Get Away Today

Hotel Spotlight: Anabella Hotel

The Anabella Hotel is an old California Spanish mission-style hotel contained within seven acres of lush, landscaped grounds. The property is located across the street from the Disneyland® Resort.  Their elegant décor is perfect for a romantic get away, but comfortable enough for a fun-filled family vacation.

WE MAKE IT EASY TO LISTEN:

Listening to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast is simple.  There are four different ways to do it: 

1. Just press the PLAY button.  (9:55)

2. If you have iTunes installed on your computer, click the small iTunes logo in this paragraph to connect to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast inside the iTunes store. Once you're there, click the 'SUBSCRIBE' button.  If you don't have iTunes installed on your computer, click here to download the software.  It's FREE!

3.  Download the audio.  To download, right-click on this MP3 File link.  Select the 'Save Target As' option to download the file.

4.  You can also visit our the Get Away Today podcast page to listen to the travel features we've produced for you.

--------------------START OF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT--------------------

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
Travel news you can use.  This is the Get Away Today.com Travel Show.  Get Away Today is a top provider of affordable, fun family vacations to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Hawaii, San Diego, Beaches, and Sandals in the Caribbean. The travel show is heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com.  And now, here's the host of the travel show.

Patrick Wiscombe:  (Get Away Today - Internet Marketing Manager)
Welcome to the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast.  My name is Patrick Wiscombe.  Thank you as always for tuning us in and taking us along wherever you’re listening today.  Coming up in the next few minutes, I'm putting the Get Away Today hotel spotlight on the Anabella Hotel which is on the south end of the Disneyland Resort.  Just a quick reminder before we get started, when you book your vacation on our website, Get Away Today.com, make sure you use promotion code ‘podcast’ as you're checking out so we can give you an additional $10 off your vacation.  Kelly Guinn, Corporate Director of Sales and Marketing for the Anabella Hotel, is on the phone with me right now to talk about the property.  Kelly, thanks for being here.  Let’s talk about the types of rooms you offer.

Kelly Guinn:  (Anabella Hotel - Corporate Director of Sales and Marketing)
We have several room types.  Our first room type is our standard guest room that has two queen beds.  We also have our Casita suites.  The suites have two separate rooms but only sleep three travelers.  The Casita Suite are great for young couples or two people that like to have a little bit of privacy and space.  Our standard room has a queen bed and the back bedroom has a day bed.  We also offer concierge level rooms.  We have two buildings on the Anabella Hotel property dedicated to club level rooms.  The club level rooms are in an L shape.  They have a king bed and a double bed and at the end of the King bed.  It’s a small single sleeper sofa.  These rooms are ideal if you have five travelers in your party.  They also get continental breakfast, late checkout, and turn down service.  Each guest gets a robe and slippers.  Get Away Today guests get these extra services when they book the club rooms.  All of our guest rooms at the Anabella Hotel, regardless of the bedding options, will have the same amenities.

Patrick Wiscombe:  For Get Away Today guests that aren’t familiar with the Anabella Hotel, where is the hotel in relation to the Disneyland Resort theme parks?

Kelly Guinn:  The Anabella Hotel is on Katella Avenue.  There are three main streets near the Disneyland Resort.  Once street is called Katella Avenue and the other street is Harbor Blvd.  Disneyland Drive is on the west side of the park.  Those are the three main streets that surround the Disneyland Resort.  The Anabella Hotel sits on Katella Avenue so we face Disney's California Adventure Park.  We are directly across the street from the California Screamin’. That's the roller coaster inside Disney’s California Adverture Park that has the big Mickey Mouse ears.  During the peak season times, there’s a pedestrian entrance on the south end of the park so guests can walk across the street and go through the pedestrian entrance.  After they walk through the pedestrian entrance, they’ll walk another 100 feet or so and get on the Disneyland tram which is free.  The tram will take the guests to the Disneyland Resort esplanade.

Patrick Wiscombe:  So, Katella Avenue runs east and west, Harbor Boulevard runs north and south and is on the east side of the Disneyland Resort.  So, based on what you just told me, people don't need to go to the main Disneyland Resort entrance on Harbor Blvd.

Kelly Guinn:  That’s correct.  Guests staying at the Anabella Hotel that don't want to walk or drive, they can take the Anaheim Resort Transit System, or ART, to get to the Disneyland Resort.  Guests can ride the tram all day.  It's a nice way to get between the Anabella Hotel and the Disneyland Resort.  They can take the trolley over to the parks in the morning and come back during the day if they want to take a break.  They can take a nap, take a dip in the pool, freshen up, drop off the bags of souvenirs you’ll buy while you’re down here so you don't have to carry them around.  After you've taken your break, you can get back on the ART shuttle to go play at the Disneyland Resort parks for the rest of the day.  Let me share another secret with you.  When you come out of the Anabella Hotel you'll be facing north.  Turn left and go to Disneyland Drive.  Disneyland Drive runs north and south on the west side of the park.  When you get to the light, turn right and begin walking toward Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel.  Many of the guests I talk with at the Anabella Hotel tell me they walk through the lobby of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel which puts them in Downtown Disney.  From there, they can make their way to the main gates of Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Do you have a pool at the Anabella Hotel?

Kelly Guinn:  We have two pools.  One pool is for everybody staying at the Anabella Hotel.  We have another pool that’s specifically for adults.  The adult pool, for those ages 18 and up, is more like a lap pool.  Adjacent to the adult pool, we have our fitness area.

Patrick Wiscombe: Many Get Away Today guests drive to the Disneyland Resort.  Does the Anabella Hotel charge for parking?

Kelly Guinn:  No.  Parking is free for all Get Away Today guests.  That’s a great benefit which can save guests a lot of money.  However, if  a Get Away Today guest brings two cars, we will you charge the guest for the second car.  Think of it this way, one car per reserved room.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Let’s talk about food for a minute.  Does the Anabella Hotel have an on-site restaurant?

Kelly Guinn:  Yes.  We have our fabulous Tangerine Grill and Patio.  The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  They also provide room service to our guests.  The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.  The restaurant features California cuisine.  We off a lot of tangerine flavored dishes with a tangerine sauce in certain salads and many of our meat dishes.  I'm told that people come from all over for our famous guacamole.  We have fabulous guacamole and salsa.  People simply love it.

Patrick Wiscombe:  What other restaurants are near the Anabella Hotel?

Kelly Guinn:  Coco’s is near the hotel.  It’s a family restaurant.  There's also another family restaurant down the street call Tiffy’s.  Tiffy’s is known for their homemade ice cream.  The Anaheim Garden Walk is near the hotel also.  It’s located on Harbor Boulevard which is on the east side of the hotel.  The Garden Walk houses restaurants, retail outlets, and new hotels.  We're really excited to have those new restaurants near the hotel.  In addition to the new Anaheim Garden Walk, guests can still go to Downtown Disney which also has a lot of restaurants.  So to answer your question, we have plenty of restaurants around the hotel.

Patrick Wiscombe:  How close is the new Anaheim Garden walk to the Anabella Hotel?  Did you say it was two blocks away from hotel?

Kelly Guinn:  When guests come out of the hotel, they’ll be facing north.  What they'll need to do is turn right and walk to Harbor Blvd. The Garden Walk is literally on the corner of Harbor Blvd. and Katella Avenue.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Who owns the Anaheim Garden Walk?  Is it owned by the Disney Company?

Kelly Guinn:  As far as I know, Disney has nothing to do with the new Garden Walk.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Do you offer guest laundry services?

Kelly Guinn:  Yes.  We have three or four coin operated washing machines and dryers.  We also sell detergent, fabric softner, and dryer sheets.  It’s a nice way to get your laundry washed before you go home or continue on to your next destination.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Many of our Get Away Today guests need to conduct business even though they’re still on vacation.  Do you offer internet access or a business center?

Kelly Guinn:  Yes, we have a business center.  The business center is $6 a day.  You’ll get your access key from our front desk.  The key is activated for 24 hours.  Guests can use the internet access in the business center.  We have a copier and fax machine.  If you don’t want to go the business center to use our internet access, we offer wired and wireless internet access throughout the entire property.  The internet access is $9.99 a day up to $24.99.  When a guest logs on, we ask them if they want internet access for one hour, one day, or for the entire week.  Our Internet access is not free, but we make it available to all Anabella Hotel guests.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Kelly, thank you for being part of the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast.  That's Kelly Guinn, Corporate Director of Sales and Marketing for the Anabella Hotel, located on the south side of the Disneyland Resort.  Just a quick reminder before we conclude this podcast, when you book your vacation on our website, Get Away Today.com, make sure you use promotion code ‘podcast’ as you're checking out so we can give you an additional $10 off your vacation.

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
You can book your Get Away Today Vacation right now by going to Get Away Today .com, or calling one of our friendly reservation agents at (866) FUN-TRIP.  This has been the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast, heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com

--------------------END OF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT--------------------

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Top 10 Places To Visit While You're In Orlando

1. Visit the Magic Kingdom® at The Walt Disney World® Resort where magic abounds and dreams come true! 

2. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Park you can climb aboard a jeep and venture out on a safari to see exotic animals roam the grounds!

3. Disney’s Epcot® Center is a place to experience different cultural foods and diverse activities. 

4. Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, formerly known as MGM Studios, offers fun attractions and many entertaining shows. 

5. Visit Sea World Orlando and swim with the dolphins!  This is an activity for everyone, but make sure you book ahead. 

6. Immerse yourself in movie magic at the Universal Orlando® Resort which offers some of the most thrilling rides for grown-ups and younger children.

7. Visit Cocoa Beach! Ron Jon’s is one of the best surf shops in the country and is open 24-hours a day. 

8. With so many shops and recreational activities the Downtown Disney® Marketplace  is the place for one-stop shopping! 

9. Golf at the Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge which has been rated the best place to golf in Orlando from 1999-2007 by Golf Digest.

10. Experience Cirque du Soleil, a mind-boggling circus act that is held in right inside the Walt Disney World® Resort. 

You can visit our website Get Away Today.com to see the ticket prices!  Through Get Away Today we have some great package deals that can save you up to 40% on your next vacation to Walt Disney World®!

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Hotel Spotlight: Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn (Universal Studios Hollywood)

Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn at Universal Studios Hollywood is the ideal hotel from which to explore all that Los Angeles has to offer! Enjoy the excitement of Hollywood's Walk of Fame, Universal Studios Hollywood, City Walk, Dodger Stadium, Disney Studios, Warner Brothers Studios, Beverly Hills, and many more attractions just minutes from the hotel.

WE MAKE IT EASY TO LISTEN:

Listening to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast is simple.  There are four different ways to do it: 

1. Just press the PLAY button.  (8:52)

  2.  If you have iTunes installed on your computer, click the small iTunes logo in this paragraph to connect to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast inside the iTunes store. Once you're there, click the 'SUBSCRIBE' button.  If you don't have iTunes installed on your computer, click here to download the software.  It's FREE!

3.  Download the audio.  To download, right-click on this MP3 File link.  Select the 'Save Target As' option to download the file.

4.  You can also visit our the Get Away Today podcast page to listen to the travel features we've produced for you.

--------------------START OF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT--------------------

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
Travel news you can use.  This is the Get Away Today.com Travel Show.  Get Away Today is a top provider of affordable, fun family vacations to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Hawaii, San Diego, Beaches, and Sandals in the Caribbean. The travel show is heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com.  And now, here's the host of the travel show.

Patrick Wiscombe:  (Get Away Today - Internet Marketing Manager)
It’s Friday, welcome to the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast. My name is Patrick Wiscombe; thank you for tuning us in and taking us along wherever you’re listening today.  Coming up in the next few minutes, I’m putting the Get Away Today hotel spotlight on the Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn at Universal Studios Hollywood.  Yeah, that's a mouthful.  We’ll also going to give you an additional $10 off your vacation if you book it on our website, Get Away Today.com.  Use promotion code ‘podcast’ as you’re checking out to get the discount.  Stella Pack, Sales Director for Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn is in the Get Away Today studio with me right now.  Why is the name Beverly Garland so familiar?

Stella Pack: (Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn – Sales Director)
Most people will remember her as the mother in the television show “My Three Sons.”  She owns the hotel and purchased the land from Gene Autry.  The hotel sits on seven acres in the North Hollywood area and has 255 rooms.

Patrick Wiscombe:  You’re near Universal Studios Hollywood.  If you love movies or television, you’ll definitely enjoy Universal Studios Hollywood.  How did you get involved with the hotel?

Stella Pack:  I have been with the Holiday Inn brand for a long time, almost ten years.  Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn is one of the properties I wanted to work at because it’s different than other Holiday Inn hotels.  So, when I got the opportunity, I took it.

Patrick Wiscombe:  How close is the hotel to Universal Studios Hollywood?

Stella Pack:  Were about a half mile away.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Oh, so your pretty close.

Stella Pack:  If you could roll down the hill from Universal Studios Hollywood, were right there.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Tell us about your hotel.

Stella Pack:  Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn is spread out.  It covers 7 acres of land.  We have a comfortable small lobby.  As you enter the hotel, you’ll see the front desk and a mural of the Hollywood area that was created by Miss Beverly Garland.  You’ll see posters of her movies throughout the entire property.  We offer two queen size beds or one king size bed in the suites.  We renovated all the suites, it’s awesome.  The new room smell is great because it’s like the new car smell.   

Patrick Wiscombe:   That’s a good smell.

Stella Pack:  Yes it is.  It’s the most expensive smell you can buy.  [Laughter]  We have changed all of the mattresses in the rooms because our beloved Miss Beverly Garland stayed at a Hilton hotel and slept on one of the their pillow top mattresses and thought we needed to have them at our hotel.  So, we just got new pillow top mattresses in all of our rooms and we’ve converted our full size beds to queen size beds.

Patrick Wiscombe:  So, you only have queen and king size beds?

Stella Pack:  Yes.  We also offer 5 kid suites and 2 deluxe kid suites at Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn.  Each room can sleep up to six people.  When families go on vacation, family members need room so we have a little area where the families can play games.  We’ve also put microwaves and refrigerators in our guest rooms.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Well, it sounds like you’ve got it covered.

Stella Pack:  Yeah, we try hard.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Let’s talk about some of the standard Holiday Inn amenities.  Let’s go down the list so people know what to expect when they arrive at Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn.

Stella Pack:  Well, each room has little mini size bottles of shampoo, conditioners, lotion, and plenty of towels.  If you forgot your toothbrush or toothpaste, we will them available at the front desk or we can deliver them to your room.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Just before we started recording this podcast, you were talking about a pillow menu.  I’ve never heard of a pillow menu.

Stella Pack:  We have about four types of pillows.  Our standard pillow is in the room and has a medium firmness.  That’s the standard for all the Holiday Inn hotels, but not every human being is standard [laughter] so we have different types of pillows.  We have a feathered pillow to a very firm pillow.  Housekeeping and bell service employees will gladly deliver the type of pillow you need to your room.

Patrick Wiscombe:  What else do you offer?

Stella Pack:  We have a tennis court.  Rackets are available in the gift shop.  All you need to do is give us your room key.  The new fitness center is next to the pool.  More and more people want to exercise while they’re on vacation so we wanted to make sure we met those needs.  Our exercise room is 1,200 square feet.  The pool is 80 degrees at all times and is near the sauna.  We serve a breakfast buffet every morning from 7 am to 11 am.  We’ve also renovated our splash bar and installed really nice leather seats, another good smell. [Laughter]

Patrick Wiscombe:  I was reading that kids 12 and under eat free with a paying adult, is that right?

Stella Pack:  Definitely, that’s another standard benefit at all Holiday Inn hotels.  The Holiday Inn brand is very family friendly.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Since you’re so close to Universal Studios Hollywood, let’s talk about transportation.   I’m assuming you offer some kind of transportation to and from Universal Studios Hollywood.

Stella Pack:  Of course.  We offer shuttle service to and from Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Metro Link which is the Los Angeles subway system.  A shuttle service schedule is available at the front desk.  We also stop at the Metro Link which is like a subway in the Los Angeles and is one stop away from the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  It’s very convenient so our guests don’t need to pay for parking or deal with any traffic. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  Stella thanks for coming in.  That’s Stella Pack, Sales Director for Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn.  Just a quick reminder as we start to wrap up, when you book your vacation on our website, Get Away Today.com, remember to use the promotion code ‘podcast’ as your checking out and we'll give you an additional $10 off your vacation.

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
You can book your Get Away Today Vacation right now by going to Get Away Today .com, or calling one of our friendly reservation agents at (866) FUN-TRIP.  This has been the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast, heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com

Hotel Spotlight: Peacock Suites

In this episode of the Get Away Today Travel Show, we put the Get Away Today hotel spotlight on the Peacock Suites.  They just completed a full renovation of the entire hotel.  The suites can accommodate between 1 - 8 guests and they offer a free breakfast every morning.  The Peacock Suites is also within walking distance of the Disneyland Resort.

WE MAKE IT EASY TO LISTEN: 

Listening to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast is simple.  There are four different ways to do it: 

1. Just press the PLAY button.  (6:28)

  2.  If you have iTunes installed on your computer, click the small iTunes logo right here in this paragraph to connect to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast inside the iTunes store. Once you're there, click the 'SUBSCRIBE' button.  If you don't have iTunes installed on your computer, click here to download the software.  It's FREE!

3.  Download the audio.  To download, right-click on this MP3 FILE link.  Select the 'Save Target As' option to download the file.

4.  You can also visit our the Get Away Today podcast page to listen to the travel features we've produced for you.

--------------------START OF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT--------------------

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
Travel news you can use.  This is the Get Away Today.com Travel Show.  Get Away Today is a top provider of affordable, fun family vacations to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Hawaii, San Diego, Beaches, and Sandals in the Caribbean. The travel show is heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com.  And now, here's the host of the travel show.

Patrick Wiscombe:  (Get Away Today - Internet Marketing Manager)
This is the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast.  My name is Patrick Wiscombe; thank you for tuning us in and taking us along wherever you're listening today.  Coming up in the next few minutes, I'm going to put the Get Away Today hotel spotlight on the Peacock Suites located near the Disneyland Resort.  They just renovated the entire property, so everything is new.  They have a two room suite that can accommodate up to eight people, a huge benefit for families.  The Peacock Suites also offers a free continental breakfast each morning.  Just a quick reminder before we get started, when you book your vacation on our website, Get Away Today.com, make sure you use promotion code ‘podcast’ as you're checking out so we can give you an additional $10 off your vacation.  Tina Jurkowski, Sales Manager for Peacock Suites, is in the Get Away Today studio with me right now to talk about the property.  Where would you like to start?

Tina Jurkowski:  (Peacock Suites - Sales Manager)
Our hotel, Peacock Suites, was completely renovated last year so everything is new.  We have flat screen televisions in each of the suites and there’s a DVD player on each television.  Lots of families travel with movies so the DVD players make it convenient for the family to watch movies.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Do you have the regular DVD players or did you purchase the blu-ray or HD-DVD players?

Tina Jurkowski:  We offer the regular DVD players.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Before we started recording this podcast, you were telling me that Peacock Suites offers a free breakfast for all Get Away Today guests.  That's a huge benefit for any family.

Tina Jurkowski:  Yes, it’s a major benefit for any size family, especially for large families.  We offer a free continental breakfast for Get Away Today guests.  Breakfast is served starting at 7 a.m. and runs until 10 a.m.  It’s a great way to get the day started.  The continental breakfast includes breakfast cereal, toast, juice, milk, coffee, Danish, donuts, hard-boiled eggs, and oatmeal.

Patrick Wiscombe:  How far is Peacock Suites from the Disneyland Resort?

Tina Jurkowski:  Peacock Suites is only a 15 to 20 minutes walk away from the Disneyland main entrance, so it's within walking distance but we also offer the Anaheim Resort Transit trolley for guests who would rather take a shuttle.  The trolley will pick you up right in front of the Peacock Suites.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Let's talk about the Anaheim Resort Transit trolley's.

Tina Jurkowski:  ART stands for Anaheim Resort Transit.  It’s a trolley system that picks up guests at all of the hotels then drops you off at the Disneyland Resort main entrance.  After you get off the trolley, all you need to do is pick up your tickets at one of the ticket windows or go to the turnstile if you already have your tickets.

Patrick Wiscombe:  I was looking at your list of accommodations at Peacock Suites, you have 1, 2, and 3 bedroom suites and your rooms can accommodate up to eight people.

Tina Jurkowski:  That's right.  Our suites can sleep between six and eight people and Get Away Today guests can book our suites on your website, Get Away Today.com.  If your family has more than eight people, contact Get Away Today at (866) FUN-TRIP and one of your reservation agents can call us to see if those larger size suites are available.  Most of the time they are.

Patrick Wiscombe:  So the single suites can be booked on our website, Get Away Today.com, and if yo need a two room suite, guests need to call our toll-free number (866) FUN-TRIP.  Is that right?

Tina Jurkowski:  Yes, that's right.

Patrick Wiscombe:  No vacation is complete without a swimming pool.  I'm assuming you have a pool.

Tina Jurkowksi:  Yes, we do have a swimming pool.  We have an outdoor pool and we also have two jacuzzis.  We also have a sundeck on our fourth floor if you want to sunbathe.  Get Away Today guests will have a great view of the Anaheim area up there.  We also have a radio on the fourth floor so you can listen to music.  Oh yeah, we have misters as well.

Patrick Wiscombe:  What is a mister?

Tina Jurkowski:  It's a water system that sprays a light mist of water on you.  It's a way to keep our guests cool on a hot day.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Do you offer Internet access at the Peacock Suites?

Tina Jurkowski:  Yes, we have Internet access at the Peacock Suites.  There is a fee for it, but we offer wired and wireless internet access throughout the property.

Patrick Wiscombe:  You were talking about the fitness room just before we started recording this podcast.  Let’s talk about the fitness room.

Tina Jurkowski:  We have a fitness center at the Peacock Suites.  It has all new equipment like a stairmaster and treadmill.  We also have a weight machine.  The fitness center has been completely remodeled in the last year.

Patrick Wiscombe:  I’m looking at a picture of the rooms at Peacock Suites.  Do you have king size beds?

Tina Jurkowski:  Yes, we do.  The majority of our suites are one-bedroom suites that have two queen size beds and a queen size pullout sofa sleeper.  Those rooms can sleep up to six people.  W also have a king size bed and a queen size pullout sofa that can sleep up to four people.  We don't have rollaway beds.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Most hotels have at least one television in the room, but you have two televisions in each room.

Tina Jurkowski:  We have flat screen televisions in each of the rooms.  All of the television sets are new.  When we completed the renovation, we decided to put flat screen TV’s in each of the rooms.  All of the bedrooms have a 27 or 29 inch flat screen TV and a regular DVD player which we talked about at the beginning of the podcast.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Do you have an onsite restaurant at the Peacock Suites? 

Tina Jurkowski:  No, we don’t have an on-site restaurant.  However, there's a new complex being constructed right now called the Garden Walk which will have lots of restaurants.  It’s one block away so it’s close.  I really hope that Get Away Today guests will consider staying with us at the Peacock Suites.  We love working with Get Away Today and the guests you send us.  I hope this information will assist you when you come to the Disneyland Resort.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Tina, thank you for coming to Get Away Today.  That's Tina Jurkowski, Sales Manager for the Peacock Suites.  Just a quick reminder before we wrap up, while you're booking your Disneyland Resort vacation on our website, Get Away Today.com, remember to use promotion code ‘podcast’ as you're checking out so we can give you an additional $10 off your vacation just for listening.

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
You can book your Get Away Today vacation package right now by going to Get Away Today.com or calling one of our friendly reservation agents at         1-866-FUN-TRIP       .  This has been the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com

Hotel Spotlight: Desert Palms Hotel & Suites

The Desert Palms Hotel & Suites is situated in the heart of the Disneyland Resort area.  The property opened in 2004 and is located next to Disneyland Resort.  If you would like to learn more about the Desert Palms Hotel & Suites, please take a few minutes and listen to the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast with Patrick Wiscombe and Marie Enriquez, the Sales and Marketing Manager for the hotel.  We've also provided a transcript of our conversation for your convenience.

WE MAKE IT EASY TO LISTEN: 

Listening to the Get Away Today Travel Show is simple.  There are four different ways to do it: 

1. Just press the PLAY button.  (5:40)

2.  If you have iTunes installed on your computer, click the small iTunes logo right here in this paragraph to connect to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast inside the iTunes store. Once you're there, click the 'SUBSCRIBE' button.  If you don't have iTunes installed on your computer, click here to download the software.  It's FREE!

3.  Download the audio.  To download, right-click on this MP3 FILE link.  Select the 'Save Target As' option to download the file.

4.  You can also visit the Get Away Today podcast page and listen to all of the travel features we've produced for you.

--------------------START OF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT--------------------

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
Travel news you can use.  This is the Get Away Today.com Travel Show.  Get Away Today is a top provider of affordable, fun family vacations to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Hawaii, San Diego, Beaches, and Sandals in the Caribbean. The Travel Show is heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com.  And now, here's the host of the Travel Show.

Patrick Wiscombe:  (Get Away Today - Internet Marketing Manager)
Welcome to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast.  My name is Patrick Wiscombe.  Thank you for tuning us in and taking us along wherever you're listening today.  Just a quick reminder before we get started, when you book your vacation on our website, Get Away Today.com, be sure to use promotion code ‘podcast’ as you're checking out so we can give you an additional $10 off your vacation.  Coming up in the next few minutes, I'm putting the Get Away Today hotel spotlight on the Desert Palms Hotel and Suites.  Marie Enriquez is in the Get Away Today studio right now to talk about the property.  It's good to have you here. 

Marie Enriquez:  (Desert Palms Hotel and Suites  - Sales and Marketing Manager)
Thank you for inviting me.  The Deseret Palms Hotel and Suites is located next to the Disneyland Resort.  It's about 200 yards from the south entrance.

Patrick Wiscombe:   So, you’re that close?

Marie Enriquez:  It’s very close.  We also offer the Anaheim Resort Transit which picks guests up right in front of the hotel.  We're right on the corner of Harbor Blvd. and Katella Avenue.  Most people don’t know there’s an entrance on the south side of the Disneyland Resort.  That south side entrance is about 200 yards from our hotel.  The entrance is located on Katella Avenue, which runs east and west on the southeast side of the resort.  During the summertime, the entrance is open for guests.  When they enter the Disneyland Resort south entrance, they’ll take Disney's transit system to the Downtown Disney area.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Let’s talk about the rooms.

Marie Enriquez:  The Desert Palms Hotel and Suites is a unique property in the Anaheim area.  We have eight different suites.  We have Mojave Mini Suites that can accommodate up to six people.  We have kid suites that have bunk beds.  The Yuha Kid Suites can accommodate six people.  We also have suites that have four queen beds.  Those rooms can also accommodate up to eight people.

Patrick Wiscombe:  So, basically you can accommodate any party between two and eight people.

Marie Enriquez:  Yes.  Aside from the eight different types of suites, we also have four different honeymoon suites.  For couples, we have a Jacuzzi available for them as well.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Inside the rooms obviously.  They're not outside in the hallway.

Marie Enriquez:  They are definitely inside the room.  [Laughter]

Patrick Wiscombe:  How many rooms do you have?

Marie Enriquez:  We have 188 rooms.  All of the rooms are non-smoking rooms.

Patrick Wiscombe:  If one of our Get Away Today customers has special needs, I'm assuming you can accommodate their needs?

Marie Enriquez:  Yes.  We have a total of eight handicap rooms.  Six of those rooms have handicap accessible showers and two of the rooms have roll-in showers.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Many Get Away Today guests drive to the Disneyland Resort area.  Do you charge for parking?

Marie Enriquez:  No, we don't charge for parking.  We offer free parking.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Do you have a pool?

Marie Enriquez:  We have an outdoor pool that's heated year-round.  The Jacuzzi  is next to the pool.

Patrick Wiscombe:  If Get Away Today guests want to work out while they're on the road, does the Deseret Palms Hotel and Suites have a workout facility?

Marie Enriquez:  Yes, we have a fitness center inside the hotel.  Let me talk about our rooms again for just a minute.  We have a refrigerators, coffee makers, iron and ironing boards, high speed Internet access, voicemail, hair dryers, alarm clock radios, in-room safes, as well as cable TV.  We also have pay-per-view movies and the Disney Channel.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Do you charge for your Internet access?

Marie Enriquez:  Yes, we charge for our high speed Internet access.  It's $9.95 per day.  We offer wired and wireless access throughout the property.

Patrick Wiscombe: Let’s talk about food for just a minute.

Marie Enriquez:  The Desert Palms Hotel & Suites has so many different dining options.  We offer free continental breakfast every morning.  Aside from that, Quiznos is on-site as well as the Sandbox Bar and Grill which is open for breakfast lunch and dinner.  There are two convenience stores nearby.  The first convenience store is 7-11 and a second convenience store is ABC where you can stock up on your snacks for your kids.

Patrick Wiscombe:  By the way, thanks for lunch.  No wonder we had Quiznos for lunch today.  You probably have a Quiznos sandwich every day.

Marie Enriquez: you're welcome.  Yes, I have a Quiznos sandwich almost every day.

Patrick Wiscombe:  We’ve already talked about the accommodations inside each of the rooms, but let's talk about the different suite types. 

Marie Enriquez:  The Desert Palm Hotel and Suites is a desert themed hotel.  We named all of the suites after the deserts of the world.  One of the suites inside our hotel is called the Borrego suite.  That suite has two queen beds and a sunken living room with a pullout sofa sleeper.  The Borrego suite can accommodate up to six people.  We have two televisions in that room, a refrigerator, and a microwave.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Most hotels definitely don’t have a sunken living room.  What a unique feature.

Marie Enriquez:  It's something very unique to the Anaheim area.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Yeah, but it's pretty cool.

Patrick Wiscombe:  You're talking about the desert themed rooms; I'm assuming that the heat is not included.

Marie Enriquez:  No, heat is not included.  [Laughter]  Each room has an air conditioning unit. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  Let's talk about the Sahara Suite for a minute.

Marie Enriquez:  The Sahara Suite is also a very unique hotel room in the Anaheim area.  It has a full living room with a pullout sofa bed; it has a bedroom with two queen beds and a full kitchen.

Patrick Wiscombe:  I'm assuming all of your rooms have the same amenities.  Is that correct?

Marie Enriquez:  Yes, that’s correct.

Patrick Wiscombe:  So, Get Away Today guests can choose the type of room they want to have while they're on vacation.

Marie Enriquez:  Yes.  Our kid suites have two queen beds, bunk beds, and a pullout sofa bed.  Our kid suites also have a king size bed in addition to the bunk beds

Patrick Wiscombe:  That's Marie Enriquez, the Sales and Marketing Manager for the Desert Palms Hotel and Suites.  The property is located on the corner of Harbor Blvd. and Katella Avenue.  Those two streets intersect on the southeast corner of the Disneyland Resort.  Just a quick reminder as we begin to wrap up, if you book your vacation on our website, Get Away Today.com, make sure you use promotion code ‘podcast’ as you're checking out so we can give you an additional $10 off your vacation.

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
You can book your Get Away Today vacation package right now by going to Get Away Today.com or calling one of our friendly reservation agents at 1-866-FUN-TRIP.  This has been the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com

--------------------END OF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT--------------------

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Where is Disney's California Adventure® Park in Relation to Disneyland® Park? (FAQ)

They are adjacent to each other. The main entrances for Disney's California Adventure® Park and Disneyland® Park open into the esplanade. This space contains tram loading and unloading areas as well as the ticket windows for both theme parks.  On the north side of the esplanade is the Disneyland® Park  and to the south is Disney's California Adventure® Park.  The Downtown Disney® district the home for each of the Disneyland® Resort Hotels. (Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier, Disney's Grand Califorinan.)

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Disneyland Resort: Top 12 Travel Tips

With all of the times I’ve been to Disneyland, we've picked up a few pointers.  It’s one of our favorite places, filled with magic, fun, and wonder…if you do it right!  Here are our Top 12 Travel Tips when visiting the Disneyland Resort in sunny southern California.

1. The best advice I can give is to get a multi-day Park Hopper ticket.  With two theme parks, there is so much to see and do.  Even in non-peak season (when the parks are less crowded), I would always at least get a 3-day or longer Park Hopper ticket.  If you have the time, a 4 or 5 day Park Hopper ticket would be even better.  This allows you to see all of the attractions, shows, parades and other events at your own pace.  You won’t feel rushed, and you’ll be able to experience your favorites a couple of times.

2. Take advantage of the FASTPASS system.  This is easily one of Disney’s best inventions.  With the FASTPASS, you receive a ticket (like a place in line) to all of the biggest, funnest attractions.  All you do is insert your theme park ticket into a FASTPASS booth, and out pops an additional ticket with a return time to your favorite ride.  Keep in mind, you may only have one active FASTPASS at a time, so use them wisely.  With the FASTPASS, every guest feels like a VIP.

3. Buy your Disneyland Resort Park Hopper ticket before you go on vacation, because you’ll have access to specials not available at the gate.  For example, Get Away Today Vacations offers a Bonus ticket that includes an exclusive 2 early entries into Disneyland and is $20 less than the price you’d pay at the park with no early entries!

4. If you want to avoid crowds inside Disneyland, there are many times to choose from.  Generally as a rule, some of the least crowded times to go are any time school is in session, like between Presidents Day and Memorial Day, but avoiding Spring/Easter Break.  If you want to go to Disneyland during the holidays, which is an incredibly popular time to visit, one to two weeks before Thanksgiving is a good bet and early December through one to two weeks before Christmas, and the week after New Year’s are excellent times to visit.  If you can’t avoid the peak season time, weekdays are normally less crowded than weekends throughout the year at Disneyland .  Plus, with California’s temperate climate, anytime you go, you’ll normally find pleasant, mild weather.

5. If you are traveling during the off season, make sure that at least one of your days includes a weekend at Disneyland.  Remember…Dreams Come True, the fireworks spectacular, only takes place on weekends during slower times of the year, and it is worth sticking around for!  During busier times, the show takes place every night.

6. The best seats in the house for Remember…Dreams Come True are right in front of the castle.  You may want to grab dinner an hour or two before it is scheduled to start and grab a spot in front of the castle for a picnic.  You’ll have a little bit of a wait, but it’s worth it!

7. If you want to watch the Parade of Dreams, but don’t want to spend a lot of time sitting, try catching it on a weekend during the first parade.  Instead of going to Main Street where you’ll be waiting a long time for the parade, stay by “it’s a small world” or in front of the Matterhorn. The parade starts near “it’s a small world” so you’ll see everything right as it comes out, or along its path.  You’ll have more time to play (and shorter lines) while others are watching and waiting on Main Street.

8. For a quick, free snack, visit The Bakery Tour and the Mission Tortilla Factory inside Disney's California Adventure Park.  You’ll not only learn how sourdough bread and tortillas are made, you’ll learn how great they taste when they are fresh!

9. For some real character interaction, make a reservation for a character meal.  If you have girls, Ariel’s Princess Celebration at Ariel’s Grotto is a must.  There are three other character dining locations: Chip ‘n’ Dale Critter breakfast at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Lilo & Stitch Aloha Breakfast at Disney’s Paradise Pier, and Goofy’s Kitchen is open for breakfast or dinner at the Disneyland Hotel.  You do not have to be a guest at one of these hotels to enjoy the magic of these interactive experiences.  You can buy your discounted Character Dining tickets through Get Away Today, after you have bought your Character Breakfast tickets throught Get Away Today call 714-781-DINE (3463) to set up your reservations.  You can book your reservations up to 60 days in advance, so be sure to take advantage of this great offer. 

10. During the Year of a Million Dreams, Disneyland is offering many immersive expriences where guests can become honorary pirates, princesses, and jedi knights!  These interactive experiences are offered only at certain times of the day.  To find out all scheduled times for interactive experiences, you can reference the map you get when entering the park, or check online at Disneyland.com before you go.

11. For magic from beginning to end of your Disney vacation, stay at one of the hotels of the Disneyland Resort.  Each of the three hotels has its own personality and is Disney through and through.  Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel has a Disney beach theme with a boardwalk pool.  Out of the three Disney hotels, this property has the largest standard room size and has the lowest prices.  Guests here have access to a private entrance to Disney’s California Adventure at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa.  The Disneyland Hotel is the most classic Disney and has a Peter Pan Neverland themed pool.  Guests who stay at the Disneyland Hotel can take the monorail inside Downtown Disney straight into Tomorrow Land, or can use Disney’s Grand Californian’s private entrance.  Disney’s Grand Californian and Spa is the most deluxe of the three properties and is the only hotel that is located inside the theme park!  It boasts a gorgeous lobby, a selection of guestrooms with bunk beds, and three amazing swimming pools.

12. Most importantly, ENJOY!  Your kids won’t know if you’ve been on every attraction, so don’t rush yourself and miss the moment.  These are the memories that will last a lifetime.

Since 1990, Get Away Today Vacations has sent millions of families on affordable, memorable, fun-filled vacations. Get Away Today saves families up to 50% off vacation packages while maintaining their high standards of customer service and contributions to the community. If you want to save on your vacations, or would like to sign up for FREE last minute travel alerts, visit: www.GetAwayToday.com

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Disneyland Resort: Ten Places To Eat Inside Disneyland

The Disneyland Resort offers some of the most fun, entertaining, and delicious meals around. While traveling you want to try foods that are new, fun, and exciting. Don't know where you would find such places?   Let me take away the stress and help you out!  We've put together a "must go to" list of places to eat when vacationing at the Disneyland Resort. Whether you're looking for Character Dining or dining elegance, they have it all. Here's our top ten places.

1.   Goofy's Kitchen is an all-you-care-to-eat buffet featuring American cuisine with healthy options. They even offer a vegetarian menu. Goofy's Kitchen is an entertaining character dining experience located inside the Disneyland Hotel. Kids (and kids at heart) can have peanut butter and jelly pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Do the Macarena with some really "goofy" characters, then eat some more!

2.   PCH Grill in Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel offers one of four fabulous character breakfasts. The Lilo and Stitch Hawaiian-themed all-you-care-to-eat buffet will delight all ages.  Character breakfasts do sell out, so make your reservation well in advance by calling (714)781-DINE.

3.   Storytellers Café has a Chip n' Dale all-you-care-to-eat breakfast buffet.  Located at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, this dining experience comes packed with sing alongs and adventure for the whole family.

4.   Mix and mingle with Minnie & Friends-Breakfast in the Park at The Plaza Inn. This  all-you-care-to-eat breakfast buffet featuring American cuisine is the only character dining experience inside Disneyland Park. Make sure you come prepared with your camera and autograph book!

5.   Ariel's Grotto is home to the Disney Princess Celebration lunch and dinner where you can enjoy American cuisine and learn proper etiquette. This is the only character dining experience inside Disney's California Adventure Park.  It's also the only character dining experience that isn't a buffet. Order your appetizer, entrée, dessert, and drink.  You won't want to miss fun memories, so make sure to bring your camera and autograph books as well! 

6.   Medieval Times  is a fun-filled dinner show that will take you back to Medieval days.  The five course meal (served without utensils) includes garlic bread, vegetable soup, slow roasted chicken, barbecued ribs, a baked potato, pastry, and two rounds of beverages. Vegetarian options are also available. This trip back in time is located in Buena Park, just 10-15 minutes away from the Disneyland Resort.

7.   If you didn't get enough pirates at Disney's Pirates of the Carribbean, head up the road to Buena Park to the Pirate's Dinner Adventure. This swashbuckling dinner offers a preshow and  buffet, but don't eat too much because then comes your dinner!  Your dinner options include salad, potatoes, rice, chicken, beef, shrimp, and apple pie 'a la mode.  Your meal is also served with complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks, and coffee, but only during the main show. A cash bar is available all other times.

8.   The Blue Bayou is one of the most sought after restaurants inside Disneyland.  This restaurant is world- renowned and at a great location in New Orleans Square... right inside the Pirates of Carribean ride! The meals served are "Louisiana Cookin" and range from $20-$30 per person.  In order to dine here you must call in advance to reserve your spot. Reservations can be made up to sixty days in advance by calling (714) 781-DINE. 

9.   The Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor is located on Main Street inside Disneyland. The Parlor is home to the famous "Fantasia" ice cream that is only available inside Disneyland Park.  This flavor consists of banana, cherry, and pistachio and is served inside a waffle cone. The Parlor also has many different flavors to choose from.   

10.  The famous Disneyland turkey legs are a must try!  You can find these for about $6.00 at carts in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle near the Matterhorn entrance, and in Frontierland near the Rivers of America.  Keep your eyes peeled because these small carts are easy to miss and tend to move around.  Be sure you're hungry, because these legs are gargantuan.

Surrounding yourself in new experiences on your vacation, including meal times, adds excitement to your trip! These dining locations will leave you with a full stomach, a pleased palate, and will add a dash of magic to your get away!

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EXCLUSIVE: The New Finding Nemo Ride at Disneyland

In this episode of the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast, we give listeners an EXCLUSIVE preview of the new Finding Nemo submarine ride at the Disneyland Resort. If you haven't been able to visit Disneyland this summer and wondered if you should go experience the ride, the answer is an enthusiastic YES! 

WE MAKE IT EASY TO LISTEN: 

Listening to the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast is simple.  There are four different ways to do it: 

1. Just press the PLAY button.  (12:39)

2.  If you have iTunes installed on your computer, click the small iTunes logo right here in this paragraph to connect to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast inside the iTunes store. Once you're there, click the 'SUBSCRIBE' button.  If you don't have iTunes installed on your computer, click here to download the software.  It's FREE!

3.  Download the audio.  To download, right-click on this MP3 FILE link.  Select the 'Save Target As' option to download the file.

4.  You can also visit the Get Away Today podcast page and listen to all of the travel features we've produced for you.

--------------------START OF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT--------------------

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
Travel news you can use.  This is the Get Away Today.com Travel Show.  Get Away Today is a top provider of affordable, fun family vacations to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Hawaii, San Diego, Beaches, and Sandals in the Caribbean. The Travel Show is heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com.  And now, here's the host of the Travel Show.

Patrick Wiscombe:  (Get Away Today - Internet Marketing Manager)
Welcome to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast.  My name is Patrick Wiscombe; I’m the Internet Marketing Manager for the Get Away Today website and blog.  Coming up in the next few minutes, we’re going to be talking about the new Finding Nemo ride at Disneyland.  I invited Shari Butler, our amazing graphic designer here at Get Away Today, to talk with her about her experience on the brand new Finding Nemo ride which opened on June 11, 2007.  She was lucky enough to be one of the very first people to ride the new attraction at Disneyland.  So, if you haven’t been able to get down to Disneyland yet and you’re wondering what the ride is like, let’s take you to Disneyland right now.  I started my conversation with Shari by asking her when she went on the ride.

Shari Butler:  (Get Away Today - Graphic Designer)
We got to go on Finding Nemo before it opened to the general public.  I have never gone on the submarine ride before.  We didn’t really have a line.  Once we were inside the Finding Nemo subs, we sat in the seats.  The seats are small so you have to scrunch up a little bit if you’re an adult to see out the window.  What I’m told is that the subs still have the old feeling but they’ve updated the look.  You feel like you’re going underneath the water when all of a sudden you hear, “Where’s Nemo?”  As we were going through the ride, you see Bruce the Shark.  He scared me.  You would think that as an adult it wouldn’t scare me, but it did.  All of a sudden you hear Dori snoring away and you go into the jellyfish. It’s amazing how visually appealing the ride is; the colors are vibrant and beautiful.  The ride is 15 to 17 minutes long.  You’ll stand in line for a while but it’s worth the wait.  Your kids will love it and you’ll love it as well.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Another person that works here at Get Away Today was in Disneyland with you.  He told me the ride was divided up into three sections.  You have the beginning of the ride, because you are at the front of the submarine, then you have the middle section, which you were talking about, and the tail section.

Shari Butler:  He’s right.  Because I was in the middle section, we weren’t able to see Nemo and the father reuniting at the beginning but we were able to see them reunite a little bit later.

Patrick Wiscombe:  When you stop and think about it, the Disney Imagineers had to figure out how to engineer this ride into the three different segments even though everyone is on the same submarine.  Everyone has a different experience.  Those who sat at the front of the sub had a different experience.  The people in the middle have a different experience because the audio is timed differently, and then those in the back have different audio.

Shari Butler:  It’s a unique experience and that’s the genius of the Finding Nemo ride.  The Imagineers are amazing at what they do because you have the scary factor at the beginning of the ride, then you have the entire story line, but you get the whole feel of the ride. Then, for those who have special needs, they are able to go into a room where the entire Finding Nemo ride is on a plasma screen.  Those individuals can experience the entire ride without having to get inside the submarine.

Patrick Wiscombe:  That’s cool.

Patrick Wiscombe:  I was inside Disneyland on June 9, 2007.  Disneyland was having the cast party so the employees could go on the Finding Nemo ride.  So, I went up to one of the Disneyland cast members and asked if I could go on the ride.  She was going to say yes before she realized the park was going to close in 20 minutes.  I didn’t get on the ride. 

Shari Butler:  Well, you’re going to have to go again so you can ride it.  We were there after the celebrity party concluded so we walked the red carpet and went to the media party.  We were able to experience Finding Nemo like the celebrities did.  It was so fun to go on the ride.  The graphics were great.  I was very impressed what Disney has done with the new ride.  My husband was able to go with me to the party.  He loved it.  He said kids would love riding Finding Nemo.  He also said that parents need to take them to Disneyland just so they could experience the ride.  He said that kids had a sparkle in their eye when they saw Nemo.  It’s really amazing that Pixar and Disneyland were able to bring this unique ride back.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Wasn’t Disneyland going to pave over the lagoon at one point?

Shari Butler:  Yes.  They were going to pave it over but they decided to make the Finding Nemo ride.  I think this ride goes hand-in-hand with the movie.  They used the original subs.

Patrick Wiscombe:  So, those were the original subs?

Shari Butler:  Yes, and they were the original seats.

Patrick Wiscombe:  As I was watching the Finding Nemo ride go around the lagoon, I noticed the subs stay on the surface.

Shari Butler:  You stay on the surface but you feel like you’re going down into the water.  When the ride begins, its light inside the sub.  Then, all of a sudden, it gets darker and you feel like you’re in the ocean.  I actually talked with a guy named Tom who was the head designer of the Finding Nemo ride.  He said this project was fun for him because he was one of the people who helped build the original submarine ride.

Patrick Wiscombe:  So, he was one of the original Imagineers?

Shari Butler:  Yes.  He used to run the submarines in DisneyWorld.  He was able to help bring the submarines to Disneyland.  He said that it was the kind of ride that could help educate kids about the ocean.  Kids would be able to learn about different species of fish, jellyfish, and sharks.  I don’t like sharks.

Patrick Wiscombe:  So, I guess you’re not a big fan of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week?

Shari Butler:  No, I’m not.

Patrick Wiscombe:  You mentioned that you talked to Tom, one of the original Imagineers.   What did he say that surprised you?

Shari Butler:  The original scuba diver is still there.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Oh that’s right!  I remember seeing the original scuba diver years ago.  I was a little kid.

Shari Butler:  So you’ve got the scuba diver, there’s some treasure chests.  They’ve obviously updated the look and feel.  They have more hidden Mickey’s in the ride than they did before.  But I can’t give you all of the secrets, Patrick.  People will need to go and experience the ride for themselves.

Patrick Wiscombe:  What did he say about coming back to the ride?

Shari Butler:  He says he has a different experience every time he rides it.  It’s never boring to him.

Patrick Wiscombe:  This is coming from the guy that actually designed it.

Shari Butler:  Yes.  He feels the ride is different every time you ride it.  It’s not really different so much as a different experience.  With the old ride, it was always the same experience.  The new Finding Nemo ride is broken up into three segments but you’re going to find something new every time.

Patrick Wiscombe:  What surprised you during the ride?

Shari Butler:  I didn’t expect the jellyfish.  They way they were designed was really cool.  I can’t really explain why.  I went on the ride once and I definitely want to go back.  The shark scared me to death. I was in the front of the submarine.  Unlike the movie where you’re expecting them, they just scare you.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Does Bruce the Shark talk to you?

Shari Butler:  Yes, he talks to you and it looks like he’s going to eat you.

Patrick Wiscombe:  I thought one of the most hilarious parts of the whole movie was where the seagulls say, “Mine, mine, mine, mine.”  Once you hear that, it’s the only thing you hear in the movie theatre.  I noticed there are three seagulls sitting on a buoy in the Disneyland lagoon.

Shari Butler:  Yeah, I forgot about that.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Yeah, but it’s not overly annoying.

Shari Butler:  No, it’s not overly annoying.  The way they created the Finding Nemo ride is simply amazing.  You don’t get annoyed by anything.

Patrick Wiscombe:  The other thing that was kind of interesting about this ride is that all of the underwater rock-work is actually recycled glass.  More than 30 tons of recycled glass was used to create the colored scenery.  If you’re over by the Matterhorn looking into the lagoon, you can see all of the colors.

Shari Butler:  That’s correct. In fact, all of the colors on the ride are custom colors just for Disneyland. The starfish and the little seashells you see during the ride are the originals.  They just updated them. Every ride you see at the Disneyland Resort, if they had a ride there before, there is always something recycled from the ride.  If there is one ride that I would go to Disneyland for this year I would go see Finding Nemo.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Just a quick reminder, anyone who purchases their 3-Day or longer Disneyland tickets through Get Away Today, you automatically receive two early entries which is a Get Away Today exclusive offer.  You won’t find this offer for any other travel company.  The two early entries can be used on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday.  The Finding Nemo ride is open during our two early entry morning so we strongly suggest you use you’re a portion of your early entry time to get on the Finding Nemo ride, that way you won’t need to wait in the incredibly long lines.

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
You can book your Get Away Today vacation package right now by going to Get Away Today.com or calling one of our friendly reservation agents by calling (866) FUN TRIP.  This has been the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com.

--------------------END OF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT--------------------

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SeaWorld: How To Make Your Theme Park Vacation Even More Fun!

SeaWorld, what an amazing place to visit.  It's the only place where you can get face-to-face with Shamu, the famous killer whale.  While you're there, you'll be able to watch several whales glide through the 6.7 million gallon pool.  It's also the only place on earth where you can get face-to-face with sharks of all shapes and sizes - SAFELY.  The Shark Encounter is a 280,000-gallon attraction features a 57-foot, walk-through acrylic tube running the length of the sharks' habitat. As you travel through the sharks' amazing world, you can view hundreds of fascinating sand tiger, bonnethead, blacktip and whitetip sharks swimming overhead.

If you would like to know you can make SeaWorld day even more fun, please take a few minutes to listen or subscribe to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast with Patrick Wiscombe and Alyssa Stark, Get Away Today Team Leader and resident SeaWorld expert.  We've also provided a transcript of this SeaWorld Tips podcast for your convenience.

WE MAKE IT EASY TO LISTEN: 

Listening to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast is simple.  There are four different ways to do it: 

1. Just press the PLAY button.  (12:05)

2.  If you have iTunes installed on your computer, click the small iTunes logo right here in this paragraph to connect to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast inside the iTunes store. Once you're there, click the 'SUBSCRIBE' button.  If you don't have iTunes installed on your computer, click here to download the software.  It's FREE!

3.  Download the audio.  To download, right-click on this MP3 FILE link.  Select the 'Save Target As' option to download the file.

4.  You can also visit the Get Away Today podcast page and listen to all of the travel features we've produced for you.

--------------------START OF PODCAST TRANSCRIPT--------------------

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
Travel news you can use.  This is the Get Away Today.com Travel Show.  Get Away Today is a top provider of affordable, fun family vacations to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Hawaii, San Diego, Beaches, and Sandals in the Caribbean. The Travel Show is heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com.  And now, here's the host of the Travel Show.

Patrick Wiscombe:  (Get Away Today - Internet Marketing Manager)
I’m so glad its Friday!  This is the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast.  My name is Patrick Wiscombe, thank you for tuning us in wherever you’re listening.  Just a quick reminder before we get started, when you book your vacation on our website, Get Away Today.com, make sure you use promotion code ‘podcast’ as you check out so we can give you an additional $10 off your vacation.  Coming up in the next 10 minutes, were going to give you some tips to make your SeaWorld vacation even better.   Alyssa Stark, Get Away Today Team Leader and Resident SeaWorld expert, is in the Get Away Today studio with me right now to talk about SeaWorld.  Alyssa, I was at SeaWorld in June and didn't know until then that you can actually swim with the dolphins.

Alyssa Stark:  (Get Away Today – Team Leader and SeaWorld Expert)
SeaWorld offers a great opportunity for you to play with the dolphins with their ‘Trainer for the Day’ and ‘Dolphin Encounter Program.’  One of the best times to interact with the dolphins is during meal times.  You’ll be able to interact with Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins, Sea Lions, and Sting Rays.  Not only do you get to feed them, you also get to touch them which is really fun for the kids.  Most of the time you won't get wet but sometimes the dolphins do like to splash and have fun with you.  SeaWorld also features the  Dolphin Discovery Show which is a fun show for adults and kids.

Patrick Wiscombe:  The Dolphin Discovery Show takes place inside Dolphin Stadium.

Alyssa Stark:  Yes, that's correct.  It’s a show I wouldn’t miss.  You need to be there a little bit early to get the seat you want.  They have a splash zone that kids love to sit in. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  When you say “splash,” that's a little misleading.  It's not a splash zone, it's more of a soak zone.   

Alyssa Stark:  Definitely.  The potential to get absolutely drenched is there for sure. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  One of the things that I thought was really cool when I was down there was looking at the sting rays.  Isn’t it cool how they glide through the water? 

Alyssa Stark:  That’s very cool.  They’re very rubbery.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Oh, did you get to touch one of the sting rays?

Alyssa Stark:   Yes, I did.  It was a little bit scary, but it was very cool.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Shamu is obviously the main attraction at SeaWorld.  They have two Shamu shows at SeaWorld.  The ‘Believe’ show which is the afternoon show, and then they have ‘Shamu Rocks’ which is the evening show.  A lot of people go to SeaWorld just to see Shamu even though there’s a whole lot more to see inside the park.  How can our Get Away Today customers spend more time with Shamu?

Alyssa Stark:  You can dine with Shamu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Those experiences will bring you closer to the killer whale than you’ve ever been before. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  When you say closer to the whale, basically you're having breakfast, lunch, and dinner around the perimeter of the tank. 

Alyssa Stark:  Yes. When we went to SeaWorld in January, you had to be careful because sometimes you can be sitting next to the tank and get soaked. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  Really?  So water came up and over the tank?

Alyssa Stark:  It can.  If one of the SeaWorld trainers direct the whales to splash you, you’d better watch out .  (laughter).  It's definitely a fun experience and SeaWorld has really good food too.

Patrick Wiscombe:  The food is really good. One of the other things people don't know is that you can go on fun tours while you’re inside the park.  Let's talk about some of those tours.

Alyssa Stark:  First, there’s the SeaWorld - Behind the Scenes tour.  They also have the Animal Spotlight tour.  Those are just two of the many great adventures that await you and your family.

Patrick Wiscombe:  In the middle of the park they have a big blue tower called the Sky Tower.  Frankly, I think it's one of those things you have to do while you’re at SeaWorld. 

Alyssa Stark:  You will get some amazing views from the Sky Tower.  You go up 265 feet.  You’ll see spectacular views of the park as well as the San Diego area.  They also have another great option; it's called the Sky Ride.  The Sky Ride crosses Mission Bay.  There’s a $3 charge to get on the Sky Ride but it’s a great way to relax for a few minutes.  You definitely won't be disappointed with the views.

Patrick Wiscombe:  At some point during the day you’re going to get hungry.  Let's talk about the restaurants. Now, I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of theme park food.  But when I went to SeaWorld this last time, the food was really good. 

Alyssa Stark:  No need to worry.  SeaWorld has a variety of restaurants for even the pickiest eaters.  The pizza is so good.  You can enjoy a plate of eggplant parmesan.  They have a Calypso Bay Smokehouse for some of the best barbecue around.  Some would recommend that you go to lunch during some of the shows to beat the crowds.  That way you're not waiting a long time to get your food.  They have a great bakery for fresh baked cookies.  As for souvenirs, there are some great shops scattered throughout the park.  So you can get that stuffed Shamu or that nice SeaWorld t-shirt. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  They do have nice souvenirs; they're not cheesy.

Alyssa Stark:  They’re not cheesy at all.  I really liked them.  I brought a lot of souvenirs last time I was down there. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  There's definitely a lot to do at SeaWorld.  Because kids have more energy than adults, what are some activities parents can do while their kids continue to play?

Alyssa Stark:  Well, there are a couple different things you can do.  You can head over to Shamu’s Happy Harbor or you can watch your kids play on an ocean themed playground.  For those adventurous parents, you can climb through the cargo nets or wiggle through the tunnels with your kids. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  I did that with my kids.  That was a lot of fun. 

Alyssa Stark:  That would be a lot of fun.  Another thing you can do is head on over to the Journey to Atlantis water ride.  If you don't want to get wet, just make sure you don't sit in the front seat because you’ll get drenched. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  Yeah.  These rides don't just splash you, you really get wet.

Alyssa Stark:  You do.  If you want to get wet, that’s the best place to be. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  You may want to consider bringing an extra pair of clothes, maybe even several pairs of clothes if you want to get wet all day long.

Alyssa Stark:  Yeah, your kids always want to sit in the splash zones, or soak zones.  When they do get wet it would be nice to have an extra pair of clothes. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  Your kids will get cold after a while.

Alyssa Stark:  Yes, they will.

Patrick Wiscombe:  When is the best time to visit SeaWorld and how long should you stay?

Alyssa Stark:  SeaWorld is a great place for the family all year long.  Some of the shows only play in the summer.  If you want to sit in the soak zone, then I wouldn’t recommend going in the middle of winter because it does get a little chilly, even in San Diego.  You can see SeaWorld in a day.  If you want to spend more time getting to know your favorite sea creatures and animals, you can upgrade to a multi-day ticket as well. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  Let's talk about ticketing options for just a minute.  What ticketing options do Get Away Today customers have for the rest of 2007 and for 2008?

Alyssa Stark:  Well, this year we have a great special where adults play at kid’s prices.  Everyone gets into SeaWorld for $46.  That same special carries over to next year (2008) but the price just goes up a little bit to $49 a ticket. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  We talk about the $46 SeaWorld ticket for 2007.  A lot of our Get Away Today customers don’t know that they’ll save $13 on each adult ticket when they purchase the ticket through Get Away Today.  Multiply $13 by the number of adults going to SeaWorld and that’s how much money you’ll save.  We simply have the best SeaWorld ticket value out there, period. 

Alyssa Stark:  It is.  If you have kids over the age of 10, you'll have to buy an adult ticket for them so that will save you even more money. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  San Diego is one my favorite places to go on vacation.  The weather is perfect, but even perfect San Diego can get hot during the summer.  Let's talk about places to cool down inside the park.  Let’s talk about some of the “cooler” attractions.

Alyssa Stark:  Well, a great place to cool down would be the Wild Arctic exhibit.  You can see the Polar Bears and Walruses.  You can also visit the Penguin Encounter but my favorite place is the Shark Encounter. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  Oh yeah.  I love the Shark Encounter.  That is one cool place to go.

Alyssa Stark:  My husband, parents, and little brother really loved it.  It's a great place for families.

Patrick Wiscombe:  There's just something intimidating about looking at a big shark.  It's pretty cool to be face-to-face with the shark and see those big teeth.  They’re so jagged.  It's amazing to watch them up close.

Alyssa Stark:  It is.  It's really awesome.  My favorite part is to stand on the escalator and look up at the glass where you can see all the shark swimming above your head.  It is very intimidating, but it’s also a great thrill.

Patrick Wiscombe:  If you see Shamu, the Shark Encounter, and the Dolphin Show, that's reason enough to go to SeaWorld.

Alyssa Stark:  Definitely.  If you’re looking for another attraction to cool down, you can head over to the Haunted Lighthouse 4D Show which is great for kids.  You can participate in a thrilling multi sensor experience out of the sun.

Patrick Wiscombe:  If you've never been to a 4D show, here’s what happens.  The seat you’re sitting in will poke you at some point.  It doesn’t poke you hard; it just startles you because you’re not expecting it. 

Alyssa Stark:  It gets me every time even though I know it’s coming.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Like I said, it's worth the price of admission to see the Dolphin Show, Shamu, and the Shark Encounter.  They also have other shows inside the park.

Alyssa Stark:  One of the most popular shows a SeaWorld is Clyde and Seamore’s Risky Rescue Adventure.  You can see Clyde and Seamore save the day.  This is one of my favorite shows.  I recommend getting to that attraction 30 minutes early so you can get the seat you want.  Your kids will want to sit in the soak zone there as well.

Patrick Wiscombe:  Do you remember the tide pool?  That’s the place where guests can pick up the starfish. 

Alyssa Stark:  Oh yeah, that is really cool.  That was really fun. 

Patrick Wiscombe:  You just go to the tide pool and hold a starfish in your hand.  It feels weird. 

Alyssa Stark:  SeaWorld is great for those types of experiences.

Patrick Wiscombe:  You’ll never forget it.

Alyssa Stark:  Bring a disposable, waterproof camera.  There are a lot of places inside SeaWorld where you can get wet.  You’ll have a lot more fun watching your children's reactions if you're not worried about keeping your expensive digital camera dry.

Patrick Wiscombe:  That does happen.  I remember sitting up in Dolphin Stadium and literally watch people run because they knew they were going to get soaked.

Alyssa Stark:  Yeah, definitely.  I also recommend you spend some time at the interactive workstations.  There are computers located throughout the park.  These computers give your children a chance to learn about the animals they're going to meet.  You can see how a Manatee grinds his food at the Manatee Rescue.  There’s a lot of fun stuff for your children to do. 

Todd Carlson:  (Announcer)
You can book your Get Away Today vacation package right now by going to Get Away Today.com or calling one of our friendly reservation agents at 1-866-FUN-TRIP.  This has been the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast heard exclusively on Get Away Today.com

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