It’s not often my 15 year old grand-daughter is silenced;  she usually has plenty to say on every subject under the sun.  However, we managed it!!!   How did we do it?   An Orlando helicopter tour!

Because this is her last week staying here in Central Florida with us, before she goes back to the UK and School, we wanted to give her a really special trip for her memory book, and this is what we chose to do.

A short ride along Highway 192 in Kissimmee took us to mile marker 10, where Helitours Orlando is situated.  Easily noticed from the road because of the helicopter parked on the side, there’s plenty of parking adjacent to the helicopter landing pad.  Using a Jet Bellranger four  seater helicopter, this company has been operating for 15 years or so .  The pilot was in the office when we walked through the door, and luckily was ready to go there and then.

Away we go

No time for her to get nervous or worried about this flight.   We were helped into our seats, and the front seat next to the pilot was given to our grand-daughter.   This is where the best views can be obtained.  We sat in the back, strapped ourselves in and donned our headphones, which are speech activated, so we were all able to converse with each other and with the pilot.   Our pilot was very experienced and obviously knew his stuff.  He told us he’d been a pilot for 22 years.   The helicopter was very comfortable, and once we had our headphones on, the engine noise was totally reduced.

The tour we had chosen to take was to fly over  Epcot, Caribbean Beach Resort, Hollywood Studios, the Swan and Dolphin,  and many other areas around the major attractions.    It is quite amazing just how much can be seen while flying at low speeds  in a helicopter.  Sights that you wouldn’t see in a small plane, are easily visible from the low levels of a sight seeing helicopter tour.

Whilst the people on the ground and in the resort areas looked like ants scurrying round, we were gently flying overhead in an air conditioned helicopter with a  knowledgeable pilot .  He pointed out many of the features of the resorts and parks that are not even visible from the ground.    Something that we were all amazed by were the number of lakes;  we all know there are lakes in our area, but from the air, you can see so many of them, and there seem to be many more than you can imagine.

The views from this height were amazing.  In the first photo you can see Epcot in the distance, and the second photo shows the Town of Celebration from above.   I didn’t realise there was  a canal running around the town and out into the swamp land.   That’s what makes this helicopter tour so interesting;  you see things from the air that you simply didn’t know about.

Our grand-daughter was speechless, and remained that way for several hours, except for repeating Wow!   every time one of us asked her if she had enjoyed the tour.  I heartily agree with her, it was a Wow! trip, and well worth the cost

We all agreed that this had been a fantastic experience and not one of us wanted it to end.  Sadly all good things come to an end, but I’d love to do it again, and again……………..

Many visitors enjoy the Magic of Magic Kingdom during their stay here in our vacation homes.  Children in particular find the characters familiar from the books and films that they watch , so to see these characters and places that they know so well up close and personal is  exciting for them.   One day at the park is usually more than enough for many of the little ones, but the older children and the adults alike watch in wonder at the night parade put on by the Magic Kingdom each evening.  There are two shows; one at nine o’clock and one at eleven o’clock, with fireworks at ten o’clock.

Certainly even on a mid week visit to watch the Disney Electrical Parade, a good many people were still there from the day, and the crowds were quite thick.   Small children were draped  over parent’s  shoulders, or asleep in their pushchairs;  their little faces flushed from the heat.

We wandered through some of the exhibits; one of my favourites is Cinderella’s castle; the interior walls of the archway are festooned with beautiful wall  paintings picked out with gold, azure and crimson, giving it a truly medieval feel.   This is just one of the examples of the artwork on those arched walls, and like myself, many guests were just standing and staring at the stunning artwork.    We all know just how creative the Disney imagineers can be, and this in particular is a prime example of their skills.

he time was getting closer for the Start of the Electrical Display Night Parade of Summer Nightastic, and crowds were already lining the streets of the Magic Kingdom.   One of the less populated spots to watch from is around the area of Frontier Land, so off we headed towards Splash Mountain.  Having found a suitable spot from which to watch , we settled in for a long wait.  It is best to find your place  and stay there, as the crowds make it difficult to see once the Parade starts, and the better viewing areas are already occupied by 7.30!

One of the interesting things that I noticed while waiting patiently, are the numbers of people being guided by the Disney helpers.   With the aid of lighted wants they were indicating the routes that visitors needed to take; and in doing so, were actually directing the foot traffic so that one side of the street was for those heading away from Frontier Land, and the other side was used for guests heading towards our area.

One of the other things I noticed is that to move visitors along, they play a large amount of marching band music; normally  without being in the position of people watching I would not have seen this, but marching music automatically makes people march in step to the cadences of the music; so not only do people have direction, they are also moving faster than an amble.    Very interesting, that!

Eventually the announcement that everyone was waiting for, came over the loudspeakers, and the lights were dimmed.   Excitement rose as the first characters dressed in lighted costumes came dancing along the street, followed by a selection of floats festooned in lights and colour.

Lots of photos were being taken, judging by the flash lights going off, and sometimes it was difficult to see every display in its entirety, due to the numbers of people crowding in front.  From Alice  in Wonderland to Captain Hook, from Cinderella to Pinocchio and Peter and the Dragon, they were all there in glorious techicoloured lights.  The larger floats were large indeed and towered over the audience so that everyone could see Cinderella waving from inside her coach, or Captain Hook on his ship, or Mickey Mouse perched high on his sparkling display. Smaller characters were dancing through the street between the displays, waving to the children in the audience.

The finale to our evening was the view and noise of the magnificent Firework Display that blossoms over the top of the Castle – and which can be seen from almost everywhere inside the Magic Kingdom.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal

On a swelteringly hot day, at 9 o’clock in the morning, we had to queue for at least half an hour, just to get up to Hogwarts.  The Harry Potter experience is actually at the very back end of Islands of Adventure, so it’s a long line of people wending its way through the whole of the park.

Once there, I have to admit, the structures are absolutely amazing.  From crooked chimney tops to icicles hanging from the snow covered roofs, this is a fantastic re-creation of JK Rowlings imaginative landscape. Photo opportunities abound, from the Hogwarts Express to the entrance to the Three Broomsticks.  But -  and it’s a big but, there was a 75 minute wait for any of the rides, and the queues for the Wand Shop and Owl Post shop were huge.  Because these two shops are so small inside, they restrict the numbers entering at any one time, and because they are linked, you can’t visit one without going through the other.

We did take the walking tour through  the school which is the alternative to the rides, and that was excellent.  From gloomy stone staircases to talking portraits on the walls, and a moving talking head of Dumbledore in his study, this was great.  We did enjoy this, and it was Cool inside!!!

Finally we went off and had a Butter Beer in the hostelry ($3.19 a glass)!

I’m hopeful that once the summer is over, the lines will get shorter and more guests can enjoy what is a stupendous theme.

We also visited the Disney Summer Nightastic show last week to watch the Electric Light Parade.  Again, it was very warm even at 7.00 p.m., and again very crowded.  Our car park row was 104, and for afficianados of the Disney car parks, you will realize that that’s at the end of the parking lot.

Walking up Main Street, I noticed that although many people were browsing the shops, the actual purchasing didn’t seem so busy.  I was very tempted by some of the Disney art  prints, but kept my purse firmly in my pocket.

The crowds were very thick around the main circle, so we walked quickly through the castle to see some of the wonderful art work on the interior walls, then back out to the Frontier Land, to spot a place where we could watch the Parade.

One of the odd things I noticed, and this is the first time I have actually stopped and people watched at Disney, is that when they want people to move faster , they use guides with wands to direct foot traffic , so that “going” moves along one half of the street and “coming” moves along the other half in the other direction.  They also play Marching music over the loudspeakers.  If you have ever listened to marching music, you will know that your instinct is to walk in cadence with the beat of the music.  It was very interesting psychology !

The parade itself was very good, and I did enjoy watching all the characters and their vehicles moving along.  I took some photos and even some video, so if anyone wants copies, just let me know.

Getting out was a nightmare though, I have to say.  The majority of the crowd was heading back towards Cinderella’s castle to watch the fireworks at 10.00 and getting through the various groups of pushchairs, toddlers, families and so on, got harder and harder as we neared the castle bridge.  Huge clumps of people were simply backing up as those in front of them were stopping to take photos or grab a place to watch the firework display .  We struggled onward to the main circle, as our intention was to get back to the exit. Luckily Kelly is a tall girl and we were able to keep her in sight as we swam through the throng.  Well before we reached Main street, we were stopped , along with many others who had the same idea as us, and directed by a Disney guide , sent off down one of the side streets,  Following the instructions we found ourselves backstage.  We had been sent out on a diverted path right round Main street, which apparently was totally blocked and at a standstill.  We re-entered the Main Street, just before the main exit, and from there were able to make our escape.

If your child is a fan of Disney characters or a Lego construction dreamer,  Downtown Disney is the place to take them on a perfect sunny afternoon.    The  Marketplace has all sorts of wonderful things to see and do,  and not just for kids.  Downtown Disney Marketplace provides an appealing place to take a break from Disney Theme Parks and Water Parks—especially if you’re in search of Disney merchandise. . Or, for more of a respite, relax and dine at a lakeside restaurant.  From Fulton’s Crab House, to the Cuban cafe, or Raglan Road Pub there are styles and menus to suit every taste and age group.

On October 3, 1996, World of Disney Store, the largest merchandise location of its kind at 50,000 square feet, opened in Downtown Disney Marketplace.   From the Bibbity Bobbity Spa for dressing up for girls to Toy Story Ranger uniforms, there’s everything for your child’s pleasure.   Sunglasses to sweatshirts, with soft cuddly toys from all their favourite stories;  from Mickey and Minnie in various costumes to Princess Tiana, no one will go away empty handed.

The Lego Imagination Store in Downtown Disney is another wonderful and amazing place for kids to let their dreams run riot.  From the Lego family outside the store to the Tyrannosaurus Rex guarding the entrance , this is one fantasy land for children.  The whole range of Lego themes is here, from the Prince of Persia to Toy Story,  to bricks for making cities, planes, ships and almost anything else you can think of.  There’s a huge wall of all sorts of Lego bricks where a child can pick and choose their selection of blocks to buy.  There is even a circular seated section where children and there parents can design and build together.

The bustle of all these kids having fun, the laughter and the smiling faces, and the amazing designs that are available make this  a wonderful store to visit.  If you can’t find your Lego pieces here, then you can speak to a customer service representative, give your details and they will contact you online.   One of the most interesting facets of this particular store is that it’s all about the kids. And they make the most of it!!

If you go there, make sure you leave plenty of time to browse; and be aware that your children , like me, won’t want to leave.

Many of the guests who stay in our vacation rental homes on a regular basis, frequently ask what they can do once they have been to all the major parks. Everyone loves to visit Disney or Seaworld, Universal and the other major theme parks. But sometimes it’s good to take a break from them.
Some of the suggestions we make can include off road driving, trophy fishing, scuba diving and beachcombing; occasionally we suggest shopping, but away from the main malls and brand names.
We also like to suggest to our vacationing guests that they take a drive tour away from the main tourist areas and explore some of the unspoiled and natural towns that can still be found in this diverse State.
You can visit small towns with the charm of “old Florida”, lazy days and rocking chairs on front porches, or go gambling at a casino in Tampa and experience the nightlife.

Ocala is one of those “old Florida” towns, where small local shops line the main street, alongside the courthouse and city hall. It’s a town where time seems to stand still; you will be greeted with a friendly smile and a warm welcome.

Ocala was established in 1846 by Matthew Edward Hall near the site of Fort King, a military outpost of the Seminole Wars. Ocala is a derivation of the Timucua word “Ocali” which is believed to mean the “Big Hammock”.
Hernando de Soto passed through a Timucua village or province named Ocali or Ocale near the present site of Ocala during his famous expedition through what is today the southeastern United States in 1539. Greater Ocala is known as the “Kingdom of the Sun”. Ocala itself is know as the City of the Horse, and rightly so.
The first thoroughbred horse farm in Florida was created by Carl G. Rose in 1943. Earlier, in 1916, Rose had come to Florida from Indiana to oversee the first asphalt road ever constructed in the state. When he ran into problems with the asphalt, he improvised and experimented with one of Florida’s abundant resources: limestone. He also realized that the Limestone would be a good source of nutrition for raising strong horses, so he took a gamble in 1943 and bought acreage along State Highway 200 at $10 per acre, which became Rosemere Farm. The next year one of his horses, Gornil, won at Miami’s Tropical Park, making him the first Florida-raised thoroughbred to win a Florida race. Close on Rose’s heels, the entrepreneur Bonnie Heath soon set up his own thoroughbred horse farm and produced the state’s first Kentucky Derby winner. Both of these men have prominent Highways named after them in Ocala. Bonnie Heath Farm is now owned and operated by his son Bonnie Heath, III, and his wife Kim. Rosemere Farm was sold long ago, and Ocala’s Paddock Mall and Central Florida Community College were built on the site.

In 1956, the Ocala area Thoroughbred industry received a boost when Needles became the first Florida-bred to win the Kentucky Derby. In 1978, Marion County-bred and -raised Affirmed won the Triple Crown. Today, Marion County is one of the major thoroughbred centers of the world, with over 1,200 horse farms in total and about 900 thoroughbred farms totaling some 77,000 acres. Ocala is well known as the horse capital of the world, one of only five cities (four in the USA and one in France) permitted under Chamber of Commerce guidelines to use this title based on annual revenue produced by the horse industry.

Driving through the countryside towards Ocala , one can see the numerous horse ranches that abound in the area.

Ocala is also known for nearby Silver Springs, Florida, site of one of the largest artesian spring formations in the world and Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, one of the earliest tourist attractions in Florida. We have always enjoyed visiting Silver Springs ; it’s easy to find, quiet and peaceful for families to visit, and the glass bottom boat rides are great fun. Watch the fish swimming below you in the crystal clear water.

The 110 mile long Ocklawaha River flows north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka, Florida.

Marion County is also home to the Ocala National Forest which was established in 1908 and is now the second largest national forest in the state. The Florida Trail, also known as the Florida National Scenic Trail, cuts through Ocala National Forest.

Silver River State Park was established in the early 1990s to preserve the areas around the Silver River to the east of Ocala near Silver Springs.

Only 70 miles from your Central Florida vacation home, Ocala is an easy town to visit in a day, and will give a totally new experience for even the seasoned Florida visitor.

Everyone’s thoughts turn to the Magic of Disney, or Universal Studios or SeaWorld, or many of the other theme parks and attractions  when they think of Florida, but this is a large State with many other special places, some well-known and some of them off the well-beaten track.

So this weekend, we went to MOSI, the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa for the DaVinci Exhibition.  Easy to get to, and loads of parking was the first impression.  MOSI is huge!  There is such a lot going on there, and it’s a magnet for families.  Big families, little families, babes in arms to teenagers were enjoying all that the Museum can offer.  And don’t be misled by the word Museum;  this is not a  fusty old place where everyone walks around with hands clasped behind their backs and talks in hushed voices.  This is a full-on, hands on, enjoy yourself, kind of place.

I wanted to visit the DaVinci exhibition  hence that Sunday afternoon trip.  The name is familiar from the books written by Dan Brown, many of us learned about Leonardo in school ( a long time ago, in my case) and have forgotten most of what we know.  His fame comes mainly from the world renowned portrait of Mona Lisa, and the wall painting of the Last Supper, although scholars will tell you that he did much more then just  paint, and this exhibition will show you just how much of a Renaissance Man he was.  A musician, a mathemetician, artist, modeller, theorist, scientist – all sorts of labels can be given to his name and abilities.

It was quite fascinating to see the copies of his inventions or improvements on earlier inventions, as well as the extremely high quality copies of many of his works of art.

Leonardo Da Vinci  (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519),

Born the illegitimate son of a notary, Piero da Vinci, and a peasant woman, Caterina, at Vinci, Italy, Leonardo was educated in the studio of the  Florentine painter, Verrochio.  Leonardo had one main patron Ludovico il Moro and passed much of his working life in Milan, Rome and Venice.  He spent his last years in France, at the home awarded him by the French king Francis 1st.

Apart from his well known paintings, many of his works have been lost, mainly due to Leonardo’s desire for experimentation with paints, and the mixes he used.  He was also very prone to altering his paintings, never being satisfied with each attempt.  Much of what we know about his works have come to us from the notebooks that fortunately have survived the centuries.  Many of his experiments failed, although to this day we are using items that he dreamed of and drew, such as the bicycle, the helicopter, the parachute and such things as a double hulled ship.

He was also deeply interested in the human body, and although this is little known, he examined possibly thirty or more bodies after their death to learn how the body works and to draw diagrams of the skeletal structure and muscles.

Many of the wooden and fabric models on display in the exhibition show the immensity and range of Da Vinci ’s visions, from concepts of a tank to a submarine, from winches to bobbin winders.

For me it was the art that appealed the most;  much of what I saw on display was new to me, and there were several portraits of young

Italian women where the jeweled colours positively glowed. The exhibits were of extremely high quality reproductions.  Also of interest were the infra red enlargements of the portrait of Mona Lisa, showing that what the average person sees nowadays bears little resemblance to the colours that Leonardo painted.  The accumulation of years of varnish discolouration, the damage caused by vandals some years ago, and the techniques that Da Vinci himself  used, have combined to produce a dim reflection of the original.

Whether its art that interests you, or mechanical items, or mathematics, or musical instruments, this exhibition shows just what a talent Leonardo possessed.  And if this exhibition is not to your taste, go upstairs to the dinosaur display or the Art of Flight exhibition, or the butterfly garden, sit in the sun  or just go and have a cup of coffee in the cafe……….  Someone in your family will find something of interest here at MOSI.

To find out more about the exhibition go to the MOSI website – click here.

After a most successful Goofy Challenge this year, when more than 55,000 runners set off over the two days, it’s now time to register for the 2011 event.

The Goofy Challenge is one of the premier events in the marathon runners calendar. Held each year by Disney, the event attracts runners from all walks of life, from the amateur athlete to top marathon runners.

This year’s event was held on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th January, during one of the coldest spells in Central Florida‘s weather for the past decade.   Volunteer helpers, race marshalls and spectators lined the route to cheer on the brave competitors running in below freezing temperatures with sleet, snow and rain.  The weather did take its toll, although the half marathon had just over 17,000 runners complete the course.  The winner of the men’s half marathon finished in 1 hour 7 minutes 2 seconds, and the women’s leader completed the race in just about 1 hour 20 minutes.

A friend of ours, Toni,  who was staying in one of Premier Home Management‘s vacation homes finished her half marathon in just under 2 hours. After returning to her home and relaxing, her preparations began for the full marathon on the next day.

Her start time on Sunday was 5.50 a.m. in an air temperature of 26 degrees. She managed to complete the race in just about 4 hours – while the leaders finished in 2 hours 22 minutes 8 seconds for Adriano Bastos and 2 hours 51 minutes 20 seconds for Lisa Mizutani. Over 16,000 runners completed the course.

Well doing the Goofy Challenge is a challenge in its self, but looking for good accommodation can be more of a challenge! But that’s where Premier Homes are brilliant – as they took the stress out of this for me!

I stayed at Windsor Hills, which was only about a 15 min drive from Epcot, so I didn’t have to leave my resort hotel at 3am to get to the start….. The accommodation was spotless and extremely well kitted out with a wonderful power shower, a tv in all rooms, a full equipped kitchen – just in case you don’t want to travel the 2 mins to the vast array of restaurants. The apartment also had a washer and dryer – which came in very useful for dealing with smelly running kit!

All in all I can only sing the praises of Marilyn and her team, they provided me with a great base to complete this challenge and I would certainly go back to them again even if I wasn’t doing the Goofy!

Thanks, Toni

The final race of the weekend, completed the most magical 26.2 miles on Earth.  The course takes runners through all four Walt Disney World®

Theme Parks starting at Epcot®, continuing on to the Magic Kingdom® Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ and then back to Epcot® for an exhilarating finish.  The post race celebrations were less well attended this year due to the inclement weather.

For those of you who are so inclined, the Application forms are now open for next year’s Goofy Challenge.

Next year’s Challenge dates are below, if you are a runner, you’ll need to know this.

Before you run off we wanted to tell you all about the 2011 WALT DISNEY WORLD® Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA, Thursday, January 6 – Sunday, January 9, 2011.  You’ll want to be here for a weekend of races that are as magical as they are memorable; from Disney’s Health & Fitness Expo to the final mile of the marathon, complete with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy medals.  We know you love running, now imagine a run where every mile is filled with Disney fun.  You’d be, well, goofy to miss it!

Toni, who stayed in one of our vacation homes, was so pleased that she was able to bring her family with her for support – it made all the difference between staying in an hotel by herself and having friends and family living in the vacation home with her. Everyone was able to enjoy themselves in their own way and their own time.

If you’re coming next year for the Disney Goofy Challenge, do let us know. We’ll cheer you on!