Soutwest Airlines fined $200,000.00 for deceptive ads

Southwest Airlines was slapped with a $200,000.00 fine for not having seats after advertising $59 flights in TV ads.

Read more about it HERE.


h/t: Yahoo News

The Vision of Diagon Alley - Universal Orlando Resort

Have you ever thought about renting your home to travelers?

Have you ever thought of generating revenue with your propety?


HomeAway was listed as one of Forbes most trustworthy companies and charges no fees to travelers.

Learn more on how to rent your second property as a vacation home.

Rental Income Calculator - see how much you can make!

8 Travel Freebie "Hacks" to make your life easier...

Here are 8 Travel Freebie Hacks that can make your trip a little bit easier.

h/t: Smarter Travel

50% OFF Villas near Disney at Bahama Bay Resort and Spa: Book by June 1st, 2014

Here's the deal of the week. HALF off condo rentals At the Villas near Disney World at Bahama Bay Resort & Spa

50% OFF Villas near Disney at Bahama Bay Resort and Spa - Condos by Wyndham! Valid 5/26-6/1 only at BookIt.com!

We're about to hit 100 Subs on YouTube... Thank YOU!

We just want to say thank you to those who have subscribed to our little channel on YouTube. We've just started this a few weeks ago and are already about to hit 100 subscribers, so thank you very much.

Post by The Getaway.

Universal's Hogwarts Express to be limited to ONE ride per day during peak times?

The Orlando Informer is reporting that Universal Orlando is preparing for an onslaught of visitors to the new Diagon Alley and Hogwarts Express linking Universal Studios to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Islands of Adventure.


When The Wizarding World of Harry Potter first opened at Islands of Adventure, the crowds stretched from the back of the park, through the front gate and all the way over to Universal Studios. Traffic was blocked along the nearby interstate for six hours that day.





Apparently with those memories in mind, Universal is prepping for the grand opening with plans of limiting patrons to one ride per day between the parks aboard the Hogwarts Express during peak time. Which will be every day this summer I suspect.


HERE are the discussions on this at the Orlando Informer Forum.

Orlando Theme Parks: 2014 Gate Prices & Saving Money

An interesting article on Disney Ticket inflation...

HERE is an interesting article on Disney ticket price inflation and eye opening charts and analysis (from 2013).

h/t: FutureProbe

Limos Can Be Cheaper than Airport Shuttles! All About Airport Transfers

Adventures by Disney is now offering GLOBE Trekking experiences

It seems Disney has embarked on creating new travel experiences across the globe in places like Ecuador, the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands!

Packinglight.com 70% off luggage deals and a coupon code

Extra savings on all PackingLight.com Travel Gear including Travel Purses, Handbags, Packing Organizers, Foreign Electrical Adaptor & Converters and more. Coupon Code: PLSALE4U

Daily Spinner Luggage Specials - Up to 70% OFF Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices at PackingLight.com. See added savings with Coupon Code! Coupon Code: Spinners

Ever thought of doing a home swap for vacation?

Home Exchange is a service that facilitates home owners in different areas to do a "swap" for vacations with over 40,000 listings available. Have you used this service? What did you think of it? Let me know down below in the comments.

This has the potential of being very cost effective, especially if you're traveling with a large group (since you get the whole home for the trip). I can imagine a large family all traveling to Orlando realizing a really good savings and value out of something like this. There are coupons available for the service:

Swap your home for vacation! Save 30% on Home Exchange services using code: dealshe72010

Save 20% on Home Exchange using code: cdispatch10. Swap your homes for your vacation now!

Enjoy Unlimited Exchanges for only $9.95/month! Sign up with Home Exchange now!

Hotels.com coupon for $50 off

Hotels.com is running a special coupon through June 1st, 2014, that can take $50 off hotel stays of $300 or more.

If your planning on booking a hotel anyway, why not save $50?

Here's the link:



Enter coupon code: MOREMONEY to take advantage of this discount.

We've made it to the twitterverse...

We've made it to the twitter universe as of today:


https://twitter.com/YouTubeGetaway

If you're a big twitterer (is that even a word?) you can be updated on our new videos and blog postings by following us over there if you like.


We're picking up steam on YouTube and really appreciate the kind words and support as we get this ball rolling.


THANK YOU!


-Jerry & Katie

Secrets and History Behind Disney's Haunted Mansion

Have you ever wondered how Disney projected ghosts in the great room on the Haunted Mansion ride? This question and many more are answered in Fresh Baked Disney's Secrets & History of the Haunted Mansion:





h/t: Fresh Baked Disney

Disneyland California Hikes Prices...Again

Disneyland in California has hiked prices for their tickets as well as California Adventure.
Details HERE. Now that Disney owns the Star Wars franchise, we were able to speak to the dark Lord and get his thoughts on the matter:

How to do BIG Vacations DEBT FREE

Here's our latest video on how to take big vacations debt free:




I'm still waiting on Katie to let me out of the bag. It's a good thing we've got Wi-Fi in the house ;-) -Jerry

Epic Fireworks at the 2014 Star Wars Weekend

Disney does fireworks like nobody else.  Here's a look at the amazing spectacular they put on at the 2014 Star Wars Weekend at Hollywood Studios:

The fireworks and John Williams symphony music begins at 11:13 and runs for about six minutes:

American Airlines Flight SALE!!!

American Airlines Flight Sale: Flights starting at $105 Roundtrip with Travelocity! Ends 5/31/14.

Experts are predicting a busy travel season...

The AAA is reporting that after our harsh winter, this could be the busiest travel season in the past six years in their Memorial Day travel forecast.


Here are some highlights:


Memorial Day holiday travel volume is expected to reach a new post-recession high with 36.1  million Americans taking a trip

The 2014 forecast is 2.6 percent higher than the ten-year historical average and the second highest travel volume since 2000

Eighty-eight percent of travelers (31.8 million) to travel by automobile, an increase from 31.4 million last year

Holiday air travel expected to increase from 2.4 percent to 2.6 million leisure travelers 

Travel by other modes of transportation including cruise, trains and buses will see the largest increase, up 6.5 percent (total 1.7 million travelers)

Travelers will encounter slightly higher prices with airfares six percent higher, mid-range hotels up two percent and car rentals costing one percent more

Orlando Vacation Planning: Air & Hotel

Are you a first time traveler or a young couple with kids looking to save money on a trip to Orlando Florida?

Wondering how to find deals on airfare and hotels?  We've been several times and offer tips from our experiences. 

An Alaska cruise deal just hit our in-box...

7 Night Alaska Cruise on the Holland America Oosterdam from $349 on CruiseDirect.com. Book Today!

This deal comes with a nifty bonus: Up to $1,000 On Board Credit & 10% Off Shore Excursions!

Details on Universal's new Harry Potter & The Escape from Gringotts Bank Released!

Universal Orlando has released new details on the newest ride to hit Universal Studios:
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringott's bank:




This is going to be amazing. I had heard rumors that the ride itself would be mounted to a fully mobile 360 degree travel robotic arm.

We just posted our YouTube "Trailer" for the new channel!

We just posted our new  trailer for The Getaway show on YouTube.  We're really excited to share our passion for all things travel:





-Jerry & Katie

Free Apps for Orlando Park Wait Times, Dining, & Maps...

Here's a link for Free apps that list the wait times at Disney and other Orlando theme parks:
Free Disney iPhone App - Wait Times & Maps courtesy of Undercover Tourist. They also have a printable crowd calendar here:

-Jerry

Watch Time Lapse video: Disney's 7 dwarfs mine train built in 30 seconds!

This is neat. Disney's new Seven Dwarfs Mine train rises from nothing in 30 seconds via time lapes photography:





-Katie

Oh this is NEAT! A personalized suitcase with pictures or company logo...

I have got to get us one of these:





Luggage Pro's has a product called the MyFly Bag.

It allows you to customize your very own carry-on suitcase! Whether its pictures from your favorite family vacation or your company logo for corporate gifts or a photo of a favorite pet or loved one, the MyFly Bag guarantees you'll travel in style and have memories that will last a lifetime! AND, it will stand out in the baggage carrousel and be easier to spot amongst all the look alike luggage out there. This custom made suitcase lists for $149.00 with free shipping from their website above!



-Jerry

Travel News: First Online Travel Agency to Offer Flights+Amtrak...

05-13-14 Travel news from Cheapair.com:

CheapAir.com has just become the first online travel agency in the United States to offer both flight and Amtrak railway reservations on a single website. Travelers may now mix and match flight and railway fares to create the most convenient and cost-effective travel itineraries available online.

Now Available: See Amtrak fares in your flight search


If you're heading to Sin City, you can Get $10 off your flight to Las Vegas - This week only!

Renting a scooter for Orlando theme parks

There are miles and miles of theme parks to walk through in Orlando.  Our first year, we tried to do as many parks as possible in 8 days.  Halfway through, we thought our feet were going to fall off. ;-)


If you're traveling with grandparents or those with disabilities it can be quite expensive to rent scooters at the theme parks (think $50 a day plus deposit).
There is a cheaper way though. Sun Mobility will deliver a scooter right to your hotel and pick it up when you're done. They fold up for travel in the trunk of most vehicles and best of all, they start at $65.00 for THREE days! It's a real savings over in park rental.  You can even add a canopy to protect them from the elements (think Florida sun).


-Katie

Falcon's Fury is nearing completion at Busch Gardens Tampa

Busch Gardens Tampa is getting closer to completing Falcon's Fury, the ultimate drop tower, where you will drop 335 feet face down.

Take a look at the testing going on:




Promo "Coming Soon" video:






-Jerry

Hogwarts Express - Behind the Scenes | Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando has also released a behind the scenes segment on the Hogwarts Express.  I think it's going to be amazing (and a bit crowded?) this summer.


-Jerry





-Jerry

Video: A first look at the goblins of Diagon Alley

Universal Orlando has released a bit of video on the animatronic goblins from the new Diagon Alley At Universal Studios.  These will probably be a part of the que for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Bank:





-Jerry

Ihu's Breakaway Falls Now Open at Aquatica Orlando

Newe video is in of the newest water slide in the theme park capital of the world!
Orlando's tallest, steepest and only multi-drop tower slide of its kind is now open at Aquatica, SeaWorld's Waterpark.

You can get huge savings on Aquatica via discount site Best of Orlando. In fact, you can not only get Aquatica, but unlimited visits for 14 days to Aquatica, Universal Studios Orlando, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, AND Wet n Wild with the Olando Flex Ticket.



For just a few dollars more, you can add Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay and receive free roundtrip transportation from Orlando!

It's a great deal: Save over $60 with Orlando Flex Ticket and get 14 days of unlimited admission to Orlando's best theme parks!

Orlando Int'l Airport Page is now NOT under construction.

It's been a busy week. Between putting this blog together, to working on the Facebook page, to getting our studio operational for filming to working on the YouTube channel page and getting our channel trailer shot it's been hard to get all of the pages above serviceable.

Today I've added a page with information about arriving and departing Orlando International Airport (MCO) -HERE.
There are convenient walk throughs with photos so that you'll know where you are and where you need to go once you get there.


I hope you find it helpful.

-Jerry

Here's a FREE Vacation Countdown Timer

Timeanddate.com have a FREE vacation countdown timer that you can customize for you next trip and save as a web bookmark.

Click here to check it out.

When the countdown completes, the airplane will actually take off.

Got a really good deal in my in-box just now from Cruise Direct...

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has a really good deal going for bookings this week if you're sailing with a party of 3 or 4.

7 Night Bermuda Cruise on the Grandeur of the Seas from $399 on CruiseDirect.com. Book Today! AND your third & fourth guests cruise FREE. Plus get up to $400 in on-board credits & more via the direct link above!

Coupon codes for Cheap-o-Air...

Just got this in my email:
Use Promo Code TRAVEL20 & Save up to $20* on all tickets with minimum Two Passengers on CheapOair. Book Now.
And...
Snag Roundtrip Flights UNDER $150. Get up to $15 Off with Code TRAVEL15. BOOK NOW!

Check out our past Florida vacation photo albums on our new Getaway Facebook page.

We've posted many of our past pictures from Florida on our new Facebook page: YouTube's Getaway.

The one good thing about Facebook is that they make it very easy to upload lots of photos (unlike here on blogger). We've got albums on Olrando (multiple years) and our week in Pensacola when we rented a beach house right on the Gulf of Mexico.

Gosh we love Florida ;-)

Here's a video collection of some of our photos I put on a separate YouTube channel of ours a few years ago:

-Jerry

319 days to Orlando!

The countdown is on.  T minus 319 days until we get on an airplane and head for sunny Florida.


I'm chomping at the bit to go ahead and book our flight, but I'm restraining myself.

Most travel agents will tell you that the BEST deals on airfare happen 6-8 weeks prior to the scheduled departure.

So the big question now is, can I hold out that long??  ;-)


-Jerry