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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! 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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? Lynn's Road to Disney World Three Kid Circus Recent Comments loana on Attendance Numbers re-examined rosemary on The Great Hidden Mickey Quest rosemary on The Great Hidden Mickey Quest Kenneth Barnes on The Whistle Blows for Monday Night Football Stacey on Disney ponders new style of hotel Doug135711 on Themepark Attendance Figures with Disney on top Lynnad on Studio Gibli: Howl's Moving Caslte Natasha Kershaw on Edna Mode is Edith Head Tyler C. on Narnia News from the old gray lady Tyler C. on Narnia News from the old gray lady Search This Site Web thedisneyblog.typepad.com December 2005 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 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 Categories Animation Business anti-disney Art Books Broadway Celebration, FL CIC corporate disney Cosplay Current Affairs disneyana disney animation Disney Channel disney comics Disney Concert Hall disney consumer products disney cruise disney dining Disney Fandom disney film Disney Games Disneyism disneyland Disney Mobile Disney Musicals Disney Online Disney Publishing disney television disney vacation disney world DVD EM:HE espn Film Florida Attractions Food and Drink Games Holiday Hong Kong Disneyland Humor Imagineering Indiana Jones LaughingPlace.com Lost Mickey Mouse miramax Miyazaki Muppets Music Narnia NFFC paris disneyland pixar Playhouse Disney Podcast Pooh & Characters Religion Round Up Sports Star Wars Television The Disney Stores Themepark Industry Tim Burton tokyo disneyland Travel Uncle Walt Weblogs Web/Tech World Events Archives December 26, 2005 - January 1, 2006 December 19, 2005 - December 25, 2005 December 12, 2005 - December 18, 2005 December 5, 2005 - December 11, 2005 November 28, 2005 - December 4, 2005 November 21, 2005 - November 27, 2005 November 14, 2005 - November 20, 2005 November 7, 2005 - November 13, 2005 October 31, 2005 - November 6, 2005 October 24, 2005 - October 30, 2005 Disney Links The Disney Blog for Kids Disney Shopping at The LaughingPlace Store The Latest Disney News from LaughingPlace.com Disney Online - The Official Home Page of The Walt Disney Company! 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CruiseDirect | Family Cruise Vacations Site Shortcuts Home _________________ Deal Finder Last Minute Cruises Group Cruises Special Cruise Offers Top Ten Cruises Online Exclusives _________________ Port Excursions Ship Activities _________________ Accessories Apparel Books Insurance Luggage Currency Converter _________________ About Us Cust Service Questions Price Guarantee Privacy Review Trip Security _________________ CRUISE SEARCH Destination: Any destination Africa Alaska Australia Bahamas Baltic Sea Bermuda Canada/New England Caribbean Caribbean - Eastern Caribbean - Southern Caribbean - Western Costa Rica Cruise To Nowhere Europe Europe - Northern Europe - Western Far East Greek Isles Hawaii Mediterranean Mexico New York New Zealand Orient Pacific Coastal Pacific Northwest Panama Canal Red Sea South America South Pacific Southeast Asia Tahiti Transatlantic Transcanal Transpacific World Cruise Embarking Between: to: Length of Cruise: Any cruise length 1-2 Nights 3-6 Nights 7-9 Nights 10-14 Nights Over 14 Nights Cruise Line: Any cruise line Carnival Cruise Lines Celebrity Cruises Costa Cruise Lines Cruise West Crystal Cruises Cunard Line Ltd. Disney Cruise Line Holland America Line MSC Italian Cruises Norwegian Cruise Line Oceania Cruises Orient Cruise Lines P&O Cruises Princess Cruises Radisson Seven Seas Royal Caribbean Seabourn Cruise Line Silversea Cruises Viking River Cruises Windjammer Cruises Windstar Cruises Departure Port: Any port Acapulco, Mexico Adelaide, AUS Alexandria, EGY Amsterdam, NL Anchorage, Alaska Antigua, WI Antwerp, Belgium Aruba, NA Auckland, NZ Avignon, France Baltimore, MD Bangkok, TH Barcelona, Spain Basel, CH Bayonne, NJ Beijing, China Bergen, Norway Bordeaux, France Boston, MA Barbados, WI Bourgogne, France Brisbane, AUS Budapest, HUN Buenos Aires, ARG Cairns, AUS Caldera, CR Cape Town, SA Charleston, SC Christchurch, NZ Civitavecchia, ITA Colon, Panama Columbia Glacier, AK Copenhagen, DNK Cozumel, MX Curacao, NA Darwin, AUS Dover, England Dubai, UAE Durban, South Africa Ensenada, Mexico Fort Lauderdale, FL Freeport, Bahamas Fremantle, AUS Galveston, Texas Genoa, Italy Gran Canaria, Canary Islands Great Bahama Bank Grenada, WI Guadeloupe Hamburg, Germany Harwich, England Ho Chi Minh, VNM Honfleur, France Hong Kong, China Honolulu, Hawaii Houston, Texas Istanbul, Turkey Jacksonville, FL Juneau, Alaska Ketchikan, Alaska Kiel, Germany Kobe, Japan La Paz, Mexico Laem Chabang, TH Lima, Peru Lautoka, Fiji Leith/Edinburgh, SCT Lisbon, Portugal London, England Long Beach, CA Los Angeles, CA Lyttelton, NZ Madeira, Portugal Magdeburg, DEU Malaga, Spain Manaus, Brazil Marseille, France Melbourne, AUS Miami, Florida Mobile, Alabama Mombasa, Kenya Monte Carlo, MCO Montevideo, URY Montreal, Quebec Moscow,Russia Mumbai, India Mykonos, Greece Nassau, Bahamas New Orleans, LA New York, NY Nice, France Norfolk, Virginia Nuremberg, DEU Osaka, Japan Oslo, Norway Palm Beach, FL Palma de Mallorca, ESP Panama City, PAN Paris, France Perth, AUS Philadelphia, PA Piraeus, GRC Port Canaveral, FL Port Louis, MUS Port Said, Egypt Puntarenas, CR Quebec City, QC Reykjavik, ISL Rio de Janeiro, BRA Rouen, France Safaga, Egypt San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA San Jose, CR San Juan, PR Santiago, CHL Santos, Brazil Savona, ITA Seattle, WA Seward, Alaska Shanghai, China Singapore, SGP Southampton, UK St. Lucia St. Maarten, NA St. Martin, FWI St. Petersburg, RUS St. Thoma, USVI Stockholm, Sweden Sydney, Australia Tahiti, FP Tampa, Florida Tenerife, Canary Islands Tianjin, China Tilbury, England Tokyo, Japan Tortola, VGB Ushuaia, ARG Valletta, Malta Vancouver, BC Vancouver IS, CAN Venice, Italy Vienna, Austria Villefranche, FR W Palm Beach, FL Whittier, Alaska Wuhan, China Yokohama, Japan Deal Finder Departure Ports Group Cruises Last Minute Cruise Top Ten Bargains Online Exclusives Special Offers Cruise Sweepstakes Carnival Celebrity Crystal Disney Holland America Norwegian Princess Royal Caribbean Windstar Africa Alaska Asia Australia/N.Z. Bahamas Bermuda Canada/N.E. Caribbean Europe Hawaii Mexico Panama Canal South America South Pacific Western U.S. Family Cruises Golf Cruises Honeymoon Cruises Shore Excursions Onboard Accessories Logo Wear Books & Maps Luggage Travel Insurance Currency Converter Live Chat Email Questions? Member Login Get Specials via email! Home > Family Cruise Vacations Family Cruises Tired of long car rides, crowded amusements parks, unpredictable weather, and bored children? With a dizzying assortment of activities, both onboard and onshore, a cruise has something to offer for each member of your family: spas for Mom, golf for Dad, movies, games, and swimming for the kids (to name only a few possibilities). To help you plan your next family cruise vacation, we’ve provided our top picks for family cruises, as well as a sampling of activities and services offered by the major cruise lines. Family Cruise Activities & Services: Carnival | Celebrity | Crystal | Disney | Holland America | Norwegian | Princess | Royal Caribbean FEATURED FAMILY CRUISES Feb 5, 2006 Mexico 8 days Norwegian Norwegian Star Los Angeles, CA $459 * Mar 9, 2006 Bahamas 3 days Disney Disney Wonder Port Canaveral, FL $668 * Mar 9, 2006 Caribbean, West 4 days Carnival Holiday Mobile, AL $329 * Mar 19, 2006 Bahamas 4 days Carnival Fantasy Port Canaveral, FL $409 * Apr 17, 2006 Mexico 4 days Royal Caribbean Monarch of Seas Los Angeles, CA $354 * Apr 22, 2006 Caribbean, East 7 days Royal Caribbean Navigator of Seas Miami, FL $964 * Apr 29, 2006 Caribbean, East 7 days Carnival Carnival Glory Port Canaveral, FL $639 * May 4, 2006 Bahamas 3 days Disney Disney Wonder Port Canaveral, FL $668 * May 27, 2006 Bermuda 7 days Royal Caribbean Empress of the Seas Philadelphia, PA $899 * Dec 7, 2006 Caribbean, East 10 days Norwegian Norwegian Dawn New York, NY $629 * 10 Cruises Found 1-10 | Show All FAMILY CRUISE WIZARD Sail Date: Select month All January February March April May June July August September October November December 2006 2007 2008 Destination: Select destination All Africa Alaska Bahamas Bermuda Canada Caribbean - All - Eastern - Southern - Western Europe - All - Mediterranean - Northern - Western Far East Hawaii Mexico New England New Zealand Panama Canal South America South Pacific - All - Australia/N.Z. - Tahiti Southeast Asia Transatlantic Transcanal Transpacific Western U.S. World Cruise Cruiseline: Select cruiseline All Carnival Celebrity Costa Cruise West Crystal Cunard Disney Holland America MSC Italian Norwegian Oceania Orient Princess Radisson Seven Seas Royal Caribbean Seabourn Silversea Viking River Windjammer Windstar CARNIVAL FAMILY CRUISES: ACTIVITIES & SERVICES Air/Sea rate (same or less for full-fare psngrs.) Babysitting** Cartoons Cribs available*** Daily papers Dancing classes (some ships) Escorted shore tours (some ships) Games/contests Ice cream bar/party Kids’ dining menus Movies Parties Ping Pong Pool—kids only (some ships) Quad/family cabins Teen center/disco (some ships) Teen counselors (seasonal) Video games Volleyball (some ships) Youth counselors Youth center/playroom (seasonal) back to top of page CELEBRITY FAMILY CRUISES: ACTIVITIES & SERVICES Arts/crafts classes Babysitting** Basketball (some ships) Beach parties (some ships) Cartoons Cribs available*** Daily papers (seasonal) Dancing classes Games/contests History/geography lessons (some ships) Ice cream bar/party Kids’ dining menus Movies Parties Ping Pong Pool—kids only (some ships) Quad/family cabins Teen center/disco (some ships) Teen counselors (seasonal) Video games Volleyball (some ships) Youth counselors Youth center/playroom (seasonal) back to top of page CRYSTAL FAMILY CRUISES: ACTIVITIES & SERVICES Air/Sea rate (same or less for full-fare psngrs.) Arts/crafts classes (seasonal) Babysitting** Basketball (seasonal) Bridge tours (seasonal) Cartoons Cribs available*** Daily papers (seasonal) Dancing classes (seasonal) Games/contests (seasonal) Ice cream bar/party Movies Parties (seasonal) Ping Pong (seasonal) Quad/family cabins (no four-berth cabins, some triples) Teen center/disco (some ships) Teen counselors (seasonal) Video games (seasonal) Youth counselors Youth center/playroom (seasonal) back to top of page DISNEY FAMILY CRUISES: ACTIVITIES & SERVICES Air/Sea rate (same or less for full-fare psngrs.) Babysitting** Basketball Beach parties Cribs available*** Daily papers Dancing classes Escorted shore tours Games/contests Ice cream bar/party Kids’ dining menus Movies Parties Ping Pong Pool—kids only Quad/family cabins Snorkeling Teen center/disco Teen counselors Video games Volleyball Youth counselors Youth center/playroom back to top of page HOLLAND AMERICA FAMILY CRUISES: ACTIVITIES & SERVICES Air/Sea rate (same or less for full-fare psngrs.) Arts/crafts classes Babysitting** Basketball Beach parties Bridge tours Cartoons (seasonal) Cribs available*** Daily papers Dancing classes Escorted shore tours (some ships) Foreign language classes (some ships; seasonal) Games/contests History/geography lessons (some ships) Ice cream bar/party Kids’ dining menus Movies Parties Ping Pong Pool—kids only (some ships) Quad/family cabins Teen center/disco Teen counselors Video games Volleyball back to top of page NORWEGIAN FAMILY CRUISES: ACTIVITIES & SERVICES Air/Sea rate (same or less for full-fare psngrs.) Arts/crafts classes (some ships) Basketball (some ships) Beach parties (some ships) Bridge tours (some ships) Cartoons (some ships) Cribs available*** Daily papers (some ships) Dancing classes (some ships; seasonal) Escorted shore tours (some ships) Games/contests (some ships) Ice cream bar/party (some ships) Kids’ dining menus Movies (some ships) Parties (some ships) Ping Pong Quad/family cabins Snorkeling (some ships) Teen center/disco (some ships/seasonal) Teen counselors (seasonal) Video games Youth counselors (some ships) Youth center/playroom (seasonal back to top of page PRINCESS FAMILY CRUISES: ACTIVITIES & SERVICES Air/Sea rate (same or less for full-fare psngrs.) Arts/crafts classes (seasonal) Basketball (some ships) Beach parties Bridge tours Cartoons Cribs available*** (some ships) Daily papers (seasonal) Dancing classes (seasonal) Games/contests (seasonal) History/geography lessons (some ships Ice cream bar/party (seasonal) Kids’ dining menus Movies (seasonal) Parties (seasonal) Ping Pong Pool—kids only (some ships) Quad/family cabins (some ships) Teen center/disco (some ships) Teen counselors (seasonal) Video games Volleyball (some ships) Youth counselors (seasonal) back to top of page ROYAL CARIBBEAN FAMILY CRUISES: ACTIVITIES & SERVICES Arts/crafts classes Babysitting** (seasonal) Basketball (some ships) Beach parties (some ships) Bridge tours (some ships) Cartoons Cribs available*** Daily papers Escorted shore tours Games/contests Kids’ dining menus Parties Quad/family cabins Teen center/disco Teen counselors Video games Youth counselors Youth center/playroom back to featured cruises | back to top of page **Where available, babysitting is arranged onboard, and not guaranteed. ***Where available, cribs are arranged for at time of booking. About Us | Security | Privacy | News | Affiliates | Travel Agents ©2002-2003 CruiseDirect, Inc. All rights reserved. CruiseDirect Terms of use | Privacy Policy Featured offers are for select dates only, are subject to availability, and are based on double occupancy. Your exact price depends on time of actual booking. All prices are in $US. To convert into other currencies, please see our currency converter . CruiseDirect, Inc. is not responsible for content on external Web sites.

Germany Travel

Dresden, Germany - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Dresden car from Dresden Dresden Railway station (only days after the use of the West German Mark (1990), a mobile Burger King arrived) Dresden , city in east central Germany, capital of Saxony (Sachsen). A port on the Elbe River, near the Czech Republic, it is the focus of one of Germany's largest metropolitan areas and is a major manufacturing, transportation, and cultural center. At the heart of the city is the historic Altstadt (Old Town), on the southern bank of the Elbe, now partly restored after receiving severe damage in World War II (1939-1945). On the northern bank are the Neustadt, Antonstadt, and Albertstadt districts. Suburbs include Loschwitz, Blasewitz, Plauen, and Lbtau. Zwinger Palace The economy of Dresden centers on port activities and the manufacture of high-technology items. Products include specialized optical and medical equipment, business machines, computers, musical instruments, machinery, and tools. Dresden china, a fine porcelain once made in the city, is now produced at nearby Meissen. Dresden Technical University (1828), Carl Gustav Carus Medical Academy of Dresden (1954), Friedrich List University of Transportation of Dresden (1952), and a school of music (1856) are in the city. central part of the Zwinger Palace One of Europe's foremost cultural centers before World War II, Dresden's major landmark is the carefully restored 18th-century Zwinger Palace. The Zwinger houses several noted museums, the most famous of which is the Semper Gallery. The highlight of its collection of more than 2000 paintings is the Sistine Madonna by Raphael. Meissen porcelain, pewter items, scientific instruments, coins, and the crown jewels of Saxony are among other exhibits in the Zwinger museums. a bride Also rebuilt since World War II are the Dresden State Opera House (1878), once associated with the German composers Richard Wagner, Carl Maria von Weber, and Richard Strauss, and several fine churches, such as the rococo Hofkirche (1739-1751) and the Kreuzkirche (in part dating from the 15th century). Also of note in the city are the Dresden Technical Museum, the Dresden History Museum, and museums of transportation and military history. Sachsen Palace with a mural of the Sachsen Rulers More Photos of the Sachsen Palace part of the mural showing the Saxony notables More Photos of the Saxony Rulers First mentioned in the early 13th century, Dresden gained prominence from 1485 to 1918 as the capital of the powerful dukes (later electors and kings) of Saxony. The city emerged as a leading cultural center in the 17th century, most notably during the reign (1694-1733) of Frederick Augustus I, elector of Saxony (also during the reign, 1697-1733, of King Augustus II of Poland). During this period the alchemist John Friedrich Bttger invented the Meissen porcelain technique, making possible European production of the porcelain previously imported from Asia. bridge between sections of the Sachsen Palace Sachsen Palace and the royal church More Photos of the Sachsen Palace The city was partly rebuilt after suffering heavy damage during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and subsequently became known as the Florence on the Elbe because of its magnificent baroque and rococo architecture and its fine museums. Napoleon achieved his last major military success here in 1813. Dresden developed into an important industrial center in the late 19th century. ruins (1990) of the area where the Dresden Frauenkirche once stood Photos of the reconstructed Frauenkirche On the night of February 13, 1945, hundreds of Allied bombers released a firestorm of bombs on Dresden, killing 135,000 people and demolishing 80 percent of the city. Much of the city was meticulously restored after the war. Population (1997) 474,443. Text from Microsoft Encarta Dresden 2004 horse of Saxony the count down to Dresden's 800th anniversary Dresden Philharmonic Gothic fountain in the midst of modern buildings remnant from the Communist era glimpse of a Saxony Castle from the bus window monument to the "War of the Nations" Leipzig, Battle of , called the Battle of the Nations, decisive engagement between the French armies of Napoleon and those of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Sweden, fought on October 16-19, 1813, at Leipzig, Germany. Threatened by the Allies with the loss of a vital communications line through the city, Napoleon fought a standoff battle on October 16, but the following day the Allies, vastly superior in strength, closed in with reinforcements. They began their assault on October 18, and early the next day, after some nine hours of fighting, Napoleon ordered a retreat over the Weisse Elster River. In the confusion the bridge across the river was blown up before the retreat was complete, leaving some 30,000 French troops to be taken prisoner in the city. Casualties on both sides were estimated between 90,000 and 120,000. The Battle of Leipzig effectively eliminated Napoleon's power east of the Confederation of the Rhine. Other Photos from Leipzig Return to Germany page Return to Europe page Return to People and Places

Travel Insurance Life &

Travel Insurance Center - The Travel Insurance Experts! products | review your policies | help with insurance | affiliates Travel Insurance Life & AD&D Global & Expat Benefits War & Terrorism Insurance Group Insurance Travel Insurance is designed to protect your travel investment, cover emergency medical expenses, and provide peace of mind. Whether traveling for business or fun, travel insurance protection packages provide financial security for those unforeseen perils that may occur. Travel Insurance benefits vary by carrier and plan design, and may include coverage for trip cancellation or interruption, emergency medical expenses for illness or injury, costly emergency medical evacuation, travel delays, lost or damaged baggage, emergency assistance services, and more. Policy Picker ® Place of Residence United States United Kingdom Canada Mexico Caribbean Australia New Zealand Europe South/Central America Asia Africa I'm Interested In Protecting My Trip Cost Travel Medical Insurance Emergency Evacuation Departure 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 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2004 2005 2006 2007 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 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2004 2005 2006 2007 Trip Cost Per Traveler (US$) Enter "0" to exclude Trip Cancellation Traveler Ages Destination Domestic International Both Click To Add More Travelers Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) and International Life Insurance protect your family's financial well-being should you become disabled or die prematurely. Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance plans will pay you, your beneficiary, or your estate a lump sum benefit (e.g. $500,000) should an accident result in your death, or the loss of a limb/eyesight. Available plans include coverage for Individual Trips, High Risk Activities, War coverage and International Term Life Insurance. No one can predict when an accident will happen but you can be sure your loved ones will be financially secure should one occur. Click here to view all Life and AD&D plans Now Featured Annual Travel Accident Elite Provides up to $1 million of Annual Common Carrier Travel Accident insurance with coverage worldwide for unlimited trips up to 185 consecutive days per trip. An Additional $10,000 for Emergency Evacuation, $10,000 for Repatriation of Remains, and 24/7 Travel Assistance services makes this a well-rounded annual package plan (US residents only). 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Click here to view all Global and Expatriate plans Now Featured Global Medical and Global Basic Insurance Annual, renewable global health/medical insurance for individuals and families living worldwide. Maximum lifetime benefit is five million US dollars (US$5,000,000). Does not cover US citizens living in the US. International Life Insurance Guaranteed renewable term life insurance for individuals and groups. Covers all nationalities - including expatriates, missionaries, employees and contractors. Simplified underwriting with no medical exam and no blood test. International Accidental Death (AD&D) Annual, guaranteed renewable AD&D insurance for individuals and groups. Covers all nationalities - including expatriates, missionaries, employees and contractors. Simplified underwriting with coverage for War and Terrorism available upon request. To view all of our Global and Expatriate Products, click here War Risk & Terrorism Coverage provides otherwise unavailable insurance for acts of war and terrorism in areas of political unrest. In today's political and economic climate, acts of war and terrorism remain a constant threat. Many businesses, contractors, and professionals are finding that their jobs require them to travel abroad to places of political unrest (even war zones). We specialize in finding Medical Insurance, Life Insurance, AD&D, Defense Based Act (DBA), Disability Income Protection, Flight Accident or Common Carrier Accident plans for these high-risk areas. Click here to view all War Risk & Terrorism Insurance plans Now Featured Security First Travel Accident War Risk Insurance Travel accident insurance and travel assistance services for work-related travel outside traveler's home country. Covers acts of War & Terrorism worldwide. 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But did you know that if you become ill abroad the costs to treat you could be very high. How would you find a doctor? Where would you find appropriate healthcare facility? Where would you seek advice? Did you know that HMO's, PPO's and Medicare typically do not cover you abroad? Travel Protection vs Travel Medical Travel Insurance Protection plans typically reimburse your non-reimbursed travel expenses if an emergency occurs causing your trip to be canceled, interrupted or delayed. Travel Medical insurance is medical insurance designed to reimburse you for medical expenses incurred while traveling. What if my travel supplier declares Bankruptcy? Many travel insurance protection plans cover lost travel expenses due to travel supplier bankruptcy, but there are substantial differences among plans. Some travel insurance plans only cover a specified list of travel suppliers, others require that you purchase the insurance within 7-14 days of paying the initial trip deposit. Be sure to check plan details What are Pre-existing Conditions? Medical conditions that existed before the travel insurance plan or policy took effect. Different plans defined and cover Pre-existing Conditions differently. Be sure to check the plan details! Where can I learn more about travel insurance? We've created a number of useful reference and learning guides in our helpdesk section . If you still have questions about travel insurance, please feel free to contact us . Buy online or call us at +1 866-979-6753 or +1 402-343-3699 M-Th 8AM - 6PM Fri 8AM-4:30PM EST (source id: wtc ) products | my policies | helpdesk | insurance providers | affiliates contact us | site map | privacy policy | insurance licenses | about us © 2005 Senior Market Sales, Inc.

Cheap Travel) Thanks to

Tim Leffel's Cheapest Destinations Tim Leffel's Cheapest Destinations Places where a fistful of dollars will pay for weeks of hotels, train rides, and meals. December 12, 2005 Student Travel (Usually Cheap Travel) Thanks to Kathleen Crislip who runs the student travel section of About.com. She mentioned The World's Cheapest Destinations in her holiday gift feature: Top 10 Best Student Travel Books 2005. I feel kind of guilty being on this esteemed list since my book came out a few years ago. But I am hard at work on the home stretch of an updated version, due out sometime around the end of February next year. No earth-shattering changes, but much of Eastern Europe has gotten more expensive, especially for Americans, and a few up and comers have gotten more attractive. New additions will be Argentina, Nicaragua, and Romania. I want to keep the number at 21 though, which means a few will drop out and become "honorable mentions." I'm also adding a short bit on East Africa, since more than a few backpackers make that trek down the coast. Having just gotten back from Botswana and South Africa, however (more on that in the next blog), I stand by my assertion that just because a region has a lower per-capita GDP than where you come from, it doesn't mean it's a bargain. If you are a student traveling on a budget, as opposed to a trustafarian who just wears the uniform of the rebellious disenchanted, you need to go where your limited funds will go a long way. This means avoiding the places 90% of college kids on summer vacation set off for: Western Europe, Australia, the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand. Yes, it sounds cool to say you spent your summer bopping around London, Paris, Amsterdam, New York, and Sydney, but you'll come back with a debt load rivaling next semester's tuition. Look beyond the obvious--it'll be much more of an adventure, and you can live it up on the cheap. Posted by Tim Leffel at 10:43 AM November 29, 2005 A Home Abroad vs. A Home at Home Many long-term travelers daydream about not just passing through the places they go, but actually picking one and moving there. Their friends and relatives might tell them it's risky, but is it really more risky than buying something in our current overheated home markets? After all, with housing prices through the roof in most developed countries now, buying land or a house overseas is looking like a safer bet. I won't say more since I wrote a long article on the subject for the current issue of Offshore Real Estate and Investment Quarterly , put out by the publishers of EscapeArtist.com. But I will add that when you start reading EscapeArtist and International Living on a regular basis, you realize that some people don't just daydream about buying a little place of their own overseas someday--they really do it. Lots of them. Every month. Then after they get there, they often find they're spending a small fraction of what they did at home. A safer investment and cheaper living--a nice combination. Posted by Tim Leffel at 12:20 AM RSS Feed Forbes Best of the Web Buy The Book Untitled Document The Worlds Cheapest Destinations provides a capsule overview of 21 great travel bargains, with cost information for lodging, restaurant meals, local transportation, and attractions, including what you can get for a buck or less in each country. From the Great Pyramids to the Taj Mahal to some of the best snorkeling and diving spots on Earth, this book will show you where to have a fantastic experience without spending a fantastic fortune. Free Excerpt From The Book (PDF file - requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) Buy the Book Links Cheapest Destinations Web Site Destination Articles Search Search this site: Recent Entries Student Travel (Usually Cheap Travel) A Home Abroad vs. A Home at Home "Cheap" Travel is Relative More Reasons Not to Take a Cruise U.S. Survey - Our Airlines Suck Responsible Tourism - Your Job Too (Relaxed) Travel Is Good for Your Health Charities Block Famine-Relief Savings Do Your Homework Before You Travel Yo, What About Guatemala? Archives December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 Find Other Blogs Popdex Blogarama BlogUniverse BlogWise Eatonweb Globe Of Blogs Powered by Movable Type 2.63