Grace is Gone (2007)

Last night I stayed up late to watch “Grace is Gone.” I have to say, it’s been awhile since a film touched me so very deeply. John Cusack brilliantly portrays Stanley Phillips, a man who wanted to serve in the military so badly, he cheated on the vision test so he could get into the Army. When his doctor on base discovers that his eyesight is terrible, he kicks Stanley out, but Stanley has already met Grace, a beautiful cadet, and they are married. They have two daughters, Heidi and Dawn, and they’ve built a life together. When Grace is … Continue reading

Amusement Parks Go High Tech and You Pay the Price

They are the No.1 destination for families. Whether they are located in North America, South Korea or Dubai millions of visitors flock to amusement parks each year. And what a difference a few years can make. Gone are the days when rickety wooden roller coasters took center stage. These days amusement parks are high-tech experiences and guests want to make sure they get their monies worth. (And with admission averaging about $45 per adult it’s not hard to see why.) Modern theme parks make the most of technological advances. For example, the Kingda Ka roller coaster at New Jersey’s Six … Continue reading

One-of-a-Kind Amusement Park

How far are you willing to travel to mingle with Wonder Woman, King Kong, Shrek, and Bollywood dancers while dining on hot dogs, pizza, hummus and falafel? If you don’t mind jetting off to the Persian Gulf then you could be one of the first to visit what is being billed as two of the world’s largest theme parks. Movie studio execs in the United Arab Emirates are trying to do everything in their power to make the amusement park deals fly in the conservative Muslim region. It might mean that characters such as Captain America won’t be making the … Continue reading

Frugal Friends are Priceless

If you surround yourself with frugal friends, saving money will be easy. Yesterday, after the town parade and free hot dogs and games, my family headed over to an area attraction that was sponsoring free admission for the day. The promotion wasn’t widely advertised. It wasn’t mentioned on the website or put on any community calendars, so not too many people knew about it. Thanks to a faithful frugal friend, though, who alerted me to the event, my family of five was able to enjoy the afternoon, which included a free tour, a narrated tram ride, and time in “the … Continue reading

Travel Deals for LEGO Lovers

My 8-year-old is obsessed with LEGO Friends.  I too am quite fond of the popular plastic building blocks, though I appreciate them far more when they aren’t stabbing the bottom of my feet. Wouldn’t it be great to have a huge area dedicated solely to the construction and demolition of LEGO masterpieces without worrying about having your feet branded?  A place where kids can let their imagination soar while being inspired by gigantic one-of-a-kind LEGO structures? That’s exactly what can happen when you travel to LEGOLAND in Carlsbad, California.  But, now, instead of just touring the enchanted theme park, you … Continue reading

Disney Characters in North Korea

The kind of thing Disney’s after This is a story too bizarre not to report: on Monday July 9 Mickey Mouse, along with other Disney characters, appeared on North Korean television with the country’s new leader, Kim Jong-Un (son of Kim Jong-Il). No, Disney is not sending representatives to the isolationist country. These were images of Walt Disney Company characters used without permission. The use presents some interesting questions that reflect upon Disney’s own corporate policy. The New York Times’ Media Decoder explains. You see, Disney is very strict about unauthorized use of its properties. The company complained to Mexican … Continue reading

Visit Morgan’s Wonderland on Your Summer Vacation

Where are you going on your family vacation this summer? Popular destinations include beaches and amusement parks. The problem is that not all amusement parks were designed to accommodate children who have special needs. Morgan’s Wonderland, on the other hand, was designed to be a friendly place for children who have special needs, their families, and their siblings to interact and have fun. Morgan’s Wonderland is located in San Antonio, Texas. It is the World’s First Ultra Accessible Family Fun Park that was specifically designed for children and adults who have special needs, (as well as their family members), to … Continue reading

Sea World Cares

If you live in Central Florida and are considering adopting a pet, then I have a great deal for you. If you adopt from one of three specific shelters, then you can earn two free single-day tickets to Sea World. The program, dubbed Happy Tails, is a part of the amusement park’s initiative called Sea World Cares. Sea World Cares is the branch of the park that helps rehabilitate and conserve wild animals. Happy Tails, then, focuses on the local land animals in the Central Florida community. Happy Tails isn’t complicated. If you adopt a pet from one of the … Continue reading

Disney World Can Accommodate Food Allergies

The happiest place on Earth, Disney World, is now a little bit safer for children who have food allergies. Disney recently won an award for it’s commitment to making things easier for families of children who have food allergies or an intolerance to certain foods. They have a process for guests to follow to request food that will fit around one’s allergies. As someone who has had severe allergies since I was a young child, I understand first hand how quickly an allergic person can go from feeling fine to being incredibly sick. Allergies tend to run in families. In … Continue reading

Disney to Build Luxury Homes Community

Just how big is Disney World anyway? I’ve never been there, but I’ve looked at satellite views of it from Google Earth, and though it’s certainly the largest amusement park I’ve seen, I didn’t think it was big enough to host individual luxury homes. That’s right: Disney World’s building luxury homes on its property. According to Central Florida News 13, Disney World’s building a gated community called Golden Oaks which will host up to 400 homes. Prices for the houses range between $1.5 million and $8 million, with a deposit alone costing $25,000. I don’t know much about luxury housing, … Continue reading