Upcoming Videos

Over the next six months there will be some new videos. 1st - A room review from the new Secrets resort in Panama (Playa Bonita). 2nd - A video overview of the layout and features of Playa Bonita 3rd - Nerds unite! A mix of stuff from the upcoming PAX East 2016!

The first video should hit sometime in February.

The Crystal Caves of Bermuda

Bermuda is easily in the top three islands you can visit on a dime.  That being said, there are some guidelines you need to follow. If you do not follow the guidelines listed below, you will blow your budget.

Many of the islands that cruise ships visit have a shared problem.  Public transit is almost unheard of.  There are some exceptions like Bermuda.  Bermuda has excellent public transit.

Here are some guidelines to follow.

1. You cannot use taxis.

2. Avoid hotels. Stay on a cruise ship. The cost of the cruise is cheaper than even the cheapest hotel.

3. Avoid eating on the island except for food stands or other quick options.

4. Buy a bus pass.  Don't pay by the trip.  Buy a pass for your stay.

Bermuda has a surprising number of things you can do.  Some islands are a one hit wonder.  Bermuda has beaches, water sports, light houses, historical sites, and unique natural features.  One of those natural features is the Crystal Caves.

The Crystal Caves are subterranean, tidal caves.  There are two main caves.  Both are worth checking out.  The price isn't too bad if you go it alone but there is a group discount.  If you are an outgoing person, and have a little extra time,  ask people at the entrance if they would like to group up.  This can save everyone in the group.  The discount is sizable.  When we were there we teamed up with a group of strangers.  It saved us $20.

The Slick Stairs

You have to descend into the caves.  This can be an issue for people who are very out of shape or become easily winded.  Keep in mind.  The descent isn't bad, most people can do it without any problems.  The ascent is the killer.  If you are out of shape you will need to stop and rest.  The descent / ascent consists of two sections.  The first section is a ramp.  This is the part people have a hard time with.  After the ramp there are stairs.  Both the ramp and stairs hand railings, use them.  The floor is often slick.

Now the caves themselves are impressive.  The rock formations and colors are amazing.  Now this might sound odd, but the water is a draw in itself.  The water is layered.  The top layer is pure, rock filtered, water.  The second layer is a mix of salt and fresh water.  The final layer is sea water the enters through submerged tunnels.  The layers create an optical illusion.  They magnify the bottom.  This means that the depth appears to be about ten feet when it's really up to fifty.  Whatever you do, don't drop anything.  You can see why as soon as you look over the edge.  There is a collection of cameras, glasses, and other items.

Now for some warnings.  If you are claustrophobic, you can do this, but make sure you do it at low tide!  At high tide parts of the caves could be difficult for people who cannot tolerate tight spaces.

If you are afraid of the dark, do not do this.  They shut the light off at one point.  It's not a problem for most adults but some of the kids in our group freaked out.

If you need fresh air, that could also be a problem.  It can get very stuffy in the caves and the air does not move.  The air is also very humid which can make things worse. 

If you do not suffer from any of those issues you should really enjoy the Crystal Caves.

What To Do Three Days Before You Travel

 (Take me with you! I can fit in a suite case!)

When you are three days from a Disney vacation reality really starts to hit home.  Are you ready to go? 

The best thing you can do when you are three days out is to do a quick inventory of what you are going to need.  This is a good time to pack a toiletries bag.  This might sound like you are jumping the gun but it's really not.  Nothing says you have to leave that bag packed.  The reason you are packing it now is so you are sure you have everything you need.   Better to find out  you are missing something now then when it's time to go.

Sure you could get replacements for anything you are missing when you reach your destination but keep in mind those items are going to cost at least double if you buy them from your hotel.  For someone who is traveling on a dime that extra amount could mean you have to cut back somewhere else.

The next smart thing to do at this point is to call your hotel and verify your reservation.  In line with this you may also want to verify your flight numbers and rental car reservation.  Doing this now can save a lot of money.  If one of your reservations was lost or is wrong you can replace it now at a much lower cost.  If you show up at your destination and find out you have no reservation you are most likely going to find yourself in a panic and booking whatever you can. That could cost you a lot of money.

This is also a great time to make sure all of your IDs and travel documents are in line and in your carry on.  This will give you peace of mind.  If you take the time to stash these away now you are less likely to forget one.  Nothing is worse than showing up at the airport to find out you forgot something.

If you tend to be a nervous person feel free to start packing the items you are not going to use until then.  I know from being married to someone who gets very anxious before she travels.  Doing a little packing now can go a long way to setting people who worry at ease.

One big tip if you have pets.  DO NOT let them see your suitcase if you start packing now.  My dogs wig out when they see the bags.  The last thing you want is crazy pets for the next few days.

Review: The Dark Side of Disney

I’ve read a lot of Disney related books over the years. Most of them focused on either going to the parks or the historical aspects of Disney World. Out of all of those books I can honestly say that none of them were like “The Dark Side of Disney” by Leonard Kinsey.


When I saw the cover of the book I almost didn’t buy it. I’m not a fan of walking around with a book that has a topless, tattooed, porn star on the cover. Even if it’s a digital book I’m not a big fan of having any book that uses shock value to sell itself. After reading the book I’m not sure if the cover matches the content. The book doesn’t need such an eye catching cover to sell itself.

The content of the book ranges from great to completely ridiculous. There is some information I took notes on to try the next time I’m in the parks and some information that is so offensive I want to hunt down anyone trying it and find a way to get them banned for life from the parks.

Just to give you an idea of what is in this book the author tells you how to sneak in pot baked snacks to get high in the parks, tells you how to break into the utlidors, get cheap drinks on some airlines, where to…do public adult shenanigans without being on camera, and a complete overview of the ticket resale scams.

Almost the entire book is entertaining. Whether the entertainment is good or bad depends on the reader. I guarantee you that some things will make you laugh, some will make you mad, and more than a few will shock you.

I do not recommend buying this book in a paper copy instead buy the Kindle version. The Kindle version is only $2.99. The paper copy is about ten times that price.

CMDTA's Travel Tidbits: The Isles of the Shoals

I know this isn't a Disney related post.  I've strayed from Disney before with my series "CMDTA on Vacation." This is a going to be a new series.

"Travel Tidbits" will mainly focus on day and partial day excursions and attractions.

The first subject is going to be the Isles of the Shoals.

The Isles of the Shoals are a small group of tiny islands found off of the coast of New Hampshire.  They have a long storied history that started in the 1600's.  Going to these islands is like stepping back in time.  For the most part they almost seem locked in the 1800's.  Visiting them isn't like visiting Williamsburg or similar attractions but they still have a unique charm you are not going to find anywhere else.

Out of the major islands there is only one that you can visit - Star Island.   The other islands are all privately owned or operated.  For example the largest island, Appledore, is maintained by UNH and Cornell Universities. They use the islands for research.

You might think since some of the islands are privately owned that they must be modernized but that is far from the case.  Other than Star and Appledore only three of the islands have houses on them and of them only one of those, Smuttynose, has multiple houses (two).  The other islands have one house each but one of those is a light house home.

Taking a trip out to the Shoals is a great way to spend a hot summer afternoon considering the temperature is normally about ten degrees lower than on the coast and there is almost always a nice sea breeze blowing.

To get to the Shoals you'll need to buy a ticket on the Thomas Leighton which is a small ship owned and operated by the Isles of the Shoals Steamship Company.

You'll board the ship near downtown Portsmouth.  Once you board and are settled you can kickback and enjoy the trip up the Piscataqua River.  During your voyage you'll hear about the history of Portsmouth and the other towns and cities on he river.  Once you leave the mouth of the river it's about a six mile journey out to the islands.  As you approach you'll hear some of the history of the islands including the brutal weather and even a brutal murder.

Once you reach the Shoals you can get off the ship and take a tour of Star Island.  It's well worth it and is on par with any historical tour I've taken.

You might wonder what kind you service you could expect when there is only one ship that goes to the islands.  After all when you have captive audience businesses tend rake people over the coals to squeeze every last cent out of them.  Does the Steamship Company do that?

The first thing that will stick out when you go to buy your tickets is the price.  To go out to the island, get a tour the whole time, get off the island and get a tour, and return is only a little over $30 for an adult.  It's less than ten dollars an hour.  For the non-Disney fans let me explain why that's such a good deal.

All of the Deeks (including myself) are used to paying at least twice that for a four hour tour. In fact many of us have paid that much for a one our tour (Behind the Seeds at the Land Pavilion).  To get four hours for this price is a steal!

Next thing to mention are the food options on the ship.  Here is where you'd expect to get mauled after all Disney charges a minimum of $8 per beer in the parks and there are no real cheap food options either.  If you budgeted Disney prices and got on the Thomas Leighton you'd be able to buy food and beer for half the ship.  I am not joking.  You can get three tall beers for what Disney charges for one.  Even the food is crazy cheap for an attraction like this.

So the price is good but does the service suffer because of the price?

The service you experience from the Steamship Company is good.  For example Captain Vanlandingham doesn't mail it it.  What I mean by that is he never sounded bored, annoyed, or put out.  You might think that's to be expected but he even took the safety announcements seriously and he took the time to expound on some of the reasons safety is more important than usual while on the Piscataqua River.

Another area where service stands out is in the tour guide / historian area.  While you are heading out to the islands you hear someone narrating what you are seeing as you go.  If you buy the "walkabout" package you'll meet this person.  Her name is Natalie.  She is friendly, soft spoken and knowledgeable.  At first you'd think someone who is soft spoken would not make a good tour guide but Natalie proves that is not the case.  Her laid back style made her seem less stuffy and more approachable.  I've run into some tour guides in the past that seem so formal and stuffy you feel dumb asking questions or even trying to enjoy yourself.  You will not have that problem on this tour. 

One thing I will mention about this tour.  It is not handicap accessible.  Wheelchairs or motorized scooters cannot handle the terrain.  Other than that almost everyone can handle the tour with little or not problem.

For more information or to buy tickets in advance check out the Isles of the Shoals Steamship Company's website. 

For more information check out this website.

CMDTA's - Cruise Tips

Here are some tips for everyone considering taking a cruise.  Most apply to all cruise lines.

If you have a choice take the late dinner – The early dinner is comical. All the old fogies line up and can’t wait to get in. There are tons of rug rats at this seating too. If you don’t like who you’re seated with tell your waiter. You have an out because it’s your honeymoon. If it’s freestyle seating do not go to dinner before eight at night.


Skip the Vegas Shows – they talk them up but they stink. They really stink. I don’t think stink is a strong enough word to describe them but I’m trying to keep things clean. The cheese factor is through the roof. All the other shows are great. On the night of the Vegas shows the hot tubs are empty. The hot tubs near the pool bars are the best ones. It’s normally cool and breezy too.

Kids aren’t allowed in the hot tubs or pool in the gym area. The gym area is a kid free zone. There are sometimes other pools are areas where kids are not allowed too.

You can’t take booze back to your room…if they see it. There is a booze check in desk if your getting back on the boat during a busy time you might be able walk right by it. You can also buy booze in odd containers that sometimes will get you through.

Most cruise lines allow you to bring a liter or two of soda. Ginger ale is a good one. Now because it can help with an upset stomach but because you can empty it and fill it with scotch, bourbon, whisky, or other golden liquids.

Even though you just drove or flew for hours smile non-stop until you are on the boat. They take your picture at least twice before you get on. Once is for your cruise card. If you’re not smiling then, security will see it for the rest of the cruise. They take your picture at every stop and a few of the dinners too. They post them all in the gallery so make sure to get down there and take them down. Plus you get to see all the freaks on the ship too.

Put a bathing suit and sunscreen in your carry on. You might not see you luggage until 8 or 9 pm depending on where you are located on the boat.

The fire drill is not optional.

Kids are not allowed on the tops optional desk (don’t ask).

If you’ve never seen a purple sunburn, you will.

If you’ve never seen a fat guy in a speedo, you will.

If you’ve never seen someone so drunk they can’t tell what floor they are on, you will.

If you think it’s impossible to gain ten pounds in a week, guess again.

The 24 hour pizza bar (carnival only) has really good pizza.

The midnight buffet is nice to look at but only the heavy hitters can eat that late.

Only drunks and fatty Mcfatties go to the late night crape buffet which makes it some of the best entertainment available.

It’s possible to eat at anytime and if you manage to eat one item of food for 24 hours straight you should get a trophy.
Beware of the pillow chocolates. Many people (yours truly included) have fallen asleep on them after a late night. Yes they do melt.

Photo of the Week - Old School Castle

This photo is straight out of the 80's.  You'll notice that the colors have changed a little over time but other than that it's the same old castle.  You might also notice that this angle is an angle you've seen over and over again.  Even back in the 80's Disney had their Kodak photo spots.

Renewing Your Passport Just Got a Tiny Bit Easier

Renewing your passport is right up there with going to the dentist, getting an annual exam, and buying a car.  It's just an awful process that no one wants to do.

First you have to fill out your paperwork and hope the governments instructions are less convoluted than usual.  After spending a ridiculous amount of time attempting to translate a bunch of forms that were designed by someone with anger issues you are a third of the way through the process.

Another part people dread is having to get a passport photo that meets the governments requirements. This normally requires going to one of the many places that do it, deal with someone who is barely earning more than minimum wage and is has about five seconds of training, and then hoping your photo is accepted by the government.

Next you have to mail your application in with your old passport.  Unless your trust the postal service with your life you make sure to pay through the nose and send your application through certified mail. If you send it normal snail mail you are a braver individual than I am...or mentally ill.

That process would be bad enough if you only had to pay for the shipping but you have to pay over $100 on top of this. That's enough to make a nun curse like a trucker.

Is there anything that makes this process easier?

I was determined to find something so I started looking around. I found a website that said they would help you take your own photo and then if you paid the $8 for the photo from them they would certify the photo and guarantee the government would not reject it.

I know $8 is a few dollars more than most places but if I could do it from home and have it be guaranteed why not try it?

I went through their process which was fairly easy. In the end I got to choose between having them mail me the photo (if I paid shipping) or they'd send it to a number of local photo processing places.  I decided to have it sent to Walmart.

I went to pick it up.  It was ready when they said it would be ready and it was under my name.  I thought there were going to be no problems.  The only problem was the Walmart employee who decided to let me know they looked at my photo and  it was all wrong.  They said it was too dark, there was a shadow on it and it wasn't the right size.  I explained that the photo was guaranteed.  She gave me more lip. At this point I really wanted to ask her why I should I trust her over the website.  After all she looked like she'd been run over by life and then flushed down the toilet.  I bit my lip though  so I further explained that I run a travel blog and wanted to share my experience with everyone.  That shut her up.

I mailed everything in a sure enough six weeks later I have my new passport.

If you want to try this service just click here.

It's not a bad service and it makes the process a little less painful.

New Video Posted - Carnival Vista Suite Overview

I have posted a honest detailed video review of a Carnival Vista Suite to YouTube.  The video is in 1080p.  This is my first 1080p video.  I've always captured in1080p but until now it was always hard to edit in that format. 

You can view the video here

CMDTA on Vacation – Carnival’s Entertainment

If you’ve read my past overviews about cruising you know how I normally detest a majority of the “entertainment” that can be found on a cruise ship.

Upfront I will say that Carnival has done a great job with their entertainment.  In the past a majority of the shows were those awful Vegas Review style shows that I hate so much. Sometimes they would throw in a comedian to spice things up but other than that the entertainment was bad.

This time there were only a few Vegas style shows.  The first night you had the usual kickoff  show.  It’s not bad but it’s not great either.  It’s full of the cruise director and others talking about what’s coming up.  They also had a couple of comedians do some short sets.  They actually found decent comedians which was a nice surprise.

Carnivals main show was a Beatles tribute.  The only thing that saved the show was the Beatles music.  Without that it would not have been good.  One really odd thing about this show came at the end.  A band came on stage and did a few Beatles songs.  The odd thing was they looked nothing like the Beatles.  I realize that a lot of tribute bands don’t really look like the band they are imitating but these guys looked like the opposite of the Beatles.  In fact you would have been hard pressed to find four people who looked less like the Beatles.

Another night there was a show themed around Frank Sinatra.  We didn’t make it to that show but I got a detailed report from the couple we had dinner with.  Before I tell you what they said let me say that they like the Vegas style entertainment.  They like most cruise ship entertainment. They hated this show. They said it was a strange show with a guy who didn’t sound like Sinatra who liked to talk about himself.  I’m really glad we missed that one.

The rest of the week was filled up with a ventriloquist and some other forgettable shows.  They weren’t bad they just average.

The final show was a talent show.  Guests could get on stage perform.  I had to go to this one.  I love a good train wreck.  I was not disappointed.  One person out of all of them could sing. The rest were awful and I mean awful.  One girl tried to do a Brittany Spears song.  She did it so poorly she made Brittany Spears seem like she has some talent.  For that to happen you have to be beyond bad.

The only one who did well was an old guy who sang a Garth Brooks song.  I’ve never listened to Garth Brooks.  I don’t know if he did good or not but his singing didn’t hurt my ears so I assume it was good.  Most of the crowd sang along too and really got into it.  It was funny at the end because my wife asked me if I’d ever heard the song before.  Neither of us had.  When you live in New England you don’t listen to country music.

Overall Carnival was much improved in the entertainment department but is that enough to save them overall?  You’ll know soon.

CMDTA on Vactaion - Why Flying Stinks

Unless you have a few extra days to burn or your vacation is a classic road trip, odds are you are going to be flying on your next vacation.

Flying is one of those odd things that breaks every rule in the book.  The airlines and the TSA have combined to create the most unfriendly and annoying industry in the world.

Think about what you go through when flying.  First they tell you to get to the airport two hours before your flight. Now compare that to your other options. If you take the bus you show up about 20 minutes before it's time to leave.  A train maybe 30 minutes.  Why the difference?  Buses and trains play the odds. The airlines don't

Ok so you arrive at the airport.  If you want an actual person to check you in or you couldn't check in on-line or at a kiosk you have to wait in a line full of doing their best imitation of Grumpy Dwarf.  The big difference is, unlike Grumpy these people always try to talk to you.  They don't want to have a nice conversation or chit chat about your destination.  These people want to let you know how bad things are.  They want to complain and since you have to be in that line you can't get away.

The person you face at the end of the line is a total mixed bag.  If you catch someone at the beginning of their shift you'll find someone trying to look out of one eye or someone who actually things they are going to have a good day.   If you catch someone who has been working for a few hours you get someone who is crushed and has been reminded that half the people they have to deal with all day long are stressed out maniacs who want someone to yell at.  Most of the time the person has been so abused over their career that they are about as friendly as a hung over Eyeore.

Next comes everyones favorite joke - security.  You wait in a line longer than most Disney World queue lines but instead of a fun attraction you get to take your shoes and belt off, empty your pockets, play with plastic bins, and meet someone who hates his job so much he hasn't smiled in years.

On top of that you might get to stand in a scanner or get a lovely pat down!

You might ask why this is a joke.  Most airplanes hold 150 passengers. That's a little more than a full bus and a little less than a train.  No matter how you look at it all three can be considered a weapon if someone took them over or blew them up.

If you want security do it like Disney does.  It would be far less intrusive, far more effective, and much faster.

After you make it through security you get to one of the most annoying parts of flying.  Getting on the plane.  This is annoying because it's a totally broken process.  The best thing you could do would be to setup an actual queue and enforce who gets into it.  Instead people pile up in a group and go bananas when their section is called.  That's assuming they wait until they are called.

You might think that enforcing who gets on when would be slow.  You are wrong.  Just color code the tickets so everyone knows what section of the plane you are sitting in.  Then everyone knows right away if someone is trying to be a jerk.

On the plane you quickly find out who the real jerks are.  They are the ones who have the multiple large carry ons.  This is totally inconsiderate to your fellow travelers.  If you take up twice the space someone else is going to have to check their carry on because of your selfishness.   These are also the people who think the rules don't apply to them and the flight attendants need to tell them multiple times to shut off their phones and electronics.  They also tend to give the flight attendants a dirty look or complain.  After all we know it's the flight attendant's fault right?

Next you finally get to fly.  This is a total mixed bag depending on what airline you use so I won't focus on it.

The next thing you always run into is when it's time to get off the plane.  No matter where people sit on the plane they all need to stand up at once and try and get their carry on out of the overhead. I guess the extra 2.2 seconds that gives them is really important.

Things don't get much better at the baggage claim.  Instead of standing back a little and waiting for the luggage to come everyone piles up and jockey's for position.  They pack it so tight that people can't get their luggage off the belt without clocking someone.

Flying is such a joy.

Photo of the Week - Soarin

How can you not love this photo? For many people it sends them to a happy place. Do you wish you were there?

Photo of the Week - Mr Potato Head

Easily one of the best audio animatronics in Walt Disney World. Mr. Potato Head is a must have for the queue of Toy Story Midway Mania. Without him there would be no distraction from one of the longest lines in all of Disney World.

Photo of the Week: Illuminations from the Boardwalk

A lot of people have seen Illuminations. It's a great show. Have you ever seen it from the Boardwalk? It's a totally different show from the Boardwalk. It's amazing in it's own right.

Photo of the Week: Best Sign in Disney

Disney tends to put detail into everything, even the places you wouldn't expect. The sign for the Tower of Terror is a great example. It looks like an old stone hotel sign but if you wait long enough you'll see it light up. A lot of people don't bother to wait they just run by the sign and up into the queue. That's too bad because this is a great place for a group photo.

New Video: Pirates of the Caribbean

A video of Pirates of the Caribbean has been posted on YouTube. This video was taken in March of 2010. The original video was in 1080p. You'll notice that the smoke screen video at the start of the ride was broken when we were on this. A few days later it was working again.

This is the Walt Disney World version which puts the video under six minutes once I edited it.

I filmed this without using a view finder so the quality isn't fantastic but it's far better than what my old camera could do.

The video can be viewed here.

Photo of the Week: The Mexico Pavilion

I know I've mentioned it before but the inside of the Mexico Pavilion is one of the most impressive in Disney World. Try to find any place in all of Disney World that is themed better. This photo was taken from my table at the San Angel Inn.

Photo of the Week: Nighttime Terror

The Tower of Terror is impressive enough during the day. Wait until evening and it gets even more impressive. It's in the top three for Disney Landmarks following only Cinderella's Castle and Spaceship Earth.

Photo of the Week: The Boardwalk

Disney's Boardwalk might not be the biggest or most impressive resort but does have some charm. Often at night there is a lot going on and the place gets lit up like no other resort at Disney.

Photo of the Week:

There are a lot of shows in Disney World. There are a few shows you get to experience while dining. Some you pay for like the Hoop Dee Doo. Others are free like the belly dancer in Morocco. If you haven't eaten at Morocco you need to. It's an experience you cant find anywhere else.