Free Disney Vacations

Free Disney vacations keeps popping up all arround me these days so it is a sign I am to blog on it. Now don't get me wrong or think that is impossible to get a free Disney vacation. In fact it is quite real in many ways.

Most fully free Disney vacations are for promotional reasons and covered by some advertiser or a group of advertisers. You will here them on the radio ... for example right now STAR 101.5 in the Seattle area has been playing the comercial that next week March 31st they start giveing away trips for 4 to Disneyland Parks. So calling in when it is time and being the correct caller gets you entered into a hat. This particular promotion gives away several fully paid for family Disney vacations.

Another comercial I have heard lately is for your choice of 2 family vacations one being a trip for 8 fully covered to Walt Disney World. So yes full Disney vacations free is possible .. I will say though chances are slim and youw ill ahve to work at winning. Sure is super FUN though when you do win a free Disney vacation.

Free Disney vacations though you can get your hands on more retally or easier is parts of the travel plans rather then the whole thing. For example a friend of mine in OH got free Disney hotel for his family of 5 covered thus giving them an amazing suprise Disney spring break. Or like some hotels will give you buy one get one free tickets for staying at their hotel. Some sites like my Free Family Vacations site offer a free vacation and many times you wil find a Disny lacation as one of your choices.

Disney too likes to toss in free stuff. Another thing I heard this week is the kids fly free is back for the summer vacations now. Disney also likes to toss in free stuff when you purchase packages from them. Our package for example gave us some free backpacks, suitcase tags, special seeting at events in the parks and a few other great things free for getting the package we chose.

Free Disney vacations do exist and are as real as Tink so keep your eyes and ears open for the whole or part of your next Disney vacation free.

Expect Miracles...
Shane

Rental Cars with Disney Vacations

First off sorry this is a bit long but worth the read I felt...

Nice thing about Disney vacations is you really don't need a rental car. Once you get from the airport to Disney you are set and even Disney has their express from the airport to Disney to make it even easier. However you like us may decide to stay off site or like we did durring our W.D.W. trip we took a day away from Disney in the middle of our trip to break things up and drove to Datona for the day and hit the beach. Or for your other vacations a rental car is quite often needed.

So here you go ... our insurence agents sent a newsletter and this was in our latest issue I felt it worth sharing so you too know the deal when you rent your next car.

Rental-Car Contracts Raise Coverage Stakes

Two revisions in rental-car contracts have significantly increased the renter's portion of the risk. One is an added charge for "diminution in value" whenever a rental car is repaired. The other is "before and after", a method of determining the renter's responsibility when a car is substantially damaged.

Diminution in Value

About five years ago, rental companies began holding the renter liable for a "diminution of value" charge when a rental car was damaged. This charge represents the reduction in a vehicle's market value due to its having been in an accident. When a repaired car is eventually sold, it brings a lower price.

When a renter returns a vehicle in damaged condition, he or she receives one bill for repairs and another for diminution in value. Most auto policies cover most of the repairs but few cover diminution in value. This exclusion was introduced for the personal auto policy in 1999, with one for commercial auto a few years later.

There has also been extensive litigation addressing how coverage applies in the absence of an exclusion. Most courts have found policies do not cover the exposure, so the renter can expect to self-insure for diminution in value. Unfortunately, that's not the end of the story.

Before and After

Diminution in value is a concern when the rental company repairs a damaged vehicle--but today many cars are never repaired. With some types of damage, liability concerns make rental companies reluctant to return a repaired car to the fleet. Instead, they simply sell the damaged car for salvage. They then charge the renter the difference between the market value on the day of rental ( "before") and the amount the car brought at the salvage auction ( "after").

The following language is found in a the contract of a major rental car company: "If the car is damaged, you will pay our estimated repair cost, of if, in our sole discretion, we determine to sell the car in its damaged condition, you will pay the difference between the car's retail fair market value before it was damaged and the sale proceeds."

A recent Michigan example illustrates this practice. The insured rented a Ford Freestar with an estimated market value of $26,500 and brought it back damaged. The cost of repairs, loss of use and the appraisal fee totaled $7,800. The rental company chose not to repair the vehicle but to sell it at a salvage auction, where it brought only $11,700. The renter received a bill for about $14,800, or the difference between the before and after values. The renter's auto policy paid only the estimated repair costs, leaving a balance of almost $7,000. That became the responsibility of the renter--quite a significant self-insured retention.

"Both provision are being added to all rental car contracts," stated Jim Maher of Midwest Car Corp. The company holds a 17-city franchise for two major rental car lines. He added that since the renter has signed a legally binding contract, rental companies have no difficulty collecting.

As these new provisions are activated, the gap between what the renter owes and what his or her insurance will pay has become too wide to ignore.

Isn't some coverage for damage to a rental car included with a credit card? Only some credit cards provide any coverage for a rental car. It's generally excess over the renter's auto policy, and payment is limited to the cost of the repairs. A renter should not expect a credit card company to pay diminution in value or before-and-after charges.

There 's really only once place renters can obtain full coverage and that's through the purchase of the loss damage waiver offered by the rental car companies.

The Loss Damage Waiver

Rental-car companies hold the renter responsible for all damage to the rental car, including an act of God. If a tree totals the rental car during a severe windstorm, the renter is liable. The rental company will waive its right to hold the renter responsible if he or she pays an additional fee and abides by the terms of the waiver. This waiver, which is not insurance, can add between $15 and $30 per day to the cost of the rental.

With the waiver, the renter will not be liable for any damage to the vehicle. He or she will not be charged for repairs to the vehicle, for diminution in value, for before-and after assessments or for loss of use. The renter can walk away from all responsibility for damage to the vehicle as long as he or she has not engaged in any prohibited use.

All rental car waivers have a clause voiding the waiver if the renter improperly operates the vehicle at the time of the accident. Although wording varies, most waivers prohibit reckless or intoxicated use or use off paved roads. There is no coverage if an unauthorized driver uses the vehicle, so handing the keys to a valet parking attendant voids the waiver. Theft of the vehicle is not covered if the keys are left in the car or if the vehicle is unlocked.

Buying the loss damage waiver is the only way to close the significant rental car gap that now exists. A renter must weigh the benefits against the cost. The renter who purchases the waiver should review the prohibited use provisions and avoid engaging in any activity that would void the waiver.

This is an excerpt from an article written by Phyllis Van Wyhe, CPCU, CIC, President of the Van Wyhe Group.


Mark and Stephanie Cunningham

841 Central Ave N, Suite 103 | Kent, WA 98032 | 253-854-7003 | 253-854-7062 Fax

I trust you too see the value in now knowing this too. Now you at least are prepared when they ask do you want aditional insurence?

Expect Miracles...
Shane

Disney Vacations at Wilderness Lodge

I ran into a great video from the travel channel about taking Disney Vacations and staying at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. The girl doing the show was a little nutty but she as I could tel loves Disney Vacations and shared that Disney actually used real timber from Orragon and said the Lodge does really feel like the Pacific North West with just a little emagination. So being from the Pacific North West this is one location my family now has on our list of more Disney Vacation destinations. She also pointed out they have great value rooms and as you can see from this other awesome video there is a cool pool of course and even resident ducks to make you feel like you are in the North West even more. Perhaps like us you too will see value in staying at the Disney Wilderness Lodge too. Enjoy this well done tour of the Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World.

Expect Miracles...
Shane

Official with Disney Vacations Now

I am so excited it is official now I am a graduate of the college of Disney Knowledge ... YIPPY!

Here is the
Press Release

Now that I have graduated planned my own trip in June with my family, and have this blog looking great it is time to get to work ... smiles. Anything I can do to help you plan your Disney vacations please do get with me. Even if it is just for Disney tickets into the parks or for full vacation packages I would love to help. Of course feel free to do it all on your own and start at www.PlanFunVacations.com to plan your own FUN Disney Vacations. Still though when doing it on your own you can ask any questions to help move you along.

I look forward to meeting each of you my readers in some Disney park some day and to many many vacations with the Disney magic as a part of them.

Expect Miracles...
Shane Belceto
PlanFunVacations.com