On our honeymoon, my husband and I wanted to go on a boat for a couple of hours to see the water and wildlife.  After reading reviews online, we decided that Daisey’s Dockside Scenic Cruises was the best tour with the most informative captain and nicest boat.  All the reviews were right!  It was the highlight of our trip and we enjoyed each second.

Captain Tom and his dog, Bailey, greeted us at 9:15 am for our 9:30 am cruise. It was a beautiful day and we were excited to get on the boat.  They only let 6 people on the boat at a time, and that was the best part.  Everyone was so friendly and comfortable, sitting on great couch like seats.  Captain Tom told us all about the island, the wildlife, and the story of the ponies.

After spotting some dolphins, he sped the boat up until we were directly next to them.  We got amazing pictures and it was great to be that close.  Captain Tom said they don’t always get to see the dolphins, and it was a very nice treat for us!  He took each couples picture in front of the Lighthouse.  Then we saw some of the famous ponies and even a Bald Eagle.  He got us really close to the Bald Eagle and it was a beautiful picture shot.  Because we had some time left (the cruise is a full two hours), he parked the boat on a sand bar and let us walk around.  It was a really neat experience to be standing in the middle of all this water on a sand bar.

I highly recommend Daisey’s Dockside Scenic Cruises to anyone who is visiting the Chincoteague area.  We are still talking about it!

http://www.daiseyscruises.com/

Address:

757-336-5556

I recently stayed at the Blue Heron Inn in Chincoteague, VA.  The town of Chincoteague lodging options consist of bed and breakfasts, local motels, and a few chain motels (Best Western and Quality Inn).  I was nervous about our stay at the Blue Heron, since the reviews online aren’t exactly the best.  However, my husband and I enjoyed staying there.  It was not very crowded, close to downtown, and close to Assateague and the beach.

Couple of things to be aware of:

-The owner does smoke inside the office.  Some reviews online complained about the smell in their rooms, but we didn’t have a problem with the room smell.  With our air condition on, we were fine.

-The free breakfast is at a restaurant that’s about 1 mile away.  Beverages are not included.  And you must be at breakfast between 7 am – 9 am.  We only made it there that early one day (we like to sleep in) and it really wasn’t even that good.  French toast, potatoes, bacon…..just okay.

-The ponies on site – two ponies in a little pen.  You can’t pet them.

Overall, we are pretty easy going and didn’t mind our stay at all.  It was quiet the week we were there and it wasn’t too crowded.  Everything in our room was clean and the bathroom was upgraded (we paid for the Deluxe room – but didn’t see the Standard room to compare it with).  The air conditioning was great and the bed wasn’t too bad (just a little low to the ground).  We liked being closer to Assateague and not directly on the Main Street.  If we went back, I’m not sure if we would stay there again, but it’s surely an option.  And the cost was the best part!  I know it was cheaper than the Best Western that’s across the street.

Blue Heron Inn

7020 Maddox Boulevard

Chincoteague Island, VA  23336

I traveled to the Dolphin Hotel in Disney World in August of 2009.  Because it is not a Disney resort and owned by another company, transportation from the Orlando International Airport to the hotel is not included.  The hotel recommend using Mears Transportation, which is either a shuttle bus or a town car.

After reviewing many bad reviews, I was hesitant about using their service, but I decided to give them a try.  I did Shuttle reservations online two days before the trip and pre-paid with a credit card.  It was $20 for a one-way trip ticket or $33 for a round-trip ticket.

After landing at the Orlando International Airport, I proceeded to get my luggage at luggage claim and then go downstairs to the Mears counter.  I was a little nervous, since we had landed an hour late because of lightning delay.  However, they gave me a boarding pass and sent me outside to where all the buses/shuttles were located.  I then spoke to another lady at a counter who gave me a pager and asked me to have a seat to wait for the shuttle.  I waited for about 15 minutes before the shuttle arrived.

Most of the passengers on my shuttle were also going to the dolphin.  There was only three people who were staying at one other hotel who needed to be dropped off.  This didn’t take too long.  We soon arrived at our hotel and were ready to check in!

On the way back to the airport, they insist that you book your shuttle for THREE hours in advance of your flight.  This allows time for stops at several other hotels to pick up passengers, as well as time to drop off passengers at different parts of the airport (depending on what airline they are flying).

The shuttle arrived at exactly the correct time as my reservation.  We only had one other stop to make and it was a close by hotel.  They dropped me off right at the Southwest gate and I walked in to check my luggage.  I didn’t mind being there two hours and fifteen minutes early since the line for checking luggage and the security lines were very long.

Review Summary

Pros:

Cheapest mode of transportation to/from airport

Cons:

None

Potential Problems:

Waiting time for pick up- I’m guessing the wait for a shuttle may be more than 15 minutes.

Travel time – Depending on how many stops the shuttle must make, your ride could get pretty long.

Space – they do put up to 10 people in a shuttle van.

Early pickup time – arriving at the airport 2-2.5 hours in advance may cause problems for early flyers or families with impatient children

Conclusion:

If you are looking for a cheap transportation to and from the airport AND you have the time to be flexible, Mears is a great choice for you!

Links:

http://www.mearstransportation.com/

Address:

Mears Transportation Group
324 West Gore Street
Orlando, FL 32806