Ft. Wilderness Is A Great Place

JMarsden92 January 14, 2012
[1] comment

For quite a few years we have been Disney Vacation Club owners.  Prior to that my wife and I spent quite a bit of money each time we went to the Disney World Resort in Florida.  One of our last trips before purchasing our DVC membership we started discussing driving down with a small camper behind the car.  The only thing that we would have to get was a camper, and rv insurance.  We both actually thought that we might be ok with doing this.  The Fort Wilderness campground is an excellent place to stay if you want a cheaper price.  On top of that the people that stay in Fort Wilderness are a different type of person.

Please take no objection to what I am stating.  As always… This is my opinion.

When you go to Disney World have you ever noticed how many people are just flat out rude, and obnoxious?  Have you ever noticed how many people unwittingly cause situations because of whatever reason?  Well, most of those people are from out of the country.  Almost any Disney veteran can acknowledge this as true.  There is nothing wrong with the foreigners.  What happens is that the first timers go to Disney World, and don’t understand our culture as well as they thought.  The folks in Fort Wilderness respect each other.  For the most part the visitors to Ft. Wilderness are people that camp a lot, and understand the camping lifestyle.

If you want to try out a new experience, and you have a camper then I suggest you give Ft. Wilderness a try.  I don’t think that you will regret it.

 

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Disney For The Holidays

JMarsden92 December 21, 2011
[2] comments

This year we are going to Disney World right after Christmas.  We still have family here so we have to make our appearances at their homes.  We are going to be in Disney for New Years.  We have already planned it out that we will be in the Magic Kingdom when the ball drops.  We haven’t done Disney at this time of year in a long time.  Keeping the weather in mind we have all packed some very thick jackets so that we don’t freeze.  From everything I have been reading, and watching the weather gets down at night.  Maybe ski jackets would work great.

We are all hoping that the crowds work with us while we are there being that we are only getting 1 park hopper each.  It will be nice to see the lights throughout the parks, and the Osbourne light display at Hollywood Studios.

Have you ever done Disney World during the holidays?  What did you think?

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Traveling To Disney World

JMarsden92 November 29, 2011
[2] comments

Each time we go to Disney World we have to sit down and weigh out how we are going to get there.  A few years ago we decided against flying for the time being.  Most people criticize me because they can get there in 3 hours from the East while it takes me 16 hours minimum.  Well, I can say that I am one thing that they are not… That is money conscious.  Flights have gotten very expensive, and the 2 hours before a flight needs to also be considered.

We leave from New Jersey and I drive as much as possible.  My wife has been driving a few hours here and there so that I can take a snooze.  As long as she has the car gps on she is alright.  We can get to Florida for under $400 for all three of us.  I know that flights are not that cheap.  Some people have even said that they pay $9 for their airline membership.  Well I know better.  They also need to understand that they are flying on the airlines schedule.  They may have to go at a totally different time than they wanted in order to get that pricing.

We enjoy what we do, and that is that.  We also save on not having to get a rental car.  We go off grounds from time to time.  Shopping is also necessary.  We did recently get involved in Amtrak Auto Train.  We earn points for using their credit card.  We just booked our return trip for all 3 of us from Florida with the car for $275.00.  Find a flight, and rental car for that.

What do you do when you travel?  Do you drive, or fly?

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Can’t Wait To See The FantasyLand Expansion

JMarsden92 November 25, 2011
[1] comment

This year we are going to Disney World from the day after Christmas through the New Year.  We have not gone during this timeframe in many years.  This has a lot to do with money, family, and everything else.  Being that our daughter is in 6th grade we are more watchful of the days out of school.  In the past she might have missed 2-3 days because of a vacation.  This had a lot to do with how the school system can’t schedule anything to work with everyone.

Being that we are going in December we aren’t going to get to see any of the Fantasyland Expansion being completed for at least another year.  Next year we are taking an 8 night cruise out of New York on the Disney Cruise Line, but the 1 day that they give us into the parks that is included will not allow us to see much because time will not permit.

I have been checking out videos that have been posted by someone that goes to Disney a lot, and the Fantasyland Expansion looks like it is moving along rather nice.  I only wish that they were going to have something done for us to see when we go next month.

Maybe Disney can grant me one of many unusual presents and let me check out what is being done.

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Outlook for Orlando vacation home industry in 2012

OrlandoVacations October 28, 2011
[1] comment

Ever since Walt Disney decided to build Disney World in Orlando, Florida, tourism has been at the center of the city’s economy. Today, Orlando has more entertainment attractions and theme parks than any other city in the world.  With such a buzzing tourism industry and so many places to see and things to do, there are a large number of vacation homes in the city. There are hundreds of vacation home rentals just minutes from the major attractions.

The figures

Although these figures are representative of the hotel industry, we can still recognise general tourism trends that are likely to impact the vacation home industry. Hotel Horizons magazine published a variety of predictions for the 2012 year. These figures and estimate are courtesy of PKF Consulting USA, a real estate firm and advisory that specializes in the hospitality industry.

  • All markets will exceed the previous peak level of demand in 2012.
  • Demand for vacation accommodation will rise an estimated 3.1%, with a 0.7% increase in room inventory. This shows that although new accommodations are still being developed, the demand for them is rising by a much higher margin.
  • Occupancy in hotels in America is expected to rise to 61.2% in 2012, as the demand for growth surpasses that supply.

These figures indicate that the amount of tourist is growing much quicker than the amount of room space available. This means that there is scope for a more extensive hospitality industry in Orlando, including that of vacation homes.

In the midst of a recession, the rental of vacation homes in Orlando may become even more popular as people shy away from expensive hotels and expensive meals and choose self-catering options.

 

The benefits of renting a vacation home

  • Many have amenities such as pools, spas, and more so you don’t miss out on hotel facilities.
  • Cooking your own meals means saving money.
  • Orlando Vacation rentals are often cheaper over a longer stay.
  • Parking is usually free and accessible.
  • You have your own private space.

In these times of real estate crash, one could even consider buying a rental home in Orlando, as real estate prices are far less than they were three or more years ago.

Considering all these benefits, the outlook of the vacation rental industry in Orlando is a positive one, as people continue to seek some Disney magic in an economic downturn.

Posted in Guest Bloggers, Vacationing | Tagged , | 1 Comment