An adult male manatee brought to SeaWorld Orlando on Saturday, Aug. 31, by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission continues to recover and receive care for its watercraft injuries. The manatee was found in the Tomoka River near Daytona Beach, Fla.
SeaWorld Orlando Now Caring for
Male Manatee Rescued
Near Daytona Beach, Florida
A male manatee brought to SeaWorld Orlando on Saturday, Aug. 31, by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission continues to recover and receive care for watercraft injuries. SeaWorld veterinarians performed radiographs to see if there were internal injuries to the spine and chest. The manatee was found in the Tomoka River near Daytona Beach, Fla.
Estimated to be approximately 8.75 feet in length and weighing around 680 pounds, the manatee was rescued because he had watercraft injuries and was suffering from a pneumothorax, likely caused by the watercraft injuries. When a manatee has a pneumothorax its body cavity fills with air and it cannot stay submerged.
A SeaWorld Veterinarian monitors the condition of a rescued adult male manatee. He is suffering from watercraft injuries and pneumothorax, likely a result of the watercraft injuries. Pneumothorax causes the body cavity to fill with air and the manatee cannot stay submerged.
Today SeaWorld Orlando animal care experts took radiographs of the manatee’s chest cavity and performed a “chest tap” to relieve the animal of built up pressure and air. He also was given antibiotics. The manatee is in guarded condition and will be monitored closely during the next few days.
So far in 2013, SeaWorld has rescued 15 and returned 8 manatees back to their natural habitat. In collaboration with the government and other members of accredited stranding networks, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment operates one of the world’s most respected programs to rescue ill and injured marine animals, with the goal to rehabilitate and return to the ocean. SeaWorld animal experts have helped more than 22,000 animals in need – ill, injured, orphaned and abandoned – for more than four decades.
Animal care experts took radiographs of the adult male manatee’s chest cavity to see if there were internal injuries to the spine and chest after he received watercraft injuries. The manatee is in guarded condition and will be monitored closely during the next few days.
All manatee rescue footage produced by SeaWorld under FWS Permit Number MA7701911.
If you see injured marine animal, you can help by calling the FWC hotline at 1(888) 404-3922 or by dialing *FWC on a cellular device.
My favorite special event at Walt Disney World, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, returns this Tuesday to the Magic Kingdom. This party takes place on select nights in September and October typically several times per week. The dates run from September 10th through November 1st this year. Guests must purchase separate tickets for this hard ticket event and the party goes from 7pm until midnight, however you can usually enter the park at 4pm on the party ticket.
I absolutely love this Halloween Party for the festive fall vibe you get the second you approach the entrance to the Magic Kingdom. Colors of orange and gold greet guests along with foliage, jack o’lanterns and pumpkin characters in Town Square. I can’t wait to attend the party this coming Friday the 13th, which I hope will add and air of spookiness to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
What I am most looking forward to is the Boo To You Halloween Parade, which takes place twice during the evening. If you can stick it out for the later second parade it is usually much less crowded than the first one. Also, try to get a spot as close to the parade route as possible to get great viewing of the crowd favorite Headless Horseman that leads the parade and my favorites, the Haunted Mansion grave diggers. The Halloween Party has also been known to showcase the alter egos of the Dapper Dans, the ghoulish Cadaver Dans. Do not miss these guys if you can find them!
Main Street waiting for the Boo To You paradeHeadless HorsemanHaunted Mansion Grave DiggersHappy Hallowishes
Of course there will be trick or treating during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, but I’m still not sure if I’m going to be going in costume or not this year. I usually go the first week and it is still pushing 90 and humid in the evenings, so I typically go in shorts and a Halloween themed t-shirt. Also not to be missed are the special fireworks, Hallowishes, which are again some of my favorites of the entire year at the Magic Kingdom.
New this year are a few additions to the Halloween Party. Phineas and Ferb will be joining the Creepa Crew, which was the new group last year to help warm up the crowd before the parades by getting folks dancing in the streets. From the Nightmare Before Christmas, Sally and Jack Skellington will be joining in on the fun for meet and greets with guests in Town Square. I am so excited to see them to get me even more excited for Haunted Mansion Holiday, which I’ll be seeing for the first time during my trip to Disneyland this December! Also first timers to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party this year will be Mike and Sulley from Monster Inc. They will be hosting the Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Ball in Tomorrowland, so bring your boogie shoes!
Carlotta outside the Haunted Mansion
The dance parties are always fun to check out, along with the Villains stage show in front of Cinderella Castle. I enjoy seeing guests and characters all decked out in costumes for the Halloween party. One of my must dos is to see the special characters in front of the Haunted Mansion before I ride. An added benefit of the party only selling limited number of tickets is that the attractions that are open typically have much shorter wait times than what you normally encounter during the day. There are usually only a handful of attractions that are closed during the party, including the Jungle Cruise, Carousel of Progress, the Liberty Belle, and the train. If you go in early at 4pm on your party ticket you can often knock out these few before they close down for the Halloween party at 7pm.
As usual there will be special merchandise only available during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. If you see something you like that is party specific, please make sure you purchase it during the party as they are exclusive to the event and cannot be bought outside of the Halloween parties. I learned this the hard way my first party back in 2008. Above all else, make sure to have fun and just soak in the beginning of fall at Walt Disney World. I hope to be able to attend again, but if not, I’m going to make the most of the Halloween party on Friday night. Will you be there? Some of us from On the Go in MCO will be there. Come join the fun and see if you can track us down!
While many of us hear the name Oakley and think of only sunglasses, I had the opportunity to visit the Oakley Store at the Florida Mall to take a peek at their Women’s line of running gear.
Oakley Store Florida Mall
And I have to say that now when I think of Oakley, I am going to think of how their women’s running gear is awesome!
The first thing that I like about the line of clothing is that it starts at a reasonable price point, while still providing great quality and neat features and details.
I know this may sound silly, but I also am a fan of a thumb cut-out on the cuff of a Flexibility Hoodie! This simple little feature helps keep your hands a little warmer without lugging around gloves.
Oakley Flexible Hoodie
The Flexibility Hoodie features moisture–wicking fabric delivers dry comfort, and a nearly seamless design reduces chafing during big swings and precision approaches. The seams that do exist are flat and specifically designed to contour to the natural shape of the body for enhanced comfort. With a zip placket and mesh panels at the underarms, this hoodie offers a balance of insulation and breathability.
Hydrolix™ fabric helps wick moisture away for a comfortable fit
Strategically placed mesh panels for increased ventilation
Engineered, flat seams for natural range of motion
Hood for protection from the elements
Thumbholes at cuffs to help keep hands and wrists warm
Anti–bacterial technology to help fight odor–causing microbes
The other thing that struck me about the Women’s Oakley line of clothing is that they are always finding new technology and techniques to make their gear work the best for you.
Oakley Race Day Tank
The Oakley Race Day Tank was my favorite tank! While being super cute, it also has a lot of great features!
O Hydrolix fabric manages moisture to keep you comfortable on the move
Seamless construction reduces irritations
Anti–bacterial action reduces the effects of odor–causing microbes
Adjustable straps and contoured stretch fabric create a customized, comfortable fit
Built–in bra controls bounce
But my favorite design feature of the Race Day Tank, is that it is designed and constructed to stay put as you work out so your tank doesn’t end up higher than you want it to be.
And while there are still a lot of great sunglasses, both for fashion and for athletics, they have something even more fun!
The Oakley Store at the Florida Mall has a way to customize your own glasses in the store that are ready for you to try and tweak before you buy them.
Oakley Custom Sunglasses Area
Oakley also has great bags! They have anything from backpacks to totes to foldable duffle bags that are ideal for travel!
Oakley Factory Lite Duffle
As part of this review I was sent a Factory Lite duffel that has been amazing on my two trips to California! It’s a great size bag that was perfect to use as a way to have a little extra wiggle room in case you bought too much or wanted a little extra room in your luggage.
I really had a blast touring the Oakley Store at the Florida Mall, and I look forward to bringing you more reviews of their products in the future!
Disclaimer: Through a partnership with Oakley, I received a Factory Lite Duffel bag for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Seminole Hard Rock Recognizes Breast Cancer Survivors
with Premier Sponsorship of Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk
Effort is Part of October’s PINKTOBER™ 14th Annual Breast Cancer Research & Awareness Campaign
Dedicated to the fight against breast cancer, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is the premier sponsor of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides against Breast Cancer walk which takes place on Saturday, October 19, at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Team members will also participate in the walk. Hard Rock’s commitment to breast cancer awareness and research continues throughout October with its PINKTOBER™ campaign. This marks the 14th year of Hard Rock International’s support and the sixth year for SHRHC’s efforts.
Monies raised from the non-competitive 5K walk fund groundbreaking research to find, prevent, treat and cure breast cancer; ensure access to mammograms for women who need them; and provide free resources and support to the one in two newly diagnosed women who turn to the Society for help and support, including transportation and lodging during treatment.
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa joined the American Cancer Society in 2006 with a team of walkers for the event. Since then, the company has raised more than $50,000 for the American Cancer Society. Last year, the casino was one of the top two fundraising teams and had more than 300 walkers.
“As a global leader in the entertainment industry, we are proud to lend our resources as part of Hard Rock International’s breast cancer research and awareness campaign to educate the local Tampa community about this deadly disease,” said John Fontana, president of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. “Our month-long charitable effort is designed to engage guests, celebrate survivors, raise awareness and drive funds toward research for the advancement of defenses and treatments for breast cancer.”
Through their 2012 PINKTOBER™ efforts, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino donated nearly $65,000 to help fund research for prevention and a cure for breast cancer. This year, they hope to raise even more funds.
Hard Rock will donate proceeds from the sale of special limited-edition PINKTOBER™ merchandise to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation ®, the Caron Keating Foundation and select local charities worldwide. The special collection items are available October 1 – 31.
The resort will donate 25 percent of the proceeds from its “Get into Bed” PINKTOBER™ “Pink Sheets”guest room bookings to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. Guests can request to stay in the limited availability “Pink Sheets” rooms at no additional cost. Guests will also receive a complimentary commemorative Hard Rock pin. The select guestrooms will also be supplied with special collectible PINKTOBER™ bathrobes that can be purchased in the Seminole Hard Rock Retail Store, with a portion of the proceeds donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.
Additionally, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will be donating 100 percent of the retail purchase price of its limited edition collectible PINKTOBER™ Hard Rock pins ($12), and 15 percent of the retail purchase price of its ladies pink T-shirts ($26); pink-hued guitar-embossed “Sleep Like A Rock” bedding sheet sets (queen $95, king $105); pillow cases (queen $50, king $60); scarf ($18); bracelet $(18); and pink robe ($80) to the cause.
To further direct attention to PINKTOBER’s charitable efforts, SHRHC will showcase color-changing lights designed to bathe both the middle of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel tower sides and the main casino floor in pink hues. Special “Pink-tini” cocktails ($7.25) will be served in the casino’s Center and Lobby bars throughout October with partial proceeds also donated.
The new site launched a few weeks ago to great reviews, and is much more user friendly.
One exciting new feature is that you can now order any of Disney Floral’s Magical In Room Celebrations directly from the site, which was previously not possible.
Disney Floral and Gifts In Room Celebrations
When choosing your gift you can even add that extra magical touch by personalizing your gift with embroidery on many of the items. Disney Floral and Gifts have even added thread color and font styles to the options now, so you can be sure to achieve the exact look you’d like.
If for some reason you don’t see a gift that’s exactly what you’d like, you can create your own basket now. Just use the “Custom Gift Builder” tab, and from there you can select the type of bag or container you’d like to use. Then you can go ahead and fill it as you desire, they have also added lots of snacks and little extras so you can now customize your gifts and create the perfect basket!
Custom baskets
New items for fall and Halloween have already been added for you to order, and their Mickey’s Spooktacular In Room Celebration is not one to be missed! This year Disney Floral even added Halloween pillow cases, which can be embroidered, so guests can take these home and use them each year!
Mickeys Spooktacular
One exciting new item is their Cinderella slipper! This slipper is actually crystal and now has a little heart on the front that has a blue light underneath, so when switched on the slipper glows blue like Cinderella’s dress!
Crystal slipper
Soon enough they will be adding their Winter offerings for Christmas and Hanukkah so be sure to check back regularly to Disney Floral and Gifts for new exciting gift ideas!
Lions attempt to capture second postseason title against Eagles Saturday night
Orlando City SC (16-4-6, 54 points, No. 2 seed) hosts the Charlotte Eagles (10-5-11, 41 points, No. 5 seed) in the 2013 USL PRO Championship on Saturday, September 7, at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The Lions attempt to capture a second postseason title in franchise history Saturday night, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.
“This is the final game, and we know what we have to do,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “We will have another great crowd at the Citrus Bowl Saturday night and we want to make them happy.”
Saturday’s opponent, Charlotte, upset the No. 1 seeded Richmond Kickers 2-1 last Saturday night to advance to the Championship.Midfielder Chris Ramirez scored his second goal of the postseason and Nate Thornton notched the final goal for the victory.
“Their front three players will cause different problems than most of the players in the league,” Heath continued. “I wasn’t surprised that Charlotte beat Richmond. We have to control possession and dictate the tempo of the game. I think if we can do that, we can win the game.”
Leading the Charlotte frontline is striker Jorge Herrera, who led the Eagles in scoring in 2013 with 10 goals. Charlotte is coached by Mark Steffens, who’s in his 17th year with the Eagles.
The Lions have played the Eagles twice in 2013, winning 1-0 in Orlando while ending in a 0-0 draw in Charlotte. The Lions have yet to fall to the Eagles in three years, compiling a 4-0-2 all-time record against the North Carolina side.
Orlando is in the Championship match for the first time since 2011. The Lions topped the Harrisburg City Islanders on penalty kicks two years ago, taking home the USL PRO Championship in the club’s inaugural season.
Tickets for the Championship game are available by calling (855) ORL-CITY. For more information on Saturday’s Championship match, stay tuned to OrlandoCitySoccer.com.
McKechnie Field in Bradenton is one of baseball’s best stadiums for spring training. It is quaint and has charm, even after its huge refurbishment completed earlier this year. The stadium has even been compared to the venerable Fenway Park in Boston. Home to spring training of the Pittsburgh Pirates, McKechnie Field was first built in 1923 and has been a part of the Grapefruit League for the Pirates since 1969.
Living in Bradenton, I’ve had the opportunity to catch many spring training games. McKechnie Field is a fantastic location that is literally a five minute drive from my house. On special nights there are sometimes fireworks, which I can see from my driveway about 20 blocks away. For the Pirates’ 40th Anniversary at McKechnie Field, lights were added to the stadium so night games could be played there finally. Baseball at night in Florida is great since it does tend to be pretty warm here.
In 2010, Minor League Baseball came to Bradenton in the form of the Bradenton Marauders, Pittsburgh’s single A team. The stadium seats about 8,500, which is a nice intimate feel where you can get seats very close to the field. This is a great feeling, especially during Spring Training when you can see some of your favorite players just feet away from you. In comparison to the Atlanta Braves’ location at Champion Stadium at Walt Disney World, McKechnie Field is about 1,000 seats smaller.
McKechnie Field seating chart
Accessibility is a key factor in getting to a game for me. I love baseball, and being able to decide last minute to catch a game and to pay less than $10 for a ticket day of game, is fantastic. You can even get advance tickets for about $6 which makes the games even that much more appealing. This weekend my mom and I were lucky enough to catch some great weather, which this time of year is a challenge. We decided last minute to go to the Marauder’s game since it was the last home game of the season.
I hadn’t been to McKechnie Field for a little over a year and a half and was very impressed with all of the new renovations. The concessions have been vastly improved as well as new restrooms added. In the outfield there is a great boardwalk section with tables and chairs along the outfield wall with great views. The food is relatively affordable and so are drinks as far as baseball food goes. Our tickets were about $17 for the two of us, mom had a bbq pulled pork sandwich, I had an Italian sausage and we split nachos for about another $17. Then we each had a 24 ounce premium draft beer for $6.50 each. That to me was a huge steal, especially since it was at the Kona bar where they had Koko Brown, Longboard Lager, Fire Rock Pale Ale and Big Wave Golden Ale on draft.
We had great seats about 7 or 8 rows behind the Marauder’s dugout just a little behind first base. The game was pretty slow at first, but the Marauders pulled out the win, with a rally in the bottom of the 8th to beat the Fort Myers Miracle 3-2. In each half inning there are great games to keep the fans involved, especially the kids. This includes things like hula hoop contest, frozen tshirt contest, dizzy bat run, and many more. The kids seem to be really interested in these and they are fun to keep the adults entertained too.
After the game there was a special fireworks show for the last game at McKechnie Field of the season. They will also do special nights throughout the summer where they do the fireworks, in addition to holidays like 4th of July. There are great areas for groups to reserve and quite a few were in use the other night. They were setup in roped off sections of the boardwalk area with buffet stations for dinner. This seemed like a fun way to experience the game with a group of friends.
All in all, McKechnie Field is a great place to experience baseball, whether for the Pirates during spring training or for the Marauders games that usually run from April through August. If you get an opportunity, I strongly encourage you to check out this great baseball stadium that is a fantastic place just minutes from the Gulf Beaches. Parking fees usually run from $5-10 in area parking lots around the stadium.
McKechnie Field boardwalkKona signsKona barview of the field from the Kona barview from our seatspanorama of McKechnie Fieldoutfieldlove the Spanish Mission styleMe at the gameMarty the MarauderPretty cloudsKids gamesYuengling Plaza BarYuengling barConcession standSunsetPalm trees at nightMarauders logoMarty leading fans in Take Me Out to the BallgameFireworksFireworks 2Fireworks 3Fireworks 4Fireworks 5
Have you been to McKechnie Field? Have you been to either spring training or a minor league game before? If not, you have a few months to plan before spring training rolls around in the end of February. Get planning!
This week’s Wordless Wednesday takes us to Disneyland! Nestled among water fountains just outside of the entrance to the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough, you will find this statue of Aurora dancing with Prince Phillip as Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather all surround her. It’s such a pretty statuette in person, and it really captures the charm of the movie and the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough!
Disney Design Group artist Mark Seppala created this Haunted Mansion Disney Dooney and Bourke bag with such attention to detail it is amazing! The creepy color palate, the pop of red in the interior of the bag, the subtle wallpaper patter, and especially the hang tag with the attraction logo!
The hang tag is my favorite touch on this purse!
I am in love to say the least!!!
I love it when purses have a pop of color in the lining, because it adds to the fun and practicality of the purse!
The bag will have a retail of $330.00 (plus tax), and will be released at the following merchandise locations starting September 13, 2013.
The Disney Parks online store will also carry this bag in the fall, but if you are anything like me you are going to want to be a Happy Haunt with this bag as soon as possible!
During that stretch they will also play at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on two occasions while also visiting the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The Bolts will then have a few days before taking on the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Tuesday, September 24. They will then move south to take on the Panthers at Germain Arena in Estero, FL (Ft. Myers area) before finishing off the preseason in Sunrise, Florida against the Panthers on Saturday, September 28.
This season will mark the second time the Lightning will play a preseason game at Amway Center. More recently, Tampa Bay made the drive across I-4 to Orlando on September 21, 2011 to take on St. Louis. The Blues won the game, 4-3. This will mark the fifth time in franchise history the team will play a preseason game at Germain Arena in Estero, home to the Lightning’s ECHL affiliate, the Florida Everblades. Tampa Bay is 0-3-1 all-time at Germain Arena, most recently playing to a 3-3 tie against the Carolina Hurricanes on September 24, 2002. The team also spent a portion of their 2012-13 training camp at Germain Arena.
Tickets for the Tampa Bay Lightning game are available now, and are $10, $15, $25, $40, $50, $75, and $150. All tickets are subject to applicable taxes, service, handling, and facility fee charges.
SPECIAL OFFER!!!!
You can get 50% off of select Tampa Bay Lightning tickets with the offer code ‘WIN’ using this link! This offer ends Wednesday, September 11 at 10:00 pm so don’t wait to get your tickets!
Door opening times for the Amway Center vary according to each event. Guests may enter the arena one hour prior to the start time of each event, unless otherwise specifically noted. Guests may check door times in advance by calling 407.440.7900.
It’s always good to check the Amway Center Camera Policies change from event to event. For the Tampa Bay Lightning game you can bring on-flash, still cameras, may be used to take pictures of sporting events or events where house lights are illuminated during a performance. Cameras with detachable lenses longer than six (6) inches are prohibited from all Amway Center sporting events. Tripods or other photography equipment may not be used or admitted without building issued media credentials. Check amwaycenter.com or call the administration office at 407.440.7000 prior to the event for any camera policy updates.
We will be there brining you tweets and pictures from the game, but you could be there with us!
Entering the contest is extremely easy with Rafflecopter and there are even ways to enter the contest every day!
The contest starts today, and ends at 12:00 am on September 9, 2013!
There are few things to keep in mind when you’re entering the contest!
We will be giving away two (2) tickets to see the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida on September 18, 2013 at 7:00 pm.
I will contact the winner by email, and the winner will have 24 hours to respond that they would like to still attend the game. If the winner does not respond or if they do not want to go for some reason, another winner will be chosen.
Winners must be 18 and older and you will need to present ID to pick up your tickets at the Amway Center Box Office.
Please note that these tickets do not include parking at the Amway Center.
Disclaimer: Through our partnership with the Amway Center, I was given tickets to attend the game and tickets to offer with this giveaway. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Celebrated culinary event will feature celebrity chef Todd English and live entertainment
The culinary team at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel is gearing up for the annual Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic, October 18 – 19, 2013.
Back for its fourth year, the event presents the perfect opportunity for everyone – from novices to enthusiasts – to savor the flavor of culinary innovation at this two-night outdoor evening festival hosted along the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel’s lush causeway.
Guests can enjoy the delights of numerous food and wine stations; immerse themselves in food and wine education seminars; meet the masters behind the culinary magic and take in some live entertainment at the same time.
From a short rib Oscar, marrying beef, Maryland blue crab, asparagus and hollandaise; to Chinese-inspired vegetarian bao; to a handcrafted convergence of bacon, black-eyed pea puree and maple, the food options are as innovative as they are enticing. Finishing touches like raspberry s’mores and a milk chocolate mousse dome with a center of caramel cream and hazelnut dacquoise sponge cake, provide even more intrigue.
In addition to sampling all things savory and sweet, guests will be able to purchase featured wines on site and other event merchandise.
New to the educational lineup is a pasta-making seminar hosted by hotel executive chef Robert Ciborowski. Guests will learn to make pasta dough from scratch and assist with the creation of specialty pastas. The wine education tract will feature a new Italian wine class, where guests will learn the history of Italian wine and its influence on culture and cuisine. Returning beverage seminars include modern mixology, sake, beer, wine-blending, champagne, Riesling and Spanish wines. The seminars are led by the hotel’s certified culinary and beverage experts.
While enjoying live entertainment and enticing food and wine samples, guests also can get a meet and greet with celebrity chef Todd English. English is a world-renowned restaurateur who has gained national acclaim through his line of restaurants and cookbooks, and his countless other food-related enterprises. His concept, Todd English’s bluezoo, is a AAA four-diamond restaurant and one of the signature restaurants of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel. Other noted chefs, including Laurent Branlard, the hotel’s executive pastry chef – and the world’s only two-time World Pastry Chef – will also be on-site throughout the weekend.
With 17 restaurants and lounges, a distinguished culinary and beverage team and unmatched customer service, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel continually receives national recognition for its food and beverage program. The hotel boasts more than 70 certified wine sommeliers and 1,400 wine selections, including organic and rare vintages. The hotel’s restaurants are annual winners of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence including Shula’s Steak House, a three-time recipient of the exclusive Best of Award of Excellence.
Tickets to the Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic are available as part of a hotel package or individually. For more information or to book, please visit www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com or call 1-800-227-1500.
Fourth Annual Swan and Dolphin
Food & Wine Classic Info At-A-Glance
The Fourth Annual Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel returns Oct. 18-19, showcasing some of the top food, wine and beers in the world, along with informative seminars conducted by members of the hotel’s award-winning food and beverage team. Highlighting the event will be the appearance of celebrity chef Todd English.
The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic consists of nine food and beverage seminars, live entertainment and more than 40 food and beverage stations featuring appetizing selections from restaurants, including Shula’s Steak House, Il Mulino New York Trattoria and Todd English’s bluezoo as well as wines, beers and cocktails from around the world.
When: Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19 from 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (seminars start at 4:30pm) .
In the heart of the Walt Disney World Resort, the award-winning Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel is the gateway to Central Florida’s greatest theme parks and attractions. The hotel is located between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and nearby Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Magic Kingdom Park. Guests can discover 17 world-class restaurants and lounges, sophisticated guest rooms with Westin Heavenly Beds and the luxurious Mandara Spa. The hotel features five pools, two health clubs, tennis, nearby golf, complimentary transportation throughout the Walt Disney World Resort and the Extra Magic Hours benefit, where each day, one of the four Walt Disney World Theme Parks offers additional time for guests to enjoy select attractions. (Valid Theme Park admission and Resort ID required). The hotel can be reached at 800-227-1500,www.swandolphin.com or through Facebook at www.facebook.com/swananddolphin.
I get that not everyone owns a bike, and if you’re visiting from out of town, a bike will probably not be making the trip to Florida with you. Those baggage fees are enough in itself, I don’t even want to think about flying a bike here!
I mean, heck, my parents fall into both categories (and they only drive 1.5 hours to see us!)
A couple of weeks ago while they were in town, we wanted to show them around Celebration on our new favorite mode of transportation.
After a quick talk with the owner of Celebration Surrey Company, she let my parents borrow a couple of their bikes! I was SO thrilled!
When we got to their location (in the parking lot behind the Bohemian Hotel), we quickly rented the bikes from them, my parents signed a piece of paper (everyone has to do this) saying that they would return the bikes, etc and we were on the way.
Incase you didn’t see it on the rates picture above, when you rent with them you can get a map of the Celebration trails and also some water.
They have so many different kinds of bikes to rent.
My mom saw the purple one and had to have it – I tried to get her to try a cruiser since that’s what Jeff and I have, but she was sold on the purple mountain bike.
Dad picked out a cruiser.
They really liked their bikes and riding around Celebration. They both kept saying, “We know why you guys like this so much.”
If you’re around Celebration and looking for something active to do, I would highly recommend taking a bike out for a spin around town and I believe your best bet for a rental is Celebration Surrey Company!
Their hours are 10-5, but if for some reason you want to rent the bike a little later in the day and would be returning after 5, give them a call (407-791-2822) and they’ll work with you on the times. Both of the employees I talked to were super helpful and friendly and were more than happy to work with us on the times, which is not something I’ve found with any other company.
Lions face Charlotte Eagles in 2013 USL PRO Championship at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl
Orlando City SC (No. 2 seed) will host the 2013 USL PRO Championship against the Charlotte Eagles (No. 5 seed) on Saturday, September 7, at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
The Eagles claimed their first postseason victory against their long-time rival Richmond as Midfielder Chris Ramirez scored his second goal of the postseason and Nate Thornton notched the winner for the 2-1 victory Saturday night. Orlando advanced to the Championship matchFriday with an exciting 3-2 victory over the Charleston Battery.
Orlando is in the Championship match for the first time since 2011. The Lions topped the Harrisburg City Islanders on penalty kicks two years ago, taking home the USL PRO Championship in the club’s inaugural season.
For more information on the Championship match against the Eagles on Saturday, including ticket availability, stay tuned to OrlandoCitySoccer.com.
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 OrlandoCitySoccer.com and OrlandoCityYouth.org.
This post is the second in a mini series about the Baby Care Centers at Walt Disney World, there will be four total; one for each theme park.
For the first post we went to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and for this installment we will be traveling to Epcot.
Signs to the Baby Care Center.
Epcot’s Baby Care Center is located in the Odyssey building next to First Aid. It’s about as centrally located as you can get in a park with a lagoon in the middle. Strollers can’t come into this Baby Care, but there is parking right outside the doors.
Stroller parking area, right outside.
When you first walk in, there is a little lobby area with a couch, usually occupied by dads or grandparents. There is a short hallway & then you are usually greeted by the Cast Member stationed there.
Little lobby.
To the right is the little play room. There is a TV in there playing Disney Channel or a Disney movie, several chairs for sitting, & some toys for the kids to play with. A minor thing to consider, there is no food allowed in this room.
Play room.
A little further down the hall on the right are full sized adult restrooms. A nice thing to have right there. The hallway ends with the changing room. There are four large, nicely padded changing tables in this room, along with a hand washing sink.
Roomy changing tables.
Continuing back down the hall (as if you were headed to the exit), you have the feeding room/mini gift shop. This room has a few small merchandise displays of Baby Mickey & Minnie plush, rattles, bibs, & onsies. This area has a child sized table and chairs along with high chairs and regular sized chairs for adults.
The feeding room, with merchandise.
The next room is the kitchen & supplies room, very important!! They have filtered water, a microwave, sterilizer, bottle warmer, & a sink. They also carry all those forgot to grab before you left the house/hotel items or things you just run out of. They have bottles, pacifiers, diaper kits, food, sippy cups, formula, juice, sunscreen, sundries & some childrens medicines!
Kitchen/merchandise shop.
Items available for sale.
Last but not least, is the nursing room. Not my favorite of the four parks, but at least it’s there! This nursing room, unlike the ones at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which I’ll cover later) is a public one. Only nursing mothers are allowed in the room, but it still holds 4 at a time. The room is quite large, it has 4 non-padded wooden rocking chairs, each side of the room has a small table between the 2 chairs, outlets all over the room for pumping or charging a cell phone, and there are dimmer lights over each chair. If the room is set up properly by the Cast, the four chairs all face the center of the room. A lot of mothers will turn their chair around to face the wall instead. Most of the time when we’ve gone in there, we’re either the only ones or there is only one other person in there. Only once have I ever gone in (and we go at least once a month) and there been a wait, all 4 chairs occupied and one lady nursing sitting on the floor. That is far from a normal day though!
Door to the nursing room.
Chairs in the nursing room.
Of all four Baby Care Centers, this is our second most visited and our third favorite! Stay tuned for our next installment!
