Too much fun at the theme park resorts in Orlando
“We hear all the time that guests are cutting down on their time at the parks to enjoy the resort,” said Four Seasons Orlando Resort Manager Ben Shank, noting there are five acres for fun and games.
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Orlando – the most visited city in America
The good news is that if you are planning to visit Orlando in May — before the summer crowds arrive — the lines might not be as long and you’ll save some bucks on your hotel.
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Taking the Kids? What’s your souvenir strategy?
Just as you should plan your itinerary and have a “what if” talk if the kids (or you) get lost, you need to have a souvenir strategy before the trip even starts. You don’t want to bust the vacation budget on something like a $40 sweatshirt, or a toy that will be forgotten the next day.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs
Orlando is the most visited place in the USA. What this means for you…
Spring is one of the busiest times in Orlando which happens to be not only the theme park capitol of the world but the most visited city in the country. What does that mean for your family?
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At Disneyland without the kids? Like yeah!
It might seem counterintuitive, but this past trip to Disneyland, we opted for grownups-only visit to the home of everyone’s favorite Mouse to take in all the holiday decorations.
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Disney Simplifies Generational Family Travel
Taking the Kids Correspondent Susan Finch navigates the many parts of Disney World with her daughter, utilizing time saving Disney technology
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Disney Gets High Tech with a Personal Touch
Taking the Kids Correspondent Susan Finch discovers the new high-tech services provided at Disney World take some of the stress out of travel and line management
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Flying home upgraded – when travel is a pleasure
It’s our lucky day! We’ve gotten upgraded to Club World on British Airways. We’re not sure how it happened but we’re not complaining.
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At the Hotel Union (and spa) in Geiranger, Norway
I like that they love kids—there is a great indoor splash play area with a view of the fjords. Parents can relax while the kids play.
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A rainy hike up to a Norwegian fjord country farm
We’re at Westeras Farm, which has been in the Westeraas family since the 17th Century, with the Adventures by Disney group touring Norway
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Day five in Norway — trout fishing and glacier gazing
Fresh trout for lunch? Of course you have to catch them first. And drive two and a half hours on roads with hairpin turns, the fog so thick at times you can barely see in front of you. Good thing I’m not driving!
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Riding the roads in Norway’s Western Fjord region
A day on road with a new Adventures by Disney tour, passing a lot of the sites that inspired the hit movie Frozen —the fjords, the glaciers, the small villages and of course Norway’s famous Stave Churches
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Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Day 2 in Norway – rafting and exploring the Western Fjord region
We are on the second day of an Adventures by Disney new itinerary designed to show guests not only the glorious fjords and small farming villages of Norway but to explain the inspiration behind the hit film Frozen.
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Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
A weeklong tour of Norway’s “Frozen” country with Adventures by Disney
I couldn’t have asked for better after arriving in Bergen, Norway this morning to join a new Adventures by Disney tour of this beautiful but sparsely populated country.
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Families making the most of Disney World with new technology
Even the glitteriest magic wand won’t cut it at Walt Disney World these days. But wave a MagicBand and see what happens.
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Disney unveiling bigger Fantasyland and Dwarfs’ Mine Train
Walt Disney World’s newest attraction—the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train—set to open May 28—is to become the centerpiece of the New Fantasyland area at the Magic Kingdom.
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It’s a Small World: Entertaining families for 50 years!
“It’s a Small World” has been entertaining and inspiring millions over the past 50 years since it was first premiered at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City
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Orlando hotels work to give parents of parkgoers a break
I love it when hotels make it easy for parents to get a break on vacation. And there’s no place they need one more than Orlando.
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In Orlando, taking your kids to a restaurant is easy
Taking young kids to a restaurant on vacation can seem like it is more trouble than it’s worth. The good news is that in Orlando, you can relax.
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Eighth grader asks: Is a Disney cruise just for little kids?
The water slide that swung out over the sea, a deck dance party, lots of food and ice cream and this club area just for teens called Vibe. So I felt pretty good about taking my first cruise on a Disney ship for three days.
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First time cruiser family checks out the Disney Dream
We liked the Disney Dream for our first family cruise because of Disney’s reputation for customer service, the ship’s dedicated teen entertainment area called Vibe and a short three-day Bahamian sail
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There’s plenty in Orlando for even the smallest park goers and their parents
There’s no need to wait until kids are in elementary school to bring them to Orlando—not when every park has plenty to wow the littlest park goers and their parents, including big, interactive play areas designed just for them.
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Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Travel Diaries
Last day at sea and a port of call in St. Thomas, USVI
Taking the Kids correspondent Allison Tibaldi and her teen-aged son Alec enjoy their last day on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas with a port of call in St. Thomas, USVI, and ride on the Kon Tiki Sightseeing and Beach Cruise.
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A Taste of MyMagic+ at Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
I’s hard not to have a great time when it’s fall and you’re attending the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival! This year, we also had the opportunity to test out Disney’s new vacation planning tool called MyMagic+.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs
How to save time and avoid stress at the theme parks
I had another ace up my sleeve. We’d arranged a VIP tour guide for part of the day. Our guide could lead the way, taking us through the park in a way that we would maximize our time, answering the most arcane questions, knowing where the bathrooms were and having ponchos on hand for the water rides.
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What if it rains when you’re in Orlando? No worries.
This was supposed to be our day to hang at the pool. In fact, we chose the Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando because it’s got a new water play area—big new water slide and 1500 acres with put-put golf, tennis, sandy beach with paddle boats, smores pit…the list goes on and on. But Tropical Storm Andrea put a wrench in our plan.
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Families & Groups | Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Better, healthier food choices are flouishing at Orlando’s theme parks
If you think all Orlando food is turkey legs, burgers and churros, think again. Sure you can get all that but you have plenty more choices—and healthier options—for the kids as well as the adults
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs
Can you EAR me? It’s a special year at Disney Parks
2013 is the Year of the Ear at Disney Parks with new limited release Disney Ear Hats available every month as part of Disney Parks’ Limited Time Magic—special experiences designed to surprise and excite guests when they visit—including saving up to 30 per cent with the Monstrous Summer promotion available at Walt Disney World Resorts through mid June.
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Disney is all about ears this year
2013 is the Year of the Ear at Disney Parks with new limited release Disney Ear Hats available every month as part of Disney Parks’ Limited Time Magic—special experiences designed to surprise and excite guests when they visit. Of course you can get your ears autographed.
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Families can spread out at hotels in Orlando
These days, not only do we want more room to spread out (think two rooms, two bathrooms, two TVS) but we want the experience to be fun. And we don’t want it to cost a bundle either. Did I mention that Disney has just unrolled free Wi-Fi at all of its resorts?
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Disney’s Art of Animation Resort tells the story of the classic movies
Welcome to Disney’s new Art of Animation Resort with four different wings that celebrate favorite characters—Finding Nemo, Cars and Lion King. And there’s plenty of room to spread out with 1120 family suites (there are 864 rooms too).
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Testing out the new Test Track at Disney World’s Epcot
We’re at Walt Disney World’s Epcot where at the new Test Track Presented by Chevrolet we create our own design, then board a “simCar” to race through performance tests—how does it handle extreme weather conditions? How efficient is it? How responsive? How Powerful?
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Weekly Column
To Walt Disney World’s new Fantasyland
You’ll find New Fantasyland just past the existing Fantasyland, beyond Cinderella’s castle. Did I mention that there are now three castles here for all those princess lovers? All of this as Orlando heads into the holiday season, one of the busiest of the year with special attractions at every park.
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Celebrations abound in Orlando for the holiday season
Welcome to the Candlelight Procession at Walt Disney World’s Epcot that is a popular tradition here drawing locals and visitors alike that is performed three times an evening during the holiday season.
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Disney’s expansion of Fantasyland is fantastic
My kids have been to Disneyland and Walt Disney World innumerable times but I don’t think I have any photos of them on Dumbo either. Maybe it was too hot waiting in the sun? Actually I think it was because the first time, 3-year-old Matt was afraid of the Dumbo ride. And Peter Pan too.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Taking the kids to the new FantasyLand at Disney World
No worries if you can’t make it to the New Fantasyland for a while either. There’s more to come. Next year, Princess Fairytale Hall will open complete with chambers where you can meet Aurora, Cinderella, Tiana and Rapunzel.
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Disney promising a lot of magic for 2013
The Disney resorts have just announced Limited Time Magic for all of 2013 –52 weeks of what they promise will be magical experiences that appear, then disappear as the next special surprise debuts.
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Deals abound for your Princeses at the Disney Parks
When I visited Disneyland earlier this summer, moms and dads were busy filming the princess transformation on their iPads and smartphones. “It never gets old for them” said manager Joanna Pisanski
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The new improved Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park
Radiator Springs Racers at the new and improved Disney California Adventure Park is one of the most elaborate attractions ever created for a Disney theme park and it is the centerpiece for the new Cars Land here
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Touring the historic LA sites with Adventures by Disney
Adventures by Disney — which already offers a multi-day southern California tour—now touts this one-day tour ($199 per person) that includes Hollywood. Beverly Hills and concludes with a stop at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank that aren’t open to the public.
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Princeses everywhere at Disney and more to come
With such a devoted audience, it’s no wonder Walt Disney World is in the middle of a huge expansion of Fantasyland expected to be completed later this year with more princess meet-and-greets
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How to get the exclusive Disney backstory
At the newly revamped Disney California Adventure in Anaheim you can saunter down Buena Vista Street as it might have been when Walt Disney as a young man with a suitcase, $40 and a big dream in the early 1920s. This being Disney, everything has a back story.
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Disney’s California parks — smaller and more intimate
This is a good time to visit Disneyland. Not only has the Disneyland Hotel been completely renovated (love the new water playground!) but Disney just unveiled the new Cars Land, based on the movie “Cars,” evening water spectacular and other entertainment at the grand reopening of California Adventure.
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What’s new at Disneyland in California? Lots!
Ready to race? Radiator Springs Racers is one of the most elaborate attractions ever created for a Disney theme park as the “Cars” gang gathers to get us ready for the big race.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Eating healthier at the theme parks
Of the more than 12 million kids meals served last year at Disney Parks and Resorts in the U.S., parents stuck with the healthier options six out of 10 times. Now Disney will enhance these efforts by further reducing sodium in kids’ meals and introducing new well-balanced kids’ breakfast meals.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Weekly Column
Visiting Orlando’s parks like the One Percent
No waiting for buses, navigating crowded parking lots or walking more than you or your kids can take. Hall whisks you around Walt Disney World in a private car that he parks exactly where you want to be.
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Coasters are great, but never force a child to ride
If the kids balk when you get to the front of the line, walk away. Tell your child there’s always next year.
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How to get your teens to spend time with you
Question: How do you make two high school senior girls happy AND get them to spend time with you?
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Teens meet DisneyWorld – really like Epcot
When we got to Magic Kingdom the first day we were in DisneyWorld, it was a little overwhelming. After walking through Cinderella’s castle, we were greeted by Hannah Montana
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Learning animation on Disney’s cruise ship Fantasy
Wow! Even the jaded 17 year olds I’m with are impressed. At the end of the show, each of our names — as we signed them on our placemat — is listed on the credits as “guest animator.”
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Just a couple of teens on a Disney Cruise
Jack Sparrow greeted us, along with crystal clear, bright blue waters and white sandy beaches. We walked past the first beach because it was a little crowded, but found chairs AND, much to our content, a water slide at the second beach
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There’s something about Orlando
The thing about Orlando is no matter how often you visit, there is always something new. That’s why Orlando became the first city in the country to welcome more than 50 million visitors last year—some 54 million to be exact!
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Great job at Disney World, Mr. President, but next time take the kids!
The President should be applauded for taking executive action to initiate these visa reforms, which should lead to more jobs in the United States.
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To Aulani, Disney’s First Hawaii Resort
Disney employed more than 100 local consultants to advise them on everything from storytelling to music to architecture. Local fish and produce are served at the resort restaurants and children can learn to snorkel with Hawaiian fish in the artificial Rainbow Reef.
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Disney sees Aulani as the place for destination weddings
There are already 1,000 weddings a year at Walt Disney World in Orlando–upwards of 20 per cent among blended families, says Korrie McFann, who oversees Disney’s e wedding and honeymoon business around the world. The company anticipates Aulani to rival Orlando for the wedding business.
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Plenty to do with little ones in the Orlando area
So go ahead. Bring the little ones. You don’t have to stay a week. And you don’t have to see everything. You can’t even if you try.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Sitting under the star listening to ukulele music – it’s Disney
We’re sitting on woven mats under the stars listening to the best Ukulele playing I’ve ever heard. Rather than a huge luau with terrible food and hackneyed performances, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa on Oahu has opted to celebrate Hawaiian culture with the Aulani Starlit Hui
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Spas treatments for all ages at Disney’s Aulani
Laniwai (the name means freshwater heaven in Hawaiian) is supposed to embrace the Hawaiian connection to nature. I think it can enhance family connections too both by encouraging families to enjoy the facilities together and on their own
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There’s a lot do on Oahu but so too at the Aulani
There’s so much to keep kids busy right here at Aulani–the water slides and ides and lazy river, the Rainbow Reef snorkel lagoon, the chance to interact with the stingrays and play in the calmest lagoon I’ve ever seen.
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Beach Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Travel Diaries
Hawaiian tradition and culture blend with Disney at the new Aulani
Ready to learn the Coconut Walk? “Aunty,” who actually is well known Hawaiian entertainer Sonya Mendez, leads the children as they clap Coconut shell instruments together around the outdoor restaurant. In between songs, Goofy, Minnie and other Disney Pals—all decked out in Hawaiian gear—stop by for photos and hugs
