Halloween Horror Nights 21 – The Thing

Posted on August 13, 2011 by pairou

The highly anticipated Halloween Horror Nights 21 is coming closer, to the excitement of fans worldwide. The terrifying event will be held on select nights from September 23rd though Halloween. As soon as the Universal Studios theme park closes, it is transformed into a terrifying Halloween scare fest, complete with live shows, haunted houses, horrible mazes, and scare zones, which include people jumping out of the fog and shadows.

Every year there is an event icon that “runs” the Halloween Horror Nights event, often giving it its theme. Past event icons have included Jack the Clown, a child murderer and undead killer who is especially popular with Halloween Horror Nights fans; Bloody Mary, a psychotic psychologist who killed her patients and whose murdered body was never found; the Usher, who died a horrible death in a Universal theater and now comes back to haunt and kill; the Caretaker, an ex-surgeon with a cannibalistic family; and many, many more favorites.

This year marks Halloween Horror Nights’s 21st birthday, and its theme draws upon Blackjack 21- a gambling theme still shrouded in mystery, with only a few clues revealed thus far. So far, we know that there will be a haunted house based on The Thing, a reboot of a 1980s film set to premier in theaters on October 14th. The Thing, discovered in an abandoned antarctica research base, begins to come after the new group of researchers, taking on their forms as a virus, alien, demon, or government experiment; watch the movie to find out what it is, and what happens next.

More information as it comes up!

 

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Disney – Assisting Guests with Guest Assistance Cards

Posted on August 2, 2011 by pairou

I mentioned in an earlier post that Disney has outstanding assistance for guests with special needs such as hearing loss, visual impairment, wheelchair rentals, ATD’s, all of those excellent things and sorts. I briefly mentioned the Guest Assistance Card, but did not go into any detail because it deserved its own post.

The benefits of the Guest Assistance Card include things like “front and center” seating at shows for the visually impaired and a stroller/wheelchair combination so that you don’t have to leave it outside. If a guest has psychological limitations (severe anxiety, Autism, agoraphobia, etc.), they may wait in an alternative waiting area. I think one of the best things about the Guest Assistance Card is that it works with the Make A Wish Foundation and similar organizations’ children by giving them access to the front of the line because they have life threatening illness. Everyone except the Make A Wish kids will be asked to use a FastPass and will not be able to completely skip the line – they will just wait in another area.

Qualifications for this card include, but are not limited to:

*Guests with psychological impairment or special needs.

*Unassisted mobility issues (no cane, wheelchair, EVC) and cannot wait in line.

*Serious health complications that cause fatigue and/or pain.

*People that cannot be in the sun for long periods of time due to serious health risk (skin cancers and the sorts).

This card will be valid for the length of your visit in all of the theme parks at Walt Disney World. You can obtain an assistance card at Guest Relations upon request. While unnecessary, a lot of people bring letters from their doctor or other documented evidence that they need the assistance because if it isn’t obvious, they might deny your request.

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Disney – Perfect Wedding

Posted on July 31, 2011 by pairou

Most girls start planning their wedding when they’re kids and, usually, they are inspired by the classic “fairy tale wedding.” If you’re one of those brides, I have good news; Disney can make your dreams come true! Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings was set in motion in 1991 and have created over 30,000 weddings since then. That means that Disney has done over 3,000 Fairy Tale Weddings per year, which equals out to about 8 weddings a day for the last 10 years! The statistics alone were enough to make me take a closer look.

Walt Disney’s first televised wedding aired live on Lifetime Television in 1995. It too place in the non-denominational wedding pavilion, which can host up to 6 weddings per day. Only three cameras were used, but it was beautifully orchestrated with views of Cinderella Castle behind a hedge arch and, even better, right through the window behind the alter.

Just for a little variety, the wedding pavilion isn’t the only place that you can hold your dream wedding. You can get married in any of the Disney World theme parks! Disney can do over 10 weddings per day, so there’s quite a few time slots to choose from if you request in advance. You’ll meet with the Disney team and David Tutera, who has earned his fame by giving brides their dream weddings.

They will help you plan your perfect wedding and make it a truly unique and special day that you will remember for the rest of your life. You can even have a delicious, Disney themed wedding cake! (PS- Disney’s wedding cakes are really pretty.)

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Disney – Better Eating on a Smaller Budget

Posted on July 30, 2011 by pairou

Everyone that has been to a theme park knows how expensive it is to eat there. $5 for a tiny styrofoam cup of ice with a little bit of soda in it just isn’t right… The good news is, Disney loves us as much as we love them and because of that, they have come up with ways to keep your wallet (and your wife) happy. The only trick is knowing what those ways are. Don’t worry; I’ll help you.

The first thing you need to know is that whether you’re sitting down to eat lunch or dinner, the portions and most of the menus are the same. The difference is the price. When you’re visiting Walt Disney World’s theme parks, try to catch the lunch menu. You’ll get the same thing for a smaller price.

My second tip to you is to order from the children’s menu. A lot of areas will allow adults to do so because the portions are usually enough to fill you up and it‘s cheap. And for those of you watching your figure, it doesn’t leave much room to overeat.

Another thing you can do is order one full meal at the counter and then order another meal without fries because one serving is enough for two to share. You can also share a medium or large drink by getting some small cups of ice.

My final word of advice is to try to be hungry when people usually aren’t hungry, especially if you want to sit down inside. When there’s a mob of hot, hungry people all trying to cram into one place, things can get pretty intense. No one wants to deal with that if there’s a chance to avoid it.

If you remember these tips, you can save time and money, which can only make your Orlando vacation even better!

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Disney World – Summer at Disney World Resort hotels

Posted on July 29, 2011 by pairou

Summer has arrived, with the heat turned up much higher than expected! But the nights are still comfortable and the days are still beautiful here in Orlando, Florida! If you’re looking for a way to beat the heat on your summer Orlando Vacation and you’re planning on staying at a Disney hotel for your Disney vacation, you’re already off to a great start.

Surely, you say, the location isn’t important; you’re still going to the same place. Oh, but it is! There are many Disney World Resort hotels close to the four main Disney World theme parks- Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios- and every Disney World Resort hotel provides some form of transportation to any and all Disney areas- including water parks, shopping centers, and other hotels.

While there are no hotels inside any of the theme parks, there are several hotels that are directly beside them. Disney’s Contemporary Resort offers enchanting views of Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella Castle or the lake, and is a short walk away from Magic Kingdom. There is a monorail that will take you to Epcot. Disney’s Boardwalk has hotels an even shorter walk away from Epcot and a boat ride from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort has rooms with an exotic view of the Animal Kingdom savanna, with animals grazing past the windows.

And how does this help with the heat? It’s easy: less time traveling to the parks, less time waiting in the sun, and more time inside Disney World theme parks. It’s that simple.

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Disney World Resort – Stay at a Disney World Hotel

Posted on July 28, 2011 by pairou

We here at Easy Orlando Vacations Online offer rooms at Disney World Resort hotels. All of the hotels listed are on Disney World property, and fall under different budget categories: value resorts are generally under $100 a night, moderate resorts are about $150 per night, deluxe rooms are offered at about $215 per night, and deluxe villas are priced at about $250 (these are all estimated and vary per hotel or season). All of the hotels offered have transportation to all four Disney theme parks as well as water parks, shopping areas, and other hotels. Disney World hotels are beautifully decorated, extremely convenient, and offer extraordinary service. The surrounding grounds are impeccably kept and the hotel rooms spotless and carefully themed and designed.

Perhaps the biggest reason that Disney World Resort hotels are so popular is that the Disney magic stays uninterrupted, from waking up and getting ready for the theme parks to going ‘home’ after an exciting day to a clean room with Mickey Mouse-shaped towel arrangements; in several cases, housekeepers will arrange stuffed animals in elaborate Disney scenes. Disney World Resort hotels are known for their top-of-the-line service with a smile; cast members, as many Disney employees are called, love their jobs- and it definitely shows! Always eager to help and always happy to see you, cast members love to provide guests with anything they can to make sure they have the best Disney vacation possible.

Book a vacation with us and save on your Disney vacation!

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Disney – Hidden Mickeys! Part 2

Posted on July 27, 2011 by pairou

Sadly, no official list of where the Mickeys are was ever released by any insiders. The good (?) news is that there’s an UNofficial official list that has a ton of them thanks to all the Disney fans. Hidden Mickeys can be difficult to spot sometimes, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for. What you think could be a Mickey may just be coincidental placement or the wrong shape. Luckily for you, I know a thing or two about spotting Hidden Mickeys.

The first thing you need to know as you embark on your quest to find them is that all Mickeys are within the Disney areas. Secondly, if it looks like a Mickey and you think it’s a Mickey, look again. Check the proportions. If the ears are not the same size or do not have the proper size ratio to the head without squinting and tilting your head, it’s not a Mickey, so no cheating. Size is the best indicator (for me) as to whether or not you’re looking at the real thing. If it’s part of a huge, intricately decorated scene or something of the sort, it’s probably just coincidence, save for the design of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, supposedly.

Finding Hidden Mickeys is a fun activity you can share with your family or have fun hunting alone. It’s a good concept if you stop and think about it. The Imagineers created a really neat secret scavenger hunt just for the Disney fans and, at first, just the insiders. It’s more fun for me when I find one because I remember that little fact; there’s more pride in spotting a legit Mickey.

I hope this helps those of you that are on the hunt and makes those of you that are not, want to be. I wish you all luck and have fun!

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Disney – Hidden Mickeys! Part 1

Posted on July 26, 2011 by pairou

Part of Disney’s magic is the intricacy it truly entails. In my opinion, one of  the coolest, most unique, and definitely fitting things Disney did was the Hidden Mickey. Regular park-goers are probably familiar with this aspect of the Disney World theme parks. If not, it can be easily researched online (obviously). You will find that it is another part of the strange, yet fascinating Disney subculture that is evident around the world; other forms include collecting character’s signatures and pin trading. Hidden Mickeys are fun to look for and add an activity to your Walt Disney World vacation that the whole family will enjoy each time you visit!

The Hidden Mickey started as an inside joke for the Imagineers. They would hide the basic Mickey Mouse head shape, a circle with two smaller circles as ears, in the designs of Disney resorts, buildings, attractions, in whatever and wherever they could. The Mickeys are in plain sight, but their subtlety can make them tricky to spot, and that just shows the genius of it all. Arlen Miller wrote an article for a 1989 edition of Eyes and Ears, Disney’s cast member weekly newsletter. That article is the first published document of a Hidden Mickey and that got peoples’ attention. When the word got out about the Hidden Mickeys, Disney fans became observant, trying to seek them out.

Next time you visit any of Disney’s attractions, take the time to look for the familiar silhouette of Walt Disney’s most famous character. See how many Hidden Mickeys you can find!

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Disney World Vacations – Not Just About the Rides

Posted on July 25, 2011 by pairou
One of the many things that makes Disney World so attractive to guests is its scenery. Yes, the rides are awesome and there are way too many cool shops to count, not to mention the independent vendors, but atmosphere is what really makes a park great. Disney went the extra mile by ensuring that each park is unique in its surroundings, buildings, and horticultural aesthetics, but the one thing every park has in common is that there are plenty of things to please your retinas everywhere you turn.

Visitors are delighted by the shrubbery statues of some of Disney’s most beloved characters and the beautiful flower beds that can be found in many various areas on the Disney premises. There is no shortage of waterfalls either, whether they are cascading down rocky cliffs or smaller, gentler waterfalls that are more for decoration purposes. There is a lovely garden by the lake near Cinderella Castle in Disney’s Magic Kingdom, as well as a beautiful tree blossoming pink flowers in Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland.  Epcot’s World Showcase has such excellently executed architecture due to the fact that each area’s buildings are designed to look authentic to their respective countries. That way, guests get a real feel for foreign culture. The employees’ attire even match their designated working areas! The final touch that Disney puts on everything constantly up keeping the scenically designed walls and structures, usually after closing hours, to keep everything looking new and clean and just as beautiful as the day it was created.

What’s your favorite scenery at Disney World? Come check it out and experience the magic for yourself!

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Orlando Vacations – An Invitation to Orlando, Florida

Posted on July 24, 2011 by pairou

When I was a little girl, still in elementary school, my parents would take us to Disney World. We went to the various theme parks almost weekly, especially when the weather turned cool. My family lived less than half an hour away from the Disney parks, and we loved to go during the less crowded off-season. I remember running around all day long, seeing my favorite Disney princesses and riding my favorite rides over and over again. For my birthdays we would dine at the restaurants inside the parks, and on the way home I would fall asleep in the car, having played my heart out.

Every day, families worldwide are making Disney World here in Orlando a regular vacation spot, picking an Orlando vacation over staying home during the summer, winter, and spring breaks. Since our company’s launch almost ten years ago, Disney vacations are much more attainable than ever. One of the very first companies of our kind in the Orlando, Florida area, we offer competitive hotel and ticket packages, saving families money, time, and hassle, and helping them make their Disney dreams come true.

Come visit Disney World and see for yourself why we are the best at what we do! And you don’t have to limit yourself to Disney World, either; visit the Universal Resort Orlando theme parks. Catch a show at SeaWorld, or watch live performances- or participate in them!- at one of Orlando’s many award-winning dinner shows. With so much to do and see in orlando, what are you waiting for?

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