Welcome to our Florida Attraction Guide. A guide to all there is to do in Florida. http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/ en-us Copyright 2008, Orlando Villas LLC. All Rights Reserved. info@orlandovillas.com http://www.orlandovillas.com/pictures/rss/logo.gif http://www.orlandovillas.com/ 75 50 http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/the-kennedy-space-center.aspx Kennedy Space Center has to be one of the most famous places in the world and to be so close and not pay it a visit would be criminal! It is only about one to one and a half hours drive away from Orlando so can be a fascinating day trip. It may not appeal to everyone or all ages, but I have yet to meet anyone who did not enjoy it, especially small boys and their Dads. Take a bus tour to all areas of the space center and everything is explained in great detail. All the most important areas for example, the launch pad, mission control and the building where the rockets are built, are all visited and the public are let off the bus to explore with or without a tour guide. The hall where you can view space memorabilia including space capsules and actual duplicate rockets, which are always built as spares in case the first rocket is faulty. The gift shops too sell wonderful momentos of your tour. What little boy (or big boy) would not love a souvenir from Kennedy Space Center or even a... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/rhino-rally-busch-gardens.aspx My family and I went out for the day to Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay. We had never been before and wanted to do a ride after eating – but not a rollercoaster on a full stomach! We headed for a ride called Rhino Rally which is located in Nairobi. We didn’t know what to expect The queue for Rhino Rally is up and down a pathway. Whilst in the queue, you see a safari truck that has won the 10th Annual Rhino Rally. As you get closer to boarding the vehicles you will hear news reporters giving exciting update information on the Rhino Rally radio. Finally it’s your turn to board one of the Safari Vehicles. One person is lucky to be chosen to sit next to the driver and is given the role of navigator. Behind them are four additional rows for guests. The journey starts with the driver telling the navigator to look out for green and black poles which show you where you are going. As the truck starts driving, guests go past a start sign to show that the race has started and the driver says the ra... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/the-cheesecake-factory.aspx A holiday to Orlando wouldn’t be the same without visiting the famous Cheesecake Factory. This ever-popular restaurant is a must for cheesecake and food lovers alike. Located at The Mall at Millennia it is a short journey on Interstate 4 east of the main theme parks. The Mall at Millennia is an up market Mall full of designer shops , the world famous Bloomingdales, Macey’s etc. After you have completed your shopping pop into the Cheesecake Factory for some lunch or even dinner. The surroundings We had a 20-minute wait, which is not uncommon, but when we were seated the service was fast and efficient. The surroundings are plush and very nice and comfortable- ideal for a family or couples. The menu is massive with so many items to try. The food is cooked to perfection and very tasty. Just be warned that the portions are enormous and you are doing well to just eat an entrée as well as cheesecake. If at lunchtime you don’t want a full size portion you can try the lunch menu (serv... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/fort-lauderdale.aspx Fort Lauderdale is a major city located in south east Florida along the Atlantic Ocean coastline approximately 30 miles north of Miami. It gained its name from the many forts that were built during the Seminole war after the very first one constructed under the command of Major William Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale attracts over 10 million visitors a year. As a popular visitor location the city is a prominent yachting centre with over 42000 yachts moored in its many boatyards and marinas. Like the rest of southern Florida Fort Lauderdale benefits from tropical climate conditions. May to October sees temperature highs of 32 C with lows of around 24 C, and periodic thunderstorms are a feature of this time of year. November to April are pleasantly warm and dry with highs of 28 C and lows of 19 C. Like many Floridian locations Fort Lauderdale relies heavily on tourism and attracts a high number of affluent tourists especially from the many cruise ships that frequent its ports. In the las... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/lake-county.aspx Lake County, often not thought of as a short term rental area but it now has some of the newest of the holiday rental homes in the Disney area. Most are within a twenty minute drive of Disney while remaining a largely undeveloped area. Lake County is diverse county ranging from short term rental communities to the historic areas like Mount Dora with its museum, art centres, theatre and privately owned shops. Each town is individualities which makes them all interesting to visit. Mount Dora situated off the 441 and on the shores of Lake Dora is one of the oldest towns in the area. It is full of small shops, all privately owned. There are antique shops, craft shops, jewelry shops, boutiques and even a pet shop called ‘Piglets Pantry’. I know many people who visit Mount Dora specifically to go there as for their unique pet accessories. Also in Mount Dora you will find The Ice Theatre, not as you may think made of Ice. The theatre group was founded in 1947 and it was decided to use the... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/a-different-magic-kingdom-firework-experience-.aspx Imagine the scene. It is a quiet evening in the Magic Kingdom, the Spectromagic Parade is at seven pm, the Wishes firework display is at eight. We arrive at the park at around six, nicely cool and relaxed and meet a hoard of people leaving the park looking wearied after a long day of fun and merriment … perfect! We head around to Big Thunder Mountain and there is only a 20 minute wait time, then find a spot to watch the parade (squeezing in a flying visit to the Haunted Mansion at the same time! ). So, the Spectromagic Parade was very enjoyable, by the time it was finished, however, it was twenty to eight. Okay, given the wait times, we though, just time to squeeze one more ride in and then we’ll find somewhere to watch the fireworks from, shouldn’t be too bad with the crowds as they are. We were thinking of something like the Flying Dumbos or the Carousel, however, our youngest saw It’s a Small World and with no wait, our fate was sealed! We toured around the various (and slightly s... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/the-world-show-case-epcot.aspx Epcot is one of my favourite parks but the world showcase sometimes gets overlooked. First, remember to wear your most comfortable shoes, you will be doing a lot of walking, especially around the world showcase. Plan to spend quite a few hours in the world show case as it is easy to miss something. Each country represented has so much to see. They all put on shows during the day, which represent the country itself. For example, in Britain the “Bootleg Beatles” put on a show through out the day, Italy has strolling players and opera singers, France has a mime artist and pavement artists and Canada has the Canadian rock pipers which is a cross over of rock and roll music played with guitars and bagpipes. In the American pavilion, there is a show of animatronics Presidents who speak about the start of American history. Outside there is the concert stage which stages different shows. We saw Michael Flatley and his Feet of Fire show which was absolutely amazing and during November and... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/how-to-survive-the-parks.aspx I am often asked by guests if I have any advice on how to go about visiting the parks and getting the best out of them. I am well aware that some of you will have to visit during the school holidays which will always be the busiest time. So here is my take on it. The first thing I would be inclined to do is to plan out your holiday before you even go, or failing that, as soon as you arrive. You can get all the information you need either from brochures in restaurant foyers, the owner of the villa you are renting, their management company or the internet. The main parks you may wish to visit are The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, Universal Islands of Adventure and Sea world plus the Kennedy Space Center (this often gets missed and really shouldn’t) If you have two weeks then you should aim to do a park every other day and never several days on the trot, you will be totally exhausted by the end of it. On the days in between it might be a good idea to visit t... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/daytona-beach.aspx Daytona Beach is one of Florida’s most popular east coast beaches and spans approximately 23 miles along the eastern coast of Florida. It is simply a must if you want to experience a totally different style beach from those you may have experienced. What makes it different is that it is permitted to drive and park right on the beach. Visitors and residents enjoy the comforts of having everything at hand in the vehicle and set out their chairs, umbrellas or beach towels right next their car. This makes it a perfect location for a picnic. Just take a cool box – available quite cheaply at Walmarts- to keep your food and drink cool and spend the day there. There are also food stalls where you can buy hot dogs or ice cream and drinks. This is also a great place if you like surfing and there are lifeguards on hand should you need assistance. You can even rent a beach buggy and cruise along the beach front. There are a host of water sports for you to try, jet skiing, windsurfing, boatin... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/mardi-gras-at-universal-2010.aspx Mardi Gras, or ‘Fat Tuesday’ as it is sometimes called, is the day before the season of Lent begins, and this is the last day of ‘Carnival’ which starts on ‘King’s Day, ’ January 6th. The festival itself dates back 5, 000 years but it was not until the arrival of the French explorer, Iberville, that it arrived in America. The first official parades began in 1838. One usually thinks of Mardi Gras as associated with New Orleans, where there are many big parades, with dozens of floats, local marching bands, dance groups and people in colourful costumes. Universal Studios Mardi Gras is less frenetic, and more family friendly, and it always has a theme. It lasts from February through to April. The park is decorated in a festive fashion in gold, green and purple, colours which signify power, faith and justice. There are street performers, floats, stilt walkers and traditional zydeco music. The main events are located in the French Quarter Courtyard, in the New York area of Universal Studio... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/festival-of-the-lion-king.aspx The Festival of the Lion King, at Walt Disney World’s theme park Animal Kingdom, has to be one of the most colourful of all their live shows and audience participation is fully encouraged, especially with the children. It was inspired by Disney’s animated film The Lion King. You won’t need to worry about arriving early as all the seats have wonderful views, just don’t leave it too late in case the theatre becomes full and they have closed the doors. The theatre seats one thousand guests at time and there are a few performances throughout the day. Everyone sits on tiered metal benches in one of the four sections surrounding the stage. You will find yourself in either the elephant, the giraffe, the warthog or the lion section and be prepared to impersonate the animal family to which you now belong! The show lasts for approximately thirty minutes and as it is under cover and air-conditioned, it provides a nice rest for tired feet and a welcome break from the sun in the middle of summer.... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/new-ride-at-aquatica-for-2010.aspx We visited Aquatica for the first time in August, 2009, and we were very impressed with this, the latest water park in Orlando. Smaller than either of the two Disney water parks, Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach, it is beautifully landscaped and has a number of excellent rides. The children’s area, in particular, is very attractive, with lots of climbing and sliding and getting wet. I particularly enjoyed the ' Lazy River' ride which was warm and very relaxing - although there are various geysers to avoid if you don' t want to get even wetter! In March 2010, Aquatica is adding its first new attraction since it opened nearly two years ago. Called Omaka Rocka it will feature moves which are said to be like skateboarders or BMX bikers. Riders will travel in two-seater tubes down two slides, which each have a set of three funnels. According to the Aquatica Vice-President, Rick Beddow, riders will ‘slide up one side and get a sensation of near weightlessness. ’ They will then come down th... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/dr-seuss-high-in-the-sky-seuss-trolley-train-ride.aspx When we first visited Universal Studios in Orlando some years ago, we always used to wonder what the colourful elevated track was above Seuss Landing, so we were delighted when, after a seven year wait, the’ High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride’ finally opened. This amazing elevated train snakes above Seuss Landing, and shows guests Seuss story scenes that were actually supposed to be available when the park opened in 1999. However, technical problems meant that it was delayed until they could overcome various safety and comfort issues. But it is certainly worth waiting for, as it offers a three minute ride over and around several other attractions, giving guests an amazing bird’s eye view of the park. There are two separate 1, 500 ft tracks, which skirt round the lake and go through Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-pendous. It is a gentle ride, and one which takes you on a journey 20 ft above Seuss Landing, and each of the two tracks offers different vistas, as you travel in different ... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/toddlers-at-epcot.aspx If you are visiting Epcot with a toddler it is a very big park and you may need to think about making two visits here if you intend to go around World Showcase. The first visit I would go to the Innoventions area. At the Living Seas you can see ' Nemo' s friends' ' several tanks full of the species of fish seen in the movie ' Finding Nemo' . Children can have their photos taken inside the jaws of Bruce the shark and go and visit Crush in an interactive attraction ' Turtle Talk With Crush. ” There are also dolphins, sharks, manatees and thousands of varieties of marine creatures to see here. In the Pavilions you can let the toddlers out of the buggy and they can crawl through bug tunnel and play on dance mats. You will not miss the huge musical, dancing fountains; they light up at night to make them even more spectacular. The Magic Water fountains are a great attraction for the children who appear from everywhere to run in and out of the water. We always used to take some spare clot... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/kracken-sea-world.aspx Kraken takes its name from a mythical sea creature and Seaworld has depicted this in the form of a large multi-coloured monster dragon eel, a distant relation of the moray eel. Next to Krakens viewing area is a cave where you can view incubating embryos in giant eggs. If you like Roller coasters then you will love this one this one, it is smooth and fast and there is plenty of screaming and laughter. Kraken was Orlando' s tallest, fastest coaster when it was built but with so many new coasters I am not sure if it still holds this record. It stands at around 150ft and reaches speeds of 65 miles per hour. There are lockers near the entrance to this ride. It is advisable to put any loose articles away before riding Kraken. If you have the courage to enter the serpent’s lair first look at the wait times which are posted at the entrance. Very early in the day or just before the park closes the queues are usually shorter for this ride. As you make your way through the winding queue... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/shark-deep-dive-at-seaworld-part-i.aspx I always look forward to going somewhere or doing something new each time we visit Florida. Our last holiday was no exception and in fact I was probably looking forward to it more than at any time. The reason; I had celebrated my 60th birthday only a couple of weeks before our holiday and part of my birthday present from my family was that they had paid for me to experience the Shark Deep Dive at SeaWorld, something I had wanted to do for some time . On arrival at SeaWorld we headed for the Reservations desk, just inside the main entrance, to find out where we had to meet for the dive. After my daughter and I had completed our disclaimer forms we were told to meet our host at the bronze statue by the side of the shop at Wild Arctic about 10 minutes before our dive was scheduled. The Reservations clerk mentioned that if my wife wanted to take photos she would probably be able to go into the Shark Underwater Grill and he also mentioned that she should ask if the microphone was availabl... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/shark-deep-dive-at-seaworld-part-ii.aspx continued /b After climbing a flight of stairs and entering the building we were introduced to a photographer who would capture our next few minutes, and to a member of staff who would answer any questions that we had about the creatures we would see during our dive. We were then shown to the treatment tank, where sharks etc can be separated for examination etc, and it was here that we found out just how cold the water was going to feel. Not too bad, but a lot colder than the pool at our villa! We entered the water and put on our gloves and then had our helmets fitted. Out of the water the helmets, which rest on your shoulders, weigh 75 pounds but only about 15 pounds once you are submerged. The pressure of the air entering the helmet keeps the water from rising too high within the helmet, enabling the wearer to both breathe and communicate via the two-way radio built into it. Then it was time to clamber down into the cage which would transport us through the water of the Shark E... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/toddlers-at-magic-kingdom-and-animal-kingdom.aspx Many parents worry there will not be much for their toddler to do at the Parks but believe me there are loads they can enjoy. Obviously the Magic Kingdom park is the best park for them but do not discount the others particularly Animal Kingdom. At Magic Kingdom they can enjoy the majority of the attractions, and there is even a special section here for toddlers called Mickey' s Toon Town Fair. Here you will find Goofy' s Barnstormer Rollercoaster ' a mini coaster, usually suitable for 2 year olds and up. There is also Donald’s boat to crawl over and play on and they can explore Mickey and Minnie' s houses and meet lots of their favourite characters in the Hall Of Fame. When the girls were small we used to get the Walt Disney World Railroad at the entrance and get off at Toon Town. Other toddler attractions at Magic Kingdom are It' s a Small World (my Mother also loves this), Peter Pan, Adventures Of Pooh, the Carousel, Dumbo, Country Bears Jamboree, Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spi... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/annual-events-at-universal-studios-citywalk-ioa.aspx Universal opened in 1990 and is a real working motion picture studio with a fantastic array of rides, shows, movie sets and attractions from your favourite movies. Not everyone is aware that in addition to this Universal/Islands of Adventure/Citywalk also run a series of fabulous annul events. Universal Studios is located on Universal Boulevard which is at the top end of International Drive close to ' Wet n Wild' and just off the I4. Parking for Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Citywalk is in a multi storey enclosed garage complex with moving sidewalks, escalators and elevators. Once you have parked your car, just follow the signs and moving sidewalks, eventually you will reach ground level and as you walk you start meeting other excited guests on the way to the Parks. If you walk about 400 yards you can go either left to ' Islands of Adventure' or right to ' Universal Studios' . Citywalk is on your left. If you turn to the right you will see the massive Universal entran... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/universal-studios-my-favourite-attractions.aspx I am often asked what my favourite attractions at Universal Studios are and so I thought I would sit down and put pen to paper and list them A favourite attraction would have to be the Blues Brothers every time we visit the Orlando studios I make a bee line for this live show; I guess that most mid forty year olds will remember the film with much affection and the songs that were classics at the time Jake and Elwood are superb as they arrive in the Blues mobile (Squad Car) and its not long before they are bursting into song singing some of the tunes from the movie, I have to mention the saxophone player who is excellent through out Another favourite would have to be the Horror Make Up Show, this is great fun but I warn you don' t sit near the front as they get volunteers (or should that be victims) out for the audience to help with the show As you queue in the lobby to enter this show you will see some of the legendary props and creatures from some of the big hit movies of the pa... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/marvel-super-hero-island-at-universal-studios.aspx This is a real treat for fans of the Marvel comics and in my view the best part of Islands of Adventure and without doubt the best attraction is “ The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman' The Amazing adventures of Spiderman This is a 3D show with a difference filmed with live special effects including flames and water, when it was built it was the first ever combination of moving, motion-based ride vehicles Unlike many other rides rather than just sitting in a theatre seat and watch the show you enter a roving vehicle to drive on the city streets to get to the news story as the latest reporter for the tribune news paper to totally immerse you in the story and make you feel like you’re right in the middle of the action The vehicle twist and turns as it manoeuvres round the streets and it not long before you run into trouble as the villains of the Sinister Syndicate have stolen the Statue of Liberty and it' s up to Spiderman to catch them You tour the dark streets and all at first see... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/hollywood-studios.aspx Which theme park is the best depends on your own personal preferences. One of my favourite parks is Hollywood Studios (one of the Disney Parks). The park is designed around a movie theme and really brings the movies to life through the various rides on offer. When you first visit the park it is always best to have your tickets pre ordered, this saves from the large queues you will find at the entrance. We did not pre book our tickets and really wished we had as not only were they much more expensive on the gate the queue was quite long. Anyway after 30 minutes we were into the park and not dissapointed! Once in we headed for the Tower Of Terror ride (located over the far side of the park). This is a good place to start first thing in the morning as most of the people go anticlockwise around the park. The ride is themed around the Twilight Zone and is a mixture of free fall lift and special effects. The combination woks really well together and if you have not been on the ride befor... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/prime-outlets.aspx Prime Outlets Fancy a day of shopping where you don’t really have to shop until you drop, as all the stores are in easy walking distance? Then take a trip to Prime Outlets at the end of International Drive. Driving there is easy, just take I-4 to exit 75A - UNIVERSAL and follow this onto International Drive and turn left. The center is located at the North End of International Drive. There is lots of free parking split between the two shopping areas. The malls are both outside, but have covered walk ways between the stores, so you may not need to take an unberella for those afternoon rain showers. The mall is open 10am to 11pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 9pm on Sundays. First, stop by guest services and pick up a discount coupon book, you should be able to get one of these free of charge by using a coupon which can be found in one of the many local coupon books which are readily available in wal mart, restaurants etc. You can also download and view current offers online at the ... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/applebees-a-great-place-to-eat.aspx “Applebee' s” a lovely place to eat. During a recent trip to our villa we decided to eat at Applebee' s. We had never been before but it had been recommended by some friends as being a nice relaxing place with a good atmosphere that served great food. There are several Applebee' s in the Orlando area, one located on John Young Parkway and another on the Highway 192 East of Disney. However the one we chose to visit was near Davenport, on the 27, south from the 192. We were seated promptly at a lovely table near the window, with plenty of space for our party of 5. The server was great, friendly, but not overpowering. On each of the tables is what at first glance is an ashtray, don’t panic, its not! The “ashtray” is actually an electronic pager system for your server, you just press it once and hey presto, as if by magic your server promptly appears to assist you. Great! The choice of food is extensive, but our server gave us plenty of time to read through the menu and decide. The... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/biergartin-epcot.aspx Before visiting this restaurant in the German Pavilion at World Showcase I do not think any of us had understood the true meaning of the Oktoberfest tradition. Apparently on October 17, 1810, Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria celebrated his marriage to Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hindburghausen with one of the grandest festivals Munich had ever known and this became the Oktoberfest tradition. For 16 days late in September and early October, millions of celebrants from around the world are drawn to Munich. Music, beer, and Gemutlichkeit flow freely in the enormous, colourful tents that crowd Theresienwiese, a fairground named after the Prince' s bride. Frauleins in peasant consumes serve steins overflowing with beer, while revelers feast on such traditional Oktoberfest fare as roasted chicken and seemingly endless varieties of Sausage called Wurst. This is the atmosphere they recreate at the Beirgarten. Here they serve an All You Can Eat Lunch and Dinner Buffet. Lunch is served from ...