Special Offers at Aulani, Disney’s Hawaii Resort

As winter approaches (or does more than approach, slamming some parts of the country with storms), we already want to turn our thoughts toward spring.  While there’s nothing we can do to make the months go by faster, perhaps what we can do is avoid the cold weather for a while by vacationing somewhere warm.  A dream vacation for many is Hawaii, and for Disney fans, that can mean one thing: Aulani. Disney’s Aulani Resort, located on Oahu, has recently joined the list of Disney destinations that get their own special offers page.  The resort is so popular that even … Continue reading

Destination: Disney

Last month Disney teamed up with bubbly Travel Channel personality Samantha Brown in order to make a new web series: “Destination: Disney.” So far the eight shorts, all clocking in between three and four minutes, focus on the Disney Dream cruise ship. Each episode of “Destination: Disney, Innovation and Technology,” finds Brown exploring different corners of the Disney Dream, usually concentrating on one of the many technological developments scattered throughout the ship. Many of the shorts talk about aspects of the ship that I’ve covered before, such as the “magical portholes” available in each stateroom or the shifting design of … Continue reading

Disney Cruises Update

Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island and one of your destinations on cruises with the Dream Exactly one year ago I first introduced you to the Disney Dream, Disney’s newest state-of-the-art cruise ship. With the Dream scheduled to make its maiden voyage at the end of January, many new details about the ship have been announced in anticipation of this event. Poking around on the official website for the Dream reveals much of that information. The Dream includes two theaters, the Buena Vista and the Walt Disney, which are a cinema and live performance theater, respectively. The Buena Vista screens first-run … Continue reading

Monthly Payment Plan for Disney World in Works

Disney World Annual pass holders get all sorts of perks: constant easy entry into the park, parking benefits, admission into special exhibits like the Richard Petty Driving Experience, and more. Now Disney might add another bonus to that list: a monthly payment plan. A monthly payment plan would allow pass holders to pay their fees in smaller installments, rather than having to pay the full amount all at one time. This opens up the benefits of the annual pass to more people, those who may not have been able to pay the total cost all at once. For current pass … Continue reading

Hawaiian Location for Fourth “Pirates” Film

My second and final Hawaii week installment has Disney promising a swashbuckling adventure in Hawaii’s tropical paradise. Executives at Disney have announced that the fourth “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie will be filmed in Hawaii. “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” will begin filming this summer on Oahu and Kauai. It’s slated for release in 2011, likely in the summer. Few details are known yet for “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.” The movie is a confirmed adaptation, in places, of the 1988 historical fantasy novel “On Stranger Tides” by Tim Powers. The main plot point in the … Continue reading

Disney Resort to Open in Hawaii

Because it’s a cold February for most of us (it’s currently snowing outside my window), I’ve decided to name this Hawaii week at the families.com Disney blog. Today and Friday I’ll post articles about what Disney’s got going on in Hawaii, and those of us freezing elsewhere in the country can squeeze our eyes shut and pretend we’re somewhere sunny and warm. First up is Disney’s announcement that in Fall 2011 they will open a resort on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The resort’s full name is Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, Ko Olina, Hawaii. According to Disney officials … Continue reading

Learn While Lazing at Aulani

Last time I looked at Aulani, Disney’s newest (and first) resort in Hawaii the details were still conceptual. Now that Aulani prepares to open its doors at the end of August, it’s time to take another, much more definitive look at what’s sure to be one luxurious hotel. Over the past few months the Disney Park blog has published several sneak previews of the resort. I’ve browsed through many of the recent ones to present a more rounded picture to bring to you today. Aulani will be open to the public and will also contain lodgings exclusively for Disney Vacation … Continue reading

Southwest Airlines Vacations Cinderella Castle Stay Getaway Sweepstakes

Disney enthusiasts, have you ever dreamed about staying in Cinderella’s castle for the night? Well, now your dream can become a reality when you enter the Southwest Airlines Vacations Cinderella Castle Stay Getaway Sweepstakes. This sweepstakes includes a vacation package for four people. You will receive: * A roundtrip airline flight for four people on Southwest Airlines to Orlando, Florida * Two nights accommodations at a Walt Disney World resort * One-night accommodations in Magic Kingdom at Cinderella’s Castle in a Cinderella Castle Suite * A four-day ticket for four people with Park Hopper privileges Your luxury accommodations inside Cinderella’s … Continue reading

Vacation in an Animation-Themed Suite

Way back in December I posted about a one-of-a-kind exhibition Disney debuted at the New Orleans Museum of Art. The show celebrated the fairy tale nature of Disney’s movies, revealing behind-the-scenes glimpses of animation work and studies on the relationship between Disney animated films and their source material. Unfortunately, only New Orleans hosted the show. But almost as if to make up for it, Disney World’s building a new resort hotel which carries on the theme and spirit from the “Dreams Come True” exhibition. Breaking ground this summer, and expected to open in 2012, is Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. … Continue reading

Make Your Summer Travel Plans Now

Now that you know where to go in San Diego if you are working on a limited travel budget let’s move to the other side of the country. I’m shining the summer travel spotlight on Florida today—-specifically Orlando. Personally, I place Florida in the same category as Hawaii. Neither (in my opinion) needs much in the way of an introduction or any quirky tidbits on why you should visit the area at least once in your life. However, I think it is helpful (especially for repeat visitors) to stay on top of any new attractions the area has to offer. … Continue reading