Past Experiences

In the past couple of years I have been to Disney World in Orlando, Florida and Honolulu, Hawaii. I went to Orlando with my family and Honolulu with my school's volleyball team. Both trips were a great experience, but I would have to say my most favorite trip was to Hawaii. Orlando was a great experience because I love theme parks and big roller coasters, so if you are the type of person that loves rides, Disney World in Orlando, Florida is the place to be. But Hawaii was my favorite because it was beautiful there. I loved the way it smelt and looked, everything about it seemed perfect. It felt like I was in a dream the whole entire week I was there. I would love to go back to Hawaii and experience the palm trees, beaches, luaus, and sights again.

Articles
Hawaiian Luau
A Hawaiian Luau is a feast. It features food and entertainment. No Hawaiian vacation would be complete without attending a luau. The word luau really just means a party or a celebration. Typically in ancient Hawaiian culture luaus were given to celebrate the birth of a child or a wedding. These days the word luau has become a household name all across the United States. When we think of a luau today, we think of those cheap plastic lays and those silly plastic tiki cups. Oh, but a luau is so much more. In Hawaii there are two basic types of luau. The first type closely resembles that of the original type of luau. This is a private gathering of friends and family for a celebration.

The second type of luau is a commercial luau open to the public and what we tourists typically visit. While in the state of Hawaii there will be many different luaus to choose from. They are basically all the same, with a few different high points. Arriving guests are greeted with a fresh flower leu. The entertainment is usually choreographed and top notch, complete with hula dancers and fire eaters. Sometimes the guests provide some of the entertainment themselves. It's always fun watching grown men wear hula skirts and try to learn this complicated dance. There are different options for food and drink as well. I myself prefer the open bar type. The food is usually a buffet, consisting of a roasted pig or perhaps some sort of roast beef, rice, and of course the Hawaiian staple...pineapple.

I have to mention some of the best known luaus and those with the best reputation. While in Maui, the Old Lahaina Luau is the one not to be missed. This is the most authentic Luau on the island. The hula dancers are superb and the food is of the highest quality. The other luaus available in Maui are usually done at the resorts and lack the realism of Old Lahaina. Because of it's popularity, the Old Lahaina Luau does require reservations. In fact, I would recommend that you make your reservations before you even leave for Hawaii.

While visiting the big island, again there are a plethora of options to choose from. Kona seems to be a popular town for the luau. King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel offers a Luau with a shell lei greeting, and a torch lighting ceremony. Check with the hotel for luau days. On the mornings of luaus spectators can watch the hotel staff bury the pig in the sand and begin roasting.

The island of Kaui offers a couple of luau's of its own. Both the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort and the Kilohana Plantation have nice luaus complete with open bars, fire eaters and of course, hula dancers.

Whichever island or islands you choose to visit while in Hawaii, a Hawaiian luau is a must. Whether the gorgeous hula girls are your thing (scantily clad Polynesian dancers for the ladies) or you are just there for the food, a luau is sure to please.
By: Ashley Kraft

Disney World
It's been a number of years since Disney World's 1971 opening, but some people still refer to the Magic Kingdom, the east coast version of the original Disneyland, as "Disney World" -- as if the one park was pretty much the whole deal. Sure, the Magic Kingdom, with its Cinderella Castle, Dumbo ride, and other icons, is the heart and soul of the Florida resort.

But it comprises a mere few dozen acres among WDW's 35,000 acres. That's 47 square miles, roughly the size of two Manhattan islands, filled with four theme parks, two waterparks, 30 resort hotels, six golf courses, two shopping-dining-entertainment complexes and--are you still with me?--enough other diversions to keep over 54,000 "cast members" (Disney-speak for employees) busy catering to tens of millions of guests annually.

Disney World is a phenomenon that has made an indelible mark on travel and tourism and changed the very notion of what it means to take a vacation and be entertained. It can be a wonderful source of pleasure and a great way to gather with friends and family for treasured, shared moments. But it is so enormous that, without proper planning, it can also be a powerful source of frustration and disappointment.

Before you proudly proclaim to anyone within shouting distance, "I'm going to Disney World!" take the time to learn all you can about the resort's incredible palette of options so that you can take full advantage of them. Gather your vacation mates for planning meetings well before you leave. Develop a rough itinerary, make restaurant reservations where practical, and do consider some of the other parks and attractions outside the Disney complex.

Whatever you do, don't try to do everything. Disney World is much too big now for vacationers to do it all. Save your energy and patience for the parks and attractions you can reasonably accommodate, and save the parks and attractions you miss for your next vacation. After all, half the fun is in the planning and getting to tell people, "I'm going to Disney World!"

By: Arthur Levine