Nov 21st, 2009 at 9:00AM: If you visited the United States from overseas, you probably hit the ground in one of 15 ports of entry. These top first stops accounted for 84 percent of all entries from overseas in the first eight months of 2009-- up almost 2 percentage points from the same period in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Traffic through the major ports is becoming slightly more concentrated. This ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
orlando posts
How did international visitors enter the U.S. this year?
Nov 21st, 2009 at 9:00AM: If you visited the United States from overseas, you probably hit the ground in one of 15 ports of entry. These top first stops accounted for 84 percent of all entries from overseas in the first eight months of 2009-- up almost 2 percentage points from the same period in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Traffic through the major ports is becoming slightly more concentrated. This ...Orlando kid contest wants to know what makes you smile
Nov 5th, 2009 at 4:00PM: All it takes is a short video and a good reason ... and you could win a trip to Orlando. A new contest sponsored by the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Florida Film Festival and an organization called KIDS FIRST! Will send a family of four to Orlando for three nights, with accommodations, airfare and rental car access included. Theme park tickets will also be available, ...In a poor economy, SeaWorld raises ticket prices to just under $80
Nov 3rd, 2009 at 2:00PM: SeaWorld Orlando doesn't seem to think the economy has suffered enough, because it just raised its prices by $4 to an insane $78.95, per person.
With just six rides and ten shows, SeaWorld assumes people won't have a problem paying this, even though their new prices are just 5 cents lower than neighboring Disney or Universal, who have much more to offer.
Now, I won't argue with anyone who ...Five haunted attractions for Halloween: options around the world
Oct 7th, 2009 at 3:00PM: tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/07/five-haunted-attractions-for-halloween-options-around-the-world/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
Halloween is the one day a year we seek fear rather than try to avoid it. We invite the prospect of ghosts, witches and vampires, and even if we concede that they aren't real, it's fine to suspend disbelief for a day. To heighten the sensation, ...Disney offers free park admission to volunteers
Sep 30th, 2009 at 9:30AM:
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/30/disney-offers-free-park-admission-to-volunteers/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
Volunteer one day of your time next year, and you could receive a free day of admission at a Walt Disney theme park in return. The Disney company has announced that one million people who volunteer with the HandsOn Network can get into any Disneyland Park in ...67 Days of Smiles Assignment Begins
Aug 27th, 2009 at 8:00AM: Orlando's "67 Days of Smiles Assignment" has begun. Kyle Post, a Broadway performer, and Stacey Doombos, a childcare worker in Harlem, have hit the ground and are getting ready to experience everything. The duo won the gig after competing against hundreds of applications from more than a dozen countries. Now, they will take on more than 100 attractions in a little over two months.
Their first ...Minnie Mouse molester convicted
Aug 12th, 2009 at 12:00PM: John William Moyer, a 60-year-old visitor to Walt Disney World probably won't be welcome at the theme park any longer. The Cressona, Pennsylvania resident was convicted of feeling up Minnie Mouse (yes, there are people inside those suits). Moyer claimed he was innocent, and his son vouched for him, saying that his father would never touch a woman inappropriately.
Meanwhile, the victim reveals, ...NYC duo gets tapped for Orlando smile assignment
Aug 6th, 2009 at 12:00PM: Orlando has spoken! A pair of New Yorkers rose above hundreds of applicants to become Orlando's Smile Ambassadors. For 67 days, they will experience more than 100 attractions offered ... which includes a hell of a lot more than just a dance with the Mouse. Alligators will be involved, for example. Along the way, they'll blog and their experiences, giving the rest of the world an "in the trenches" ...Fun to get more expensive at Disney World
Aug 4th, 2009 at 5:00PM: Prices are about to go up at Disney World, but the company is keeping the increases reasonable. Theme park multi-day admission prices will increase by 2.5 percent to 5.3 percent, depending on the nature of the passes. In 2006, when the economy was strong, the park hiked prices 16 percent.
The money has to come from somewhere. Hotel bookings are down 7 percent for Disney's domestic parks this ...Top U.S. ports of entry
Aug 2nd, 2009 at 12:00PM: Eighty-six percent of international arrivals to the United States come through only 15 ports of entry, according to data from the Department of Transportation. This represents an increase of one percentage point over last year (measuring the first five months of 2008 to the first five months of 2009.
The top three ports of entry are hardly surprising: New York (specifically JFK), Miami and Los ...TSA claims Disney souvenirs equal weapons - takes toys from an 8 year old
Jul 29th, 2009 at 4:30PM: OK, this does it - the TSA has finally proven that they are incapable of any rational thought. When 8 year old Jeremiah Ramirez took a trip to Disney World, he did so in order to take his mind off the loss of his father, who died of cancer. What was supposed to be a normal flight back home with some of the toys he purchased at the park, turned into a show of power by the security staff at Ft. ...TSA fails again - assists illegal immigrants into the airport
Disney World monorail driver killed in crash
Jul 5th, 2009 at 11:30AM: One monorail crashed into the back of another at Walt Disney World early this morning, killing one driver and shaking up a family of six. According to the park's statement, "Today we mourn the loss of our fellow cast member. Our hearts go out to his family and to those who have lost a friend and co-worker."
The monorail, according to a report by CNN, was shut down, as the park works with law ...Five things to do in Orlando (except ... that)
Jun 15th, 2009 at 9:00AM: This is the only time you'll see the expression "theme park" in this post. Orlando has a lot to offer outside that. So, if you're headed down there for a convention or a family trip, keep these other attractions in mind, and explore the depth this city has to offer. Plan ahead, and you can avoid the "Mouse" trap!
Make a glass, buy some art: Go to Keila Glassworks, and look for the guy with ...Zip through Orlando at Grand Lakes
Jun 4th, 2009 at 4:00PM: Climb, zip and traverse: Grand Lakes Orlando's newest attraction can be summarized succinctly, but what really happens is far more interesting. Based at the headwaters of the Florida Everglades, this destination has created a unique experience that leaves guests hanging - and flying and swinging. Put on a harness, and you can experience 25 climbing and traversing structures that are suspended 15 ...Universal Studios Orlando unveils Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Jun 4th, 2009 at 12:00PM: Universal Studios in Orlando just released plans and animations of their new ride, the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, a state of the art roller coaster ride with all sorts of new features. The experience starts before you even get in the ride vehicle. People movers have been integrated into the launchpad to streamline vehicle loading and unloading, meaning more launches and faster lines. Once you get ...Orlando wants a smile from you
May 30th, 2009 at 2:00PM: The Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau is looking for an adventurous smiling couple. The winners will not have an easy task. Over 67 days, they will have to experience every attraction in Orlando – more than 100 in all. This includes everything from theme parks to alligators. Every day, the couple will use social media outlets and traditional interviews to communicate their experiences ...Delta plane diverts after food poisoning scare
May 29th, 2009 at 1:30PM: A Delta flight on its way to Atlanta had to make an unscheduled stop at Orlando International Airport to offload three passengers suffering from food poisoning. The plane had departed Ecuador, but the condition of the three passengers was serious enough to warrant an early stop to get some medical attention. Two of the passengers were transported to a local hospital, the third refused any help. ...Disney stops looking for breasts after a decade of trying
May 6th, 2009 at 12:00PM: Why do I always miss the good stuff?
Disney has announced that it's no longer going to scan riders on Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror, Space Mountain and California Screamin ... for unfettered chests. Apparently, women are known on these rides from time to time to flash for the camera. Though I've looked for it on each ride, I've never witnessed these public displays of exuberance.
I'm not ...Florida's Winter Park: Orlando for adults
Apr 27th, 2009 at 8:00AM: Winter Park is often described as Orlando's answer to the Hamptons on Long Island. There are large houses, upscale shops, wine bars and experiences that you generally wouldn't associate with Orlando. Only about 15 minutes from downtown Orlando, it's a great day trip for families that are worn out by the breakneck pace of the theme parks.
The main attraction is Park Avenue, the heart of the local ...
