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

Last weekend we made a trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It was the first time in a few years I’d been there and I’d forgotten just what a wonderful place it is.

I can still remember the day the park opened back on April 22, 1998, as it was a year after I moved permanently to Florida. Animal Kingdom is the largest single Disney theme park in the world and covers more than 500 acres. It is the first Disney theme park to be themed entirely around animal conservation… a  philosophy once pioneered by Walt Disney himself.

The park is centered on the Tree of Life. The tree itself is a fascinating sculpted 14-story, 145-foot-tall, 50-foot-wide  tree, and is the icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.  The Tree of Life has 325 animals carved into it’s bark and it’s a lot of fun trying to spot them all.

Animal Kingdom is made up of seven different areas. The Oasis is the park’s main entrance and features a number of animal habitats. Guests can encounter muntjacs, spoonbills, ducks, wallabies and giant anteaters in this area before moving on the main pathways through to Discovery Island and the Tree of Life.

The Rainforest Cafe  is also located at the entrance of the Oasis, although technically it is outside the park boundaries. Guests can dine at the restaurant without entering Disney’s Animal Kingdom, while guests entering the restaurant from within the theme park are actually exiting the park and must present their admission tickets to return to the park.

Apart from the Tree of Life, Discovery Island’s plays host to It’s Tough to be a Bug! It’s here you can find the comical 4-D movie  featuring appearances by Flik and Hopper from Disney·Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life.”

Moving clockwise around the park you come across Camp Minnie-Mickey. Camp Minnie-Mickey is themed as a rustic summer camp and it’s here that park guests get to meet the Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and more. Located in the area’s main theatre is the Festival of the Lion King which is a live stage show featuring acrobatics and musical performances inspired by The Lion King.

Africa comes up next and the setting is the fictional east African village of Harambe.  According to Disney legend, Harambe was once part of a Dutch colony, but a peaceful revolution made Harambe self-governing in 1963. The area is home to the Kilimanjaro Safaris and guests get to climb aboard an open-sided safari vehicle for an expedition to see numerous African animals freely roam through acres of savanna, rivers and rocky hills. On the safari you may be lucky enough to see giraffes, hippos, African elephants and lions. On the adjacent Pangani Forest Exploration Trail visitors can trek into the forest and discover birds, fish and magnificent troupes of gorillas.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch is the one section of the park that is not connected to Discovery Island and the only way to get there is by boarding the Wildlife Express Train which will take you to explore Habitat Habit!, Conservation Station and Affection Section.   Habitat Habit!, is the place to see cottontop tamarins and learn about the efforts to protect these endangered primates in their natural homes. Conservation Station showcases the various conservation efforts supported by the Walt Disney Company and also gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s animal care facilities, including a veterinary examination room complete with a two-way communications system so the veterinary staff can answer guest questions. Outside, Affection Section is a petting zoo featuring goats, sheep and other domesticated animals.

Asia was opened in 1999 and was the first expansion area added to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Like Africa, the section’s attractions are part of a fictional place, the kingdom of Anandapur (which means “Place of many delights”). Anandapur comprises two villages: the riverside village of Anandapur and Serka Zong, which is in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. Portraits of Anandapur’s royal family, the Maharajah and his wife, can be found in most of the businesses within the two villages, and a map of the kingdom, featuring both villages and their location relative to the mountains and river can be found on the wall of the Disney Vacation Club kiosk located there. Much like Harambe, Disney legend states that Anandapur is now a center of animal research and tourism. At the Caravan Stage, these two “worlds” meet in Flights of Wonder, a live bird show where one of Anandapur’s bird researchers educates a tour guide with a fear of birds about natural bird behaviors and the effects of habitat loss and conservation efforts on bird species, such as the Black Crowned Crane and American Bald Eagle.

The Maharajah Jungle Trek leads guests through the forests and ruins outside the village, which are home to a number of animal species, such as Komoda dragons, fruit bats, tapirs and tigers.  Nearby, Kali River Rapids is a short river rapids ride along the fictional Chakranadi River through a rainforest, past an illegal logging operation and down a waterfall. The ride is shorter than other river rapid rides at other theme parks but be warned, you will still get very very wet!

The Forbidden Mountain is the home of Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. Here you get to board a high speed train and zip through the Himalayas. You’ll need to be careful, not to mention wary, of coming across the fierce Yeti, a.k.a., the Abominable Snowman.

The final area is DinoLand USA, an area inspired by the public’s general curiosity about dinosaurs.  Like the other sections of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there are animals on display as well as information about the creatures that walked the earth before us.

You can also see species like the American Crocodile and the Asian brown tortoise both having evolutionary links to the age of the dinosaurs. At the edge of DinoLand U.S.A. is the “Theater in the Wild,” which hosts Finding Nemo – The Musical which is  a fabulous live-action musical stage show based on the story of the Disney·Pixar movie.

The Dino Institute is the home of DINOSAUR , a thrill ride featuring a trip through time to the late Cretaceous Period.  Just outside the Institute is “Dino-Sue”, a casting of a Tyrannosaurus rex  fossil and nearby is the Boneyard where kids can enjoy a multi-leveled playground area.

Also located in DinoLand USA is the Tricera Top Spin which  is a colorful ride for families, while the Primeval Whirl is a spinning roller coaster for thrill-seekers. There are also carnival games  and gift shops and another chance to meet some of the Disney characters.

Animal Kingdom is a great park and place to have fun. Make sure you visit it on your next Orlando trip…meanwhile here’s a video I created so whet your appetite…

The 15th annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival begins at Walt Disney World Resort on 1st October and runs through to 14th November this year. The event is always popular and gives guests the chance to sample a unique global food and wine tasting as they wander around World Showcase.

All told, the walk is approximately 1.3 miles and visitors can sample the cuisine, culture and entertainment of more than a dozen countries as they stroll around the 40 acre lagoon. In addition, booths are set up on the way so the dozen countries permanently housed at Epcot quickly becomes 25 international marketplaces where you can enjoy sampling different foods, wines and beers.

In 2010 celebrity chefs will team with winemakers and brew masters from around the world to celebrate the 15th year of the event. There will be three new testing marketplaces in Belgium, South Korea and Singapore as well as new offerings from Argentina, Chile, Poland, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Australia, the US, Spain and several others.  Among the celebrity chefs taking part will be Warren Brown, Cat Cora and Todd English (pictured above).

On the entertainment front you’ll find improv performances along the promenade, acrobatics and joyful music. There will be “Eat to the Beat!” concerts at the America gardens Theatre and scheduled to appear are acts like Sugar Ray, Air Supply, Howard Jones, 38 Special, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp fame), Kool and the Gang, Taylor Hicks, Sister Hazel, Expose, Night Ranger, Billy Ocean (pictured above), Starship, Boys II Men, Jon Secada, Hanson and Rick Springfield. Kicking the festival off on 1st October is Taylor Dayne while bringing the curtain down on 14 November is Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

It promises to be a great time… care to join us?

Here’s a few pictures as we build up to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios…

Decided to revisit Downtown Disney yesterday to check out how busy it was this Labor Day weekend… and I was amazed how busy it was and how much business some of the stores were doing. Looked to me as if an awful lot of people were ignoring the economic climate and just getting on with their lives.

Smiles, laughter and fun was everywhere to be found and that’s what makes Orlando and Disney so special. There’s a lot wrong with the world…but this place just seems to ignore all that and simply get back to the basics of providing fun and good times to everyone. It’s magical to see.

Anyway…take a look for yourself… here’s a video from last night’s adventure…

AARP, the association for folks aged 50 and older is bringing its annual National Event & Expo to Orlando at the end of this month. It will take place  at the Orange County Convention Center from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.  Orlando@50+ is a three-day event geared for those over 50 and will offer something for everyone with entertainment, celebrities, experts and exhibits.

In addition to three concerts and a popular dance party, attendees of Orlando@50+ will also experience extensive exhibits; lifestyle, education and feature sessions; and health and fitness classes.

Some of the renowned personalities already confirmed to appear are Whoopi Goldberg, Larry King, “The Dog Whisperer” Cesar Millan, Martina Navratilova, Patty Loveless, Olympia Dukakis, Richie Havens, Judy Collins, Marlo Thomas, Rob Reiner and Jane Pauley.

Concerts include:
Thursday, Sept. 30: Gladys Knight (pictured above) and B.B. King.
Friday, Oct. 1: The World’s Greatest Dance Party featuring Los Lobos, Gloria Gaynor and the World Classic Rockers . Hosted by Tom Joyner.
Saturday, Oct. 2: Crosby, Stills and Nash; Judy Collins; Richie Havens

In addition to great talent, informational sessions and entertainment, Orlando@50+ will feature an exhibit hall covering more than 400,000 square feet with more than 350 exhibitors offering information and various products and services. Exhibits will feature new and future technologies, appliances, travel and leisure destinations, and other products and services.

For those looking to get the party started a day early, AARP will host an exclusive pre-event get-together for registered attendees on Sept. 29 at Universal Orlando. For an additional cost, attendees of the “Great AARP Meet and Greet” will have the chance to enjoy an afternoon in the theme parks, and dine and dance the night away at the bars and clubs in Universal’s CityWalk.

Admission to Orlando@50+ is $25 for AARP members ($35 for non-members). The entry fee includes access to the Exhibit Floor, Exhibit Floor Performance Stage, Opening and Closing Shows, and Educational Sessions for all three days. Non-Member registration includes a 1-year membership to AARP.

Tickets for the dance party and concerts are an additional fee and start at $25. Tickets for the “Great AARP Meet and Greet” are an additional $95. Online registration is open now at aarp.org/events or at 1-800-883-2784

Disney’s contemporary Christian music event, “Night of Joy,” will celebrate its 28th year by presenting an unprecedented lineup of Christian music artists. After two years at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the event will again be held at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.

Performances will take place at several stage locations between 7:00 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. each evening following the regular closing of Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Popular attractions will also be available for guests to enjoy during Night of Joy hours. The 2010 lineup features a host of inspirational bands, including these headlining artists:

Friday, September 10

• Chris Tomlin
• David Crowder Band
• Casting Crowns

Saturday, September 11

• MercyMe
• Third Day
• Family Force

Information & Tickets

Night of Joy special ticket provides admission to the Magic Kingdom from 4:00 p.m. until until 1:00 a.m.. The park is regularly open until 6:00 p.m., but Night of Joy ticket holders will be issued a special wrist band allowing them access to the extended hours and concerts.

Prices for the special one-night advance tickets purchased online are $49.95, plus tax ($57.95, plus tax if available on night of event). Tickets for both nights — September 10 & 11 — are $89.95, plus tax. For more information or to purchase tickets for Night of Joy, call 407-W-DISNEY or go online and check out www.disneyworld.com/nightofjoy

Halloween Horror Nights is the premiere Halloween event annually held at the Universal Orlando theme park. Hundreds of thousands of horror fans from all over the globe look forward to this event every year and it is the largest event of its kind on the planet. The event features haunted houses, “scarezones” and live entertainment, many of which utilize Universal’s classic monsters (Wolf Man, Frankenstein), exclusive characters (Jack, The Director), and other licensed properties (Saw, Freddy, Jason).

Initially the event featured just one haunted house but as the event has grown; up to eight haunted houses have been used in conjunction with the ever popular “scarezones” which feature costumed characters, including the World famous Chainsaw Drill Team, and superb themes, costumes and makeup effects to scare people who walk from one area of the park to the next.

Halloween Horror Nights officially launched in Florida in 1991 under the name “Fright Nights.” It was renamed “Halloween Horror Nights” in 1992 and initially began as a three night event but is now a 24 night “horrible” extravaganza that has grown bigger and bigger every year.

The event was held at Universal Studios Florida from 1991 to 2001, but then moved to Universal’s Islands of Adventure in 2002. In 2004, Universal experimented with a dual-park format, which connected and utilized parts of both parks but in 2006, the event made its return to Universal Studios.

The first unofficial icon was Crypt Keeper, from the TV series Tales from the Crypt and since then some of the other icons have been Jack the Clown, The Caretaker, The Director, The Storyteller, Bloody Mary, The Usher and Fear.

2010 marks the 20th installment of the event at the Orlando park, titled “Twenty Years of Fear”, and features the embodiment of Fear itself as the event’s icon.

It’s a lot of fun so why not take yourself along for a day at Universal Studios Florida® theme park this September / October and watch as the park is transformed by day into Halloween Horror Nights at night and see why this is event is always crowned “The Best Haunted Attraction.” There are many ways to enjoy the event, with Frequent Fear Passes for non-peak nights and also VIP Unmasking the Horror tours as well. Our concierge department will be only too happy to help you decide how to enjoy the maximum amount of fear.