On the Go in MCO - Page 163 of 224 - A lifestyle and informational blog about all that central Florida has to offer! Enjoy our unique perspectives and news about the Orlando area attractions and resorts.

Amway Center: Tampa Bay Lightning Ticket Giveaway

{Sponsored Post}

Amway Center: Tampa Bay Lightning

Preseason Ticket Giveaway!

The Tampa Bay Lightning are coming to the Amway Center, and will open the preseason with games on four consecutive nights beginning at the Amway Center on September 18.

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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!

2013 Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic

New Seminars & Innovative Dishes Highlight

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin

Food & Wine Classic

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) .

Where: Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel (1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd. Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830)

Ticket Information:

One and two-night packages including tickets to the outdoor festival for two and overnight accommodations are available, starting at $300 per night
Advance purchase event-only tickets are available for $85 including taxes and include unlimited food and beverage samples on the causeway
Beverage seminars are $45 per person, per class including taxes
Pasta seminar is $60 per person including taxes
For more information or to book, please visit www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com or call 1-800-227-1500

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.

Bike Rentals in Celebration, Florida

Disclaimer: Two bike rentals were given free of charge. No compensation was given.

I’ve talked about it before, but one of my favorite things to do outside is ride my bike in Celebration.

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.

Mountain bikes, cruiser bikes, trailers, three wheel bikes, tandem, surrey bikes, kids bikes.

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.

Orlando City To Host 2013 USL PRO Championship

Orlando City def Riverhounds — Photo by Allison Petro

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.

Baby Care Center – Epcot

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!

Halloween Horror Nights 23 at Universal

Halloween Horror Nights

GAME OVER…

HORROR VIDEO GAME SERIES RESIDENT EVIL COMPLETES INTENSELY TERRIFYING LINEUP FOR

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO’S HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS 23

Nation’s Best Halloween Event to Feature Eight All-New Haunted Houses,
Outrageous Shows and Horrifying, New Street Experience

This fall, Universal Orlando Resort will transform reality into a surreal fight for survival as the critically-acclaimed survival horror video game series Resident Evil becomes a haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights 23.

This completes this year’s lineup for Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 23, which will feature some of the most outrageously terrifying, highly-recognizable names in entertainment and pop culture. In addition to Resident Evil, the event will also include haunted houses based on AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” Mexican urban legend La Llorona and critically acclaimed horror films “Evil Dead,” “An American Werewolf in London” and “The Cabin in the Woods.” Universal Orlando is also dedicating its entire Halloween Horror Nights street experience to “The Walking Dead” – making this the first time ever that all of the scare zones throughout the park will be themed after a hit television series.

For Resident Evil, Universal’s Entertainment team collaborated with the video game creators at Capcom to create a horrifyingly authentic haunted house based on some of the popular video games from the Resident Evil series. Guests will become desperate survivors inside the viral catastrophe, Raccoon City. As they journey through the city, they’ll encounter vicious characters from the games such as Lickers, bloodthirsty zombies, packs of Cerberuses and even Nemesis himself. Fans will be completely transported inside the video game realm – to the extent that one room in the haunted house will appear as if an action-packed fight scene is paused, as if the gamer has taken a quick break before returning to the horror of Raccoon City.

The Resident Evil franchise is now firmly established as a mainstay of contemporary culture with blockbuster live action movies, CG anime, manga, novels and numerous merchandising lines being produced alongside the videogame series. To date, the Resident Evil series of videogames has achieved global sales of more than 57 million units.

“It’s such a great delight to work with Universal on a haunted house based on the Resident Evil games,” said Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, Producer of Resident Evil 6. “The games have become synonymous with survival horror and we look forward to delivering a new way for consumers to experience the Resident Evil world we have created in the haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights.”

“Resident Evil is a perfect final addition to Halloween Horror Nights 23,” said Michael Aiello, Creative Director for Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights. “We were able to create incredibly elaborate sets that plant you right in the midst of Raccoon City’s apocalyptic nightmare, along with terrifying adversaries that will send them running.”

For a detailed listing of each experience featured at this year’s event, see below.

Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 23 will take place select nights from Sept. 20 to Nov. 2. Tickets and vacation packages are on sale now and can be purchased at Halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando. For details on special Florida resident offers, please see below. Due to the event’s popularity, tickets for weekend nights are expected to sell out and should be purchased well in advance.

Disneyland: California Dreaming

With so many of us and our friends traveling out to Disneyland this week, it’s got me thinking about my upcoming trip. I had my first trip to Disneyland last summer, and wow was it amazing! You can read my detailed trip reports from last year here, here and here. This fall I’m heading back to California the week after Thanksgiving. I’m so stoked that I will get to see the Disneyland Resort in a whole new light at the holidays!

Last trip was solo with several groups of friends traveling on overlapping dates, which turned into only one day where I was truly on my own. This year, my mom is coming with me for her first trip to Disneyland. We are also celebrating both of our birthdays since it is the week after mine and the week before hers. I’m excited to see it through her eyes for the first time as she has been coming to Walt Disney World since the early 1970s and has been a passholder on and off over the past 15 years. We are staying on property at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and splurged for a theme park view room since I was able to book at a discount through work.

I am looking forward to going back to experience some of my favorites from last time like Pirates of the Caribbean, Radiator Springs Racers, Alice in Wonderland and many more attractions. Even just the thought of exploring New Orleans Square, which is one of my favorite places on the entire planet, gets me excited for this trip! I cannot wait to see and do the special things just for Christmas time. They haven’t released any info yet, but I’m hoping I’ll be there while Disneyland is doing the Candlelight Processional. I love this show at Epcot and would like to see the differences and often they have great celebrity narrators since they’re so close to L.A.

Haunted Mansion is going to be transformed for the Nightmare Before Christmas layover called Haunted Mansion Holiday. I’ve seen the ride through on my NBC special edition dvd, but experiencing it in person has been on my list for a while. I also cannot wait to see Sleeping Beauty Castle draped in icicle lights and the special Believe fireworks show in Disneyland.

Over in Disney California Adventure I am probably most looking forward to seeing my favorite section of the park, Buena Vista Street, decked out in decorations reminiscent of the heyday of Hollywood. I saw pictures from friends last year and videos of bell ringers and I see myself with a peppermint mocha from Fiddler, Fife and Practical Cafe’s Starbucks spending a good amount of time just soaking in the atmosphere. Also, I’m interested to see the all new World of Color show for the holidays. I have to admit I’m going to miss the regular show, but I’m sure they’ll produce something just as awesome for Christmas.

And then there is the food. I will definitely be returning to Jolly Holiday Bakery for my beloved Matterhorn macaroon, Mickey beignets and a mint julep will be happening, and skewers from Bengal Barbecue again will make another great snack. I am debating making a reservation for either a character meal, which I didn’t do last time, or maybe Steakhouse 55 since I’m still unable to find a way into Club 33. I really loved Napa Rose and may do just appetizers and drinks there again and same thing at Carthay Circle since I enjoyed them both so much. Oh yes, and churros must happen too. Team churro forever!

I think I hit all of the attractions last summer, but there have been some additions since then like Mickey and the Magical Map in Disneyland and the new location for the princess meet and greet. I am also hoping that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be open then after its lengthy refurbishment. It’s A Small World Holiday is another thing I’m really looking forward to seeing for the first time.

Most of all, I just cannot wait to be back in Disneyland. For someone who has been coming to Walt Disney World for thirty plus years, it is like traveling home, but to a different home than what you know, and you are instantly welcomed and at ease. I’m also toying with doing either a special holiday tour or the Walk in Walt’s Footsteps tour. The ambiance and feel and coziness of Disneyland is something that I think we are missing here in Florida. I love the parks here at Christmas and can’t wait to experience the magic of Disneyland when I head back in a few months. The thought of returning to Trader Sam’s doesn’t hurt either. 😉

Have you been to Disneyland at the holidays? What are some of your favorite things to do? Leave me a comment if there’s anything I’ve missed that special for that time of year or if you have any restaurant or tour recommendations for me.

Best of luck to everyone traveling to Disneyland this weekend for the runDisney Dumbo Double Dare races!!!

Orlando City Players Kick Open Foster Care Center

ORLANDO CITY SC PLAYERS HELP “KICK” OPEN COMMUNITY BASED CARE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA’S ALL-NEW FOSTER CARE FACILITY

— Soccer players donate time and toys to center —

As Community Based Care of Central Florida (CBCCFL) geared up today for their grand opening of CBC West – a brand-new service center dedicated to helping parents best care for foster children – athletes from Orlando City SC spent time at the facility ensuring a special room was filled with soccer balls, signed autographs and Lions merchandise to inspire the children.

The new CBC West building allows Devereux, One Hope United, IMPOWER and CBCCFL to work closely together helping foster children in need. In the past, each organization was scattered in separate buildings throughout the county. And now with CBC West, they will operate on all cylinders with ease, including helping foster parents make appointments, visitation sessions and attend support groups for their foster kids.

It is no surprise that foster children are more likely than most to need additional medical and emotional support. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “about 30% of children in foster care have severe emotional, behavioral, or developmental problems.” By working together under one roof, these four organizations can work hand-in-hand to bring positive results to Central Florida’s foster children.

Community Based Care of Central Florida (CBCCFL) is the lead agency overseeing foster and adoption programs in Orange, Osceola and Seminole county.

Devereux is a non-profit organization providing services around the nation for persons with emotional, developmental & educational disabilities.

One Hope United is an accredited, not-for-profit human service organization that provides a diverse array of high-quality prevention, intervention, counseling and child development programs.

IMPOWER is a non-profit organization dedicated to the mental health and well-being of children in need. They are focused on empowering the lives of those in need by offering personal attention, counseling, assistance and inspiration to help them succeed.

From visitation rooms where children can safely play with their biological parents to individual and group therapy, the new service center makes being a foster parent even easier.

Thanks to Orlando City SC players who donated time and toys for Central Florida’s foster children along with three Central Florida companies – McCree General Contractors & Architects, Michelee Puppets, and Blackrain Partners – the visitation rooms in the new building are now filled with cheerful and positive activities.

Good Luck Charlie and The Incredibles

I’ve been watching the Disney Channel show Good Luck Charlie and thought the patriarch, Bob Duncan, reminded me a lot of Bob Parr, aka Mr. Incredible, from the Disney/Pixar movie the Incredibles. Both men have similar builds at the beginning being big and tall guys with similar blond haircuts. I believe their similarities go further than the physical if you’ll allow me to indulge.

Bob Duncan of Good Luck Charlie — Bob Duncan

In Good Luck Charlie, Bob Duncan is an exterminator who wears a uniform for his job. Mr. Incredible wears a uniform when he is in his superhero mode. Both have larger than average family sizes with three to five kids each. Even their family members have some common threads.

Each family has at least two boys and one girl. Good Luck Charlie focuses primarily on Teddy, the girl who is making the video diaries for her baby sister Charlie. I would say of the children in the Parr family, Violet seems to get the most attention. The two girls are the most likely in their respective families to behave in school, not get in as much trouble as their younger brothers, and aren’t the most confident around boys.

Speaking of trouble, in the Incredibles, Dash is a bit of a troublemaker as evidenced by his mom, Helen, getting called into the principal’s office after Dash tormented a teacher. Gabe Duncan of Good Luck Charlie is a first class expert in causing trouble in and out of school, to the point it seems his mom is in school almost as often as he is.

Their are some differences too, like Good Luck Charlie has an older brother, PJ, while the Incredibles other brother is a baby named Jack Jack. While their ages are obviously on opposite ends of the spectrum, I’d say these two boys are the most innocent and childlike in their respective families. The Duncan family also now has two other children, the aforementioned little girl Charlie and now another baby boy named Toby.

Back to the Bobs. Each of these two men are the breadwinners in their homes while their wives take on the role (eventually for Amy Duncan) of stay at home mom. Helen Parr is the most flexible 😉 as Elastigirl, but she and Amy do have some things in common. Often Amy and Helen are put in positions to rescue their husbands from the error of their ways. Progressing through Good Luck Charlie and the Incredibles, both Bobs go through amazing physical transformations. Bob Duncan even played a superhero, Captain Extermo, in a Halloween episode of season 3 of Good Luck Charlie. Although, if Edna Mode of the Incredibles was around, I’m sure she would have told him, “no capes!”

So what do you think? Have you seen both Good Luck Charlie and the Incredibles? Did you notice the likenesses between the Bobs and the Duncan and Parr families? Let me know.

All images are copyright Disney or Disney/Pixar.

LEGOLAND Florida Honors Everyday Heroes September

LEGOLAND Florida Brings Back Police, Fire and EMS Appreciation Days in September to Honor Everyday Heroes

LEGOLAND Florida is bringing back Police, Fire and EMS Appreciation Days to honor everyday heroes that work tirelessly to protect and serve cities across the country. Police officers, fire fighters and EMS employees will receive a free one-time single day admission to LEGOLAND Florida for use during the month of September 2013 with the opportunity to purchase up to four additional tickets for only $40 plus tax per adult/child/senior ticket. Our heroes can unwind with special family time and experience LEGOLAND Florida’s more than 50 rides, shows and attractions geared to families with children ages 2 to 12 and the newest expansion, The LEGO® World of Chima presented by Cartoon Network that features an interactive water ride, The Quest for CHI, and more.

This offer is valid for all police officers, fire fighters, and EMS employees working and serving in the United States. Active and retired personnel with identification are eligible. Eligible personnel should present their employee ID or professional organization membership card to LEGOLAND Florida’s ticket window the day they plan to visit to redeem their one free admission ticket and purchase up to four additional tickets at only $40 per ticket.

For the most current information on operating hours at LEGOLAND Florida and the LEGOLAND Water Park, visit www.LEGOLAND.com.

Wordless Wednesday: Intergalactic Lunch

Wordless Wednesday: August 28, 2013

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Educator Appreciation

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Thanks K-12 School Employees with Educator Appreciation Days

Teachers, support staff get free admission to Ripley’s attractions

in Florida from September 15 – October 20

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! attractions in Florida are banding together to show their appreciation for K-12 educators who work within the state.

From September 15 – October 20, any Florida educator can receive FREE admission to Ripley’s Orlando Odditorium. Educators need to bring a recent pay stub and photo ID to Ripley’s in order to receive their free admission. All guests with that educator can purchase tickets at 50% off.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! attractions in St. Augustine, Key West, and Panama City Beach are offering the same promotion.

Teachers, administrators, counselors, and support staff are all eligible for free admission.

Ripley’s Orlando Odditorium is located at 8201 International Drive. For more information, please visit www.ripleys.com/orlando

Visiting LEGOLAND Florida: The Beginning

There are a couple of things that I find myself obsessing over and one of those things is Legos. Seriously…this is what’s in my office…

So when I found out LEGOLAND Florida was happening I knew I HAD to go! Well, after a year+, I finally made it out there and I have loved visiting LEGOLAND Florida and exploring what there is to see.

Thankfully I now have an annual pass because I could just go walk around the park for hours and hours randomly wandering around. While I already have my favorite places to hang out in, I wanted to break LEGOLAND Florida down piece by piece (…see what I did there…)

Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

If you’re visiting the Central Florida area, LEGOLAND Florida is about a 45 minutes drive from the rest of the theme park world, which is not bad because you get to see parts of Florida that most people look over. The address?

1 Legoland Way, Winter Haven, FL 33884

Like any other theme park, there is a fee to park. If you plan on paying when you get there it’s $14, however if you prepay for your parking online, you can save yourself $2! Something to keep in mind is that if you’re planning on purchasing a yearly pass when you get there, take your parking receipt with you to guest services and they will refund the parking fee – pretty sweet, right? 🙂

As I mentioned before, I have an annual pass and so now my parking is free AND I get discounts on dining and merchandise! Bonus!

Back to the fun stuff…

A gloomy day at LEGOLAND is a great day to me! So when I got to guest services to get my pass, since they weren’t too busy, they took my picture and processed my annual pass right then and there.

As you can see, if you’re a Florida resident, the annual pass is the way to go! Even if you’re visiting and plan on doing a couple of days at LEGOLAND and the waterpark, the standard annual pass is still a great deal!

The Beginning

Once you get in the park, the first thing that greets you (besides Model Citizens that work there aka the employees) are these dinosaurs!

Watch yourself though because that big red dinosaur on the right tends to spray water here and there 😉

If you’re in need of a stroller, they are located over to the left of the dinosaurs. Lockers and package pick-up is there as well.

Not sure where to go from there? There’s a big map that you can study and also the times for shows can be found here as well so you can try to plan our day accordingly.

Before you get too hungry or thirsty (make sure to stay hydrated!) there is a big restaurant called The Market near the front of the park as well. They have lots of different food options for everyone in your party.

If for some reason when you buy an annual pass and a Model Citizen directs you to go to the Annual Pass Processing Center…this is where you need to go. It’s on the left hand side right past The Market. This is also where you would go if you want to upgrade your tickets or if you are a lost parent. Of the times I’ve been here, I’ve only seen it open once, so I’m pretty sure on the weekdays most of the ticket processing will happen before you even enter the park.

The first time I went to explore I hopped on the Island in the Sky to get a 360 view of LEGOLAND Florida. If you ever went to Cypress Gardens when it was there, I’m pretty sure this is the same attraction that was there before, but it’s a pretty cool view to see everything that the park has to offer.

A cool element I saw in the front of the park (and I’m assuming it’s like this through the park) was the benches.

A closer look shows what the benches are made of – 800 recycled milk jugs! So cool!

If you’re looking to purchase tickets before you get to the park, make sure to visit the LEGOLAND Florida website to see if there are any admission deals.

Well, I’ve got some LEGOs to put together..so until next time…

Have you been to any LEGOLAND? What about the Florida one? Have a favorite attraction or something that I have to see next time I go?

Inaugural Celebration K-8 School Pride Prowl Races

Registration Opens today for the inaugural running of Celebration K-8 PTA’s Family 5K Fun Run and Wellness Walk, known as The Pride Prowl.

The Pride Prowl is a fundraising event to help the exceptional programs and activities that the Celebration K-8 PTA brings to the Celebration K-8 School.

This year the PTA volunteers have taken on the extra work of organizing this fundraiser ourselves – with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the school.

The Pride Prowl has two races, a 5K Fun Run and a 1 Mile Wellness Walk that begins and ends at the Celebration K-8 School. The route for the race has runners passing through some of Celebration’s most beautiful neighborhoods.

The schedule for the Pride Prowl is as follows:

· Friday, September 13^th: Family Fun Expo

The Family Fun Expo will take place from 5pm – 9pm, and will be held in the Celebration K-8 Gym. The Expo is where race participants can pick up their race packets and attendees will have the opportunity to find products, activities, and services that are family friendly in nature.

· Saturday, September 14^th: Run With the Pride
5K Fun Run will begin at 7:30 AM and the Wellness Walk 8:30 AM in from of the Celebration K-8 school.

You can register online here, and you can see the costs below as of August 26, 2013!

Activity	Today	Later

5K Family Fun Run – Single Runner	$25.00	$30.00
Family Wellness Walk – Groups up to 5 People (Ages 3 and under free)	$35.00	$40.00
Family Wellness Walk – Single Walker	$15.00	$20.00
5K Family Fun Run – Groups up to 5 People (Ages 3 and under free)	$60.00	$70.00

Make sure you register soon! The first 100 Runners/Walkers to sign up receive a free event shirt, and ALL runners/walkers will receive a custom appreciation item from Celebration PTA.

Help support the Celebration K-8 School by participating in our inaugural running of The Pride Prowl – Celebration K-8 PTA’s Family 5K Fun Run and Wellness Walk!

The Muppet Movie on Blu-Ray Now

The Muppet Movie was one of my absolute favorite movies growing up, and it holds a truly special place in my heart. The NEARLY 35^th Anniversary Special Edition is out now on Blu-Ray, and it is a great way to share this movie with your family and to see some great bonus features!

If you haven’t seen the movie…shame on you!!!

The Muppet Movie is a 1979 classic, that gives you a hilarious peek at where some of your favorite Muppets, like Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Animal to name a few, came from when they were just getting started!

In The Muppet Movie the gang hits the road on a funny and at times emotional road trip to follow their dreams to Hollywood to become stars.

The Muppet Movie is full of heart, funny gags, and songs that will fill your eyes with tears and put a smile on your face!

httpv://youtu.be/N31JLdKmHIE

What makes the The NEARLY 35^th Anniversary Special Edition of The Muppet movie truly great are the MUPPETASTIC Bonus Features!

In addition to the original trailers and Doc Hopper’s full commercial, you also get Frog-E-Oke Sing-Along where you get to join the Muppet Gang in some of your favorite songs, Pepe Profiles Present: Kermit-A Frog’s Life which is a classic feature that is a ‘Hollywood Biography’ with interviews from Kermit the Frog and other special guests, and the Disney Intermission feature is a fun way to get a few laughs in when you have to pause the movie!

However, the gem of The NEARLY 35^th Anniversary Special Edition of The Muppet movie is Jim Frawley’s Extended Camera Test! This is a little over 15 minutes of footage that features Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and others as they take a few Muppets for their first outdoor screen tests. It is so much fun to see these characters being themselves. Since this is a camera test, you can occasionally see a peek of Henson and Oz having fun and doing what they love!

With the Muppets Most Wanted coming soon, The Muppet Movie is a great place to start your film journey to get prepared for what is sure to be an awesome movie!

The NEARLY 35^th Anniversary Special Edition of The Muppet movie is a Must Own for any Muppet fan!