Disney’s Boardwalk

August 14, 2010 by

Disney's Boardwalk is Part of the EPCOT Resort Area

 

Disney World is packed with serendipitous environments tucked away from the glare of their four world famous theme parks. One such place is the resort area located behind EPCOT. For the lucky readers of my blog, it is just waiting to be discovered. 

The entire area encircles a lake located between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. One could walk or take a Disney Friendship boat from place to place around the EPCOT resorts. There is the Yacht and Beach clubs, the Swan and Dolphin hotels and the Disney Boardwalk. 

The Yacht, Beach, Swan and Dolphin are resort inns that feature convention services, great pools and lots of other resort amenities. You have to be a guest in the resort to enjoy most of these. But there are nice restaurants and other shops that anyone can enjoy. For me, the jewel of the EPCOT resort area is Disney’s Boardwalk 

Unexpected Street Performers Suddenly Appear

 

The Boardwalk itself is built with planks of wood reminiscent of my younger days enjoying similar boardwalks on the Jersey shore. There are various shops, restaurants, arcades and kiosks throughout the area. In my next post, I will review Kouzzina restaurant. There is also the upscale Flying Fish restaurant and the flamboyant ESPN Club where I often go to watch my beloved Virginia Tech Hokies play football. 

On the boardwalk, you can get your hair braided, play a basketball shot challenge, have an artist create a caricature of your family or encounter an extemporaneous show of street performers like this one:

Another one of our favorite activities is renting a bicycle large enough to take the entire family for a spin around the lake. 

Jellyrolls is an adult bar featuring dueling pianos and audience sing-alongs. Try to stump the maestro with your requests! The Atlantic Dance Hall is a huge, art deco ballroom showcasing cool bands and hot DJs nightly for the over 21 crowd. 

Sometimes it’s a pleasure to simply walk along the boardwalk throwing breadcrumbs to the ducks paddling around the lake. 

Whatever your preference, Boardwalk is an enjoyable, relaxing environment for those readers searching for “more than a mouse.”™

Posted in Disney | 2 Comments »

Sesame Street Safari of Fun at Busch Gardens

August 11, 2010 by

Sesame Street Safari of Fun Features the Popular Character: Tickle Me Elmo

Tickle Me Elmo made an appearance at our vacation rental home managers monthly meeting to promote the new Sesame Street Safari of Fun area in Busch Gardens Tampa theme park.     

Air Grover Loves to Fly

This new area in the Africa section of Busch Gardens features a plethora of rides and attractions designed for the youngsters. The Air Grover junior roller coaster soars over the Sahara with Grover in the pilot’s chair and parents can ride with children. Encounter The Count in his Zambezi Rally with child sized cars. Zoe-patra & the Hippos of the Nile is a fun flume ride with a riverside glimpse of Africa. Elmo’s Safari Go-Round teams parents and children on a carousel. Rosita’s Djembe Fly-Away is a swing ride above the African canopy. Big Bird’s Whirly Birdie is a child size ferris wheel for children and parents. To cool off from the hot, African frolic, children will love splashing around in Bert & Ernie’s Watering Hole.   

Great Addition to Our Theme Parks

In addition to all these rides, the safari of fun features a 4-D theatre show, tales of adventures, character encounters, netted play area, a sand filled beachy oasis, a trading post and the opportunity to dine with Elmo and friends! 

No doubt Busch Gardens has drawn from their years of experience as the creators of the Sesame Place theme park just outside Philadelphia. I have fond memories of Mrs. LanceAround and I taking our children to Sesame Place during our time in Pennsylvania many years ago. 

There is nothing to compare to the experience of young children enjoying the companionship of the characters of Sesame Street.

Posted in Busch/Sea World | Leave a Comment »

Raw Food Restaurant–Cafe 118

August 7, 2010 by
º

Cafe 118–Orlando’s Newest Gourmet Raw Food Restaurant

Adherents of the raw food movement believe that cooking food kills healthy, life-giving enzymes. Often raw fooders are vegan and prefer organic ingredients. Vegan is a strict form of vegetarianism where no animal products are consumed, including dairy, eggs, honey, whey and so forth.

Raw food proponents go a step further. They do not heat any food beyond 118°. Hence the name: Cafe 118º.

Joseph Diaz is the owner, operator, chef and–as he likes to point out–occasionally the dishwasher at Cafe 118°.

This unique, raw food restaurant in downtown Winter Park, just north of Orlando, has been open for almost two years. Joseph is quick to say, “This is gourmet raw. The flavors are more impactful, palatable, than the traditional raw.

“This country is having a lot of issues with medical, obesity (particularly childhood obesity), diabetes,” Joseph continues. “Raw food is very clean and very natural. We should all think about getting back to it. We should start eating more whole foods at home, not a lot of processed foods.”

It is clear that Joseph is passionate about this concept and his restaurant is a testament to his passion.

Mrs. LanceAround and I stopped there for a casual lunch. I ordered the lasagna while she tried the taco salad. The lasagna was a layered combination of raw (obviously), sliced zucchini and other veggies interspersed with a creamed nut, herb, pesto and tomato sauces. The taco salad was fresh organic lettuce with beans, corn and a Mexican spiced sauce drizzled on top served over a bed of raw tortilla chips. Both were unique, gourmet and, surprisingly, quite tasty!

We topped off our meal with Coconut Macaroon vegan raw ice cream. The primary ingredient was some kind of young, tender Thai coconut. It was scrumptious!

Raw Food, Fresh, Right Off The Truck

We asked our server where they get all their organic ingredients. She told us that what they don’t get from local vendors is deliverd by Global Organic out of Sarasota. As we were driving down interstate 4 on our way home from the restaurant, we had a serendipitous experience. We noticed we were passing the Global Organic Delivery truck. Did our meal just come from inside that vehicle?

If you are looking for something adventurous and new, we highly recommend trying the raw food at Cafe 118º. Expensive organic ingredients and extensive prep time that includes a lot of dehydration makes for a higher priced meal with smaller portion sizes. But this is one restaurant that will always place a value on quality over quantity.

Plus the great food and unique experience makes it worth the trip!

When you go, let us know if you like it.

Cafe 118º
153 East Morse Blvd.
Winter Park, FL 32789
407.389.2233
www.Cafe118.com
Contact@Cafe118.com

Posted in Restaurants | 1 Comment »

Sebastian Inlet State Park

August 5, 2010 by

 

Sebastian Inlet State Park 

For the lucky readers of my blog who are seeking a truly natural Florida beach experience, you will be pleased to discover Sebastian Inlet state park. 

This is a great alternative to the more commercialized beaches, such as Cocoa or Daytona. Here, the crowds are sparse, the beaches serene and the wildlife abundant. Of course, there’s no stores, no pizza parlours and no ice cream shops. 

Instead, the Sebastian Inlet provides one of the best opportunities for surfers.  According to surfguru.com: “Sebastian Inlet is a very consistent surf break! Sand bottom with refraction off the jetty bends the wave to form a powerful wedge effect! Big lippers and air launches! Along with right and left tubing waves! Not a place for beginners! Heavy locals, Big talent, and most of the pro surfers congregate at the 1st peak to show off their talent on a good day.” LanceAround does not understand a word of that report, but it sure sounds like a lot of fun. 

On Sunday, Number One Son, Number One Daughter and Mrs. LanceAround took a well deserved break and drove to Sebastian Inlet. We parked our car right beside the bathroom facilities. Outside, there was also a convenient shower useful for washing off the sand on your way out! 

Natural Wildlife Abounds

A short boardwalk takes you from the bathrooms to the beach. Along the way, the tall grasses were teeming with large, Golden Silk Orb-Weaver Spiders. They created a magnificent array of beautiful webs. 

At the beach there were only a couple dozen bathers and no lifeguards. The sun was shinning, the weather was gorgeous and the surf very mild. (Unfortunately–as LanceAround and Number One Son love to ride large waves!) 

Number One Son and I enjoyed an hour long swim while Number One Daughter joined Mrs. LanceAround in a relaxing nap on the beach blanket. We then used the showers to remove all the gritty sand and drove to Vero Beach to enjoy an Indian meal before heading home for the evening. 

Located between Melbourne and Vero Beach, Sebastian Inlet State Park is only a 90 minute drive from downtown Kissimmee. In addition to pristine beaches, it features the premier saltwater fishing spot on Florida’s east coast. There’s surfing, the McLarty Treasure Museum, the Sebastian Fishing Museum, scuba diving, snorkeling, canoeing, kayaking and nature trails.  Full facility campsites and a boat ramp are also available. 

A serendipitous discovery for the lucky readers of my blog who seek “more than a mouse!”™

Posted in Off-the-Beaten-Path | 2 Comments »

Legoland Florida: Bricks & Blocks

July 29, 2010 by

Powerpoint Slide About Legoland Florida

In some parts of the world, Legoland theme parks are more popular than Disney. Now, with Leogland Florida replacing the old Cypress Gardens in Polk County, things could get interesting as they go head-to-head with Disney World. 

Of course, Legoland California is only 65 miles from Disneyland in Anaheim.  However, Disneyland is just south of the huge Los Angeles market while Legoland California is just north of the large San Diego market. What will happen when Legoland Florida opens only 29 miles from the Disney World entrance where both theme parks compete directly for the same pool of tourists. 

To get a head start, Polk County invited the new marketing team of Legoland Florida to meet with representatives of the vacation rental home industry. Mrs. LanceAround and I took Number One Daughter to gather information for the guests of our vacation rental home company. 

Kim and Todd at the Polk Outpost

Kim Isemann, the Director of Sales & Marketing and Todd Andrus, the Sales Manager for Legoland, FL announced that they would be opening Fall 2011. I couldn’t help but point out that Universal just had a lot of bad PR for announcing the new Harry Potter Land would open Spring 2010 and then it opened on June 18th, just two days before Spring ended!  They assured us that Fall did not mean they would open on December 18th. 

Perhaps the most notable piece of information about Legoland is that the park is intentionally developed for children ages 2 to 12. Everything is designed and built from the vantage point of the child. Although other theme parks are very attractive to this age group, Legoland is unique in their vision that everything in the park will be geared towards these ages. 

While most theme parks have areas referred to as “lands” or “countries,” Legoland has areas referred to as “blocks.” This is consistent with the theme of the actual Lego toy pieces, which are correctly referred to as “bricks.” Even the nametags that Kim and Todd were wearing were designed from the popular Lego brick. 

Legoland Florida will become the 5th Legoland park, joining those near San Diego, CA; Gunzburg, Germany; London, England and the first theme park built in 1968 near the original Lego factory in Billund, Denmark. 

There will be over 50 rides and shows on 150 acres in Florida’s newest theme park. It will be the largest Legoland. For those nostalgic about Cypress Gardens’ world renown mansion, ski show and gardens, Legoland is pleased to announce that they have been preserved and will remain largely intact. 

Stay tuned to LanceAroundOrlando for more details as they emerge.

Posted in Legoland | 3 Comments »

Back to Work

July 27, 2010 by

What do Africa and India Have in Common? Food???

July is a very busy month for the lodging industry in Orlando.  Because of this, it has been a month since my last post.

In addition to the usual summer vacation crowd and the July 4th holiday, it is estimated that over 600 different sports teams converge on Orlando in July.  These include basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball and other tournaments.  These events are held in various venues around the Orlando area, such as Disney’s ESPN’s Wide World of Sports, Kissimmee’s Heritage Park complex and Polk County’s new sports complex.

Our vacation rental home business has been extremely busy this July.  As a result, I have not had the opportunity to make any posts.  Don’t worry, I have been gathering information and taking lots of photos.  Starting this week, I will be going back to my normal posting convention of two to three posts per week.

There’s a lot I want to tell you about…

–Mrs. LanceAround and I met with the sales and marketing team for the new Legoland that will replace the old Cypress Gardens theme park.

–We discovered an interesting restaurant that serves only raw food and no sushi. (Yes, you read that right!)

–Have you heard about the new Sesame Street Safari in one of the nearby theme parks? Stay tuned, we’ll tell you all about it.

–What do Africa and India have in common?  Apparently food, as we found out when we dined in a wonderful new restaurant that combines African and Indian flavors. You won’t want to miss this one.

–A new tethered balloon ride soars guests above Disney World property.

–Michael Jackson is back at EPCOT. (In a video show, of course.)

–Ever put on two socks that don’t match? There’s actually a store inside Disney World that intentionally sells socks that don’t match.

As you can see, there’s lots to talk about, so stayed tuned in to LanceAroundOrlando. In fact, please use the button on the right column to subscribe to automatic updates via email.

Finally, to those of you who wrote me during the past month concerned that I have not done any posts I want to thank you, sincerely, for your concern and apologize, profusely, for letting you down.

July is over soon and it’s time for LanceAroundOrlando to get back to work!

You’ll see several new posts shortly, I promise.

LanceAround

Posted in My Muses | 6 Comments »

Harry Potter Ride Now Open at Universal Studios

June 27, 2010 by

Orlando has been a-buzz this week with the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter–a new “land” inside Universal’s Islands of Adventures theme park.

The main attraction inside this land is the technologically advanced thrill ride, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.  For a non-spoiler peek at this ride, InsideTheMagic.net gave LanceAround permission to show this video of the ride’s queue line:

A surprise hit inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is Ollivander’s, Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. The spoiler video below gives a glimpse into this delightful shop:

In addition you can buy Pumpkin Juice, Butterbeer, Chocolate Frogs and loads of other treats at Honeydukes, Zonko’s, The Three Broomsticks or Hog’s Head Pub.  You can also send a letter from the Owlery–the only place in the world that provides an authentic Hogsmeade postmark.

During the opening week of Harry Potter, Universal struggled with lines that stretched all throughout the themepark and past the entrance!  Some guests waited over eight hours, only to be told the ride was closing and they would not get to go on it.  Talk about a PR nightmare.

But those who have gotten inside Harry Potter universally give it a big thumbs up.  I recommend waiting a few months until the season is slower and Universal has worked out all the kinks.  Then make your plans to enjoy the newest addition to our world class array of theme parks and entertainment.

Posted in Universal | 3 Comments »

Top Ten Posts ’09-’10

June 24, 2010 by

Infusion Tearoom is Wonderful and Just Missed Being On Our Top Ten List

In honor of Lance Around Orlando’s two year anniversary, here is the annual list of our Top Ten Favorite Posts from the past year:

1. National Champion to National Artist – This poignant, heartwarming and true story talks about the parallels between the accomplishments of two talented 19 year olds–30 years apart!

2. Turn the Tables on ‘Em – A whimsical romp through Disney World with an eye towards mischievous fun.

3. Disney World Handicap Access – Disney does it right when it comes to helping those less fortunate.

4. LanceAround Hits 100! – This post is a MUST READ if you really want to understand what this blog is all about.

The Hobbit Helped Crash This Party

5. Lessons From The Hobbit – The true story of how an old novel can lend an idea that helps resolve a current, real life dilemma. And it’s funny, too.

6. Philly Cheese Steak…In Orlando?!? – Combining childhood memories with educational information, this restaurant review gives conclusive proof that, well, we’re not sure it proves anything. But it’s fun.

7. FFF Best in Show Award Goes To… – Chosen to provide daily blog updates from the Enzian Theatre for this year’s Florida Film Festival, LanceAround goes deep into his psyche to reveal how he determines which movies to recommend.

8. DiVine at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – This post is a great example of this blog in action–a true insider’s guide to a wonderful experience that would be easy to miss without the help of LanceAround.

The Old Spanish Sugarmill Pancake House

9. Best Kept Secret IV-Pancake Breakfast – Another post about an off-the-beaten-path restaurant that is worth a special trip an hour north of Disney World.

10. Top Ten Vacation Movies – A list of our favorite, must-see movies, about vacations, and is perfect for anyone planning a vacation.

(Oh, and in case you’re interested, here’s the link to the Infusion Tearoom post! Did I just cheat and add an 11th to my top ten list?)

Posted in My Muses | 1 Comment »

Michelangelo With Scissors

June 8, 2010 by

On Stage Frank Krzanik Showcases His Talent With His Model: #1 Daughter

Sue owns a vacation home in Central Florida and teaches cosmetology to high school students at a technology center in Illinois. My company manages her vacation home.  

Hairstyles of all Types Abound

She calls Mrs. LanceAround last week and explains that her fellow cosmetology teacher, Frank Krzanik, was selected to showcase the Bonika Shears at the Premier Orlando International Beauty Event held at the Orange County Convention Center. Frank needs some models so he can demonstrate how to cut hair. Would Mrs. LanceAround and Number One Daughter like to model?  

Packed Convention Center

With over 46,000 in attendance, the convention center is packed with eager attendees wanting to learn the latest trends in beauty and fashion. Number One Daughter sits in the chair while Frank’s hands, moving like a blur, wielding his Bonika Shears, cuts, styles and blow dries her hair. Meanwhile thousands of eager conference attendees stride by, stopping now and again to watch Frank’s techniques or examine the scissors for sale on display.  

In a short time, Number One Daughter is smiling broadly as she looks in the mirror at her new “do.”  Mrs. LanceAround, then Number One Son also take their turn in the chair. Once more Frank’s hands are a blur as he showcases his craft.  

As we are walking out of the convention center, Number One Daughter is beaming as she speaks about how wonderful a job Frank has done with all their hair. “He’s like Michelangelo with scissors,” she remarks. Then, with an inspired look in her eye, she proclaims, “Hey, that’s the title for your blog post!”  

And so it is.

Posted in Special Events | 6 Comments »

Star Wars Weekends

June 5, 2010 by

Yikes! #1 Daughter is an Imperial Stormtrooper

Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios have become one of the most anticipated events of the year.  

During May and June every year, four weekends are devoted to Star Wars fans of all ages.  During this special event there are guest appearances from across the spectrum of Star Wars movies and TV series as well as multiple photo ops, parades and programs.  

Younglings can hone their lightsaber skills and, perhaps, have an unexpected encounter with Darth Vader. Trivia contests provide an opportunity for a special prize. Characters abound and autograph sessions are packed with fans.  There is no additional charge as all these activities are included with your admission into Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. Of course, all the usual rides and attractions are up and running as well. 

Uh-oh Jabba the Hut Caught Up with Her

This year, the celebrity hosts for all four Star Wars weekends are Jeremy Bullock, who played Boba Fett, and Ashley Eckstein, who provided the voice of Ahsoka.  In addition, each weekend features special appearances by other guests, such as Jango Fett, the voice of Captain Rex, the chief model maker, Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), a supervising director, Darth Maul, Chewbacca and more!  

For a special invitation to Star Wars Weekends (and a little smile) call 407.827.2799.  

Number One and Two Sons and Number One Daughter went to Hollywood Studios last weekend and reported that it was a lot of fun. They also did some excellent journalistic research to provide LanceAround fans the scoop that Star Tours is planning to change their voyage. Rumor has it, it will be 3-D.  

Click on this link for a video preview of the new Star Tours Attraction: http://www.wdwnews.com/viewvideo.aspx?videoid=113798&siteid=1  

This new remake is planning to come to your galaxy in 2011.  

On a far more serious note…  

One of Amber’s young Montessori School pals was diagnosed with a brain tumor last year. It’s been a real struggle for him and his family. Here’s a link to their blog where they talk about their trip to Star Wars Weekend last week. It will make you smile and cry at the same time:  Jedi Noah’s Blog.  

Please hold Jedi Noah in your thoughts. He’s a terrific kid from a terrific family. If you don’t have time to see his blog, here’s a video of Jedi Noah taking part in the parade at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:  

Posted in Disney | Leave a Comment »

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