (September 18-24)

So let’s start with staying off-site.  As I said, in order to make a statement that you think it is cheaper to stay off-site, you have to do your best to make sure your off-site hotel/motel is at the same level as the one on Disney property.  So I looked at different options and determined that the Clarion Hotel Maingate would be similar to one of Disney’s value resorts (I even went lower just to be safe).  Their base rate was $47+tax for 6 nights in late September.  So the total for 6 nights including tax was $321.68.  And to be fair to those who like to use discount ticket sites, I priced a 6 day base ticket through one of the more popular sites and the total for 2 adults and 2 children came to $937.81.  Then, if you are driving and staying off-site, I added in parking for the day at any of the Disney parks.  Parking costs non-Disney resort guests $14 per day, per vehicle so the total for parking would be $84.00.  The last cost figure that I felt needed to be added in is that of breakfast.  Even if you are a non-Disney resort guest, you will still most likely eat at least 2 meals in the parks so those would be the same for resort and non-resort guests. So in my opinion, the only meal where pricing could be different is that of breakfast.  The Clarion does not offer free breakfast so I used fast-food pricing just because it would be the cheaper option.  I may be off a tad, but I estimated that a family of 4 would spend about $6 per person for breakfast at a fast-food venue.  So $6 per person for 6 days would come to a total of $144 for breakfast for non-Disney resort guests. 

So if you now total up the figures above for staying off Disney property, you would come to a total of $1487.49 for the family of 4. 

Now...on to the Disney resort option.  I priced my favorite value resort, the Pop Century, and I added in the 6 day Magic Your Way base ticket as a part of the Disney package.  The total for the package for 6 nights, 6 days comes to $1574.10.  Parking for Disney resort guests is free so no added cost there.  But I assumed that the resort guests would at least eat breakfast at the resort.  Using an average, a quick service breakfast would cost about $10 per person so the total cost would be $240 for the family of 4 for the 6 days.  So again...adding it all up, you come to a total cost of $1814.10.

Now subtracting the cost of the non-Disney resort option from the Disney resort option, you see a savings of $326.61. 

Now some will say...we could pack our own breakfast food and not have to eat the fast-food breakfast.  That is correct and would also apply to staying at a Disney resort.  Some might argue...we could probably stay cheaper than the Clarion.  Yep, you would be right, but power to ya if you want to make your family stay in something that costs less than $49 per night in Orlando.  And the on-site guests could argue back that staying at a Disney resort offers more amenities than the Clarion such as a the very large food court at the Value resorts with more than just fast-food options and also the Disney gift shop at each resort.  Nevertheless, I have chosen what I think offers a fair comparison and I really think I was generous by choosing the Clarion.

But (you knew there was a but coming), there are things that have value that do not necessarily show up on a spreadsheet.  For example...how much is your time worth?  Off-site guests do not get access to Disney’s “Extra Magic Hours” where they keep a park open late or open one hour early only for Disney resort guests.  Is it worth the extra $326 for you to be able to access the parks during much less crowded times where you can ride some of the more popular rides and have much shorter wait times?  How much more time are you willing to spend driving to and from the parks when you stay off-site?  More time in transit means less time in the parks which is the largest part of the total cost of your trip.

When you book a an off-site hotel/ticket deal, you will not be in a position to take advantage of any Disney deals that could possibly save you a lot more money.  Disney usually offers deals throughout the year for such things as free dining, room-only discounts, or “kids stay and play free” which would save the family of 4 in my scenario potentially more than the $326 they would save by staying off-site or at least be the same cost.  Those package deals are only available for those who stay on Disney property.  Even if you book a package that does not have a special attached to it, your travel agent (shameless travel agent plug) can watch for those deals and get them applied (when applicable) to your existing Disney vacation package.  If you book an off-site deal, your deal is what it is.

I know I am not touching on every aspect of staying on or off-site, but I hope you see that sometimes the savings is not as large as people try to get you to believe and sometimes the savings is not a real savings at all when other factors are taken into consideration.

Questions?  Comments?  Do you agree or disagree with my assessment? Feel free to chime in and give me your opinion.

Through the Eyes of a Tourist

Well here I sit...enjoying a cup of coffee from one of my most favorite Nashville hangout spots, Bongo Java.  But now I am here as a tourist, a visitor, and I am seeing my old stomping grounds through a completely different set of eyes.

My wife and I called the Nashville area (Franklin to be exact) home for over 11 years.  And, as many do when they live somewhere, we did not really appreciate the fact that many actually make plans to vacation here.  Travelers from all over the country and even the world view this area as a tourist destination.  For many...they want to come see the birthplace of country music.  Others come here to visit so many of the places that played such a significant role in our Country's history, i.e. the Civil War.

See...when you live here, you tend to become desensitized to the fact that this area is a huge draw for thousands of people from all walks of life and each has their own reason for wanting to vacation here.  What I am again seeing through my "touristy" eyes is that Nashville has its own energy, its own vibe.  If you think this area is simply a place for country music lovers, you are sorely mistaken.  Nashville has become one of more eclectic parts of the Country.  I know some native Tennesseans are not going to like this, but one of the things that makes Nashville so vibrant and fun is the fact that it is no longer made up of mostly native Tennesseans.  Folks from the east to the west coasts have now moved here and call this area home and I love that about Nashville. Sorry natives.

This area exploded a few years ago when people, like myself, discovered that it is a place that offers a good climate, decent employment opportunities, affordable housing, and a quality entertainment of all types.  It should go without saying that this is a music-lover's paradise.  But again...don't think it is simply for those who appreciate a little "twang" in their music.  Nashville oozes music from all genres including hip-hop, jazz, alternative, classical and of course blue grass and country.  What makes Nashville special is that someone can come here and visit a different local venue every night and enjoy some of the best music around with little to no cover charge.

But again...there is more here than just music.  If you love history and art, the Frist Center is a top-notch art museum located in the heart of downtown.  Or someone might appreciate the fact that they can visit an exact replica of the Parthenon and see ancient Greek artifacts and then understand why Nashville is called the "Athens of the South."

But some of the most interesting history that can be explored in this area is that related to the great Civil War.  You can tour some of the old plantations such as the Hermitage, the Carnton or the Belle Meade Plantation and battle sites such as the Battle of Franklin and get a real sense of what life was like during that turning point in our American History.

And let's not overlook the opportunities that abound here when it comes to professional sports.  It is home to SEC football, the NHL's Nashville Predators, the NFL's Tennessee Titans and a fun AAA baseball team which means you can see some form of professional sports no matter what time of the year you choose to visit.

And I have yet to even mention the beauty that is Tennessee.  This great area is surrounded by rolling hills and lots and lots of trees which again I took for granted when this was my permanent residence.

So with all of that said...here is a list of some of my favorite eateries and areas that I have visited on this trip and I encourage you to consider these when you start planning your next visit to "Music City" or "Nashvegas" as many of us affectionately call it:

1) The Country Boy Restaurant.  This small, quaint cafe is located in historic Leiper's Fork which is about 35 minutes south of downtown Nashville.   I had visited this restaurant "back in the day" when it was just your local "greasy spoon" option with little to no character or ambience.  But it has gone through a revamping of sorts and is now a wonderful place to stop for food and even potentially for some "star gazing" since this small town is home to some very well-known country music stars (I won't mention any names...Judds *coughing with my hand to my mouth*).  Anyone can visit an IHOP or Cracker Barrell when on vacation, so forget those and give this true local establishment a try instead.

2) Chuy's of Nashville.  Ok, so it is not a Nashville original, but it has a great atmosphere that has become very popular with the locals.  Their version of Tex-Mex is fresh and flavorful and is located in the affluent area called Cool Springs (20 minutes south of dowtown Nashville).

3) Noshville.  No I did not misspell "Nashville."  Noshville is a local "New York Style" deli.  It is one of the iconic Nashville eateries that has been here forever and continues to bring the locals in everyday.  I recommend the location closest to Music Row so you can get a good feel of the original versus visiting one of their other, newer locations around the area.

4) Bongo Java.  Anyone can visit a Starbucks when they travel, but it takes some research into a destination to be able to find this Nashville gem.  It is located in "the village" close to Vanderbilt University.  If you want to see where creative people go to find some inspiration, make sure you visit this coffee house on your next visit.

5)  Sweet CeCe's.  No better way to end an evening than with a stop at this wonderful frozen yogurt shop in downtown Franklin.  Franklin should be one of the places you decide to visit when traveling to Nashville so a stop here is a no-brainer.  I love to find places that are local and not mega-franchises that someone can find in almost any city across the U.S. and this is one of those finds.

There you have it...5 places that hopefully will make it onto your travel agenda the next time you make plans to visit Nashville and the surrounding area.  I hope this article also helps you see that there are vacation spots right here in the U.S. that are more than just "drive-through" or "bathroom stop" spots on the road.  If you have never vacationed in Nashville before, I hope you will consider it soon, you will not be disappointed.

So until next time Nashville...

2011: A Look Ahead

First of all...thanks to all of you who made my 2010 the best year I have had the travel business thus far.  I made a commitment when I started in this business to grow only through providing the best service possible which in turn will make me referable.  I can now say that over 90% of my business comes from the referrals that my friends, family and past clients send my way.  I may not grow as fast and get as big as some of the more aggressive travel companies, but I am also not willing turn to my attention away from my clients in order to spend more time in the realm of mass advertisement and marketing schemes.

I set out in 2010 to make it the year I really become an expert in certain areas related to travel.  I decided to continue my focus into cruise vacations and Caribbean destinations.  I targeted courses and programs that helped me do just that.  I was also able to travel myself throughout 2010 which gave me that all-important first hand knowledge of most major cruise lines.  Book smarts are one thing, actual experience is another in my humble opinion.  While I may not quite be an "expert" yet, I am for sure on the track of becoming someone who you can turn to for help and guidance in those areas along with my continued knowledge of Disney.

Now, looking ahead to 2011, it is my continued goal to further my education in the area of Caribbean destinations including both the Eastern and Western Caribbean (including Mexico on the Pacific side as well).  I already have courses I am looking to take along with 1 personal trip already booked for May.  My trip will take me once again to Cancun and the Riviera Maya.  I will be staying at the Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa (more details on that as the time gets closer).

I also have a very important and exciting trip planned for Walt Disney World later in the year to celebrate my parent's 50th wedding anniversary.

Somewhere between May and September, I might just have to plan another trip to a new destination in the Caribbean, but we will have to wait and see.

In addition...I hope to further develop my skill in the area of travel writing.  This blog has seen continued support by readers from all areas of social media; Facebook, Twitter, Youtube etc.  I hope to be able to better understand what readers are interested in and provide honest and sometimes thought-provoking content.  Some who have come in contact with me are not completely open to the idea of me being candid with my reviews and honest even if that means criticizing places or companies that they might hold near and dear to their heart.  But I have refused and will continue to refuse to write some middle-of-the-road article or gloss over glaringly negative aspects of any destination or travel provider.  I figure...if you didn't want my opinion, then why did you read my review?

So that is what is on the agenda this year.

I have some growth goals I am excited about which again means I will maintain my current course and put clients and their referrals first.  Thanks to all of you who support me through encouragement as well as your patronage.

So sit back and stay tuned...2011 is going to be a great year.