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A parents guide to the kids friendliest places to stay, play, and dine at Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Seaworld and so much more.
Whether you're headed to Disney World, Universal Orlando, Sea World, or anywhere else in Central Florida (including the beaches of St Pete's, Clearwater, Cocoa Beach and St Augustine) …congratulations!, you’ve discovered the best place to begin your journey…right here at www.travel-insights.com. Travel- Insights is choc full of the most detailed and up to date information available regarding how to plan, enjoy, and survive your family vacation in central Florida.
THE BONUS - you'll find tons of practical travel tips (tips that have been tried and tested) for not only saving money, but surviving the entire vacation experience with your sanity - and your bank account in tact sprinkled throughout the site too.
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*Moms Choice Award Winner - 2009 Silver Recipient!
Best in Family & Parenting Web Resources & Family Friendly Media |
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Quick Links will take you directly to specifically targeted T.I. pages for those who would like to head right to the theme parks, resort hotels, or restaurants! |
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 For more Update News
Click HERE to get the scoop!
 Re-Imagined "Star Tours" Coming to Florida in 2011 and Major Fantasyland Expansion at Walt Disney World Scheduled for 2013
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo detailed plans for future lands, attractions and adventures that will be delighting Disney guests for years to come, at the first D23 Expo. Most notable among the announcements were the confirmation of an all-new Star Tours attraction and the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
A new 3-D version of the tremendously-popular "Star Tours" attraction will debut at the Disneyland Resort and Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2011. Based on the iconic Lucasfilm "Star Wars" films, the attraction will include immersive new elements that will take guests to many familiar places in the Star Wars galaxy.
For Walt Disney World in Florida, Rasulo outlined plans for the largest expansion in the history of theMagic Kingdom, vastly increasing the size of Fantasyland by 2013.
Guests will soon be able to:
Visit their favorite Disney Princess in her castle, cottage, or chateau to share a dance with Cinderella; celebrate Sleeping Beauty's birthday with the Good Fairies; or join Belle in an enchanting story performance in the Beast's castle library.
Be Our Guest and dine in one of three enchanted rooms inside the Beast's castle.
Fly with Dumbo high above brand new circus grounds, twice the size of the existing attraction with a new interactive, three-ring circus tent.
Journey under the sea with Ariel, The Little Mermaid, in her very own attraction
Meet Tinker Bell and her friends in the magical world of Pixie Hollow.
 For the first time ever, Disney Cruise Line will offer Alaskan cruises during a four month season of seven-night sailings aboard the Disney Wonder in summer 2011.
Combining the natural wonder and adventurous spirit of Alaska with the unparalleled, family-friendly experience provided by Disney Cruise Line, the Disney Wonder will depart out of Vancouver, B.C., calling on popular ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.
Before and after the 2011 summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.
In response to guest demand, the Disney Magic will once again return to the Mediterranean in 2011 with 10- and 11-night cruises sailing out of Barcelona. In addition to popular ports in Italy, France and Spain, the Disney Magic will visit Tunis in northern Africa and the island nation of Malta.
Disney Wonder 2011 Schedule
Departing out of Vancouver, the Disney Wonder will sail a total of 18 seven-night cruises to Alaska for the 2011 summer season, calling on Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.
As part of the new Alaska itinerary, Disney Cruise Line guests will be able to experience breathtaking natural vistas, an abundance of wildlife and the rich history and customs of Alaska’s native culture. On their Alaskan adventure, guests may catch a glimpse of a brown bear, bald eagle or humpback whale, and explore magnificent glaciers and fjords in Juneau. In Ketchikan, guests can fish for some of the largest wild salmon in the world and learn about local culture through hand-carved totem poles. In Skagway, Disney Cruise Line guests can traverse panoramic landscapes by railway, or pan for gold like miners from the famous Klondike gold rush.
The first-ever Disney cruise to Alaska will depart on May 3 with the last cruise of the season scheduled for Aug. 30. Rates for the seven-night Alaskan itinerary start at $939 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.
To prepare for the Alaska sailings, a brand-new venue called Outlook Café will be added to the Disney Wonder during dry dock in October. Located high atop deck 10, the 2,500-square-foot Outlook Café is a stylish retreat for guests to relax and enjoy a beverage or cocktail as they peer out through floor-toceiling, curved glass windows at breathtaking vistas. The design of Outlook Café is sophisticated with contemporary Art Deco inspiration. An elegant spiral staircase connects Outlook Café with the existing Cove Café one deck below. The 65-seat lounge has a granite-topped cocktail bar with comfortable seating throughout the space, all providing picture-perfect views of the surrounding landscapes.
Book-ending the 2011 summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail seven-night itineraries to the Mexican Riviera. Rates for the seven-night Mexican Riviera itinerary start at $639 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.
Prior to repositioning to Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail a special 10-night Mexican Riviera voyage, including a stop at Manzanillo.
Disney Magic 2011 Schedule
 Departing out of Barcelona, the Disney Magic will sail 10- and 11-night Mediterranean itineraries for the 2011 summer season – a total of 10 sailings starting on May 28. Once again, guests will be able to explore the culture and beauty of Italy, France and Spain, with a family-friendly experience only Disney can deliver. This itinerary also includes visits to Tunis in northern Africa, the island nation of Malta, and Ajaccio, Corsica, an island oasis off the southern coast of France.
Rates for the 10- and 11-night Mediterranean cruises start at $1,739 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.
For the majority of 2011, the Disney Magic will sail out of Port Canaveral on seven-night Caribbean itineraries – alternating eastern (St. Maarten and St. Thomas) and western (Key West, Grand Cayman and Cozumel). Both itineraries include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.
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Restaurant Menus are Coming Soon (Some have already been posted) - check back in the next few weeks as we'll be posting more of the latest menus from Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, Aquatica and more!
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Highlights & Hot Spots:
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Walt Disney World, including it’s four magical theme parks, meticulously themed resorts, oneof- a-kind water parks, collection of eclectic shops, and deluge of distinctive dining options |
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The frenzy-free atmosphere at SeaWorld’s Adventure Parks (including SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica) where unique undersea adventures await guests of all ages |
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The stretches of white sandy beach, the pounding surf, and wildlife found along Cocoa Beach to the east, the warm gulf waters and sugary sands of St. Pete and Clearwater Beach to the West |
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Universal Orlando’s edgier theme parks, high-end hotels, distinctive dining options, and ultra chic clubs |
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The Canaveral National Seashore, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, and Kennedy Space Center – all Space Coast treasures |
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The Florida Aquarium, Busch Gardens Africa, and various other unique attractions that you’ll find throughout Tampa Bay |
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The mix of sandy beaches, unique historic sites, eclectic shops and eateries, and reputation for being the most haunted city in America – St. Augustine is a seaside treasure |
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Central Florida’s swaying palms, and
sunny skies |
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Topping the “To Do” List
(Unique Experiences, Interesting Activities & Special Events in Central Florida) |
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Experiencing Orlando’s spectacularly themed parks, each amazingly unique from the other, each offering one-of-a-kind (often over-the-top) immersive experiences that simply can’t be found anywhere else in the world |
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Feeling the earth rumble beneath you as the space shuttle takes off – then heading to the Kennedy Space Center to do some exploring right here on earth |
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Experiencing undersea adventures whether at the Florida Aquarium (in Tampa Bay), on a walk along the seashore searching for shells (and other sea life), swimming with the sharks (at Walt Disney World’s Epcot and at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay), or at SeaWorld (and its sister parks; Discovery Cove and Aquatica) |
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Building sandcastles and squishing your toes in the sugary white sands of Florida’s coast (both the Space Coast as well as the Gulf Coast) |
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Surfing and skimming along the Space Coast shoreline |
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Experience Florida’s eco-tourism - seeing sea turtles, manatees, alligators, birds, and the native coastal wildlife in their natural habitat |
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Stepping back in time whether seaside in St Augustine or at the Orange County Regional History Center |
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Experiencing one or more of the numerous special events held throughout the year (whether Halloween hauntings, Christmas spectaculars, 4th of July celebrations, or unique festivals including Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival, Star Wars Weekends, Super Soap Weekend, ESPN the Weekend, and the many specially ticketed after hours events at both Disney and Universal among many, many others) |
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Staying at one of the areas spectacular resorts, whether a meticulously themed resort on theme park property or one of the area’s newest destination resorts
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Dining at one of the areas unique and creative eateries – whether themed, with characters, a chic and trendy establishment - or simply a seaside shanty that likely serves up the freshest seafood in town |
| Click Here for all the details – along with more great places to play! |
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So, Just What is Family-Friendly?
Family Friendly – A Definition (per Travel Insights that is):
A place where you can feel comfortable bringing your children whether they’re tots or teens - A place where the occasional temper tantrum, meltdown, or shrilling scream won’t be embarrassing? or mark the end of your public appearances-A place where you and your children are made to feel truly welcome.
With so many places these days claiming to be “family-friendly” it’s often quite difficult to determine if in fact it’s really true - until it’s too late that is. If you have kids, I’m sure you’ve experienced the cold chill that suddenly arises as staffers shudder and wince at the sight of small children - struggling to summon a smile to show how thrilled they are that you’ve come – this would be a sure sign that they’re really not as “family-friendly” as they claim. This, however, won’t be the case upon entering the establishments listed throughout this site - staffers won’t wince at the sight of your children, or cringe at the thought of having to help you – they will instead make you feel as if you and your family are VIP’s, that you are truly welcome, and that your business is genuinely appreciated.
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| Need Help with Your Walt Disney World Vacation? |
Travel Insights has partnered with the most knowledgeable travel agency in the business-Small World Vacations
Small World Vacations is an Authorized Vacation Planner recommended by mousesavers.com.
The agents at Small World Vacations are dedicated to making your Disney vacation dreams come true, and finding the best deals for you!
Click Here (or the banner above) to find out more about Small World Vacations
or to get a free price quote.
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Coming Soon!
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Check Back soon as the following articles will be posted in early 2009!
1. Going Green (Click here)…Who’s Doing It and What it Means to You
2. A Suite Life – a Look at Orlando’s All-Suite Resorts (along with other s that feature suite-sized accommodations)
3. Flying Today’s Not So Friendly Skies – a side by side comparison of major carriers that service the Orlando area
4. Car Rentals – the Do’s & Don’ts of Renting a Car
5. Discount Travel Sites (including Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, and many more) – What They Offer and Which One Will Work Best for You
6. Orlando’s Coolest Pools
7. Save Yourself (and your kids) From a Souvenir Sunburn – with tips on how to avoid getting burned, tips on surviving the searing hot sunshine, and a list of the best sunscreens on the market (and why they work)
8. Orlando on a budget – How to Have Fun in Florida Without Breaking the Bank (or Having to Rob One)!
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