March 25, 2013 - On the Go in MCO

MATCH PREVIEW: Lions Face Rowdies In Second Leg of I-4 Derby Saturday

Lions Face Rowdies In Second Leg Of I-4 Derby Saturday

Orlando looks for inaugural derby title in St. Petersburg at Al Lang Stadium

ORLANDO, Fla.—Orlando City squares off against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the second leg of the I-4 Derby presented by United World Soccer on Saturday, March 30, at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Lions won the first match in the derby series between the two on March 9 at the Florida Citrus Bowl, rallying to down the visiting Rowdies 3-2. Kickoff for the game is set for 7:30 p.m.

“We know we missed a good amount of chances in the first game against Tampa,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “It’s going to be a competitive game down at a tight field down there (in St. Petersburg). I expect a great game.“

Orlando has met Tampa Bay twice in franchise history, with both meetings coming within the last month. The Lions first met the Rowdies in the conclusion of the 2013 Disney Pro Soccer Classic, beating the 2012 NASL champions 2-0 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The two then clashed in the first leg of the I-4 Derby just two weeks later, with Orlando rallying to clinch the victory 3-2 over the visiting squad. If Orlando wins or draws in St. Petersburg on Saturday, the Lions will take home the title of champions in the first of what both sides hope to be an annual series.

The 2013 Orlando City roster has seen change since the last time they squared off against the Rowdies. As per the agreement between Orlando and their Major League Soccer affiliate Sporting Kansas City, four players have arrived on loan and are now competing for starting spots. Those players include Dom Dwyer, Jon Kempin, Christian Duke and Yann Songo’o. All four have seen playing time in two collegiate friendlies since their arrival, making Saturday’s match even more crucial for each player as the 2013 USL PRO season starts at the beginning of April.

“Basically everybody is trying to get themselves into pole position before the start of the season,” Heath added.

The Lions play their last collegiate friendly of the 2013 preseason Monday, March 25, against the University of Tampa at the Seminole Soccer Complex in Sanford, Fla. Orlando has remained undefeated in the collegiate series in 2013, topping college teams from Stetson, Rollins, FIU and FGCU. Admission is free and kickoff is set for 7 p.m. For more information about the collegiate friendly against Tampa and Saturday’s game at the Tampa Bay Rowdies, visit OrlandoCitySoccer.com.

Training Times:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Off Off 10-1130** 10-1130** 10-1130**

*Practices are held at the Seminole Soccer Complex in Sanford, Fla, and are open to media. Times are subject to change. Please contact Chris Jones (cjones@orlandocitysoccer.com) on confirmed times before attending training.

**times a.m.

About Orlando City Soccer Club:

Orlando City Soccer Club (OCSC) is a premier professional soccer sports franchise in the United States and is a member of the USL PRO. The Lion’s pro team has won two regular season titles and one postseason championship during their short time in Orlando. Outside of the pro squad, OCSC also has their own youth club, Orlando City Youth Soccer (OCYS) and a U23s team that participates in the PDL. For more information on the pro and youth clubs, visit www.orlandocitysoccer.com and www.orlandocityyouth.org.

Hard Rock Hotel Velvet Sessions Taylor Dayne March 28

Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando’s Velvet Sessions
Featuring Taylor Dayne Set for Thursday, March 28

WHAT:
Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando’s Velvet Sessions lobby concert series continues in March with Taylor Dayne performing her hits “Tell It To My Heart,” “With Every Beat Of My Heart,” “Don’t Rush Me,” “Heart of Stone,” “Love Will Lead You Back,” “I’ll Always Love You” and more!

Velvet Sessions is Hard Rock Hotel’s special rock ‘n’ roll cocktail party and lobby concert held the last Thursday of the month (January through October). Log onto VelvetSessions.com to buy your tickets and to receive monthly updates on who?s playing.

A Velvet Sessions ticket includes: FREE specialty drinks, finger foods and warm-up tunes from 6:30 pm until show time, cash bars and live band from show time onward and complimentary valet parking*

Velvet Sessions is a 21 and older event.

WHEN:
Thursday, March 28, 2013, at 6:30 pm

WHERE:
Velvet Bar & Lobby Lounge
Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando
5800 Universal Boulevard
Orlando, Florida 32819-7834

TICKETS**:
Velvet Sessions tickets are $29 on-line or $35 at the door.

Purchase tickets on-line and receive early entry at 6:00 pm.

To purchase tickets and for more information, log onto VelvetSessions.com or call 407-503-2401
*^Velvet Sessions is a separately ticketed event; ticket prices include Florida sales tax at 6.0% and Orange County discretionary sales surtax at 0.5%; on-line ticketing fees apply. **Complimentary and special parking rates not valid for overnight hotel guests. Dates, activities and entertainment subject to change without notice. Cameras are not permitted at Velvet Sessions. Hard Rock Hotel © Hard Rock Cafe International (USA), Inc. All rights reserved. Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2013 Universal Studios. © 2013 Universal Orlando. All rights reserved.

My Favorite Walt Disney World Spring Break Tips

My Favorite Tips For Making The Most

Of Your Spring Break At Walt Disney World

With the mad rush of Spring Break at Walt Disney World upon us, I thought I would share some of my family’s tips for dealing with the large crowds at Walt Disney World at this time of year.

When it is super busy at the parks our goal is to try to make the experience as fun and stress-free as possible, while still getting to take in as many attractions and shows as possible in on a busy day.

So here are MY 7 Must Do’s to make a busy time of year fun for the whole family!

1. Have a plan of attack!

I know this one sounds like a no-brainer, but take inventory of everyone’s favorite rides and must see shows and prioritize them. When we visit, I often find that my ability to come up with a ‘Plan B’ on the fly is what really makes or breaks a great day at the Parks since you never know what your day is going to bring.

Make sure you visit our friends over at Touring Plans, because they REALLY know how to plan a day if you are looking to make the most of every minute of your day!

2. Make your day filled with games.

In ev’ry job that must be done
There is an element of fun
You find the fun and snap!
The job’s a game

Mary Poppins had the absolute right idea! Your job is to make the most of your day in Walt Disney World, so spit spot!

Why not see how many character shirts you see in a day with extra points going to the more rare characters? Or see if you can find Cast Members from all 50 states. Maybe you can even try your hand at becoming at Hidden Mickey Hunter!

3. Look for things you might have overlooked before that others might, too.

I know this one sounds a little weird, but stick with me!

I often get stuck in the rut of following a pattern of attractions and shows when I visit the parks; however I am now constantly on the lookout for the little things I didn’t see before.

My absolute favorite one of these activities is to go the Animation Academy thanks to Betsy! I will warn you that this will take up a good chunk of time, since classes are held every 30 minutes and you can sometimes have to wait as classes tend to fill up. While you are waiting there is a ton to do and fun trivia to keep you all company.

I promise that you will not regret dedicating some time to trying your hand at the Animation Academy.

4. Pay a visit to the 2013 Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot.

The 2013 Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot is an outstanding way to spend the day, but you can really make the most of your visit by taking your time to smell the roses!

While I’ve already shared a lot of my ideas for My Perfect Day at the Flower and Garden Festival, there are even more ways that you can avoid a lot of the crowds during the Festival!

Spend time in the garden exhibits and in the Flower and Garden Festival Center, take the Tea Tour offered in the United Kingdom Pavilion, stroll through the Kinsey Collection in the American Adventure Pavilion to escape the heat, and finally make sure that you find your favorite character topiary and pose for a great picture with them.

5. Take a visit to Fort Wilderness with the family.

If any tip could possibly get me into hot water with the ‘locals’, this might be it…

Fort Wilderness is the absolute best kept secret at Walt Disney World, and once you figure this out you will be hooked!

The recreation offerings at Fort Wilderness are amazing, and ideal for this time of year to take advantage of the great weather! Some of the more unique activities you will find at the resort are archery, horse and pony riding adventures, jogging trails through meadows and cypress groves, and wagon rides for the whole family to enjoy.

But you have to wait all day to get to my absolute favorite thing to do at Fort Wilderness, which is attending Chip ’N Dale’s Campfire Sing-a-long followed by a movie under the stars. During the Campfire Sing-a-long you get to sing and dance with two of the best (not that I am biased or anything) characters…Chip ‘N Dale! And then you get to watch a great Disney movie under the stars, while you roast marshmallows (which are available for purchase at the campfire area) over the campfires that are always roaring thanks to great Fort Wilderness Cast Members.

6. Take a Tour!

It is absolutely astounding how many tours at Walt Disney World are offered!

Whether you are a history nut who wants to take the Keys to the Kingdom tour or walk on the wild side with a Wild African Trek, you are sure to find a tour that fits your interests at Walt Disney World!

A tour that I have taken many times and thoroughly enjoy is the Behind the Seeds tour in the Land Pavilion at Epcot. This tour is my favorite since it is extremely affordable (Adults $18.00/Children $14.00 with Annual Pass discounts available), appropriate for all ages (they even have special strollers and wheelchairs for use on the tour), and gives you the thrill of being backstage while being ‘in’ an attraction. The tour is also offered several times a day, so it is very schedule friendly!

I am really looking forward to making more time in my schedule for tours at Walt Disney World this year!

7. Be prepared!

I know I sound like I am out of the Festival of the Lion King with my final tip, but it is possibly the most important one I could give you!

The last thing you want on a busy day is to NEED something, and have to wait in long lines to buy something that you left in your room or didn’t think to bring. This is the one tip that I still struggle with and have to remind myself of on a constant basis.

When we visit the park as a family we always try to bring a ‘family bag’ that is full of essentials that we find ourselves needing every visit.

And here is a list of what our ‘family bag’ contains:

Umbrellas – It’s Florida, and it’s going to rain when you least expect it!
Snacks – We make sure to bring small snacks that won’t melt in the hot sun to help keep spirits high during longer than expected waits for kids and adults.
Trading Pins – It is always useful to keep a few of these babies handy!
Autograph Book and Sharpie – Zoe ebbs and flows on wanting autographs, but it is a better safe than sorry thing for us now.
Ziploc Bags – We carry them in several sizes to make sure that our electronics are safe from the rain (please see umbrellas).
Lip Balm & Sunscreen – Pretty self-explanatory for these two items.
Baby Wipes – You can get small packages with fun Disney prints, and baby wipes are good for anything…Baby wipes for Moms are like duct tape for MacGyver!