Vacations Blog

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 »

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 »

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 »

Mickey O'Lantern

It’s now.  I mean, if you were wondering.

Just after school starts, on a weekday in the fall, during a recession.

My husband and I took our boys there today for the first time.  Aside from two rides with waiting times of an hour each, we hardly waited for anything.  No unruly crowds, no unbearable heat, short wait times, even multiple passes on the same ride. No waits for food.  No lines for the rest room.

And if I can be a bit more specific, if your birthday is between tomorrow and December 31, 2009, the best time to go would be your birthday.  You get free admission to the park, a spiffy button that says “Happy Birthday [name]” and birthday wishes from strangers all day long.

Five minute wait for this ride? Unheard of!

[photos by Kim and Stewart Prince]

Happiest pumpkins on Earth - or at least Disneyland.

Yes, those are real pumpkins.  Yes, they are intimidating.  No, I didn’t carve them.  That’s a little something the kids call Disney magic.  They do, I’ve heard them.

Your moment will soon be upon you.  Prepare for pumpkins! Also, turkey.  Happy carving!

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Photo by W. Honea

Bad drivers are everywhere.

It’s the Labor Day weekend.  Finally.  Kids have been back in school for DAYS now and they need some down time.  Also, parents.

Here’s the thing about the 3-day weekends.  Everybody gets them (except those that don’t and I’m sorry to add to your frustration) and as such people are out and many of them are also about.  Everybody, and often their brother, are going someplace, anyplace to make that last piece of summer stretch. Must. Save. Summer. Read More »

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 »

Did you know that there is travel in them there Internets? It’s true!

Here are just a few of the items that have shuffled across our inbox lately:

If you have a kid, a camera and access to water you could win a $500 Best Western gift card at Babble Playground.  How’s that for a photo contest?

Holy cow, Jet Blue! All-You-Can-Jet for $599! Shamwow! Read More »