Disney Prices On The Rise...Again

It's been roughly 2,000 years since ancient Rome reached its glorious zenith, which can still imagined thanks to enduring monuments like the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Ara Pacis Altar. Yet perhaps it's time to look past the ancient ruins and build a 600-acre theme park that recreates the empire's best attractions in full detail. That is the plan, anyway, of Mayor Gianni Alemanno, who wants to build a 600-acre theme park to pay homage to the Italian capital's glorious past. Expect chariot races and gladiators doing battle, that sort of thing. The ancient city of Rome may be born again as an amusement park because The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani, is interested in investing in the idea, says the Times of London. The mayor has also been bolstered by a new survey of 1,300 tourists which found that one out of three of them would return to see "Romaland" if it were built. The project is one of several initiatives the mayor is seeking investors for and which are listed on a the city's official tourism promotion website on the Second Tourist Centre page. Would you go to Rome to visit a theme park based on ancient Rome? Or should the city focus on its existing architectural heritage? Or both? Let us know in the comments. SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL France Proposes a Napoleonland Theme Park SeaWorld's Expanding … to Antarctica? Rome: A Cool Restaurant and Art Space in San Lorenzo

"Habit Heroes," an interactive exhibit at EPCOT that features overweight villains with names like "Snacker" and "Lead Bottom," was supposed to open on March 5. Head over to HabitHeroes.com, the website Disney created specifically for the exhibit that was expected to open in early March, and you'll encounter a message stating that the site is "Down for Maintenance." As for the exhibit itself, Disney has decided to postpone its opening indefinitely. You can probably guess the reason why. Last month, the exhibit had a "soft opening," during which EPCOT and the exhibit's partner, insurer Blue Cross and Blue Shield, could get feedback from the public. The point of the interactive exhibit was supposedly to help children and other park guests develop good habits while fighting off the bad ones. To dramatize the battle, exhibit designers created characters: good, healthy ones, such as Will Power and Callie Stenics, and bad ones, including the oversized Snacker, The Glutton, and Lead Bottom, as well as villains such as Drama Queen, Control Freak, and Sweet Tooth. Their names should give a pretty good indication of what their powers (weaknesses?) are. After word of the exhibit spread, the complaints started coming in. Per the Orlando Sentinel: "We're appalled to learn that Disney, a traditional hallmark of childhood happiness and joy, has fallen under the shadow of negativity and discrimination," came a heated response from the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. "It appears that Disney now believes that using the tool of shame, favored so much by today's healthcare corporations, is the best way to communicate with children." The association said, based on the exhibit, both Disney and Blue Cross have sided with "bullies" who mock, insult, and vilify the obese. At the website WeightyMatters, Yani Freedhoff, a physician based in Ottawa, wrote: So thanks for being so helpful Disney - I mean if your kid's not overweight or obese, here's to Disney reinforcing society's most hateful negative obesity stereotyping, and if they are overweight or obese - what kid doesn't want to be made to feel like a personal failure while on a Disney family vacation? Ouch. Apparently, Disney got the word and has kicked the "Habit," so to speak. There is no word yet, on the other hand, regarding what if anything may come of the "Habit Heroes." MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Confessions of a Disney Cast Member Disney Worker Beard Ban Finally Gets Clipped The Completely Obsessive, Absolutely Indispensable Guide to Disney World

It's the dead of winter and summer seems very, very far away. Some folks are lucky enough to be escaping the cold (like my manager who wisely booked a trip to Florida). Then you have people like me who used their vacation time to escape a cold and rainy city (New York) to travel to a cold and rainy city (Dublin). I don't regret the decision—I was visiting a friend—but now that we're solidly in February and I haven't been anywhere warm in months I'm starting to long for a reason to break out my swimsuit. I shared my longing with a friend who looked at me, raised an eyebrow, and said "you're a travel editor, shouldn't you be able to figure out a way to get a warm weather fix in February?" Oh yeah. Right. if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('fa4c734d-d46d-41c6-be57-a196bbae878d'); Get the Poll Creator Pro widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info) I tossed around the idea of taking a 3-day weekend somewhere warm—maybe Florida, or the Caribbean. There are certainly plenty of deals out there, but I want to save my vacation days for a big trip this summer. Then I happened upon an article we did last year—a round up of the ten best indoor water parks. The first line grabbed me: "no matter how cold it gets outside, you'll always find temperatures in the 80s in these indoor water parks." That's it! Visions of lazy rivers, waterslides and wave pools filled my head. As it turns out, those aren't the only places that give you an outlet to splash around when the mercury is close to zero. We also have a list of the top hotel water parks in the U.S. (Of course, come summer there are even more options—check out our favorite 15 water parks nationwide.) Upon closer investigation, however, I discovered that none of these places are within driving distance from where I live. Fortunately, a quick Internet search revealed an indoor water park much closer to me—Greek Peak in upstate New York—and, yes, I'll be going there next weekend. Out of curiosity, a question for my fellow travelers in colder climes—how far will you go to escape the chill? Do you plan your winter retreats far in advance like my colleague? Or are you more inclined to play things by ear? Vote in our poll or share your thoughts below. SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: 10 Indoor Water Parks in the U.S. Top Hotel Water Parks Best U.S. Water Parks

For nearly 60 years, Disney employees haven't been allowed to grow beards or goatees. Soon, though, "Cast Members" won't have to be clean-shaven. Since the company began, Disney has prided itself on being extraordinary. As in: not ordinary. Its movies are not the typical animated fare. Its theme parks, resorts, and rides are far more magical (not to mention expensive) than the competition. Also, its employees aren't mere workers, staffers, or, well, employees. Instead, they're all referred to as "Cast Members." To bring the customer experience to the next magical level, all Cast Members have been expected to play their roles as clean-cut, exemplary, all-American hosts and hostesses. For about six decades, there was a ban on facial hair so that all Cast Members could play the part and maintain the "Disney Look." But times, and what's acceptable in terms of the Disney Look, are changing. A new policy, taking effect on February 3, removes the facial hair ban. Guests shouldn't expect a flood of Cast Members with scruffy faces or ZZ Top beards on their next visit to a Disney park, though. The Orlando Sentinel clarifies what's OK and not OK: Disney's new policy restricts any facial hair to no more than a quarter of an inch in length. And the company says any chin whiskers "must create an overall neat, polished and professional look" and must be fully grown in and well-groomed. In other words, no beards like those grown by the Seven Dwarfs, and certainly no facial hair along the lines of Beast from "Beauty and the Beast." Even so, for the pro-hair faction, Disney's change means progress. It follows another policy adjustment in 2000, when mustaches for Cast Members were given the OK. While beards, goatees, and mustaches are allowed, there are still plenty of rules and restrictions, such as: Mustaches (without lower facial hair) must not extend onto or over the upper lip and must extend to the corners of the mouth, but not beyond or below the corners. And: Mustaches may extend below the corners of the mouth to meet with the facial beard. Shaping the mustache or beard to a particular style is not permitted. The Disney Look guidebook also advises: For clarification on whether a mustache, beard or goatee is acceptable, please consult your area leader or contact the Cast Image and Appearance team. To which many employees must respond: Oh, forget it! I'll just shave. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Confessions of a Disney Cast Member Disney Parks to Stay Open 24 Hours on February 29 The Completely Obsessive, Absolutely Indispensable Guide to Disney World