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.
-
Driving tips for Florida
Posted on February 23rd, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Sharon Wilmshurst
Authors Website1. Always stay on the RIGHT of the road.
2. Safety belts are required for all front passengers, regardless of age. Children 5 years of age and younger MUST be secured in child restraint devices. Children 3 years of age and younger MUST be placed in infant carriers or child car seats. Children aged 4 and 5 MUST be in a safety seat or wear a seat belt in the rear seat of the car.
3. Turn on you headlights at dusk, in fog or in rain (this is a legal requirement). Be especially careful while driving during or after rainfall. Slippery road conditions could cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
4. NO drinking and driving. Always have a designated driver who will remain alcohol free.
5. On approaching a “STOP” sign, your vehicle must come to a complete halt before proceeding. At 4-way STOP signs, the vehicle that arrived at the cross-section first has the right of way first, then the next vehicle and so on.
6. You may turn RIGHT on a red light after you have come to a complete stop, check the coast is clear and that there are no signs posted stating “NO RIGHT” turn on red.
7. STOP! For a stopped school bus. All vehicles are required to stop, whether approaching, turning or following a School Bus when the red lights are flashing and STOP signal is displayed. NEVER overtake a stationary school bus with flashing red lights. Cars travelling towards a school bus are not required to stop if the roadway is separated by an unpaved space of at least 5 ft. or there is a physical barrier.
8. Use a map to plan your route before you venture out. If you miss a turn or exit, proceed to the next corner or exit. Never back up. Always pull completely off the road if you must stop.
9. Always lock your vehicle. Lock valuables in the boot (trunk), glove box or luggage compartment so that they are out of sight.
10. You must carry your driver’s license at all times (this is a legal requirement). You must also carry your car rental and proof of insurance documents with you at all times.
11. If you are stopped by a police officer (who will always be in a marked vehicle), remain in your vehicle and the officer will approach you and advise you of the problem.
12. When going to petrol (gas) stations, you may be required to pay before filling up. Be sure to always use regular unleaded petrol (gas) only.
-
Green Meadows Petting Farm
Posted on February 23rd, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Danny Austin
Authors WebsiteRight – so you’ve been in Florida for a while now and, to be honest, you’ve seen enough of the “mouse” to last a lifetime!! You’ve probably been on every ride under the sun (and vowed that each one would be your last) and have watched every parade and show going.
So what now – do you long for something a bit different? Are you tired of your younger children standing at the beginning of rides crying either because they are too short for it and therefore can’t go on, or because they make the grade but REALLY REALLY don’t want to go on (despite Daddy’s protestations of “don’t know why we bothered coming if you’re not going to go on the rides”).
Well, I have four words for those of you who recognise yourselves in this – Green Meadows Petting Farm. Located in Kissimmee along Poinciana Blvd (six miles down from the 192), this completely different Orlando experience gives you the opportunity to draw breath and get well away from multi-coloured theme parks.
The farm offers an ideal opportunity for children of all ages to interact with over 300 animals – pigs, cows, horses, chickens – even a horse (called Tigger, who is so gorgeous that I defy you not to want to take her home).
Children and adults alike are actively encouraged by the friendly and knowledgeable guides to get “up close and personal” with the animals – pony riding, milking cows, stoking pigs – and if you’ve never watched a group of children trying to catch a goose or a duck, then this is something that you shouldn’t miss out on. The competition is fierce – all the dad’s willing on their offspring to be the first to “catch the chicken”!!
The admission price also includes a ride on the Green Meadows Express Train and a tractor drawn hayride around the farm. Just don’t forget to take your hayfever medication!
So, what’s involved? To be honest, this is best aimed at children up to about 10 (so around the age that Mr Mouse deems them to be adults!!), although our 12 year old was extremely gracious during our visit, and although a bit disappointed that he was too tall to ride the ponies, soon regained his composure when faced with trying to catch a couple of dozen geese to impress his younger brother and sisters!
Everyone is assigned to a guided tour which lasts around two hours, but this is very easy going and you are at liberty to duck out part way through if you wish. The literature quotes the average visit as being between 2-4 hours, so there are plenty of picnic areas available for those bring lunch with them. We (based just up the road) went after lunch and stayed until closing. There are play areas for the children and plenty of space for them just to run around and let off some excess energy.
Prices compared to the rest of Florida are more than reasonable (general admission for adults and children is USD19 per person) and if you keep your eyes out in the freebie magazines that you can pick up in all supermarkets, you may well find money off vouchers as well. Suffice to say that our party of two adults, one senior citizen and three children (under 2’s are free) came in at slightly under USD100 for something that is COMPLETELY different and a refreshing change.
So go on, you know you’re just itching to catch that goose………
Green Meadows Petting Farm can be found at www.greenmeadowsfarm.com
-
NEW DISNEY ATTRACTIONS FOR 2008
Posted on February 23rd, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Mary Phillips
Authors WebsiteDisney’s Hit Television Film “High School Musical” Will Be Turned Into A Live Show For The First Time In Florida. From The So Unexpected But Inspired Success Of The Disney Channel TV Show, High School Musical 2, Schools Out, This Will Be Another Megs Attraction For The Whole Family. The Soundtrack Was The Best Selling Album In America And Also In The UK.
The Cast In THe Disney World Stage Show Will Invite Guests From The Audience To Join Them To Sing And Dance With Them To All The Hit Tunes From The Album. I Am Sure The Top Hits Such As “We’re All In It Together” And “Bop To The Top” Will Be Two Of The Fans Favourites.
Other Added Attractions Are To Include “Toy Story Mania”, A 3 D Ride Through Video Game. Based On The Hugely Popular Animated Film About A Group Of Talking All Action Toys. You Will Be Able To Board Vehicles And Shoot Virtual Darts And Eggs At Targets From All Directions.. A Sure “Lets Do It Again Dad” Ride For The Kids.
Another New Attraction, Again For All The Family But Especially The Boys And Dads, Will Be New “Jedi Training Academy” Created Bt The Film Company Behind “Star Wars”
Those Kids Hooked On “Pirates Of The Caribbean” Films Will Be Able To Learn And Test Their Sea Dog Skills In “A Pirates Life For Me”.
All This Can Only Add To Your Choices Of The Already Fun Filled Holiday For All The Family At Disney And Not Forgetting The Brand New Seaworld Water Park Also Opening In 2008
-
Places to visit on the Gulf coast
Posted on February 23rd, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Kevin Fryer
Authors WebsiteOne of our favourite things to do each year is to go to the coast for the day. You can reach either the Atlantic coast - which is great for body boarding particularly on Cocoa Beach when the surf is up, or opt for our favourite the Gulf coast. Either coastline is easily reached from the Orlando area in little more than an hour. If like us you travel during the summer school holidays it can get very hot and humid in and around Orlando. The coast does seem to benefit from a cooler breeze and lower humidity levels during that hot summer period. You could try going to the many marinas around the Tampa Bay area where you can hire a very plush well equipped boat quite reasonably. Tootle around Tampa Bay and the surrounding inland waterways and if you are lucky and keep your eyes peeled you will have every chance of spotting some bottle nose dolphins. In fact over the years we must have done this 6 or 7 times and on every occasion we have been fortunate to see some dolphins. Last year in fact we had 5 of them just playing around the boat - an unbelievable thrill for all of us to see them so close up in their natural surroundings. On just one occasion some years ago we were lucky enough to glimpse a Manatee - fabulous.
There are also a number of State Parks along the Gulf coast - our favourite it Caledesi State Park which boasts one the country’s best beaches. This is reached via a ferry from Honeymoon Island. The ferry runs from 10am until 5pm. It’s a delightful unspoilt place where the number of daily visitors is strictly limited. You can stroll around the island along the 3 mile nature trail - look out for the wild Tortoises among the multitude of wildlife. There is Kayak hire on the island - try exploring the lagoons or simply stroll along the white sandy beaches. Its a great place for shelling.
The Park is located just one mile west of Dunedin http://www.floridastateparks.org/caladesiisland/ for details.
-
Enjoying your Last Day in Florida
Posted on February 23rd, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Lynne Temple
Authors WebsiteWherever you are staying you may find that you need to leave your villa by 10 or 11 o’clock but may not need to get to the airport until 3 or 4 o’clock. Your decision about what to do will depend on the nature of your group but here are some suggestions.
If you are checking in at Downtown Disney (Travellers with Virgin) then if you haven’t been there during your stay you can do some last minute shopping and enjoy a meal without moving the car. Alternatively you might like to just move a little distance to the West and Visit Disney’s Boardwalk. This is part of the Disney Boardwalk Hotel but visitors are welcome. You can self-park your car in the visitor’s car park and then walk down to the Boardwalk.
It is like stepping back in time to the 1950’s British Seaside, except that there is a lake instead of the sea and the “pier” goes right around. It is a very pleasant stroll around or you can hire one of the family bicycles, which is great fun. If you just want to chill you can enjoy a coffee and muffin, or an ice cream, or have your lunch there.
Around the other side of the lake there are more grand hotels and a marina where you can hire a fishing boat. Certainly it is different to the thrill rides of the theme parks.
Another good place for 2 – 3 hours is Gatorland and this has the advantage of being closer to the airport than most of the other attractions. You can, of course see alligators and also learn quite a bit about them and other local wildlife.
If you really just want to chill we find Celebration a good place to go to watch the world go by. You can sit in the rocking chairs under the sun shades, enjoy window shopping, and enjoy a leisurely lunch.
Of course if you haven’t managed to hit the shops during your holiday you may want to visit one of the malls. Premium Outlets is our favourite for bargains.
Most villa owners, like us, will be delighted to help you find just the activity that is right for you and your group so do ask for advice about activities and visits that will be just right for your group.
Lynne Temple