05.31.08
Posted in Travel at 2:57 pm by admin
One source of frustration for many visitors at
Disneyland is the long lines for the rides. You can
literally spend several hours of the day standing in
line to ride popular attractions. These lines can be
avoided in one of three ways.
Get to the park early. The lines are shorter in the
morning when the park first opens. Instead of
jumping in line for the first ride you see, head for the
rides that you really want to ride the most the
most popular rides. Another option is to purchase
FastPass tickets for the rides that offer them. Again,
do this early to ensure that you get to ride those rides
earlier in the day.
The third option to avoid long lines at Disneyland is
to ride many of the popular rides later in the evening,
while the majority of people are enjoying the
entertainment. Disneyland has nightly entertainment,
and this is a good time to find shorter lines. Of
course, it will mean that you probably miss the
entertainment, so if you can use one of the other
options for shorter lines at Disneyland, you should
probably do so.
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05.29.08
Posted in Travel at 1:56 am by admin
As a parent, you already know that you dont want
to have to carry your child around in your arms all
day. You couldnt possibly make it through the day!
You also cant expect your child to walk all day long.
The obvious choice is to have a way to transport your
child without wearing you or the child completely
out.
Strollers are not only welcome at Disneyland, they
are highly recommended. In fact, Disneyland rents
strollers for a reasonable fee. Strollers can be rented
for less than $10 for the day, and you can get a huge
discount on a second stroller if it is needed. The
strollers are clean and well-maintained, but they do
all look alike. Tie something on the stroller, such as
a brightly colored ribbon, to help identify it from all
of the other strollers in the park.
Never leave your child unattended in the stroller, and
never leave any material items of any value in the
stroller either. Even if you bring your own stroller,
you should have some easy way to identify it there
will be other strollers that look just like it at
Disneyland.
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PPPPP
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05.26.08
Posted in Travel at 4:15 am by admin
You dont want to spend your entire Disneyland
Vacation standing in long lines. This can be avoided
by using Disneyland FastPass. FastPass can be
obtained from machines located near the rides that
accept FastPass. This doesnt mean that you get to
immediately move to the front of the line. It is more
like scheduling an appointment for the ride later in
the day at which time you actually will move to
the front of the line. In the meantime, you are free
to go enjoy other sites and rides around the park.
When you obtain a FastPass ticket, you will be
given a one hour time in which to enjoy the ride. For
instance, your FastPass ticket may say 11am to
12pm. This means that you can show up and move
to the front of the line between the hours of 11am and
12pm. You must have your Disneyland ticket in order
to obtain a FastPass ticket.
At Disneyland, FastPasses are available for Indiana
Jones, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain
Railroad, Roger Rabbits Cartoon Spin, Autopia,
Space Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear.
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05.25.08
Posted in Women at 4:26 pm by admin
Do you nurture the friendships that you have? Do you make an effort to assure that your friends know that you care about them? I have to admit that there are times when I allow work; tasks and life get in the way of taking the time to let the people I care about know that they are special. That is when I realize that I need to take a time out and get my life back into perspective. It is easy to forget that the important things in life are the relationships we make along the way.
A few weeks ago I realized that I had not talked with my best friend for close to a month. We had emailed each other, but we had not spoken on the phone or seen each other for quite some time. I called her and suggested we spend some time shopping together. When I called her we were both at work. We were comparing schedules and having a hard time coming up with a date and time that we were both available. She announced that she had compensation time coming from work so she could go during the day. I told her I had worked several hours over time also and could take time. We impulsively decided to meet that day. We would take off for an early lunch and not go back to the office. My friend said that she needed to get a present for her mother’s birthday so it would be perfect to go shopping. She said we needed to look for womens interests.
We met for lunch and spent almost two hours catching up on events in each other’s lives. We then went shopping for womens clothing for her mother. Her mother has had issues with her weight for most of her life. Due to this she has a difficult time buying clothes. My friend said that misses sizes no longer fit her mother so she needed to go into the womens clothing section. Her mom tends to pick out things that are over sized to help hide her weight. This causes her to look even bigger. My friend wanted to get her a jacket that she could leave opened with a shirt underneath.
As we were shopping in the womens clothing my friend was surprised to see the nice selection of clothes available in larger sizes. There were many updated styles to choose from. My friend was having a hard time making a decision on which jacket to buy and what size to get. I suggested a gift card to the womens clothing store and a lunch date for her mom. My friend decided that spending the time with her mother would be the nicest gift of all.
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05.23.08
Posted in Travel at 5:55 am by admin
There is always something to see or do at
Disneyland, but Disneyland adds to this with nightly
entertainment during the peak season, and weekend
entertainment during the off-season. There is also
special entertainment during special occasions, such
as the Fourth of July and Christmas.
Fantasmic is held twice each night during the peak
season, and on weekends during the off-season.
The show takes place on Tom Sawyers Island, and
features many characters, music, and fireworks. For
the best seating possible, purchase tickets for
Fantasmic in advance, but note that free seating is
also available, and is included in your Disneyland
park admission price.
The Parade of Dreams features large colorful floats
accompanied by many Characters. This parade
takes place twice each day. During the parade, the
entire parade will stop three times to do a
choreographed show, and most of the Disney
Characters are portrayed in the Parade of Dreams.
In the Fantasyland Theater, you can see a musical
of Snow White. This show is held several times
throughout the day. This show should not be missed
especially if you love Snow White. Since the show
is held several times each day, reservations are not
necessary.
These are just a few of the shows that are available
at Disneyland. Again, entertainment is an ongoing
thing at the park, with each day bringing something
new. One thing that you can definitely count on, of
course, is the fireworks! The fireworks show is held
late each night before the park closes for the day.
Even if you cant stay for the fireworks, you can
probably see them out of your hotel window! Try to
get a view of the Fireworks from in front of Sleeping
Beautys Castle for the greatest effect. The fireworks
on the Fourth of July are out of this world.
To find out if there are any special shows or events
during the time that you will be at Disneyland, visit
the website, call the park, or ask your travel agent to
find this information out for you. You may also want
to inquire about special events during specific
months, so that you can plan your stay at
Disneyland for those days.
Most entertainment is provided free of charge, and is
part of your admission price. However, special
seating, or priority seating usually requires a fee, as
well as a reservation. Some events require an
admission price that is separate from your park
admission. Again, check the website, call the park,
or discuss events and fees with your travel agent
when planning your Disneyland vacation.
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05.21.08
Posted in Travel at 5:13 am by admin
Visiting Seattle Washington can be an infinitely fun experience. This experience can be magnified greatly if you find entertainment that is inexpensive of free. The good news is that this type of entertainment can be easily found in and around the Seattle area. The even better news is that I’m going to share some of the many great things you can do for free while visiting Seattle.
Some people tend to scoff at the ideas of freebies, and that is all well and good. Those people are perfectly willing to pay over inflated prices for their entertainment while I hope you will be wise enough to choose entertainment that doesn’t come with quite as much sting. Believe me when I say, you do not always get what you pay for and the clichs are correct. You will probably find that many of the best things you find in Seattle are absolutely free.
The first great place I’m going to tell you about is one of those absolutely free places to visit. Not only is it great fun but it is educational as well. I sincerely hope that you will not let the price tag prevent you from the knowledge and good old-fashioned fun you can have at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. There is much to do during your trip to the locks. A few great suggestions would be to walk in the gardens, watch the boats, visit the fish ladder (little ones will find this completely fascinating), and exploring the many exhibits in the area. You can even go on a free guided tour between the months of March and November.
Next, there is The Center for Wooden Boats. What boy doesn’t like toys? Or girl for that matter, I know I’m game when it comes to boats, particularly wooden boats. Not only can you go and explore the boats for free, on Sundays at 2:00 (weather permitting) you can go sailing on one of these magnificent watercrafts for absolutely no charge. You can call ahead of time at (206) 382-2628 in order to check water conditions. Because of the popularity of this program it is wise to arrive at least one hour ahead of time in order to participate in the 2:00 sail. There are some Sundays when other events conflict with the Sunday sail so call to be sure that the sail will be offered. Of course, even without the Sunday sail the Center for Wooden Boats is still an excellent way to spend an afternoon dreaming about these fantastic toys.
Finally, I want to mention Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve. This reserve was created in order to preserve the natural history of the land. Coupeville is a 19th Century town that has been preserved in an attempt to portray an accurate picture of what life here was like. There is a museum, gift shop, several eateries, and an antique shop that line the once vibrant seaside town. Then visit the Admiralty Head Lighthouse and many of the other attractions that abound. You can take your car and drive the length of the reserve. The drive is approximately 43 miles long and your driving time will depend greatly on the amount of time you spend exploring along the way. If you want to make a day trip of it, you may want to pack a picnic lunch and plan your day accordingly.
Other activities that you may enjoy while visiting Ebey’s Landing include: biking, boating, camping, fishing, hiking, kayaking, nature walks, scuba diving, wildlife viewing, and bird watching. Visiting this reserve is literally taking a step back in time. I hope you enjoy this place as much as I do.
With so many great things to do for free, who would ever want to leave Seattle Washington? The best news is that this is only a small glimpse of the great ways to have fun while visiting this unique and wonderful city.
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05.18.08
Posted in Travel at 8:35 pm by admin
You must have your Disneyland ticket in order to
enter the park. You must also have the ticket to get
FastPass tickets. Because this ticket is so
important, it needs to be kept in a safe place. Along
with the Disneyland ticket, you also need a safe
place to keep money or the Disneyland Merchandise
Card.
A wallet or purse is not very practical at Disneyland.
Instead, you should purchase a FastPass holder
even if you dont get any FastPasses. This is a small
plastic pouch that hangs from a cord, which is worn
around the neck. These can be purchased at
Disneyland, and they are very inexpensive.
If you think you might not want to spend a little bit of
money on the FastPass holder, you should consider
what a new Disneyland ticket will cost. If you lose
your Disneyland ticket, you will not be allowed to
enter the park the next day without purchasing a new
ticket. When you look at the small cost of the
Disneyland FastPass holder, you will see that it is
well worth it.
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05.16.08
Posted in Travel at 7:34 pm by admin
If you would like to surprise someone who will be
traveling with you to Disneyland, you can easily do
this by using the Disneyland Vacation Planning
Service. This service has many different services that
can be performed for you, but one of the best ones is
the Surprise service.
Simply contact the Vacation Planning department,
and tell them who the surprises will be for, which
Resort hotel you will be staying at and what your
budget is for the surprises. You will also need to tell
them when you would like the surprise deliveries to
be made, and what type of gifts you are interested in.
They will also want to know who the favorite Disney
character is of the person that you want to surprise.
After providing all of this information, your credit card
information will be required. You can be sure that the
amount charged to your credit card will not exceed
your surprise budget that you have set. This is a great
way to add more value to your Disney experience, and
to constantly experience great anticipation of the next
surprise to come!
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05.14.08
Posted in Travel at 7:15 am by admin
One of the nice guest service features at Disneyland
is the Package Express service. This will allow you
to make purchases, and not have to carry them
around with you all day! Can you imagine trying to
hold all of your packages, your kids, and ride the
rides?
Instead, have your purchases sent to the Newsstand,
which is located near the exit. This Package Express
purchase allows you to pick your packages up as
you are leaving the park. If you stay till closing, note
that the pickup line will be very long. You should plan
to leave at least an hour earlier than you had originally
planned if you have packages to pick up.
You can also have your purchases sent directly to
your hotel if you are staying at one of the Resort
Hotels. This offers even more convenience, because
you wont have to leave the park earlier, or stand in
the package pickup line. Another option is to rent a
locker, and put all of your purchases in it until you
are ready to leave. However, this means that you will
have to walk back to the locker after each of your
Disneyland purchases.
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05.11.08
Posted in Travel at 11:11 pm by admin
Disneyland has always contributed to the education
of young people in one way or another. This tradition
is continued with the Disneyland Magic Music Days
program, which is an educational program for
students of music, vocal arts, or dance.
Your group has the opportunity to showcase your
talent and to improve even more in a setting that
promotes learning and you can have fun doing it!
The program is available all year, and is open to
schools, studios, and other organizations worldwide.
Auditions for the program are required.
There are many workshops held to help improve the
specific talents of each member of your group. These
workshops are taught by professional actors,
choreographers, comedians, dancers, composers,
singers, arrangers, musicians, and conductors.
Where else will your group have access to
professionals in these fields all in one place? To
sweeten the pot, many of these professionals are
famous in their fields, performing in both Hollywood
and New York, among other famous places in the
world.
Instrumental groups can audition to perform on one
of the Disneyland stages. Marching bands can
audition for the famous Disneyland parades. Along
with performing in the happiest place on earth,
which is an experience you will remember and talk
about your entire life, you will also receive the
benefits of world-class workshops, conducted by
world-class professionals. Vocal groups and dancers
audition to perform on one of the Disneyland stages,
and are also offered the world-class workshops
designed for vocalists and vocalist groups or dancers.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your group.
The performance alone will be unforgettable, but the
information that these young performers will learn in
the workshops is invaluable. Instrumental groups
and marching bands will benefit from the
soundtrack/instrumental workshop, the soundtrack
jazz workshop, the tune in seminar, and the
percussion workshop.
Vocalists are offered the industry show choir
workshop, academy show choir workshop, the
academy vocal workshop, the industry vocal
workshop, and the express yourself workshop.
Dancers can take advantage of the industry dance
workshop, academy dance workshop, and the
express yourself workshop. There is something for
all performers as Disneyland Magic Music Days!
Each member of each group will receive an 8 x 10
glossy picture of their entire group, dressed in
performance attire, in front of the Sleeping Beauty
Castle. Although you wont need any help
remembering your time at Disneyland Magic Music
Days, you can share this photo with your friends
and loved ones when you return home from the most
unforgettable performance you will ever have!
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05.09.08
Posted in Travel at 6:32 am by admin
Disneyland is a place for everyone, and at
Disneyland, they have thought of everything
including the babies. The Disneyland Baby Center
is located on Main Street, behind the Plaza Inn.
This is not a babysitting service. Instead, it is a place
where you can attend to your babies needs.
There are several characters present in this area,
and their purpose there is not only to amuse your
baby, but also to help you attend to your babys
needs. This area has rockers, where you can rock
and breast feed your baby. No men are allowed in
this room, but they are allowed in other rooms within
the Baby Center. You can warm a bottle or a jar of
food, and clean bottles as necessary. Baby changing
tables are available, and the entire center is very
clean and comfortable. There are even smaller toilets
for children who are being potty trained.
You can also purchase emergency baby supplies at
the Baby Center. Diapers cost about a dollar each,
and several different types of formula and baby food
are kept in supply, although the selections are l
imited. This is Disneylands way of making sure that
the needs of every guest no matter how small they
may be are attended to.
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05.05.08
Posted in Travel at 10:11 am by admin
Even if you are confined to a wheelchair or on
crutches, you can still enjoy Disneyland. If you are
on crutches, you should consider renting a
Disneyland Scooter to get around the park. The
rental fee is $35 per day, with a $20 deposit. A valid
drivers license is required, and you must be
eighteen years old or older.
You can also choose to rent a wheelchair, which is
not electronic. The rental fee for a wheelchair is $8
per day, with a $20 deposit. You do not have to rent
your wheelchair or Scooter from Disneyland. You can
choose to rent the apparatus from a private company,
and have the wheelchair or scooter delivered to your
hotel room. You may find that it is cheaper to rent
from a private company, as opposed to renting from
Disneyland.
All of the restaurants and shops are wheelchair
accessible, as are the entertainment areas. When it
comes to wheelchairs, your problem will be
accessing some of the rides. Some rides are not
appropriate for people who are in wheelchairs,
while others are perfectly suitable. For instance, you
will not be able to enjoy Donalds Boat, Sailing Ship,
or Tarzans Tree house.
However, there are many attractions that you can
enjoy, such as The Disney Gallery, Disneyland
Monorail, the Disneyland Railroad, the Tiki Room,
The Golden Horseshoe, Its A Small World, Mark
Twain Riverboat, and Tom Sawyer Island. Some
attractions will require you to be transferred from your
wheelchair, such as Alice in Wonderland, Indiana
Jones, and the King Arthur Carrousel.
Cast members and service personnel will be happy
to help with Guest wheelchair transfers, and if you
should lose a wheelchair or scooter that youve rented
from Disneyland, simply show the ticket for the
wheelchair or scooter, and Disneyland will happily
supply you with another one. However, if you lose a
wheelchair or scooter that was rented from an outside
company, Disneyland will not be able to help you
replace it, and you may have to pay the rental company
the full value of the chair. This is something to consider
when you are trying to decide whether to rent from
Disneyland or a private company.
Whether you can enjoy a ride in your wheelchair, or
you must be transferred from your wheelchair to the
ride, you can actually enjoy most of the rides at
Disneyland. Do not allow the fact that you cant walk
around the park keep you from planning a Disneyland
Vacation. Again, Disneyland was designed with
everyone in mind!
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