Leisure … more than a word, it's a lifestyle

US carmaker Chrysler will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection immediately and has formed an alliance with Fiat, President Obama has said.  Marvellous…so what happened to the $4 billion bailout then Mr. President? I can only assume it’s all gone the same way as the massive losses they sustained. Brilliant decision making that.

The White House described the move as a “surgical short bankruptcy” which should last between 30 and 60 days. President Obama said the “necessary steps” had been taken to give Chrysler “a new lease of life”. He added that he had “every hope” that Chrysler will become “stronger and more competitive” now that it had Fiat on board. “It’s a partnership that will give Chrysler a chance not only to survive, but to thrive in a global auto industry,” he said.

The filing for bankruptcy protection will lead to the forming of a new corporate entity.

Fiat’s technology will enable Chrysler to build fuel efficient cars

Details of the new Chrysler include:

• Fiat will take a 20% stake, with the possibility of it rising to 35%

• The Treasury will have an 8% stake, a union-run trust fund VEBA will take a 55% stake, and the governments of Canada and Ontario will gain a combined 2% stake

• Current owner Cerberus will forfeit its 80.1% stake

• Daimler will give up its remaining 19.9% stake in Chrysler

• Chrysler bondholders will receive $2bn in cash in exchange for forgiving their $6.9bn debt.

Just who is the 101 day old President kidding? This isn’t the solution to the problem…and nor is throwing more money at it. Frankly, it’s ridiculous.

Let us know your views…

One of the most popular American groups in history, The Beach Boys, will be in the Orlando area on May 2nd 2009. If you’re in the area you might want to wander along to Silver Spurs Arena to enjoy their show.

Tickets can be obtained through Ticketmaster and are priced at $39, $49 and $59 with the show starting at 8pm.

Call me insane … but I have been counting down the days until Profiles in History auctions off 200 pieces from the Hollywood Wax Museum. 

Ever since I saw The House of Wax and sneaked into Madam Tussauds, wax figures have held a strange fascination for me … in fact I have just realized that my ideal career path would be to own Madam Tussauds.

I will be eagerly logged in on May 1st to see how much some of my heroes (however dubious the likenesses are) are auctioned off for … who knows Indiana Jones may go for a $200 bucks … my son would love that.

The list of celebrities is mind-boggling including the characters from The Wizard of Oz, Hulk Hogan, Thriller Zombie Michael, Tom Cruise, Sinatra, Laurel & Hardy, Chaplin, Freddy Krueger, Jason, James Dean, Marilyn … there is even Giger’s Alien.

My own personal favorites though would be Batman, Superman, BeetleJuice, Joker, The Terminator and Braveheart.

The list staggers me … Ali, Jordan, Woods and even Princess Di.

And of course every home needs one of these …

Probably need a lot of room … anyway check it out for yourself at http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/18666

Here in Central Florida we are literally spoilt for choices of where to play our golf. We have well over 100 golf courses to suit every handicap and skill level.

Here’s our top 20 Orlando Golf Courses: 

• Falcon’s Fire Golf Club – Orlando
  (407)-239-5445 |

• Shingle Creek Golf Club – Orlando
  1-866-996-9933  |  (407) 996-9933

• Southern Dunes Golf Club – Orlando
  Toll Free (800) 632-6400  | 863-421-4653

• Remington Golf Club and Kissimmee Bay Country Club
  407.344.4004 – Remington Golf | 407.348.4653 – Kissimmee Bay

• Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Club
  1-888-422-9445  |  (407) 876-2429

• Grande Pines Golf Course
  (407) 239-6909

• Eaglewood Golf Club
  (407) 351-5121

• Eastwood Golf Club – Orlando
  (407) 281-4653

• The Country Club of Orlando
  (407) 849-0990

• Bonnet Creek Eagle Pines Golf Club – Magic Kingdom
  (407) 939-4653

• Magic Kingdom Magnolia Golf Club – Lake Buena Vista
  (407) 939-4653

• Magic Kingdom Palm Golf Club – Lake Buena Vista
  (407) 939-4653

• Bonnet Creek Osprey Ridge Golf Club – Magic Kingdom
  (407) 939-4653

• Eaglewood Golf Club – Orlando
  (407) 351-5121

• International Golf Club – Orlando
  (407) 248-9997

• Magnolia Plantation Golf Club – Orlando
  (407) 771-4343

• Meadow Woods Golf Club – Orlando
  (407) 850-5600 | (407) 939-4653

• Cypress Creek Country Club – Orlando
  (407) 351-2187 

• Hunters Creek Golf Club – Orlando
  (407) 240-4653

• Metro West Country Club – Orlando
  (407) 299-1099

One of my favorite weekends of the year is just about to get underway…yep, it’s Master’s weekend. This year promises to be full of storylines, great shots, bad breaks and another exciting finish.

The fact that Tiger is back is THE major talking point…can he do it? You certainly wouldn’t bet against it would you? I have to say that golf has been a bit boring during his 8 month absence and the TV viewing figures have confirmed what we already knew…if Tiger doesn’t play, a lot of people tune out.

So Tiger’s back but who else can we expect to challenge? First of all Padraig Harrington has put down his mark winning 3 major’s in the last 2 years, Antony Kim won the AT&T and Camilo Villegas won the BMW Championship. Old lefty, Phil Mickelson, seems to have lost his putting touch but you can never write him off and Vijay Singh managed to win three times in Tiger’s absence so he could well pose a threat. Paul Casey comes into the Master fresh on the back of his play off win last weekend at the Shell Houston and of course, Sergio Garcia, “El Nino” has always been there or there abouts.

There’s also much speculation about Gary Player and Greg Norman, back after a 7 year absence, bowing out this year but that remains to be seen. Both have given the golfing world so much to appreciate but for fans of my era, Norman will forever be remembered for the way he “choked” when up against Nick Faldo all those blue moons ago in 1996 and when Larry Mize pitched in on the second hole play off in 1987 to beat him.

Norman qualified, at age 53, by finishing in a third-place tie at the British Open last year. Rejuvenated by his marriage to tennis great Chris Evert and with his son, Gregory, carrying his bag, Norman is making the Masters this year into a family affair. Now 54, he said at his press conference yesterday that he’s been thrilled by the support he’s received from other players and fans and doesn’t rule out being in the mix come Sunday…we’ll see.

Then there are the teenagers in the field, three of them: 19-year-old Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, 18-year-old Danny Lee of New Zealand and 17-year-old Ryo Ishikawa of Japan. All have won professional tournaments, even though Lee is still an amateur.

So, let’s settle back and enjoy another great event…I can’t wait for the action to begin.

Adventure Course

GRANDELAKES ADVENTURE COURSE – EXCITING, FUN, AND UNFORGETTABLE!

WHAT IS IT?

A multi-level structure consisting of poles, cables, and platforms with 25 unique traversing and climbing elements. The Grande Lakes Adventure Course is designed to allow every guest to choose their personal level of challenge. Guests will be able to climb up 15 to 55 feet in the air and navigate through an adventure course designed for adults and children above the age of 12. 600 foot Zip lines and a 40 foot Giant Swing are two of the exciting elements that await the adventurous spirit!

WHAT GUESTS SHOULD EXPECT

About a 3 hour block of time that includes:

Times are approximate

• Transportation to and from the course 10 minutes
• Introduction 10 minutes
• Safety briefing and equipment fitting 15 minutes
• Ground school and practice 15 minutes
• On the Course! 1 hr 45 minutes
• Session Wrap-up 15 minutes
• Transportation back to Resort 10 minutes

Guest are required to sign a Release Form during the Introduction and must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Flat-soled, close-toed shoes. No sandals, clogs and/or high heeled foot wear
• No loose or excessive jewelry
• No skirts
• Shorts must be longer than mid-thigh
• No excessively baggy clothing
• Alcohol MAY NOT be consumed within the day prior to participating at the course
• Personal climbing gear can NOT be used on the course
• Minors must be accompanied by his/her legal guardian

Guests will be provided with water, sun screen, and all equipment necessary to participate.

WHEN CAN I GO?
Guests can experience the Grande Lakes Adventure Course during the following session times:

• Morning Session 8:30 – 11:00
• Noon Session 12:30 – 3:00
• Afternoon Session 3:30 – 6:00

The Adventure Course schedule varies throughout the year and is subject to change, most Saturdays and Sundays will be available for guests.

I’M READY FOR ADVENTURE, SIGN ME UP!
Guests can book your reservations through the Grande Lakes Adventure Experience desk located in the lobby of the JW Marriott or call 407-393-4007. At the time of booking you will receive helpful information to prepare you for an incredible experience exploring the Grande Lakes Adventure Course!

BLUE RIDGE LEARNING CENTERS
This service is provided by Blue Ridge Learning Centers. A leader in innovative environments that challenge, connect and build community through authentic experiences. Team building and group events are also available and can be tailored to your specific objectives.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS PLEASE CALL THE GRANDE LAKES ADVENTURE EXPERIENCE DESK AT 407-393-4007.  Costs are $60 for the 2.5 hour experience and $45 if you are aged between 12-16.  12 isthe minimum age and you don’t have to be a hotel guest to use the facility.

We’ve been having a lot of fun with the guests who have stayed in our vacation homes recently and we thought it was time to let everyone in on it.

Over the last three months we’ve been placing our “Friends Don’t Let Friends” bandanas in our vacation homes and asking our guests to take amusing pictures of themselves having fun either in the home or wherever they happen to be in Orlando and then sending them into us.

We’ve seen some great pictures and heard some wonderful stories …so now is the time for everyone to get involved…

All you have to do is call us on 1-866-966-5617 or email us: Friends@FloridaLeisure.com and we’ll send you your own bandana so that you can take photo’s, video (you can upload to www.YouTube.com) and send us your story.

In return, every month we will send $50 to the best entry and we’ll also enter everyone into our annual draw for a free vacation in 2010 in one of our fabulous vacation homes. In all this economic gloom, it’s time for some fun…

Shhhh.....shall we tell them?

Apparently hotel occupancy levels in the Orlando area fell 26 percent during the final week of March compared to the same week in 2008 — the biggest drop among the nation’s top 25 markets.

Smith Travel Research, which tracks hotel performance nationwide, also reported that Orlando’s revenue per available room, the key measure of hotels’ financial health, fell 35.4 percent to $68.15.

Hotel occupancy and revenue fell throughout March as both business and personal travel slows amid the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

The first four months of the year are usually the busiest for Central Florida hotels, so a downturn during the period has a big impact on their annual performance. Orange County reported April 2 that resort tax collections in February fell 29 percent.

So…shall we tell them that people aren’t staying in hotels anymore because they’ve found a better choice?

Here at Florida Leisure Vacation Homes we’ve just had our best ever start to a year and that comes on the back of our best ever year. Now how come we’ve managed to do that while the hotel industry carries on crying in their milk?

I’ll tell you how…plain old fashioned value for money. Hotel rates have gone down and down and with it so has the service level. Anyone walking into an Orlando hotel at the moment knows they’re struggling and that it’s probably going to relate to a poorer experience for them so they are looking at alternative choices.

Vacation homes are that choice. Instead of a small 300 sq ft room for all the family to feel like sardines in, we give them a massive 1500 square feet upwards. Not only that, but when the kids are fighting over which TV channel to watch, we solve that problem as well by having seperate bedrooms and numerous TV’s in the home. If we then look at the fully equipped kitchen where families can cook their own food and save money, not to mention a full laundry that means you don’t have to trek as many clothes around then it’s really easy to see why more and more people are choosing vacation homes over hotel rooms.

Oh…and did I forget to mention the swimming pool…yes, I did…and I didn’t mean the pool you get to share with everyone else with all their germs and noise, I meant the private heated swimming pool you can enjoy just a few paces away from your front room…not the one down endless corridors!

Am I overdoing this? Am I taking delight in the hotels demise?

Absolutely not. A strong hotel business is good news for all of Orlando and the sooner these people start delivering experiences that guests want, then the sooner they will recover their financial health. I mean, why would you pay $200 to $300 + for a 300 square foot hotel room when you can get a 3 bedroom fully equipped home for less…oh…..I forgot the games room…. shhhhhh. Let’s keep that as our secret.

 Orlando is a pretty busy place at the moment, in fact you might say it’s the place to be seen this year, so I thought I’d take a moment to let you know about a place that might not be on your priority list…that place is Old Town.

Old Town is situated on US 192 fairly close to Celebration. You can’t really miss it as you drive along because you’ll see one or two of the popular rides that folks enjoy rising into the sky. It has 8 affordable restaurants, 75 shops and 15 amusement park rides to sample.

It’s open Monday to Sunday from 10.00a.m until around 11.00pm. One of the main events happens on a Saturday and appropriately enough is called “The Saturday Nite Cruise” which features classic cars, hot rods, street rods and antiques from 1972 or earlier. The cars start to roll in from 1pm on Saturday afternoon but the cruise doesn’t really start until 8.30pm to the tune of 50′s and 60′s music.

On a Friday night there is the “Pepsi-Cola Friday Night Cruise” and this features vehicles from the 1973 to 1987 era. This cruise usually begins at 9pm and is accompanied by live bands playing throughout the evening.

There’s free car parking and free admission and something for everyone. When my daughters were younger they used to love the kiddie park area, “Fun Town” , with it’s Merry Go Round, spinning Tea Cups, Frog Hoppers and the Wacky Worm Kiddie Coaster.

For the adventurous there’s “Super Shot” where you’ll rise to 150 feet and then be dropped suddenly or “Catapult” which is 350 feet in the air… and I really don’t need to describe what experience that gives you do I?

Of course, no amusement park is complete without a roller coaster and “Windstorm” fits the bill nicely with it’s track length of 1,437 feet of steel tracks. Another great ride is the Ferris Wheel but if you fancy a race with the family, try out the Happy Days Family Go Cart.

Old Town is a great place to go when you just fancy a few hours of entertainment and it’s a low cost option that all the family will enjoy.

It’s been a pretty good week for saying goodbye to people who have outstayed their purpose. First of all GM lost their chief executive Rick Wagoner, then we had Trump saying goodbye to Denis Rodman in the Celebrity Apprentice and last night it was the turn of Megan Joy to exit the stage on American Idol.

So who’s next? Now that the axe has been sharpened and America is getting impatient with below average performance, just who should be fired as we look to get the country back on it’s feet?

Let me start… first on my hit list would be the bosses at floundering giant AIG. So that means Edward Liddy, chairman, and his cronies would go after posting losses $61.7 billion for the fourth quarter last year. Some folks there still think they’re entitled to their bonuses…not to my way of thinking…fire their sorry asses and save us all some money.

Next on my list is Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner…a bumbling load of incompetence if ever I saw it. This is the man who pretty much allows his mouth to run wild before engaging his brain. A sort of “yes” man who hopes that one day something he says will turn out to work.

Away from financial matters my wrath now turns on Bernie Ecclestone and his madcap people who are ruining Formula One motor racing. OK, this isn’t something that greatly affects America but they race here and in my book, that makes it fair game. As if the end of last season’s meddling wasn’t bad enough, Ecclestone and his buffoons don’t seem capable of making their minds up as to what is happening on the racetrack and are messing not only with the spirit of the sport but also it’s integrity. This week they managed to take third place from Jarno Trulli and award it to 4th place Lewis Hamilton only to then reinstate Trulli and throw out Hamilton completely. Bewildering.

4th on my hit list are the people at the agencies advertising automobiles. Every damn one of them…gone…or at least in my world. You can read my blog from earlier this week for the reasons why if you click here.

The final choice of people to fire is the media. Let the cull begin…get rid of all those people who are responsible for keeping us under a cloud of “gloom and doom”. I know it’s what sells newspapers but it’s not constructive and its not helping anyone. I’m not saying that only good news be reported, far from it, but I’ve had enough of turning on TV or picking up a paper and all I get is bad news. OK, so people have to be conservative at the moment,  I get they need to make some sacrifices and I also get that it’s going to be a long time until the “feel good” factor comes back but I contend things ain’t as bad as the media is making out. Every where I go shopping malls are full, restaurants have waiting times and movie theaters are doing good business. This is a new kind of recession…one where people aren’t going to stop doing things they enjoy…sure they might not do them as often but they’re still gonna do them.

So, who would you fire and why? Feel free to reply…