Cheapfares Blog

You dont want a trip to Disney that was carefully plannedon a budget after a review of cheaptravel options, such as cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap vacation packages toend up costing more than expected because food is so expensive at the park.

The following are insider tips for navigating the parksfood scene that wont cost you a fortune, including how to select the rightrestaurants, dine at the right times, and take advantage of special offers thatfew park-goers know about, according to Ashley Dickey:

Makeyour character meal a morning/breakfast experience. Breakfast is the cheapest time of day to eatat Disney World Orlando. Destinationsincluding Winne the Pooh and Friends at Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom) andDonald Ducks Safari Breakfast (Animal Kingdom) offer memory makingexperiences while saving 35 percent per person. The food at both buffets is top notch. By eating plenty at breakfast you can eat light (i.e., save money) atlunch.

Bringyour own snacks and water. Park munchiescan add up quickly. Pack snacks such asgranola bars, fruit gummies, and crackers to keep the family satisfied. Splurge on a few Disney-themed snacks, suchas the unique pineapple flavored soft serve Dole Whip dessert, but avoidpurchasing multiple expensive Disney bites throughout your day. Instead of paying $3 per bottle of water, bringa refillable water bottle.

Make areservation at a full-service restaurant for lunch. Full-service, sit down restaurants are someof the best Disney World dining experiences, but they are not cheap. Instead of eating a Disney dinner, reserveyour meal for lunch. By doing this youwill be able to save about 20 percent compared with the evening and the restaurantsare less crowded. Another plus is thatit is easier to make a lunch reservation, which allows for greater flexibilityfor the rest of your day at the park.

Eat atDowntown Disney where visitors can realize the biggest savings on food. Take one of the Disney World buses and arrivein less than 15 minutes. Earl ofSandwich and Wolfgang Puck Express are two top picks for delicious food ataffordable prices. Also check outDowntown Disney food trucks.

Ordersmart. Adults can order from the kidsmenu at quick service restaurants. Oftenthe meals are virtually the same as regular options which means you will not belimited to chicken fingers and grilled cheese. Another money saving option is ordering a large platter to share. Tangierine Caf (Epcot) and Flame TreeBarbecue (Animal Kingdom) are two cafes with shareable-sized meals. Most counter service meals come with sideitems included in the price. If youdont want to pay extra for the sides, then request an entre only price.

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Dont make the all too common mistake that you are ready todepart after researching available cheaptravel options such as cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages. Today there are valuable apps that will helpmake your flight more efficient, less stressful, and a little more fun.

The following flight apps are recommended by Allison Michael:

Makecertain you load your airlines app since it will allow you to review yourreservation, check in, and have a mobile boarding pass. This means you will have one less thing toprint out and one less piece of paper to worry about misplacing. Most airline apps also show a seat map andsome help users manage their mileage and reward points.

JetBlues app sends check-in reminders andreal time updates regarding flight delays or changes. It also displays the movies and TV shows thatwill be available on your flight. Uniteds app enables customers to access upgrade and standby lists andshare their reservations, if desired, with their preferred social network.

TripCaseis an ideal app if you want to easily find your flight, hotel and carreservations. It enables users toorganize all of their reservations in a single place and share your itinerary,if desired, with family and friends. Italso alerts them to travel plan changes and delays. All you have to do is forward your onlinereservation emails to TripCase and you are all set.

FlightStatsprovides exact takeoff and landing times as well as the actual in flightlocations of planes and of every other plane en route around the world. This app provides access to flight statusinformation by flight number, airport or route. This apps maps are based on a planes actual route.

GateGuruis an app that provides worldwide airport guides to restaurants, cafes, shops,and free Wi-Fi. Ratings and reviews areprovided to help make better informed decision of where to go. This app shows estimated airport security checklane wait times as well as takeoff and arrival information.

LoungeBuddyprovides insight into airport lounges. Users can view the hours, check out photos, reviews, and bookaccess. Lounges can be filtered bylocation, amenities (such as Wi-Fi, showers, spa services) and guestprivileges. Over 2,000 lounges arefeatured.

SOARis an indispensable app for nervous fliers. SOAR was developed by an airline captain and a licensed therapist, anduses cognitive behavioral techniques to ease flier anxiety. The app comes with a G-force meter whichmeasures the current G-force of the plane and offers a reassuring explanationthat turbulence is not a safety issue. The app also provides a turbulence forecast so fliers can anticipatebumps as well as other general weather information.

Duolingoteaches users a few useful phrases in foreign languages. Even if you will not be traveling out of thecountry, you can quickly pick up some basics and stretch your mind whileflying. Duolingos simple fonts andicons make learning a language easy. Every lesson builds on the last, focusing on speaking, listening andtranslation. The app keeps track of howthe user is advancing and how often he or she is practicing. Up to 16 languages can be learned.

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For many people it is far easier to find cheap traveloptions, such as cheapairplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, cheapdeals, and cheap vacation packages thenit is to speak the local language at an overseas destination.

The following is how to communicate effective when you donot speak the native tongue, according to Lynn Addison:

Learna few words and/or phrases spoken at your destination prior to departing suchas hello, goodbye, please, thank you, help, Im lost, and do you speak English?

Facialexpressions can be used to communicate quite effectively at times. You can often find help by looking quizzical,confused, worried, or that you are friendly and open. Almost everyone appreciates a smile. However, you should be aware that Americanstend to smile more than people of some other nationalities. A smile of greeting is less likely to bereciprocated in Germany, Japan, or Russia.

Usingyour head can often help you to express yourself. Nodding generally means yes, while shakingyour head means no. However, you shoulddo a little research about your destination prior to departing because somelocals interpret head movements differently. In Bulgaria nodding and shaking your head mean the opposite of what itmeans in the U.S.

Gesturingwith your hands, such as pointing, can be effective. Keep in mind though that almost everyhand/finger movement is likely to offend someone somewhere. Ideally avoid using any single fingergestures and point with your whole hand. The meaning of hand signs varies widely between countries. A thumb and forefinger A-OK gesture in aFrench restaurant means that you have assigned a scored of zero to a meal. Likewise, a thumbs up is a rude gesture inAustralia, Greece, and the Middle East.

Ifyour hand/finger gestures are misunderstood, use the namaste gesture: press your hands together with your fingerspointing upward and your thumbs close to your chest, and bow your headslightly. Almost everywhere this gestureis a sign of peace and respect.

Carrypaper and a pen since sketches can be a very effective way to communicate. Also a local person can use your notepad towrite or draw a map.

Travel with a paper map in the locallanguage because it is often easier to look at with someone else than a map onyour phone. Hotel front desks usuallyhave free maps available and will trace your desired route on a map. Ask your hotel employee to write down namesand addresses of where you want to go so that you can show them to a taxidriver or a local when asking for directions. Make certain that you carry your hotels business card in the locallanguage.

Checkouttranslation apps that you can use on your cell phone. Some are free, while other cost $2 orless. Apps created for a specificlanguage allow the user to tap a phrase and hear it spoken by locals. Some apps will translate your written wordsinto the local language and will translate what another person says intoEnglish. Google Translate is verypopular and is available to handle 50 languages.

Useyour cell phone to take pictures of intersections, buildings, signs, and otherthings that act as landmarks along your patch so that you can retrace yoursteps with photos.

Useyour imagination and look for people who are interested in practicing theirEnglish with you. You can often findsuch people while browsing in bookstores, walking through a university campus,or even by sitting down in a coffee shop and starting a conversation with asmile or question.

Checkout websites that encourage interaction with locals via casual sightseeingtours, meals, shopping and other experiences. The Global Greeter Network is where local tourism boards matchtourists with volunteers who take visitors around. Other website worth looking into includeTours By Locals and Vayable.

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Once you have completed your homework and researched theavailable cheap traveloptions, including cheapairplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, youshould be proactive in reserving comfortable seats on your upcoming flights.

The following are strategies as to how to fly in greatercomfort, according to airfarewatchdog:

Dontpay more for premium economy seats when flying with American, Delta, orUnited and their websites tell you that only the more expensive premium economyseats are available. This does not meanthat you will not eventually get a seat assignment. If all of the cheap seats are taken, you willbe assigned a premium-economy seat when you check in. Try calling your airline directly to see ifthey will give you a seat assignment.

Watchand ask for cheap last-minute upgrades. Although the best seats on a plane are in business and/or first class,they tend to cost many times the price of an economy seat. However last-minute upgrades are oftenoffered when checking in online, at airport kiosks, or even at the gate. Remember even if you are not offered adiscounted upgrade, ask with a wide smile on your face when you check in.

Do notassume that all business and first-class seats are prohibitivelyexpensive. There are frequentlynonrefundable business and first-class fares priced slightly higher thaneconomy and often priced the same as refundable coach fares.

Use awebsite called SeatGuru to find a better seat. This site provides seat maps for almost allairlines and plane types. Given that notall seats are created equal, SeatGuru can tell you which plane types, airlines,and seats might have more legroom or be otherwise more desirable.

Enjoymaximum legroom in economy by flying JetBlue. JetBlues A320/A321 aircraft seat rows are spaced a minimum of 33 to 34apart in coach, compared to 31 to 32 on some airlines. JetBlues Even More Space seats range from37 to 41 apart.

Insteadof using miles for economy class tickets, upgrade the cheapest economy-classfare to business or first. Think aboutspending 25,000 miles on a $250 coach fare or 15,000 miles to upgrade a $139coach fare to a $2,500 business class fare. Earn miles by applying for airlineaffiliated credit cards with 40,000, or more, sign up bonus-mile offers. Remember to never purchase anything onlinewithout checking the bonus-mile offers on airlines shopping malls.

Byflying on a Tuesday or Wednesday, when fewer people travel, there is a greaterchance that the middle seat next to you will be open.

Fly ona newer plane. While new planes will notnecessarily come with more legroom, they will have better in-flightentertainment, better power-port options, and other benefits.

ConsiderUniteds Economy Plus annual subscription. For $499 per year, subscribers are given unlimited domestic upgrades toUniteds extra legroom seating if such a seat is available at the time ofbooking. For an additional $200, you aregiven global access to Economy Plus.

Sometimesit pays to secure an advance seat assignment. If you will be flying with an airline that allows its passengers whopaid the lowest prices to only request specific seat assignment 24 hours beforedeparture, or only at check in at the airport, then it may makes sense to you topay more to avoid being assigned a middle seat.www.cheapfares.com

After finalizing your travel plans after a thorough reviewof cheap traveloptions including cheap airplanetickets, discount hotel rooms, cheapdeals, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages youno longer have to assume that your family will be eating junk food if theyarrive at the airport hungry.

The following are healthy snacks that Cristine Sarkis foundat multiple airport kiosks, cafes, and restaurants:

Fruit,including apples, oranges, and bananas are readily available as are cut upversions of pineapple and watermelon. Fruits make good snack options because they are lower in fat, sodium,and calories than most traditional airport foods. Fruit also provides a good source ofimportant, but often under consumed nutrients such as potassium and folate, andcontains fiber which helps reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type2 diabetes.

Wateris a preferred alternative to sodas, sports drinks and juices. Water helps people maintain a proper balanceof bodily fluids, energizes muscles, keeps skin looking healthy, and helps withdigestion. Water is also preferred toother drinks for what it does not contain; namely, sugar, calories, andpreservatives commonly found in sodas and juices.

Yogurthas become popular at many airports. Atthe San Francisco International airport there is a yogurt parfait bar wheretravelers can add toppings such as fruit and nuts. This snack is perfect for travelers on the gogiven that it is portable, easy to eat, and relatively healthy. Yogurt provides protein, calcium, potassium,magnesium, and vitamins, as well as probiotics which aid digestion. Studies have found that yogurt helps peoplefeel fuller than other foods with similar calorie counts. Before selecting which yogurt to eat, checkout its fat and sugar content which varies significantly between brands, types,and flavors.

Oatmealsappeal has grown dramatically because it can now be found in flavorful,appealing textures and topped with dried fruits and sprinkled with brown sugaror nuts. Oatmeal has become a mainstayon Starbucks menus. This food packs anutritional punch and comes with blood sugar stabilizing properties.

Nutsprovide an attractive alternative to greasy potato chips. They provide a protein boost that helps keephunger in check while traveling and are easy to pack in a carry-on and eatalong the way. Note, for nuts to behealthy they need to be either unsalted, or lightly salted, and consumed inmoderation.

Hummusis increasingly available at airports and in many airlines in flight snackboxes. This foods ingredients usuallyinclude chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic and olive which means this food comeswith calcium, iron, and vitamins.

Saladsare a staple at many airports. As longas you go easy on the dressing and avoid super indulgent toppings such as baconand rich cheese, salads are much healthier than airport junk foods.

Bakedgoods, so long as they are low fat and whole grain can be very healthy. Depending on the types of breakfast sandwich,they sometimes come with fewer calories and more protein than muffin or sconealternatives. Starbucks displays thecalories of its foods and offer many healthy baked foods.

Sandwichescan be healthy when you opt for whole wheat bread and lean meat such as turkeyor chicken. Pass on mayonnaise heavyfillings such as tuna or chicken salad. Make a point to add plenty of fresh vegetables to your sandwich insteadof cheese or bacon.

There are several ways to make a trip to a fast foodcounter healthier:

Mostchains have nutritional information available either on signs or if youask. A quick scan of calorie and fat contentcan help you select the healthiest food.

Lookfor grilled instead of fried options.

Do notsupersize your food, unless it is water.

Passon soda and fries and look for fresh sides such as salad or fruit.www.cheapfares.com

After planning an affordable vacation by thoroughlyreviewing your cheaptravel options, including cheap airplane tickets, and cheap vacation packages, thelast thing you want to have to deal with while flying is getting sick on theplane.

Some people assume that a big comfy seat in first class isthe best way to stay healthy based on the assumption that comfort is the bestantidote to discomfort. In fact this isnot the case.

Ironically a first class seat is as likely to exacerbatemotion sickness as a coach seat at the very rear of the plane. The most stomach smoothing seats, from anairsickness perspective, are those that minimize nausea inducingturbulence. These seats are the onesdirectly over the wing, in the middle of the plane, because they pitch lesswhen a plane flies through rough air.

Remember if you are prone to airsickness to reserve a seatover the wings. Given that the center ofmost plans is populated with coach class seats, this also ties in nicely with acost conscious approach to air travel.

Travelers who do not suffer from claustrophobia shouldreserve a window seat. Focusing on thehorizon has been known to help mitigate airsickness.

Other suggestions as to how to fly more comfortably,according to Tim Winship, include:

Do noteat heavy, greasy meals prior to departure.

Do notdrink liquor before or while in the air.

Avoidreading or other activities that necessitate close-up vision.

Turnon air vents to keep air flowing.

Dramamineand other medications for motion sickness are available over the counter.

Morepowerful motion sickness medications can be obtained with a doctorsprescription.

Ifprone to airsickness, keep a barf bag within easy reach as a last resort.

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After first planning an affordable trip by checking out cheap traveloptions, such as cheapairplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap vacation packages, youshould pause for a moment and consider what it takes to be a good traveler.

The following are simple rules for being a good traveler,according to Caroline Morse:

Make apoint of being nice to everyone instead of giving into the temptation to takeout your stress on the nearest person. While you might want to scream at a gate agent after being bumped off aplane, remember that you are dealing with an actual person, not just a soullessrepresentative of a corporation. Treateveryone nice, be it a waiter or a bellhop.

Observeanimals without disturbing them especially if you are visiting them in theirnatural habitat. Do not annoy wildlifein an attempt to get a perfect selfie. Dont bang on the glass at zoos or dangle things in animals cages foryour own entertainment.

Bepatient when traveling. At times youwill experience people in front of you walking slowly, airport security linesthat are long and full of slow movers, and lots of other challenges. Take a breath. Remember that you are fortunate enough to getto travel and that you will likely get wherever you are going eventually. Angry sighs, pushing, or yelling never improvea frustrating situation.

Dressappropriately for your destination whether than means dressing more modestlythan you would at home or upping your outfit game from your usual workoutgear. Adjusting your wardrobe to matchyour destination shows respect.

Betolerant of others than you meet. One ofthe best parts of travel is meeting people who are different than you. Do not be quick to judge others when youinteract with people who have different values, viewpoints, or ways of lifethan you. Regard such interaction aslearning experiences rather than a chance to debate.

Make apoint of learning the local etiquette such as whether it is expected oroffensive to leave a tip and how to behave in certain social situations. A little research on etiquette relatedquestions before your departure will make you feel more comfortable as well aseveryone else around you.

Do notmake people an unwitting attraction. Bepolite and ask people for their permission prior to taking any photos of them.

Learn basic phrases if you will be traveling to a country where the local language is different from yours. Learn simple phrases such as hello and thank you in the local tongue. This is a much more polite way of introducing yourself than assuming that they speak your language. www.cheapfares.com

If planning an affordable trip via reviewing cheap traveloptions, such as cheapairplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap vacation packages isimportant to you, then the last thing you want to do is have to pay for anoverweight bag at the airport when you check your bag.

Given that overweight checked bags can cost $100 in fees ormore, what would you think if you could weigh your bag simply by lifting it offof the ground?

An electronic scale is integrated into Raden bags. All you need to do is open the Raden app onyour iPhone and wait for a reading. Notonly is this bag very chic, it comes with a built-in phone charger that can beremoved from the case and used on the go, and Bluetooth technology that allowsit to communicate with smart phones and provide location information.

If you plug your flight information into the Raden App, itwill tell you how long it is going to take to get to the airport, how long thesecurity line will be when you get there, and what the weather is like at yourdestination.

Its app can alert you via Bluetooth when your bag is comingdown the carousel.

Radens goal is to create an empathic luggage brand; onethat is chic, practical, and accounts for users tech-centered lives.

Radens 22-inch carry-on is made out of durable Makrolonpolycarbonate and weighs just 7.5 lbs. Inside the bag is a removable compact battery with two ports that areaccessible from outside of the bag. Thebattery provides about five full phone charges on average.

Its suitcases are sold in two sizesa carry-on ($295) andchecked bag ($395), or $595 for bothand come in seven colors.

Raden is not the first company to introduce smartluggage. Competitor Bluesmart got itsstart with an Indiegogo campaign in 2014 and shipped 10,000 presold carry-onsin August 2015. Its bag comes with manyof the same features as Raden.

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While cheaptravel options are readily available, including cheap airplane tickets, and cheap vacation packages,often the best travel tips can be found from AARP members who finally have thetime on their hands to really travel and often can provide invaluable insight.

The following are travel tips gathered recently from over23,000 AARP members:

Considervisiting someplace local that you have yet to explore. Alternatively, make a point to see the sightsin your own hometown.

Beforedeparting pack your own comfortable pillows.

Efficientways to pack include rolling your clothing to fit more in your suitcase,organizing your clothes in Ziplock bags to make it easier to find them at yourdestination, packing old clothes that can either be discarded or donated duringyour travels.

Thebiggest mistake you can make on a trip is to plan to do too much. Do not try to follow a strict schedule. Spur of the moment activities often result inyour fondest memories.

Whentrying to decide where to eat out ask locals for restaurant recommendations andbe open to trying food from other than national chains. Cruise eating can be fun because you have theopportunity to try different dishes and if you do not like what you ordered,you can always order something else at no additional cost.

Whendriving use cruise control as much as possible unless there are bad weatherconditions. The natural tendency todrive faster uses more fuel, and often does not get you there that much earlier. It also risks a ticket and does not let youenjoy the scenery.

Getoff big highways and try local roads. You never know what you may find. Stop at welcome centers when you enter a new state. They have hotel coupon books, street maps,and very knowledgeable people.

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Once you have properly planned for your next vacation afterchecking cheap traveloptions including cheap airplanetickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, itwould be wise to dress appropriately for your flight so that you can remaincomfortable in the air.

Given cramped seats and often frequent temperature changeson flights, being comfortable while flying sometimes can be challenging.

The following are things you should wear on a plane whichwill provide plenty of comfort plus a touch of style, according to CarolineCostello:

Wearplenty of layering clothes. Air traveloften results in fliers being exposed to various disparate micro climatesranging from the sweat inducing sunny tarmac to the arctic air conditionedcabin during flight. Pashminas, shawls,wraps, cardigans, sweatshirts, vests, and light jackets are ideal forlayering. Remember you can always foldor roll soft items such as cotton jackets and use them as makeshift pillowswhile in the air.

Another advantage of layering is that themore layers you wear the less you need to pack in your luggage. You can always roll up some of your layersand stuff them in your carry-on bag or under the seat in front of you if youbecome too warm. Layers worn for flyingcan also come in very useful when traveling through different climates.

Breathablefabrics that allow air and moisture to pass through, such as cotton, silk, andlinen, help maintain in flight comfort and cleanliness. Materials that do not allow air to circulatewill hold sweat on the skin, making passengers feel dirtier faster. Natural fabrics are ideal, but moisturewicking manmade fabrics will also work.

Supportor compression legwear should be worn by passengers with pre-existing medicalconditions, travelers taking long haul flights, and anyone who flies frequently. Socks or stockings which promote bloodcirculation, help prevent swelling of the legs, and guard against deep veinthrombosis (DVT) by placing pressure on leg muscles, increasing blood flow.

Extremelycomfortable, simple, usually flat shoes are preferred when traveling. Think about your feet spending hours or evendays sitting, standing, and walking en route to your destination. Select shoes that are easy to slip on and offwhen passing through airport security.

Wearingclothes with lots of pockets that could serve double duty as wearable carry-onbags are preferred given how much airlines are charging for checked luggage andin some cases even carry-on luggage. TheScottevest Travel Vest available for men or women provides the wearer greatversatility.

Toreduce the risk of DVT while flying avoid wearing tight fitting clothing,nylons, or socks that might restrict blood flow through veins. Leave your skinny jeans behind and opt forless restrictive clothing like A-line skirts, loose fitting dresses, or morerelaxed straight or wide leg pants.

Dressingwith a bit of style, while still making comfort priority one, can help passengerssnag a free upgrade. Gate agentsmonitors have been known to post messages that say Look for well-dressedpeople to upgrade. If you hope to getupgraded, it helps to look smart.

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