Keeping Up With Disney

Adult vacationers with children in tow seem to steam towards the realms of Disney as their preferred travel destinations. It’s been that way for decades.

Children who were brought to one of the Magic Kingdoms or another by their parents have, by now, become parents themselves, and they are touring their tots to Disney-designed lands of pleasing and safe adventures and discovery.

Other theme parks develop great rides and present appealing attractions, attracting a wide range of visitors. But, ask most American kids where they’d like mom and dad, or grandma and pa to take them for their next big birthday celebration, and their answer will most likely be a place with the Disney in its name.

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This kind of customer loyalty and ultra-successful branding doesn’t happen by chance. The Disney organization toils for its reputation and repeat clientele, constantly inventing new product and polishing up its favorite standards -- not only to outdistance rival theme parks and other packaged family travel products, but to keep up with its own pattern of innovative and personalized customer care.

Making all those millions of dedicated multi-generational Disney patrons feel personally cared for is quite a task -- especially since, over years of development and innovation, the realms of Disney have expanded so much that it’s hard for even repeat visitors to know how to schedule their time to take full advantage of the attractions that will most satisfy them.

So, quite cleverly, Disney has invited its most loyal, experienced and knowledgeable devotees to participate in caring for others who might have special needs, curiosities or just plain every day practical questions about how to make the most of their next planned Disney sojourn.

The program is called Walt Disney World Moms Panel.

Yes, you’re right. This is a group of Moms, civilians all, who haven’t worked for Disney, but have had extensive experience as travelers to Walt Disney World, who love every inch of the expansive park(s) and the myriad attractions, and feel passionately about sharing their knowledge with other people who seek guidance about almost any facet of travel to the realms of Disney.

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The ‘Moms’ -- who can be and actually are also dads, grandparents, aunties or uncles or people who organize Disney trips for their coterie of friends, with or without kids in tow -- are carefully selected from thousands of eager applicants who volunteer each year to fill the limited number of spots on the panel.

Disney came up with the idea for the Moms Panel and implemented it back in 2008. It is, essentially, an online trip planning forum with a unique resource -- the Moms -- of information.

Initially there were just a dozen ‘Moms’ selected for the panel, but the group now has more than 40 members, all experts from personal experience and passions in the many ways of touring Disney.

Since the program was initiated, millions of traveler questions have been answered by the Moms, whose responses have been cataloged and made accessible on a self-browsing basis to others who visit the panel site to ask for advice.

Visitors can also submit new questions, which will be answered by the Moms currently on call.

The site also features videos in which the Moms (and, some celebrities, too) confide their personal preferences and best bet tips about the travel realms of Disney: Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani/Adventures by Disney, Disney Vacation Club and run Disney vacations.

Visiting with the enthusiastic Moms -- and dads, grandparents and other panelists -- in the virtual reality of the Internet isn’t anything nearly as good or entertaining to what happens when you actually step into the realms of Disney, but their expertise and passion for the Disney products can surely excite your anticipation and dispense with any nagging little concerns or questions of logistics that can snag the fabric of your otherwise seamlessly satisfying adventure.

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The Moms have special areas of expertise, ranging from wrangling a family from an off-site hotel into the heart of the Magic Kingdom to how to order a special toy to be sent to a kid-occupied cabin aboard a Disney cruise.

New this year, the Walt Disney World Moms Panel has added experts in sports travel and vacation who can assist with questions about ESPN’s Wide World of Sport Complex, and other sportive endeavors in the Disney realms. This makes organizing group trips for kids’ sports teams so much easier.

It’s also good that you can be assured that the Moms are who they say they are. The site has their photos and bios attached to their every response. Their bios give you a glimpse into their personal lives, too.

Actually, the Moms hail from across the United States and represent a cross section of the American population. Some one in that diverse group of experts will surely have answers to your specific questions.

The Moms receive no compensation, but in exchange for their time and expertise, but they are treated to a Disney trip as a reward and they may, during their panel tenure, be invited to Walt Disney World for special events. They also attend park-based training sessions before they make their live debut on the Moms Panel site.

If you love Disney and know well the Disney realms, you might be wondering how you can win a seat on the Moms Panel.

To be frank, it’s not that easy. Applications are accepted and reviewed just once a year. Those who qualify and are being seriously considered for a place on the panel are very, very carefully screened. They are asked questions about their own Disney experiences and their personal reasons for wanting to be on the panel. Their communication skills are tested, and they are thoroughly quizzed about all of Disney’s destinations and tours. It’s an arduous audition, to be sure, and relatively few make it all the way to live appearances on the Moms Panel site.

But, it’s that very insistence on top patron-focused quality that evates destination Disney into a league of its own -- it’s Disney keeping up with Disney and out performing the others.

Copyright 2013 Jennifer Merin

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More snow forecast as chaos goes on

The big freeze across the UK is set to last with more snow expected next week.

With travel chaos across the country and Britain's busiest airport being likened to a "refugee camp" amid more than 100 cancelled flights, forecasters predicted further misery in the coming days.

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Following Friday's deluge of snow, much of Saturday's snowfall was limited to the North East of England and the east of Scotland. But on Sunday, a blanket of snow is expected to fall across more of the nation, hitting London and the South East of England first before moving north.

Laura Caldwell, of MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "There will be a few snow showers but heavier snow moving into the south of England and spreading into the Midlands, north east Wales, East Anglia and central England. There will be a quite significant accumulation and it will be seen first in London and the South East before moving north later in the day."

Freezing temperatures which have chilled the UK for the past week will also combine with more snow in northern England as next week begins, Ms Caldwell added. "It is not going to be getting warmer any time soon," she said.

There were angry scenes at London's Heathrow Airport as travellers had to sleep on the floor for a second day after flights continued to be hit by the weather. Frustrated passengers claimed they were not given enough information as 67 departures were grounded and 33 arrivals cancelled.

Virgin Trains cancelled a number of services from the capital to Birmingham and Manchester and others were delayed.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for ice over much of the country - and a red, severe warning for South Wales which experienced the worst of the weather.

The Arctic blasts forced nearly 2,000 schools to shut their doors, meaning some sixth-form and college students had their A-level exams postponed.

But the weather heaped misery on more than 10,000 households in South Wales, where residents found themselves with no power on Friday morning.

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Catch holiday bargains in the January sales

From hostel bargains to partner-goes-free luxury getaways, this is the best time for a good deal.

 By Amanda Statham

New Year holiday bargains in the January travel sales

Hit the sales this January and bag a bargain holiday says Amanda Statham

Hit the sales this January and bag a bargain holiday says Amanda Statham

Thought there was nothing to look forward to in January? Wrong! It may be grey and cold and you’re back at your desk, but this is THE best time of the year for snapping up a holiday bargain.

From hostel bargains to partner-goes-free luxury getaways, I’ve surfed around for the best deals for all budgets and here’s my pick of the bunch. Happy holidays!Stare at this picture and tell us you aren't hitting up the travel sales right now!

Flights & Hotels

Ebookers.com has a great Travel Happier Sale on for the whole of January, with up to 50 per cent off hotels. What’s more, there’s 10 per cent off car hire AND £50 off when you book a flight and hotel together – just use the promo code TRAVEL50 when you key in your details.

Italy specialist Citalia is offering up to 35 per cent off its holidays until the end of January, along with free nights, room upgrades, extra meals, early booking discounts and even free child flights up for grabs. A three-night city break to Rome, staying in the three-star San Remo Hotel, starts from just £189pp including flights, while seven-night holidays have a guaranteed booking discount of £150 in the sale.

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If you’ve got a bit of money to spend, Sovereign Luxury Travel has 45 per cent off holidays as well as (deep breath) complimentary treats, upgrades, free nights, complimentary dinners, spa credits, resort credits, early booking discounts and special discounts on family holidays.

Things that caught my eye included a saving of up to £3,414 (wow) on a family half-term May break to the InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort in Cyprus and a saving of £1,398 for couples booking the Daios Cove Luxury Resort & Villas in Greece.

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If you want to visit the Algarve, there’s a 15 per cent early booking discount and a £150 sale event discount at The Lake Spa Hotel, AND a further online booking discount, which means seven nights and flights ring in at £889pp in June, a saving of £485 per couple. Hurry though, as these massive savings end on January 31.

Finally, if you’re loaded and have fallen in love with the New Zealand scenery in The Hobbit, you may be interested in Austravel’s offer of a free international flight worth £1300 for the companion of anyone who books its 17-day New Zealand Wonderland package.

The tour, which costs a whopping £3,775pp, starts in Auckland and finishes in Christchurch, taking in Mt Cook National Park, a Milford Sound cruise, Franz Josef Glacier, rail journey on the TranzAlpine through the Southern Alps and a dolphin cruise around the Bay of Islands along the way. The stunning Mt Cook National Park in New Zealand ©Rex

As well as all accommodation, transfers and flights, there are also 28 meals included. Until 31 January, Austravel is also offering free airport lounge passes to customers booking five nights or more accommodation and has further savings up to 25 per cent across other holidays.    

Airlines

The British Airways sale is always worth a look, but you had better be quick as it ends on January 22. Bargains include flights to Barbados from £495 (down from £586) and holidays, such as a three-night break to Nice from £399.

Virgin Atlantic’s virgin-atlantic.com sale also ends on January 22, so if you want to book a £389 deal to Dubai, or New York flight for £409, you’d better be quick.

If it’s just flights you’re after, Monarch Airlines which flies to thirty four destinations across the Mediterranean, Canaries and North Africa, is giving customers the chance to fight off the post-Christmas blues with £15 off all return flights booked before midnight on January 20 using the promotional code BIG15.

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Hotels & Hostels
For a cheap UK break, all 24 Radisson Blu hotels are offering up to 30 per cent off any weekend this year, as long as you book by January 31. The offer includes bed and breakfast and is based on two people sharing, best of you can chose a one, two or three night break and pay the discounted rate each night.

Hostels are a bargain anyway, but HostelsClub.com has slashed its prices even further, meaning we get access to cheap as chips accommodation around the world.

Three nights for the price of two caught my eye at the Aletto hostels in Berlin (Aletto Kudamm Hotel & Hostel is the best if you want to be near all the shops!), where a night in a mixed dorm room is just £14 per person until February 4.

There’s also a 15 per cent saving at Hostel Marabou Prague, which lies in cool Art-Nouveau district Zizkov, 15 minutes from the Old Town and where mixed dorm rooms start from £7 per person until March 31.