by Tim Larison
With the sad passing of Michael Jackson this week I thought back to Jackson’s starring role in Disney’s Captain EO - a remarkable 3-D movie that played in Epcot, Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
My first visit to Disney World was as a 30 year old in 1987 with my 23 year old sister Susan. We weren’t sure if a trip to Disney World would be fun for two young adults. We were wrong! We fell in love with Epcot and especially the “cool” 3-D Captain EO attraction (it was our favorite).
Michael Jackson was at his best in Captain EO. Director Francis Ford Coppola said afterwards “Michael Jackson was alot of fun to work with. He was like a kid working with a whole lot of big toys.” Captain EO was the most expensive 17 minute movie in history (with a pricetag of over 30 million).
In memory of Michael Jackson, relive the Captain EO movie here.
And watch this short feature with a young George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Eisner and others discussing the making of Captain Eo:
Remembering Captain EO and Michael Jackson
June 28th, 2009Interview with Kathleen Kavanagh on River Cruising
June 22nd, 2009by Tim Larison
Last summer I took an Avalon River Cruise on the Danube through parts of Hungary, Austria and Germany. It was a fantastic trip! Tim was fortunate to have sailed with a river cruise “expert” on that voyage – Kathleen Kavanagh from Globus. We recently talked with Kathleen about river cruising and what’s new with Avalon Waterways.
FamilyTravelGurus: Many of our readers have cruised on the big ocean ships - what about a River Cruise is different and would appeal to people who like cruising?
Kathleen: “River Cruising is a much more intimate cruising experience. Think of it as similar to a huge hotel versus a boutique hotel. Our largest ship holds only 180 passengers and our newer ships only hold 132. River Cruising takes you into the villages, towns and major cities on the rivers versus commercial shipping ports. In many instances, you walk to the city center and truly can experience the area. River Cruising appeals to the more experienced traveler who looks to combine the unpack once concept but experience the different destinations. River Cruise ships are dry docked every year for two months for cleaning and updating versus the dry docking of larger vessels is every 2-3 years for upkeep so our vessels maintain their ‘newness’ for much longer than ocean vessels.”
FamilyTravelGurus: What has been your favorite River Cruise and why?
Kathleen: “My personal favorite is Rhine and The Moselle because I like wine and the smaller towns. The Moselle has over 150 vineyards and the villages are like pictures from fairy tales. The castles on the Rhine are a must but the trade off is the Danube because everyone equates the Danube with Vienna and music so it depends on the type of person you are. I would personally love to take our North Sea to the Black Sea which is a 21 night cruise that goes all the way from Amsterdam to the Black Sea. That way, I would sail every major river in Europe on one vacation.”
Read our complete interview with Kathleen on our website. After my river cruise experience I am a big fan of this type of cruise experience!
Mystere by Cirque du Soliel
June 14th, 2009Review by Anne Larison
Want to know how to make your money last longer in Las Vegas? Get away from those slot machines and tables for a few hours and see a show.
On my recent business trip to Las Vegas I tore myself away from the gambling for a few hours to see Mystere by Cirque du Soliel.
This was my second Cirque show; the first being La Nouba in Downtown Disney at Disney World in Florida. The Cirque du Soliel shows are each unique with different acts, performers, music and themes. So if you have seen one Cirque show you definitely have not seen them all.
Mystere has an international cast of performers featuring dancers, singers, musicians and champion-caliber acrobats. It is hard to explain in a few words what the theme of Mystere is, but without giving anything away there is a very large baby involved…
The dancing, acrobatics and feats of strength are amazing and it is very funny too. Our seats were in section 101 of this horse-shoe shaped theater. We were located in the front section at the end of the half circle. These were very good seats and we were close to the action. The best seats are in the middle section because it was difficult to see some of the performers who ended up over our shoulders, as the performers use all parts of the theater.
Here is a tip – there is several instances of audience participation – especially for the folks in the seats front and center. Also, there is a ‘clown’ who starts picking on arriving guests as they enter the theater. Be prepared as you may become part of the show!
Hire A Pet Sitter While On Vacation
June 7th, 2009
Having pets can sometimes put a crimp into family vacation plans. Anne Manske of As You Wish Pet Sitters has a solution - hire a professional pet sitter! We recently discussed with Anne the services she provides and the benefits of hiring a pet sitter in general.
FamilyTravelGurus: What are some of the advantages of having a sitter watch your pets while you are on vacation?
A professional pet sitter, like As You Wish Pet Sitters, will come to your home to care for your pet while you are away. This keeps your pet in a familiar environment, as well as, providing exercise and lots of personal attention. Furthermore, this eliminates the trauma of being transported and minimizes exposure to illnesses of other animals. I am bonded, insured and pet first aid certified. I schedule meet and greets where I come to your house to familiarize myself with your pet, his habits and routine. I send daily updates to my pet owners via e-mail or phone letting them know exactly how their pet is doing while they’re away. What I get complimented on often is situations where I offer flexibility and have had clients call me to schedule an additional visit when their plane has been delayed or they were stuck in traffic. Getting to know your pet’s personally is a priority so that I can detect early if there is a change which can prevent problems from occurring. Your pet, their health and safety, is my number one priority. Extra services offered, such as crime-deterrent measures, watering plants, bringing in the mail, etc.
FamilyTravelGurus: Why is it better to have a professional pet sitter like yourself compared to a relative or a friend?
The difference with a professional pet sitter is that this is what I do for a living. I show up when I say I will plus have the training to deal with the unexpected pet health emergencies. I have gotten clients after they hired the neighborhood teenager who then either forgot to let the dog out or had a party at the house. The chances that your neighbor is going to know the signs of when an animal is stressing or the bag of tricks to deal with this problem is not always a given. For example, recently I had a dog that every time I visited he had chewed on a new item and it wasn’t his bone. I called an animal behaviorist and had a solution that not only kept the dog happy but had the owners able to return to a still intact home.
FamilyTravelGurus: When you go on vacation, do you have a sitter watch your pets? How does that work for you?
I used to kennel my dog but he would always return home stressed, tired and many times sick. Now I use a pet sitter so that my dog Max can be in the comfort of his own home and stay on his normal routine. This works very well since I am able to enjoy my vacation knowing Max is being well loved and taken care of. I now return home to a dog in the same state and the same environment that I left him.
FamilyTravelGurus: You are based in Colorado - what areas do you cover with your pet sitting services?
I cover Highlands Ranch and Lone Tree but have associates within our company that will go from Greenwood Village down to Castle Rock.
FamilyTravelGurus: We have many readers who live outside of Colorado or in other parts of the state - is there a national organization that people can contact for pet sitting assistance in their area?
NAPPS, The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters is a great resource. Their website is www.petsitters.org
FamilyTravelGurus: What is the best way for people to get in touch with you?
They can call me at 303-313-9474 ext. 2 or e-mail at anne@asyouwishpetsitters.com
FamilyTravelGurus: Thanks Anne. This is a great service you provide!
Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party Review
May 31st, 2009
Short lines for rides, a terrific parade, free candy, awesome fireworks – we liked these features and more for our first time ever attending Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) on a Thursday night in October 2008.
Mom and Dad liked the “Boo To You” parade the best, featuring the Headless Horseman (pictured) riding by right at the start. Andrew and Josh skipped the parade and liked the opportunity to visit many Magic Kingdom attractions with little or no wait. “The thing I liked most about Mickey’s Halloween Party was the short lines. The line to almost every ride was like a Fastpass line because it was so short. I went on Space Mountain and Splash Mountain more than 5 times each and they were both fun.” Josh reports.
We really enjoyed Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party. Read our complete review of the Party here.
Disney’s Lion King In Las Vegas
May 25th, 2009by Anne Larison
“What’s a Warthog Doing in Las Vegas?”
This was the subject line of an email I received back in March ’09. The answer to this question is that a Broadway-caliber musical was set to open in May at the Mandalay Bay Theater – Disney Presents The Lion King.
I was thrilled since I had a business trip planned for May in Las Vegas. The preview performances began May 5th with the official opening of the show scheduled for May 15. My mom, a sister and myself were able to snag tickets for one of the preview performances on Friday, May 8. All I can say is – amazing!
I had previously seen The Lion King when the Broadway show traveled to Denver a few years ago and I knew that it was worth seeing again (and again). My mom and sister had never seen it. The music, the scenery, the costumes, and the performances are first class.
This show appeals to adults as well as children. If you have only seen the animated movie classic, I hope you someday have a change to see the stage musical. The costumes and manner in which they portray the animals will delight and amuse you. Everything about the show is exciting.
Here is a tip – we arrived at Mandalay Bay early to pick up our tickets from Will Call. If you do purchase your tickets online, get there a few hours early, to actually pick them up from Will Call. The Will Call line was extremely long closer to the start of the performance.
Another tip – the House of Blues restaurant is located in the Mandalay Bay. We found a Happy Hour special from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.. They have special drinks and appetizers for only $5.00! We shared three appetizers and wouldn’t have been able to get a meal for that low price most anywhere else along the strip. It was very yummy!
Snapshot Story: Norwegian Fjords
May 18th, 2009
“We highly recommend Azamara cruises. It was our first cruise and it was a wonderful experience. Our captain took us to the Naeroyfjorden. With the smaller ship we were able to see this spectacular sight “
from our clients Ann and Richard in Michigan
New Zealand - It’s Just Different!
May 11th, 2009
One destination we consistently get good reports on from our clients is New Zealand. “After one month I was surprised that I could have stayed another week or two. The New Zealand countryside is just gorgeous,” wrote one client after a trip we helped arrange. “We loved New Zealand. Very progressive country and friendly people,” wrote another.
We recently talked with Margot Nahay of Down Under Answers about what makes New Zealand such a popular vacation destination. “The biggest highlight and a must see for any traveler to New Zealand is Queenstown,” said Margot. “This is the home to adventure activities such as the Shotover Jet – a 20 minute high speed jetboat ride down the Shotover River, suitable for any age or fitness level.”
New Zealand is definitely on our “must see” list for a future trip, especially after we talked to Marot. Read our full interview here.
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas
May 3rd, 2009
We are so looking forward to the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas later this year! The Oasis will be the largest passenger ship afloat and will have many unique features - such as the Aqua Outdoor Theatre pictured to the left.
“What is unique about (our new ships) is that they will be destinations unto themselves with seven different “neighborhoods”. This neighborhood concept gives the passengers many areas to explore, relax, drink and have fun”, says Michelle Van Deusen from Royal Caribbean. A sister ship to the Oasis, the Allure of the Seas, will sail in 2010.
Disney Vacation Club Room Sizes
April 26th, 2009The table below lists the room sizes (in square feet) of different Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resorts. We’ve stayed at the Boardwalk Villas, Beach Club Villas, Old Key West, Wilderness Lodge Villas, and Vero Beach. Our favorite has always been the one bedroom units at Old Key West - we loved the extra room the Old Key West one bedrooms gave our family of four.
| Resort | Studio | 1 Bedroom | 2 Bedroom | 3 Bedroom |
| Boardwalk | 359 | 712 | 1071 | 2142 |
| Beach Club | 365 | 726 | 1083 | n/a |
| OldKeyWest | 376 | 942 | 1333 | 2202 |
| Wild Lodge | 356 | 727 | 1080 | n/a |
| Saratoga Spr | 355 | 714 | 1075 | 2113 |
| Vero Beach | 275 | 880 | 1255 | 2125 |
| Hilton Head | 455 | 856 | 1245 | 2362 |
While Old Key West is our favorite, we’ve enjoyed all of our stays at the different DVC properties.