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CNN Live Saturday
CNN Weekend Getaways: Take a Hollywood Vacation With Oscar
Aired February 21, 2004 - 12:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Celebrities make the red-carpet walk next weekend to pick up Oscar. And if watching the Academy Awards on television isn't quite enough for you, think about actually going to Hollywood and have a vacation there for the ceremony.
But here's the big question. How close will you actually get to any of the stars?
Well, let's ask Pauline Frommer, executive editor for Budget Travel Online. She in our New York studios to help us try to figure out, Is it even worth it?
So you get your plane ticket. You get a rental car. And then what? Do you actually get a front-row seat in some way?
PAULINE FROMMER, BUDGET TRAVEL ONLINE: Well, I spoke with - yes. No.
I spoke to somebody from the Academy, and she said the closest you're going to get to the stars in terms of the ceremony is at home in front of your TV. Basically, there's no way you're getting in the theater. And months ago, there was a lottery for those bleacher seats for fans outside the theater.
The Academy owns the blocks west of the Academy - of the Kodak Theater. You can stand across the street on the east side, but you really won't see much from there.
WHITFIELD: So you've got to bring your binoculars, in other words?
FROMMER: Well, even if you bring your binoculars, really your best way is scouting one of the parties that surrounds the Academy Awards.
WHITFIELD: OK. Because for a minute I was going to say you're almost talking us out of even going. Why even bother?
FROMMER: No, there are ways to see celebrities if you go to one of the places they'll be hanging out at either before or after the Academy Awards.
WHITFIELD: So how do you get a ticket for those functions?
FROMMER: Well, you can't get a ticket, but you can stand either in the lobby or outside to meet them.
For example, at the Beverly Hills Hotel, which I believe is where "Pretty Woman" was filmed -- that is the big before-Oscar night party Saturday night. No press is allowed. All the nominees traditionally come to this. So you have a pretty good shot of seeing one and making - maybe shaking a hand there.
After the Academy Awards, the big party is at Morton's. That's the Vanity Fair party. But in order to get even near the front of the rope where they hold back the fans, you're probably going to miss the Academy Awards. You'd probably have to get there pretty early in the morning.
WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh. OK. So if you want to go -- you're a diehard fan. You just want to simply breathe the same air. It could cost you as little as $284 for a package or maybe even as much as $503 and I'm sure it can go up even higher from there.
What is...
FROMMER: Yes, there are...
WHITFIELD: What is in these packages generally?
FROMMER: Well, there are these last-minute providers of travel, such as site 59.com, where those prices are from. And they put together airfare and three night's hotel at very nice properties. And that would be the price if you booked a package.
But thanks to a raft of current airfare deals, you can do the air on your own pretty cheaply. For example, New York to L.A. for that weekend is only $215 on Jet Blue right now. There are also good prices from the major airlines. There's been a lot of discounting.
WHITFIELD: Not bad. All right. Just to, you know, be among the stars and, you know, feel the hype. That's what it's all about.
Pauline Frommer, thanks very much.
FROMMER: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Oscar>
Aired February 21, 2004 - 12:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Celebrities make the red-carpet walk next weekend to pick up Oscar. And if watching the Academy Awards on television isn't quite enough for you, think about actually going to Hollywood and have a vacation there for the ceremony.
But here's the big question. How close will you actually get to any of the stars?
Well, let's ask Pauline Frommer, executive editor for Budget Travel Online. She in our New York studios to help us try to figure out, Is it even worth it?
So you get your plane ticket. You get a rental car. And then what? Do you actually get a front-row seat in some way?
PAULINE FROMMER, BUDGET TRAVEL ONLINE: Well, I spoke with - yes. No.
I spoke to somebody from the Academy, and she said the closest you're going to get to the stars in terms of the ceremony is at home in front of your TV. Basically, there's no way you're getting in the theater. And months ago, there was a lottery for those bleacher seats for fans outside the theater.
The Academy owns the blocks west of the Academy - of the Kodak Theater. You can stand across the street on the east side, but you really won't see much from there.
WHITFIELD: So you've got to bring your binoculars, in other words?
FROMMER: Well, even if you bring your binoculars, really your best way is scouting one of the parties that surrounds the Academy Awards.
WHITFIELD: OK. Because for a minute I was going to say you're almost talking us out of even going. Why even bother?
FROMMER: No, there are ways to see celebrities if you go to one of the places they'll be hanging out at either before or after the Academy Awards.
WHITFIELD: So how do you get a ticket for those functions?
FROMMER: Well, you can't get a ticket, but you can stand either in the lobby or outside to meet them.
For example, at the Beverly Hills Hotel, which I believe is where "Pretty Woman" was filmed -- that is the big before-Oscar night party Saturday night. No press is allowed. All the nominees traditionally come to this. So you have a pretty good shot of seeing one and making - maybe shaking a hand there.
After the Academy Awards, the big party is at Morton's. That's the Vanity Fair party. But in order to get even near the front of the rope where they hold back the fans, you're probably going to miss the Academy Awards. You'd probably have to get there pretty early in the morning.
WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh. OK. So if you want to go -- you're a diehard fan. You just want to simply breathe the same air. It could cost you as little as $284 for a package or maybe even as much as $503 and I'm sure it can go up even higher from there.
What is...
FROMMER: Yes, there are...
WHITFIELD: What is in these packages generally?
FROMMER: Well, there are these last-minute providers of travel, such as site 59.com, where those prices are from. And they put together airfare and three night's hotel at very nice properties. And that would be the price if you booked a package.
But thanks to a raft of current airfare deals, you can do the air on your own pretty cheaply. For example, New York to L.A. for that weekend is only $215 on Jet Blue right now. There are also good prices from the major airlines. There's been a lot of discounting.
WHITFIELD: Not bad. All right. Just to, you know, be among the stars and, you know, feel the hype. That's what it's all about.
Pauline Frommer, thanks very much.
FROMMER: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Oscar>
