Florida Vacation Blogger

When planning a vacation it’s a natural reaction to think about flight and hotel reservations as a package, even if they are booked separately. If you’re planning a holiday in Florida however, you really need to take a look at Florida rental vacation homes before committing yourself to room service, bland food, overpriced extras and hit-or-miss cleanliness.
Although hotels can be tried and tested, there’s no question that they are somewhat limiting – especially if you’re traveling with young children. A family on vacation isn’t the quietest crowd to be around and for parents trying to keep audible enthusiasm down to a level acceptable for the people in adjoining rooms; it can be a stressful experience – as can meal times when the right kind of food isn’t served. On the other hand, choosing a property from a Florida rental vacation homes list can eliminate that stress by offering you a home from home. A place where you and your family can enjoy a day sampling the delights of Florida, and then come back to your vacation home where you can relax and talk about your day. If you choose one of the Florida rental vacation homes that have a pool, imagine a busy day queuing at Disney followed by a couple of hours with your feet up by the pool with an iced drink in your hand whist the children play in your private pool. Isn’t that what vacations are all about? If you don’t fancy cooking, find out what the local delivery food services offer and place a call!
Evenings in a hotel room can be difficult especially if you have children. Despite the amount of noise they make during the day, they may find it difficult to go to sleep with the noise coming from other rooms, or outside at the pool if your room is poolside and worse happens to have a poolside bar. Choosing to stay in one of our Professionally managed Florida rental vacation homes however allows you to see exactly where your accommodation will be located. It gives you the opportunity to choose an area that will be best suited for your needs so that at night, not only will your children be able to rest in what will become their beds but they won’t be disturbed by dancing, parties or laughter belonging to other hotel guests. Plus, in the time between supper and bed, they can either play outside without disturbing or being disturbed by other guests, or wind down from the excitement of the day playing on a computer system, board game, watching a DVD or enjoying the games room.
So the next time you’re considering a vacation in the Sunshine State, make sure you check out Florida rental vacation homes before you make your reservation in a generic hotel. Compare the prices and see how you can have a much better family time in a villa home rather than an impersonal hotel room. You aren’t likely to go back to booking a standard no-smoking family room once you’ve experienced a fully furnished, equipped villa with a pool that’s got all the comforts of home and right on the doorstep of the things you want to experience.

Choosing a Florida Vacation home instead of a hotel.

2009-06-27T16:32:00.001-05:00

When planning a vacation it’s a natural reaction to think about flight and hotel reservations as a package, even if they are booked separately. If you’re planning a holiday in Florida however, you really need to take a look at Florida rental vacation homes before committing yourself to room service, bland food, overpriced extras and hit-or-miss cleanliness.
Although hotels can be tried and tested, there’s no question that they are somewhat limiting – especially if you’re travelling with young children. A family on vacation isn’t the quietest crowd to be around and for parents trying to keep audible enthusiasm down to a level acceptable for the people in adjoining rooms; it can be a stressful experience – as can meal times when the right kind of food isn’t served. On the other hand, choosing a property from a Florida rental vacation homes list can eliminate that stress by offering you a home from home. A place where you and your family can enjoy a day sampling the delights of Florida, and then come back to your vacation home where you can relax and talk about your day. If you choose one of the Florida rental vacation homes that have a pool, imagine a busy day queuing at Disney followed by a couple of hours with your feet up by the pool with an iced drink in your hand whist the children play in your private pool. Isn’t that what vacations are all about? If you don’t fancy cooking, find out what the local delivery food services offer and place a call!
Evenings in a hotel room can be difficult especially if you have children. Despite the amount of noise they make during the day, they may find it difficult to go to sleep with the noise coming from other rooms, or outside at the pool if your room is poolside and worse happens to have a poolside bar. Choosing to stay in one of the Florida rental vacation homes however allows you to see exactly where your accommodation will be located. It gives you the opportunity to choose an area that will be best suited for your needs so that at night, not only will your children be able to rest in what will become their beds but they won’t be disturbed by dancing, parties or laughter belonging to other hotel guests. Plus, in the time between supper and bed, they can either play outside without disturbing or being disturbed by other guests, or wind down from the excitement of the day playing on a computer system, board game, watching a DVD or enjoying the games room.
So the next time you’re considering a vacation in the Sunshine State, make sure you check out Florida rental vacation homes before you make your reservation in a generic hotel. Compare the prices and see how you can have a much better family time in a villa home rather than an impersonal hotel room. You aren’t likely to go back to booking a standard no-smoking family room once you’ve experienced a fully furnished, equipped villa with a pool that’s got all the comforts of home and right on the doorstep of the things you want to experience.

www.villa.us - Home page

2007-08-28T22:51:00.000-05:00

2007-08-28T22:50:00.000-05:00

Florida Villas, Condos and Townhouses near Disney

2006-11-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

Florida Villas, Condos and Townhouses at Windsor Palms Resort, Indian Creek and many other fabulous communities just minutes from Disney.Visit http://www.floridavilla-uk.com/ for more details. Welcome to our luxury Florida villa rental homes. Vacation rental villas of the highest quality available for you to rent and all just minutes from the Magic!If you were searching for that luxury Orlando rental home then you've found it here. We have spared no expense furnishing our Florida vacation rentals so you're all set for a great vacation whichever one you choose. All homes are professionally maintained throughout and you have access to 24 hour assistance from our management company. Our homes are the ultimate in Florida rentals in the Orlando area. Please take a look around the entire site as this will give you a great overview of our properties."We have something for everyone's budget"

Gatorland eyes Nov. 22 opening

2006-11-08T09:37:00.000-05:00

Emergency plan to help park get back on track, executive says

As fire investigators sorted through the wreckage of Gatorland's entrance hall and gift shop, the theme park's management set a goal Tuesday of reopening in two weeks.

Gatorland President Mark McHugh hopes for a speedy recovery from a fire that gutted the park's 7,000-square-foot main building and damaged the giant concrete alligator jaws that for more than 40 years were its entrance.

"We had a plan in place for the last two or three years for what we would do if we were to lose part of the front end of our park," McHugh said. "We considered things like a truck running into the gator mouth, but not something as big as this."

But McHugh said it could have been even worse. Firefighters prevented the blaze from incinerating the corporate offices, which were attached to the entrance hall, sparing the company's records.

"We have recovered all our records," McHugh said. "We had the file server that backed up our computer files off site."

The only animal casualties were a dwarf crocodile and two pythons kept in the gift shop.

If all goes well, McHugh said, the park could reopen as soon as Nov. 22. It would try to borrow ticket booths from other attractions, he said. And an air-conditioned building near the center of the park could serve as a temporary gift shop. Replacing the entrance hall itself will take more time.

"I project the rebuilding will take at least a year -- maybe a little sooner," McHugh said.

Investigators from the State Fire Marshal's Office examined the remnants of the burned building Tuesday, but by late afternoon they hadn't determined what caused the blaze.

Jerry Aldrich, president of Amusement Industry Consulting in Orlando, said the Gatorland fire offers evidence for why amusement parks and tourist attractions should have detailed emergency plans.

"Crisis management is very important," Aldrich said. "It is important to develop a plan so that, when something does happen, you have acted it out and you are ready."

Mark Brisson, marketing manager for Fun Spot, a small amusement park off International Drive in Orlando, said the Gatorland fire is stirring his attraction to action.

"The tragedy at Gatorland is prompting us to put our house in order," Brisson said. "We will use our hurricane plan for a fire plan."

Brisson said Fun Spot now keeps important paper records and contracts on site but would likely start storing important documents at multiple locations.

"We would want to have our employee lists located away from the property," he said. "We need a safer place to back up contracts and other important paperwork. We will make these changes because of what happened to Gatorland."

Many thanks to: Christopher Boyd | Sentinel Staff Writer

Update to current security measures in the UK.

2006-11-06T16:16:00.000-05:00

UPDATE TO CURRENT SECURITY MEASURES IN THE UK
The Department for Transport has announced that from Monday 6 November, passengers may now carry a limited quantity of liquids, ie. gels, lotions, pastes, liquid cosmetics, foams and foodstuffs in their hand baggage when going through UK airport security checkpoints.

To avoid any unnecessary delays to your journey we would advise all passengers to continue to pack permitted liquid items in their checked in baggage. If you need to carry liquid items on board, please read the following requirements with care to ensure you arrive at the airport prepared.

LIQUID REQUIREMENTS
All liquids must be in individual containers not greater than 100ml capacity.
All containers must be placed in one transparent re-sealable bag (such as 'ziplock' bags or bags with pressable seals), no larger than 20cm x 20cm (8" x 8") in size and not larger that one litre in capacity. The containers must fit comfortably inside the bag so it can be fastened closed.
Only one transparent re-sealable bag per passenger is allowed. Larger bags or bags that are non-sealable, such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed.

The one transparent re-sealable bag must fit into your single piece of hand luggage.
Each passenger must remove their clear plastic bag from their hand baggage and place it in on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening.
Liquids in containers of more than 100ml capacity must be packed in your checked in baggage.
Remember that 'liquids' include;

all drinks, including water, soup and syrups
creams, lotions, oils, perfumes, mascara etc
sprays and pressurized containers including shaving foam and spray deodorants
pastes, including toothpastes
gels, including hair, shower gel and lip gloss
any other solutions and items of similar consistency.
Essential medicines and baby food may be permitted in larger quantities above the 100ml limit, but will be subject to the authentication that is already currently required.

Cabin baggage size remains unchanged - You are restricted to carrying only one item (in addition to the re-sealable liquids bag) through the airport search point. Cabin baggage must not exceed a maximum length of 56 cm, width of 36 cm and depth of 23 cm including wheels, handles, side pockets etc.

DUTY FREE
You may take on board liquid items of any size that are purchased after the security check in the Departure lounge (sometimes referred to as 'Airside') at any EU airport.
Most duty free or similar purchases will be given to you in a special sealed bag. Do not open this bag until you have reached your final destination. You should also retain your proof of purchase throughout your journey. You will be required to show it at all transfer points.
Please note restrictions apply to duty free purchases made on return journeys where passengers change flights at an EU airport. These are explained in detail in the next section.

SPECIAL INFORMATION FOR TRANSIT PASSENGERS
If your journey involves changing flights at any EU airport, special restrictions apply. You may only take liquid duty free purchases above 100ml through the security check point at your connecting airport if they have been purchased at another EU airport or in Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, or on board an aircraft operated by an EU carrier or a carrier of Iceland, Norway or Switzerland. You will need to show proof of purchase to demonstrate this. Liquid purchases of more than 100ml bought from other airports or on board other airlines may only be carried as checked in baggage on the connecting flight.

The member states of the European Union are:

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Change on Disney's Plate

2006-10-17T10:29:00.000-05:00

Carrots, apples and low-fat milk are replacing french fries and soda at Walt Disney World as the company adopts a new attitude toward theme-park food, especially for kids. Soon, visitors to Disney World and other Disney theme parks might have to search for big portions of junk food because they'll be pushed to the bottoms of menus. Snacks will get smaller and less sugary. Burgers, french fries and pizza will be less fatty. Items such as fruit on a stick will show up more.Walt Disney Co. President Robert Iger on Monday announced a two-year plan to improve nutrition not just in the theme parks but in any food the company sells, brands or promotes. That includes foods in restaurants that offer Disney toys and consumer products available in some stores, including Publix Super Markets.Iger told The Associated Press the move was in response to comments from parents about the eating habits of their children.The company was "well aware of the huge responsibility we have, given our reach and our ability to impact people's behavior and opinions," Iger said from Singapore, where he was on business.Disney's changes begin with children's meals but will affect adult foods as well, Disney officials said. Calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and sugar will be restricted in all children-focused foods, from chicken nuggets to ice-cream snacks. Trans fats will be cut from foods by the end of 2007 in the theme parks and the end of 2008 for Disney foods sold elsewhere.Disney's not alone. SeaWorld Orlando and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks, on Monday also announced a commitment to healthful foods. SeaWorld is restricting calories, fats and sugars in some foods, has converted a whole restaurant, Mama's Kitchen, to nutritious foods and is offering fruit alternatives to fries.Want fries with that?Some changes are already in place at Disney World. Children's meals come with carrots, applesauce or grapes, low-fat milk, water or 100 percent fruit juice.If children want fries or soda, they will have to make special requests. And some fried foods such as chicken nuggets are now free of added trans fats and cooked in oils free of trans fats, Disney said."It's a first good step. It's seen as a long-term project," said Dr. Keith Thomas Ayoob, a New York pediatric nutritionist and associate clinical professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.Ayoob was hired by Disney with Dr. James O. Hill of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado to help overhaul its food offerings. "Believe it or not, Disney wanted to make even more sweeping, drastic changes. Dr. Hill and I said, let's slow down . . . and make it a long-term commitment."Menu options changeSome of the wholesome-food options have been in place for months at some of Disney's fast-service restaurants."It's a nice change of pace from the burger and fries," said Ann Jensen of Minneapolis, whose young daughters Allison and Molly were eating deli sandwiches and grapes at Disney-MGM Studios. "I like having the choice."Still, those wishing for broad offerings may have to wait.Christina Topaloglou, on vacation from New York City with her family at Disney-MGM on Monday, pointed to the applesauce and cup of fruit that her daughters, Ioli Baltas, 8, and Yves Baltas, 4, were eating with their chicken nuggets. "That's not a meal; it's a snack," she said.Topaloglou said her family is conscious about eating healthful foods and never eats fried foods, except on this trip. She knows more healthful options may be available in full-service restaurants, but they're not practical, so they eat what they find on the run. Even without trans fats, the nuggets didn't impress her. "We feel that after three days here we're going to spend a week at home on food cleansing," she said.Beware the finicky eatersA Universal Orlando official said that company offers fruits and salads in some restaurants, but attempts to sell fruit everywhere in the parks were ended because they weren't popular.That's one of the issues Disney and SeaWorld may face: You can lead kids to broccoli, but can you make them eat it?Yes, said Linda Warren, a vice president at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Many of the comfort foods people expect in theme parks will always be there -- they just won't be as bad, she said."We want to make sure what we do is still tasty. We want the look and texture and taste that is still pleasing to guests," Warren said. "We're going to look to offer the nutritional value. We'll look for a lower-fat cheese, a different crust for the pizza . . ."In a written statement issued by Disney, Margo Wootan, nutrition-policy director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a public-nutrition-advocacy center, called Disney's announcement "welcome news."For the next step, she called on Disney and its parent company, ABC, to re-examine the food advertising it accepts.

PASS THE FRUIT, MICKEYAmong Walt Disney Co.'s new guidelines for children's foods:Limit main dishes to 360 calories, full meals to 560 calories.No more than 30% of meal calories from fat.No more than 35% of snack calories from fat.Limit juice drinks to 110 calories, with no added sugar.Limit most snacks to 150 calories, with no more than 25% from sugar.

Many thanks to.
Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 17, 2006

Disney prizes: Worth $17.4 million

2006-09-19T15:03:00.000-05:00

The entertainment giant prepares to shower fans with gifts starting Oct. 1. 2006

Cruises, world tours of all Disney theme parks, Mickey Mouse ears, shopping sprees, nights in Cinderella Castle, time-share condominium leases, commemorative pins: These are a few of the things that Disney's million dreams are made of.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has announced 1,250,000 prizes with a combined value of more than $17.4 million that will be given away through Walt Disney World and Disneyland starting Oct. 1, when the company's 14-month "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign begins.

The sweepstakes involve thousands of prizes given out each day, many of them as Disney visitors get a simple, unexpected tap on the shoulder.

The campaign also features several new attractions such as the Seas With Nemo and Friends ride opening at Epcot next month, and smaller adventures, such as costumed characters joining visitors on rides.

Disney is counting on the unexpected nature of the prize giveaways to provide as much excitement as the actual wins. The rule is anyone, any time, anywhere within Disney properties, said Ken Potrock, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts senior vice president of global alliance marketing.

"Completely random. Completely unbiased. Completely luck of the draw," Potrock said. "What we created was a mathematical model, a randomizer, that will select the different dream giveaways each and every day.

"It gets into detail like, it'll be the fourth person to walk through the exit of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at 3:01 p.m.," he said, describing a hypothetical selection. "And we've even gone so far as to say, if two people are walking through the doorway at the same time, it's the person on the left."

Winners will be split between those visitors who show up on Disney properties, and those who send in postcard entries.

To avoid spontaneous scenes of envy and disappointment among nearby people, major prizewinners won't be told what they won on the spot.

"We're not going to announce that in front of hundreds of other people who were so close," Potrock said. "We're going to celebrate later in the day by putting those people in as grand marshals in the parades."

Top prizes include three memberships in Disney's Vacation Club through the year 2054, which Disney values at $83,701 apiece.

Others include three "Grand Marshal World Tours," 15-day vacations visiting all 11 Disney theme parks in Hong Kong, Tokyo, California, Orlando and Paris. More common prizes include special "FastPass" badges that allow visitors to skip the regular lines at attractions, and dinners at Disney restaurants.

This summer when Disney announced the campaign only a handful of the top prizes were revealed. One that caught the public's fancy is a chance to sleep in the royal suite in Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle, starting in January.

Christie Reynolds, a Disney fan from Princeton, Ky., is still holding out for the castle stay. The other things, however much they might cost, are things people can buy.

But you can't buy a night in the castle, said Reynolds, 37, who has an 8-year-old daughter, Lauren Quinn Reynolds.

"The list of prizes was amazing, but I would still pick one night in Cinderella's Castle for my daughter above all," she said. "It's every little girl's dream to stay in Cinderella's Castle."

Cinderella fan Brandee Foxworthy of Longwood now is thinking about other possibilities.

"I can't imagine one that we wouldn't be over the moon about. The Vacation Club and the trans-Atlantic cruise. Wow. I mean, what a trip to take the kids on," said Foxworthy, 29. She and her husband, Justin, have three children younger than 6 and have been Disney season pass holders for eight years.

"Even if it was just a pin, or the smallest prize, it would definitely make a day for us there more exciting, just wondering if you would be the one who would be stopped," she said, "Or even to see someone win a prize like that."

In the mid-1980s, Disney offered cruises, cars and other prizes, and various other theme parks have offered sweepstakes over the years, but nothing on the scale of Year of a Million Dreams, said consultant Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services in Cincinnati.

The new campaign emerges at a time when domestic theme parks remain nervous about attendance in the face of uncertain gasoline prices and tourist interest in long trips.

"Let me tell you, in this community we're seeing one thing: Everybody wants a deal," Speigel said.

People may enter the sweepstakes without visiting a Disney property by sending postcards with their full name, complete mailing address, daytime telephone number and date of birth, to Disney Dream Giveaway, P.O. Box 8629, Elmhurst, IL 60126.

Florida Villas, Condos, Townhouse Rental and Local Information.

2006-09-19T13:38:00.000-05:00

Please visit often for special deals on our luxury Florida homes and useful information on Central Florida and all it has to offer both US and foreign visitors. Just visit our website, www.villa.us Online booking coming soon...