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

Have you made your vacation plans for the Summer? If not, you’ll want to check out what’s going on in Orlando as there’s lots of new stuff going on at the theme parks this year. There’s a killer whale show, a new roller-coaster, a cheetah habitat, a zip-line ride over alligators and there’s also the chance to get close to sharks by wading through a coral lagoon with a special diving helmet

It’s a great place to be as Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens, Gatorland and Legoland Florida – opening in October, all have a lot of new things to do.

SeaWorld

The home of Shamu the killer whale is now the venue for One Ocean, an incredible show involving all the park’s majestic orcas. Replacing the Believe show, One Ocean brings new staging, music and special effects to showcase the talents and special co-ordination of SeaWorld’s trainers and their killer whales. Fountains, video screens and clever lighting all combine for a spectacular 25-minute experience.

Discovery Cove

SeaWorld’s swim-with-dolphins sister park debuts it’s new Grand Reef attraction in June, giving its 1,000 visitors a day a chance to swim and snorkel with thousands of tropical fish and graceful rays. There will be an underwater walking tour, SeaVenture where for an extra $59 per person guests can don special diving helmets and venture beneath the surface to handle sea urchins and star fish, and stand among huge schools of feeding fish as well as observe some fierce looking sharks.

Busch Gardens

Just an hour away in nearby Tampa, Busch Gardens boasts America’s most dynamic and eye-catching ride this year, Cheetah Hunt. With a fast-launch start that blasts from 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds and more than 4,429ft of track that twists, turns and dives underground, it features a 130ft drop as well as a figure-of- eight loop in its three-and-a-half-minute duration.

Themed to feel like a cheetah hunting its prey, it will also offer a short stretch where the park’s eight cheetahs will be able to sprint alongside the ride as they chase a special lure as part of their exercise regime. The attraction is due to open on May 27.

Gatorland

Although it’s not one of the mainstream parks, this is Orlando’s oldest, dating back to 1949, and from early June it will offer the Screamin’ Gator zip-line ride, a high-flying adventure taking riders up and over the park’s residents – more than 1,000 alligators and crocodiles. The series of four zips, nature walk and swinging bridge take 45 minutes at a height of up to 56ft and speeds of 30mph to give a new perspective on this collection of flora and fauna. It costs $69.99 per person, including all-day entry to Gatorland.

Legoland Florida

Opening in October the latest member of the worldwide Lego family will offer 150 acres of fun and rides for the two-to-12 age group in classic brick-building style in ten distinct ‘lands’ but all with natural overtones as it is built on the site of the former Cypress Gardens, on the shore of Lake Eloise in Winter Haven, 40 minutes south of Orlando.

Walt Disney World

Star Tours II is Disney’s big offering for 2011, a revamped, version of the classic Star Wars simulator ride that now blasts off for Tatooine and Coruscant, plunging riders into the Boonta Eve Classic pod-race (from the film Star Wars I), in high-definition 3D from May 20 at Hollywood Studios.

The Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun is the new daily parade with all the favorites from films such as Up, Ratatouille, The Incredibles, Toy Story and others. Disney Junior – Live On Stage is now open for pre-school fans of programs such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins and the new Jake And The Never Land Pirates. Finally, at the Animal Kingdom park, guests can enjoy a three-hour Wild Africa Trek, a small-group journey through the animal savannahs for an extra $189 per person.

You’ll also want to check out what’s going on at the smaller parks and attractions.

Fantasy Surf is a new opportunity to try surfing on an indoor FlowRider system. It is great for novices and experienced surfers alike. Check out this video :

In Orlando city centre you can check out the Skyline Tour (from the Visitor Centre on Orange Avenue) and learn about the 19th Century ‘boom-town’ from a 16th-floor vantage point while nearby, the Orange County History Centre has more insight into Central Florida’s past, some 12,000 years of it, including the area’s Native American heritage and the huge cattle industry, with its own cowboys known as ‘crackers’.

Check out the video below of the chic suburb of Winter Park which features more natural charms, with its own boat tour through the local lakes plus, for art lovers, the unusual Morse Museum of American Art, which boasts one of the largest glass collections by Tiffany in the United States.

Aviation enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to Fantasy of Flight which hosts an amazing collection of vintage aircraft and daily flying exhibitions put together with real artistry by millionaire collector Kermit Weeks.

And no one should leave without seeing something of the real Florida. Enjoy an airboat ride from Boggy Creek Airboats, the area’s specialists, offering a variety of trips that get off the beaten track for personal, up-close encounters to capture the spirit of the Sunshine State.

One thing’s for certain: you’ll never be short of something to do in Orlando!

Space Shuttle Endeavour blasted off on the penultimate shuttle flight yesterday morning under the command of Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The wounded congresswoman was at Kennedy Space Center and watched the launch in an undisclosed private location.

Endeavour is headed for the International Space Station for one final time before heading to retirement at a Los Angeles museum. The shuttle’s experienced, all-male crew will deliver and install a $2 billion particle physics experiment during the 16-day flight, as well as spare station parts.

This is also the next to last flight for the 30-year-old space shuttle fleet. It is the final flight for the shuttle Endeavour, NASA’s youngest orbiter, which has flown 116.4 million miles in 24 previous flights.

All being well and with Mark Kelly at the helm, Endeavour and its experienced crew of five Americans and an Italian, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori will arrive at the International Space Station on Wednesday. They will deliver a $2 billion magnetic instrument that will seek out antimatter and dark energy in the universe.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators witnessed Endeavour’s last launch but it was a smaller turnout than the crowds that viewed the last shuttle launch in February. The early morning launch may have affected the turn out as Endeavour blasted off at 8:56 a.m. whereas February’s launch and last month’s failed attempt were in the afternoon.

Projections had put Monday’s crowd at 500,000, more than the number that saw shuttle Discovery’s final hurrah in February however Titusville Assistant Police Chief John Lau guessed the crowd at between 350,000 and 400,000.

Over the weekend I was fortunate to attend Destination D, the event for D23 members. D23 is the Official Disney Fan Club and it’s head, Steven Clark (above), welcomed Members from 40 states, four provinces in Canada,  as well as attendees from Australia, Bahamas, Germany, Netherlands, and United Kingdom on Saturday morning. He then introduced Walt Disney World’s very first ambassador, Debbie Dane Brown, who kicked off Destination D in style as she reminisced about the resort’s grand opening.

Debbie Dane Brown & Nigel Worrall

Next to take the stage was Walt Disney Archives Director Becky Cline and Disney historian Paul F. Anderson, who gave a superb and often humorous presentation on some of the strangest and most bizarre parts of Walt Disney World history. Becky and Paul had obviously been very busy as they searched through the Disney Archives with one thing on their minds: to find the most hilarious photos and video clips. “I was keeping an eye out for peculiar Walt Disney World footage,” Becky said. “I had a stack of DVDs that needed to be reviewed and I ended up finding this great Grad Nite footage.” This footage was well received and the most obvious thing that everyone noticed was the style of clothing everyone wore back then!

Dave Smith & Nigel Worrall

Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith then treated us all with a presentation entitled “Walt Disney World: The Way We Were.”  There were some fabulous early construction photos of Walt Disney World as well as photos of some of the attractions that are now long gone. During  lunch, D23 Members were invited to browse through a special Walt Disney Archives display set up for the event and the exhibit included The Three Caballeros, who originally appeared in the Mickey Mouse Revue in Fantasyland as well as several other Audio-Animatronics® and interesting pieces from the resort’s past.

Paul F. Anderson & Nigel Worrall

The afternoon sessions on Saturday included EPCOT: Walt Disney’s Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow with Archivist Steven Vagnini and Disney expert Paul F. Anderson, Past Forward: A History of Walt Disney World on Television with Disney Archivist Rob Klein and Disney author and historian Tim O’Day, and The Walt Disney World That Never Was with longtime Imagineer Tony Baxter.

To end the day, Baxter then returned to the stage with O’Day to showcase films that had not been seen in years. They covered the entire Walt Disney World Resort, from before the resort’s groundbreaking moment up through the creation of EPCOT Center.

Day two started with  a surprise as Jennifer Mason and Norman Vossschulte, Walt Disney World’s 40th anniversary ambassador team, stopped by to welcome Members to the second day. They told a few stories about what it’s like to be a Walt Disney World ambassador and shared their team motto, which included a Disney-themed fist pump to go along with it!

After their visit, Steven Clark, head of D23, searched for the next contestant in the Ultimate Disney Trivia Tournament, which will be held at the D23 Expo August 18-21. He led the room in three rounds of trivia questions and after a short onstage contest he narrowed it down to one Disney expert to join the semi-finals in Anaheim. John Kurowski from Orlando, Florida was named the official winner of the Destination D trivia challenge and he recieved two tickets to the D23 Expo, and a spot in the semi-final round at the Ultimate Disney Trivia Tournament.

To conclude the morning, Imagineers took D23 Members through some of the hidden design gems that are featured throughout Walt Disney World. Alex Wright, show designer, Jason Surrell, senior show writer, and Jason Graham, concept designer, unveiled the stories behind the details found within WDW attractions and Wright said: “There are little things you want to embed into a project to give it your own personal spin. It adds more depth, so people can pick up on them as they experience the attraction on their third or fourth time.” Surrell added, “It’s kind of a tradition that we carry on and pay tribute to the people who came before us.”

Kathy Rogers, who has just completed work on Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, Chris Beatty who is working on the Fantasyland expansion, and Gary Hoffman, currently in development on the Art of Animation Resort,then  gave Members the latest updates on their respective projects at Walt Disney World. They also announced that The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management) at Magic Kingdom is undergoing a magical transformation that will pay homage to the original show. “I think it’s fitting that for the 40th anniversary we pay homage to the original,” Chris said. “This really is our core audience and it’s always great to share with them and find out if we’re on the right track with our decisions. If you can please this group, you can please any park guest.”

Sunday afternoon was then spent listening to the stories from Walt Disney Pioneers in two panel discussions. The first included the resorts initial team, 1971 Walt Disney World Ambassador Debby Dane Browne,  Disney Legal Counsel Bob Foster and Disney Legends  Orlando Ferrante, Bob Gurr, and Ron Logan. The second panel then focused on the leaders who inherited Walt Disney World from Walt and his Imagineers, including Disney Legends Jack Lindquist, Bob Matheison, Tom Nabbe, Charlie Ridgway and Bill Sullivan.

Concluding the event with the grand finale was Richard Sherman  who took the stage and enraptured the audience with a medley of attraction songs that rounded off off an extraordinary weekend perfectly. Naturally there were a few surprises thrown in as Denny Zavett, Billy Flanagan, The Main Street Philharmonic, and the Kids of the Kingdom performed an unannounced finale that had D23 Members clapping, singing and simply glowing with delight. It was an extraordinary way to end an unforgettable weekend and left everyone waiting for the next event!

More photo’s are featured on Facebook at Facebook.com/FloridaLeisure and make sure to click “LIKE”

This year Walt Disney World Resort is celebrating its milestone 40th anniversary, and the Disney Fan Club D23 is saluting this magnificent occasion with a magical two-day event this weekend that illuminates the rich history and storied legacy of Walt Disney’s “Project Florida” for fans of all backgrounds — from the casual guest to the most ardent armchair experts.

Walt Disney World 40th transports D23 Members on a journey from the moment the first parcels of land in Central Florida were purchased in 1964 through the opening of EPCOT Center in 1982 and I’m pleased to report that I’m attending! The exclusive event features two full days of special entertainment, surprise guest appearances, a remarkable gathering of Walt Disney World “pioneers,” retrospectives, screenings of rare and newly discovered film and TV footage, archival displays and informative presentations that gives D23 Members an unprecedented look at this truly spectacular World.

Main Highlights of Destination D are appearances by such notables as Disney Legends Marty Sklar, Bob Gurr, Jack Lindquist, Charlie Ridgway, Tom Nabbe, Bob Matheison, Orlando Ferrante and Ron Logan, in addition to Debra Browne, the 1971 Walt Disney World Ambassador to the World. There is also a special exhibit from the Walt Disney Archives featuring rare items and artifacts from the creation and evolution of Walt Disney World Resort.

The weekend culminates with an enchanting concert, Magic Journeys: A Flight of Fancy through 40 Years of Walt Disney World Musical Memories, featuring Disney Legend and Academy Award® winner Richard M. Sherman.

There’s lots of photo’s from the weekend on our Facebook page … www.Facebook.com/FloridaLeisure …check it out and make sure you hit the “LIKE” button!

If you love all things automotive, then Downtown Disney is where you need to be today, tomorrow, and Sunday. Sixty classic cars have lined up along the Downtown Disney promenade for Disney’s Car Masters Weekend,but as with most things that Disney does, don’t expect this to be just an ordinary car show. This time some very classic cars are going to meet their match as 4 time Piston Cup champion, Lightning McQueen, Mater and their new friend, Finn McMissile, roll into the weekend to celebrate the release of Disney Pixar’s “Cars 2″.

In celebration of Pixar’s 25th anniversary, the muscle cars will also be joined by the largest life-sized, radio controlled car replicas ever built – giving fans the chance to hang out with their favorite “car-acters.”The three day event begins today and runs through Sunday May 15th. The fun begins each day at 10:30am and will last until 6pm and your young ones will enjoy the “Race Into Reading” read and play log (pictured below) they’ll be given as they leave the “Cars 2″ area.

In addition to meeting your “Cars” favorites, NASCAR fans are able to take a look at Richard Petty’s race car, which is on display inside Ridemakerz and it’s also the location where you can “test-drive” some of the new “Cars 2″ Ridemakerz models.

Also featuring will be a variety of different activities throughout the weekend including games and giveaways as well as a  video kiosk. There’s also a sweepstakes as “Agents on a Mission” will give away some 18,000 prizes including a brand new car.

Taking place on Saturday and Sunday is the Classic Car show, which will be judged by Pixar Animation Studios’ “Cars” franchise guardian and resident car expert, Jay Ward.

Also, the 2006 Disney-Pixar “Cars” film returns to the big screen for a limited time at AMC Pleasure Island 24 Theatres throughout the weekend. Moviegoers can even catch a glimpse of the new movie trailer from “Cars 2,” which then comes to a theater near you on June 24th.

It promises to be a fun filled weekend so if you’re in Orlando why not pay a visit? If you can’t make it, then don’t worry as we have made a short video for you and we have plenty of pictures on our Facebook.com/FloridaLeisure page.

Today is the last day for voting in the Ultimate Fishing Town USA contest and currently Kissimmee is leading the way with 3187 votes (Click on picture below to see in more detail). It’s very important to us to maintain this lead so we are requesting your help by casting your vote for the City of Kissimmee to become the “Ultimate Fishing Town USA”.

In voting, we’re asking you to name Lake Toho and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes as the “Ultimate Fishing Town U.S.A.” Yesterday we posted one video showing Lake Toho and today we have another video showing just why Kissimmee really is the Ultimate Fishing Town in the USA.

The Kissimmee chain of lakes is the only Central Florida location nominated in this national competition hosted by the World Fishing Network. The goal is for the City of Kissimmee to be included in the Top 20 ultimate fishing locations in the country. The competition is based solely on votes and it’s those votes that will make up the order to make it to the final round.

It takes less than a minute to cast a vote and each person can vote up to four times each day. So please click the banner at the start or below this blog post  and it will take you directly to the site where you can cast your vote. Thanks in advance…we really appreciate it!

If you’re after the catch of a lifetime, there’s no better place to find it than in Kissimmee’s bountiful lakes. Our famous Lake Tohopekaliga (a.k.a. Lake Toho), just south of Orlando, holds the current record for a one-day catch in a professional bass fishing tournament—45lbs. 2oz. for an average of 9 lbs. per bass! Amazing… and doesn’t that sound like a dream fishing trip to you?

Kissimmee is home to some of the best freshwater fishing in the State. The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes and Osceola County itself features water from 200 acres to 44,000 acres and attracts trophy largemouth bass fisherman from all corners of the world. That’s because from East Lake Fish Camp and Lake Kissimmee to Big Toho Marina, our fish stories are no lies.

Kissimmee is also the adopted home of the Barramundi, a legendary Australian sport fish. Until recently, North American anglers who hooked one of these ferocious fighters had to travel down under to do so. Now you can do battle with one of these beauties at private ponds right in Kissimmee. From sport fishing to pier fishing, and from West Lake Toho to charter boats on the coast, our Central Florida location puts you near a boatload of possibilities.

So bring your rod and reel or spend a day with a professional fishing guide to get you to all the hot spots. Then cast your bait, cross your fingers and spend the day fishing in the Heart of Florida.

Also, don’t to forget to vote for Kissimmee as the “Ultimate Fishing Town USA” by clicking the banner below.