You can spend one day at each of the four Disney parks, or you can stay for ten days and buy “park hopper” Disney World tickets to move freely between parks for the entire duration of your stay. There are various options for your Disney vacation, but the first step to planning your trip is deciding upon a budget and examining what each Disney World park has to offer!

For starters, you’ll want to buy tickets for the Magic Kingdom which is comprised of several distinct lands: Main Street USA, Mickey’s Toon Town Fair, Adventureland, Frontierland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and Liberty Square. Magic Kingdom was the first of the Disney parks that opened in 1971.

You’ll know it by Cinderella’s breathtaking castle, which makes for an ideal tourist photo spot. Adventureland takes you from pirate ships on the Caribbean seas to jungle cruises down the Amazon.

Frontierland takes you back to the Wild West, into saloons and on train rides. Liberty Square brings you the famous Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents attractions. Toon Town Fair has attractions for young children, as does Fantasyland, which is set up like a medieval carnival fair mostly geared toward children who love Peter Pan, Dumbo and Snow White. Tomorrowland is an intergalactic convention center with some rides geared toward thrill-seekers.

“The World you have entered was created by The Walt Disney Company and is dedicated to Hollywood, not the place on the map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and wonder and imagine a place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic. We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was-and always will be,” said entertainment executive Michael Eisner. Disney MGM Studios has recently been renamed Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Your Hollywood Studios tickets will be worth the money for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the Backlot Tour and Great Movie Ride, but there are six themed areas to explore. You can experience rides and shows themed around Star Wars, Indiana Jones, the Muppets, Honey I Shrunk The Kids, Beauty and the Beast and more. For rollercoaster and thrill ride enthusiasts, don’t miss the Tower of Terror or Aerosmith’s Rock N Rollercoaster!

The Disney Animal Kingdom is the newest park, which opened in 1998. This 500-acre conservation park houses many animals that meander freely behind well-covered boundaries.

You can see wallabies, antelope, monkeys, hippos, giraffes, lions and many other animal species on your safari. Kids will especially love DinoLand. The DINOSAUR adventure ride, Bug’s Life 3-D show, Kilimanjaro Safari and Kali River Rapids are especially memorable.

Entrepreneur Michael Eisner describes, “Welcome to a kingdom of animals… real, ancient and imagined: a kingdom ruled by lions, dinosaurs and dragons; a kingdom of balance, harmony and survival; a kingdom we enter to share in the wonder, gaze at the beauty, thrill at the drama, and learn.”

Disneyland California is a stark contrast from Disney World Orlando. California’s park was the original design, so you’d miss out on Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot, which is Disney’s futuristic world showcase park. Epcot, characterized by the “big golf ball” ride, is a must-see for anyone looking into Disney World tickets!

You can visit pavilions from eleven different countries, each with rides, entertaining shows, gifts, food, costumes and culture. Epcot is a celebration of human advancement and culture that can’t be missed! Older guests often say they could spend the entire week at Epcot alone, as there is much to see, eat and do!

Buy your Disney World tickets and vacation package today to start making your child’s dream come true. Where else can you see 11 different countries, dinosaurs, pirates, outer space and Indiana Jones all in one week?

You’ll find that smiles never fade and the laughter never stops as Disney World Orlando. Also, with the many vacation planning options and resort guest benefits, all the stress is taken out of the trip, allowing you to just have fun.

The Pantheon in Rome is a rare ancient building because it has resisted the decay of time so well. One reason it is such a treasure is that it is the only intact example of architecture of the time of that size, age and span. The ability of The Pantheon to hold up for centuries is no accident - rather, it reflects a genius of engineering skill.

The Pantheon holds up well in comparison to modern buildings for architectural innovation so much so that it has been copied often, but few have been able to match or surpass the brilliance of this ancient building. The fact that it stands to this day as a challenge to modern architects to live up to its design is only more amazing considering it was built around 125 AD, during the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian.

The basic design is one that is brilliantly simple, placing a round enclosure next to a rectangular entryway. The gateway to the Pantheon is built in the style of a Greek portico, using columns made of granite and finished off with a triangular pediment on top. The entrance is supported by three rows of 39 foot Corinthian columns. Eight of those supports are at the front and then there are two sets further in - each with four supports that lead you onward toward the central rotunda. So the rectangular section serves the function of joining the rotunda and the portico.

This design seems amazingly simple but under scrutiny you find dozens of examples of pure genius.

For example, the massive dome of concrete that is on top of the round central component is of such elegant design and of such high quality of construction that anything less in the design of this dome would have collapsed under its own weight.

That huge dome is 142 feet across. By way of comparison, that makes it 46 feet bigger than the crowning that is on top of the White House that stands in Washington DC. The oculus of the dome at its zenith is 25 feet of that span. The unique composition, brilliant engineering and amazing construction standards are the reasons for the dome that is virtually impervious to the ravages of time.

It’s easy to think that the opening in the center of that large oculus is just for artistic design. But it has an important job of reducing the weight of the dome. It is also perfectly balanced to distribute the stress of the dome’s weight around its circumference. This makes the dome as resistant to being crushed as a bicycle wheel that we are familiar with.

That opening also allows light into the interior, providing a perfect natural lighting. However it also lets in the elements such as the rain so the floor below is well designed to drain off water accumulation to drains that keep it safely out from underfoot.

The talent of the designers is also on display in the tapering steps of the dome. That dome is an amazing 20 feet thick at the base of the structure and 7.5 feet thick at the oculus. The composition of the dome is also a part of the balance that keeps it aloft because the lower parts are made of heavier materials and as it rises to the peak, the material that was used is lighter. This simple design plan seems obvious but many architects down through time and to this day do not use such simple design methods to replicate the success of that dome.

It seems that the two thousand years that the Pantheon has stood has not changed its stability one bit. And if that isn’t awe inspiring enough, consider that it was built without any of the modern technology, tools or machines that we use to build our buildings today.

When you admire the sturdy and elegant materials used to create the Pantheon, keep in mind also that the engineers that built this marvel had to bring in everything that went into the construction by floating those materials in on the Tiber river. From the river, those materials were laboriously moved to the site using humans and animals pulling carts.

The huge bronze doors of the Pantheon have undergone a number of restorations over the years. But there has never been any serious structural repair needed or done to the Pantheon at any time in the history of the building. That record is even more amazing considering that the Pantheon was built on marsh land.

A good comparison in terms of amazing longevity of the Pantheon is the Leaning Tower of Pisa which seems to need virtually continuous effort to support and maintain that structure. Much of the reason for the troubles of that tower is the marshy ground under the construction. Another great building that was built at the same time as the Pantheon in Rome is the Parthenon in Greece and it is for all intents and purposes a wreck 2000 years after it was built.

In the eighth century, the Roman Pantheon was adapted to be used as a church. And unlike many ancient sites, the Pantheon was not set aside just to be admired, as it has been in continuous use from the day it opened until our modern time.

Many modern architects have copied the amazing design of the Pantheon. Some famous architecture that was inspired by the Pantheon includes the Thomas Jefferson Rotunda at the University of Virginia as well as the Reading Room of the British Museum.

If you have admired those wonderful buildings, it’s worth it to spend some time seeing the building that inspired them all.

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Denmark’s so called ‘Whiskey Belt’ is the gold coast of Denmark. A world of beaches, luxury villas, green verdant forests and high life attractions. In an egalitarian nation which loves it’s beer (think Carlsberg and Tuborg) it is said that the regions affluent residents prefer a tipple of whiskey - hence the name. Stretching along some 40 kilometers of coastline north from Copenhagen, the region is a refreshing and easily accessible alternative to city sightseeing. Here are some of the highlights.

1. The Daisy Route

The 40 kilometer Strandvejen (beach road) from Copenhagen through to Helsingor runs the full length of the Whiskey Belt. It is also known as the Daisy route. This is because it’s road signed with the ‘Daisy’ of Margrethe II (popularly known as Queen Daisy) which indicates an area of outstanding natural beauty. The road runs parallel to the narrow Oresund strait which separates Denmark from Sweden.

Although hire cars are readily available, it’s just as easy to explore the route by train (the ‘coastal line’) and bicycle. Bicycles can be hired cheaply locally and may be taken onto trains.

2. Bellevue Beach

Possibly Scandinavia’s most glamorous beach, Bellevue is the place for Denmark’s ‘Beautiful People’ to see and be seen every summer. The chic and charm extends to the stylish architecture of the resort. Much of this was created in the mid 20th century by ‘Danish Modern’ architect and designer Arne Jacobsen. Even the blue and white striped lifeguard towers and white beach side kiosks are his work. At the ‘Restaurant Jacobsen’ everything from the building, interior design, furniture and cutlery bears his mark.

3. The Deer Park

Chill out in this cool, dark, fairy tale forest of majestic oaks. Indeed, even Bambi himself would feel at home here. The Dyrehaven (deer park) was formally the royal hunting grounds. It was first fenced off by the King of Denmark in 1669. Today it is home to around 2,000 deer and a favorite haunt of walkers and picnickers. And be sure to enjoy some traditional Danish cuisine in the oldie-world restaurant ‘Peter Lieps Hus’, a former gamekeeper’s cottage.

4. Bakken Amusement Park

Located deep in the depths of the Deer Park, the world’s oldest carnival park is a blaze of light and sound. This is where the Copenhageners loosen up and have fun in a bawdy, burlesque environment. The park features over 100 rides and amusements, food stalls, dancing, ice cream, cabaret, open
air restaurants and bars. Not to be missed !

5. Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

With delightful gardens overlooking the sea towards Sweden, the Louisiana museum features one of the largest and finest modern (20th century) art collections in the world. A large part of the museum’s charm lies in it’s unique location. Spaciousness and the relaxed outdoor environment of the gardens make this a popular family destination. The name Louisiana stems from the former estate owner’s three successive wives, each of whom was called Louise !

6. Karen Blixen Museum

Set in a densely planted 40 acres park lies the charming manor house of Rungstedland. This is the former family home of Karen Blixen, famed romantic authoress of ‘Out of Africa’ and other works. Since her death in 1962, the estate serves as both a museum and bird sanctuary.

The house is a reminder of the privileged elegance of a bygone era. The gardens remain as they were, a tribute to Blixen’s own horticultural talents and her vision of beauty.

7. Hamlet’s Castle

At the end of the Whiskey Belt, where the Baltic and North Sea meet, lies the magnificent renaissance castle of Kronborg in Helsingor. This is actually better known as the castle of ‘Elsinore’ from William Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet - Prince of Denmark’. Hamlet himself is probably based on the Danish legend of Amleth detailed in the writings of medieval Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus.

Best time to plan a visit to the Whiskey Belt is mid June through late August, when the weather (and beach life) is at is best and the scenery at it’s greenest. Out of season it’s still a pleasure to visit - with the benefit of less crowds.