By Janet Groene  

There is nothing quite like Disney magic for kids of all ages. Mickey Mouse, Goofy and all 101 Dalmatians have a big welcome waiting for you at Walt Disney World in a millennium celebration that will go on until January 1, 2001. If you haven't visited WDW lately, you are way behind the times. Within Walt Disney World are 27 resort hotels, and another 6,000 rooms have just been announced in addition to the 1,300-room Animal Kingdom Lodge that will open in 2001. More than 55,000 employees (called cast members) put the magic into your stay here, and there are too many restaurants to count. While the resorts don't admit pets, five kennels are located around the complex and, if you have an RV, some areas of Disney's Fort Wilderness campground allow pets. All the old favorites are still there. The 107-acre Magic Kingdom has seven "lands" filled with rides, attractions, shows, shops and restaurants. Much of the millennium action centers on Epcot, a 260-acre theme park consisting of Future World with its new Test Track and all-new Innoventions, and the World Showcase, with pavilions representing 11 nations. Throughout 2000, the World Showcase has a temporary pavilion called Millennium Village featuring another two dozen nations including Sweden, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, India, New Zealand, and Israel. The after-dark show of fireworks, lasers, music, fountains and flame and the parade held just before it, is eye-popping. Throughout the Millennium celebration, which goes on until January 1, 2001, Epcot's Tapestry of Nations parade will feature 18-foot-tall puppets and 32 drummers. New at Animal Kingdom is the ear-blasting Tarzan Rocks film and the Asia habitat that opened in March, 1999, with a white water rafting ride and a jungle trek featuring tigers and gibbons. In the Magic Kingdom, new attractions include The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, an all-new electrical parade, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and The Enchanted Tiki Room--Under New Management. In addition to the millennium spectaculars, Epcot opened Kodak's Imagination last October and has all-new fun and games in two Innoventions areas. New at Disney-MGM Studios are Rock 'n Roll Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, the after-dark spectacular show Fantasmic and a parade based on Mulan. Downtown Disney continues to throb. Have dinner at Wolfgang Puck's, then see the Cirque du Soleil production, La Nouba. It is an unforgettable blend of acrobatics, ballet, music, stunts and humor. If you hate standing in line, Disney offers a new service called Fast Pass. For no extra cost, insert your theme park ticket in the turnstile at an attraction and you'll receive a card telling you when to return for immediate admission. For those who are still arguing about when the new millennium begins, Walt Disney World has the answer. It started Fall, 1999, and goes on for 15 glorious months. Who can argue with that? Downtown Disney is a theme park for adults, filled with smart restaurants, the sensational Cirque du Soleil attractions, shops, and video games.. If You Go For more information: 407-824-4321 or www.disneyworld.com Prices: The best deals are Park Hopper passes that allow you to visit as many parks as you wish for four ($167) or five days ($229) and the Florida Resident Annual Pass that buys unlimited admission to all four theme parks for a year for $259. All rates are plus tax. Resort rates at Walt Disney World start at $74 for a room at one of the All-Star Resorts. Villas with up to three bedrooms are priced to $1,500 nightly. Campsites are priced from $35. Pets: Your pet will be fed twice a day while it's in a WDW kennel, but you must walk the dog at least three times a day and visit other pets at least once a day. Bring proof of vaccination and, if your pet doesn't like Come and Get It dog food, bring the food you want it to have. Resort guests pay $6 for a day stay and $9 for 24 hours. Non-guests can leave pets in the kennels for $11 a day. Nearby motels that accept pets include the Best Western Eastgate (tel. 407-396-0707) and the Holiday Inn Maingate East (tel. 407-827-6133). Test Track at Epcot is a heart-stopping ride. Travel News You Can Use You and your pet are pampered at the Sutton Place Hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels in Vancouver, British Columbia. Stay in one of the apartments at the AAA Five Diamond hotel and room service will bring your choice of Alberta beef T-bone steak or seared fresh tuna topped with caviar. Your pet gets its own bowl of Evian water and, at turndown, will get a treat and a special storybook. Walking services and pet massage are also available. Tel. 604-682-5511 or www.travelweb.com/sutton.html If you're traveling to New York, the Soho Grand Hotel is the place to stay. Because it's owned by Hartz Mountain Industries, makers of a full line of products for all kinds of pets, the hotel loves pet guests. A veterinarian will make house calls in emergencies, and limo service is available to take your pet for grooming. Specially trained staff take care of the goldfish bowls that are part of the decor in the rooms of guests who want company. If you like, you can take the fish home with you. Pets can get food from room service and many pet care products are also available. If you're tied up in a meeting, the hotel will walk your dog, visit it, or take it to a day care center. Rates at the hotel, which is near the Soho area, start at $359. Call 800-965-3000 or 212-965-3000, www.sohogrand.com New at the Magic Kingdom is a Winnie the Pooh attraction. Greenfield Village in Dearborn (near Detroit) is a beautiful spot to be in autumn. It celebrates Fall Harvest each October with string bands, corn husk doll making, wool dyeing, Native American song and dance, and much more. Dogs on a leash are welcome to join in the joy. The Village was founded by Henry Ford, who preserved centuries of Americana in entire buildings, homes and shops that he moved here for posterity. Call 800-DETROIT. When you must travel without your pet, get a sitter from the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. Members meet membership criteria and meet a professional code of ethics. To locate a sitter in your area who will care for your pet in your home, call the 24-hour NAPPS Referral Network at 800-296-PETS. The cost is about $12 to $15 per visit. The new 2000 edition of Dave Hunter's book Along Interstate-75 is an invaluable resource for anyone who travels that route. It covers the entire length of the interstate, listing restaurants as well as shopping, sightseeing, hospitals, accommodations (those that accept pets are color-coded) and veterinarians or pet clinics in case you have an emergency along the interstate. Find it in any book store or at www.i75online.com Pet's are always welcome at Disney's Wilderness Resort and Campground. Pets have five special "resorts" just for them. The Walt Disney World® kennels are located at all four of their theme parks. About the Authors -Gordon and Janet Groene are mourning the loss of their mixed hound, Big Red, who succumbed to cancer, and are looking for a new travel buddy. Their newest books include Florida Guide (Open Road Publishing) and Romantic Weekends: Central and Northern Florida (Hunter Publishing).

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