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

Cool Picture Time : The Dogweed and Deathcap storefront in Hogsmeade at Universal Orlando Resort’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is home to many exotic plants and flowers, including the potted Mandrake. Shown within the shop window, the Mandrake shrieks and squirms as guests pass by. It is inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters in the Harry Potter series of books.

Waves of Halloween fun come to life at SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular and the event features an underwater “fantasea” where children can trick-or-treat, meet whimsical sea creatures, catch silly and spooky shows and create their own sea-themed arts and crafts.

Among the new features this year is the Spooky Sand Art Station where children (and adults, too!) can create  multi-colored sand souvenirs at the interactive arts and craft area where sea-themed glass bottles, in the shape of dolphins, turtles, starfish and other cool shapes, are filled with an array of vibrantly-colored sands.

Halloween activities during Spooktacular include Countdown to Halloween (Sesame Street show), 13 trick-or-treating stations throughout the park, Penelope’s Party Zone featuring sand artists, a DJ, up-close encounters with some of the park’s resident animals and a make-your-own candy apple station where kids and parents alike can have a “splash” creating their own sweet treats at the new Apple Decorating Post.

The Apple Decorating Post is where tasty apples can be dipped with decadently flavored sauces from a choice of : white chocolate, fudge, or caramel, and then topped with sprinkles to finish them off. Kids have a blast participating in this and it tastes good too!

Live entertainment, including 35 sea-themed creatures can also be seen strolling around the park during the event and there are a couple of other specials events, such as Count Von Count’s Spooktacular Breakfast and the Halloween Family Sleep over are also available during the celebration.

Perhaps,the most popular area is the new zone for dancing called Penelope’s Party Zone at the Bayside Area with a DJ, bubbles, hula hoops, mermaids for photos, Shamu for photos and the Pumpkin queen telling a story. Of course, you can always trick and treat your way around the “spooktacular” area and there are some other neat activities kids can participate in during Spooktacular including a sea school, meeting with witches grotto and ship (above right), meeting Shivers, Pete and Penny or getting a caricature, face painting, tattoo art or hair wrap.

The event is included with SeaWorld theme park admission and all of the Halloween frights and thrills begin each weekend at noon. Some of these activities do have a small additional fee associated with them but they are all great fun and well worth the money!

Be quick to visit though as there are only a few remaining dates available: Oct. 22-23 and Oct. 28-30 and do note that the SPOOKTACULAR event starts at noon and lasts until 8 p.m on each of those days!

More photos at Facebook.com/FloridaLeisure and here’s some video…

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders Karen Bittinger, Elisa Eichbauer, Darla Faye Nolan, Milly Figuereo, Kelli Jones, Meagan Praden, Lauren Rasys and Amber Rehman took a break from the sidelines to visit Howl-O-Scream 2011 at Busch Gardens over the weekend.

During their evening at the nationally ranked event, the cheerleaders toured the brand-new Zombie Mortuary, Nevermore and Ultimate Gamble: Vampire Casino haunted houses and met several of The Dark Side of the Gardens’ zombie hoards, including the event’s infamous cheerleader zombies.

General admission for Howl-O-Scream is $77.99 plus tax. Reduced advance-purchase rates and special offers are available for Busch Gardens Pass members at TheDarkSideOfTheGardens.com. Savings on general admission tickets are available in advance at participating Publix Supermarkets or with promotional codes found on select Pepsi Max and Mountain Dew products and at participating Taco Bell, Applebee’s and Lifestyle Family Fitness locations in Central Florida.

The event runs Thursday through Saturday nights, October 20-22 and 27-29. Operating hours are 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. during Freaky Preview and on Thursday nights. Friday and Saturday hours are 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

For guest information, visit TheDarkSideofTheGardens.com or call 1-888-800-5447.

Professional golf returns to Orlando this week as the PGA’s Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic comes back for its annual event at Walt Disney World’s Palm and Magnolia golf courses. The first players to tee off at the Palm course will be Jeff Maggert and Shaun Micheel on Tee #1 while on Tee #10 James Driscoll and Bobby Gates will share the 7.50am starting time. Also at 7.50am over at Disney’s Magnolia course Tommy Gainey and Chris Couch begin the day at hole #1 and Paul Goydos and Troy Merritt will be teeing off at hole #10.

I wandered over to the course today to see what shape it’s in and it looks really good. The weather forecast has some rain in the area during the week so that will certainly help to keep the course looking very green. Of the two par 72 courses, Magnolia is the slightly longer measuring 7,516 yards while the Palm comes in at 7,010 yards. The golfers will play once on each course along with their pro-am partners for the first two rounds and then the real action begins as the amateurs step aside after 36 holes and the field is cut. The final two rounds will be played at the Magnolia course and a purse of $4.7 million sees the winner collecting $846,000.

The defending champion is Robert Garrigus who shot a 21 under par 267 to beat Roland Thatcher last year and he’ll be keen for a repeat performance this year. Full week passes are just $20 and single day tickets $10. Youths aged 17 and under receive free admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

Also, a “Wine & Dine Experience” daily ticket for $30 includes access to five food stations near the Magnolia course’s putting green. Parking is free in the Magic Kingdom parking lot and from there you gain access to the golf courses via a complimentary shuttle to the main entrance….and watch out for Mickey and Minnie as you get off the shuttle as they’ll be around somewhere!

More photo’s from around the course and some of your favorite Disney characters are on our Facebook/FloridaLeisure page here.

Check out this video to see who won the Florida Leisure Vacation Homes “Legoland Florida” Grand Opening Day Sweepstakes:

Families packed Central Florida’s newest theme park today to ensure they were among the first to experience LEGOLAND® Florida. The first major theme park to open in the United States in more than a decade, LEGOLAND Florida got off to a busy start with thousands of visitors queuing up near the park’s entrance before dawn for the 10 a.m. opening ceremony.

Families began arriving at 5:30 a.m. and the crowd grew as the countdown continued. At 9:58 a.m., General Manager Adrian Jones (pictured above) flipped the ceremonial switch to “power up” the park. As the crowds burst through the stanchions and raced to the turnstiles, the Brunner family from Lake Mary, Fla. became the first official guests and received LEGOLAND Florida annual passes.

Just 45 minutes from both Orlando and Tampa, the park celebrates the world’s love-affair with all things LEGO® by delivering a dream park built with more than 50 million bricks. Its 50 rides, shows and “pink knuckle” attractions put kids in the center of the action by giving them the opportunity to drive, fly, build and climb their way through 150 acres of fun. LEGOLAND Florida is the fifth in Merlin Entertainments Group’s LEGOLAND portfolio.

Company leaders have been pleased with the reception the new park has already received from Florida residents and are inspired by the role they’ll play in attracting first-time visitors to the area because of the park’s appeal to young families. “In essence, we’re establishing an entirely new visitation category in this market because every ride, show and attraction within LEGOLAND Florida has been designed exclusively with kids ages 2 to 12 in mind,” said Nick Varney, CEO for Merlin Entertainments Group (pictured above).

“It’s a real game-changer for Central Florida because young families can finally plan that first theme park vacation assured that even their youngest child will enjoy a memorable experience, and that they’ll be able to optimize their vacation budget,” Varney said.

Like other LEGOLAND Parks, the Florida destination is divided into 10 fun-filled, interactive zones. Four junior coasters stand ready to offer many young theme park-goers their first thrill experience, including Coastersaurus, a wooden roller coaster that anchors Land of Adventure, and LEGO Technic® Test Track Coaster which joins the splash-tastic AQUAZONE® Wave Racers in the LEGO Technic Zone.

Other zones include LEGO Kingdoms, which features knights, princesses and dragons – as well as the newest “castle” in Central Florida – and the interactive LEGO City where kids drive cars and boats by themselves. Miniland USA is the heart of LEGOLAND and features landmarks from Washington D.C., New York City, Las Vegas, and major points of interest across Florida including Cape Kennedy and the Daytona Motor Speedway, all built at 1:20 scale.

Located on the site of the former Cypress Gardens, Florida’s first theme park which opened in 1936, LEGOLAND Florida has reclaimed the exquisite botanical gardens that made its predecessor famous. Park designers maximized the setting along the shores of Lake Eloise to offer breath-taking site lines and positioned each zone to take full advantage of the ample shade offered by hundreds of moss-draped oak trees.

“LEGOLAND Florida is the brilliant blend of two of the world’s most powerful family brands – LEGO and the Florida vacation,” said Chris Thompson, CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, the sunshine state’s tourism corporation. “Together they create the next generation of family entertainment and cement this region’s status as the Vacation Capital of the World.”

The new theme park is also helping energize Polk County and the surrounding region by drawing visitors to an area that’s lacked a major attraction since 2008, and through the creation of more than 1,000 jobs by LEGOLAND and hundreds more by other area employers preparing to welcome more guests.

“LEGOLAND is a great addition to an area,” said Dr. Abe Pizam, dean of Tourism Management at the Rosen College at the University of Central Florida. “Thousands will benefit directly and indirectly as more jobs are created and more revenue is generated across the region.”

Remember… you can visit Legoland Florida for FREE… just book a Florida Leisure Vacation Home for 3 days or more and stay between now and 17th December and we’ll pay for 2 Adults and 2 Children to go to Legoland!

More photos from the Grand Opening are on our Facebook page here

Legoland Florida officially opens at 10.00am this morning and we’ll be bringing you updates as the day progresses. Later in this post we’ll also be showing you how you can visit Legoland Florida for free!

First, a little more about the park and what you can expect on your first visit…

Theme parks have long served as the ideal setting for family vacations, but those trips, particularly to the theme park mecca of Central Florida, traditionally have been kept on hold until the youngest was the “right age” or “this tall” to enjoy the thrills.

No longer. Legoland Florida opens today and it will help redefine how young families think about a Central Florida vacation. Thanks to the new park’s theming and its unique focus on younger guests and their families, now everyone can enjoy a visit to the Sunshine State without having to worry about the experience they may get.

The entire Legoland experience is designed for families with kids ages 2 to 12 so there’s no longer a reason to delay the decision to take that first family theme park vacation. The highly immersive rides and experiences, such as Lego Factory Tour (above left) and the Big Test Live Show (above right), are designed to encourage children and their parents to play together and are perfect for creating cherished memories for every member of the family.

Legoland Florida celebrates the world’s love-affair with all things LEGO and features more than 50 family rides, shows and interactive attractions, restaurants, shopping and beautiful botanical gardens. Legoland Florida has been built using 50 million bricks and will be the fifth and largest in the Legoland franchise.

The park is perfectly positioned on 150 beautiful acres along the shores of Lake Eloise. The family fun spreads across 10 zones and ranges from medieval thrills featuring knights, princesses and dragons to high-energy, swash buckling adventure starring water-skiing pirates.

What really differentiates Legoland Florida from the other theme parks are the pink knuckle attractions … four junior roller coasters that offer just the right blend of speed and thrill the entire family… not just the ones with cast iron stomachs!

And talking of stomachs…in addition to the numerous kid-friendly attractions, Legoland Florida executive chef Robert K. Sit (pictured above left) has ensured that the park  caters to young families most important needs with well balanced, high quality food options found in restaurants, such as the Market Restaurant (pictured above right), as well as nutritious snacks available through the park. The park also provides a comfortable and convenient baby care center stocked with rocking chairs for nursing mothers, high chairs and other conveniences of home.

Families will find that Legoland Florida tickets are priced with them in mind, easing the strain a family vacation can put on the wallet. One day tickets are $75 for adults and $65 for kids ages 3-12.  And here’s where we at Florida Leisure come in… because we believe in this theme park so much that we want to pay for you and your family to go!

How? Easy… simply make a three day or more reservation with Florida Leisure Vacation Homes and stay with us between now and 17th December 2011 and we’ll be delighted to present you with 2 Adult tickets and 2 Childrens tickets to the fabulous new theme park. Call us now… 1-866-313-1979 or visit FloridaLeisure.com

The 50th million LEGO brick was successfully laid by Legoland Florida General Manager Adrian Jones this morning at a VIP ceremony held in the Lego Technic area of Central Florida’s newest theme park. Adrian Jones was assisted by Kjeld Kirk Christiansen, the grandson of Ole Kirk Kristiansen, LEGO’s founder, during the ceremony.

The brick was a very special one… made of gold and it signified Legoland Florida as the 5th Legoland theme park worldwide as it joins Legoland Bullund – Denmark, Legoland Windsor – England, Legoland Deutschland – Gunzburg, Germany and Legoland California in the line up.

The LEGO story is a humble one as Ole Kirk Kristiansen, the 10th son of an impoverished farmer family in Jutland in western Den mark  started making wooden toys in 1932 to make a living after having lost his job during the depression. In 1942 a fire broke out at the factory forcing a rebuild. Initially, he made miniature versions of the houses and furniture he worked on as a carpenter, but in 1947 moved onto using plastics. By 1949 he had produced over 200 plastic and wooden toys. He came up with the name Lego from the Danish leg godt (“play well”) and the company grew to become the Lego Group (“lego” coincidentally means “I put together” in Latin).

On March 11, 1958,  Christiansen died from a heart attack when he was 66 years old and today Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is the current vice chairman of the board of LEGO. He left a huge legacy behind and one that you can enjoy on your next visit to Florida. Tickets are available through FloridaLeisure.com

Also, some exciting news emerged from the Grand Opening event as Nick Varney, chief executive officer of Merlin Entertainments Group, also announced that Legoland Florida plans to open a water park and a themed hotel at the Polk County theme park.

Legoland officials said the water park will open in May, just seven months after the official debut of Legoland Florida. It will feature Lego elements, including the ability to build your own Lego raft and float down a river.

“It will be totally awesome and it will be totally Lego,” said Varney.

The water park will be an add-on cost to the standard Legoland admission.

Just ONE day to go before LEGOLAND FLORIDA opens and the excitement is really building. Today we’re taking a look at Lego Technic and the Imagination Zone… both great areas for the whole family to explore and enjoy!

LEGO^® TECHNIC^™

Rides & Attractions:

Test Track –Brave guests feel the power of acceleration, braking and maneuverability as they race a life-size LEGO TECHNIC vehicle along a wild roller coaster track. (Minimum rider height is 42″, riders under 48″ must be accompanied by a responsible rider of at least 48″ in height)

AQUAZONE^® Wave Racers –Riders zip in and out of waves as they dodge water blasters on this dual water carousel ride. (Minimum rider height is 40″, riders under 52″ must be accompanied by a responsible rider of at least 52″ in height)

Technicycle – a zany pedal-powered spinning machine that shoot riders into the air. (Minimum rider height is 36″, riders under 42″ must be accompanied by a responsible rider of at least 42″ in height)

Imagination Zone

Imagination Zone emphasizes exploring and creation, while showcasing seven of the most visually exciting LEGO models in the world, including a replica of Albert Einstein’s head.

Rides & Attractions:

Hero Factory – immersive interactive play area based on LEGO’s popular Hero Factory line.

Build & Test – Build a LEGO car and test it against the competition on the digitally timed track.

LEGO MINDSTORMS™ – Build and program cutting-edge, computerized LEGO MINDSTORMS™ robots.

Kid Power Towers – Kids and parents alike hoist themselves up to the top of a tower to get a great view of the entire park and lovely Lake Eloise, and then enjoy a fun “free-fall” to the bottom. (Minimum rider height of 40″, riders less than 48″ must be accompanied by a responsible rider of at least 48″ in height)

More photo’s are available at Facebook.com/FloridaLeisure and here’s some video:

Four days of shopping, fashion shows, celebrity appearances, food sampling began today at the 21st Orlando Southern Women’s Show. The show is always eagerly anticipated and this year is no different.There’s many different vendors such as Arbonne (Nicole and Kathy are pictured below and Arbonne products are available through Rebecca at Florida Leisure Vacation Homes), Burberry, Classy Girl Boutique, Dillard’s, Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, SeaWorld, and many more.

Top Chef fan favorite, Fabio Viviani, (pictured below) will be at the show on Saturday, October 15th and you won’t want to miss your chance to meet him and watch as he swifts around the kitchen cooking up a delicious recipe. In celebration of soulful, southern-style cooking, Glory Foods is partnering with the Southern Women’s Show once again! The Glory Foods traveling Meal SOULutions Academy for Southern-Style Cooking is also back by popular demand to help educate family cooks on preparing easy, convenient meals without sacrificing that time-honored, authentic southern-style flavor for which Glory Foods is known. Glory Foods’ Meal SOULutions Academy will feature ‘Glorified Chefs’ on the Cooking Stage; Special Recipe Tastings created by the ‘Glorified Chef’; Enter-to-Win Glory Foods’ Meal SOULutions Academy Deluxe Gift Basket; and one-on-one cooking advice, soulful product sampling and fun give-aways at the Meal SOULutions Academy sampling booth. With Glory Foods, it’s easy to pass down the delicious meals you enjoyed growing up!

Warren Caterson is the author of Table for Two – The Cookbook for Couples, the perfect cookbook for young couples, empty nesters, and everyone in between. His cookbook features over 235 recipes made with fresh and readily available ingredients, dinner can be on the table in well under an hour, with a minimum of leftovers. He will demonstrate a temptingly delicious platter piled high with time-saving kitchen tips, helpful cooking hints, and recipes for two – all served with a side of garlic-infused humor and a steaming bowl of buffoonery. Check the events schedule for his stage times!

Treat yourself and win big with Macy’s on Saturday. Be one of the first 500 guests to enter the show on Saturday and receive a gift card to Macy’s! Also, stop by the Macy’s Pavilion for your chance to win a $500 shopping spree. While there, pamper yourself with your favorite brands from Dior, Clinique and Strivectin Cosmetics to Ed Hardy Fragrances and more!

Join Florida Dairy Farmers for “Mother Daughter Day” on Sunday, October 16 for a special day of shopping, fashion, food and prizes. Stop by the Florida Dairy Farmers’ “Fresh Florida Milk Parlor” to spin the prize wheel and enter to win a $150 Publix gift card. When you’re ready for a break, take a seat at the parlor and read up about dairy as a nutrient-rich food, good for the whole family.

And of course… you guessed it… The Firefighter Fashion Show is back and hot as ever! Grab your girlfriends and head for the show to catch this fabulous event. Clap, shout and even whistle as the boys in uniform strut their stuff on the runway.

Get to the show early and take a front row seat to get a great view of Orlando’s bravest (Orange County Fire and Rescue Department). And all for a good cause…all funds raised will benefit the Children’s Burn Foundation, so bring your dollar bills and don’t let the boot pass you by!

Admission :
Adults: $10.00 At the Door

Advance Tickets Online: $9.00

Groups: (10 or More, Online Advance Only): $8.00

Youth: $5.00 (ages 6-12)

Children Under 6 Free With Paying Adult

Re-admission: Tickets for 2nd day admission can be purchased for $5.00 during your initial visit (with your ticket stub) at the show entrance.

Orange County Convention Center

North Concourse, Hall B

9400 Universal Boulevard

Orlando, FL 32819

Parking:

The Orange County Convention Center charges a parking fee of $8 per car

Hours :
Thursday: 10am-7pm

Friday: 10am-7pm

Saturday: 10am-7pm

Sunday: 10am-5pm