Fun Family Travel Vacation

Even before the economy became so slow, families have always looked for deals and ways to cave when traveling on their family vacation. For those looking for some travel bargains Orlando has several that may be of interest to you.

Only available through VisitOrlando.com/deals, Southwest Vacations kicks off the Super Deal program with an exclusive Orlando CVB offer starting at $34 a day for a seven-day Orlando vacation. Offer details include:

• From now until March 1, when you purchase a flight + 7-night hotel package at select Orlando hotels, three of those nights are FREE!
  • – Hotel options include locations throughout Orlando including DoubleTree at the Entrance to Universal Orlando, Sheraton Safari Hotel & Suites, Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and more.
• Travelers who book this exclusive Orlando CVB package on VisitOrlando.com/deals will save an extra $150.
• In addition, a 7-day Disney’s Magic Your Way® Ticket can be added to the package for the price of a 4-day ticket.

The Southwest Vacations Super Deal is only available to book until March 1, but travel can take place anytime during 2010. A new limited-time Super Deal will be unveiled on March 2 and new Super Deals will continue to rotate through 2010. For more details and to book, go to VisitOrlando.com/deals.

In addition to the Super Deal, the Orlando CVB unveiled its 2010 Orlando Magicard which provides year-round savings at more than 75 area establishments including attractions, accommodations, restaurants, dinner theaters, ground transportation, golf courses, and cultural arts. The Orlando Magic Card is free and can be downloaded at VisitOrlando.com/deals, requested for mail delivery by calling 1-800-551-0181, or picked up at The Official Visitors Center in Orlando. The 2010 version of the card provides expanded offers including theme park deals and other significant savings options such as free nights plus additional free amenities at area accommodations; buy one ticket, get one free offers at attractions; or straight discounts up to 50% off. Examples include:

• Orange County Regional History Center: One free admission with each paid admission
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not: $2.00 off admission plus second day free
• Orlando Shakespeare Theatre: Purchase one ticket and receive a free second ticket of equal or lesser value
• Funky Monkey Wine Company, Pointe Orlando: Complimentary sushi roll with entree
• Capone’s Dinner & Show: 50% off all tickets plus free souvenir

Marriott’s Grande Vista Resort: Buy 3 nights, get 2 nights free, plus two adult 3-day tickets to any of the four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks

Disney has new itineraries for Adventures by Disney, its guided tour family experience. 

Known as the Gateway Collection, these itineraries provide guests with more time on their own to explore the destinations and sites at their leisure. In conjunction with the added time, travelers receive the benefits of Adventures by Disney’s highly-trained Adventure Guides who are the concierges for each trip and are always available to provide recommendations and schedule reservations so guests receive the most during their vacation. Additionally, the Gateway Collection features comfortable lodging and is priced as a value option for its select destinations, which makes traveling the world even more affordable.

Departing in summer 2010, these itineraries feature, “Gateway to London and Paris,” “Gateway to Italy” and “Gateway to Costa Rica” with dates in June, July, August and September. Guests may visit www.AdventuresbyDisney.com to learn more about the Gateway Collection vacations

Designed from Adventures by Disney’s current model, the Gateway Collection includes guided group vacations similar to the classic and signature itineraries at a lower cost while also featuring more free time. Guests will enjoy activities available as part of the itinerary, such as climbing the bell tower of Notre Dame in Paris and also have the flexibility to spend the afternoon exploring more of what interests them in the iconic destination at their leisure. Travelers are able to enjoy more options at a value price.

The Gateway Collection may not be inexpensive for most families, but it is priced about $1000 less than the Classic Travel itineraries.    According to the prices  at www.AdventuresbyDisney.com  at the time of publication:

A trip to London and Paris with the Gateway Collection is:

• Adult: $2959
• Child: $2659

A trip to London and Paris with the Classic Vacation is:

• Adult: $3,809 – $4,699
• Child: $3,429 – $4,249

Details of what the packages include is available at the web site.

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) today announced plans to transition its Minot, North Dakota contact center to a home-based operation as part of its strategy to ensure its service and reservations centers are performing at optimum levels in support of the company’s franchisees and hotel guests. The transition is expected to happen gradually to enable the company to maintain its historically high service levels and consequently maximize performance and minimize disruption, as well as provide the company’s associates time to plan for the change.

This change will hopefully help the company save some money in operating costs and still allow agents to keep their jobs at home.    How many jobs are lost was not said.

Three people from different places around the world have won a travel contest and now will be able to see and experience the beauty of snow in Colorado. One contestant is from Hawaii, the second is from Atlanta, Georgia, and the third is from Australia.

During their winter adventure, the finalists will travel across Colorado, enjoying a variety of winter activities and working with local experts to learn how to ski, snowboard, snowmobile, snowshoe and more. The participants will also dine at some of the state’s notable restaurants, mingle at the hottest apres-ski spots, experience spas and hot springs and enjoying other vacation pursuits that are popular with Colorado visitors.

“The Snow at First Sight campaign will reveal Colorado’s incredible winter season through the eyes of those who have never experienced snow,” said Kim McNulty, director of the Colorado Tourism Office. “This is an excellent opportunity to use the popularity of social media to showcase Colorado’s destinations and wide variety of winter activities. Through the postings of our winners, ski enthusiasts and travelers of all interests will be inspired to visit Colorado.”

To follow the three winners, visit http://www.SnowAtFirstSight.com; follow them at @SnowAt1stSight on Twitter.com; on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/snowatfirstsight; on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/visitcolorado; or on Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/visitcolorado.

The winners will be visiting destinations including Denver, Breckenridge, Georgetown, Black Hawk/Central City, Winter Park, Keystone, Snowmass, Steamboat, Beaver Creek, Vail, Copper Mountain, Ouray, Grand Junction, Crested Butte, Durango, Colorado Springs, Canon City, Salida, Buena Vista, Estes Park, Fort Collins and Boulder.

Disney Cruises have decided to redo the way what kids can eat and activities they can participate in during the cruise vacation. Before activities and food choices were segmented by age group. Now Children can choose the activities and food without the age group restrictions.

On Disney Cruise Line, children can personalize their cruise vacation by selecting activities and events, regardless of age. Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab are open to children age 3 to 12 on the Disney Wonder and age 3 to 10 on the Disney Magic.

While Disney Cruise Line will continue to recommend activities that appeal to specific maturity levels and ages, the entire menu of offerings is open to every child. With this evolutionary approach to shipboard youth activities, children and parents choose programs based on the specific interests of each child to create a customized and very personalized experience. Best of all, children of different ages — siblings, extended family and friends — can participate in youth activities together throughout their cruise.

The majority of children’s events and free-time activities occur within dedicated youth spaces on the ship and on Castaway Cay. As always, Disney Cruise Line youth activities are supervised by specially trained, experienced counselors.

Specific program information is available to guests on the day of check-in at the Youth Activities registration desk located in the Disney cruise ship terminal building prior to boarding, or onboard in the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab.

Source: DisneyCruiseNews.com