Dec 17, 2009 8:13 - By: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier
The weather outside might be frightful but Navy Pier supplies indoor winter fun with the Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier. A Chicago holiday tradition for 10 years, the festival runs daily through January 3rd and supplies a snow-covered, action-filled day for the whole family. A diverse range of activities include a rope obstacle course, inflatable games and create-a-cookie. Amusement rides guarantee excitement with favorites like the 50-foot indoor Ferris wheel, the Winter Wind Glider and the Reindeer Express Train.
Dec 09, 2009 8:01 - By: Laura Charon
Baby Oranutan at the Phoenix Zoo
The Phoenix Zoo, which has been voted among the “Top Five Zoos for Kids”, once again hosts its annual Zoolights Christmas light display. From now until January 10th, from 6:00-10:00 p.m. nightly, patrons of the Phoenix Zoo are regaled with 2.5 million Christmas lights strung among the pathways and exhibits, with music coordinated to enhance the 500 two- and three-dimensional light features.
Lighting techniques include rope lights, LED lights, light strands, black light, fiber optics, lasers, gobos, strobes, lights programmed to music, and net lighting in trees or shrubbery. The entire combined effect is breathtaking as visitor stroll among the network of pathways throughout the Zoo property.
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Nov 29, 2009 15:39 - By: Kim Tracy Prince
Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle
If you’ve never been to Disneyland during the winter holiday season, allow me to submit that a visit to the park at this time will cure your “been there, done that” blues. The enormous Christmas tree, the holiday music piped in, the lights over Main Street USA, the LED icicle-draped Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle at the center of the park – all conspire to melt the heart of the Scroogiest among us.
I’ve been to the park twice in just a few months, after a very very long spell of not ever visiting at all. My first visit was on my birthday, a Wednesday in September that, besides being my birthday, was just another day in the life of the happiest place on Earth. Since it was my two young sons’ first time there, I looked at everything with a critical travel blogger’s eye. We all had a great time, but for the ticket price of $72 for adults and $62 for children, I expected perfection and that is not what I found. Read More »
Oct 30, 2009 10:03 - By: Whit Honea
All aboard!
Seriously, if you haven’t picked your pumpkin yet you’re about as big a slacker as the guy that waits until October 30th to write about a pumpkin patch. Let’s not judge.
Besides, calling Remlinger Farms a pumpkin patch is like calling Neil Diamond a singer. He’s an entertainer, people. Remlinger Farms is pretty entertaining, too.
The farm is located in Carnation, WA and is a self-contained family destination, minus the lodging. Luckily, Seattle is about 30 minutes away and they have a couple of motels along the freeway. Read More »
Oct 23, 2009 10:52 - By: Whit Honea
Perhaps you thought this was Texas. True, they do everything bigger, but this kernel of candy corn is located outside Disneyland Resort’s second gate Disney’s California Adventure.
Disneyland knows big, too. The two guys in the photo are both well over 7′ tall. Read More »
Oct 06, 2009 9:18 - By: Whit Honea
Starting January 1, 2010 you can give some magic to someone in need and get some magic in return. Disney Magic, no less.
The Disney Theme Parks are starting a great new campaign, one that rewards community service with free admission to a Disney Park. Read More »
Sep 19, 2009 10:35 - By: Whit Honea
There’s about to be more magic in Orlando.
Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. have finally revealed the “first-ever details about the incredible scope of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” Not the least of which is that the land will open in spring 2010. That’s soon!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be an addition to Universal’s Islands of Adventure park, which is already AWESOME (it’s all Marvel characters though, which leads me to wonder what talks are underway between Universal and Marvel’s new owner Disney). The Spider-Man ride alone is worth the price of admission.
And the Dr. Suess stuff.
Harry Potter’s new land is obviously based upon the stories and characters of J.K. Rowling and promises to remain “faithful to the visual landscapes of the films.” Read More »
Aug 28, 2009 9:57 - By: Whit Honea
Leaving our mark on Disneyland.
At the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, there is a large square of open area between the gates of the original Disneyland park and Disney’s California Adventure. The square is filled with families waiting for loved ones and teenagers trying to look cool in mouse ears and all of the randomness that one might associate with the downtime of a Disney vacation. Read More »
