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Student Travel Ireland - Go4less.ie - Cheap student and youth fares from Dublin, Cork and Shannon Go 4 Less About us Refer a friend Contact us Bookmark us Subscribe to our SMS and get the latest and greatest deals sent straight to your Mobile. Register Now Site Map Travel Insurance Rail Links Change your Ticket Useful Links Visa Information Weather Vaccinations Western Union Destinations info. Language Schools Text 4 Fares J1 Travel Consultants Campus Reps Camp Counsellor Reps Class Rep Home Flights Hotels Sun Weekends J1 Flight Search Sun Holidays SKI Packs Weekends Depart From: Amsterdam Belfast Birmingham Cork Derry Dublin Frankfurt Glasgow Kerry London Manchester Paris Shannon Arrive At: --- Choose a destination Aberdeen Abu Dhabi Adelaide Alicante Amman Amsterdam Ankara Athens Atlanta Auckland Austin Bahrain Bangkok Barbados Barcelona Baltimore Beirut Beijing Belfast Berlin Bermuda Buenos Aires Bilbao Birmingham Bologna Bombay Boston Bournemouth Brisbane Bristol Brussels Bucharest Budapest Cairns Cairo Calgary Cape town Caracas Cardiff Charlotte Chicago Colombo Copenhagen Cork Dallas Dar Es Salaam Darwin Delhi Denver Derry Detroit Dhaka Dubai Dublin Durban Edinburgh Faro Florence Fort Lauderdale Frankfurt Geneva Gerona Gibraltar Glasgow Gothenburg Gran Canaria Grand Cayman Halifax Hamburg Hanoi Harare Havanna Helsinki Heraklion Hikeuru -- Ho Chi Minh Hong Kong Houston Islamabad Istanbul Jeddah Jersey Johannesburg Karachi Kerry Khartoum Krakow Kuala Lumpur Kuwait Lagos Lahore Lanzarote Larnaca Las Vegas Leeds-Bradford Lexington Lisbon Liverpool Los Angeles London London - Gatwick London - Stanstead Lyon Lusaka Luxembourg Madras Madrid Malaga Malta Manchester Manila Manzini Marseille Mauritius Melbourne Mexico Miami Milan Minneapolis Montreal Moscow Munich Murcia Nairobi Naples Italy Naples Florida Newcastle New Orleans New York - All Airports New York - JFK New York - Newark Nice Orlando Paris Palma Penang Perth Peshawar Philadelphia Phoenix Port Elizabeth Prague Riga Rio De Janeiro Rimini Riyadh Rome Saigon San Diego San Francisco San Jose Costa Rica San Jose California San Marino Santiago Sao Paulo Sao Paulo Sarajevo Seattle Seoul Seychelles Shanghai Shannon Singapore Skopje Sofia Strasbourg St. Johns St. Lucia St. Petersburg Stockholm Surabaya Sydney Taipei Tallinn Tampa Tel Aviv Thessalonika Tirana Tokyo Toronto Toulousse Tripoli Valencia Valletta Vancouver Venice Verona Vienna Vilnius Warsaw Washington Washington Baltimore Wellington Winnipeg Other Cities: Depart Date: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Return Date: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Return: One Way: No. of Adults: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Children Infants 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Departure Airport: Destination : Departure Date : Any Airport Dublin Belfast Shannon Cork Dublin and Belfast Any Irish Republic Any Destination 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31   January February March April May June July August September October November December 2005 2006 Passengers: Duration: Price: 2 passengers 3 passengers 4 passengers 5 passengers 7 Nights 14 Nights Any Price €200 Maximum per person €300 Maximum per person €400 Maximum per person €500 Maximum per person €750 Maximum per person €1000 Maximum per person Go4Less is Ireland's cheapest student & youth travel site. We offer students & under 26's cheaper fares worldwide than any other Irish student travel company. -- Special Offers : As well as cheap flights, we offer other products and services for students, such as: • Cheapest worldwide Student Travel Insurance • J1 Visa USA • Round the World fares • Camp Counselor USA • Cheap Hotel & Hostel Accommodation • Australian Work Visas & Arrival Packs • Rail Passes • Australian Internal flight passes We sell student flights on Aer Lingus, British Airways, KLM, Air France, Iberia and all major airlines to destinations in Europe, Africa, Australia, Far East, USA, Canada, Middle East and South America. -- The J1/Camp Counselor 2006 programmes ... Now Open! Now you have a real choice! -- Go4Less, 30 Lower Abbey St., Dublin 1, Ireland. Phone : (01) 435-0030 ; Fax : (01) 872-9079 © 2004 Go4Less.ie All rights reserved.

Mexico Travel Guide Travel

Mexico Travel | Guide to travelling Mexico | 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 Mexico Travel Guide Travel Destinations Guide Mexico Mexico City, Mexico - Joanne_Jen OConnor_Gillanders Mexico Photo Gallery Modern Mexican culture is the result of centuries of intermingling between the indigenous Amerindian cultures and Spanish culture. In the current day, these cultures have come together to create a modern nation with all the skyscrapers of other Western nations, but with traditional, centuries-old practices still carried on as if white man had never set foot in the New World. For travellers able to tear themselves away from Mexico's metropolitan hotspots and explore the countryside, an engaging insight into Amerindian culture is the reward. But tear themselves away they must, for Mexico's popular tourist spots are popular with very good reason. Whether it be the ancient ruins at Teotihua'an, Spanish colonial towns like Puebla, or the gorgeous seaside resort at Acapulco, Mexico's diversity delights visitors with its brilliant potential. Quick Facts Capital: Mexico City Population: 104,908,000 Religions: Christian Government: Federal Republic Official / National Languages: Spanish Country Phone Code: +52 Map of Mexico Flag of Mexico Member Comments Members talk Me and some friends are thinking of doing a pilgrimage to the Virgin of Guadalupe in December as that is when they celebrate her appearance on December 12th. Also from .. Full comment artblue | 7th Sep 04 Become a member or login to add your comment. Want some personal advice on Mexico? 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 31 Travel Helpers available to answer your questions about Mexico. Mexico 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 Mexico. Mexico Accommodation Mexico apartments (3) Mexico bed & breakfasts (11) Mexico hostels (97) Mexico budget hotels (37) Other Products Cheap travel insurance Mexico tours (33) Around the world tickets Mexico Travel Sites Sponsor Don Quijote - Learn Spanish in Mexico with Don Quijchote through Spanish language immersion courses. These guys have years of experience and a great easy-to-use website with free language tests and destination information. Sponsor Mexico SIM Cards & Cell Phones - Get free incoming calls with your own Mexico prepaid SIM card and GSM cell phone. Roam Mexico without the roaming surcharges. Mexico Family Vacations - Providing tips and resources for travelling to Mexico as a family. More Mexico 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

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. Unique Disneyland 50th Anniversary Trip Report A wonderful scrapbook revisiting the events surrounding the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland Ammy and Rick visit Disneyland on its 50th Birthday Also see following post for review of Blue Bayou and its new seating policy. Silent Joes Playground - Disney Wrap Up Theme Park Adventure of Disney Dancer Greetings from Disneyworld: Omnipotent? 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Chicago Vacation Packages -

Chicago Vacation Packages - United States in Illinois at Respond Vacations A business referral community with over 2.5 million members My Account | Advertise directory.respond.com | matching.respond.com | referrals.respond.com Chicago Vacation Packages - United States Secure Form Get Matched to Top Local Travel Agents in Chicago Complete these questions and get a customized, timely response from prescreened and member referred Travel Agents serving Chicago that are interested in working with you. You choose the Travel Agent that best meets your needs. No Cost. 1) Which state in the United States would you like to visit? 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Mexico Travel Site: Everything

Mexico Travel Tools T RAVEL T OOLS T RAVEL T OOLS Alvarado Antigua Castillo De Teayo Catemaco Cazones Cempoala Cerro Azul Chachalacas Chiapas Coatepec Coatzacoalcos Coatzintla Cordoba Cosamaloapan Costa Esmerelda El Tajin Fortin De Las Flores Gutirrez Zamora Huatusco Jalcomulco Martinez Minatitln Naolinco Nautla Oaxaca Orizaba Otatiln Pnuco Papantla Poza Rica Puebla Quiahuiztln San Andres Tuxtlas San Juan Evengelista San Lorenzo-Tenochtitlan Santiago Tuxtlas Sontecomapan State of Veracruz Tampico Tecolutla Tlacotalpan Tlapacoyan Tlaxcala Villahermosa Xico Navigate Veracruz Mexico City , 20 million strong and growing, is the largest City in the Americas. It is built upon the ruins of the most glorious City of the pre-Columbian Americas by the Aztecs who were the last of many ambitious civilizations who rose to power and glory beginning around 1200 BC with the Olmecs of Veracruz. At the beginning of another age, about 500 years ago, our featured Carnaval City Veracruz was again the cradle of the Mexico today when Hernn Corts landed on the coast near modern-day Veracruz on Good Friday 21 April 1519 with 11 ships, 550 men and 16 horses. The determined man of destiny ordered his ships burned. (history continued ) Daily News Update from Mexico & Latin America ANNUAL EVENTS || PASSPORT/VISA CUSTOMS || GUIDES TO MEXICO || State Tourismo || LINKS || GETTING THERE || - Bus Companies || PLACES TO STAY -- Veracruz State || -120 Cities || HEALTH & SAFETY || TOURS || MAPS || MONEY || FAST FACTS || LANGUAGE || WEATHER || MEDIA || - Top Headlines || TRADE || HISTORY Planning at Trip Mexico by frommers.com > Planning a Trip > Tips for Travelers with Special Needs For Families Highly recommended For Students no formal network of student discounts For Gay & Lesbian Public same-sex affection is rare Disabilities one giant obstacle For Seniors popular country for retirees, paperwork important For Women Alone safer traveling in Mexico than USA Mexico Travel Site: Everything you need to know for an enjoyable vacation in Mexico. Annual Events Calendar of Events by www.visitmexicopress.com Calendar of Mexican Fiestas and Holidays by vivasancarlos.com Holiday Planner by www.infopv.com Similar pages Passport/Visa Customs /Documents Traveling in Mexico requires proof of citizenship, which is easiest to provide by carrying a valid passport. If you do not have a passport, never fear. It is also possible to get a tourist visa (tarjeta de turista) with certified copy of your birth certificate (embossed seal do impress) and a photo ID at border crossings. The cost of a tourist visa is about $20 USD, and is included in the cost of your international plane or cruise ship ticket . Visas are typically valid for 180 days M ost people officially need a passport to pick up their tourist card, but for US and Canadian citizens all that's required is proof of citizenship (an original birth certificate or notarized copy, for instance, or naturalization papers), along with some form of photo ID (such as a driver's license). D on't lose the blue copy of your tourist card, which is given back to you after immigration inspection. You are legally required to carry it at all times, and if you have to show your papers, it's more important than your passport. Get extra visas if you'll be leaving and returning to Mexico during your trip. Planning your Flight & air travel rules by carnaval.com When taking chances on an expired ID your biggest concern is the airlines will not accept it. The Mexican rules do not say the ID must be current but that may not matter to your air carrier. Visas And Red Tape by roughguides for travelnow USA Restrictions of entering USA from Mexico by mexicoweb.com State Department Travel Information Sheet on Mexico US Consulates: Embassies and consular agents should be contacted for such emergencies as police arrest, lost passports or tourist cards, medical difficulties or accidents, or if you find that your car is unable to make the requisite return trip out of Mexico. http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html for Consular Information sheets and warnings http://travel.state.gov/tips_mexico.html Tips for Travelers to Mexico. Visa and Travel Advisories for Mexico by nationalgeographic.com Guides to Mexico OFFICIAL www.visitmexico.com Mexico's Tourism Promotion Board Mexico-travel.com / Ministry of Tourism of Mexico Select City: Acapulco Aguascalientes Ajijic Akumal Alamos Baha de Kino Bajamar Barra de Navidad Batopilas Boca del Rio Buceras Buenavista Cabo Pulmo Cabo San Lucas Campeche Cancun Catavia Cerocahui Chapala Chetumal Chichen Itza Chihuahua Chilpancingo Cholula Cihuatln Ciudad del Carmen Ciudad Delicias Ciudad Juarez Ciudad Madero Ciudad Mante Ciudad Obregon Ciudad Valles Ciudad Victoria Coatzacoalcos Cob Cocoyoc Colima Cozumel Creel Cuernavaca Culiacan Divisadero Dolores Hidalgo Durango El Fuerte Ensenada Garza Garcia Gomez Palacio Guadalajara Guanajuato Guaymas Guerrero Negro Hermosillo Huatulco Huatusco Isla de Navidad Isla Mujeres Ixtapa Ixtapan de la Sal Jalapa Jiutepec Juriquilla Kantenah La Huerta La Paz La Piedad Lagos de Moreno Lazaro Cardenas Len Loreto Los Barriles Los Mochis Manzanillo Maroma Matamoros Matehuala Mazatlan Merida Mexicali Mexico City Minatitlan Monclova Monterrey Morelia Mulege Municipio de Solidaridad Naucalpan Navojoa Nogales Nuevo Laredo Nuevo Vallarta Oaxaca Pachuca Palenque Paracho Patzcuaro Pie de la Cuesta Piedras Negras Playa del Carmen Poza Rica Progreso Puebla Puerto Angel Puerto Aventuras Puerto Escondido Puerto Morelos Puerto Nuevo Puerto Peasco Puerto Vallarta Queretaro Real del Catorce Real del Mar Reynosa Rincn de Guayabitos Rosarito Salina Cruz Saltillo San Blas San Carlos San Cristobal de las Casas San Felipe San Felipe del Agua San Ignacio San Jos del Cabo San Juan del Rio San Luis Potosi San Miguel de Allende San Quintin Santa Rosala Sn Pedro Garza Garca Tamazunchale Tampico Tapachula Taxco Tecate Tehuacan Tenacatita Tepic Tequisquiapan Tijuana Tlalnepantla Tlaquepaque Tlaxcala Todos Santos Toluca Torren Tultitln Tulum Tuxtla Gutierrez Uruapan Uxmal Valladolid Valle de Bravo Veracruz Villahermosa Xilitla Zacatecas Zapopan Zihuatanejo Zimapan OFFICIAL State Tourism Offices in Mexico Mexican Government Tourist Board -- main office in Mexico City (tel. 555/203-1103 ). USA: Mexico Hot Line (tel. 800/44-MEXICO Chicago (tel. 312/606-9252 ); Houston (tel. 713/772-2581, ext. 105, or 713/772-3819); Los Angeles (tel. 213/351-2069; fax 213/351-2074); Miami (tel. 305/718-4095 ); and New York (tel. 212/308-2110 ). The Mexican Embassy is at 1911 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20005 (tel. 202/728-1750 ). Canada: 1 Place Ville-Marie, Suite 1931, Montreal, QUE, H3B 2C3 (tel. 514/871-1052 ); 2 Bloor St. W., Suite 1502, Toronto, ON, M4W 3E2 (tel. 416/925-0704 ); 999 W. Hastings, Suite 1110, Vancouver, BC, V6C 2W2 (tel. 604/669-2845 ). Embassy office: 1500-45 O'Connor St., Ottawa, ON, K1P 1A4 (tel. 613/233-8988; fax 613/235-9123). Guide to Mexico by Lonely Planet || Map || Home Excellent short history and good overview of the highspots. Lonely Planet sells 4 guidebooks to Mexico. www.mexconnect.com mailto:davidmcl@mexconnect.com Mexico travel tips by mpsnet.mx || Interest Index || Mexico City || Espanol Immigration, Customs, Taxes, Tips, Banking Services, Driving, Safety and Health. Huge very capable and worthwhile site. by mexico.netgate.net Organized by State HISTORY MAPS RECREATIONAL SITES ECOTOURISM MUSEUMS LOCAL FESTIVITIES BEACHES COLONIAL SITES ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES . Getting There By Air - Aeromxico and Mexicana are the largest Mexican airlines but there are many airlines offering special pricing. The web is empowering air travelers like never before to enable them to get the best deal with the least hassle. Visit our frequently updated web- guide to this fast growing area. Airports in Mexico BUS Companies in Mexico Mexico has one of the best bus transit systems in the world. nearly every location is served by a bus. Some Spanish will be required By Car - Temporary Import Permit Required As a NAFTA border country, one hopes the long standing hassle of this process would ease. All foreign registered car requires a Temporary Import permit. You can do this at the border but you need to have prepared in advance if your car has a lien on it.. Process takes a couple of hours and requires proof of ownership (notarized permit to take car to Mexico from lien-holder, if any), a bond issued to the Mexican Government for the market value of the car or a valid credit card imprint charged with a processing fee approximately valued at US $12. It is good are good for six months. ... Driving at night is not recommended (potholes, livestock, and the lack of lighting are the chief hazards)... Also be cautious of roadside bandits who may attempt to get you to stop only to rob you... English speaking Angeles Verdes (Green Angels 91-800-90392), assist tourists on the highways for free except for gas and spare parts... Unleaded gas is found throughout Mexico at all gas stations... Gas up when reaching one-quarter level in remote locations. Last Minute Deals From City: To: State or Region... City... This page requires Javascript. Getting Around There Rough Guides Getting Around in association with TravelNow Buses camiones rule! (Mexican word for the long distance buses to serve virutally every town in the nation) First-class vehicles have numbered, reserved seats, videos and air conditioning Trains Only recommended for from the border to Mexico City (where sleeper services represent great value), Mexico City to Oaxaca, and the amazing Copper Canyon Railway. Flights Aeromxico and Mexicana, which between them connect most places to Mexico City, usually several times a day. Aviacsa serves the Yucatn, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guadalajara, Acapulco, Cancn, Tijuana and Monterrey. Aerolineas Internacionales and Aero California also cover most major destinations while Aeromar operates mainly in the north Ferries Baja California with a trio of ports on the Pacific mainland: Santa Rosala to Guaymas, and La Paz to Mazatln and Topolobampo (for Los Mochis). For detailed information on fares and schedules see http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/mexicoferryw.html Driving Recommends not taking your own car but renting for short periods. Mostly due to the targeting of tourists for shakedowns by underpaid traffic police. Drivers from the US, Canada, Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand will find that their licences are valid. Other reasons to avoid the hassle: Speed bumps can be huge, gas by government monopoly Pemex expensive & Theft of your vehicle is a significant concern. Hitching Not recommended particularly solo. If you do keep your baggage to hand in case you need to leave in a hurry (feigned carsickness is one way to get a driver to stop). Particularly avoid areas frequented by bandidos Local Transportation always plentiful and inexpensive, Banditry: A Warning Roads where there have been regular reports of problems, and where you should certainly try to avoid driving at night, include Hwy-15 (Los Mochis-Mazatln) and express Hwy-1 in Sinaloa, Hwy-5 (Mexico City-Acapulco) in Guerrero, Hwy-75 (Oaxaca-Tuxtepec), Hwy-57 (San Luis Potos-Matahuela), and near the border, in particular on Hwy-2 (Mexicali-Agua Prieta) and Hwy-40 (Matamoros-Monterrey). Places to Stay tripadvisor has links to a growing number of places to stay in hundreds of Mexican Cities and over a third have ratings by real people 120 Mexican Cities with on-line booking starsanddiamonds.com.mx has certification program with 5 stars as the highest rating Health & Safety Although Mexico is considered a third world country, its general concern about sanitation and cleanliness have improved enormously in the past decade. As is the case in most tropical countries, consider what your system is used to before you eat it. Purified water is always available during trip. Montezuma's revenge or turista is best avoided by not drinking the water including ice cubes (which are not always made with " agua purificada ") but there is no sure way to avoid the unfamiliar bacteria. Mexico has a relatively low crime rate but take precautions against theft. Nationally: Red Cross Medical emergency 15-20-55 Police emergency is 18-39-54; Fire department 14-2 0 -50; Travelers’ Health Information for Mexico & Central America by www.cdc.gov/travel . Cholera, dengue fever, hepatitis, malaria, polio, rabies, tetanus, typhoid. Air pollution in Mexico City between December and May. USA http://travel.state.gov/medical.html State Department offers medical information for Americans traveling abroad and a list of air ambulance services Health and Vaccinations for Mexico by nationalgeographic.com Talk About It Mexico State Tourism Offices by mexonline.com Travelers Message Service "Before you leave home, give your family and friends the URL of this board.... http://www.weblane.com/experiencia/bb/ ...then if you need to get in touch with each other, just post messages on this board." Tours Frequently updated inclusive list from Publisher Ron Mader, Mexican Association of Adventure Travel and Ecotourism (AMTAVE) Phone: (25) 661-9121 Fax: (25) 662-7354 Email: 74174.2424@compuserve.com Cancun Tours Operators by mexicoweb.com Maps www.maps-of-mexico.com 4000 pages of Mexico maps Maps google.com/search=mexico+maps Mexico Map by lib.utexas.edu Won't fit on your screen or print. Mexico Map by Expedia Money S ince 1998 when we began check the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar, and the one used in this book, is around 10 pesos; at that rate, an item that costs 10 pesos would be equivalent to US$1. However the peso is very unstable so you cannot count on this being the rate. Check before you go Best Exchange Rates: Automated teller machines (ATMs) and credit cards continue to offers the best exchange rates. Traveler's checks experiencing declining relative exchange rate and reduced acceptance. U.S. cash is accepted by many merchants at exchange rates that vary widely. Banks usually give the best exchange rate. Credit cards are widely accepted in most cities and resort areas at exchange rate determined by your bank. ATMS ( Cirrus and PLUS systems) are widely available and allow you to not carry too much cash. Tipping: Luxury resort areas are equivalent to US levels- 15% and 20%. Elsewhere 10% is acceptable. $1 per day for your hotel maid or $1 per bag for the porter. Taxi drivers don't expect tips but be sure to negotiate the price in advance. A tip of U.S. coins, which cannot be exchanged into Mexican currency, is of no value to the service provider. Support your Tour guides (including this one) VAT: Mexico has a value-added tax of 15% (Impuesto de Valor Agregado, or IVA; pronounced "ee-bah") on most everything, including restaurant meals, bus tickets, and souvenirs. (Exceptions are Cancn, Cozumel, and Los Cabos, where the IVA is 10%; as ports of entry, they receive a break on taxes.) Hotels charge the usual 15% IVA, plus a locally administered bed tax of 2% (in most areas), for a total of 17%. You quoted hotel rate may not have included this fee Y OUR CREDIT CARD BANK: There is significant credit card fraud and your bank may not honor your charge unless you have told them in advance of your plans. Also they are more likely to cut you off following significant activity so take a back-up card. Many cards add a surcharge onto foreign transactions particularly Airline cards and American Express. It is ieasy to avoid this chage of 1 to 4% by checking in advance since it is simply a gouge as there is actually no extra cost to the bank card provider more on c urrency Conversion at tradeday.com Costs And Money in Mexico by travelnow.com Mexico is not as cheap as it once was Shopping in Mexico by nationalgeographic.com 800/424-7787 or www.mastercard.com . 800/843-7587 or www.visa.com Fast Facts Electricity: 110V, 60 Hz same as USA Weights & measures: metric (see the conversion table .) Telephone Mexico international access code is 52 . Select city codes: Mexico City is 05, Vera Cruz Area Code 28 , Cabo San Lucas 0684, Cancn 0988, Cozumel 0987, Puerto Vallarta 0322. Omit the 0 when calling from abroad. Long-distance calls are expensive, it is best to arrange to have a calling card access number in advance. You can also place reversed-charge calls by reaching an international operator, dial 09. Business Hours : Banks are open 9 AM–1:30 PM Monday–Friday, although some banks are now expanding hours. Stores often open between 9 AM–8 PM, but can close for siesta in midday. Holidays Banks and most businesses close on New Year's Day (1 January), Constitution Day (5 February), Birthday of Benito Juarz (21 March), Good Friday through Easter Monday (four days in March or April; date varies), Labor Day (1 May), Anniversary of Battle of Puebla (5 May), Independence Day (16 September), Columbus Day (12 October), All Saints' Day (1 November), All Souls' Day (2 November), Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 (20 November), and Christmas Day (25 December). Area: 1,972,000 sq. km (769,080 sq. mi) Capital city: Mexico City (pop 20 million) Population: 97,967,000 in 1995 (growth rate 2%) ;Literacy rate 88%. People: Approximately 70% mestizo (mixed European and Indian descent) 9% European and 20% indgena (Native Americans or Indians - including Nahua, Maya, Zapotecs, Mixtecs, Totonacs, and Tarascos or Purpecha) 8% of the population speak Indian languages. Also includes Arabic 400,000, Chinese 31,000 Language: Language: Language: Spanish Religion: 90% Roman Catholic, 6% Protestant GDP: US$370 billion GDP per head: US$4000. Travel Seasons -- Mexico has two principal travel seasons. High season begins around December 20 and continues to Easter; in some places it begins as early as mid-November. Low season is from the day after Easter to mid-December; during low season, prices may drop 20% to 50%. In beach destinations popular with Mexican travelers, such as Veracruz and Acapulco , prices will revert to high season during July and August, the traditional national summer vacation period. Prices inland fluctuate little from high to low season, but may rise dramatically during the weeks of Easter and Christmas and at Carnaval time at the port Cities of Veracruz and Mazatlan. Language English <-> Espanol <-> Portuguese travlang.com/languages One of the web's great travel resources with spoken words for 65 languages. Time to brush up on your travel Espanol? Weather Mexico is often considered tropical but is rather temperate or spring like year-round. Dry winter (November through April) and rainy (May through October) season, although the rain is usual tolerable for travelers. In short, anytime of year is going to be relatively nice for travel. Find the Weather for any City, State or ZIP Code, or Airport Code or Country by Wunderground Satelite Photo of the Hemisphere Be your own weather predictor. Weather and Climate of Mexico by nationalgeographic.com Jan Mar May July Sept Nov Acapulco F) 88 72 88 72 90 77 91 77 90 77 90 75 Rainfall (inch) .5 .2 0 8 11 .6 Guadalajara (F) 73 45 82 48 88 57 79 59 79 59 77 50 Rainfall (inch) .5 .3 1 7 7 .5 La Paz (F) 73 55 79 55 91 63 97 73 95 73 84 63 Rainfall (inch) .3 0 0 1 1 .5 Mrida (F) 82 64 90 68 93 70 91 73 90 73 84 66 Rainfall (inch) 1 .5 3 5 7 1 Mexico City (F) 72 43 81 50 81 55 75 55 73 55 73 48 Rainfall (inch) .5 .5 3 6 5 .5 Monterrey (F) 68 48 79 55 88 68 93 72 93 72 73 54 Rainfall (inch) 1 1 2 3 4 1 Oaxaca (F) 82 46 90 54 90 59 82 59 81 59 82 50 Rainfall (inch) 2 1 5 8 11 2 San Cristbal (F) 68 41 72 45 72 48 72 50 70 50 68 45 Rainfall (inch) 2 2 7 7 14 3 Tijuana (F) 68 43 70 46 73 54 81 61 81 61 73 50 Rainfall (inch) 2 1 .2 0 .5 1 Veracruz (F) 77 64 79 70 86 77 88 75 88 77 82 70 Rainfall (inch) 1 1 4 9 12 2 Media & News Mexico City News || Novedades.com.mx/Frontpage thenews@ri.redint.com Daily newspaper; oldest English-language paper in Mexico El-universal.com.mx Mexico's oldest daily has an English section MediaINFO Link - Latin America Another wonderfully comprehensive directory by Ron Mader eco-journalist. Internet del Diario de Yucatn based in Merida La Jornada en Internet : Espanol Only Diario.com.mx : Espanol Only Today's Top Mexico & Latin American Headlines Trade Business wear is formal. Mexicans attach much importance to courtesy and the use of titles. Prior appointments are necessary and if in doubt about a correct title it is advisable to use licenciado in place of seor. English is widelyspoken in business circles although it is a big plus to be able to speakSpanish. AmCham.com.mx || amchammx@amcham.com.mx American Chamber of Commerce - Mexico Phone: (011-52)(5) 724-3830 MexicoBusiness.com/ || MAILBOX@MEXICOBUSINESS.COM Subscriptions are $45 in the United States and Mexico LATCO.org || info@latco.org Latin American Trade Organization of Oregon. "The Mexican Government continues to enact reforms, including the privatization of many economic areas, making the Mexican economy one of the most open economies world-wide." History T he Spaniards were well received in the Veracruz coastal towns by the Toltecs who resented oppressive Aztec domination and were willing to march with Cortes against the great Aztec capital built on a lake. Moctezuma II, the Aztec god king had been expecting a momentous occasion for his priests had long predicted the phoenix like god Quetzalcatl's to return from the east in the year of 1519. Corts wasted little time reducing the City to ashes taking his eager host Moctezuma hostage immediately after being invited to the palace. The war of conquest would last another 28 months but the destuction and supression of the Aztec and Mayan cililizations would continue for centuries. However, the greatest decimation would soon come to pass with epidemics which reduced the population from 25 miullion to one million by 1605. T he Spanish were conquistadores who left their women at home and went off on a quest for glory, gold and God. Consequently they often took native wives. Spanish-born who expected to be treated like nobility and the natives of New Spain who built the country contolled the country amidst growing resentment between themselves. The natives also separated themselves as criollos (born of Spanish parents in New Spain), metzitos (mixed Eoropean, African and Indian blood) and Indians or Africans. In 1808 the Frenchman Napoleon Bonaparte occupied most of Spain weakening Spanish control and allowing the rivalry between New Spain groups to intensify. On 16 September 1810 Miguel Hidalgo a Criollo parish priest issued his now-famous call to rebellion, the Grito de Dolores. In 1821 Spain agreed to Mexican independence however the new governments were ineffective and unstable. I n 1845, the US congress voted to annex Texas and the Mexican-American War followed. Under the resulting Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), Mexico ceded modern Texas, California, Utah, Colorado and most of New Mexico and Arizona to the USA. In 1864 Napoleon's nephew, the foolishly arrogarnt Napoleon III attempted to colonize Mexico, but the reign of his ruler, the Austrian archduke Maximilian of Hapsburg was shortlived ending with his hanging. T he Party of the Institutionalized Revolution (the PRI) took power in 1934 following the 10 year Mexican Revolution which claimed the lives of nearly 1 out 8 citizens. The PRI has dominated the history of Mexico for most of the 20th century but their control is eroding fast. In 1988, Carlos Salinas de Gortari was elected to the single 6 year term as president despite the widely accepted belief that the current Mayor Cardenas of Mexico City won the election. Salinas was very successful in bringing about economic reform and is the person most responsible for the signing of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement on 1 January 1994. T he prior President, Ernesto Zedillo was 43 when he was elected following the assassination of Salinas' chosen successor. Zedillo has been a genuine reformer allowing opposition parties to win many key elections. His term has been beset be economic crisis as well as a revolution in the southern state of Chiapas by the Zapatistas who demand social justice for Mexico's oppressed Indians. The current President Vicente Fox seeks to completely redefine the relationship of Mexico and its powerful Northern neighbors by opening the borders as wide as possible and convincing his country men to think bigger. A talented and determined historic figure, Fox will have till 2006 to remake a difficult and corrupt bureaucracy staffed by enemies of reform. olmecs are mainly known for f the striking stone figures left behind by the mother culture of Meso America which preceded the Mayans and Aztecs . Olmec civilization was in ascendance between 1300 and 600 B.C. Their greatest architectural treasure has be found at La Venta in the state of Tabasco History of Mexico by nationalgeographic.com Lots of Links: Mexico dmoz Mexico : Travel and Tourism : Arts and Entertainment Business and Economy Education Maps and Views News and Media Society and Culture Transportation Weather Volunteer run DMOZ can be your best way to get a site indexed by google and other search engines Travel and Tourism Lodging Message Boards National Parks Travel Guides Travel Services Birdwatching Camping and RVs Roads and Highways Show Caves Travelogues Wineries Mexican States : Links indicated as of Jan-2004 Note only Baja, Quintana Roo and Jalisco have more than 400. Aguascalientes (7) Baja California (370) Baja California Sur (698) Campeche (10) Chiapas (49) Chihuahua (36) Coahuila (22) Colima (59) Durango (4) Federal District (64) Guanajuato (154) Guerrero (329) Hidalgo (2) Jalisco (405) Mexico State (13) Michoacan (21) Morelos (20) Nayarit (110) Nuevo Leon (79) Oaxaca (166) Puebla (7) Queretaro (13) Quintana Roo (709) San Luis Potosi (19) Sinaloa (76) Sonora (83) Tabasco (1) Tamaulipas (64) Tlaxcala (2) Veracruz see out special section Yucatan (69) Zacatecas (7) Northern Veracruz Costa Esmeralda || CASTILLO DE TEAYO || CAZONES || Cerro Azul || COATZINTLA || Gutirrez Zamora || Martnez || Nautla || Pnuco || P apantla || El TAJN || Poza Rica || Tampico || Tecolutla || Tlapacoyan || Tuxpan Xalapa >> Mexico City Central Antigua || Cempoala || Chachalacas || Coatepec || Jalcomulco || Naolinco || Quiahuiztln || Xico Orizaba- Great Mountains Cordoba || Fortin de las Flores || Huatusco || Orizaba >> Puebla || Tlaxcala Los Tuxtlas Catemaco || Santiago Tuxtlas || San Andres Tuxtlas || Sontecomapan >> Chiapas Papaloapan Plain Alvarado || Cosamaloapan || Otatiln || Tlacotalpan >> Oaxaca Southern Veracruz Coatzacoalcos || Minatitln || San Juan Evengelista || San Lorenzo-Tenochtitlan || Villahermosa Y ucatan Peninsula Cancn || MERIDA || Cozumel || Isla Mujeres || Playa del Carmen Where to Go in Mexico by nationalgeographic.com To Top of Page To Carnaval Home Page (restores frame menu) Questions or comments? email the webmaster@ carnaval.com Last updated Oct-04 Web www.carnaval.com To: From: Depart: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 12:00am 1:00am 2:00am 3:00am 4:00am 5:00am 6:00am 7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm Morning Noon Evening Anytime Stops: 0 1 2 3 Return: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 12:00am 1:00am 2:00am 3:00am 4:00am 5:00am 6:00am 7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm Morning Noon Evening Anytime 0 1 2 3 4 5 Adults (15-64) 0 1 2 3 4 Children (2-14) 0 1 2 3 4 5 Seniors (65+)