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 2012, Orlando Villas Ltd. 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/birthday-treat.aspx I have just and i mean just celebrated my 50th birthday, we had already booked flights last year to go to Florida in January, to get some lovely sun as we know that just after xmas its dull gloomy cold and usually raining at home. I had decided to go for a chinese with my family to celebrate my birthday before coming away, my husband declared that he had booked a carribean cruise for a week to celebrate my birthday, well i was shocked and absolutley overjoyed. So i decided to write about our journey, we have been visiting Orlando for about 25 years, we have had many great times and lots of different experiences, the kids absolutley love the place but they are not with us this time as our youngest has a GCSE to take next week and the oldest is looking for a job! ! Well arrived at Orlando Int after a perfect flight with Virgin, we travelled on one of there new airbus 320' s. The inflight entertainment was excellant, lots and lots of movies to choose from not the usual 6 or 8. There... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/best-steaks-in-orlando.aspx Well this is a bit of an offbeat topic for a Florida guide but it is a question I get asked quite a lot by potential visitors to our Vacation home in Orlando Florida First I will say that I am not a steak expert in any way I am not a butcher or a cookery reporter merely a guy who loves a good steak and good service. The very best steak I have had on my last 2 visits to Orlando surprisingly has to be at Outback Steak Houses which are Australian styled steak house chain which offer a range of steaks along with a good range of other dishes including seafood. My dish of choice would be the Outback Special which is their signature sirloin which is lean and full of flavour very much like a good fillet steak that we would get at home here in the UK My second choice would be a TGI Jack Daniels Steak and Shrimp, this might not be the best choice for some people because they do not like the Jack Daniels sauce but fortunately I do and love the combo of the steak and shrimp, the Jack Dan... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/flat-island-preserve.aspx If you enjoy walking during your holiday and especially if you enjoy walking in the Old Floridan areas then this article will be right up your street! One area I would like to recommend to you is Flat Island Preserve (The Daubermile Trail) This was named after Jean and Rexford Daubermile who were keen botanists. They did much to ensure the preservation of this area for the enjoyment of future generations. There are some 2000 acres to enjoy here and they are divided into 3 distinct areas. First is Magnolia Island, then Flat Isand and finally Okhumpta Marsh. To get to Magnolia Island you wil need to hire a canoe from Fat Island Boardwalk (more of that later) The marsh is in an unusual situation, since it is sited on a hydrologic dividing point on the waters that take you to Ocawaha River one way and Withacoochee River the other. And for those of you that did not know (and I had to ask) a hydrologic divide is a boundary across which water cannot flow. So another rea... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/an-arty-day-out.aspx The Orlando Museum of Art is located in North Mills Avenue in Orlando. This will be roughly about an hours drive from your vacation villa. This museum has been up and running for around 90 years and the richness and depth of the exhibits is clear to see. One of the most interesting parts of this museum is the part devoted to The Art of the Ancient Americans. It always sends a shiver up my spine to see things crafted thousands of years ago and this section tells the tale from up to four thousand years ago showing the art and craft of many different Native American groups. Next, is a section devoted to American art from slightly more modern times (well up to the nineteen forties anyway) And finally a display of art up to the modern day . Perhaps the most interesting part of the museum is that devoted to African Art. This archetypically colourful display leans heavily towards art pieces created to decorate the person. Lots of fabric and beadwork from the... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/the-pirates-dinner-adventure.aspx In all the years we’ve been coming to the Orlando area, we had never gone to a dinner show. On this last trip, after researching the various options, we chose the Pirates Dinner Adventure. Ever since the release of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, my kids had become big fans of anything to do with pirates, so that was the first reason we chose this one. Secondly, though typically the food at these things is mediocre at best, I had read that this show had the best food of any dinner show in the Orlando area. After reading more about it, it sounded like it might and the fact that they offer you some options for the main entrée made it even more appealing. They suggested that we arrive an hour before the scheduled time for our seating which we did, however, it would have been better to arrive even sooner. We waited in line for about 20 minutes to check-in. Even though we ordered our tickets in advance, you still have to acquire your seating assignment. They offer you the opportunit... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/christmas-in-orlando-a-wonderful-treat.aspx The first thing you will notice about Christmas in Orlando is when you arrive at the airport, the enormous Christmas tree decorated in beautiful colours and lights. This is a sign of what is to come. Every where you go you will see decorations the like of which you will never have seen unless you have been to the United States at Christmas before. As Soon as Thankgsgiving day is over (on the last Thursday in November) then the decorating starts in earnest. The owners of the houses set to decorating their homes as per The Griswolds in National Lampoons Christmas film. The lights are every where, all over the front of the house, the front fences and the gates. On the front lawns are nodding reindeer, huge Santa Claus inflatables, nativity scenes, toy trains full of presents and even Disney characters in Christmas costumes. I would not like to get their electricity bills! In the shops, which actually start a bit earlier, there are Christmas trees as tall as two story buildings... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/villa-versus-hotel.aspx Packing for a holiday in a villa is quite different to packing for a holiday in a hotel. First and foremost, do check with the villa owner what they provide. The vast majority of good owners will provide all the essentials such as, towels, bed linen and kitchen equipment, utensils and tableware. However some of the better ones will provide, pool towels which you can use when you go to the water theme parks, bath robes, which are great if they have a hot tub and the evening is a bit chilly. It will save an awful lot of room in your suitcase if you do not need to take pool towels. They will often provide a computer or laptop or even just a free wi fi connection. Not having to take your own laptop will save a lot of carrying at the airport. Most will have a selection of paper back books left by previous guests and some have games for the children. There are some which will provide wash cloths (flannels) and the better ones may provide laundry detergent and dish washer detergent. ... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/orlando-premium-outlets-vineland-avenue.aspx If you have not been to this shopping outlet, then do give it a try. The Orlando Premium Outlet on International Drive, is rather a disappointment as after shopping in one area, you have to get in your car and drive to the next section, which is not very convenient. At the Vineland Avenue venue – at Lake Buena Vista- it is all under the one area. Although not under cover as a shopping mall is, it does have a type of cover over the entrances to the stores so if it rains you can keep to the edges and not get wet. It has recently extended to give even more high quality shopping. The extension now includes a multi story car park (a great improvement) and a childrens play ground. Most of the stores are discount stores that offer the same goods as the normal version but at huge discounts and at sale time even more discounts. The biggest sales are usually in November in the run up to Black Friday, which is the day after Thanksgiving. This is the major sales day of the year for the Ameri... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/ride-guide-turtle-talk-with-crush.aspx Ride Guide – Turtle Talk with Crush Definitely more of a show or attraction than a ride, however, still worth a guide of its own. Turtle Talk with Crush is part of the “The Seas with Nemo and amp; Friends” pavilion at Epcot and really worth the time out to do, especially with younger guests. Before you go through to the theatre, the pre-show holding area has some tanks with fish in them and also some interactive monitors with quizzes to keep guests busy before the actual show. There really isn’t much else to see or do before the show, but we invariably do this show straight after the The Seas with Nemo and amp; Friends ride which you do as part of your entry into the pavilion. The Crush theatre is very close to the exit point of the ride. Usually there is only a short wait for the show to start, so hanging around at this point is fine, it’s nice and cool! When you enter into the main theatre you are guided into a slightly darkened room, with a large “Window to the Pa... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/shrek-4d-at-universal-studios.aspx I have been on all the 3-D rides in Walt Disney World and thoroughly enjoy them and so was intrigued by the thought of a 4-D ride and couldn’t wait to try it out on our next visit to Universal Studios. Also, an added bonus was that I just love the Shrek films. Shrek 4-D is basically a 3-D film (you will be given special glasses called Ogre-Vision glasses as you enter) but with an extra dimension of special effects added to it. This consists of a motion simulator where you will actually feel all of the action whilst sitting in your seat, and I do mean “feel the action”. If there is a bump in the road, you are definitely going to feel it! ! Your seat becomes part of the 4-D experience. The adventure begins where the first Shrek movie ended but before the sequel begins. There are no height restrictions for this ride but if you suffer from motion sickness, there are special seats available which are stationary. The pre-show lasts approximately six minutes and takes place in the... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/manta-seaworld-orlando.aspx MAMTA first opened in 2009 at Seaworld, Orlando to accompany KRACKEN as their flagship rollercoaster. Wanting to design something different the ride is based on a flying Manta Ray that faces the riders horizontal unlike the conventional rollercoasters. It is the first to be built in Florida. The ride itself can reach in excess of 60mph and has 4 inversions, not to mention numerous high speed spins and loops. It really is not for the faint hearted rider! The design of each car is like you are sat in a large Ray, but just before you are about to move the floor moves away and you are then moved through 90 degrees facing down to the floor. At this point most of the money that was sat in your pocket makes its way to the floor! Once you are rotated you then make your way up to 140 feet before making your first big loop. The speed really hits you at this point and just how smooth the ride actually is. Whoever made it really wanted people to enjoy the experience without feeling sick or... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/for-the-younger-members-of-the-family-animal-kingdom.aspx Animal Kingdom is the newest of all the Disney parks. Set around a large tree of life the park is small in comparison with other Disney parks. The park is aimed at the younger Children with lots of opportunities to look at animals and wildlife. There are a few rides thrown in to keep the older ones entertained. The main rides at Animal Kingdom are the Kilamanjaro Safaris and the Expedition Everest. Both are up there with the best Disney has to offer. There are plenty of other rides: 3-D action in its a bugs life, Dinosaur, Kali River rapids and amp; many walk through zoo style enclosures. Where some might think Animal Kingdom is the poor relation to the other Disney Parks, it does make up for it in the shows on offer. The best being the Lion King which has all the favourites from the film taking part. The energy of the performers really brings it to life and by the end most people are up dancing. One of my favourites is the Finding Nemo musical. This in my view was one of the h... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/dining-at-the-mall-at-millenia.aspx If you spend the day at the Mall at Millenia you will be able to enjoy some wonderful food. On the top floor is the Orangerie. This is a food court with all the cafes and food outlets centred round a seating and table area and a soft floored playing area for small children. Parents can enjoy their lunch whilst keeping an eye on their little ones or just enjoy a rest from walking round all the wonderful stores. The idea of the food court, is that each member of your party can go and select what ever type of cuisine they desire and then all meet up at the tables to eat together. It saves endless arguments in families as to what every one wants to eat. Some of the choices are, Chinese at Chinatown, chicken at Chick-fil-A or sandwiches at Firehouse subs. Plus there are Bistro Sensations, Gourmet Grill, Greek Jalapeno, Southwest Grill, Teriyake Experience for Japanese fare and Tony and amp; Brunos Italian cuisine. All of these serve their own specialities. For sweet treats ther... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/our-evening-visit-to-bubba-gump.aspx On our last visit to Universal Studios as we got off the walk way at the start of the paths to Universal and Islands of Adventure we passed the Bubba Gump restaurant we took a vote and unanimously decided this is where we were to eat that night. We did not know what time we would finish our day so decided to just trust to luck to get a table on our return at night. When we returned as it was getting dark we went straight to the podium and put our name down for a table and were told there was about a twenty minute wait. Whilst the adults sank thankfully onto the benches outside the girls went for a look around the nearby shops promising not to be too long. My parents when they dine here alone usually go straight to the bar where it is relatively easy to get seated, here they can eat as well as watch Bubba Gump on the TV! We did not have to wait for more than 15 minutes until we were shown to our table which was a booth. Once you are in the restaurant you soon realise that w... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/our-long-day-at-hollywood-studios-part-1.aspx As the girls have got older they have become less interested in the Magic Kingdom (although a visit is always necessary) and more interested in Hollywood Studios. When we visited our villa last March they were only staying for eight days so only one visit to the Park was possible hence we decided to start the day as early as possible. We decided to be at the park at opening time or as the US residents call it “rope drop”. We parked and were surprised when we boarded the trolley bus how busy it already was. When we reached the Park we quickly passed the ticket booths as we had already bought our tickets only to find the entrance was crowded and soon we realised that many visitors like us arrived early to maximise their Fastpasses. The girls and I quickly dashed to get Fastpasses for Aerosmith leaving my parents (after they had finished admiring the Mickey topiary! ) to go for a coffee and wait for us at Fairfax Fare on Sunset Boulevard. As soon as we got our Fastpasses we... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/our-long-day-at-hollywood-studios-part-2.aspx We then wandered back down Sunset Boulevard and as we did outside the cinema we encountered a noisy crew making a film in the street. We joined the crowd which was gathering and spent about ten minutes laughing at the crew’s antics. Farther down the road there were two street entertainers who just pulled up in their little car and jumped out to entertain the visitors, we were careful not to get too close because they were continually pulling reluctant volunteers from the audience! To plan the rest of our day we then went to the Times and Waiting Times board which is located near the Park entrance by Sunset Boulevard. These boards are in valuable way to plan your day as they give the show times, the current wait times for rides as well as tips on the best time to visit the various attractions. We noticed that the Backlot Tour wait was quite short so we went straight over there and were fortunate to get in after a short ten minute wait. However if you do have to wait th... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/our-long-day-at-hollywood-studios-part-3.aspx All the family enjoyed watching the special effects and explosions on the film set and were chattering happily about the battle scenes as we exited the set and set off towards the tram on which we were to continue our tour. On the way to this we passed through a prop warehouse which had some fascinating props in it. We slowed down here to be able to browse and it does not matter if you do not keep up with your entire group because as long as your family stay together this show is continuous. The open sided trams which probably seat about 200 run continuously and although the queues for these can seem quite long it usually only takes about 10 minutes at quieter times before it is your turn to board. However a good tip is try to avoid sitting on the left hand side as you may get very wet, my Father sat there and paid the price! The drivers of these trams keep you well informed of all the exhibits as they drive around, I always get a real Disney feel when I see the Mickey’s Ea... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/our-long-day-at-hollywood-studios-part-4.aspx My parents went on this tour in the first year that Hollywood Studios (then known as MGM) opened 20 years ago and have subsequently been on every time they visit the Park. It depicts what it is like to be on a life movie set and the tram trundles onto to the set before coming to a halt. The first demonstration shows you how it makes rain and the sprinkler system is demonstrated. Then the whole tram is suddenly shaken by an earthquake and it starts shuddering about. Suddenly there is a fire and this then sets an oil tanker alight with an explosion, it is all good fun for the audience but a few screams can be heard from the tram! Flood water then starts racing towards you and however many times you see this stunt you think you the tram might get flooded! Those on the left hand side of the tram are most certainly wet at this time before the water subsides. We all really enjoy this tour and as you exit Catastrophe Canyon the tram goes to the back of the film set to show y... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/our-long-day-at-hollywood-studios-part-5.aspx The girls were slightly disappointed that we were not going to the Starring Rolls Café as they wanted one of their famous cup cakes however we said if they didn’t have a dessert at the Brown Derby they could have one later. We were all very hungry as we entered the restaurant which has caricatures of the Movie Stars on the walls and lovely white linen clothes on the tables. We all opted for starters the girls sharing a huge Cobb Salad while Mother and I had the Jumbo Crab Cakes and my Father quickly demolished his Mushroom ravioli, I must admit they were all delicious. For our main courses after their Cobb Salad the girls decided they would share just one entrée and shared a Noodle bowl which had lots of vegetables and a curry type sauce. Mother and I both had half a Roast Chicken which was delicious but very filling whilst my Father with his love of fish had the Black Grouper. We really enjoyed our long leisurely lunch but as we finished we decided that rather then g... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/more-ideas-for-what-to-do-if-it-rains-in-orlando.aspx If it is really wet, you could head down to Pointe Orlando, park under cover in their multi story car park then visit the 20+ Imax Cinema for an amazing experience in movie watching. There is also the Upside Down House, which is well worth a visit and great fun. The Wonderworks is also a great place to take the children. They can experience all sorts of wonders, optical illusions, virtual reality experiences and all manner of unusual things. Don’t tell the kids, but it is actually very educational! The shops in Pointe Orlando are not completely under cover, but if you walk under the awnings you will not get wet. The evening entertainment in the clubs and bars is mainly for the grown ups but there is a crazy golf nearby, if it stops raining. Ripleys Believe It Or Not is close by but for the cost ($70) for a family of 4, I would not recommend it. It is rather tatty and dated , however the children seem to like it as there are lots of hands-on things to do to keep them amused. Could... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/hollywood-rip-ride-rocket.aspx Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket – Universal Studios The waiting time for Rockit coaster was sixty minutes. That was the first excuse not to ride that a few of our party used! A couple of those remaining chickened out when they saw the vertical drop at the beginning of the ride, which just left three of us intrepid riders and thrill seekers! Whilst queuing screens explain that the ride can be customised with individual music from country to pop and rock to hip hop. There is also a selection of about 8 songs in each genre. . . or you can always select ‘random’ and have a surprise. Choosing music helped pass the time and soon it was time to board the coaster via the moving sidewalk. We had less than a minute to get in the seats, bring the restraint down and choose our track. My nephew was shown to the seat at the front of the carriage but the second row of two was good enough for me and my niece! Sharing the front seat was a teenage girl riding alone (Hot tip: if you are a single... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/typhoon-lagoon-2011.aspx It’s been a while since we visited Typhoon Lagoon as a family, and we left it to the very last day of our holiday to visit on our August/September 2011 trip. The first good thing about Disney water parks is that it is Free parking! We were worried that as we had picked a Saturday, the park would be packed, so we got there just as it opened at 10. 00am. We needn’t have worried, as it was easy to find 4 loungers on the beach area to accommodate us. Miss Tilly, the shrimp boat stranded on Mount Mayday, was there in all it’s glory. As usual, I and the two boys headed off to try the water rides and the other half took his position on the lounger ready for the onslaught from the sun. There was a lot of cloudy skies early on, but by 11. 00am the sun had burnt off most of these and left everywhere in bright sunlight. The water rides were fab, as we remembered, with the humunger kowabunger ride giving a huge weggie to all of us (ouch) and the storm slides were as much fun as we reme... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/splitsville.aspx This is a heads up on an exciting new venue at Walt Disney World. This is called Splitsville and will be yet another one of a succesful chain of bowling alleys. However, forget all about your vision of a downmarket scruffy bowling alley complete with a chips with everything restaurant; Splitsville has something new to offer. Those that have visited Tampa may have already visited one of these up market bowling alleys since there is one there (and elsewhere in Florida I believe) The lanes are cutting edge and the decor is modern and sharp. When we visited they were doing a $3 special but I would doubt they will need to offer any inducements when they are located in Disney. However, always worth checking on this. The menu was extensive with main meal choices that included Filet Mignon, blackened grouper with crab and Beef Strogonoff. These were priced from $14 to $24. There were about 8 salads including Julius Caeser (with steak) and chopped fajitas. ... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/safety-first.aspx Safety in Florida is a matter of common sense and a few basic rules. Make sure you have adequate insurance, if the worst happens and you fall ill or have an accident whilst you are on holiday, it will be very expensive to be in hospital anywhere in America. If you have a mild illness or accident that requires medical attention, but does not require an ambulance, there are many walk in medical centres dotted around Orlando. These will cost very much less and will also be very much quicker than going to one of the big main hospitals. There are many dentists available, just enquire at your management company office for your nearest. Sunburn. You are in the tropics once you arrive in Florida and only a few miles from the Caribbean. The sun can be very dangerous and should not be taken lightly. You are in danger of being burnt if you do not use adequate skin protection – minimum factor 30 and always wear a hat. You can even burn quite badly even if it is a cloudy ... http://www.park-tickets.com/florida-attraction-guide/spider-man-ride-at-universal-islands-of-adventure.aspx Spider Man Ride at Universal Islands of Adventure Up until very recently the Universal Spider Man ride was the most popular ride in the Islands of Adventure Park at Universal Studios until the new Harry Potter area was opened I would say that the rides in Harry Potter are now the most popular as it does get quite crowded at times. All that said I still think the Spiderman ride is ones of the very best rides and still sets the standard for theme park entertainment with its 3-D film and live special effect such as fire and water it is one of the very best rides around It is still a very busy ride and you need to choose your times to choose this ride very carefully the best time is mid to late afternoon a tip would be to enter the doors to the ride when the X Men arrive on there quads as many of the kids want to see the X Men and get autographs etc, this leaves the entrance a little less busy if only for a few minutes Once again you are entertained whilst you wind you...