Traveling With Debe

California attractions close in the wake of wildfires

In hard-hit San Diego County, where an estimated 200,000 acres have burned, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, Legoland and SeaWorld were all closed. The Wild Animal Park sustained fire and wind damage, and some animals were evacuated, including the California condors. The park said it would remain closed today, Oct. 24, but planned to reopen Oct. 25 if conditions allow. SeaWorld also said it would remain closed today, Oct. 24, but sustained no fire damage and is monitoring the animals' health. Legoland said it planned to reopen on Oct. 25 pending further developments. San Diego International Airport remained open but passengers were urged to contact their airlines. For airport updates, visit www.san.org. Port of San Diego administrative offices were closed and "cruise operations at the port will be conducted as conditions allow." The San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau said the fires were primarily in the county's outlying north and east areas. Weather patterns are "expected to improve in the coming days, enhancing the ability of firefighters to contain the wildfires," the site said. The CVB's website lists whether attractions are open or closed. "Various San Diego area tourist attractions, including the downtown core and waterfront, are fully operational," the website said. "The San Diego Convention Center, airport and hotels located in central San Diego are not threatened by the fires and are open for business." For more information, visit www.sandiego.org.

Excerpted from Modern Agent.

Disney designs new video to welcome inbound visitors

Appearing in today's Travel Weekly-

WASHINGTON -- Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will premiere a new video it commissioned specifically to welcome international visitors arriving at U.S. airports.

Disney executives are expected to present the seven-minute video, entitled "Welcome: Portraits of America," to U.S. government representatives from the State and Homeland Security departments at an event here Oct. 22.

The government in turn intends to show the video at federal inspection areas at U.S. airports. Washington Dulles and Houston's Bush Airport will be among the first airports to feature the video.

A Disney representative told Travel Weekly that "Welcome: Portraits of America" represents the work of a Disney videographer who spent "two months crisscrossing the U.S."

During his journey, the videographer "captured both still and video of real American people in real American settings."

While Disney produced the video, it does not include any images of Disney parks or characters or any other commercial entities.

"This project showcases America's greatest asset: the ordinary people who make this nation extraordinary," said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, in a statement.

To view the video, visit www.discoveramerica.com.

Onboard airline check-in with Disney Cruise Line

From Travel weekly-

DISNEY CRUISE LINE will begin offering passengers "onboard airline check-in" this season, a service that enables its qualified guests to check-in for post-cruise flights from Orlando while onboard the Disney Magic or Disney Wonder. Besides checking in from the ship, guests' luggage will be transported directly from the ship to their flight on the seven participating airlines: AirTran, Alaska, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest and United. To participate, passengers will have to complete preregistration information from Orlando Airport or a Disney Cruise Line Hospitality Desk at the Disney World Resort and turn it in during cruise check-in at Port Canaveral.

This is the same service that Disney on-site resorts currently offer. 

Still need a passport? Get it now!

Appearing in today's Travel Weekly-

State Dept. advises travelers to apply for passports now (10/11/2007)
By Michael Milligan

WASHINGTON -- Travelers planning international trips should apply for passport during the fall, according the State Dept., rather than waiting.

According to an announcement released Thursday, the State Dept. said it historically receives "fewer passport applications during the fall, making it the best time to apply."

The department also cautioned against waiting until January to apply as the month marks the beginning of "our busy season" and increased demand may result in "longer processing times.

Currently, the processing time for routine passport applications is down to four to six weeks, the State Dept. said.

By comparison, the processing time ranged between 10 to 12 weeks during the height of the summer as the State Dept. struggled to keep up with what it called an "unprecedented" surge in demand for passports brought on by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, a law that since January requires all airline passengers entering the U.S. to possess valid passports.

The department has since ramped up its operations, including hiring more than 400 additional staff to handle passport applications

"If you are planning or even considering international trips, don't wait, apply for a passport now," the State Dept. said.

Potential good news on the passport front...

Posted today on CNN:

WASHINGTON (AP)  -- The State Department said Friday it has worked through a massive backlog in passport applications and that processing times are back to normal after months of major delays that disrupted summer travel plans for thousands of Americans.

The department said steps taken to deal with the crisis -- the hiring of hundreds of new adjudicators, temporary transfers of employees to passport centers and the opening of a new facility to handle the deluge -- had brought the waiting period for a standard application back to six to eight weeks and three weeks for expedited service.

"We're very pleased that we've been able to get back to the customer service standard that has long been our desire, and pleased that we've been able to do so in accordance with the commitments that we made to the American people and Congress," deputy spokesman Tom Casey said.

"So, good news, and we hope that this will ensure that Americans will be able to receive their passports, now and in the future, in a timely and secure fashion," he told reporters.

At one point during the summer, the processing time had stretched to more than three months for a standard application, infuriating many would-be overseas travelers and sparking a rash of harsh criticism from lawmakers.

The surge was largely the result of new post-September 11, 2001 immigration rules that took effect in January requiring U.S. citizens to have passports for air travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Those rules were suspended temporarily until the end of September due to the inability of the State Department to handle the crush of applications.

Casey said the State Department has issued more than 16 million passports since the beginning of budget year 2007 last October and is now poised to get up to 17 million by September 30. The department issued just over 12 million passports the previous year.

By the end of September, Casey said the department will be able to process 500,000 applications per week due to the increase in personnel and capacity at passport production centers.

If you don't already have one, get one.  Now.

Enhanced drivers license for border crossings

Posted on Travel Weekly by Michal Milligan:

WASHINGTON -- Arizona, in cooperation with the Dept. of Homeland Security, announced a plan to develop an enhanced state driver's license that potentially could serve as a form of identification compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

If the state's legislature approves the plan, Arizona would join Washington and Vermont, which are also working with the DHS to develop similar state driver's licenses.

"My hope is that this project will lead to an effective, permanent program that can be implemented nationwide," said Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano in a statement.

As planned, the state of Arizona would develop an enhanced driver's license that would provide residents, who voluntarily apply and qualify, with a document acceptable for crossings at U.S. land borders and seaports.

The enhanced driver's license -- which would require proof of identity, citizenship and residence -- would be slightly more expensive than a standard Arizona state driver's license.

Under the WHTI, a law enacted last January, 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, for admissibility into the U.S. starting next year.

Still a good idea to get a passport and keep it current. 

Passport rules back into effect on October 1st

Posted yesterday in Travel Weekly by Michael Milligan:

WASHINGTON -- Airline passengers will once again need valid passports in order to travel between the U.S. and Bermuda, the Caribbean, Canada and Mexico starting Oct. 1, according to the Dept. of Homeland Security.

On Sept. 30, a temporary rule is set to expire that permitted travelers who had applied for but did not yet receive U.S. passports to proceed with trips to countries within the Western Hemisphere, so long as they had a government-issued photo ID and proof that their passport applications were pending.

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Imitative, a law enacted last January, all airline passengers are required to present a valid passport in order to enter and depart from the U.S.

However, the law, which will be extended next year to land borders and seaports, spurred millions of travelers to apply for passports.

The "unprecedented" influx of passport applications inundated the State Dept., which was unable to process passports fast enough to keep up with demand.

With tens of thousands of passport applications still unprocessed, the DHS in June issued the temporary rule to allow air passengers to proceed with their summer travel plans.

We've been advising clients for the past year to get their passports in order.  They must be valid for at least 6 months past your return travel date.  A new passport processing center was opened in Arkansas but the waits are still long.  First time passports for US citizens age 16 and older are $97; children age 0-15 are $82.  Yes-infants need there own passport to travel on a plane outside of the 50 United States.  Passports for citizens 16 and older are valid for 10 years; for citizens 0-15 years, 5 years. 

For more information, Click Here.

Detroit Airport

I flew through DTW (Detroit) airport on Thursday night and here's a few tips-

If you have to go from the long A concourse to the B/C concourse via the Magical Mystery tunnel and you have time - walk slowly and enjoy the show.  It reminds me of a cross between Disney's Journey Into Imagination and the Beatle's song Magical Mystery Tour.  Somebody had a good time putting that together.  I think it's a real testimony to the American need for constant entertainment.

Although I love a good Fuddrucker's burger, do NOT go there if you are pressed for time.  It was a 15-30 minute for anything (but it was good....)

I read in a travel mag that you might be able to grab a free WiFi signal hanging around outside the World Clubs...didn't work...didn't feel like ponying up $7.95 for the 15 minutes I needed to confirm a booking.  Where's a Caribou when you need one?? 

Hello out there, fellow travelers!

To all those that actually take the time to read my blog - THANK YOU! - and sorry I fell off the Earth for a few months.  I'd like to say I've been traveling a lot to exotic locales but I'm afraid that's just not the case.  All my frequent flier miles have been accrued lately on the short route from MSP to SWF...Where the heck is SWF you ask?  It's Stewart/Newburgh Airport in Upstate NY, which is about 40 minutes from my parents house.  Ever since my mother's sudden health decline a year ago, I've been logging miles on US or NW, whoever has a good fare. 

Now that the initial shock has worn off, I'm back in the blog saddle, so to speak.  Since I'm knee deep in the travel business (I'm a full-time travel consultant), I'm going to use this blog to not only write about the interesting and frustrating bits of travel but also suggestions and tips for various destinations. 

So you love to travel, stay tuned!  There's going to be lots of cool tips, funny stories and tiny bits of info you never knew you needed coming your way...

Thanks,
debe

Harry Potter comes to Florida

From Travel Weekly-

Harry Potter's world will come to life at Universal Orlando

The village of Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest and Hogwarts castle will come to life as part of a new themed environment planned for the Universal Orlando Resort that will be based on the movies inspired by author J.K. Rowling's bestselling "Harry Potter" books.

Slated to debut in late 2009, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will feature rides and interactive attractions; retail shops and restaurants; as well as a "state-of-the-art attraction" that will bring "the characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in an exciting way that guests have never before experienced," according to Universal Orlando. The resort is working with Warner Brothers Entertainment, producer of the popular "Harry Potter" feature films, to develop the environment.

"Over the years we've received thousands of letters from fans around the world wishing they could visit Hogwarts and the wonderful locations described in each of J.K. Rowling's beloved stories," said Barry Meyer, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Entertainment, in a statement. "Working with Universal Orlando Resort, we are confident that we'll be able to provide Harry Potter fans with an incredible experience that upholds the richness of J.K. Rowling's books and delivers on the authentic detail portrayed in our films."

Stuart Craig, the Academy Award-winning production designer who has worked on all of the Harry Potter films, is leading the design team for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

"We are going to devote more time, more money, more expertise and more executive talent from throughout our entire organization and creative team -- as well as from Warner Bros., our partners -- to ensure that this entire environment is second-to-none," added Tom Williams, chairman and CEO, Universal Parks and Resorts.