South America Travel

Hiking tours in Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos with ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA offers a variety of cultural and outdoor adventure-orientated, hiking, biking, and multi-activity guided adventure tours around Peru Ecuador , Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands . ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA allows you to experience our unique blend of physical activities, friendly guides, and legendary service, in some of the most awe inspiring parts of the world - Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands! We'll take you through the most beautiful parts of South America. You'll enjoy some of the best hiking in Peru , Costa Rica and Ecuador, along with other heart pumping activities like cycling, rafting, sea kayaking , and snorkeling/diving in the Galapagos Islands and other parts of South America. You'll also get to meet the locals, eat fantastic food and sleep well in some unique locations. We hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu , one of the great wilderness trails in the world. Our trips also involve trekking in the rainforest, mountains and volcanoes of Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. We'll tour the Galapagos Islands in typical ACTIVE style - cycling, hiking, sea kayaking, and with a mask and snorkel, while accompanied by the friendly local Giant Tortoises and marine life. We'll paddle a sea kayak to one of the most beautiful tropical islands in the world in Costa Rica or across Lake Titicaca to a local island community. If you're a diver, we'll take you diving in the Galapagos to all the best spots. If you're into cycling, you won't want to miss the rides we'll take you on around the massive volcanoes, mountain ranges and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos - the biking we do is second to none! Awesome Active Adventure & hiking tours in Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands ! Our 14-day Jaguar adventure tour is our most adventurous trip packed with hiking, biking, backpacking, jungle hikes, a village home stay and plenty of multi- activity options. It also includes hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu . Our 7-day Alpaca adventure tour is designed so you can visit the highlights of Peru, including the hike up the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, even if you have limited time. Our 11-day Tucan adventure tour is designed to explore the little-known areas of Ecuador while cycling, hiking, caving, river tubing and reverse canyoning. This multi-activity adventure tour in Ecuador will take you well off the beaten track, and you'll love the hikes, bike rides, river rafting, caving, and all the other things we'll do! Our 10 day Tortuga is a multi activity tour around the Galapagos Islands. It’s packed with lots of sea kayaking, snorkeling/diving, hiking and cycling as we sail from island to island checking out the Galapagos wildlife as we go. Our 11 day Iguana is an off the beaten track hiking, biking and sea kayaking trip in Costa Rica. We'll explore this amazing country from the highlands to the tropical coast - hiking, paddling, and cycling in typical ACTIVE style. You don't need to have experience in any of the outdoor activities you'll do on our trips - our well trained guides will make sure that even if you haven't been hiking, snorkeling or backpacking before, you'll really enjoy yourself. The areas we hike in are absolutely stunning and we'll explore some unusual and isolated places you probably wouldn't find on your own. Our cycling trips have enough flexibility that, novice or 'gearhead', you'll find the biking very much to your taste. If cycling is not your thing, you can enjoy more time hiking or just relaxing and taking in the surroundings! If you're interested in wildlife then you'll love our adventure tours in Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon rainforest - there are animals everywhere! "This trip was the best adventure I have ever had. Every day was enjoyable, we could hardly wipe the smiles off our faces. This trip has changed us for the better. I don't thing we will see things quite the same." Jessica Croxford, Tucan - October 2 2005 We are also focused on sharing local culture in the countries we visit. We'll take you closer to the people and wildlife of Costa Rica , Peru , Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands . We stay with local families, travel with special interest local guides and use various methods of transport so you'll have a chance to explore life in South America. Adventure, discovery, exercise...with friendly people, professional guides, astounding scenery...with a hint of challenge and a tincture of endorphins - that's ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA! Check out the Jaguar - Biking, sea kayaking & hiking Peru in 14 days The Iguana - Biking, sea kayaking & hiking adventure tour in Costa Rica FREE CALL FROM THE US 8 66 753 3163 FREE CALL FROM THE UK 0 808 234 7780 US OFFICE PO Box 368 Ithaca, NY, 14851 Email Us Galapagos tours · Machu Picchu tours · Ecuador tours · Travel in Peru · Galapagos vacations · Travel in Ecuador · Galapagos Islands history · Inca Trail tours · Lake Titicaca · Hiking the Inca Trail · Hiking to Machu Picchu Take a look at travel photos from Aotearoa Photography

Austria Travel Guide Travel

Austria Travel | Guide to travelling Austria | Travellerspoint U sername: P assword: R emember Me Car Hire Travel Insurance Airport Parking UK Cheap Accommodation Hotel Bookings Travellerspoint Travel Community Forums Blogs Destinations Accommodation Travel Help Reunions Tools Links Austria Travel Guide Travel Destinations Guide Austria Hallstat, Austria - Valerie N Austria Photo Gallery Though its political power has sizably diminished over the 20th century, the legacy of its once mighty Habsburg empire remains intact, most notably at Vienna. The city, once the undisputed cultural centre of Europe, still bears the signs of its glory days: majestic architecture, a haven of Western musical tradition (from waltzes, to classical music, to operatic creations), and museums dedicated to its artistic heritage. But while Vienna's past glory still makes it an unmissable destination, Salzburg is the nation's most popular destination, both for Austrians and tourists; like Vienna, it boasts a rich cultural heritage. Away from the cities, Austria's countryside beauty is as majestic as the Habsburg empire was. Whether it's the graceful Danube stretching across the north, or the Eisriesenwelt ice caves (the largest accessible ice caves in the world), or the magnificent snow-capped peaks of the Alps, visitors will find it impossible to deny Austria's great beauty. Quick Facts Locally known as: Oesterreich Capital: Vienna Population: 8,188,000 Religions: Christian Government: Federal Republic Official / National Languages: German Country Phone Code: +43 Map of Austria Flag of Austria Member Comments Members talk The only one land where i'd like to live all my entire life... .. Full comment nico23 | 20th Jun 05 Become a member or login to add your comment. Want some personal advice on Austria? The Travel Helpers are Travellerspoint volunteers willing to answer your travel questions about a country they feel they know a lot about. There are currently 9 Travel Helpers available to answer your questions about Austria. Austria Travel Helpers Travel Products Below is a collection of Travellerspoint products and services that might be of use to you while you are researching your trip to Austria. Austria Accommodation Austria hotels (129) Austria last minute hotels (80) Austria apartments (2) Austria campsites (3) Austria bed & breakfasts (20) Austria hostels (27) Austria budget hotels (44) Other Products Cheap travel insurance Eurail passes & Train tickets Austria tours (45) Around the world tickets Austria Travel Sites Sponsor Austria SIM Cards & Cell Phones - Get free incoming calls with your own Austria prepaid SIM card and GSM cell phone. Roam Austria without the roaming surcharges. Austria - Official Guide - The tourism board's official guide to Austria is a comprehensive resource for travellers to the country. Austrian Guide - A growing guide to Austrian travel. Austria links can be found in our Travel Sites Directory. The links contained in this directory are external sites and will pop up in a new window. © 2002 - 2005 Travellerspoint Travel Community | Contact | FAQ | About | Terms | Site Map

Asia Travel (65) 6235

Borneo Hotels & Resorts - Asia Travel Reservation Services Malaysia Hotels, Resorts & Travel Reservation Up to 75% Discount Pay on Check-Out Last Minute Rooms Instant Confirmation -- Malaysia Coaches Tours SINGAPORE HOTLINE Travel Information || About Asia Travel (65) 6235 2498 SARAWAK - KUCHING HOTELS & RESORTS Crowne Plaza Riverside Kuching RM 275 nett Superior Room with breakfast per room per night Book Now Holiday Inn Kuching RM 214 nett Standrad Room with breakfast per room per night Book Now Holiday Inn Resort Damai Lagoon RM 194 nett Superior Room with breakfast per room per night Book Now Holiday Inn Resort Damai Beach RM 214 nett Standard Balcony with breakfast per room per night Book Now SABAH HOTELS & RESORTS Shangri-La's Rasa Ria RM 518 nett Superior Rainforest per room per night Book Now Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru RM 370++ Kinabalu Deluxe per room per night Book Now Sepilok Jungle Resort RM 50 nett Standard Room per room per night Book Now Promenade Hotel RM 215 nett Superior Room per room per night Book Now MALAYSIAN CITIES Kuala Lumpur Langkawi Penang Malacca Johor Bahru Puala Tioman Redang Island Desaru Genting Highland Port Dickson Sibu Island Pangkor Island Cameron Highland Kuantan Kuala Terengganu Ipoh Bukit Tinggi Borneo - Sabah & Sarawak SARAWAK - KUCHING HOTELS/RESORTS UP TO 75% DISCOUNT (ALPHABETICAL LISTING) HOTEL/RESORT NAME LOCATION CATEGORY RATE FROM BOOK HERE Crowne Plaza Riverside, Kuching Highly Recommended Kuching RM 275 nett Instant Confirmation Grand Continental Hotel Kuching RM 170 nett Reserve Holiday Inn Kuching Highly Recommended Kuching RM 214 nett Instant Confirmation Holiday Inn Resort Damai Beach Highly Recommended Kuching RM 214 nett Instant Confirmation Holiday Inn Resort Damai Lagoon Highly Recommended Kuching RM 194 nett Instant Confirmation Hornbill Golf & Jungle Club Kuching RM 280 nett Reserve Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites Kuching RM 195 nett Reserve SABAH HOTELS/RESORTS UP TO 75% DISCOUNT (ALPHABETICAL LISTING) Beringgis Beach Resort Kota Kinabalu RM 170 nett Reserve Hyatt Regency Kota Kinabalu RM 255 nett Reserve Nexus Resort Karambunai Kota Kinabalu RM 345 nett Reserve Promenade Hotel Kota Kinabalu RM 215 nett Reserve Sepilok Jungle Resort Sandakan RM 50 nett Reserve Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Kota Kinabalu RM 518 nett Reserve Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Kota Kinabalu RM 370++ Reserve AIR PACKAGES - KUCHING / KOTA KINABALU 3D2N Kota Kinabalu Air Package (Malaysia Airline) 3D2N Kuching Air Package (Malaysia Airline) 22, Cavenagh Road/Orchard Road #02-05,#01-04A (Hotel Grand Central), Singapore 229617 TEL : (65) 6235 2498 / (65) 6887 4347 , FAX : (65) 6235 7620 / (65) 6887 5489 Asia Travel Worldwide Hot Line Numbers: Hong Kong +852-27360922 Indonesia +62-21-5328682 China +86-21-63223855 Dubai +971-4-2941405 +971-4-2941407 Thailand +66-2-6797187 Philippines +(632) 635-5099; +(632) 635-7499; +(632) 914-4970 up to 72 Call from the USA, Dial : 1-877-367-6577 (Toll-Free) Call from UK, Dial : (44) 208-792-6789 Singapore/Malaysia +65-6732 4183 Call from the USA, Dial : 1-877-367-6577 (Toll-Free) Call from UK, Dial : (44) 208-792-6789 [ Asia Travel Hotel & Resort Reservation Service ] [ Malaysia Hotels & Resorts ]

Taiwan Travel

Taiwan Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore Taiwan Taiwan History meets hyper-reality on this pulsing, picturesque island. At a Glance Fast Facts WORLDGUIDE Introduction Background Info See Image Gallery Transport Money RELATED Thorn Tree Forum Postcards Travel Links More Places Check out our other destinations: Within Taiwan Taipei View Map Click here Feature Attraction Taroko Gorge With its marble-walled canyons, lush vegetation and cliffs so giant they block out the sky, Taroko is Taiwan at its wildest and most pristine. The environment ... more Taiwan is a modern industrialised megalopolis clinging to the fringes of an ancient culture; a string of teeming cities at the feet of a glorious mountain range. It has traditional noodles from a 7-Eleven, aboriginal tribes in mini-skirts and a day of temple rituals followed by waterslide rides. SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Accomodation Reviews Find Lonely Planet author reviewed places to stay * Required Fields Country * Please select Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Egypt England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel & the Palestinian Territories Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Poland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey USA United Arab Emirates Vietnam City * Please select Travel Services · Flights · Hostels · Hotels · Travel Insurance More Services › Disclaimer: We've tried to make theinformation on this web site as accurate as possible, but it isprovided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injuryor inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety,customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before youtravel. text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links

disney vacation , disney

The Disney Blog: disney vacation The Disney Blog Informing Disney Fans the World Over with the latest news and updates from all Disney companies, divisions, and related stories. Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruises, Disney Animation, Pixar, ESPN, and more are covered in as much detail as I can muster. Our Sponsors Blogads Disney DVDs Walt Disney: Walt Disney Treasures - The Adventures of Spin & Marty - The Mickey Mouse Club Walt Disney: Walt Disney Treasures - Elfego Baca and The Swamp Fox - Legendary Heroes Walt Disney Treasures - The Chronological Donald, Volume Two (1942-1946) Walt Disney : Walt Disney Treasures - Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts, 1920s - 1960s Disney Books Robert Tieman: The Disney Keepsakes Sequel to the Disney Treasures book. A must have for any Disney fan. (****) Pixar: The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards Full of wonderful postcard art. Great for any Disney or Pixar fan or anyone who collects postcards. Which would be me! (****) David Gerstein: Mickey And The Gang: Classic Stories In Verse CartoonBrew.com says buy it today! I'll take their word for it. (*****) Bob Sehlinger: The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, 2006 The Unofficial Guide has served me well in the past and the 2006 edition is sure to be no exception. Its biggest problem is how popular it has become that you'll run into dozens of others who are following its suggestions. (*****) John Canemaker: The Art And Flair Of Mary Blair: An Appreciation An under appreciated artist whose influence on art, animation, and imagineering, is still felt today. (****) James B. Stewart: DisneyWar A detailed look into the fall of Michael Eisner and the path of destruction he left in his wake. (*****) Harrison 'Buzz' Price: Walt's Revolution!: By the Numbers An inside look at the creation of the Themepark Industry. (*****) Jason Rich: The Everything Family Guide To the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Studios And Greater Orlando: A Complete Guide To The Best Hotels, Restaurants, ... Attractions (Everything: Travel and History) Brand new, huge book (415 pages). John Canemaker: Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation Canemaker looks into the careers and art of the acknowledged legends of animation -- Disney's Nine Old Men. (****) Karal Ann Marling: Designing Disney's Theme Parks : The Architecture of Reassurance Although it's a few years old, you still can't find a better look at the equal parts of science and illusion (though some would say they're the same thing) that go into making Disney Theme Parks. This book is a must have for the true fan's library. (****) LaughingPlace.com Disney News, Articles and Updates What I'm Listening to While Writing This Shake a Tail Feather Disney: Chicken Little (****) Smells Like Teen Spirit Paul Anka: Rock Swings Didn't think I'd like this, but it's everybit as good as Johnny Cash's The Man Comes Around (but Jazzy and Swingy!) (*****) The Black Pearl Disney: Pirates of the Carribean (*****) My Wish List New Custom Disney Tshirts! Save With Disney Deals 101 Things You Never Knew About Disneyland -- Save 27% at The LaughingPlace.com Store Melody Time DVD -- Save 20% at The LaughingPlace.com Store Schoolhouse Rock: Special 30th Anniversary Edition DVD -- Save 17% at The LaughingPlace.com Store Walt Disney Takes You to Disneyland -- Save 29% at Amazon.com Gargoyles - The Complete First Season (Special 10th Anniversary Edition) -- Save 30% at Amazon.com Rent a vacation home or condo in the heart of Orlando for just $99 per night at holidaynetwork.com -- New!! $2,500 Last-Minute Getaway Sweepstakes -- New!! Chronicles of Narnia UnAbridged AudioCD -- Like Netflix for Audio Books -- 15 Day Free Trial Unlimited DVD Rentals! -- 30 day free trial The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, 2006 -- Save 32% at Amazon.com Chicken Little Soundtrack -- Save 42% at Amazon.com Check out Delta's last-minute fares for great travel deals. -- Book your Disney Trip Now and Save Big Best Online Rates at ParkPlaza .com Add me to your TypePad People list About Powered by TypePad December 28, 2005 Attendance Numbers re-examined Over on the Discussion Boards at LaughingPlace.com member Darkbeer has broken down the top 25 ranked US theme parks in a more useful manner, visits per operating day. This gives a slightly different top 5 and pushes California Adventure all the way down to 14th. Let's look at the AB/ERA 2005 numbers from a Average DailyAttendance viewpoint. (I am going to the parks operating schedule tofigure out the days open, and then dividing it into the yearattendance, then rounding). 1. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, 44,110 2. Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. 39,725 3. Paramount Canada's Wonderland in Maple, Ontario, 28,350 (127 days) 4. Epcot at Walt Disney World in Orlando, 27,125 5. Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World in Orlando, 23,560 (continued below the cut) Interesting to note the huge drop off between the two big boys and everybody else. I'd also like to see the AB/ERA judged against total estimatedcapacity for each park. ie, which parks are consistantly meeting theirgoals. These are numbers I'm sure industry insiders have. [ disney , themepark , universal , themeparks , theme+park , orlando , anaheim , disneyland , disneyworld , wdw , disney+world , magic+kingdom ] Continue reading "Attendance Numbers re-examined" » Posted by John Frost in Florida Attractions , Themepark Industry , disney vacation , disney world , disneyland | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) Not impressed with Disney Xmas Parade Coverage? Were you unimpressed with the recent airing of the Christmas Parades at Disney World and Disneyland. Well so was Nicholas at Cinemazement . Tell me, how is it possible that with millions of dollars worth of television equipment, “professional” television producers, cameramen, sound people, editors, they were totally unable to accurately capture the feel of the Parade of dreams at Disneyland? They would have been better off showing some guy’s homevideo of the parade because what I saw on TV was not the parade. It was entirely artificial. That's about exactly how I felt too. I'm sorry if you sat through the whole thing. I could only stand about 5 minutes of it. [ disney , parade , disneyland , disney+world , wdw , disneyworld , abc , television , kelly+ripa , regis+philbin ] Posted by John Frost in disney vacation , disney world , disneyland | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) December 26, 2005 Themepark Attendance Figures with Disney on top Amusement Business has released their estimated theme park attendance figures for 2005 and once again the Walt Disney Company has cleaned house. Disney owns the top five spots with Orlando's Magic Kingdom claiming top spot with 16.1 million visitors, an increase of 6.5%. Anaheim's Disneyland placed second with 14.5 million, an increase of 8.5% (bolstered by the 50th anniversary celebrations). The third through fifth parks were Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom, all posting growth in the 5 percent range. Disneyland's neighbor, California Adventure, grew a disappointing 3.6% considering the attendance growth at the gate just 100 yards away. People still aren't coming to see this park built on the cheap even after the Tower of Terror was added. Monster's Inc looks promising, but it's not enough to raise the attendance that much. For that they'll have to add two or three more E-ticket thrill rides and completely rebrand the park away from its ties to California. Plans for the latter are underway, plans for the former... who knows. See the rest of the 2005 top 25 list here . (also see the 2004 list ) [ disney , themepark , universal , busch , theme+park , themeparks , orlando , anaheim , attendance , list , top25 ] Posted by John Frost in Florida Attractions , Themepark Industry , corporate disney , disney vacation , disney world , disneyland | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) December 23, 2005 Disney Themeparks, what's next? Disney issued a press release today outlining the upcoming changes and attractions at Disney's world wide theme parks. Now, normally when you release some news on a Friday you're hoping to bury it over the weekend. But this being a holiday weekend they may be hoping to pick up on some slow news time for extended coverage. Who knows. No big news was announced. But here's the roundup if you're interested: At Florida's Walt Disney World Resort, a massive recreation of the Himalayas is the setting for a thrilling adventure called Expedition Everest, scheduled to open in April 2006 at Disney's Animal Kingdom. In their quest to bring authenticity to this new attraction, Walt Disney Imagineers partnered with Discovery Networks and Conservation International in a scientific expedition to the Himalayas for a first-hand exploration of the legend of the mysterious Yeti. "Our passion for bringing great stories to life has taken Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to amazing places over the last 50 years," said Rasulo. "Over the next 50 years, we will continue to scale new heights in our ongoing quest to create great experiences for our Guests." In California, the Disneyland Resort is bringing to life a popular creative franchise with Monsters Inc: Mike & Sully to the Rescue, which will open at Disney's California Adventure on January 23, 2006. And in 2007, new technology will take Disney storytelling to the next level as the "subs" return to Disneyland in Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. In this all-new adventure, Guests will travel to the undersea world of "Finding Nemo," where they'll see and interact with characters that appear exactly as they do in the Disney/Pixar Animated Studios film. At Hong Kong Disneyland, Autopia, a classic Disney favorite, will let Guests of all ages drive along futuristic highways through surreal, out-of-this world landscapes. It will be the first Autopia with electric powered vehicles -- and is scheduled to open in the summer of 2006. Disneyland Resort Paris also plans several major new attractions to open over the next three years. Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, based on the highly popular attractions at other Disney parks around the world, will open at the Disneyland Park in 2006. In 2007, Walt Disney Studios Park will add a new land called Toon Studios, which will immerse Guests in the magical world of Disney's animated movies. And in 2008, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror will come to Disney Studios -- plunging Guests into a thrilling experience based on the iconic attraction at other Disney parks. In the fall of 2006, Tokyo DisneySea also will open its own Tower of Terror. Disney Cruise Line will offer Guests new experiences as well in 2006. In May, a new seven-night itinerary will be available that includes two stops at Disney's private-island getaway, Castaway Cay. The itinerary will also include a stop at Cozumel and a new port of call -- Costa Maya. Additionally, in September the Disney Wonder will embark on two extended itineraries -- one 10-night and one 11-night cruise to Southern Caribbean ports, including Barbados, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, St. Lucia, Antigua and Castaway Cay. [ disney , disney+vacation , themepark , themeparks , theme+park , disneyland , disneyworld , wdw , dlr , disney+world , tokyo+disneyland , paris+disneyland , disney+cruise ] Posted by John Frost in Hong Kong Disneyland , Themepark Industry , disney vacation , disney world , disneyland , paris disneyland , tokyo disneyland | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) November 30, 2005 G-force study on Orlando Attractions A local TV station in Orlando has done a study on exactly how many G-forces one experiences on some of the more popular and extreme roller coasters and other attractions in the Central Florida Attraction Zone. The report found that 'The Hulk' Roller Coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park had not only highest G-force at 4.5Gs, but also had some of the most extreme changes in forces going from near 0Gs to 4.5Gs at one point. Disney's attractions came in at: Space Mountain: 3.5 Gs Big Thunder Mountain: 2.5 Gs Rock n Roller Coaster: 4.4 Gs Mission: Space: 2.1 Gs (but for 15 seconds in length) Test Track: 2 Gs [ disney , attractions , disneyworld , wdw , disney+world , ioa , universal , roller+coaster , rollercoaster , extreme , space+mountain , missionspace , mission+space , g-force , themepark , theme+park ] Posted by John Frost in Florida Attractions , Themepark Industry , disney vacation , disney world | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) November 08, 2005 Disney World acquires new sponsor We've been hearing about this deal for some time now. A new major corporation would step in and sponsor Spaceship Earth and a few other attractions around the resort kicking off a small wave of renovations across Epcot as it gets ready for its 25th Anniversary. The announcement finally came today and the new sponsor is Siemens AG . The 12-year agreement will have the German based company sponsoring not only Spaceship Earth, but also the Reflections of Earth fireworks shot at Epcot and the Osborne Family Festival of Lights at the Disney MGM Studios. The sponsorship will also extend to Disneyland's two parades, the Disney's Electrical Parade at California Adventure and The Walt Disney Parade of Dreams at the Disneyland gate. I'm so happy to see this partnership and hope that not only does it signal the start of better corporate sponsorship relationships between Disney parks and companies across the globe, but that it helps kick off some much needed refurbishment around the Walt Disney World Resort. Additionally a long needed update to the Disney's Electrical Parade, including a few new floats and some new technologies, would be greatly appreciated by the parades fans and visiting guests. [ Tags: disney , disneyland , disneyworld , wdw , disney+world , california+adventure , dca , dlr , siemens , bob+iger , epcot , sponsorship , imagineering , vacation , travel ] Posted by John Frost in corporate disney , disney vacation , disney world , disneyland | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) November 04, 2005 Halloween Photos: around the world Halloween is over, which means that at the Disney Themeparks it's time to rush onto the next holiday... Christmas. Oh, a few moments thought will be given to Veterans Day, if you're lucky you might be able to find a juicy Thanksgiving feast at one of the mouse's hotels. But generally speaking if Halloween wasn't there to stop them, Christmas would start in July for Disney (and most of consumer America). However, before The Disney Blog is ready to move on here is a quick look at how Disney themeparks around the world do Halloween. Did you know that since 1999 the Disney Company has been a primary influencer at restoring the Halloween tradition in France with its Disneyland Paris Pumpkin Celebration. Japan never celebrated Halloween, having a much different view of ghosts and ancestors than most western nations, but Disney has introduced a two month Halloween Festival there with most of the western trimmings and it's been a huge success, practically a national obsession, if you believe the Disney PR. Via BoingBoing we have this flickr set of photos from the Tokyo Disneyland celebration. They certainly know how to party there and their costumes are wonderful. Back in the Americas Disney World has been running their successful Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) for years now. The park closes down for a separate admission party after the regular hours are over. Many nights sell out. This year Robb Alvey took his Theme Park Review crew down for one of the MNSSHP nights and a lot of fun was had by all. I took my wife and son trick or treating at MNSSHP on Halloween itself where I got a lot of photos of the parade, which was added new this year. Cindy Stephens visited Disneyland's attempt to re-enter the Halloween market this year (previously left to Knott's Scary Farm and Universal Studio's Scare Nights) with a kid oriented event called Mickey's Halloween Treat. The catch, the event was at the mostly lackluster California Adventure second gate. Still with admission numbers capped low, the event was a huge success selling out nearly every night. Cindy's write up is a great and has tons of photos and a copy of the event guide. [ disney , disneyland , disneyworld , disney+world , halloween , flickr , holiday , event , mickey ] Posted by John Frost in Holiday , disney vacation , disney world , disneyland , paris disneyland , tokyo disneyland | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) October 27, 2005 Secrets of the Haunted Mansion If you're one of those people who refuses to watch the 'masked magician reveals X' shows, then stop reading this post now. For we are about to reveal the amazing secrets behind Disney's many Haunted Mansions . This page also includes a collection of sounds and songs from the Haunted Mansion in MP3 . You might want to borrow a few for your own personal halloween soundtrack. [ disney , disneyland , disneyworld , wdw , disney+world , hauntedmansion , haunted+mansion , imagineering , imagineer , backyard+imagineering ] Posted by John Frost in Disney Fandom , Disneyism , Imagineering , disney vacation , disney world , disneyland , paris disneyland , tokyo disneyland | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) World of Narnia to appear at Disney World The December 9th release date for Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is rapidly approaching. Now Disney World has announced that they will be debuting a Narnia exhibit on the 9th featuring sets and costumes from the film. You'll get a peak behind the magic as you enter Soundstage 4 at the Disney MGM Studios themepark. Sounds like fun. But no idea how long it will last. So make plans to attend soon. Posted by John Frost in Film , Narnia , Themepark Industry , disney film , disney vacation , disney world | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) October 25, 2005 Bye-Bye Hurricane Wilma... end of season? MKT who brought us wonderful pictures of the preparation and the damage wrought by last year's hurricanes has returned with a look at the Magic Kingdom after Hurricane Wilma . It looks like everything, including the little characters added to the castle this year, has survived just fine. You can also see what a beautiful day it was after the storm had passed. With 30+ days still left in this record setting Hurricane Season you have to wonder what Mother Nature has left to throw our way. Hopefully she'll cut us a break.. [tags: disney , disneyworld , disney+world , magic+kingdom , wdw , hurricane , wilma , hurricane+wilma , orlando ] Posted by John Frost in Florida Attractions , disney vacation , disney world | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) October 24, 2005 Morning Update, Hurricane Wilma It's almost 8:30 AM and we're still here (here being about 2 miles from SeaWorld and 5 miles from Disney World ). We've dodged one tornado generating cloud system already and another is on the way. But so far the winds and rain haven't been too bad (I saw much worse in some of the thunderstorms earlier this year). That's different if you're east or south of here, however. Hurricane Wilma is speeding across southern Florida and behind it will be cold, but clear, weather. I wouldn't be surprised to see Disney World's Magic Kingdom and Epcot open later today. Universal and SeaWorld will probably be the same. Disney's Animal Kingdom park takes longer to open as they have to check on all the animals and their environments. The Orlando International Airport has temporarily suspended service this morning. But that's mostly due to unsafe wind shear and heavy rain. It should reopen later today as well. Things might be much worse in Naples, the Everglades and southward. Keep those families in your thoughts today. [tags: disney , disneyworld , disney+world , seaworld , hurricane , wilma , hurricane+wilma , storm , tornado , themeparks , orlando , universal studios ] Posted by John Frost in Florida Attractions , disney vacation , disney world | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) October 20, 2005 Wilma uninvited guest at Funai Classic Forget Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie, the biggest name in golf this week is Wilma. Officials at the Disney World based Funai Classic are bracing for a hit from the hurricane, but hoping for the best as this year's tournament gets underway today. Disney officials figure they would need 24 to 36 hours of lead time todisassemble concession tents and corporate skyboxes. Perhaps as earlyas 5 p.m. today crews could begin taking apart tents and hospitalityareas, which are designed to withstand winds of 50 mph. But that doesn't mean the event will be postponed. Just that some of the luxury normally associated with professional golf tour events will be deminished. Worse things could happen. If you're attending Disney World this weekend give yourself extra time when driving to and from the Magic Kingdom or any of the nearby resorts. And keep your eyes on those greens, you never know who you might see. [ Technorati Tags: funai , funai+classic , golf , pgatour , pga , tiger+woods , tigerwoods , disney , disneyworld , wdw , disney+world , walt+disney+world , hurricane , storm , hurricane+wilma , wilma ] Posted by John Frost in Sports , disney television , disney vacation , disney world | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) October 18, 2005 Hurricane Wilma and Walt Disney World As of tonight's 11PM EST forecast from the National Hurricane Center , Orlando is still in the "cone of uncertainty" for Hurricane Wilma. That means visitors expecting to attend one of Walt Disney World's theme parks or other attractions in the central and southern Florida regions should be prepared to meet with some delays or closures this Saturday and Sunday going into Monday. Everybody is old hands at hurricane preparation at the theme parks having gone through this routine four times last year. Most hotels in the Orlando area survived with nothing more that a little wind and rain damage and most attractions opened within 24 hours or so of the storms passing. So there really is no reason to be concerned or postpone your stay. That said, keep your eyes on the weather channel and the NHC website and you might want to bring some extra rain gear as even if Wilma passes south of Orlando, we'll still likely see tropical storm strength wind gusts and rains. [tags: disneyworld , disney+world , hurricane , hurricane+wilma , wilma , wdw , orlando , seaworld , universal+studios , hotel , vacation , nhc ] Posted by John Frost in Celebration, FL , Current Affairs , Florida Attractions , World Events , disney vacation , disney world | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBack (0) August 07, 2005 Good answer to Will you change travel plans question I've had a few great responses to my desire to know how Disney's recent spate of deaths and injuries has affected your travel plans, if at all. I'm happy to say that everybody appears to be fairly sane, is a little more cautious. I wanted to post this response I got through another channel as I thought it was quite good: This topic has been on my mind for a while now. My sisters and I are regular visitors to Disneyland as we live in the area. We were on the California Screamin' rollercoaster about ten minutes before it had its little accident last week. While by all accounts the accident was minor, it's yet another in a series of accidents that seems to represent Disney's shift in focus from safety to cost-effectiveness. While the number of actual deaths and injuries has been small - onekilled by a metal cleat ripped off of a ship, another killed after atrain derailed on Big Thunder Mountain - these instances can all beattributed to negligence on Disney's part. The former president ofDisneyland, Paul Pressler, was once quoted as saying, "We have to ridethese rides to failure to save money." This desire to do things on thecheap led to inadequate employee training, the scaling-back ofpreventative maintenance, and undue stress being placed on certainrides (Disney's California Adventure relies heavily on flagship rideslike California Screamin' and Soarin' Over California, to the pointwhere these rides cannot go down for lengthy rehabs because guestsatisfaction and attendance would plummet). All of this has led to aseries of accidents that are directly Disney's fault - where in thepast, most incidents at Disneyland could be attributed to eithernatural causes or dangerous guest behavior. On the positive side, Disneyland has a new president who seems lessfinancially cutthroat, and, unlike Walt Disney World, accidents atDisneyland are subject to investigation by the state and rides cannotreopen until the state approves it. But last week's accident adds to mypersistent feeling of mistrust surrounding safety at Disneyland. Mysisters and I haven't been back on Big Thunder Mountain since thefatality over a year ago (the ride continued to have problems after itreopened), and there are certain rides we won't go on because we aregenuinely afraid of mechanical error (Mulholland Madness, a "WildMouse" ride, is scary enough just being a Wild Mouse ride - never mindthat it's an off-the-shelf ride intended for seasonal use, being runfor long hours year-round!). But this hasn't dissuaded us from visiting the park, nor has itprompted us to avoid thrill rides altogether. It's just made us awarethat the reputation for safety Disneyland enjoyed in the past is nolonger applicable to the present day. The park is not being run thesame way it was 50, 40, 30 years ago. (Posted with permission from brookedel ) [ttags: disney , disneyland , disneyworld , disney+world , disney+vacation , travel , accident , injury , death , californiaadventure , dca , wdw , dlr ] Posted by John Frost in disney vacation , disney world , disneyland | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) August 06, 2005 Will the recent accidents, injuries, and deaths keep you away? Disney theme parks are receiving lots of attention this summer, but not all of its due to the Happiest Celebration on Earth. A 3-month rash of injuries, accidents, and deaths has focused media attention on some of Disney's flaws. The Orlando Sentinel doesn't think it will affect attendance at the parks. How about you? Will you change your travel plans or alter your visit to an amusement, water, or theme park after hearing about these problems? What do you think accounts for the apparent uptick in incidents? The comments are open! [ttags: disney , vacation , disneyworld , disney+world , disneyland , themepark , theme+park , injury , accident , death ] Posted by John Frost in Disney Fandom , Disneyism , Florida Attractions , Themepark Industry , Travel , corporate disney , disney vacation , disney world , disneyland | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (1) August 04, 2005 Another child dies at Walt Disney World This is not a post I wanted to be writing so soon. Local Orlando News is reporting the death today of a 12-year old girl at the Walt Disney World Resort's Typhoon Lagoon Water park. The girl was found at 6PM on the edge of the large Wave pool by a lifeguard. She soon passed out and her pulse and breathing stopped. CPR was attempted and she later was pronounced dead at the nearby Celebration Hospital. Today was a hot and humid day with highs in the upper 90s and humidity pushing the 'feels like' temps to aboe 100. I have to wonder if this has something to do with heat exhaustion. On hot days at the theme parks there are frequent calls to first aid for guests who just didn't drink enough water or powerade. The same holds true at Water Parks where you may not realize you aren't getting enough to drink. I'm not claiming this is what happened today, but drinking lots of water is good advice for any visitor to Orlando. [ttags: disney , disneyworld , disney+world , wdw , typhoon+lagoon , water+park , death , accident ] Posted by John Frost in Disneyism , Florida Attractions , disney vacation , disney world | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) August 02, 2005 Wet Disney Dreams in Shanghai? Hot on the heals of the Korean Disney park 'announcement' comes a bit of speculative news from Shanghai. The article states "the sources said the park will be four times bigger than Hong Kong's Disneyland," which sounds like someone's wet dreams to me. Disney Corporate claims to have very valid business reasons for building these mini-parks like California Adventure, Disney Studios Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. They may not be home runs, but their solid base hits for the company and with a little tweaking and some strong follow up batting (An e-ticket or two over the next 5 years) those runs will be driven in. I think it will be a long time before we see Disney swing for the fences with a mega themepark on the scale of Tokyo or Orlando's Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Even the original park didn't become a 50 attraction mega-park in its first few years. It grew, contracted, and grew again until its present form was reached. Posted by John Frost in Disneyism , Hong Kong Disneyland , Imagineering , Themepark Industry , disney vacation , disneyland , tokyo disneyland | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) July 28, 2005 Another near death at Walt Disney World I don't know if the Mouse Resort is having a string of bad luck or if the media is just finally reporting on these incidences, probably the latter, but here's another near death to report -- this time a drowned worker . A 16-year old diver doing shoreline restoration at the Dolphin Resort became entangled in ropes and had to be rescued. Posted by John Frost in disney vacation , disney world | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Disneyland Do's and Don'ts' Do: Take your kids to DisneyLand, regardless of their age. I never imagined getting so much enjoyment over their excitement. Don't: Havekids outnumber the adults. One adult per child. You'll save yourselffrom the, "hey where's small child number 6" moment of terror. Also,most rides require an adult with the child lower than your belt buckle(an no, the hewge belt buckle trick doesn't work - nor does spiking thehair of your child so it stands straight up). Leaving one small childat the exit doesn't work so well either. Do: Go see the fireworks. Surround sound, laser lights, killer explosions and a scantily clad fairy on a wire - need I say more? Don't: Expectto do much else the hours before and after the show. 50,000 people onmain street (100,000 SF) with one exit and two bathrooms. 'nuff said. Do: get caught up in the "Fantasy" and "Pretend" that this theme park is supposed to be. You'll enjoy a lot more things. Don't: Askthe characters how long they need to train to do all this because youget the standard answer, "How long did it take you to figure out you'rean idiot??".....ok they said it in a nice cartoon voice. Plenty of other useful Do's and Don'ts for your next vacation to Disneyland from Lee at ' Oh No, The Blog '. Posted by John Frost in disney vacation , disneyland | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Partner Blogs Home4Sale Orlando Bound Blog Resume Upgrade - New! The Home Blog RSS Feeds Subscribe to this blog's feed Recent Posts Attendance Numbers re-examined Not impressed with Disney Xmas Parade Coverage? Pixar and Disney: can a working partnership be reached? Toy Story 3-D? Can the Disney Co. Really be Saved? Themepark Attendance Figures with Disney on top Iger, Jobs, Close to Announcement? Audio Tour of MoMA's Pixar Exhibit Happy 80th Birthday Pooh! Anastasia: Family Fun DVD? Trip Reports Disney trip full report Not every trip report is 100% cheery. This is one of those. Mike’s Annual Disneyland Trip Report We reported on Mike's trip last year too. Your Donald sucks. The one at Hong Kong Disneyland is more charismatic. Sylvia journeys to Disneyland. Can't tell if she had a good time or not. 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