Sponsor Deals
i got a ford edge for $247.91 TOTAL
for a week in mia in may - june. now i have to figure out if i want this or the Avis deal. i also applied coupon code MUWZ023 which is supposed to get me $25 off, but fine print says no coupons so it may not allow it.https://www.budget.com/budgetWeb/html/en/deals/wendie.html?&ICID...Nationwide Offer
economy or compact - $17/weekend day or as low as $119/week
intermediate SUV - $22/weekend day or as low as $139/week
terms and conditions:Offer can be reserved now for pick-up between now and June 15, 2012.
Offer valid at participating corporate owned Budget airport locations in the U.S. (excluding but not limited to New York metro area; Martha's Vineyard and Hawaii).
Offer valid on the following car classes: economy (class A), compact (class B) & intermediate SUV (class F).
Weekend rental period begins Thursday at noon and car must be returned by Monday 11:59 p.m. or higher rate may apply. A minimum one day rental is required. A Friday night keep is required.
To use this offer, reservation must be booked at least 24 hours in advance of pickup.
Use offer code (BCD) D454300 to take advantage of this offer.
Offer is subject to vehicle availability at the time of rental and may not be available on some rates at some times, including some online rates at Budget.com.
Offers may not be available during holiday and other blackout periods; rate surcharges during peak periods may apply. Blackouts include, but may not be limited to the following:
February 1-5: Indianapolis, IN (08084);
February 9-15, 2012: Portland Intl Airport (PDX), Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM), Seattle-Tacoma Intl Airport (SEA), and Seattle Downtown;
February 9- March 18, 2012: Denver Intl. Airport (DEN), Eagle County Airport (EGE), Colorado Springs Airport (COS), Aspen-Sardy Field Airport (ASE), Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT), Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN), Boise Airport (BOI), Idaho Falls Municipal Airport (IDA), Pocatello Regional Airport, Idaho (PIH), Magic Valley Regional Airport, Idaho (TWF), Friedman Memorial Airport, Idaho (SUN), Bozeman Airport, Montana (BZN), Bert Mooney Airport, Montana (BTM), Helena Regional Airport, Montana (HLN), Albuquerque Airport (ABQ), Reno-Tahoe Intl. Airport (RNO), and Denver Downtown;
February 1627, 2012: Arizona;
February 2226, 2012: Orlando Intl. Airport (MCO), Daytona Beach Airport (DAB), Melbourne Intl. Airport (MLB);
February 1621, 2012enver (08052), Salt Lake City (08262), Reno (09921);
March 131, 2012: Sky Harbor Intl Airport (PHX); March 29 - April 2, 2012: New Orleans, LA (08515);
March 29 April 8, 2012: Florida and Arizona;
April 5 8, 2012: Florida (excluding Pensacola) (07834, 07927, 08236, 08237, 08239, 08240, 08241, 08242, 08244);
April 16 26, 2012: Raleigh (08983);
May 3-5, 2012: Louisville Dist (08043, 07585);
May 24-27, 2012: Indianapolis Dist (08084);
May 2428; 2012: NY OPS (8016), Boston OPS (08119), Indianapolis Dist (08084), Charleston Dist (08984).
Offer may not be used in conjunction with any other discount number, coupon, promotion or offer and is subject to change without notice.
Taxes, concession recovery fees, vehicle license recovery fee, and customer facility charges ($10/contract in California) may apply and are extra.
Optional items such as LDW ($29.99/day or less) are extra.
Renter must meet Budget age, driver and credit requirements.
Minimum age may vary by location. An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years of age.
Rate surcharges apply during peak periods.
Fuel charges are extra.
Offer based on U.S. currency.
Offer applies to round-trip rentals only. Car must be returned to renting location.
for a week in mia in may - june. now i have to figure out if i want this or the Avis deal. i also applied coupon code MUWZ023 which is supposed to get me $25 off, but fine print says no coupons so it may not allow it.https://www.budget.com/budgetWeb/html/en/deals/wendie.html?&ICID...Nationwide Offer
economy or compact - $17/weekend day or as low as $119/week
intermediate SUV - $22/weekend day or as low as $139/week
terms and conditions:Offer can be reserved now for pick-up between now and June 15, 2012.
Offer valid at participating corporate owned Budget airport locations in the U.S. (excluding but not limited to New York metro area; Martha's Vineyard and Hawaii).
Offer valid on the following car classes: economy (class A), compact (class B) & intermediate SUV (class F).
Weekend rental period begins Thursday at noon and car must be returned by Monday 11:59 p.m. or higher rate may apply. A minimum one day rental is required. A Friday night keep is required.
To use this offer, reservation must be booked at least 24 hours in advance of pickup.
Use offer code (BCD) D454300 to take advantage of this offer.
Offer is subject to vehicle availability at the time of rental and may not be available on some rates at some times, including some online rates at Budget.com.
Offers may not be available during holiday and other blackout periods; rate surcharges during peak periods may apply. Blackouts include, but may not be limited to the following:
February 1-5: Indianapolis, IN (08084);
February 9-15, 2012: Portland Intl Airport (PDX), Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM), Seattle-Tacoma Intl Airport (SEA), and Seattle Downtown;
February 9- March 18, 2012: Denver Intl. Airport (DEN), Eagle County Airport (EGE), Colorado Springs Airport (COS), Aspen-Sardy Field Airport (ASE), Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT), Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN), Boise Airport (BOI), Idaho Falls Municipal Airport (IDA), Pocatello Regional Airport, Idaho (PIH), Magic Valley Regional Airport, Idaho (TWF), Friedman Memorial Airport, Idaho (SUN), Bozeman Airport, Montana (BZN), Bert Mooney Airport, Montana (BTM), Helena Regional Airport, Montana (HLN), Albuquerque Airport (ABQ), Reno-Tahoe Intl. Airport (RNO), and Denver Downtown;
February 1627, 2012: Arizona;
February 2226, 2012: Orlando Intl. Airport (MCO), Daytona Beach Airport (DAB), Melbourne Intl. Airport (MLB);
February 1621, 2012enver (08052), Salt Lake City (08262), Reno (09921);
March 131, 2012: Sky Harbor Intl Airport (PHX); March 29 - April 2, 2012: New Orleans, LA (08515);
March 29 April 8, 2012: Florida and Arizona;
April 5 8, 2012: Florida (excluding Pensacola) (07834, 07927, 08236, 08237, 08239, 08240, 08241, 08242, 08244);
April 16 26, 2012: Raleigh (08983);
May 3-5, 2012: Louisville Dist (08043, 07585);
May 24-27, 2012: Indianapolis Dist (08084);
May 2428; 2012: NY OPS (8016), Boston OPS (08119), Indianapolis Dist (08084), Charleston Dist (08984).
Offer may not be used in conjunction with any other discount number, coupon, promotion or offer and is subject to change without notice.
Taxes, concession recovery fees, vehicle license recovery fee, and customer facility charges ($10/contract in California) may apply and are extra.
Optional items such as LDW ($29.99/day or less) are extra.
Renter must meet Budget age, driver and credit requirements.
Minimum age may vary by location. An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years of age.
Rate surcharges apply during peak periods.
Fuel charges are extra.
Offer based on U.S. currency.
Offer applies to round-trip rentals only. Car must be returned to renting location.
List of some age discounts. I'm particularly interested in adding Cruiselines, On-Line Travel Booking and also to know codes for Alamo, Avis, Hertz and NationalAlaska Airlines: 10% off (65+)
Alamo: up to 25% off for AARP members
American Airlines: various discounts for 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
Amtrak: 15% off (62+)
Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members
Best Western: 10% off (55+)
Budget Rental Cars: 10% off; up to 20% off for AARP members (50+)
Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Clarion: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations
Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off (50+)
Econo Lodge: 20%-30% off (60+)
Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members
Greyhound: 5% off (62+)
Hampton Inns & Suites: 10% off when booked 72 hours in advance
Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members
Holiday Inn: 10%-30% off depending on location (62+)
Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)
InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)
Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Travelers Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)
Marriott Hotels: 15% off (62+)
Motel 6: 10% off (60+)
Myrtle Beach Resort: 10% off (55+)
National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members
Quality Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Sleep Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Southwest Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50 and up
United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount) Activities And Entertainment:AMC Theaters: up to 30% off (55+)
Bally Total Fitness: up to $100 off memberships (62+)
Busch Gardens Tampa: $3 off one-day tickets (50+)
Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)
Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off
U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)
Regal Cinemas: 30% off
Ripleys Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket (55+)
SeaWorld Orlando: $3 off one-day tickets (50+)
Alamo: up to 25% off for AARP members
American Airlines: various discounts for 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
Amtrak: 15% off (62+)
Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members
Best Western: 10% off (55+)
Budget Rental Cars: 10% off; up to 20% off for AARP members (50+)
Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Clarion: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations
Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off (50+)
Econo Lodge: 20%-30% off (60+)
Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members
Greyhound: 5% off (62+)
Hampton Inns & Suites: 10% off when booked 72 hours in advance
Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members
Holiday Inn: 10%-30% off depending on location (62+)
Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)
InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)
Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Travelers Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)
Marriott Hotels: 15% off (62+)
Motel 6: 10% off (60+)
Myrtle Beach Resort: 10% off (55+)
National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members
Quality Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Sleep Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Southwest Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50 and up
United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount) Activities And Entertainment:AMC Theaters: up to 30% off (55+)
Bally Total Fitness: up to $100 off memberships (62+)
Busch Gardens Tampa: $3 off one-day tickets (50+)
Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)
Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off
U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)
Regal Cinemas: 30% off
Ripleys Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket (55+)
SeaWorld Orlando: $3 off one-day tickets (50+)
Hotel Tonight is an app for both iPhone and Android, that gives you great discounts if you ever need a hotel in the area you are in.I've used it several times, and get good deals on hotels in Vegas or other places.
From their website:"Hotels give us last-minute deals on their unsold rooms, with discounts up to 70%. You book the deals easily and securely on your smart phone."
Right now they give you $25 credit for any new users of their apps, with the promo codes: CREDIT or BONUSAll you need to do is enter the promo code once you have registered To download the apps follow the links;iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hotel...407690035?mt=8Android: http://market.android.com/details?id...t.android.prod Enjoy!
From their website:"Hotels give us last-minute deals on their unsold rooms, with discounts up to 70%. You book the deals easily and securely on your smart phone."
Right now they give you $25 credit for any new users of their apps, with the promo codes: CREDIT or BONUSAll you need to do is enter the promo code once you have registered To download the apps follow the links;iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hotel...407690035?mt=8Android: http://market.android.com/details?id...t.android.prod Enjoy!
I'm planning to go to Hong Kong for a few days and was trying to find a hotel that's cheap. So far, most of them cost about 100 US per night. I'm going with some 5 other friends so we might need at least 2 to 3 rooms for 3 nights. I wanted to see if anyone have any insight they can help me. Thanks in advance.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/01/28/why-carnival-will-never-b...Kindly share any tips seen in this write-up, as well as any REAL HOT deals you see now (even if it's a very short cruise)
We're taking a cruise soon. Since one of us has health issues, we wanted to purchase insurance incase we need to cancel. I know with pre-existing conditions, Carnivals Cruise Vacation Protection, will not cover the cancellation. Would anyone be able to recommend a better provider for the insurance? If I put it on my AMEX card, does that help at all?
Hello everyone,My wife and I are going on a European cruise leaving Copenhagen on 5/13; we are arriving on 5/8 and need a good reasonably priced hotel for 4 nights in a not so noisy area but still close to attractions. Any recommendations? Any specific websites I should check out?Thanks in advance.
I want to get my extended family together and am looking for several rooms for a few days, but it sure looks expensive. There will be a few small children and I was looking at a couple of waterparks initially. Now I'm open to anything! Thanks!!
I saw this the other day and did not see anything posted. Finally!!On Friday, Southwest named Charlotte among 22 AirTran markets that will eventually be converted to Southwest service areas. The others are Flint, Mich.; Rochester, N.Y.; Pensacola, Fla.; Dayton, Ohio; Richmond, Va.; Key West, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; Akron-Canton, Ohio; Wichita, Kan.; Des Moines, Iowa; Branson, Mo.; Portland, Maine; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Aruba; San Juan Puerto Rico; Bermuda; Nassau, The Bahamas; Mexico City; and San Jose Cabo, Mexico.Link
I have seen many posts inquiring about baggage fees. The cost of baggage sometimes becomes a serious consideration when you are trying to calculate the actual total cost of airfare (e.g., Spirit Airlines, whose "base airfare" is sometimes cheaper, but their fees for baggage, including carry-on baggage, is much higher).One of my vendors posted a very useful page that outlines the baggage fee for most (if not all) the major carriers. Please refer to the following link for this information:
Baggage FeesThe good news is that when you click on a link for a particular airline, it takes you directly to the airline's website - so, all the information should be current.Of course one could easily Google this information as well, but, I hope having it all in one place is useful.Hope this helps!
Baggage FeesThe good news is that when you click on a link for a particular airline, it takes you directly to the airline's website - so, all the information should be current.Of course one could easily Google this information as well, but, I hope having it all in one place is useful.Hope this helps!
All-Posting to see if I could get some assistance with renting a "full size" car in Fort Myers, FL from (Picking up 3/8/12) (Dropping off 3/13/12).I did some research on my own but the prices seem a little high and wanted to get others opinion due to my inexperience. I guess the prices could be higher than I am used to do to the area (resort type town / city).Anyway here is what I found so far: (Will list National first since I have used them before in the past and am a Emerald Club member)National:Reg Price - 385.00
With Emerald Club # and Free Weekend Day - 312.00 (Cheapest I can find as far as codes, tried weekly codes but still not as good)Budget:Reg Price - 500.00
Continental Code - (I am a member of "One Pass") 450.00
Southwest Rewards - (Also a rapid rewards member) 332.00Hertz:Reg Price - 586.00
Southwest (Only code I could find to work) - 488.00
Tried other codes for Hertz (like weekly off, weekend day, etc but kept receiving error message saying "site not participating in offer" or something like that).Any assistance you could provide would be greatly appreciated....oh and I am not dead set on a full size...just did not want to drive around in a "skate"...LOLThanks,
Michael
With Emerald Club # and Free Weekend Day - 312.00 (Cheapest I can find as far as codes, tried weekly codes but still not as good)Budget:Reg Price - 500.00
Continental Code - (I am a member of "One Pass") 450.00
Southwest Rewards - (Also a rapid rewards member) 332.00Hertz:Reg Price - 586.00
Southwest (Only code I could find to work) - 488.00
Tried other codes for Hertz (like weekly off, weekend day, etc but kept receiving error message saying "site not participating in offer" or something like that).Any assistance you could provide would be greatly appreciated....oh and I am not dead set on a full size...just did not want to drive around in a "skate"...LOLThanks,
Michael
Together with out friends we are travelling to Paris, France in April of 2012. We've heard that the cheapest way to stay there is to rent an apartment. We are two families with nine people, four adults and five children.Where do people here look for apartments in Paris? We would like to stay as close to the downtown as possible for reasonable price.
I'll be in London in March and just curious if anyone knows any good ins & outs for good deals on anything -transport/food/entertainment while there?
Im driving to Atlantic City with my wife in late Febuary. We will be staying at the Borgata for two nights. Usually I like checking out restaurant.com but there selection in AC is very limited. I also checked Groupon, but theres no ac section. I would like to see if anyone has any must see/do in AC that could be done in Febuary. I dont have a budget but like any fw'er ill always take codes/coupons. Also would like to get suggestions on there experience with Borgata, where they ate, what they did for fun, and anyways to limit cost.Thank you
Have any of you guys done an Around the World trip?I am thinking of getting a new job or going back to school in September and was considering taking 1-2 months off to travel around the world. I have begun reading blogs and looking into airfare and see an easy option is to buy a single 'around the world' ticket. This allows you to create a bunch of 1-way tickets around the world. The costs range from 4-10K. The other option is just use my miles and mix/match airliners for the best '1 way' deal.Here is a short lists of things i need to research, can anyone give me input on what i'm not considering & ways to save money?Facts
~ 1-2 Months off
~ US Citizen living in northeast
~ Keep total costs <$10,000
~ Mid twenties male- no health concerns, traveling alone for majority of it
~ No set destination besides London & Australia(I have friends/free housing here). I hope to visit at least 5-10 other countries along the way.Issues/Research items
~ Visas (is there an easy way to do this, or do i have to apply each individually at the embassy)
~ Healthcare (I will be unemployed & too old to go onto parents coverage) I believe i am eligible for Cobra when i quit. Is travelers insurance a better bet?
~ Costs - I still haven't decided if one 'around the world' ticket is better or mix/matching and using miles (I have 100K BA miles)Other
~ Have good credit- will get a card that doesn't charge FX fees
~ 100K BA miles, 150K Hilton, 50K Miles various other airlines
~ Willing to do hostels
~ Only fluently speak englishThanks for your help I'm sure if/when i go i will update my thoughts/lessons learned during my time.
~ 1-2 Months off
~ US Citizen living in northeast
~ Keep total costs <$10,000
~ Mid twenties male- no health concerns, traveling alone for majority of it
~ No set destination besides London & Australia(I have friends/free housing here). I hope to visit at least 5-10 other countries along the way.Issues/Research items
~ Visas (is there an easy way to do this, or do i have to apply each individually at the embassy)
~ Healthcare (I will be unemployed & too old to go onto parents coverage) I believe i am eligible for Cobra when i quit. Is travelers insurance a better bet?
~ Costs - I still haven't decided if one 'around the world' ticket is better or mix/matching and using miles (I have 100K BA miles)Other
~ Have good credit- will get a card that doesn't charge FX fees
~ 100K BA miles, 150K Hilton, 50K Miles various other airlines
~ Willing to do hostels
~ Only fluently speak englishThanks for your help I'm sure if/when i go i will update my thoughts/lessons learned during my time.
I am looking to buy a 3 day Super Pass for Salt Lake City. My husband is going in February. He wants to buy it online so he will have it before he gets there. Is there a website that offers a better price for this? Does one of the reward sites such as ebates, shop at home or fat wallet reward for buying the ticket online? Any of the websites reward frequent flyer miles? I have looked and didn't find any that rewarded. I did find the tickets but no rewards other than using my reward credit card. Thanks for any help.
Any tips out there on how to share a multi day park hopper?
Mainly looking for tips how to get away without needing to sign the park hoppers.
Mainly looking for tips how to get away without needing to sign the park hoppers.
Hello,I'm looking for some input from the pros here on this deal: http://www.livingsocial.com/escapes/225572-3-4-or-7-nights-in-co...Fiance and I are getting married first week of May and we're at the point where we need to decide what to do for honeymoon. Budget is about $2500 - $3000. We have more than enough airline miles to fly just about anywhere so airfare isn't a huge problem.We're stationed in Wichita, KS but could travel to DFW, Denver, or Ohare to fly out.Any input/advice?
Updated - Jan. 22, 2012http://www.cflticketxchange.com/Here is the story:I am going to Orlando from Los Angeles on a vacation with my dad. Long story short, we want to go to DisneyWorld and Universal Studios IoA. I came across this site on craigslist and they sell tickets about 40% off retail which is the average CL seller (except this is a "company" and not a person). They say its not a time share or ticket broker, but they just buy tickets in bulk and can sell it for cheap.Part that worries me:
To buy tickets, you must call them and buy tickets over the phone (no online ordering) and they ONLY accept greendot card which is a prepaid giftcard basically that you buy from your local WalMart/Walgreens etc... Once you pay for it giving your prepaid card number, they email you a confirmation with your tickets that you pick up at will call at the park. So my question is, is this site legit or should I stay away? I tried researching the site for fraud sales or happy customers but I came up empty handed. Is it worth the risk to try it out if I find no feedback? I would be saving about $400 which is a lot for this trip. I don't really trust meeting with people because on CL, there are a lot of fraud reports from other users. Anyone have any suggestions?
EDIT: UPDATE 1-22-12Ok, I am not back in Los Angeles from an amazing trip. This is how I saved money at the parks just in case you wanted the best price tickets....
Pirate Dinner Show
This one I thought I got a bargain by getting $15 off each adult ticket and getting BOGO free drink coupons by going to my hotels ticket booth and sweet talking my way into getting a lower price. I then found UCT had it for $20 off face value but no drink coupons so I call it a wash there. Show was alright, more for children IMO because they grab kids from the audience to help with a lot of the show and go on stage. No amazing stunts or acrobats or even choreography that was good. Food that was included was so so. You don't get to chose, they give you salad/soup, rice chicken and pork. We got to take pictures with the cast though afterwards which was fun.WonderWorks Museum
We got these tickets also from my hotel which was $22 per person plus 10 free tokens plus 1 free glow in the dark maze coupon which saved us about $10 each. Retail is $25 just for entry and about $7 for the maze. This place is a must see for all ages. They have many hands on activities to do and see. Really fun time, and bring a camera here! I couldn't find any better deals but was told AAA office might have it for $15 but we didn't want to drive all the way there on a gamble.Disney World
I bought these tickets by driving to the Kissimmee Florida Hospital and going to their gift shop at 9:30am (they open at 9am). I was told that they receive Disney World 1 day base tickets once in a while and gift them out if you make a $70 donation or greater but they sell FAST. I called at 9am and they said they got a batch in but won't last until 10am so we drove their and arrived by 9:30am. We donated $300 and got 4 tickets. No tax or anything here, could've done it for $280 if I wanted. They give you hard tickets here that state on the tickets they are from the hospital and good for 1 day (NO UPGRADES ALLOWED AT PARK). But we didn't want park hoppers anyways...
Universal
The cheapest way I found these tickets were by going to guest relations and letting them know my dad has trouble walking (he is 65 and had some surgeries) and they gave us a 15% discount on the tickets we bought. They stated that they do this for any handicapped or disability person or group (no proof was required but I don't know if we just got a nice girl or not). 15% off was cheaper than any broker I saw online including undercovertourist (UCT). Now, I am not saying go lie to them and make something up, but if you legitimately have someone with any type of disability, then they should honor it up to 6 people in the group. Inside the park, AAA card came in handy and got us 10% off everything we bought. My mini review coming from Disneyland/Universal in CA... (skip this if you care only about prices and savings)
First, just a little about me so you know where I am coming from. I am a 25 year old male who enjoys rides as well as shows and loves theme park hopping. I will try to be as unbiased as possible. I do enjoy extreme coasters (like Magic and Knotts) as well as detailed, theme rides (Disney or universal). I go to Disneyland about 3-4 times a year, Universal about 3-4 times a year in CA.Animal Kingdom - Much like the LA zoo, its a giant zoo with a few rides. If you are a ride enthusiast, skip this park. The 3 decent rides they had were Everest, Dinosaur and a safari ride.
Everest is EXACTLY like "The Mummy" ride at universal studios, except duller. A very short roller coaster ride that you go forwards on, then backwards for a few drops. This is suppose to be their "big" main ride. Or you can compare it to Matterhorn in Disney, but 1/8th of the track time and a short backwards part. Has the same Yeti snow mountain theme.
Dinosaur was a bit better for me. This is basically Indiana Jones except with a dinosaur theme and shorter as well (all the rides are sooo short!!). You sit in a jeep like Indy and go trying to find a dinosaur while the jeep is taking you on bumps and sharp turns. No spears get thrown at you though and no steep drops under a boulder.
Safari ride is an enjoyable family ride that takes you out on the back side of the park through their little "Africa" while the tour guide points out animals and facts. This is very similar to the tram ride at universal except instead of Hollywood sets, you are looking at animals. My tour guide sucked unfortunately and was driving fast so pictures were hard (we caught up to the tram in front of us while no tram was behind us). And he was not delivering his lines well (which is understandable, its a hit or miss at any park).
I did go on ALL the rides, but I am not gonna waste my time riding about the others.
The shows, on the other hand, were AMAZING. 2 big shows, Finding Nemo the musical and Lion King were both great! The only thing in CA that I can compare these to would be the Aladdin show in California Adventure. Finding Nemo I enjoyed much more, I would have actually PAID to see this, about $40 I would say. Its a full set, full production show about 40 minutes long. I have never seen the movie, but this show was still amazing. Its people holding full size props while singing and controlling them. After a while, you don't even notice the people, but focused on the props! Lion King was also great and funny. They sing all the traditional songs from the movie (which I loved when I was a kid) so it really brought back memories. Lion King is performed in the center of the room so you sit in a circle around it, no bad seat in the house.Animal Kingdom, although was disappointed in the rides, made up with it in the shows.Epcot
I won't go into detail on the rides here because most overlap with Diseyland/CA (soarin, test track, american adventure, captain EO). I skipped all those because I assume they were the same. The new rides were also great and wish they brought some to the west coast. Spaceship Earth and Mission space were both really fun and unique rides. This park is a solid B+ overall. They have a good variety of rides and great photo moments and food from all parts of the world as well as buildings in the little "countries" they created. What I enjoyed most and also found most interesting is the workers! They actually fly over people from their native countries and pay them to live and work there for a year! I had a chat with one of the girls who they brought from Morocco and she said they flew her out to just talk and be there. Each country has workers to make it more real. All the food was great too! I recommend you eat as little as possible to try all the variety of foods they offer from the different parts of the world. The only thing this park lacked was shows which I can't blame them. They fit so much into an already big park which is tough to do in one day.
Universal - Islands of AdventureBy far, the BEST theme park I have EVER been to. I wish they had IoA in CA. Each ride there is so unique and unlike anything else. I don't want to write to much because this isn't my blog and none of you probably care, but the 2 best rides I have ever been on are Spider-Man and Harry Potters Hogwarts castle. I would like to meet the geniuses who designed these rides.
Spiderman is a 3D moving ride that includes not only a 3D movie, but real props as your car moves through the track. I thought it was going to be like Simpsons the ride (stationary 3D ride that just moves the car on a fixed spot). But no, this ride takes you through an entire rollercoaster style ride while involving fire, water, smoke and taking you through an adventure.I thought it couldn't get any better but then I sat on Harry Potter! Oh boy, this is similar to Spiderman but version 2.0! Although no 3D, it takes you flying through the air also involving movie screens in spots as though you are flying in the air while playing quidditch, and then taking you through real props as you fly away from demontors, dragons, the whompping willow! I can not describe the thrill these rides brought when I thought the best thrills I got were from my previous favorite rides (Riddlers Revenge and Goliath at Magic Mountain). But these rides, although not intense roller coasters, brought more joy and more thrill in me than any other ride. I can ride these multiple times (in fact, I did ride each twice). The Hulk was their intense roller coaster, and although not as big or scary as Magic Mountains, did provide that feeling of fear when it shoots you at the start going upwards (which is similar to Superman at MM). Also got to give a shout out to the other rides, Ripsaw Falls (this puts splash mountain to shame!) and Pop Eye and Blutos water ride (this also puts roaring rapids and bigfoot waters to shame!) The rides at universal were just other rides I've been on but on steriods! BRING SPARE CLOTHES OR A PANCHO IF YOU GO ON THE POP EYE RIDE AND TAKE YOUR SHOES AND SOCKS OFF!!!! You will get drenched no matter where you sit.
Anyways, had a blast!
To buy tickets, you must call them and buy tickets over the phone (no online ordering) and they ONLY accept greendot card which is a prepaid giftcard basically that you buy from your local WalMart/Walgreens etc... Once you pay for it giving your prepaid card number, they email you a confirmation with your tickets that you pick up at will call at the park. So my question is, is this site legit or should I stay away? I tried researching the site for fraud sales or happy customers but I came up empty handed. Is it worth the risk to try it out if I find no feedback? I would be saving about $400 which is a lot for this trip. I don't really trust meeting with people because on CL, there are a lot of fraud reports from other users. Anyone have any suggestions?
EDIT: UPDATE 1-22-12Ok, I am not back in Los Angeles from an amazing trip. This is how I saved money at the parks just in case you wanted the best price tickets....
Pirate Dinner Show
This one I thought I got a bargain by getting $15 off each adult ticket and getting BOGO free drink coupons by going to my hotels ticket booth and sweet talking my way into getting a lower price. I then found UCT had it for $20 off face value but no drink coupons so I call it a wash there. Show was alright, more for children IMO because they grab kids from the audience to help with a lot of the show and go on stage. No amazing stunts or acrobats or even choreography that was good. Food that was included was so so. You don't get to chose, they give you salad/soup, rice chicken and pork. We got to take pictures with the cast though afterwards which was fun.WonderWorks Museum
We got these tickets also from my hotel which was $22 per person plus 10 free tokens plus 1 free glow in the dark maze coupon which saved us about $10 each. Retail is $25 just for entry and about $7 for the maze. This place is a must see for all ages. They have many hands on activities to do and see. Really fun time, and bring a camera here! I couldn't find any better deals but was told AAA office might have it for $15 but we didn't want to drive all the way there on a gamble.Disney World
I bought these tickets by driving to the Kissimmee Florida Hospital and going to their gift shop at 9:30am (they open at 9am). I was told that they receive Disney World 1 day base tickets once in a while and gift them out if you make a $70 donation or greater but they sell FAST. I called at 9am and they said they got a batch in but won't last until 10am so we drove their and arrived by 9:30am. We donated $300 and got 4 tickets. No tax or anything here, could've done it for $280 if I wanted. They give you hard tickets here that state on the tickets they are from the hospital and good for 1 day (NO UPGRADES ALLOWED AT PARK). But we didn't want park hoppers anyways...
Universal
The cheapest way I found these tickets were by going to guest relations and letting them know my dad has trouble walking (he is 65 and had some surgeries) and they gave us a 15% discount on the tickets we bought. They stated that they do this for any handicapped or disability person or group (no proof was required but I don't know if we just got a nice girl or not). 15% off was cheaper than any broker I saw online including undercovertourist (UCT). Now, I am not saying go lie to them and make something up, but if you legitimately have someone with any type of disability, then they should honor it up to 6 people in the group. Inside the park, AAA card came in handy and got us 10% off everything we bought. My mini review coming from Disneyland/Universal in CA... (skip this if you care only about prices and savings)
First, just a little about me so you know where I am coming from. I am a 25 year old male who enjoys rides as well as shows and loves theme park hopping. I will try to be as unbiased as possible. I do enjoy extreme coasters (like Magic and Knotts) as well as detailed, theme rides (Disney or universal). I go to Disneyland about 3-4 times a year, Universal about 3-4 times a year in CA.Animal Kingdom - Much like the LA zoo, its a giant zoo with a few rides. If you are a ride enthusiast, skip this park. The 3 decent rides they had were Everest, Dinosaur and a safari ride.
Everest is EXACTLY like "The Mummy" ride at universal studios, except duller. A very short roller coaster ride that you go forwards on, then backwards for a few drops. This is suppose to be their "big" main ride. Or you can compare it to Matterhorn in Disney, but 1/8th of the track time and a short backwards part. Has the same Yeti snow mountain theme.
Dinosaur was a bit better for me. This is basically Indiana Jones except with a dinosaur theme and shorter as well (all the rides are sooo short!!). You sit in a jeep like Indy and go trying to find a dinosaur while the jeep is taking you on bumps and sharp turns. No spears get thrown at you though and no steep drops under a boulder.
Safari ride is an enjoyable family ride that takes you out on the back side of the park through their little "Africa" while the tour guide points out animals and facts. This is very similar to the tram ride at universal except instead of Hollywood sets, you are looking at animals. My tour guide sucked unfortunately and was driving fast so pictures were hard (we caught up to the tram in front of us while no tram was behind us). And he was not delivering his lines well (which is understandable, its a hit or miss at any park).
I did go on ALL the rides, but I am not gonna waste my time riding about the others.
The shows, on the other hand, were AMAZING. 2 big shows, Finding Nemo the musical and Lion King were both great! The only thing in CA that I can compare these to would be the Aladdin show in California Adventure. Finding Nemo I enjoyed much more, I would have actually PAID to see this, about $40 I would say. Its a full set, full production show about 40 minutes long. I have never seen the movie, but this show was still amazing. Its people holding full size props while singing and controlling them. After a while, you don't even notice the people, but focused on the props! Lion King was also great and funny. They sing all the traditional songs from the movie (which I loved when I was a kid) so it really brought back memories. Lion King is performed in the center of the room so you sit in a circle around it, no bad seat in the house.Animal Kingdom, although was disappointed in the rides, made up with it in the shows.Epcot
I won't go into detail on the rides here because most overlap with Diseyland/CA (soarin, test track, american adventure, captain EO). I skipped all those because I assume they were the same. The new rides were also great and wish they brought some to the west coast. Spaceship Earth and Mission space were both really fun and unique rides. This park is a solid B+ overall. They have a good variety of rides and great photo moments and food from all parts of the world as well as buildings in the little "countries" they created. What I enjoyed most and also found most interesting is the workers! They actually fly over people from their native countries and pay them to live and work there for a year! I had a chat with one of the girls who they brought from Morocco and she said they flew her out to just talk and be there. Each country has workers to make it more real. All the food was great too! I recommend you eat as little as possible to try all the variety of foods they offer from the different parts of the world. The only thing this park lacked was shows which I can't blame them. They fit so much into an already big park which is tough to do in one day.
Universal - Islands of AdventureBy far, the BEST theme park I have EVER been to. I wish they had IoA in CA. Each ride there is so unique and unlike anything else. I don't want to write to much because this isn't my blog and none of you probably care, but the 2 best rides I have ever been on are Spider-Man and Harry Potters Hogwarts castle. I would like to meet the geniuses who designed these rides.
Spiderman is a 3D moving ride that includes not only a 3D movie, but real props as your car moves through the track. I thought it was going to be like Simpsons the ride (stationary 3D ride that just moves the car on a fixed spot). But no, this ride takes you through an entire rollercoaster style ride while involving fire, water, smoke and taking you through an adventure.I thought it couldn't get any better but then I sat on Harry Potter! Oh boy, this is similar to Spiderman but version 2.0! Although no 3D, it takes you flying through the air also involving movie screens in spots as though you are flying in the air while playing quidditch, and then taking you through real props as you fly away from demontors, dragons, the whompping willow! I can not describe the thrill these rides brought when I thought the best thrills I got were from my previous favorite rides (Riddlers Revenge and Goliath at Magic Mountain). But these rides, although not intense roller coasters, brought more joy and more thrill in me than any other ride. I can ride these multiple times (in fact, I did ride each twice). The Hulk was their intense roller coaster, and although not as big or scary as Magic Mountains, did provide that feeling of fear when it shoots you at the start going upwards (which is similar to Superman at MM). Also got to give a shout out to the other rides, Ripsaw Falls (this puts splash mountain to shame!) and Pop Eye and Blutos water ride (this also puts roaring rapids and bigfoot waters to shame!) The rides at universal were just other rides I've been on but on steriods! BRING SPARE CLOTHES OR A PANCHO IF YOU GO ON THE POP EYE RIDE AND TAKE YOUR SHOES AND SOCKS OFF!!!! You will get drenched no matter where you sit.
Anyways, had a blast!
Looking for some small-group travel planning advice from those in the FW community who have been to Belize, FW-style. We already have plane tickets to Belize City in the spring. The rest (lodging, travel within Belize, tours [ruins/caves/jungle/scuba/snorkel], meals) we're comparing package deals vs. do-it-yourself ... and this is where the thought came to me to check my w/ fellow FW folks.Right now we're going off of what limited info can be found via Google and TripAdvisor but there doesn't seem to be a lot of discussion on the web from those who have been.I'm looking for tips on great value all-inclusive tour+lodging deals or what to piece together to make a great Belize vacation on a budget.
Went to a home renovation expo yesterday at a convention center, and a time share place was there.Got a 4 night stay at their location in Williamsburg, VA next month for $289. It was good for anytime in the next year, but I already had a week of vacation scheduled for next month and have been looking for something to do.Its at "Kings Creek Plantation". Part of the gig is we have to sit through a 2 hour sales pitch on the whole time share thing, but whatever. Not interested, but I'll let them talk. We get a $50 visa GC afterwards though, so I'll sit down for $25 an hour and let them try to sell me on it.Taking my two 10 month old twins.
Any advice on things to do in the area at that time of year? I know there is a large outlet mall nearby, and my wife is interested in hitting some of the baby clothes stores.Also plan to drive to VA Beach on one of the days, go through the tunnel under the bay in Norfolk and if its warm enough walk the boardwalk on the beach.There is a large indoor pool included at the location, so we'll be hanging out there a bit too.Any other suggestions on things to do?Thanks!
Any advice on things to do in the area at that time of year? I know there is a large outlet mall nearby, and my wife is interested in hitting some of the baby clothes stores.Also plan to drive to VA Beach on one of the days, go through the tunnel under the bay in Norfolk and if its warm enough walk the boardwalk on the beach.There is a large indoor pool included at the location, so we'll be hanging out there a bit too.Any other suggestions on things to do?Thanks!
BookIt.com SaleThere are less than 48 hours remaining in the BookIt.com 99-Hour Half Price All-Inclusive Sale, which features savings of 50% OFF or more on all-inclusive resorts, plus BookIt.com extras.***AVAILABILITY UPDATE: BookIt.com is receiving reports of sell-outs and rising flight/hotel rates for high-demand dates now thru March in many of our top destinations throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. For best availability and pricing, we recommend booking as soon as possible.***To browse the deals and book, click here.99-Hour Half Price All-Inclusive Sale deals must be booked by 11:59PM tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 22).Up to 3% FW Cash Back.What the heck does the up to mean exactly?
Call came in from 773-449-5067, offering a cruise for price of Sales Tax! Salesperson says they're reachable at 877-551-3685, ext.xxxx in N.Aurora IL; www.travelservicesonline.net
She says they are not agent, they are travel club. The offer is: pay them (all per person - double occupancy)$98 = cruise sales tax. Once pressed, she adds that you're also responsible for $90 (Port Charge) and $10 per/day (gratuity), bringing out-of-pocket TOTAL to $228 per person - double occupancy for 4day/3nite cruise out of Port Canaveral or Miami, to Bahamas. Their price doesn't change between Carnival, Royal Car. and NCL, year-round Fri departures; but Apr thru Nov are sur-charged!Is price beatable?
She says they are not agent, they are travel club. The offer is: pay them (all per person - double occupancy)$98 = cruise sales tax. Once pressed, she adds that you're also responsible for $90 (Port Charge) and $10 per/day (gratuity), bringing out-of-pocket TOTAL to $228 per person - double occupancy for 4day/3nite cruise out of Port Canaveral or Miami, to Bahamas. Their price doesn't change between Carnival, Royal Car. and NCL, year-round Fri departures; but Apr thru Nov are sur-charged!Is price beatable?
I need a better price on flights from SNA to Canadian cities, need help on which websites to use.