Book your vacation today and get 5-Day Park Hopper® Tickets and a four-night hotel stay all for the price of a three-night vacation package with tickets — starting at just $247*! Enjoy two free days in the Parks and one free night at a participating Disneyland® Resort Good Neighbor Hotel!


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For vacations booked by April 21, 2008 with travel completed by April 28, 2008. The package includes a 5-Day Park Hopper® Ticket for the regular price of a 3-Day ticket.

Labels: Disney, Disneyland

"LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Walt Disney World calls its workers, from actors in Goofy outfits to laundry workers, "cast members" to make them feel part of the show. There's a garbage can every 25 steps, so litter will be tossed not dropped. There's a polite way to answer one of the park's most asked questions: "What time is the 3 o'clock parade?"

These nuggets are part of corporate customer service training offered by Disney Institute, a Florida-based unit of the Walt Disney Co. that has coached thousands of executives and front-line workers from other companies and organizations since 1986. Customers have included Delta Air Lines, IBM Corp., General Motors Corp., Chrysler Corp. and even the Internal Revenue Service and cigarette maker Phillip Morris Inc.

Now the Institute has taken another client: Miami International Airport, which many travelers will tell you needs customer service training like an airplane needs wings. Surveys rank its service among the nation's worst.
The airport's terminal operations employees are taking classes taught by Institute instructors, learning leadership practices, team building, staff relations and communication skills -- many formulated by Walt Disney himself.

"Many organizations think they're different from Disney, and therefore can't learn from an entertainment or a parks and resorts business," said Bruce Jones, programming director for Disney Institute. "But then when they get here and work with us a little bit, they find out ... these principles and similarities are transferrable across industries, across cultures, and across different sizes and shapes of organizations.
"Just think of the airport business. The reality is both businesses have millions of people each year waiting in line for a ride."
Disney World and the airport have more in common, including dealing with ground transportation, parking and retail sales. So, it made sense for the airport to seek out Disney Institute.

"They understand how to minimize the inconvenience and maximize the entertainment value," airline industry analyst Bob Mann said of Disney. "It's a reasonably good move" for the airport to hire Disney.
Miami International Airport is a gateway to and from the Caribbean and Latin America. About 32.5 million passengers passed through the airport in 2006, including more than 14 million international passengers. But among 18 U.S. airports with 30 million or more passengers per year, only three airports performed worse in J.D. Power and Associates' 2007 North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

"The customer service needs to improve," said Sarah Abate, who oversees commercial services at the airport and took a training class. "Passengers need to understand that Miami is a friendly airport, and we are passenger friendly. Now, people don't get that, or the perception from the passenger is not the same as what we are trying to convey."
Disney started the Institute after it realized it was getting questions from other companies about its customer service. After offering some behind-the-scenes educational tours, the Institute developed its first professional development program 21 years ago.." [Via biz.yahoo.com]

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Labels: Disney, Miami

Take advantage of this great Orlando offer.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Bonus Cancun, or Puerto Vallarta Mexico certificate. Click blue line above to get details.

Labels: Cancun, Disney, Orlando, Puerto Vallarta, travel

Everything Good Begins With a Dream
Disneyland Year of a Million Dreams

And now your family's dreams can become reality as the Disneyland® Resort celebrates The Year of a Million Dreams! Let Alaska Airlines Vacations grant your first wish with Kids Fly Free to the Disneyland® Resort ... where happily ever after happens every day.

The renowned heritage of personal service at the Disneyland® Resort has hit a high point. The Disney Cast are now empowered like never before to make Disney vacations dreams come true. Each and every day during The Year of a Million Dreams, the Disney Cast will be surprising Guests with enchanting dream-come-true entertainment and magical moments happening during this very special year.

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This offer is officially extended - book your trip until May 31; just make sure you complete travel by June 28, 2007, to take advantage.

Labels: Alaska Airlines, Disney, Disneyland, Kids, Kids fly free

And now your family's dreams can become reality as the Disneyland® Resort celebrates The Year of a Million Dreams! Let Alaska Airlines Vacations grant your first wish with Kids Fly Free to the Disneyland® Resort ... where happily ever after happens every day.

Where pure imagination coaxes the kid inside every adult to come outside and play along. Where a cast of dream makers have a remarkable talent for turning dreams into reality—no matter how big, no matter how small. Come unlock the power of the most remarkable magic of all—your dreams. And for a limited time, Everyone Plays for the Kids' Price at the Disneyland® Resort.

Just book your Alaska Airlines Southern California Vacations package between December 6, 2006, and March 20, 2007, and travel between January 3, 2007, and June 28, 2007. For best availability, visit alaskaair.com and book your magical vacation today.

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Labels: Alaska Airlines, Disney, Disneyland, Kids, Kids fly free