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 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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Key West
Posted on March 19th, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Julie Hart
Authors WebsiteWe’ve been down to the Keys three times now and absolutely love it. Last time was December 2006 and we were there for Dave’s 50th birthday. We stayed in the Hilton which was fabulous, right next to Mallory Square. We had been in Marathon Key the previous evening so we took a leisurely drive down, got checked in and lunchtime were drinking Mojitos in a bar overlooking the harbour with the sun shining down and not a cloud in the sky. A far cry from December in Yorkshire! Each time we’ve gone we’ve done either the Trolley Bus or Conch Train tour, this is a good way to get around and see all the sights and you can hop and off all day, we’ve stopped off at different places each time, the Southernmost Point is a must for a photo opportunity. We wandered round the harbour and booked a sunset dinner cruise on a sailing ship. We had done this previously and thoroughly enjoyed it and it’s real value for money. You sail at about 5pm in time to watch the sunset from the ship, the men can help unfurl the sails and there’s a buffet style dinner with as much champagne or drinks as you want. The ship docked at about 7pm and then we went off to enjoy the bars of Key West including of course Sloppy Joe’s where Ernest Hemingway used to drink.We couldn’t do this the first time as we had the kids with us. The Bull & Whistle on Duval Street has a bar on the roof called the Garden of Eden where clothes are optional! Visit if you dare and I’m not saying whether we did or not! The Hog’s Breath saloon was a good place to hear live music and also the Irish Bar at the top of Duval had great entertainment. The driver on the trolley tour told us about a roof top bar in La Concha hotel on Duval St so on the second night we went there to watch the sunset. (Not that the whole trip revolved round bars and drinking of course) The views up there were spectacular, you could see virtually the whole island, of course it was only natural to enjoy a Margarita or two whilst we were there, but that was a good recommendation and the hotel is beautiful. Our favourite restaurant is Alice’s which is also on Duval St, the food is to die for and the service impeccable. To end our trip we went out on a dolphin watching cruise, on a previous trip we went out snorkelling which was really good but this time we stayed on the boat. The trip was a couple of hours and we saw loads of dolphins which is really great just to see them in the wild. I have to say it’s probably more a place for grown ups but when we took our girls’ they enjoyed it too.
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Alligator Awarness
Posted on March 19th, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Mary Phillips
Authors WebsiteAs the Alligator Mating Season begins (May) here are a few snippets of information which should be of some use if, in the unfortunate & UNLIKELY chance of running into one during your stay.
Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to alligators
When it comes to any wild animal use your common sense and if you have the misfortune to be bitten or scratched by an alligator, seek immediate medical attention as alligator bites can result in blood infections from deadly pathogens in their mouths.
Alligators are very fast but only over very short distances which they use to their advantage when lunging at their prey. Old wives tales suggest you should run in a zig-zag pattern if chased; being chased over any sort of distance is very unlikely.
- Never feed an alligator (it is illegal) - alligators are generally afraid of humans but if fed regularly they will lose their fear and come to associate food with humans
- Do not take small children or pets close the water’s edge or leave them unsupervised - the natural prey of adult alligators includes small mammals
- Be particularly careful when walking near the water or swimming in rivers or lakes, especially if there is floating vegetation - alligators will hide amongst floating vegetation when stalking their prey
- If you disturb an alligator, try to move away from the water - an alligator will typically retreat back towards the water and you do not want to be between it and the water
- If an alligator hisses at you, it means it’s afraid - if it doesn’t hiss then you should be afraid !!
- If attacked, try to punch, kick or gouge at their nose and eyes
Hope you never have to employ the last tip!!!
Mary & Larry
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May at Epcot
Posted on March 19th, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Mary Phillips
Authors WebsiteMy husband & I Larry, are off to our villa tomorrow to celebrate his 60th. Birthday–How time flies, you have to make the most of it!!!
Our choice on this visit is going to be visiting The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival (runs through June 1st 2008). There is a great programme for us “Oldies” for live entertainment which is all included the Ticket Price. The artists appearing this May are:-
May 1 - 3 Arlo Guthrie
May 4 - 5 The Searchers
May 6 - 10 The Tokens
May 11 - 15 Davy Jones
May 16 - 17 Jose Feliciano
May 18 - 20 Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals
May 21 - 24 Gary Puckett
May 25 - 27 The Cowsills
May 28 - June 1: Tony Orlando.We will be at Davy Jones’s concert to bring back memories of the good old 60s!!
The flower & Topary arrangements are outstanding as you enter the Park amd wander around the grounds. Peter Pan’s Neverland Garden, a children’s area, along Imagination Walkway from Future World to World Showcase. The pirate ship-themed garden features whimsical topiaries of Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Tinker Bell and Tic Toc Croc.
Future World flower beds planted on the shores of East and West Lakes take the shape of nautical flags representing letters (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, etc.) that spell a message to be decoded by guests.
The zany Three Caballeros — Donald Duck, parrot Jose Carioca and Panchito, the Mexican charro rooster come to life as topiaries to celebrate their new Epcot show, “Gran Fiesta Tour starring the Three Caballeros” in the Mexico pavilion.
Other beloved Disney characters like Lady and the Tramp and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are perfect photo spots for more memorable pictures
HAVE A NICE DAY!!!!
Mary & Larry
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Shopping at Wal*Mart
Posted on March 19th, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Gillian Thompson
Authors WebsiteI think Wal-Mart supermarkets are the best stores in Florida. They are typically American - HUGE!!! They stock everything from car tyres (tires) and guns to pizzas and toiletries. Other departments include Clothes, Homewares, Entertainment, Jewellery, Make your own things (cards, material, dried flowers etc) Toys, Sports, Baby, Electrical, Pool Toys, Chemist/Pharmacy plus a Beauty department selling top brands at knock down prices compared to the UK. There is also an outdoor furniture store in with the Garden Centre section. Each WalMart is slightly different and the one near us on the US27 has only been open for 2 years but is open 24 hours a day. I have found that if you go very late at night eg 11pm or midnight, it is busier than it is during the day, the Americans must come to life after dark!!!! It is obviously because of the heat and it being cooler at night.
You must plan to be in there for about 4 hours because there are so many different sections and aisles to look at. A trip round Wal-Mart is always a highlight for anyone thinking of going to Florida. It makes a change from Disney and the kids love going. ASDA is the english arm of Wal-Mart and its called Wal-Mex in Mexico. I was amazed to learn that it is the largest grocery store in America and is the largest private employer in the world.
The actually food section is tiny compared to the rest of the store but stocks everything you could need from a supermarket. Some items are not as good as the UK versions in my opinion, for example they don’t have the same bread as the UK with the majority of it being a yellow loaf that is so sweet that its horrible. They do sell Cuban bread though which is like a small fat French stick that is absolutely lovely and this is the nearest you can get to our British bread - this bread is great for a packed lunch. The cereals are another thing I’m not always keen on in America - they are all brightly coloured and you can’t always find anything plain like cornflakes. If you like everything covered in sugar, you will love it here!!! The drinks are full of colours and they don’t do cordial, everything is ready diluted in bottles. Bacon is my final bugbear - they only sell streaky bacon and there is more fat than bacon but it makes great bait to go fishing with. You can find the odd English shop now selling things like oxo cubes, back bacon, daddies brown sauce etc
They have a fantastic fish section with loads of ’shrimps’ which are actually the same as our King Prawns. They have live lobsters in tanks of water - you can choose which one you want and they will prepare it and get it ready for you whilst you do your shopping.
In the fridges at Wal-Mart they sell some fantastic cookie dough. There are loads to choose from ranging from double chocolate chip to oatmeal and they are all calorific but what the hell, you are on holiday after all. They cost a tiny $2 and the packet makes between 12 and 24 depending how small you cut them. They are really easy to make, simply preheat the oven, cut them into squares, put on the baking tray and bake for 12 mins. They are just like the ones Disney sell for $2 EACH!!!! I recommend these to all my guests and we used to have them for breakfast every morning when we have been on holiday in Florida but the rapidly expanding waistlines of the greedy guts in our house have meant that it is a treat a couple of times a week now instead.
They sell everything that villa owners find useful from knives and forks to bedding and towels plus everything in between as well. You can easily furnish all your bathrooms and fill your kitchens with everything you need if you are not having a furniture package or you are replacing items. -
Annual Festivals And Events In Kissimmee
Posted on March 19th, 2009 1 commentWritten by: Steven Humpleby
Authors WebsiteJanuary
Kissimmee St Cloud Senior Games are held in late January at a range of venues throughout OsceolaCounty. Sportsmen and women aged 50 years and older can participate in a wide range of activities within their own age groups. Winners can compete in the State Senior Games held later in the year.
Events include:
Archery Basketball Bowling CyclingTable Tennis Track & Field Race Walking Volleyball Golf Shuffleboard 5k Run Bridge Cribbage Swimming Billiards Tennis
Registration forms can be obtained from the Athletics Division (407- 518-2504). The registration fees are $15 for participants’ first event, and $3 for each additional event.
February
Osceola County Fair and Livestock Show is held in early February, at the OsceolaHeritagePark (located 1mile west of the Florida Turnpike: exit 244 on Highway 192 in Kissimmee/exit 242 from the south). This is a ten-day event, during which a wide variety of agricultural and carnival-related events take place. Expect big crowds at this popular event, especially when the rodeo event begins.
Daily Admission $5.00 Adults, Seniors & Children 5-11 $3.00, Children 4 & under FREE.
For more information: www.osceloacountyfair.com
March
Kissimmee Bluegrass Festival is held in early March at the OsceolaHeritagePark. The Kissimmee Bluegrass Festival is an event lasting three days and features old time country music, food and arts & craft exhibits.
For more information: www.ohpark.com
April
JazzFest Kissimmee Festival is a free event held in LakefrontPark featuring professional jazz artists as well as local musicians. Food and drink are also available.
May
Orlando International Fringe Festival is held at LochHavenPark, 900E Princeton Street, Orlando – it is the oldest annual un-juried theatre festival in the US. The popular 10-day event sees a wide selection of theatrical and performing artists take to the streets, local converted office spaces and theaters to offer visitors the best in alternative entertainment.
For more information: www.orlandofringe.org
June
The Silver Spurs Rodeo is the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi and is ranked in the top 50 events sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. It has been an OsceolaCounty tradition since 1944. The Silver Spurs Rodeos are held twice a year in February and June, inside the Osceola Heritage Park (see February for directions).
For more information: www.silverspursrodeo.com
July
Independence Day Celebrations - July 4th, is one of OsceolaCounty’s biggest annual events, the July 4th celebrations include food festivals, arts and crafts, karaoke, stage entertainment, water ski show and the customary fireworks spectacular.
Independence Day is also one of the busiest times of the year at the theme parks, with many of them having extended opening times.
August
The ‘Pins Around Our World’ Festival - mid-August, lovers of pin badges should head for Orlando in order to attend this annual event at which they are given the opportunity to view and purchase rare and unusual Disney pins from other collectors. During the four-day event, Disney releases twenty new limited edition pins that visitors have the chance to bid for.
September
Annual Mexican Fiesta - held at Orlando Festival Park, the Annual Mexican Fiesta is a commemoration of Mexican Independence Day and offer visitors stalls and displays featuring traditional Mexican food, art, folklore and music.
October
2008 will see the 13th annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival – held mid-October to mid-November. Your Epcot admission is all that is need to take part in this event. The festival celebrates the culinary delights of more than 30 nations, with visitors treating their taste buds at 20 international food and wine displays. There is also live entertainment provided – see website for schedule: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/events.htm
November
The Osceola Art Festival - mid to late November, the Osceola Art Festival is an annual event held at LakefrontPark that offers visitors the chance to view some of the country’s most inspiring works of art. Pieces on display include sculpture, photography and oil paintings among other genres.
(Moving to February after 2008)
A truly enchanting Christmas is created at the Gaylords Palms Resort (6000 W. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, Florida), called ICE! . From late November until early January, there is an enormous ice carving on display. Two million pounds of ice is hand-carved into a truly spectacular Christmas winter wonderland.
For more information: www.gaylordpalms.com/ice
December
Annual Christmas Festival Of Lights Parade - Kissimmee sees in the Yuletide season with its annual night time parade, featuring brightly lit floats that make their way across the city. Festive music, food and drink can be found everywhere along the parade’s route.
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Shopping Till You Drop In Florida
Posted on March 19th, 2009 No commentsWritten by: David Ilett
Authors WebsiteWe all love a bargain, its part of our nature, and Florida will be a bargain hunter’s paradise. I know from personal experience that we spend about 2-3 days every vacation at the major malls. There are so many great shops covering all major retail categories including: electronics; clothes, footwear, kitchen ware, luggage and jewellery.
Let’s have a look at some of the main malls and where you can find them:
- Prime Outlets: located at 4951 International Drive, Orlando, Florida 32819
- Premium Outlets: located at 8200 Vineland Avenue, Orlando, FL 32821
- Florida Mall: located at 8001 South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32809. Key brand stores include Dillards, JC Penny, Macys, Nordstrom, Sears, Apple Store, Banana Republic, Gap and Footlocker.
Let’s have a look at some of the best shops and what you are likely to be able to buy. Starting with Electronics as you’ll be surprised how cheap they are compared to the UK. The chain that seems to be ever growing is BestBuy which is an electronics Mecca, it offers:
- Audio visual equipment with hi-fi separates
- The largest array of TVs you are likely to find both LCD and Plasma. But remember they run on different voltages in the US so you’ll need a transformer and specialist delivery if shipping home
- Personal music players with Ipods, Creatives, Zunes and Walkmans (yes, they are still being made!)
- Games are a real bargain if your family have PSP players, DS-Lites, and of course the players themselves are a bargain when compared to UK prices
- DVDs and Cds are also widely available but do make sure your DVD or laptop is able to play multi-region disks – CDs are fine and should work on all equipment
- Cameras and lenses are offered and generally all leading makes are available. I have bought SLR lenses and flash units in the US and only wish I had got the EOS body unit too as I would have saved $400.
Luggage is also a great item to get whilst in the US and if you are like us, you’ll need extra luggage to take home everything you’ve bought. The best shop we have found which always seem to have a sale on, is Samsonite. They carry a full range of suitcases, travel bags, luggage tags and are usually half the price of equivalent items in the UK.
Footwear ranges are extensive too and you can get all the latest shoes, trainers and specialist footwear. Football boots are great value! You will find dedicated brand shops for Nike, Reebox and Sketchers. Of course there are all the big department stores that have large shoe sections too.
Lots of other bargains out there too – enjoy the shopping experience the US way.
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Disney Studios or Universal?
Posted on March 19th, 2009 No commentsWritten by: Guy Gore
Authors WebsiteRead more Articles by Guy Gore
A question which we remember asking ourselves before our very first visit to the Sunshine State was ’should we go to Universal or Disney Studios?’ And it’s a question which many guests have asked us since.
And, for us, the answer is very easy. A trip to Disney Studios is a must! But then it becomes less easy. Because a visit to Universal Studios is a must as well! Both of these parks are themed around the movies, and certainly they have similarities - but they are sufficiently different that, if your vacation allows the time, it would be a shame to miss out on one of these great attractions.
Disney Studios
This is one of the smaller theme parks in Central Florida - but a lot is packed into a small area. Rollercoasters? The Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster is sure to excite - and is right next to The Tower of Terror, another adrenalin rush. Prefer shows? ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘Lights, Motors, Action’ are two huge scale shows for the whole family. Love the movies? Try ‘The Great Movie Ride’ or ‘Muppets 4D’
But this is only just scratching the surface of a day at this park. Plenty of characters, and fabulous scenery makes for a busy day
Universal
Whilst Disney Studios offers a great day out, Universal offers more of the same - or rather, more, but with a different viewpoint. Rollercoasters - a recent addition is ‘Revenge of the Mummy’, whilst ‘Earthquake’ is a different take on a ‘coaster. If shows are the reason for your visit, Universal has some great musical offerings, including the excellent ‘Blues Brothers’. But if the movies are what’s wanted, Universal competes with Disney by offering Terminator 2 and Shrek 4-D. Again, this is only a small part of the entertainment on offer.
And The Winner Is
Truth is, whichever of these two parks you choose to visit first, a full day of entertainment, thrills, excitement and laughs awaits. Everyone will have their personal favourite, but still enjoy a visit to the other. And perhaps that is part of the reason for the popularity of Central Florida as the ‘Vacation Capital of The World’. No matter what you do when on vacation, there is always plenty more saved for your next visit.
So there is no reason to choose one over the other, just a decision on which to visit first!