the Official Blog of the Unofficial Guides

Pirate Night is held on one night on virtually every cruise. The crew, restaurants, and entertainment take on a pirate theme. The ship’s transformation begins early in the day, when the usual background music is replaced by songs and audio from the theme parks’ Pirates of the Caribbean ride and the spinoff film series. Afternoon craft sessions and family activities

A review of the Paint The Night parade by Seth Kubersky Disneyland’s newest nightly parade, Paint The Night (Author’s rating 5 stars) is patterned after the processional that debuted at Hong Kong Disneyland in 2014 and was duplicated (with a few new additions) as part of Disneyland’s Diamond Anniversary entertainment additions. Inspired in part by the original Main Street Electrical Parade, these brand-new

Tips by Maureen Deal, creator of AutismAtTheParks.com, an informational guide for those who have family members with autism or other developmental disabilities. Vacationing at Orlando’s theme parks can be a challenging yet incredible experience for families who have a child with autism. Some tips that help plan your successful vacation are be prepared, know how your child reacts in numerous

This manatee and sea turtle habitat is very popular, and a big hit with children. Visitors can look down on a tank of freshwater fish plus four manatees and, next to it, a tank of saltwater fish and several sea turtles. When you go to the belowground viewing area, a guide discusses the turtles and the dangers from man and predator to

Solemn places to visit on Veterans Day in Washington, D.C. A visit to Arlington National Cemetery is an absolute must when in the nation’s capital. However, the visit is not a mere sightseeing. As Americans, our lives are too intimately attached to the 200,000 men and women buried here. Among the iconic sites located in the cemetery’s 612 rolling acres is the