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

A wonderful weekend came to an end for the Hearts of Reality TV stars yesterday. The stars from shows like “Survivor” “Big Brother” , Ghost Hunters, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette,  ”The Amazing Race”  as well as many other hit reality shows came together to support a fabulous three days of fun and games in order to raise money for Kissimmee based charity “Give Kids The World.

Thursday night saw the stars come together for the VIP Sponsor party before they headed to Give Kids The World on Friday evening. It was good to see so many give up their valuable time to support a charity that helps families and children going through tough times and in today’s modern times, it was refreshing to see people clearly eager to help out as much as they can.

An extremely hot Saturday afternoon saw the “Autograph Signing Session” and a small donation to the Give Kids The World charity enabled fans into the autograph area for photos and autographs with the stars. Bringing the event to a close on Saturday night was the Land Lovers Luau at Celebration Town Tavern and many of the stars took turns to entertain the guests with some interesting karaoke numbers!

It was a fabulous weekend and one that brought people together in a great way to not only enjoy themselves but to give to others. And that is really what life is all about. We were privileged to have been able to cover it. See you next year folks!

In front of 10,441 fans, Orlando City Soccer Club fell 1-0 in an international friendly against English Premier League side Stoke City at the Florida Citrus Bowl last night. A goal in stoppage time at the end of the first half was the only difference between the two sides and despite the loss, Orlando City was praised for the quality of their play and for the size of crowd the game attracted.

“This club has all the right things to be in the MLS,” said Stoke City Manager Tony Pulis (pictured above). “A great crowd came out tonight, and Orlando City played well. This is definitely the place to be.”

Under the gaze of former MLS Houston Dynamo and new Stoke signing Geoff Cameron (pictured above), Stoke’s first chance came in the 11^th minute when a free kick from Glenn Whelan was saved by diving Orlando City Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo to keep the scoreline level.

Orlando, however, were determined not to be outplayed by a so called better team and really had the better chances to score during the game as both Mechack and Molino went close early on. Unfortunately, as so often happens in soccer, they just couldn’t find that one moment of quality when most needed and ultimately they came to rue the missed chances as Stoke took the lead right on the stroke of half time.

In the one true moment of quality during the whole game, a Marc Wilson cross was nodded down by England striker Peter Crouch and Jon Walters neatly chested the ball down before smashing an angled volley past the helpless Miguel Gallardo from 12 yards to give the Potters a 1-0 lead. It was a bitter blow to the home team.

The second half then got off to a rocky start for Stoke as Whelan deliberately elbowed Orlando’s Charlie Campbell in the 59^th and got his marching orders for his second yellow card. It was a reckless and needless challenge leaving the Potters down a man for the final 30 minutes.

Orlando then mounted a sustained attack in a quest for an equaliser on the Stoke goal and several half chances went begging. Stoke were solid in defense and no matter what Orlando did, they just couldn’t find a way past the resolute Stoke rearguard who hung on for a slim 1-0 win.

At the end of the game Orlando Coach Adrian Heath said: “I’m delighted with the team. We played well and after playing so many games in a short time, we gave Stoke a good workout.”

Orlando City now returns to USL PRO regular season play on Wednesday, August 1, at the Harrisburg City Islanders. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EST. Orlando has already clinched the regular season title and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, so every game from here on out is a chance to give some fringe players a run out.  The Lions then return to the Citrus Bowl for their final match of the regular season on August 17.

More photos from the game are at FloridaLeisurePhotography.com and MarkSimsPhotography

Led by two goals in the first 25 minutes and two more from Forward Dennis Chin late on, Orlando City Soccer Club clinched their second consecutive USL PRO regular season title by defeating  Charleston Battery 4-0 at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The title also guarantees home field for the 2012 playoffs.

 “I’m pleased for the players for all the hard work they put in,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “I thought some of our play was very, very good.”

Kevin Molino got the scoring going for Orlando City (15-1-5, 50 points) with help from the Charleston (11-7-0, 33 points) defense. In the 17^th minute from outside the 18 yard box, the talented winger blasted a strike that deflected off the side of Battery Defender Kyle Hoffer over his own Goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra for an own goal and the early 1-0 Lion lead.

It only took a few more minutes for Lions to strike again. In the 21^st minute, a charging George Davis IV laid a perfectly flighted cross off to an unmarked Matt Luzunaris, who headed home from just inside the six yard box.  The goal marked the fifth straight match that Luzunaris has scored in and it was his ninth goal of the season.

Charleston, who came into the match in third place in the USL PRO table, simply couldn’t match the work rate of the Orlando team but even when they threatened, they found a solid Lions back line led by Captain and Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo. Barttery’s frustrations then reached boiling point halfway through the second half as Defender Colin Falvey and Orlando’s James O’Connor clashed, which then saw a major skirmish involving most players from both sides. Both Falvey and O’Connor were handed red cards and then it was the turn of Charleston Defender Kyle Hoffer to earn his second yellow of the night for showing dissent to referee Ibanez after committing a minor foul.  It was a soft dismissal that left the Battery struggling with only nine men.

It didn’t take long for Orlando to then capitalize as late substitute and Oviedo-native Dennis Chin scored twice in the 77^th and 85^th minutes, and the 4-0 scoreline secured the USL PRO title.  Chin’s two goals took him to a record breaking ten goals in Orlando City franchise history, topping last year’s record of nine by Max Griffin.

City now turn their attention toward the International Friendly to be played at the Florida Citrus Bowl tonight against Stoke City of the English Premier League. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m and tickets can still be obtained from the Citrus Bowl ticket office before the game.   See you there!

More photos at www.FloridaLeisurePhotography.com and MarkSimsPhotography

Over 100 Reality TV stars from shows like Survivor, Big Brother, Amazing Race, Expedition Impossible,  Celebrity Apprentice, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette as well as several other guest stars will be in Celebration this weekend for a charity event to raise money for Give Kids The World.

Many winners from the shows such as Sandra Diaz-Twine, Richard Hatch, Bob Crowley, Tina Wesson, Kimberly Spradlin, Chris Daugherty, Todd Herzog,  Aras Baskauskas, Uchenna Agu, Jordan Pious, Eric Sanchez, Hayden Moss, Danni Boatwright,  Rachel Reilly, Evel Dick, Earl Cole, Tom Westman are all making an appearance to raise money for the charity that has welcomed more than 93,000 families from all 50 states and over 65 countries.

The story of Give Kids The World begins with a little girl with a wish and the desire of one man to make that wish come true.

The little girl’s name was Amy. Amy had leukemia and one wish – to visit the theme parks in Orlando. To facilitate Amy’s wish, the request of a complimentary stay was made to a respected hotelier. As he had done many times before, the hotelier gladly obliged and Amy’s wish was that much closer to being realized. Sadly, the remainder of Amy’s travel plans took too long to arrange and her wish was never granted; Amy had passed away. Time simply ran out.

This unfulfilled wish inspired a man, the hotelier, to make a vow that no child in need would ever be failed again. That man was Henri Landwirth and his desire to ensure that Amy’s story would never repeat itself is where the story of Give Kids The World begins.

Landwirth enlisted the support of colleagues in the hospitality industry, including our world-famous theme parks, to assist him in bringing these special families to Central Florida within 24 hours if need be. He called the project “Give Kids The World,” because that is just what he intended to do – provide memorable, magical, cost-free experiences to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

As the program expanded and the number of families continued to grow, it was apparent that Give Kids The World would need to create a place that could better serve the special needs of our families. The gates of Give Kids The World Village opened in 1989.

Today the Village is a 70-acre resort complete with over 100 villa accommodations, entertainment attractions, whimsical venues, and fun specifically designed for children with special needs.

The main public event is on Saturday and the event schedule is as follows:

Saturday July 28, 2012:

2:15-3:00 PM- (Private)  Autograph  Signing For VIP Sponsors Only at the Bohemian Celebration Hotel.

3:00 – 6:00 PM (Public)  Autograph Signing in Downtown Celebration at the Bohemian Celebration Hotel.

For the Autograph Signing on Saturday- $20.00 donation to Give Kids The World gets you into the autograph area for photos and autographs with the stars. Includes a commemorative Autograph Booklet. Turn in a Completed Treasure Map and receive $5 off autograph line.
(Due to the volume of guests and the charity donation, Autographs will be limited to one autograph item per person)

10:00 PM Celebration Town Tavern – Land Lovers Luau
Come party with the stars of “Survivor” “Big Brother” , Ghost Hunters, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette,  ”The Amazing Race”  and other hit reality shows in this one-of-a-kind Luau themed party .
For the Party Saturday Night: $30.00 donation to Give Kids The World gets you  finger food, Survivor Karaoke,  and admission to the party. Available at the door only on Saturday Night. NO advance tickets sold (except for part of the hotel package)

Click here for photos from last years event and below is some video :

Fresh from an astonishing last minute win in Charleston last Thursday that sealed a play off place, Orlando City looks at taking another step towards wrapping up the USLPRO title for the second season running at the Citrus Bowl tonight.

Matt Luzunaris and Ian Fuller scored the goals in stoppage time to turn what looked a certain defeat into a win with an extraordinary finish last week and tonight the Lions will be looking for another three points that will take them closer to successive titles. Orlando, currently on 46 points and eleven points clear of second placed Rochester Rhinos, will be looking to avenge their only loss of the season so far as they face Wilmington Hammerheads.  The Hammerheads, with 29 points, remain the only team to have defeated Orlando City in USL PRO play, having won the June 2 match in Wilmington 3-1.

The Lions will come into the match in confident mood, having won their last four matches, two of them by 4-0 scorelines against Los Angeles and Rochester.  Wilmington, however, will be looking to rectify a poor season away from home that has so far seen them gain just one win.

The clubs have met once at the Citrus Bowl already during the season and it was Orlando who won 4-1 in front of over 8,400 fans.  The match was a sign of things to come for Orlando, as this year’s squad has already surpassed the team goal-scoring total from last season of 36 with five games remaining.  City has scored 39 goals this season and a win tonight will pull the Lions even with last season’s win total, 15, with four games of the regular season left to go!

Although three points tonight are important, Orlando can clinch the regular season championship by beating Charleston Battery on Friday regardless of tonight’s result. If they can do that, they will go into their international friendly game against English Premier League opposition Stoke City on Saturday in a great frame of mind. Last season they beat Newcastle United with a confident and collected display of attacking football and Orlando’s fans will be looking to add yet another top level scalp to their growing collection.

It’s a busy week for the Lions and some squad rotation can certainly be expected with the run of three games in four days. On that note, City will be delighted to welcome the return of Jean Alexandre (pictured above right) for this evenings fixture.  The on-loan striker is now in his third stint with the Lions this season, and will now be with the club through to the playoffs.  His physical presence leading the attack will give Orlando a different look and with Dennis Chin and Matt Luzanaris in good goal scoring form it’s hard to see anything but an Orlando win tonight.

Kick off is at 7.30pm and tickets are still available by calling in at the Florida Citrus Bowl ticket office prior to the game.

A rare and exciting event has taken place at SeaWorld Orlando. A weedy sea dragon has given birth to his first few baby sea dragons.

This is the first time sea dragon eggs have successfully hatched at a SeaWorld park and is considered a very extraordinary occurrence in aquariums around the world. In fact, there have only been three other aquariums in the United States to successfully breed weedy sea dragons. In the two photos you can clearly see that pproximately 100 small, pinkish eggs adorn a male weedy sea dragon.

Like the closely related sea horse, male sea dragons are actually the ones in charge of bearing young. The female deposits the eggs onto a spongy patch found on the underside of the male’s tail. The eggs are fertilized during this transfer and remain on their father for the next five to nine weeks. Dad is responsible for incubation and care of the eggs until they reach full term.

Close to 100 eggs were laid by the female in June and will continue to hatch over the next couple of weeks. Once the eggs hatch, the tiny sea dragons are on their own. They’ll receive nutrition by absorbing the remains of their yolk sac and from zooplankton found in the water. Once the egg sac has been absorbed, the newborns will begin feeding on newly hatched brine shrimp. The baby sea dragons will take around a year to reach full size. 

The sea dragon is a protected animal found naturally in tropical coastal waters of south and west Australia. Due to human invasion and pollution, the numbers of sea dragons that live in their natural environment have drastically dropped since the 1980s. The weedy sea dragons can normally be seen at SeaWorld in the aquarium exhibit inside Manta.

One of the joys about working, living and playing in Central Florida is the variety of things to do. Of course, the area is best known for it’s amazing world class theme parks but there’s far more to the Orlando area than most visitors see. We have some fabulous museums, art galleries, shopping malls, restaurants, sporting events as well as many other activities and attractions.

The area really does have an abundance of things to do and some times it’s just nice to slow down and simply relax at one of the areas many park areas…. and I don’t mean theme parks! In the heart of Orlando is one of my favorite parks – Lake Eola Park. Naturally, Lake Eola is the main feature of the park but as you wander around the lake you’ll come across many interesting features that make the stroll very enjoyable.

The park is surrounded by four streets: East Robinson Street (State Road 526),  Rosalind Avenue (SR 527),  East Central Boulevard, and North Eola Drive. Located on the west side of the park is the Walt Disney Amphitheater (pictured above), which hosts many community events and various performances year round. Over on the east side of the park is a Chinese pagoda (pictured below), a Confederate State of America monument and a nice sized playground.

One thing that most visitors and residents don’t know is that the lake is actually a sinkhole! The sinkhole is approximately 80 feet deep and is located 100 feet east of the fountain. The fountain is the centerpiece and it changes color at night like a light show. The lake measures 4,493 feet  in circumference and 23 acres large while a 0.85-mile  multi-use sidewalk surrounds the water and makes for a pleasant walk.

The history of the park is also interesting and it was way back in 1883 that wealthy Orlando resident Jacob Summerlin, owner of the Summerlin Hotel, the first City Council president, and financial lender for the construction of Orlando’s courthouse in the 1870s, donated a large tract of land in order for a fine park to be established in Orlando.

Summerlin came to a city council meeting and offered the land around the lake on the condition that was beautified and turned into a park. He also required that the city plant trees and put a “driveway” around the lake to ensure that the city followed through the stipulations of the donation, Summerlin put “reverter” clauses in the contract to allow his heirs to reclaim the property if the city failed in its obligations. Today, the park is still maintained to his orders of it being kept beautiful.

In 1888, the park was informally established using the first parcel of land; it was the first of many that were donated to the City of Orlando by several families but it was Summerlin’s sons who named it Lake Eola, after a lady they both knew. The area was officially declared as a park in 1892 and since then it has been home to a zoo, a horse race track, tennis courts, a pier with a dance area, and the broadcast site of a local radio station.

In 1912 the first fountain was installed at a cost of $10,000 and then a replacement, originally dubbed the “Centennial Fountain,” was installed in 1957 at a cost of $350,000. The actual name of the fountain is the “Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain” and the iconic water feature has now become the unofficial symbol of Orlando.

In 1993, Lake Eola Park was expanded with the closure of Washington Street, which ran between Lee’s Lakeside restaurant and the park. The expansion saw that the restaurant and Post Parkside Apartments were now located in the park and it was at this time that the International Food Court was created.

In late August 2009, lightning struck the fountain, rendering it inoperable and due to the fact the city had a $1,000,000 insurance policy with a $500,000 deductible, the fate of the fountain was unknown because of the budget crisis going on at the time.  Thankfully the city did agree to repair the fountain and they also agreed to replace its cracked plastic skin as well as install a state-of-the-art system of lights and water jets at a cost of $2.3 million. The fountain was rededicated and it resumed operation on July 4, 2011 much to the delight of residents and visitors to the area.

The park is really a fun place to go. Not only is it free but it has several cafe’s and restaurants and it really does have something of the feel of being in a European city such is the pace of life as you sit around, drink coffee and people watch. Lake Eola is approximately 30 minutes drive from Florida Leisure’s vacation homes and you can couple this with a trip to one of the area’s malls or other attractions to make for a really different and wonderful day out. There’s more to Orlando than roller coasters, rides and theme parks… why not get out and explore?

As always, the Florida Leisure concierge is more than happy to help you plan your alternative day out. Have fun!

More photo’s at FloridaLeisurePhotography.com

In the start of what promises to be a busy and tiring eight days, Orlando City Soccer Club is heading north to South Carolina for a match against the Charleston Battery tomorrow night that carries with it major playoff implications.  With a win or draw, the Lions will clinch a place in the USL PRO playoffs and fresh off a convincing 4-0 win against Rochester Rhinos last weekend the Lions will be looking to keep Head Coach Adrian Heath in a happy frame of mind.

When the Lions and Battery meet, history tends to be made.  Last season, Orlando became the first lower-division team to defeat the Battery at home in the U.S. Open Cup.  Later in the season, the Lions won their first regular season title by defeating the Battery in two consecutive games.  Just two weeks later, the Lions won their first ever playoff game by defeating the Battery.  It is only fitting that history is again on the line, with the Lions able to clinch their second consecutive trip to the playoffs on Thursday night.

This season, the Battery have tangled with Orlando just once, June 9 at the Citrus Bowl.  The Lions emerged from the hard-fought match with a 2-1 victory.  The match was a typical Orlando/Charleston affair, with both defenses battling strong offenses, each looking to spring the counterattack by releasing to speedy wingers and forwards.  Tomorrow’s match should be more of the same.

Going into Thursday’s match, the Lions and Battery sit in first and second place in the USL PRO table.  Teams typically climb the standings by having a better home record than away record, but that isn’t the case with the Battery.  Their home record is nearly identical to their road record, with the club losing three games a piece both at and away from Blackbaud Stadium.  Against Orlando City, the Battery hold a 1-1 record at Blackbaud.  On Thursday, something will have to give.

The match is not only a clash of the top two teams in USL PRO, it is also a match-up of the league’s leading goal scorers.  Orlando’s Dennis Chin sits second in the league with eight goals.  Charleston’s Nicki Paterson is first with nine.  In addition to chasing Patterson, Chin is also chasing team history.  The club record for goals is nine, set by Max Griffin last year.  The Rollins alum has a penchant for scoring big goals against Charleston.  His last was the game-winner that eliminated the Battery from the 2011 playoffs.

The Lions will be the first team to clinch a spot in the USL PRO playoffs with either a win or a draw on Thursday.  Should Orlando win, they will also be in position to clinch a first round bye, pending the results around the league.  If both Harrisburg and Rochester drop points this week, the Lions will be able to clinch their spot.  Harrisburg plays road two matches this week (Wednesday and Friday), increasing the chances that they will drop points.

Thursday’s match will be broadcast on USLNation.com, the USL’s free online video streaming service.  Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.  Tonight’s Harrisburg match and Saturday’s Rochester match will also be shown on the service, allowing fans to see first-hand if the Lions clinch a bye this weekend.

Player to Watch – Jamie Watson:

Dennis Chin may be chasing Nicki Patterson for the league lead in goals, but there is another Lion that is just as likely to score against Charleston.  Jamie Watson has two goals on the season, but his last came against the Battery.  In the last four meetings with Charleston, Watson has scored three times.  At this point last season, Watson began to catch fire.  With his goal scoring history against Charleston, this may be the game he starts his late-season push.

Following on from the Chareston game, Orlando then faces a busy week as they face Wilmington Hammerheads on 25th, a return fixture with Charleston Battery on 27th and then an international friendly game against English Premier League side Stoke City on 28th. Tickets for all games are available from www.OrlandoCitySoccer.com

Here’s some video from last week’s game against Rochester Rhinos :

Photos from last weeks game can be found at FloridaLeisurePhotography.com

Harry Potter is in O-Town again… this time at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando and for a rather unique event… Ascendio 2012. The event started on Thursday and finishes today and it has been a chance for Potter fans to meet authors,  literary agents, attend theatrical shows, Wrock, enjoy programming sessions, meet Cast Members, attend the Hillywood show panel, get an autograph at the StarKid session and so much more.

I’d never attended one of these events before so really wasn’t sure what to expect but it turned out to be a unique and kind of cool event…if you are into this world! The organizers have literally gone out of their way to provide a memorable experience to their nearly 1,000 strong attendees and there’s been multiple things for them to do  over the four days.

Of course, a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been an essential element but a full itinerary has kept guests fully occupied back at the Portofino Bay Hotel. The event has had many panel discussions as well as a chance for attendees to wander around the vendor hall to buy the latest goodies and get up to all kinds of mischief at some of the weird and wacky events being held!

Some of the stars who have been present have been Afshan Azad (Padma Patil in the last five Harry Potter films), Chris Rankin (Percy Weasley in many of the Harry Potter films – pictured at start of post), Hilly and Hannah Hindi of the Hillywood Show. There’s also been a whole host of authors, editors and agents such as Aimee Carter, Beth Revis, Connie Neal, Diana Copeland, Kele Moon, Lev Grossman, Libba Bray, Mark Reads, Michelle Hodkin, Veronica Roth, Ben Schrank, Carlie Webber, Joanna Volpe, Lindsay Ribar and Saritza Hernandez. There’s also been a StarKid session with Matt & Nick Lang, Devin Lytle, Nick Strauss and Joe Moses along with Pat Brady.

The event was a chance for me to watch the rare game of Quidditch…and it was a sneak peak as the Quidditch World Cup is due to be back here in Kissimmee next April 13-14, 2013. About 2,000 athletes and 20,000 spectators are expected to descend on Central Florida for Quidditch World Cup VI, based on the game invented by Potter author J.K. Rowling.

“We run with broomsticks instead of fly,” said Hannah Lindgren, the World Cup’s director. “We often compare it to rugby for its physicality, but it also has aspects of soccer, basketball and dodgeball.”

We look forward to hosting the games …oh, and attendees, please note that we won’t be charging for parking at our vacation homes. It was quite a shock to turn up at the hotel yesterday and see the whacking huge rates they now charge to park a car for a few hours. Frankly it’s criminal… maybe Harry Potter can do something with his wand about this?

More photos from the event at www.FloridaLeisurePhotography.com

Freshwater Oasis at Discovery Cove is now open and this week we got to take a look at the new area that allows guests to enjoy some wading adventures and face-to-face encounters with playful otters and curious marmosets.

With most of the water at waist-deep level or shallower, Freshwater Oasis invites families to explore all of its nooks and crannies. The area is designed with a rainforest canopy above and sparkling-clear springs below and this makes Freshwater Oasis a completely natural fit within Discovery Cove’s tropical vibe.

Guests are able to relax, explore and learn and that’s really the theme for what’s on offer these days at Discovery Cove. In fact, over the last two years, the park has been completely reinvented. Last year saw the opening of the fantastic “Grand Reef” where guests get to swim with thousands of tropical fish, rays and even come up close to one of nature’s natural wonders… the shark! This year guests have the chance to get up close and personal with playful Asian otters and cheeky marmoset monkeys. There’s even an “In-Water Relaxation Station” … where guests can enjoy an ice cold drink while relaxing in the warm water and soaking up the Orlando sunshine from the brightly colored sunken chairs that are built into the area.

The stars of the new area are, of course, the animals and the Asian small clawed otters will keep you and your family entertained for hours. You enter the area by swimming or wading to a cave and behind the glass you will find these lovable creatures playing and have the time of their life. Using the mask and snorkel provided you can enjoy watching them underwater as they swim and play endlessly.

The smallest of all otters, these Asian-small clawed otter weigh between two and eleven pounds. They are native to Southeast Asia,  areas like Indonesia, China and India and you really do get close to them as very often they enjoy coming up to the glass and taking a look at the strange human species looking at them. They are very entertaining and often they’ll perch themselves on one of the several tree stumps located around their lush habitat.

It’s a really cool way to watch these animals as we all know the Orlando heat can be overbearing at times and being able to watch them as you relax in the water in a covered area is really quite unique.

As you wade, wander, swim and float around the oasis’s water-filled trails you’ll also encounter several Marmoset monkeys. The monkeys have their own island to play on and guests visit them as they float along the trail.

The Marmoset monkeys, natives of the rainforest and upper canopies of South America, can be spotted up in the tip-top of the trees, leaping from tree to tree and running upside down along branches. They love to communicate by making a series of weird and wonderful sounds including whistles, squeaks, clicks, and trills. They weigh only a pound when fully grown and with no glass to separate guests from them, the marmosets are unique animals to take in as you swim through the waist deep water.

It’s another great addition to Discovery Cove and yet more evidence that after a few years of stagnation that the powers that be at SeaWorld recognise the need to constantly innovate and regenerate. Discovery Cove is an exclusive way to spend a day as it limits admission to 1,000 guests per  day. This ensures a unique and personal experience for each and every guest. It has some of the best animal experiences, all day dining and absolutely first class amenities you can find anywhere in the world today.

Advance reservations are required to secure your spot in this paradise of rocky lagoons surrounded by lush landscaping, tropical reefs, winding rivers, a resort-style pool complete with waterfalls, and white-sand beaches. You’ll enjoy The Grand Reef  which features multiple levels of exploration, from shallow waters to deeper swimming adventures as well as white sandy beaches and hammocks swaying in the breeze. It’s really an amazing area to snorkel around  as you’ll see ocean life swimming among canyons inspired by reefs from around the world.

Also, SeaVenture is something you simply cannot afford to miss. It is an underwater walking tour where guests, wearing dive helmets, find up-close encounters with sharks (safely behind massive panoramic windows, I might add!), one-on-one touches with unique animals and schools of fish and gentle rays.

Rounding things off is the opportunity to swim with dolphins in one of the huge pools created just for the experience. If you’ve never swum with a dolphin before, here’s your chance and while it does cost a little extra, it’s well worth the money to be able to say that you did swim with a dolphin!

Seasonal rates for Discovery Cove’s Dolphin Swim Day Resort Package start at $229 (rates for Day Resort Package without dolphin swim experience and guests ages 3-5 start at $149) but prices do vary seasonally. My tip is to go when the weather is warm.. from April through to October… it’s just nicer to have the warmer water than in the cooler Orlando months when the odd day can get a bit nippy!

More photos at FloridaLeisurePhotography.com