New dining heading to Disney Springs

Disney Springs is bursting at the seams with awesome new dining options! Here's a sneak peek of what's to come:

The Edison will be opening later this year. Modeled after it's sister location in Los Angeles, The Edison will be a lavish, industrial gothic restaurant and bar with live entertainment. The live entertainment will include  contortionists, aerialists, DJs and more. It will include classic American Food, craft cocktails. 

Also opening later this year, Wine Bar George. Master Sommelier George Miliotes brings a wine list of over 100 different varieties. Cheese, charcuterie and small plates will be served to complement the wine selections. There will also be special events and guest wine makers conducting fun wine education. 

Portobello Country Italian Trattoria will be replaced by a new Italian concept. At the helm of this new project is Top Chef Master and James Beard Award Winner, Tony Mantuano.  

2018 will bring us several new locations as well! Chef José Andrés’ will be opening Jaleo, a Spanish inspired tapas location. Jaleo will be a multi-level restaurant which will feature Spanish-style sandwiches on the first floor storefront. 

Also in 2018, we will see a new concept by Wolfgang Puck. Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill is inspired by Puck's dishes at his world renowned Spago location. The restaurant will have a classic farmhouse look with a touch of elegance. Expect comfort food with a Mediterranean flair!

There's always so much to do at Disney Springs! Let our travel experts help you make the most of your time there. Contact us here today!

Six Month Passport Validity Rule

Today, I learned something that affects many of our clients - it’s called the “Six Month Validity Rule,” and I decided to do a bit more research on the topic to help all of our clients who travel to other countries.

If your passport is set to expire soon and you have travel plans, watch out for this six month rule. Many countries require a six month buffer on your passport’s expiration date. Quite simply put, this means if you travel to those countries and your passport expires in a month, it may not be valid and you may not be able to board a flight, or enter your destination county.

Your best bet is to renew your passport at least nine months before it expires; however, it’s useful to know which countries enforce the rule. U.S. Passport Help Guide lists 50+ countries that require six-month validity when traveling from the U.S.

Here are a few of the most popular for tourists:

• Bahamas

• Belize

• Bolivia

• Brazil

• Burma

• China

• Cote d’Ivoire

• Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)

• French Polynesia

• Guyana

• Honduras

• Jamaica

• Kenya

• Mexico

• Malaysia

• Mozambique

• Namibia

• Nicaragua

• Papua New Guinea

• Philippines

• Singapore

• St. Lucia

• Taiwan

• Thailand

• Trinidad & Tobago

• Venezuela

• Vietnam

For a complete list of countries that require six-month validity, head here.

We recommend that you renew your passport nine months before your passport expires. This gives you enough time to apply for a U.S. passport with the passport office.

If you are traveling soon and your passport is about to expire, you will need to expedite your passport renewal. The post office is not recommended in this situation as the turnaround time to expedite a passport renewal at the post offices is two to four weeks. Go to a passport agency or center. Find more information here or contact your favorite Upon A Star agent. Happy traveling!

Real ID Act and What it Means for Travelers

Depending on where you live, you may have started to hear whispers that "you know, you need a passport to fly now!" As a Travel Agent, this is a question I've gotten a lot over the past few weeks. The reason this issue has been coming up is due to the Real ID act.  This act was actually passed way back in 2005, and then in 2013, Congress rolled out phases of enforcement. There is a lot to the act, and although I am certainly no expert, I can tell you what it means for travel! This post will have links and resources all in one place to make the transition to Real ID compliance as painless as possible.

Department of Homeland Security has a great list of FAQs that can really help you understand what the law is about. For the purposes of this post, I'm only highlighting what relates to travel and what it means for you. Click here for the link to the FAQs. 

Right now, about half of the United States are in compliance with this law.  There are several others who are under "extensions", allowing time to comply if they choose, and a handful are non-compliant.  You can check on your state by clicking this link.  Compliant states are good to go! Yellow states are under extensions -- those extensions may or may not be renewed, so watch the site for updates on what ID is acceptable. Non-compliant states will need to ensure they have alternate ID.

Our agency is based in Pennsylvania, and PA residents will note that as of January 2018, we will be out of compliance. In fact, there is already signage at Pittsburgh International Airport prepping travelers for the change:

Signage at PIT

So, if your state (like PA) is non-compliant with the Real ID act, what does that mean for travel? Basically, you'll need another form of ID to go through security at the airport.  The popular choice is a passport, but there are other acceptable forms of ID (click here). 

If you plan to apply for a passport, save yourself the trouble, apply early! There will likely be an influx of applicants, so be ahead of the game. Applying for a passport isn't as scary as it seems.  In fact, here is a great link to walk you through the process.  If you currently have a passport, check the expiration date, and apply for renewal if it expires in the next year.  Many countries are now requiring your passport to 6+ months left before expiration in order to travel to their country.

Of course, these are just resources for your perusal.  For full, up-to-date info, keep an eye on TSA.gov and the Department of Homeland Security's website. 

Happy Travels!