Visit the AARP website, if you do not have the membership, and are over 50, join AARP. If you are frequently confused with someone over 50, and are given senior coffee discounts 12 or more times per year, you might want to give the money back, and let a relative use the AARP card.
There are AARP member discounts such as $57.95 for the Sea World ticket, $79.95 for the Sea World and Aquatica park combination ticket, or (if you are renting a car or have the Florida rail pass) $89.95 for the Sea World, Orlando; and the Busch Gardens, Tampa; 2 park combination ticket. Ask the translator, not me, I’m not qualified for this translation stuff yet. Well, back to pre-writing the notes.
AARP is worth the membership price, offering discounts on hotels, motels, car rentals, travel – the membership package starts at $12.50 for 1 year, which is less than the price of most magazine subscriptions; and offers people over age 55 opportunities for travel discounts only available to seniors. 2 years of membership costs $21, 3 years of membership costs $29.50, and a 5 year AARP membership is available for the bargain price of $39.95.
There are also many hotel discount packages available on the website, for travelers to take advantage of. The hotel discounts AARP offers are worth the visit to the website to discover, and the page lists hotel reservation numbers.
Comfort Suites of, Orlando, offers a 10% AARP discount, as do most other major hotel chains, such as the Hampton Inn and Baymont Suites throughout Orlando and the neighboring communities.
Are you sure you want to use the phone, rather than using the handy AARP website? Save the cell phone for emergency use, or for that chat from the park bench, or while waiting in that comfortable seat at the airport; or for when you have your itinerary to Orlando firmly decided.
More phone calls to AARP, lasting over an hour, I became frustrated, my voice turned into something sounding like a cross between that of a 90 year old and that of the Lake Buena Vista Monster, the person on the phone kept on discussing all the options available to travel around the United States other than Orlando, and after requesting to visit Orlando three times, I hung up rather than risking having the service person at Brendan Travel yell at me, for disrupting her from her reading of the USA travel destinations. I learned a lot about traveling around the United States to everyplace but Florida.
Collette Tours did not have an Orlando travel package option, nor did Viking Tours, apparently. I was transferred back to the AARP desk after talking to General Tours information, to another clerk who had no idea of what an AARP tour package was, let alone an escorted tour. One hour later, while waiting for the computer terminal, I was confused about where I should be going; and had lost focus on what I should be doing in Orlando. In fact, I was no longer sure about going to Orlando after all those phone calls.
More phone calls to listed AARP numbers in Orlando revealed disconnected phone numbers, as well as an air conditioning company that had a flexible senior discount program for the installation of central air conditioning or heating, no specific discount. The person who answered the telephone at least told me to go to a Home Depot, Lowe’s or Home Goods store for the 7,500 window unit with a remote control attached to it; even if unable to answer any questions about how to install a solar powered air conditioning unit with heating and cooling by water connected to the roof. This is Orlando, Florida – that kind of power is barely making places like the governor’s mansion. However, a lot of people who wanted solar power back in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s are now retiring to Orlando and the vicinity. Why am I using the phone, why is anyone using the phone, the AARP website is so easy to use!
However, I was not please with the telephone service. The in-person discounts work, however, the phone room is definitely not happening, aside for one employee by the name of Melissa, who apparently knows what she is doing.
More phone calls
AARP Orlando 888.687.2277, offered a slew of menu options, and the live operator referred me to another number, 888.291.1757, which is just perfect, if you already have an itinerary. I’m pretty leery of the e-ticket idea, however, being able to print out the flight info makes the idea something that is noteworthy, I guess.
The second phone call to 888.291.1757, to the AARP travel number, after spending 11 minutes on the phone with Melissa, yielded slightly better results. At least I got a menu that had 1-2-3 button press options on it; to make reservations, change reservations, or learn about tour packages.
There is even a senior employment program hosted by AARP for those who want to network with peers in Orlando. The AARP Senior Employment Program is located on 702 West Colonial Drive, in Orlando, the phone number is 407.420.6936, this is not a job program for tourists, though. However, it sounds like a good opportunity for “winter birds”.
Other Options for Seniors
Elder Hostels, I was pleased with the service here, and was given itinerary numbers for two tours, #12987 (The mystery behind the magic), and #15172 (the magic behind Walt Disney World) John was an affable telephone host, who provided useful information quickly. This is an alternative program to AARP for those of us who are searching for something that is not available. – Orlando 877.426.8056
Rail tours with discounts, Amtrak offers a senior discount for people aged 62 and over, plus has its own Disneyworld travel package, that competes with AARP. 1.800.USA.RAIL for information about tickets and the Florida Rail Pass, or call 1.800.268.7252 for information about Florida discounts.
Sources: Travel Industry Finds Adventure is Ageless, Edwin McDowell, New York Times; The Organized Social Life of the Retired Two Florida Communities, Irving L. Webber, The American Journal of Sociology; Florida State Parks, Wekiwa Springs State Park
