Even in this economic downturn families will take their kids in droves to Disneyland and Walt Disney World in this coming year. I am a fan of Mickey Mouse (Amateur Traveler Episode 25 - Disneyland - why I learned to love the mouse) but I want to propose that there are reasons also to take the kids to Europe when they are still young. To make the point I want to point out 7 ways that Paris France is better than Disneyland.

1. Shopping - Downtown Disney vs Galeries Lafayette Paris

   I am always surprised the amount of time some families spend shopping on their Disney trip, but if you really want incredible shopping Paris offers the well known Champs Elysees, but for my money I think that the Galeries Lafayette is an incomparable shopping experience. The building itself is like a cathedral to commercialism and the shopping is also good.

2. Getting Around - Monorail vs Metro

   The monorail is a very cool looking method of transportation. The problem is that it does not really go anywhere. The metro may be less futuristic but it is a great way to get around the city in comfort. Just look for the art deco Metro signs.

3. Food

   This is one category where there is no competition. Even for kids the hot dog in tomorrow land is no competition for le “hot dog” which is made with a baguette, two hot dogs end to end and grilled cheese. Better yet while your kids are eating that you can be trying the escargot. (You can try the escargot but I will be having the mutton stew or whatever is the prix fixe menu).

4. Sleeping Beauty’s Castle vs the Eiffel Tower

   Both Paris and Disneyland have a center that people are drawn to and are photographed in front of. Disneyland recently reopened Sleeping Beauty’s castle to tours but frankly most people who visit the park won’t tour it. By contrast 200,000,000 people have visited the Eiffel tower. It was the tallest tower for 41 years after its construction and still captivates the imagination with its design.

5. 
   
   
   Saint Chapelle in Paris
   
   Originally uploaded by CoboFoto
   

   Spectacle - Fantasmic vs Saint Chapelle

   Disneyland offers the loud crash of fireworks, the colorful spectacle and the magic of storytelling at Fantasmic. Families camp out on the River of America for hours to try and find a spot where they can rest they weary kids and see the show. Paris offers a quieter spectacle that still tells a story, but without all the noise, in the stain glass of its cathedrals. In my opinion the lesser known Saint Chapelle offers even more beauty than the better known Notre Dame.

6. Thrill Ride - Roller coasters vs Driving in Paris

   I love Space Mountain, Indiana Jones and Big Thunder Mountain, but nothing is quite as scary as driving in Paris. The first time we drove into the city it caught us by surprise when all the lines in the road went away. How many lanes should we form? A friend from Paris said the answer is “however many you need”.

7. Adventure - Pirates vs Pickpockets

   At Disneyland you will be menaced by pirates on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride but no matter how many times you ride the ride you will still come out with all your valuables. These pirates are all talk and no plunder. Paris offers real adventure because you actually need to keep a watch on your valuables. OK… maybe there are 6 reasons why Paris is better than Disneyland.

This story sounded like one right out of the movies.

Pilot blinded by stroke is guided safely to ground

LONDON (AP) — A British pilot who was suddenly blinded by a stroke during a solo flight was talked safely down by a military pilot, the Royal Air Force said Friday.

You’ve just hijacked a bus, what are you going to do next?

Bus driver taken hostage at gunpoint; forced to drive to Downtown Disney

A man took a tour bus driver hostage briefly and forced her to drive to the Downtown Disney entertainment and shopping complex, authorities said Saturday.

What has a light side, a dark side and holds the universe together. Hint: it’s not the force.

FBI: Airline passenger restrained with duct tape

An airline crew used duct tape to keep a passenger in her seat because they say she became unruly, fighting flight attendants and grabbing other passengers, forcing the flight to land in North Carolina.

I appreciated that they managed not to say that air travel was falling. I like to not use those phrases together.

Air travel declines at alarming pace

The global aviation industry is facing its largest drop in passengers since the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said.

The Montreal-based airline group said global international traffic results for September show passenger traffic declined 2.9 percent while cargo traffic dropped 7.7 percent compared to the same month in 2007.

It might not make sense to you (it does not to me) that when it seems like the U.S. economy is melting down the dollar is getting stronger but that is just what has been happening. Since mid-Summer the dollar has risen against many other currencies including the British pond and the Euro.

Fans of the mouse can give themselves a birthday present in 2009 by getting free admission to one of the Disney parks.

Free Disney Admission on your Birthday

Start your birthday off right with the most magical birthday present of all: free admission on your birthday during 2009 to one of the Theme Parks of Walt Disney World&reg or Disneyland® Resort.

A 750 Mile Taxi Ride for a Beer

The 2008 Oktoberfest in Munich finished up over the weekend, and one English man was extremely glad to be there. We’re thinking he needs a few travel tips because to get to Munich from Portsmouth, England, he decided to catch a taxi.

To be fair, he did try to catch a plane first but missed his flight. Not wanting to miss the beer (and his buddy’s buck’s night), he persuaded a local cab driver to get him all the way to Munich for a fare of £1,700 (almost $3,000). And he paid in cash.

After flight delay, man accused of spraying powder in plane

A man whose original flight was delayed seven hours is facing disorderly conduct charges today because he allegedly sprayed fellow passengers with foot powder after landing in Boston.

Young people are very knowlegable about the internet right? So why is it that a new survey in England found young men were the least likely group to book their travel online?

Travel agents seem the safest bets

Contrary to expectations, 16- to 24-year-olds are more likely to book a holiday through a travel agent than any other age group, according to Abta’s 2008 British Holiday Survey.

Mexico tourism boom kills coral quicker than climate change

Dainty blue fish still dart around coral shaped like antlers near the Mexican resort of Cancun, but pollution is threatening one of the world’s largest reefs. Parts of the reef, nestled in turquoise waters, have died, and algae – which feed on sewage residues flowing out of the fast-growing hotels in the tourist city – has taken over.

Other news items:

Las Vegas has dog-friendly hotels? You bet
The Economy is Falling Apart, Should I Travel?
TSA proposes screening private jet passengers

Budget Travel reports a surprising development at Walt Disney World. Something free from Disney? Cool.

For the last few years, Walt Disney World has offered free dining plans in September to entice visitors during a notoriously slow month. Well, Disney announced yesterday that the Disney Dining Plan will once again be offered free with select vacation packages. If you stay at one of Disney’s “value” or “moderate” category resorts—or at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa—between Aug. 24 and Sept. 20, 2008, and you book a 5-night “Magic Your Way” package (at a starting price of about $1,300 for a family of four), then they’ll throw in the dining plan for free. The plan ordinarily costs $38 per day per adult.