Orlando Blog - Orlando Vacation

a blog about a Boggy Creek

2008-02-21T12:37:00.000-08:00

Another attraction in the Disney area is Boggy Creek Airboat Ride, Florida's ultimate natural attraction located at the south end of Lake Tohopekiliga in a place called Southport. Here you will find a local small marina in Central Florida's own Everglades, one of the few places to see wildlife in their natural habitat. You will see alligators, eagles, exotic birds, turtles, snakes and a wide variety of animals. A U.S. Coastguard inspected Airboat will take you on a breathtaking tour, a Master Captain will assure your safety. This is one ride you won't forget, it is Central Florida's Best Kept Secret! We bought our discounted tickets from Ticketmomma, the staff are great and saved us money, especially the little whippersnapper Danny!

Boggy Creek Airboats

2008-02-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

Florida is know around the world for it's great swamp land. The most famous resident of these swamps is the Florida Alligator. There is nothing like going out on an airboat in to swamp land to find some gators. At the Boggy Creek Airboats they will take you on a half hour tour to explore the vast untouched land that Florida holds dear. Much of Florida is becoming developed, so wild parts of Florida are really nice to explore. The tour is a half hour and on this half hour you and your family will be traveling at speeds of up to 50 miles and hour across the swamp. Keep you hands inside the boat or a crocidile may have it for lunch! So come and visit this pristine piece of Florida and witness Florida like it was before it was infested by the mouse!

The Wild World Right Below The Surface!

2008-02-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

When you gaze off into the ocean, you may not realize that there is a entire world right before you, thriving and growing with life and organisms. Most of us are to consumed by the stress of our man made bounds. Financial responsibility, debt, courtrooms, hospitals, and all the things that make our lives easier tend to also have the adverse effect as well. So when one looks into the ocean they tend to symbolize it with peace. But what is most fascinating is that the world that dwells underneath the surface is actually just as complicated as and even more unforgiving than our world as we know it to be!

There is one place that you get a chance to experience the complexity of the world’s marine environment. At first glance the underwater world seems so simple. But really as you examine the lives of each individual species you will see that they all posses a purpose and a strong will to survive. The best chance to see the raw underwater world is to dive the great reefs around globe. But for those without the time or the money to dive all of those reefs, we have a place for you and your family!

Discovery Cove boosts the highest concentration of tropical fish in captivity that are not in a aquarium. Discovery Cove is a self sustaining, self cleaning, and very docile reef system. About 40% of the creatures at Discovery Cove were born there and know nothing other than the sheltered world they live in today. This is may seem cruel to contain such wild creatures, but they have a MUCH higher chance of survival with no predators to hunt them. This also means they have no need for any defense mechanisms, and co-existing with humans has been their life from the beginning.

Discovery Cove is not just about the fish, it is about the world's ecosystems as a whole. It has the largest free flight bird aviary in the United States. With in the aviary you will find exotic birds from every continent. Discovery Cove has some of the rarest birds that you will find in captivity. Not only do you get to see the exotic birds, but you can hand feed them! When you get to Discovery Cove you may ask yourself or an employee how to get inside the aviary? They have hidden the door to get inside. The other way is on the tropical river.

At just about every water park there is a lazy river the usually runs around the park. Most if them are concrete canals that have tacky obstructions on the edges. But the Tropical River at Discovery Cove is very realistic, with a rocky bottom and exotic flora that surround the whole river. Let the fast current rush you around the bends and underneath waterfalls. When you emerge from the fast flowing waterfall you will find yourself smack dab in the middle of the Aviary. The sounds of flowing water and chirping birds is enough to make you believe that you are in the middle of the rain forest.

So is that all you may be asking? NO!! The highlight of the entire day is a hand on swim with the dolphins is unique for Discovery Cove. When you come for you relaxing day you will be presented with a time for your dolphin swim. You will be trained before you get in with these 500 pound mammals. After the briefing, you and your group will be corralled in the lagoon where these Atlantic bottlenose dolphins call home. Once you get familiar with you new friends you will begin to learn all of the neat tricks that they can do. And don't worry they LOVE to show off! The amazing sounds that the dolphins can produce can rival that of birds and humans! Not only do they respond to simple hand gestures but the sound of a high frequency whistle that only the dolphins can hear. Just before you have to say good bye to your Dolphin pal, you will get the chance to ride on its back! This is such a thrill to be pulled at about 15 miles and hour on the back of a loveable Dolphin!

So if you already have your credit card out to make a reservation, set it down because there is more! They will also provide all of your snorkel gear and wet suits for the entire day. They will provide high quality food (all you can eat) for breakfast and lunch. You can enjoy unlimited Anheuser-Busch products for the whole day. With the package you will also get a free photo as you walk in to the park. Wait!!!! There’s more, everyone will get a FREE 7 DAY pass to Sea World or Busch Gardens!

All of this and more awaits as you come to experience the wonder that is Discovery Cove! Located in the heart of Orlando, FL.

Winter in Florida

2008-02-13T12:21:00.000-08:00

Winter in Florida is something to behold. It is just a series of cold fronts passing through, each front is different, in 2007 the temperature behind the cold fronts were quite cold, as low as 29degrees and there were some record lows, the temperatures up to now in 2008 have been record highs, it is February 13th today and a cold front has just passed through the State and the temperature today is 79 degrees and all this week the forecast is for higher temperatures 84/85 degrees.

For over twenty years I have lived in Central Florida and this has been the weather pattern, it has never been cold enough for me to complain and many locals wear shorts all through the so called winter, this is the reason I would never leave Florida, winters are beautiful and warm and for anyone with arthritis they must live in Florida. I cannot imagine spending winter anywhere else on earth with civilization and sun!

The Funnest Spot is FUN SPOT

2008-02-01T11:43:00.000-08:00

Orlando is one of the most visited places in the world, and there is a reason. The reason is the amount of attractions located here. It takes people at least two weeks to enjoy everything that the Orlando area has to offer. Now there is something NEW to do in Orlando! Fun spot has been around for quite sometime but they have opened up a new Action park in Old Town.

Old Town is located about one mile from Disneys Main Gate and offers some really interesting shops and resturants. Fun spot is located right behind Old Town, symbolized by the 300 foot SkyCoaster that towers above the area. Fun Spot U.S.A. offers many heart pumping rides and go kart tracks to keep the whole family entertained. The biggest attraction to Fun Spot is the Sky Coaster. You and three others people will be lifted 300 feet above the earth. Then on teh count of three you will free fall back to earth and just before you crash into the ground....... you swing back into the air. The view from this point is nothing but amazing! On a clear day you can see Disney, Universal, Sea World, and Downtown Orlando! Fun Spot also has 4 really great go-kart tracks. There is the Vortex, which has the steepest banked go kart turn in the world! You must know that they do NOT like it when you try to run others off the track. I found out the hard way. They will put x's on your wristband and when you get three x's they will ban you from the go karts with no refund. So just be kind to others and drive with care. Not only do they have the Sky coaster and the go karts, but they also have many other rides including the Mosenoser which is a cheap variation of the tower of terror. It lifts you up and drops straight down. Very fun!!! They also have a ride that is like a bicycle that spins you upside down serveral times. All of these great rides are included in a unlimated wristband that in my opinon very cheap! Not to mention there is free parking, UNLIMATED SOFT DRINKS, and the close proximaty to Old Town where you can enjoy many other great shops and attration such as the haunted house or the wax museum!
There is also a older location on International Drive near Universal. They do have more smaller rides but the property is slightly older and off the beaten path. It is still very fun, I guess it all depends where you are staying at. Either location is fun and the unlimated ticket is good for either one. One feature that I love about The Fun Spot in Orlando is the giant ferris wheel! You can see all of Universal and even Sea world on a clear day. So which ever you choose you will have a blast at the Fun Spot U.S.A in Kissimmee or Fun Spot in Orlando Florida.

The Great North-West

2008-01-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

Next day we set off for Oregon, over the Cascade Mountains. It was very scenic, we were looking for some snow on the peaks but I guess it doesn't snow in August up here. Soon we headed north into Oregon. The weather is still very hot, there is no let up on humidity so we decided to check into a hotel for the night to refresh and ready ourselves for the drive tomorrow.

We had breakfast early so we could get a quick start. This whole area is so beautiful, good land and plenty of it for agriculture and farming. All central Oregon is perfect and not many people per mile. We decided to look for some property in this area, the family liked the look of this place so I guess we will have a look for a homestead. The prices are similar to those in Florida. On the coast of Oregon prices are really expensive, more like California. We spent a few days looking around, we may drive a little further east nearer the Idahoan border.

Lunchtime was coming up so we decided to have an Indian meal in Madras, a town in Central Oregon. Because of liberal immigration this town is full of Middle Eastern folk, hence the name Madras, named after a place in India. I pride myself in the knowledge of Indian cuisine and the meal we ate was delicious (must make a note of this one).

Hitting L.A.

2008-01-24T16:08:00.000-08:00

After leaving Rancho we decided to circum-navigate LA and head straight for the northern coast road and stop at Buellton, home of Anderson's Pea Soup Restaurant. You can eat all you want for a price around $8. I managed to eat 3 bowls; it was really good. It should be a must for weary travelers. We stayed the night in Buellton and had a good sleep. Then we were on to the wine area of California (this is one stop I've been looking forward to).

Up to now, my wife and family have been very patient, so we decided to stop at the next town. The landscape was beautiful green fields and gently rolling hills filled with grape vines and vineyards. We got to sample some of the local brews.

Whilst in the hills just beyond San Francisco we experienced a massive earthquake! It shook the ground beneath our feet and it frightened the children. I don't think they want to come and live in California anymore after that series of aftershocks ruined their dreams.

Great news for wrestling fans, this year Wrestle Mania XXIV is on the way to Orlando!

2008-01-23T10:36:00.001-08:00

The longest running and most popular of all the major professional wrestling events is holding it's annual wrestling meeting at the Citrus Bowl on March 30 th 2008. This will be the first time this event has been held in Orlando and the state of Florida. This will be the biggest bash ever with ticket sales over 41,000 within the first 30 minutes of going on sale and this event is expected to bring over 70,000 visitors and an estimated $40 million to the Orlando area business. The Citrus Bowl is an outdoor football stadium and this is only the second time the event has been held at an outdoor venue, we all know how quickly the rain comes on in Orlando but event organizers are confident the show will go on come rain or shine.

Driving across the southwest

2008-01-22T10:50:00.000-08:00

After Toyah we had a few hours drive in the Florida rental car we started our journey with, we finally reached El Paso, the gateway to Mexico. I don't know if we have enough time to cross the border and get a sample of the good Mexican food. El Paso is a big border city with commerce passing across the border 24/7. We stayed around El Paso for a day then we set off for LA. This would be the last leg of our trip, it will take 8 hrs of driving and another 750 miles.

Well were traveling west and into Arizona, it is very warm, the temperature is in the 100's. We expect to stop in Phoenix AZ. Actually we stopped in Chandler on the outskirts of Phoenix, this is so we can get supplies at Trader Joe's. It's the best place around for good quality food and it is reasonably priced. After we stocked up we set off to LA.

Having never been to California before, the Children were excited. So, we decided to drive the rest of the way non-stop. Soon we entered Quartzite; this is a small town in Arizona not far from California and the town of Blythe only 25 miles away.

We had to decide which route we would take into LA. I was thinking on taking I-10 all the way into central LA. The best time to hit LA is between 2am and 4am in the morning that way you won't run into all the traffic.

We had to stop for a bite to eat before we entered LA. I had eaten in a Mexican Restaurant in Rancho Cucamonga before and it was excellent, it was just as good the second time.

We all set off for a Disney Vacation

2007-11-22T06:47:00.000-08:00

We drove to Disney World from our home (it took some twenty minutes) and we were quickly checked in to the Dolphin Resort and we were soon ready for some fun.

This first evening we decided to go to Downtown Disney. The shuttle from the Dolphin had us there in no time. There were lots of people and the music and lights were beautiful, plenty of shops and things to do for the children. One of their favorite places was Lego Imagination Center; you can see giant Lego sculptures, dinosaurs and many skillful figures. Plus, the children got a chance to try their skills at building with Lego. The Virgin Megastore was a favorite of my daughter's, with all the good music it had.

We were feeling a little peckish so we decided to go and explore the many places to eat. We chose the Rain Forest Café, the food was reasonably priced and quite tasty. There are a number of things you have to pay entrance to, like Disney Quest, Cirque Du Soleil, AMC Theatres 24 screens and House Of Blues, but we had plans for other stuff to do. We spent about three hours walking around downtown Disney and then we were off back to the hotel. We were tired, but enjoyed the evening.

I'll have more on this Vacation later.

a wide world experience

2007-11-20T12:46:00.000-08:00

This is a 220 acre state of the art facility, with nine venues that can accommodate more than 30 sports including basketball, baseball, softball, tennis, soccer, track and field and many more.This is also the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves and has been very successful in filling the seats.

The Sports Experience is an interactive sports playground that will challenge guests in an exhilarating variety of activities. The Sports Experience area will test your skills in soccer, football and basketball as you train to become the best.

At football camp, you will test your speed and agility as you make your way through an obstacle course for a timed score, attempt to kick the game winning field goal over the defensive line, and run an actual pass.This sports facility is second to none and the children will love all the variety of sports and by participating they can reach their limits.

We were surprised to find there was no parking fee at this place, and the facility is right there, with no walking miles, in the Disney tradition. Our first port of call was the All Star Café, the menu was similar to any sports bar with gaming tables, pool, etc.

There are many things to do at Disney's Wide World of Sports the Atlanta Braves hold Spring Training here and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers do their pre-season training here. In addition it hosts many athletic competitions including the Amateur Athletic Union Championship Events. We were lucky to watch the top seeded soccer teams compete for trophies (the children found this exciting).

There are many things to see and do at Disney but the Wide World of Sports gives you a different perspective on the sports scene and should be a must for any family with Walt Disney World Tickets.

Discover Discovery Cove

2007-11-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

This tropical oasis is located in the heart of Central Florida. There is no place in the world that you can swim with dolphins, snorkel with thousands of tropical fish in there Coral reef, and swim with stingrays. What I love about discovery cove is the interaction with all of the animals. There is so much to discovery here! I go to Discovery Cove about three times a year and every time I went it has been amazing. You really feel like you have been at the beach all day. The warm Florida sun accompanied by a serene tropical setting puts you mind and soul in harmony. Say good bye to stress and worry because at discovery cove, there is no lines, No screaming kids waiting to see Micky mouse. Just exotic tropical relaxation! When you first arrive they will equip you with a I.D. card with your picture on it. This card is very handy because you can attach a credit card to is and it makes your money easier to spend. But, that I.D. card is a great souvenir as well. They also take a photo at that start of the day that is completely complimentary. Discovery Cove is an all inclusive resort. Once your in the park you will have all the food and drinks that you want.
I arrived at Discovery Cove with my lady. After they took our picture and gave us our I.d we were free to do what we wish. They do brief you a bit about the park and they direct you to where need to go. wait... You don't NEED to go anywhere, You can do what ever you want once your in the park. The dolphin swim is the only thing that is scheduled at Discovery Cove. When we first arrive all i could think about was BREAKFAST!! Now i have heard some good things about the food here at Discovery Cove, but tourist don't know what good food is while there on vacation. They think everything tastes great. So I had to see it for myself. I was really impressed. The breakfast was a little above average, but not to impressive. But the lunch, as sir the lunch was fantastic! After breakfast we went on an adventure to find our lockers. To get to the lockers you have to walk across the sand. so Take off your shoes and let your day of relaxation begin! That was my train of thought. I needed a little relaxation. We got our wet suits and hit the water! The tropical river was about 85 degrees so it was a nice way to start out. The water falls are chilled so be aware! We were trying out our snorkel gear and just floating through the caves and around the twists and bends of the river. I have been on a lot of "lazy rivers", but this is much more. You really feel like you are swimming thru a mountain river in the Pacific. The river bottom is rocky and the plants seem to grow right out if the water. As we were floating down the river i picked a beautiful yellow hibiscus for my girlfriend to put in her ear. We flowed down the river and we came to a gigantic water fall. Mind you i love adventure so this is exciting to me. She on the other hand was a bit weary of this challenge. "Ready baby?" I asked as we both held our breath and swam underneath the waterfall. When we rose to the surface to get some air, we were surrounded by the Bird Aviary! There were ergot's, parrots, cranes, and all sorts of creatures. It was as if we entered another world. While you inside of the aviary there are staff members that will assist you with the feeding and handling of these exotic creatures.
Of course how could you forget the Dolphin swim! They sit you and your small group inside of a cabana and they teach some interesting facts about the Atlantic Bottle nose dolphins. As we approached the water I had this little bubble feeling in my stomach. I had been waiting for a long time to do something like this. Diego was our dolphin and he was extremely intelligent. He would scream like a little girl and he would give all of us kisses. He was so friendly and gentle, he seemed as if he could just walk out of the water with you and go dancing! There skin feels similar to a hot dog skin. Then at the end of the experience we all go to ride on the dolphins back. After that we went back to the coral reef and snorkeled until the sun began to go down. There was a few moments when i really felt like i was in the middle of the ocean. Floating on the surface looking down on the thirty foot wide stingrays gracefully swimming by below you, time just seems to stand still. The entire day was something either of us and everybody else in the park will ever forget. I plan to take my children to swim with the dolphins someday. By far this was the best experience in Orlando!

Suspense, Love, Action, and Food

2007-11-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

We arrived early at the Arabian Nights Dinner Show, we were advised to get there early by Jerry at TicketMomma. On arrival we were met by a couple of dark Arabic looking guys, they are the ones that take your photograph (you can pick them up after the show if you like them). They also issue you with your seats.

We went inside and discovered many gift shops with trinkets from the show, there is also a fully stocked bar, we would have had to pay for drinks but Jerry gave us some coupons that allowed us to get free drinks, thanks a bundle Jerry!

At the sound of a trumpet blowing all the guests of the King and his family were called to their seats by the Sultans eunuch Mohamed, the local town crier. You see actually we are invited to a Royal Princess' Wedding. I personally have never seen a Arab wedding so I thought it might be interesting. We quickly sat down and were introduced to our server. We ordered the curry chicken and a couple of cold ones, and then the show started without delay.

The lights dimmed and in galloped the horses, they were magnificent Clydesdales owned by the Gypsies. They seemed to be having a ball, whooping and a hollering all over the place. Things came to a boil when one of the guests decided to ride one of the horses, it was very funny and unpredictable.

Next came the desert nomads known as Bedouins. They were a rowdy bunch but knew how to take care of their steeds riding up and down the arena wailing like banshees! After that came the Mythical Unicorn, only this Unicorn didn't look very mythical. It pranced around for ten minutes and then left the scene, my little girl was quite impressed (I think she still believes!).

There is always a baddy in the plot that's when the evil villainous horses with hot red glowing eyes appeared. They were soon put aside by the Kings Arab Stallions and the Sultans Army of Saracens, this was a great scene. One of my favorites was the Indian Mustangs all painted in war paint that glowed in the dark, very spectacular!

All in all the show was well worth the money (although I think I ate too much) and the Wedding Cake at the end of the night finished me off! A good night was had by all my family thanks to Ticket Momma.

Why do they call it Boggy?

2007-11-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

Good morning! After a good nights sleep, we were ready to go again and off went to Boggy Creek Airboat rides. This attraction is located at the south end of Lake Tohopekiliga where, we are told, a giant Alligator lives just ½ mile up the creek. He is said to be 23 ft. in length (can't wait to see this baby)!

The pilot of the Airboat gave us ear plugs to wear. We soon realized why -the noise the giant fan made was pretty loud. However, the noise didn't spoil the beautiful scenery with hundreds of alligators and all types of Florida birds and migratory birds. We also saw numerous snapping Turtles, fortunately they were all basking in the sun.

We were surprised when the airboat stopped on a clump of grass and the skipper asked us to stand down on land (we were surrounded by large alligators but they looked as though they were full)! The alligator's nest was quite some size, aprox. 6 ft in diameter and 3 ft high! We didn't disturb the nest but we got some good photos and then headed back to the Marina . We would recommend this trip for anyone.

To Disney! A family first.

2007-11-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

It was our familie's first time to fly all together. We were off on our first holiday for 10 years and we chose to go to Disney World in Orlando.

We landed in glorious sunshine (a change from Manchester where it rains most of the time) and the Disney Magic shuttle bus was waiting to take us to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, one of Disney's Premier Hotels. This luxurious, Victorian-style resort offers a full service health spa, white sand beach, two outdoor pools, poolside bar, fine dining, fitness center, tennis courts, specialty shops, boat rentals, game room and much more.

My daughter soon decided to make use of the spa and my son was off to the video games room whilst my wife and I decided to check out the pool.

Later that afternoon, after our siesta, we set off for Downtown Disney to buy a couple of gifts for the family back home, and then we decided to go to Disney Quest. This is a five story building with interactive video games, virtual reality, and many ingenious items. We did not want to eat in Disney Quest the food was sub-standard and too expensive so we went to eat at Bongos, it was Latin food and quite delicious. We still had jet lag so off to bed we went.

Next morning, after coffee and pancakes, we all piled on the shuttle bus and off to the Magic Kingdom. It was hot this day so we drank plenty so as not to de-hydrate. We had to take the ferry across the lake to enter the park which took about 30 mins. First stop was Space Mountain, a roller coaster in the dark. We enjoyed this very much but we needed a little time to recover. I thought that the Mad Hatter's Tea Party was a tame ride, again it became a nightmare as these little tea cups started spinning like an out of control Whirling Dervisher. I felt sooooo sick after that ride I had to sit down for half an hour with my head between my legs, not a pretty sight!

Pirates of the Caribbean seemed to be O.K. for the family, just a gentle boat ride thru a scene of rape, pillage and plunder Disney style. Next we came upon Splash Mountain, a bit of a roller coaster with the final drop splashing thru a pool of water very dramatic, a few people got a bit wet, we all escaped. The organization and crowd control impressed me, we didn't wait in long lines, on average the wait was about 10 minutes, which means no wait at all, because by the time you have walked around all the safety barriers it will have taken 10 minutes anyhow.

After eating dinner we watched some fabulous fireworks then back to the Hotel for a good nights sleep!

Update on the Titanic Experience

2007-11-08T13:24:00.000-08:00

Since having to close down due to the Mercado being demolished, the exhibition has been looking for a home, and now they have found one at the Orlando Science Center.The Science Center and Titanic's owners plan to include many items from the I-Drive attraction, including re-creations of the Titanics grand staircase, cargo hold and gantry.They plan to charge $23 adult and $18 for children. After a record attendance on I-Drive, they are looking to grab some extra local business now that they are central.This world-famous exhibition is coming to Orlando Science Center, with a public opening planned for Saturday, December 15, 2007. Featuring full-scale recreations of the ship's most famous locales along with historians in period costume portraying the ship's designers, officers, crew and passengers; Titanic, The Experience will offer a rich interactive examination of the history and science behind the "ship of dreams." The exhibition will be on display at Orlando Science Center through 2008.In addition to presenting the historical elements of the exhibition, plans are being developed to further emphasize sections on ocean exploration.The Titanic was a British registered four funneled ocean liner built for the transatlantic passenger and mail service between Southampton and New York.Constructed in Belfast, Northern Ireland she was, at the time of her maiden voyage, the largest vessel afloat.On April 10th 1912 the Titanic set sail from Southampton with 2,200 passengers and Crew. Four days later, the Titanic collided with an iceberg and sank. 1500 people died and 700 survived.The Titanic today is a couple of rusty pieces of metal in a wet bath to stop it from disintegrating.

A Holy Land Adventure

2007-11-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

On June 9, 2007 Orlando Trinity Broadcasting Network, the world's largest religious broadcaster and America's most-watched faith channel, hopes to do well with the purchase of the "Holy Land Experience" theme park in Orlando, Fl., to the TBN family. The attraction is an adaptation of ancient Jerusalem with a facility that will be used for television production, dramas, musical concerts, special events and movies. The Holy Land Experience could well be considered Orlando's most inspiring destination as visitors experience a full day of discovery that takes them 2,000 years back in time to the world of the Bible. It brings to life ancient Israel as a unique, thriving world filled with fascinating exhibits and venues.Visitors learn about the Wilderness Tabernacle and the Great Temple, discover the amazing history of the Bible; explore the city of Jerusalem in miniature, see re-enactments of Jesus' ministry, His life, death, and resurrection.We first made our way to "The Scriptorium", here we discovered how we got the Bible and travel from Babylon to Egypt and from a Medieval monastery to an English jail cell, then From Martin Luthers Germany to Plymouth Rock, it was very interesting and all the family enjoyed this.Then on to Shuftar Auditorium where there is a fascinating 55ft. model of Jerusalem, showing the route Christ took on his way to the Cross. Also this theatre is where all the shows and dramas are staged.On to the Great Temple soaring six stories high this shining white and gold Temple was the center of life and a place where Jesus ministered, thirty roman columns surround the Temple Plaza. Inside the Temple see The Seed of Promise, an original film shot on location in Israel.Next we went caving. to the Dead Sea Qumrn Caves, the unique replica of the caves where the dead sea scrolls were discovered by a shepherd boy in 1947, they were discovered just west of the dead sea and south of the city of Jericho. These caves may have been the home to Jewish settlers.The children were a little tired so we followed the "Via Dolorosa" the road on which Christ carried the cross to Calgary and the Garden Tomb. We said a few prayers and then moved on.Jerusalem Street Market travel back in time, quite a site, lots of vendors and exotic smells the locals are willing to barter with you. Good deals are on the Goat sacks, only 198 shekels a pair!Be very careful with the food you might catch "Juda’s Revenge" this is very unpleasant dysentery type of infection that will leave you weak and disorientated. Also leave the stuffed vine leaves alone!

Orlando, FL to Seattle, WA via train!

2007-09-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

As I woke up Thursday morning i was so excited to know that this was the first day of my vacation. I raced around the house packing clothes, and packing the cooler, and trying to make sure that everything was all set. I didn't quite realize at the time what exactly i was doing! See I had came up with this wonderful idea for a affordable, but exciting vacation! Travel across the country on a train! The trip was a 5 day 4 night ride on the great American rail lines. I waited at the station with excitement running through my veins. I have never been on a train, I have never traveled alone, and i have never traveled this far west or north! I knew that i would enjoy the trip but I did not realize what i was embarking on. The trip from Florida to Washington D.C was some what boring, but this is a great time to catch up on some sleep(Trust me you will need it). My stays in D.C were short but i did get to see all that i wanted to see. The Capital Building which is a short 5 minute walk from the train station. One thing to keep in mind is D.C has lots of sights to see and many, many, many museums which will take you weeks to see. I did only the attractions around the train station. Right next door they have the National Postal Museum. This attraction is absolutely free! The D.C train station is an attraction all of its own. There is a 2 story mall, with a very large food court. there is also a Movie cinema, along with fine dining and access to the metro with will get you anywhere you need to be in D.C. One thing to keep in mind is that everyone looks important in D.C, why this is I'm not sure but i do believe that they do this for fun! I left D.C on my next leg of my trip to Chicago. This was a wonderful ride through the Appalachian Mountains. There are some beautiful little hillside towns althroughout West Virgina like; Harper's ferry,and Martins burg. Once night falls over the mountains the lounge car will offer HAPPY HOUR! Now I' m not condoning the abuse of alcohol, but if your on a train for 17 hours a little alcohol may help to pass the time. The only set back on a train is for the smokers. They have recently made all the trains NON-smoking, so if you do smoke you will have to wait for a designated smoke stop along the way. Soon as I arrived in Chicago I was in love! The architecture is astounding and very contemperary. There is just this feeling of history and human movement. Just walking around for 5 hours I have discovered that the whole city has a energy that is very apealing! The complete clash of cultures can be seen in greek town, and all around. I do recommend that you take a tour of the sears tower just to get your bearings. you will get great views of the whole city from here. After my short excursions i had to catch my train to Seattle. Going through Wisconson, Minnesota was some what hilly but mainly just farms and speratic houses. Then we stop in Fargo, ND. careful because this is not a smoke stop. I have learned this because the train just about left me there at about 3 am! So be sure to listen for the ALL ABOARD! Traveling through North Dakota and Eastern Montana is a very boring and depressing ride, but just past Shelby, MT you will venture into the Rocky Mountains! Glacier national park is fantastic duirng the fall, cold but fantastic. There is some stunning views of the glacier from the tracks. There are very few roads through that pass and the best way to see it is by rail. usually night will fall soon after you reach the mountains and when i woke up the next thing i saw was the cascade mountains. That is the most beautiful ride i have ever been on. The train will run along a river that is at the foot of the mountains. There are people kayaking down the river, others are fishing and it just seems so peaceful. Shortly after sun up you will arrive in Seattle. At this point i was just so excited to actually make it there! After 5 days 4 nights and 3000 miles behind you, I began to feel a sence of accopmlishment! People thought I was crazy for doing this, but if you are talkitive and not afraid of being alone and so far away from home than you will love every minute of it. The best feeling is that I was basiclly just starting my vacation! Seattle was so beauiful in the fall. The mountains that drape the skyline and the stunning buildings that make seattle famous. No real need to go into the Space Needle, Its like the moon: it cool to look at but there is no need to go up there. So what if the floor rotates! you can get some really amazing views from the Colombia Center building normal business hours. THE SPACE NEEDLE IS A TOURIST TRAP!!!!! But all in all i had a wonderful time. I remember the old saying; There is no place like Seattle! The coffee, the thai, oh yeah and teh fresh seafood, mainly salmon. so on my one way flight back home i had about 6 hour to recoil from my tremendous life altering experience. As my plane lands back in Orlando, FL I sort of felt a little sence of home once i arrived. Just knowing that i live in the number one tourist destination in the U.S. oh yeah........ and because its Disney World! If you have any questions about my trip and you would like a few more details that i didn't mention, or you would like to plan your own vacation you can email me at chris@ticketmomma.com I hope you enjoyed my trip.... I know i did!!!!!

A GREAT DAY FISHING at Mosiquito Lagoon

2007-09-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday my friend David and I decided to do a fishing trip to Mosquito Lagoon. The reason we chose Mosquito Lagoon was because we had heard from lots of anglers that this was the hot spot for Trout and Redfish. Well we left very early in the morning so that we would be at the launch site before sunrise to get the boat in the water and get the live bait. We arrived at Titusville on hwy. 406 and went to the Max Brewer Parkway. Half way across the Max Brewer Parkway right in the middle of the river was the launch site. Well it was still dark when we got there so we took our time putting the boat in. We went over to the first island and I got out the cast net to catch some live bait. I have never tried this before so after throwing the net about 12 to 15 times I finally caught about 3 dozen bait fish and a lot of laughing from David on my casting technique. Well we got back in the boat and started for Mosquito Lagoon witch was about 5 more miles up the river. We only got about a mile up the river when we noticed 5 dolphins swimming off the right side of the boat, man they are beautiful and stayed right beside the boat for about a mile. We also saw a mother manatee and her baby swimming together up the river. We also saw some ospreys and pelicans diving into the river and catching fish. Well we finally got to Mosquito Lagoon it was beautiful (GOD’S COUNTRY). We had to be careful because Mosquito Lagoon was only one to two feet deep in places once you got off the channel. I just bought a Jack Plate (It raises the motor straight up six more inches.) for my boat so that I could get into shallow water. Well we baited up and cast in. Well it didn’t take long about 3 min. and I got a bite. Man what a fight the drag on my reel was screaming and just about all of my line was out and my pole looked like an upside down U and I thought the pole would break in half but it didn’t and when I finely got it in it was a Redfish 19 ½ inch long and let me tell you it seem to take all of 5 min. to land him. WOW that gets the adrenaline going. While I was taking my Redfish off, David’s fishing pole came close to going over board, he had a snapper. That day we caught 3 Snapper, 3 Redfish, one 10 ½ lb. Black Drum, and a lot of lady fish. Not only was this fishing trip really relaxing, the boat ride up the Indian River was beautiful. Well next week its back to Mosquito Lagoon because it’s so big it will take some time to fish all of it. So if you are stressed out from work and traffic jams I suggest you go fishing.

DAYS AT ALLIGATORLAND SAFARI ZOO

2007-09-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

If you live in Kissimmee/ Orlando or have ever visited the area, you’ve had to have seen the giant alligator outside of the zoo that was Jungle Land. Before it was Jungle Land it was called Alligatorland Safari Zoo. My grandparents owned the zoo and their house was actually attached to it. My dad also worked there, so my sister and I were there almost everyday.
My mom had got matching outfits for my sister and I that said “Jr. Zoo Keeper”. They were too cute! One year for Christmas we got a safari jeep. We took it to the zoo and rode that thing everywhere. The people that were walking through the zoo must have thought we were crazy……..we were!! Everyday we were there my grandma would go to I-HOP and get grilled cheese and French fries for us for lunch. We had I-HOP so much I haven’t eaten it since 1994. And that big alligator that sits out in front of the zoo……I climbed to the nose of it when I was about 5 years old. I had to do it alone because my sister was too scared. You get a big rush climbing that big alligator, I’m sure my mom got a big rush also because she didn’t want me to climb it.
On my 5th birthday I had my party at the zoo. It was great!!! Come on, how many kids do you know that have parties at zoos? Probably not very many. Anyways….. My dad dressed up in alligator costume and took everyone around on a tour of the zoo. He took out different animals for everyone to see and touch. He brought out animals such as: monkeys, alligators, different birds, baby tigers, snakes and others. My dad would do shows and wrestle alligators, so he did a little show for everyone at the party.
One year for Easter we had a huge Easter egg hunt for our family and friends. The eggs were spread through out the whole zoo. My dad took an ostrich egg and painted it gold. If you found that egg you won a big prize (I think it was a big Easter basket full of goodies). Of course I was not the one who found the gold egg.
Another year Alligatorland had a haunted zoo. Some of the workers at the zoo gave tours to the customers who wanted to go through. My mom didn’t work there but she also gave the tours and I walked around with her. There was a huge spider web that my dad had built and had to show people how to get through it. There was also a maze that people had to go through, and a grave yard that had people buried under the ground. Then it was time for the chainsaws……everyone went running when they came out! One lady was so scared she wet herself. At the very end of the tour a gun was fired and a lady screamed really loud. Everyone was in a hurry to get out of there. It was pretty scary, but it was hilarious watching all the people run and scream.
The days that my sister and I would go hang out at the zoo, we would always play with the goats. We would ride and feed them (we were little so we didn’t hurt them). When it was time to feed the animals, we would go around with a guy that worked there and help him feed them. There was a chimpanzee, named Sonny, which we used to give bubble gum to. It was funny watching him chew it. My sister and I would go in the porcupine pin and get the quills that had fallen off of them. My mom said when we got home from the zoo we smelled really bad! She said that we went right in the bath and our clothes went right in the washing machine.
I think my favorite part of being involved with the zoo was getting to be up close with the animals. It was fun getting to see the different birds hatch out of their eggs and seeing all the baby animals. Another neat thing that most kids don’t get to do is getting the chance to take home a monkey. We got to keep a baby Ring-Tailed Lemur at our house for a while. We would feed it with a baby bottle and put diapers on it. He was just the cutest thing! One day we had the monkey at the zoo and it was sitting on my grandmas head and it pooped on her. It was so funny! Also, one of the pot belly pigs had babies, so we got to take one home with us. My sister and I would play in the pig pin at the zoo with the other piggies.
In 1994 my family and I moved to Missouri and then in 1995 my grandparents sold the zoo. We ended up moving back to Florida in ’95 or ’96, and by that time the new owners of the zoo had opened up Jungle Land. My grandma took me and my sister there a few times but it just wasn’t the same. I was pretty upset when they sold the zoo because I had some fun times at that place.

My Day at US and IOA

2007-07-13T16:06:00.000-07:00

Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure

The last time I went to Universal Studios was in May. The first ride my friends and I rode on was Terminator. This ride was pretty awesome. At first I really thought Arnold was there. The line wasn’t long which was nice. It was a Wednesday and it wasn’t crowded which made it easier to get to all the rides. The next ride we went on was Jimmy Neutron Adventure just standing in the line I was so excited to see where this adventure is going to take me. When I first got in my seat the ride started off slow but then we began moving around really fast trying to get away from the bad guys. The Rugrats were also in the ride. I felt like I was really running away from the bad guys with my favorite Rugrat Angelica. Even though this ride was for kids it was still a great adventure.

The 4D Shrek ride was a lot of fun as well. This ride is one of the newest rides at Universal and grabs a lot of attention. This ride also takes you on a great Adventure with all your favorite characters from Shrek the movie. My favorite part was when the donkey sneezes on you, you get really wet. When we were trying to get away from the bad guys the ride was moving really fast and one of my friends almost fell out of her seat. It was really funny. I defiantly recommend going on this ride for all ages.

After we went on some rides in Universal we walked over to Islands of Adventure the first ride was the Hulk we made sure that we got in the front row and we only had to wait about 5 minutes. That ride was awesome!!! Next we went to Spiderman there was about a 5 minute wait which wasn’t bad at all. Out of all the 3D rides Spiderman was my favorite. After going on only a few rides the park was closing early so we actually went to a concert at the Hard Rock afterwards. The concert was Pepper and Slightly Stupid it was an awesome show. The place was packed, people were crowd surfing and everybody seemed to be having a great time. The only bad part was that a cocktail was $13 a drink. Two drinks were more that what I paid for my ticket to see the show. After the show I actually met the lead singer and got to take a picture with him that was the highlight of my day! Overall my experience at Universal and Islands was a lot of fun. I have been back to the Hard Rock a bunch of times and every time I go it is always a thrilling experience. They always know how to put on a great show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scorched! Beat the Heat with your brain.

2007-07-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

Florida is a wonderful year-round destination that has pleased millions of visitors every year. The peak season for the tourist is in the summer months May thru late August. This is due to the fact that children are out of school for the summer so more families go on vacations. what better place to come than Orlando. Every one knows that Florida is hot in every aspect, the night life is hot, the theme parks are hot, but most of all the weather is scorching! In late July the mercury can go as high as 109 degrees in some places! The 80% humidity doesn't really help the cause either. Not to mention the fact that most of Central Florida is only 20 feet above sea level. But people still come and more and more people are subject to heat exhaustion and hyper thermia. especially tourist from higher elevations like Colorado or west Virgina. If you are coming from the mountains the best thing to remember is to take it easy at first. Refrain from jogging or heavy lifting right away. Although you may feel like your superman and everything feels lighter, this is just a nasty trick that your body is playing on your brain! If your hotel offers a bellhop use them and tip them well. They probably just saved you from fainting and falling down a flight of stairs! Besides the acclimation to altitude, the heat is the real killer. Most people from the northern states think that they know heat because sometimes the summers up there are hotter than in Florida. So they think that a few hours in the tanning salon and some suntan lotion will keep you protected from the sun! This is true if you trying to counteract melanoma but all of that is worthless if you want to beat the heat. approximately 0.5% of all the tourist that come to Central Florida will suffer from heat exhausting each year. and of the 0.5% 4% will die! I can't stress this enough......Drink lots of water! It is very important to keep hydrated while your exploring the theme parks. At 100 degrees and 90% humidity your sweat can not cool you down so the body will begin to overheat. This will make you very nauseous, and extremely tired. If you begin to experience these symptoms rest in a shaded area and SIP<> some cool water. Rest for a couple of minutes until you feel okay again. Florida is not a great state to go hiking or camping because its just too hot! Winter is a great time to do all of those activities because the weather resembles that of the summers in the northern states. The matter at hand is that It can get really hot really fast so when you are building your itinerary make sure to set a side plenty of resting time especially if you have children. If you were to experience a heat stroke there are several world class hospitals in Central Florida that can save you're life. But if you play it safe you should be just fine. Just take it easy, don't rush your self, and drink plenty of water. Have a safe trip! These life saving tips were brought to you in part by Ticket-Momma. Save money, save time, and travel easy!

Revolution into the past

2007-07-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

We were all taught about the great history when Kings, lords, and dukes ruled the land. Castles and fortresses were built to protect the royalty and the people of the town. The laws were simpler but the punishments were harsher than they are now. We now live in a fast paced world fueled by technology and global economics. We have come a long way from trading cattle for fruit. But there has been a revolution on the rise, within the past 20 years the dark ages have returned from the ashes. In 1984 Medieval Times opened its first American castle in Kissimmee, FL. Being so close to Disney World boosted the attendance of this great show. After 2 years of operation the began to sprawl throughout the country. They used the great success of being near Disney to boost the next dinner show castle in Buena Park, CA. This of course was a huge hit with not only the tourists, but the locals as well. More soon followed as the years went on with the opening of Lyndhurst, NJ 1990 Schaumburg, IL 1991 Dallas, TX 1992 Toronto Canada 1993 Myrtle Beach 1995 Baltimore, MD 2004 and the newest addition in Atlanta, GA in 2006! Medieval Times is known nation wide, but the most recognizable location is the first location in Kissimmee, FL. Here they put on about 2 shows nightly 6pm and 8:15 pm depending on the night. There is a great attention to detail from the clothes all the way to the eating utensils. Here the proper way to eat is with your hands. that's what they did back then so why dumb down history. They did have knives and forks in that era so you can request those if you need them. Every location has a different story to tell, so just because you saw the show in Chicago doesn't mean you already know whats going to happen in California. When you visit Orlando, or any other one of these cities mentioned Medieval Times is a must have on your agenda. So come in and experience all the excitement for your self. Dive into the realm of monarchy and chivalry and unlock the story of time long forgotten! Only at Medieval Times Dinner show!

Orange man, Green man, no it's the Blue Man Group!

2007-06-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

New at Universal resort in Orlando Florida there is a very "hip" event happening. The Blue Man Group has been awwing people since the early 1990's. The Blue Man Group began in the streets of New York entertaning people of the street. They were soon given the task to create a feature lenght production to perform on stage. The idea stuck with the audience and the men painted blue were born as the Blue Man Group! These strange sounds they were making with objects that were not ment to be instruments are very captivating. They use tubes and pans to provoke strange emotions with in the listeners. Not only is the music mesmerising, but the show its self is powerful and hilarious. Blue Man began in New York and then spread through out the United States. Cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and chicago. they also have expanded themselves world wide to cites like London, Paris, Copenhagen, and Berlin. There blend of rock music and world class comedy is amazing, there like magicians but nothing disappears or reappears they just perform a show that is incredible. The new Orlando show is located in the Sharp Aquos theater in the universal resort. They put on such a great show that the theater is sold out almost every night that they are playing. The Blue Man Group show is packed full of excitment and very funny. So if your planning a trip to Orlando be sure to make a reservation with the Blue Man Group!

Timeshares; Are They Worth It?

2007-06-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

Timeshares began in the early 1960's in France. Times where different then but most of the same practices are used today! Once the world saw the great benefits of owning a timeshare they were springing up all over the world. Florida lead the race for quite some time into the 1980's. Then Las Vegas became a high roller in the Timeshare industry. After some time Florida once again had the highest amount of Vacation resorts in the country. The physics of a Timeshare is quite simple, Instead of renting a room at the resort you can buy "time" at the resort. If you buy from a large company that has properties all around the world, you are opened to more choices. This will make the Timeshare worth more. Depending on the timeshare you will get a set amount of points with the type of package you buy. The points will accumulate over time if you don't use them, but you have already paid for them. Along with the initial purchase of the property, you will also have to pay tax and resort fees as well. But the real question is are they worth it? lets say you spend ten thousand dollars on a timeshare and this will allow you to visit there resorts one week every year. If you think about how much you spend on a week at a resort with the same quality and standard, over a period of ten years you would have already spent what you would have on the timeshare. After that ten year period now your basically getting free resort stay. But you really have to use it or it will end up costing you a lot for something you can't use. Its sort of like a gym membership, It's worth it if you use it everyday, but there may be days when you don't want to or maybe a month when you don't use it. If you bought a timeshare and you find out you really can't use it every year you can try to sell it. Generally timeshares are placed in warm vacation spots, but there are lots of resorts popping up in ski resorts and winter mountain resorts. If you do go on vacation a lot and you have some extra money to spend then its a great idea to find a timeshare that has lots of locations in popular destinations. Most Timeshares will offer tours of there property and they will offer free tickets to major attraction that are in the area or they will offer you a free stay at the resort in hopes that you will purchase the timeshare. Timeshare sales agents are very high pressure and will not take no for an answer. But once the 90 minutes are up you can chose to leave if you want. A lot of low income families take these tours because of the free offer. Some of those families get roped into buying them when they really can't afford it. People lose there homes and ruin there credit if they fall behind on there payments. The same applies if you do not pay your mortgage or your car payment. Cheap timeshares may only offer very limited days and may only have one or two properties. If your looking for a timeshare, be sure that you are going to be able to make the payment, and study the property and the fine print. Every resort has different fees and stipulations and some will cause more trouble then they are worth. Be sure to ask if you can see all of the property and take the contract home with you and have your lawyer overlook the contract just to get a legal opinion. Timeshares will be around for a long time and where you find a bustling tourism economy, You will find timeshare properties!