Things To Do In SW Florida

Alexandra Skores | (TNS) The Dallas Morning News

Carson Shofner and his husband were heading to Costa Rica for a relaxing trip on American Airlines on the morning of May 28.

But their plane didn’t leave Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport until May 29 at 7 a.m. It’s a situation many passengers dealt with after weeks of steady thunderstorms cascaded through North Texas, delaying hundreds of flights just as summer travel was about to take off.

“We were never offered to change flights or any sort of reimbursement,” Shofner wrote in an email from Costa Rica. “And flights to San Jose, Costa Rica, are relatively sparse, so any attempt to change would’ve been thousands of dollars.”

He’s one of many summer travelers who were hoping for a smooth trip this travel season.

Airlines, airports and partners like the Transportation Security Administration are expecting a record number of travelers. At DFW Airport, home to American Airlines, that’s nearly 25 million passengers between May and July. At Dallas Love Field, home to Southwest Airlines, nearly 190,000 travelers were expected to pass through the airport on Memorial Day weekend alone. read more

Walt Disney World’s newest attraction features playful animatronics, a snappy soundtrack, a dramatic finale and the strong possibility of getting wet. Those are the basics of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom theme park, the ride currently in previews before its official debut on June 28.

Those traits were also present in Splash Mountain, the log ride that Disney has morphed into an attraction based on characters from the 2009 film “The Princess and the Frog.”

“For so many years, people were sending me messages — like I had some power — asking me when this was going to happen, and I couldn’t say anything. All I could do was hope with them,” said Anika Noni Rose, the actress who gave voice to Tiana in the film.

“So to finally be at this place, to be able to unveil this, which we’ve been hoping for for so long, it is really wonderful,” she said. “It keeps Tiana and her legacy alive in a really different way.”

Members of the media tried out the ride Monday. Disney World cast members have also been offered previews, and annual passholders will board soon ahead of the official opening date. read more