Discount Disney! This January!

If you've ever wanted to take your little one to Walt Disney World in Florida, but have been intimidated by the price, or the crowds, this is your moment.

Now, this is as budget friendly as Disney gets... their value hotel, All Star Movies. But, a budget Disney hotel, is still a Disney hotel.  You get all the Disney magic you can handle in the parks, exactly the same as anyone else, staying at the Ritz or The Grand Floridian.

Shown here with one adult, and one child under 10.

Shown here with 2 adults.

Shown here in this Westjet package, you get direct flights from Winnipeg to Orlando, plus Disney transfers to the hotel, plus 7 nights accommodation, all taxes included. Plus you get full use of the free Disney shuttle/transportation onsite, between parks and downtown Disney.

Now, if you want to do their package, thinking it's a good deal, you can get 5 days basic park passes, and their free value (think cafeteria) dining for $2380. 

Now, if you think you can buy flights alone at the current 20% discount and then add hotel separately it will cost $1055. Getting 7 nights hotel, under $200 anywhere is nearly impossible, never mind the included value of Disney transportation. 

That's why this package is such a great deal! If you really need to keep the budget low, then I highly recommend cashing in your Air Miles to purchase your park tickets, and pack your own snacks. I've done it, and would do it again in a heartbeat. 

At this time of year, the Disney waterparks are both closed, so don't waste your money on  the deluxe park passes which include the waterparks. 

The last 2 times we were at Disney World we stayed at the Port Orleans (moderate) hotels. They were fabulous and I would recommend them. HOWEVER, on these dates, they add over $400 to the bill. For me, they are not worth an additional $400. That amount of money could pay for all our food and souvenirs for the week. 

Prices current as of 7:20pm December 30th. Other dates available, at other (higher) prices. 

If you have any Disney questions, don't hesitate to ask. We've done 2 cruises (Alaska & Caribbean), Disneyland, and Disney World.  All of it done on a budget, and thoroughly enjoyed!

Fast Five Travel Notes: Destinations of 2014

2014 was a good travel year. I took many photos and left nothing but footprints. I enjoyed new foods, new beaches and made new friends.

Over the next few posts I'll detail these adventures in quick little "fast five" blog bites.

I might be feeling reflective, but I don't have a lot of reserve energy after the "un-holiday" that is Christmastime.


Five new destinations I visited in 2014.

1. Bermuda - this was in February. I wrote a lot about Bermuda and would definitely recommend it for a new or nervous traveller, those who want beaches but not scorching sunshine, or those who are celebrating retirement.

2. Devil's Lake, North Dakota. I stayed at the Holiday Inn, bought travel snacks at the new Wal-Mart and used their airport to fly United Airlines. Yes! You can connect to the whole world via DVL and United Airlines. Their twice a day service started in July 2014 and is growing strong. No lines and free parking make this one of North Dakota's best kept secrets.  Did you know you can pick up a round trip to Denver, Colorado for about $270 US? Now you know!

3. Denver, Colorado I had the privilege of experiencing this city with a new friend who already loved and had visited Denver. This gave me the chance to sit back and let someone else lead for once. I greatly benefitted from her knowledge and love of the city. Together we went to cafes, The Union Train Station  stumbled into some weird zombie walk/parade, and cheered as the Denver Broncos beat the 49ers and Peyton Manning threw his record breaking 509th touchdown pass.  What a weekend!

4. Quebec City, Quebec  My son and I took the train to Quebec City and saw this city for the first time together. It was fabulous! I would highly recommend it and can't wait to do it again. I wrote a great deal about it, back in August.

5. Honolulu, Hawaii  This trip wasn't as smooth as most. There were some logistical issues but once we arrived, Honolulu was heavenly. Great reviews (which I still have to write) were largely due to the amazing Sheraton Hotel on Waikiki Beach, and the great travel buddy along for the adventure. I hardly got the chance to see the island, so I think there will be a do-over at some point in my future. But, for 2014 it DOES count, as I did experience Honolulu for the first time.

I love travel charts for seeing the deal!

Have you visited the Turks and Caicos Islands? Is it on your bucket list? If it isn't, it should be!

This is a fabulous little chart from Tripcentral.ca and is shows the best prices of each hotel that month. I have always found this site to be current and very helpful. The best tool here, to me, is the chart, so that at a glance, I can spy the bargains.

I would not hesitate to stay at any of the hotels on this list. The Turks and Caicos main island of Providenciales (Provo as nicknamed) is very small and compact. All these hotels share the very same stretch of gorgeous beach. (Grace Bay)

The only one on the list that is all-inclusive pricing is the Sandal's family resort "Beaches."

My 2012 photo from the Ocean Club Resort.

Worth Shopping Around

It's worth shopping around for vacations. Just look at this chart below. (Great visual from www.selloffvacations.com).

It's like buying Sony headphones (or any other electronic or grocery product). You can get it from Best Buy, Future Shop, Costco, or any other number of retailers. You can have it packaged differently or exactly the same. You could buy it on a Tuesday, or wait to Saturday, and the prices could be different. Very different.

Same could be said for a can of beans, or a pound of bananas.  Your ultimate product (or vacation) will be incredibly similar in the use and enjoyment, but you could pay any number of prices.

Shop around. And ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS read the recent reviews from Trip Advisor. Don't let the price be your only decision factor.

Direct to Jamaica with A/C

It's cold. You should go to Jamaica. Christmas wasn't easy, it's a ton of work. YOU deserve a vacation.

Air Canada will take you straight from (YWG to MJB)  Winnipeg to Montego Bay on  direct flight. No stops in Toronto, no dashing across an airport to make a connection. One smooth flight (5.5 hours) and you are there.

Check into this 4.5 star hotel, a mere 20 minutes from the airport, and start your VACATION! All inclusive amenities and treats and you'll be having a Ukrainian Christmas (January 6th) reggae-style. The Oasis at Sunset sounds like the ideal destination. (I wonder if they have cabbage rolls & perogies?)

Definitely check out the Trip Advisor reviews and you will see why I call this a bargain! At under $1400 per person, for luxury and a direct flight, it's a winner!  (Alternate dates at a higher prices).

Don't forget you can cash in some Aeroplan points and reduce this price even further.

If you don't have an Aeroplan points card, you can sign up at www.aeroplan.ca and start collecting today.

A week in Vegas $570

Direct flights and taxes included, you simply can't beat this bargain, centre strip in Las Vegas. $570 at the Monte Carlo! Great flight times too. Deal me in!

Post Christmas Curacao?

Here are a couple sweet deals from Air Canada Rouge.  You can choose the all-inclusive Sunscape, or choose the Marriott (not AI) for a similar price. Both come recommended by travellers on Trip Advisor. Each is close to the airport. (10-20 minutes away)

As always, check out the official tourism site for the region. www.curaco.com

Post Christmas Bliss: All inclusive beach vacations

All of these look pretty fabulous to me. Who wouldn't love 5 diamonds for Christmas?

www.selloffvacations.com has a nice selection of post-holiday destinations.

Fast Five Travel Tips: Lousy gifts for travellers

Do you love an explorer? Does he or she live for the open road? Well here are a few gifts I think you ought to steer clear from.

5 Lousy gifts:

1. Tickets to the symphony. Whoa.... Are you saying travellers don't like the symphony?  Ok, tickets in general. I'm just saying you should not shell out big money for tickets or anything that is date specific, because you never know when they'll be hitting the road for their next travel fix. How about a hand-written coupon from you with an offer to go out to the symphony, Oilers' game, Emerson Drive concert or the like, when it is convenient for them?

2. Knick knacks and table ornaments. You don't want to weigh down that free spirit. Maybe a wall map or a custom wall canvas made from one of their own photos instead?

3. Cooking lessons. Don't sign them up for any class that requires weekly attendance. We can learn the lessons of regional cuisine while we travel. In fact, we prefer it that way. What about a gourmet gift basket of treats that reminds them of a favourite destination?

4. A big sweater. Do you know how much they weight and how hard they are to pack? Boo! A quick dry, light and versatile zip-up is a much better choice. 

5. Luggage. Unless your favourite traveller is 18 and moving away from home, luggage is a lousy choice. It's too personal. If I'm going to drag something around the world and back, I'm going to want to choose it myself. A gift card is a better choice. 

Fast Five Travel Tips: Great gifts for travellers

Christmas is around the corner. Are you still looking for ideas on how to treat your favourite traveller? Here are a few suggestions sure to please.

1. Gift card to have photos printed. And/or the offer of your time to help organize travel photos and put together an album.

2. Bamboo socks. They are a little pricey ($10-15 a pair) and would be a great treat to the frugal traveller. Bamboo is comfortable, breathable, naturally antimicrobial, quick to dry and made from a renewable resource.

3. "Plane pack" a little gift bag with all the necessities... hand sanitizer, gum, kleenex, ear buds, peanuts/crackers/dried fruit.

4. Phone charger. Who couldn't use a spare?

5. Gift card for a popular hotel chain, or Air Canada. You can pick these up at the post office, or at www.aeroplan.ca  You can even use your own Aeroplan miles to pay for them.  (The other Canadian airline does not offer gift cards.)

Week in Vegas $570

How much would you pay to avoid the Christmas hustle? Are you getting tired of the chaos, the stressed shoppers and the commercialism that is December? Maybe you just hate the cold weather and icy roads this time of year. Why not disappear for a week and enjoy some time in Vegas?

This is exactly where I would be if it weren't for family and work commitments this time of year.

Enjoy a week, with direct flights from Winnipeg at the MGM Grand hotel for only $570. That's like paying $82 a night for hotel and getting your flights completely free! Or, paying for a flight and getting a week's hotel for free. There really aren't any better bargains, which are inclusive of tax, out there.

I chose the MGM Grand hotel for a couple reasons. Firstly, it's huge and a hub of activity. You will never be bored. There are shows, concerts, nightlife and more right under your own "home" roof. It is also in a fabulous location. If you want to go out exploring, you are steps away from other great hotel and casino complexes. The drinks are good at MGM Grand... some places have terrible service and watered down drinks, but not here. If you want to drink Corona and play penny slots, that's an option.

If you would rather stay at another hotel, you could choose Planet Hollywood ($502), The Venetian ($767), The Mirage ($602) or Caesars Palace ($646). 

If you'd like a hotel without casino, but with a kitchenette, bigger rooms and an ideal location (connected to Aria and Bellagio) definitely stay at Vdara ($723). I've stayed there and love it. The rooms are gorgeous and the little market restaurant has fabulous food in a cafe type setting. There is also a Starbucks in the lobby. It's an oasis on the strip, but mere steps away from all the action. I highly recommend Vdara. 

Flights are direct, on Westjet and from Winnipeg airport. 

You can book with any agent you like, or on-line. 

Top 3 Hammocks

People like different things from a vacation. I like my hammock time. When life starts stressing me, I start strategizing ways to get back to a hammock.

Things I look for in a hammock are comfort, location, proximity to water, and beverage accessibility.

My top 3 hammocks are:

1. At the Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando Florida. First of all, there were 3 hammocks available. Never did I have to wait for a chance to sit and relax. It was also a fabric hammock which is certainly more comfortable than a rope hammock. It was a glorious rich purple colour. It was near the man-made lake and had some sun shelter. It was also near the kids' area which included a rock wall. Though I did have some concerns about wrecking my bliss with the sound of screaming kids, that never did happen. One morning I even did some parenting from the hammock and cheered for my son on the rock wall while I relaxed. There is a pool bar and waitress service in the area should you wish to have a beverage. Each hammock also had its own side table perfect to keep your belongings and/or beverage nearby. What puts this hammock over the top is that in the evening, you can see the Disneyworld fireworks in the distance. What could be more perfect than that?

Ocean Club (east) Turks and Caicos Islands

2. At the Ocean Club in the Turks and Caicos. I loved my hammock time here. For a long time the photo of me and this hammock served as my Facebook profile picture. However, it's not my all time favourite anymore. It was a rope hammock, at the edge of the beach restaurant/bar, and next to the ocean. It was under a palm tree in the caribbean, which makes it pretty damn perfect. However, you kind of felt on display to the diners and folks sitting at the patio tables 20 feet or so away. While you could hear the lounge music, which was very soothing, you could also hear other people's conversations and kids yelling and splashing in the pool. BUT, it is located at a near perfect resort, at the edge of one of the world's top beaches (Grace Bay) and I loved my time there.

3. At the Sheraton Waikiki Beach in Honolulu Hawaii. It was the least comfortable of the hammocks, but its location was amazing. It was mere steps away from the ocean, it was tied to a palm tree and it was available when I wanted it. While it lacked beverage service, it made up for it in the view. You could see Diamond Head in the distance.

Do you have a favourite hammock? Please leave the locations in the comment box. I'm always on the lookout for new destinations.

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, Orlando. Best hammock ever!

Sheraton Waikiki Beach, Honolulu

Cyber Monday Travel Deals

There are a few fun things out there today. Lots of hotel discounts. Just pick your favourite chain and head to their website. For example, the Marriott chain is offering 30% off for bookings made by midnight.

Air Transat went for a wild bunch of fun with a Twitter Auction. As anticipated, there was lots of grumbling from the peanut gallery. "Why is it only on Twitter?" "Why aren't there deals from Halifax?" And so on and so on. But I, on the other hand, completely applaud their gusto. They went for it! And the auction proceeds were going to charity. Big win for Air Transat in the Cyber Monday event.

Some lucky person got a 5 Star All-Inclusive week to Jamaica for $1717. That includes tax and is for 2 people. Pretty amazing eh?  Results, and the last couple auctions (from Vancouver) are still on.

Air Canada also offered 15% off any flight in the next 6 months, if booked by tonight. But, seems to me their prices are starting 15 or 20% higher today anyway. 

Selloffvacations.com are offering a great number of affordable packages, and as a Cyber Monday special, they are adding value in the form of free cancellation up to 3 days ahead.