Theme Park Insider: “People will endure long lines, brutal temperatures, shocking prices and whatever else you throw at ‘em”
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.
Expert reveals best Independence Day parties in America
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.
Help, I’ve lost my train tickets!
Diane Stephany loses her Amtrak tickets. But instead of replacing them, the company wants to charge her for new ones. Can it do that? And what are her options for a refund?
How badly to you hate the middle seat? New survey says you’d rather visit the dentist
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.
Bizarre new car rental trick: an airport fee for a non-airport rental
When it comes to fees, never underestimate the car rental industry’s creativity. If you do, you might miss the six percent fee that Avis slipped on Monica Huchro’s bill last week.
Doggone airlines! 4 reasons pets shouldn’t fly
In their struggle to turn a profit, airlines have piled on a lot of fees in the last year, from surcharges for checked luggage to extras for confirmed reservations. And just when it seemed they had found every last fee, it looks as if they’ve turned up one more: They’re looking to Fido and Fluffy for a little extra cash. Specifically, to their owners.
FAA official: “No mention whatsoever of the possibility that Billy Mays wasn’t wearing a seatbelt”
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.
What happens when a million iPhone 3Gs units hit the road?
You get this: Video uploads to YouTube from mobile phones jumped 1,700 percent in a week. The mobile video revolution has begun. And no one will be more affected than travelers.
Hotels.com’s Booker: Adding new fees “would be a tricky thing to pull off right now”
Scott Booker is the chief hotel expert and guest advocate for Hotels.com. I asked him about this summer’s unprecedented crop of hotel bargains and how to take advantage of them in a recessionary economy, plus the outlook for new hotel fees.
Hotel bedbug horror degenerates into a war of words
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.