READERS' CHOICE: Who's Got Architecture Worth Traveling For?

When Direct Air canceled its flights and filed for bankruptcy last month it left its customers scrambling for millions of dollars in refunds, and now the company's credit card processor and escrow bank are claiming they don't have the cash to cover all the reimbursements. The Myrtle Beach, S.C.-based Direct Air sold charter flights and vacation packages up and down the Eastern Seaboard and in the Midwest. The company canceled its charter program on March 13, and on March 15 it filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts. In a company press release issued on March 17, Direct Air explained that "rising fuel costs and other operating expenses pushed the charter company into a severe operating loss position." Following the bankruptcy filing, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a statement for consumers impacted by the Direct Air shutdown that under federal regulations, Direct Air has in place an escrow account into which all charter participant funds were to be deposited until payment was made to the airline that was to execute the charter flight. The DOT also noted that customers who paid for their Direct Air flight by credit card should contact their credit card company to get their money back. But according to Bingham Farms, Mich.-based JetPay Merchant Services, the credit card processing company for Direct Air, the bank holding the escrow funds is not releasing them and is therefore putting almost the entire refund load on JetPay. In an affidavit to the bankruptcy filing, David Chester, COO of JetPay, explained the credit card processing company's predicament. "Without access to funds in the escrow account, JetPay is currently suffering a cash shortfall," Chester wrote. That shortfall "will likely exceed several million dollars and may reach as high as $20 million which will jeopardize the ability of JetPay to continue business." Later court filings further question whether the bank itself even has enough funds to cover the onslaught of refunds that need to be paid out and why those funds aren't available in the escrow account. The bottom line is that for Direct Air customers seeking to get their money back the process could be long and arduous, and there remains a great deal of uncertainty about whether there will even be enough money to cover all the refunds, and if not, who is responsible and what course of action customers will have. More from Budget Travel: What to Do If Your Airline Shuts Down Delta's 'Basic' New Fare: Cheaper Price, No Changes or Seat Assignments Allowed Tips On When To Book Summer Flights Amid Rising Fares

Onboard the brand new Disney Fantasy right before the ship headed off on its inaugural Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral (near Orlando) last week, Budget Travel sat down with Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Among the topics: How is Disney Cruise Line catering to budget travelers? "We keep a very close eye on the value equation for our guests and we want to make sure we're always delivering value. That will be what we're focusing on most," Staggs said. "That said, with a great variety of itineraries and cruise lengths and ports, etc., we make ourselves more approachable for people with respect to the demographic curve and economic curve and we like to provide better accessibility." Disney Fantasy, with new features including a high tech adventure game themed on The Muppets, is commanding premium prices. But that doesn't mean there aren't savings on other vessels in the four-ship fleet. Take the new sailings launching on the Disney Magic out of New York in June and Galveston in September. "If you cruise out of New York, there's a group of people who suddenly don't have to worry about air travel. Cruising out of Galveston beginning in September, that means it's accessible for a big chunk of the Texas market," Staggs said. The New York cruises alternate Canada/New England and Bahamas itineraries. The best deal: 8-night Bahamas, from $4,924 for a family of four, including One-day Park Hopper Tickets (valued at $105 each) for Walt Disney World Resort. In addition to Port Canaveral, the itinerary includes Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney's highly rated private island. Weeklong western Caribbean cruises from Galveston are from $3,004 for a family of four, the cruises visiting Grand Cayman and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico. On another topic, Staggs said plans are progressing for an Avatar attraction at Walt Disney World Resort. "Avatar will happen at Animal Kingdom. It will be some time after 2015," Staggs said. "It's actually going well. The development is going well." He said the company is also on target to begin construction of the new Disney theme park in Shanghai this summer. MORE IN BUDGET TRAVEL: How to Get a Free Upgrade Disney Cruise Line Expands into NYC Viator's New Website Offers Cheaper Shore Excursions Than Cruise Lines Offer

The Kentucky Wildcats may have won the 2012 NCAA Championship, but who was the victor in the battle of the breakfasts? Every March there are countless brackets going around, but none was more delicious than BedandBreakfast.com's Breakfast Recipe Challenge. I helped determine the finalists (tough job, I know) and fans of cozy inns voted. The ultimate victor? Bittersweet chocolate waffles topped with mint buttercream and strawberry sauce from the Lyttleton Inn in Littleton, Massachusetts. The waffles narrowly bested the pumpkin pancakes with carmelized pecans served at the Gracehill Bed and Breakfast in Townsend, Tennessee, a carb-lovers' final two if there ever was one. The final four also included the relatively healthier-sounding blueberry granola breakfast bake from Lord Camden Inn in Camden, Maine, and the lobster frittata from the Mill House Inn in East Hampton, New York. See all 16 finalists here, as well as all the recipes if you want to recreate the battle in your kitchen. But it's probably easier to book a night at an inn and let the chefs cook for you. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 15 International Food Etiquette Rules That Might Surprise You America's Best Food Regions World's Best Street Food