Top 5 New Years Destinations

     Happy New Year everyone. I hope all of you had a happy holidays, whatever holiday you celebrate. I appreciate all of you for following my blog and hopefully I am encouraging you to go out and follow your dreams and be inspired by my travels. For this blog, I am going to be discussing some top New Year's destinations and, much like the top Christmas destinations blog, I will explain why these destinations are worth checking out.

                     

                                  HONOLULU, HAWAII

    This Hawaiian capital is surprisingly a good place to spend New Year's. One reason is the warm and lively beach weather. Much better than spending it in some East Coast city. Fireworks explode over both Waikiki Beach and Aloha Tower Marketplace. This is an excellent place for families to visit for New Year's. An excellent New Year's event is The Kaka'ako Waterfront Park, which contains a beer garden, carnival rides, food trucks, and a lot of entertainment. This city is also a nice place to lie on the beach to deal with a hangover.

                           LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

     This divided city from West Los Angeles, Downtown LA, Hollywood, San Fernando Valley, has a lot to offer on a reasonable budget. Some of the events include black-tie affairs, street parties, and all-night clubbers. One way to do it would be to buy a club package, which allows access to multiple clubs. Some big events in Los Angeles include Cleopatra's New Year's Eve Bowl at the Egyptian Theater, which has a DJ playing the newest releases, LED light show, and a balloon drop. A free event that one should do is Grand Park, which has entertainment and food among the streets. Both Grand Park and Hollywood are accessible by Metro stops.

                                   CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

     There are lots of things to do in the Windy City, including dinner parties, firework cruises, and family-friendly events. One should explore Navy Pier to see an amazing firework show that bursts over Lake Michigan. A fun place for mingling and dancing is the Chicago Resolution Gala. That is the highlight for New Year's in Chicago, containing 30 bars, buffet stations, and access to the Grand Ballroom and Lakeview Terrace. Another excellent activity would be to go to one of the hotels for one of their parties.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

     Sin City, particularly the strip, is an excellent place to party with over 300,000 visitors who check out all the themed hotels all on one boulevard. All traffic shuts down and the strip transforms into a big block party. At midnight, the casinos put on a firework show that makes Times Square look bad. Party goers dance the night away. The Skylofts at the MGM Grand give one a superb view of the strip during this party season.

                                NEW YORK, NEW YORK

   
     This is the destination of all destinations to visit for New Year's Eve. People head to Times Square to watch the ball drop, and all the networks play New Year's there. There are over 100,000 places to drink and ring in the new year. Many people brave up for Times Square and purchase a party pass for open bars. Other amazing activities for New Year's include STK Rooftop, where a DJ spins the hottest tracks and the bar overlooks the Hudson River. Or Monarch Rooftop Lounge, which offers a view of the Empire State Building. No matter what you do in the Big Apple, it will be epic.

    I hope I gave you an idea of places to visit for your New Year's. From the beach to a city in the desert to the Midwest to two coastal cities, there's no shortage of fun places to check out for your holiday. I look forward to taking YOU to more destinations in 2019, and thanks for reading.

     

Top 5 Christmas Destinations

                                      

     Happy holidays readers. It's Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler again. As it is that special time of year, for this blog we are going to talk about Christmas destinations that one should visit. These destinations are uniquely special for Christmas time, providing the holiday feel. Let's explore the top 5 Christmas destinations and I hope I will inspire you to visit these places.

                                REYKJAIK, ICELAND

     What better place to spend Christmas than a snowy country called Iceland. This isolated country in Europe contains amazing landscapes and liquid-green aurora borealis illuminate the nighttime. There are statues of the 12 yule lads, which is the equivalent of Santa Claus, all around the city. One restaurant to visit would be the seafood restaurant Vid Tjornina to eat Icelandic cuisine.

                                               

                                  SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

                                      

       California cities are great for the holidays. The Santa Barbara County coastal cities combine New England-style charm with California elegance with holiday touch. In the town of Montecito, the San Ysidro ranch is the equivalent of a Vermont hunting lodge, but just 20 minutes from the beach. One place to have a drink is the Summerland Winery.

                                        

                                              BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

     

     Boston: This New England city already feels Christmasy by the fact it snows a lot in the winter. Some Christmas activities include Beacon Hill streets covered in snow and 'Believe in Ghosts' at Harvard's Sanders Theater. If one wants to warm up during the cold winter, XV Beacon Hotel is perfect because there's a gas fireplace in every room. One place to eat is No. 9 Park, which showcases French and Italian cuisine, as well as rich desserts and artisanal cheeses.

                                       

                                  DURANGO, COLORADO

     Durango: I'm going to be honest, I had never heard of this town in Colorado until I did my research for this project. This mountain town serves up an old-fashioned holiday without being in Aspen. In this amazing Christmas town, one can explore Pueblo dwellings, go skiing, or have rum at a western saloon. The Rochester Hotel explores Durango's cinematic past and each of the rooms plays a 15-minute Mexican heritage short. One can have a meal at Ken & Sue's. After learning about this place, it makes me want to explore this town during Christmas.

                                           Key West, Florida

    

     Key West: We're now going to talk about a slightly different place, yet still a nice place to celebrate Christmas. Warmer temperatures, trimmed palm trees, done-up historical inns, and four festooned blocks around the waterfront add a different yet lively Christmas atmosphere. A good place to have an excellent Christmas dinner would be Nine One Five for a Victorian dinner experience.

     After doing some research, I was able to find more places to celebrate Christmas that I normally wouldn't check out. I learned all the things these places have to offer and why they might be good to check out around the Christmas time. Maybe one day I'll check out some of these destinations, but for now I will let you do the exploring and get back to me.

Top 5 Shopping Malls For The Holidays

     Happy Holidays and enjoy your holiday shopping. It's Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler again. I'm sorry I didn't have a Thanksgiving blog as I wanted, as I was dealing with the California wildfires. With the holiday season approaching, YOU probably are doing some shopping for your loved ones. For this blog, we're going to talk about the top 5 shopping malls for the holiday season.

                                              HARRODS LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

      Well if one is in jolly old London, particularly around the holiday season, a good place to visit would be Harrods. This department store was started by Charles Henry Harrod when he was 25 years old. It has evolved into a big brand in the last 200 years. WOW! It now consists of 330 departments such as clothing, electronics, and jewelry. This place is the place to go to find all your appliances from a reputable company in London. During the festive season, it's transformed into a wintry wonderland, replete with Christmas decorations inside and out and in the windows. Visitors can also visit Father Christmas and the Christmas Grotto Area.

                                             THE GALLERIA HOUSTON, TX

     If one happens to be in Houston for the holiday season, one should check out The Galleria Mall. The Galleria happens to be more than just a shopping mall. It includes two Westin hotels, Galleria Office Complex, as well as a private health club. This stuff is operated by different management than then mall. Forbes ranked the Galleria as one of the best shopping malls to visit. During the holiday season, the mall is decorated with beautiful lights and a big centralized Christmas tree to give you that holiday season spirit. And of course, Santa Claus comes to town.

                                      MALL OF AMERICA BLOOMINGTON, MN

   If one already happens to be in Bloomington or even the state of Minnesota, one should go visit the Mall of America. This mall is one of the most famous, well-known malls in the United States. It even has a little amusement park for families. Preparing for the holiday season is essential for this mall. Some of the holiday features include Santa Claus photos and arrival, Nintendo Switch, Salvation Army's Red Kettle, Holiday Flyover America, and many others. This mall should WOW anyone fortunate enough to visit.

                                           THE AMERICANA GLENDALE, CA

     This is one of two malls in the Los Angeles area I will be talking about that are good to visit for the holidays. Watch this plaza get sprinkled with snow from 7 to 8 every evening before Christmas. Also, Santa has moved into the Americana. He is here to grant your wishes. This is a nice place if one is in Glendale to visit.

                                             THE GROVE LOS ANGELES, CA

    For the last and final mall, we're going to talk about my favorite mall to visit during the holiday season, The Grove in Los Angeles, CA. From the Farmers Market to CBS to 3rd Street, this central location is an excellent place for any mall. Let me explain why this mall takes the cake compared to any other mall in Los Angeles and why I do it every year. The beautiful scenery, from seeing Santa and his house to the beautiful Christmas tree and lights, are enough to WOW you all. This is a great place for families to start their holiday season. If one doesn't want to endure traffic, one can take the 217 bus from Hollywood/Highland and save time as well as money. You can even go to Los Angeles County Museum of Art or the La Brea Tar Pits Museum if time allows.
  

  There are a lot of reasons to check out malls during the holidays, from big trees to shopping to bright, colored lights and even Santa for all ages. If you're an adult and want to believe in Santa, enjoy sitting on his lap. I look forward to sharing more adventures about the holidays and more with you soon.

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights

    Hi everyone! It's Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler here again. Today I am going to wish you a happy Halloween for your trick or treating and candy eating. For my first time, I figured I'd go to Universal Studios: Halloween Horror Nights. Let me tell you, it's a lot of fun. From mazes of some of your favorite movies, to seeing Halloween props, to being chased around by all the horror creatures, what a fun night. This is definitely an event one should check out this Halloween.

The first Halloween Horror Nights started in 1991 at Universal Studios in Florida, then expanded to Hollywood in 1997, then to Singapore in 2011, to finally Japan in 2012. Universal Studios had horror events before Halloween Horror Nights and in 1986 had an actual tram tour. I went on the tram and had a lot of fun seeing all the Halloween props and characters popping up and running around with chainsaws and I loved their makeup. The theme for this year's Horror Nights was True Fear Comes From Within. Their attractions include The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, Trick R' Treat, The First Purge, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, The Horrors of Blumhouse, and Universal Monsters. Some of the mazes I liked and felt that the characters and props did a good job being creepy and looking scary, while others I wasn't a fan of.

     Some of my favorite mazes and attractions include the Universal Monsters and the Terror Tram. The Universal Monsters was basically, as the title suggests, all the Universal Monsters coming in and scaring you when you are walking around the room full of blood and props. Those props can include sets from the movies. The way that the mazes work are you walk around with a bunch of people and you check out all the rooms in the maze. The blood on the floor and set pieces get YOU to wonder what happened. This was my favorite maze because of all the monsters that one sees and how YOU feel that YOU are part of that maze by seeing what happens.

     My second favorite part of Halloween Horror Nights was the Terror Tram. This ride is basically like the Universal Studios Tour. It drops YOU off to the studio backlot and those parts of the tour become a bloody mess full of scares. In the backlot, YOU see the plane from War Of The Worlds and the Psycho House. Horrible killer clowns and bloody butchers come in and sneak up from behind you to make you feel uncomfortable as other characters come around to cause a fright by popping out of nowhere. This is definitely a part of Horror Nights YOU don't want to miss and it's a good idea to do this first because it closes earlier than other parts of Halloween Horror Nights.

     Other mazes I liked were the Trick R' Treat and The First Purge. They both contain characters and props from the movies. They are pretty much the same as the other mazes with characters popping out of nowhere and waiting for the right moment to appear. I enjoyed them because of how I enjoyed the set pieces and had a lot of fun. Those are worth waiting in line for.

     Two very timely mazes include Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers and Stranger Things. I luckily was able to use my disability pass, which allows one to avoid waiting in line for anything over 30 minutes, for both of those mazes. The line for Stranger Things was 110 minutes when I came back for my return time. They are timely because of the new Halloween movie and people love Stranger Things right now. I feel the Halloween maze was just ok. It lacked the scares or creativity that other mazes had. I have only started watching Stranger Things now, so I didn't know what I was getting into when I entered the maze. It was nothing exciting, but it did show some props from the show as well as the children were terrified by the creepy monster. Both mazes, of course, did the props and scary monsters popping out of nowhere. While I can't say both mazes were terrible, I liked other mazes such as the Universal Monsters, the Terror Tram, Trick R' Treat, and The First Purge.

     Overall I had a really fun time at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. It was really nice to see all the Halloween props for the night. Be prepared to wait in long lines though. Because the lines were so long, I was not able to check out the Poltergeist and Walking Dead maze. This would definitely be something worth doing for adults on Halloween instead of trick-or-treating. I look forward to doing another Halloween event next year and sharing it with YOU. Please watch my YouTube video on Halloween Horror Nights at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU393lVRQjU.

Tokyo Disneyland

     Greetings audience! This is Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler and right now I am going to discuss part II of my Asia Disneyland trip by talking about both Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. First let me tell you that the Disability Assistance Card is harder to use in Tokyo than Disneyland or Disneyworld or even Shanghai Disneyland as a lot of people in Japan don't speak English and I had a hard time communicating with them particularly for the Monsters Inc: Ride and Go Seek. They also ask what type of disability you have and because of how hard it is for them to understand it can be hard for them to know that it's just difficult for you to wait in line. They mistook my difficulty of waiting in line and thought I needed someone to go on the rides with me. It's not as disabled friendly as the other Disney parks and it can be exceptionally annoying to show proof of disability, which is not even legal in the U.S. Also the technology isn't great because there's no wi-fi in the park and the app is only for those with a Japanese cell phone. It also is exceptionally crowded. Despite these setbacks, it's a big and fun park with a lot to see.

     The park is currently doing a lot for its 35th anniversary and advertising it throughout the park. It opened on April 13, 1983. It has a lot of things that Disneyland and Magic Kingdom have to offer such as World Bazaar, which is the equivalent of Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Westernland, Critter Country, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Toontown. There are a lot of rides that, despite being similar to those at other theme parks I've enjoyed, I can't wait to tell you about.

      I am now going to talk about the rides and attractions at Tokyo Disneyland that I enjoyed. I liked It's A Small World. For those who don't know, it's a boat ride that shows people from all different countries as well as diversity. In Tokyo Disneyland it also shows characters from different Disney movies, such as Lilo and Stitch, Frozen, Finding Nemo and Dory, and Moana. This ride is a lot of fun and the song "It's A Small World After All" is extremely catchy. You can find the ride in Tomorrowland.

     Another one of my favorite rides is Pirates of the Caribbean. Unlike the one at Shanghai Disneyland, this is the same experience like the one at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. It's a boat ride that shows pirates robbing and causing trouble. Throughout the years, they've updated the ride to match the movies, so there are Captain Jack Sparrow and Barbosa and the dog with the keys in the jail scene. This ride is a lot of fun. Another ride that is a lot of fun is Jungle Cruise. It's another boat ride with animatronic animals that act like actual animals, such as hippos and elephants. It also shows Indians. This is a wonderful ride to explore a fictitious jungle.

     I also really enjoyed Tom Sawyer's Island, which is a little island where one would have to take a boat to. It's a land full of wonder and exploration where one can take a wonderful walk and site-see what's around the island. I hope one would go exploring there. Even though the attractions are very similar to Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, one would still have fun seeing them at Tokyo Disneyland.

    It wouldn't be a time at the Disney parks without seeing entertainment, parades, and fireworks, especially for the 35th anniversary. There is an amazing daytime parade called Dreaming Up! The parade features all types of Disney characters celebrating the 35th anniversary. Those characters include Aladdin and Jasmine, Beauty and the Beast, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pinocchio, and Big Hero 6, as well as many others. This is a fun activity midday to check out and be reminded of what makes Disney so amazing. The best way to end the evening is to check out the nighttime celebration Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland. It shows all the wonders and attractions of Tokyo Disneyland and how it has grown and expanded throughout the years. It ends with fireworks.

    Well, let's now talk about the second Disney park at Tokyo Disney, Tokyo DisneySea. This park opened on September 4, 2001. Let me give you the summary: While I did like the park, I felt it didn't capture the magic of the other Disney parks I have been to. The only two parks I like this better than are California Adventure and Hong Kong Disneyland. I do think it's beautifully scenic and has a lot to offer, such as the canals that represent Venice, the Aztecs from Chichen Itza, and a volcano. It has a lot of Disney attractions, such as Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, and Indiana Jones: The Temple of the Crystal Skull. There are also some different rides, such as Sinbad's Storybook Adventure, Raging Rapids, Nemo and Friends SeaRider, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Journey to the Center of the Earth. This park displays all the water and ocean scene of all the parts of the world.

     Well, it wouldn't be a Disney park without meeting some characters and some entertainment. Some of the characters I met include Jafar and Frollo. The Disney parks were prepping for Halloween a month and a half early since they were advertising all the villains. One show to check out would be Happiest Celebration on the Sea to celebrate Tokyo Disney Resort's 35th Anniversary. It was a fun visual boat show lasting 10 minutes. Unfortunately, due to rain, Fantasmic was canceled so I can't compare it to the one at Hollywood Studios.

     The main shopping center for the Tokyo Disney Resort is Ikspiari. It's the equivalent of Downtown Disney in Anaheim or Disney Springs in Orlando or Disneytown in Shanghai. Let me tell you, it doesn't feel like a Disney shopping center like the ones in Anaheim, Orlando, or Shanghai. It has restaurants such as Outback Steakhouse and TGI Fridays; it however doesn't have a lot of Japanese restaurants. It has a Disney store and a movie theater. The hotels that are in the Tokyo Disney Resort include Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, Disney Ambassador Hotel (in the Ikspiari shopping center), Tokyo DisneySea MiraCosta (located right outside DisneySea and you can see DisneySea from outside your resort), and Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel. These hotels are OK but aren't as focused on the Disney theme as other Disney hotels are. Also a heads-up: Unlike the other Disney resorts, the monorail here isn't free.

     Overall I did like the Disney parks in both Shanghai and Tokyo. I felt Shanghai was the best with it being excellent visually and more original than the other Disney parks in Asia, but the rides were hit or miss. I felt Tokyo Disneyland was fun and big, but felt like a copycat of Disneyland in Anaheim. Tokyo DisneySea was visually scenic but didn't feel like a Disney park. Both were better than Hong Kong Disneyland. If one happens to be in both Shanghai and Tokyo for an extended period of time and is a Disney fan, one should definitely check them both out. The difference between Disneyworld and other Disney parks is that the Walt Disney World Resort feels like a big city, whereas the others feel like just a theme park. I look forward to potentially going to the one in Paris next summer and look forward to sharing my new adventures with YOU.

Shanghai Disneyland

     Greetings audience! It's Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler. Earlier in September, I had the pleasure of going to Asia. However instead of exploring the jungles of Thailand, exploring where the Vietnam War took place, seeing the Great Wall of China, seeing the Hong Kong Harbor, or going to a geisha house in Tokyo, I went to three Disneyland Parks. That's right, I went to Shanghai Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and Tokyo Disneysea. For this blog, I will be focusing on Shanghai Disneyland and the next blog will be about the Tokyo Disney parks. Let's first talk about the history and what led up to this park's construction.

     In November 2009, the Chinese government approved of the resort and on November 5, 2010, the Walt Disney Company made a deal with Shanghai Shendi Group to build the park. Disney owns 43% of the property, while 57% is owned by Shanghai Shendi. The park had a soft opening on May 7, 2016 and had its grand opening on June 16, 2016. The park consists of lands such as Adventure Isle and Treasure Cove, which were my two favorite aspects of the park, as well as Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Mickey Ave., which is the equivalents to our Main Street U.S.A., Gardens of Imagination, and the new Toy Story Land.

     One of the best parts about the park is Adventure Isle. I feel that this is a fun and visual part and feels different than just a typical Disney park. It has many attractions such as Soaring (also at Epcot and California Adventure), Roaring Rapids (also at Animal Kingdom), and many others. The architecture of the land feels like you're entering a world full of adventure. A unique part of the land is Camp Discovery. In this exhibit one gets to do a rope course and it feels like you're going on a journey because at times there are zip lines and obstacle courses. This is a unique experience and you won't feel that you're at Disneyland. Another good part of Adventure Isle is Explorer Canoes, a ride in between Adventure Isle and Treasure Cove.

     Another great visual land of Shanghai Disneyland is Treasure Cove. It's based off the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. As most of you know the first Pirates of the Caribbean is one of my favorite movies. Its another visually stunning part of the park with all the pirate ships. It WOWED me to look at the ships and it felt like I was on a pirate island. The main attraction is Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, which is a must do for any Pirates fan. This ride has a lot of the characters from the film series and doesn't feel like the usual Pirates of the Caribbean ride at most Disney parks. The Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack Sparrow Stunt Spectacular is another fantastic show at Treasure Cove. It's a stunt show featuring Jack Sparrow causing trouble and him weaseling himself out of by saying silly catch phrases and stunts. It truly is a lot of fun and the best show at Shanghai Disneyland. If one wants a Pirate's life and wants to explore their life, then Treasure Cove is the best place to shiver thee timbers.

    The rest of Shanghai Disneyland consists of Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Gardens of Imagination, and Toy Story Land. I am now going to discuss what else I liked about the park. My second-favorite ride was the Voyage of the Crystal Grotto. This fabulous boat ride gives one a tour around Fantasyland showing many Disney statues such as Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Fantasia, and The Little Mermaid. This was an excellent ride to see all the Disney wonders that made your childhood awesome. Marvel Universe is a must-go if one is a Marvel fan and wants to meet awesome characters such as Captain America or Peter Quill. The Toy Story Land feels awesome with all the statues of Woody, Buzz, Rex, and Mr. Potato Head. If one plans on spending the whole day at Shanghai Disneyland, you should stay and watch Ignite The Dream: A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and Light. This nighttime show shows many clips of Disney movies as well as Disney songs and fireworks.

     If one wants to take a break from the park and still feel some Disney magic, Disneytown is right outside the park. It consists of restaurants such as Cheesecake Factory and Wolfgang Puck. It also has Disney and Lego stores. It's a miniature version of Downtown Disney in Anaheim and Disney Springs in Lake Buena Vista. One can spend a short amount of time and have fun. There are also two resorts: Shanghai Disneyland Hotel, which looks like a giant mansion, and Toy Story Hotel, which is based on the Toy Story movies. They are fun to look at but don't focus on themes like the Disneyworld resorts.

     Overall I did like Shanghai Disneyland. I don't think it has the same feel as Walt Disney World as I feel that is the real Disney vacation. I do think it's a visual delight. Other than the Pirates of the Caribbean and Voyage of the Crystal Grotto, the other rides were hit or miss. If one has a disability and wants to not wait in line, one can get Disability Card, which allows you to get a return time to come back for the ride and not wait in line. If one is in Shanghai for an extended period of time and likes Disney, this is the park to check out.