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

Well the Mardi Gras season is well underway at Universal Orlando and we’ve already seen bands like KC & The Sunshine Band, Hear, Kool & The Gang, Blondie, Dierks Bentley and Akon take the stage and tonight sees the great Aretha Franklin blasting out the sounds. It promises to be a fabulous evening!

One of the centerpieces of Universal’s Mardi Gras celebration is the parade. The Krewe of Dionysus Parade (picture above) rolls around 8:00pm or 9:00pm depending on weather and the date.

The theme for 2010′s parade is “15 Years of Beads, Bands, and Good Times.” The traditional Mardi Gras floats, which come directly from New Orleans, are the Riverboat, the King Gator, the Jester, the King & Queen float, the Boeuf Gras (the BIG beef), the title float (which lets you know the name of the krewe and the theme of the parade) and the Universal float.  This year’s parade brings the debut of three new floats: A music float, a food float, and a New Orleans float.

The floats are great, but the throws are limited to standard size beads and doubloons. If you want the really nice big, long beads, you will need to purchase them at one of the several gift shops located throughout the park.

If you find yourself wanting to continue the party, at the end of the night, head over to Universal’s CityWalk and continue your Mardi Gras festivities at Pat O’Brien’s.  It is a replica of the original Pat O’Brien’s located in New Orleans where you can enjoy a hurricane (a New Orleans tradition) on the patio or sing along in the Piano Bar.  At this location, it is Mardi Gras 365 days a year!

The best part about this whole Mardi Gras celebration is that it is free!! As long as you have admission to Universal Studios, you can participate in the festivities. Please keep in mind that the live concerts are held on Saturday nights. Go! You will have an awesome time.

Top Ten Things Business Travelers Want in a Rental Home

By Nigel G. Worrall

Orlando is not just a hot spot for pleasure; it’s fast becoming the top place to go for business. There are many conventions held in Central Florida during the year and many companies have their headquarters in the Orlando area.  If you are a frequent business traveler in the Orlando area, you may want to consider something different from the traditional hotels… a rental home… that’s right, a complete house with all the living, dining, kitchen, work and play areas you deserve while away on business.  Rental homes have all the services you’ll need, want and desire.

Just what does the business traveler look for in a rental home?

We all know location is often a major consideration, but what about the rental home and its amenities?  What is important for the business traveler?  Here are some of the top things the business traveler looks for in a rental home:

1.    Internet connection
2.    Work desk and ample work space
3.    On site food and beverage
4.    Comfortable bed and bedding
5.    Exercising in the private swimming pool
6.    Entertain guests / clients in style
7.    Great location
8.    Peace and quiet
9.    Audio / visual connections
10.  Free local calling

Are these things important to you as a business traveler?  What are other items do you look for from a rental home when you are on a business trip?

If you’re traveling to the Orlando area on business, visit www.BusinessRetreatIdeas.com where you can discover a whole new way to do business.

MegaCon, the sci-fi, comic book, toy, collectible, and other cool stuff, convention starts Friday and runs through Sunday at the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive.

You’ll find a huge floor full of comics, collectibles, celebrity and comic artists autograph signings, panel discussions, costume contests and more.

Some of the celebrities who are scheduled to appear are Lea Thompson (Back to the Future), John De Lancie (Star Trek), Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek), Russell Tovey (Doctor Who),   Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars),  Ray Park (Star Wars and Heroes) and many more. There’s also  a kids costume contest this year so check out megaconvention.com for the full updated schedule and list of celebrities.

Also, if you’re a Star Wars fan, you’ll need to stop by the 501st Legion’s booth. Lucasfilm’s head of fan relations, Steve Sansweet will be available along with a representative of Reed Expo, Lucasfilm’s partner in the upcoming Star Wars Celebration V, which will also be held at the convention center in August. Sansweet will also take part in some of the panel discussions.

It’s a cool event and I’ve met some interesting celebrities in the past at the event. People like Tanya Roberts  Helen Slater and Maud Adams:

Showroom Hours:
Friday — 1 to 7 p.m.
Saturday — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are available at the door for $24.

Earlier this week Disney Parks announced  that the company’s goal of recruiting 1 million people to donate their time and get a 1-day ticket to Disney in return had been reached, and that the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” promotion is to end.

Those participating in the program signed up to volunteer through the nationwide HandsOn Network and even though  volunteer registration has ended, those who have completed their volunteer activity still have until Dec. 15 to use their free park ticket at Walt Disney World or DisneyLand.

In 2009, Disney distributed 1.2 million free tickets to anyone who went to one of their U.S. theme parks on his or her birthday. That worked out to be about 100,000 per month but the volunteer promotion was so successful that it was getting 100,000 participants per week this year.

At a media event last month at Walt Disney World, Disney officials admitted they were “overwhelmed” by this response.

No word yet on what will happen to the daily “pre-parade” in the Magic Kingdom that is designed to celebrate the promotion. It was the first new use of the Muppets at Walt Disney World in several years so it remains to be seen if  Miss Piggy returns back to her dressing room.

Meanwhile, here at Florida Leisure Vacation Homes, our “Give A Day, Get A Vacation Day” program continues… and will run all year regardless of how many people apply. Details at www.GiveADayGetAVacationDay.com

Actress Farrah Fawcett was not included in the Oscars In Memoriam segment because she was better known as a TV star, the Academy has now said.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences executive director Bruce Davis said he was not surprised some fans and family members were upset at the exclusion but he said the committee debated including Fawcett in the memorial segment, but “an unusual number of extremely distinguished screenwriters” died this year, and the academy tried to honour many of them in the short time allowed.

“In every category, you’re going to miss some wonderful people,” said Davis, who has helped assemble Oscar’s In Memoriam montage since it began in 1993.

When asked why Michael Jackson was included when other actors were left out, Davis said the singer had appeared in a popular theatrical film recently.

“There’s nothing you can say to people, particularly to family members, within a day or two of the show that helps at all,” Davis said.

“They tend to be surprised and hurt, and we understand that and we’re sorry for it.”

Fawcett’s family said on Tuesday they were “deeply saddened” and “bereft” over her omission from the ceremony.

Frankly this is nothing but a slight on the life and work of a person who was the face of Hollywood during the late 70′s. The academy said Farrah was known for her “remarkable television work” and it would be more appropriate to honour her at the Emmy Awards but they are simply wrong and out of touch.

At the time I wondered how or why they would work Michael Jackson (surely better known as a singer / musical artist) in and they managed that and not to show Farrah for just a few seconds goes beyond rhyme or reason. This so called defense of the decision doesn’t wash and all we are left to think is that the glove didn’t fit in Farrah’s case.

Wonder which actors and actresses will now be brave enough to say something about this debacle?

ORLANDO VACATION ON A REDUCED BUDGET

by Nigel G. Worrall

Do you want to take a vacation in Orlando but are worried about the cost? Well, an Orlando Vacation on a reduced budget is not such the unobtainable goal that you might think. Want to know why? Read on.

A vacation in Orlando always seems like a perfect dream come true. Unfortunately so many times in our lives our dreams do seem completely dependent on money which then makes the dream vacation not quite so perfect. Of course, a perfect dream would be an Orlando vacation where money wasn’t always an issue but even so, it is possible to have a great time in Orlando even if you are on a reduced budget. To have an Orlando vacation on a reduced budget takes a lot of planning and here are a few tips on how to get more for less.

Orlando Vacation on a Reduced Budget – Tip #1.

Walt Disney World is the major attraction in Orlando and the best time to visit happens twice a year, in May and September. The reason is simple; fewer folks travel in those two months and that means it is easier to get really good deals at those times of year.

Orlando vacation on a reduced budget – Tip #2.

Instead of staying in an expensive hotel room try a vacation home rental instead. You get far more for your money and you’ll enjoy the extra space. Vacation rental homes have nice sized living rooms, several bedrooms, a full sized kitchen, and a private swimming pool. You can save money by buying groceries from a local store rather than dining out every meal time and you’ll also save because you won’t feel the need to go out all the time like you do in a cramped hotel room. 

Orlando vacation on a reduced budget – Tip #3.

Go as a larger group. Yes, if you team up with your friends and family you can save big style. Large vacation homes and villas are available for rental at low costs. If you travel in a large group, with friends, relatives and family, costs definitely come down giving the phrase “the more the merrier” a very pertinent meaning.

Orlando vacation on a reduced budget – Tip #4.

One thing that hinders the concept of an Orlando vacation on a reduced budget is the expense incurred visiting the various attraction parks. The theme parks can prove to be very expensive and the savings you made in the accommodation will be spent here if you’re not careful. Orlando is not just about the Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World theme parks,  there are many other parks, lakes, camping and hiking spots to enjoy, completely free of cost. Of course, you should enjoy a great day at one of the major attractions but mix in a few of these low or no cost attractions and you’ll soon see how you can save on your budget.

Orlando vacation on a reduced budget – Tip #5.

Travel is always a major cost so make sure you check out the major travel web sites to get the best flight prices. Check out the low fare airlines such as Jet Blue, Southwest, Air Tran, Spirit and Frontier to get the lowest prices. Renting a car is the cheapest way to get around and this makes it much easier to get to those great low or no cost places.

Orlando is the place to go for the most fun per square foot and if you follow these simple steps you will get the biggest bang for your buck. An Orlando vacation on a reduced budget is very attainable and you can have the time of your life while saving money. It can indeed be the vacation you always dreamed of.

About Nigel G. Worrall:

Nigel Worrall is President / CEO of Florida Leisure Vacation Homes & Total Real Estate Solutions. He is regularly sought by the media as a vacation home and real estate expert and has featured on NBC, ABC, Fox, CBS. He has also featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Times, Newsweek, Chicago Sun Times, Washington Post, Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Business Journal and several other publications. Nigel is also the best selling author of “Big Ideas For Your Business” (Advantage Media)

Nigel serves many clients around the world as a Realtor®, Real Estate Broker, Real Estate Investor, Mortgage Broker and Real Estate Trainer.

About Florida Leisure:

Florida Leisure Vacation Homes is the leading vacation home company in the Orlando, Fla. – Disney area, offering 3-7 bedroom private vacation homes near to all the Orlando area attractions. Each home has it’s own fully equipped kitchen, 3-7 bedrooms, lounge, dining room, laundry, 2 car garage and best of all, private swimming pool. http://www.FloridaLeisure.com

Yesterday morning I was invited to be a guest on the ESPN 1080 AM Orlando Weekend Morning Show with Richard Charman and Dennis Stelling.

Nigel Worrall and Richard Charman

It was a lot of fun as we talked about business and life in general. Of course, we talked about vacation rental homes and my best selling book “Big Ideas For Your Business” as well.

Here’s a short video clip:

And here’s the full radio interview:

Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar for The Hurt Locker. History is made. Bigelow collects the award from Barbara Streisland…. and moments later Tom Hanks announces that the Best Motion Picture is “The Hurt Locker” …and Bigelow gets to stay on stage for another award. Fabulous stuff… and that completes 6 out of 6 for our picks at tonight’s ceremony!

So now we finally move to the main awards and Best Actor… and Michelle Pfeiffer looks stunning. Jeff Bridges is a shoe in on this…so Kate Winslet, also looking stunning, announces that the Best Actor Oscar goes to… Jeff Bridges.

Best Actress is announced by Sean Penn… and the winner is…. Sandra Bullock who wins her first Oscar from her first nomination. “Did I really win this…or did I just wear you all down”….

Well that was pretty disgusting… both Farrah Fawcett and Bea Arthur failed to make the memorial part of the Oscars as James Taylor played to a moving montage of those we lost in the last year. Someone’s got some explaining to do…because that simply isn’t acceptable to millions of her fans. Us included.