June 10, 2014 - On the Go in MCO

SpaceX Night Rocket Launch June 12 Public Viewing Information

Enjoy Best Public Viewing of SpaceX Night Rocket Launch on June 12

at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Space fans looking for the perfect way to spend the day of theSpaceX launch on June 12 will find Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex the ideal destination for space exploration. Visitors may enjoy a front row seat to view the stunning night-time launch from the Apollo/Saturn V Center, the closest possible public viewing area. The launch is scheduled for 9:07 p.m. from Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

httpv://youtu.be/ujX6CuRELFE

A limited number of tickets are available for purchase for launch viewing from the Apollo/Saturn V Center, located within Kennedy Space Center and approximately five miles from the launch pad. Launch viewing includes mission control coverage and commentary by four-time space shuttle astronaut Bob Crippen beginning at 8 p.m. and is available for Visitor Complex guests for $20 plus the cost of admission. Admission to the Visitor Complex is $50 plus tax for adults and $40 plus tax for children 3-11. Bus boarding for the Apollo/Saturn V Center begins at 5:45 p.m. Guests should arrive at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex no later than 7:30 p.m. to allow time for transportation to the Apollo/Saturn V Center.

The viewing area at the Apollo/Saturn V Center features an open lawn and bleacher section overlooking the Banana River. Launch Pad 40 is located southeast of the viewing area and guests have a direct view of the rocket on the launch pad and lift-off.

In addition to providing launch commentary, Crippen also will be featured in special 20-minute Astronaut Encounter shows in the Lunar Theater at 6:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Food concessions and restroom facilities are available at the Apollo/Saturn V Center.

This is the second Falcon 9 launch within three months following the successful April 18 launch of the Dragon capsule to the International Space Station. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch six second-generation ORBCOMM communications satellites to provide two-way data messaging services for global customers.

On launch day, the Visitor Complex will open at 9 a.m. and remain open until 7 p.m., offering a full-day space experience. Guests can enjoy such attractions and activities as:

Space Shuttle Atlantis^SM, where visitors can “be the astronaut” as they get nose to nose with a real spaceflown orbiter. Space Shuttle Atlantis is displayed as if floating in space – the only space shuttle orbiter in the world exhibited this way. Guests can also “be the astronaut” as they train on various simulators: take a simulated spacewalk, land the space shuttle on the shuttle landing facility, operate the robotic Canadarm or dock with the International Space Station.

KSC Up-Close Explore Tour, which gives visitors an insider’s view of the U.S. Space Program, from the launch sites of today at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to the past and future of space exploration at Kennedy Space Center. The KSC Up-Close Explore Tour includes up-close views of the massive, 525-foot-high Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and the Shuttle Landing Facility. The tour stops in between the Kennedy Space Center launch pads for a close-up photo opportunity, in front of the VAB, and on the NASA Causeway where guests are surrounded by a panoramic view of launch pads at Cape Canaveral Airforce Station.

The Apollo/Saturn V Center, where dramatic multi-media shows and numerous hands-on displays provide visitors with an inspirational and exhilarating look into America’s quest for the moon. Guests relive the historic launch of Apollo 8 at the Firing Room Theater, then marvel at a monstrous 363-foot long Saturn V moon rocket, the most powerful rocket ever built and one of only three Saturn V rockets in existence. The Apollo Treasures Gallery showcases treasures from the Apollo moon missions, including Apollo 14 Commander Alan Shepard’s spacesuit and the Apollo 14 Command Module, Kitty Hawk.

Admission tickets may be purchased at www.KennedySpaceCenter.com or by calling 877-313-2610.

Launch date, time and viewing locations are subject to change.

Lunching at The Wave…of American Flavors

One of my favorite “under the radar” restaurants at Walt Disney World is The Wave…of American Flavors (The Wave for short) at the Contemporary Resort.

The menu here features American cuisine and many of the ingredients are sourced locally. I’ve always felt that the food I’ve eaten here has been fresh and prepared so that these fresh ingredients, especially produce, can shine.

The restaurant is located in the back corner of the lobby, just past the check-in desks. The entrance is definitely one of the coolest on property!

Various elements of the décor also bring out the “wave” theme. It also features close up photographs of produce, like an ear of corn.

I’ve eaten at the Wave several times now of the past few years, at least once for every meal. Recently, it’s become a tradition for my mom and I to eat Easter brunch there after church service. They always have a fantastic breakfast buffet there (sweet potato pancakes anyone??), but for Easter they add a few extras, like carving and omelet stations.

Today though, I’m going to focus on lunch at the Wave. I’ve eaten lunch there a couple of times now. I love that you can usually always get in without a reservation there and that is especially true at lunch. It’s very quiet and I think could be a great break from a busy (and hot) theme park day. Plus, it’s an easy walk from the Magic Kingdom!

Now onto the food…I will warm you that I’m not the greatest when it comes to food reviews. They usually consist of varying degrees of yumminess! But I’ll try to be a bit more descriptive this time!

Most of the time, I like to keep it light at lunch with a salad and maybe an appetizer. My first lunch there, I fell in love with the Wave’s version of the Cobb salad.

From the menu: MacGregor Farms Greens, Naturally Raised Eggs, Bacon, Florida Avocados, Chile-Lime Vinaigrette, and Midnight Moon Cheese

Most Disney fans know of Brown Derby’s version, which is great, but I give the Wave’s a bit of an edge because of the bigger pieces of the ingredients. With the Brown Derby’s I feel like it all sort of mushes together. I’m also a bit obsessed with the bacon on this salad. It’s thick-cut and has a bit of sweetness to it. It goes great with the tangy vinaigrette. I know there are people who aren’t fans of the traditional bleu cheese found on most Cobb salads. You will be happy to hear that the cheese on this version is much more mild and has a parmesan-like texture.

You can choose to add chicken or steak to the salad to make it more of an entrée. Instead, I decided to go with the soup of the day, which was a Zellwood corn and chicken chowder. The restaurant happened to be a bit chilly that afternoon so sop actually sounded fantastic. And it was! Zellwood corn is known for being sweet. The chicken was shredded and there was some spice with red peppers in the base. This was also paired with a jalapeño corn bread muffin, which also added a bit of heat, but nothing overwhelming. Our server made sure to warn us.

Season Soup - corn chowder — Season Soup – corn chowder

I will definitely be back to The Wave…for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Lunch is definitely a treat and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a break from the parks for an hour or two. The only complaint I have is I’ve had some inconsistent service there. The servers have always been very nice, it’s just some have been more on top of everything than others.

Have you been to The Wave? What would you recommend for my next visit?

The Skyscraper at SKYPLEX Announcement

The Skyscraper at SKYPLEX announcement by David and Joshua Wallack, the owners of Mango’s Tropical Café Orlando and Mango’s Tropical Café South Beach, is the latest in the revitalization of I Drive in Orlando.

The Skyscraper, the world’s tallest roller coaster, and the unique 495,000 square feet SKYPLEX indoor entertainment complex will break ground in 2015 with an expected opening date of 2016, and will be built on 12 acres with 300 front feet at International Drive and Sand Lake Road near the Orlando Eye 425-foot ferris wheel.

A look at the current

The Skyscraper at SKYPLEX location.

The Skyscraper at SKYPLEX will bring a mix of retail, restaurant, and attraction space that along with Mango’s Orlando will create an exciting nighttime vibe on I Drive.

“Next to our theme parks, International Drive is one of the most recognized icons of Orlando,” said Visit Orlando president and CEO George Aguel. “It’s exciting for our tourism community to see this type of investment being made to continuously raise the bar on the dining and entertainment experiences we offer across our destination.”

The Skyscraper at SKYPLEX is 570 feet tall and will feature the first Polercoaster built. This mega-thrill ride is a vertical roller coaster created with coaster-length tracks featuring “all the other thrilling mayhem” of a great coaster experience, but “in a very small footprint,” according to Michael Kitchen, President of US Thrill Rides, the Orlando based company that created the ride.

Bill Kitchen, Founder of US Thrill Rides and creator of the Polercoaster said “Not only will the ‘Skyscraper’ coaster be the world’s tallest, we believe it will be the most thrilling. There will be incredible heart-pounding inside and outside loops, dives, spirals and inversions like the world has never seen.”

The SKYPLEX observation deck at the tip of the tallest structure in Central Florida will offer views 535 feet from the ground. To get there, visitors will ride in the region’s tallest glass elevators.

“We’re extremely excited about creating a record-breaking, must-try attraction on International Drive,” said Joshua Wallack, Mango’s Tropical Café chief operating officer, who also will open a Mango’s Orlando next year across International Drive from SKYPLEX. “Nowhere in the world will you have two iconic structures like The Skyscraper and the Orlando Eye. This will be an incredible opportunity for International Drive.”

Wallack and his father David are partners in the mixed-use development that includes opportunities for additional attractions, entertainment, interactive venues, restaurants and retail to include a two-story prime retail space on International Drive. The SKYPLEX indoor entertainment complex including the observatory and restaurant and lounge at the top of the Skyscraper was designed by global architectural firm HHCP, based in Orlando, and will be constructed by Euforria, a construction management division of Winter Park Construction, based in Winter Park, Fla.

“Imagine a night of incredible dining, lounging and dancing atop a glass elevator ride 55 stories into the air,” said David Wallack. “It’s a true meeting of engineering, technology and art that is making this dream happen for us. We plan to bring Ocean Drive to I-Drive with a new dining and nightlife district that locals and Orlando visitors won’t want to miss.”

We are excited about all that The Skyscraper at SKYPLEX will be bringing to Orlando, and we’ll be updating you as the complex is built.

For more information about The Skyscraper at SKYPLEX, you can visit www.skyplex.com.