5/23/2011
Legoland Florida
LEGOLAND® Florida, opening October 15th, 2011, is a 150-acre family theme park located in Winter Haven, just 45 minutes southwest of the Orlando theme parks or downtown Tampa. The Park will offer interactive attractions, family rides, shows, restaurants, shopping and beautiful landscape specifically geared for families with children ages 2 to12.
There are four other LEGOLAND Parks in the world – LEGOLAND® Billund in Denmark (opened in 1968), LEGOLAND® Windsor, outside of London (1996), LEGOLAND® California in Carlsbad (1999) and LEGOLAND®Deutschland in Günzburg, Germany (2002).
An additional LEGOLAND Park project has been announced in Malaysia, and is scheduled to open in 2012.
In 2005, LEGOLAND theme parks became part of Merlin Entertainments Group, the leading name in location-based, family entertainment.
Merlin Entertainments brings together LEGOLAND, Madame Tussauds, London Eye, SEA LIFE, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, Dungeons – as well as national brands such as Alton Towers, Gardaland, Thorpe Park, Warwick Castle and Heide Park.
12/09/2009
An Orlando Vacation Villa in Windsor Hills Resort: The Ideal Disney Florida Holiday
Author: Mark Whichard
An Orlando vacation villa offers the ideal Disney Florida holiday, particularly if it is situated in the magnificent Windsor Hills resort. Have you any idea just how luxurious these vacations in Orlando are? If you are still using hotels for your Disney holidays in Florida, then obviously not!
Nobody that has spent their vacation in one of these villas, especially in Windsor Hills resort, could ever use a hotel again. It's not only the cost, and we shall come back to that later, but mainly the sheer ambience, luxury and quiet that you get, and what more can you want on an Orlando vacation except perhaps the fun and entertainment for which any Orlando resort is famed.
Let's have a look at three distinctly different groups of people (you likely fit into one of them), and how they can enjoy a Disney Florida holiday using an Orlando vacation villa as their home base. Even if you can't identify with one of these, you will be close, I promise you.
1. The Small Family
The difference between a small and a large family is all relative of course (Ha! Ha!), but let's assume a small family comprises two partners and their two children - a boy and a girl aged about 12 - 15 or so. Had they booked a hotel, they would have had to have three rooms - kids of that age and different genders cannot share a room. This is a common situation, so you have, say, 3 hotel rooms in Orlando for 7 days, 6 nights.
I won't even estimate the prices of the hotel rooms, although a four-bedroom villa will cost less than $190 in high season. That sleeps 6, so even if your kids bring their friends, there's more than enough room. Three bathrooms, 4 TVs and 3 DVD players, and a PS2. You also get your own kitchen, so no having to pay for room service for a burger at the end of the night. If you aren't bothered about your kids' friends, get a 4 -bed condo for only $125 a night.
Thinks of these prices, and that's the last I will say about it. At $145, that's less than $50 per room, and at $125, it comes to exactly $31.25 each. You can get your own pool for $55 total extra for the week.
2. The Large Family
If you are on vacation with a large family - perhaps several children and some aunts and uncles, the price for a 6 bedroom Orlando vacation villa in the Windsor Hills resort comes to $24.50 each for a party of 10 in mid-summer. That gives you the ideal Disney Florida holiday in a luxury villa for less the price of a cabin or trailer/caravan.
3. The Golfers
The third group is the golfing buddies. They are not so much interested in Disney World Florida, but they will be in the Windsor Hills resort with all its sporting facilities, video rental and store. You can enjoy your day on the golf course, and then get back to your villa with a few beers from the supermarket (no hotel bar prices), rustle up a few burgers or hot dogs without paying room service, and sit by your pool enjoying a great evening. Maybe hire a video and watch that on your 50+ inch flat screen TV.
The one thing in common with each of these groups is that there is more than enough sleeping accommodation, you have a private pool, but best of all, you have your own kitchen, freezer, dishwasher and clothes washer/dryer. Saves you a fortune over hotels, and when you add to that the benefits of the resort then it's a no-brainer for your Disney Florida holiday.
The vast majority of people that have tried an Orlando vacation villa have never gone back to a hotel, cabin or anything else, and when that has been situated within the bounds of the Windsor Hills resort, only 5 minutes from Disney - easy walking distance - with all that the resort has to offer, then they have unanimously declared it sheer perfection as accommodation for their Disney vacation. They also question the ultra-low price when they first see it, but the reason is very obvious once explained.
No restaurant and staff, no daily cleaners, no waiters, bellhops, reception staff, bar staff, captains, laundry or anybody else needed to run a good hotel. No lights on all day or anything else needed by guests. It's just like home: sure, you have to clean up, but you can pay extra to have it done for you. However, don't judge your Orlando vacation villa just by comparing it to a hotel.
These villas are just like home, with separate bedrooms, some have games rooms and you also have a kitchen and lounge, with plenty entertainment units such as a games console, TVs, VCRs DVD players, some have Bose radios and all the rest that turns just a villa into a luxury villa.
If you intend having a Disney Florida holiday next year, book an Orlando vacation villa, and if you can get one in the Windsor Hills resort, then so much the better. See you there!
About the Author:
Mark Whichard writes frequently about Orlando Tourism. He is the proprietor of Orlando's Finest Vacation Home and if you are interested in great deals on Quality Orlando villa Rentals and rental homes near Disney World, then visit his website: http://www.qualityvillarentals.com
An Orlando vacation villa offers the ideal Disney Florida holiday, particularly if it is situated in the magnificent Windsor Hills resort. Have you any idea just how luxurious these vacations in Orlando are? If you are still using hotels for your Disney holidays in Florida, then obviously not!
Nobody that has spent their vacation in one of these villas, especially in Windsor Hills resort, could ever use a hotel again. It's not only the cost, and we shall come back to that later, but mainly the sheer ambience, luxury and quiet that you get, and what more can you want on an Orlando vacation except perhaps the fun and entertainment for which any Orlando resort is famed.
Let's have a look at three distinctly different groups of people (you likely fit into one of them), and how they can enjoy a Disney Florida holiday using an Orlando vacation villa as their home base. Even if you can't identify with one of these, you will be close, I promise you.
1. The Small Family
The difference between a small and a large family is all relative of course (Ha! Ha!), but let's assume a small family comprises two partners and their two children - a boy and a girl aged about 12 - 15 or so. Had they booked a hotel, they would have had to have three rooms - kids of that age and different genders cannot share a room. This is a common situation, so you have, say, 3 hotel rooms in Orlando for 7 days, 6 nights.
I won't even estimate the prices of the hotel rooms, although a four-bedroom villa will cost less than $190 in high season. That sleeps 6, so even if your kids bring their friends, there's more than enough room. Three bathrooms, 4 TVs and 3 DVD players, and a PS2. You also get your own kitchen, so no having to pay for room service for a burger at the end of the night. If you aren't bothered about your kids' friends, get a 4 -bed condo for only $125 a night.
Thinks of these prices, and that's the last I will say about it. At $145, that's less than $50 per room, and at $125, it comes to exactly $31.25 each. You can get your own pool for $55 total extra for the week.
2. The Large Family
If you are on vacation with a large family - perhaps several children and some aunts and uncles, the price for a 6 bedroom Orlando vacation villa in the Windsor Hills resort comes to $24.50 each for a party of 10 in mid-summer. That gives you the ideal Disney Florida holiday in a luxury villa for less the price of a cabin or trailer/caravan.
3. The Golfers
The third group is the golfing buddies. They are not so much interested in Disney World Florida, but they will be in the Windsor Hills resort with all its sporting facilities, video rental and store. You can enjoy your day on the golf course, and then get back to your villa with a few beers from the supermarket (no hotel bar prices), rustle up a few burgers or hot dogs without paying room service, and sit by your pool enjoying a great evening. Maybe hire a video and watch that on your 50+ inch flat screen TV.
The one thing in common with each of these groups is that there is more than enough sleeping accommodation, you have a private pool, but best of all, you have your own kitchen, freezer, dishwasher and clothes washer/dryer. Saves you a fortune over hotels, and when you add to that the benefits of the resort then it's a no-brainer for your Disney Florida holiday.
The vast majority of people that have tried an Orlando vacation villa have never gone back to a hotel, cabin or anything else, and when that has been situated within the bounds of the Windsor Hills resort, only 5 minutes from Disney - easy walking distance - with all that the resort has to offer, then they have unanimously declared it sheer perfection as accommodation for their Disney vacation. They also question the ultra-low price when they first see it, but the reason is very obvious once explained.
No restaurant and staff, no daily cleaners, no waiters, bellhops, reception staff, bar staff, captains, laundry or anybody else needed to run a good hotel. No lights on all day or anything else needed by guests. It's just like home: sure, you have to clean up, but you can pay extra to have it done for you. However, don't judge your Orlando vacation villa just by comparing it to a hotel.
These villas are just like home, with separate bedrooms, some have games rooms and you also have a kitchen and lounge, with plenty entertainment units such as a games console, TVs, VCRs DVD players, some have Bose radios and all the rest that turns just a villa into a luxury villa.
If you intend having a Disney Florida holiday next year, book an Orlando vacation villa, and if you can get one in the Windsor Hills resort, then so much the better. See you there!
About the Author:
Mark Whichard writes frequently about Orlando Tourism. He is the proprietor of Orlando's Finest Vacation Home and if you are interested in great deals on Quality Orlando villa Rentals and rental homes near Disney World, then visit his website: http://www.qualityvillarentals.com
9/22/2008
If You Go
by Cara Goldsbury, Author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer
Getting There
Major airlines servicing Orlando are Delta, United, American, Continental, Southwest, Northwest, America West, Air Canada, and US Airways.
What To Do
Walt Disney World is comprised of four main theme parks: The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, and the Animal Kingdom. Additional offerings include two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, as well as Disney’s Wide World of Sports, six golf courses, and miles of waterways for boating and fishing. Head to Downtown Disney where you’ll find over 70 scene-setting restaurants, shops, and nightclubs as well as Cirque du Soleil, Disney Quest, and an AMC 24-screen movie theatre.
When To Go
Each season at Walt Disney World has its pros and its cons. Busy season brings congested parks, long lines, and higher resort rates but also greatly extended park hours and nightly fireworks and parades at the Magic Kingdom. The slower seasons offer half-filled parks, little waiting in line, and lower hotel rates along with later opening times, earlier closing times, attractions that are closed for rehab, and often the elimination of the nighttime parade and fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. Here is a guideline to avoiding the parks at their worst:
Busiest: President’s Day week ´the last three weeks of March until the week after Easter ´the second week of June until the third week of August ´ Thanksgiving weekend ´ the week of Christmas until just after New Years
Busy: the last two weeks of February until early March ´ the month of October ´ the week after Easter until the second week of June
Least Busy: the second week of January through the first week of February (avoiding the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in January) ´ the third week of August until early October ´the month of November excluding Thanksgiving weekend ´ the week after Thanksgiving until the week of Christmas, a special time when the parks and resorts are festively decorated for the holidays
The Weather
Summer brings uncomfortably muggy and warm days with almost daily afternoon showers while winter offers many days of beautiful sunshine along with the occasional cold snap. Peak hurricane season begins in August and runs through October, so be prepared for a washout. The best months of the year with delightfully mild and humid-free weather, relatively small amounts of rainfall, and no danger of hurricanes are November, April, and most of the time in early May.
Getting Around
Disney’s complimentary transportation system of buses, ferries, and monorails is in most cases extremely efficient. Taxis can be found at every resort and theme park. If you prefer to rent a car, the convenient Central Florida Greeneway toll road from the airport makes for an easy 25-minute drive to the parks. Once inside the Disney World grounds, excellent signage will direct you to all destinations.
Information
Send for a free Disney vacation planning video or CD-ROM (call 800-515-9450 or visit www.disneyworld.com to order) and call the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau (800-551-0181 or 407-363-5871) for maps of the area as well as a visitor’s guide on the many area attractions. Log on to the following Disney-related sites on the Internet where you will find thousands of tips along with photos, menus, and much, much more: www.disneyworld.com, www.luxurydisneyguide.com, www.wdwinfo.com, www.wdwig.com, and www.mousesavers.com.
Reservations
Call 407-WDISNEY or your travel agent for Disney resort reservations. Dining priority seating can be arranged at 407-WDW-DINE.
Provided the following credit is given, you are welcome to reprint this article for free.
Cara Goldsbury is the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer. Visit her at www.wdwluxuryguide.com.
9/11/2008
Vacation Homes – The Hotel Alternative
By Nigel G. Worrall
You’ve finally saved up the money to take that dream family vacation – the one you hope you and your kids will remember for a lifetime. You’ve chosen a destination and researched all the activities in the area. You’ve asked the boss for the time off. Now all you need is a place to stay.
This leads to the usual “accommodation dilemma” families face – unless you just won the lottery and have unlimited funds to spend on your trip. Do you crowd the entire clan into a single hotel or motel room for a week or two, giving up any personal space or privacy and the relaxation that comes with your hard-earned vacation time? Or do you essentially double your costs by putting the kids in a separate room so you can get some peace and quiet? That is, if the adjoining rooms you requested when you made your reservation are actually available.
Believe it or not, there is a way to have your privacy and afford it too. Instead of a hotel or motel, book your stay at a vacation home.
Vacation homes – private homes rented for vacation accommodation – are the hottest new travel trend in America. The homes are primarily located in upscale neighborhoods near popular tourist destinations, and range from clean and comfortable to decadent and luxurious. Even the simplest home is professionally cleaned and prepared to comfortably accommodate guests. It’s bound to have a private bedroom for parents, a separate sleeping area – and possibly more than one – for children or other guests, a full kitchen with dishes and cooking utensils, a deck or yard, at least one bathroom, a living room with a television, and more – far more than you’d ever find in a typical motel or hotel room. And all for about the same price.
When it comes to extras, vacation homes offer the gamut – from game rooms to swimming pools, from spa tubs to plasma TV’s to high speed internet access. There’s something available for every budget and every taste and style – from families on a budget to discerning travelers who demand the very best.
Compare that to a hotel room, where you get a bed (or two), a chest of drawers with a TV in it, maybe a small table and a couple of chairs, and a bathroom. If you want to eat, you have to go to a restaurant. If you don’t feel like going out, there’s a small selection of overpriced snacks and drinks in the mini-bar. If you’re hungry for something more elaborate, you’ll have to call room service – and that means a 20 minute wait (at least!), an extra charge just for bringing already expensive hotel food, and of course you’re limited to what’s on the menu. If you want to lay by the pool, you have to compete with all the other guests for a lounge and towels – and then share the water with a bunch of strangers. You may even have to pay to park your car. And if you want privacy and time away from your kids, you have to pay for another room!
When you compare vacation homes with typical hotel and motel rooms, there really is no comparison. If you’re looking for a vacation that offers true privacy, comfort and relaxation for your entire family, don’t settle for another overpriced, overcrowded hotel. Book your stay at a vacation home – you may never want to leave.
8/26/2008
8/25/2008
Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival - Cities in Wonderland
September 26, 2008 – November 9, 2008
Embark on an epicurean adventure as the 13th Annual Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival showcases the flavors of the world. Explore marketplaces featuring regional foods, wines, and beers. Learn from renowned chefs and winemakers at special programs and demonstrations, and sample the finest cuisine from around the globe. Savor the sizzling sounds of the Eat to the Beat concert series, presenting a stellar line-up of popular musical acts.
For more information, visit the hub at the Festival Welcome Center, where you'll also find the Festival Wine Shop, the Wonders Bar for champagne and wine, and the official book-signing location for celebrity chefs and authors. Venture inside the Stockpot shop and check out its marvelous merchandise, including the marketplace cookbook and a special festival edition of the Disney Gift Card, which provides a handy way to pay for so much fun at the Festival!
International Marketplaces
Sample the authentic flavors of over 25 countries and regions as you take a tasty trip through World Showcase.
Special Exhibits
Explore fascinating cultural exhibits that feature fabulous cuisine, wine walkabouts, artisans and instructive culinary demonstrations from countries and regions throughout the world.
Eat to the Beat Concert Series
Give your taste buds a rest and groove to the sounds of your favorite musical acts live on stage at this nightly concert series.
Special Wine & Culinary Programs
Satisfy the gourmet within you at these exceptional dining experiences complete with delicious food, fine wine and great company.
Festival Dining Experiences
Indulge in sumptuous premium dining events prepared by some of the finest chefs in the world.
Fun for Families
Bring epicureans of all ages to these activities and exhibits that offer great fun and flavors for the entire family.
Embark on an epicurean adventure as the 13th Annual Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival showcases the flavors of the world. Explore marketplaces featuring regional foods, wines, and beers. Learn from renowned chefs and winemakers at special programs and demonstrations, and sample the finest cuisine from around the globe. Savor the sizzling sounds of the Eat to the Beat concert series, presenting a stellar line-up of popular musical acts.
For more information, visit the hub at the Festival Welcome Center, where you'll also find the Festival Wine Shop, the Wonders Bar for champagne and wine, and the official book-signing location for celebrity chefs and authors. Venture inside the Stockpot shop and check out its marvelous merchandise, including the marketplace cookbook and a special festival edition of the Disney Gift Card, which provides a handy way to pay for so much fun at the Festival!
International Marketplaces
Sample the authentic flavors of over 25 countries and regions as you take a tasty trip through World Showcase.
Special Exhibits
Explore fascinating cultural exhibits that feature fabulous cuisine, wine walkabouts, artisans and instructive culinary demonstrations from countries and regions throughout the world.
Eat to the Beat Concert Series
Give your taste buds a rest and groove to the sounds of your favorite musical acts live on stage at this nightly concert series.
Special Wine & Culinary Programs
Satisfy the gourmet within you at these exceptional dining experiences complete with delicious food, fine wine and great company.
Festival Dining Experiences
Indulge in sumptuous premium dining events prepared by some of the finest chefs in the world.
Fun for Families
Bring epicureans of all ages to these activities and exhibits that offer great fun and flavors for the entire family.
8/21/2008
T-Rex Cafe @ Downtown Disney
T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover is scheduled to open at Downtown Disney on October 14, 2008. T-Rex, developed by Schussler Creative, Inc., and operated by Landry's Restaurants, Inc., features dining and retail in a 30,000-square-foot, 600-seat interactive prehistoric environment. The concept is built around water, fire and ice: Guests will be greeted with life-size animatronic dinosaurs that live among cascading waterfalls, bubbling geysers, a fossil dig site and much more. There will be a meteorite shower every 20 minutes and an aqua bar complete with a 6,000-gallon shark tank and a large octopus with mechanical tentacles. A full-size skeleton replica of Argentinosaurus, one of the largest of the dinosaurs and copied from a museum specimen about 125 feet in length, looms over the entrance, joined by a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton.
The theme carries over to the menu, which features items with names such as Caesarsaurus (Caesar salad), Raptor Ribs (Asian BBQ ribs), Pterodactyl Wings (Buffalo chicken wings), Triassic Tortellini (tri-colored cheese tortellini) and Gigantosaurus Burger (think really big hamburger). You will be able to make reservations by calling 407-WDW-DINE (939-3463).
8/19/2008
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