Archive for the Category »Amusement Parks «

Sep
23rd		   Hotel of the Week: Disney Comes to Hawaii
Leave a Comment Category: Amusement Parks, Hawaii, Travel Tags: , , ,

I know what you’re thinking. Or at least what I’m thinking. Hawaii personifies everything that Disney is not.

Don’t get me wrong – I think Disney is one of the best companies for customer service. Their theme parks and hotels are unparalleled in terms of cleanliness and catering to families. I just would have wanted to keep the “magic of Disney” away from the pristine shores of Hawaii.

Yes, I know some big hotels with water slides have sort of already tarnished the natural beauty… but Mickey with a lei on a white beach just seems wrong.

Nonetheless, it is my job to tell you that the Aulani is now open on Oahu – a grand Disney resort with 359 hotel rooms, and 460 vacation club villas. It is located on the leeward side of the island, about 17 miles west of Honolulu airport. You would need a taxi or car if you want to go into Waikiki.

The resort is actually located in a beautiful setting near lush green mountains and right on the beach… but in a sort of fabricated Disney way. I’ve never been, just for full disclosure,  and am just saying this according to the research I’ve done.

To Disney’s credit, they have put Hawaiin art all througout the resort, and tried incorporating authentic touches. Even better, it means jobs for the locals, and Disney has contributed back to the community by donating money to local schools.

The activities are of course, family friendly. There are some awesome pool play areas. But many hotels in Hawaii have similar great programs. Kids club, waterslides, more than one pool, beach activities, but at a price. Renting a beach umbrella and chairs for the day costs $20, and to rent a Stand Up Paddleboard – $30.

One thing that stood out as different to me is that they have a “teen spa.” Catering to girly-girls, it offers  a mixology bar to make perfume, and body polishes. It also has a yogurt and elixir bar, teen activities, and computer stations – which I would have left off. Can’t they go off the grid in a place like Hawaii? But teens will be teens.

It will be interesting how the hotel does – I was just on Oahu, and hotel bookings were down due to the decrease in Japanese visitors affected by the March tsunami. If you want to check it out, just go to www.resorts.disney.go.com/aulani-hawaii-resort/

Aloha and have a great weekend.

 
Sep
21st		   Where to Take Your Kids Before They Move Out.
Leave a Comment Category: African Safari, Amusement Parks, Beaches, Educational Travel, Family Travel, Hawaii, History, Italy, New York, Travel, Walt DIsney World Tags: ,

School is back in session.. life is getting back to routine. My oldest started middle school… so last spring’s 5th grade graduation was a milestone for me: He was leaving the nurturing nest of our sweet elementary school.

Actually, it was compounded by the fact that my youngest graduated kindergarten just the day before… the stark contrast between the 5 year olds and 10 year olds made me realize they grow so fast. So me, being sentimental, started to think that – OMG – the empty nest doesn’t seem too far away. A bit dramatic? Maybe.

Have you thought about what you want your life to be when you are an empty-nester? (That is another blog post!) Or…have you thought about what you want to do with your kids while you still have them at home? Where would you like to take family vacations before they are too busy… or have moved away? You only have so many chances to create indelible travel moments together.

I have thought about this. Everyone is different, but there are some general themes that would make for memorable family get aways.

1) I will start with the most obvious, and probably easiest: Hit the beach. Rent a beach house, plant your toes in the sand, BBQ at sunset, play on the beach, and bring board games. With just simple pleasures, there are many opportunities for bonding time. Hawaii will also work here – there is nothing like getting to an island – can’t recreate that vibe as much as I have tried. Hawaii is the easiest for many reasons: With kids you want things simple, and it is an English speaking, American state…. everything is pretty convenient. Cue the sea breeze please.

2) Brave a World-Class Big City or Two. World class museums, taxis zipping by, wonderful parks. I would put New York City, Paris, London, and Rome on that list. San Francisco too – but it is more laid back.

You can also find many free things to do in large cities – take advantage of free days at museums, the many free activities in parks from puppet shows to concerts to playgrounds. When I took my kids to Paris, it was unbelievable how long we could sit in a park and watch our kids play on all the play areas so different than anything we have in America, as well as multi-generational pick-up games of soccer that they joined.

3) Sneak in a History Lesson: Everyone would love their children to have a sense of the world, and historic moments. Seeing is believing over just learning in textbooks. Some locations steeped in history make awesome family vacations. Did I mention Rome? I am again. The birthplace of Western civilization, there are many a history lesson to be found here. There are tours about Julius Caesar… and standing relics of ancient Rome like the Forum and Coliseum. Vatican city is important whether you are a practicing Catholic or not  - what a statement it makes about organized religion, and it’s importance to many people. No to mention, the art history lesson there…the Sistine Chapel and the architecture of Basilica di San Pietro.

Also on my list: Greece, Washington DC – tour the capitol and White House, visit the monuments, and if you have time go to Gettysburg, Boston, or London.

4) Lions and Tigers and Bears and Nature. Expose your kids to the good old outdoors, and all the creatures that call  it home. Kids love animals – even teens find them interesting. In Alaska, I met some teens who said Alaska was their best family vacation – believe me, if you’ve been to Alaska, you know how original it is compared to the rest of America. Bear viewing, kayaking with bald eagles, hiking glaciers are all possible in the Last Frontier.

Easier to get to for most, are our national parks. Yellowstone may be one of the best I’ve visited for animal viewing, along with being an incredible geological lab for all! Your kids will love the spouting geysers, bubbling mudpots, and hissing steam vents… Yellowstone has the greatest concentration of thermal features in the country—nearly 10,000 of them.

There is also the Galapagos Islands – home of the blue-footed booby, the Great Barrier Reef for some amazing viewing of marine life, and Africa for an organized safari, which is better for older kids.

5) Lastly – it is a rite of passage for a child to visit a theme park. You only capture that thrill for a short time, so indulge them, no matter how crowded and how bad the food.:)

Some of these trips can be done on a budget. Forgive me if I have missed some other potential trips.

But now, you have time, and hopefully inspiration to plan for next summer… these are trips that will last a lifetime.

 
Aug
01st		   A Way to Experience Ultimate Summer Before it is Gone: Carefree and California.
One Comment Category: Amusement Parks, California, Family Travel, Los Angeles, Travel, southern california Tags: , , , ,

I’m a summer girl through and through. So it pains me to realize we only have half of the best season ever left.

Had to maximize the summer fun this weekend and do quintessential So Cal summer stuff… the LA Times wrote a good article about the very same thing in Sunday’s Travel section. http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-socalcloseups-20110731,0,1394619.story A nice primer for out of town visitors.

First, my summer fling: my favorite thing to do along the beaches of Los Angeles: ride bikes on the 8 miles of trails along the sand from Temescal Canyon in Santa Monica to Venice Beach. The sun kissing your cheeks… and the sea breeze blowing your hair. Carefree and California.

Great for kids, or go with a friend. Park your car in one of the public lots along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)  in Santa Monica. Parking will cost you about $8.00.

If you park close to California St incline, there are bike rentals a short walk away on the beach-side bike path. Perry’s in Santa Monica carries everything from tandem bikes to the kiddy carts. I would recommend carts for any child under 7 – they get tired and If you head south, you are riding against the wind on the way back. Perry’s has eight locations along Santa Monica and Venice. www.perryscafe.com

Perry’s is also a cafe – music playing and a buzzy environment with a kids’ menu. TIP: It is cash only.

**TIP:f you stay in a hotel, get a map of Santa Monica because there are often bike rental coupons in the tourist map.

Once you are set with wheels and a meal, the adventure begins. The Ferris wheel of the Santa Monica pier is always in your view, (background of above photo) so chances are if you are with kids, they will beg you to stop there. Pacific Park Amusement Park has rides and arcade games. Personally, I find it crowded and trashy – especially in summer, so limit your time. But the kids like it and It is a pretty setting right on the pier.

Farther down the road you will come to Venice Beach – always an entertaining area. There’s never a shortage of people watching – from musicians to muscles to magicians – Venice Beach’s street performers attract many. Nearby Abbot Kinney Blvd is one of the only strolling streets in LA that isn’t inhabited by chain stores and still maintains it’s unique character.

The LA Times article briefly mentions the new Santa Monica Place… it is a three-story outdoor mall of sorts with a view of the ocean. The top floor has many restaurants – check which ones have kids menus.

The Market is an exciting new addition – 45,000 square feet with a French chocolatier, a wine shop, and a cooking school for starters. It is helping turn this local into a foodie destination.

True Food Kitchen, Santa Monica

True Food Kitchen has a nice kids menu, and for the total over the top healthy Cali meal, you can’t beat this. The kids’ pizza has a whole wheat crust, and I had an organic glass of chardonnay from Mendocino.

Movie theaters nearby and lots of fun shops makes this a bustling place to stroll.

Live from So Cal… The weather is beautiful and I wish you were here.

 
Oct
28th		   App Adventures: Good For Planning That Magical Trip.
Leave a Comment Category: Amusement Parks, Family Travel, Technology, Travel, Walt DIsney World Tags: ,

Just about as overwhelming as planning a trip to Orlando’s multi-theme park destination of Walt Disney World is trying to pick a park app that works best for you.

The good news is – there ARE actually apps for the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom. (If you’ve never been, these are Disney’s different parks all on one “Disney campus” so to speak. )

The bad news: You have to weed through at least 40 apps to find the one best for you. (There are many apps available to both At&T and Verizon customers.)

So -are these electronic Disney directions worth it? And what do they do?

We just spent 5 days at Walt Disney World, and I think the most helpful app features for families to keep everyone smiling are:

1) Wait times – Wouldn’t it be nice to know the rides with no wait time? With kids in Orlando heat, you know it is hard to drag them all the way across the park for that “special ride” to find there is a two hour wait. Instead, there are apps that tell you in real time what the wait is.

2) Maps: Perfect for the mom who’s child waits until the last minute to go to the bathroom – a map that tells you with GPS where the nearest restroom is.

3) Restaurants: A restaurant guide with menus…. so you can check out the kids’ meals and prices before hand.

4) Ride details: Good to know what age one should be to ride… and any height requirements. Circumvent any disappointment ahead of time. Nice.

5) GPS of parking : So at the end of a long day, you remember where your car is! (My tip would be to stay at one of the resorts that have monorail service from the park!! Worth every penny. Save on a rental car.)

The one quality I didn’t see on any apps that would be cool is to allow park visitors to check in at a ride and get an electronic fast pass without actually going to the ride. Perhaps putting a limit on how many passes one can get for each ride would be a way to do it.  If anyone has seen this feature, please let  me know.

Another way to improve the apps – there were a lot of ride malfunctions that either closed rides for a short time, or just stopped moving, but kept the lines open. Info on changes in ride operations would be helpful also.

You can get some free apps that focus on one aspect above- say the wait times only,  just maps, or just hotels,  but there are other apps that include everything together for some $$$.

For $3.99 one that looks good is by Undercover Tourist – offering all the details for every park all in one app (i.e. maps, wait times, GPS, menus, ..) You just have to decide if you want to spend the $3.99 to have all the info in one app, but it is like having a travel guidebook in your back pocket.

**Undercover Tourist also has a free app, but it is called “lite” – without as many important details.

As convenient as these apps make your trip, they DON’T replace researching ahead. There is so much info, and so much to do at Walt Disney World, you have to have a grasp on all the parks and what each offers before you start using your app to make your trip more magical.

Happy planning – as I mentioned before, this is one of the least crowded times to visit – right before Thanksgiving!

 
Oct
19th		   Trave Tip Tuesday: How to Make Walt Disneyworld a Great Family Experience
One Comment Category: Amusement Parks, Family Travel, Travel Tags: ,

Look – there are tomes written about vacationing at Walt  Disney World in Orlando, Florida. I am not going to try and compete with those guides, but rather in the next few posts, I will pick out the most salient tips that my family just learned while vacationing there this past summer.

Why now? Well…. one of the best times to visit Walt Disney World is coming up: the week after Thanksgiving through the week before Christmas. We went at another slow time – the week before Labor Day – it was empty!

NO Crowds at Walt Disney World the week before Labor Day

Wrapping one’s head around how ENORMOUS Walt Disney World is is the first place to start. 30,000 acres…4 different amusement parks… 2 water parks…and 23 hotels.  After staying 5 days in the Florida Keys, we spent another 5 days at Walt Disney World, allowing time to swim at our hotel in between parks if we wanted to. That was a smart plan – we didn’t feel at all rushed and got to spend a good amount of time at each park. (And by the way – a great itinerary! Balance a beach vacation with amusement parks – )

Here are the parks, and some tips from my experience, and from talking with the amazing Disney staff. (They seriously don’t miss a beat.) My kids happened to be a the perfect ages: 5, 8, and almost 10…not too cool for Disney, and wanting to go on the roller coasters.

MAGIC KINGDOM:


1) Prepare your younger ones that there are height requirements on certain popular rides. My 5 year old made it past the initial height check but then got turned away at 2 subsequent one in the line. (Space Mountain!!!). Assuming he didn’t shrink between the front of the line and the mid-point, there is some inconsistency. I took him to the arcade next door to soften his disappointment.

2) If there are two lines for a ride, the left one is shorter. We were told this…

3) If a ride says “you may get wet,” you will get SOAKED. Since it can be blazing in Orlando, it was actually refreshing.

4) Highlights:

Breakfast at Cinderalla's Royal Table

—-Breakfast at Cinderalla’s Royal Table. I’m not saying it was a highlight for my two boys, and tomboy daughter (Wouldya just look at her? She’s wearing her league softball hat and running shoes, while every other girl in there was dressed as their favorite princess.) but for a parent with young girls who are into princesses, this really is a fun place. The princesses come around to sign autographs and take pictures. The restaurant is inside that big iconic castle.

—Stay and watch the fireworks at night, but  – try and watch from a spot close to the exit – if you don’t you will be stuck in a slow moving crowd with no elbow room, everybody trying leave the park because it closes after the fireworks.

-Along with the obvious, here are some not to miss rides:

–Monsters, Inc Laugh Floor: Clever and hilarious. An interactive show where people in the audience become part of the cast…which is a surprise to everybody. The comedians voicing the characters are so talented to think on their feet quickly with new responses each show.

—Buzz Light Year and Stitch’s Great Escape were novel ideas for theme park rides, so worth a look. In Buzz light year you have your own toy gun and gain points by shooting targets while you are moving in a cart.

EPCOT:


This park is a mix of futuristic rides and experiences, with a world showcase, which is why this is my favorite park.

Epcot's Morocco

Epcot's Italy

The Showcase is a traveler’s amusement park – different replica countries around a beautiful lake. You can visit each country and eat food from that region, watch culture-based shows, look at the imitation monuments form that country.

1) Go here toward the end of the day when it is cooler,  prettier, and less crowded. It is nice to stroll to each country around the lake at this time.

2) My kids loved the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure – it is a high tech scavenger hunt where the kids become international secret agents. The clues they find take them to all the different countries, and they pick up some facts about each along the way. Brilliant.

3) Don’t walk all the way to Italy for the gelato. Definitely go – the replica of St Mark’s Square is a nice hang, with a gondolier/magician to entertain, but the gelato is not like the real stuff in Italy – and the soft serve form Mexico was better and cheaper.

4) Have a conversation with park employees from the various countries – Disney hires from those specific countries! So we had waiters speaking Italian..and a salesman from England telling us about the tea.

5) The acrobat show in China is entertaining…all sorts of wacky stuff like a gymnast balancing a table on her feet (above.) California Adventure is another great ride outside of the Showcase, where you saor over video of the Golden State’s most beautiful features.

6) IF YOU DON”T READ ANY OF MY OTHER TIPS, READ THIS ONE: If you go on Mission Space, beware. This is a ride that let’s you experience what astronauts experience -including the “G-force”. There are barf bags on the seat if you need it. Seriously. It can get one that woozy. If you still want to go, you can ask fort he “less intense” ride at the entrance. Leave your ego at the door and do it.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS:


–The first thing you should do when you get there is to go to the popular Toy Story Mania 3 ride – and get a fast pass. We went there pretty early in the morning, and still our fast pass said to come back at 4PM – we ended up skipping that ride because we left the park earlier than 4. It is a smaller park.

—My favorite rides are at this park. Rockin’Roller Coaster – Loved it.

The Family Daredevils on Rockin' Rollercoaster

The idea is that you are racing off to an Aerosmith concert at high speeds, while Aerosmith music is being pumped into the speakers on your head rest. Pretty cool going upside down and twisting to “Walk This Way” – a whole new adrenaline rush.

Another favorite – Tower of Terror – A Twilight Zone based ride where you are taken in a haunted hotel. I can’t tell you the main thrust of the ride without spoiling. Just trust  me. For both of these rides you may want to get a fastpass.

Sci Fi DIne-In Theater

—If you are going to eat at this park, try the Sci Fi Dine-in Theater. which recreates a 50s drive in theater. All the tables face a movie screen, playing amusing sci fi films with archaic special effects.

–The 50s Prime Time Cafe is another favorite – the setting is a 1950s kitchen, right out of one of the old tv shows.

HOTELS:

There are perks if you stay at a Disney Resort. If you stay at the Grand Floridian, The Polynesian, or the Contemporary, you have a direct connection to the monorail which takes you to all the parks. The monorail even came inside our hotel.

You have access to special Disney park hours – they open early for guests only on certain days of the week.

This trip can be tiring…but overall, it is a memorable family vacation for parents, and definitely the little mousekateers.

 
Oct
15th		   Hotel of the Week: A Heavenly Haven in Hollywood
Leave a Comment Category: Amusement Parks, Belize, California, VT Tags: , ,

Found a cute little gem of a place in Hollywood this week when I was on a shoot there. Petit Ermitage is a boutique hotel, with a Bohemian vibe.  The lovely garden cafe and rooftop pool  is a must for your next date, if you’re a local. But – it is a “members only” club, so you need to book a room in order to eat there. I don’t love that sort of  ”too cool” policy, give me a break. However, the food looks tasty, and the atmosphere, sublime.

European in feel, the hotel has all suites  - and, you know what makes me happy in a hotel – FREE WiFi! It is located on a neighborood street near Sunset Blvd – a very central location to explore the hipper side of Los Angeles.

Butterfly Bar at the Petit Ermitage

What it lacks in top luxury it makes up for in personality…a cute, ethinc-y bar (Butterfly Bar) and a heck of an art collection! I was admiring all the prints in the hallways, when I had a moment to stop and look at the artist’s name  - There were at least 20 Rauschenbergs just on the floor on which I was shooting. The hotel also has works from Miro, De Kooning, and Dali – all from a private collection. And did I mention the cookies waiting for you at the front desk?

Le Petit Ermitage, Hollywood, CA

Getting back to my favorite part of the hotel – the rooftop pool and garden.

There is a lovely fireplace with big couches and chairs to lounge… and the bar is right off the garden. It takes a romantic turn at night…

It is becoming a chic hang out – quiet, and with a view of the Hollywood HIlls. (Of course, our set in the below phoeo is not normally part of the view.)

I love that it is away from the main LA traffic. The photographer with whom I was working lives nearby and said he takes his girlfriend there for dinner and then stays the night. I love the thought of getting away from it all by walking there. Quite quaint.

Have a great weekend – and if you don’ t live near Petit Ermitage, maybe it’s time to follow the photgrapher’s lead discover a neighborhood getaway next to you :)

www.petithermitage.com

 
Jun
30th		   When the happiest place on earth can turn into a nightmare…
Leave a Comment Category: Amusement Parks, Family Travel, Travel Tags:

According to an October 2002 US Department of Justice report , every year there are more than 1.3 million children missing or lost…and  those were only the cases that were reported.

Before you buy your theme park tickets, note that another report said that over a 12 month period, more than 27% of all families that visited an amusement park lost one of their children while they were there.

We’ve all been there, and faced the panic.

For us it happened on a French train…. crowds were walking out of our compartment, going through different tunnels, and then next thing you know our then 6-year-old daughter was gone in a flash.  Luckily we found her, but that was an extra scary incident because she couldn’t communicate in French, and wasn’t at all familiar with where she was or where to go.

Here are some tips to help manage keeping your family safe and together at popular and crowded summer destinations:

1) Make a family plan as soon as you get to your destination. For instance, telling the children to stay right where they are if they get lost is a good idea so they don’t wander into a potentially dangerous situation like crossing a train track…or exiting an amusement park. (If you think they can handle one more detail, mention to try and get in the shade nearby if possible!)

Recite the plan over and over and without scaring them ask them if they were lost “right now,” what would you do?

2) Put your cell phone number and name on a piece of paper in the children’s pockets. That way they can give anyone who helps them your contact information. If the venue has a speaker system, including your name will also allow officials to page you.

3) Take a digital photo of each child that day, and keep it in your camera or cell phone. Easy to do. That way you can show any officials what they look like, and what they are wearing.  To double down on protection, have all the kids dress in the same color so you can describe their clothing easily.

4) Some of my friends tell their kids to look for another mommy with young children to help them. I would say that depends on each child’s age, and how well you think your child would do approaching strangers, and following their gut if something seems not right with that individual.

5) Contact a venue employee immediately to find out procedures for missing children.

Have a happy and safe summer!

 
Jun
23rd		   Summer means a trip to an amusement park. Here are some thrilling new attractions at some of your favorites.
Leave a Comment Category: Amusement Parks, Family Travel, Travel Tags: , ,

We all do it for our kids- brave the crowds and lines at amusement parks during the summer. But this year the amusement park industry has stepped it up with some note-worthy additions. In case you are thinking about going, here are some new features…

1) The most talked about is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Universal Orlando Resort in Florida. The area is based on the uber-popular series by J.K. Rowling. It is sure to please Harry Potter fans, because although there are only three rides in this mystical world, even the smallest details from the book are woven throughout the restaurants, stores, and rides. Hogwarts Castle and the ride :Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” in it is the highlight.

To make time pass quicker while in line, visitors go on a journey in the castle, following a story line. The most devoted fans will get the most out of it because of the many references to the books…for example,  Moaning Myrtle in the bathroom….

www.universalorlando.com

2) King Kong 360-3D at Universal Studios CA. This has been called the “next generation” theme park experience. The website claims it is the largest most intense 3D experience.