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Dinner Plain

Dinner Plain is a village in the High Country of Victoria, Australia.

Understand
Dinner Plain, which is located above the snowline in winter, is one of the few alpine areas in Australia with freehold land. Very strict planning controls ensure a certain uniformity of look: the buildings are all wooden veneers with a green-grey paint job to match the surrounding snow gums. In winter, Dinner Plain is a dormitory village for the Mount Hotham ski resort. In summer it's a good base for walking, hiking and cycling in the alpine area.

Get in
Dinner Plain is accessible by on the Great Alpine Road from Harrietville (45 kilometers) via Mount Hotham (20 kilometers) or from Bairnsdale via Omeo (60 kilometers). If travelling through Mount Hotham, just tell the gate staff that you are driving right through to Dinner Plain and they will not charge you the entry fee. Fitting snow chains must be carried after Harrietville or Omeo between June 1 and October 10 each year and you can be required to fit them at various points on the highway.

There is a bus service from Mount Hotham in winter, leaving from the Transit Center and opposite the Big D ski lift. Bus travellers would catch the Melbourne-Bright-Harrietville service to Mount Hotham and change at the transit center, but the bus is usually used by people skiing at Hotham and staying at Dinner Plain.

See
Chamonix in Drybone Lane at #7(formerely 179) as the FIRST building of any description ever sold in this new town. Bernie and Leonie Valentini purchased the home called "Wattle Circle" by the builders' architect, Peter Macintyre, before it was even built. It was pre-constructed in modular form in Kilsyth Melbourne, and thence transported by semi-trailers via primitive dirt road from Omeo to Dinner Plain. "Home Welcoming" parties were held for the first few years, with the sale of each home, whereupon the original new owners would give their purchase an official name, by them, the owners. This "pioneering" FIRST home was hence named "Chamonix" by the Valentinis. When complete, there was no infrastructure of any kind, and access to the new home was only possible for the first 2 years via walking across the mud & snow from the primitive car park near original front gate; some 300 metres away, dragging luggage, skiis and food on sheets of plastic. Four wheel drive vehicles driven by inexperienced drivers, were getting bogged in mud and snow more often than not. The Valentini's Datsun 200B had no hope. They purchased a Toyota Landcruiser 4WD very soon after.

Walks

When there's not snow, the area has the following walks:

While Dinner Plain is far below the altitude at which altitude sickness is usually a problem, if you've come up from sea level allow for these walks to be a little more difficult than you'd expect.

Buy
There are no banking or automatic teller machine (ATM) facilities in Dinner Plain. The closest ATM is in Mount Hotham village. The supermarket and most cafes and restaurants accept EFTPOS (Australian debit cards) or credit cards. The Brandy Creek supermarket allows EFTPOS withdrawals ("cash out") for Australian debit cards, although you will need to make about $20 worth of purchases and pay $1 per $50 withdrawn.

There is no petrol (gas), or other fuel, for vehicles available in Dinner Plain or at Mount Hotham. The closest fuel is available in Harrietville or Omeo, both of which require descending from the alpine area.

Sleep
Most accommodation in Dinner Plain consists of private individuals' holiday houses, which they lease to travellers on a short-term basis when they aren't using them themselves. These are managed through central booking agencies:

In addition, there are many dedicated resorts that accommodate travellers year-round:

Connect
The Vodafone mobile network does not have coverage in Dinner Plain — if you want to receive or make calls from your Vodafone mobile you will need to go to Mount Hotham. Telstra and Optus both have coverage. In addition, many lodges have landline phones, which you could redirect your mobile number to.

Internet access is available at:

Postal facilities, including stamps and parcels, are also available at Brandy Creek. A red post box is located outside. The area is not on the Express Post loop, so sending Australian post using regular postage is just as fast.

title: Dinner Plain


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Dinosaur National Monument

Dinosaur National Monument is a United States national monument spanning from Northwestern Colorado into Northeastern Utah.

Understand
The monument was created in 1915 to protect an extensive deposit of fossilized dinosaur skeletons as well as pictographs dating back 10,000 years. The monument is divided into two districts, the Canyon Area on the east side and the Dinosaur Quarry on the west side. Each district has its own visitor center. Pets are allowed inside the monument but must be on a leash no longer than 6 ft (1.8 m). Pets are not allowed inside any buildings or on any hiking trails.

History
Dinosaur National Monument's cultural history dates back 10,000 years. The Yampa and Green Rivers have provided water for survival in an arid country. Indian rock art in the form of petroglyphs and pictographs provide evidence that many people have come before modern travellers. The Fremont Indians lived in the canyons in Dinosaur National Monument 800–1,200 years ago. Following the Fremont were the Ute and Shoshone, who are still live in the area. Early settlers left their mark on the landscape with their homesteads. Those who had access to the rivers and a constant flow of water survived, while others dried up with drought and moved away. Now, many of the remains of homesteads are found alongside the Indian art work of the past.

The park's value as a site for dinosaur remains was established when paleontologist Earl Douglass first came to Utah looking for mammal fossils. He returned in 1909 and discovered an immense deposit of dinosaur bones, now protected at Dinosaur National Monument. Although made famous by dinosaurs, Douglass died preferring his beloved mammal fossils over dinosaurs.

Landscape
This part of Utah and Colorado is rocky-desert, with sinuous canyons deep-cut by rivers.

Climate
Dinosaur's climate is semiarid with temperatures averaging between 0°F (-17°C) to 30°F (-1°C) in January and 50°F (10°C) to 100°F (38°C) in July. Elevations within the park vary between 4700 and 9000 feet. Winter snow makes roads at higher elevations impassable while only light to moderate snow is found at lower elevations. Summer thunderstorms often cause heavy downpours and localized flooding, but may fail to dampen parched soils less than a mile away.

Visitor information

 * Park website

By road
Both districts of the Monument are accessed via U.S. Highway 40. From Salt Lake City, take I-80 east to US 40 east, about 4 1/4 hours and 185 mi (297 km). From Provo, take US 189 north to US 40 east, about 4 hours and 166 mi (267 km). From Denver, take I-70 west, to SR 9 north, then to US 40 west, about 5 hours and 285 mi (459 km).

Fees and permits
Entrances fees are valid for seven days, allowing unlimited re-entry for the week. Fees as of 2020 are:
 * $15 - Per person on foot/bicycle
 * $20 - Motorcycle
 * $25 - Private Vehicle
 * $45 Dinosaur Annual Pass

Get around
Harpers Corner Road is closed from mid-December to approximately Easter due to snow at the higher elevations.

All dirt roads in the park are clay based and impassable when wet, even with four-wheel drive vehicles. These roads are Echo Park Road, Yampa Bench Road, Island Park Road and the road into Gates of Lodore. These roads are not maintained in the winter and can be impassable due to snow. The use of chains on wet clay roads renders the roads all but impassable for those who follow. Waiting for several hours will allow the roads to dry, leaving them in drivable condition for all visitors.

Dinosaur Quarry district

Hiking
Each district has numerous trails of varying length and difficulty.

River rafting
The Green and Yampa Rivers pass through the monument, offering Class III and Class IV rapids. Unless you are an experienced river rafter, do no attempt without a professional guide.

 * Private boats - $15 application fee, plus $20 for a one-day permit or $185 for a multi-day permit.

Eat
There are no restaurants within Dinosaur National Monument. However, several picnic areas provide a relaxing atmosphere with a view. Picnic areas are located:

 * Near the Split Mountain boat ramp along the Tour of the Tilted Rocks self-guided auto tour near the Temporary Visitor Center.
 * At the Josie Bassett Morris homestead at the end of the Tour of the Tilted Rocks self-guided auto tour near the Temporary Visitor Center.
 * At Plug Hat Butte along the Harpers Corner Auto Tour road in the Canyon Area of the park.
 * At the Canyon Overlook along the Harpers Corner Auto Tour road in the Canyon Area of the park.
 * At the Harpers Corner Trailhead along the Harpers Corner Auto Tour road in the Canyon Area of the park.

Nearby communities offer a variety of dining options.

Lodging
There is no lodging within Dinosaur National Monument. However, the nearby communities of Vernal, Dinosaur and Rangely have lodging. Obtaining lodging in the area can be difficult; it is recommended that you reserve lodging ahead of time if you plan on staying in the area overnight.

Dinosaur Quarry district

Canyon Area district

Backcountry
Most of Dinosaur National Monument's 210,000 acres is proposed wilderness. With proper planning, a backcountry trip at Dinosaur can be a wonderful experience of solitude and serenity. Wilderness camping is allowed with a free permit that can be obtained at the visitor center or by phone (+1 435 781-7700 or +1 970 374-3000).

The park's backcountry rules are that you must have a permit and adhere to the following restrictions:

 * Campsite must be at least one mile from developed areas, like the Dinosaur Quarry and boat ramps.
 * Campsite must be at least 1/4 mile from roads.
 * Campsite must be at least 1/4 mile from hiking trails.
 * Campsite must be at least 300 feet from water.
 * Campsite must be at least 1/4 mile from cultural sites.
 * Campsite must be at least 1/8 mile from the Green or Yampa rivers. (River campsites are closed to backpackers during the high-use river-running season, which is the second Monday in May until the second Friday in September.)

There is one designated backcountry camping area within the park which must be reserved in advance:

Vehicle
Keep your vehicle's gas tank above half-full. Distances can be deceptively long between services. Watch for wildlife on monument and nearby roads. Wildlife can be abundant along roads during all seasons. Please observe speed limits and be aware of wildlife in the road corridor. Four wheel drive may not be enough on some monument roads. Many park roads are clay-surfaced (unpaved), and become impassable when wet no matter what kind of vehicle you have. Get weather and road condition reports before traversing park roads.

Weather
Dinosaur is a land of extremes; please dress appropriately for the season. Summer temperatures can soar over 100°F (38°C); winter temperatures can drop well below 0°F (-18°C). Summer nighttime temperatures can be cool. Dress appropriately, including proper shoes and headwear, use sunscreen. Dressing in non-cotton layers allows you to add and remove clothing as needed while not retaining moisture that can lead to hypothermia.

Always carry and drink plenty of water. Extreme temperatures, high elevation, and an arid landscape can lead to rapid water loss. Many locations may not have water readily accessible and may require backpackers and hikers to carry fresh water. All water gathered in the monument must be treated before consumption.

Trails
Watch your step. Trails are often rocky and uneven, and other hazards may be present. Slow down, enjoy the scenery, and watch your step.

Carry food with you. At higher elevations your body must work harder than at lower elevations; more work means more calories burned. The monument ranges from 4700 feet to over 9000 feet in elevation. Salty foods can replace electrolytes lost through sweating. Eating helps your body use water efficiently.

Afternoon thunderstorms during summer are common, and lightning can strike from miles away. During summer thunderstorms avoid high, bare rock surfaces to prevent being struck by lightning. If caught outside find the lowest point possible that is not near a tree or other tall object, and make yourself small. Also be aware of flash flooding in canyons; a storm miles away can send a wall of water raging down a canyon, flooding it within minutes, emptying just as fast.

Wildlife
Most wildlife is more scared of you than you are of them. You might, however, surprise or startle wildlife or accidentally make an animal feel threatened. Watch where you walk; if you do come across wildlife, give it plenty of space and an escape route. Small children and pets may be particularly vulnerable – keep your group together at all times. Be wary of animals that are being aggressive.

Snakes are an important and beneficial part of the ecosystem. Most snakes found in the monument are non-poisonous, but two are poisonous: the midget faded rattlesnake, and prairie rattlesnake. Snakes, like all wildlife in the monument, should be observed and enjoyed from a safe distance.

Plants can bite, too. Many plants, including cactus, greasewood, Russian thistle, and others can scratch, stick, or otherwise be dangerous. Watch where you put your hands and feet.

Go next

 * Jensen - The closest town to the park borders, offering limited services.
 * Vernal - This town in Utah is southwest of the park's borders.
 * Dinosaur - In Colorado southeast of the park's entrance.
 * Rangely - In Colorado to the southeast of the town of Dinosaur.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Dinosaur National Monument


text:
Dinuba

Dinuba is a city in Tulare County in California's San Joaquin Valley.

By car

 * Dinuba is 10 miles east of California SR-99. Exit at Mountain View Ave.
 * From Reedley take El Monte Way East
 * From Visalia take Road 124

title: Dinuba


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Dipolog

Dipolog is the capital city of the province of Zamboanga del Norte, the province that occupies the northern part of Zamboanga Peninsula in the Mindanao island of the Philippines. It is commonly known as the "Bottled Sardines Capital" due to its sardine production, and most popularly the "Gateway to Western Mindanao" being accessible from Dumaguete, Cebu, and Manila.

Understand
Dipolog is geographically a part of the Zamboanga Peninsula region, and must not be confused with Zamboanga City or anything else with Zamboanga in its name. Dipolog is geographically situated in northern Zamboanga del Norte, one of three provinces that make up the Zamboanga Peninsula region.

Talk
Cebuano (sometimes called Bisaya/Visayan) and English are the languages spoken in the city and most of the province of Zamboanga del Norte.

By plane

Cebu Pacific flies from Manila and Cebu daily., while Philippine Airlines has daily flights from Manila and Cebu. Royhle Air Way has charter flights from Dumaguete.

By bus

Rural Transit is the main bus company serving Dipolog and neighboring cities and municipalities, operating deluxe, air-conditioned, and non-AC ordinary buses.

Evergood Transit serves the Dipolog-Dapitan route. The bus plying the route departs every 20 min up to 7PM and takes 45 min. The cost is for ordinary, and  for air-conditioned buses.

By ferry
Frequent sailings to and from Cebu City and southern Cebu area are offered.

A comfortable way to reach Dipolog is on one of the better ferries. Ro-Ro's are also available; these are slower and cheaper ferries where cars can roll on and roll off.

Get around
Do as the locals do, and take a tricycle ride around the city.

Dipolog has no taxis unlike in mostly urbanized cities in the Philippines. There are some jeepneys going to nearby towns but, unlike other cities, there are no jeepneys with general-purpose downtown routes. Most in-town transit is by either motorcycle with sidecar rigs called tricycles, or passenger-type motorcycles locally called habal-habal.

Locals in the Philippines name a landmark or commercial establishment near their destinations, street names are rarely used or known. Many travelers will be able to get around knowing only the names of some few landmarks including Dipolog Boulevard, Lee Plaza, Plaza Magsaysay, and Dipolog Cathedral; most other places of interest are within easy walking distance of one of those.

See
The center of Dipolog at night during Christmas is a truly wonderful sight: the decorations and the small stalls and the sounds of people. It is truly captivating.

Do
In the morning: You can go to the bay walk to exercise for some energy around 4AM-6AM. Then, go shopping by which the locals call Okay Okay.

In the afternoon: You can get around by walking to Plaza Magsaysay, Bay walk, go swimming in the beach or just go shopping at Lee Plaza City Central, Dipolog Center Mall, Vallecer Plaza or SM SaveMore Dipolog. Or you can eat snacks from restaurants.

In the evening: Dipolog is sparkling when the night comes. You can go to bay walk which has so many events like concerts. Or go some disco clubs like FatCat or Zpol.

Financial services (Banks, ATMs & foreign exchange)
In need of cash, foreign exchange, or banking services? Here are some financial institutions that are visible in Dipolog.

Sleep
There are places in the city for travelers to take a break. Whether tight in budget or ready to splurge with luxury, Dipolog has a lot of hotel accommodations ready for travelers.

Stay safe
Dipolog is generally a safe city. There are enough beggars and touts to be annoying, but by Asian standards these problems are relatively mild. Police are quite visible, especially along Dipolog Boulevard.

You do see evidence that locals are concerned about security. Many of the larger old houses and more-or-less all the new luxury housing are in walled compounds, and barbed wire, spikes or broken glass to discourage people from climbing the walls are common, as are bars to keep burglars from entering windows. Most businesses have roll-down metal doors for protection when they are closed. Many businesses and some residential compounds have armed guards. Guards at the entrances to many department stores or malls use metal-detecting wands to scan customers before entry. All of this, however, is true in most areas of the Philippines, and much of it is common to most low-income countries.

Traffic can be distinctly hectic, especially in Quezon Avenue in Miputak during the day; there are few traffic lights and few stop signs in the city (mostly outside the downtown area,) and you only occasionally see traffic enforcers directing traffic. Most of the oddities of Asian driving are seen in Dipolog: running without lights at night is common, motorcycles fairly often do interesting things like going down the wrong side of the road or ignoring one-way traffic signs, and so on. On the positive side, the traffic is not remarkably fast, there are few traffic jams and, compared to some other Asian cities, Dipolog has fewer drivers who seem obviously insane to Western observers.

Pedestrians should be quite cautious in Dipolog. The traffic is dangerous, some roads lack sidewalks, and even if there is a sidewalk, it may be blocked by parked motorcycles. Both roads and sidewalks are often seriously uneven — some have holes that could easily break a leg, and many more could turn an ankle — so it is essential to watch your step.

As in any tropical area, there is risk of sunburn; it is quite important for newly arrived visitors to exercise caution.

Stay healthy
Health risks in Dipolog are not large but, as for most travel, it is worth checking with your doctor and possibly getting some vaccines before setting out. The area is tropical, so see also hot weather and tropical diseases.

The city has many health services — doctors, dentists, pharmacies, optometrists — and, as elsewhere in the Philippines and indeed most of Asia, these services are often much cheaper than in higher-income countries. There are exceptions when imported products, such as dental implants or certain drugs, are required for the treatment.

Dentists
These are the many dentists the local expatriates use. Implants are generally expensive, but most services are cheap by Western standards. Some of these dentists may or may not offer procedures under general anesthesia.

Hospitals, clinics, and other services
As of October 2020, the city has four hospitals, with a fifth under construction:

Pharmacies
Just like any Philippine city, Dipolog has a variety of pharmacies that offer medications of good quality, whether branded or generic.

Connect
Internet service is generally good; Dipolog is one of the hubs of the fiber optic network that connects the country. Most hotels and many restaurants offer free Wi-Fi; connection speed is good for text, photos and most graphics, but music or video streaming may be jerky oftentimes.

There are a number of fairly large Internet cafés; they cater mainly to people playing online games, so they provide reasonably powerful computers with decent screens and a fast connection.

Cell phone connections are fast and reliable anywhere in the city itself or in central areas of the major suburbs, but can be quite flaky in some outlying areas.

Government offices
In need of access to government services while on travel?

Smoking
Cigarette and electronic cigarette or vape smoking is not encouraged in Dipolog; a city ordinance prohibits smoking in public places, particularly in government-owned structures and offices, hospitals, gasoline stations, schools, and business establishments, and there are officers on scooters who give out tickets for this. Violators are penalized the amounts of for first offense,  for second offense,  for third offense, and imprisonment for 6 months or as determined by local courts for subsequent offences. However, a few bars have smoking areas where nicotine addicts can indulge.

Go next
Nearby cities are Dapitan, Pagadian, Ipil, Zamboanga City, Oroquieta, and Ozamiz; there are buses to and from Dipolog. The Dipolog-Zamboanga via Ipil bus route passes through several places that may be worth a stop.

Although the Pulauan Port in Dapitan is commonly used, Dipolog through the Galas Port can be reached to and from Dumaguete and Cebu through water transport.

title: Dipolog


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Dirang

Dirang is a town in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, lying on the floor of a low valley between the higher mountain towns Bomdila and Tawang. The town is best known for the nearby Dirang Dzong historic fortress, as well as its pleasant scenery, surrounded by wooded slopes with a rushing mountain river running right by the town.

Get in
Sumos from Bomdila run every day around 11am-midnight and cost Rs.250 (Apr 2023). There are also sumos from Tawang and even direct from Guwahati and Tezpur, but if you're a foreign traveler coming from Assam make sure to state that clearly, as some may not want to spend time submitting your papers at the border of Arunachal Pradesh.

Get around
The town itself is easily small enough to walk around, though Dirang Dzong and some of the hotels and homestays are a bit farther out. Most tourists come here on a tour or with their own car, but it may be possible to hire a taxi locally.

See

 * Dirang Dzong. A hilltop fortress village constructed in 1831 and said to be the site of a much older defensive fort. The entry gate and various stone houses are intact, but most of the wall is gone, and there is zero tourist infrastructure - you will be walking around a very intimate still-occupied neighborhood, so be respectful. Located about 5 km east of the Dirang town center, along the main highway in what's sometimes called "Dirang Village". The hilltop is accessible only by stairs, and the entrance is hidden between two multi-story modern buildings.
 * Hot water spring 2 km (1.2 mi) from the Dirang Bazar
 * Kalachakra Monastery. A 500-year-old monastery in the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. Located above the village.

Sleep
There are many hotels, guesthouses, and homestays in Dirang, with decent options going at least as low as Rs.1,500.

Mid-range

 * Hotel Pemaling. Between old and new town. Tel:+91 3780 222-215. A very pleasant hotel with wood paneled walls, hot showers, and wonderful views.

Go next
Tawang Bomdila

title: Dirang


text:
Dire Dawa

Dire Dawa in eastern Ethiopia is one of the country's two chartered cities.

Understand
Dire Dawa (which means "Place of Remedy") is one of two chartered cities in Ethiopia (the other being Addis Ababa, the capital). Dire Dawa was founded in 1902 after the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway reached the area. The railway could not reach the city of Harar at its higher elevation, so Dire Dawa was built nearby. It is a major hub for many ethnic groups in Ethiopia, especially the Afar, Oromo, and Somali.

The city is an industrial center on the Dechatu River, and home to several markets. It lies at the foot of a ring of cliffs that has been described as "somewhat like a cluster of tea-leaves in the bottom of a slop-basin". The entire chartered city has a population of 440,000 and the city proper has 277,000 residents (2015), making the latter the seventh largest city in Ethiopia.

By car
Dire Dawa is connected to Addis Ababa and the historical city of Harar by road, but fly or take train from Addis to get in to Dire Dawa.

By bus
There are three bus companies operating services linking Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. The cheapest, least comfortable and slowest is the government local bus service. This can take 12-15 hours. The most expensive is the Sky bus service, a luxury Chinese coach with toilets and a movie system, which takes around ten hours. The Salem bus is a reasonable middle option, which is much quicker than the local service but still a bus rather than a coach. Tickets for government buses are bought in the main bus station. Sky bus tickets are sold from a discrete office in the Cornell area of town. Salem bus tickets are purchased at the Samrat Hotel opposite the Ras.

Harar is the other major destination. Small mini buses leave whenever they are full from the main bus station and take about an hour. It rarely takes longer than fifteen minutes for a minibus to be ready to leave.

By train
A new railway line was inaugurated between Djibouti and Addis Abeba in 2018, reducing the journey time from days to a few hours. There is one passenger train every second day in each direction.

It took the train 11 hours from Addis Ababa to Dire Dawa (July 2019). Bring enough food and water for your trip as the train restaurant can run out of everything in the middle of the trip to Dire Dawa (and there are no shops nor restaurants at the station). The ticket costs 616 birr one-way (July 2019) and can be bought at a ticket office at La Gare lightrail stop (under the station), advisable a few days in advance. You will get a voucher which you should exchange for your ticket at the train station one hour before the departure. The train station is outside of the city - ask at the ticket office for directions, since many taxi drivers do not know how to find it. Taxi to the train station - 300 birr from Olympia.

Get around
The blue and white minibuses are in abundance in Dire Dawa, as are the small blue taxis. The best way to get around is to use the minibuses or to contract the blue taxis for the duration of your stay. Most Dire Dawa taxi drivers don't have a sense of time, if you tell your contracted taxi driver to pick you up or drop you of at a certain time, expect him to be late an hour or two.

See

 * The French-built train station can give you a 19th-century feeling.
 * At night and early in the morning, the Dechatu River Basin has a heart-warming sunset and sunrise scene.

Do
Most of the residents of the city chew the narcotic leaves known as "Chat" (aka qat, khat, catha edulis). In the afternoon, in many places, Dire Dawans sit in circle and consume khat, with several cups of coffee. During this time there could be a heated discussion. Avoid political topics, especially with the Ethiopian Somalis or Somali refugees. Other than that, you could have an interesting experience with the lightly narcotic drug.

Caution: "Khat" is illegal in most countries of the EU and the US.

Twice yearly (July and December) there is a religious ceremony at the nearby city of Kulubi (30 birr by minibus, 1 hour). It is a mass gathering with many small stalls selling clothes, sugar cane, etc. Hotel prices in Dire Dawa double or triple for the three-day period.

Buy
Souvenirs, electronics, and clothes.

There are two shops in town selling Harar coffee: Green and Gold is one. Almo is the other. The market near the river has traditional African spices, incense, and fruits such as guava, sour sop and custard apple.

There are two ATMs in the city at Dashen Bank and Ogaden Bank.

Eat

 * Paradiso restaurant found on the road to Harar near the edge of town is regarded as the best Italian in town. It is most famous for lasagna and the roasted goat meat with rice.  The traditional Ethiopian dishes are also of high quality.
 * African Village has good traditional food.
 * Peacock Hotel has some nice ice cream and pool tables.

Budget
Basic accommodations are in abundance.

Stay safe
Generally safe. However, you need to pay attention to your belongings. Your backpacks, camera and other shiny tourist items can attract pickpockets and con artists. Immigration of Somalis and a tension that may have created with locals has resulted in the city being heavily policed.

Avoid political discussions, especially in regards to Somalia.

Go next

 * Harar

title: Dire Dawa


text:
Disabled travel in South Africa

Travellers with disabilities can get enjoyment out of a holiday to South Africa just as anywhere else. Allowances exist for guide dogs, wheelchair and other mobility aid users, and people with sensory impairments.

By plane
Guide dogs are allowed to travel on local South African flights.
 * South African Airways - In the cabin with their owner. Dog should not take up a seat and be harnessed. Free of charge.

O.R. Tambo International Airport have braille on elevator buttons only in the international terminal; domestic terminal and parkade elevators do not. There are no audio announcement when stopping at any floor. The moving walkway in the domestic terminal have audio announcement on reaching the end of the walkway, but not before entering it.

By car
Some of the larger car rental companies can supply vehicles with paraplegic hand controls

By wheelchair
Both powered and non-powered wheelchairs can be rented

Buy
Most shopping centres have wide marked disabled parking close to the entrances.

Money templates and coin selectors can be purchased from the South African National Council for the Blind.

Banknotes
South African banknotes are progressively larger in larger denominations.

New banknotes have raised diamond shapes in the middle of the bottom half of each note for tactile identification. A R10 note has one, a R20 note has two, a R50 rand note has three, a R100 note has four and a R200 note has 5. They also have large geometric shapes on the front for easy identification by people with partial sight. The R10 note has a diamond, the R20 a square, the R50 a circle, the R100 a hexagon and the R200 a honeycomb hexagon.

Be aware that a lot of older notes without these features are still in circulation

Do
Since many of South Africa's attractions are provided by nature, easy access can be a problem. There are however a number of places that provide specifically for the disabled traveller:

Cape Town

 * Restaurants. Most restaurants in and around Cape Town are wheelchair friendly and happy to accommodate wheelchair users. However, even restaurants who describe themselves as wheelchair friendly, do not necessarily have accessible toilets. Specifically check to ensure that toilets are accessible. One more thing, very few wheelchair friendly toilets in Cape Town have mirrors, and those that do, are often too high for a seated person to use. This includes Cape Town International Airport, so if you want to touch up your make-up, keep a compact mirror in your handbag. Examples of accessible restaurants are the Lookout Deck in Hout Bay. There is an accessible toilet, but the door is difficult to close with a wheelchair inside. The Dros Restaurant at Willowbridge has a spacious toilet for wheelchair patrons, but again, no mirror. Shopping Centres such as Tygervalley, are accessible, but without mirrors. The reasoning is a mystery.
 * Live shows.The Artscape Theatre and the Baxter Theatre are completely accessible. At the Baxter Theatre, parking and wheelchair access is available at the back entrance. The Barnyard Theatre is also accessible, but book early because there is limited space for wheelchairs. Wheelchair users who want to attend a show at Cape Town stadium in Green Point, are advised to book early since space for wheelchair users and their companions is limited. If you experience problems when trying to book through booking agents - such as not being able to book with your walking companions - contact stadium management directly.
 * Nature Reserves. The following nature reserves in and around Cape Town have wheelchair friendly trails and toilets: Helderberg Nature Reserve; Tygerberg Nature Reserve; Rondevlei Nature Reserve; Blaauwberg Nature Reserve has wheelchair friendly toilets, but not trails. Tokai forest and arboretum on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain is an accessible haven of tranquility. However, be warned, the trails are rather steep, so you need to be fit to access the trails in a wheelchair. Wiesenhof Wildpark near Stellenbosch is accessible to day visitors and has a wheelchair friendly chalet. Gamkaskloof have wheelchair friendly cottages.
 * Nature Reserves. The following nature reserves in and around Cape Town have wheelchair friendly trails and toilets: Helderberg Nature Reserve; Tygerberg Nature Reserve; Rondevlei Nature Reserve; Blaauwberg Nature Reserve has wheelchair friendly toilets, but not trails. Tokai forest and arboretum on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain is an accessible haven of tranquility. However, be warned, the trails are rather steep, so you need to be fit to access the trails in a wheelchair. Wiesenhof Wildpark near Stellenbosch is accessible to day visitors and has a wheelchair friendly chalet. Gamkaskloof have wheelchair friendly cottages.

Grading
In August 2007 the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa introduced a Universal Accessibility Scheme with four levels each in Mobility, Hearing and Visual categories. Though not many establishments have yet been rated according to this scheme, there are a number that will be during 2008.

Tour operators
These tour operators specialize in providing tours specifically designed for the disabled.

 * Access2africa Safaris: Accessible wheelchair friendly, deaf, blind, slow walkers safaris and tours in South Africa. Specialise in Kwazulu Natal, Elephant Coast and Zululand safaris and adventure tours.www.access2africasafaris.co.za email:fo@access2africasafaris.co.za . Phone 0027842642194
 * Access2africa Safaris: Accessible wheelchair friendly, deaf, blind, slow walkers safaris and tours in South Africa. Specialise in Kwazulu Natal, Elephant Coast and Zululand safaris and adventure tours.www.access2africasafaris.co.za email:fo@access2africasafaris.co.za . Phone 0027842642194
 * Access2africa Safaris: Accessible wheelchair friendly, deaf, blind, slow walkers safaris and tours in South Africa. Specialise in Kwazulu Natal, Elephant Coast and Zululand safaris and adventure tours.www.access2africasafaris.co.za email:fo@access2africasafaris.co.za . Phone 0027842642194
 * Access2africa Safaris: Accessible wheelchair friendly, deaf, blind, slow walkers safaris and tours in South Africa. Specialise in Kwazulu Natal, Elephant Coast and Zululand safaris and adventure tours.www.access2africasafaris.co.za email:fo@access2africasafaris.co.za . Phone 0027842642194

Respect
Keep the following in mind when travelling with or meeting a fellow traveller that happens to be disabled
 * There is no need to talk loudly or slowly to a blind person, they can hear you well enough.
 * Do not pat or otherwise distract a guide dog without first asking the owner's permission.
 * Though ignorance, laziness and arrogance probably can be classified as disabilities, they are self-inflicted and does not qualify one to occupy a disabled parking space. These parking spaces are reserved to make it easier for someone in a wheelchair to enter and exit a vehicle.
 * People all have varied interests and once practicalities have been taken care off a person's disability is seldom the most important thing in their life. Someone in a wheelchair may prefer to spend the day at a bird sanctuary rather than attend a wheelchair race, a blind person might prefer discussing the local culture and history of a town rather than the absence of braille on the museum exhibits.
 * Most people rarely give a second thought to toilets because they are always there and easy to use, but for a disabled person using a standard toilet can be very difficult or even impossible. Check on toilet facilities before planning an outing.
 * Be practical. Do not expect a blind person to enjoy an afternoon of birdwatching or someone in a wheelchair to go down the Sterkfontein Caves.

title: Disabled travel in South Africa


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Travellers with disabilities

Disabilities do not have to make travel impossible. Most high-income nations have implemented strict requirements for accessibility by law in recent decades, and the US legislation on that topic even served as a model for a UN agreement. That being said, some places – whether through carelessness or lack of resources or historical restrictions – are rather hard to access for people with some disabilities. Common problems include sidewalks marred with potholes and or blocked by poles protruding at odd angles, which make walking a challenge even for the healthy and greatly inhibit mobility in a wheelchair, insufficient or non-existent public transit infrastructure, unthoughtful currency design, and needlessly noisy restaurants.

Getting in
In most parts of the world, airports and train stations are generally manageable places for a blind or visually impaired person with reasonable mobility skills, except for the navigation problems caused by fast-moving crowds. Plan extra time to get from one place to the other, and let the teeming hordes pass you by. For airport security, you'll need to know what you've put on the scanner to be X-rayed, and how to describe it when it comes out the other end. If they have a question about some of your hand luggage, then you won't be allowed to touch it to confirm that it's yours before they've double-checked it. So if a security officer vaguely asks someone in your direction, "Is this yours?", be ready to say that you brought a black wool jacket, a MacBook Air laptop, a black leather briefcase, and an iPhone in a silicone rubber case.

The quality of bus service varies much more, and your next stop after the plane or train may be the local bus or a hotel shuttle bus. Some cities have speaking buses, accessible apps that you can download to plan your route, and braille labels on the stop buttons. In other places, you have to rely on the driver to tell you what bus you're getting on, which direction it's going, and when it's your stop.

If you have some vision, then mark your luggage in a way that will let you identify it. There won't be too many people with their suitcases covered from edge to edge in a large X or other shape made with neon pink duct tape. If you need something that doesn't rely on vision, then consider a specialized electronic speaking device or a tactile pattern, perhaps made of knots in thin rope very securely wrapped around the handle.

Once you're there
There are a few hotels that specialize in blind and visually impaired guests. These hotels provide high-contrast features, talking elevator controls, room keys that make it easy to tell which end goes in first, and otherwise understand what makes your life simpler. However, the odds are that you'll be arriving at a typical hotel. In that case, tell the hotel about any requests you have when you make your reservation. Whenever possible, speak to the local hotel staff about their facility before reserving your room, rather than relying on a central call center. When you arrive, the check-in process will likely be the same as any other transaction, right down to the detail of needing to explain to the clerk how to position your signature card or asking him to use the top edge of your credit card to indicate the bottom edge of the signature line. Ask someone to walk you to your room, at least the first time, so that you can orient yourself, check for nearly invisible glass doors and other obstacles along your route, and also figure out the room key. Some hotels deliver a newspaper to each room in the morning. This tripping hazard can usually be stopped or held at the front desk for you upon request.

If you use any specialized computer tools, such as a screen reader or software for zooming, then bring your own laptop, braille notetaker, or other electronic devices. You almost certainly won't find what you want in an internet café. Ask hotel staff to point out where the electrical outlets and sockets for internet cables are located in the room.

If you're traveling for work, you may not have time to do much else. But if you are on holiday or otherwise expect to have some time, then consider your options. Ask the hotel staff for help finding your preferred form of transportation, as well as for general advice. If you're interested in your destination, try signing up for a guided tour, so that you can hear the tour guide describe the history and culture. Large history and art museums sometimes hold special hands-on tours for blind and visually impaired people. A gift shop that sells scale models of famous local buildings and monuments may let you touch them, so you can better understand the places you've just visited.

You may also be able to get useful advice about your destination from the local blindness institute at your destination.

Guide dogs
In general, travel should be planned for well in advance when traveling internationally with a guide dog. As dogs can carry diseases, special testing, vaccination and paperwork is required in many countries, especially island countries. Countries with such requirements include the UK and Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. The US state of Hawaii has very similar requirements, which are more strict than those in use on the US mainland.

Many countries allow guide dogs where dogs are not normally allowed (e.g., inside a restaurant, on public transit), while most developing countries don't have laws permitting guide dogs in public places, and locals may not distinguish the difference between pet dogs and guide dogs, causing troubles when entering places where pet dogs are forbidden.

Deaf and hard of hearing
Travellers who are deaf or hard of hearing (HOH) may benefit from some specific features, such as lights on fire alarms. If you can't hear fire alarms, then always tell the hotel staff about your hearing situation when you check in.

Almost all restaurants, especially in areas with significant international travel, can take orders from diners who merely point at what they want on the menu. An increasing number of casual restaurants allow ordering online for takeout or delivery, which reduces the risk of miscommunication.

A few restaurants and stores have employees that use sign language. If you're traveling near a large school for deaf and HOH students, you are likely to find more establishments that are accustomed to patrons who can't hear well. For example, if you're near Washington, D.C., then it may be worth a trip across town to its Near Northeast district, to be near the businesses that cater to students and staff from the famous Gallaudet University.

Noise is a problem in many restaurants, and it can affect everyone. Most restaurants will do their best to accommodate people who want to be able to hold a conversation, so it's worth asking if a quiet table is available. The makers of the SoundPrint app, which aims to crowd-source noise ratings for American restaurants, say that American Chinese and Indian restaurants tend to be less noisy than other types of restaurants in the US.

In an emergency, you might be able to seek help by sending SMS to an emergency phone number, similar to how others dial. Some of these services might need pre-registration.

Mobility impaired

Infrastructure for the mobility impaired varies widely. When considering destinations, looking at cities that have hosted the Olympics (and Paralympics) is a good starting point. Wheelchair ramps and accessibility are part of the preparation. Developed countries tend to have better infrastructure to support travellers with reduced mobility than developing countries. However, some public transit systems like the Paris Metro have poor accessible design, despite serving the capital of one of the wealthiest countries on Earth. Newly constructed infrastructure tends to keep accessibility in mind during the design phase while older infrastructure often do not.

In many developed countries some categories of establishments, including most public services, are required to be accessible by wheelchair. Even so, it may be good to call in advance, as the door to use may be a locked back door, or it may be temporarily blocked by roadworks. The permits used for getting to use dedicated parking are partly standardised; a tag from a member country of the International Transport Forum should be valid in nearly all of Europe and North America and in a dozen countries elsewhere under the reciprocal recognition of parking badges resolution.

Depending on your travel goals, your everyday access methods may not be the right choice. Even if you can usually get by without a wheelchair, jetlag and other fatiguing effects of travel, as well as a desire to keep up with the rest of your group, might make a wheelchair desirable some times. Most airports offer wheelchair service to disabled passengers, and many large attractions, such as amusement parks, keep a small number of wheelchairs and baby strollers on hand for use by patrons on the premises. Additionally, a wheelchair that works well in your home area might not carry you over the terrain at your destination. Some people will find it cost-effective to buy a specialized chair, but many others will benefit from renting them. Powered trackchairs that can handle forest floors usually cost more than US$10,000, but they can be rented in some places for as little as $100. The rickshaw-styled single-wheel Joëlette wheelchairs are popular with hiking families all over Europe, and they can be rented in some public parks for a nominal fee. Wheelchairs with wide balloon tires to navigate sandy beaches often cost more than $1,000, but some beaches rent them at a low cost. These are generally manual chairs that require someone else to push the chair. Because this specialized equipment is key to seeing your destination, and because most parks only keep one chair on hand, contact your destination in advance to confirm that any advertised equipment is still available and in good working order, to make sure that it is suitable for your needs, and to ask whether it can be reserved in advance.

Autism
Some travellers with autism may get overwhelmed by noise and general "hustle and bustle". In a noisy environment like a train or airport, a pair of noise-cancelling headphones can muffle the sound, while a fidget spinner can be a distraction. Some airports have sensory areas or quiet rooms to provide a calming environment. Inquire ahead of time if a hotel offers autism-friendly rooms, which can reduce the anxiety of travellers who are extra sensitive to the changes of the new surroundings while travelling.

Travellers with autism could be more vulnerable to scams, especially those who find it difficult to pick up on deceptive tactics or lying. Having a solid understanding of typical local crimes and scams, and practising how to respond to strangers, may help counter scams. The basic point is that you in this context should ignore most strangers who claim to need help and those who offer help you did not look for. If somebody needs help, some locals are better equipped to provide it.

Autistic travellers are a diverse group, and can have a variety of different interests and support needs, so it is best not to generalize and make assumptions, especially about people you don't know. If you are unsure how you can help and support your fellow travellers, don't be afraid to ask. And if you have support needs of your own, don't be afraid to make them known.

Fatigue
Regardless of whether your fatigue is caused by a sleep disorder, an autoimmune disease, heart disease, or something else, there are several strategies that can help you have a successful trip. The first is: whatever things really work for you at home, whether that's following a particular diet, only doing one "big" thing every other day, taking a nap each afternoon, or something else, don't leave those strategies at home.

 * Plan ahead. This includes all of the usual travellers' plans, like where to eat and what sights to see, but also find out things like whether you need to make reservations in advance and whether they can be cancelled without penalty if you run out of energy. Consider travel insurance if you think the whole trip might need to be cancelled.
 * If airplanes wear you out, plan for a day to recover when you get there. If you can recharge on a train or in a car, then you might be ready to go as soon as you arrive. When you are thinking about travel, think about all of it: the hour-long drive to the airport, the two hours in the airport, the four hours on the plane, the half-hour waiting for your checked luggage, and so forth. Have a plan for dealing with jetlag if you're changing time zones.
 * Keep your plans flexible and not too crowded. It's better to plan to see one museum, and have some backup options in case you're having a particularly good day, than to plan to do three things, and feel disappointed that only two happened.
 * Remember that the most memorable moments aren't usually the headline attractions, but instead are the unexpected, unplannable moments of joy. Visiting the Louvre may be a life goal, but you may remember other moments – a new favorite flavor of ice cream, the silence after a snow storm, that still-warm baguette, the ladybug on a child's finger – with more clarity later. Remember that you are not doing travel "wrong" if your plans involve relaxing in a comfortable spot instead of rushing back and forth between popular tourist activities.
 * Be realistic about your energy and abilities, and factor that in to your plans. If your trip has one main goal in mind, such as an amusement park or a large museum, you might be able to save money by buying discounted end-of-day tickets or by getting a multi-day or annual pass. These may permit you to visit the destination for a couple of hours each day for the same cost as a few long and exhausting days.
 * Consider the demands of your destination. If you don't fare well in the heat, then either pick a cooler time to visit or plan for ways to stay cool. Make sure that hotels, restaurants, and vehicles have air conditioning. If you need to be out in the heat, look into cooling vests and other specialized equipment. Layers of clothing, such as two thin T-shirts instead of one heavy one, can let you adjust to changing temperatures.
 * Pack everything you need, and nothing else. Make a list and check it twice, especially if your fatigue makes it difficult to remember a thousand little details. Depending on your destination and your needs, you might find it more convenient to ship some things to your destination in advance, or to rent it locally so that you have less luggage to bring with you. Keep medication, water, safe snacks, and any necessary equipment, such as a walking stick or a pillow, with you.
 * Take advantage of services that are intended to help you. For example, call the airline or cruise line and arrange a wheelchair ride. If you can afford it, hire people to help you, such as a local tour guide or a driver. Can someone else wash the laundry or help with getting ready to leave or returning home?
 * If you're traveling with other people or if you are visiting friends and family at your destination, have a conversation well in advance, so that everyone has the same expectations about your energy budget. Tell them what's important to you and what you'd like them to do when you need to rest.

Respect

Keep the following in mind when travelling with or meeting a fellow traveller who happens to be disabled.
 * If you need to interact with a person with disabilities, then speak directly to that person, in the same manner that you would speak to any other stranger whom you would like to make a favorable impression on. For example, do not ask a blind man's children what he would like to do; ask him directly.
 * Do not touch people with disabilities, or any of their equipment or other belongings, without getting their permission first. "May I help you with that?" is more polite than grabbing their things. Be prepared to have your offer of help declined.
 * People all have varied interests, and once practicalities have been taken care of, a person's disability is seldom the most important thing in their life. Someone in a wheelchair may prefer to spend the day at a bird sanctuary rather than attend a wheelchair race, and a blind person might prefer discussing the local culture and history of a town rather than the absence of braille on the museum exhibits.
 * Don't ask how or when they became disabled. This can be perceived in a rude way and they’re probably bored with telling that story already. Do ask the same things that you would ask any non-disabled person, which includes small talk about your adventures with fellow travellers and requests for advice about local sights and restaurants from people who are familiar with your destination.
 * Don't make jokes or say clever things. They have already heard all of them, from "Don't run over me in that wheelchair" to "I sure wish I could board the plane first", hundreds of times. These types of jokes are also considered very poor etiquette.
 * There is no need to talk loudly or slowly to blind people. They can hear you well enough.
 * Do not pet, feed or otherwise distract a guide dog without first asking the owner's permission.
 * Autism is a spectrum disorder and ways it manifests, including interests and accommodation needs, can differ greatly from person to person, so it is best to avoid stereotyping and generalizing.
 * Though ignorance, laziness and arrogance probably could be classified as disabilities, they are self-inflicted and do not qualify one to occupy a disabled parking space. These parking spaces are reserved to make it easier for someone in a wheelchair, or who uses crutches or a cane, to enter and exit a vehicle.
 * At the same time, if you see someone walking from a disabled space alone with no apparent difficulty, don't jump to the conclusion that the person is not qualified to occupy the space. Disabled parking permits are often available to many people who don't use wheelchairs, but have other conditions that seriously limit their mobility (such as a leg amputation, certain cardiac or respiratory conditions, or chronic severe pain). The driver may also be going inside to pick up the person who is entitled to use the space, and assist that person in entering the vehicle.
 * Most people rarely give a second thought to toilets because they are always there and easy to use, but for a person with mobility limitations, using a standard toilet can be very difficult or even impossible. Check on toilet facilities before planning an outing.

Countries information
Wheelmap has information about wheelchair-accessible places in many countries. The information is rather basic with 3 levels: All rooms accessible, some rooms accessible, not accessible.

Lonely Planet created a free resource for finding accessibility information by country called Accessible Travel Online Resources (free PDF download through store).

Canada
In Canada, legislation that regulates federal accessibility standards was passed in 2019, with varying grace periods. The regulation includes interprovincial bus routes, train service and airlines. For Ontario, the building codes, and rules for transportation and service providers to improve accessibility, will be fully enforced by 2025.

European Union / Eurozone
The European Union tries to set common accessibility standards, especially in new construction and public transit. Most bus operators and many train operators should be able to accommodate people in wheelchairs, though more rural stations may lack elevators and legacy platforms may not have the right height for current rolling stock.

The Euro banknotes and coins are intentionally designed to be easily recognizable by touch. While the ten cent coin is slightly smaller than the five cent coin, it is easily distinguished by its ridge. Similarly the fifty cent coin, while bigger than the one Euro coin, has a different ridge as well. Also, banknotes increase in size as the denomination increases.

Finland
General awareness of accessibility issues is quite high, although in practice there are still many problems. Most public facilities and many private ones have arrangements for people with wheelchair or hearing aids. Anyhow it is a good idea to call in advance to check any special arrangements (such as entry by a locked back door) and have company that can help with unexpected problems.

Toilets designed for use with a wheelchair are common where there is more than one toilet. Public buildings and modern shopping centres should be fairly safe bets. Bus and railway stations also used to be, but since the 2000s they have all too often been closed or repurposed, even in big towns.

Service dogs are accepted also in shops where dogs in general are not allowed. Many traffic lights have audible signals. On buses there is usually a reserved seat behind the driver, but in practice that seat may not have space for the dog but in the aisle. Ask the driver (any fellow passenger can help with translation, if needed). Service dogs generally travel for free, also on the railways, where you should include them on your ticket (you might want to buy the ticket by phone or at a desk rather on the net, to have the personnel handle the booking interface).

Where finding a parking lot may be hard, there are often parking space reserved for people with disabilities. There is a special permit to use these parking lots. Foreign permits are recognized, given they have the international symbol.

The railways have wheelchair-accessible cars on most routes; sleeper cars each have one cabin for a person with disabilities and his or her assistant. Assistance can be ordered in advance, from the platform to your seat; conductors will help you on the train itself. If you have a personal assistant (any adult) travelling with you, he or she gets a free ticket, provided you are in wheelchair or have an accepted certificate. Call for details.

Local buses are usually equipped for wheelchair access (and using the buses is free at least in some cities, also for a person assisting). Coaches, on the other hand, usually cannot handle wheelchairs, other than by putting collapsible ones in the luggage compartment; you will need your own assistant to get to a seat.

Taxis usually charge extra if you have a wheelchair or need significant assistance. On the other hand, the elderly and people with disabilities belong to their most important customer groups, so most drivers will be very helpful and professional.

Metsähallitus ("Forest Administration"), which manages the national parks, gives information on accessibility for each destination, many of which have trails accessible by assisted or motorized wheelchair. Often, the trails are too steep to cope on your own in a normal wheelchair. The other trails are often too rough for people with even minor mobility impairment. The exhibitions and services at visitor centres are usually accessible.

There are specific regional SMS emergency numbers for those that cannot communicate by voice. These are not posted on the Internet. Enquiries to.

Japan

 * ACCESSIBLE JAPAN offers information for tourists with disabilities and other mobility issues with sections including general information, a database of accessible hotels, tourist attraction reviews, equipment rentals and more. They have also published a tour guide book for Tokyo, Accessible Japan's Tokyo: All you need to know about traveling to Tokyo with a disability.
 * HEART BARRIER gathers a database of wheelchair-accessible restaurants and shops all around Japan. They include details like slope width and slope, which are not included in Wheelmap.

Peru
Wheelchair tours of Machu Picchu are available, as are accessible tours of the Inca Highlands. Apumayo Expediciones is the most established accessible tour operator in the area.

South Africa
See also Disabled travel in South Africa

United Kingdom
Accessibility in the UK is generally good, although there are challenges. For example, train station platforms frequently do not align with the train doorway, sometimes by more than a foot (0.3 m). Assistance is available at most train stations, but you'll want to arrive in plenty of time to make arrangements.

Deliberate discrimination against individuals with disabilities is prohibited in law, with many popular destinations and venues having gone considerably beyond the 'reasonable' adjustments required. For example, Bournemouth offers not only beach access through concrete ramps down to the beach, but also beach wheelchairs to rent, charging stations for electric scooters, and beachside elevators during the day. In the Yorkshire Dales, barriers have been removed on certain, mostly short, routes in the Miles without Stiles program, to create routes that have appropriate gradients and surfaces for people with mobility impairments.

United States
While the U.S. for the most part is very good at accommodating disabled travelers, one glaring exception is money for blind travelers. While coins can be distinguished relatively easily by touch, the physical sizes of the coins do not consistently relate to the value of the coin. Most notably, the dime (10 cents) is physically the smallest coin. The situation for paper currency (notes) is even worse for the blind. All denominations are the same physical size (unlike the euro, in which the notes increase in physical size as the denomination increases), and there are no tactile features that enable blind people to readily distinguish different denominations by feel. A redesign of each U.S. note that would include a tactile feature to better accommodate people who identify currency by touch has been delayed until 2028 at the earliest and probably several years later for the $20 bill, which is one of the most commonly used. In the meantime, the American Foundation for the Blind has published a guide detailing alternative ways to identify currency.

Discounts for holders of a handicap ID
Based on one person's experiences with a German disability card, that also states in English: 'The holder of this card is severely disabled.'. This is available to persons with a severe disability of 50% or more. It was accepted in all the places mentioned below without discussion, despite the disability being invisible and the German ID not being officially recognised abroad, as well as Serbia not even being part of the EU.

Czech Republic

 * Prague: mostly everything free: Hrad, National Museum, …, TV Tower heavily discounted

France
Apparently all state museums and other attractions free (otherwise quite expensive)

 * Paris: Versailles, Panthéon, Invalides, Arc de Triomphe, Sainte Chapelle, Conciergerie, Orangerie, Musée du quai Branly
 * according the websites also all other state museums (Louvre, Orsay, ...) also free (very plausible)
 * Eiffel Tower heavily discounted
 * also free for accompanying person
 * sometimes skip-the-line privileges

Germany
Mostly small discounts.
 * Berlin more generous: e.g. Museumspass 50% off

Italy
Apparently all state museums and other attractions free (otherwise quite expensive)

 * Naples: Pompeii Scavi, museums, churches
 * Sicily: Agrigento temples, Siracusa archeological park, Palermo museums, Monreale monastery, churches
 * Florence, Rome etc. free as well

Latvia
State museums free

Portugal
Mostly small discounts, but accompanying person free

Romania
Apparently all state museums and other attractions free

 * Bucharest: museums, opera, ...
 * Cluj Napoca: museums, ethnographical park
 * Sinaia/Busteni: castles, cable cars

Serbia
Apparently all state museums and other attractions free

 * Belgrade: museums
 * Niš: museums

Spain
Many museums and other attractions free, others only with a medium discount, accompanying person sometimes gets only a discount.

- complete overview for Catalunya in Spanish: https://diswork.es/descuentos-en-cataluna/

title: Travellers with disabilities


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Discount airlines in Australasia

See the information on each country's page -- Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea -- for coverage of airlines in Australasia (including the discount ones).

title: Discount airlines in Australasia


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Discovery Bay

There is more than one place called Discovery Bay:

Hong Kong

 * Discovery Bay (Hong Kong) - A neighbourhood on Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

United States of America

 * Discovery Bay (California) - A city in California.

title: Discovery Bay


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Disentis

Disentis (German) or Mustér (Romansh), is a community of the district Surselva in the Northwest of the Canton of Graubünden or Grisons in Switzerland. The skiing and summer tourism resort high up in the Rhine valley is the site of one of the oldest Benedictine monasteries in Switzerland.

Understand
The official language of the municipality is Romansh. German is the second language though nearly everybody is bilingual in both of these languages. Communal laws, though, exists only in Romansh.

Disentis is today one of the most important centers of the Romansh language, especially of its Sursilvan dialect. It also plays an important role as cultural centre, through the high school of the monastery.

By train
Trains to and from Disentis are operated by the Rhaetian Railways. Hourly trains connect from Chur (1h 15min) and Andermatt (1h 5min). The Glacier Express also stops in Disentis from Zermatt and St. Moritz.

By Bus
During the summer a post bus line connects Disentis to the Lukmanier pass.

By car
Disentis lies on the highest step of the Rhine Valley, where the roads of the Oberalp pass coming from central and western Switzerland and of the Lukmanier pass coming from the Ticino meet. The main road connects Disentis to the lower parts of the Rhine valley and Chur as well as the Oberalp pass towards Andermatt, where roads split off to Valais, Central Switzerland and Ticino. A smaller road leads to the Lukmanier pass towards Ticino

Get around
Other than using a car or local buses, the Rhätische Bahn (Rhaetian Railway) is the main method of transport here throughout the upper Rhine Valley.

Do
Tourism started around 1870 and today Disentis is a resort offering 150 km of hiking trails in summer and 30 km of cross-country tracks in winter.

Just above the village lies the source of the River Rhine.

Sleep
There are 14 hotels and 21 restaurants, and together with neighbour municipality Sedrun, Disentis offers a total of 10,000 beds in hotels and holiday apartments.

title: Disentis


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Disney

The Walt Disney Company operates several theme park resorts around the world. It is one of the largest corporations in mass media and entertainment. While most people associate the name "Disney" with animated cartoons, computer-animations and live actions, the company owns a vast range of fiction material in all kinds of media, including Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and The Muppets. It also owns the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), sportscaster ESPN and 20th Century Studios, theme parks such as Disneyland and Walt Disney World and Disney original animated cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse and Goofy.

Theme park resorts
"Over at our place, we're sure of just one thing: everybody in the world was once a child. So in planning a new picture, we don't think of grown-ups, and we don't think of children, but just of that fine, clean, unspoiled spot down deep in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help recall."

- Walt Disney

The Walt Disney Company has twelve theme parks at six resorts spread around the globe. The original, in California, is compact and surrounded by the city of Anaheim; the resort in Tokyo is similarly situated. Paris, Hong Kong, and the newest resort in Shanghai all offer more space to breathe and a more inclusive "Disney experience" while still being close enough to their respective city to escape to other sights via train connections. The largest Disney resort, in Orlando, Florida, takes up an area larger than the island of Manhattan, and offers a fully immersive experience where the outside world can be forgotten for the length of the vacation. Each resort offers Disney-owned hotels on the property, ranging from the two hotels of the Shanghai resort to a whopping 20 in Orlando.

North America

 * Disneyland — The original two-park resort in Anaheim, California.
 * Disneyland Park — The iconic first park, with its six famed sections including Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland. Opened in July 1955.
 * Disney California Adventure — Park themed to different regions of California, as well as Pixar movies. Opened in February 2001.
 * Downtown Disney — Entertainment and dining complex that connects the two theme parks.
 * Walt Disney World — The massive, flagship four-park resort destination, just outside Orlando, Florida.
 * Magic Kingdom — A larger "sequel" to the original Disneyland park, with the same layout and many similar rides. Opened in October 1971.
 * Epcot — A unique "world's fair" park with two distinct sections, one themed to the innovation and the other to world cultures. Opened in October 1982.
 * Disney's Hollywood Studios — A movie-themed park with rides ranging from Star Wars to Toy Story to the imposing Tower of Terror. Opened in May 1989.
 * Disney's Animal Kingdom — A large park dedicated to the natural world past, present, and imaginary, where live animals coexist with thrilling rides. Opened in April 1998.
 * Disney Springs — Entertainment, dining, and shopping complex with unique stores and highly-themed restaurants from top chefs.

Asia

 * Tokyo Disney Resort — The unique two-park resort in Chiba, Japan.
 * Tokyo Disneyland — The first Disney park outside the U.S. shares a similar design to the Magic Kingdom park. Opened in April 1983.
 * Tokyo DisneySea — A wholly different Disney park unlike any other on the planet, a hotel straddles the entrance and a large volcano sits at the center. Opened in September 2001.
 * Hong Kong Disneyland — A smaller Disney park in Hong Kong, constant expansions have made it worth visiting. Opened in September 2005
 * Shanghai Disney Resort — The newest Disney park, in Pudong, Shanghai, China, is large and home to many interesting rides. Opened in June 2016.

Europe

 * Disneyland Paris — The now-successful two-park resort in Marne-la-Vallée, France, near Paris.
 * Disneyland Park — The first European park, it is a combination of both the original Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. Opened in April 1992.
 * Walt Disney Studios Paris — A small, struggling park set to begin a massive reimagining and expansion in 2018. Opened in 2002.

At sea

 * Disney Cruise Line — Most sailings are out of Cape Canaveral, but cruises are offered at home ports in San Diego and Vancouver too. Special cruises depart from Galveston, Quebec City, New York City, Miami, San Juan, and various European ports.

Vacation Club hotels

 * Aulani — A beachside family resort with complimentary programs for kids and character breakfasts in Ko Olina on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
 * Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort — A rustic resort set on a secluded island among the marshes of coastal South Carolina.
 * Disney's Vero Beach Resort — A beachfront resort in Florida offering a full spa and various family activities and sports.

Real locations associated with Disney films

 * Pixar's "Cars" (2006 film) is based on research trips to more than 1200 miles (2000 km) of Route 66, as well as NASCAR tracks and Detroit automakers. See Radiator Springs for an itinerary retracing a five-state journey through Baxter Springs and Peach Springs.
 * Winnie the Pooh's Hundred Acre Wood is based on the Five Hundred Acre Wood near Hartfield and the Ashdown Forest. Statues of the real Winnie stand at the London Zoo, at her White River (Ontario) birthplace and in Winnipeg, the city for which the bear was named.
 * While the "Star Wars" films were not set on Earth, many locations which were used when shooting the film are destinations for Star Wars tourism.
 * Brave (2012) by Pixar is set in medieval Scotland and inspired by locations such as Glen Affric and Dunnottar Castle.

title: Disney


text:
Disney Cruise Line

Bringing Disney-style entertainment and theatrics to the high seas, Disney Cruise Line (DCL) is an American cruise line owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. Not surprisingly, the four majestic ships in the line appeal the most to families with children, but teens and adults also enjoy spending several days at sea with the Disney characters. Disney cruisers also have exclusive use of Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas.

The line's fleet cruise the Bahamas and Caribbean out of Port Canaveral and Miami in Florida, and Galveston in Texas, as well as seasonally to Alaska from Vancouver. Walt Disney World is only an hour away from Port Canaveral, and combining a cruise with a trip to the World is becoming more and more common. The "Land and Sea" vacation packages also come to Disneyland when a ship is assigned to the Port of Los Angeles.

Understand
The Disney Cruise Line fleet is small compared to the other major lines, but Disney has placed their focus on quality over quantity. They've taken the design principles and customer service standards that make a Disney theme park such a memorable experience and adapted them to fit the cruising industry. On a Disney ship, you'll find multiple swimming pools, a Broadway-style theater, a full-service spa, world-class cuisine, happening night-spots, supervised areas just for kids, and more activities than you can shake your mouse ears at.

A Disney cruise isn't just for families with kids; while children are a major part of the line's customer base, they have taken great pains to entertain adults traveling solo (as well as parents who just want a break). Teens have their own spaces, too, where they can hang out with their peers instead of being sentenced to watch little siblings or to tag along with their parents.

Babies under six months of age are not allowed on the ships.

History
In retrospect, it's a little surprising it took Disney so long to get into the cruising business. The industry seems a perfect fit for Disney's brand of entertainment, but it took a while to come to fruition.

Disney had partnered with Premier Cruise Line to provide ship-based components of combined vacation itineraries starting in the 1980s. Although Disney sold the vacation packages and provided some costumed characters for the cruises, eventually the company decided that they could create a better experience—and keep more money in-house—by establishing their own cruise line.

In 1995, Disney commissioned their first two ships, the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder. They're sister ships, nearly identical, both designed from the keel up to present an ocean-going version of their theme parks and hotels, one where the operational areas of the ship are kept carefully hidden from guest view. The Magic was completed in 1998, with the Wonder following a year later; both ships ported at Port Canaveral, where a dedicated Disney Cruise Line terminal opened in 1997.

Also part of the Cruise Line is Castaway Cay, a 1000-acre (4 km2) island in the Bahamas once known as Gorda Cay. Disney had purchased the island in the mid-1980s (part of the 1984 film Splash was filmed there), and it turned out to be a perfect spot for large cruise ships. After making an existing natural harbor even deeper (and using the excavated sand to expand the beaches), Castaway Cay was born and incorporated into the new ships' itineraries.

After almost a decade of successful cruising, including occasional trips to the US west coast and to Europe, Disney announced plans to add two ships to the fleet. The Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy would be about 40% larger than the Magic and the Wonder, with unique features including an enclosed overhead water coaster called the "AquaDuck". The Dream launched in January 2011, cruising from Port Canaveral. To make room for the Dream, the Disney Wonder moved to a new home at the Port of Los Angeles, from where it will sail to Mexico (with summertime cruises from Vancouver to Alaska). The Disney Fantasy was launched in 2012 and provides cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The Disney Wish was launched in 2022 and provides cruises to the Caribbean. Disney Cruise Line is set to receive three new ships in its fleet; the Disney Treasure is set to launch on December 21, 2024, the Disney Adventure in Spring 2025 and will be homeported at its port in Singapore, and the Disney Destiny in Fall 2025.

The Disney Magic starts cruises in the Mediterranean from Barcelona.

Get on board

All Disney cruises are international. That means you will need your passport, and you will have to pass through Canadian or US Customs upon your return, even if you never left the ship. Take that into account when planning how to pack and what kind of souvenirs you buy.

If you don't have a passport yet, don't waste time; DCL requests that you provide them your passport number at least 75 days before your cruise! Also, while a U.S. passport card is convenient, you might want to bring your normal passport as well. While it's highly unlikely, should anything go wrong and you have to fly home instead of remaining on the ship, airlines don't accept passport cards.

Check-in typically begins at 10AM (10:30AM in Port Canaveral); embarkation begins at 1PM, and all passengers must be on board by 4PM (3:45PM in Los Angeles).

By bus
Whether your cruise departs from Port Canveral or from Los Angeles, Disney Cruise Line has motorcoaches that will take you from the airport or the theme park resort to the cruise terminal. In Florida, that's Orlando International Airport (MCO) and the Walt Disney World Resort; in California, you'll be coming from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the Disneyland Resort; and in British Columbia, your only choice is Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

At the airport, just look for the blue-uniformed DCL cast members in the main airport terminal; at your Disney resort, ask about catching the bus at the front desk when you check in. Transportation is $35 one-way, or $69 round trip. The trip is about an hour (less in Vancouver), but you'll have a video to watch and the company of your fellow cruisers.

You also may have the luxury of not needing to keep track of your luggage. If you're flying from within the United States to either Orlando International or Los Angeles International, and you're going straight from the airport to the seaport, you can tag your luggage at your departure airport and not have to worry about it again until it arrives in your stateroom aboard the ship. This service is not available at Vancouver International; you'll need to claim your bags and then get them to the DCL bus. Of course, if you're flying internationally to any of the airports, you'll have to go through Customs with your luggage before handing it off to DCL.

You can, of course, also catch a bus back to the parks or the airport. You'll need to move your own luggage through Customs after debarkation, though.

Port Canaveral
The Disney Cruise Line Terminal is among the "A" Cruise Terminals, at 9155 Charles M. Rowland Drive in Port Canaveral. No matter where you're coming from, you're going to want to get onto State Route 528, the Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway (though locals may still call it "The Bee Line"). Fortunately, that's not hard; the highway runs right along the north side of the airport. Route 528 can also be reached via I-4 (exit 72), Florida's Turnpike (exit 254), and I-95 (exit 205).

The Beachline is a toll road, with three toll plazas along its length. The total toll will be $3.25 from I-4 or the turnpike, $2.50 from the airport, or free from I-95. However you get on the Beachline, take it east across the state almost to the Atlantic Ocean; you'll cross the Intracoastal Waterway, Merritt Island, and the Banana River. Take the exit for Route 401 North, then just follow the signs.

Disney Cruise Line has its own secured parking lot and garage at Port Canaveral. It is $15 per day per vehicle, including the day you return. So to calculate your parking fee, take the number of nights for your cruise, add 1, then multiply by $15. For example: A three-night cruise to the Bahamas carries a parking fee of $60, while a seven-night cruise to the Virgin Islands carries a parking fee of $120. A limited number of preferred parking spots close to the terminal entrance are also available for $25 per day.

When you enter the parking lot gate, you are given a ticket, which you do not need to leave in your vehicle. What you do with the ticket during the cruise is up to you. You can leave it in the vehicle if you wish (the lot and garage have 24-hour security with cameras), or take it with you on the ship (you can put it in the complimentary stateroom safe; see below). You pay the fee when you leave the lot after your cruise; they take cash, Visa or MasterCard. Parking fees cannot be charged to your room.

Los Angeles
The World Cruise Center is at 600 North Harbor Boulevard (be careful: this is not the same road that forms Disneyland's eastern boundary) in San Pedro. Get on I-110 (via I-405 if you're coming from the airport) and take it south to Exit 1A; follow the signs for Harbor Boulevard, but go through the intersection and take your next right.

From Disneyland, take I-5 (it bounds Disneyland's northeast corner) north to Exit 113C to CA-91 west. Then, take Exit 12A to I-710 south, and finally take Exit 1C to reach Harbor Boulevard.

Vancouver
Canada Place is on the northern edge of Vancouver on the Burrard Inlet. You'll want to get on Provincial Route 99 and head north, across the Granville Bridge into the Central Business District. Hop over to Howe Street and take it all the way to the Bay, then follow the signs for the terminal.

Get around
The Magic and Wonder are each 964 feet long, 106 feet wide, and have 10 full-length decks. The Dream and Fantasy are each 1,115 feet long, 125 feet wide, and have 12 full-length decks. Each ship has three banks of elevators, positioned forward, middeck and aft. Each bank of elevators is flanked by a set of stairs as well. All ships have a three-story-tall atrium bottoming out at the third deck, around the middeck bank of elevators, where embarkation and debarkation at the beginning and end of the cruise takes place. Embarkation and debarkation at ports of call and Castaway Cay occurs at the first deck, usually around the aft bank of elevators.

As there are 10 or more decks each the length of three football fields, be prepared to do a lot of walking.

State room numbers are the deck number, followed by a three-digit number. Staterooms x000 through x499 (where x is the deck number) are on the port side of the ship, while staterooms x500 through x999 are on the starboard side of the ship.

Castaway Cay
At Castaway Cay, there is a tram service that has two different lines. One line goes from the harbor to Pelican Point, with a stop in between at Scuttle's Cove. The other line goes from Pelican Point to Serenity Bay, and requires a transfer between trams at Pelican Point.

Bicycles can be rented near the Pelican Point tram stop for US$6 per hour to get around the island. There is also a marked 5-km running course for all ages.

See and do
This section covers things you can do on-board each ship or at Castaway Cay. For information on ports of call, head to their respective pages. Examples: Nassau, U.S. Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Cozumel.

Buy
The shops on-board and at Castaway Cay are duty-free. A seminar is available, usually during the first day of the cruise, that will explain the ins and outs of shopping on a Disney Cruise. While it applies especially to the ports of call, its Customs restrictions apply to on-board shopping as well.

All shopping on-board and at Castaway Cay requires your room key or Key to the World card, with expenses charged to your room account. Most shops in Nassau take American currency, as the Bahamian dollar is pegged to the American dollar. Just make sure you get your change in American currency; Bahamian coins come in some rather exotic denominations, and of course are not legal tender in the United States.

Formal dining
Each ship has three formal dining rooms where dinner is served in two shifts. Each dining room has a different theme, and a different cuisine for dinner. At least one night on each cruise recommends formal attire. At least one dining room on each ship also serves breakfast each day.

Formal dining is part of the cruise package for all guests. You only need to tip your waiters. The regular menus at the formal dining rooms provide normal and vegetarian options. Children's menus, and menus for people with special diets (like gluten-free or diabetic) are also available upon request.

Animator's Palate
One of the formal dining rooms in each of the four ships is the Animator's Palate, which celebrates the animation history of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar. The main cuisine at this dining room is "Pacific Rim", though Dream and Fantasy mix in some American fare. It only serves dinner on all four ships.

The Magic and Wonder feature a rich multimedia experience saluting the history of Disney and Pixar animation. The Dream and Fantasy, however, feature a higher-tech interactive show, where characters interact with dining guests. There are two shows: "Animation Magic", starring Sorcerer Mickey from Fantasia; and "Undersea Magic", starring Crush from Finding Nemo.

Parrot Cay
Parrot Cay is a dining room found on the Magic and Wonder with a "Caribbean Island Grill House" theme. Serving all three meals each day, it features a lush, tropical setting.

Lumiere's
Lumiere's is a French and American dining room exclusive to the Magic that serves all three meals. Themed on Beauty and the Beast, it has a formal setting with a touch of art deco.

Triton's
Triton's has the same French and American cuisine as Lumiere's, but on the Wonder. It also serves all three meals. Themed on The Little Mermaid, with similar art deco setting motifs.

Enchanted Garden
Enchanted Garden is a dining room on both the Dream and Fantasy with a Continental cuisine, serving all three meals. It has a design reminiscent of rural France.

Royal Palace/Royal Court
Royal Palace (on Dream) or Royal Court (on Fantasy) is a dining room with a French and Continental cuisine, also serving all three meals. Having a more formal design on the ship, the motif is reminiscent of the ballroom scene in Cinderella, and salutes all the Disney Princesses, from Snow White to Princess Tiana.

Adult Exclusive dining
Each ship has one or two Adult Exclusive restaurants where adults can sample a more exclusive fare than is available anywhere else on the ship. Dining at AE restaurants require advance reservations, and a $20 charge per diner. All are open for brunch and dinner. Formal attire is a requirement.

Palo
Palo is an Adult Exclusive restaurant available on all four Disney ships. The cuisine is Northern Italian, and the restaurant has a Venetian motif.

Remy
Remy is an Adult Exclusive restaurant available on the Dream and Fantasy. Themed on Ratatouille, it features French cuisine and decor for a romantic experience.

Other dining
Other dining options are available throughout the day, and most food is included except in the Adult Exclusive restaurants, movie theatres and coffee shops on each ship. Each ship has a casual dining restaurant, and a buffet area.

Room service is also available 24-hours a day. While some smaller items are included, there is an extra charge for larger items, and a tip is expected regardless.

Drink
Self-serve fountain drinks and carbonated drinks are free, as are non-alcoholic drinks served at the main dining rooms. Drinks available at a show, movie theater or bar area will cost money. There is also a coffee shop on each ship.

Alcoholic beverages are available for an extra charge, with wine choices available at the main dining rooms. Bars and lounges are available on each ship serving alcoholic beverages, including mixed drinks. Bars and lounges do not serve food. However, a small free buffet of hors d'oeuvres may be made available during sporting events at one designated lounge on-ship. That lounge is "Diversions" on Magic and Wonder, "687" on Dream, and "O'Gills Pub" on Fantasy.

You are allowed to bring alcohol on-board in your luggage, but there are some restrictions. Each passenger can bring up to two bottles of wine or sparkling wine, or six 12-ounce cans/bottles of beer, as long as it's in carry-on luggage. Any other types of alcohol, any alcohol in your checked luggage, and any alcohol in excess of these limits will be confiscated and stored until the end of your cruise. There is a $25 corkage fee at the shipboard restaurants for any wine bottles you bring with you.

Sleep
Each ship has several classes of staterooms, with interior staterooms generally costing less than oceanview staterooms. A limited number of suites and balcony staterooms are also available.

Connect
Each cruise ship has IP telephones and wireless Wave Phones in every stateroom. Each stateroom gets the use of two Wave Phones for free, and can get more for an extra charge. Contact between staterooms and Wave Phones is complimentary. Wave Phones can be used anywhere on the ship, as well as on Castaway Cay. They will not work at other ports of call, however. So if you're going ashore in Nassau, for instance, leave your Wave Phones in your stateroom.

When you board, you might want to put together your Wave Phones and exchange Wave Phone numbers between adults and responsible children in your party. Your Wave Phone numbers are your stateroom number, followed by either 1 or 2. For example, Stateroom 2046 would get Wave Phone numbers 2046-1 and 2046-2. Stateroom 10545 would get Wave Phone numbers 10545-1 and 10545-2.

Due to the limitations of being out at sea, it is very expensive to run internet connections. Wi-Fi and cellular connections are available, but both are very costly. If you turn your cellphone on while at sea, you will receive a text message warning you exactly how much data and calling will cost you. It would be best to simply turn your cellphone off when you depart your home port, and leave it in your safe. You can use your Wave Phones to communicate.

Muster drill
Regulations require every cruise to begin with a "muster drill". At approximately 4PM before the ship departs, the ship will sound its foghorn with the distress signal: seven blasts, followed by a longer eighth blast. Once that occurs, head to your muster station. Your room key has a single letter on it, which corresponds to your muster station. All the muster stations are on the fourth deck.

All staterooms carry life preserver jackets. You do not need to bring them to the muster drill, but cast members will demonstrate how to use them during the muster drill. When you arrive at your muster station, present your room key to be checked in, and await further instructions.

Each ship has a number of rigid lifeboats, and even more inflatable lifeboats. They are required to have enough lifeboats for all passengers and crew. The rigid lifeboats are stowed above the fourth deck.

Other notes
Disney Cruise Line takes sanitation very seriously. You will be required to use antiseptic wipes on your hands before entering any area where food is handled.

Cope
This is a ship: there is risk for seasickness. If you think this could happen to you, bring and take medication, and take it a few hours before the cruise begins. The shops on the ship will carry some for sale, but for a "Disney price", so it's best to bring your own.

Do your research before choosing not only the destinations but the time of year you travel: hurricane season is a very real threat to vacations in the Bahamas. Try to avoid travel during the late summer to late fall; stormy seas or heavy rains on an island will deprive you of experiencing the sights - and there are no refunds if a storm hits and you get stranded at a port for a few days.

When planning a cruise vacation, give yourself at least an extra day at the end as a buffer (in case of weather or other travel issues).

If going on the trip with children, don't neglect any set schedules - bedtimes, meal times, naps - trying to work around keeping them happy will make for a happier family vacation.

title: Disney Cruise Line