Heads up! Orlando’s theme parks are preparing for their Independence Day fireworks extravaganzas. Pyrotechnics expert Andrew Hage checks the connections of several fireworks at the top of SeaWorld’s 400-foot-tall Sky Tower.
From the category archives:
Elliott Blog
Robert Niles is the founder and editor of Theme Park Insider, a Web site for theme park vacations. He’s a former Walt Disney World attractions host, trainer and lead and has worked as a staff writer, editor and Web site producer at the Los Angeles Times and the Rocky Mountain News. I asked him to share his summer theme park tips.
Terry Boyle rented a car from Budget in Edinburgh, and when he got home, he found an unpleasant surprise from his car rental company: a $271 repair bill.
Michael Guerriero is the author of Party Across America! 101 Of the Greatest Festivals, Sporting Events, And Celebrations in the U.S.. Laid off from his corporate job, Guerriero used his severance pay to fund a cross-country trip to find the best parties in America. I asked him about the top spots for this Fourth of July.
P.J. Zornosa is a longtime Alamo Rent a Car customer. He knows what to ask for when he’s renting a car, and knows what to expect. Or at least, he thought he did.
More than half of of Americans would rather go to the dentist than sit in the middle seat, according to a new survey by 3M Privacy Filters. Some 54 percent would prefer a visit to the doctor’s office than getting stuck in one of the uncomfortable seats. An even higher number (56 percent) would rather be stuck in traffic or go on a blind date.
Can’t. Stop. Laughing.
Our friends at J.D. Power and Associates are at it again. Last week they leaked their 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Study to a largely uncritical mainstream media. This morning, they let the rest of us have the results, in which they claim “overall customer satisfaction with airlines in 2009 has declined for a third consecutive year to a four-year low.” But has it? And does that mean anything?
When it comes to fees, never underestimate the car rental industry’s creativity. If you do, you might miss the six percent surcharge that Avis slipped on Monica Huchro’s bill last week.
Laura Brown is the acting assistant administrator for communications at the Federal Aviation Administration. After the death of Billy Mays yesterday, she was quoted as saying the TV pitchman wasn’t wearing a seatbelt on a plane that made an emergency landing. I asked her about the interview and the importance of seatbelts.
Believe it or not, the latest celebrity death has a travel angle. TV pitchman Billy Mays, who was found dead in his Tampa home this morning, was a passenger on a US Airways flight yesterday. His son first reported the news on Twitter.
And here’s where things get a little weird.
The highly respected TV Newser blog [...]
If this isn’t a bait-and-switch, I don’t know what is. Jonathan Yarmis thought he was getting a $375 a night room rate at the Hotel Bauer in Venice, marked down from $537.
The Stanley Hotel is an historic resort in Estes Park, Colo., perhaps best known for inspiring Stephen King to write his horror masterpiece The Shining. And also, bedbugs — if Julie Kobayashi has her way. Get those images of Jack Nicholson typing “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” out of your head. This spat reminded me of the recent exchange between Elizabeth Becton and McBee Strategic.
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