The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the enormously popular and magical addition to Orlando’s Universal Studios Resort, is coming to Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. It’s like Manifest Destiny for wizards and the muggles that love them (you know who you are).

Don’t worry, Florida, your version of  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is going to be significantly expanded. It is unclear if the new Hollywood version will include the pending Orlando expansions. Read More »

Did you miss me? Of course you did. Don’t fret, gentle reader, it’s time to get back on the super information highway and pick up all the travel-related hitchhikers you can carry. Don’t get greedy.

Here’s how this works, over the past week we have “carefully” considered all of the emails (see link in sidebar) and tweets that we have received, and we’ve picked the most interesting (i.e. fewest words for me to type) for you to click on. That, my friends, is how we do it up in here (the virtual here).

And now is the part where we link to the deals and the news and the stuff.

Why travel to the stars when you can travel with them? Lonely Planet drops names.

Hilton has launched the Hilton Huanying program in 13 countries. Did yours make the list?

Travel talk with kids and teens at a Kid’s I View.

Check out the lobby of Disney’s soon to open Aulani Resort in Hawai’i over at Disney by Mark.

Safaris are a trip of a lifetime according to CNN Travel.

Three small towns, three road trips — via Gadling.

Las Vegas has its eye on you, London. And Vegas’s Ferris wheel is even bigger.

Workout in your hotel room! Overhead Bin tells you how.

The Disney Blog gives some good tips on Orlando vacations and weather-related safety.

Real people are sharing real travel stories at TravelerVoice.

Bonjour Paris has news of a hot new vending machine — the heat is from the bread.

Looking for all things cruise-related? Look no further.

There you have it, all of the online travel news that is fit to print (but don’t print it because of the trees and stuff).  Happy travels!

The recent post on surviving Disneyland triggered an onslaught of emails and tweets (where an onslaught equals three) wanting to know more about Disney’s Fastpass system. Here you go!

The Fastpass (not to be confused with Disney’s PhotoPass) works like this: Certain rides/shows at the Disney parks (list below) offer a Fastpass option that allots a window of time for guests to return to said attraction and bypass the longer stand-by line.

If an attraction offers Fastpass there will be an area somewhere in the vicinity of the entrance or exit (some are harder to find than others) where guests can insert their admission ticket FOR THAT DAY into a machine (each person in a party needs their own pass) and it will return the admission ticket with an additional ticket that is the Fastpass.

Depending on the ride, time of day and crowd levels, the return time (an hour window issued in five minute increments) may be close to the issue time or hours later. With the exception of the World of Color show in Disney’s California Adventure, guests will not be able to get another Fastpass in the Disneyland Resort for at least two hours. Walt Disney World parks will have different rules and exceptions.

Return to the attraction during the time printed on the Fastpass and enter the Fastpass line. A Disney Cast Member (CM) will grant guests access to the line after confirming that their time is correct. (Please note, hold onto the Fastpass as they will be collected by another CM later in the queue). Fastpass holders seldom walk right onto the ride, but the wait time will be considerably less than that of guests in the stand-by line.

Here are the Disneyland Resort rides that offer Fastpass: Read More »

And just like that we’re back with another rousing edition of Travel Around the Internet, your guide to online travel news, deals and links. Also, tweets.

Here’s how it works: I get a bunch of stuff in my inbox, then I read it, and then I link to it. Sometimes I don’t. Actual results may vary. I’m a fickle, fickle editor.

But enough about the inner-workings, let’s find us some travel news!

Watch out, Los Angeles! You’re in for a rough weekend. (BabyCenter)

Happy Parks Day, Canada! 100 years and growing. (Parks Canada)

Mexico is safer than the United States. (Journey Mexico)

Looking for some travel blogging 101? How’s July 27, for you? (Art of Travel Blogging)

Space travel is here! (NPR)

Looking for some clothing-optional travel locations? (AANR)

Like deals on fancy hotels? The Ritz has them! (Ritz-Carlton)

Hungry in Palm Springs? No problem! (Palm Springs Life)

Miami’s Fisher Island Club is worth the visit. (Fisher Island)

Courts say that TSA can use full-body scanners. (MSNBC)

See Alaska with Disney Cruises! (AOL)