Walt Disney World puts on a lot of outstanding annual festivals and after-hours events, but Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is one that many families (mine included) look forward to every year.

At Disney World, Halloween is among the best times to visit and it's largely because of this fun after-hours event. During Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, the entirety of Magic Kingdom Park transforms into a spooky celebration where guests wear costumes and everyone can trick-or-treat throughout the park.

Heading back to school brings kids lots of things to get excited about, but one of the most fun things about a new school year is picking out a brand-new backpack. For younger kids, backpacks are often chosen because of the design or color. Still, there are features that can benefit even the smallest of kids as they head back to the classroom — ones that go beyond that animated character on the pocket or that perfect shade of Barbie pink.

From water bottle pockets to matching lunch boxes, we’ve rounded up nine backpacks on Amazon that have features perfect for kids of all ages as they return to school. And yes, we like to think they’re still pretty stylish, too.

On a hot day at Walt Disney World, there's truly nothing better than taking a break from the crowds and excitement to find a seat in the shade and enjoy a Dole Whip. The delightful and delicious frozen treat has been a Disney Parks staple for nearly 40 years, but its roots go back to 1976, when Dole became the sponsor of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland Park in California. Dole Pineapple Whip, as it was known back then, debuted at the Florida resort's Magic Kingdom Park in 1984 as a sweet treat sold at Aloha Isle.

Dole Whip arrived at Disneyland two years later and has since spread globally to the company's resorts, including to Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disney Resort and Aulani in Hawaii. In 2017, Dole Whip even hit the open seas, sailing aboard Disney Cruise Line.

There's a "bat bridge" in Houston that has residents and tourists alike flapping their wings over to Buffalo Bayou Park in hopes of catching a glimpse of a thriving bat colony.

Diana Foss, a wildlife biologist at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, explained the Waugh Drive bat colony is made up of Mexican free-tailed bats, the official state flying mammal for Texas.

"The bats roosting in Waugh Drive Bridge are Brazilian free-tailed bats, although for some reason in Texas, we call them Mexican free-tailed bats. Maybe it's because most of their population in Texas migrate south, some to Mexico, for the winter months," Foss told Chron.

Visiting a Walt Disney World theme park is no longer as simple as purchasing a park ticket and showing up at the gate of whichever park at the Orlando complex you feel like visiting that day. Since Disney World fully reopened after closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the resort has had a reservation system in place that's made visiting require even more forethought than ever. And, although there have been slight tweaks to the system of Disney World reservations since they were implemented in 2020, the resort shows no indication that it will stop requiring them any time soon.

While their reputations are dwarfed by theme parks like Magic Kingdom and Epcot, the Disney World water parks are among the best places in Orlando to splash and cool off. Typhoon Lagoon, a tropical paradise-themed water park on the resort's sprawling property, is definitely worth visiting on a long Disney World vacation. Along with its attractions and wave pool, Typhoon Lagoon is home to solid food and beverage options and a fun late-night dance party. Plus, Mount Mayday and its teetering ship is one of the coolest park icons Disney has ever created.

There's much to anticipate about a cruise vacation that leaves from the Galveston cruise port. But while you're packing your favorite swimsuit and dreaming of sipping a fruity drink in a tropical port of call, it's also a good idea to plan how you'll navigate Galveston cruise parking.

Cruises out of Galveston leave from the Port of Galveston, which has its own official parking. But when it comes to Galveston cruises, many other options exist as well. Whether you're considering taking a ride-booking service, parking in a third-party lot or paying to park at the port, there are options for parking during cruises from Galveston that will work for every budget.