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. 

The Force Awakens at Disney.....Well kind of

This weekend the net came alive with the announcement of the long rumored Star Wars Lands at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Disney's Bob Iger took to the stage at the D23 Expo to make the announcement official after an early "leaked" post on the same day on the Disney Parks Blog. "We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever. These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”said Iger to cheering fans.

While this announcement has been anticipated for well years, and it really is something to excited about; don't hold off on those vacation plans quite yet because the announcements were purposely vague and no time frame was given for the opening of the new Star Wars lands. So why get everyone in a frenzy and slightly Awaken the Force?  Well Disney has been under enormous pressure to find something to be an answer to Universal's extremely successful Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando and soon Hollywood plus well there is the those new movies that are coming out....

Here is what we know about Star Wars Land:
Theses items have no time frame
1) There are more rumors than facts circulating right now.
2) At Disney World it will go into Hollywood Studios and be 14 acres.
3) At DisneyLand it will be 14 acres also
4) It will be anchored by 2 new attractions.... that is right 2 new attractions
5) Star Wars Jedi Academy will get re-imagined which means Darth Vader is out(boo)
6) We got a couple nice looking concept art of what the lands may look like.

Without a doubt these are things to get excited about but as we had learned with the New Fantasyland and Avatar, things will change, not necessarily for the better, and this will take some time to build.

Here are some things that got buried under the giant news of the Star Wars land that you really should be excited over as they will be here much much sooner than Star Wars land!

Star Tours will receive an update in 2016 to add new destinations and characters from Star Wars: the Force Awakens!


In late 2015, we will get the Star Wars Launch Bay that will showcase a preview of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the Episodes I thru 6 VI. We don't know how long this attraction will stay open though.

In Spring of 2016, Star Wars Weekends appears to get a new name "Season of the Force" at Hollywood Studios and will also now happen at Disneyland. DisneyWorld will get a "new" Fireworks display scored to the Star Wars Movies on Weekend Nights. Disneyland will get an "overlay" Space Mountain as X-Wing fighter and new food experiences.

Disney World's Hollywood Studios will get Toy Story Land. It will feature a new family roller coaster that Andy assembled and teacup style ride based on the Alien Claw Game. This will take place in Andy's Back yard and will be an 11 acre expansion.

Disney's Animal Kingdom will get Sunset Kilimanjaro Safaris that will bring African Wild Dogs and Hyenas to a new expanded layout. Special lighting will be added to extend in the twilight hours and will open in the Spring of 2016.

Rivers of Light will debut in the Spring of 2016 bringing the next generation of nighttime shows to the Animal Kingdom. The will light the Animal Kingdom up and will be a sight to see!

Pandora- the World of AVATAR got an official name and we got a peak at the  new attraction for this land. Avatar Flight of Passage. No opening date.

The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World will get a much needed new Restaurant Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. Skipper Canteen restaurant  in Adventureland.This will come in late 2015 and as the story goes, the skippers of the Jungle Cruise will moonlight here as waiters and there will be several theme rooms including a crew mess hall and a once-hidden secret meeting room of the famed Society of Explorers and Adventurers. Hmmm this sounds like the old Adventurers Club from Pleasure Island.... I mean Downtown Disney.... I mean Disney Springs.... That is right folks.. Starting  right now Downtown Disney is Disney Springs.


And Finally both Epcot and Disney California Adventure will get Soarin Around the World as and updated version the popular soarin rides.

Over the next few months and years.... yes years... will get more info on the  Star Wars Themed Land and Disney is doing their best to keep your interest in their parks until the the lands are finished(or even started). Personally as a fan of Star Wars I am excited, but I am extremely glad and more excited that there are more experiences and attractions coming to the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resorts sooner than later.
What are you looking forward to? 

There is a Storm coming..... why are you standing there!

One thing I try to cover with all my Clients before they arrive in Central Florida is the weather they may encounter. July 3rd and 4th brought some typical weather situations for the Wet Summer Season  in Central Florida... Daily Severe Thunderstorms.  The skies darkened and was filled with lightning. Tourist and Locals stood in front of Cinderella's Castle Hub and snapped photos of the castle being struck by lightning.  While it may have gained some their 15 minutes of fame on the internet, it sure wasn't the brightest move. That picture or even staying in that spot to get the "best" view for fireworks sure isn't worth your life.
 
Florida is the Lightning Strike Capitol of the United States. While the number fluctuate every year, the numbers are the usually the highest in Florida for people struck by lighting. On our 2011 trip in August, we were across the street at SeaWorld when 8 people were injured at Discovery Cove by a Lightning strike. These people were "lucky" they weren't killed, but less than a month later at Adventure Island in Tampa, an employee evacuating a slide was killed by a lightning strike. Lightning is not something to mess with, so take cover when lightning is in the area.

Here are some really good tips about what to do during the storms that hit the parks and this applies to all parks.
1) Don't stand out in the open! Get indoors!!!!
2) Don't Rush for the exit.
3) Head into a shop and let the storm pass
4) Go to an indoor ride that has an indoor queue
5)Check out an indoor show
6) Don't wait at an entrance to be first in line for a ride to reopen.
7) Don't get on a boat
8) Don't take shelter under a tree
9) Get out of and away from pools
10) Don't hang out on your balcony

You are not Doc Brown trying to send Marty McFly Back to the Future. You aren't going to save the day with that awesome picture. When you get hit by lighting, your vacations is over, you won't get to see that amazing fireworks display or selfie with Mickey.  Be Smart and stay alive!

Travel Insurance: Do I need it?

I know I don't update my blog that often and that is because I am busy helping clients with their vacations. This past 4th of July Holiday Weekend  brought some unfortunate circumstances for travelers on vacation that they had not planned for that I felt needed to be addressed. The Avanti Resort on I-drive in Orlando was struck by lighting and an entire section of that resort was engulfed in flames.  Something you never want to happen to you while on vacation or even in your own home! Fortunately no one was seriously injured in this fire, but many vacationers have lost their belongings and had their vacations unpleasantly interrupted. Now you would hope that in the mayhem of a disaster like this, that the resort will take care of those staying there. Eventually they may, but in reality, their property and investments are their #1 concern.  So what do you do in the mean time? Hope you had purchased Travel Insurance and that it covers an event like this!

I will be the first to admit that I hesitate at purchasing Trip Insurance when booking my personal vacations. To me it was an added cost that might have put the trip I wanted to take out of my budget.In reality though the cost is quite minimal compared to other pieces of a vacations package.

When I first started selling travel, I would let clients know the cost of the insurance, but not push it. I don't like to push things on people, I like them make an informed decision on what they are purchasing.  Some would purchase it, others would say we will gamble and go without. Then the winters of 2013 and 2014 hit. Just about every family traveling had some type of weather delay. Some were minor, but others had some pretty significant travel interruptions.

Lets face it, we think we live in a bubble when we go on vacation and hope that the bubble will protect us while we are off having fun. Then the inevitable happens. Our bubble cracks. We get sick, the weather takes a turn for the worst, flights get canceled, fog keeps your ship from returning to port on time, or you lose a your employment after your cancellation date. Then you start cursing yourself saying  "I should have bought that trip insurance!" There are many many reason these words may come up, some you wouldn't even think about. Click here to see some common ones


Now let me state this right here, what I am about to tell you is not something for me to nickel and dime you for. It something that will help you when you need it!

 BUY TRIP INSURANCE!

That's right, buy the trip insurance. Now just don't blindly buy the trip insurance that maybe offered with your package. Do some shopping as there maybe better travel insurance options out there.
You want to make sure that the travel insurance you buy, covers everything you wanted covered. All of the policies out there have plenty of fine print along with terms and conditions on what they will pay for etc.
Here are 3 MAJOR must haves if you are buying trip insurance:

1)If you have airfare, make sure your trip insurance covers airfare.

2)If you have a per-existing medical condition, make sure the trip insurance covers that!

3)If you are traveling to a foreign country, make sure they cover emergency evacs from that country in case something happens there.

Here are other things that you will want coverage for:

• Trip cancellation
• Travel medical
• Major medical
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Accidental death/flight accident
• Trip Cancellation 
• An act of terrorism
• The vendor (cruise line, tour company, airline) going out of business( Direct Air went out of business leaving passengers with no flights and Alliegent Air has stranded people with they had safety issues)
• An accident on the way to the airport
• Fire
• Emergency Medical Evacuation
• Baggage and belongings
• pre-existing medical conditions
• Make sure that the policy you are buying includes traveling to the country you are planning to visit.
• Twenty-four hour emergency services and help

The fine print is the backbone of your contract and it will be what determines what type of coverage you will have when you need it most. When you have the right insurance in place to cover you on your trip, you can ensure that your dream vacation turns out to be all you had planned and more.

Free Dining at Disney! FAQ

Free Dining at DisneyWorld. It is one the most sought after promotion Disney has released in the past.There are also a lot of questions that arise from it and a lot of wrong information out there about it. So here are some of the Frequently Ask Questions I get about Free Dining at DisneyWorld.

First let me say, I  do not have inside information. I am going on experience and fact. Based on that I can give you some educated fact and opinion.

What is Free Dining at Disney World?
Free dining was/is a Promotion that  Disney began to use to promote their dining plan and to get people to DisneyWorld in the lower  crowd times of year. It was also designed to make it so that visiting DisneyWorld would make it more probable for you to  stay on site and not stray to other attractions in the area.  The promotion and the dining plans have changed since they were originally released. The dates in the past few years have been limited to the fall months but when it was first was released it was it was available in the winter months. Basically, free dining is as follows: 1) stay on-site at one of the qualifying  Disney Resorts for a specific length of stay and ticket length and 2)get a Dining plan for everyone on your package for Free. The dining plan would be based on the level of resort that you say at.

 Is Free Dining really Free? 
This is a question that people struggle with. The simple answer about free dining being free is  yes it is.
The more difficult answers come from  how far in advance you have booked your package.  There have been years when  if you booked as early as possible and the annual price increase hit, if you applied the Free Dining Discount, the package actually cost more. That sure doesn't sound free to me. Booking early did save people more money than those that waited for the actual release of the free dining promotion. Now to save money for those early booking people, the room only discount was able to be applied and it did save them some, but not much money.

There are some that also argue that Disney takes the room rate to full price for Free Dining promotion and they make up their cost there. What do you mean takes the room to full price? When Disney list their rooms rates, they will say rooms starting at $89 a night to $199 a night.  $89 a night would be the seasonal slow rate and full rack rate would be the $199 a night.

In my opinion even doing with the room at full rack rate, you can still come out a head with free dining depending again on how early you have booked**This is especially true if you book the room without a dining plan and your agent applies the promotion and there is no cost change in your package!( It can and has happened!) This will depend on room option, resort, and number of people traveling with you and their ages. This leads to the next question!
**What a lot of people don't realize and are not told is, if you book early and a price increase hits when applying the discounts or promotion your package now becomes subject to those price increases. So sometimes leaving the package alone is a better savings than applying the discount. So if you can book as early as possible!

Who saves the most with Free Dining if it is offered?
The more adults( people 10 and over) you have staying in the same room and the longer you stay(usually you can get free dining up to 14 days) the more you save. Again it depends on the resort level and room type you are staying in. For example a Family of 5 adults staying in a Moderate resort could save about $61 per person per night with the current dining plan pricing if they are given free dining.  If there are only 2 people in the room, the saving is obviously less or if there are children under 10 since the child cost of the Dining plan is considerably less.   Now a good travel agent would compare offers or opt to leaving the package alone if there were multiple offers out there to see what would save a family and have no difficulty explaining that to a client.

Last  year(2014) I had a client booked for Arts of Animation Little Mermaid rooms with no discount paying for the Dining plan with a family of 5. Arts of Animation is a value resort and the Little Mermaid rooms have not yet been part of any promotion. When the offer came out, I compared the deals, saw that moving to the Suites would cost them more money but thinking outside the box, looked at Coronado Springs resort and got them a larger room at the Moderate resort and saved them over $1000 to give them truly FREE dining!

 Is Free Dining Guaranteed? 
ABSOLUTELY NOT!  There are many reasons why free dining is not guaranteed.  First and foremost the head honcho of Disney Bob Iger has publicly stated that they want to start to ween people off discounts. Secondly, Disney reserves the right to limit the time frame a promotion is offered and the number of rooms at each resort. Last years promotion saw a huge change to the free dining promotion by reducing the number of dates and the number of rooms on the promotion. One of the main staple resorts for a family of 5, Port Orleans-Riverside, was not included and there were agents guaranteeing that resort would be available.

My Travel Agent said they would automatically apply it to my reservation, so that means it IS guaranteed right?
Again ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!! If you have a travel agent that is guaranteeing you free dining or any promotion, DROP THEM ASAP!!!!!!  As a Travel Agent myself, I promote discount monitoring. Just because I offer it doesn't mean you will get a discount. It really depends on how many rooms are offered in a promotion, the dates, the restrictions, and if it is truly a deal for you.  

NO travel agent gets priority on a discount. When a discount is offered, we all call in and we are all thrown in line. Each phone call get answered  by a cast member and we take time to see if the offer is good deal. Sometimes by the time we get through, the rooms are already full at the resort our clients are staying at. It is just luck of the draw. I will continually try back to see if for some reason there is a cancellation to see if I can get it applied all the way up to my clients travel date. Many agents give up after the first attempt.

 I tell my clients to be comfortable with Non-Discounted Package Price they are booking and look at a promo or discount that is released as bonus if they qualify for it . If they are really dead set on getting the offer, I tell them to be extremely flexible in their travel and resorts they are willing to stay at. This may require them to wait on airfare if they are flying and doing so may cancel out any discount that is applied to a package.

Just this Week(April 1st, 2015) Disney released an function for travel agents to make changes to a package online. If you do not have a good agent that knows what they are doing, this can cause them to really screw up your package and trip if they don't understand the discounts and go in and just apply the discount. 

Trust me there are a lot of agents out there that have no clue what they are doing! Shop around and look at testimonials of agent! Interview the agent, after all they are working for you if you book with them!

My Agent says they are EarMarked and have a special line to call in to get the Discounts so they have priority right? 
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!! They have special number to call alright... any Disney Travel Agent that knows it can use and every single agent no matter what phone line they use get put in the same line no matter what line they call. Plus an EarMarked agent does not mean you are getting the best agent possible, more on that another time!

 I got a Pin Code for Free Dining so yep I am getting free dining right?
Nope.  Pin codes are codes that Disney will send to you to try to get you to come to Disney during a specific time with some enticement. Sometimes they are released before an offer is open to the public, sometimes at the same time, other times weeks after the promo. There are usually a broad range of dates and many black out dates with it. If you get it before a promo is released to the public you have a better chance of getting the promo, but again it might not be the best deal for that travel time. Disney wants your vacation dollars so they are "personalizing" an offer for you and it really isn't random either. You have signed up for something Disney and you matched their magic algorithm to get the offer.

 There is this guy on Facebook, in a forum,  on this website that says they have inside information on what the  hotel capacity are and when, how many rooms, the magic express laying people off,  and what the offer details are; why don't you?
Easy answer... This "Guy" is full of s***.  Disney does not go around bragging about how many people are in rooms to the general public or even to many cast members that aren't at management levels.  Why? Because Disney is a public owned company that has to answer to shareholders on wall street and having some loose cannons saying we don't have a high attendance or rooms filled to a certain level could cause investors to loose confidence in the company. We do hear about how room capacities have been/are during shareholder meeting and quarter earnings. Plus it is illegal to release such data before those meetings and earning reports.

So the magical express is laying off people.It was a big news story because of the amount of people they are laying off.  This is an outside company that contracts with Disney. They do more than just the Magical Express. They may have been top heavy and had to shed some people to keep their company in the green.They maybe loosing the contract to do the Disney Magical Express. They may be loosing business in is other areas because of the SunRail.  It may or may not be associated with the attendance at Disney parks..... based on the numbers Disney has been sharing with Wall Street, I doubt this has little or anything to do with attendance at the parks and hotels. I would look more at the amount of people flying in to Orlando compared to those deciding to drive.

AS far as the promotion dates and details.... it is easy to guess when the offers will be released based on historical releases of past deals. There are a few sites out there what will throw dates out  and then constantly change them until they get it right. When called out about it, ban you from their Facebook page, mailing list, etc.

In the last few years, all agents have been lucky to get 24 to 48 hours notice about a promotion. Occasionally an over zealous District Manager will prematurely release information to an agency then get a huge smack on the wrist for doing it..... if not loosing their job.  Again, that "guy" with inside info posting it on all over the world wide web is full of s***.  That person(s) are just trying to get you to go their business so they can get your business.  If you are going to use a Travel Agent, do not use them because love to post rumors. Use them because they are good at what they do and know what they are doing!

Will Free Dining be released this year?
Possibly with a heavy lean to more than likely. Historically the signs point to yes. You will know just about the same time I will know.

When will it be released and what will it be?
Historically right around the end of April to June is when it has been released. It will be when Disney is ready to release it. What it will be we, won't know until Disney officially releases details of the offer.  One of those "guys" last year released a bunch of wrong information before the official details were released and caused a lot of problems for their clients. When they were raked over the coals they blamed it on their clients and changed or deleted all of their post with the wrong information.... Sorry once something is out there on the web.... someone is gonna find it!!!

More than Likely Disney Visa Card Holders will get first shot at the deal for a few day before the general public gets the offer.These offers may or may not be the same.


Be patient, be flexible, and most of all be comfortable withe price you book your vacation as no promotion is ever guaranteed!

Thanks for reading!