Interesting Tidbits...Should they be added to the visit list?

Ok, I'm a total slacker when it comes to keeping this blog updated. I fell off the wagon, but I'm getting back on because I'm in single digits before my next trip to Disney World!

But before I dive into prepping, I have a few news bits to throw out for discussion:

Pollo Campero and Fresh A-Peel just opened this week at Downtown Disney where McDonald's used to be.
I'm ready to try this place.  I'm not a huge McDs fan, and the menu sounds pretty interesting.  Looks like these two eateries share the space.  Pollo Campero is known for having delicious, hand-breaded, fried (not in trans-fats) chicken that's supposedly moist, and yummy.  Fresh A-Peel features fresh ingredients and made to order burgers, sandwiches, salads and more.

The Spice & Tea Exchange opened at Downtown Disney as part of Mickey's Pantry.
I can already tell this will be a dangerous place for me.  I love love love variety in spices, teas and stuff like this.  After browsing the online store, I turned to DH in our home office and said, "I'm pretty sure you can do most of your Christmas shopping for me at this store."  The sheer variety and reasonable prices are so appealing.  I can't wait to shop there.

So, the conclusion is, "Well, duh...of course, you're adding those places to the must-do list."

Now I've just got to get through the rest of the time before we leave. I've got several work things on my plate, including trying to schedule a short meeting while I'm down there in FL,  plus two Thanksgivings and then the usual packing stuff.

So far, no further movement on my rental car, but I've already adjusted twice so I'm not sure if I'll get anything more.  However, I've got it down to $180 for 9 days and that's after taxes so I don't think I have much to complain about. $20/day, after taxes, is pretty good.

Right now, my plan is to blog from the world in all its Christmas glory.

OH!  And guess what...last I checked, the Space Shuttle is launching while I'm down there!  Super sweet!

Two Days and Counting...

I'm so ready to get the heck out of dodge.

I did my check on the rental car and, lo and behold, saved $45 by re-booking with National.  I'm an Emerald Aisle - Executive member so I'm all set to walk to the EA, pick my car and go on Friday.

I went ahead and placed my grocery order with Garden Grocer.  The forecast is calling for iffy weather here at home on Friday.  If we get delayed, I don't want to be grocery shopping late at night.  Plus, I'm not even sure how late stores in FL are open.  That way, I have my groceries and I can worry about just having some fun at the resort when we get there!

That's the sucky part about taking an afternoon flight.  I did this once about 8 years ago.  I hated it then.  And I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up not liking it again.  I'm so a get-up-and-go type person. But I decided to save a few bucks and take the itinerary I chose.  Yeah, I'm a freakin' moron. Next time, I'm just biting the bullet and paying for my usual routes.

Phase I of laundry is done.  For now, it will just be staying on top of it.  I hate coming home to a mess.

I've got our APs (Annual Passes) out and ready for renewal. The cool part is I'm getting free 3-Day Park Hoppers with this incentive trip.  I can put the value of those tickets toward my AP renewal.  Since I have the DVC AP, I have an even better price.  I'm paying less than the price of one DVC AP to renew all four for my family.  Rock on awesome.

My daughter informed me that she needs more shorts.  This is after me pestering her about it weeks ago and her telling me she doesn't need anything.  Did I mention I hate last minute stuff?

So after I pick her up from school today, we'll be stopping to get a couple more pairs of shorts.  Those darn teenagers and their growth spurts.

Flights:  Checked my itinerary and found that our departure gate has been assigned.  It's no surprise that we're leaving from the G concourse at MSP.  The flights to MCO usually leave from the same bank of four gates.  I also printed off the coupons for shopping and eating at MSP.  Gotta be prepared just in case people get hungry or need a book or something.  I should probably check and see if MCO or MEM has coupons for our return flights.

Signing off for today!

Pre-Trip Prep

Thanks for the comments on the video post. I promise that next time, I won't shoot a video on the same day that I'm working out.  I just had been meaning to do that video and figured I better get it done.  I'll plan ahead better so I won't stick myself in the "ugly faces" category.

As I'm composing this post, Countdown Clock in Firefox says I have 3 days 21 hours 23 minutes and 3 seconds until I leave for Disney World.

Being a veteran Disney traveler, a lot of preparing for a trip is automatic and instinctive for me.  It's like breathing - I don't have to think about it, I just do it.

So this is a first for me to actually document prepping for a trip.

On the docket for today:

Login in to USPS.com and put my mail on hold. 
LOVE this feature.  I don't have to physically go to the local post office to do this.  I can set the date I want mail to be held and the day I want it stopped.  I can even tell the post office to deliver my held mail once I start delivery again.  It's so much easier than trying to arrange for someone to pick up my mail.

Finalize my grocery list.
I usually go grocery shopping myself at SuperTarget once we get settled into the resort. I'm thinking about using Garden Grocer, a grocery delivery service in Central Florida.  This is so not me.  I'm so Type-A - it's a huge control thing.  Plus, I'm one of those shoppers where I might think my list is finalized, but once I'm on the store I think of other things that I forgot. And if I order groceries and then realize I forgot something, then I have to make a run to the store anyway.  So why not do it myself?


I need to decide today before all their delivery slots are filled.  I'm thinking about doing it this time because our flight doesn't get into MCO until 7pm-ish.  We're going carry-on and getting a rental car from National so we'll be out of there tout suite, but I'm thinking that we won't be in the room before 8pm.  Now, I'm kinda wanting to check out the pool and get settled in.  But I might also be wound up because I'll be at Disney World.


So I need to decide that and place the order if I'm going to do it.


Schedule newsletter delivery.
I own two businesses.  I send out a newsletter for one of them on the 15th of the month.  I need to finish that draft and schedule it in Constant Contact to go out on the 15th.  By the way, I'm a Constant Contact goddess.  If you need Email Marketing, Constant Contact rocks and I know the ropes.

Check Rental Car Prices
Remember what I said previously about rental cars? You can cancel reservations at any point without a penalty.  I've probably canceled and re-booked the rental car for this trip 3 or 4 times as I find better prices. It's a daily thing now until I leave.

Stay on task.
Yeah, right.  I'm a pretty focused person - I don't usually need motivation to work.  My discipline borders on military.  That's part of the reason my virtual assistant business is called Can Do Virtual Assisting. "Can Do" is part and parcel of my makeup. 

But throw Disney World into the mix and I have to expend a little more energy on working.

What can I say; my O.D.D is in overdrive and I can't wait to indulge it.

You've Decided to Rent a Car. Now what?

You already know that I'm a huge fan of renting a car on a Disney World vacation. 

But maybe this is your first foray into the world of renting and you just don't know where to go, what to do, how to get it done AND get a good deal in the process.

So here's my rental car quick reference guide:

1. Know the players in the game. 

Most likely, you are flying into Orlando (MCO).  Most of the big names in car rentals are right there are the airport.  That means you save more time when you don't have to take a shuttle to a rental car company's lot.

I love National Car Rental.  While all companies have some sort of preferred renter program, I'll take the Emerald Club over all of them.  National is not always the cheapest, but I feel it's the best overall value when you add in convenience and service to the picture.

Here's the deal:  With Emerald Club, you can make an Emerald Aisle reservation. What that means is you are guaranteed a midsize vehicle.  But you get to select your vehicle from the Emerald Aisle which could have midsize, full size, SUVs, convertibles or minivans. And no matter what vehicle you select, you only pay that Emerald Aisle price. 

Now, this wouldn't be a smart choice if you absolutely needed a minivan because you were traveling with a larger party.  If that's the case, book the size you need.  You still get to choose your own vehicle at National.  But in this case, you'd just select from the Minivan aisle.

The other major rental car companies at MCO are: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise and Hertz.  Each have their own preferred renter programs.  Check them out and see what fits you best.

A couple tidbits of information: 

*Alamo, like National, will let you select the car you want to drive.  You don't get that option with all companies.  If that's important to you, ask before you reserve.
* If you need the extra space of a minivan, be wary of booking with Dollar. They tend to have better prices but what's not well known is they tend to carry the shorter wheel base minivans.  Like a Caravan instead of a Grand Caravan.  This could make a big difference for you if you want or need that extra space in the back.

2. Check rates often

Unlike airfare, you can cancel and re-book a rental car reservation with no penalty.  I often will book a vehicle and then check back on a regular basis to see if I can get a better deal. 

3.  Sometimes it pays to book early...

There have been times where the best deal I got on a car rental was when I booked more than six months out.

4.  And sometimes it pays to book later.

More often than not, I tend to see the biggest downward movement in prices within 4-6 weeks of departure.   Of course, this is all dependent on time of year, the size vehicle you are renting and a few more factors.

5. You don't have to pay to park if you are staying at a Disney Resort

I hear from people so often that a main reason they don't rent a car is because they don't want to have to pay for parking at the theme parks. 

If you are staying at a Disney World Resort, you get a parking pass that gives you free parking through your departure day! 

6.  Getting a good deal.

Look for codes and coupons.  There are a lot of resources out there.  The two I usually refer to are Mousesavers and RentalCars.com. 

It make take a little investment of time, but it can give you so much freedom on your vacation when you have your own wheels!

Why I Rent a Car at Disney World

After reading that title, you may be thinking, "Why would I rent a car when I can use Magical Express and the bus system for free?"

Believe me, I'm a bargain hunter just like you are. I understand the value of "free."

But for me, it's not just about the money.

I rent a car every time I go to Disney World.  That's right; every single time. 

I won't go into a long dissertation, but here are the salient points:

1. Control.
I'm so Type-A, it's not even funny.  I never sit by the window on the plane.  Never. If I'm not driving, there's no point. I need to be in control of my transportation.

Waiting for the Magical Express when I could be in my own car, on the way to Mickey's place?  Why would I waste that time?

Waiting in line for a bus at the park to take me back to my resort?  I really don't want to wait in a line for the bus, only to have to wait for two buses because there were so many people that it filled the first bus. I could have taken the tram to my car and been out of there and on my way faster.

Control for me also means freedom.  I'm not a slave to the system.  Did you know that Disney tells you to plan for an hour to get from one place to another - one way - using their transportation system?  An hour!  Now, it may not always take that long, but it gives me a headache just thinking about that.

2.  Flexibility.
Flexibility straddles control in some ways, but it has its own part of this picture.

I always stop at the grocery store on the way to Disney World from the airport.  Sure, I could use a grocery service or use the limited selection that Disney has in its resort gift shops.  I like to pick out my own food and beverages.  I know what brands and off-brands are acceptable to me when I see them.  A grocery service could ask me what's acceptable and half the time, I wouldn't know unless I was in the aisle looking right at it.

You might argue that shopping for my own groceries wastes my time.  I don't consider it a waste of my time if I know that I'm getting everything I want and I don't have to go back because I forgot to put something on the list.

I also enjoy eating at Disney Resort restaurants.  There is no direct transportation option between resorts.  For example, if I was staying at the Beach Club and I wanted to have dinner at Kona Cafe at the Polynesian, and I didn't have a car, it would probably take me at least an hour (as Disney suggests) to get there.  I'd walk through Epcot, get on the Epcot monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center, transfer to the Resort Monorail and ride it to the Polynesian.

Sounds cumbersome, doesn't it?

I could get in my car and drive from the Beach Club to the Polynesian and be there in ten minutes.

Another plus is that if I want to go off-site (gasp!) to Discovery Cove or maybe just hit 31 Flavors for some Daquiri Ice, I can do that.

3. Privacy and Comfort
Let's face it; no matter when you go to Disney World, there are other people there.

When I've been on my feet for several hours, the last thing I really want to do is get on a crowded bus and stand some more.  If I happen to be on a bus that services multiple resorts, I may have to wait through a couple of stops before I can get off, much less sit down.

When I have my own car, each person in the party has their own seat and we have only one stop.

Now you probably all think that I'm bashing Disney's transportation system.  I'm really not. Considering the number of people, the number of resorts and the number of square miles Disney World covers, their transportation system is really quite good.

I'm just an odd duck that has to have a rental car to be happy on my vacation.