Disney News

Disney Cruise Line® is eliminating fuel surcharges for all new bookings, effective Dec. 1, 2008. The decision comes as a result of decreasing fuel price trends within the marketplace.

If you have already booked a cruise, the following guidelines have been established for the refund of fuel supplements paid:

• If the closing price on the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange) of West Texas Intermediate fuel is below $70 a barrel two weeks prior to the beginning of the calendar quarter (dates specified below), the company will refund fuel surcharges paid in the form of an onboard credit.
• The quarter that the cruise falls in will be based solely on the sailing date. The entire cruise will be considered to be part of the quarter that the sailing date originates in.

The elimination of the fuel surcharge for new bookings applies to sail dates through the end of 2010.

The company will continue to closely monitor fuel prices. Reinstatement of a fuel surcharge may be necessary in the future.

Let’s face the facts; no trip to Disney is complete without getting some great photos with the Disney characters. Even for us “older kids”, there’s just something magical when Mickey puts his arm around you, Pluto ruffles your hair, or Stitch tries to pick your nose. The problem is everyone finds that moment special, and pretty soon you might find yourself paying your park entry fee to stand in line to greet the characters. While standing in line can’t be totally avoided when it comes to characters, here are a couple of tips to lessen the time:

1. Book a character meal. I have had the pleasure of eating a few character breakfasts and am pretty impressed with the amount of time each character spends with you and those with you. You can enjoy your meal, and take pictures with the characters when they come to your table. One extra tip for the character meals is to try to book the earliest possible Priority Seating reservation that you can for the meal. In other words, if a character breakfast begins at 7:30AM at a certain restaurant, try to get that time. You’ll have enough time to get your food before the characters show up, and the crowds usually don’t come for an hour or so after opening, so you’ll practically have the characters to yourself. Chip and Dale can make interesting dining companions when they have nobody else to go talk to!
2. Go to a party night at the Magic Kingdom (Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, or Disney’s Pirate and Princess Party). On specially selected nights, the Magic Kingdom stays open for several hours after closing to those with tickets to the party. Characters are in full force on party nights, and are often dressed in special attire. Don’t go see them as soon as they arrive, but wait until about an hour before the night is over. That way, many people have already left, and you will have the characters all to yourself!

So, until we start seeing FastPass machines at the Meet & Greet areas, follow the above suggestions to be able to see the Disney gang without obligatory wait in line.

Planning a trip to Disney World with health conditions can be complex and time consuming. To simplify the process, two companies that specialize in supporting travelers with special needs have come together. Stephen Ashley, author of Walt Disney World with Disabilities and head writer of the Walt Disney World with Health Conditions® website (Diz-Abled.com) had been looking for a travel agency that would cater to his readers for nearly a year. “I was so excited to learn about Off to Neverland Travel®. After chatting with the owner, Chet McDoniel, I realized that they have the knowledge to help plan a smooth vacation, but perhaps more importantly, they have the heart to bend over backwards for their clients who have extra needs.”

Chet McDoniel was excited to find Walt Disney World with Health Conditions®.  “We felt that the resources on Diz-Abled.com and the Walt Disney World with Disabilities guide book are a perfect complement to our services. We plan to make the book available to our clients and to send them to Diz-Abled.com, which is full of very helpful free resources and articles,” said McDoniel.

Chet McDoniel is uniquely experienced in dealing with health issues while visiting World. McDoniel has no arms and he must ride an electric wheelchair when long distances are involved, such as in the Disney parks.  Stephen Ashley said “I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Chet, and I’ve been so impressed. Despite his physical challenges, he is a person who has a busy, normal life.  He doesn’t seem to let his physical challenges get in the way of living life to the fullest.  His friendly, upbeat personality makes you feel comfortable right away.”  Concerning his agency’s services, Ashley said “It seems they’ll go far beyond what most other travel agencies will do to help their special needs clients plan a dream trip.

Some of the services Off to Neverland Travel® offers include:

• Advice and planning assistance with details regarding air transportation
• Advice and planning assistance with choosing the right resort for your special needs
• Park touring details and advice when visiting with special needs
• Dining reservations and advice for guests with special dietary needs
• Overall vacation planning assistance with special needs being the focus

Ashley’s book, Walt Disney World® with Disabilities has extensive information on the services Disney offers it’s guests with health needs, how to get your needs met in the parks, resorts & restaurants, details on handling medication & medical equipment, dietary needs, transportation, wheelchair use and suggestions for dealing with specific conditions in the parks & resorts, and much more. It also has in-depth descriptions of the physical and emotional feel and experience of Disney rides and attractions.  The book is written to support guests with “minor” to major health and emotional issues, and is available on the web through the official website: www.Diz-Abled.com. It can also be purchased on Amazon.com.  For bulk purchase and group discounts contact the publisher at (954) 432-1274.

www.Diz-Abled.com includes free content to complement the book such as Disney World restaurant menus, the special dietary needs policies of each restaurant and a variety of articles designed to help travelers with health and emotional issues plan for Disney.

Disney Cruise Line
Tropical Weather Update
Friday, Nov. 7, 2008, 2:00 p.m. EST

Disney Cruise Line® continues to monitor the current weather conditions in the Caribbean through the National Weather Service. Due to the anticipated path of Hurricane Paloma, we have made minor modifications to the itinerary of the Disney Magic® commencing Nov. 8, 2008. Guests will receive notification of the following itinerary adjustments at check-in:

Disney Magic

Saturday, Nov. 8 – Port Canaveral, Florida
Sunday, Nov. 9 – Day at Sea
Monday, Nov. 10 – Costa Maya, Mexico
Tuesday, Nov. 11 – Cozumel, Mexico
Wednesday, Nov. 12 – Grand Cayman, The Cayman Islands
Thursday, Nov. 13 – Day at Sea
Friday, Nov. 14 – Castaway Cay, The Bahamas
Saturday, Nov. 15 – Port Canaveral, Florida

Disney Wonder

The Nov. 9, 2008 voyage of the Disney Wonder® will sail from Port Canaveral as scheduled. We continue to monitor the storm’s progress and have not made an itinerary change at this time.

Should weather conditions change, our Captains can alter the ships’ courses or itineraries for the safety and well being of our Guests and Crew Members.

The new year is right around the corner and your next Disney vacation could be too! With this special offer, you’ll be able to kick-off 2009 with a Walt Disney World® Resort vacation at a rate so incredible, you won’t want to pass it up.

Through Dec. 20, 2008, when you purchase a 4-night, 4-day non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company Magic Your Way package you’ll get three additional nights (with tickets) free. This offer is valid for stays most nights Jan. 4 – April 4 and April 19 – June 27, 2009.

Plus, if you travel on this package between Jan. 4 and March 29, 2009, you’ll also receive a Disney Gift Card worth $200 that you can choose to spend at the Walt Disney World® Resort during your stay.

What are you waiting for? This can’t-miss opportunity to kick-off 2009 with a Walt Disney World® Resort vacation and get three days free won’t last forever! You must book this offer by Dec. 20, 2008.

This special is no longer applicable, but be sure to out check the
Walt Disney World® Resort page for current offers.