Although MouseSavers.com has no banner ads and no pop-ups, the site does receive compensation from some of the companies mentioned on MouseSavers.com.

Affiliate (Referral) Links

Next time you're shopping for anything Disney online, please consider clicking through from a link on MouseSavers.com (there's a shopping mall on the site). Some of the shopping links are "referral links" that track the source of the purchase back to MouseSavers.com through an affiliate program. When you click on one of those links and buy something, MouseSavers gets a small commission from the linked site for referring you.

For instance, if you read a review I wrote for a Disney guidebook and then decide to click on the link in the review and buy the book, MouseSavers may earn a few cents from the sale. This does not affect the price you pay. Affiliate links are one way I keep MouseSavers.com going financially.

Compensated Recommendations

Some companies mentioned on this site (including the MouseSavers Preferred Hotels, travel agencies, ticket agencies, etc.) compensate MouseSavers financially. There are also companies and services recommended on MouseSavers.com that do not pay compensation.

When it comes to accepting compensation, I follow the following ethical guidelines:

1. I do not let compensation dictate the companies I recommend. If I don't like it, I don't recommend it. Period. I have turned away literally dozens of companies that were willing to pay me large sums to appear on MouseSavers.com.

2. I always make a good-faith effort to find the best deals I can for my readers. I make it a goal to recommend only quality, dependable companies. I personally love to buy wonderful things at the best possible price, and it gives me great pleasure to help my readers find the same kind of bargains.

3. The compensation received by MouseSavers does not increase the price my readers pay, and in fact, I have often negotiated a better deal for my readers than they can find elsewhere. For instance, the MouseSavers Preferred Hotels are supposed to offer my readers at least their lowest refundable/changeable rate (also known as the "Best Available Rate" in the hospitality industry). But in the vast majority of cases, they go far beyond that basic requirement, offering MouseSavers.com readers exclusive deals that are not available anywhere else.

4. If I feel the quality, price or reliability of a recommended company's product or service is no longer acceptable, I will not hesitate to remove that company from MouseSavers.com, even if it means a loss of revenue. This has happened in the past, though I'm happy to say it has been a rare occurrence.

"Freebies" from Disney

I typically visit Disney resorts, theme parks and/or cruise ships several times a year. I almost always pay my own way for airfare, hotel, admission tickets, souvenirs, meals, etc. Over the years Disney has invited me to some media preview events and familiarization tours, which included free food, behind-the-scenes tours and entertainment. At those events I have also received some "swag" (free merchandise), which I have usually given away to MouseSavers.com readers or charities. Through 2010 I paid for my own travel (air, hotel, etc.) to media events and familiarization tours. Since January 2011 I have occasionally accepted some free travel components from Disney, such as a 2-night preview cruise on the Disney Dream, which allowed me to get an advance look at the ship ahead of the general public. Generally when I receive a free preview of a new Disney destination or attraction, I also do a separate, later trip on my own dime, in order to provide more in-depth and fair coverage.

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