Special Discounts:
Orlando Improv at it's finest! Take in a show at the SAK Comedy Club for a discounted price. From now until the end of the year, tickets to the 10pm shows are only $10. Enjoy their signature improv comedy show "Duel of Fools" for just $10. This special price will also include the Halloween Torture Show on October 31st. Physical (?) and mental abuse are on tap for their annual Halloween performance.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tips On Flying To or From Almeria
We are having another guest week here on Almerimar Life. This time we have lined up Linda Craik to provide some great content:
Because a number of airlines have cancelled routes as part of a general cost cutting exercise, you can now get scheduled and charter flights from six different UK Airports. If you want to fly from the London area easyJet and flythomascook.charter operate flights from Gatwick and Ryanair flys from Stansted.
Monarch and flythomascook.charter operate flights from Birmingham and Manchester International Airports. You can fly from Leeds Bradford with Jet2.com and Nottingham East Midlands with bmiBaby.
Almeria Airport handles a large number of direct and indirect internal flights on a daily basis. The main Spanish airports with direct flights to Almeria are Barcelona Airport and Melilla Airport via Spain’s international carrier Iberia, and Palma de Mallorca airport with Air Berlin.
As you know, things have changed dramatically in the airline industry over the past few years with rising fuel costs. As part of their cost cuts they have changed the way they price their tickets and it is no longer a good idea to try and book last minute seats as nine times out of ten this is by far the most expensive option. Try and book as far in advance as you can to secure the most competitive rates.
With online booking now so easy it is also worth getting costs for flying out with one airline and back with another. Also try and keep your dates and times as flexible as possible (I know this is not easy) as flying early or late in the day on a mid week flight will be much cheaper than a mid day flight on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
If you can avoid taking your holidays during the most popular times (Easter, July, August and Christmas and New Year) when the schools have broken up, again you will find the ticket prices are a lot cheaper off season.
The writer of this article is Linda Craik who has lived in Spain for a number of years. She works for Plus Four SL who specialise in writing airport guides including the Spanish Airport Guide which includes information on Almeria Airport
Because a number of airlines have cancelled routes as part of a general cost cutting exercise, you can now get scheduled and charter flights from six different UK Airports. If you want to fly from the London area easyJet and flythomascook.charter operate flights from Gatwick and Ryanair flys from Stansted.
Monarch and flythomascook.charter operate flights from Birmingham and Manchester International Airports. You can fly from Leeds Bradford with Jet2.com and Nottingham East Midlands with bmiBaby.
Almeria Airport handles a large number of direct and indirect internal flights on a daily basis. The main Spanish airports with direct flights to Almeria are Barcelona Airport and Melilla Airport via Spain’s international carrier Iberia, and Palma de Mallorca airport with Air Berlin.
As you know, things have changed dramatically in the airline industry over the past few years with rising fuel costs. As part of their cost cuts they have changed the way they price their tickets and it is no longer a good idea to try and book last minute seats as nine times out of ten this is by far the most expensive option. Try and book as far in advance as you can to secure the most competitive rates.
With online booking now so easy it is also worth getting costs for flying out with one airline and back with another. Also try and keep your dates and times as flexible as possible (I know this is not easy) as flying early or late in the day on a mid week flight will be much cheaper than a mid day flight on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
If you can avoid taking your holidays during the most popular times (Easter, July, August and Christmas and New Year) when the schools have broken up, again you will find the ticket prices are a lot cheaper off season.
The writer of this article is Linda Craik who has lived in Spain for a number of years. She works for Plus Four SL who specialise in writing airport guides including the Spanish Airport Guide which includes information on Almeria Airport
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Walt Disney World unveils new ride at Epcot
Walt Disney World unveiled its newest attraction Wednesday, a small but significant addition featuring first-of-its-kind simulators that allow guests to design -- and then ride -- their own roller coasters, bobsleds and jet planes.
But what makes the "Sum of All Thrills" at Epcot particularly interesting is that it offers a glimpse of what to expect in an even bigger attraction being built at Universal Orlando as part of that resort's highly anticipated Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The Disney attraction, underwritten by defense contractor Raytheon Co., features robotic arms that that loft riders through the air. The massive mechanical appendages were developed by German robotics company KUKA Aktiengesellschaft, which builds similar arms used by car manufacturers on assembly lines.
It is the first attraction at any of Orlando's theme parks to use such a ride system. But it is likely to have company soon.
Universal is widely thought to be using robot arms for The Forbidden Journey of Harry Potter, the centerpiece attraction in its $200-plus million Wizarding World project inside Islands of Adventure. While Universal has kept most details of the ride secret so far, construction documents show that the resort is working with a company that builds ride systems based on KUKA arms.
Disney's ride designers have been interested in KUKA arms for several years. Eric Goodman, a show producer with Walt Disney Imagineering, said they were especially intrigued by the ability to add "hoods" -- small capsules that close around a rider and allow for an immersive simulator experience.
Goodman said the technology turned out to be a perfect fit for Disney and Raytheon, which had been discussing a sponsorship deal for an exhibit inside one of Epcot's Innoventions pavilions. The companies wanted to create an experience in which children used basic math and science principles to design a thrill ride.
The arms have several advantages. Unlike conventional linear rides, for instance, the robot arms in the Sum of All Thrills can move in multiple directions at once because they rotate on six different axes. They have also been programmed with more sophisticated animation software.
"We were able to make a smoother ride," Goodman said.
Disney's Sum of All Thrills is by no means identical to Universal's Forbidden Journey. The Harry Potter attraction, which will be housed in a 15-story replica of Hogwarts Castle, will be a much larger, more lavish experience.
Universal's ride is also expected to be a type of "robocoaster," in which the robot arms advance along a track even as they swivel riders in various directions. The bases of the robot arms in the Sum of All Thrills are fixed in place.
The Wizaring World is scheduled to open sometime in the spring.
For Raytheon, the Sum of All Thrills is part of a broader outreach effort that also includes sponsoring the New England Patriots' new hall of fame in Massachusetts, where it has devised interactive exhibits that combine math and science with football. (Companies inside Epcot's Innoventions typically pay Disney about $1 million per year in sponsorship fees and sign on for three-year terms.)
William Swanson, chairman and chief executive officer of Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon, said the goal is to get more children interested inWalt Disney World unveils new ride at Epcot learning about math and science and, not coincidentally, help ensure a continued stream of prospective employees in the future.
"What we need to do is help young children to understand how they can use math. If we can get young kids excited, we can build the pipeline," Swanson said. "For us, it's a long-term strategy."
Disney's Animal Kingdom: Two baby giraffes born this month
Photo by Gene Duncan/Walt Disney Co.
There's a mini-baby-boom in the giraffe population at Disney's Animal Kingdom. On Oct. 12, Bolo was born to second-time mother Big Girl (both in photo above). A week earlier, Bruehler was born to third-time mother Aibuni.
The newborns are both male and already stand at about 6 feet tall. They could grow up to be between 15 and 18 feet high. The new twosome began nursing right away, Disney officials say, and they are already very feisty. They are the 13th and 14th giraffes born at Animal Kingdom since it opened in 1998.
The theme-park-going public can't spy Bolo and Bruehler just yet, but they should be out and about "in the coming weeks," a Disney spokesperson says.
"The next important milestone is for the calves to continue the bonding process with their mothers who will teach them important lessons and guide them as they are introduced to the herd in the coming weeks," says Matt Hohne, animal operations director at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
how to save money eating in orlando
#step 1
Enjoy a buffet breakfast. Eating a large breakfast is a great way to keep you full all day long, and most breakfast buffets are priced under $7 per person. This is significantly less than lunch and dinner prices, and can help you get your fill for an entire day.
#
Step 2
Track down coupons at your hotel. Many hotels and resorts keep stacks of coupon books for guests. You can find many buy-one-get-one free coupons that can give you a great discount on parties of two or more.
#
Step 3
Print coupons online. Look up your selected restaurant and download and print a coupon. Many feature online-only specials that you can access any time of day.
#
Step 4
Commit to eating only one meal at a restaurant per day. Pack your own food the rest of the day, and you won't be at the mercy of eating out all day long.
#
Step 5
Avoid Disney Park snack carts and cafes. These items are usually overpriced, which means you'll have less money available for meals at a restaurant.
#
Step 6
Take advantage of happy hour. Many chains and restaurants feature a happy hour menu that features 50 percent off appetizers and drinks. You can enjoy an early dinner made up of a combination of appetizers and snacks at a much lower cost than the dinner menu.
#
Step 7
Shop at the local grocery store. Wal-Mart, SuperTarget and even Sam's Club can be found all around Orlando. Find out where your nearest location is and stock up on snacks and easy-to-prepare meals.
Enjoy a buffet breakfast. Eating a large breakfast is a great way to keep you full all day long, and most breakfast buffets are priced under $7 per person. This is significantly less than lunch and dinner prices, and can help you get your fill for an entire day.
#
Step 2
Track down coupons at your hotel. Many hotels and resorts keep stacks of coupon books for guests. You can find many buy-one-get-one free coupons that can give you a great discount on parties of two or more.
#
Step 3
Print coupons online. Look up your selected restaurant and download and print a coupon. Many feature online-only specials that you can access any time of day.
#
Step 4
Commit to eating only one meal at a restaurant per day. Pack your own food the rest of the day, and you won't be at the mercy of eating out all day long.
#
Step 5
Avoid Disney Park snack carts and cafes. These items are usually overpriced, which means you'll have less money available for meals at a restaurant.
#
Step 6
Take advantage of happy hour. Many chains and restaurants feature a happy hour menu that features 50 percent off appetizers and drinks. You can enjoy an early dinner made up of a combination of appetizers and snacks at a much lower cost than the dinner menu.
#
Step 7
Shop at the local grocery store. Wal-Mart, SuperTarget and even Sam's Club can be found all around Orlando. Find out where your nearest location is and stock up on snacks and easy-to-prepare meals.
"Beginner's Guide to Disney Discounts"
We all love a discount. If you're going to a dinner, finding a coupon for a free Bloomin' Onion or 2-for-1 dinner is just what we're looking for. If you go to buy a dress or suit, you're looking for that sale sign in the store window. We wouldn't dare buy that Coach purse at $300, but look! It's on SALE for $185! That's a discount! I'll take it!
And one of the most expensive items of your year may very well be your vacation this year. Especially if you are headed to Orlando Florida and Walt Disney World Resort. A family of 4 coming to Orlando can plan on spending over $2000 for their Orlando vacation, and that's not including airfare if needed or stuffed animals or a Tshirt for your best friend. Orlando vacations are an expensive proposition.
But there are ways to save money. Disney discounts are available if you know where to look. And they're not all scams. When I talk to families coming to vacation in Orlando about discounts on their Disney tickets or on their Disney hotel, the first thing I hear is "I don't wanna do no TIMESHARE!". Yes, the timeshare industry has made it difficult for the regular discount ticket seller to get his message out there. But believe me when I tell you, there are plenty of Disney discounts available that have NO 2 hour timeshare presentation, NO $20 deposits, NO required stays on a particular property.....they're just savings from companies that are able to purchase discount tickets at a bulk rate and sell them to you at a discount. That's it! Just purchase cheaper than you would at the gate.
Now, not all savings are created equal. A 1 day Disney pass is not going to be any cheaper than going to the gate. Ticket discount sellers are able to offer the best prices when you buy longer, multi-day tickets. And Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede is not going to be discounted as much as Arabian Nights. That's just the way it is. Some theme parks and dinner shows offer better discounts.
So below, we'll try and show you some of the places you can go to get a Disney discount and save on your next vacation to Orlando. Whether it's on airfare, hotel, restaurants or tickets, the savings are there. You just have to be patient and look around for them.
Discount Airfare - Discounts on airfares are not hard to find. They're just hard to separate. The big sites all offer basically the same prices. The best suggestion here is to compare 2 or 3 sites, find the flight you like most, then go to the airline home page for that flight. You might be able to save some buy skipping the travel website in favor of the actual airline.
Discount Hotels and Accommodations - Here is where alot of money can be saved. Or a lot of money can be wasted. Many families want to stay ON Disney property to really experience as much of the Magic Kingdom as they can. That's great! Those are really nice resort hotels. But DON'T buy your tickets as part of that package! Did you read that? DON'T BUY YOUR DISCOUNT DISNEY TICKETS in the hotel room package! Buying that package can be restricting to your vacation planning, does not have the best savings and leaves out some of the best parts of an Orlando vacation. They don't include Universal Studios in that package for example. Or Arabian Nights. Or Sea World. So you might end up buying more Discount Disney ticket days than you really need if you plan on going to any of the attractions off Disney property. Book your hotel room AND THEN put together your ticket package based on a day by day analysis of how long you will be here. More on tickets below. One of the biggest ways to save money is to consider renting a vacation home and not many people think of this option. Why would you want to stay 7 days or 10 days in a cramped hotel room (or 2 rooms or 3 rooms if you are a large family or group) without many of the luxuries that are available in a vacation home? Wouldn't a full kitchen be nice for those tired evenings when you don't have the energy to go out? Or those early morning breakfasts when you'd like to save a little cash by having milk and cereal? How about a private enclosed pool to enjoy as much as you want, whenever you want without distraction? Or a private jacuzzi? Or a pool table and game room to relax? The price is usually as cheap as a single hotel room and certainly cheaper than multiple rooms. And most vacation homes are just as close to the attractions. Orlando vacation homes are a definite money saver.
Disney Tickets - Here is another great place to save money. Discount Disney tickets can be found at a variety of websites, so we've tried to boil down the 2 or 3 that consistently have the best prices. You can also see if you qualify for a timeshare tour to earn Free Disney Tickets. Just be sure to look over the qualifications and understand that you've gotta give up 2 hours of your day. But free tickets are free tickets. Otherwise, just choose one of these partners. Prices don't vary much between sites so don't spend too much time digging to save $1 on a ticket. Your time can be better spent preparing for the trip.
GreatOrlandoDiscounts.com is our flagship site. It's been around forever, shows up all over the internet, has great Better Business Bureau reputation and is a certified CLIA and IATA travel agent. Toll Free number. Fast delivery. What more can you ask for?
Group Travel - if you have a church group, school group, large family or scout group, this site can give you additional group ticket discounts that are usually not available from other discount Disney tickets sellers.
Rental Cars - Another seldom thought about savings area. Shop around. Budget rental car might be cheaper over Easter weekend than Thrifty rental car. Many of these sites will do side by side comparisons. Others focus on 1 or 2 companies but have really great deals. There are coupons and codes for rental car discounts
http://www.greatorlandodiscounts.com/disney-discount.htm
And one of the most expensive items of your year may very well be your vacation this year. Especially if you are headed to Orlando Florida and Walt Disney World Resort. A family of 4 coming to Orlando can plan on spending over $2000 for their Orlando vacation, and that's not including airfare if needed or stuffed animals or a Tshirt for your best friend. Orlando vacations are an expensive proposition.
But there are ways to save money. Disney discounts are available if you know where to look. And they're not all scams. When I talk to families coming to vacation in Orlando about discounts on their Disney tickets or on their Disney hotel, the first thing I hear is "I don't wanna do no TIMESHARE!". Yes, the timeshare industry has made it difficult for the regular discount ticket seller to get his message out there. But believe me when I tell you, there are plenty of Disney discounts available that have NO 2 hour timeshare presentation, NO $20 deposits, NO required stays on a particular property.....they're just savings from companies that are able to purchase discount tickets at a bulk rate and sell them to you at a discount. That's it! Just purchase cheaper than you would at the gate.
Now, not all savings are created equal. A 1 day Disney pass is not going to be any cheaper than going to the gate. Ticket discount sellers are able to offer the best prices when you buy longer, multi-day tickets. And Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede is not going to be discounted as much as Arabian Nights. That's just the way it is. Some theme parks and dinner shows offer better discounts.
So below, we'll try and show you some of the places you can go to get a Disney discount and save on your next vacation to Orlando. Whether it's on airfare, hotel, restaurants or tickets, the savings are there. You just have to be patient and look around for them.
Discount Airfare - Discounts on airfares are not hard to find. They're just hard to separate. The big sites all offer basically the same prices. The best suggestion here is to compare 2 or 3 sites, find the flight you like most, then go to the airline home page for that flight. You might be able to save some buy skipping the travel website in favor of the actual airline.
Discount Hotels and Accommodations - Here is where alot of money can be saved. Or a lot of money can be wasted. Many families want to stay ON Disney property to really experience as much of the Magic Kingdom as they can. That's great! Those are really nice resort hotels. But DON'T buy your tickets as part of that package! Did you read that? DON'T BUY YOUR DISCOUNT DISNEY TICKETS in the hotel room package! Buying that package can be restricting to your vacation planning, does not have the best savings and leaves out some of the best parts of an Orlando vacation. They don't include Universal Studios in that package for example. Or Arabian Nights. Or Sea World. So you might end up buying more Discount Disney ticket days than you really need if you plan on going to any of the attractions off Disney property. Book your hotel room AND THEN put together your ticket package based on a day by day analysis of how long you will be here. More on tickets below. One of the biggest ways to save money is to consider renting a vacation home and not many people think of this option. Why would you want to stay 7 days or 10 days in a cramped hotel room (or 2 rooms or 3 rooms if you are a large family or group) without many of the luxuries that are available in a vacation home? Wouldn't a full kitchen be nice for those tired evenings when you don't have the energy to go out? Or those early morning breakfasts when you'd like to save a little cash by having milk and cereal? How about a private enclosed pool to enjoy as much as you want, whenever you want without distraction? Or a private jacuzzi? Or a pool table and game room to relax? The price is usually as cheap as a single hotel room and certainly cheaper than multiple rooms. And most vacation homes are just as close to the attractions. Orlando vacation homes are a definite money saver.
Disney Tickets - Here is another great place to save money. Discount Disney tickets can be found at a variety of websites, so we've tried to boil down the 2 or 3 that consistently have the best prices. You can also see if you qualify for a timeshare tour to earn Free Disney Tickets. Just be sure to look over the qualifications and understand that you've gotta give up 2 hours of your day. But free tickets are free tickets. Otherwise, just choose one of these partners. Prices don't vary much between sites so don't spend too much time digging to save $1 on a ticket. Your time can be better spent preparing for the trip.
GreatOrlandoDiscounts.com is our flagship site. It's been around forever, shows up all over the internet, has great Better Business Bureau reputation and is a certified CLIA and IATA travel agent. Toll Free number. Fast delivery. What more can you ask for?
Group Travel - if you have a church group, school group, large family or scout group, this site can give you additional group ticket discounts that are usually not available from other discount Disney tickets sellers.
Rental Cars - Another seldom thought about savings area. Shop around. Budget rental car might be cheaper over Easter weekend than Thrifty rental car. Many of these sites will do side by side comparisons. Others focus on 1 or 2 companies but have really great deals. There are coupons and codes for rental car discounts
http://www.greatorlandodiscounts.com/disney-discount.htm
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Universal Orlando raises parking prices, too
A week after Walt Disney World did it, Universal Orlando has raised its own parking prices.
Universal over the weekend bumped the price to park in its garages from $12 to $14 -- a 17 percent increase. The move brings Universal's parking rate in line with Disney World's (which also jumped from $12 to $14 on Oct. 4.)
Well what i say they are going to go up every time Disney go's up. Hey guys just a heads up if you guys keep doing that no one will show up just a heads up.
Universal over the weekend bumped the price to park in its garages from $12 to $14 -- a 17 percent increase. The move brings Universal's parking rate in line with Disney World's (which also jumped from $12 to $14 on Oct. 4.)
Well what i say they are going to go up every time Disney go's up. Hey guys just a heads up if you guys keep doing that no one will show up just a heads up.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Universal Studios: 'Ghost Hunters' guys in the (haunted) house
Ghost Hunters stars Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango commune with creatures from Universal's Halloween Horror Nights on Thursday evening. The duo, who appear on the SyFy program, also interacted with fans during the event. (Photo by Kevin Kolczynski/Orlando Sentinel)
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