Orlando Tourism Archives - Page 6 of 9

What Is That Disney Vacation Club Kiosk About?

Stopping at the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) kiosk, what happens next:

Most guests just walk by the kiosks, you’ve decided to stop and see so what is this all about. Disney’s Vacation Club program is a timeshare but not your typical timeshare.

The sales person at the kiosk will have photos of the current models.. They can answer some questions you may have. Next, you can decide to take a tour or walk away. If you decide to take a tour, the sales person will escort you to the front of the park and a van will be ready to take you to the preview center.

At the preview center, there will be snacks and drinks. There is also a kids club available so your kids don’t need to take the tour with you. You’ll be introduced to another sales person. You’ll get name tags and a tour of the models of the current hotels they are selling.

After your tour, you will get a sales talk.

This includes pricing, along with the features of buying directly from Disney. Yes, there are other ways of buying DVC called resales, we plan to discuss this in a future blog post.

What else can you get by taking a tour?
Offers vary, in the past they have offered gift cards, fast passes or limited pins.
There also will likely be a buying incentive offered.

What is the price of DVC?
As an example 160 Vacation Points Per Year Costs are based on a cash purchase of a real estate interest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas:
One-Time Purchase Price: $24,000
Closing Costs: Approximately $424.50 2013
Annual Dues: (Dues for future years will vary.) $907.20 or $75.60 per month
Transaction Fee: (For vacations to destinations other than our Disney Vacation Club Resorts) $95 per transaction
You receive 160 Vacation Points each year of Membership. Disney Vacation Points are very flexible, you decide when you want to go , how long you want to stay and what type of room you want. Your vacation points will end in 2042 or 2057 depending on what location you buy.

Here is an easier way of explaining this:
When you buy you will need a downpayment.
After your down payment you will have 2 future payments.
Your first payment is your loan payment which will typically last 10 years.
Your next payment is your dues payment, you can pay this annually or monthly.

Do you have to have a loan?
No, if you’ve got the money you can pay it all upfront.

Do you have to pay dues?
Yes, dues are needed for upkeep, transportation and other needs.

What does DVC get me?
Basically I think of DVC as a forced savings plan. It gets you enough points to stay at Disney on property once a year or once every other year. You stay on site and get amenities better than most hotel rooms. (unless you are in a studio)

Can I use DVC in other states where there is no Disney?
Yes Disney has a partnership with RCI Timeshare system. Do your math, since your 160 points are basically worth $12 per point.

Can I rent out my points?
Yes, we plan on discussing this in a future article.

What is a home resort and why is it important?
Your home resort (in My case Boardwalk villas) gets you 11 month access to book before other resorts (example Aulani)

Lets use my upcoming trip to California as an example: I wasn’t able to get in for some of the days I needed because I had to wait until 7 months before. I am offsite for some of my trip because the Grand Californian was unavailable.
In some cases this may cause you to transfer resorts or choose another resort.

Wait: You live 15 minutes from Disney and still own DVC. Why??
I bought DVC back when I lived in Massachusetts in 1999. My first loan for 170 points is paid off. I pay my dues monthly and I feel its affordable. I enjoy not having to save up. In my case I save up to visit family and friends.

How do you use your DVC?
My husband has the running bug so we use it for races:
I am using 124 points to stay from Sept 2 – 6 in a 1 bedroom at Disney’s Grand Californian.
I am using 22 points from Sept 6 -7 in a studio at Disney’s Grand Californian.

What if I don’t use my points or need more points?
You can bank and borrow points.

How does banking work?
You must banks your point by a certain time. If you miss your banking deadline. You must use them (yes this includes renting them) or lose them.

How does borrowing work?
If you are short points you can borrow from the next year.
Borrowing is a final transaction and borrowed points can’t be banked if you cancel.
If you cancel using borrowed points the points must be used or they get lost.

What if I cancel?
I don’t suggest canceling but If you cancel before 30 days your points go back to their current use year. Depending on your use year you can bank your points and/or book another vacation.

If you cancel between 30 -1 days your points go into holding. I don’t recommend this.
Holding points have very restrictive rules.
Get travel insurance. DVC offers this, as do other services.

Use year? What is a use year?
When you buy, you can be assigned a certain month or request a certain month.
Your points will be deposited into your account each year on that month.
My use year is March: On March 1st 2013 I got 170 points to use and I must use them by Feb 28 2014.

Does DVC ever make exceptions to the rules?
I have heard of where DVC has extended things in special cases, I do not recommend relying on these stories.

Make sure you have your plans set and get travel insurance if you want to totally be covered.

I have more questions, who do I contact?
You can ask me and I will try to answer the best I can.

You can get the DVC dvd from DVC or stop at a kiosk and ask.
DVC has a website at http://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com

What do you get if I buy?
Readers can use my name as a referral.
I will get a benefit from Disney if you buy.
You can also choose not to use me. The choice is there.

Orlando City SC Defeats Charleston Battery

Watson Scores Brace, Lions Top Battery 2-1 Thursday Night

Club breaks mid-week attendance record with 8,729 fans at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl

Orlando City SC (10-2-4, 37 points) downed the visiting Charleston Battery (7-3-6, 27 points) 2-1 Thursday night at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl in front of a club mid-week record crowd of 8,729 fans. Jamie Watson scored a goal in each of the halves to propel the Lions to a crucial home win in USL PRO play, moving Orlando further ahead in the league table.

“It’s a huge relief to get this tonight,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “After losing players and a few past results it was important to get three points.”

The Lions fielded a starting lineup that featured all four Sporting loanees, including Defender Kevin Ellis and Forward C.J. Sapong- who arrived in Central Florida earlier in the afternoon.

The early parts of the first 45 minutes were a back and forth affair between the two sides, with Orlando attacking in pockets behind Sapong and team-leading scorer Jamie Watson. Those pockets continued to open up, with the Lions capitalizing on a well-played series in the 29^th minute.

After a Charleston attack, Defender Rob Valentino began the series by clearing out the Battery offensive, finding loanee and 2011 MLS Rookie of the Year Sapong at the mid stripe. The striker then nodded the pass to fellow Sporting KC player Christian Duke, who played a through ball to a charging Watson. Watson then slotted his attempt in the lower right-hand corner past Battery Goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper for the 1-0 advantage.

The second half began with Charleston on the offensive, with the Lions backline clearing out multiple early chances by the South Carolina based side. Charleston equalized in the 55^th minute, with a Jose Cuevas goal putting the match at 1-1. Battery Forward Dane Kelley set up the strike, finding Cuevas in open space inside the 18-yard box for the goal.

The Lions’ pace picked up after allowing the score, controlling possession while creating more opportunities as the second half progressed. Sapong created Orlando’s next scoring chance, with the striker getting tripped up while making a run just inside the penalty area- awarding the Lions a penalty kick. Watson took the attempt, converting past Cooper, despite the goalkeeper guessing correctly to give Orlando the 2-1 advantage heading into the final 15 minutes of the match.

Despite some late chances by the visiting side, Orlando held strong while keeping the scoreline at 2-1- gaining three valuable points at home with the win.

Orlando takes to the road for their next two matches, playing away at the Dayton Dutch Lions and Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Sunday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 17, respectively. Dayton currently stands in 7^th in the USL PRO table with a record of 7-4-5 (26 points) while Pittsburgh is three spots behind in 10^th with a mark of 5-6-6 (17 points). Orlando has taken on Dayton once in 2013, topping the visiting Dutch Lions 4-0 back on April 27. The Lions and Riverhounds have yet to face this season.

Both matches will be streamed live on USLNation.com, with Sunday’s match kicking off at 6:30 p.m. EST. For more information on the upcoming away matches and Orlando’s next home game on Saturday, July 20, visit OrlandoCitySoccer.com.

Orlando City Match Recap:

Team 1 2 Final

Orlando City 1 1 2

Charleston Battery 1 0 1

Scoring Summary:

ORL–Jamie Watson (Christian Duke) 29^th

CHB-Jose Cuevas (Dane Kelley) 55^th

ORL-Jamie Watson (penalty) 70^th

Lineups/Substitutions:

Orlando City- GK Jon Kempin, D Luke Boden, Renan Boufleur, Rob Valentino, Kevin Ellis, M James O’Connor, Christian Duke, Freddie Braun (Jonathan Mendoza 55^’), F Long Tan (Dennis Chin 62’), Jamie Watson (Erik Ustruck 84’), C.J. Sapong

Charleston Battery- GK Odisnel Cooper, D Emmanuel Adjetey, Colin Falvey, Kenneth Ellison (Taylor Mueller 83’), John Wilson, M Jarad van Shaik (Haviel Cordoves 75’), Nicholas Patterson, Michael Azira, F Jose Cuevas (Bryce Alderson 71’), Quinton Griffith, Dane Kelley

Penalty Summary:

CHB– Kenneth Ellison (Yellow) 25^th

Match Facts:

Time of Match: 7:30 p.m. EST

Weather: Overcast

Attendance: 8,729

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 pream 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.

Wordless Wednesday – Prayer Ribbons

Wordless Wednesday – July 10, 2013

Escaping to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

When someone asks me what I love most about Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, I almost always answer with the way it transports me to a different time and place. Part of what vacation is to me is that escapism.

I live here in Florida and to me, the Wilderness Lodge is the Walt Disney World resort that most makes me feel like I am in a completely different place. Maybe it is partially because I’ve never been to the Pacific Northwest and this may just be a respectable facsimile of the real thing, but I’d never know any better. To me, this resort epitomizes that portion of the country. It speaks of adventure in its cavernous lobby, dramatic background music, and lush non-tropical surroundings.

I heard someone say a while back that the resorts around the Magic Kingdom were loosely themed around lands of the park. The Grand Floridian correlates to the Victorian stylings of Main Street USA, the Polynesian is modeled after the tropical themes of Adventureland, the Contemporary reflects the clean modern lines of Tomorrowland, and Fort Wilderness and the Wilderness Lodge exude the rustic spirit of Frontierland. One can absolutely see the parallels between the western feel of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (the wildest ride in the WILDERNESS!!!) and the Wilderness Lodge. From the rockwork, to the animals carved into the lodge pole pine beams in the lobby to the elements of railroad in the decor, it isn’t hard to see that the Wilderness Lodge was designed with Frontierland in mind.

Part of what makes this resort so fantastic, is the feeling of being surrounded by nature and wilderness. There is a babbling brook, the Silver Spring, that starts in the lobby and trips over rocks and even small waterfalls until it empties onto the shores of Bay Lake. A geyser spouts off hot water and steam several times throughout the day, lending the resort the feel of a National Park. Pine trees are prevalent throughout the resort, and animals, or at least representations of them, can be seen from before you even enter the lobby. Topiaries of birds and buffalo greet guests before they pull up to the magnificent entrance to the resort of the Wilderness Lodge. Wildflowers bloom and grasses grow in a way that feels very natural to the landscape and not overly manicured by the fabulous horticultural team at Disney.

There are so many great spots to just relax and enjoy the scenery at this resort. It always makes me way to just pull up a rocking chair and read a book, whether by the pool, out on the upper level balcony off the lobby, or in one of the hidden nooks hidden above the entrance to the lobby. I find myself slowing down to enjoy this resort more than others. The resort lends itself to a pace where you can amble along the shore of the lake to discover the path to Fort Wilderness. If you want, of course, you have many recreation activities at your disposal from boating to biking, spa services, fitness center, and the Magic Kingdom is just a short 5-10 minute boat ride away.

I can remember the first time I stayed at the Wilderness Lodge the week before Christmas in 2008. It was the first time I ever stayed club level and it was amazing. Although this is not my favorite overall resort, at Christmas it wins for me, hands down. I don’t know if it is the fireplace, or the absolutely perfect background music, or the incredible 7 story tall Christmas tree in the atrium lobby, but it all adds up to what Christmas looks, smells, sounds and feels like in my book. This is the resort I must visit at some point during the Christmas season above all others at Walt Disney World. Maybe this is partially why I have such a great connection to this resort, due to the first stay being so magical. I almost always stay in a Courtyard view room and have lucked out with views of Bay Lake each time. I’ve even before fortunate enough to be able to lay in bed to watch the Electrical Water Pageant cruise by at night and open the doors to my balcony to enjoy the show.

The accommodations are some of the most affordable in the Deluxe resort category at Walt Disney World, and that may have something to do with why I have stayed here more than any other resort, other than Pop Century. I have stayed at least once a year since 2008, and don’t see that changing any time soon. I adore the peacefulness I feel when I set foot in the lobby. I look up at the totems and remember hearing their stories from Ranger Joe several times. If you haven’t met the Rangers at the resort, make sure to take time out to take the Wilderness Lodge tour, which is given at least once a week typically around 10am. The animals carved into the poles representing the different levels of elevation they would be found at in the mountains are beautiful. Similarly, the effort that went into creating the amazing fireplace cannot go unnoticed. The rockwork (some real and some faux) is stunning! Layers of rock are stacked on top of each other representing different strata of the Grand Canyon.

If you get an opportunity to stay here, I highly recommend the Wilderness Lodge. If not, please at least take the time to explore the resort. Take a few hours and come early or stay late after a reservation for a lively meal at Whispering Canyon Cafe, or a nice quiet dinner at Artist Point, the resort’s signature dining restaurant. Or even just come to enjoy a night cap at the Territory Lounge, but please come. Examine the Native American artifacts like the recreated headdress in the lobby, the display cases on the upper level by hopping on the elevator to the 3 – 6th floors, or find those hidden seating areas above the entrance. There are so many places to explore, including one of my all time favorites, the Carolwood Pacific Room in the Villas. You can read more about some of my favorite Quiet Places to Relax here. I just stayed at the Wilderness Lodge again for the sixth time last week, and I have another reservation coming up in November when friends are in town to visit. I cannot stress enough what a fantastic resort this is and that everyone should stay here at some point. Have you stayed at the Wilderness Lodge? What did you think?

Wordless Wednesday – Epcot For The Fourth

Wordless Wednesday: July 3, 2013

Wordless Wednesday 4th of July — This week’s Wordless Wednesday takes us to Epcot for the Fourth of July last year. While Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky at the Magic Kingdom is great, there is nothing like the special tag they add to Illuminations!

Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky

Biking Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

Over the past month we’ve taken many laps biking around Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort.

If you’re staying at or visiting either Wilderness Lodge or Ft. Wilderness, you are able to rent bikes on property ($18/day). Since we live so close and now have our own bikes (yay!), we load them up on the car and go explore for a hour or so.

We’ve started each ride from the Wilderness Lodge parking lot (but you can start from either) and we take one of two trails that connect between the lodge and the campground.

If you leave the parking lot and go toward the right (near the bus loop), you can take the paved trail all the way to the campground.

But, if you’re up for even more adventure, head toward the left of the parking lot (by the lake) and you will find the bike rental area and an unpaved trail.

This unpaved trail leads to one of my favorite spots on Disney property.

What a view!

The unpaved trail comes to a fork. Head towards the right where you will meet up with the paved trail.

If you see this sign…you’re going the wrong way…

Both of these paths are great and I forget I’m even on Disney property.

Well, that is until I see the Contemporary or Disney busses passing us 🙂

You enter the campground area going by Tri-Circle-D Farm and you can visit with the ponies, head towards the hall where Hoop Dee Doo Review is held, grab lunch at a quick service restaurant, view the lake or not stop at all and make a couple of laps around the campground.

Don’t worry about getting lost. It’s quite a big area, but we’ve always found our way back to Tri-Circle-D Farm area. While the campground can be kind of busy depending what time of year you visit, there is always plenty of room to bike.

If you have kids with you, there are a couple of playgrounds along the route that they can play on while you catch your breath!

Once you feel like you’ve had enough, you can take one of the two trails back to the lodge.

Oh and you never know what you’re gonna see! We’ve seen so many bunnies along the path and even a deer once!

Please be sure to stay hydrated when you’re biking around the resort. I’ve seen a water fountain at the trading post, but I’d almost bet that there would be some around the comfort stations as well.

The last souvenirs you’re going to want to take away from Disney World are bug bites, take some big spray with you!

So, go explore!

Arabian Nights With Gail

Saturday night we had the opportunity to go and see the dinner show Arabian Nights in Kissimmee. It was one of the last nights in June where they were offering a discounted rate if you worked in hospitality, so naturally we had to jump on this offer after having never been before!

We went in a large group and were told to reserve on the phone, then we can all pay separately once we picked up the tickets on the night of the show. However, once we got there we were informed that in order to sit together we must all pay together and only 2 forms of payment can be used. This was a little challenging as not all of us brought cash, so if you go as a group just keep in mind that bringing cash is definitely recommended!

As you enter the Arabian Nights building they take your photograph in front of a green screen to then sell to you later in the show. We were told our group of 11 was too many for one picture so we all went separately. it turned out later that you could indeed go in a big group, which was a shame as we would have bought the group photo. So remember to ask for a group one if that’s what you really would like, as many other families had even more members in the same picture and it looked great.

We then walked through the gift shop, which is very tempting, and past some workers selling flashy light up hats, lanyards and pins etc…of course I had to get a photo of them as it looked pretty cool!

You walk into the pre-show area to walls painted with murals of horses and cowboys. In the center of the room is the appetizer buffet. This buffet consisted of chips and salsa, and raw vegetables with dip. It was only a small table, but if you like that kind of finger food it was a nice start to the show.

Options at the bar before you enter include a few alcohol packages such as $10 for unlimited Bud light or rose wine, or $15 for unlimited spirit cocktails. These had to be purchased at the bar before you entered the show.

It was time to go to our seats, so we were led up the stairs to our section, which despite being further back had a great view of the whole arena, it seems anywhere you get seated would be a good view.

Once we were seated we chose our meal and complimentary soft drinks. They had a decent selection of dishes and provided vegetarian options as well as Kosher. They also suggest if you require any special dietary needs to call at least 24 hrs in advance to discuss the options with them.

As the show started they began by introducing some of the horses, and showed how tame they were by bringing down pre selected children to come pet the horse. They then showed how their performers were able to do acrobatics on top of the horses, by using a technique that meant they landed softly and evenly upon the horse’s back.

Now the main part of the show started, featuring their current production, American Princess. It features Princess Scheherazade on her 21st Birthday and her genie Abracadabra, who set forth on a mission to find her Prince!

During the show we are shown many different Princes, from many different countries and cultures. One of my personal favorites was when we were shown the Gypsy camp, as we were treated to some amazing acrobatics! We saw them riding standing up, one foot on each horse!

Some rode in tandem, upon 2 horses performing dance moves normally seen in ballrooms as opposed to on horseback!

One of the most visually stunning parts was seeing one rider jump through a hoop of fire only to land back perfectly on his cantering horse!

A crowd pleasing moment was getting to see the mystical Unicorn enter the arena! The music and the lights really added to the elegance of the moment, all you could hear was gasps as the unicorn majestically walked in!

Another favorite of mine was when the Native American entered on his horse! The horse was painted in day glow markings, so when they shone the black light spot light on to it, it lit up so beautifully. Smoke covered the arena floor and the track they played, “End Of Innocence” by Enigma, created such a powerful visual! Easily my favorite part of the whole show, I literally did not take my eyes off the horse! it was stunning!

Along the journey, Abracadabra must protect the Princess from the evil Prince Vaneer, who’s outlook appears to be “if I can’t have her, no one can”.

Toward the end of the show, we are brought back to America, and a visually beautiful performance was put on filled with a lot of patriotism, but also a salute to other nations around the world.

The food we had during the show was average at best, including the dessert. But the service was friendly and they were very much on top of keeping our drinks filled up throughout.

After the show was a lot of fun as they let all the horses out into the arena, and it was so cute to watch them frolic around and rub on the floor! I had no idea horses did the rubbing on the floor like dogs and cats do! It was so precious to watch! It also gave the audience a chance to take photos alongside some of the performers and to pet the horses. As we were seated further back it was fun to come down and see the horses up close.

When you leave the arena you are given an opportunity to line up and take a photo with some of the lead characters if you wished. There was no intermission during the show so my advice is don’t go to the first restroom you see, the line was terrible. Go to the next one back in the appetizer pre show room, much quieter!

On the whole we really enjoyed this show, and although the food provided isn’t great, the show is really unique and we really had fun seeing it! A fun group activity also!

To make reservations at Arabian Nights you can book on-line at www.arabian-nights.com or call on 407-239-9223.

Celebrate Independence Day at SeaWorld Orlando

Celebrate Independence Day at SeaWorld Orlando with a special Fourth of July extravaganza and even more Summer Nights fun next Thursday, July 4!

During Summer Nights, SeaWorld Orlando is open from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. so there’s plenty of time to explore the sea’s mysteries, learn about amazing animals, challenge thrilling rides and watch incredible shows.

What better way to celebrate the holiday than with traditional American fare? From July 3-6, a variety of all-American food will be served along Bayside Pathway, including bacon cheeseburgers, foot-long hot dogs, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches and kid meals, too.

And guests can enjoy the park even later on the Fourth of July. SeaWorld Orlando will be open until 11 p.m. giving families more time to experience the all-new Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, ride the coasters under the stars and enjoy the amazing Summer Nights shows, Sea Lions Tonite and Shamu Rocks.

There’s no other place to get your fireworks fix than at SeaWorld’s Fourth of July celebration during Summer Nights!

Beginning at 9:30 p.m., there will be an extraordinary performance at SeaWorld’s Bayside Stadium by SeaWorld Celebration Singers, an ensemble group of singers and a nine-piece band, who will perform a variety of popular music ranging from traditional marches and patriotic tunes to classical favorites. The Fourth of July celebration culminates with awe-inspiring fireworks at 10 p.m.

Additional details:

Headlining Summer Nights is the all-new Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, where guests can experience the epic world of Antarctica through the eyes of a special hero penguin named Puck; and Sea Lions Tonite, a hilarious, satirical show featuring Clyde and Seamore spoofing the other daytime SeaWorld shows that will have everyone in stitches.

New this year! Join the Party with Shamu & Friends as they dance the night away at the front of the park’s Village Square. The Party features an emcee on stilts who fills the square with music that the whole family can dance to, including popular line dancing songs and party favorites. With countless bubbles floating overhead and music wafting through the air, this celebration of summer is sure to provide non-stop fun for all ages! The Party begins every night one hour prior to park close and continues 30 minutes after park closing.

Rock the night away with Shamu during a spectacular killer whale show with more flash – and certainly more splash – than a rock concert! Shamu Rocks is a high-energy celebration of unprecedented proportions, combining awe-inspiring killer whales with a stunning light show, water fountain display and music from some of the hottest rock stars in the industry. And new this year is an electrifying twist on this classic favorite! The final Shamu Rocks show of the night includes a rockin’ fireworks finale will light up the night sky.

For more information go to SeaWorldOrlando.com.

New MagicBand Accessories Available

Today we found new MagicBand accessories available for sale at Zawadi Marketplace at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

The new merchandise includes MagicBand shirts for adults and children.

Also two new MagicSlider sets for $14.95 each were released. In addition there are Park Icon and Incredible MagicBandits sets for $12.95.

This merchandising is the next step towards promoting the arrival of MyMagic+ at Walt Disney World.

MagicBand Accessories and Shirts Available

Park Icon MagicBandits $12.95

Take a look at our previous post here about the MagicBand accessories at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Stayed tuned with us on Twitter and Facebook for more updates as we find them in the parks and resorts of Walt Disney World. We will keep you apprised of the latest merchandise as we discover it.

Also check out this video with reviews of how the MagicSliders and MagicBandits work with the MagicBands.

httpv://youtu.be/qwIkPdmZ61k

Summer Nights Rock at SeaWorld Orlando

Sunday we got to visit Seaworld Orlando as they premiered their Summer nights 2013! After signing in we were split into two groups, one group were to go experience the recently added Antarctica: Empire Of The Penguin, and the other group was invited to try the new Expedition Cafe.

We were part of the group to eat first, so we were led to the cafe to see our options. Being a vegetarian I was quite happy to see quite a few options for a range of different diets! There was plenty of seating and guests were able to chose to sit outside or inside with AC.

Once dinner was over we were lead by our guide over to the Antarctica: Empire Of The Penguin ride. We were so excited as we had not had the opportunity to ride this yet, so we had no idea what to expect from it! As we were walking to the ride, the surrounding skies seemed perfect, as they were getting a little gray so walking amongst the ice berg scenery seemed pretty magical juxtaposed amongst the gray gloomy sky!

Our guide told us that after the ride is when you get to see the actual penguin habitat. She informed us that the whole queuing system has been specially designed to help moderate guests body temperature as they go through the different stages. Guests are typically hot and possibly a bit damp from the humid Florida weather in summer here, and the penguin habitat can be quite shocking at a mere 30 degrees. So without ever really noticing it, each stage of the ride’s queue actually gets progressively cooler to dry you off and cool you down bit by bit, so that when you finally enter the habitat at the end, your body wont be as shocked.

The ride features a penguin family and more specifically a baby penguin named Puck, and it is Puck that we follow on his adventures into adulthood throughout the ride. At the beginning guests have the option to chose the “mild” version, or the “wild” version, which really just controls how much you rotate and spin during the ride. We chose the wild version as we wanted to feel the full experience for the first time on there.

Without giving away any spoilers, we really enjoyed the ride, it was a different technology that hasn’t really been used anywhere else yet. Its a cute little ride, that ultimately leads you to the most exciting part, the habitat.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmX2UqVA21o

The habitat is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, as instead of being behind glass panels, you are actually IN the habitat, experiencing the same temperature and environment. The penguins are literally right in front of you in their enclosure, one little guy was even resting right under the wall we were leaning on! There are signs everywhere telling you not to touch the penguins….I can’t emphasize enough how much it makes you want to touch them with them being in touching distance! But there are handlers all around watching over them, and they were needed, as the amount of people using flash on their cameras was crazy, stop blinding the penguins people! LOL.

You can walk around the enclosure and see not only the ones resting out of the water, but even the ones swimming too! So you really do get an all-round look at their life here in the habitat.

For guests not wanting to ride, there is an access door that will take you directly in to the habitat once you get to the ride boarding area. You may find yourself waiting a moment, as these doors, just like the ride queue, help adjust your body temperature down for entering the habitat.

After the ride, we were taken to the a lake side area where we were treated to a dessert party, and a chance to talk to the other guests and to hear from one of the organizers there about their Summer Nights events.

Once we had relaxed at the dessert party, we were taken to our seats in the Sea Lion and Otter Theater to see the Clyde and Seamore Show. While waiting for the stadium to fill up, we were treated to watching their Mime entertain the crowd while they were entering, which was so hilarious and really got us in the mood & ready for the show.

The Clyde & Seamore show was so much funnier than we remembered it in previous years! The show now focuses on parodies of the other attractions and shows at Seaworld currently, such as Pets Ahoy, One Ocean and even The Kraken Ride! The way they used the walrus as their “Shamu” was so entertaining and such a hit among the crowd!

Next we made it over to the Shamu Stadium for “Shamu Rocks”. This show holds a very dear place in my heart, as my Husband had proposed to me at the Shamu show on the big screen there back in 2003! This week actually marked the 10 year anniversary of when he proposed back when we lived in the UK and were just out here vacationing. So the memories came flooding back on entering the stadium, and although they don’t do proposal packages anymore on the big screen, they do still show the crowd dancing while waiting for the stadium to fill up so it felt really great to be back on that week!

The show is completely different to the one we remembered from back then, and it has obviously changed significantly over the years. The show now is very dance/rock music orientated, with many of the trainers actually participating in dance routines now as opposed to interacting with the whales. The whales have a lot of fun tricks and amazing moves, paired with all the water cannons and bright colors it really is a rock and roll show for everyone to enjoy. I do, however, miss elements of the older show where the trainers were more focused on the whales, as opposed to synchronized dancing by a guitarist on the stage and fireworks.

After the show we were invited to go experience Antarctica: Empire Of The Penguin one last time, which was really fun to now do at night time as well.

On the way out of the park we walked by the “Party with Shamu and Friends”, which had recently just ended, but normally they have a DJ and characters available for photos before you leave for the night.

We were so grateful to be a part of this new celebration that Seaworld now offer this summer through to August 11th 2013. It was a lot of fun for the whole family and i plan to go back to experience more of Seaworld’s Summer Nights 2013 soon, when will you go check it out?

Limited Time Magic Independence Week

Fireworks, Patriotic Parades, and More

Anchor Limited Time Magic

Independence Week

Walt Disney World Resort guests won’t have to wait until the Fourth of July to celebrate America’s birthday. They can choose any day of Independence Week July 1-7 in the parks to experience the flag-waving spirit of the holiday – all part of Limited Time Magic.

It’s a red, white and blue extravaganza as Disney Parks honor America with a Fourth of July celebration like never before – and it lasts an entire week. A 14-minute fireworks spectacular rockets into the air above Cinderella Castle every night with “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky.”

In this patriotic fireworks spectacular, dazzling comets and glittering bursts soar to a brand new musical score produced in a concert band style created to stir a sense of pride in being American, while at the same time, invite guests from around the world to feel part of the celebration.

Celebrate America! pays homage to all Americans and all who love the best of America. The fireworks spectacular takes place at 9 p.m. on July 3 and 4, and 10 p.m. on July 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7.

Guests can visit www.limitedtimemagic.com for detailed entertainment offerings during Independence Week.

Walt Disney World guests are treated to a fun-filled spectacle as Goofy, Donald and Pluto dressed as a colonial fife and drum corps join a spirited procession down Main Street, U.S.A, prior to the daily Celebrate a Dream Come True parade at Magic Kingdom. The rousing pre-parade features the Main Street Philharmonic, Citizens of Main Street and Walt Disney’s historic horse-drawn calliope.

The flag-waving week continues with themed souvenirs such as USA shirts, trading pins, light-up star necklaces, and patriotic Duffy costumes.

Chefs will whip up tasty treats inspired by Americana including red, white and blue strawberry shortcake in the Magic Kingdom and apple pie filled cupcakes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom or Downtown Disney.

Disney PhotoPass Service, enabling guests to view all their photos as part of Limited Time Magic, joins in the patriotic fun. Guests at Magic Kingdom park and Disneyland park will be able to purchase a special Independence Week Disney border so they can frame up their photos in the spirit of the holiday. Online registration is required.

The weeklong fanfare sparkles at Disneyland Resort in California with a lively celebration, too.

The bi-coastal Independence Week offering is all part of Limited Time Magic where unique offers and surprises are rolled out each week during the magical year. These memory filled special experiences surprise and delight Disney Parks guests each week throughout 2013.

MagicBand Accessories Are At Walt Disney World!

MagicBand accessories have arrived just as Walt Disney World has started a largest test of the new MagicBands!

Available at Fantasia gifts at the Contemporary Resort and Zawadi Marketplace at Animal Kingdom Lodge, these accessories allow you to customize your MagicBand in an affordable way!

I was really excited to see that they had a good variety of characters and designs available!

The pricing is what really surprised me! With bands and MagicBandits are priced by item. The MagicBandits with three itema at $6.95 , four items at $8.95 , and three items+ at $12.95. CoverBands are $6.95 for one and $15.95 for 3. MagicSliders for the bands are available in Mickey $12.95 and Minnie $14.95.

I can’t wait to customize my own MagicBand! Look for pictures of mine coming soon!!!

UPDATE!!! Here is a video of the accessories and how they really work and feel!

httpv://youtu.be/qwIkPdmZ61k

For even better pictures of the accessories, swing by our Facebook Page to check out this album!

MagicBand Accessories:

Contemporary Resort Choices

Recently Shelley and I both stayed at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and we thought we’d take this opportunity to compare and contrast our stays. We will take a look at the room accommodations, dining, recreation, convenience, overall experience and whether or not we would choose to stay in the same type of accommodations again.

Rooms

The rooms at Disney’s Contemporary Resort are some of the largest at Walt Disney World as far as standard rooms go at around 430 square feet. I love how spacious these rooms feel! They are nicely laid out with two queen sized beds and a day bed in the majority of the rooms, with a few with a king bed and a day bed.

Betsy: This trip I stayed in the Tower for the first time, which is the A-frame building that the monorail goes through, in a Theme Park View room. I was all the way at the end closest to Chef Mickeys on the 8th floor and had an amazing view of the Magic Kingdom.

Shelley: For my first stay at the Contemporary we got a room in the Garden Wing, which has a totally different feel than the Tower! We had a really nice view of a lawn area and Bay Lake from our window. The rooms were super spacious, well designed, and I especially loved the little touches like the hidden Contemporary shape in the sheer curtains!

Dining

Betsy: One of my favorite things about the Contemporary is the amount of dining options you have to choose from. During this stay I took advantage of the quick service location, Contempo Cafe, located on the 4th floor of the Grand Canyon Concourse. I just used it to grab drinks using the resort refillable mug I purchased and a quick snack shortly before midnight. The next morning I met up with a group of friends for the fantastic breakfast buffet at the Wave just off the lobby. If you haven’t done this buffet, you should! It is a great value at less than $20 per person and has an awesome variety. My favorites are the biscuits and gravy, sweet potato pancakes and pecan honey butter, and the multigrain Mickey waffles! Currently, the California Grill, the resort’s signature dining restaurant is under refurbishment until later this year. The other dining options include the pool bar and quick service location, the Sand Bar; Chef Mickey’s, one of the most popular character buffets; and private dining, which is available 24 hours a day.

Shelley: While the Garden Wing is away from the hustle and bustle…it’s away from the hustle and bustle, so it was a little bit of a hike to walk to the tower and then to navigate the busy elevators and escalators to get to the Contempo Cafe for a late dinner. Since traveling to get a snack was a bit of a hike, we found ourselves waiting until we needed to go somewhere to grab a bite to eat.

Recreation

Betsy: This stay I didn’t get to use any of the numerous recreation options at the resort. On previous stays I have been swimming in the pools and used the hot tub. I also enjoy watching the movies on the beach or lawn under the stars at night. There are tons of other choices from basic spa and massage services to a marina with parasailing, boat rentals, and fishing.

Shelley: During our stay there was a ton of rain, so we weren’t able to go swimming which Zoe was bummed about! But we have had the opportunity to watch movies on the beach and to take a Fireworks Cruise from the marina which was beyond amazing. There is such a wide variety of recreation options available!

Convenience

Betsy: I could not have asked for a better location as far as convenience. I had a fantastic view balanced with proximity to the lobby. It only took a couple of minutes to go up the elevator to my room and walk down the hallway from entering the resort. It was especially nice to be able to quickly run downstairs to grab an almost midnight snack after watching Wishes from my balcony. The morning we went to breakfast at the Wave I pretty much rolled out of bed and threw on clothes and was downstairs within 5 minutes. It was really really nice to be able to have several options very close by in the same building as my room.

Shelley: I really liked how convenient parking was for our building in the Garden Wing, but other than that it was a bit of a walk to get back to the Tower to get to transportation and food. We ended up making the walk several times, which got to be a little old.

Overall Experience

Betsy: I will be the first to admit that Disney’s Contemporary Resort is not my favorite resort since the decor isn’t exactly my style. Having said that, I will say that I had one of the best stays during this visit and that’s saying a lot since I’ve stayed at every Disney resort in Florida at least once, if not multiple times. I love the new check in process where the security guard calls ahead by radio to a Cast Member at the lobby entrance. They advised the waiting CM of my arrival with my name and describing my vehicle. When I pulled up to the valet stand, I was greeted by a CM with an ipad who welcomed me by name and let me know my room was ready, which was great at before 10am. I was escorted inside after leaving my keys with the valet in case they needed to move my car, and the greeter waited with me until a front desk CM was available to check me in to my room. I really enjoyed this new way of raising the level of service by adding personalization to the guest arrival process. Everything was so convenient as far as parking, getting to and from the parks, dining nearby and great service. I would highly recommend staying in the Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort to anyone who is looking for a resort with many amenities and conveniences near the Magic Kingdom.

Shelley: While I have always wanted to stay at the Contemporary, I thought that staying in the Garden Wing was a give and take. If it was just Dave and I wanting to get away for the weekend without Zoe to enjoy the resort, I feel like it would have been ideal to stay in the Garden Wing since it is so close to so many recreation options. However, having Zoe with us and having an extra long commute to the Tower proved to be a lot more than we bargained for in our stay. I would definitely stay in the Garden Wing again, but I would really plan out my stay to enjoy more of the recreation at the Contemporary.

Spaceship Earth and Wilderness Lodge from the Tower

Tree of Life and Everest in the distance

Beast's and Prince Eric's castles — Beast’s and Prince Eric’s castles

httpv://youtu.be/8bwXF6WVOuY

Hard Rock Cafe Orlando Hosts Legendary Tweet-Up

Our adventures on Saturday June 15th took us to the very first Hard Rock Cafe Orlando’s “Social Media Rock Party”, exclusively for @Hardrockorlando ‘s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook fans.

Guests were told to meet at the Hard Rock Cafe Orlando at 6:30, and despite all the rain that night, there was even a red carpet to welcome us on arrival!

We were guided upstairs to a private room just for us social media fans. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by the friendly staff and asked to sign in to receive our name badges. Looking around it was a great turn out, some familiar faces, and lots of new ones to meet and mingle with!

We were told to help ourselves to the food and soft drinks provided, which not only looked like a nice selection but was presented so uniquely too.

Being a vegetarian I was so pleased to see they had considered their guests’ different tastes, and offered plenty for non meat eaters also!

The food was delicious, and it was made even sweeter by their cupcakes for dessert! I personally highly recommend their tiramisu cupcake, had to resist to only eat one so as not to appear greedy!

The room we were seated in was full of rock memorabilia of all eras, so offered great talking points for the guests and fun items to see.

After a bit of mingling and, of course, a photo opportunity with their social media mascot Rocky Bearboa, we were introduced to some of our hosts for the evening.

One of which included the Hard Rock Cafe Orlando VIBE Host, which every Hard Rock Cafe has at least one, who really specializes in rock and roll and Hard Rock’s history.

We learnt so many interesting facts that we didn’t know before tonight, and guests who were able to answer trivia questions were rewarded with Hard Rock Swag bags!

Our night was really topped off when we found out that next we would be attending the show at Hard Rock Live to see Classic Albums Live Featuring Queen’s “A Night At The Opera”!

But before heading to our seats we were taken on a tour into the Lennon Room! This is a special room designed to replicate Lennon and Ono’s apartment in the Dakota, which one can only gain access to upon being taken to via a tour or by invite.

The room was largely white, but filled with memorabilia all around! One of my favorite pieces was the couch that John actually used to compose some of his songs on!

After touring this room, and getting to see the beautiful views from the patio, we were lead upstairs to our upper balcony VIP leather seats!

The show was amazing, and the second set featured many Queen classics from Bohemian Rhapsody, and Under Pressure, to We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions!

From our seats it was obvious to me that everyone was singing along with the words and dancing. They were even given a standing ovation at the end, best Freddie Mercury tribute singer I’ve had the pleasure to hear!

That night we left feeling like we were treated like true VIP rock royalty! We met some amazing new people, and got to see a side to Hard Rock Cafe that most don’t get the chance to.

But next time you are here, be sure to ask for a special tour if you’re early enough, and you too may get to see the famous Lennon Room!

If you have never eaten at a Hard Rock Cafe before, be sure to stop by, and if you have the pleasure of being served by @justmikeyhrc then you are indeed in for a treat! Not only is he a passionate music fan, but he was also the one responsible for putting together this wonderful event for us!

So thank you Mikey, the sponsors and the workers of the world’s largest Hard Rock Cafe Orlando! What a fantastic event, showing us that Orlando truly does ROCK!

TRANSFORMERS: The Ride–3D Technical Rehearsals

TRANSFORMERS: The Ride–3D is set to have it’s grand opening on June 20, 2013, but the attraction is currently in technical rehearsals right now meaning that it will not be scheduled to open and can be closed at any time.

The N.E.S.T. building is impressive, especially now that Optimus Prime adorns the entrance rooftop above the attraction entrance.

The wait when I got to the attraction was 90 minutes, and the single rider line was being used sparingly. On our ride we were directed to use the Express Pass queue line.

Right before it’s your time to protect the AllSpark, N.E.S.T. agents are debriefing guests about their ride vehicle, EVAC.

Once you’re inside of EVAC, the ride vehicle, you know that this is going to be a really great attraction.

The attraction is very similar in feel to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, because it uses the same ride vehicle and 3D glasses technology.

The graphics are well done and feel very real, like you are actually a part of the battle.

The story line and ride sequence of TRANSFORMERS: The Ride–3D are fun and intense!

Here is a closer look at EVAC, the newest transformer, is protecting the AllSpark from Megatron, so you are always being chased by him and the Decepticons. Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and other autobots help out you and EVAC along the way to help defeat the Decepticons.

TRANSFORMERS: The Ride–3D was really entertaining, and I cannot wait to ride it again! But since it is a new attraction, you will want to be prepared for a long wait especially if you are visiting before it officially opens.