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#BOOKDIRECT

 

There ARE options when booking vacation homes other than the online travel agencies that charge as much as 23% in fees. Travelers can save that 23% simply by #BOOKING DIRECT. Many travelers that book vacation homes on major vacation rental sites are unaware it’s not truly direct. Those sites play as a middleman, stifling direct communication and adding hundreds of extra dollars to your transaction. In December 2016, VRBO and HomeAway were both purchased by Expedia for 4 BILLION dollars. Now, Expedia is on a mission to get that money back! Do you know where it’s going to come from? YOUR pockets! Expedia introduced a Service Fee in February of 2016 of 6-12%. These fees are applied to your payment when you complete the booking online on ANY of sites owned by Expedia.  Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Booking.com and other OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) charge similar fees, except theirs are higher. Expect to pay 6-15% when using these sites.

 

Don’t Despair! You don’t have to pay Service Fees!!  There are alternatives to all OTAs!
Shoot me a message or an email at gdeb@cox.net  if you have any questions about booking directly.  I’m here to help and will not charge you a Service Fee.  And, if you’re looking to book with me, #bookdirect either by calling me or by visiting my website at www.oceanvillacondo.com!

I’m from Louisiana.  No great beaches here, but we do have our festivals… and Mardi Gras is one of the best!!  What?!?!  You’ve never experienced any part of  Mardi Gras?  It’s time you did!!

Mardi Gras has an in-determinant number of descriptions, some of which include the traditional colors of purple, green and gold, the myriad of events that surround the time between twelfth night and fat Tuesday, traditions, postures and parades.  But still, it’s so misunderstood.  It’s not a big drunk.  It’s not a big parade. It’s not the beads.  It’s not the doubloons.  It’s not the king cakes.  It’s not about girls flashing. It’s not about people of all walks of life dressing in costume.  It’s about the love of life!  It’s the convergence of food, music, creativity, eccentricity, neighborhoods and the joy of life celebrated all together at the same moment.

Mardi Gras celebrations are found all along the gulf coast, each with its own size and annual traditions.  Panama City Beach is no different!   With Mardi Gras in Panama City Beach, you get all the thrill of the love of life AND you get the most beautiful beaches in the world — all at once!!  You get smiles from ear to ear, lifelong memories and handfuls of beads.  You get parades, costumes, music and fireworks!  You get the camaraderie of the community celebrating together.  You get a small celebration with a big schedule of events!  You get Mardi Gras in Panama City Beach!!

Laissez les bons temps rouler!!  (Let the good times roll!)

Schedule of Events

Friday, February 9, 2018

4:00pm-6:30pm Float Tours LC Hilton W/Pier Park Drive
4:00pm-6:30pm Kids Fun Zone/ Festival Village Celebration Stage
5:00pm Opening Remarks Pier Park Drive
Kids Costume Contest Celebration Stage
5:20pm Kids Parade Pier Park Drive
5:45pm-6:15pm Second Line Crawl Parade Pier Park Drive
6:30pm-7:30pm LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band Celebration Stage
7:30pm Fireworks City Pier

Saturday, February 10, 2018

8:00am Mardi Gras 5k Frank Brown Park
12:00pm Kids Fun Zone/ Festival Village Celebration Stage
12:00pm-1:15pm LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Aaron Bessant Park
1:30pm-2:45pm HEADLINER: Aaron Neville Aaron Bessant Park
3:00pm-4:00pm LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Waylon Thibodeaux “Louisiana Rocking Fiddler” Celebration Stage
4:15pm-5:45pm Krewe of Dominique Youx Mardi Gras at the Beach Main Parade Pier Park Drive
5:45pm LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Vince Vance & the Valiants Celebration Stage
7:00pm Fireworks City Pier