Timeshare Information

The second in our series on Tips for Visiting Disneyland is "Timing is Everything." Remember to book your budget-friendly, family-friendly, relaxation-friendly Anaheim timeshare after reading these tips:

1. Visit During Off-Season…Believe it or not, Disneyland does have an "off-season" - several, in fact. If you can, plan your Disneyland vacation between the first week in January and President's Day, or between the day after Easter to Memorial Day, or between Labor Day and the end of September.
   
   And remember that anytime during the year the weekdays are less busy than the weekends, especially Wednesdays and Thursdays. Sundays are quieter than Saturdays.


2. Busiest Times Advantages…Disneyland's busiest times are the summer months, and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season. An advantage of visiting during the summer is that the Park stays open later, often until after midnight. Disneyland is a spectacular place at night, lit from top to bottom with millions of lights. Disneyland's late hours also give you time to go back to your air-conditioned timeshare in the heat of the afternoon for a break, and the kids can enjoy a swim in the pool.
   
   Another busy season advantage is the extra shows and parades that are staged when the Park is open late, and the many special activities and events that happen only during the holiday season.


3. Purchase tickets online…You don't want to waste time standing in line at the ticket booth, and pre-purchased multiple-day tickets allow you to enter the Park up to an hour ahead of other folks on some days.


4. Entering the Park…If you won't have the multiple-day ticket "early bird" advantage, plan to get to the main gate at least 30 minutes before it opens to be some of the first to enter. You might manage to get on a couple of rides before the great thrust of visitors arrive for the day. This is also the perfect time to shop along Main Street. The stores open before the Park does and are much less busy at this time. The store clerk can give you instructions on how to store your purchases at the package claim spot near the entrance.


5. Know when these rides are closed…The Haunted Mansion is always closed in late September for its transformation into Haunted Mansion Holiday that begins on Halloween. By the same token it is closed again right after New Year's Day for its change back. It's a Small World closes in early November to get dressed up for its Christmas holiday look, and again closed right after New Year's Day so the decorations can be taken down. Fantasmic! is only open during the summer season, although it may perform on some off-season weekends.

And, when you rent a timeshare for your Disneyland vacation, you know you’ll have 7 fun filled days at the “Happiest Place on Earth”, so, you will have time to see and experience all the fun Disney has to offer the whole family. For more tips, read our previous article: 4 Tips to Know Before You Travel to Disneyland.
And, Where to go if you Need Help While Visiting Disneyland

There is absolutely nothing better than a family fun vacation visiting Disneyland. When you rent an Anaheim timeshare in California, you are assured of comfortable, convenient lodgings at a budget price, and of a magical experience at the "Happiest Place on Earth."

Many families head to Disneyland "on a wing and a prayer," hoping that all will go well. But it's a big, busy, bustling place full of activities, rides, restaurants, sights, sounds, events - an entire whirling world all its own. Although Walt Disney famously stated, "Disneyland is going to be a place where you can't get lost or tired unless you want to," you'll need a good plan to make sure he was right about your family's Disneyland experience. This is the first in our series on Tips for Visiting Disneyland.

Before You Leave Home...

1. Visit Disneyland.com... at least a month prior to your trip to Disneyland, and purchase your tickets online. Waiting in line to buy tickets when you get there is time wasted when you could be in the park! Also make reservations at this time if you plan to eat at the Blue Bayou restaurant, attend a character meal, or take the Tour.
   
   A warning: Disneyland does Not refund or replace lost tickets! Be sure that your tickets are kept safe both at home and while traveling. Always know where they are!


2. When packing…Check Anaheim weather. Be prepared for cool evenings during the winter even if the day is warm. Unless it is a thunder storm with lightening, Disneyland remains open when it's raining. Umbrellas are far too cumbersome. Instead, easy to pack-and-carry cheap, disposable rain ponchos are the best bet.
   
   Usually it will be sunny, and often quite hot. Pack plenty of waterproof sunscreen, hats with strings or tie-ons (you don't want them flying off during a ride), and UV protective sunglasses for the entire family.


3. Making your plan…Print off a Park map and study it. A good strategy of how to get through the Park will optimize your chances of enjoying the rides and events that you're interested in. Also having some idea of how to navigate around Disneyland will prevent wasted time. Circle food vendors on the map. When your kids have reached their limit and need re-fueling, it'll be handy to see at a glance what's close by.



4. A family conference…Sit down with all members of your travel group and discuss the rides. If you have younger children it's a good idea to measure their height at home then check out the list of rides online to see which ones they will be allowed to go on.
   
   Nobody likes to stand in long lines, but the fact is that Disneyland sees over 14 million visitors a year. Disneyland's "FastPass" does shorten your wait a bit. This system will "save" your place in line while you go do something else. Also download and use the easy and inexpensive software "Ridemax," which can shorten your total wait time significantly. Also, consider visiting off season and even mid-week is best for shorter lines.

You’ll be happy to unwind at your timeshare at the end of a busy day! And, since it has all the comforts of home, you can save even more money by cooking a few meals there since eating at the “house of mouse” can cost a pretty penny!

See our next article: On Your Disneyland Vacation, Timing is Everything!
And, Where to go if you Need Help while Visiting Disneyland

When you are planning your family's summer vacation and will be traveling with kids, remember - the Zoo's the thing. What better kid-friendly vacation activity is there than a zoo? Rent a timeshare and give yourself the gift of spending time in these amazing "theme parks." We'll tell you about three of the country's best kid-friendly zoos.

Rent a San Diego timeshare and head to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Its remarkable Children's Zoo has 30 exhibits that range from nurseries for sick or weak baby animals, to a "Petting Paddock" where kids can touch goats and sheep and even miniature horses. "Zany Science Shows" are hosted by Dr. Zoolittle, and at "Bugtown: The Itty Bitty City" your kids can watch waterbugs, diving beetles and katydids in their own natural habitats.

Added fun for the kids in San Diego are interactive boards around the zoo with buttons they can push to hear various sounds the animals make when communicating. If they practice, your kids can be talking just like tigers by the time they're headed home!

There are many wonderful Phoenix timeshares available for rent in Arizona. And the Phoenix Zoo (see photo) is made to order for kids, and the entire family for that matter. For starters check out its Wilderness Experience Night Camp. Jeff Williamson, the zoo's executive director, explains that this is a great family activity. "We invite families to stay lakeside in a private tent, enjoy a grilled dinner with s'mores, learn about nocturnal animals, take a guided hike, and receive advice on how to navigate using the stars."

The Enchanted Forest is a magical exhibit created for kids 5 and younger, and the older kids will have fun exploring the "Forest of Uco," an exhibit designed to replicate a Colombian rainforest.

A New York City timeshare rental will set you up in good shape for a visit to the Bronx Zoo. One of the oldest zoos in the country, the Bronx Zoo was the first to teach students, and today has educational activities for kids from preschoolers to high school seniors. Its teaching materials have been translated into Chinese, Spanish, and African languages, and its curriculum is used in every state in the union and 15 foreign countries. "Our zoo is a living classroom," says Richard Lattis, general director. "Children are constant fountains of knowledge who are going to keep adults headed toward saving wildlife." The zoo's programs are divided into children's group visits, summer camps, and family outings.

To paraphrase Dr. Seuss - when you travel with kids, oh the places you'll go and the fun you'll have! And, there’s always fun at the zoo.

Kids love learning - really they do. And you can continue their learning when school is out and you're on your summer family vacation, by planning the vacation around places where kids can get elbow-deep in great science. When you travel with kids, you might even learn something, too!

It's easy to find a New York City timeshare rental that is budget-friendly. Then head to the New York Hall of Science. Chocked full of kid-friendly activities, your youngsters will love seeing their shadow frozen on a wall, and have fun making their very own kaleidoscope. It all starts by the Magic School Bus. Outside is a huge "science playground" that is open from April through December. Here your excited kids can run all over, finding the obstacle climbs and the mirror paths and the whisper dishes. They can even power a windmill by playing on the swings. And all of the kids will enjoy making their own cheese in a test tube!

When you rent a timeshare in Boston, not only will you have this historic town to explore, but you'll want to take the kids to the Museum of Science. A special program in Discovery Center (see photo) is for kids 8 and younger and offers tot-sized science tools to use, a "geology field station," and they even get to make Slime! All of the kids will enjoy the wonderful butterfly garden, and who wouldn't love a dinosaur dig? They'll see a hatchery where the various stages of chicks, from embryo to pecking out of the shell, are showcased, and a terrific planetarium show geared just for kids will show them starry night skies. A must-see is the Lightening Show, which gets rave reviews even from the staffs of other science centers!

Considered the number one science center for kids in the country is the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California. A timeshare rental here will not only give your kids the chance to ride cable cars and walk along the Golden Gate Bridge, but also to absolutely immerse themselves in over 450 interactive exhibits at the Exploratorium, in a space the size of two football fields. It's a good thing you'll have a timeshare for a week because you're kids will want to keep going back to this amazing place. They'll learn how to make soap bubbles big enough to encase their parents, and have great fun with the "antigravity" mirror that makes them appear to fly. Youngsters 7 and under get to try out the Tactile Dome - in total darkness the kids have to use their hands to "see." At this fun place, even you adults will find exhibits that will make you scratch your head and say, "Huh?" See all San Francisco timeshares.

You've been dreaming of a vacation in the Caribbean - beautiful sunsets, romantic walks along the beach - but you have a family and right now your vacation plans are focused on traveling with kids. Well, guess what? The Caribbean is full of family fun!

Rent a timeshare in kid-friendly Jamaica and discover fun from reggae music dancing to splashing in the crystal waters that surround this lush island. Your kids will delight in a ride with the Chukka Caribbean Adventures' Horseback Ride 'n Swim Tour, near Montego Bay. Led by a guide, the kids will ride through rainforests and end up on a beach with a ride through the surf! Taking kids ages 7 and up, the Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours have downhill routes past waterfalls and with spectacular views of Jamaica's coastline.

We've mentioned in a couple of other articles about Jamaica's "Meet the People" program, and this is a perfect way to introduce your kids to the island's rich culture. Sign up and you'll be invited into the home of a volunteer family where you'll share a meal. Choose a family with kids the same age as yours, and life-long friendships could be in the making.

A timeshare rental vacation on the Caribbean's lush green island of St. Lucia offers the kids a chance to journey into a Tarzan-like jungle. Your teens will especially enjoy a jungle trek with the Jeep Safari adventures. Take the kids to the Fond Latisab Creaole Park where there are hands-on activities just for kids to teach them about the exciting St. Lucian culture. And don't miss Mount Soufriere. Billed as the world's only "drive in" volcano, you can actually drive the kids up to the rim, and even walk among its bubbling sulphur pools.

You won't need to get passports for your family members when you vacation in a Puerto Rican timeshare rental. As a commonwealth of the U.S., Puerto Rico also uses American currency, and most of its citizens speak English. The family-oriented culture of Puerto Rico ensures that there will be lots of kid-friendly things to do. For example, follow the locals to family-fun Luquillo Beach, that has reef-protected water perfect for even the little tykes.

For some great exploring, take the kids hiking through part of the El Yunque rainforest (see photo) where they'll see such wonders as endangered green parrots and pretty little tree frogs. More great exploring can be found underground when you take the kids on a guided tour through the Rio Camuy Caves. And what kid wouldn't love exploring the tunnels and turrets of the six-level 16th century El Morro fortress?

When you travel with kids you'll discover what a kid-friendly vacation destination the Caribbean can be! See all Caribbean timeshares.

The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day (can you believe it?) is April 22, 2010. Founded in 1970 by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in, it is now celebrated annually through-out the world as a way to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. Nearly 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day celebration and in the decades since, Earth Day has spread across the globe with thousands of events in more than 180 countries.

Of course, Earth Day is just the event that triggers the awareness that "earth day" should be celebrated 365 days a year. With that in mind, when you plan your next family timeshare vacation, know that there are a number of timeshare resorts that are "going green." In fact, the state of Florida has created the Florida Green Lodging program under the auspices of its Department of Environmental Protection.

Launched in 2004, this program establishes environmental guidelines for hotels to conserve natural resources and prevent pollution. "To become a designated member of the voluntary program, lodging facilities adopt cost-saving green practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality and reduce waste," explains Florida's DEP director, DeDeas Bohn.

You and your family can support the messages of Earth Day by choosing Florida timeshares at the resorts that have been certified by the Florida Green Lodging Program. In Panama City you can enjoy "The Most Beautiful Beach in the World" and rent a timeshare at Marriott's Legends Edge at Bay Point resort. The powdery sand beaches and NASCAR can all be enjoyed in Daytona Beach, and you can "go green" by staying at the Daytona Beach SeaBreeze Resort.

In Key West rent a timeshare at either the Banyan Resort or the Coconut Beach Resort, both voluntary members of Florida's program. And on beautiful Marco Island it's Marriott's Crystal Shores.

Orlando timeshare resorts are definitely in the swing of "going green." Two Orlando resorts that are certified by the program are the luxury Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort, and the family-friendly Sheraton Vistana Resort.

Of course you'd have to know that Disney would be involved with the Florida Green Lodging Program, cheering all the way. Every one of the Disney timeshares in Florida is certified. Whether you rent a timeshare at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Boardwalk, or any of the other themed resorts at Walt Disney World, you'll know that you are supporting a company that supports the worth and beauty of our planet, Earth.

Summer family vacation time will soon be upon us. And yes, even in our current economic atmosphere you can still find ways to have a wonderful time on vacation with your kids, bonding and creating memories together.

The trick is to find budget-friendly vacation destinations. One of the most inexpensive ways for a family to vacation is by renting a timeshare. The cost per person is usually much lower than hotel rooms - often you can sleep a group for what would be the price of one or two in other types of lodgings. Along with bedrooms a timeshare also gives you living space, and best of all, a kitchen. You'll find huge vacation savings when you don't have to eat out for every meal with your children.

Finding fun vacation activities for the entire family is also easy to do. Check on the internet for sites that offer suggestions for kid-friendly timeshares where the resorts offer kids clubs, pools and family oriented activities right on their property. Sites such as trekaroo.com also give invaluable reviews of resorts, museums, theme parks, and all kinds of activities and events that would be things you might want to incorporate into your family vacation planning.

The reviews on Trekaroo are by parents who have "been there, done that" with their kids, and want to help you in being able to do the same with your kids. When you travel with kids there are pitfalls that you'll want to avoid, and great kid-friendly "must-do" activities you'll want to experience. Those who have gone before you can offer suggestions, ideas and tips on how to avoid the one and embrace the other.

After your terrific family vacation this summer why not consider adding your two cents worth to the kid-friendly vacation community? Go online and let other parents know what you thought about your timeshare, the resort, and the activities and events that your family spent time together doing. Kids travel is an incredible experience everyone can enjoy over and over again.

(Photo compliments of Trekaroo.com)