After moving to Florida from New York City, I live only five minutes away from Magic Kingdom — I can hear the fireworks out my window and could walk to the employee parking lot if I still worked there.
09.10.2023 - 15:29 / nationalgeographic.com
Disney movies can act as the perfect inspiration for family travel, highlighting lesser-known destinations as a possible location for the next trip — Colombia in the Oscar-winning Encanto, for example, and the South Pacific in Moana. With the studio marking its 100th anniversary this October, there are new ways to get inspired. Start with Disney100: The Exhibition, running at ExCeL London from 13 October 2023 and celebrating the centenary through 10 interactive galleries of memorabilia. It gives the whole family a chance to revisit their favourite Disney flicks — and, through them, some of the real-life destinations that inspired their beloved storylines.
The four Toy Story movies, in which a cohort of dolls and playthings secretly come to life, are set in the ‘Tri-County’ area — a fictional location in San Francisco Bay (West Cutting Boulevard, one-time location of Pixar’s HQ, is referenced in two of the films). With its colourful Chinatown, vintage tramways, eerie prison island of Alcatraz and California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco is one of the very best family city-break destinations in the US. It’s also a great jumping-off point for adventures in Yosemite National Park, where you can hike, cycle, horse-ride, river-raft and camp in a landscape of giant redwoods.
Attractions: With the series having reached near-cult status among Disney fans, there are Toy Story Land areas in several Disney parks around the globe, from Paris and Florida to Hong Kong and Shanghai. They vary by size and by rides; Paris, with the RC Racer roller coaster, the caterpillar-like Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin and Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop, is a highlight. The Toy Story Hotel at Tokyo Disney Resort was also inspired by the franchise.
The tale of clownfish Marlin and his son Nemo takes place on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, one of the best places in the world to see and learn about marine life: there are around 600 types of coral, six of the world's seven marine turtle species and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins, not to mention thousands of fishes. Many families choose to base themselves in mainland Cairns or Hamilton Island, one of the Whitsundays — both gateways to the world’s largest coral system, be it with boat rides or guided snorkelling tours. Older kids can get involved in citizen science projects, too, such as safeguarding turtle nests or monitoring mangroves.
Attractions: The big screen’s favourite clownfish has a number of attractions to his name. You can hop aboard The Seas with Nemo & Friends dark ride at Florida’s EPCOT theme park; the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at California’s Disneyland Park; and Crush’s Coaster at the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris.
The fictional kingdom of Arendelle,
After moving to Florida from New York City, I live only five minutes away from Magic Kingdom — I can hear the fireworks out my window and could walk to the employee parking lot if I still worked there.
Internova Travel Group, a network of travel agencies owned by private equity firm Certares, plans to expand its investments in the luxury space. That will help give its more than 100,000 travel advisors more boutique hotel offerings and packages to offer customers.
Astrotourism, a form of nature-based tourism specifically concerned with the viewing of celestial objects, space and the physical universe, presents a wonderful alternative to traditional vacations. Its popularity among star-seeking travelers has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last decade, and it has become a burgeoning trend among travelers seeking the beauty of the night sky. A stargazing etiquette guide for first timers is available from the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative.
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Think ‘historic American cities’, and the likes of New Orleans and Boston may come to mind more readily than Los Angeles. But at the core of this sprawling metropolis lies a quiet square lined with Spanish colonial buildings. Exploring this area is the first step to discovering the often-overlooked Hispanic heritage of the city, dating back more than 200 years and refreshed with changing art, music and food trends.
Exploring galleries and museums enriches travel plans, captivating and leaving a lasting impression on those who engage with their immersive displays. This holds particularly true when journeying through Japan, where the architectural marvels themselves reflect the deep creativity of the nation's artistic souls. A tour centered around art in Japan can guide you through stunning natural landscapes, rich traditions, and the exhilarating realm of avant-garde artistic expressions.
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While The Walt Disney Company is celebrating its Centennial all year long, Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort commemorated the actual date of its 100-year anniversary (October 16) with the opening of an enchanting new experience: “Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana” at EPCOT.
When it comes to travel in the United States, most people tend to open their wallets in the exact same places.
Big things are happening over at Maui Gold Pineapple and holding strong at the helm is general manager, Rudy Balala. In the pineapple industry for 45 years, Balala says the industry has changed remarkably since he began his career in 1979 as a seasonal field worker for Maui Land and Pineapple (MLP) at age 14. “The canning of pineapple was once a large part of Maui’s economy, employing several thousand residents and at one point, there were about 10,000 acres of pineapple growing on different parts of the island,” Balala says.