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INTERCOT Insider
May
2005
- Edition
Two |
Brought to you by
INTERCOT's network of sites:
INTERCOT - Walt Disney World
Inside & Out
INTERCOT West - Disneyland Inside
& Out
INTERCOT's WebDisney - Guide to
Disney on the Internet
INTERCOT's MousehutMail - Free Web
Based Email
INTERCOT's Thrillride
Experience - Thrill Ride Parks & Attractions
<< Welcome to The
Timeshare Store >>
INTERCOT is proud
to announce a new sponsor, The Timeshare Store. The Timeshare Store offers
the largest selection of Disney Vacation Club Resale’s anywhere. They are
also the number one Disney Vacation Club Reseller in the world. Take a
moment to click on their web site below to learn more about them.
The Timeshare Store
Here’s what our very own member’s have to say;
”We purchased re-sale through the Timeshare Store. It was VERY easy! They
are very thorough and very helpful. We had an agent who we talked with over
the phone and then most of the transaction was done by fax and Federal
Express. Disney will often buy back points that are being sold lower than
the average sale for that particular resort. We bought at Hilton Head and I
think we got it for $74/point. We hope to buy resale again in a couple of
years....I would really like to own some points at Villas of Wilderness
Lodge and we will definitely use the Timeshare Store again.” – Tinkermom
” We also bought through the Timeshare store and the process was very easy.
We saved quite a bit even though we had to pay closing costs.” Lisa and Alan
” We also used The Timeshare Store. They were quite patient with my
seemingly endless questions and dispelled the fears I had about the entire
process.” - hubbyofadisneyholic
<<
Introduction >>
Is everyone
warming up to summer? Hopefully with summer comes a vacation to our
favorite vacation destination. In this Insider edition we have an eclectic
mix of articles for you. Beth has highly-useful advice for visiting WDW if
you are an expectant mother, Jamie and Rob unravel the mysteries of WDW
dining, and Ron starts us off with some History and Trivia. Let’s roll.
<< History & Trivia with WDWdriver >>
Cast Members are often asked what it is like
backstage at Walt Disney World. Well, most backstage areas are industrial in
appearance. Just drive around behind your local Wal-Mart to get an idea of
what it is like. There are some exceptions. There are occasional
interesting spots, such as the Utilidor tunnels under the Magic Kingdom. Or
the second floor of the castle which was originally intended to be Walt's
apartment. Outdoor storage areas sometimes hold the remains of old rides,
parade floats and vehicles. And there is my favorite spot - a simple
doorway.
As we all
know, the upper floors of the shops along Main Street USA are unoccupied
facades. But behind the facades, on the right side of the street as you face
the castle, are a series of executive offices and a conference room. On a
wall on one side of the conference room is a plain wooden door. The door is
unmarked and unlocked. Opening the door just a crack to peek through the
opening reveals an amazing sight. Just outside the door is a narrow catwalk
holding a small table and a lamp. And beyond the table is a glass window
with lace curtains. The window looks out onto Main Street USA, and hundreds
of Magic Kingdom guests are passing by below. We are looking out from the
second floor window that honors Walt's daughter, Diane, and son-in-law, Ron
Miller, and their six children. Lettering on the window also names their
cattle ranch, the Lazy M Cattle Company.
A
quick peek from the window onto Main Street is a magical backstage
experience. It is truly a window on the World.
<< WDW for Expectant Moms with MNNHFL >>
If
you or someone you know will be visiting Disney World while pregnant, you
are probably wondering which rides are safe. Disney posts warnings that
advise pregnant women not to ride the following attractions: Magic
Kingdom—Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain
Railroad, The Barnstormer, Tomorrowland Indy Speedway. Epcot—Mission:
Space, Test Track, Body Wars. MGM Studios—The Twilight Zone
Tower of Terror, Rock’n’Roller Coaster, Star Tours. Animal Kingdom—Dinosaur,
Primeval Whirl, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Kali River Rapids.
INTERCOT member Experiment 626 states,
“If you stop by Guest
Relations, they will give you a special map with only the attractions that
expectant mothers can go on listed. It also had the locations of "Kiddie
Concierge" areas where you can rest in air conditioning.”
DisneyFreaks1228
adds “If you do have doubts, definitely heed the warnings, and you should
really see your doctor before you leave for your trip and ask any questions
you have then.”
Of
course, there is so much more to Disney World than the rides! INTERCOT
members (with personal experience in visiting WDW while expecting) offer
some additional tips to help make your trip even more magical:
When
it’s warm, Mary Poppins suggests taking “ cool, loose
fitting clothes and comfy shoes. Drink lots of water and stop every so often
to sit and relax and get off your feet.”
On a
similar note, Chris Proctor states “The one piece of advice I'd
add is that you take your time. I suspect exhaustion and the heat will be a
larger risk than anything.”
If
it is a hot summer day, you should seek out shade, or bring an umbrella.
From TheMartellFamily—“I found a lot of shade and water
spraying stations around the parks and would enjoy a spritzing to cool down.
When I sat, which was quite often, I would try and raise my legs to prevent
swelling.”
“Even moderate heat (80's) felt like 90's, so I took it easy and also used
the pool a lot.”
adds pugslave.
“I found a water mister to be very helpful”
Nom
advises “making sure you get
regular, nutritious meals. As tempting as it can be, don't survive on Mickey
bars alone! Almost all the restaurants and counter service places offer low
fat milk and healthy side dishes like carrot sticks, so I always had them
with my meal.”
She also adds that “Good
supportive shoes are KEY. Make sure you have good broken in sneakers and
good socks, since you'll be toting around a little bit of extra weight.”
A
final piece of advice from kentucky (an OB nurse)--“My most
important advice to you would be to take a copy of your pre-natal records
with you. Then if you do end up in the ER of a strange hospital, they will
at least be sure of your gest. (gestational) age, your blood type,
hep (hepatitis) status, any complications etc. Some things that are
imperative to know at delivery, and would save a lot of time in an
emergency. Your OB should not object to providing you with this, just give
the office staff a week or so to prepare it for you.”
With
knowledge and preparation, you can certainly enjoy Disney World while
expecting. As HiHoKermitTheFrogHere says—“Have fun! And the best
part of your trip is that you can hope your child will turn out like the
rest of us who frequent INTERCOT -- Disney fanatics!”
<< Dining Out with MickeysGirl
& Dr_Nigel_C
>>
Hello food lovers! Or
should we call you DEAL lovers this month? We say that because this issue
of Dining Out is all about HOW to dine and how go get the most bang for your
buck while at Walt Disney World. We’re going to go into detail about
Advanced Dining Reservations, the Disney Dining Experience and the Magic
Your Way Package plus Dining plans. So let’s get started, shall we?
Let’s start with the
basics of dining, the ever important Advanced Dining Reservation (ADR),
formerly known as Priority Seating. Same plan, new name. To make an ADR
you should call 407-WDW-DINE and talk to a dining representative. You can
also go through the WDW Travel Company by calling 1-800-828-0228 and choose
option 3. Most ADR’s can be made 90 days in advance (with some exceptions)
from your actual dining date. Info Central has an entire
page dedicated to reservation time frames. Please take note
that when calling for your ADR, it is very important to know your party size
(# of adults vs. children), date of dining and requested time. This is also
a good time to let your dining representatives know about any special
dietary needs or special events in your party. You will also want to
reiterate this information to the hostess at the podium for maximum service.
Our first “meal deal” is
especially for Florida residents and Annual Passholders, and is known as the
Disney Dining Experience. This program allows its members to receive a 20%
discount on all meals at
listed restaurants (including
alcoholic beverages) for a party of the card holder and up to 9 guests.
Other benefits include free parking at the parks (redeemable after meal at
Guest Relations), free valet parking at resorts, ½ off admission into
Pleasure Island for card holder and one guest, and free admission into the
Atlantic Dance Hall for card holder and one guest. The cost is $75 for
first year, with a $60 renewal rate for FL residents and $50 per year for
Annual Passholders. It is also extremely easy to use! Simply present the
card and a photo ID to your server either before or after your meal and 20%
will be deducted from your overall total. And a great tip, that 20% can be
added back on as gratuity for your server, no math required! How’s that for
unexpected perks?
Disney’s newest meal deal
is known as the Magic Your Way Package plus Dining. This plan is exclusive
to guests visiting WDW through the Magic Your Way Package, and is an add-on
based on the total party size and length of stay. Each member of the party
will received One (1) Counter Service Voucher, One (1) Snack Voucher and One
(1) Table Service Voucher per day, with cost of meal and gratuity already
included. However, after the plan is in place, you can choose to use the
package any way you like. For example, you can choose to pay for children’s
meals for Table Service out of pocket to reserve extra Vouchers for more
Table Service meals or for Signature restaurants and shows which require Two
(2) Vouchers per guest. It is very flexible, includes many of the
restaurants on property, and
many guests just simply like the pre-paid aspect of the package.
Each Counter Service meal
includes: One (1) Entrée, One (1) Dessert and One (1) Drink or One (1)
Complete Combo Meal and One (1) Drink. Table Service meals include: One (1)
Appetizer, One (1) Entrée, One (1) Dessert and One (1) Drink per guest or
One (1) Full Buffet and One (1) Drink. Sorry, alcoholic beverages are not
included in the cost of the plan and would be paid out of pocket at time of
meal. Most snacks can be found around the parks at carts and include any
one of the following: frozen ice cream and juice bars, popcorn, fruit, a bag
of Lays Potato Chips, 20 oz. sodas, 24 oz. water, or a medium fountain
drinks or juice.
The Dining package is
also very easy to use. Simply present your “Key to the World” (aka: your
room key) BEFORE ordering, so your server knows how to handle your bill,
order and have a wonderful meal! Please remember though, if you do plan on
paying for meals out of pocket at Table Service restaurants, it is important
to still leave a tip for those meals not using vouchers. You will also
receive a running tally of voucher uses with each receipt so you know how
many you have left to use. Please pay special attention to this feature to
ensure that your vouchers are being used as you requested. Any
discrepancies can be taken up at Guest Services. All vouchers are good
through the entire length of stay until midnight on your checkout date.
Well, we certainly hope
you folks out there can make use of one of these great dining plans! We
have had the Disney Dining Experience Card for going on 3 years now and we
will never go without it again! Happy dining everyone, and we’ll see ya
next month!
<< Conclusion >>
That’s it for this
edition! Remember to check out the
Happiest Gathering on INTERCOT, a meet of INTERCOTees happening later this year
at the Walt Disney World Resort!
Until the
next issue, happing planning.
<< INTERCOT Would Like To Thank>>
The INTERCOT Insider and INTERCOT.com
are supported by the following sponsors who in turn, help us bring the Magic
to you! Please visit their websites thru the links below and use their
services whenever you can!
All Star
Vacation Homes
When you need a home away from home, look no further. From comfort to
luxury, All Star Vacation Homes has it all in four series of homes to fit
any taste and any budget just moments from the magic of Walt Disney World!
Website:
http://www.allstarvacationhomes.com?ovchn=OTHER&ovcpn=Listing+Sites&ovcrn=intercot&ovtac=AD
Happy Limo
Providing ground transportation to the entire state of Florida.
Website: http://www.quicksilver-tours.com
Magical Journeys
Magical Journeys is your Disney Vacation specialist. Start planning your
Vacation Discount Dreams today!
Website:
http://www.yourmagicaljourneys.com/
Official Ticket
Center
Walt Disney
World’s, Universal Studios and Sea World’s #1 guest service provider for the
last 3 years. The Official Ticket Center has been servicing vacationers for
more than 7 years now and sells tickets only, at a discount price.
Website:
http://www.officialticketcenter.com/default.aspx?affid=TC21LBC
Radisson Resort
Parkway
Right in the heart of action! Only 1.5 miles from Walt Disney World is an
oasis of ponds, beautiful landscaping, serene waterfalls and relaxing
options hiding in every corner.
Website:
http://orlando.guestselectresorts.com?pid=INTERCOTN
The Timeshare Store
The #1 Disney Vacation Club Reseller in the World. See how easy and
affordable it is to purchase your very own piece of the MAGIC!
Website: http://www.dvc-resales.com/
- - - - - - - - - -
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