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!

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!

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Grammy Award-winning singer Lady Gaga paid a visit to the Evil Queen from Disney’s classic animated film “Snow White” at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World yesterday. Lady Gaga was in town for her sold-out show at the Amway Center on Friday night and then on Saturday she was spotted at the new princess room, in the Exposition Hall’s Town Square Theater on Main Street.

Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is getting a new castle… Beast’s Castle, from Beauty and the Beast, is rising high over the park as part of the New Fantasyland. Fans of the parks Cinderella Castle shouldn’t worry about having their view distracted though, because the clever people at Disney are using a technique known as forced perspective architecture to make the structure look more grandiose in size than it appears in reality.

Beast’s Castle, will sit high above the mountains in the Fantasyland expansion and you can see the used of forced perspective in the following photos – (click on picture to see larger image):

Forced perspective works as a form of optical illusion essentially tricking the eye into believing a structure is much larger or taller than it really is. This is done by cleverly manipulating the size and scale of a building, based on the perspective it will be viewed from.

The company’s use of forced perspective started with Walt Disney during the construction of the Disneyland park in California and you can also see it at Disney World . It’s perhaps best seen at Magic Kingdom as you enter the park and you’ll notice your eye is immediately drawn up Main Street to Cinderella’s Castle. Walt paid special attention to the scale of each building along the way, as well as the specific shrubs and trees that flanked them, in order to create the best sense of height and drama.

As you can see in this side by side comparison between the artist rendering and the current construction, the castle sits high atop what eventually will be the Be Our Guest Restaurant, which is really the gateway to the castle’s interior. Here, the restaurant will offer quick-service lunches and table-service dinners inside the Beast’s elegant ballroom, gallery and mysterious “west-wing.”  The restaurant will comfortably seat 550 people changing from quick service by day to full table service dining by night.

The castle and restaurant are scheduled to open in late 2012, along with the rest of the New Fantasyland in phases that follow.

The 18th Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot is well underway and just recently I took a trip to take a look at some of the most amazing and outstanding topiaries you will ever see at Walt Disney World.

For those that are unsure, a topiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes such as the ones you can see all over Walt Disney World. It can take from several months to several years to grow a topiary and Disney has a very special place to do this that you can see on the video below.

I also spoke to Carla Shuman who is a landscape architect at Walt Disney World and she was a mine of information. I asked her about the process of creating a topiary and here’s what she had to say: “We usually develop a concept and story line with quick sketches, and coordinate the size and pose of new topiary with our horticulture team, sculptors and film makers. For more visible displays, a miniature mock-up helps to finalize spacing and arrangements of garden elements. The model can be a computer image or cardboard cutouts arranged with our scaled topiary maquettes. This tells us where adjustments should be made. We have taken full-size cutouts to locations to check their size and spacing. After measuring, computerized plans are used to locate topiaries, props and plant material so all can be ordered and readied for efficient installation, which often happens over night, when guests are not in the parks.”

I also asked Carla what her favorite part of the Flower & Garden Festival was and she commented: “I especially like the gardens and topiaries that use plants to tell stories. FNGLA’s Green Living Garden illustrates “Sustainable Chic” ideas with Tuscan style. Guests can see and smell the plants used to make some of Guerlain’s most famous perfumes. Topiaries seem to come to life when planted with textured grasses and colorful groundcovers.”

Wow… it’s almost been a week since the Super Bowl XLV. It’s “Most Valuable Player”, Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, made good on his promise of “I’m going to Disney World” when he arrived at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom last Monday afternoon, 7th February 2011. Joined by Mickey Mouse, the Packer star was immersed in applause and showered with confetti for the second time in less than 24 hours as he rode a red convertible down Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

The event marked the continuation of a grand tradition that began in 1987 when New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms proclaimed “I’m going to Disney World” in a television commercial spot right after Super Bowl XXI.

After the ride ride down Main Street U.S.A. (under the threat of rain and mainly under the gun to get to The Late Show with David Letterman in New York), Rodgers visited the Rose Garden where he was given a gift of cheese in the shape of a G (for Green Bay) as fans nearby chanted “cut the cheese”. He then quickly met with reporters before heading out.

The Magic Kingdom Philharmonic Band provided a musical backdrop to the procession that included Minnie Mouse (decked out as a cheerleader), Chip ‘n’ Dale in referee garb, and “football Goofy” plus players from a central Florida NFL Youth Football team. It was quite a sight… here’s some video…

Walt Disney World released artist renderings of the expansion of Fantasyland today. The project is the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. More details will be released tonight during a media event.

The project which is currently under construction will include a new home for The Little Mermaid Ariel, new ways to interact with favorite Disney princesses, an exciting new family coaster, a double dose of Dumbo and more.

It will open in phases beginning in late 2012.

Among the highlights planned:
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
A major, all-new attraction during which guests will travel with Ariel and her friends through their exciting adventures above and below the waves – all against a musical backdrop of songs from the classic film.

The Castle of the Beast
Standing majestically upon a hill just across an old stone bridge from Ariel’s new home. The Be Our Guest Restaurant will feature a lavish dining experience in the elegant ballroom, gallery, and mysterious “West Wing” of the castle. With seating for 550, this magnificent facility will offer “great food fast” service by day and full table service dining in the evening. Nearby in Belle’s Village, guests will find the rousing Gaston’s Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts.

Just outside the village is Belle’s cottage and Enchanted Tales with Belle. The adventure begins in Maurice’s workshop, where a magical mirror is the doorway to a captivating new kind of storytelling experience: Guests are transported to the Beast’s library to meet Belle and Lumiere, and share in a lively, interactive, re-telling of the “tale as old as time.”

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
It will take guests on a rollicking, musical ride into the mine “where a million diamonds shine.” The coaster will feature a first-of-its kind ride system with a train of ride vehicles that swing back and forth, responding to every twist and turn of the track. The journey will be accompanied by music from the classic Disney film and animated figures of Snow White and the Dwarfs.

Princess Fairytale Hall
Aurora, Cinderella and other Disney princesses, such as Tiana and Rapunzel, will greet guests in their new home, an elegant royal court on the site where Snow White’s Scary Adventures stands today.

The Sound of the Calliope
This will lead guests to the brand new Storybook Circus and not one but two circling carousels of airborne pachyderms on Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Before taking to the skies on this Fantasyland favorite, guests can experience an array of fun-filled family games and interactive wonders for kids of all ages inside the Big Top.

Storybook Circus
The classic Barnstormer gets a bright new look as well, featuring Goofy as The Great Goofini. It’s a twisting, turning roller coaster “flight” high above the circus fun.

Here’s some of the other concept photos:

One of the top news stories of the year has been the story of the trapped miners in Chile. This New Year is one that many of them feared they would never see but thanks to a fantastic rescue effort all 33 of then survived and are now able to enjoy their lives like never before.

At the end of January, Walt Disney World will welcome the miners, their families and their rescuers to a vacation of a lifetime at Walt Disney World. Their visit will be a complimentary six-night Disney vacation from Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2011, where the miners, their rescuers and immediate families will meet Disney characters, visit all four Walt Disney World theme parks and serve as honorary Grand Marshals of the Main Street, U.S.A. parade in Magic Kingdom

Trapped 2,300 feet inside the earth for 69 days in a collapsed Chilean mine, the men were pulled from the darkness in a miracle rescue.  In one of the year’s most touching stories, their unbending faith and endurance sustained them throughout the ordeal.

“The amazing story of these miners captured the attention of the world for demonstrating the true power and resilience of the human spirit,” said Disney President and CEO Bob Iger.  “We are proud to welcome these courageous men and their families to the Walt Disney World Resort.”

The group will arrive to a welcome dinner with characters, dancing and Chilean cuisine prepared by Disney chefs.  During their vacation, they also will be treated to a $500 gift card per family, a group photo in front of Cinderella Castle and personal photo albums of their visit.

It promises to be a fantastic time for all concerned…and congratulations to our friends at Walt Disney World for stepping up to the plate.

Good article in today’s New York Times from Brooke Barnes that addresses what the staff at Disney are doing to address the long lines at its theme parks. Makes for interesting reading:

ORLANDO, Fla. — Deep in the bowels of Walt Disney World, inside an underground bunker called the Disney Operational Command Center, technicians know that you are standing in line and that you are most likely annoyed about it. Their clandestine mission: to get you to the fun faster.

To handle over 30 million annual visitors — many of them during this busiest time of year for the megaresort — Disney World long ago turned the art of crowd control into a science. But the putative Happiest Place on Earth has decided it must figure out how to quicken the pace even more. A cultural shift toward impatience — fed by video games and smartphones — is demanding it, park managers say. To stay relevant to the entertain-me-right-this-second generation, Disney must evolve.

And so it has spent the last year outfitting an underground, nerve center to address that most low-tech of problems, the wait. Located under Cinderella Castle, the new center uses video cameras, computer programs, digital park maps and other whiz-bang tools to spot gridlock before it forms and deploy countermeasures in real time.

In one corner, employees watch flat-screen televisions that depict various attractions in green, yellow and red outlines, with the colors representing wait-time gradations.

If Pirates of the Caribbean, the ride that sends people on a spirited voyage through the Spanish Main, suddenly blinks from green to yellow, the center might respond by alerting managers to launch more boats.

Another option involves dispatching Captain Jack Sparrow or Goofy or one of their pals to the queue to entertain people as they wait. “It’s about being nimble and quickly noticing that, ‘Hey, let’s make sure there is some relief out there for those people,’ ” said Phil Holmes, vice president of the Magic Kingdom, the flagship Disney World park.

What if Fantasyland is swamped with people but adjacent Tomorrowland has plenty of elbow room? The operations center can route a miniparade called “Move it! Shake it! Celebrate It!” into the less-populated pocket to siphon guests in that direction. Other technicians in the command center monitor restaurants, perhaps spotting that additional registers need to be opened or dispatching greeters to hand out menus to people waiting to order.

“These moments add up until they collectively help the entire park,” Mr. Holmes said.

In recent years, according to Disney research, the average Magic Kingdom visitor has had time for only nine rides — out of more than 40 — because of lengthy waits and crowded walkways and restaurants. In the last few months, however, the operations center has managed to make enough nips and tucks to lift that average to 10.

“Control is Disney’s middle name, so they have always been on the cutting edge of this kind of thing,” said Bob Sehlinger, co-author of “The Unofficial Guide: Walt Disney World 2011” and a writer on Disney for Frommers.com. Mr. Sehlinger added, “The challenge is that you only have so many options once the bathtub is full.”

Disney, which is periodically criticized for overreaching in the name of cultural dominance (and profits), does not see any of this monitoring as the slightest bit invasive. Rather, the company regards it as just another part of its efforts to pull every possible lever in the name of a better guest experience.

The primary goal of the command center, as stated by Disney, is to make guests happier — because to increase revenue in its $10.7 billion theme park business, which includes resorts in Paris and Hong Kong, Disney needs its current customers to return more often. “Giving our guests faster and better access to the fun,” said Thomas O. Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, “is at the heart of our investment in technology.”

Disney also wants to raise per-capita spending. “If we can also increase the average number of shop or restaurant visits, that’s a huge win for us,” Mr. Holmes said.

Disney has long been a leader in technological innovation, whether that means inventing cameras to make animated films or creating the audio animatronic robots for the attraction It’s a Small World.

Behind-the-scenes systems — typically kept top secret by the company as it strives to create an environment where things happen as if by magic — are also highly computerized. Ride capacity is determined in part by analyzing hotel reservations, flight bookings and historic attendance data. Satellites provide minute-by-minute weather analysis. A system called FastPass allows people to skip lines for popular rides like the Jungle Cruise.

But the command center reflects how Disney is deepening its reliance on technology as it thinks about adapting decades-old parks, which are primarily built around nostalgia for an America gone by, for 21st century expectations. “It’s not about us needing to keep pace with technological change,” Mr. Staggs said. “We need to set the pace for that kind of change.”

For instance, Disney has been experimenting with smartphones to help guide people more efficiently. Mobile Magic, a $1.99 app, allows visitors to type in “Sleeping Beauty” and receive directions to where that princess (or at least a costumed stand-in) is signing autographs. In the future, typing in “hamburger” might reveal the nearest restaurant with the shortest wait.

Disney has also been adding video games to wait areas. At Space Mountain, 87 game stations now line the queue to keep visitors entertained. (Games, about 90 seconds in length, involve simple things like clearing runways of asteroids). Gaming has also been added to the queue for Soarin’, an Epcot ride that simulates a hang glider flight.

Blogs that watch Disney’s parks have speculated that engineers (“imagineers,” in the company’s parlance) are also looking at bigger ideas, like wristbands that contain information like your name, credit card number and favorite Disney characters. While Disney is keeping a tight lid on specifics, these devices would enable simple transactions like the purchase of souvenirs — just pay by swiping your wristband — as well as more complicated attractions that interact with guests.

“Picture a day where there is memory built into these characters — they will know that they’ve seen you four or five times before and that your name is Bobby,” said Bruce E. Vaughn, chief creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering. “Those are the kinds of limits that are dissolving so quickly that we can see being able to implement them in the meaningfully near future.”

Dreaming about the future was not something on Mr. Holmes’s mind as he gave a reporter a rare peek behind the Disney operations veil. He had a park to run, and the command center had spotted trouble at the tea cups.

After running smoothly all morning, the spinning Mad Tea Party abruptly stopped meeting precalculated ridership goals. A few minutes later, Mr. Holmes had his answer: a new employee had taken over the ride and was leaving tea cups unloaded.

“In the theme park business these days,” he said, “patience is not always a virtue.”

The original article is here.

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…