Disney gets pricier
Visiting Mickey and Minnie just got more expensive. Walt Disney says it has raised ticket prices to attend Disneyland, Walt Disney World and the rest of its U.S. theme parks, effective last week. A one-day ticket for either Disneyland or California Adventure in Anaheim, Calif., is now $99 for anyone 10 or older. That's up from $96. Single-day tickets for the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., are now $105, up from $99. A one-day ticket to Disney's other central Florida theme parks — Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom — are $97, up from $94. For children under age 10, a single-day ticket is $93 for Disneyland, $99 for the Magic Kingdom and $91 for the other theme parks.
Associated Press
Eat here now
Chicago rib joint cranks out the barbecue
Chicago does not want for meat in general, or the barbecued kind in particular. The city Carl Sandburg called the "hog butcher for the world" boils over with stellar kielbasas and, at least on the South Side, Delta-style vinegar-forward barbecue. But last year, Brendan Sodikoff, a one-man genre-engine of a restaurateur, opened Green Street Smoked Meats. Even during an early winter visit, the cavernous industrial space felt like a rollicking back-yard Texas barbecue. Rows of picnic tables were pounded on as points were made and beers — including many from Chicago brewer Local Option — slammed. Then there's the line. Drinks — like pitchers of bourboned-up sweet tea and glasses of Oaxacan old-fashioneds — help pass the time as you shuffle along toward the massive smoker (an Oyler from Texas). It pushes out thick slabs of sliced brisket, rich with smoky crags but with a moist and tender interior. There is also cured pork belly, smoked chicken legs and that most Texas of all barbecue sides, the Frito pie. New York Times
Deal of the week
Family package at Hyatt in Maui
The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa has a family deal. The Ultimate Family Vacation starts at $379 a night and includes guest room (double or king) with private lanai (patio); Hertz SUV daily rental and self-parking; daily buffet breakfast for two adults and two children; two-for-one tickets to the Drums of the Pacific Lu'au and the resort's Tour of the Stars; and free ticket for one child (ages 12 and under) to submarine, Lanai snorkel or dolphin watch excursion when accompanied by paying adult. Book by and travel by Dec. 19. Add $30 resort fee and about 13 percent tax. For more information: 1-888-591-1234, www.hyatt.com.
Washington Post
On the web
Airfare site charts lowest prices
Tixchart.com searches for and compares low-cost carriers to help you find the lowest fare as well as reveals whole-year price trends. It searches carriers in the United States, Europe and the Pacific. Plug in your destination and travel dates and up pop two graphs: one charting prices within a certain number of days of your departure date; the other, prices for your return. Click on the peaks and valleys to see the various travel dates and their corresponding prices. This site is not for the faint of heart or for those looking for first-class travel. Your desire for a bargain must be matched by your eye for detail, as travel segments will be booked on different carriers and on different websites. Note: Still in beta.Los Angeles Times
