Welcome to our Florida Guide. Your one-stop shop for vacation planning for that trip of a lifetime to Florida! http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/ en-us Copyright 2008, Orlando Villas LLC. All Rights Reserved. info@orlandovillas.com http://www.orlandovillas.com/pictures/rss/logo.gif http://www.orlandovillas.com/ 75 50 http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/highgrove.aspx Hi im new to the site and just recently returned from our new villa we purchased in April at High Grove Resort and i must say how pleasently surprised we were of the location, only 8 mins from Disney with many restaurants bars near by. We really liked Chilles restaurant and santa fe (were me and my friend had a 32oz steak), and the beer was good to, with Wallmart over the road from the villa it was ideal to get the food for breakfast cereal ect for the kids and chocolate pancakes for us, also they have good meats for our barbie , we loved having these at the end of aa long day after the parks, We all agreed we liked universal the best my favourite was harry potter and the hulk how quick is that. The best fireworks i have ever seen were at magic kingdom, just stood and watched in disbelief how big they were . Our favourite steak house we all agreed was Mannys the best steak i have ever had in my life, with mashed potato and white gravey just lovelly, i think i put on half a stone in w... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/wishes-firework-display.aspx The perfect ending to a perfect day at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom has to be Wishes firework display. This particular extravaganza of pyrotechnics began in 2003 when, in October of that year, it replaced the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks which had been showing since the park’s opening. Before the show starts, Tinkerbell “flies” from the tallest spire of Cinderella’s Castle, disappearing somewhere in the area of Tomorrowland. You need to watch carefully for this or you may miss it! For safety reasons Tinkerbell will not fly if it is very windy or if the weather is particularly bad. The narrators for Wishes are Jimminy Cricket and the Blue Fairy who tell the story of the wishes of famous Disney characters. The Blue fairy starts by telling us that stars have the power to make wishes come true and the music begins with starlight star bright before Jiminy Cricket joins in to tell us how he came to believe in wishes. The fireworks reflect the stories being told and are enhanced by... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/beat-the-heat.aspx The winter months can be wonderfully warm and is a perfect time to visit Florida. However, if you visit during the hot summer months, there are many things you can do to help keep cool in the summer heat. Take a break. It' s a great way to cool down so head back to your villa for a cooling swim or refreshing shower and have a couple of hours relaxation. You' ll not only help avoid the hot afternoon heat, you' ll also be avoiding the afternoon crowds and will be fully refreshed to do more later in the day. Get up early. You may be on holiday and want to make the most of that lovely bedroom in your villa, but it will be much cooler in the mornings, you' ll beat the late sleepers and you will be first in line for your favourite rides. Use the attractions If you are out in the parks and feeling the heat, just pop into a ride or attraction - all of the indoor attractions are cool and welcoming with full air conditioning so take the opportunity to sit and relax watching a show or ... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/five-things-you-must-see-do-and-eat-at-disney.aspx Wishes Nighttime Spectacular The crowds gather, the lights dim and Jiminy Cricket starts his narration telling us how dreams really do come true. Tinkerbell flies in front of the castle and the eagerly awaited show in the sky burst into action. The fireworks are truly amazing and magical for all ages and the castle changing colours to the sound of the music is just enchanting. So many fireworks, from shooting to exploding to heart shapes, mouse ears and cubes, the display is magnificent! If you want a place right in front of the castle you need to grab your spot at least an hour before the show starts, but there are many places throughout the park where you can comfortably view the fireworks. It' s Tough to Be a Bug Join Flik and his creepy crawly pals at Animal Kingdom as they take you on an educational journey through the daily lives of bugs. Looking through your 3D Bug Eyes, Flik officially makes you an honorary bug so you can view the world through their eyes. You experience ... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/florida-facts-and-figures.aspx We all know and love the state of Florida, but here are some facts you may not know: Florida was the 27th state to be admitted to the United States on March 3rd 1845. The state has 67 counties and covers 58, 560 square miles. Florida has 663 miles of glorious beaches and over 11, 000 miles of rivers, streams and waterways. The longest river is St Johns which is 273 miles and it is one of the few rivers that flows north instead of south. St Johns River is also host to the longest river sailboat race in the world - the Annual Mug Race runs for 42 miles from Palatka to Jacksonville. Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of America because it has 185 miles of local waterways. The largest lake is Lake Okeechobee at 700 square miles which is also the second largest lake in the USA. From the tip of the north to the bottom of the south, Florida is 447 miles in length and 361 miles east to west. The longest road trip in Florida is from Pensacola in the north west of the state to Key Wes... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/flying-with-monarch-from-manchester-to-sanford.aspx Flying with Monarch from Manchester to Sanford We had heard lots of horror stories about Monarch, food bad, delays, old aircraft, bad on board service, etc etc, but when we were pricing up for our annual working holiday at our villa, we were stunned by the increase in not only Virgin prices, but most of the others too. I am quite broad and if I travel in economy, I either encroach on the person who is unfortunate enough to be sitting next to me space, or I am crunched up for the entire flight, so we fly premium. Virgin’s premium prices for 5 of us was around £6000. 00, silly money, so after quite a bit of searching on the internet, and crisis talks with my wife, despite the rumours we plumbed for Monarch at around £700. 00 each for premium, just over half price. The flight times are not good, well certainly not the return flight landing at 4. 15am but the outward flight gets you to Florida around 2pm so you win some you lose some. Anyway, as the day for our outward flight came c... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/the-italian-courtyard-restaurant-cocoa-beach-.aspx The Italian Courtyard Restaurant is located in West Cocoa Beach Causeway in Cocoa Beach. Cocoa Beach is just over an hour from your holiday villa in the Orlando resort area. This restaurant was started by Dominic and Francesca when they were a newly wed couple. This was in 1987. Over 20 years later they are the proud parents of 3 children. Their mission was to provide food just like mama used to make. Even today Francescas' papa grows the basil they use in the dishes and her mama oversees the sauce making. So this is a truly family run business. If you are dropping in for lunch you may very well choose a hoagy at $6. 99 or a slice of pizza, salad and drink for $4. 99. However, dinner is definitely the main event and from the wide choice I have selected Mozarella Fritta and Antipasto Ala Familia as a starter. Next you can choose from traditional favourites such as Manicotti or eggplant parmesan. These come with soup, salad and garlic knots. The next section of choices have a... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/cafe-d-antonio-celebration.aspx Café D’Antonio in Celebration is part of a small chain comprising of Antonio’s La Fiamma Ristorante and Antonio’s café and deli both in the Maitland area and Antonio’s at Sand Lake rd as well as the subject of this article. It is a lovely restaurant or a special meal and is slightly more expensive than your average run of the mill chain. Café D’Antonio is open for both lunch and dinner and at busy times, especially on weekends it is advisable to make a reservation, or at least call ahead to avoid disappointment or a long wait. There is outdoor dining year round with patio heaters and drop down awnings for when the weather is cooler. Whilst you cannot reserve a table on the patio it is always our preference as it affords a beautiful view across Celebration’s pretty lake and enables you to watch the world go by as you dine. The menu is typically Italian with all the pasta dishes you would expect to find, my particular favourites being the parpadelle with salmon and the lobster rav... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/oasis-of-the-seas-for-the-disabled.aspx There is good news for those who have any disability, but who enjoy cruising, or perhaps those who wish to sample this holiday for the first time. Royal Caribbean’s latest ship, the huge ‘Oasis of the Seas, ’ which is 220, 000 gross tons, is one of the most accessible cruise liners afloat. With a passenger capacity of 5, 400, she represents Royal Caribbean’s ongoing commitment to designing innovative but accessible ships for those with disabilities. From its two-storey loft suite which boasts its own elevator to staterooms with accessible balconies, Oasis of the Seas has more accessible staterooms than any other ship. Royal Caribbean has provided accessible staterooms which have connecting doors, enabling those who need carers to have them stay nearby. Incredibly, there are 24 dining venues on Oasis of the Seas and every one of them is designed to accommodate guests in wheelchairs. But it doesn’t stop there as there are viewing spaces for those in wheelchairs in lounges, theatres, an... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/why-i-love-a-holiday-in-orlando.aspx Why do I love holidaying in Orlando? Well the obvious answer to this is the theme parks, but there are so many other reasons too. The whole atmosphere of excitement that you see in the faces of the children about to meet Mickey Mouse for the very first time. The various choice of restaurants offering everything from cheap burgers to high class fine dining and everything in between. It is possible to stay for two weeks and have every meal of the day in a different restaurant every day and never go to the same one twice. This, of course in reality hardly ever happens, as people usually find a few good ones they favour and go to them every few days to try all the different options on the menu. The choice of evening entertainment, apart from the offerings in the parks, are varied and many. Theme dining, golf courses for all the family, cinemas, museums and night clubs. Every age and taste is catered for. Many people go to the parks in the morning, go back to their villas for the aftern... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/dolpin-cruise-spongerama.aspx DOLPHIN CRUISE Spongeramas Cruise Lines are located at The Sponge Docks and here you can pick up a Dolphin Cruise. The boat takes you to Anclote Park on the Gulf of Mexico. Cruising down The Anclote River you will enjoy a view of the Anclote lighthouse that was built in 1887. Of course you are here to see the dolphins and your captain will point them out while giving a running commentary on the area. You may also see some manatees. There are snacks a drinks available on board and if you are anything like me you will be relieved to know that there are loos on board. If you have a little more time to spare you could tale a combo cruise that includes a stop on Anclote Island. Here you can swim, explore or just enjoy chilling out in this peaceful place. The Dolpin Cruise is $15. 95 and the combo cruise is $18. 95. Children are at trhe concession rate of $7. 95 and $9. 95 respectively. I have a particular weakness to sunset cruises and I am pleased to tell you that Spongerama C... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/things-to-do-in-tarpon-springs.aspx Tarpon Springs Aquarium is located in Dodecaneses Boulevard and is open from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. daily except sunday when they open at a slightly later hour. Here you can see sharks, tarpon and the jew fish which is an endangered species. Try to schedule your visit for feeding times when a diver hand feeds. This happens 4 times daily. Children will love the ' Touch Tank' where they can pet sting rays and even baby sharks. Of course, this is Florida so what can you guarantee you will see? No prizes for guessing the alligator and the feeding times for the ' gators is published in the daily time table. Undoubtedly the star of the aquarium is the awesome ' Living Reef' This is something normally only experienced by divers but here you can marvel at the coral reef and the fish and sharks. Tarpon Springs Aquarium 850 Dodacaneses Boulevard. Tarpon Springs Florida Tel. 727 938 5378 Entrance costs $7. 75 with concessions for the young and old ($7 for o. a. p. s and $5. 75 for ch... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/kissimmee-lakefront-park.aspx Kissimmee Lakefront Park is a great place for families to visit for recreation and to enjoy the many popular events, festivals and concerts that are held there throughout the year. Kissimmee Lakefront Park is situated on Lake Toho which is the second largest lake in Florida. The park has basketball courts, a playground, a volleyball court and picnic areas with BBQ grills. There is boating and fishing on the lake for water enthusiasts. If you are a nature buff, you can take an excursion boat out to Cypress Island which offers visitors some gorgeous nature trails for hiking and exploring. The beautiful ancient oak and cypress trees are part of the natural habitat for a number of different birds including herons, osprey and owls as well as a good variety of other animals. You’ll also see sheep, goats, llamas and emus grazing throughout the area. Your family can enjoy airboat rides, swamp buggy rides, horseback riding, tubing, and water skiing during your visit. Here are some of the an... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/posner-center.aspx For those of you staying in one of the many lovely vacation home communities on the 27, The Posner Park Shopping Center is proving to be a great place to shop, but would so easily be missed if you are staying to the north of the centre. The area was once home to Circus World. Later on (in 1987) a baseball park was also built here and the area became known as Baseball City. 3 short years later Circus World closed its doors for the last time and the Baseball Park survived til 2003 when that too lost its battle and folded. In 2005 this area was cleared to make room for the shopping Centre and out of the ruins has emerged a fresh, bustling shopping centre. Personally, I do not like malls but do like the convenience of shopping in one place. Well Posner offers the best of both worlds. All your favourite stores are here, but you can shop in each and then drive on to the next one; so easy! So what is here? Well, there is of course a J. C. Penney with all its usual departments and at t... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/the-cheesecake-factory-reviewed.aspx The Cheesecake Factory evolved from a small store which was opened in Detroit, more than 60 years ago by Oscar and Evelyn Overton. This small family business grew until 1978 when their son David opened the first restaurant in Beverley Hills California. His aim was to provide his customers with casual upscale dining, the rest, as they say, is history and the Cheesecake Factory now has almost 150 outlets across 36 states with more in the pipeline! As its name might suggest, emphasis for dessert is heavily on cheesecake and you can indeed visit just for a slice of fresh cheesecake to eat in or to go. If your preference is for a whole cheesecake then that is not a problem it can be boxed to go or visit their website for shipping nationwide, and whilst cheesecake plays a huge part in this restaurant’s success there is far more to enjoy. For visitors to the Orlando, the nearest location is the Conroy rd location at The Mall at Millenia, its entrance is outside the mall ensuring that it r... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/sarasota-jungle-gardens.aspx Sarasota Jungle Gardens are located on Bay Shore Road in Sarasota which is on the Gulf Coast side of Florida. These gardens have been operating since the 1940s. This makes them one of the oldest atractions in Florida. At one time this area was swampy and grew only bananas; however, in the 1930s a newspaperman bought 10 acres with the intention of creating an exotic garden. Later, he was joined in this venture by a friend and together they imported literally thousands of plants and trees from around the world. There was no early intention to open the gardens to the public, but that is what happened and since that time the gardens have evolved into what we can visit and enjoy today. Now a little about the animals; most of these animals have been rescued from bad conditions or have been donated by owners who simply cannot cope any more. The birds come from bird rescue organisations and the Florida crocodile are on loan from a local alligator farm. These gardens cover 10 acres of... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/number-1-lounge-gatwick-airport.aspx We always like to start our holiday by booking one of the Airport Lounges so that we can relax and escape the hustle and bustle of the airport and just start to chill before our flight to Orlando. We always try and fly from Manchester and our choice of lounge will always be The Escape Lounge in Terminal 2 – very relaxing and a great choice of food and the teenagers can amuse themselves on the computers. This time we were flying from Gatwick so we had to investigate which lounges were available to us. We decided on the new Number 1 Lounge and we trawled the Internet to look at previous guest reviews. The majority of reviews were excellent however; there were a couple about slow service. The cost depends on which package you opt for but the basic price per adult is £17. 50, children (2-11) £10. 00 and infants are free. You can opt for the champagne package for adults, which is £22. 50. You can stay in the lounge for up to 3 hours with additional hours being available to purchase at £... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/epcot-flower-and-garden-2010.aspx This will be the seventeenth time the flower and Garden Festival has taken place when it started in March 2010. My Mother had her birthday whilst in Florida last year and so qualified for free entry to one of the Disney Parks. As she was busy on her actual birthday she called in at Animal Kingdom with her passport and was given a free ticket to be used anytime before her next birthday so she went to the 2010Festival. The Festival started a couple of weeks earlier on March 3rd and was on for seventy five days. By starting earlier it was possible to have even more brilliant colour with petunias, snapdragons and other plants in bloom at this time of year. As you enter the Epcot front entrance you are greeted by Donald Duck and his topiary pals who celebrate the Great Outdoors at the Epcot front entrance. In this topiary with a North American theme they saw live waterfall and pond features, Goofy in a fly-fishing misadventure, as well as Daisy Duck roasting marshmallows over a campfire... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/smokey-bones-bar-and-fire-grill.aspx We like to try a new restaurant every time we go to Florida and we normally do this when visiting our relatives who are Florida residents. This time we went to Smokey Bones Bar and amp; Fire Grill in Brandon but enjoyed it so much that we were really pleased to find out that there is a local restaurant in Kissimmee. The Smokey Bones restaurants are designed to resemble a country lodge, with rustic fires and lanterns adorning the interiors. There is a large bar, which you can eat at as long as you don’t have children with you. We choose to sit in two of the wooden booths (one for the adults and one for the 3 teenage boys). There are large flat screen TV’s on the walls with guests favourite shows, various music videos being shown and of course the obligatory sports programmes being shown. The staff were all welcoming and attentive throughout our meal providing plenty of re-fills of sodas for the teenagers. We started our meal with a selection of starter’s including two servings of t... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/beaches-of-florida.aspx Cocoa Beach In between those wonderful, full days at the theme parks, although fabulous as they are, and they are, you might be tempted to take a day off and have a great day and just chill. A great way to do this is to escape to Cocoa Beach. It is the closest beach to Orlando and takes just under an hour (approximately) to drive. It is east of Orlando and has a stretch of beach six miles long. Cocoa beach is located on a barrier island nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the banana river lagoon. The primary attraction is the weather, with its coastal location and positioned where two climatic zones meet (sub tropical and temperate – so they tell me) it avoids extremes. Locally know as the surfing capital of the east coast, it is home to several surfing championships. There is so much to do here from, fishing, boating, sightseeing, surfing, shopping, dining or just lounging on the beach, that you may not know what to do first. If you are lucky you may see dolphins at play or even... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/floridas-beaches.aspx Florida is blessed with many excellent beaches and visiting one can be inexpensive and make a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks. The sun kissed sands are an excellent place to top up your tan or just recharge your batteries! Listed below are some of the most popular beaches. The Atlantic Coast Cocoa beach is Florida’s famous party beach and as the closest seaside town to Orlando, approximately 50 miles east, it naturally attracts lots of day visitors and it is also extremely popular with anglers. A trip to Cocoa beach will take you about an hour via the Beeline Expressway. Daytona beach is one of America’s best known seaside resort and has 23 miles of long, broad sandy beaches. Daytona is famous as the setting for a number of land speed records and cars are still allowed on the sands today, but nowadays speeds are limited to 10 mph. These days it’s a modern, cheap and cheerful sort of a place but there is enough faded grandeur around to bring a strong... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/menello-museum.aspx The Mennello Museum of Modern Art is situated in Orlando in a truly stunning location on a lake in Lock Haven Park. THe cornerstone of this museum is works by Earl Cunningham. Earl was born in 1893 in Booth Bay Harbour. At the pitifully age of 13 Earl left home and lived his life for a while as a tinker. Later he became a sailor, all the time painting and working on his canvases. He had no training at all as a painter and this probably accounts for his unique style. His next career change came during the war when he became a chicken farmer. Rather surprisingly this was his most fertile period and a vast body of his work was painted during this time and reflect his life at this time. When he was 56, he settled in the charming town of St Augustine and opened a shop. How he coped as a shopkeeper is hard to imagine as it is well reported that he was a reclusive cove. His style of work is best described as naive and his work explodes with colour and is full of life. Among the pla... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/the-selby-memorial-gardens.aspx The Selby Memorial Gardens are situated in Sarasota on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The story of these stunning gardens starts with the marriage of Bill and Marie Selby. Bill had long ago fallen in love with Sarasota and fortunately his bride soon came under its spell as well. They duly bought seven acres of land that spanned Sarasota Bay and Hudson Bayou. They built a home on the land and then Marie set about creating her dream garden. In 1955, they formed the William and Marie Selby foundation and this supported arts and education projects for the local population. Bill was a very wealthy man but despite this they lived relatively simple lives in a non flashy way. William died in 1956 and Marie followed him 6 years later. In her will she stated that she wished the gardens to be for the use of the local people and so it was that in 1975, these gardens were opened to the public. These gardens now encompass 13 acres; the trust bought the extra acreage along with an elegant man... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/sunset-cruise-key-west.aspx On recent trips to Central Florida we have found ourselves flying into Miami rather than the usual Orlando or Tampa. Rather than driving up to the Orlando area immediately we have used the first few days of our vacation to visit Key West. Key West is the most southerly island amongst a number of linked islands in the Keys. It is infact only 90 miles off of the coast of Cuba. One of the legendary ‘must sees’ is the spectacular sunset that can be observed from Key West. They are so reliable and easy to see and photograph that even I have a large photograph that I took on one of my walls in the living room. An absolutely superb way to experience a sunset is by taking a Key West sunset cruise. Viewing a sunset without horizon interruption is quite awesome. The sun sinks very slowly in the summer and the colours in the sky are just amazing with every shade of orange and pink imaginable appearing in the sky. I think I took around 50 photographs in the space of an hour (thank goodness for... http://www.villasflorida.com/orlando_guide/st-petersburg-a-history.aspx In the 19th century, a gentleman called General John Williams acquired 2500 acres of land in the south east part of (what we now know as) Pinellas County. John had a vision to create a beautiful place to live and play with wide sunny streets to add to its natural attractions. In 1888 Peter Demens (a high born Russian) brought the rail road into the land belonging to Florida and on the toss of a coin it was decided that Peter should name this City. Thus it was named St Petersburg after his birth place. A big campaign started to promote the city as a healthy place to holiday on the back of which many hotels were built. The waterfront was protected and expanded by interested local people and businesses lead by W. L. Straub. The commercial activities were diverted away from the area and a yacht basin, park and sea wall were built. In the 1920s there was a building boom which included 10 new hotels. This came to a halt in the latter half of the decade and was further damaged in th...