Zuma Beach in Malibu, CA — it was 86 degrees today. Beat that!

This post is part of UpTake’s Wordless Wednesday Series. If you would like to see your photo featured here please contact us via the link in the sidebar using subject line: WW.

Photo: Whit Honea

Hey kids, do you like the travel and the news and the deals? Of course you do! Well, you’re in the right place.

This is where we find the best travel-related news and deals on the internet and stuff them all into one awesome post. You’re welcome.

If you would like to see your link here please contact me via the editor email in the sidebar. Thanks for playing!

On to the links:

Beyond Mickey: top 10 Orlando tips for mums and dads (The Guardian)

12 remarkable places you’ve never heard of (Destination Travel)

5 gems of Bangkok (iTravelnet)

Billions of Balloons Hit The Skies Next Week In New Mexico (Jaunted)

Know the best spots in Paris to marvel at Notre-Dame (Fodor’s)

Pilots from Continental and United airlines demonstrate on Wall Street (Photo Blog)

Top 10 Doctor Who filming locations (Visit Britain Super Blog)

Worldwide weird: Make way for marching ducks in Memphis (BBC)

Lumière | The Louvre Less Traveled (NY Times)

Europe through the eyes of babes (The Miami Herald)

Taste of Travel: Not the Usual Cheesy Places (NatGeo)

How do other countries stack up to the U.S. in airport security? (Budget Travel)

World’s Most Beautiful Museums (Travel + Leisure)

That’s it for this week. Safe travels!

I know what you’re thinking, Stitch is probably all over Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawai’i. It makes sense, his movie (Lilo & Stitch) and all subsequent spin-offs have been set on the islands (and space), but this lovely carving is the only nod to Experiment 626 that I could find (aside from some merchandise in the gift shop). Leave it to Disney to surprise you with the subtle.

Aulani is now open and it is amazing. Please check back for continued coverage of the time I spent there as Disney’s guest.

This is a Wordless Wednesday entry. The words are just a bonus. You’re welcome.

Photo: W. Honea

Paradise has a new name, and it is: Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. You can call it Aulani (ow-la-nee) for short. They’re laid-back like that.

The resort is located in Ko Olina, Hawai’i on the island of O’ahu — about 30 minutes from Honolulu International Airport. It sits on a beautiful slice of sand and sea, and offers all of the amenities and luxuries that one would expect (or at least hope for) from a Hawaiian resort. Of course, the difference between Aulani and the rest is in the magic — Disney is good like that.

However, Aulani may not be filled with the kind of Disney magic that some people have in mind. There isn’t a bustling theme park on the property. There aren’t a lot of shows, parades and characters paying homage to Walt Disney or the various classic movies that the company has created. There isn’t a churro for miles.

No, the magic at Aulani, which I was lucky enough to experience firsthand, comes from Disney doing something that some might consider unconventional, they let Hawai’i tell the story. It is as simple as that. The emphasis of Aulani is on Hawai’i: the people, the culture, the stories. Then Disney did what Disney does best, and took all that Hawai’i offered, put it in the hands of their legendary Imagineers, and built a living, breathing testament to the islands. The end result showcases a respect and collaboration between one of the greatest story-telling cultures in the world and a company built upon words of dream and wonder.  The fit is seamless.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

There’s too much to write about Aulani in a single post, so make sure to come back for more updates!

Photos courtesy of Aulani/Disney.

Disclosure: I was Disney’s guest at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa for their grand opening and media event.