Disney World

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Orlando Int’l Airport

Events, , ,

It’s only Monday, but we may already have a nomination for Airport Amenity of the Week.

Especially if you’re a fan of Star Wars and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Passengers traveling through Orlando International Airport (MCO) will find that some of the tram shuttle stations are now decorated to evoke Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the new 14-acre land inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

Arriving passengers getting ready to board the shuttles for the airport’s Main Terminal will see life-size depictions of characters and scenes from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

One scene creates a dimensional landscape that feels as if visitors are standing inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. They’ll see the iconic Millennium Falcon and other landmarks from the new amusement park land.

In another scene, it will appear to passengers as if First Order Stormtroopers are waiting to step off the shuttle as the train arrives in the station.

Make way…

There’s more.

At the Magic of Disney store located inside the main terminal in the pre-security West Hall, there’s now a fun new photo op location featuring droids from the Star Wars galaxy.

And when the airport’s second Magic of Disney store reopens on November 22 in the Main Terminal East Hall, an exterior wall will feature a 36-foot-long video screen showing scenes from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Should we just go ahead and make this the Airport Amenity of the Week?

(Photos courtesy Orlando International Airport)

Read a book, get miles. Or win a trip to Disney World

Air Travel, Contests, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Kids, Kids travel, , , , ,

Remember reading?

RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) and US Airways are working together on the third annual “Fly with US. Read with Kids” program and there are just a few weeks left to help them reach their goal of getting people to read to kids for 10 million minutes.

Getting involved is easy: find a book and a kid and read the book to the kid.

Then go to the program website before October 31st and log in the minutes you’ve spent reading.

Maisy flying for RIF

There are prizes: a grand prize drawing of a Walt Disney World Resort vacation package from US Airways Vacations, US Airways gift cards, and other giveaways.

US Airways will also reward you for donating money to RIF.

Contribute $50 or more and the airline will give you 5,000 Dividend Miles. Donate at leat $25 and you can get a special edition of Maisy Takes a Trip, by Lucy Cousins.

Whether you participate in the program or not, take a peek at the Read with Kids Challenge website, which has more than a dozen games.

Tidbits for travelers: win free travel, get guides to airports

Air Travel, Airport guides, Contests, Free Stuff, , , ,

First a couple of contests you might want to enter. The prizes include all-expenses-paid trips.

To celebrate the release of Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story 3, Aflac is giving away a trip to Hollywood and a tour of Walt Disney Studios – for four people.

Prize includes: airfare, three nights in a hotel, a special Disney tour, a private screening of your favorite Pixar movie (which one would you pick?), and $500 cash.

Enter the Quacktastic vacation giveaway here.

(Auckland, New Zealand  airport welcomes travelers with this!)

The Great Kiwi Adventure contest has as its prize a trip for four to New Zealand.

Prize includes plane fare from Los Angeles or San Francisco to Auckland, New Zealand and a seven-night trip in the Bay of Plenty.

(Photo courtesy Daniel Incandela)

And, take a look at the growing list of airport profiles I’ve been working on for USATODAY.com.  The note at the top still says “the 25 busiest airports” – but the list is growing and will soon include short guides to 50 airports.  There’s a spot in each guide to add your comments and tips as well. Here’s a link to the USA TODAY Airport Guides.