Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Tips: Everything You Need to Know Before Your First Disney Vacation

It’s a running joke in the South that how you greet someone can reveal volumes about where you are from. For instance, in Atlanta, they ask, “What do you do for a living?” In Charlotte, they ask, “Where are you from?” In Charleston, it’s “What’s your mother’s maiden name?” and in Savannah, it’s “What are you drinking?”

The traffic may be anarchic and there’s no citywide subway system, but Bogotá is still a relatively easy place to navigate.

Spirit Airlines wants to help travelers make sure they squeeze in a summer trip a sale that has one-way fares starting at just $40. 

If you’re a pet parent, you’ve probably considered flying with a dog. While it might seem like the best option to keep your furry friend with you on all of your travels—not to mention more appealing than organizing dog-sitting or a stay at a boarding facility—it’s far from a straightforward decision.

I have hazy memories of visiting Disney World as a kid. There’s an old picture of me grinning from ear to ear in front of the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, so I think it’s safe to say I probably enjoyed the experience. But going to Disney as an adult in charge of planning the trip—where to stay, how to navigate the park, how not to waste two hours waiting in line—is an entirely different experience. It feels like going for the first time all over again.

The winner of the Super Bowl usually says they’re going to Disney World. But even the Magic Kingdom would have a hard time competing with the pomp and circumstance in the Bay Area during the week leading up to this year’s big game.

Editor’s Note: For travel insurance information specific to the current COVID-19 epidemic, see our stories on Travel In the Time of COVID: What You Need to Know; Travel Insurance Coverage: 18 Things Your Policy Won’t Cover; and Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance, Explained.

Don’t look now, but you’ve been bushwhacked by Mickey and Goofy.

Disney’s newest theme park innovation, Toy Story Land, opens to the public this weekend at Hollywood Studios in Orlando. I was there for a media preview and behind-the-scenes look at the new themed area ahead of its official opening on Saturday, June 30. Here are my initial impressions of Toy Story Land and the ongoing expansion and renovation of Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.

I’ll never forget my first glimpse of Hogwarts: the soaring spires, the winged-pig statues, the snow-covered rooftops of the surrounding Hogsmeade village. As a devout fan of the source material, those magical images will be etched into my memory forever. Of course, I’ll also never forget the sheer volume of wand-toting, spell-casting, butterbeer-guzzling people all around me, either. Elbow to elbow, we jostled for position under the hot Orlando sun like the crowds at the Quidditch World Cup.

Looking for a reliable source of Brexit travel information? You’re not alone—the U.K.’s own lawmakers are still asking questions about the issue of borders and free travel after Brexit. As of January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom officially has left the European Union. But what’s to come still remains unclear: For the rest of the year, the U.K. will remain in a “transition” period, meaning nothing will change between now and 2021 in regards to borders and other travel-related items. Meaning, if you have a summer vacation planned to the U.K. or Europe, you shouldn’t worry about anything changing.