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

There’s no better place to be when the sun sets in Orlando than at Summer Nights at SeaWorld when waves of fun wash over the park with fantastic shows, thrilling coasters under the stars, and a nightly fireworks and fountain finale.

Summer Nights starts tonight, June 18, and runs through August 14 … and even better, SeaWorld is now open until 10 p.m.

Headlining Summer Nights is Shamu Rocks, a larger-than-life experience where guests jam to a rock-n-roll beat; Sea Lions Tonite, an uproarious show featuring Clyde and Seamore that will have everyone in stitches; and Reflections, the sky-filling fireworks and fountains finale that ends the night with a bang.

New this year, Summer Nights Central, located on Bayside pathway, comes alive every night at 6 p.m. Guests dance the night away at this family-friendly, nightly party as a DJ spins the latest tunes and rockin’, live bands perform each weekend. In addition, beer, wine, frozen drinks and plenty of delicious snacks such as soft pretzels, melt-in-your-mouth cotton candy and tasty Blue Bunny® ice cream will be available.

And now, adults pay the kid’s price plus get a second day free at SeaWorld to enjoy the park on their schedule. It’s the best way to experience Summer Nights.

Terry Prather - President of SeaWorld Orlando & Nigel Worrall - Florida Leisure

Oh …and here’s a secret tip… something to look forward to this Christmas…. I was talking to SeaWorld Orlando President Terry Prather recently and he said that this years Christmas as SeaWorld is going to be even more spectacular than before. Now this promises to be something because last Christmas SeaWorld had the best event of all the attractions in my opinion.

Great news! For over 25 years vacation homes have been a viable alternative for visitors coming to the Orlando area to visit Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal Orlando. Up to now, Disney has always tried to lure guests to stay on their property but finally, after a long long battle, they have finally admitted that vacation homes are here to stay and they must join the vacation rental industry by becoming a travel partner with area vacation home rental companies. It’s fantastic news as it finally gives real credibility to an industry that brings over $4.1 BILLION to the local Orlando economy.

Here’s a picture of  the web site announcing the news…

So now you know, vacation homes really are the best deal for families who are traveling to the Orlando / Disney area! Come and stay with us…

Do you have what it takes to be a dolphin trainer? Do you want to find out?

Earlier this week I decided to find out for myself what it’s like to work with some of nature’s most amazing creatures and I was luck y enough to be able to participate in one of SeaWorld’s Dolphin VIP Up-Close tours.  The tour is a 60-minute walking tour as you get to go backstage at the Whale and Dolphin stadium to find out what it takes to care for, and train, the stars of the visually stunning Blue Horizons show.

You also get to go behind the scenes and see part of the animal rescue area before  participating in a real training session with the animal care staff at Dolphin Cove. You get to be up close and personal with the dolphins and  touching and petting is sometimes allowed.  It’s an amazing experience and it really is a must do if you have any love or affection for dolphins.

Sea World crafts their tours extremely well. Not only do you get treated as a VIP, but you get to learn along the way. The tour guides are extremely knowledgeable and only too willing and happy to share their knowledge and answer all your questions. Here at Florida Leisure, we’d be more than happy to make your next Orlando vacation that extra bit special so make sure you ask our concierge about setting up a Dolphin VIP Up-Close Tour for you and your family on your next visit. Here’s some video to get you by until then…

It’s that time of year again. Central Florida schools will be back in session starting tomorrow, 23rd August and there’s a good side and a bad side to this.

If you’re dashing off to a theme park them you might get delayed a little by the yellow school buses that will be sure to be clogging the highways. On the other hand, the theme parks will be quieter.

It’s this time of year that international visitors love the most. Orlando’s kids are back in school and that means anyone flying in from around the globe to enjoy Central Florida’s attractions are going to have an easier time. Lines will less and getting around the theme parks is so much nicer. It’s certainly a great time to visit Orlando’s newest attraction “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” for example but you can also expect fewer people at all the area’s favorites; Disney World, Sea World, Gatorland, Discovery Cove, etc.

Kissimmee Vacation Homes in Orlando

By Nigel G. Worrall

One of the most popular vacation destinations in the world is Orlando, Florida. A huge reason why so many people visit this part of the world is because of the Walt Disney World resort and its theme parks. Walt Disney World resort is the world’s largest recreational resort and is located in both Lake Buena Vista and Kissimmee.

Kissimmee is located on the southern part of the Disney complex and it’s here that you’ll find most of the areas vacation rental homes.  There are many advantages for renting a vacation home in Kissimmee but number one amongst them is the ability to enjoy a luxurious yet affordable vacation. The second reason is the fact that you are just moments away from enjoying the Disney experience as well as all the other local theme parks such as Sea World and Universal Orlando, not to mention all the other attractions that the area has to offer.

A stay in a vacation home is simply a far more luxurious vacation than compared to staying in a hotel. The home is far more inviting and has much more space than the typical hotel room or suite. You can relax in private without worrying about noisy neighbors, you have your own private pool to splash around in and you have an element of privacy that you just can’t get at a hotel.

Most vacation rental homes are conveniently located in quiet residential communities but just moments from the main area theme parks.  A Kissimmee vacation home offers many perks that a hotel simply cannot. Things such as large screen TV’s, separate bedrooms, games rooms, home theaters, and two or maybe three large living areas top the list.

Cost is also a major consideration and if you are traveling with a large family then putting them up in several hotel rooms can get very expensive.  Depending on the size of your family, you can rent a house with three bedrooms, or more, for around the same price of one hotel room and it is certainly a far better option than trying to cram everyone in to one hotel room. Just imagine the convenience of not having to wait for your turn to use the bathroom or watching what someone else wants to watch on TV as vacation homes usually have TV’s in each bedroom.

One major drawback of hotels is the fact that most hotel pools are situated outside in the open air and that means you may soon be the target of annoying insects or bugs. Each vacation rental house comes with a screened in lanai and pool area that prevents annoying pests from attacking you and this means all the family can enjoy relaxing and unwinding in comfort.

A fully functioning kitchen is also another benefit of vacationing in a rental home. Going out for every meal soon gets tiring not to mention very expensive. Vacation homes give you far more options than a hotel with a solitary restaurant that opens when the hotel says it will open.  Naturally, you might fancy a lie in one morning and a kitchen allows you to eat what you want, when you want to eat it so there’s no missing breakfast. In fact, it’s just like being at home as you can get groceries from local stores and enjoy the feeling of being home away from home.

Vacation homes are also great places to come home to after a busy day at a theme park or visiting some local attraction. Sometimes you might just fancy a quiet night in and nothing can be better than ordering a pizza or cooking a sumptuous meal for the ones you love at the end of a busy day.  Each vacation home is usually equipped with everything you might need for cooking and baking and preparing a meal on vacation is just one way to involve the whole family and have some fun.

Talking of family fun, most vacation homes also have a whole host of amenities that include cable TV, DVD players, broadband internet, video game systems, pool tables and a whole lot more for all the family to enjoy. Sometimes you may find that you’ll just not want to go out and that you just want to enjoy a day at home. Vacation home rentals really do give you lots of space to move around and live in and it’s not uncommon to feel like a King or Queen in a palace when you take a vacation in a rental home.

In fact, those that choose to vacation this way rarely go back to hotels afterwards so if you haven’t stayed in a vacation home before, this really is something you need to look into before your next trip.

I had some fun this morning as I went to a presentation by SeaWorld/ Busch Gardens staff on the new Sesame Street Safari of Fun.

It’s Busch Gardens’ newest land filled with kid-size rides, cool water fun and plenty of memorable adventures. Fly through the desert with Grover. Climb in Elmo’s Tree House. Splash in Bert and Ernie’s watering hole. You can even dine with your child’s furry friends. It’s Sesame Street Safari of Fun, where imaginations run wild and there’s fun for everyone.

It’s the kind of news that children and parents everywhere will love to hear.  Families can enjoy watching all of their favorite Sesame Street characters in a 4-D movie at the Globe Theatre called “Sesame Street presents Lights, Camera, Imagination!” Then guests can visit Elmo and his friends and explore Busch Gardens’ newest attraction, situated in the England section of Busch Gardens. Sesame Street Forest of Fun features four new rides offering kid-sized versions of popular attractions, including a junior roller coaster designed for parents and children to ride together – Air Grover Junior Coaster that reaches a maximum speed of 22 mph.  The kid-zone also features wet and dry playgrounds, a photography studio with Sesame Street’s characters and musical performances. The Sesame Street-themed area expands Busch Gardens’ KIDsiderate attractions. The park’s current lineup of kid-friendly rides and attractions will remain, including the popular Land of the Dragons play area and junior rides throughout the park.

As the single largest informal educator of young children, local Sesame Street programs produced in countries as diverse as South Africa, Bangladesh and India are making a difference in over 120 nations. Using proprietary research to create engaging and enriching content, Sesame Workshop produces programs such as Dragon Tales and Pinky Dinky Doo. In addition, multimedia needs-driven initiatives provide families tools for addressing such issues as children’s health, military deployment and emergency preparedness. As a nonprofit, product proceeds and philanthropic donations support Sesame Workshop’s educational research and creative content for children around the world. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

And here’s me with Elmo…

Elmo & Nigel Worrall

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

When you think of Orlando you immediately think of theme parks, sun and fun. However, Orlando has other wonderful things to do and there is a grown up side to the City that you may care to enjoy with that someone special this Valentine’s Day.

Lake Eola is a lovely centerpiece to the City with its footpaths and vintage fountain. For some fun you can take to the lake on a paddle boat elegantly decorated as a swan for around $15 for half an hour. Lake Eola Swan Boats can be found at 101 N. Rosalind Avenue.

While gliding across Lake Eola you can take in Orlando’s vibrant business area and like many Southern cities, Orlando has plenty of charming brick paved roads, bungalows and enormous oak trees draped in Spanish moss for you to enjoy.

From the north east corner of Lake Eola you come across Thornton Park which is home to many cafes, boutique stores and local watering holes that have lots of patio seating… great for people watching!

Orlando also has a great night life and if you wander over to South Orange Avenue you’ll stumble upon bars, concert halls and nightclubs lining the street.

Of course, you can spend the most romantic day of the year at one of Walt Disney World’s six parks, Universal Orlando or Sea World but for a really wonderful treat why not visit Discovery Cove and enjoy the Valentine’s Sweetheart Package where you can present your lover with a box of chocolates, a dozen red roses, champagne served in a private cabana and a love note delivered by a real dolphin.

There’s no keeping Orlando down as a top destination for travelers at the moment. Just recently Orlando was placed in the top 10 places to visit by Yahoo Travel and it still continues to pull more visitors than any other state in Florida.

Of course, the main reason is the ever popular Walt Disney World , which, along with Universal Orlando, Sea World and a whole host of other themed attractions go to keep visitors entertained and enthralled. Orlando is more than just theme parks though as we have some great shopping, some fabulous dining and plenty of other things to make the days pass by in a blink.

Forbes Traveler.com has just announced their top 15 vacation destinations and coming out right at number 1 is ORLANDO. Those of us who live and work here aren’t surprised by this news and part of the reason is the enormous diversity of the area.

We have some great attraction parks such as Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal but we’re also only an hour away from either the Atlantic Coast or the Gulf Coast. This makes us perfectly situated and when you consider the range of accommodation available to guests, there really is nowhere that can compete.

The hidden gem is the vacation home. Once guests discover vacation homes very rarely do they go back to staying at hotels. The attraction of a private swimming pool at the end of an enjoyable day out at the theme parks is one attraction but so is the ability to save money by housing all the family in one place rather than in multiple rooms. There’s also the fact you can save a small fortune by utilizing the fully equipped kitchen rather than going to expensive restaurants each mealtime.

Orlando also has some other hidden gems; if you fancy some great shopping then Mall of Millenia or Florida Mall will delight you, Orlando Science Center is a great find and promises a gentler pace for the all the family and if you really fancy something special, why not take a flight in a hot air balloon and oversee the whole Central Florida area?

Of course, we also have some fabulous restaurants if you enjoy fine dining or if you are a golfer, you’ll enjoy teeing it off at some of the best courses the US has to offer. Orlando is the place things happen..the rich and the famous live here…people like Tiger Woods, so you’ll never know who you’ll bump into!

So now it’s official…isn’t it time for you to visit us and have a great time?