Monthly Archives: January 2012

January 13th, 2012

Photo Friday: Let’s See That Smile (Gatorland)

Posted by: Dan Weisman|0 comments

Thanks to Anita S., who submitted this great Orlando photo via Facebook. We’re never ones to mess around with amphibians, so our CEO, TJ, likes to provide some insight on the differences between Gators and Crocs. It’s always good to educate yourself before traveling so that you’re prepared for anything.

Have a great weekend!

Categorized as: Photo Friday Read more →
Main Gate (Medium) January 11th, 2012

Top 5 Highlights of LEGOLAND Florida

Posted by: Dan Weisman|0 comments

by Traci L. Suppa

As the first major theme park to be built in Central Florida in a decade, LEGOLAND Florida opened in October to great anticipation. When I visited the new park in Winter Haven, FL with my 11-year old son, – a fervent LEGO aficionado since toddlerhood – it was nothing short of a pilgrimage.

I’m glad we had two full days to explore the park, because at 150 acres, the world’s largest LEGOLAND offers too much to do and see in just one day. Depending on the time of year, the hours of operation here may limit you to just seven hours in which to cover ten distinct sections.

What did we enjoy most about the park? Here are our top picks:

Miniland

At the top of our list was Miniland. You’ll need at least an hour to stroll through the eight geographical areas with LEGO replicas of skylines, landmarks, and city scenes. We were amazed by the clever details which elevate these creations from plaything to art. Water features, sound, moving pieces and vehicles add to the realism. There are several buttons kids can push to make fountains gush, soldiers march, and D.J.’s play.

Unique Rides & Coasters

Being a “tween,” my son was eager to try out the rides. We found several that are unique to LEGOLAND. I enjoyed the 360° view when we ascended 150 feet in the air on Island in the Sky. It’s the perfect vista of the entire park, as well as Lake Eloise. His favorite was the Aqua Zone Wave Racers. We raced jet skis around a central dock, while steering to avoid – or in his case, hit head on – fountains shooting water 15 feet high.

The four roller coasters don’t break any size or speed records, which is why we enjoyed them. This is a park targeting kids 2-12 years old, and even the coasters are sized appropriately. Coastersaurous is the first wooden coaster within any LEGOLAND park, and Flying School is the first suspended coaster. LEGO Technic is designed in a Mouse Trap style. The longest lines stood outside for the Dragon coaster, a hybrid of a dark indoor journey through a dragon’s lair and an outdoor ride offering spin, turn, and drop thrills.

Cypress Gardens

LEGOLAND purchased the land of what was once the Cypress Gardens attraction, and responsibly preserved and restored the lush gardens with species from around the world, as well as the cove for water ski shows. The gardens are lush, shady, and quiet, with the perfect trail to walk along if you have a youngster in need of a stroller nap.

Neither of us had ever seen a water ski show before, and we both did a lot of “oohing” and “ahhing.” During “The Battle for Brickbeard’s Bounty,” the brave Imperial Soldiers fight Brickbeard the Pirate. The ski stunts are impressive, and the cast engages the audience in water cannon play and pirate talk.

Lots for Little Ones

LEGOLAND excels in catering to the pre-school set, so I almost regretted not bringing my 4-year old daughter along on this trip. DUPLO Land is an entire section dedicated to children five and under, with indoor and outdoor play spaces. There are multi-level playgrounds and play spaces in the Land of Adventure and LEGO Kingdom sections. Several rides allow children at the height of just 36” to ride by themselves, including Royal Joust, Beetle Bounce, and the Junior Driving School. All the other elements are in place to facilitate young families, such as a Baby Care Center, stroller rentals, and healthy food options.

Water Park

Actually, the water park hasn’t opened yet. But knowing my son and how he loves swimming, I’m adding it to this list of highlights. The water park will open this summer, and will feature a wave pool, water slides, a super soaker area, a toddler play area, and a special Build-a-Raft River, which allows families to design and build a raft out of LEGO before floating down a lazy river.

Traci L. Suppa drags her small-town family to see a quirky array of the world’s largest, longest, or tallest things, and blogs about it at Go BIG or Go Home.

Categorized as: Family Read more →
Magic Kingdom January 09th, 2012

Deals of the Week: The Happiest Vacation on Earth

Posted by: Dan Weisman|0 comments

We’ve survived the holidays, and now it’s time to think about taking a real vacation. No more Christmas lists and and feasts for the extended family. The next getaway should be pure and simple fun – preferably in the sun. What could be better than a trip to Disney World in Orlando? With great deals, your dreams of a Disney vacation can come true in just few clicks of your (Mickey) mouse…

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A New Zealand Vacation Rental January 05th, 2012

A Five Step Plan for New Zealand Travel

Posted by: flipkey|0 comments

Visiting New Zealand can be intimidating because of the sheer paperwork often associated with travel abroad. While it’s true that the “Godzone” has lax requirements for people visiting from some countries for some reasons, this lack of formality can actually make travel to New Zealand more confusing instead of less. Use this step-by-step guide to confirm that you have all of your document ducks in a row.

Step One: Confirm that you are from a Visa-Waiver country. 

If you are from the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom, you can visit for pleasure for up to three months (six if from the UK) without a visa. This doesn’t mean no paperwork – just that a visa isn’t part of the paperwork required.

Check this link for a list of other countries that have visa-waiver agreements with New Zealand.

Exceptions: Travel to New Zealand for medical treatment or business purposes may require a visa. Both of these types of trips are much more complex, and you should contact the New Zealand Embassy or Consulate to work out details.

Step Two: Check Your Passport

Not needing a visa doesn’t mean you won’t need your standard travel documents. As soon as you know you’re going to New Zealand, check your passports to make sure they won’t expire before your return. It’s possible to replace or renew a passport on short notice, but it gets exponentially more expensive the faster you have to do it.

Step Three: Prove That You’re Leaving

New Zealand is wonderful by all reports – so wonderful that the New Zealand authorities are afraid visitors won’t want to leave. Before they let you into the country, New Zealand customs inspectors will want to see the ticket stubs that prove you have an exit strategy. This is trivial to arrange, but have them printed and available when you pack for your trip.

Step Four: Prove That You Can Afford It

The authorities also want evidence that you can support yourself during your stay. As of November, 2012, they require proof of funds to the tune of $1000 per month per person. This can be in the form of cash on hand, current bank statements, or an indication of a credit card with enough available balance.

If you are staying with friends or family, they can complete the Sponsorship for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025). Which basically says a resident of New Zealand will take responsibility for your financial upkeep while you’re in the country.

If you are using a vacation rental, you can qualify for a partial waiver of this requirement. If your lodging is already paid for in full, you only have to prove funds of $400 per month per person. Print your receipt from the vacation rental transaction and keep it among your other proof of funds paperwork.

Step Five: Enjoy Your Trip

Between the unique culture, gentle beaches and rolling landscape, New Zealand is one of the best vacation destinations in the world. Rest easy knowing your paperwork is in order, and explore all the country has to offer.



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WheelerOperaHouse January 05th, 2012

Aspen Beyond the Glitter

Posted by: Lisa Mercer|3 comments

A heart of gold lies beneath Aspen’s glittery exterior, but most people are too busy celebrity watching to notice. The story of Aspen is a story of the dreams of two men fulfilled: Walter Paepcke and Friedl Pfeifer. Working together, these innovators took a small Colorado town and turned it into a destination not only for winter sports, but for year-round culture as well.

Walter Paepcke
In 1945, Chicago industrialist Walter Paepcke  and his wife Elizabeth envisioned a cultural center in a mountain environment. His wife, Elizabeth, was an avid skier, and suggested the  heart of the Aspen Valley. The mountain setting was perfect, and so was the existing architecture. During the 1880s, Jerome Wheeler, a former Macy’s executive, had built the Jerome Wheeler Opera House and the Wheeler Hotel. The Paepckes saw the obvious potential of a theater, an existing culture-oriented group of locals and vistors, and  a hotel within a spectacular mountain environment. They began purchasing real estate in the area, with hopes of fulfilling their dreams.

Friedl Pfeifer
During World War II, Colorado’s 10th Mountain Division helped fight the Germans. Their skis were their only form of transport.  Ski instructor Friedl Pfeifer went against his Austrian heritage and fought along with the 10th Mountain Division. When the war ended, he decided that he wanted to stay in the US and open his own ski resort.  He hoped to finance the resort with the help of mining engineer Harold Klock, but when they were unable to raise funds, Pfeifer arranged a meeting with Paepcke.

The Meeting
These two ambitious men met in 1945 and struck a deal. In exchange for his help in raising $300,000 in start-up funds, Pfeifer agreed to let Paepck run the resort. The Aspen Skiing Corporation was founded in January of 1946. Today, Aspen is a playground for both the mind and the body. Make the most of your Aspen vacation and participate in both aspects of the Aspen experience. Here are some of the ideas that developed.

Winter Words

Many bartenders are also part time writers (though they probably think of themselves as part-time bartenders…), but few have the advantages of Aspen bartender Kurt Brown. Brown used his elite connections to create the the first Aspen Writer’s Workshop. He convinced Aspen locals to put literati mentors up in their elegant homes, and he persuaded local restaurants to donate free meals to these stars of the literary world. People arrived from all parts of the globe to spend two weeks studying with their favorite authors. If you are not ready to make a full, two-week commitment, consider Winter Words, known as “Apres Ski for the Mind.”

The event takes place every winter  season, and  features a series of lectures by well-known authors. This year’s line-up includes Ann Patchett, Kathryn Stockett, Geraldine Brooks, Michael Chabon and others. The Wheeler Opera  House, in its splendid Victorian glory, hosts the readings.

Wheeler Opera House

Who says you have to choose between a skiing and theater on vacation? You can have both at Aspen. The Wheeler Opera House, established in 1892 by Macy’s Department Store magnate Jerome Wheeler, hosts theatrical, dance and musical performances. Events for 2012 include performances by Judy Collins, Kim Carnes and the David Bromberg Quartet.

Socrates Goes Skiing

Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke founded the Aspen Institute in the 1950s, as a means of promoting intelligent discourse about political and social issues. Panel members use the Socratic Method of dialectics to analyze issues of importance to humankind. Participants receive a discount lift ticket.The program administrators describe their program as being geared toward “emerging leaders ages 28 to 45.” The program is open to anyone interested in the subject matter, and the Institute arranges special activities for children. The Aspen Institute is located at 1000 North Third Street in Aspen.

Anderson Ranch

The Anderson Ranch features an artist in residence program, along with an eclectic variety of painting, drawing, sculpting and crafts workshops. The Ranch holds special exhibitions throughout the season.

Boogie’s Diner

Not every Aspen restaurant requires expensive evening attire. Boogie’s Diner is a classic 50s diner, with photos of Elvis and other 50s icons on the wall. They serve the best hot open turkey sandwiches, milk shakes and burgers. Fun fact: Leonard “Boogie” Weinglass,” the character portrayed by Mickey Rourke in the movie Diner, owns Boogie’s Diner!

Plato spoke of a sound body and a sound mind. These words describe the Aspen experience in a nutshell.

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Stowe_Maple_Loaf January 04th, 2012

Stowe and Vermont Maple

Posted by: Emily Monaco|1 comment

Growing up, at least one long weekend every winter, and sometimes two – if I was lucky – my father would pack up me and my sisters and brother and take us skiing in Ludlow, Vermont. My mother hated skiing, but she was all for ski school for the four of us. Soon, though, my siblings slid over to her side on the exerting-oneself-in-the-cold front, and after an old football injury of my father’s made it impossible for him to grace the slopes with me, my skiing vacations came to a halt.

Luckily, my mother’s younger sister had moved from Princeton, New Jersey to Stowe, Vermont, and I started going up, alone, to ski the much larger mountain with my aunt and uncle. Instead of a bunk bed in a rented condominium, I got a spot on the floor next to the fire, with three large labradors for warmth. Peppermint tea thawed my hands as I waited for my aunt to put dinner together, and we would sit by the huge windows overlooking the white-covered mountains and watch it snow.

During the day, we skiied all morning and all afternoon. I relished a mountain large enough to get lost on, where all the runs were different, where we could suddenly end up somewhere completely unfamiliar. My aunt greeted lift operators by name; I felt like we were celebrities, or at the very least, part of some secret club. For lunch, we stopped at the cafeteria-style restaurant, or we drove into town to a restaurant, where I ordered buffalo chicken wings and ate with relish. Afterwards, we wandered as long as we were able in the cold, and I took in the small-town atmosphere that was so foreign to me.

My mini-vacations in Stowe always ended with an errand: picking up local maple syrup to bring home with me. I never opened it until I got home – in the mornings, we started early and had no time for pancakes before hitting the slopes – but as soon as I arrived back in New York, safe and sound, the little bottle of local syrup reminded me of afternoons skiing with my aunt and evenings playing with the dogs and watching movies under a warm blanket, while snow fell softly outside.

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