Another fatal Disney bus accident

by Leigh Caldwell on

There’s word this morning that a tourist has been killed at Walt Disney World. The 69-year-old Massachusetts man was in the parking lot at the Port Orleans Resort when he stepped into the path of a Disney bus.

It appears that the bus driver was not at fault and will not be charged. There were passengers on the bus at the time, and none of them were injured. This marks at least the fourth Disney bus accident this year at Walt Disney World, including one in April that killed a 9-year-old boy.

Earlier this year, there were concerns that a computer dispatching system on board the Disney buses, dubbed “Magic in Motion,” was a distraction for the drivers, though none of the earlier crashes this year was attributed to the driver being distracted.

Disney acted anyway and altered the system this summer so that the drivers cannot interact with it unless the bus is at a complete stop.

The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating last night’s crash, and I’m sure that Disney will conduct its own internal investigation, as well. If there are safety problems found, they need to be corrected.

But it’s also time to examine Disney guests’ behavior on vacation.

Disney’s bus system is extensive. In fact, it’s larger than the city bus systems in nearby Orlando and Tampa. The highway system and parking lots there are also extensive – there are 40 square miles to cover and hundreds of thousands of cars travel the roads each day.

Yet, I continually see distracted people in “vacation mode,” pushing strollers through parking lots while their face is in a guidebook or map, children running off unattended in parking lots and, yes, people darting out in front of buses and cars and not using crosswalks.

So, don’t forget your common sense and safety rules when you go on vacation. While much of Walt Disney World is about the illusion – the “magic” – those are real cars and buses driving around the roads and parking lots.

[Image credit: Flickr user Darren Wittko]

Breaking- Blizzard bearing down on cruise ports, delay announced

by Chris Owen on

Strong winds and heavy snow closing in on the United States East coast promise to alter the travel plans of guests booked on sailings the first part of the week. Already, one delay has been reported and cruise lines are keeping a close eye on the storm and it’s effect on ships and airline schedules.

Carnival Fantasy’s arrival in Charleston, South Carolina, normally at 8 a.m. EST, “will be delayed by several hours due to inclement offshore weather” reports WCSC- TV news in Charleston. Embarking guests have been advised to arrive at the cruise port after 1:30 p.m. EST.

While no other ship delays have been announced so far, several other ships are scheduled to sail today. Norwegian Jewel sailing from New York should sail at 4 p.m. EST and Carnival Pride from Baltimore is scheduled to sail at 4:30 p.m. EST. No delays on those ships have been reported yet.

Delays to airline schedules for passengers both arriving and departing U.S. East coast airports servicing cruise passengers could cause modification of itineraries later in the day. During a major weather event, cruise lines sometimes hold sail-away, departing later than normal, to allow extra time for embarking guests to get to the ship.

This weather event prompts review of some important tips about cruise vacations:

  • Always arrive early to the city where your embarkation port is located, a day early in the Winter is a good idea just for this reason.
  • This weather event, which could cause cruise passengers to miss flights or the departure of a ship is also a really good reason to buy travel insurance that includes coverage for disruption of travel plans to or from the port.
  • Should travel plans be disrupted, those who booked using a travel agent may have an advantage over those who booked online.

Flickr photo by nesnet

Photo of the Day (12.26.10)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Hats off to Flickr user MikeGL for this unique capture of New York’s world-famous Brooklyn Bridge. One of the great joys of visiting this unassuming New York borough is walking across the Bridge from Manhattan. Along the way, you’ll get a great view of the Bridge’s unique arches, soaring above you here in dramatic fashion. Make sure to give it a try next time you find yourself in the Big Apple.

Have any great photos from your recent travels? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Cruise ports green up and look to the future

by Chris Owen on

To passengers, U.S. cruise embarkation ports may all look about the same. On a good day, we pass through them, either coming or going, in a matter of minutes without much regard for what goes on there. We know that security is a big part of what they do and feel good about seeing law enforcement there, making sure the whole process runs smoothly and without incident. Lately, some of our ports are moving forward with plans to make the whole process more secure, easier and even a bit more green.

The Port of San Diego opened a new $28 million Port Pavilion that will provide green shore-side power to cruise ships. The new facility serves as an auxiliary terminal to the Port’s main B Street Cruise Ship Terminal and is also available for public events when cruise ships are not in port.

Earlier this year, Princess Cruises Island Princess plugged in at the Port of San Francisco to a system that was built as a cooperative effort by the Port of San Francisco, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Environmental Protection Agency, Holland America Line and Princess.

The Port of Los Angeles just completed it’s World Cruise Center solar rooftop project. Estimated to produce 1.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, the $10.8 million project will also result in an estimated $200,000 in energy cost savings.

On the East coast, Florida’s Port Canaveral is looking to the future also with plans for a $100 million expansion program that includes a new terminal and more cargo facilities. “Just when the economic recovery should be moving forward at a steadier pace, we will be ready.” said Port Canaveral CEO Stan Payne.

Not long ago, Florida’s Port Everglades set out plans for a $2 billion expansion over the next 20 years that included a $75 million expansion to accommodate the worlds largest cruise ships, Oasis and Allure of the Seas.

Photo courtesy Port of Los Angeles