Walt Disney World celebrated its 40th anniversary this past Saturday with a scattering of special events at Magic Kingdom Park … the only theme park at the resort on opening day Oct. 1, 1971. A full cast of Disney characters paraded up Main Street U.S.A. to Cinderella Castle kicking off the morning festivities. A mix of musical themes from parades past escorted the cavalcade along the parade route.

Disney ambassadors greeted the large gathering of guests around Cinderella Castle, many of whom – identified by a display of cheers – were also in attendance 40 years ago. Walt Disney World Resort President Meg Crofton spoke briefly and shared the words from Roy O. Disney's 1971 dedication speech:... Read More

The AAA Travel Spring Sweepstakes features a grand prize of a night in the Cinderella Castle Suite in the Magic Kingdom as a part of a 5-night vacation at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Other prizes include 4-night getaways to the Walt Disney World Resort or $100 gift cards from AAA.... Read More

 My friends and I were planning our annual girls getaway, and I suggested that we go to Walt Disney World. E-mails and text messages shot back to me in a hurry questioning the idea of going to such a kid-oriented destination. I reassured the gals, especially the ones who were eagerly anticipating their five-day escape from motherhood, that WDW offered an ideal vacation even for adults traveling without children. They were not disappointed.... Read More

A week at a Disney resort is a week away from the ordinary, even if it is ‘part of the job.’ In this three-part series, blogger Tony Mayer, a travel counselor for AAA Washington, shares the knowledge gained after a familiarization trip to Disney World in Florida.

Walt Disney’s enduring love for animals and their protection was finally and spectacularly made manifest with the 1998 opening of Disney World's Animal Kingdom. This jewel of a theme park, Disney’s largest single park worldwide, is now my favorite of the four in Florida for several reasons.... Read More

A week at a Disney resort is a week away from the ordinary, even if it is ‘part of the job.’ In this three-part series, blogger Tony Mayer, a travel counselor for AAA Washington, shares the knowledge gained after a familiarization trip to Disney World in Florida.

The second park I visited was Disney's Hollywood Studios, a slice of Tinseltown transplanted to the East Coast that opened in 1989 and was known as ... Read More

A week at a Disney resort is a week away from the ordinary, even if it is ‘part of the job.’ In this three-part series, blogger Tony Mayer, a travel counselor for AAA Washington, shares the knowledge gained after a familiarization trip to Disney World in Florida.

Florida’s Walt Disney World is massive – 43 square miles (twice as large as Manhattan), four theme parks, three championship golf courses, two water parks, 22 company-owned resorts (plus nine on-property resorts run by other companies), all totaling hundreds of dining, shopping and entertainment options. Planning can be a daunting task … once you remember you can’t see it all in one visit, you’re golden!... Read More

 From the Q&A mailbox:

Question:  Candy asks, Is there a AAA parking area at Disney World?

Answer: Nancy Woodard, AAA Disney expert, answers: AAA Diamond Parking provides preferred parking in convenient spaces at all four Walt Disney World Orlando theme parks.... Read More

When I told everyone I was headed to Disney World, their first reaction was “You and Greg are going to love it!” “No, no” I said “I’m going alone.” The confused expressions said it all. Why the heck would a married adult with no history of Disney fanaticism go to Disney World alone? Well, I wanted to go, my husband didn’t, and I was already going to be in Orlando. In other words, why not?

The first bonus of solo travel that I found was that I could afford to make my dining reservations at much nicer restaurants. You can afford a more expensive meal if you only have to feed one person... Read More

My first visit to Walt Disney World was in the summer of 1977. My brother and I had dreamt about this vacation for a long time. We grew up watching The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday evenings, and when the TV show featured either Disneyland or Walt Disney World, we were glued to the set … mouths agape and eyes barely blinking.

It took a while for our dream vacation to unfold. It took two days to drive from New Jersey to Central Florida, and on the third day we headed to the Magic Kingdom, the resort’s only theme park at the time. We waited for what seemed like an... Read More

     A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away I was initially introduced to a cinematic masterpiece that, unknowingly to me, would ultimately leave an impression that would carry over into my adult years.

It was in 1977 that writer, director and producer George Lucas launched the first of six films to ultimately be released in the Star Wars saga. Of course, little did I know as a lightsaber-toting pre-teen that the movie I was captivated by would eventually prove to be Episode IV in the series. Nevertheless, more than 30 years later, it goes without saying that I was... Read More