Avelo Airlines from Kalamazoo to the theme park capitol of the world Orlando!

First..... I am not being paid by Avelo Airlines, this my experience and your experience may differ. My experience is coming from previously working for an airline in ground handling(in a hands on supervisory role) and being a travel agent; putting them under microscope looking for problems to see if it is worth recommending them to YOU for your travel. 

Second Who is Avelo Airlines? 

Avelo Airlines is an American ultra low-cost carrier headquartered in Houston, Texas. It previously operated charter flights as Casino Express Airlines and Xtra Airways, before transitioning to scheduled operations and rebranding as Avelo Airlines on April 8, 2021. Avelo is lead by Andrew Levy a former CFO of United Airlines and COO of Allegiant Airlines. Mr. Levy is not stranger to the airline industry. 

What is important to note is Avelo as of September 2022 has yet to turn a profit and to date is operating safely. 

Now on to my experience with Avelo airlines!

July 28th, 2022 is when Avelo Airlines announced a new flight from Kalamazoo to Orlando NON-stop and it sure was exciting considering my old Employer United Airlines/ United Ground Express had pulled Service from Kalamazoo as a move to "stabilize the market." I immediately began asking around to see who this airline was and if they were going to be hiring. Very few people in the industry had many answers as to who they were, why they chose markets that where being "stabilized" by other airlines pulling out of them, and then everyone started to go, "Are they another Direct Air?" An airline that was flying out of Kalamazoo and stranded people On March 12, 2012.  Direct Air literally parked the planes and walked away from them with people sitting in airports waiting to get on the flights. Seeing Avelo's Pricing for fares, Seating, Baggage, and being no frills.... the thoughts were that they could be. 

Even with the risk of them being another Direct Air and seeing the pricing for Flights to Orlando at all the surrounding airports including Detroit and Chicago,  I needed to see if this it would be worth the Ultra Low Rate to recommend to you my clients to use for travel to Orlando. So I booked a Round Trip flight on them to test them out 2 days after they announced service.

My trip was a quick trip. Leave on a Friday and Return the following Monday. I had planned on having all day Saturday, Sunday and part of Monday to do what I wanted in Orlando.  A few days.... yes a few days after booking the trip, my Fight times got changed and not in a small way. Originally the flight on Friday was supposed to leave at 8:20pm and arrive in Orlando  at 11:30pm at night. That time got moved up to leaving at 4pm and arriving at 6:20pm which is much better than arriving at 11:30pm.  The return flight that was originally schedule for 4:20pm and arriving in Kalamazoo around 7:10pm. That was moved up to departing at 12:20 and arriving in Kalamazoo at 3pm.  So I gained time on Friday, but lost a bunch of time on Monday.

The week prior to flying I decided that instead of just taking a back pack like I would normally do, that I was going to check luggage. The cost was $45 each way as long as it was 50lbs or less. I still opted out of paying to choose my seat since I was just flying alone. 

Pre-Flight

24 hours prior to my flight, I checked in online. At that time I as presented with the option of picking a seat. Some the seats were pricy and other were actually free, which may have been a glitch in the system. So I chose a Free window seat. I was not able to get a boarding pass after selecting the seat and told to meet a representative at the check in counter when I arrived at the airport. No big deal because I was checking a bag. I arrived 2 hours early just in case there was going to be any problems. 

Boarding 

Duncan Aviation was the contracted ground handlers for Avelo in Kalamazoo. While the agent checking me in was nervous (it was the second flight), everything from getting my bag checked to getting my boarding pass was simple and easy; especially since I arrived early and there was no wait. I was group 4 the last boarding group. Again no problem for me because now I had a checked bag at the counter and a seat assignment so the only thing I needed to do is walk on the plane. This is where the problems happened though and it wasn't Avelo's fault. It was the fault of people trying to get Carry on Bags on for Free. You are allowed one personal item to carry on for free. There were people that were bringing backpacks and luggage and trying to be "Karens" to get the bags on for free.  The gate agent who was also the lobby agent ( this is normal for SMALL airports) was nervously but professionally doing a good job of handling the people that try to skirt the policies. 

On the way back from Orlando, it was the repeat of the above. What really surprised me was for as large as Orlando is, the number of passengers, and number of flights there were, The person that checked me in, was also boarding the plane like a small airport but running back and forth between two gates while dealing with Karens trying to get bags on for free. That will lead to some bad customer interactions eventually. Not to mention to get the gate in Orlando you have to take a tram to the gate so the agent had a lot of distance to cover. 

In-Flight 

The interior of the plane was clean and everything inside the plane was in working order. What I was not prepared for was that there was no WI-FI, No Snacks, and No Drinks. The flight attendants were doing their basic duty of being the "hall monitor". They did the safety announcements, walked the aisle to see if belts were fastened, and electronic devices were off.  The remainder of the flight they stayed out of site except to occasionally walk through the cabin to pick up trash. So if you are flying with them be prepared to buy Snacks and beverages before getting on the plane and have a way to entertain yourself if you are reliant on Wi-Fi. 

Post Flight 

I was off the plane at both locations in a reasonable amount of time. No issues getting my bag. I arrived safe and sound, the flight served its purpose and got me there on time. 

Things to consider

This airline has yet to earn a profit and is continuing to add new routes with limited aircraft.

If they cancel a flight, you could be stuck someplace for a while....Like days...

There are no snacks, beverages, or wi-fi on the aircraft. 

You get what you pay for, but you will arrive safely once you are in the air. 

The Flight attendants are there to due what is required for them to be there for. That is to be there to give the safety spiel, make sure you seat belts are fastened, and to direct you in case of an emergency. During the flight they are basically hall monitors making sure you are in your seats and waiting for your turn to enter the restroom.

Make sure you have have entertainment and snacks before your board the plane. 

Would I fly them again? 

I plan on it as long as they stay in business and keep fares low. I understand the risk of flying them and I normally fall asleep when flying. I will of course buy travel insurance to cover me in case the flight cancels. 

Disney Genie- We still have a lot to be answered.

 Before we get started..... Here is a Fun Fact... Up until June of 1982 you had to have coupon books to see rides and attractions at Disney parks. This is where you get the term E-Ticket attraction. E-Ticktet attractions were normally the biggest or Most popular attractions. When you ran out of Coupons you had to pay for more. So when we get in to Disney Genie and some people saying "Walt is rolling over in his grave right now" well.... Walt already originally had DisneyLand operating  with Coupons you had to pay for to ride rides after paying your admission..... 

Now on to Disney Genie..... 

Yesterday on August 19, 2021 Disney Officially retired Fastpass+ and the Officially Introduced the most information thus far about the Disney Genie that was originally Announced Back in 2019. If you have been following my Facebook page or talking with me in person. I had been connecting the dots from then to now about a paid fastpass coming. Back in May, when more people began to feel more comfortable traveling and people were clamoring about bringing fastpass+ back I even made the post connecting the dots that fastpass+ probably wasn't going to return. You can read thathere In this hidden link. https://www.facebook.com/firehousefamilyvacations/posts/3782774641827011

To this day, people don't understand that Fastpasses or Fastpass+ was never about convenience for you, it was designed to keep you out of lines so you could spend more time in stores and buying food....

Now that Disney Genie is about to burst out of lamp lets get to what we know.

Disney Genie is not bad. On paper right now, this is a HUGE step forward to make vacations much less stressful and no this is not a way to get rid of travel agents to help you plan your trips... Why you might ask?

 Here is what we know so far..... 

Disney Genie will have 3 Tiers. (initially...tech and feedback could allow this to expand)

1.Free Disney Genie

2.Upcharge Disney Genie+

3.Additional Upcharge Lightning Pass for most popular rides( like Rise of the Resistance and 7 Dwarfs mine coaster)

I will try to explain each tier the best I can based on what I have seen so far.....

Disney Genie- Free. This will act like a Google Assistant or Siri where you will tell it what you are interested in and it will tell you wait times and the "best time" to get in line to ride this ride based on the ride times. I looks like it will run on phones and tablets. Hopefully they will release it on Apple and Android at the same time and not the staggered approach they have done in the past with Apple getting the priority(no this doesn't mean apple is going to buy Disney..yet... this week)

Disney Genie + This is an upcharge per person per day. We currently don't know if you have to purchase  it for your whole trip or if you can buy for select days( I assuming you will have both options and an Annual Pass option that includes this).  This will act like the old Disneyland retired Maxpass, where you will be able to choose a ride or attraction at a specific time and get a lightning lane pass for that ride. Then when that ride is done, you can choose another one, Doing this all day or until they are no longer available. The cost has been currently advertised at $15 per day per person. With this option at Disneyland only you will get all of your Pictures that you take in the park for that day. Its like the original Fastpass where you had to go to the Ride to get a paper fastpass except it wil be via the app.  Here is a hidden advantage to this.... you don't have people that aren't in the parks for that day grabbing fastpasses just for the sake of grabbing fastpasses.( you will still have annual passholders if given the option of adding it to their annual pass that will do this... but it is a small number)

Upcharge per ride that doesn't have a name yet and is a pay per ride Lighting Pass. This will be for the most popular rides and pricing will very by the demand for that ride. This will anger annual passholders more than casual park guest. Annual Passholders may get an option to add this to their annual pass. This pay per ride will benefit casual guest the most. 

Like I said, there are a lot of questions that are coming from the announcement and since I believe in transparency I have included the press release Disney has sent us and their post to the general public below. 

Questions I have for Disney that hopefully will be answered soon:

When will this start( my guess is October 1)

Can you buy this for just one day or does it have to be for the length of ticket?

If you bough Memory Maker can you return it and just do My Disney Genie+?

The complete list of rides and attractions for Disney Genie+ and Individual ride purchase.

When are the dining plans coming back?

Are there extra perks for On-Site guest and or Value, Moderate, Deluxe resorts.

How far in advance can you purchase a ride?

Are all sales final? (meaning what happens if Rise of the resistance goes down for 6 hours....)

Will virtual lines for restaurants replace advance dining reservations?

Will this run on Cellar service( which can be crappy in the parks) or Disney Wifi( which can be crappy through out the entire resort) 

I am sure you have question and I would like to know them.

Right now this Disney Genie+ is much cheaper than an express pass at Universal Orlando or FastLane pass at Cedar Point, Kings Island, Dollywood, Michigan Adventure, SeaWorld, Knotts Berry Farm, Busch Gardens, and Etc.... Like I said right now on paper it is cheaper... 

As an Traveler and not an agent, I do see some value in this. As an agent they are pushing that this is commissionable. At $15 a person, that commission would be wait for it... around 15 cents.... So if i recommend this, it would not be for the commission only as a something that could make your trip more enjoyable. 

I will defiantly be staying on top of this  to give you the best information and guidance I can. 

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/08/introducing-disney-genie/

Coming this fall to Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, Disney Genie is a complimentary and convenient new digital service designed to create the best Disney day for our Guests. We’ve been listening to Guest feedback – they want planning to be easier, they want more flexibility and they want better tools to help you make the most of your visit – and that’s exactly what Disney Genie is here to do. We’ve made significant investments in this cool new technology, which guides Guests through our theme parks with tips that can help them reduce time in lines, discover magic around every corner and take the guesswork out of “what’s next.” 

Built right into the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps, Disney Genie service will maximize your park time for our Guests, so they can have more fun. It includes a personalized itinerary feature that will quickly and seamlessly map out an entire day. From specific attractions, foodie experiences and entertainment, to general interests like Disney princesses, villains, Pixar, Star Wars, thrill rides and more – Guests just tell Disney Genie what they want to do and it will do the planning for them. It will be a great complement to the incredible guidance and support you provide as a Travel Professional.

Here are a few more features:

Get Itinerary Updates from Morning to Night: Disney Genie will continue to update the Guest’s itinerary throughout your day, so they can be more spontaneous and go with the flow.

Find Favorites at a Glance: Guests can create their very own personal tip board to instantly see their favorites. It will display current AND forecasted future wait times, helping Guests predict when they might experience quicker entry to attractions.

Enjoy More Flexibility and Fun: Disney Genie brings existing planning features together in one place. Guests can join a virtual queue at certain attractions, make dining and experience reservations, mobile order food at many locations, get help from a virtual assistant and more.

For even more convenience and flexibility, there are two other options for enjoying our theme parks, through a queue we are introducing called the Lightning Lane entrance that also saves Guests time in line: 

Disney Genie+ service (available for purchase): For the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort, Guests can choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. Guests can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (attractions subject to limited availability). This convenient option is the next evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass service from Disneyland Resort. Disney Genie+ will also include Disney parks-themed audio experiences and photo features to capture your memories – augmented reality lenses for those visiting Walt Disney World Resort and unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads from your day if you are visiting Disneyland Resort. Disney Genie+ will be eligible for commission on select tickets and more information will be available on the Disney Travel Agents website.

Individual attraction selections (available for purchase):Guests can schedule a time to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance – like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom Park and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure Park (subject to limited availability; attractions not included with Disney Genie+). Pricing will vary by date, attraction and park.  

Lightning Lane selections will be made on the same day of the Guest’s visit and can be used across multiple theme parks, great for those who love the Park Hopper option. Attractions continue to offer a traditional standby queue, or a virtual queue at certain attractions like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – to maximize flexibility.

While the FASTPASS, FastPass+ and Disney MaxPass services will be retired, we’re incredibly excited about the flexibility and choices Disney Genie service provides. Guests can choose from all of our new options, a mix of them or none at all, and continue to have a great experience no matter how Guests decide to plan their best Disney day. 

As Travel Professionals, you will play an important role in helping Guests experience their best Disney day with Disney Genie – and together we will usher in a new era of Guest service.

We are also making some enhancements to our Disability Access Service (DAS) program, including new options to enroll in the program pre-arrival and for DAS participants to select arrival windows for attractions directly in the app. These options will be available in addition to our existing, in-person DAS program. Visit our Services for Guests with Disabilities page on DisneyWorld.com and Disneyland.com for more details.

We realize this is a lot of important information, but rest assured that many of you will receive training on all-things Disney Genie over the next several weeks as we prepare for the launch.

Visit Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort for more details on Disney Genie and stay tuned for updates real soon.

Disney Genie is here. Disney Genie is not going anywhere soon. Lets give Disney Genie a chance! 

Lets talk "Free Express Unlimited Express Pass" at Universal Orlando

Right now If you book a Hotel stay.... Not Package …. Just a Hotel stay at one of these On-Site Resorts: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel® and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel you will get  Universal Unlimited Express Pass for free. Notice I mentioned only Hotel Stay and not Package. I will will explain that a little more here in just a bit. 

Unlimited Express pass What is it: 

• Universal Express Unlimited ride access to skip the regular lines at participating rides and attractions at Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure. That's a value of $129** per person, per day. Valid theme park admission required. Not valid at Universal's Volcano Bay.
  
  *Requires theme park admission. Valid only at participating rides and attractions in Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure. Not valid at Universal's Volcano Bay. Excludes separately ticketed events. Park-to-Park admission required to board the Hogwarts™ Express. Benefit valid only for guests of Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel® and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, for the number of guests staying in the room for the length of hotel stay. Available during normal theme park operating hours only. Additional restrictions may apply and benefits are subject to change without notice.
  
  **Based on average price of a 2-Park Universal Express Unlimited™ pass ranging between $84.99 and $189.99.

So that is the legal explanation based on official verbiage directly from Universal Orlando's Website. 

My Verbiage is this. This unlimited Express pass has tremendous Value depending on the time of year you go to Universal. It is worth its Weight in Gold During peak travel times like spring break and Holiday Rush, but at times during the school year, its basically is a piece of paper that has some value depending on the ride or attraction. 

The express will cut down your wait time drastically during peak travel periods allowing you more access to more rides than if you were to be just in the regular standby line. It is not a Cut to the front of the line pass, its pass to get you a reduced wait time in an express line. Say the line was 2 hours long. Express Pass will cut that wait down maybe to 30 minutes. That is a pretty significant reduction of time and well worth it. Downside of the express pass is that in most attractions, you miss the storyline build up for the ride, especially in rides like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Escape from Gringotts, and Transformers to name a few. If you have been on the attractions a few times and wish to skip the experience to build up the ride with the pre-shows, no harm no foul, more rides for you.

Now during Non-peak Travel times, normally when school is in session, the express pass loses value as you can see the price range above in the description. Rule of thumb is this: The less express pass cost, the probability of needing It is much lower. Many Days (especially during the weekdays)in September- early December, January-Late February, and Later April to Mid-May many of the rides will be walk on or have minimal waits. So there may be need for Express pass for Rides like Escape from Gringotts or The Hulk Coaster.  See it still has some value.

So how do you get this express pass and is there a "hack"?

It's pretty easy to get the express pass when you book a hotel stay or Universal Orlando Package and stay at one of the Beautiful resorts of Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel® and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. On your check in day, you will get your picture taken for each member of your party and issued the express pass that expires on the day at Park closing when you check out. So as long as you have a Valid Theme park ticket, you now have unlimited access for you entire length of stay. Pretty awesome! 

Now for the hack that can be pretty frustrating to some.... Let me preface this that there are  rumors out there that Universal is trying to shut down this hack, so it may not work for you if the do this. 

People during peak travel period (Spring Break and holiday rush)will book 1 night stays at Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Hard Rock Hotel® in lowest room categories knowing that they will get 2 days of express passes for free, but they will not actually stay at the resort. They end up saving a TON of money on having to buy express passes. Not only do they get the Unlimited Express passes, the now also get the early park entry. 

How much a deal is it? Let's say you have a Family of 5, Buying 2 days of Express passes at the Highest price range$189.99+tax that is going to be roughly $1899.99+ Tax. You have to buy theme park tickets also.  A Standard 2 queen bed room, the least expensive room, Non Discounted at Loew's Royal Pacific for  Adults on December 26th, 2021 runs roughly $784 for the night plus comes with for 2 days express pass and early entry into the parks for "free".  That family of 5 just roughly saved $1115.90.  Not a bad hack if you are trying to save money during the peak travel period times. 

That family may not even stay in the hotel that night because they are staying at rental house, timeshare or maybe a lower end "cheaper" hotel in the area. 

Could Universal close down this hack? 

Yes because in the verbiage of their express pass benefit they have this clause. Additional restrictions may apply and benefits are subject to change without notice. 

How could they close it down? 

Add a length of stay clause during peak travel times in order to get the express pass. 

Could Universal Be losing money on the hack, yes and no. With the express pass they are selling "air" to reduce your wait. While this may have value to you, I am going to let you in on a little secret..... The express pass benefits Universal more than it does you.... The more time you spend waiting in line, less time you are are buying food and souvenirs. 

Ready to Book that Universal Orlando Vacation? 

I am here to help you every step of the way. 

You can reach me via Facebook at Matt's Firehouse Family Vacations ,email me at matt@firehousefamilyvacations.com, or call me At 269-491-0161

Travel update and Recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic

I want to take few minutes to update things to consider when traveling in regards to Travel/Vacations thru at least 2021.

Bluntly COVID is going to impact Vacations and Travel for quite some time. 

Here are some tips for 

First and Foremost . IF you have travel already booked, DO NOT PAY OFF YOUR BALANCE UNTIL FINAL PAYMENT DATE. That doesn't mean spend the money you had planned on paying for your vacation. Find a savings account( maybe a high interest  and one that doesn't restrict access to the money when you need it). Every time you plan on making a payment, stick that money in that account. It will take discipline, but here is why.  If you are due a refund, it has taken MONTHS, not weeks to get that money back. That is right MONTHS. Things have gotten better with refunds as less people are booked for 2021 and people booking closer to trips, but there are still instances depending on the supplier of it taking months to see the money back.  

Booking New Vacations or Travel for 2021 through 2022-

There is some optimism out there with being able to return to normal as more people that get vaccinated as there should be. The population that is hesitant about get the shots though are stalling that return normal. I highly recommend getting vaccinated as traveling to abroad or on a cruise ship maybe a requirement. Getting caught faking a vaccine card and being Vaccinated card could result sitting in less than pleasant 3rd world jail cell. We are seeing a small percentage of people falsifying that they are vaccinated right now. Hope that trend ends quickly. It should not be political and having vaccine requirements are not new. As a side note if you falsify a record, you may also be jeopardizing a transportation workers job. Every time someone is found to be falsify a vaccination requirement, an investigation is opened and your first point of travel is put under scrutiny to see if they followed the procedures. It could and has resulted in fines for the person that has checked your documents and also termination.  

PAY THE DEPOSIT ONLY AND UNDERSTAND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. That is right pay the bare minimum that is required and understand the cancellation and refund policies. Then revert back to the First thing I said here about paying the Balance off. Why? What is open today for travel could close tomorrow. Example: The Bahamas reopened for travel beginning of July 2020, then not too shortly after they closed again to United States Citizens due the rise of cases in the United States. Then they opened again with more restrictive travel requirements  Who will close or open next to the United States? 

Refunds- While some destinations, suppliers, and cruise lines are offering full refunds. There are some that are not , even more now that are saying "Hey you booked during the Pandemic, there is no way we are going to give you a full refund." Example:  Say you booked and All-inclusive resort to Mexico that included airfare through Banana Vacations because your agent found you the best price through that supplier. Banana Vacations may say" we are keeping the deposit(which total airfare more than likely was included in the deposit) and will only issue an airfare credit that has to be used  by this date." There are even some suppliers, if the package is paid in full before final payment date,  just issuing a credit for airfare instead of full refund. This is even happening  if an area closes down due to COVID. so BUYER BEWARE and read the fine print on the cancellation policy and  Refund Policy.

Still with me?

Modes of transportation- Planes, trains, Boats, and automobiles. Every company that owns one these forms of transportation are courting you to come travel with them.  They are showboating their Polices and procedures that are meant  to keep you "Safe" while traveling. Some are enforcing those polices, others not so much and it's not hard to figure it out who is doing what. Also if at all possible, BUY DIRECTLY from the mode of transportation company as their cancellation and Refund Programs are more upfront. Now that doesn't mean bypass a travel agent, that means Bypass places that are Discounters like Expedia, Cheap air, etc. You may get to a counter or call  XYZ airlines expect help and they say "so sad you have to deal with  Expedia for rebooking or cancellations." If you use a travel agent, they are going to be your advocate during this time. Just remember, a travel agent does not make policies and procedures of their suppliers.

Stay Informed about where you are traveling- There is a lot of JUNK out there in the media with COVID, Protest, and Politics. Try to find legitimate local sources about the areas you are traveling to stay better informed about what is happening in that area.  They should have better up to date information than say the mass media. For example: I suggest Supporting your local tourist industry. Here we have a big draw in the  Lake Michigan Shore line. Beaches in Illinois and Indiana has closed down due people not following COVID Guidelines, so people from Indiana and Illinois are flooding the beaches in Michigan at a higher rate than normal and many beaches are very crowded. A local source would have this information and lesser know beaches to travel to where they might not be so crowded. 

Traveling to Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, or other Regional Theme Parks- Yes they opened and hoped that they would be embraced by the general public. Many instead are embraced by controversy. Initially crowds flocked to the parks, but that rush of people was mainly Diehard Annual Passholder and locals. So if you want the low crowds, try not visit during days when passholders might have events. Many diehards are saying with the low crowds and mask, some of the magic is lost. Plan on reduced hours, large morning rushes to the parks, limited shops/food options, and stressed workers. Many if these places will more than likely remain open as to try to keep money flowing.

Love your Travel Agent- Many have lost their entire incomes for last year as a vast majority work on commission only. With every spike of COVID, extension of No Sail Orders, and Location closing its another kick to their income. Many Agencies won't survive this. Innovative Agencies are taking the time to evolve while finding other income streams. Those income streams can be sneaky MLM scams of hiring new agents and charging them fees to make money.

Matt's Firehouse Family Vacations-  My "doors" are still open and will continue to be open for the foreseeable future to service past, current, and Future Clients. I will continue booking your vacations ethically and give you the correct (sometimes blunt) information you need to make an informed decision on your travel. While I keep the doors open, I am also exploring ways to generate income in this downtime for travel. While doing so, I will not waver in the quality you have come to expect from me over the years. I am doing what I can to not catch COVID, but I do have split custody of my child, so my risk is increased from traveling between households and hope for the best. If I do become incapacitated and not able service clients, I have lined up back up agents to step in and help. My hope is it never has to come to that.  

If you made it this far, here is the post from May 4th, 2021.

Things to consider for Travel during the Pandemic. 

Please read with an open mind all the way through. We are still learning about COVID-19 and I want you to stay healthy.

Many in the travel industry may throw hate at me over this.

You may not agree with me and that is your right. Yes my income relies on people traveling because I have a travel agency and also working for an airline but:

1) Don't be the Guinea Pig

2) IF you must travel, be prepared to stay where you travel if you get sick until the illness runs it's course.(This could mean many weeks and in worse case death, let the last one sink in)

3) You may have to stay on your cruise ship for weeks if an outbreak occurs.

4) If you travel out of the country you may not be able to come back if transportation shuts down or the government closes the borders.

5)The country you travel to may have stricter laws and restrictions over COVID than the U.S. does.

6) Understand if you travel to or from a COVID hot spot, you may have mandatory quarantine time.

7) Your local economy and local tourist destinations needs you more than Disney, Universal, Cruise line, and other countries. (Theme park revune for Disney is roughly 37% of the company's total revune. Cruise lines will take bigger hit than Disney and universal)

😎 Are you ok not knowing if others don't care if they are sick and still travel?

9) If Traveling to warmer climates and theme parks in higher heat, can you handle a wearing a face mask or waiting outside in the heat for rides, food, and transportation?

10) If going to Disney or similar theme park, are you ok with them potentially closing indoor attractions or running half of the attractions but still charging full price?

11) If traveling during the wet season to Central Florida theme parks, are you fine gathering quickly in close spaces with people during the "sudden" afternoon thunderstorm.

12) Are you ok doing Disney or Universal with no Shows or Nighttime shows that in the past have been places of larger gatherings?

13) Policies could change after you book and companies could cancel your reservation. In some cases you may not be given a refund and only offered future credit towards another visit or cruise.

14) If offered a refund, it could 90 days or longer to get that money back.

15) Are you fine using mass transportation that may or may not be cleaned in between use? ( The major airlines don't use the same methods and they are hoping you don't research if the methods they use actually work)

16) Some destinations may hold off on opening over fear of law suits if outbreaks are traced back to their destinations.( it is already happening, this includes lawsuits against travel agents/agencies)

Here is what I suggest:

Hit your local tourist spots with caution this year adhering to CDC Guidelines. Also understand that those destinations may not be fully operational. Yes travel agents, like myself, can help you with some local vacations spots.

Start a Vacation Savings account for when the real experts(not arm chair facebook experts), doctors, and scientist give the thumbs up for the pandemic to be over.

If you have questions, please ask

Try not to make this political.

Respect other opinions.

Most of all STAY HEALTHY!

Please share if you feel you should

I post to inform, not to ruffle feathers.

 As a business, when I post on my Facebook page or in this Blog, I am doing so to pass along useful information and/or also to promote an offer. I don't post false information and I make sure my information is verifiable. If it clearly is a rumor or opinion, I will make sure that is know.  If I post a tip as useful information, I don't get paid for it. It shows that I do indeed have useful/helpful information and am beneficial to hire for your travel needs. That's right you are hiring me, not the other way around.  I am very upfront on how I get paid and do my best to not Nickel and Dime people on things that carry no value to you as my client. My Travel Agency is 100% based commission, I don't see you as a sales goal or dollar signs when you contact me. I see you as a person that wants assistance in travel and I will help you mesh out the details and book your travel for you. I will stand by you as advocate, wealth of information, and many of my clients become friends in process. 

I have a unique perspective and insight when it comes to travel. Not only am I the owner of this travel agency , I also work as supervisor for legacy airline and get to see travel trends real time and what they are trending to in the future( more on that shortly). Mix that with my travel experience and get a pretty resourceful person. I do my best to manage expectations on real information, but like everything in life, I don't make the rules(sometimes shake my heads at the rules) or the terms and conditions for my suppliers or businesses I work with or book with. I do however work within the suppliers rules and terms/conditions they set forth. If they have something vague, I will respectfully challenge it for clarification and do what I can for you as a client based on what my Suppliers will allow. My last challenge was a with cruise line that posted contradictory policies and applied those policies differently to clients on the same cruise. I went pretty far up the food chain in that company to get the issue resolved and it took over the course of a week to make it happen.( yes this verifiable and if those clients wish to make it known they are more than welcome to). I am guy that normally doesn't like to toot his own horn and let my clients do that for me in the form of testimonials or recommending me to their friends. I am fortunate to work for several client over the course of many vacations because they know if I can't help them or if they are better off booking something on their own, I will honestly let them know.(yep, I don't make a penny on  doing that).  

As you may have seen, I posted about Spring Break 2021 and even more recently important information about the Park Reservation System at Disney and what has been trending at Universal Orlando based on facts. This is what is happening in real time thrown in with what is trending forward. Things are changing quickly, just like they did a year ago this week last March 2020, when the world shut down. Travel right now is not a set in stone and planned months ahead as it has been. MANY people are booking 2 to 3 Weeks out(some even days out) either because they have been vaccinated and feel ready to travel or are weighing their risk to see if they are willing to travel. This poses very unique challenges on many fronts but most importantly of  WILL YOU LOSE MONEY if you are not able to travel or if something closes. What you see available today or 5 Minutes from now may not be available when you look again. More so the closer you get to peak travel periods, like Spring Break time. Right now for a lot of travel we are past full payment date for Spring Breaks and that means NO REFUNDS no matter how much you complain, yell, stomp your feet, act Karenish, or bully an employee or manager. Sorry, it's in the those terms and conditions that you agree to and many people don't read or understand. Travel insurance can help, but there are even more terms and conditions you have meet for that to happen.

So forward thinking based on FACTS and trends I see in real time through the airline industry and  travel industry.

DisneyWorld and Universal Orlando(along with other places of entertainment and theme parks)  for the foreseeable future WILL have Limited Capacities until the COVID Pandemic ends. Those capacities  are either mandated by Local,State,or Federal Governments,also Disney or Universal can decide to limit capacity to a level less than what the Government mandates.   Hence the Park Reservation system is active until at all of 2021 and 2022 at Disneyworld and take the guessing game out f you can get in. Universal on the other hand..... Just show as early as possible and hope for the best.  Over at Disney with that level playing field,  YOU MUST have a reservation to enter the parks based on the Ticket type(off site ticket only, on-site ticket package, or annual pass) to get in. As the pandemic continues, it is becoming more rare for a person to show up at the gate and be able to purchase their ticket then walk in to a park. This EXTREMELY factual for peak periods of travel. Do not cheat the system by trying to get in on a different ticket type, you will be disappointed with the end result.

 As stated several time before on my facebook page, Just because you have a ticket, that does not guarantee you entry. Be sure to read the terms and conditions when you purchase your tickets or package. If you arrive and cannot get in because you don't have your park reservation, don't blame Disney or Universal( well maybe Universal because you are playing the odds since there is no reservation system). Don't blame your travel agent(unless they didn't impress upon you that you need reservations....I keep a paper trail).  

Here are some pics of what March 2021 and April 2021 looks like currently for Disney as of March 9th 2021. Remember this can change quickly and as you can see if it is yellow, 1 or more park is not available for entry. 

I hope you find my post informative and useful. I hope the information helps in showing the advantages of using a travel agency over booking on your own or at a travel "discount" website(remember you get what you pay for). I do offer information that can and will be politely blunt to manage expectations. I would hate for you show up some place and have the Mouse, Moose or Minion out front tell you the park is closed leading to you to lose a lot money and full of disappointment. 

Thanks for being here and continuing to support Matt's Firehouse Family Vacations! 

Spring Break 2021 Part 2

Over the last 3 weeks I have had inquires about where to go for spring break and have surprised people. I have had people that misunderstood that since people are starting to get vaccinated it  is now 100% safe travel. People that were unaware that mask policies are still in effect at the theme parks. People that were not aware that Delta is t he only airline blocking middle seats. People unaware that they may travel to someplace and having to quarantine.  If you have not read part 1, Be sure to find it here PART 1  

Please understand with all this, I am trying to impress on you that I get that you want to travel. I want you to be informed. I want you to understand the risk YOU take and the risk you bring back to your community. If you travel you assume all risk associated with your travel and understand the consequences it could have on your community. The Pandemic is far from over, the vaccines are helping, but letting our guard down will undermine any progress we make. I will help book your travel. I will give you the best information about what is happening with your destination and getting there. Ultimately the final decision to travel is yours. 

What is open? What do I need to know? Should I go? What will be different?  Part 1  I think did a good job displaying that there are inherent risk for traveling during the pandemic. Basically, if there are people present, COVID-19 or a variant is present.  Common sense says, the more people in area, the more COVID-19 is the area. 

I am going to keep this honest, quick, and to the point. 

What is open? 

Just about everywhere you go, something will be open. Unfortunately, the amount of places that have "more" open is based more on Politics and Denial than Science and Fact.  Just because things are open, doesn't mean you are getting the full experience or that you will be able to get in.  Let's Take Disney and Universal Orlando for example. Both are open but have limited capacity.  The limited capacity is moving bar.  

Breaking Disney down a little more,  you are still paying full price even with a "discount" but only getting about 60% of the experience. What brings it to full price even with a discount is the discontinuation of the Dining plan,limited resorts, limiting the restaurants that are open. That is right they limit what your choices are when it comes to choosing what you can eat because now more than ever you are a more captive audience due limited capacity( do you dare leave and risk not being able to get back in). They are gradually opening more locations but it sporadic. It's also important to note, they still have several hotels shut down. That means they are limiting the number of value resort rooms available to you with only pop century( at the top end of pricing of a value resort) open and only one of the All-Star Resorts opening in late March 2021. That leaves a large portion of rooms of the value resort level closed.  Then you move to the Moderate Resorts that are open that are at the higher price range while they keep the family friendly Port Orleans- Riverside and French quarter Closed. Stepping up to the Deluxe resorts, the resort  that prices out just above a Moderate resort,Wilderness Lodge, is also closed.Wilderness Lodge is supposed to re-open in June.So you choice are limited and are in higher price ranges. Yep, even with a Discount you are paying close to full price. What else is missing for your experience at Disney? No more extra magic hours for resort guest(its being replaced with early entry), the shows are on Hiatus until later this summer, no fireworks shows, no parades (only character calvacades), No character meets only distanced appearances, Reduced hours, and this is a big one..... No Fastpasses.  It also important to note, Disney is very strict on their mask policies so if you can't wear mask or if anyone in your party can't wear or wont wear mask, don't go, you are going to get booted from the parks. Disney has recently ended social distancing spacing on most rides. 

Lets take the journey across town over to Universal Orlando now.  You are going to get a more "normal" experience here. There is still a limited capacity and they have been reaching that limited capacity quite early in the day on the weekends and during holiday times. They don't have the luxury (yet) to be spread out over 43 square miles like Disney is. That means there are more people in a more compact space. Universal is running most shows including Cinematic Spectacular on select nights. Most restaurants are open and you can still purchase express passes or get them for staying at the Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, and Portofino Bay resorts.  You will Find Cabana Bay fully open in the moderate priced hotels but will find Sapphire Falls and Adventura Closed. You will also find one of of the sections of the Endless Summer Resort closed but opening soon.(Dockside will re open soon) Endless Summer resort offers some the best prices in town but, even though its an onsite hotel, its not onsite hotel. I can explain that more if you ask.  They too, do have mask policies that they enforce and  they  have eliminated social distancing on most of the rides but not at the shows that are open.  

What is important to know about Disney and Universal: Just because you have purchased a ticket, that does not guarantee you entry......if they reach the limited capacities set forth, you WILLNOT be allowed in and 99% of all cases you will have no refunds available. 

Other players in Florida include SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Legoland Florida, FunSpot Parks, and the beaches. SeaWorld,Busch Gardens, and Legoland have kept off the radar but have mask policies, limited hours, social distancing, limited capacity and select attraction/show closings. FunSpot parks.... well lets say they have been hit with violations over covid more than once..... When it comes to the beaches, it really is smorgasbord of polices  unfortunately based on politics. Miami has even suggested to Spring Breakers to head to Las Vegas where Vegas COVID policies are more lax than the beaches are in Miami.  

So what about all-inclusive resorts? Yes they are open. No they are not offering very many discounts. When if comes to regulations at the resorts its going to be based on the country the resorts are in. You will meet a plethora of travel requirements and restrictions. The U.S. State department is recommending you reconsider travel to most places as you can see from the picture up above.  Some countries  DO NOT want american citizens to travel to them(even for business travel).  You will need a negative COVID test to board a flight back to the U.S. which means you could be stuck some place until you  test negative. That may cost you Thousands of dollars and you may not have access to very good health care if you need it. All-Inclusive resorts have been having outbreaks of Covid, unless you are in the tavel bizz you don't hear about them,That is due number of issues we have here. Some resorts have not been very forthcoming their outbreak. They want your money......... Lets not forget about another huge thing if you are looking for an all-inclusive resort. You may be required to quarantine to your room for a period of time when you arrive. If you can't afford to quarantine where you travel, don't go. You will more than likely end up detained.... more than likely detained in a covid mixing bowl......

That is  the to the point version. If you have questions about specific places, Please reach out to me. I will be upfront with you.  Again I understand you want to travel. I will be willing to help you if you assume all risk. 

Spring Break 2021 Part 1

 

Spring Break 2021

Let me improvise on a quote by Jesse Itzler to make it more personal to you. Instead of I it will be replaced with you: “You didn’t come this far to only come this far.” 

What do I mean by this? By now either you have been EXTREMELY lucky that someone in your circle has not been impacted by, contracted COVID-19, or have lost someone from COVID-19.  You have been social distancing, washing your hands, avoiding large gatherings, getting the vaccination if available to you, and following  the CDC guidelines. I thank you for doing your part not spread  COVID-19!

Please be aware An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place you may travel to and where people are present….. Yes there is a High Risk of you still getting COVID-19.

Here we are almost a year from when everything was shut down. Since then we have learned a lot about COVID -19,we still are learning about COVID-19, lost way too many people from COVID-19, and also have a beacon of hope in the fight against COVID-19.  Some of you across the country are currently covered in a deep freeze and several inches of snow like myself here in Michigan. I know you maybe looking for an escape to someplace warm or maybe to go skiing for spring break but are wondering, Is it safe to travel yet?

Simple answer is…No.  I know that is disappointing to hear and I understand you may still want to travel. So let me give you some facts and also my opinion so YOU can make an informed decision on if it is a risk you personally want to assume for you, your family, and your community. 

A couple of disclaimers here:

Some of what I am about to tell you is my opinion.

I am not a medical professional. I am not a scientist. I am not a lawyer.

I do have an education in communicable diseases, behavioral habits of people, education in laws, the  the constitution, and how it’s amendments have been applied to laws and court cases. 

I work directly in Industries that give me a broader picture of what is happening and are not sound bites and memes. Those industries are: Retail, Travel, Passenger Air Travel, and Real Estate.(No this doesn’t mean I have too much on my plate to help you with your travel)

Prior to March 2020, 100% of my income came from Travel and Air Passenger travel. While I still get some income from Air Passenger Travel working as a Supervisor for an Airline, I have received no income from booking travel from since March 2020 from my travel agency. I did not take any grants or loans from SBA or the government. Instead took on another job and learned a new industry to keep the doors open at Matt's Firehouse Family Vacations. As travel recovers, I will be expanding the business with skilled agents and not in a Mid level Marketing way. More to come on that in the future. 

I will book your travel for you, but you will assume 100% of the responsibility while traveling.

Hopefully you are still with me at this point.

 

Let’s start with the beacon of hope.  The Vaccines!

This is a HUGE step forward. The science says that Pfizer and Moderna  vaccine are safe and effective, but we are not where we should be for spring break. The roll out is sluggish but should be improving. Here is a couple things to remember with the vaccine. There is a percentage of the population that is hesitant or refusing to take the vaccination. This not a roadblock as it can be empathically and educationally dealt with and will just add to the timeline in the battle of the pandemic.  There will always be segment of the population that will refuse vaccination.  Just because you get both shots, it still takes time for your body to develop a fighting chance against COVID-19. Science is still trying to determine that if you have BOTH shots if you still can carry virus and transmit it to others.  This means Social Distancing Measures and Mask are still going to be a thing for quite some time.  So if you can’t wear a mask and wear a mask properly, please stay home.

Now That we got the Beacon of hope out the way, lets get the major disappointment out of the way.  Cruise Lines

We will not see any cruises from the United States or Canada for Spring Break. This will more than likely carry out for the summer into late fall also. Canada has officially said No Cruise ships for 2021. The Cruise lines have a “plan” set forth by the CDC on what they need to accomplish to resume sailing.  Instead of boring you with those details, here is a link to look over to see what that plan is https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s1030-safe-responsible-ship-passenger-operations.html

Modes of transportation-

Planes, trains, and automobiles. Every company that owns one these forms of transportation are courting you to come travel with them.  They are showboating their Policies and procedures that are meant  to keep you "Safe" while traveling. Some are enforcing those polices, others not so much and it's not hard to figure it out who is doing what.

I am going to list the most "Safe" mode of transportation to the least safe mode currently.

Personal Automobiles and RV's-This right now is the "safest" mode of transportation. Go from Point A to Point B with the least amount of interaction with people. With an RV you even have your own place to stay that you know how clean it is kept and who you come in contact with. 

Airlines- Don't feel like wearing a mask? Don't even attempt to get on an airplane. Argue with an airline employee over mask or wearing a mask properly, you are going never fly on another airplane again unless you have a very good lawyer as you will be going on the Do Not Fly List. Yes you may get some sympathy on social media channels, but you are agreeing to a contract when you purchase a ticket and if you can't adhere to that contract there are consequences. 

Delta right now has pledged that it will block Middle seats until March 30th 2021. They may extend this, but take this into consideration; They are the only U.S Airline that is blocking middle seats and that maybe removed just in time for Spring Break travel. This means there is a high probability you are going to be sitting shoulder to shoulder with a stranger for several hours. 

Currently there are less flights in the air, less employees, and a slight increase in planes that are flying at capacity.(Another round of Layoffs is coming in March) 

What does this mean for you? 

With less flights, if your flight gets delayed or cancelled, you are more than likely are going to have zero options on same day travel. For Example: You are flying out of Lansing, Michigan, your flight is delayed, by the time you get to Detroit or Chicago the only connecting flight you have to Tampa or Orlando is gone or oversold, you are now stuck in Detroit or Chicago until there are seats available to get you to Tampa or Orlando. So to decrease your chances of this happening to you, book the first flight of the day..... in many cases, there is only going to be one flight day from Smaller Airports like Lansing or Kalamazoo.

A COVID outbreak could mean there is no one left to work your flights. Several Airports have had outbreaks that have left them crippled. We have lost Several Flight attendants, Pilots, and Ground handling staff to COVID and layoffs. 

People are flying with COVID and they know they have tested Positive. Personally, I have been exposed to this more than once at the airport I work at and we are small. Imagine what is happening at larger Airports like Orlando International or O'hare....

It maybe required that you have Negative COVID Test within a 72 hours of checking in to board a plane very shortly anywhere in the United States. You will have to present official paperwork. If you have a problem with HIPPA or letting people know you are Negative, find another way to get where you are headed. Currently if you travel from outside the country you  MUST have a negative COVID test to return to the United States. No you are not special, Yes You will be denied boarding on an Aircraft to United States. While Delta's CEO says its a bad idea to have all passengers under the age of 2 to have a Negative Test to board any flight in the U.S, as a person that interacts with Passengers, I hope the test requirements happens. 

United's CEO Scott Kirby has suggested making the vaccine Mandatory to work for United and has "asked" other airlines to follow his lead. Personally, it would give me a better piece of mind when flying and I am eagerly hoping I qualify for the vaccine very soon. 

Now this may sound strange coming from a travel agent.... BUY DIRECTLY from the Airlines UNLESS it is Part of a package.   Now that doesn't mean bypass a travel agent, that means Bypass places that are Discounters like Expedia, Cheap air, etc. You may get to a counter or call  XYZ airlines expect help and they say "so sad you have to deal with  Expedia for rebooking or cancellations." If you use a travel agent, they are going to be your advocate during this time. Just remember, a travel agent does not make policies and procedures of their suppliers or airlines.  Also those discount travel sites are not going to be very forthcoming on travel restrictions, requirements, or the changes that occur. I have had several people show up to my check in counter not knowing they need a COVID test, the quarantine requirements, or that their flight time has changed or had been cancelled.

 Train- Have social distancing requirements and can allow you to space out a bit but you will have frequent stops in several cities and depending on your destination be on the train for several days.

Bus- I am sorry, just avoid them if at all possible. 

Was this helpful? Would you like to see part 2 in this format or as VLOG or Podcast? The next part is a little more complicated.