T.G.I. Friday’s offers a great menu for young & old the food is prepared to perfection, served in a lively, engaging atmosphere, enjoy!

I get asked this a lot……In a reasonable quality hotel you could pay from $40 - $150 per night for 1 room! This room contains 2 x beds, 1 x bathroom, 1x TV and a fridge if you pay for it. In a typical Florida Villa you will find at least 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, your own kitchen, fridge and laundry, a separate sitting room TV’s in all the bedrooms. Plenty of space for the whole family, ability to come and go in your own time, a swimming pool or jacuzzi, free telephone calls. And it will not cost as much the the most expensive hotel above. No choice really…..villa everytime!

Your are greeted by Spaceship Earth, a very large silver ball which contains a ride that takes you through a brief history of man and the achievements that have been made.

From here you can choose your path to different worlds, You can choose to go to The Seas, this is a water experience, again you will find places to eat and rest but most important a glimpse into the underwater world of the fish. It matches the experience of scuba divers without getting wet and gives you and your children an opportunity to learn about a new world.

From here you should go to “The Land” here you will see the methods used to grow our daily food, and the fascinating Hydroponic Gardens, where they grow food without soil. To tell you more might spoil the experience but suffice to say that if you do not consider how to do this at home you will be one of the few.

Walk on to Imagination, this is a ride where your imagination is tested, there are few rides where adults and children can dream of things you have done and will do.

From here you can launch into the Culture experience as described above or go across to the Test Track, this as its name suggests is an exhibit about the history of the Motor Car, interesting to see the past but equally is the concept of how we will travel in the future. Only a few steps away from this is another method of travel, which is Mission Space, it explains where we started our journey into space and where we are trying to go, done only as Disney can. Your final experience in this area of Epcot is Universe of Energy, I wonder what this can be, you will know when you have experienced the wonder of EPCOT.

Whatever you decide to do this Park is one for all the family, a true family place, a place to be entertained and a place to wonder. Have a great day.

If you fancy doing something completely different (especially if you are fans of TV’s most haunted), then you might like to try the Kissimmee Ghost & History Tour.

It is a tour that takes approximately ninety minutes, in the Downtown Historic district of Kissimmee.  The tour begins most evenings (depending upon demand) at 9pm from City Centre, Historic Downtown Kissimmee.  Reservations are required – Tel. 321-251-5204 (office hours are between 3pm and 8.30 pm.  The trip costs $22 for adults, Children $12 (there is no charge for children under seven)

This is a leisurely walking tour, which is both wheelchair and scooter friendly.  It will take place whatever the weather, and is only cancelled in extreme or hazardous weather conditions.  A minimum number of people are required before the tour can commence, and ‘walk-up’ places are possible, but not always guaranteed.

Friendly tour guides, Ashley, Bill, Jenny or Phil recommend you bring an umbrella and your digital camera, as many members of the group generally find interesting and unexplained ‘orbs’ or other strange images have been recorded in their photographs. These often prove even more fascinating when viewed later on a larger scale, on your computer. 

As you stroll along the Downtown Kissimmee area’s shadowy streets, your tour guide will entertain you with stories of  unexplained and strange happenings. I don’t want to spoil the fun, but just to whet your appetite,  there are tales of a headless horseman who still makes late night rides through the area, a little girl whose spirit still plays on the swings in a play area by the Gresson funeral home – one swing will move on it’s own even if there’s no breeze.  There is also the ‘Hanging Tree’ outside the County Courthouse where criminals were hanged,  and  the ‘Ghost of the Lake’ who is still searching for the dock.  Also learn about the “crackers” who drove their cattle through the area and the violence and mayhem  they caused. 

All in all, this is a very unusual and exciting evening that you will talk about for sometime to come, and if you are lucky you may record some strange phenomena on your camera!

It has grown amazingly over recent years with millions of holidaymakers flying into and out of its International Airport.

Most visitors assume they have seen Orlando, when really all they have done is visit the theme parks.  Orlando is a thriving business city, with fine buildings, shops and restaurants.  

Downtown Orlando

Possibly the most well known downtown area is Church Street Station – an entertainment centre similar to Universal’s City Walk and Downtown Disney .

The Train Depot is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places and contains numerous historical artefacts. The most impressive of which is ‘Old Duke’ the steam locomotive featured in the film ‘Wings of Eagles’ staring John Wayne.

Church Street Station also offers live entertainment, fine dining and the Church Street Exchange Shopping Emporium - a three story complex that has over 50 shops, restaurants and midway games.

Rosie O’Grady’s Good Time Emporium is Church Street Station’s original bar, and features dark wood bar and brass fixtures. The  Dixieland Jazz Revue - complete with bartop can-can dancers and a specialty cocktail,  the Flaming Hurricane, are it’s popular attractions. 

Phineas Phogg’s Balloon Works.  Where you can dance the night away. Weekend nights are crowded and it is a great atmosphere.

Cheyenne Saloon and Opera House.   This magnificent building is one of the staples of Church Street Station, built inside a former opera house.   Spread out over three levels it is decorated old west memorabilia and there is plenty lively country & western music.

Lake Eola Park.  This lovely park, including its lake, covers an area of 43 acres.  The lake has a beautiful central fountain which is illuminated at night.  From the lake you will have a great view of soaring the Orlando skyline with its magnificent modern skyscrapers.  The sidewalk that circles the lake is almost a mile long.  Swan-shaped paddle boats can be rented for $12 per half hour, and electric gondola boats $15 per half hour.  The Walt Disney Amphitheatre often has live concerts or a play, and there are many good restaurants where you can enjoy a delicious meal.  There is a Japanese Garden with pagoda and also a children’s play area.  Admission to the park is free and it is handicapped accessible.  This park is a safe area to visit and is well worth seeing.

We did this in July this year, and combined it with a trip to the KennedySpaceCenter.

We chose the Bioluminescent Kayak Tour, which runs in the evenings from June to October. During these warm summer months, when it gets dark, the waters of the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon are lit up with a naturally occurring bioluminescence. Any movement in the water produces an eerie light, and as you paddle you will leave a stream of illuminated bubbles in your wake.

We arrived in the evening an hour dark, at the Haulover Canal Launch on MerritIsland, near Titusville. After some instruction, having been kitted out with life jackets and nightlights - and having signed the inevitable waiver - we set off, two to a kayak. There were around half a dozen kayaks to the group, with three guides.

We immediately spotted manatees, who came to investigate us and swim around for a while. As we paddled up the Indian River we saw dolphins, more manatees, and racoons on the bank of the river. There was, of course, also the usual plethora of birdlife.

As darkness arrived, the bioluminescence burst into life. In Mosquito Lagoon, we paddled through a school of mullet which leapt out the water all round us, in a bright bluey-green glow. Quite amazing!

There was a slightly unnerving incident when one of the kayaks –not ours I’m happy to say) was hit by a large animal underwater. The couple in the boat were certain that it was a very large alligator. Happily we all got back to land safely.

The trip lasts two and a half hours and cost us $32 each. - well worth it for a bit of real-life excitement and wildlife watching.

Words of warning: you may just have spotted that the trip took place partly in Mosquito Lagoon. It doesn’t get that name for nothing, and it is important that you dress appropriately and take plenty of repellent. You will also get wet, so make sure you have a change of clothing with you.

“A Day Away” provide other kayaking tours, as do various other companies. Why not give it a go? You won’t regret it..