Budget Travel has just posted an open letter to the Walt Disney Corp. in order to try and convince the company to keep running their “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign.
The “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign offered free admission to the Disney California and Florida theme park on your birthday which was perfect for budget traveling, but now the company is doing away with the program.
To the magic-makers at Disney,
Being bargain hunters, we’ve loved 2009’s “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign. After all, free admission on a person’s birthday to your Florida and California theme parks is what budget travel is all about. And getting to act like a little kid certainly takes the sting out of turning another year older!
Which is why we urge you to please extend this program into 2010. You’ve extended campaigns like this before. (The “Year of a Million Dreams” was supposed to end in 2007, and you took it through 2008.)
Sure, we’re cautiously optimistic that the worst of the recession will be over by next year. But we also know that a lot families will continue to struggle. During hardship, every little bit of sunshine helps. Walt knew that better than anyone.
So we hope you’ll extend the free-admission-on-your-birthday promotion to next year. Because there’s a little bit of Peter Pan in all of us!
Sincerely,
Your dearest fans at Budget Travel
We’re hoping this letter works since our next birthdays aren’t until next year!
On June 29, the UK debuted its first high-speed train which should lighten your day-tripping plans.
Monday London revealed their new fast train, The Javelin, that was crated to shuttle the Olympic crowds come 2012. The new train connects St. Pancras station with the local townships of Ashford and Ebbsfleet in Britain’s southeastern corner of Kent.
The Javelin will reduce travel time from 80 minutes to just under 40 minutes, cutting your train time in half. The new fast train tickets will run you $43 each way, which is just $10 more than the normal trains.
Now that we’ve covered Florence, Italy’s Duomo, let’s get you on a plane to Italy, Rome to be exact.
According to a Kayak search, the most affordable round-trip Italian getaway is $636 per person with taxes. For just an additional $208 per person, Gate 1 Travel will combine your international airfare and four night’s worth of hotel accommodations, breakfast daily, fuel surcharges, and all taxes.
So, it’s finally time for that Italian vacation you’ve always wanted.
Florence, Italy’s Duomo is one of the city’s most historical and well-known cathedral churches.
With construction begun in 1296 in the Gothic style with the care of Arnolfo di Cambio and finally completed in 1439 with the dome engineered by none other than Filippo Brunelleschi, the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is one of Italy’s treasures.
The complex actually includes three UNESCO World Heritage Site buildings and is one of Italy’s largest basilicas. Until the modern era, the Duomo was one of the largest in the world, only being surpassed by the Pantheon dome’s width.
While in Florence, don’t forget to visit one of the most important structrual engineering feats and make it up the dome steps to appreciate Florence as a bird.
The next time you’re planning a girl trip, why not do what Cameron Diaz does in her spare time and learn how to surf with your pals?
At the Surf Goddess Retreat in Seminyak, Bali the menu is sleep, eat, drink and surf! Take your time and learn how to surf with your girlfriends on Legian Beach with two-hour surf lessons combined with gourmet meals and drinks. Sound like the perfect combination?
This girl vacay can be yours for just $2300, which includes 8 days/7 nights of surf, hotel, food and drinks. Not too shabby, eh?
If you’ve been waiting for the best summer travel deal to come around this year, it’s here and in the shape of El Cid properties in Mazatlán, Mexico.
The four El Cid properties in Mazatlán are now offering 30% off their summer rates AND a complimentary room upgrade. Talk about needing tourism in Mexico! This is a steal of a deal.
For just $68 per night you can take in the sights at the El Cid Castilla Beach and enjoy a relaxing massage and facial in the space of your own room. Make sure to book your vacation by June 30, 2009 to take advantage of this reduced travel rate, and happy travelling!
Don’t yet have July 4th plans this year? Well then, it’s time to book a flight to Seattle, Washington for the 2009 Seattle International Beer Festival.
From July 3rd to the 5th, you can take part in the beer festival by drinking your weight in more than 130 beers from around the globe. Held at the Murel Amphitheater in Seattle Center, this beer festival features food, music, chess, contests, beer sampling and even backgammon.
Start planning now for a rollicking good time.
High in the Cardamom Hills jungle of southwestern India a plantation retreat offers travellers a calm from the storm.
The Paradisa Plantation Retreat takes a bit of hiking to reach, but when you’re there you certainly want to take your time getting back. Located in Kerala, which was once the summer capital of Travancore rulers, this break in the clouds is just what you’ve been looking for.
This Indian lodge in Kerala offers visitors a tranquil vacation spot amid mountain views at the backdrop of stunning coffee and spice plantations.
Both United and US Airways will be charging you an extra $5 if you check your bags at the airport instead of in advance online. Yep, more fees are in our airline travel futures.
Due to the sluggish economy and travel decrease, the airlines are trying everything to survive, which means fees, fees, fees. Meanwhile, starting July 1, 2009 Alaska Air will join the ranks of the fe-ed by starting to charge $15 for your first checked bag and $25 for the second.
And beware on your summer European vacation, as starting July 1, Delta and Northwest will be charging a whopping $50 for the second checked bag. We might just as well give USPS some money and ship our darn bags these days, what do you think?
When you’re travelling much of your budget is dedicated to where you’re doing to be resting your head, but what if we told you, you could now scratch that off your list?
Welcome to the CouchSurfing Project, a free web-based international hospitality service which launched January 1, 2004 and is now the largest hospitality exchange network around.
As of March of this year, more than 1 million members in over 230 countries have used the CouchSurfing Project to find and host a place to sleep. The philosophy of CSP is to connect and learn from travellers all over the world by hosting an using an extended network of home-based accommodations.
With the use of extensive profiles, personal vouching system and personal references to increase security and safety, the CSP has become a world-wide success.
Please share any of your recent CouchSurfing Project stories!