Welcome to our Florida Guide. Your one-stop shop for vacation planning for that trip of a lifetime to Florida! http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_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.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/travelling-to-the-usa.aspx When you are planning your trip to the USA make sure you have all the correct details of the baggage allowance, these have recently been changed and are smaller than they were. If you intend to do lots of shopping some airlines allow you to book extra bags online when you check in and this is usually cheaper than doing it at the airport when you arrive to check in to return home once you have found that you have bags that are way over the allowance after all that shopping ! Before you travel to the USA now you must complete an Esta form. These can be completed online and are very easy to complete - once you have done this you will be given an ESTA number and be able to print off the completed form. These originally were meant to replace the old green Visa waiver forms but at the moment they are still being used as well as the new Esta forms. You need your passport number and also the address of where you will be staying in Florida at hand when you complete the form. These are valid f... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/preview-harry-potter-park.aspx As I write there has been no date fixed for the opening of the new Harry Potter park, but all signs are pointing to spring 2010. This long awaited park stand in the grounds of the Universal Islands of Adventure and has been styled by the artists and directors of the Harry Potter films. These include Alan Gilmore and Stuart Craig. J P Rowling has been consulted all along the way with the organisers making trips to London to speak with her. In the 2007 licencing agreement Universal were granted the privelege of using footage from The Order of the Phoenix and High Blood Prince. Although this has not been confirmed it seems likely that this footage will be used in some way in the park. So here is a little insight in what you might expect. The Forbidden Journey is a collection of scenes and sets that you access through Hogsmeade. As you enter listen for the steam and whistle. Above you is a turretted building that appears to be 700 foot high. And it is here that you will find a Dr... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/ice-gaylord-palms-orlando.aspx Every Christmas time for the last few years there has been a spectacular event held at Gaylord Palms, called Ice. This features spectacular ice sculptures and lasts around 7 weeks; this year (2010) it runs from november to after Christmas. Gaylord Palms select Chinese artisans to create their displays. These artists are drawn from the participants in the International Ice and Snow Festival which takes place in China every year. In all they use a staggering 2 million pounds of ice to create the displays which are kept at a chilly 9 degrees farenheit. 3 kinds of ice are needed to make the sculptures. White ice has the appearance of compacted snow and this effect is created by freezing the water very quickly which lends an opaque appearance to the ice. Crystal Ice is made from de ionised water that has been multi filtered. Each 400 pound ice block uses 45 gallons of water and takes 72 hours to freeze. Coloured Ice is made by simply adding a bright colourant that makes a nice c... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/sanford-museum.aspx Sanford Museum is located in East St Ist opposite Fort Mellon Park and is dedicated to Henry Shelton Sanford. Henry was a diplomat, lawyer and businessman whose importance in the Victorian era can not be over played. He was born in Connecticut and after qualifying as a lawyer took several diplomatic posts in Russia, Germany and Belgium. He also was a delegate at many important conferences dealing with such diverse subjects as expeditions, anti slavery and geographical events. His first venture in Florida was to buy an orange grove in St Augustine (this was after the Civil War) there after he invested part of his fortune in various business ventures in Florida with little return. It is thought that he spread his business interests too wide for success. His wife (though disaffected by their Florida experience) acceeded to his request to donate his papers to the museum. Also bequethed were various works of 19th century decorative art. The papers owned by the museum number a stag... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/kissimmee-air-museum.aspx If you are at all interested in aviation then put Kissimmee Air Museum on your ' to do' list and you can look forward to a treat on your next visit. This museum will not be too far from any villa that you are staying in. Here you can take control of a World War 2 air plane while sitting in the front cockpit. Rather surprisingly, there is no experience required to do this. Here is an idea; if your Florida visit is still in the planning stages, why not surprise your partner by booking a flight for him as an awesome birthday or Christmas gift? He would not forget that one! They also put on various displays and have an interesting array of exhibits and of course you are surrounded by people who are passionate about aviation and will happily answer your questions. Among the aircraft that are still flying are a North A SNJ6, Ryan P T -22, a Fokke Wolf 190A3 and a Boeing Stearman P. /T M. On display but not flying are a Mig 17 f Fresco, a Focke Wolf 19 oa 3 and a Boeing Stearman P T... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/the-wells-built-museum.aspx The Wells Built Museum is in honour of Dr William Monroe Wells. William was a black doctor in the times of strict segregation who did much to improve the lot of the down trodden black American of those times. In those times no white doctor would ever treat a black person. He moved to the area after qualifying in 1917 at which time he was 28 and built a home here in 1921. THe good doctor served the entire area of Orlando and it is recorded that he delivered 5000 babies. Many of his patients were too poor to pay him anything but he treated them anyway. Shamefully the black people were not allowed to use any of the facilities that were reserved for whites and these included police protection, leisure facilities and good schools. This is despite the fact that they paid their taxes like everyone else. DR Wells resolved to solve at least one part of this and in 1928 he completed the building of a hotel for the black people. Shortly after he had a casino next door constructed which bo... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/thornton-park.aspx If you want a day away from the Theme Parks during your vacation then why not consider Thornton Park? Thornton Park is in Orlando about an hour from your villa near The Parks and has a mix of historical houses that are sure please the eye and transport you back to another era. There are also shops, cafes and even pubs and you can certainly spend a pleasant half day here. Famed for its Cracker Homes you can also see examples of Shotgun, American Four Square, Meditteranean and Craftsman Houses. The American Four Square home is also known as the Prairie Box and its balanced appearance invites one to compare it with a Georgian home in England. They have a well built appearance and are constructed from wood, stone and cement. They normally have a shallow roof line and a deep overhang. Shot Gun Homes are seen in many of the Southern States and are built with a wooden frame. They are designed to withstand the extremes of the hotter months and form a long narrow line. These homes are... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/raglan-road-downtown-disney.aspx Like many visitors to Orlando we always want to try new restaurants as well as return to some family favourites. The latest one for us to try is Disney’s Ragland Road Irish pub and restaurant at Downtown Disney. This restaurant, which is owned and operated by an Irish company, is located in Pleasure Island in what was once the Jazz Club. The interior boasts four antique bars which are more than 130 years old and imported direct from Ireland. These bars are made of dark solid wood and give an authentic pub feel familiar to visitors to Ireland. Wall coverings, lighting and other custom made furnishings have also been designed and come from Ireland to give that ‘Irish’ experience. Once inside you can enjoy live entertainment, where you’re encouraged to join in singing and clapping, listen to Irish storytelling as well as watching traditional Irish dancing. (Irish ‘Stepdance’ style of dancing has been very popular since 1994, when ‘Riverdance’ became hugely popular around the world and... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/roller-coaster-history.aspx Always subjective I know, but Florida must surely be one the world locations known for its fun attractions and superb roller coasters. The roller coaster is built to allow us to experience a few minutes of thrill and to allow us to simply forget everything that stresses us in life. A few minutes of pure escapism. But how did this phenomenon begin? We ride some of the most impressive roller coasters in the world in Florida, and rarely give this a second thought. We’ll it is an amazing story. The history can be traced back to some dramatic ice slides called ‘Russian Mountains’ which were specially designed and built predominantly around St Petersburg in Russia in the 17th century. The slides were very popular with the Russian upper classes. Catherine the Great was a particular fan and had a number of slides built on her own mansions. The slides themselves were built to a height of about 80 feet with a 50 degree drop, supported by wooden constructions. 1827 saw a Pennsylvanian minin... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/shuttle-last-few-launches.aspx As homeowners we are often asked where to go for the best Shuttle Launch view. This is one of the most exciting, awesome sights you can see whilst visiting Florida. The memory of such power will stay with you for a very, very long time. If you see a night time launch the vision is amazing – a huge white firework lighting up the whole sky. As this article is written there are just four more shuttle launches scheduled: Discovery on mission STS-13 on 5th April (6. 27am), Atlantis STS-132 scheduled for 14 May (2. 28pm), Endeavour STS134 planned for 29 July (6. 43am) and Discovery STS 133 (11. 57am) All times are EDT. If a shuttle is delayed until the next day the launch time gets earlier each day. Keep in touch to ensure the schedule is on time. We take a radio with us. You can sign up for text messages by texting ‘follow spaceflightnow’ to 40404. To stop them text ‘leave spaceflightnow’. There’s a great comradery as you wait for a launch. At our last one we went to the Indian River on... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/restaurants-in-the-rotonda-area-part-1.aspx Restaurants near Rotonda West (Placida Rd) One of the things we love most about staying on the Rotonda is the fact that you can BBQ every night if you want to – unlike at home! To me there is nothing better than throwing together a salad while hubby grills burgers or steak to perfection. Afterwards relaxing round the pool with a glass of wine and watching the sun set. Ah bliss! ! But if the “chef” wants a night off there is a great choice of places to eat in the Rotonda area. Many are on or just off Placida Road (775) 5 minute drive Prime Time Steak and amp; Spirits 5855 Placida Road, Englewood, FL 34224 941-697-7799 or 941-697-7731 From Parade Circle turn into Rotonda Blvd West. Follow Blvd West to the traffic lights at Placida Rd. Before the lights on the right hand side is a small set of shops. In there at the far end you will find Prime Time Steak and amp; Spirits. Prime Time specializes in Mexican cuisine, homemade desserts, prime ribs and steaks. There is a lively at... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/restaurants-near-rotonda-west-part-2.aspx Continuing down Placida Road are two more restaurants both worth a visit. 25 minutes including water taxi Rum Bay – Palm Island 941-697-0566 Restaurant Hours: Friday and amp; Saturday 11:30 a. m. – 9:30 p. m. Sunday through Thursday Noon – 9:00 p. m. Rum Bay Bar Hours: Friday and amp; Saturday Noon – 10:00 p. m. Sunday through Thursday Noon – 9:30 p. m. At the traffic lights on Rotonda Blvd West turn left on to Placida Rd (775) Follow the 775 down for approx 5 miles. You will see signs for the Palm Island Ferry on right hand side. Panama Blvd is just before Johnny Leverock' s Seafood House. Turn right onto Panama Blvd. Drive to the end of the road to board the car ferry to Palm Island. You can also arrange a water taxi to take you over. If so park in Leverock’s car park. Phone the restaurant to arrange the water taxi. There is a small charge for the water taxi but it is definitely worth it especially if you are followed by dolphins on your journey. The restaurant... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/gatorland-florida.aspx Gatorland, on South Orange Blossom Trail, is ideal for a half day outing, although you can take longer and stay all day. It makes a great break from the busy, big theme parks. The huge, gaping gator jaws with big white teeth make an unmistakable entrance and set the scene for a visit to this 110 acre theme park, wildlife preserve and conservation area. There is plenty of family entertainment on offer with thousands of alligators and crocodiles to see, a boardwalk with observation tower, a swamp walk, a reptilian show, an aviary, a petting zoo and more. The Gator Wrestlin’ show is well worth seeing. It takes place in a shaded 800 seater stadium where the gator ‘wrangler’ catches a huge alligator, wrestles with it, then climbs onto its back to point out various features to the amazed, or possibly horrified, audience! There is no faking with this show, and the wranglers are hot and sweaty by the end of it. Another great show is the Gator Jumparoo show where large alligators jump four or... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/manta-at-seaworld-orlando.aspx I was lucky enough to be one of the first people on this ride. The day we visited Seaworld Manta, their newest ride, was only open for park employees and their families. It was due to open to the general public about a week later. As we went round the park we could see the ride, and hear the riders, and it all sounded like great fun. Being a bit of a wimp in the roller coaster department, I was secretly quite happy that it wasn’t open to us that day. But, hang on, at the start of this article I said that I was ‘lucky’ to get onto it… As we were leaving the park at the end of another great day, we noticed that the sign at the entrance to the ride said it was now open to all riders. My husband didn’t have to think too hard about it, and I decided to be brave (after all we were on our way home, and if I felt too awful at least it wouldn’t spoil the rest of my Seaworld day) and make this most of this opportunity to ride something that wasn’t officially open yet, so we joined the line. Be... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/boma-flavors-of-africa.aspx Boma – Flavors of Africa is buffet style dining at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort. This is a very popular family restaurant and it is advisable to book in advance which you can now do either by phoning Disney Dining direct or alternatively on-line via the Disney web site 180 days before you preferred date. Located downstairs at Animal Kingdom Resort the restaurant is large and is ideal for those wanting a lively family atmosphere – if you are looking for a romantic meal for 2 then you would be advised to look elsewhere. The restaurant is designed to resemble an African marketplace with pod areas serving different types of food, i. e. children’s selection, fire grilled meats, soups etc. You can up to the buffet selection as many times as you want. The menu mainly has an African influence and some of my personal favorites were the wood roasted meats (beef, pork, chicken and salmon) the Bobotie which is a lamb and beef quiche with onions, raisins and bread. Our son opted for... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/french-dining-at-epcot.aspx Living in England we are fortunate to be able to visit France quite often, always enjoying some delicious meals. Our friends in the United States, who visit Orlando quite often were always raving about their favourite restaurant in EPCOT’s World Show Case – Chefs de France. After such a high review by them we decided to visit on our last visit. Chef De France is housed on the ground floor of the French Pavilion – in fact it takes up most of the ground area. It is difficult to miss this wonderful mock French building as you approach from the United Kingdom or the Morocco direction. Nestled near EPCOT’s Eiffel Tower, the French Brasserie gains yet more added atmosphere from this position. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and is very popular. Three French chefs – Paul Bocuse, Gaston Lenotre and Rober Verge, helped to set up this restaurant and continue to advise Disney. Paul Bocus is renown as one of the finest chefs and was one of the first ‘celebrity’ chefs promoting Fren... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/a-peaceful-afternoon-in-celebration.aspx Celebration has to be one of my most favourite places to visit when I am staying at the villa. Every time we go to Florida, Celebration calls to me: I love to walk down Market Street, from the Post Office, towards the lake, browsing in the shop windows, or perhaps going into one or two of them, before turning left at Café d’Antonio and continuing round to Kilwin’s, the ice cream shop via the bookshop. The bookshop is small, but elegant and inviting. A slow browse in there is a must for me. I move on to Kilwin’s now and there I spend a happy few minutes looking at the mouth-watering handmade chocolates, reading all the names of the huge choice of ice creams, and tasting a few of them of course, before making my selection and leaving the shop. I cross the road and go towards the right where there are big wooden rocking chairs by the side of the lake. Sitting on those rocking chairs, under the shade of one of the large umbrellas, ice cream in hand, just watching the world going by is on... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/mennello-museum-modern-art.aspx The Mennello Museum of Modern Art is situated in Orlando in a stunning location right on a lake in Lock Haven Park. THe cornerstone of this museum is works by Earl Cunningham. Earl was born in 1893 in Booth Bay Harbour. At the pitifully age of 13 Earl left home and lived his life for a while as a tinker. Later he became a sailor all the time painting his canvases. He had no training at all as a painter and this probably accounts for his unique extravagent style. His next career change came during the war when he became a chicken farmer. He supplied the military with chickens for the troops. Rather surprisingly this was his most fertile period and a vast body of his work was painted during this time. When he was 56, he settled in the charming historic old town of St Augustine and opened a shop. How he coped as a shopkeeper is hard to imagine as it is well reported that he was reclusive. His style of work is best described as naive and his paintings explode with colour and lif... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/titanic-the-experience.aspx It is clear that there is huge interest in The Titanic (once thought wrongly to be unsinkable) The more so since the film starring Kate Winslett and Leonardo De Caprio was released. Did you know that there is a museum devoted to the life and times of this doomed ship in the theme parks area? Titanic The Experience is situated close to Universal Studios and here you will step back in time to have an experience more haunting than the film or a book can possibly convey. They have re created some of The Titanics most memorable rooms with historical accuracy and attention to detail. Along with this is an underwater room that has a scaled down replica of The Titanic as it would have looked on the bed of the ocean. The museum has collected more that 200 pieces of memorabilia including some items from the film. One rather sobering touch is that on entry you will be allocated the name of a genuine passenger; when you leave, you discover whether you survived or perished! Another gra... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/gwazi-busch-gardens-tampa-bay.aspx Busch Gardens at Tampa Bay with its many different styles of roller coaster has one quite unusual offering – Gwazi. As you enter Busch Garden, bear left through some of its prettiest gardens with beautiful flowers and plants, towards Stanleyville . Here you see a magnificent structure made up from a maze of metal, wooden lattice and diamond patterns. This is Gwazi, an awsome rollercoaster that stands out from the crowd – a structure that will definitely stay in your mind. Quite deceptive to think that this rollercoaster was built in 1999 when it gives the illusion of being much older than that! Gwazi gets its name after a mythical creature which consists of the head of a tiger and the body of a lion. This name, or link, is appropriate as Gwazi is a ‘dueling’ rollercoaster with two tracks – one called yellow and the other blue. In addition, the two trains that ride each track match the colour of the track the train rides on. This amazing structure covers over 7, 000 feet with the tr... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/mardi-gras-universal-studios.aspx If you are going on holiday to Orlando between February and April, a ‘not to be missed’ night out is the Mardi Gras nights at Universal Studios. In 2009 the theme was ‘Let the Music Move You’, and featured concerts from various bands including KC and the Sunshine Band, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The Village People, Ne-Yo, Kelly Clarkson, MC Hammer and Nelly. The concerts take place on Saturday nights. The festival of Mardi Gras (or ‘Fat Tuesday’) dates back 5000 years and takes place every year in New Orleans. The Universal Studios Mardi Gras is a much more family friendly event and has a great party atmosphere. Wherever you go you will find decorations in purple, green and gold (the traditional colours of Mardi Gras), and beads galore in all sizes, including huge ones with football size decorations, masks, jester hats, feather boas and t-shirts – it really is a sight to see people wearing these! Music can be heard everywhere and street entertainers and stilt walkers add... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/montu-busch-gardens-tampa-bay.aspx Busch Gardens, Tampa has some wonderful rollercoaster rides – Sheikra being the most well known. However as you park your car and take the tram ride to the entrance, looming 150 high above into the sky is Montu’s towering cream coloured track. Turning right as you enter the park you will find this exciting ride in the ‘Egypt’ section. Montu gets its name from the Egyptian god of solar and warrior god Montu. Montu was opened on 16th May 1996 and was built by the same company that designed ‘Kumba’ another Busch Gardens ride . When Montu opened it was the world’s fastest and tallest inverted roller coaster reaching speeds of 60 mkiles per hour. Although this record has since been lost it still holds the record for the fasted number of inversions with seven for riders to experience. Boarding the ride you sit on seats which hang from the track above. After strapping yourself in the floor lowers to leave your feet dangling freely. As you begin your journey smoothly you dip down turning ... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/olde-englewood-village-part-two.aspx Olde Englewood Village – part 2 Following on from the early arrivals in Englewood the year of 1923 was extremely important. This was the year that started the building of the Tampa to Miami (Tamiami) Trail and all locations wanted to be on the Trail, Englewood was at the time promised to be part of this route. The Tamiami Trail currently follows the route of Interstate 41 all the way south to Naples before turning towards Miami on the east coast. It was several years, 1928 to be exact, when the Trail became a reality; alas by that time the US stock market had crashed, the land boom diminished and despite the then Governor of Florida visiting Englewood it was with regret that the Trail never materialised in the town. After the closure of Buchan’s Landing on Lemon Bay with their store and landing jetty Peter Buchan opened, with his son-in-law Jack Tate, a grocery business on a plot of land which is now used as a funeral home. Despite Englewood now being a flourishing community a... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/restaurant-row-part-1.aspx Restaurant Row is located in an area of Orlando called Dr Phillips and is just off International Drive. It is home to a great selection of restaurants and has more upscale restaurants than the traditional tourist areas of Orlando. Although some discerning tourists can be found, these restaurants tend to be patronised by the professional locals. The dress code is mostly smart casual although for some a jacket will be required. So if you’re looking for something new to try or somewhere for a special occasion then look no further here are just a few of the options available to those in the know! Christini’s Ristorante Italiano has become something of an institution in Orlando since it opened over 25 years ago. It is one of the more expensive restaurants and is located in Phillips Place on Dr Phillips Blvd across from Dr Phillip’s Marketplace. Very romantic location offering fine dining and a great excuse to get dressed up. Reservations recommended and can be made online at their website... http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida_guide/restaurant-row-part-3.aspx MoonFish Restaurant has a very enticing entrance with its fake waterfall and is a Seafood restaurant with an Asian themed accent. It is located on Sand Lake Road in The Fountains Plaza at Bay Hill on the east end. It is part of the Talk of The Town restaurant group along with such other fine dining establishments as Charley’s Steakhouse, Fishbones, Vito’s Chop House, MoonFish, Johnnie’s Hideaway and the Texas Cattle Company. Antonio’s Ristorante is an upscale Italian and is located on the second floor at the Fountains Plaza at Bay Hill, on Sand Lake Road and overlooks a gorgeous Florentine fountain and the lively Sand Lake cityscape. The cuisine is a delicious combination of Italy’s varied regions and the service is second to none. Antonio’s is known for outstanding recipes for fresh fish and seafood, it’s daily specials are always tempting as are the steak, veal, lamb and pork dishes. Breads are baked fresh daily and the dessert array offers the perfect finishing touch. Antonio’...