Plan Your Florida Vacation
The aim of this blog is to provide as much information about things to see and do whilst you are on the holiday of a lifetime in the vacation capital of the world - The Sunshine State of Florida.
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MAGIC KINGDOM
Posted on March 21st, 2011 No commentsWritten by: Julie Hart
Authors WebsiteRead more Articles by Julie Hart
I would think that for most families visiting Florida for the first time, the them parks are the big attraction and the most famous park is arguably the Magic Kingdom. Cinderellas Castle is easily recognisable and is symbolic of the park.
My first visit to a Disney park was Disneyland in California way back in 1984 and then to DisneyWorld in 1988. We didn’t have children then but on our first trip to the Sunshine State we couldn’t miss it. It really is a magical experience for everyone, from the white knuckle rides to Mickey and Minnies houses to the Mad Hatters tea cup ride.
We have seen some changes over the years, the park is always developing and changing theme as new films are released and new shows are produced to go with them. We have visited many times with our children and as they have grown older they have enjoyed their visits no less, even the last time at ages 18 and 21!
The park is divided into different themed areas and there are shows taking place throughout the day. You pick up a timetable as you go in so you can plan your day. It’s a good idea to plan out your day so you don’t miss anything you really want to do. The shows are spectacular and not to be missed but arrive in good time, especially in the school holidays.
The highlight of the day is the parade at 3pm and you have to arrive early to get your spot beside the route, the crowds start to gather at least an hour beforehand which can be a bit of a pain if you have young children. It’s a fabulous atmosphere with Disney characters singing and dancing and waving to the crowds. Hopefully the weather stays fine long enough for the parade to go ahead.
There is so much to see and do the difficulty is having the energy to keep going. When nightfalls the whole place lights up and then it really is magical. The last time we were there the castle lit up and kept changing colour and was totally cascaded in fairy lights. If you can manage to make it right to the end there’s a firework display, we saw it from the car park last time!!
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Magic Kingdom – A Beginners Guide
Posted on October 14th, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Gill Barker
Authors WebsiteThere are four lands in Magic Kingdom – Tomorrowland, Frontierland, Adventureland and Fantasyland.
All the parks have seasonal opening hours so it’s a good idea to check on the website before you go –www.waltdisneyworld.com. Most people buy their Disney tickets before they leave home but you can also buy them at the entrance to all the parks or from places such as Wal-Mart where there’s a dedicated attraction ticket shop inside the store.
Drive into Disney and follow signs to the Magic Kingdom
You’ll need $14 for the car park and make a note of where you’ve parked! It’s very easy to lose your car!
Take the monorail or the boat into Magic Kingdom (both only go there so you can’t get lost and often the characters are on there)
There’s a bag search at the entrance, then you’re in!
Remember to collect a map with show time guide as this changes daily.
Everyone usually walks up to the castle and turns left so if it’s really busy and you want to avoid all the queues turn right instead.
As with all the Disney parks the most popular rides use a “fast pass” system. You go to the ride put your park entrance ticket into the machine and it will give you a time to go on the ride (this is usually on a sign above the machines). This means you go straight to the front of the queue and can save a lot of time. Whilst you’re waiting for the allotted time you will probably have time to go on other rides, have something to eat or do a bit of shopping. There’s usually a separate entrance to the ride for people with fast passes so be sure to get in the right line. Sometimes there’s a time on the fastpass that tells you when you can get another fast pass for another ride so if you know where you want to go next you can plan ahead.
Must Sees at Magic Kingdom (lots of other rides too!)
Tomorrowland
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Be a superhero and fire your laser cannon at interactive targets to help Buzz Lightyear, star of Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story,” save the toy galaxy from the Evil Emperor Zurg!Space Mountain (height restrictions)
Rocket into another galaxy aboard this rollicking high-speed roller coaster space adventure.Honey I shrunk the audience
Great show
Star Tours
Simulator –ride through space
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
Join Mike Wazowski and his pals in this new interactive comedy showcase inspired by Disney·Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc.Frontierland
Big ThunderMountain Railroad
Great train ride
SplashMountain
Log flume –exciting with good drop
Adventureland
Pirates of the Caribbean
Log flume –very gentle (now based on the film)
Fantasyland
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Immerse yourself in a magical 3-D adventure show starring Mickey Mouse and a surprise “con-DUCK-tor”.It’s a small world
Mad Tea Party
Peter Pan flight
Liberty Square
The Haunted Mansion
Ride through the most haunted mansion ever with a ghost host, ghouls galore — and some ghastly surprises(Very clever and not too scary)Wishes Nighttime Spectacular Be dazzled by the biggest, brightest fireworks - a great end to the day
This is best viewed from Main Street – usually at 9pm
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Park Price Increase and Latest Park News
Posted on August 2nd, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Mary Phillips
Authors WebsiteOur good friend and our Villa Manager who also works as a “Greeter” at the Magic Kingdom has been updating us with the latest 40th Anniversary plans in 2011.
We have all heard that the Prices to the Disney Parks will definitely increase in the first week in August this year, The present Multi Day Ticket offers will be honoured, so it makes sense to look into booking your tickets NOW.
We hope they do not also increase the Parking charges!!
With all of the rumours concerning the 40th Anniversary of Disney in 2011 the price increase may continue gradually to offset a big rise to pay for the proposed new Disney Night Kingdom and the new Parades and Rides in the pipeline.
The Night Kingdom is said to be open from 4pm to 12 midnight and for Adult Adventurers there will be a special experience which includes Close Ups with Lions, Tigers and feeding the Hippos. A new Indiana Jones Adventure and Dining Experience sounds brilliant. A bit like the Swim with the Dolphins experience, it will be a limited daily entry, with only 2000 guests allowed at a time and 2 hospitality staff to each couple. The rumoured cost is $300.00 each.
He has also said that the new Universal/Islands of Adventure, the First Phase of Harry Potter’s Hogsmeade Villages will open this December but with limited attractions. The Second Phase, with Hogswart Castle, The Forbidden Forest and the New Flying Cars Ride will open in 2010.
Everything sounds exciting, we just hope they can keep the price increases to a minimum.
Happy Holidays
Mary & Larry
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Magic Kingdom Christmas Dates
Posted on April 3rd, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Mary Phillips
Authors WebsiteLast year we decided to splash out and go to Disney’s Magic Kingdom during our pre- Christmas holiday. What an amazing time we had. Having visited Magic Kingdom on several other occassions at different times of the year and been mesmorised, we did not realise how MORE Special the Christmas Parades are. We have just found out this years dates (Nov/Dec) and would most definetly recommend to all visitors this November/December, whether old or new to make the effort to be there during your stay. You can join in the whole spirit of things and make it a Xmas to remember. You will be amazed at Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, the fireworks seem all the more spectacular along with the So Happy Atmosphere.This sensational celebration was made all the more special with THE SNOW Falling On Main Street, The Special Christmas Parade, The Castle Dream Lights and Free Cookies and Hot Cocoa, they seem to think of everything.
We booked our tickets in advance and saved a few Dollars.
We say, Go ON, Spoil Yourselves & The Kids, you will not regret it.
Mary & Larry
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Magic Kingdom with Toddlers
Posted on March 19th, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Patty Bensur
Authors WebsiteThe great thing about all of the Disney theme parks is that there really is something for everyone. We often feel that once we have paid our day’s admission, we need to get our money’s worth and hit absolutely every attraction there is! Well, this wouldn’t be the approach to take when doing a park with toddlers! And since many of the attractions aren’t suitable or allowable for the under 5 set anyway, your planned trek can be a little less hectic and at a slower pace. I learned a lot by doing the parks with “under 5’s” and would like to share some of my knowledge gained!
The first thing you should do is check the parade schedule and plan your day around this. We found it best to plan a meal at the time of the parade. You need to get your spot about an hour or so before it starts and of course entertaining little ones while waiting can be challenging. Sit them down on the curb and feed them lunch while waiting. I always packed books and read to them too. The parade always seemed to be one of the biggest hits of the day!
Upon entering the park, we always headed straight for Fantasyland to do the Dumbo ride first before the lines got too long and then took in the other attractions in this area as that’s where you’ll find the favorites for the younger set. Not to be missed are Cinderella’s Golden Carousel, Peter Pan’s Flight, It’s a Small World and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Avoid Snow White’s Scary Adventures as it will more than likely frighten younger children. Mickey’s Philharmagic is a great show, however, the 3-D experience always bothered my children, so I would recommend saving this for when they are a bit older!
There is very little in Frontierland or Tomorrowland for toddlers, but the Country Bear Jamboree is a very nice show that most little ones will enjoy. Depending on the attention span and patience level of your child, if you’d like to add one more show to the agenda, The Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland would be a good choice. So, choose one or both of these. While in Adventureland, take in The Magic Carpet Ride.
If it’s getting close to nap time and your child is good about sleeping in the stroller, then this may be an opportunity for you to try out some of the less child-friendly attractions. They offer a baby swap at the Disney parks so that your family only has to wait in line one time. When one of you disembarks ready to stroller-sit, the other can go right on!
After naptime, have a wander around Mickey’s Toontown which is geared for small children and should not be missed. Little ones love to visit Mickey and Minnie’s homes and Donald’s Boat offers some wet fun on a hot day. If a personal visit with Micky himself is something your toddler would enjoy, the striped tent is the place! A word of caution – this does tend to get crowded.
Depending on your interest, Walt Disney World Railroad, Liberty Square Riverboat and the Jungle Cruise are 3 remaining attractions that are child-friendly if time permits.
Enjoy this time with your children! The look on their faces as they experience Disney for the first time is priceless!
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Central Florida Theme Parks
Posted on April 29th, 2008 No commentsAs well as being the Sunshine State, Florida is also the capital for Theme Parks after Walt Disney opened his first park around 50 years ago. Since the arrival of Disney, Florida has seen a huge increase in the number of theme parks with Disney alone having grown to a total of 4 and an additional 2 water parks.
Universal Studios followed Disney into Florida opening up it’s very own park which is also a working studio and more recently another park called Islands of Adventure which host a number of big thrill rides.
Sea World is a name that many people will recognise and they too have opened an additional park in the last few years which focuses on an “up close and personal” experience with dolphins, sharks and whales.
Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World is the collective name for all the theme parks associated with the infamous name Disney. It is common knowledge that the area of Walt Disney World is approximately equivalent to that of the city of Manchester in the UK!
Magic Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is what many people would associate with being Disney World itself. It is the land of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and of course Cinderella’s Castle. The Magic Kingdom is divided into a number of smaller themed kingdoms, each unique and hosting a number of rides and shows. Make sure you catch the Light Parade around 9pm and get yourself a good vantage point early!!! If your visit falls on Christmas Day then you are in for a special treat of a Light Parade - if you are planning on a Christmas Day visit, you will need to get to the park EARLY… gates close and admission is refused once the numbers through the gates have been reached!
Epcot
Epcot is the park that is most commonly known for having the giant golf ball like structure that is visible from miles around. The park exhibits cultures from countries around the globe by allocating streets or sections to that country. Local cuisines can be sampled and entertainment from the countries is put on at the street side and in theatres. Epcot hosts such rides as Honey I Shrunk The Audience and a number of virtual reality games. A must see is the fireworks show across the lake which is spectacular.
Disney MGM Studios
MGM Studios is home to huge number of great rides and shows including the Aerosmith Rock ‘n Rollercoster, The Twighlight Zone’s Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones Stunt Show and much more. A fireworks show is also put on at the end of the night.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
The newest of all the Walt Disney World theme parks, Animal Kingdom brings the African safari experience to Florida as well as animals from other parts of the world. It is advisable to get to Animal Kingdom as early in the morning as possible to ensure catching a look at the main attractions.
Walt Disney’s Water Parks
Typhoon Lagoon, the older of the two Disney water parks is themed around a tropical island which has high speed water shoots and a huge lagoon which generates man made waves every 10 minutes or so. A lazy river can be enjoyed if you can do without the big thrills of the water slides and big waves!
Blizzard Beach is the latest of Disney’s water parks and is themed around the sureal surroundings of a snow capped Arctic mountain! Again, big slides and everything that is needed to make your heart beat that little bit faster!
Downtown Disney
It is quite easy to spend an entire day and a night at DownTown Disney! Here you can enjoy dining at a huge selection of restaurants including the largest Planet Hollywood in the world where dining is amongst memorabilia of celebrities from the TV and movie industry.
Why not enjoy a visit to one of the renowned Cirqu du Soleil spectaculars or check out who’s playing at The House of Blues. If you like stay up to date with the most current hits either in the music world or on DVD then perhaps you won’t want to miss out on a visit to one or the largest Virgin Mega Stores in the world or watch a movie at the AMC 24 Screen Movie Theatre and enjoy the very best in surround sound and picture quality.
If you are over 21 and want to dance the night away and enjoy a drink then Pleasure Island is a must. Bars and clubs of various genres are here including one with a revolving dance floor which can get quite confusing towards the end of the night! They say that every night is like New Year’s Eve!
Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort comprises of two theme parks - Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. The latest addition to the Universal Orlando Resort is City Walk, where you can enjoy the many bars, restaurants and night clubs.
Universal Studios Florida
Experience a behind the scenes look at TV and movie favourites including E.T. Adventure, Back to the Future - The Ride, Men In Black and so much more. As well as being a theme park, Universal Studios Florida is a working studio having been used in movies including Beverly Hills Cop 3 - the park truly is a ‘must visit’ while in Orlando!
Islands of Adventure
The Universal company extended their popular theme park by adding a completely new park called Islands of Adventure which quite simply is an adrenalin junkie’s paradise. In Marvel Super Hero Island, experience The Incredible Hulk Coaster, the 3d Amazing Adventures of Spiderman and more. Get wet helping Popeye save Olive Oil on Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges in Toon Lagoon and even wetter on the Jurassic Park River Adventure. If you are in to big rides you will love the Islands of Adventure.
City Walk
At Universal’s City Walk you can enjoy a number of themed bars and restaurants. Special mention should be made of the world’s largest Hard Rock Cafe where you can dine with views of rock star’s memorabilia from Elvis to U2.
Hard Rock Live hosts many a rock concert in it’s 3000 capacity arena, so keep your eyes open and follow this link to stay up to date with their schedule - during 2004 and 2005, Hard Rock Live has played host to performers including Maroon 5, Nelly, Willie Nelson, Velvet Revolver, Keith Urban, The Killers and more..
Of course City Walk isn’t just about Hard Rock Cafe and Hard Rock Live… it has many bars, restaurants and night clubs of different themes and genres of music from hip hop to jazz.
Wet ‘n Wild
Located adjacent to Universal Orlando, Wet ‘n Wild-Orlando features a full day of fun for the entire family. The name Wet ‘n Wild has long been one of the nation’s best attended water parks - the world-class signature thrill rides and quality service offer something for fun-lovers of all ages!
Sea World
The Sea World brand is owned by the Anheuser Busch company which you may recognise is the owner of the famous American beer, Budweiser. In Florida Anheuser Busch has a total of 4 parks and all are within easy reach of our villas. Sea World and Discovery Cove are located in Orlando while Busch Gardens and Adventure Land are about an hour away near Tampa. Of course, due to the relationship between the parks and it’s various beer brands, you will find Anheuser Busch hospitality areas in the aforementioned parks where you are encouraged to sample their best selling and new brands of beer free of charge!
Sea World Orlando
Visit Shamu the killer whale and watch as these giant mamals jump feet into the air with their human trainers. This amazing show is the star attraction at Sea World Orlando. If you can, make time to view the daytime and evening shows as each is different and memorable.
When you visit the coast in Florida you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a dolphin or two. At Sea World Orlando you are guaranteed to see and even touch the dolphins. Also, make sure you take in the dolphin and whale show which is another of the park’s major attractions.
The Clyde and Seymore show is a must see - this team of sea lions will have you in stitches when they get up to their trained (and sometimes untrained!) antics!
In recent years, Sea World Orlando has added a new element in the way of rides and roler coasters. The Kraken is one of the fastest roller coasters ever made - in Orlando there is nothing to beat it as it is the fastest, longest, tallest floorless roller caster… you will reach speeds of 65mph and heights of 15 story buildings… you’ll love it!
The Journey To Atlantis quite simply will soak you - if you like to stay dry, stay away! This ride will take you on a log flume style journey through Atlantis and send you plunging from the mountain into the pool below. Beware of the sadistic on lookers at the end of the ride who have paid good money to soak you with water jets!!!
Discovery Cove
At Discovery Cove you can get a real up close interactive experience with dolphins. You will be provided with snorkel equipment, swim vests and everything needed to make your in the water experience with the dolphins a truly memorable one. Click on the link to visit Discovery Cove official website.
Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay and Adventure Island
Quite simply Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a 335-acre, African-themed family entertainment park located in Tampa, Florida. It features naturalistic animal attractions such as the renowned 80-acre natural setting of the Serengeti Plain, thrill rides like Montu, a massive inverted roller coaster, and live entertainment. When you visit, make sure you take a ride on the Sheikra roller coaster which drops you 90 degrees… straight down at 70mph!
Adventure Island operates on 36 acres next to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The park features several unique water-play areas, thrilling splash rides and a 17,000-square-foot wave pool.
Busch Gardens, Disney, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Blizzard Beach, Disney's Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Magic Kingdom, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, SeaWorld, Theme Parks, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, Water Parks Busch Gardens, Disney, SeaWorld, Theme Parks, Universal