Posts from — June 2008

“Our strong portfolio of franchises has delivered recent growth, and we expect will deliver growth for the years to come,” said Walt Disney Company CEO Robert Iger. Similarly, Thomas O. Staggs, Disney’s chief financial officer told the New York Times, “People tend not to let anything get in the way of their Disney vacations. Our occupancies are higher at the hotels and spending is higher. Thus far, the business remains really solid.”

The Walt Disney Company has always been an imaginative leader in the entertainment industry, planning a myriad of changes for the Disney parks to keep consumers staying longer and visiting more frequently. For instance, 2007 brought Paris Disneyland new attractions, such as the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Crush’s Coaster, Toon Studio and Cars Race Rally. Disneyland California received the only Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage attraction and Pirates Lair, while Tokyo Disneyland opened Disney’s WaterWorks and the Animation Academy. Magic Kingdom added some extra work to its Haunted Mansion and added the Monsters Inc. Laughing Floor show.

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At some point in recent history, someone quipped that most people who want to visit the Golden State on their vacations really have a secret desire to "be Californian," if only for the few days or weeks that they find themselves vacationing in the state. Because of this outlook, many people seek out the detailed information about becoming a "temporary Californian" by visiting the extensive travel and tourism website that is provided by the state itself.

The state of California has an official department, or commission, that is structured to help promote and encourage people to travel throughout the vast state to take in all of the sights and wonders of the many tourist attraction destinations. It is the California Travel and Tourism Commission, or CTTC, which began promoting the idea of calling vacation travel visitors "Honorary Californians."

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San Diego is considered to be one of the most cosmopolitan and beautiful cities on the west coast. It has a vibrant personality that is spiced up with many multi-cultural flares and flavors thanks to it close proximity to Mexico. All combined, the San Diego area is a highly favored tourist destination and a vast amount of tourist information can be found that will guide visitors and help them to get the most from their time in “America’s Finest City.”

When perusing through the extensive tourist info that is available about the San Diego region, it is easy to understand why San Diego has taken on the nickname of “America’s Finest City.” The fact is readily evident that San Diego has something for everyone. Some of the most popular and well-known attractions are the world-famous San Diego Zoo, the Wild Animal Par, LegoLand, SeaWorld, Balboa Park and the Birch Aquarium, just to name a few.

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Where else in the world can you see robots, dinosaurs, ghosts, an African safari, princesses and pirates all within a quick tram ride? Amid the crocodiles, humidity and palm trees of Orlando, Florida, you’ll feel free as your imagination soars, whether you’re eight, eighteen, forty-eight or eighty! Disney World is comprised of five different Disney parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Downtown Disney – all with their own wonders, amusements and unique décor.

The secret to getting a Disney World discount is to look into "Parkhopper" tickets. To get the most from your vacation, you can purchase 3, 5, 6, 7 or 10-day passes that allow you to go from one park to the next at your leisure. That way, if you miss a few attractions at one park, you can go back and hit them, without having to "kill time" there, or you can catch all your favorite rides again before you leave.

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For family vacations, one of the perpetual favorite places to go to is the vast and diverse state of California. This state is always on the top of family fun spots because there are so many places to go, and so much to see and do. California has tourist attractions that appeal to all different ages and preferences, and as a bonus, the weather is usually quite nice throughout the year.

No matter whether the family is interested in activities in the cities of California and the big theme parks that are so plentiful, or they are more inclined to enjoy the breathtaking mountains, the lush and ancient forests, or the miles and miles of beautiful beaches, there is no doubt that there are enough attractions to provide many options. In fact, vacationing in California will probably mean that there will be much more to see than most families will have time to visit, so there’s not much chance of boredom being a problem during a family vacation in this state.

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Which Disney World tickets should you buy for your family? Unlike other amusement parks, Disney encompasses many Disney parks, all with their own compelling themes. Whether you’re eight, eighteen, forty-eight or eighty, there is something at Disney for you! The flexibility and versatility of the Disney ticket-purchasing options allows visitors to migrate between parks, buy tickets that never expire or even just visit for the day, depending on your family’s needs. Be sure to examine all available options before impetuously buying the first Disney tickets you come across because there is something for everyone!

For starters, you’ll want to buy tickets for the Magic Kingdom which is comprised of several distinct lands: Main Street USA, Mickey’s Toon Town Fair, Adventureland, Frontierland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and Liberty Square. Magic Kingdom was the first of the Disney parks that opened in 1971. You’ll know it by Cinderella’s breathtaking castle, which makes for an ideal tourist photo spot. Adventureland takes you from pirate ships on the Caribbean seas to jungle cruises down the Amazon. Frontierland takes you back to the Wild West, into saloons and on train rides. Liberty Square brings you the famous Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents attractions. Toon Town Fair has attractions for young children, as does Fantasyland, which is set up like a medieval carnival fair mostly geared toward children who love Peter Pan, Dumbo and Snow White. Tomorrowland is an intergalactic convention center with some rides geared toward thrill-seekers.

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There is no doubt that the horrible event that happened on September 11th, 2001, had a huge impact on the lives of many people around the world, and in numerous ways that were previously unimaginable. One industry that was affected from day one was the tourism industry. Businesses involved in travel and tourism quickly began to feel the economic consequences of that dark day.

As well, it seems that just as the tourism industry had begun to recover somewhat, war broke out as a consequence of the attack of 9-11. This turn again made people think twice before planning vacation time travel, especially abroad. In addition, there has been a shift in attitude toward Americans in many parts of the world, which has made travel and tourism to these locations less desirable.

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Most people work hard all throughout the year, so with anticipation, they look forward to making the most of their vacation when they will have the opportunity to get away from their daily routine and get out and see the world. One of the best ways to make the most of a travel budget is to look for good deals on vacation packages.

By shopping for a travel vacation package, instead of making arrangements separately for the different aspects of vacation travel, a family is often able to save anywhere from twenty percent to as much as sixty percent on the overall cost of their vacation. This is because the travel companies that put together these packages work hard to negotiate special rates, for things like the airline flights, the hotel rooms, tourist attractions and even special tours.

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Your youngest can’t wait to see “Bug’s Life 3-D,” your middle child loves Port Orleans’ sea serpent waterslide and your teenager is a fan of the Animal Kingdom safari. You and your wife have never left the continent but look forward to experiencing it all at the Epcot world exhibition. Your senior citizen parents are amazed at all of Tomorrowland’s high-tech gadgets. At Disney World Orlando, there truly is something for everyone, and for as thrilling as it is, it’s also in many ways educational. Every minute detail is engineered toward making your vacation a dream-like adventure. The first step toward making this dream a reality is choosing which Disney tickets to buy!

Some travelers are coming to Orlando to visit family, ride swamp boats, hang out at the beach, go to Universal Orlando or participate in some other activity. Perhaps you’ve been to Disney before, many years ago, before Animal Kingdom was built. For these visitors, it might be practical to purchase a single-day ticket to one of Disney’s amazing theme parks. For those 10 and over, the day pass is $71 or two-day passes are $69.50/day.

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As gas prices have skyrocketed over the last several months, more people are looking to find ways of enjoying their vacation time while staying a bit closer to home. For those who live in the central part of the United States, there has been a recent surge in interest in learning about the kind of tourism attractions, sightseeing opportunities and events that are going on in and around Chicago.

Perhaps Chicago is not one of the first cities that many people think of when they begin planning a vacation, but because it is so centrally located to a number of major population centers it is really no wonder why people are choosing to travel to this city in record numbers. Chicago boasts numerous places to go and things to see in terms of tourist sites, cultural opportunities, varied recreational activities and a multitude of tourist destinations.

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