Jacob Passy

New York

Travel Reporter at The Wall Street Journal

Travel reporter for @WSJ. Formerly @MarketWatch. Alum of @TuftsUniversity & @newmarkjschool. Views are mine. He/him.

Articles

中東がテーマパークの新たな集積地にディズニーも進出

2 days ago | jp.wsj.com | Jacob Passy |Ben Fritz

シーワールドやレゴランドなどに続き、UAEに新ディズニーランド計画　米フロリダ州オーランドも目ではない。中東がテーマパークの新たな集積地としての地位を固めようとしている。米娯楽・メディア大手ウォルト・ディズニーは先週、世界で7カ所目となるテーマパークをアラブ首長国連邦（UAE）アブダビに建設すると発表した。「アナと雪の女王」や「スターウォーズ」などの人気シリーズ作品を手がけるディズニーは、シーワールド、レゴランド、シックス・フラッグスに続き、中東に進出する最新で最大のエンターテインメント企業となる。Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8ウォール・ストリート・ジャーナル日本版今すぐ購読する Special Advertising Section アクセスランキング
On REAL ID day, fliers braced for Armageddon. They got shorter lines instead

2 days ago | elpasoinc.com | Dawn Gilbertson |Jacob Passy

High winds, tech glitches, broken airplane toilets. Plenty of things can snarl air traffic these days. A nationwide overhaul of the IDs that travelers need to get through security isn’t one of them. The big switch to REAL IDs—those security-enhanced driver’s licenses and ID cards with a star or flag in the corner—was supposed to make May 7 the day of travel Armageddon. Instead, it turned out more like a modern-day Y2K.
The Economy Version of Disney World: Seven Hours of Lines and Smuggled-In Protein Bars

4 days ago | wsj.com | Jacob Passy

Our reporter put a perkless ticket to the test; ‘my biggest miscalculation of the day’Just how magical is a frugal day at the Magic Kingdom? I sought to answer that question on a recent visit to Disney’s flagship theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando. Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8Subscribe NowAlready a subscriber? Sign In
Disney Makes It Official: The Middle East Is the New Theme-Park Hot Spot

6 days ago | wsj.com | Jacob Passy |Ben Fritz

“This area of the world is one of the final frontiers” for the theme-park business, says Dennis Spiegel, an industry consultant. The move stands in contrast to Disney’s history of establishing theme park hubs ahead of competitors who then followed, such as in Orlando and Southern California. Middle Eastern countries including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are looking to tourism as a way to diversify their oil-dependent economies.
On REAL ID Day, Fliers Braced for Armageddon. They Got Shorter Lines Instead.

6 days ago | wsj.com | Dawn Gilbertson |Jacob Passy |Alison Sider

The big switch to REAL IDs—those security-enhanced driver’s licenses and ID cards with a star or flag in the corner—was supposed to make May 7 the day of travel Armageddon. Instead, it turned out more like a modern-day Y2K. At airports across the country, travelers who had been bombarded with dire warnings encountered little resistance. People who didn’t have the newly required documentation were handed slips of paper and redirected to lines that were often shorter.
The REAL ID Deadline Is Really Here. Here’s What It Means for You

1 week ago | wsj.com | Jacob Passy

Domestic fliers will need the ID or an approved alternative to get through airport securityTime is up: Starting Wednesday, most U.S. travelers without a passport will be required to have a REAL ID to board domestic flights. After more than a decade of warning this day would come, the Transportation Security Administration says every flier over the age of 18 will need the security-enhanced REAL ID or an approved alternative, like a passport, to pass through airport security checkpoints.
Long a New York Punchline, Newark Airport Is Getting Even Worse

1 week ago | wsj.com | Jacob Passy |Alison Sider

Technology outage, construction and staffing shortages led to a week from hell for travelers at the New Jersey hubNEWARK, N.J.–Families huddled on Mickey Mouse-printed suitcases. Businessmen shouted into phones with their offices trying to rebook flights. Strangers commiserated over shared indignities. Airline employees yelled for passengers to board a shuttle that would take them to another airport two rivers away. This wasn’t a nationwide air-travel meltdown or storm-induced snarl.
Long a New York Punchline, Newark Airport Is Getting Even Worse

1 week ago | flipboard.com | Jacob Passy |Alison Sider

8 hours agoUS: Firefighters battle wildfire in New Jersey’s Warren CountySHOTLIST: NEW JERSEY, US (MAY 2, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS COMBATING FIRE AS THEY SPRAY WATER FROM MOVING TRUCKS IN HACKETTSTOWNNEW JERSEY, US - MAY 2: A forest fire broke out in New Jersey, US that has spread to an area of 100 acres on Friday (May 2), according to New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
Helicopter Tours Are Booming, Despite Spotty Safety Record

1 month ago | wsj.com | Jacob Passy

Your browser does not support HTML5 video. 0:00Paused0:00 / 1:52The fatal helicopter crash in the Hudson River is reigniting calls for more stringent regulation of sightseeing tours around the U.S.These tours have surged in popularity—not just in New York City but also in vacation destinations such as Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, Hawaii and Alaska—generating millions of dollars in revenue in the process. Business has boomed despite a spotted record for safety.
Spanish Siemens Couple Killed Alongside Children in Hudson River Helicopter Crash

1 month ago | wsj.com | Ginger Adams Otis |Jacob Passy |Gareth Vipers

The family’s visit to New York was timed to coincide with what would have been their daughter’s ninth birthday on April 11. Their sons were 10 and 4 years old. The five were taking a sightseeing ride over New York when the aircraft crashed. The pilot, identified as Seankese Johnson, 36, also died.