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Latest Shades of Green Package for 2010

Apr 3rd, 2010
by Steve.
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Shades of Green is offering a new three-night package, here’s the details:

It’s called the Spring Special

• $289.00 based on double occupancy
• 3 Night Room Accommodations
• 3 Breakfast Buffet at the Garden Gallery
• Children 9 and under free

Regular 3-night prices (No Breakfast)
Category 1 – $285.00
Category 2 – $369.00
Category 3 – $393.00

Please call Shades of Green Reservations at (888) 593-2242

*Additional guests 10 and over $10.00
*Standard Rooms
*Only Valid March 21st -May 23rd, 2010 (blackout dates apply)
*Restrictions apply (can not be combined with any other specials, packages or promotions), please call for further details.

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Universal Orlando’s 2010 Military Salute Drawing To A Close

Mar 7th, 2010
by Steve.
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DisneyStore.com


If you’re going to take advantage of Universal’s Military Salute you need to act quickly. These tickets need to be activated by 26 March and they expire on the 30th.

Universal’s Military Vacation Packages continue through 23 December and include admission tickets.

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Posted in: Universal Military Discounts.
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When is the best time to go to Walt Disney World

Feb 20th, 2010
by Steve.
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Checks In The Mail�- Disney Checks, Labels & More!

One of the questions I’m asked most often is “When is the best time to go to Walt Disney World?”. Well there’s a short answer and a long answer.

The short answer is: When the kids are in school.

The long answer is that years ago when I worked there it was much easier to predict. Spring Break and Summer were bad times to go, any time else was good. Sunday through Wednesday were the best days of the week, Thursday through Saturday were busier.

But now thats changed so much. The best times to go are getting fewer and fewer and traditional vacation times have morphed. Plus Disney actively tries to get people to come in slower times to even the attendance and cash flow.

Recently I ran across a great site which has a super planning tool called: The Disney World Week Picker App. It helps you select the best time to go to Disney World for your family. It’s located on the The Walt Disney World Instruction Manual web site.

By answering a series of questions you’re guided to picking the best times to go based on your likes and dislikes.

The Week Picker App is located here.

There is also page listing 2010 Weeks to Visit Walt Disney World, Ranked in Order.

The main focus of this site is for first time visitors to WDW but there’s a vast amount of info for everyone. Take some time and look it over!

The Walt Disney World Instruction Manual – yourfirstvisit.net

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Posted in: Disney Military Discounts.
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Universal Orlando Offers Military Vacation Packages For 2010

Feb 1st, 2010
by Steve.
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As part of their Military Salute Offer Universal Orlando has created vacation packages available at discounted rates for the military.

Here is what their offer includes:

EXCLUSIVE MILITARY 4-Day/3-Night Getaways starting at only $217* per adult
• 3-Night accommodations at a Universal Partner Hotel
• 2-Day Base Ticket^ to both Universal Orlando theme parks – one theme park, per day
• Access to the live entertainment^^ at Universal CityWalk®
• PLUS, Early Park Admission† to experience some of Islands of Adventure’s most popular attractions before the rest of the general public!

Upgrade to one of three AAA Four-Diamond On-Site Hotels and SKIP THE REGULAR LINES^^^ for FREE!
EXCLUSIVE MILITARY 4-Day/3-Night On-Site Hotel Getaways starting at $493 per adult!

Create your own vacation package and SAVE UP TO 40% on:

• Hotel Stays
• Rental Cars
• And much more!

To book your vacation call 1-888-340-4614

Universal Orlando has also extended their Military Salute for 2010 until 26 March.

For full details click: Universal Military Vacation Package details

Universal’s web site

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Haiti Relief

Jan 22nd, 2010
by Steve.
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Well I’m just back from a week in D.C. I was at FEMA Headquarters coordinating DoD Search and Rescue efforts with our civilian partners. The Haiti telethon is on TV now and I just wanted to say that this is going to be a long effort to rebuild. It could even end up better than before.

If you can donate something, there are so many ways! Pick the one you like best. Here are some that I’ve seen:

Text Haiti to 90999, this sends $10 to the Red Cross (charged to your phone bill)
Make a donation through iTunes “It’s as easy as buying a song”
Donate your Holiday Inn Priority Club Points
The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
I even had a link on my Tivo to donate

These are just a couple that I’ve seen from companies that I do business with. I’m sure you’ve seen more!

Take a moment and give what you can!

FEMA’s Website
AFNORTH’s Haiti Website

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Disney Extends It’s Military Salute for 2010

Dec 21st, 2009
by Steve.
26 comments

Great news from Disney, they have renewed their Military Salute Discount for dates in 2010!

Starting 3 January until 31 July 2010 U.S. Military Members* can purchase up to six 4-Day Base Tickets for $99 per ticket, plus tax. These tickets can be used by the military member, family members, or friends. The tickets are valid for use through 30 September 2010. There are blockout dates during which the tickets are not valid. The blockout dates are: 27 March – 9 April 2010 at all four theme parks, and 3-4 July  2010 at Magic Kingdom only.

These tickets do not include either the Park Hopper or Water Park Fun & More options, but they can be upgraded to add either option, or both, for an additional $25, plus tax, per option.

Starting 3 January 2010 you can purchase your tickets at Your base’s Ticket/Travel Office, Shades of Green, or Disney Theme Park main entrance ticket windows. If you purchase at your base or Shades of Green you’ll save paying the tax. Tickets purchased at your base or Shades of Green need to be taken to a Disney Theme Park main entrance ticket window to be exchanged for the actual ticket.

There’s been no indication yet if there will also be a Military Room Discount like the 40% one offered in 2009. Also still no word from Universal Orlando on if they’ll offer a Military Salute like they did in 2009.

Our great friends at Anheuser-Busch are again offering their Here’s to the Heros Salute for 2010. They offer free admission to Sea World Orlando, Tampa’s Bush Gardens, or other Busch Parks for the Military Member and up to 3 dependents.

*Disney Military Salute restrictions:

    Tickets are for active and retired US Military including Coast Guard and active members of the Reserves or National Guard, and permanently disabled veterans with a valid military ID card.If the service member is not present, the spouse or unremarried widow may purchase up to five tickets during the validity period.

    The tickets may be upgraded to Seasonal (for Florida Residents) or Annual Passes, with credit toward the upgrade based on the actual price paid.

    No Expiration Option cannot be added to these tickets. No other upgrades, such as adding additional days, will be available.

    Tickets must be used by the same person on any and all days.

    This offer may not be combined with any other offer.

Disney Military Salute Comes To An End

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Three New Military Discount Packages for 2010 at Shades of Green

Nov 29th, 2009
by Steve.
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Check the main site for the latest info on military discounted room packages available at Shades of Green for early 2010.

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Shades of Green New Year’s Eve Masquerade

Nov 29th, 2009
by Steve.
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Lake Buena Vista FL, Today Shades of Green announced information on their New Years Eave Celebration: “The Masquerade”. Info from their news letter follows…

Join us for a night of mayhem and mystery at our 6th annual New Year’s Eve Celebration at Shades of Green.  Take a step back to the ‘20s when gangsters ruled the streets, and swing ruled the dance floor.  Don a mask or have one painted on, anything goes in our black & white Masquerade!

The festivities will begin at 9:00 pm, please come early and enjoy a cocktail hour at 8:00 pm.  Then enter the ballroom to welcome in the New Year dancing to your favorite music while the DJ plays disco, modern rock, R&B, country, and more. Enjoy stilt walkers, a cash bar, face painting, a Best Mask contest, and cap the evening off with a champagne toast and a live feed to New York City’s ball drop at the stroke of midnight.  Entrance is

$15.00 per adult
$7.00 for children (ages 4-14)
and includes
Champagne Toast
Entertainment for adults and children
Party Favors

VIP Area is also available for $39.00 per person.  The VIP Package includes an exclusive area with guaranteed seating, dinner buffet, and souvenir VIP pass.  It’s perfect for groups wishing to have a social setting amidst the revelry!  VIP package availability is limited, secure your reservations early.

A best mask contest will be conducted for individuals who wish to create their own mask to wear to the party.  Entry into the contest will take place during the cocktail reception hour, with voting at 9:30 pm in the ballroom.  Dare to stand out and win entrance for you and up to 5 guests into the VIP area for the night!

For more information please call the New Years Eve Hotline at 407-824-6529.  For tickets and reservations, leave your name and number on the hotline and we will return your call within 72 hours.  This is not a sit down event, so seating will be limited.
**Reservations for general admission do not guarantee a seat.**

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Disney Extends Military Room Discount

Nov 22nd, 2009
by Steve.
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There’s been lots of speculation as to whether Disney would extend the Military Salute into 2010. Still no official word out of Disney but they did just extend the 40% room Discount from the 23 December cut off until 31 December. Disney resort bookings were up for the fourth quarter according to Amy at Ears of Experience, but she’s hopeful that the room discount extension is a good sign.

If you have Disney World hotel reservations for between 23 and 31 December give Amy a call to see if she can rebook you for the lower Military Salute rate. Or if you’ve been holding off nows the time to get a super discount for the Christmas holiday season. As always mention you heard about Ears of Experience here.

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Great Artwork at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

Oct 25th, 2009
by Steve.
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One of the great things about the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is that while you are enjoying strolling around the world showcase enjoying the great food, wine, and beers not only do you get to see the great sites of the countries around the World Showcase you also get the chance to see the works of some very talented venders. My wife and I have been going to the Food and Wine Fest since 2003 and we’ve enjoyed getting to see the works of and meet some very talented artists.

In 2003 Our very first time at the Food and Wine Fest we met and fell in love with the work of Heather French. Heather is a very talented artist who that year was selected to do the promotional poster for the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. We met her late one evening towards the rear of the World Showcase. We just fell in love with the great painting she’d done for the festival and bought a print, it has hung in our dining room ever since. We had such a great time talking to Heather, my wife Tracy is an artist too so they had a lot in common.

Each year that we go to the Food and Wine Fest we look forward to seeing what Heather has on display. This year was no exception, we had a nice chat with Heather and walked away with a cool print of a black cat looking at a martini with an olive floating in it.

This year we met another great Heather. Her name is Heather Swanepoel and she has a booth set up for her Rinse Bath and Body Co. in the Festival Welcome Center in the former Wonders of Life Pavilion. We always head to the Festival Welcome Center first each year. We love to see what new merchandise and artwork is available. Well while we were looking around we found Heather’s booth and we just loved her products. Heather makes handmade soaps and body products, she had so many great smelling items. We bought quite a few bars of soap including the merlot soap which was one of the wine soaps she’d made for the festival. We’ve been using her soaps since we got home and absolutely love them, they’re all natural and smell great.

We were chatting with Heather Swanepoel about the great opertunities for artists at the Food and Wine Festival and mentioned that we’d just seen Heather French, who we’d known for years and Heather said that to only reason that she was able to be at the Food and Wine Festival this year was because of Heather French. They’d met and one artist helped another, so cool.

This year we went at the start of the Food and Wine Fest but we usually go the last weekend that it’s running in November so that we can also go the Disney’s Festival of the Masters. The Festival of the Masters is a great art show held at Downtown Disney around the Veterans Day weekend each year. Artists from all over come to display and sell their work. It is awesome!

I hope Disney keeps up the tradition of bringing inspiring art work to EPCOT and Downtown Disney, the artwork at the Food and Wine Festival was dwindled over the years. It’s one of the reasons we love to come to WDW at that time of year.

Heather French’s Site

Heather Swanepoel’s Rinse Bath and Body Co. Site

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Posted in: EPCOT Food and Wine.
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