Welcome to our Florida Guide. Your one-stop shop for vacation planning for that trip of a lifetime to Florida! http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/ en-us Copyright 2008, Orlando Villas LLC. All Rights Reserved. info@orlandovillas.com http://www.orlandovillas.com/pictures/rss/logo.gif http://www.orlandovillas.com/ 75 50 http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/orlando-premium-outlets-orlando.aspx Orlando Premium Outlets is a really great shopping mall. They have some fantastic bargains to take back home. This is a great place for you girls to shop whilst the kids are perhaps enjoying the thrills of a theme park. This oudoor mall is in easy reach of most central locations being only a mile away from the Disney theme parks. The mall is based upon a beautiful Mediterranean village and is very pleasing to the eye. The Mall is located on Vineland Avenue and is best reached by taking the Interstate 4 to exit 68. For those arriving by car, parking is free. The I-Ride Trolley bus also stops at the centre and the outlet mall also boasts transportation from the 192, Kissimmee and Lake Buena Vista hotels by using Maingate Transportation, who can be contacted on (407) 390-0000. The mall was expanded last year and now has 150 different outlet stores which offer customers savings of 25% to 65% of the recommended retail price. Some of the outlet stores located here include Adidas, Ann Tay... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/fantasy-of-flight-museum.aspx Fancy a day out away from the mouse! Then head down the I4 in the direction of Tampa and have a great day out at Fantasy of Flight. This park is an aviation themed attraction which shows the many achievements in flight that we have made over the years. The information is presented in a fun way being both educational and interesting, with hands on exhibits as well as interactive displays and daily aerial demonstrations. The park is easy to find, head West on I-4 towards Tampa and then take the SR-559 exit 44. Turn right toward Polk City and amp; Fantasy of Flight. At the flashing red light, turn left and Fantasy of flight will be less than a 1/4 mile down on your left. Admission price is less than $29 for an adult and children aged 5 to 15 years are only $14. 95, under 5 year olds are free. The history of aviation is presented to you in a family friendly way, in an authentic 1940’s airport village. You will find three large aircraft hangars filled with over 40 airplanes most of w... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/universal-studios-tips-for-your-day.aspx A few tips for enjoying your day. We had a great time at Universal studios, parking (February 2010) was $14 and you parked in a multi story car park which was quite near to the parks and had “travelators” to speed up your journey there. We had not been to Universal Studios for about 8 years and had a set of very old tickets. We headed over to guest relations, where a very helpful lady tried to sort out our tickets. It look a few moments for the lady to locate the bar code of our tickets on her computer system, but once she had done this, she was able to re-print them and issue us with new ones at no extra charge. We were delighted to find that the tickets were actually valid for two days and not one day, and they can be used in either park. We also explained that our daughter is disabled and if the park were busy, she would find it hard waiting in line for the rides. No problem, we were given a special pass, so that one of us could wait with her in a “family room” whilst the other me... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/shingle-creek-nature-park.aspx This is a new Park opened recently by Osceola County after they bought the land from the Babb family who owned it for many years. The County –with the help of other agencies acquired 100 acres of land that is so close to the urban areas of Kissimmee yet you will find it hard to even know you are stones throw from the busy 192. Shingle Creek was a lifeline for early inhabitants including Native Americans, and is believed to be the head of the Everglades River. It was used for transportation in the early years and provided hunting grounds and camps for settlers. Now you can still see the original work sheds and garages-complete with old cars and machinery of the Babb family –although they are in desperate need of renovation and preservation –and this is one of the projects the County has in the pipeline. Unfortunately the house itself was destroyed by fire but there are plans to rebuild it and turn it into a museum in the future There are pictures of the homestead from 1915 on a notice... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/showcase-of-citrus.aspx On US-27, four and a half miles North of 192, is Showcase of Citrus. This is a family owned citrus grove and so much more. With over 2, 500 acres of working citrus groves and cattle ranch, it is an amazing place to explore and so much more from what it appears as you drive past. When you pull into the parking lot, you are immediately surrounded by an amazing array of fresh citrus fruits on display. Several different varieties of oranges, tangerines, limes, lemons and a new one for us, the pomelo. The pomelo looks like a HUGE grapefruit and it is from the same family. Thanks to their tasting samples at the back, though, we now know that the pomelo is much less acidic than the grapefruit and much less sour. It has a very fresh taste and is very juicy and is definitely recommended. As you wander around the store there is also a great selection of local sauces, honeys, jams and preserves for sale. There are samples for you to try. When we visited they had also been barbequing a boar th... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/kennedy-space-center-imax.aspx No trip to Florida should end without a visit to the Kennedy Space Center. When you are so close it would be criminal not to visit the most historic place in America – from where all the space missions leave. It is situated about 60 minutes drive from Orlando. This may not appeal to everyone or all ages, but I have yet to meet anyone who did not enjoy it. The bus tours take you to all areas of the space center and everything is explained in great detail. All the most important areas i. e. , the launch pad, mission control and the building where the rockets are made, are all visited and the public are let off the bus to explore with or without a tour guide. The staff are always happy to answer any questions and there is even a café half way round where you can have lunch and join a later bus to carry on with your tour. Nobody rushes you and you can get on and off busses at leisure so you are able to spend as long as you wish at each area. The hall where you can view space memorabilia ... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/mannys-chop-house.aspx Manny’s Chop House After all we had heard about Manny’s Chop House, we felt that we could put off a visit no longer. So we finally decided to try it one Wednesday night. We headed south on highway 27 and found Manny’s set back from the road on the right hand side just past the large 24 hour Walmart store. The car park was full so we headed for the overflow car park around the back and struggled to find a parking space amongst the huge 4 x 4’s and open back trucks that obviously belonged to the locals. We always think it is a good sign when the locals frequent a restaurant. Odds are the food will be good and reasonably priced or they would not keep coming back. Once we had parked and made our way to the entrance through the throngs of people waiting outside, we gave our names to the girl at the front desk who said we would have to wait for around an hour. (This taught us the lesson to call ahead). We ordered drinks at the bar and waited for our table. The hour just rushed by as the... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/places-to-visit-anna-maria-island.aspx Many of you who do decide to venture away from the theme parks probably head the beaches of Daytona or Clearwater Let me let you into our little secret - its called Anna Maria Island, Its about 3 hours south of Kissimmee heading towards Tampa. Its probably Florida' s best keep secret - but I guess not for long now that I have mentioned it. Anna Maria Island, has an amazing sugar-white coastline, emerald Gulf waters and quaint business districts, Today, it is now known as a vacation favorite among local, national and international travelers . Its a place for honeymooners, for those having second honeymoons and anyone who loves the peace and quiet away from the theme parks. Its not commercialised but has some of the most magnificent sea front restaurants you could ever wish to be seen in We have been three times in the last two years each time spending extra days than we originally planned. This year we rented a fabulous villa that literally was just across the road from the bea... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/visiting-the-water-parks.aspx There are four water parks in Orlando, Florida. Disney has two water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, both of which are wonderfully themed. Seaworld’s new water park is called Aquatica, and although smaller than either of the Disney parks it is beautifully landscaped. Of course, there is that old favourite, Wet and Wild, but this is more of a concrete jungle, with plenty to do but no real themeing. Here are some tips to make your day at the parks even better: 1. Check the park opening times. Get there before they open if you can. They will let you in as far as the lockers so you can stow all your excess gear. 2. Get there early. The earlier you get there the more chance you have of securing a shady spot for the day, with a sun-lounger to relax on. Don’t forget that the sun can get very intense at midday, and if you have children it is wise to get them some shelter. Shade is at a premium, so go straight to your chosen spot. If you can, look at a map of the water park pr... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/soarin-at-epcot.aspx This really is a “must do” at Epcot and I do believe this is one ride that you should get a Fastpass for as the queues can be very long. Apparently since we rode on it Disney has introduced new technology to make the wait in the standby queue less tedious and more enjoyable. I am told there are now large overhead screens with interactive ' video games' . These are similar to the Nintendo Wii, and the player’s physical movements dictate the direction of the game. One of the games has guests directing a bird through a forest. You can hear the calls of ' lean left, lean right' as everyone tries to help. You can get so engrossed in this that you often do not realize that the queue has moved! The ride building is attached to The Land Pavilion in Future World, with the ride entrance accessible through the former Food Rocks attraction. The building looks like a huge aircraft hangar and once inside you queue in what appears to be an airfield. Inside the theatre, you will be guided to o... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/devenneys-irish-pub.aspx When my parents returned from a visit to our villa in Orlando they were eager to tell us about a new Irish pub that had opened at the end of 2008 and was opposite Cagan Crossing which is about a mile and a half from our villa at Lindfields. If you head along the 192 and take the 27 going north with Wal-Mart’s on your right you take a u turn at the first set of traffic lights and Devenneys is on your right. Apparently this was a dream of a gentleman who originates from Ireland and with his two partners realised the need for such a place in this area of Davenport. They aimed and have succeeded in making a place with an Irish welcome where you are treated as though you are being welcomed into a home and you can drink, eat, watch sport or enjoy the entertainment on offer. Devenneys is open seven days a week 11. 30am until late ( I don’t know what late is because my parents cam home before the end) and has a happy hour 5- 7pm and 10. 00pm till close which is similar to TGI Fridays. Th... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/good-places-to-eat.aspx We are great fans of the Longhorn Steakhouse Restuarants. They provide excellent food at a commonsense price. They are part of the Darden Group who also own Olive Garden which is another good restaurant. We love their Onion Starter, which compares very favourably with the Outback' s Bloomin' Onion. In fact our family much prefer it. The steaks are great and there is also a good vegetarian and fish choice of meals. They have a new one which opened earlier this year on West 192 by the new Super Target and the staff are really helpful and pleasant. At busy times you can call ahead and have your name put on the wait list so that by the time you arrive your wait has shortened considerably, we like this idea as it is not too much fun in any restaurant to wait for, what can sometimes be more than forty five minutes. Another favourite is Colorado House of Beef, also on 192, again their steaks are good and service is very attentive and pleasant. It is not usually too busy unlike some ... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/festival-of-the-lion-king.aspx We had not been to this show in Animal Kingdom for a couple of years so decided on a half day visit earlier this year with friends to go and see if it lived up to our memories of it. We were not disappointed. This is the most popular live show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and can be found at the Campside Circle. This takes place in a huge theatre so although the queue may be long, it usually is, most people tend to get seated. The methods they use to feed people into the theatre are good as they always seem to leave some accessible seats at the end that late comers may take. They seem to let people in, space permitting, even as the show starts. If you have a younger child who would like to take part in the show try to sit near the front. This will mean you getting to the queue fairly early and sometimes a word with the cast member who is showing you to your seats helps particularly if it is a birthday or a special occasion. The lucky children get to follow the leader around the theat... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/universal-studios-vs-disney.aspx I often get asked is Universal Studios better than the Disney parks? Normally people who are on their very first visits ask this because they are trying to decide whether to visit just the Disney parks or both Disney and Universal Studios as well This is a difficult question to answer really because there is no clear winner between them! They are both equally good but very different, although there are a lot more Disney parks currently, but Universal Studio is expanding and building new parks as I write this review Universal does seem to have a more grown up feel to it and you can see this in some of the attractions although the relatively New Islands of Adventure does have a lot of rides and shows that are aimed more at the younger audience The rides and shows in Universal Studios seem to be more themed on actual films and TV shows and I think this is why I feel that Universal Studios is more for adults particularly in the original Universal Studios , in the Islands of adventure ... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/eating-out-in-orlando-florida.aspx There are literally hundreds of different food outlets to choose from in Florida it all really depends on what type of food you like to eat, here are just a few: There are a number of restaurants that serve what we Brits would think of as typically American food such as steaks, burgers, chicken fillets mostly with fries etc I have a couple of favourites such as TGI Fridays and Chili' s. TGI would have to be my favourite and it is a quite popular depending on its location, there are quite a few situated around the tourist spot of Orlando, the staff in TGI' s always seem to be really friendly and very helpful, I have to say I have never had a bad meal or poor service there.I love the TGI Jack Daniels sauce and this is a speciality of TGI' s and I often have their Steak and Shrimp Combo the best of both worlds they offer a good selection of Steak, Chicken, Fish and Italian dishes so there is something for everyone. If steak is your thing then you have come to the right country and there... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/expedition-everest-animal-kingdom.aspx One thing you can be sure of when a new ride comes to town at Disney is the quality of it. Expedition Everest was first introduced in 2007 to enhance the ride portfolio at Disneys Animal Kingdom. Up until this point the park had been a little lacking in the thrills department. Expedition Everest does not claim to be the World’s fastest or tallest rollercoaster, but what it does do is give you a totally new feeling, going backwards. Reaching speeds in excess of 50mph it still can get up to fast speeds, but it is aiming at the family market, so had to be a little tamer than say the rocking rollercoaster at Hollywood Studios. What Disney do really well with their rides is getting you in the mood before you have actually been on it. It is all part of the Disney Magic and is why so many guests come back year after Year to visit their parks. Expedition Everest is no exception to this rule and the large high mountain commands the sky’s over animal Kingdom. On to the ride itself - You ar... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/christmas-in-florida.aspx Christmas in Florida is simply magical! If you are used to a cold Christmas season, the first thing that will appeal to you is the weather! Imagine spending Christmas Day relaxing by the pool in temperatures in the 80s! Sipping champagne in the sun, whilst thinking of those at home around the fire, when you are thinking only of applying the sun cream! Save your Christmas present shopping for after your arrival - no point in taking gifts for the family with you! You will get so much more for your money in Florida! Maybe consider doing a ' secret Santa' - as you do need to remember that any gifts will need to be packed in the suitcase when it' s time to go home! Plan something nice for Christmas day. How about a nice meal somewhere special. Ideas are the Peabody Hotel, Celebration Hotel or Gaylord Palms. Consider having a taxi so that everyone can relax and enjoy a drink. Surprisingly taxis are easy to arrange for Christmas day - but do book in advance. The lead up to Christmas i... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/orlando-theme-parks-with-small-children.aspx We have been travelling to Orlando with our daughter since she was 3 months old. On her first visit to Magic Kingdom she was 15 months old and not yet walking. She had a wonderful time and enjoyed seeing the shows, parades and all the characters. We had lunch at the Crystal Palace where she met all the Whinnie the Pooh Characters; she was very excited but a little scared when they got really close but waved to them as they left. The restaurant ensures that all of the tables get to see the characters and it offers a wide selection of food buffet style for both children and adults. We were lucky enough to get a table without booking but I would highly recommend making a reservation in advance to save you waiting in line. That same year we also visited Sea World. Jessica especially liked the Manatee and Penguins and had a lovely time playing in the park with the sand and other children. We couldn’t get her to leave. All the shows are fantastic but her favourite seemed to be Blue H... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/bok-tower-gardens.aspx If you drive from Davenport to Miami on US highway 27, look to the left as you approach the town of Lake Wales. On the distant ridge – the highest hill in the peninsula of Florida - you will see a prominent tower, known as Bok Tower. Surrounding the tower are the Bok Tower Gardens. The gardens make a relaxing place to spend an afternoon, a pleasant change from theme parks and shopping. There you will find almost 250 acres of gardens, with shady walks among subtropical plants, splashes of spectacular colour and views of the surrounding country. The gardens were created in the 1920s by a Dutch-born philanthropist, Edward Bok, who made his money in publishing. The designer was a well-known landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted. Bok is buried in the gardens at the foot of Bok Tower. Eight acres of the gardens are set aside for the Pinewood Estate, surrounding a 20 room mansion built in the 1930s, considered one of the finest Mediterranean style houses in Florida. Bok Tower its... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/st-johns-pass.aspx One day we decided to head for the beach as it was a beautiful warm and sunny typical Florida day. On the east coast a few miles south of Clearwater is a place called Madeira beach that was recommended to us so we decided to give it a try as we had never been there before and it’s always good to do something different. We drove from our villa at Orange Tree near Disneyworld towards Tampa on the I4 and then onto Clearwater. It was an easy drive and we didn’t get lost once! We drove down the coast road heading south, taking in the scenery along the way. Madeira beach was lovely, long stretches of clean white sand and clear warm water. We relaxed on the warm sand, and cooled off in the clear blue sea. After a few hours we had had our fill of the beach and decided to make a visit to a shopping village nearby called”St Johns Pass village and boardwalk” to get a bite to eat and perhaps a little bit of shopping! On approaching it seemed a lively place, full of shops and places to eat an... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/tokyo-dining.aspx Being from the UK where there is not a large selection of Japanese restaurants we decided on one of our holidays at the villa to visit Epcot and dine at Toyko Dining in the Japanese Pavilion. My Mother and I started our visit with Cherry Blossom Martinis they were refreshing and very good. When customers are being seated, the hostess announces something in Japanese and the other staff respond in greeting - it really makes you feel welcome. Our server was Yumi who was assisted by Yumiko. The service here is really excellent with all the restaurant staff appearing to work as a team and they are all extremely helpful and respectful to all the guests. We were given nice hot towels to clean our hands with before our order was taken. The tables in Toyko Dining are spaced well apart allowing you to have a conversation which is not always possible in some of the Walt Disney World restaurants. Our table had a view of the World Showcase which was wonderful however if you are seated in th... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/the-appalachians-in-florida.aspx The Appalachian Indian were the Native Americans who lived in an area that went from the Georgia state line to the Gulf of Mexico. At one time there was as many as 50000 Appalachians living in smallish village groups. What was considered to be a large village would only comprise around 100 houses and there would be occasional single family farm steads. The women grew the crops of beans, corn and squash and the men were the hunters. They would be tracking deer, bears and other small game. This tribe lived very succesful lives and the men wereknown to be fearsome; they would scalp their enemy and display said scalp as a badge of honour. They played a game which had some references to English football; this was played with a small hard ball and the teams had several dozen men per side. Each village would play the other and the best players were revered so this game played a very important part in their lives. Lake Jackson was their captal and there was an awesome mound here befitt... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/live-music-orlando.aspx Live Music Orlando /b If you are like me and a regular on the concert circuit in the UK it is always nice when on holiday to find a venue that provides live quality music and surroundings. Let' s face it Orlando is quite rightly known for it' s numerous family theme parks which are widely advertised, and therefore live music tends to take a bit of a back seat. I am pleased therefore to be able to tell you that within the Universal Studios complex is a venue that is well worth a visit, and that is Hard Rock. As well as the music venue next door is the Hard Rock Cafe. Hard Rock Cafe /b This is a great place to start the evening. As the name suggests this is a place where you can get a bite to eat before the concert but it is much more than that. The walls are decked with rock memorabilia, which in itself would take you hours to digest if you had the time. To get you in the mood Rock/Pop music and videos are piped to all parts of the Cafe, and bar very attentive bar staff ensure tha... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/kissimmee-old-town-family-entertainment.aspx A visit to Kissimmee Old Town is a must. The entertainment and rides are ideal for the whole family especially for the kids. For the very brave the human slingshot that catapults you up to 365 feet into the sky is probably the most scary ride to go on, it will certainly get the palms of your hands sweating and the adrenalin pumping. Once you get back onto the ground it will take a little while to get your breath back. Then the windstorm roller coaster becomes slightly mild after the slingshot but it’s still a must for the roller coaster aficionado’s. There is an old style Ferris wheel and a go-kart track to keep the enjoyment going. Not forgetting the tiny tots, the Wacky worm kiddies roller coaster, spinning tea cups and other rides will keep them amused. On Thursday from 6pm there is the motor bike display with all types of bikes including traditional bikes, choppers and three wheelers with V8 engines in them. Friday night is one of the car cruise nights with cars and trucks from... http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/orlando_guide/things-to-do-in-florida.aspx Staying in a villa near to Disney World Orlando and surrounding areas is less expensive than most people think. These days it’s not considered to be a once in a life time holiday, more and more families go there on a regular basis because there is so much more to do than the Theme Parks even though the Theme Parks are the main reason a lot of families go. Staying in a villa gives you the option of eating in as well as trying the range of different foods from around the world. The restaurants in Florida are in abundance, the cater for all tastes and can be as inexpensive as you like or you can push the boat out and have some more expensive fine dining. With a family there are lots of places that cater for children where they can eat free under certain ages, this you would need to check with the individual restaurants. As well as the Theme Parks there are the superb beaches, You could combine a day at Busch Gardens Tampa and go on to the gulf coast for a couple of days to stay near o...