Disney photo privacy questions raised by new ‘Let the Memories Begin’ campaign

by Leigh Caldwell on

Walt Disney World and Disneyland are inviting guests to share their Disney Parks memories in the form of photos, video and stories submitted to a Disney Web site as part of a 2011 marketing campaign called “Let the Memories Begin.” Videos shot by Disney visitors are being used in TV commercials for the theme parks.

And a key component of the new marketing campaign starts early this year, when Disney will begin projecting images of guests in the park that day on Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World and on It’s A Small World at Disneyland.

So, how will those images be chosen, and what if you don’t want your larger-than-life likeness shown?

Disney says the up to 500 photos used daily will be provided by Disney PhotoPass Photographers, those guys and gals who stop you and ask to take your picture at various scenic locations throughout Disney’s theme parks.

You will be able to opt out and keep your photo out of the nightly show, Disney tells the Orlando Sentinel. That’s a smart move for a company using the images in what is essentially another piece of a marketing campaign.

However, on an individual basis, you should know that photos taken of you inside U.S. theme parks are pretty much fair game. If your image winds up on someone else’s Twitter stream or Flickr account, there’s really nothing you can do.

Some theme parks print a generic “use of likeness” release on the physical ticket you are given; others include it in the terms and conditions you agree to when purchasing tickets online.

But lawyers say that even without some sort of printed photo release, you don’t have much recourse if you want a photo removed from, say, someone else’s Facebook. With thousands of people taking thousands of photos every day, there’s no real expectation of privacy if your face is captured in the crowd.

Langham Hotels to open doors at Chicago’s IBM building

by Melanie Nayer on

One of Chicago’s most iconic buildings is about to get a new tenant.

Oxford Capital Group LLC and Langham Hotels and Resorts said they will develop a luxury hotel in the IBM building in downtown Chicago, directly across the street from the luxury hotel Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago.

The new hotel, to be called Langham Chicago Hotel, is expected to open in 2012 and will occupy floors 2 through 13. There will be around 330 guestrooms and suites ranging from 525 square feet to more than 2,000. Guestrooms will have floor-to-ceiling windows providing views of the Chicago River, Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. The Langham Chicago Hotel will also host a 5,000 square-foot ballroom, a 9,000 square-foot restaurant, wine room, indoor pool and fitness center.

To date the Langham is a well-established brand overseas with properties in Asia and Europe, but only two hotels in the United States (Boston and Pasadena). The addition of the new Chicago hotel marks Langham’s efforts to increase their luxury brand to U.S. travelers.

[via Chicago Sun-Times]

January is learn to ski and snowboard month!

by Kraig Becker on

Ever wanted to strap on a pair of skis and hit the slopes, but don’t have the necessary skills to survive a single trip down the hill? Well, you’re in luck, as January has been declared learn to ski and snowboard month with dozens of resorts across the country offering discounted, or even free, lessons in hopes of attracing newbies during a traditionally slow time for the industry.

The official website for Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month has plenty of information for those looking to participate. For instance, the site offers guides on how to get started in both alpine skiing and snowboarding, as well as information on how to dress and what equipment you’ll be using while on the slopes. There is even a section just for kids and they’re also giving away a set of skis courtesy of Head Ski Company.

Best off all, if you’re wondering where you can go to take part in this month-long event, the site includes a list of places that are participating. With resorts in more than 30 states taking part in Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, you’re bound to find a destination not far from where you live. To see a list of those sites simply click here.

The post holiday period is often a slow one for ski resorts across the country. Many travelers have time off during the week between Christmas and New Years Day and they often spend time on the slopes to take advantage of that break. This event is one way to drum up some business during that down time while also introducing people to the sport for the first time. If you’re looking for something to do during the month of January, and sitting inside isn’t an option, then why not hit the slopes? With the option for free lessons, you’re starting to run out of excuses.

[Photo credit: Ripley119 via WikiMedia]

Photo of the Day (1.2.11)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

I like the optimism of today’s photo, courtesy of Flickr user JasonBechtel. It’s a great way to kick off a brand new year. Jason snapped this photo out in South Dakota – a land you can imagine inhabited by limitless blue skies and crisp grasslands, gently swaying in the breeze. What really pulls the image together is the framing of the wide-open gate. The open door seems to beckon the viewer forward, inviting them into a land of new opportunities, adventure and promise: the perfect sentiment for all any travelers hoping to start the new year off right. Bring it on!

Taken any great travel photos of your own? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

5 frank cruise tips the cruise line won’t tell you

by Chris Owen on

Here are some important cruise vacation tips you might not find on any other list. The cruise lines won’t tell you these. A good travel agent might but it would not be negligent of them to keep these tips to themselves. Only the most trusted of friends will let you in on these tips, if they know about them.

  1. Bring your own toilet paper– might as well just get this out of the way right up front. The cruise lines do a great job of feeding you, pampering you, and taking you to multiple destinations while you only have to unpack once. Providing plush, soft toilet paper is not one of their selling points.
  2. Be careful flossing- or just skip it unless you’re on a really long cruise. Either that or bring along some Superglue if you have anything other than original teeth in your head. Crowns, bridgework, fillings, all love to jump out of your mouth at sea. Yes, the ship’s medical center can help but that brings us to number 3
  3. It is going to cost more than you thought– this is nothing to be scared of but to say a cruise is totally “all-inclusive” is stretching it a bit. OK, a lot. While we have done cruises and not spent any money on-board (OK, one cruise and it was tough) We have also spent more than the total price of the cruise,on board, for extras not included in the price. Passing up on-board spending can mean losing out on some rich experiences through shore excursions, spa treatments and other things that cost extra. And buy travel insurance; it should cover that trip to the medical center.
  4. Travel Insurance has you covered- eventually– Travel Insurance at sea is not like medical insurance at home where you make a co-pay at the doctors office and you’re done. The cruise line medical center is a fully-equipped hospital and they want their money at the time service is rendered. Later, you’ll file a claim with the travel insurance company and get reimbursed for covered charges. Bonus tip: get documentation on everything you spend money on that might be turned in later to the travel insurance company for reimbursement. You’ll jump through fewer hoops to get reimbursed down the road.
  5. Be good, they can kick you off– Cruise lines, more specifically, the Captain (aka “master of the vessel”) has the right to put you off the ship at the next port without a refund or way back home if you misbehave. That could mean being rowdy in a bar, arguing with a casino dealer or smuggling drugs back on the ship from some lovely island in the Caribbean.

Flickrphoto by derekGavey