Travel Talk, Disney, Cruises the World and Beyond

Disney's Magical Express

2009-12-17T18:16:00.000-08:00

You get off the Plane at Orlando International Airport ready to start your week long mical Disney Vacation. You gather the bags.

What is your next step in your vacation? A rental car, a taxi?

Well they are both good choices, but ...

Rental Cars, you drive enough at home and you have to get one that fit the entire family. Plus navigating to and from Disney world. Plus you drive to your onsite Disney Hotel and park the Rental Car for a week. So now your paying hundreds of dollars to pak a car for a week.

A Taxi, to and from the airport, probably $60 maybe more. A little less than the cost of a rental car.

But what about FREE. Free is a great word, and when there are no string attached, free is even better.

Magical Express is just that, Free with no strings attached.

Just stay on Disney property, and when your booking your hotel, or your entire vacation package ask for Magical Express. Your agent will give Disney your flight information. You then get cool Magical Express luggage tags. And when you land, Disney will take your luggage for you to your room (this process does take time). You do not even have to carry your bags. A really cool bus will then take you to your hotel. And when your vacation is over (yes this is the sad part) Disney will take you and your luggage back to the airport.

Simple, fast, superb service. All for FREE.

Now you cannot beat that

The Disney Dream

2009-10-29T18:12:00.001-07:00

Well the long wait is almost over. The Disney Dream is being built right now as we read, and a new announcement the other day gave us a teaser of some of the features the Dream will have when she sails.

How about the First Ever Ship-board water coaster.

Or maybe the Virtual Porthole, all inside staterooms offer a "window" to the world with a real-time view outside the ship using high-definition cameras. Observe the view, or glimpse a magical surprise: animated characters like Mickey Mouse may pop by the Virtual Porthole.

Living Characters - In youth spaces, Disney Characters come to life and interact with children in one-of-a-kind experiences. Crush, the animated sea turtle from the Disney•Pixar motion picture "Finding Nemo," or the mischievous animated alien Stitch make scheduled appearances to chat, play and joke with kids in live, unrehearsed conversations.

And there is a lot more.

I do not know about you, but I cannot wait.

Keep checking back for more.

Free nights.

2009-10-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

Dos that get your attention, it should.

Disney has started this trend this year giving away free nights when you but a vacation with them. And it is a really good deal.

This summer Disney introduced a buy 4 get three free. This Disney deal was so popular, Disney had to increase park hours for a few weeks at most of the Florida Parks due to the parks reaching capacity.

For Fall/Winter the deals keep on coming with a new promotion.

7 for 4 Promotion
Buy a non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney World® Resort room and ticket package at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts, they’ll get three more nights with tickets FREE.

Or on-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company 5-night, 5-day Walt Disney World Resort room and ticket package at select Disney Value Resorts, they’ll get two more nights with tickets FREE.

These Magic Your Way Packages include accommodations for seven nights and a 7-day Magic Your Way Base Ticket.

Booking Window:
Now through Dec. 20, 2009

Travel Window:
This offer is available for stays most nights:

Nov. 1-24, 2009
Dec. 8-24, 2009
Jan. 3 – March 27, 2010

Sample Pricing:

$1,628 for a family of four (2 adults, 1 junior, 1 child) staying at a select Disney Moderate Resort in a standard room for stays most nights Jan. 3 – Feb. 11, 2010. That’s like paying $59 per person, per day.
$1,441 for a family of four (2 adults, 1 junior, 1 child) staying at a select Disney Value Resort in a standard room for stays most nights Jan. 3 – Feb. 11, 2010. That’s like paying $52 per person, per day.

As you can see Disney wants you to come to the parks this winter. And they are willing to give you free nights to do so.

Plus the Holidays are one of the most magical times at the parks.

For more information, email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

Happy Travels.

Fantasmic

2009-08-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

OK the last time I saw Fantasmic was roughly 6 years ago.

My daughter was 2 and she started crying in the middle and we had to leave. So this was my truely first real show.

The Hollywood Hills Amphitheater, holds a lot of people. I though it would be ok to line up 1 hours before show time but I was wrong. The line at 1 hour before showtime stretched all the was back to the villians shop and more and more people were showing up all of the time.

They let us in 45 minutes prior to show time and it took all 45 minutes to fill the stadium. It was a steamy hot Florida night and after a few Crowd waves rolls, the lights dimmed and we were off.

Now there is bathrooms and consessions in the stadium, along with roaming vendors so if your hungry, thirsty or need to potty (sorry I am a dad after all) wait till you get into the stadium and get settled. Then one person watch the seats while the other goes off. Also bring the DS's or something for the litle ones to do. Sitting for almost an our looking at a dark rock formation is not fun.

I will not go into much of the story because of spoilers, but safe to say it does not disapoint. Fantasmic is worth the hassle and the wait. Princesses, the Fab Five, and a host of other Disney Characters and Villians make appearances. Heck this is Mickey's imagination so you never know who is going to show up.

Fantasmic only runs a few times a week. So check www.waltdisneyworld.com calendar section for what nights it is on and plan accordingly.

Make me a friend on Facebook.

Let me plan your next Disney Vacation. As a grad of the College of Disney Knowledge and a Disney Fanatic of over 15 years, let me knowledge of Orlando make your next vacation special.

Email me for more information.

The Walt Disney Monorail System

2009-07-07T05:09:00.000-07:00

First, I want to express my sympathy to the family of the Cast Member that was killed in the July 5th Monorail accident.

Next I want to say that this accident is nothing more than that, a freak accident and not a reflection on the Monorail system as a whole. The Walt Disney Monorail System has been running 365 days a year, some days up to 20 hours a day for the past 38 years. This was not the first accident and it probably will not be the last. The accident should in no way discourage Park Guests from using this amazing mode of transport.

It really is the safest most efficient way to get around the parks. And many Disney Fans (my self included) have been dreaming of new Monorail spurs that go to Disney's Hollywood Studios and to Animal Kingdom for years. The bus system is great. And the Monorail system is more efficient, greener (it is electric) and has a greater capacity.

The accident brought down the monorail system for most of Monday. I think it reopened at 3 p.m. The entire time it was closed Disney had to use buses to move people around seven seas lagoon and from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot. And I can tell you from what I have read that it was a nightmare.

So please, do not let this discourage you from using the Monorail System. Disney is looking into what went wrong and I assure you that they will find the problem and fix it.

Lets start to plan your next Disney Vacation, email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net, ask me how to get free Dining during your next stay.

Carnival - The Food

2009-06-23T07:45:00.001-07:00

Continuing my Blogs about my past Cruise on the Carnival Liberty I will now talk about the food.

There are four basic ways to eat on the ship.
1) The Main Dining room, split into two separate dining areas Gold and Silver.
2) Emile's, Lido Deck buffet area. Four separate buffet lines, plus three extra stations, plus a dessert station.
3) Room Service
4) The Pizza Station, Burrito Bar, Deli Sandwich shop.

First the main dining rooms. We only ate in the main dining rooms for Diner. And each meal was great. They offer the usual cruise menu of appetizers, salads, soup (one cold one hot) main entrees including beef, fish, chicken, vegitarian. They also offer their Carnival Classics, a set menu that is always available. A steak, a pasta. a fish. The menu for the week ranged from Coq au Vin to Prime Rib twice to Lobster. With pastas dishes each night that were real tasty (this is comming from an Italian that is picky about his pasta). There was only a Ceazar salad offered, this is bad because I would have liked a normal salad onece or twice. The soups were real tasty and flavorfull. Carnival is not shy about stretching its culinary wings and getting creative with the spices. Some Cruise lines might not put the spice in their dishes fearin that people will not like it, but not Carnival. And to this I tip my hat at them. The desserts, they only offered two different choices (plus the usual ice cream fare) each night. And they were all great.

Room service, we did not spend much time in the room. So the only time I had room service was for my morning coffee, which was always prompt and hot.

The Lido deck, has great food also. Breakfast had the standard fare each morning, with some twists. Like differently prepared breakfast potatoes and a carving station with fresh ham three timees on the cruise. There is also two omlett stations, but they were always busy so I did not partake. Lunch always had a theme, French, Italian, Indian. And aside from salads and lunchmeats there was five dishes presented in this theme each day, plus a carving station and desserts There is also a stirfry station (the omlett station) and this was also tasty. There is a place called Fish and Chips, but it is upstairs on deck 10 and real out of the way, so I did not visit it.

The last is the pizza bar which is always open and has fresh hot pizza all day. A grill that serves hamburgers, fries and nachos poolside. A Burriot bar where they will fill a wrap with whatever you want. And the Deli that has fresh hot and cold sandwiches. And they also have a Suchi bar on deck 5 open also.

Overall I was real pleased with the food. Very constitant and good. If you have bland taste buds you might want to watch what you eat. But if you like flavorfull food , you will be in for a treat.

Carnival!!!!!!!

2009-06-15T17:05:00.000-07:00

No I do not mean we should all go to Rio. But that would be cool.

I am talking about Carnival Cruise Lines.

It is weird that this is my first Carnival Cruise. Living 1 hour from the number two and number one ports in the world you think that I would have gone on a Carnival Cruise before. I just never had the opportunity.

Well let me say that I am hooked. The Carnival Cruise Line experience was am amazing one. Now not all of the cruise was good there were some faults. And I will address some of those in the future posts.

But for now let me say that The Carnival Liberty is a great Ship, with one of the best Crews I have seen in a long while. The food was excellent and the party non-stop.

Walls Everywhere!!!

2009-06-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

I ust read a trip report from a guy that just got back from Walt Disney World. He was saying how Future world looks dead, all of these walls everywhere. Well with Space mountain down till Christmas, and the TTA out too, there is two big attractions gone from this busy section of the park.

Here is some advice on how to plan your stay so that you do not miss those special attractions.

1) The Internet. Surf on over to www.WDWmagic.com; or www.wdwnt.com, both of these sites have great, extensive forums about all things Disney. From trip reports, to rumors to ride rehab dates. Sometimes you will even find the dates to a rehab that has not been announced yet. Regulars to the parks, cast members and people who know people who know people, frequent these sites and are willing to share all the news they can muster.

2) The Disney Website, lists all of the current ride rehabs, on the web pages of the parks. This way you can see what is open and what is closed right now.

3) Call Disney (407-WDISNEY). The people on the phone will be happy to ewither get you the information or get you to someone who knows.

Remember it is not the end of the world if a ride is down for rehab. Or if a ride you think was going to be open isn't. Just smile, your in Orlando and move on to the next ride. Disney is not going to close down to much at any one time. So while Space Mountainan the TTA seem like a lot thats closed in Tomorrowland. You still have Buzz, the Carosel of Progress, Tommorowland Speedway, Monsters Inc, and Stitch.

Just have fun.

Change ... its good

2009-05-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

No this is not some political rally, it is a cute little way to tell you all that change is coming or has already came.

Wat I am talking about is my website www.bonbontravel.com.

I have recently changed host agencies, and the new company I am with (along with being a great bunch of guys and gals) affords me more tols in which to sell great travel to everyone. They have given me the ability to on the fly send out quotes and get pricing for anything and from anyone. And I could not be happier.

It has taken me some time to make the change, but everything is finalized and I am back in business. So you should be hearing a lot from me in the coming weeks.

So if you have a few seconds take a click on over to www.bonbontravel.com and see the new digs.

As always I can be reached at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net.

Now lets get out there and roam a bit.

Exotics

2009-05-04T18:01:00.001-07:00

I love to cruise, and Princess Cruise lines knows it.

They send me all of these amazing emails and tempt me to spend my every last dime cruising.

I just received the 2010-2011 Exotics overview and there are some real great cruises here.

• TAHITI & HAWAII. An extended season of sailings in Tahiti and Polynesia onboard Royal Princess, with cruises available from September to April, including the popular 10-day Tahiti & Polynesia cruise and our 12-day Hawaii & Tahiti itineraries. Plus, the 14-day Hawaiian Islands cruise returns, sailing roundtrip from Los Angeles onboard Golden Princess

• ASIA. Diamond Princess and Ocean Princess® return, featuring two new Ocean Princess itineraries, plus new ports on the 16-day South China Sea sailing over the holidays – including Manila, Philippines and Xiamen, China.
• WORLD CRUISE. New routing for the 2011 World Cruise, a 107-day voyage sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to Rome and visiting exotic locales like Bali, Bangkok, Dubai and Mozambique, as well as Togo, Ghana and Senegal.

• SOUTH AMERICA. Popular cruises return, including our thrilling small-ship Amazon voyages on Pacific Princess, and the newly renovated Star Princess sails Cape Horn and Antarctica.

• AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND. Three ships visit Australia & New Zealand in 2010-2011, offering several opportunities to explore the region with sailings between 12 and 28 days.

• CANADA & NEW ENGLAND. Caribbean Princess and Crown Princess return for Fall 2010 sailings to Canada & New England spanning 7-13 days.

• THE 2-DAY EXPERIENCE. Princess' signature 2-day Experience on three itineraries including the World Cruise cities of Hong Kong, Sydney and Cape Town.

• CRUISETOURS Eleven cruisetours – providing in-depth land and sea vacations throughout all regions.

As you can see they sail to some pretty amazing places. And most of these itineraries and on Princesses small ships. Smaller more intimate settings that make you feel like your a king. I personally would love to do the 107 day world voyage.

Email me and lets see if one of these cruises is right for you.

3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Blast Off

2009-04-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

My daughter, wife and I went to Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral today. I have not been in like 12 years and a lot has changed.

For one the visitors center is huge now, with lots of shows and activities. Like the New Shuttle Launch Experience. It is a simulator of a Shuttle launch. Really well done. Now you might be thinking that it was scary. But not so much, it was more Star Tours than Mission Space. Really there are no G-Forces, a little but not to many. Mission Space with its 4 G's is way more intense. But This sim was not designed to knock your socks off, it was designed to teach you about the Shuttle and how it works.

Also they have a bunch of show as, like a Robot Show Showcasing the Mars Lander and other robotic that NASA is developing.

We also saw an astronaut, who was on 2 Shuttle missions and was on hand for a lecture, autographs, photos and questions.

There is also the bus tour. Now if you have been to KSC in the past, you might rewcall that the bus tour was this three hour tour that took you all around the facilities. The tour showed you many things that NASA was working on. Now the bus tour shuttles you from the Visitors Center, to three stops. With a little naration along the way.

The first stop is a gangway that over looks the two Shuttle launch pads. Since there is a launch in a few weeks we got to see a shuttle on the pad which is cool. Gift shop, cafe, small museum.

The second stops is the Saturn V rocket. The largest rocket in the world. The one that took all those Appolo missions up to space. It is in this huge hangar with lots of interesting displays around it. A lunar lander, the lunar rover, and others. Gift Shop Cafe ...

The last stop I did not have time for, is the Space Station Processing Center. This is supposed to be the place that they get all of the components for the Space Station ready. And you can see the people working.

Over all a wonderfull experience. And only an hour or so from Disney, so if you have an extra day give it a whirl. But one word of caution. This is a men/boys place. You see I went with my daughters girl scout troop. And the girls lost interest every step of the way. Science and space do not mix with little girls. So if your little ones are not interested in rockets and space, be prepared to have a lot of whining and not to much interest.

Why not Next Year

2009-04-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

The Alaskan Season is about the begin. Many of the sailings are close to being full as we speak.

One travel reporter I read this week said, "If unemployment if 8% nationwide, that means 92% of the nation is working and ready to travel."

But that might not be the case with you or your family. So why not look to next year.

A job will come, there will be light at the end of the tunnel, It always is. So unless you see four horsemen riding past your home, things will get better. So lets look to next year.

Many of the cruise lines have begun releasing their 2010 line up. They have added a bunch of interesting things. New ships, new routes, new fun for all.

So if your like my family and like to shop around and do a little planning, look to next year. Take some time to look at the different offerings around the seven seas. You will be surprised.

Drop me an email at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net, and lets start a little chatter about where you like to go and what you like to do. Maybe, just maybe I can help you plan that "end of the recession" magical cruise you deserve. And just think, you will get the best choice of cabins, and ships if you put a deposit early, and you will have a year to save for the rest of the trip.

The Sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that .... you know the rest

The Disney Wonder

2009-04-02T18:06:00.000-07:00

I love Disney, and 10 yeas ago when the Disney Wonder and Magic cruise ships debuted I had to go.

Well I have been back several times and have to say that The Disney wonder is an amazing ship.

Well it is sad to see her go.

No she is not going far, just over to the West Coast. Los Angeles to be exact. A new 2 year deals with a three year extension has been signed and the Wonder will be sailing out of the Port of Los Angeles. The exact times and itineraries have not been released yet, but I an sure you will see 3, 4 and 7 day cruises.

Now do not be sad, this is not happening till 2011, and guess what, we here on the East Coast will be getting a NEW Disney Cruise line ship here. With another one comming in 2012.

It is a fun time to love Cruising.

Email me for more information, or to begin your vacation exploration: bonbontravel@bellsouth.net.

Another Great Disney special

2009-03-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

Buy a 5-night, 6 day non-discounted vacation package at any of that U.S. Disney parks and get the Dining plan for free.

You package must include tickets and hotel.

For more information, please email me: bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

There Are Deals out There

2009-03-25T17:40:00.001-07:00

Happy 50th Birthday Alaska.

Well, I am sure it is older than that, but it was just some land back before we took over.

In a month (May) Alaska season opens. And that means all of the cruise lines are sending their summer Alaskan ships up there for some sweet Alaskan cruising. And with the economy the way it is, there are deals to be had.

NCL, Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, they will all be up there.

Can you afford to miss all of the Hot Chocolate, drinkin, Gold Panning, Amazing Scenery viewing fun?

I make an effort to keep up with all of the deals coming down from the cruise companies. If you interested in, thinking about, or wanna book a trip, lets see if I can save you some money.

Trust me, I have been to Alaska three times so far, you do not want to miss it. And Cruising is the way to go.

Email me to get started: bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

To Balcony or not to Balcony, this is the Question

2009-03-19T18:11:00.000-07:00

No this is not some weird Shakesphere spin off. I wanted to take a few minutes and talk about cruises and balcony's.

I have bee wrestling with the idea or balcony's for some time. Some of my clients swear by them. They hate the inner confines of a ship and need to be able to open a glass door and step out into the salty ocean breeze.

Then there are people I know (me included) that do not spend that much time in the room to justify the extra cost of a balcony.

So lets take Princess Cruise Line for example. They are on the high end of the cruise line industry, boardering on luxury, while still being main stream. Great Cruise Line, one of my favorites.

Standard room on a 7 day cruise to the Caribbean $799
Balcony $1,299

A $500 per person difference. So a couple on this cruise has to pay $1,000 just for a window with a view.

Is it worth it? Well it is all a matter of personal taste. I went on an Alaskan repositioning cruise that left the Port of Los Angeles and before Alaska, stopped in San Fran. Let me say that going under the Goldenb Gate Bridge and having a balcony was great. But I could have walked up on deck and saw the same thing.

$1,000 is a lot of money, even when we are not in a recession. $1,000 could be your entire state room bill on the cruise. Or that bracelet you just have to have on that shore excursion.

So I guess what I am saying is take your time and think about, the Ship, the Desinations and what kind of Cruisers you are. If you like lounging in your room most of the time then spring for the Balcony, or the Suite even. If you do not like the confines of your state room, then grab a deck chair on the Lido deck and have fun. Both are great.

Email me and we can talk more about this, or if you want to plan your next vacation. Bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

New Ships Galore

2009-03-17T18:22:00.001-07:00

Well after my last post about Disney Naming there two new ships I did some Travel Agent Digging. And it seems like there are a ton (bad pun there sorry) of new ships being built out there.

Disney has two ships coming before 2012
Holland America has a new ship planned for this year.
Royal Caribbean has there Oasis Class launching this year. The largest cruise ship in the world.

And there are plenty more to come. Wow so many choices. From Ice Skating to Fireworks at Sea to Intimate alternative dining, it is a great time to love cruising.

Email me and lets get started on your next vacation.

bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

And We Will Name Them ....

2009-03-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

No this is not a post about the Octuplets.

Disney yesterday has named the two ships they are building for an 2011 and 2012 release.

Welcome the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy. These two new ships will join their sisters the Magic and Wonder and bring the Disney fleet up to four amazing ships.

I have heard that Disney has some real innovative, fun things on deck (sorry for the pun) for these two. I cannot wait to sail on them.

2011 is shaping up to be one hell of a year. New ships, a new DCA, new rides in Orlando. WOW

Great, great names, good work Disney.

For more information see this article.

To book your next vacation, let me help, email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Kilimanjaro Safaris

2009-02-27T07:19:00.000-08:00

Jambo! Welcome to Disney's fourth Central Florida gate Animal Kingdom.

At this huge, well designed park you will find what I think is the best attraction in the park, the Kilimanjaro Safaris.

You board huge jeeps for this 2 week trek into Harambe Reserve (well it really is only 30 minutes or so not two weeks, but we can imagine right). This ride is not on a track and not automated, your drive/tour guide/lion tamer actually drives the jeep trough this 100 acre attraction.

100 acres, you can fit the entire Magic Kingdom into the Kilimanjaro Safari with room to spare, that is how big this attraction is.

Your driver will point out various wildlife around every turn, from Rhinos, to Giraffes to Thomson Gazelle. All right there to for you to see. You pass by pride rock where you can steal a glimpse of the King and Queen of the jungle the Kopje Lions.

But there is a story in this ride also. The ranger of the Reserve is worried about poachers and needs your help finding them. Part of this ride will take you over rickety bridges, and zoomin g past pools filled with Crocks, and not to spoil it, but you save the day!

Do not miss this what ever you do. It is worth admission just to see this very well done attraction. You really feel like your in Africa, and you feel like the animals have the run of the place. But the only downfall is that the Lions are hard to see, because they spend 23 hours of the day sleeping. So ride it a few times and maybe you will get lucky. Many times people are just happy to see a tail wagging or a foot sticking up.

I know all of the discounts, and all of the ins and outs of Disney World, so let me help you plan your next Disney Vacation. Email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net, and lets plan a magical vacation for you.

I am sorry

2009-02-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

I have to say to you all that I am sorry.

I have been so busy at work and have neglected this blog.

I have some amazing posts coming up so stay tuned.

Thank you,
Angelo

Summer is a commin'

2009-02-18T17:23:00.000-08:00

I know the economy is hanging over all of our head right now. But We should be thinking about our summer trips, before all of the good cabins, berths, hotel rooms are gone.

So lets get started.

Email me and together we can make a trip for you this summer that will not put a deent in your wallet.

Something new - Whats the Sitch!

2009-02-06T19:14:00.000-08:00

I have to say that I have not seen Kim Possible in quite some time. My daughter loved her when she was 5-6, but her interest dropped off when the Show's time changed on Summer. We then started watching a little yellow sponge and have not looked back. But putting that aside, I have always thought that Kim Possible was well drawn, written and voice acted. She is a strong teen ager, a girl and a role model. Smart, funny, strong and talented. Just what girls need these days. Now she comes to Epcot Center.

You can search Google all you want and you will see a lot of Disney Fans putting this attraction down, why you say because they cannot stand Characters in Epcot. Epcot was supposed to be the park that Disney built, and also the one that they did not thrust all of the characters in your face all of the time. Circe 1985 till 1990 you could not find a Disney character in Epcot, except for a few meet and greets.

Times change. And Epcot is all about change isn't it. Things evolve and we have to embrace the change right?

I have to tell you that I heard the same Critisism about Epcot that we all did. It is boring, If I wanted to learn I would have gone to school on my vacation. Been there done that. I for one have always loved this park and will always love it. And The Kim Possible World Showcase Challenge entertains and teaches us, plus it uses state of the art tech, something Epcot is famous for.

So here is the deal. You go to a recruitment center, right now there is one in Inoventions, one on the Walkway from the Fountain of Nations to World Showcase. You go up to a screen and swipe you ticket. You will then get a fast pass like ticket that will tell you when and where to muster for your next mission.

You will then get a flip type cell phone and some instructions from a cast member. Then your off. The mission me and my daughter did was France. I think there is 8 in total right now (France, UK, Mexico, China, Germany, Norway, Italy, and Morroco). It is simple. The phone will come on and Wade (Kim's tech buddy) will tell you where to go, sometimes he will even give you a photo to where you should go. You go there and your phone will activate a set piece. Like an attenta will pop up out of a light in a window, or you see a monkey rise out of a lagoon. You figure out what is going on and how to complete your mission, there is a finale, usually something unique, and your done. Each mission can take from 20-30 minutes. You then drop the cell phone in cleverly discized drop boxes in the country your doing the mission in.

All in all it was fun and my daughter loved it. This is pure Disney Magic. An attraction that moves at your own pace, that you control, that you participate in. Not something you ride or shoot at, but something that you live (sort-of). Anything that gets kids interested in Epcot is good in my book.

So the next time your in Epcot, give Kim a chance, she will not disapoint.

Email me for more information or to book a fabulous Disney trip of your own. bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

Flying the Friendly Skies

2009-01-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

I have to tell you something about my family. My wife, and I are both 6'2", so flying most airlines in coach is a drag. And our knees are battered even after the shortest of flights.

So while browsing the web today I found this article by Yahoo Travel about making Coach feel like first class. It has a lot of great tips in it from which seats to select to the best headphones. So before your next flight take a look.

Happy Travels.

www.BonBonTravel.com

Just Got Back From the World

2009-01-25T18:13:00.000-08:00

Well a few hours ago we pulled back into our home after that 3 hour drive to Walt Disney world. We had a great time, light to moderate crowds, good weather, My best friends family came along and we had a lot of laughs ( I hope I did not bore them with to much Disney trivia).

A couple of highlights:
• Epcot's Kim Possible World Showcase Challenge, really cool you have to do this one.
• The World had a lot of construction walls up everywhere, and there are a lot of attractions getting some TLC. It is good to see WDI did not cut alot out of the budget due to the economy.
• Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside. These two sister properties in Walt Disney World are my favorites to stay at and I have not been there in some time. I just love the ambiance of the place.

There is a lot more I will be talking about so check back soon.

Plus, Disney has some drop dead great deals going on, from buy 4 get 3 free, to free gift cards for multiple night stays. You have to act quick and get some of these great deals. Email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net to find out more.

#44

2009-01-21T17:53:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our New President.

For those of you who did not make it to Washington yesterday, do not worry. But you should get there some time soon. It is an amazing place. The Smithsonian, the Capital Building the White House, The Lincoln Memorial, they are all sights to be seen.

Remember that some of these attractions require advanced ticketing (The White House is usually booked up well in advance) so make your plans now. Spring in DC is amazing.

Get out there and Travel.

bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

BRRRRR It Is Cold Outside

2009-01-15T18:25:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know what your saying "This guy is writing a travel blog about the cold and he lives in Ft Lauderdale!" Well your right, but I did do some research before my past New York trip and here is what I found out.

Layer. My wife up in NYC, had on thermal underwear under her jeans, boots, a shirt, a sweater, a double layered jacket, gloves and a hat. Now when we went into a store for any length of time, she could take off the gloves hat and jacket and still be warm, but not sweating. So you might have to pay extra for that second suitcase, but all of those layers will work out there in the cold.

Jackets. Go to Landsend.com they have a great assortment of jackets and fleece. Most of their products comewith a rating on hold cold it should be for you to wear the jacket. This is great so you do not buy to little or to much.

Know your locale. If your coming down to Florida, in Orlando you will find 50-60's, but just three hours south in Miami and Ft Lauderdale, you will find 70's and 80's. Check the weather sits and weather.com for historic temps.

Just play it safe if your going to a locale that your unfamiliar with. Poeple used to hot climates will be miserable in the cold weather without some planning.

Now go out there and have your self a chilly time. :)

www.bonbontravel.com

New York City - Part 3

2009-01-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

Manhattan is a big place. Vertically, horizontally, above ground and below. So you need to know a few things before you go for the first time or for a return trip. So this installment I have put together some tips to make your trip better.

1) A Book. Do yourself a favor and god to the book store and get a book. I choose Fodors "See It New York." It was a real good information source. Will you use everything in the book? No, but as long as when you flip though the book at the store and you find a good number of tips buy it. It is worth it for the maps alone.

2) Maps. Now a days these come in all shapes and sizes. From the standard fold out maps you can get anywhere. Or use your portable device (IPhone or Itouch) to have your maps always with you. Trust me, having an Iphone with you walking around is a great idea. From just fining your way around to finding a place to eat.

3) Bathrooms: I live in Boca Raton Florida. And around here there are plenty of Public Bathrooms. Anywhere you go you can find a clean bathroom. I can tell you that my family has NEVER waited to go to the bathroom around here, except at a Dolphin game. Well in New York here are no bathrooms. So keep a watchful eye open while your walking around. I have a 8 year old daughter, so it was real hard finding a restroom. And when we did it was usually a 20 minute wait. There were a few accidents, but it was not her fault. So to avoid any unpleasentries please watch for the bathrooms.

4) Weather. It seems that the weather could change on a dime. So keep an umbrella handy and in the winter layer.

5) Know the subway and bus system. Cabs can get expensive, and the subways are real efficient and fast. But all of the different lines and stops can get confusing, for us non New yorkers.

New York was real fun and I cannot wait to go back. I saw a lot and there is still so much to see.

So get out there and travel.

bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

New york City - Part 2

2009-01-05T18:01:00.000-08:00

For this next installment, I will touch on one of the highlights of my trip The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).

On Central Park West and 79th Street this massive museum is a sight to behold. Personally I spent 7 hours there one day and it was well worth it. I did not see everything there is to see, I just scratched the surface. But if you like good museums that really get down and teach you something, then this is the one for you.

Five floors with over 40 grand exhibition halls. Some of my favorite things to see were, the Dioramas with life like animals frozen in time, it feels like your really there. The two huge Dinosaur halls, with A Stegosaurus and a T-rex, is also a sight to be seen. Some of the other intertesting exhibits were the Halls of people. Like Asian, Mexican and Southern American. These halls take you through these ancient cultures and show you how they lived, traded and worked. From the artifacts like pottery and statues to the minitures of the villages. Amazing.

Also there is the newest addition to the Museum the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Four story, glass enclosed space houses a 30 minutes virtual ride through the Milky way, Walk the Spiral Cosmic OPathway from the big bang till present time. Plus moon rocks and metorites, do not miss this.

Now for some tips. I got to the museum at opening and it took us almost 30 minutes just to get into the place. While it is huge there are lots of people that come here, and if you visit on a school day, you might get caught up in a field trip. So go early and plan on staying a while. I also recommend keeping your entrance tickets and visiting the street vendors outside for lunch. The Museum has a cafe, buit it gets real crowded, so finding food will take you a while. You also might want to purchase one of NYC's Passes. They have these multi admision passes that save you time and money. Opt for all of the extra exhibits, it is worth the extra money.

Go and have fun. Fun can be educational.

www.onbontravel.com

New York City - Part 1

2009-01-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

In this first of many blogs about my trip to New York City, I will touch on some of the good and some of the bad things about traveling to Manhattan. Trust me even though there are some negatives, my experience was 99% good and I cannot wait to go back.

The Good things ...
1) Walking. Everything is withing a good walks distance. Yes if you go from uptown to low Manhattan you will be real tired, but usually everything is within distance. Get a hotel in or near Times Square, it is very centrally located and provides good access to Macy's, Downtown and also the American Museum of Natural History Near Central Park.

2) The Food. Street vendors selling hot dogs, Shish Kabobs, Bagels, Soda, or Gyros. The national chains like Fridays, Applebees, etc that we are all familiar with. The unforgettable dining experiences, food made by chefs that takes your breath away. And those NYC staples, those small mom and pop restaurants that have everything you have ever wanted.

3) NBC, I have to admit I get what they Mean now by 30 Rock. Funny thing, we always seemed to end up at Rockerfeller plaza. We would be exploring and bam you look up and there is that christmas tree. Amazing

4) Flagship Stores. I have to admit that I like things big. I am not one for that small out ofthe way bookstore. I want the multi level Barnes and Noble with 100,000 square feet of space. New York City has them all. From FAO Schwartz to Toys r Us to Disny to Apple. All of the biggest, best stores are in NYC.

5) History. NYC was the center of our government for over a year. George Washington was sworn in, in New york City. From The Stock Market, to 9-11. there is so much history here.

6) Times Square, you have to stand there in the middle of it to belive it. TV does not do it Justice, trust me.

Some of the bad ...
1) Expensive. Yes your gonna pay and pay and pay. NYC is an expensive place if your not carefull. So do a little research before you go.

2) Dirty. New York has ben around for a long time (in USA Standards) so thereis a little grime here and there, and there is also some not so pleasent people on the streets. Sometimes your htoels can be a little out of sorts and dirty also. So be careful.

3) Crowded. Yes we went at the busyest time and it was crowded. You have not seen a crowd until your shoulder to shoulder with 10,000 people walking through Times Square.

4) The Potty. I have a seven, excuse me she just had a birthday sorry J., 8 year old that knows the exact time when not to go to the bathroom. They are scarse, tough to find and always a line. Remember that this is the biggest city in the world, there are lots of people her. I just wish they would build more bathrooms.

I know there is more but that is for another Blog. Check back again when I go deeper into this trip of mine. Happy New Year.

I am Back

2008-12-31T10:52:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a fun filled 5 days in New York City. What a great city to be in at holiday time.

I will have many more blog post about the city in the coming days.

Happy New Year everyone.

Plan your next trip now, email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

A Little Disney Magic

2008-12-18T17:52:00.000-08:00

I will not say to much about this next link.

www.sun7news.com

Just pop on over, enter your information and watch. I found it amazing.

www.bonbontravel.com, for all your travel needs.

Th Recession & Traveling

2008-12-11T17:44:00.000-08:00

Unless you have not turned on a TV in the past 2 months or so, then you know that our country is having some financial trouble. I will not go into what I think is the cause or the solution.

But I do want to first say that if you have been one of the ones layed off I am sorry and know what your going through. I have been there and done that and bought the T-shirt. It will get better, it always does.

But what does all of this mean to travelers. One word DEALS.

There are deal a plenty going on right now. Hotels, theme parks, cruise ships they all are feeling the credit crunch and need to put heads in beds (or through turn styles).

Cruises: January though March is usually cold every where but in the Caribbean, so if you live somewhere near the Gulf of Mexico or Southern Atlantic, get to one of the many departure ports and hop on a 3-5 days sort relaxation cruise. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Port Canaveral of course, but did you know about Tampa, or Jacksonville or Galviston or New Orleans. Yes Carnival runs ship out of all of these ports. And there are plenty of deals to be had. Plus if you limit the days on the ship to under a week you keep your cost down.

Hotels: Many hotels in many places are offereing deals. come on over to my Website www.BonBonTravel.com, I have many hotels offereing a ton of extras and deals this time of the year. For instance Disney is offering buy 4 get 3 free deals on stays a their parks. Las Vegas hotels are feeling the crunch and are giving the hotels night stays away or real good deals.

Airlines and Rental Car Companies: These guys are feeling it the most and you can usually not find to many WOW deals. But still lok, and you will find them. Here is a tip, apply for the Credit Cards where you gain airmiles for shopping. Buy some Christmas gifts and some groceries for a month and you could have enough to get a free plane ticket. Plus most of these cards come with enugh points for free tickets initially.

A recession does not mean you have to stop Traveling. Itt just means you need to think more about what your going to do now a days.

If you need any help planning that special trip, just drop me a note at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

Spotlight on: Universal Stuido's Orlando: Men in Black Alien Attack

2008-12-08T17:17:00.000-08:00

All of you new MiB's get ready. Because this is not a drill. I repeat this is not a drill this is for real ...

Or so they have you belive at this one of a kind attraction.

First some facts about the ride:
• There are 120 different alien species, many created specifically for this ride. The rest are just here on vacation.
• Each seat in every six-seat ride vehicle is equipped with a laser gun and gaming system that records each agent's score.
• The height requirement on this ride is: 42". But it is suitable for many kids 7 and above.
• This Attraction has Universal's Express Pass, but you skip most of the cue riding it this way. So try and ride it in the morning before the park gets going just to see the entire cue.

The cue for this ride is spectacular, it really feel like your in MiB Headquarters. Take a look at the movie before going on and you will see that they did a great job with the feel of this ride.

You board a six passenger vehicle, three in front and three in back (the people seating in back are elevated so that they have a good view also). Each person has a blaster. Think Buzz Lightyear from the Magic Kingdom. And two of these vehicles are launched at the same time. So your competing against the other people in the othjer vehicle.

And with all rides something goes wrong and your thrust into the role of hero. It really is well done and fun to ride over and over. Just remembr to shoot the other ride vehicle when "Z" tell you to.

MiB Alien Attach is one of the best rides in Universal Studios, do not miss it.

Planning your next Family Getaway? Let me help with all of the details. Email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

Is it December Already!?!

2008-12-01T17:27:00.000-08:00

I still can't believe it. I turned the calendar a page and it was right there in black and white. December. July 4th was a few days ago right?

In the travel business, it is time to start thinking about where to go this summer. Why so soon? Well, if you want to get into that exclusive, hard to get into resort this summer, you need to book early. All of the best cabins on the best summer cruises go quickly. So book now.

In the next few posts I will outline some different types of vacations to take over the Summer. So lets start with my favorite.

Cruising.

I love it. But I have not always loved it. For the longest time you could not get me on a boat. I was under the impression that they were stuffy boring places that old people go. Well was I wrong. Today's Cruise ships are floating wonders. With multiple restaurants, and more things to do than you can possibly fit into one day. Spas, kids programs, and did I mention the food. The food on a cruise ship makes eating at Thanksgiving feel like little league. Bring your eating pants, because you have never seen so much.

And the destinations. Why go to one place when your "Floating Hotel" can take you to two or three or four. Take the Caribbean for example, with so many Islands, and all having a different flavor and style, it is amazing the choices you have.

Plus nature. I do not know about you, but there is something that is calming soothing about the ocean. Just staring out and not being able to see land. You feel like your in a different world. Not to mention a cruise in Alaska, where you can see whales, or dolphins or sea lions right from the ship. And don't get me started on Glacier Bay.

Cruising is not what it was 15 years ago. So give it a whirl, you will love it.

If you feel like getting those summer plans started early, email me and I will treat your trip as if it were my own. You can email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T06:32:00.001-08:00

Even with all of the turmiol that is going on in our financial lives these past few months. I still think we all have a lot to be thankful for.

Good food, close family and friends, Walt Disney World :).

I hope you and your family have an amazing Thanksgiving, and do not listen to those people when they say "Do not eat to much." I say eat like crazy oday and diet tommorow.

Technology

2008-11-18T18:13:00.001-08:00

I have to admit that I love my Itouch. I use it all of the time. From keeping appointments, to reminding me to do things. It is great.

And it got me thinking, how can you use this amazing device when you travel.

Well here are a few ways you can, if you have any more, please let us all know.

• Watch movies. It is a lot lighter than a portable DVD player and can hold more than one movie at a time. Plus Itunes have an amazing library of movies to buy. And if your tech savy you can burn your own movies onto your Iphone or touch.
• Apps, or applications, these are little mini programs that you can download for either free or a minimal cost from ITunes to help you do everything from finding a nearby restaurant, to a complete city guide like the book we all buy, but in a smaller more compact form.
• GPS. Both the Itouch and the Iphone have the capability uilt right in to show you where you are in the world. And with Google maps app that is installed on every touch and Iphone you should never be lost. I did say Should. Plus check out Google Earth, yes the same amazing application that we have on our destop for browing the world, now in Iphone.Touch form.
• Staying in touch. As always we can use things like AIM or Skype to instant message your friends when you out at sea on a cruise vacation.
• Surfing the web. Nuf Said.

The Iphone and Itouch have limitless possibilities. So go to your local Apple store and play with one. A Touch starts at $229. You will love it, trust me.

Want to Talk Travel, Vent, tell me a great Story, or need some help putting together your next amazing trip. I can help just email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net or visit my Travel Store at www.bonbontravel.com

Weekend Cruising

2008-11-13T15:43:00.000-08:00

OK, this post might be a tease for those of you reading this that do not live near one of the big ports in out country. Sorry.

Weekend cruising is a great way to recharge your batteries, get some rest, and eat some good food. Plus most of the time it is cheaper that what you spend in a weekend anyway.

More and more ports are offering weekend cruises. The big three do it year round, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Port Canaveral. But New York, Los Angeles and even San Fransisco, are offering more and more weekend cruises.

Just because a cruise is only three days, two nights does not mean you get less than if you go on 7-day cruise. No way, you still get all of the amazing shows, food and fun that you would on a longer cruise, you just do not have to take off as many days to do it.

And with Christmas coming up you can buy something for that person who has it all, a weekend cruise.

So get your email fingers ready and email me at bonbontravelbellsouth.net, tell me a little about yourself, and together we can dream up a weekend you will not soon forget.

A Super Disney Deal

2008-11-07T21:48:00.001-08:00

OK, two post's in a row with Disney Deals, sorry, but I had to share this one with all of you.

You can now book a 2009 Walt Disney World vacation at one of the best prices ever offered!!! In order to get in on this deep discounted price, you must book by December 20, 2009 and your trip must take place between January 4th and June 27th, 2009.

The basic offer will give you a 7 night Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Stay and Magic Your Way Base Tickets for the price of a 4 night package. Also, if you book 5 or 6 night packages, you will still pay for the price of four with this special offer.

In addition, if your trip is between January 24th and March 29th, you will receive a complimentary $200 Disney Gift Card with the already amazing package.

For more information or to book your trip today email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

Walt Disney World Florida Resident Rates

2008-10-30T16:47:00.000-07:00

Extend the Holiday with these Special Rates

With prices so low they're jaw-dropping, now is the best time to steal away for a well-deserved getaway at Walt Disney World® Resort. Visit between January 1 and February 12, 2009 for the opportunity to be inspired, entertained and refreshed. With rates this amazingly low, you can afford to take care of yourself and your family in style!

See the dream rates if you book now:

Select Disney Value Resorts - Standard Room

$54 per night, plus tax*

Valid for stays most nights 1/2 - 1/15 and 1/19 - 2/12/09

Additional per adult charges apply if more than two adults per room

Select Disney Moderate Resorts - Standard Room

$94 per night, plus tax*

Valid for stays most nights 1/4 - 1/17 and 1/21 - 2/12/09

Additional per adult charges apply if more than two adults per room

Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge - Standard Room

$154 per night, plus tax*

Valid for stays most nights Sunday through Thursday 1/2 - 1/15 and 1/19 - 2/12/09

Additional per adult charges apply if more than two adults per room

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa - Studio

$189 per night, plus tax*

Valid for stays most nights 1/1 - 2/12/09

*The number of rooms available at these rates are limited. Minimum length of stay requirements may apply for Friday and Saturday arrivals.

Also, ask about special rates available through February 12, 2009 at other select Walt Disney World® Resort Hotels.

Washington DC

2008-10-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

Does all of this election stuff have your head spinning?

Then this could be a great time to go see where it all takes place. Washington DC.

This city is a wonder to behold, with more square feet of museums than you can ever handle. Monuments to amazing people that have made sacrifices and tough decisions throughout America's short time on the planet.

Do not try and take it all in in one trip. My advice, read up and see the highlights. Make a list of those 4-5 places you cannot live without seeing.

The Smithsonian is huge, massive. If you were to take a minute at each exhibit, it would take you 5 years of 8 hour days to see all of the exhibits. So again grab a guide and circle a few favorites.

Most of the public buildings like the White house and Capital uilding are open to the public, but they might need tickets to go. Research them just after booking your trip and get your tickets early.

From an plethora if dining options to seeing how this nation works, Washington DC is a sight everyone of us should take in.

Get out there.

www.bonbontravel.com has all of your Travel needs under one roof. Fast, Safe Secure.

Spotlight on: The Great Movie Ride

2008-10-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Disney's Hollywood Studios has one of the greatest dark rides ever created. Now that is a bold statement, and it is true.

Housed inside a replica of Ming's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA the Great Movie Ride takes guests on an adventure straight into the movies.

Before entering the cue, take a look at the footprints in cement outside the front doors. Just like the ones in Hollywood. There are some funny ones here as well. Like Mickey Mouse and Kermit to name a few.

The cue to this ride is pure Disney. The detail, take it all in. Most people are so crazed to get to the ride that they miss the amazing work that went into the cue alone. The second part of the cue is in a movie theater, you serpentine through the line as you watch clips from some of the movies represented in the ride. Alien, Singing in the Rain, Footlight Parade, Indiana Jones. This part alone make you want to rush home and watch all of these movies again. Really, some you probably have not seen in some time or not at all. So the emotion that this brings to everyone is powerful.

You then board your moving theater cars (think Ellen's Energy Adventure at Epcot cars) with your host doing the driving.

I will not spoil what comes next, just say this. Like I have said many times before, you should let your self go a bit in Disney World. Imagine you are really there. When you pass by the Singing in the Rain scene, pretend to yourself that you right there watching from across the steet as this guy dances and sings. Or maybe your really on the Sulocke, scared to bits that some wierd Alien has taken all of your freinds and not it is after you. Just go with it, no one has to know your doing it. And if you do ... your experience will be that more magical.

Click this link and lets get you started on that Disney Vacation. bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

Alaska & Princess

2008-10-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

I know what your going to say, "Alaska? Didn't the season just end."

Yes it did, but this is the perfect time to plan next years vacations. And with this economy, it might be time to start to stash cash away for that vacation too.

I got in the mail today the new 2009 Princess Cruise brochure. As a travel agent I love to pour over these brochures, just to keep up with what is changing and what old favorites these amazing cruise lines have. And Alaska seems to be getting a lot of love these days.

And why not, it is an amazing place to see. I live in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, and with Miami, Ft Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, all we have is city after city with suberbs in between. Do not get me wrong, I love it here. But Alaska is so much different. Out there, there is nothing, and that is a good thing. Get on a cruise ship and do a North or South bound cruise and you can go days with out seeing civilization. Out there the wildlife are the ones in charge. The whales, the bear, the moose, they call the shots.

I open my cruise brochure and there is the Princess Cruise Line "Voyage of the Glaciers" 7 days of Alaska. This cruise is offered either North bound or South bound. Both north and south bound go to the same places, so in theory they are identical cruises. What caught my eye is that these north and south bound cruises offer so much more.

On the North bound cruise you depart Vancouver and cruise Cruise the Inside Passage on the first day. The Second day you find yourself in Ketchikan. Followed by Juneau and Skagway on the following days. Your sixth day you spend cruising Glacier Bay National Park, and the last day cruising College Fjord. You disembark in Whitter Alaska, which is a short train ride from Anchorage.

3 ports of call, Glacier Bay and College Fjord. Glacier Bay is breath taking, and not to be missed. If you go to Alaska, you need to cruise Glacier bay. Grab a hot cup of Coco, and a deck chair, cuddle up underthe blankets and just be amazed at the wonder of Glacier Bay.

Most people would not like the 3 days at sea, but most of these cruises have three dayd at sea now. Getting to Anchorage is tough and these three days allows for more relxation.

No one will be board. The Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess (sister ships making these runs) are really gteat ships. 116,000 tons, massive. Four dining rooms, two specialty dining rooms, pools and hot tubs, A world-class spa, Kids, and teens areas. Trust me no one will be board. Princess also on some ships offers Scolar at Sea, a program designed to teach you a little about Alaska and the wild life.

Tips: Get a Balcony, trust me this is one cruise you where you need to be glued to the windows at all times.
Register the Kids for the Princess Pelican's kids programs. And let them have fun. I sometimes cannot get my 7 year old daughter out of the kids area, she loves it so much. Ad the Pirate Parade they put on is real cute.
Glacier Bay will take most of the day ,s o stake out a good spot. But you might want to go down to the Promenade deck once in a while. When you get close to some Glaciers the Promenade deck is a must.

Alaska is not expensive and there are deals to be had. Take a few minutes and let me know your intentions. When the kids get off for summer vacation, you do not have to put the winter coats away so soon, keep them out and go to Alaska.

www.bonbontravel.com

Group Travel

2008-09-29T17:48:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine asked me today about a short 4 day Caribbean cruise for himself and his wife. He mentioned it in front of one of his lunch buddies and he said that seemed like fun also. A few phone calls later and before you know it they have 10 cabins cruise going on an NCL ship in December.

Group vacationing is real hot right now.

Really it can be anyone. Think about it, your son's soccer team wants to go to Disney for the day, or your daughter's Cheerleading troupe wants to attend the Cheerleading show in Orlando together. Maybe you book club or the guys you golf with want to go to Las Vegas for a little RnR. And vendors eat up these groups, they love them.

With special perks and little bonuses. Not to mention reduced pricing for larger groups. You can all go on vacation for less than you know.

Take cruising for example, Cruise Lines Love Groups. They give out upgrades and ship board credits. Or cocktail hours foryour group or maybe even a free cabin (for larger groups).

And group travel can be lucrative to your club or Charity. A $300 cruise can be sold for $350 with $50 going to the Charity. I mean who wouldn't want to tke a relaxing cruise and give money to Charity.

And with a friend in the Travel Business (ME) wo will do all of the work for you, from booking to arranging all of the little details. That means no work for you.

Now I know we all know one group or another so put on those thinking caps, then drop me an email at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net. I will then send you back a personalized group quote and we can go from there.

By the way: I am also a Grpahic Designer, so those cool T-Shirts or Tote Bags that you see those other groups wearing, I can do all of that for your group too.

www.BonBonTravel.com

Las Vegas

2008-09-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

My previous post about traveling on the cheap, or doing your homework to get a great deals. Got me thinking about Las Vegas.

This town has it all. If you want to blow the budget and have a lavish vacation, this is the place to go. If you have a tiny budget and need to count every penny, this is the place to go. Vegas keeps on reinventing itself that it is hard to keep up.

From an adult destination, to ok for kids, back to an adult destination. Las Vegas has gone through some changes. This current incarnation is more geared to the adults. From to Topless Pool at The Mandalay Bay, to the countless risque shows up and down the strip. This is one vacation you might just want to go yourself and keep the kids at home.

Las Vegas is lasvish and in your face. But there is a certain charm to her. Go beyond the glitz and glamour, the casinos and the buffets. And you find a city that never sleeps.

You can litterally do everything 24 hours a day. Shop, dine, buy insurance, everything is 24 hours here. Walk around at 4 a.m. and it feels like 9 p.m. in any other city.

The hotels in themselves are all marvels to visit. There are way to many to list here in one seating so that is for another time.

Take a browse around my website www.bonbontravel.com and do a little thinking/ Is Sin City a good place for your and yours to unwind? You would be surprised.

Happy Travels

Ups and Downs

2008-09-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

First I have to apologize. I have not been posting as much as I wanted to.

Well unless you have been under a rock or on a Cruise Ship in the middle of the ocean, then you have seen the ups and downs of the Stock Market this week. By Tuesday, we were all circling the wagons waiting for the firey pit of hell to open up and swallow us all. Then by Friday the Dow is up for the week, go figure.

All of this means great travel deals for all of you.

Take Las Vegas for example. Most najor hotels are cutting real good deals on stays of two or more days. Offering perks such as free gas, two for one spa packages, two for one shows and room credits.

Cruising. NCL has an offer of $99 per person for a three day cruise leaving October 3rd. Not bad. because most of us spend $99 in a weekend.

Orlando, this is the value season, Attendance at the Theme parks is usually real light these days. So avoid the holiday rush and ride some rollercoasters. Great deals on tickets and room are to be had.

It is easy to find the little three to four day getaway for all of my readers here. Why? Becuase you have a friend in the busness, me.

Drop me an email and let me know where you want to go.

Don't stay home with fabulous deals like this out there.

The Lowes Portofino Bay Hotel, Orlando

2008-09-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

Well on the other side of Orlando there is a little theme park named Universal Studios.

Now I do not get to Universal much, why, well with annual passes to Disney, I can't bring myself to buy other tickets. Plus my daughter is young so I thought she would be afraid of the rides they had there.

I had to go to an awards dinner in Orlando at the Portofino Bay, so I said what the heck, it is my birthday, I will splurge and buy tickets to Universal.

That was a great idea. Because we had an amazing time. The Portofino Bay Hotel is the pinnacle of the three Universal Studios hotels. Built to resemble a small Italian town on a bay, this hotels is amazing. The walk down from the lobby to the Harbor Piazza, takes you back to Italy. Most of the guests rooms are situated in buildings on this u-shaped lake.

The rooms are big, real big. I entered the room thinking I was going to see the standard two queen set-up o most hotels. Well I was wrong. The Portofino does it better. They give you a huge king size bed for the parents and an overstuffed chair that converts to a full size bed for the kids. A welcome surpise if you ask me. With the Kurig coffe system in room and the huge bathroom this room is worrth every penny. In fact, these rooms are what the rooms at the Grand Floridian should look like. Unfortunately the Grand's room are smaller.

Our wing exited out ono the Piazza right next to the boat launch, which whisks you to Universal and Islands of Adventure (every 15 minutes).

3 pools, an arcade, and 8 restaurants including Bice, The Thrirsty Fish, A tasty Deli and Mamma Della's Ristorante. Round out the options here at Portofino Bay.

Plus everyone in your party gets Univerals Expres Pass. A line hopping pass that enables you to get onto every ride ahead of everyone else. Think of it like a permanent Fast Pass to every ride. A $30 or more value per person.

Now with all of this good there has to be bad right. The things I did not like.

The boat service runs only in good weather. So when it is raining (like it did when I was there) the boats do not run. So you have to either wait for a bus or walk back. Also it is a bit pricey, for people on a budget. Yes you get a lot and this is on the luxury side of hotels. So choose carefully. As with Disney, if you want to eat at places not on property you have to drive.

Overall, Universal has steped-up their game here. They are creating a world like Disney's, where if you stay on property your surrounded by Universal 24-7.

If you have the extra cash in your budget check this hotel out. You will like it I am sure.

Need help ith your vacations plans, visit www.bonbontravel.com

Spotlight on: Epcot's China, World Showcase

2008-09-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

I have to admit it that I love watching the Olympics. To see someone, anyone run or swin or throw an 8 pound ball further than anyone has ever in the world is exciting to me.

Now I do not think I will be getting to China anytime soon. It is on my list mind you, but there are plenty of things to see before that.

Enter the China Pavilion at Epcot.

First, you cannot just breeze on by this pavilion. Because there is a lot to see. A lot of detail went into this slice of Epcot. The main focus is the Imperial Palace (or Forbidden City), and the Temple of Heaven. You enter China by passing under the Zhao Yang Men, or "Gate of the Golden Sun," modeled after the the one at the emperor's summer palace near Beijing. The yummy and currently under renovation Nine Dragons Restaurant, is to your left. Offering lunch and dinner mid September I hope. Also the Louts Blossom Café, a counter service outpost offering some quick but equally tasty treats.

The attraction here is the Circle Vision Presentation of the Relfections of China. This is one of those movies that is a must see each time I am at Epcot. It will take your breath away. But I am getting ahead of myself. Before entering the theater you must enter the temple of Heaven, and do not forget to look up at the amazing work the Disney Craftsmen did on the ceiling. Notice the Dragon and the Phoenix, two of China's most important symbols.

As you exit Relfections of China you enter Xing Fu Jie o "Strteet of Good Fortune." This was designed to make you feel like you are on one of those crowded streets of China that you just saw in the movie.

The kids should not forget to get their icons and stamps at the KidCot station here. Sometime the cast members will also write your name in Chinese on your mask. And there also might be some Olympic merchandise left when you arrive.

From the Koi Pond to the Acrobats that perform under the Gate of the Golden Sun, China is one of Epcot's special places. So the next time your walking around stop and marvel at the authenticity of this amazing place.

Remember to book all of your travel needs at www.bonbontravel.com

Winter and Christmas

2008-09-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

I know that school just got back in session and that the last thing we want to be thinking about is Christmas. But if we should do a little planning or else we could miss out.

Travel as Christmas Gifts.
You Mom has enough stuff, candles, jewelery, clothes. So why not take her on a Christmas Caribbean Cruise. Or go to a city and hang out for a few days. New York is great at Christmas, Los Angels, Miami, Orlando, all great places to spend some quality time relaxing.

The Kids. Why not get smaller gifts for the kids this year and use that extra money and go to Disney World or Disney Land. You can avoid the holiday rush by going either before or after the week of Christmas and New Years. And the kids will love it. You have not lived until you have seen Disney all done up for Christmas.

Skiing, January, February are not to far away, so why not go Skiing? Aspen, Brekenridge, Whistler, Blackcomb. All great spots. Heck feeling adventurous, then go skiing in Europe.

You will thank me, if you start your planning process on all of these great ideas now.

Really think about it, it does not cost anything to look right. Go to www.BonBonTravel.com and take a look around. Or drop me an email at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net, and lets see what we can wrap up for you this holiday season.

P.S., buy a trip from Bon Bon Travel and I will present you with a professional looking certificate for you to wrap up and give as a present this holiday season.

Living and Vacationing in the Tropics

2008-08-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

I live in Ft Lauderdale, Florida and have for the past 30 years. From June til November we call it "Living in the Cone." Yes we here in the tropics have to deal with these types of storms all of the time.

I have been though more than I care to count. Have not had power for more days than I care to count. But if you want to live in Paradise, there is some price to pay.

Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, while dangerous, do not creep up on you. They are not like Earth Quakes or Toradoes that just hit without warning. We usually have a good 4 days notice to get prepared. And with Technology getting better and better, we know where the storms will go most of the time.

So sitting in my living room last night watching the Olympics and hearing the rush of wind outside got me thinking about what to do if your on vacation or going on vacation and a storm hits.

First off do not panic. You have that wonderful Trip insurance that you bought when you payed for your cruise right? Right? Well I hope so, because this is where it might come in handy. So reread the policy and call your agent to see what exactly it covers.

Then go to one of these hands sights and see what this named storm is doing.
www.weather.com
www.weatherunderground.com
www.nooa.gov

These sites will have the most up to date information you need on the storms track.

Next, Contact the Airline and the Cruise line or Hotel or Tour Group. Everyone has some kind of Hurricane plan, ask them what it is.

Cruises, remember that the last thing that a cruise wants to do is go into a hurricane. The second to lat thing it wants to do is cancel an entire trip. So what Cruise Lines usually do is rerouting. They might skip a port, or go to an alternate port and then back to the other port once the storm leaves. Trust me these guys know what they are doing.

12-hours prior to a Storm hitting an area, most everything will be shut down. Stores, restaurants, bars, theaters. So if your in the area and are told to stay put, then turn on the tube abd watch a movie till it all blows over. If your forced to leave, then check with your host to see what options are avaliable, like early flights, or bus service, or hotel options.

Everything will get back to normal, depending on how bad the storm was. We got lucky with Tropical Storm Fay, so the following morning mot evetything was back up and running.

Just do not panic and keep all of those emergency options and number on hand in case you need them.

If you ever have any trouble or need advice, just email me and I will help. bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

2008-08-12T18:04:00.000-07:00

Disney's Take on the big easy. This is the Sister Resort to Port Orleans River Side, and you really have to think about where you are or you might think you are on Bourbon Street. This is one of Disney's Moderate Resorts. A little more bang for your buck than the value resorts.

Boasting a "Mardi Gras" atmosphere, and some good ole Southern Charm this one of a kid resort will make you feel like your home. If your home happens to be New Orleans.

Enjoy to unique dining experiences. Boatwrits Dining Hall. Seerves American cuisine with flavors of the South in this shipbuilder's paradise along the Sassagoula River. Or you could enjoy
Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory Food Court. Mardi Gras is celebrated every day in this converted warehouse setting adorned with some festive parade props. All of your quick meal favorites are served here. Hot pizza, tasty pasta, hamburgers, chicken, BBQ ribs, Cajun meatloaf and scrumptious sandwiches. Plus Breakfast and light snacks.

French Quarter also boasts:
A pool, Doubloon Lagoon, complete with a kiddie pool and spa.

An arcade with all od todays favorites. Playground, watercraft rentals, jogging trail, bike rentals, fishing, horse drawn rides along the land of the Sassagoula River.

Overall my second favorite place to stay in WDW (next to Port Orleans Riverside). With ample amenities, at a reasonable price, you cannot go wrong with this unique resort.

To book this or any magical vacation visit www.bonbontravel.com for the web's best travel deals.

2008-08-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

If you have never tried Google Earth, Then go now and begin the download. This amazing program is a wonder. You can travel anywhere in the world, virtually at the touch of a button.

Go ahead and type in your address you will see a satellite images of your house. It is awesome. But that is not all, go to Las Vegas, or New York and turn on the 3-D button and see the city come alive in 3-D.

Speaking of 3-D, type in Walk Disney World, and make sure the 3-D button is on. And you can stroll though all of the parks at Disney world in 3-D. It is amazing.

So the next time your at work and need a break and wish you were at Disney World. Just pop open Google Earth and take a little trip there.

For all of your Travel needs, visit www.BonBonTravel.com

2008-08-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

3. Atlantis, Paradise Island

2. South Seas Island Resort, Captive Island

1. Sheraton Grand Bahama Island, Our Lucaya Bahamas

I would like to thank the Sun-Sentinel for their awesome list. Remember when booking any of these properties, please check out www.BonBonTravel.com for the best pricing on these or any other travel.

Need a little more personal touch, then email me bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

2008-08-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

4. Disney's Vero Beach Resort

2008-08-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

5. Beaches Negril Resort and Spa, Jamaica

2008-08-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

6. Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, Hawaii

2008-07-31T17:36:00.000-07:00

7. Ocean Edge Resort & Spa, Brewster, Mass.

2008-07-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

8. Loews Coronado Bay Beach Resort & Spa, San Diego, California

2008-07-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

9. Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

2008-07-28T17:39:00.001-07:00

I recently found a list of the Top 10 Hottest Beach Resorts for Families in my local news paper. I loved the list, so I thought I would publish it here.

10. Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort Casino & Spa, Puerto Rico

(List courtesy of Ft. Lauderdale, Sun-Sentinel)

Atlantis - Paradise Island Bahamas

2008-07-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

Atlantis is an amazing oasis on Paradise Island, the Bahamas.

I say this because, lately there is not many good things to say about The Bahamas in general. The city itself is not much to look at and kind of dirty. So when your Cruise Ship Docks on the Big Island the best thing to do is take the ferry on over to Atlantis.

Now there are several ways to get there. Taxi, Water Taxi/Ferry and Shore Excursion. From the Cruise ship Terminal all youhave to do is cross to the other side of the island to get to Atlantis. It is huge and you will see it as you sail in. So naturally the Ferry/Water Taxi is the best, fastest option. And there is usualy several of them just asd you exit the Cruise Ship Terminal. Trust me the locals will try andget you to buy a ride. I was there last year and then, the going price was $6.00 one way. Not bad. A taxi is kind of expensive and take a little bit of a pain, because they have to take the long way around to get to the resort. And the other option is to buy one of the Shore Excursions from your Cruise Ship. Trust me your cruise should offer many different options for Atlantis. Like a day at the beach, or a tour of the hotel and the Aquarium.

This past year Atlantis just Opened Aquventure, a 141-acre water park. With slides, a lazy river and fun for all ages. If you like water thereis always Dolphin Cay a 14 acre dolphin habitat. Where you can touch, feel and swim with these amazing creatures.

Of if you just want to relax and do a little shopping, Atlantis has a Great collection of shops.

Atlantis is a one stop Resort. Once there, there is no need to go anywhere else. This place is a must see.

Visit www.bonbontravel.com for all of your Travel needs.

Spotlight on: It's Tough to be a Bug

2008-07-19T21:50:00.000-07:00

It's Tough to be a Bug, is a funny romp through the tiny world of the Bug.

Flick, from "A Bugs Life" is the MC to this 4-D movies starring a host of zany Bugs. But do not rush into the theater so fast. Because this attraction is build at the base of the Tree of Life, Animal Kingdom's Symbol and center of the park.

The Tree of Life Garden surrounds and acts as the cue to "It's Tough to be a Bug." Carved into the tree of life are an amazing number of animal's. As you stroll through see how many you can spot.

Once you have received your 3-d bug glasses. Its into the theater for a rel fun show. I will not give away any surprises, trust me your going to love it.

As for the Tree of Life, Well there are great viewing points throughout the park, so as you stroll through this amazing theme park, keep counting how many animals you see carved into its trunk.

INSIDER TIP: This park is usually open from 8 a.m. till 6 p.m. So its manes a great start to the day. when your finished, take a bus or your can over to Epcot (open each night till 9 p.m.) or the Magic Kingdom.

www.bonbontravel.com

Montreal & Home

2008-07-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

Well we are in yet another amazing Canadian city. Montreal.

A small bone of contention. The disembarkation. I am spoiled by the way Disney does Disembarkation. In case you have not had the priviledge, let me explain.

You wake up, have breakfast and then when your ready you get off the ship. No waiting no lines no hassle.

Well Holland America goes by the tried and true Cruise ship, "wait till your number is called" method. And if your like us, and are staying the night in Montreal you get one of the last numbers to be called. We waited almost two hours for our number to be called.

And I do not know why we waited so long. Canadian customs went really fast, really fast. The only thing that we waited for once we were off the ship was a taxi to our hotel.

Later that afternoon, we took a Grey Line bus tour of the city. You cannot go wrong with Grey Line. They have tour offices in almost every city. And offer a wide range of tours in every city.

In conclusion, I would recommend this tour to anyone who want something out of the ordinary. If your tired of the Caribbean, or Alaska and still want to stay close to home. But do your homework and take the right boat, and the right excursions. It makes all the difference.

Have fun traveling.

www.bonbontravel.com

Wednesday Day at Sea & Thursday Quebec City

2008-07-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, we were sailing from Prince Edward Island to Quebec City. Now something interesting about this cruise. We never got about 15 knots. We were always going real slow. Which is great, because you never feel any movement. So for all of you out there that get motion sick real easy. This is the cruise for you.

Well the day at sea had the usual fare. A cooking demo, Club HAL was open all day (Thank god), an Indian Lunch BBQ, which was amazing al topped off with our second formal night and a Midnight Chocolate dessert buffet.

Thursday we arrived in Quebec. My favorite port of all.

This is such an amazing city. The European flare, yet so close to America. Go ahead and try your hand at French, knowing that almost everyone speaks English also.

Hungry, while your strolling around this amazing city, just stop into one of the Bakeries for a snack. You have to try the Brie and ham on a baguette. Or if you want something with a more hometown feel, then MCDonalds and Subway are here also. We took a city tour, and I have to say it is a must. Because there is so much to see. Just take one early so you can have some time to walk around before the ship departs.

There are tons of little art shops with some great pieces. Of course the touristy stuff, and some gems to be found. Take the Cable Car up to the old town and walk around there too.

Quebec City is one of those ports where you want to get up early and be one of the first off, just to take in all they have to offer.

www.bonbontravel.com

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

2008-07-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

The home of Canada as a Nation.

PEI (Prince Edward Island) apparently was the site for a huge summit of all of the different providences of Canada to hash out a confederacy. And they did. If you want to know more about it, there is an amazing museum that shows you everything from Canada's birth on up to the present. Founder's Hall is a short walk from where the ship docks. And they have set it all up like a mock news broadcast. When you enter, they give you headphones that work when you get near certain displays. And this news woman who "goes back in time" takes you through it. Founder's Hall is very well done and very informative. It balances all of the information and makes it fun and never boarding. A must see.

Well we disembarked and took a Double Decker Bus tour. The guide whom was very nice took us through the town and also took us to the outskirts to show us a little of what life is like on PEI. She then stopped in the middle of town and gave everyone 50 minutes to get lunch or look around before the tour would take us to Founder's Hall. Out of the 40 people onthe bus, only 8 of us when back to founders hall. They missed out.

There are many places to shop and to eat. And most of the town is withing walking distance from the port.

This was a great day, not to windy, and just a bit cold. Prince Edward Island is a very nice place to visit.

www.BonBonTravel.com

Sydney - Day Five

2008-06-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

Sydney, NS.

I was on my quest to see whales. Having onle seen two from my state room the day before. I was convinced that someone in Sydney can get me out on the water and next to some whales. Well it did not work out.

Sydney was a quaint little town. Not much to do in the Tourist just walking around department. We got off the boat real early. At the terminal they had a CVB, tourist info center. And they told us about something interesting. Taxi Tours. Seems like a lot of the taxi drivers in town come to the port and do 1 - 4 hour tours on their own. You pay a per car fee (any where from $135 - $200 canadian) and they will tke you on a tour of the surounding areas. My advice to anyone reading this ... either take one of these tours, or take a tour with the cruise ship. Because there is nothing to see in Sydney. This was probably the worst port we were in on the entire trip. Not that it was bad or anything, there is just ot much to do, unless you willing to drive 20 miles out of town.

So we ended up walking around town for a bit, then going back to the ship for lunch, then back out for another walk. We did find a little park and watched the ducks swim by, and a local play ground, where my daughter got to do a little playing with a local boy. I can see life in this town to be amazing, but not to visit it unless you have an agenda.

So take the time, again to do a little homework. Maybe get off the ship early and do some walking, then back on for the resto f the day. Or this might be that "sleep in" day we needed.

Well on ward.

www.bonbontravel.com

Vacation Day Four

2008-06-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

Halifax, NS

Now we are getting to the weather I wanted. A cool 65, with a slight breeze. A real nice change from the 90's I am used to in Ft. Lauderdale.

Halifax is a rather large town, with a myriad of things to do. Even though the cruise terminal is a hike from the main touristy area.

One of Halifax's claims to fame is that it was the port that they launched the Titanic rescue ships from. So if has a large calling to the Titanic disaster. See the maritime museum and take a tour that goes past the cemetary, where most of the victims are buried.

Halifax also has a large British citadel at the top of a hill overlooking the city. It was a very steep climb, but it was worth it to see the city. We also visited the local museum of science, and did some shopping.

Overall we had a full, fun day in Halifax. Plus this was the day that they lifted the health ban on the ship. So we had sugar, salt and pepper on our tables again. The only thing that I missed was the staff serving you your food in the buffet line. I know they did it as a health precaution, but it was nice. And it also helped control portions.

See you next time.

www.BonBonTravel.com

Vacation Day Three

2008-06-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

Bar Harbor Maine.

What an amazing little town.

We dropped anchor in the Bay because The Dock is small and cannot handle a ship like the Maasdam. But no worries, we all had to take tenders into town. I like the tenders, especially when you have a great driver and good crew to help you along. And we did. The only hick-up is that you had to go to a lounge and get a tender ticket and sit there and wait for your number to be called. So if your ever in a situation where you have to take a tender, go early.

Well Bar Harbor is a great little town, with a bunch of shops and small eateries. The Lobster is amazing. My wife told me because I do not eat it.

You can also take a few tours while in town. We took an open air trolley tour of the town. Our guide was real good. One of those tours guides who loves to get up in the morning and do his job. He took us all the way up to the top of a mountain and the views from up there were amazing.

You also have to see the tides. In the morning the tide is low, but at high tide, the water level raises 10-12 feet. There is this small island out in the bay that you can walk to, but do not stay to long or else you swimming back.

So if your going to be cruising to Bar Harbor, do your homework. You might be able to save quite a bit of money doing the excursions on shore rather than with the cruise ship. But watch that clock or you might miss the last tender at 4:30 :)

Overall, Bar Harbor Maine was a highlight on our trip.

Happy Travels.

www.BonBonTravel.com

Vacation Day Two

2008-06-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

So, we kind of got off to a rocky start, no problem that is all behind us right? Well not exactly.

Today we were to go and board the Maadam a Holland America Cruise ship that was going to take us on our journey.

At noon our hotel shuttle dropped us off at the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal. Now the Black Falcon is no Port Everglades or Port of Miami. It is one berth surrounded y the normal maritime commerce you would see. So it is not the best thing to look at. But no worries.

Our bags were taken on board the ship and we were ushered to the check in line.

My wife, daughter and I opted not to do full the online check in (I just filled out the passport and personal information). I choose this route because Holland America wanted to charge $420 per cabin as a deposit.

We were told at check in that the ship was being cleaned and that we were unable to get on until 3 p.m. The previous weeks cruise had 15 people come down with the Rota virus and they wanted to disinfect everything. But to our surprise Holland America, did us right. They gave each person a $15 credit on their on board account and had tour buses to take us to town for lunch. Since we were not able to see much of town last night, this was a great thing as we had an extra 4 hours there today.

Finial Hall is three old buildings that house shows and restaurants. One of the neat things is the Food Court. A city block long food court. And they have everything, from BBQ to Indian Curry, to Sushi. So after some great food and some shopping we boarded a tour bus and got on the ship. We were finally on our way.

The Maasdam. I knew going in that all of the Holland America ships were geared towards the older crowd.And this is what I found when I got on board in Boston. Kids are welcome but most of the people on board are not happy they are there. And most everything closes early. The shore excursion desk is open maybe 3 hours a day, the coffee bar closes at 8:30, and the library closes at 9. Seriously, walk around the ship at 10 p.m. and it is a ghost town. The late night buffetts (yes not midnight like other ships) ends a midnight and is usually dominated by the staff grabbing something to eat. You want to rub elbows with the dancers or tht comedian you saw at the show, well show up for the late night buffett and they will be there.

They have a kids program called Club HAL. But it is only open 1-1/2 hours a night during port days. And IMHO, that sucks. The kids on board are people to and they payed as much as other passengers did, so why not give them some extra play time. Really, we had plently of dirty looks from people becuase we were having fun, cracking jokes and goofing around. This is a serious, laid back relax ship. And I do not know why they would not keep the kids program open longer. Think about it, the longer the kids program is open the less kids they ae running around the ship.

Oh well, the ship is beautiful and there is plenty of space even for a smaller ship. They do not slack on anything.

Tune in next for day Three (Bar Harbor, Maine)

www.BonBonTravel.com

2008 Vacation Day One

2008-06-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

Friday June 6.

The Players. Myself, my Beautiful wife and my special little daughter. Also coming along for the ride are my mother-in-law and my wife's aunt.

Our flight is supposed to leave Miami International Airport at 7:15 a.m. The key word here being "supposed." We arrive at the terminal and as my wife is parking our van I am pulling most of the luggage into the sliding glass doors. I look up and see that on the LCD screens, the only flight on the board with a red "canceled" in the status bar is our 7:15 flight to Boston. So now things get interesting.

All of us had booked our flights at the same time, but we all booked them different ways, some with mileage points some just straight flight bookings. Well all of the transactions did not get put into one record, so we all got automatically booked onto different flights. Big hassle. But if it were not for an amazing counter staff person at American Airlines we would all be flying alone (except for my daughter who was flying with my wife.) Trust me, in situations like this it pays to be nice and calm. People will be willing to go that extra mile for you if you do not make their day a living hell.

So at 4:30 p.m. we arrive in Boston. A shuttle for the Double Tree I booked comes to get us.

Lesson #2 of the trip. Weigh your hotel options carefully. Yes we got a free ride from the Airport and a free ride to the Port the next day, but the hotel I choose was in the middle of the University of Mass. A very nice campus, but nothing for us tourist to do. We had to take a cab to the middle of town just to get dinner and do a bit of walking around. But on the other hand, if I had stayed in the DoubleTree downtown, right in the middle of all of the action. We would have hd to pay for the cab ride from the airport and to the port. Overall we like to stay at DoubleTree's because they consistantly have good rooms and comfy beds.

We planned on getting into Boston at noon and taking a Trolley hop on, hop off tour, but now it was to late. Oh well we would have to see Boston on some other trip. But for the little we saw, Boston is a real nice town. Old world inner city charm.

Stay tuned for Day two.........

www.BonBonTravel.com

I am Back

2008-06-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

Well the annual big, fun filled family vacation ended today with the 5 of us flying back to Miami from Montreal. I will over the next week or so be posting all about my trip and the places we saw. Today's first installment will be a grand overview of the entire trip. So here we go.

Canada/New England Cruise
We sailed from Boston to Montreal on the beautiful Holland America Maasdam for a 7 night cruise of Canada and New England.

OUR ITINERARY:
Friday - Fly from Miami to Boston. Spend he day sightseeing Beantown.
Saturday - The Maasdam boards at 12:00. Then we are off.
Sunday - Dropping Anchor in Bar Harbor, Maine
Monday - Halifax, Nova Scotia
Tuesday - Sydney, Nova Scotia
Wednesday - Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Thursday - At Sea
Friday - Quebec City, Quebec
Saturday - Arrive in Montreal
Sunday - Fly home.

We had a great time. The food was amazing.

So check back for more. I will do my first post for Boston sometime in the next few days.

Thanks,
Angelo LoPresti
www.bonbontravel.com

Airline Fees: The Nickle and the Dime

2008-05-26T17:33:00.000-07:00

I live just north of Sunny, beautiful and hot Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. And this sunday on the front page of the Sun Sentinel (our local newspaper) there was a story on all of the fees that have been surfacing lately. Here is a few of them.

Airtran: First Checked Bag: none, Second Checked Bag: $10, Curbside Check in: None, Domestic Ticket Changes: $75, Assigned Seating: $6/ $20 (for an exit row seat)

American Airlines: First Checked Bag: $15, Second Checked Bag: $25, Curbside Check in: $2, Domestic Ticket Changes: $150, Assigned Seating: none.

Continental: First Checked Bag: none, Second Checked Bag: $25, Curbside Check in: none, Domestic Ticket Changes: $150, Assigned Seating: none.

Delta: First Checked Bag: none, Second Checked Bag: $25, Curbside Check in: $3, Domestic Ticket Changes: $100, Assigned Seating: none.

JetBlue: First Checked Bag: none, Second Checked Bag: $20, Curbside Check in: $2, Domestic Ticket Changes: $100, Assigned Seating: none.

Southwest: First Checked Bag: none, Second Checked Bag: none, Curbside Check in: none, Domestic Ticket Changes: none, Assigned Seating: none.

Spirit: First Checked Bag: $20, Second Checked Bag: $20, Curbside Check in: $2, Domestic Ticket Changes: $60-70, Assigned Seating: none.

US Airways: First Checked Bag: none, Second Checked Bag: $25, Curbside Check in: $2, Domestic Ticket Changes: $150, Assigned Seating: $5.

So as you can see, the only airlines that is not charging fees is Southwest. We all have the Saudi Oil Barons to thank for this. As fuel goes up the board of directors at these airlines need to keep things in the black. And I have heard that they do not want to raise ticket prices because people would jump ship and go for the lower priced airlines.

Maybe it is time the Airlines look into a few things to cut costs internally. Like I am sure that the CEO's of these companies have salaries of $2 million + with annual bonuses topping their yearly salaries. We could trim that a bit couldn't we? What about better more efficient jet engines? Come on we can put a remote controlled car on Mars and we still use jet engines? We do not have any other means of propulsion on the drawing table? Security. Hire private firms, with competive bids. And have FBI and CIA inspect these firms at all times. Have them try and get stuff through security check points.

But beyond all of that how do we fly cheaper? Here are a few things I have come up with.
1) Look closer at those fees above. Some airlines like American waive the fees for flyers that hold certain credit cards. Before you book your flights see if you are e member of any frequent flyer program and if being a member waives the fees for you.

2) Frequent Flyer miles. Last time I checked it was only 25,000 miles to purchase a domestic ticket through American Airlines. And most of the time you can get free 25,000 miles just for signing up for the card. You could also put everything in you life on the frequent flyr credit card to earn miles. Gas, groceries, bills, Christmas Presents. It all adds up, adds up to a free plane ticket.

3) Sorry ladies. Pack less. Go to an airlines website and see what their baggage size limits are and go get a bag that meets those requirements to the "T". And take only one bag. A seven day trip means, only seven changes of clothes plus some for nighttime wear. Take only three pairs of shoes. Or ask your self if it is worth the extra fee to take that eleventh pair of shoes Carrie Bradshaw.

Have fun Traveling.

Go to www.BonBonTravel.com for all of your travel needs.

Travel Now? But The Economy!

2008-05-20T17:55:00.000-07:00

I have heard it increasingly in the past few weeks. "I cannot possible consider going on a $500 cruise now."

But think about what happens if your do not get away and recharge those batteries once in a while. I will tell you from experience. We get tired and sloppy. We hate getting up in the morning and going to work. And eventually every little thing we do gets tiresome.

So what can we do with the little funds we have available?

How can we travel when things are so bad?

But really are they that bad? Take a step back and read a few finance articles on the internet. Go to www.HowStuffWorks.com and search for Recession. You will be surprised, that we are in fact not in a recession. And most top dogs in the world of finance say that we are over the hump and that we will not go into a recession. That things will get better. Now we all knew that eventually gas prices were going to go up. With the Middle East and the fact that we have not embraced a new energy source in 50 years. Oil is not in an infinite supply.

So ask yourself. Is your job secure? Do you need to get away?

I know we do not want to go rushing out and spend $3,000 on a 14-day European getaway. But could we spend $350-$400 a person on a 5-day cruise? East Coasters could get to one of the Big Three Ports (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or Cape Canaveral) in a matter of hours and set sail. West Coasters, just the same Port of Los Angeles has amazing 3, 4 and 5 day cruises all year long. Also Hawaii and Alaska. Listen Alaska might seem out of reach, but if you look at the prices you will see that it is in fact a great deal.

Heck, you might just want to hop on over to www.BonBonTravel.com rent a car, get a few nights at that little hotel you love so much, and just relax. Forget about Primary's and the Economy, and Iraq. Just Chill.

Well then those economic stimulus checks should be gracing your mailbox anytime now. Drop it into your bank account then head on over to www.BonBonTravel.com or email me at bonbontravel@bellsouth.net and lets get you out there.

Happy Travels,
Angelo LoPresti

The New Kid(s) on the Block: Toy Story Midway Mania

2008-05-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

Disney's Hollywood Studios, it is still weird to say it. I still catch myself saying MGM. So 6 short months after the name change and a new ride is set to open.

I have not ridden it yet, but from all of the buzz, all of the reviews and all of the you tube videos about the ride, I just had to write something on the subject. After reading this blog, go over and read Kevin Yee's review at Miceage (A great Disney site BTW). Kevin basically said that this is almost an "E" ticket ride.

So here is the story. Andy, the boy from the Toy Story movies, got a new Midway type Carnival game. So now that he is out of his room, the toys have set up a little Carnival for everyone to enjoy. So us, the visitors, all become toys, shrink down to their size and go have some fun.

The que for the ride is some Disney Magic at its best. I hear it is like walking through a toy box. And you cannot miss the interactive Mr Potato Head Carnival Barker. Interactive I said, it talks to you. It will make jokes, you know the ones about bad shirts and other mild humor, and yes that is the voice of the one and only Don Rickles. WDI says that this is Animatronics at its best. Mr. Potato Head can remove his ear and put it back, he has realistic mouth movements, the whole 9 yards.

The ride vehicles are two, 2 person seats back to back. Each seat has a pull string cannon on it to use in the games. After you don your 3-d goggles, your first station is an introductions and how to work the cannons. You then move through the different games scoring points for hitting targets. Throwing pies, or rings or baseballs. Its 3-D so you see the shots leave your cannon and hit the targets. Some hits will have 4-D effects like water or air. I hear it is real fun. An onboard screen tally's your score. And at the end you might even win a virtual prize.

All of the rievews I have read said it is a real great ride full of fun things for everyone to do. There is a single riders line and fast pass, but someone said that these lines skip most of the que theming. So if you want a total experience, you might want to just stand in line. The ride is still in soft opening (only open certain times of the day) but should open all day come June 1.

And take a look around you before approaching Midway Mania. Now look at these photos. Yes The Pixar section of Disney's Hollywood Studios looks just like Pixar Studios in California. Awesome job WDI.

So go check it out. BTW, TSMM, is the first ever dual coast ride. Meaning WDI is building the ride In Cali and Fla at the same time. So if your reading this west coast time, take a trip to the place that started it all and have a look see.

Thanks for reading.

Angelo

For all of your Travel Needs. www.bonbontravel.com

Disney hotel Spotlight: Coronado Springs Resort

2008-05-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

Hola, Bienvenidos

Disney's Coronado Springs resort is Themed after the excitement and the culture of Mexico, throw in some of the American Southwest, and your adventure awaits.

This is one large resort. The Coronado has 13 guest buildings, a convention center, a Pyramid Themed pool, and several restaurants. It is sure to have something for everyone.

This is one of Disney's Moderate Resorts. This means that it has those amenities and little touches that Pop Century and the All Stars do not. And it is truly a site to see. It is like you have stepped back in time to a Mexican Seaside resort. The architecture, the landscapes. Heck while your in line checking in check out the amazing mural behind the check in desk. And what about the Cathedral ceiling.

CSR's has several dining options, The Pepper Market, is the Disney standard Food Court, like you see at other resorts. Several stations where you can get breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Maya Grill is a table service restaurant serving Breakfast from 7-11 a.m. and Dinner from 5-10 p.m.. Please call for reservations as all of Disney's table service restaurants fill up quickly. Or if you just need a quick bite, Cafe Ric is open 6:30 a.m. till Midnight.

If your taking a break from the parks, there is lots to do a CSR. An arcade, Bike rentals, A gym, The Explorers playground and kiddie pool, A real sand volleyball court, and watercraft rentals.

CSR, has bus service to all of the parks. With 4 pick-up locations throughout the property.

Need tickets, a concierge in the lobby can help with that and other fun stuff, like La Nouba tickets or dining reservations.

All in all The Coronado Springs resort is a unique way to spend a Magical Vacation in Walt Disney world.

Safe Travels.

Need reservations, wanna take a relaxing cruise. Got to fly to your sister's wedding? Try www.bonbontravel.com.

Holiday Road - Part 3 Where to Stay

2008-05-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is important. After days or hours of driving you want to relax. You want a nice warm bed, a cold shower and some hot food. But don't you need a little more?

Hotels and Resorts come in all shapes and sizes these days. From the Mega 1,100 room resorts with multiple pools, restaurants and other attractions; to that cozy little B&B. My advice...go with what you know, go with your favorites, do not take chances.

My wife and I love the big chain hotels, DoubleTree is our favorite. So we tend to choose a DoubleTree over other hotels. But sometimes you need to be near the action. Near that attraction you have driven so far to get to, or near the beach. Then take a chance but an educated one.

Go to my website www.BonBonTravel.com. There you can search a city for hotel deals. Then you can show the results on a city map. Or check off several hotels and compare them side by side.

I mean your already on the internet, reading this and watching that. Why not use the internet to not only save you a few dollars, but also make your vacation that much better.

Click, Save.

Now Get Out There and Travel.

www.BonBonTravel.com

Holiday Road: Part 2

2008-04-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

Well after reading part one and figuring out that taking a drive this summer with the family is a fun vacation, you now have to figure where to go.

Well here are some sites and a few tips to make the planning easier.

The biggest thing about planning a driving trip is the distances. Do you want to have short little legs on your trip of no m ore than 300 miles a day? Or do you just want to get there, so you do not mind driving for 12 hours or more. This is your first decision. Remember that with older Kids your going to need to keep the distances per day short or perhaps drive at night so they sleep all of the way. A good rule to follow, in my opinion is weigh your options. If you drive straight through, you avoid having to get hotels on the way up and back. You also get more time to enjoy your destination. But then again there might be many things you want to see in between. And if this is the case, then take your time. You are in total control, and you’re the one who knows your passengers best. So take some time and look at all of the factors we discussed (time, distance).

AAA. Back in the old days our Dad’s used to go to the local AAA office and they would make for their members this really cool set of maps called a “Trip Tik.” Well now in the information age this process has gone online. Go to www.AAA.com and go to the Trip Tik planner section. Yopu are able to turn on and off all of the features you want. From attractions, to AAA offices to Gas Stations, to Hotels. Also your able to plot your route and see how many miles/ how long it will take you between legs of your trip.

Map Quest. Another amazing site. This one is a little les friendly than AAA, but it gets the job done. It will give you precise directions to anywhere.

Garmin, or some other navigation system. You might want to invest in one of the newer navigation systems out there, or better yet, rent a car that has one in it already. This way you will never get lost (or almost never).

A little planning before you leave will save you a lot of headaches when you on the road. With Map Quest directions or a Nav System or a AAA Trip Tik in your hands you do not have to spend your time looking for that elusive highway, or that little street.

Oh, and do not forget a DVD player, or the Nintendo DS's for your drive. Trust me! :)

In Part Three we will take a look at Hotels and the best Places to book them.

Holiday Road - Part 1

2008-04-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day.

We all by now should have seen the Classic "National Lampoon's Vacation." If you have not, well then there should be a Blockbuster or go to NetFlicks. It was a classic, real funny.

Driving. You might think I m crazy. Why would I want to take a driving trip with Gas at $4.00 almost. Well because, sometimes it is all about the journey that counts.

Think about it this. I took a driving trip one year from San Fransisco to Seattle. Up the Coast 8 days and it was amazing. Yes it was 1,500 miles after all was said and done. So lets look at that 1,500 miles.

Option A:
Father, Mother and Little Suzie (7 years old)
1,500 miles
A car that gets 20 miles to the gallon.
75 Gallons of gas needed.
$4.00 per gallon
= $300.00
or
$100 per person.

Option B:
Now lets say you get that Mini Van and take five people with you on this trip.
Father, Mother, Little Suzie, little Billy and Grandma.
1,500 miles
A car that gets 15 miles to the gallon.
100 Gallons of gas needed.
$4.00 per gallon
= $400.00
or
$80.00 per person.

Option C:
Same set-up as A but you rent that Hybrid Prius, or Escape that gets 60 miles to the gallon.
Father, Mother and Little Suzie (7 years old)
1,500 miles
A car that gets 20 miles to the gallon.
25 Gallons of gas needed.
$4.00 per gallon
= $100.00
or
$33.34 per person.

So you see gas does not cost all that much if you think about it. And $4.00 a gallon is the average now for San Fransisco. Go driving in a region that has lower gas prices and you cost goes even lower.

It all takes a little work before you go. Just a little planning. Go to Gas Buddy, and they will show you the best places on your drive to get gas.

Seriously, drive the PCH, the Pacific Coast Highway. Start in Los Angeles and make you way up to Monterey. Up these steep winding mountain roads, the views are breathtaking.

I live in Ft. Lauderdale so driving from down here to any other state taken a good 7 hours. But if you live in New york state lets say, 7 hours can get you to a lot of places. Like Niagra Falls, or Toronto, or Washington, DC. Plus your in control, you leave when you want to you stay where you want to.

Please do not let the media hype of huge gas prices get you down. Grb those keys andtake a driving Trip. You will love it.

In Part 2 I will explore some of the sites you can use to map your exploration of this amazing country we live in.

Spotlight on: Expedition Everest

2008-04-10T11:07:00.001-07:00

This edition of Spotlight on takes us to the mysterious Himalayan Mountains. Where our weary party of explorers treks on ignoring the locals warnings about the Yeti that guards the mountain.

Everest resides in Disney's Animal Kingdom and is in my opinion Awesome. Joe Rhode has really out done himself this time. Joe and his team went to Serka Zong village, they designed the buildings at the foot of the mountain to look like the ones they found there. Just look at the mountain itself. It sends chills up your spine. Each time I see it it feels like there could really be ice and snow on a mountain in Florida.

You step into an authentic looking Climbers Outfitting center. The Walls are adorned with all sorts of Yeti artifacts, and photos of some of the other expeditions that have crossed this way.

TIP: There is a single Riders line for this ride. And it usually moves pretty quick. So if you do not mind your party being split up for the ride, then save a few minutes and hit the Single Riders line.

Usually I give you an account of the ride here, but this time I will not spoil it. This ride has a few surprises that you have to see to get the full effect.

Here are some interesting facts about the ride:
• The mountain is 199 feet tall. Why? All 200 foot tall structures in Florida need to have red blinking aircraft lights on them. And the Imangineers did not want to spoil the mountain like that.

• The ride is nearly a mile long.

• 1,800 tons of steel was used in the structure. That is about six time more than an office building of the same size.

• Artisans at work: Artists from Imagineering used hammers, chainsaws and blowtorches to "age" wood and buildings in the village, giving them the appearance of being longstanding parts of the landscape.

See this ride it is worth it.

Thank you for reading.
Angelo LoPresti
www.bonbontravel.com

I have to Appologize

2008-04-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

It has been a rough week for me. And I have not updated my blog in a week and have to say sorry to you all.

I came down with a cold right after my wife and my daughter had the same thing. So there has been a lot of sleepless nights around my household.

But we are all better and you should see a new post from me sometime shortly.

If you want a good read why not try some of the blogs I love to go to very often.

2719 Hyperion, a great Disney Blog. When you see his images and read his descriptions it feels like your in the middle on the Magic Kingdom.

Epcot Central, another great Disney Blog. Here you can find ramblings of someone who liked Epcot the way it used to be. You might not agree with everything he says, but it is a good read anyway.

Baggage and the Airlines

2008-03-29T06:31:00.001-07:00

Hello again,

We allhave to or need to or want to fly at some point. Either to get to an important business meeting or get to that once in a lifetime cruise. But if your wifes is like mine, she will want to pack every stitch of clothing she owns, and we are just going away for three days.

So how much can you take on a plane?

Every Airlines has a website that lists how much you can take. Most of the ons I have researched are the same:
2 pieces of luggage checked. Cannot weigh more that 50 lbs, or be 62" total (measure l+w+h).
and
1 piece of carry one luggage. Cannot weigh more that 40 lbs, or be 45" total (measure l+w+h).
Plus a personal items like a purse or laptop case.

Now this does not mean you cannot have that steamer trunk weighing 100 lbs. It just means that you going to get charged more for that bag. And this stinks if your not ready for it. Getting to the airport and having to pay $50 to $100 because your bags are to large or weigh to much.

Now carry on items are a different story. Please do not try and carry on over sized items. Usually the stewardess will have to check your bag if you do. So just follow the rules and you will save your self and everyone else a big headache.

I just purchased a few new bags. And it took my wife and I a month to find the right one. Why? because we wanted to get the max space without going over. So it was a lot of measuring at the Mall.

So the moral to this story, take a few minutes before you pack and see what you can and cannot bring. Your current suitcases might be too small or to large. This way you can avoid those nasty charges at the airports.

Sweet Traveling.

Spotlight on: Epcot's The LivingSeas with Nemo & Friends.

2008-03-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

In this edition of Spotlight on, I will discuss Nemo and his friends introduction to the Living Seas at Epcot.

Anything that gets kids to learn. If we need to introduce characters into Epcot to get kids coming back, then so be it. For years and years at Epcot, you would never see any of the other Disney Characters at Epcot. The Immagineers ment Epcot to be different. Thus, no characters.

Well times have changed and so have the minds and thoughts at the House of Mouse. Because now the characters are everywhere. And Nemo invading into the Living Seas, is in my opinion, a welcome change.

Finding Nemo is my second favorite Pixar movie behind Toy Story. Nemo is a great character, and so are his buddies. Everyone from Marlin, Dory, Mr. Ray, Bruce, and the Tank Gang can and will get kids interested in the life we rarely get to see under the waves.

The cue to this attraction is amazing. Take a few moments to experience what they are getting across here. As you enter the building you are transported to a windy, dune beach in Australia. You wind in and out getting closer to the waves. Before you know it your in the water and then under it. You pass the rusty remains of out world to experience life under the sea. Ever see a boat from underneath it?

I will not try and spoils the ride for you here. Just immerce yourself in it, take it all in. Ride it twice or even three times just to see everything. Then when you have had your fill, go say hi to Crush, he will say hi back.

So the next time your at Epcot, climb abaord a Clam Mobile and have a little fun under the Sea (sorry Sabastian). You will not be disapointed.

Epcot is a truly magical place for the whole family.

Airport Security

2008-03-13T19:51:00.000-07:00

Well after 9/11/01 our lives changed forever.

And this goes triple for Airport Security. Personally I think it is a good change, but it was a hard lesson learned.

I have been to a handful of Airports since the changes took place, and accept for a few nasty people and some long lines it really is not that bad. If you prepared.

As with all air travel, if you travel light, your going to have a much better time at it. So check what you do not need to carry.

First the line up to security. Take a few minutes and read the signs. They will tell you what you need to know. Yes some of it is real obvious like do not bring guns on board. But some of it you might not have known, like the fact that your going to have to remove your shoes and place them on the x-ray machine. So take a few minutes and plan out what your going to do. Maybe untie your shoes ahead of time, so that you can just slip them off. This way you can help your son or daughter with their shoes faster. Also check out the signs for laptops and computers. There are specific things you must do at security. And what ever you do do not joke with these people. I have not seen a nice security person yet. And joking with them can lead to more searches, and more time lost.

Put all of your stuff on the x-ray machine, yes, glasses, money clips, minus the cash. wallet, keys, everything, jut in case. Most airports will have little bins to put your stuff in. LAX does it right by providing plastic bags in line so that you can get everything ready before the x-ray machine. And read a few paragraphs above, and travel light. I saw a guy one time trying to juggle a baby, his car seat a bag and his wallet and keys through security. It was not pretty, especially when the car seat would not go through the machine. Leave it at home or check it.

If you get stopped and have to be rechecked, do not get mad, just do it. It is for everyones safety.

I would rather have extra work at security, taking off shoes and removing everything from my pockets, than having planes fly into buildings.

Travel Safe, and as always if you have any tips on getting through airport security quicker and with less hassle we all would like to hear about it.

2008-03-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

SPOTLIGHT ON: DHS Rock-N-Roller Coaster

2008-03-04T18:11:00.000-08:00

G-Force Records, thats is where your adventure starts.

Hi, in this post I will talk a little about the Rock-N-Roller Coaster Staring Aerosmith. There will be spoilers, so if you want to experience the ride for yourself first hand then stop reading....now.

O.K., So before you say, well this is just another Roller Coaster, well it is and it isn't. First off this Coaster goes from 0 to 65 MPH in four seconds. Yes FOUR seconds. How? Well it is all magnets baby. The coaster uses a type of propulsion based on magnets, pulling and pushing each other. This allow for the amazing acceleration and stopping. Trust me it is one kickin' ride.

It all starts out when your ushered into a recording studio that your favorite Aerosmith stars are working in. Their manager comes in and says that they are late for a concert at the LA Forum. As they are leaving Steven Tyler does not want to leave us, his loyal fans behind so he tells his manager to get us to the concert, and fast. So she orders up a stretch limo, a super stretch limo and tells us it is ready out back.

I love the Themeing of the loading portion of the ride. You really feel like your out back in some dirty alley next to a parking garage. With construction going on overhead and cars zooming all around.

Your lead to your limo and prepare to launch. With two speakers in each seat, the music is pumping you holding on waiting for the car to zoom away. And it goes.....

The rest of the ride your zooming upside down and through a bunch of LA sites. Like the Hollywood sign and past the Hollywood & Vine Street signs.

You end up back stage at the concert when it is in full swing.

This Roller Coaster with am attitude might now be the fastest or the longest. And it does not win any Largest this award, or fastest that award, but it still is real fun.

TIP: If you cannot get Fast Passes for this ride, then try the single riders line. You will not be sitting with your friends and family but the line goes much much faster.

This ride might now be for smaller kids because of the loops and being in the dark, so try out Big Thunder or Space Mountain on the little ones before trying this ride.

Rock On!!!!

This is Winter?!?

2008-02-26T18:09:00.000-08:00

Well down here in Ft Lauderdale, Florida it is hot. It does not look like we are going to get any cold weather this winter. And I am mad.

I know that some of you up in Buffalo or Vermont are reading this and spouting several four letter words my direction. Please let me explain.

We never get any kind of cold down here. No seasons at all. It goes from real hot to kinda hot to not so hot, right back to real hot. So for those of us who would like to go somewhere where it is a little cold at least what do we do?

I have some suggestions:
1) Alaskan Cruise. This is my favorite vacation, hands down. All of the major cruise lines that sail in the Alaskan waters are good. And if you go, your going to get at least a little cold if not real cold weather. No snow in the summer, but it will be chilly. This is one of those vacations that everyone needs to do at least once in their lives. Each port of call has something for everyone. And nothing is better than sitting on a deck chair, bundled up in blankets, sipping hot coco while you slowly cruise through Glacier Bay.

2) Ski. There are many domestic ski lodges. They fit every taste and budget. With slopes for beginners and experts alike. Just do your research before you go. Buying lift tickets and snow equipment at the lodge at the last minute can be costly.

3) Just Chill. Why not go to one of the afore mentioned Ski Lodges and not Ski? Many of these major hotels chains have plenty to do for the non-skier. Or if you wish, just do nothing at all.

There are many more options. The sky is the limit.

Just have fun and recharge those batteries.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Epcot's Test Track

2008-02-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

Being the huge Disney Fan that I am I wanted to turn the spotlight on a part of Walt Disney World. Give my readers a little insight into this magical place.

For the first one I will start with Epcot's Test Track.
The longest, fastest ride in Disney World, Test Track takes you, twists you, turns you on a ride through the GM proving grounds. Strap yourself in and be amazed as you and your car are shot around hair pin turns, test your ABS braking system, and accident avoidance. Then when you think it is all over, whoosh your outside doing 65 MPH around a banked loop.

Test Track is a complex ride. The cars you ride in each have their own on board computers, four wheel ABS, four wheel steering, and run flat tires. Test Track was delayed almost three years due to problems making all of these hi-tech components work together. But besides this, it is one great ride.

This isn't a thrill ride and your not going to be upside down or anything. So encourage everyone to ride. They will love it.

TIP: There is a single riders line. This means that they fill up the cars with single riders. So you and the people your with will be split up, but it can cut your wait time down significantly.

I am Off.

2008-02-15T18:30:00.001-08:00

Well it is that time again. I will pack up my car, take a sleeps eyed daughter and wife and make the 3 hour trek up to the house of mouse tomorrow for a nice weekend.

I will write all about it when I return.

Have a great weekend and cross your fingers for me. I am hoping the refurb to Space Ship Earth is done and I can ride it Sunday :)

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

2008-02-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

Sounds official right? Sounds like Tom Clancy has been up all night banging away at his computer writing another spy/war novel. Nah, it is just America's new or semi new initiative to keep us safe.

This is straight from the State Department.
"Implemented on January 23, 2007, ALL PERSONS traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States."

So remember if your going out of the country anywhere, to Canada or the Bahamas you may need a valid Passport. Check with your airline or cruise company. Or just go to the State Department's website.

And after January 31, 2008. LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
"U.S. and Canadian citizens will need to present either a WHTI-compliant document, or a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. DHS also proposes to begin alternative procedures for U.S. and Canadian children at that time."

Now these procedures will be updates and will get tougher. You will eventually need to have a passport or one of the new Passport Cards to go out of the country.

Remember that The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. Territory.

Bottom line is this, do not risk anything. Get a Passport and get one 6-8 months before you need to travel. Even if you do not need one, it is the best option. Also do not forget your kids they need passports also.

If you need a passport fast there are some agencies that will expidite your request. My daughter applied for her passport December 26, 2007. We received it in the mail the last week of January. And that was the normal slow way. So the State Department is getting these out quicker now.

Disney's POP! Century Hotel

2008-01-31T16:55:00.000-08:00

Disney's POP! Century Resort is the 4th in the line of Value Resorts.

The property is situated about a mile from the Gaylord Palms Resort.

I personally love this resort. It is my favorite of all of the Value Resorts. The theme is wonderful.

What Theme is that, well the first phase of the resort takes you down memory lane, using some of the more memorable icons of the 50's, 60's, 70's 80's and 90's. From a giant Big Wheel, to an oversized 8-track cassette, to a larger than life Fooseball table.

Do not let the name Value Resorts fool you. This is Disney we are talking about. Yes this resort does hot have all of the amenities that the Grand Floridian has. But you will still Disney magic around each and every corner.

The hotel is linked to all of the different attractions via the Disney Bus system. And let me say that it is second to none. Large cities should come see how fast an efficient Disney is at getting you to the parks and back home again. And it is always a plus if you get that special talkative bus driver who will impart Disney trivia, or talk about what is new and upcoming.

You can cool off in the Computer Pool, the '60s-themed Hippy Dippy Pool, the Bowling Pool, kiddie pool and Pop jet water fountain. If your hungry do not forget about the fad-filled Food Court where four different counter-service shops offer a wide variety of favorites, including sandwiches, salads, pizza, pasta, burgers and a bevy of baked goods. Eat your meal among popular retro icons from the 50s through the 90s that will have you reminiscing with relish. Or, for fun-on-the-run, the Grab-N-Go Market serves fresh food to take out.

All in all this one of a kind resort is a blast to stay at.

TIP: Want to save a little money, well this resort is minutes from Hwy. 192. a mecca of restaurants, shops and attractions. Also if you have a car and want to skip the bus, you can stop at the McDonalds near the All Star hotels, for a quick and tasty breakfast, lunch or midnight snack.

Please email me and lets get started planning your families Magical Vacation. bonbontravel@bellsouth.net

Choosing the Right Cruise

2008-01-26T05:32:00.000-08:00

These days one of the best vacations is Cruising. You get to see multiple destinations, have gourmet meals, and plenty of them, also there is the shows ans activities. But some people when they think of Cruising think of sitting on a ship with nothing to do but eat and sun bathe. This cannot be further from the truth. In fact most cruises today have so much to do on board, that some people skip getting off at certain ports just to take part of the on board activities.

According to CLIA (Cruise Line Industry Association) the number one reason for booking a cruise is Visit Several Areas / Destinations. So lets explore this a little.

Where do you want to go? There are cruises going to almost every port in the world nowadays. You have the popular destinations like the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe. And there is also exotic destinations, Sydney, Australia, Hong Kong and Bora Bora. Yes it is true that you can go almost anywhere on a cruise today. So how do you choose? There is this great website that outlines and has information on many ports of call it is called www.GreatPorts.com. There you can read about the different offerings at some of your favorite destinations. Next, visit some of the larger cruise line websites. They always have sections on their Ports of Call, with photos, information and even sometimes videos. Finally, ask your traveling companions. Your wife your 7 year old daughter, they all might have some insight as to where to go.

Any Destination your choose, you will have a great time. Whether your Cruising Glacier National Park, Snorkeling in the clear blue Waters of Cancun, or Island hopping in Hawaii.

For more information, or to just talk more about all of there different destinations, email me.

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

2008-01-21T17:57:00.000-08:00

There are so many Resort possibilities at Walt Disney world. In this regular feature here on "Travel Talk" I will try and feature a different one each time. So lets get started.

And what better place to start than with the best. The pinnacle resort in all WDW. The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

The famous Disney monorail hums by as you enter the Grand Lobby. And from that point on you know your going to have an amazing time.

White sand beaches on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon, where on most nights you can sit and watch the Electrical Water Pageant. Think the Electric Light Parade, but on water. Or grab a chair and watch Wishes, the Magic Kingdom's nighttime Fireworks Spectacular from the resort, complete with the music from the show. But there is so much more to this wonderful resort.

With fabulous restaurants like 1900 Park Fare, Nacoossee's and of Course Victoria and Alberts.

The kids (if you can peal them, away from the parks long enough) will love the eco-friendly Lady Bug release every Thursday, or the Pirate Cruise. Also try the Grand Adventures Cooking Program, hosted by your favorite Alice in Wonderland characters.

Feeling the Florida heat, well relax and Splash in, and under waterfalls in the zero-depth entry feature Beach Pool. Or take a quiet swim in the courtyard pool, relax in the spa, and watch the little ones play in the kiddie pool.

The Magic Kingdom is only a short Monorail ride away. Switch Monorail's at the Transportation and Ticket Center and breeze on to Epcot. And also take advantage of the Bus service to all other parks and attractions, like Animal Kingdom or Blizzard Beach.

Please leave your thoughts on the Grand Floridian. You likes your dislikes. Tell us all what you think.

Sweet Travels

Las Vegas

2008-01-11T19:22:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas and the people who call it home really know what their doing, in my opinion. This about it, how many times has Las Vegas reinvented itself. Where else in this world do people come from miles around to see a building implode? And said building implodes to dancing lights and music.

Volcanoes (or fakes ones that look real). A pirate battle ,complete with cannon wielding ship that happens every hour on the hour, 20 yards from the sidewalk.

Not one, not two, but three different, equally exciting Cirque de Sol shows. A huge castle that is across the street from an Emerald Tower, thats down the street from a Sphinx guarded Pyramid. And lets not forget, Paris, New York, Venice.

Yes there is gambling, yes there is plenty of food, but there is also the Borg.

And yes, you can do anything, yes anything 24-hours a day.

So do yourself a favor, if your have never been, or have not been in a while, hop on a flight to McCarran International Airport. And live it up a little, trust me you will come away with memories that will last a lifetime.

What happens in Vegas does not have to stay in Vegas.

New Year, New Name

2008-01-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone's New Year was memorable.

Even if it was sitting at home watching Dick Clark usher in the new year.

Well January 8, 2008 marks the end one an era and the beginning of something new.

Disney's MGM Studios, fades into Theme Park History as Disney's Hollywood Studios is born.

Do I like the new name? Well it will take some getting used to. It will always be MGM to me, but I do see where Disney is going with this name change.

Seriously, they have produced some real hits on the big screen lately and i your going to have a Movie Studio theme park, it might as well use your own brand. I just hope that this name change does not spell doom for great rides like the Great Movie Ride.

Progress right.

Well Happy New Year Everyone, and Welcome Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Airlines and those Pesky Rewards

2007-12-29T19:26:00.000-08:00

Picture this, my wife and I have just booked a Norwegian Cruise Line Alaskan Cruise. And now to book the flights using our accumulated airline miles.

Ok, there was no tragedy, there is no "Sorry you cannot use those miles on those dates" story. In fact we opened these new credit cards and were able to secure two coach tickets from Ft Lauderdale, to Seattle and Vancouver back to Ft Lauderdale, free, or close to free (see below).
I called up the airline and used the miles. It was as simple as that. Yes I had to pay $30 per ticket processing fee and we had to stay a day after the cruise ended (only because we did not want 2 layovers totaling over 6 hours).

So whats my point? Use these credit cards that give you airline miles. They work. Just do your homework. Look at all of the restrictions, ask the fine people on the phone when your signing up questions like.
• How many miles do I get as a sign-up bonus?
• How many miles is it to take a domestic flight?
• How many miles do I get per dollar spent?
• What is the annual fee?

About.com had a pretty good article about airline miles, click here to see it.

Think about it, you live in New York City and are going to Orlando on vacation 6 months from now. You and you wife get one of these airline miles credit cards. And even if you do not initially have enough points for your tickets, you then put everything you buy on them. I do not know about your neck of the woods, but down here in Sunny Ft Lauderdale, I can use a credit card for almost everything. Groceries, Gas, Xbox 360 games, My internet service, my phone service, everything. Your not buying anything you do not already, your just paying for it in a different way. And then in a couple of months you should have enough points for your tickets.

So lets say you do not have enough points. You can usually buy additional points. And trust me this is always cheaper than buying a full ticket anyway.

So check out those Airline Credit Cards, and start racking up those miles. Heck, you never know, buy enough stuff and you could be sitting in First class on that next trip.

Sweet Travels.

Want to have Sweet Deals on all sorts of Travel sent directly to your mailbox? Click the banner below and enter your information on the "Deals and Steals" portion of my website (lower right).

Happy Holidays — Be Carefull Out There

2007-12-23T17:19:00.000-08:00

Most of us during the Holiday season have about 1,000 things on our mind. And because of this certain things happen. We might leave out luggage on the curb of the airport and drive away without it, or we leave out passports at home and have to drive all the way back once we are safely in the airport terminal.

So please do me a favor, slow down. Not just in your car, but in general.

• Get to the airport 2 hours ahead of time. So you have to do a little waiting. Waiting can also be called relaxing.

• Find out all of the crazy new airport security that is going on and follow each and every one. Trust me the TSA are not a bunch of happy people. So the easier you make it the less stress you have when you have to trow out that $100 bottle of perfume because you left it in your purse. Check this out before you go to the airport. Click Here.

• Know where you are going. With the advent of GPS navigation systems, and Mapquest, getting lost should be a thing of the past. So if you are one of us Directionally Challenged people, then make sure you know where your going.

Take it easy out there and remember to have some fun, eat to much and be merry. But also to be safe.

How Big is Too Big?

2007-12-17T17:24:00.000-08:00

5,400 passengers
1,180 feet long
154 feet wide
240 feet high

This is the latest Royal Caribbean Genesis Class Ship, set to sail from Port Everglades here in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2009.

Lets do some comparisons.

A typical Nimitz Class Carrier is
1,092 feet long
134 feet wide
And carries 6,000 service men

So that would mean that this new Genesis Class Cruise ship is Wider (by 21 feet) and longer (by 90 feet) than a U.S. Aircraft Carrier.

WOW!

If this new ship follows in the footsteps of its smaller sisters, like the Navigator of the Seas. Then it should have everything. Ice Skating, Rock Climbing, Mini golf a Johnny Rockets and a Mall.

She will have to tender at most ports, simply because they are not deep enough to berth her. And I hope that RCI, takes this into consideration and improves the tender system a bit. I am talking more tenders, faster loading.

But this is not her only problem. I took a cruise with some friends a few years ago on the Navigator of the Seas. 135,000 tons displaced and 3,200 passengers. We disembarked from the Port of Miami and it took us 2-1/2 hours to get on board. Man that was tough. So why do you ask did it take so long, only two US Customs xray machines, only 10 check-in counters open and countless other problems.

But go a few hours North and hop on a Disney Cruise. Why your on the ship in less than 10 minutes. No joke. And no waiting for some crazy color to be called to get off the ship. Just have a bite to eat and walk right off. Yes there are only 1,200 people on board, but still triple Disney's time and your still at 30-40 minutes. Not 2-1/2 hours. Why you ask. Well first off there are 4 x-ray machines manned by a full staff of Security Guards. Next, there are 6-8 cast members helping people with there paperwork. Yes, someone coms up to you and will show you in detail what you need to fill out, and what you need to sign, Then he will hand you your passports, all the paperwork you need and point you to a line. The shortest cruise ship check in line ever.

Sweet Rates for Sweet Escapes

Bon Bon Travel
ww.bonbontravel.com

2007-12-13T17:33:00.000-08:00

Space Ship Earth holds special place in my heart. Always there, looming our the horizon, shining brightly in the daylight, and glowing under the moonlight (and laser light) night.

So how do I react to all of this negative press coming from the folks that post in the forums over at WDWMagic.com? Well sadness, and a "I am not going to believe it is true," attitude.

It cannot be a bad renovation, it simply cannot. WDI brought in the some of the original Imagineers to help with the renovations. Siemens (or someone real smart) got the Suits to take down the cursed wand. So how can they mess with my beloved Space Ship Earth.

Well I am going to have to see the finished product for myself come February. It is not done, and maybe WDI is just teasing us. A theme Park Focus group. Maybe they will read the hundreds of posts about the ride and fix what is not up to the high standards we who still call it Epcot Center hold.

But if this is it, and all we get is a lack luster renovation, I have to tell you that I probably will still like it. Spiraling up in those blue or teal cars, passing the smell of Rome Burning, the sleeping Monks, MichaelAngelo painting his masterpiece, and that small Animatronic Boy shouting "Extra" still given me goose bumps each and every time I ride it.

It is usually the first and the last thing I do at yet another wonderful day at Epcot Center.

To all that read this, please take the time to get over to Kissimmee, to the Reedy Creek Improvement District a little place called Disney World. With all of the new ideas and innoventions coming in the next year you will not be let down.

Need a great rate on a vacation, visit www.BonBonTravel.com

Well here we go.

2007-12-11T18:09:00.000-08:00

I am new to this blogging thing so please bear with me.

I love to Travel. I love to talk about travel, to think about traveling. This blog will be all about that, Travel.

I am also a huge Disney fan. I drag my family up to Orlando four times a year. So this blog will also be a place I can come to talk about the House of Mouse.

Welcome and thank you for reading me blog. If you have anything you wish to talk about, please drop me an email. I hope this will be informative for everyone.