Orlando Villas Blog by Perfect Florida Villas Orlando Villas Blog. Packed with information about Orlando and Florida including theme parks, shopping and beaches.

Looks like a new exciting tour for those of you that are interested in roller coasters!

http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2012/05/02/new-roller-coaster-experience-tour-available-at-busch-gardens-tampa/

I have read on a forum that a family planning an upcoming visit to Florida paid $59 each for an ESTA form to be completed for them by some shameless company. It is a very easy process to do it yourself and the official site charges just $14 per person. The address of the official site is here https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ ESTA replaces the old Green I-92 visa waiver form. It lasts for 2 years. If you are planning on visiting Florida in the near future, remember to use the official ESTA site or your are a villa owner, consider adding it to all your email correspondence.

Recently I was thinking about the years that I have been travelling to Orlando, from 1990 to the current time and just how much things have changed during that time. I thought it would be quite interesting to write about some of those changes.

Of course, back in my early days there was no Islands of Adventure or City Walk, just one entrance into Universal Studios and this was on Kirkman Road. You drove into a big car park something like the one at Sea World and would enter near the Universal arch as you do now. There was also the entrance to the old Hard Rock Cafe which was in the shape of a huge guitar, it sort of straddled the outside of Universal and the inside, so that those with a park pass could enter from the other side to get a meal. You could also see the old “Psycho” Bates motel from just outside the entrance. Inside it was situated over where ET the extra terrestrial is now. Other things I remember from Universal were the King Kong ride, which was were the Revenge of The Mummy now is. Back to the Future ride was now where the Simpsons ride is. Still in this area, there used to be a Wild West stunt show too.

Some of the main Disney differences are that there was no Animal Kingdom nor Blizzard Beach or many of the Disney Vacation Club properties such as Old Key West and The Boardwalk. Just the 3 main parks and Typhoon Lagoon. There was no West Side at Downtown Disney, just Disney Marketplace and Pleasure Island the latter of which I must say I sadly miss. I have seen some really good acts on the West End stage such as Blondie, (New Years Eve) The B52’s (Another New Years Eve) on on some regular nights I have seen Little Richard and the late Robert Palmer. There was a regular on the West End Stage and that was Frankie and the West End Boys and I found them really entertaining. Of course there a were many other clubs catering for all tastes including a comedy club, country music/dancing club, hi tech dance club with revolving dance floor and a 70’s disco recreating all those disco dance songs like “Do the Hustle” I believe that it is all now going to be family shopping. At Disney Hollywood Studios (Disney MGM Studios) The backstage tour was completely different to the current one although many of the exhibits are the same but you used to go down to a section of homes on a street, looking like any normal neighbourhood, where there was the front of homes used from the “Golden Girls” and “Earnest saves Christmas”. Cars used in “Tin Men” starring Danny De Vito and Richard Dryfuss parked on the drives. A little further round you came to a very small plane and a cafe used in the film “Rocket Man”.

Sea World had no Discovery Cove or Aquatica and had no Rollercoasters just Wild Artic, Journey to Atlantis (A simulator) and pretty much the same sort of shows that they have now apart fro the water ski show which was done on the lake. That stopped I think because of an accident at San Diego Sea World where a boat injured some of the spectators.

On International Drive there have been some big changes too, Pointe Orlando wasn’t there when we first started going and what is now called Universal Boulevard was known as Republic Drive and there was very little on that road except a few hotels and the rear access to The Mercado. Wet n Wild has always been there and had very little opposition apart from Water Mania on the Hwy. 192, which was not as good and Typhoon Lagoon which never really had a great amount of water slides and flumes. So it was always pretty busy there and you would wait in line for quite sometime for all the slides. Since the opening of Blizzard Beach and now Aquatica it is much less busy. The shopping centre at the North end of I-Drive was called Belz and was really a tourist cheap clothing outlet facility, which in my mind didn’t really offer anything that good. Having visited outlet malls in other parts of Florida you could see that Belz aimed at getting the tourist $. Then along came the Premium Outlet Mall on Vineland Road near Lake Buena Vista. These had much more famous brands and it seemed that you were getting a better deal on prices. Belz started to drop off and eventually they sold it to Prime One, this company made it much more like the Premium Outlets. Many good deals can be found here on all the well known brands.

Other great shopping places that are still around that are worth a visit are Marshalls and Ross these are a bit cluttered and disorganised but if you take the time you can find some great deals at a fraction of the cost.

I remember when Planet Hollywood arrived, you had to wait inline for ages to get in for a meal, only to find the food was awful. I enjoyed looking at all the memorabilia but that was about it. You don’t have to wait much for a table now I believe. We much preferred the Hard Rock Cafe for a meal, it was good value and good quality, sadly the same can’t be said about the new HRC.

These are just some of the changes that I remember and I don’t doubt there are many more and many more to come, long may it continue.

Busch Gardens, near Tampa, has some amazing roller coasters – but that’s not all, it also has animals, plenty of them – from giraffes to elephants, rhinos to cheetahs. So it is no surprise that their new roller coaster combines both. Called ‘Cheetah Hunt,’ this new roller coaster will open in the late spring of 2011, hopefully by the end of May, and it will be themed around those large cats, the cheetahs. Busch Gardens, of course, has three world class roller coasters already – ‘Kumba,’ ‘Montu’ and ‘Gwazi,’ but this new coaster is set to beat them all with its innovation and speed.

When completed, ‘Cheetah Hunt’ will be Busch Garden’s longest roller coaster at 4,429ft, and it will mimic the speed and agility of a cheetah. The total ride time, including loading and unloading will be three and a half minutes, with the actual ride lasting one minute 20 seconds. Cheetah Hunt is a launch coaster, with three acceleration points, one of which will propel the riders from zero to 60 mph in a matter of seconds. There will also be an inversion and a 130 ft drop into an underground trench. Most interestingly, part of the ride will speed across part of the Serengeti Plain at speeds of up to 60 mph.

For those roller coaster buffs who also like statistics, Cheetah Hunt will be a Linear Synchronous Motor Launch coaster, with more than three quarters of a mile of track. This system uses the force of repelling magnets to launch its riders from 0 to 60 mph in a matter of seconds. In fact, this motor will do so three times. It will exert forces of up to 4G, and its peak height will be 102 ft – truly scary! There will be five trains, each with a total of 16 passengers, and it is expected that 1370 passengers will ride this coaster each hour. There is a height restriction of 48 inches, so younger children will be excluded.

The coaster starts with a launch which propels the train out of the station, which was once the former monorail station, and into the grassland surrounding the area. It is only a few moments later that the second acceleration takes place, propelling riders to 60 mph and up to the tower which climbs over 10 stories above the African countryside. It will then plunge 130 ft into a subterranean trench before its final section where there is a third burst of speed as the train catapults itself back across the plain an into the station. For those experts in roller coasters there will be heartline roll inversions, air time parabolas and over-banked turns. Or to the layman, pretty scary manoeuvres!

In addition to this there will be a new cheetah habitat where visitors can view the cheetahs close up. In order to give visitors the very best view of these, the fastest land animal, there will be a glass panelled viewing area overlooking the plains. Five cheetahs have already arrived on site ready for the opening of this new cheetah habitat, and in addition, there will be touch screen panels with educational information.

And if all that wasn’t enough there has been some exciting news with the arrival of a new baby cheetah last month. This little cub was born to a mother who was unable to care for him, which meant he was losing weight. The decision was made to hand raise him and he is now doing well, growing stronger, putting on weight and exploring his new home. Although he was not born at Busch Gardens he was brought there on the recommendation of the SSP (Species Survival Plan) from Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. At the moment he requires regular feeding round the clock, but when he is a little older he will join the group of cheetahs who will live in the Cheetah Run alongside the new Cheetah Hunt roller coaster. It is also hoped that, when he matures he could become part of the breeding programme which will help boost the numbers of these critically endangered cheetahs. Sadly, only about 12,000 cheetahs remain in the world.

I know my children can’t wait to try out this new roller coaster. As for me, well I will be quite happy to keep my feet firmly on the ground, and watch the wonderful cheetahs in their habitat.

Article written by “ellie” an Orlando Villa owner. You can view her property at Orlando Villas

For some reason that I cannot understand, my children love getting soaking wet and scared to death when they visit Islands of Adventure, so Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls is one of their favourite water rides. Being a wimp, I prefer to watch from the side

lines, taking the odd photo of them shrieking as they drop 75 ft on a log, getting saturated in the process.

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls was one of the park’s original attractions, opening in May, 1999, and it was inspired by the rather dim-witted Dudley-Do-Right, a cartoon character created by Jay Ward and Alex Anderson. The story is that Canadian Mountie, Dudley Do-Right, is pursuing the evil Snidely Whiplash, who has captured his sweetheart, Nell Fenwick. As they leave Wontyabee Mine passengers in the logs can see the wicked Snidely tying Nell to the train tracks, joined later by both Horse and Inspector Fenwick.

Passengers travel in a log, into an outdoor sawmill, before the final climactic drop of 75 ft, where they plunge headlong into a dynamite shack, which on entry ‘explodes’ spraying the passengers, and spectators with water. The ride then passes an area where viewers can spray riders with water from hoses – great fun for a small fee. Finally, Snidley can be seen in Alottapoopoo Island Prison, where, in a parody of the scene in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, he can be seen trying to persuade a beaver, who is holding a set of keys in its mouth, to pass them to him. In a final scene, Inspector Fenwick is seen awarding Dudley Do Right a medal for capturing Snidley and saving his daughter, Nell. Unfortunately, Nell appears to be more interested in Horse than Dudley Do Right!

Over the years this flume ride has undergone several modifications, including an adjustment in 2007 to the ride’s most intense drop, to make it less intense, followed in 2007 by the addition of lap bar restraints. Recently an on-ride camera was added.

However, on New Year’s Day, 2011 a fire of unknown cause damaged it significantly enough for it to be closed for 2 months. Universal has kept the cause of the fire a closely guarded secret, but at around 5.00 pm a fire started, whilst guests were enjoying the water flume ride. When the fire started all riders were evacuated safely, as well as everyone in the Toon Lagoon area. No guest was badly injured, and nobody required hospital treatment, although some required first aid. Forty firefighters from the Orlando Fire Department quickly extinguished the flames in less than an hour, and Toon Lagoon was closed for an hour and a half. Guests in the area reported seeing clouds of black smoke billowing into the sky, but it would appear that it was the roof structure which was mainly affected rather than any of the areas which the log vehicles travel through. The smell of burning plastic was said to have pervaded the whole area, but it is believed that the fire was caused accidentally, and damage was thought to be extensive.

Universal’s reaction was to bring forward maintenance work which is normally carried out during the winter season, so they closed the whole ride down. Universal have been unwilling to disclose how extensive the damage was, or where it started, or why, and they have not even give details of what maintenance was carried out. However, it is obvious that the whole area has been repainted and it certainly looks fresher and brighter now. The ride re-opened on March 3^rd, and this will be welcome news for those who enjoy its stomach churning drop.

If you happen to be near this ride look out for the ‘People Driers’ which are now in permanent kiosks. These driers can be used by anyone who gets drenched and who wants to get dry quickly – at a price, of course! Sit at the front of the log and you will definitely get the wettest, sit at the back and you might not get quite so wet. And remember, if you escape getting to wet during the ride, you may well get a soaking from the hoses at the end! But if the Florida sun is shining you will soon dry out.

Written by Ellie, an Orlando Villa owner. You can see her property on Orlando Villas.

Hollywood Studios is one of my favourite Disney parks, not least because it has the wonderful 'Fantasmic' laser and lights show. But it wasn't always called Hollywood Studios. It opened with the name 'Disney-MGM-Studios' in 1989, the third of the Disney parks to debut in Orlando. Here are some of the interesting facts which I have discovered over the years.

Hollywood Studios covers around 135 acres, and its theming was based on the golden age of Hollywood in the 1930s and 40s, and of course the movie industry. It is amazingly popular and is the seventh most visited theme park in the world, and the third most visited in the USA. In 2009 it welcomed 9.7 million people through its doors.

Michael Eisner's dedication of 1989 really sums up what Hollywood Studios stands for, and what Disney had in mind when it opened:

'The world you have entered was created by The Walt Disney Company, and is dedicated to Hollywood - not a place on a map, but a state of mind that exists whenever people dream and wonder and imagine, a place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic. We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was - and always will be.'

Each of the Disney parks has its own icon. At Epcot it is the huge Spaceship Earth at the entrance, at Magic Kingdom it is Cinderella's Castle, and for Animal Kingdom it is the wonderful Tree of Life. - for MGM Studios it was the Earful Tower, a copy of the water towers found in Hollywood studio backlots in the early 1900s. These water towers served an important purpose - that of safety, as should a fire have happened on set, the water from these towers would have been used to douse the flames. Mickey's ears could be found atop the Earful Tower, and these were lit by special lighting which outlined them at night. The Earful Tower was built by Caldwell Tanks of Louisville, Kentucky in 1988, and during the Christmas season a huge Father Christmas hat was placed over it. Indeed, during the Fourth of July festivities in 2001 Mickey's ears were decorated with the American flag. Of course, the name, Earful Tower is a pun on Eiffel Tower.

However, in 2001, as part of the 100 Years of Magic celebration, a new icon was unveiled - the huge Sorcerer's Hat which stands in front of the Great Movie Ride, and which originated in that much loved classic Disney animated film, Fantasia. It stands 122 ft high, and underneath the hat you can see Mickey Mouse's ears and hand emerging from the ground. In fact this huge fibreglass hat is completely empty as nothing has been built within its 60,000 ft of interior space.

After a rather rocky relationship with MGM it was eventually decided that they should go their separate ways, and this gave Disney the opportunity to re-invent this wonderful theme park as Disney felt that it should have a more modern image. In the words of Meg Crofton, the Walt Disney World President, the theme park would become Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the name would reflect how the park had grown 'from representing the golden age of movies, to a celebration of the new entertainment that today's Hollywood has to offer - in music, television, movies and theatre.' Thus is was that the MGM name finally disappeared on January 7th, 2008, although it took several more months before they were able to complete all the changes to the signage that was necessary.

This name change actually resulted in a huge operation, as every single sign had to either be removed and replaced with a new sign, or it had to be painted over. The original logo of MGM Studios featured the iconic MGM lion roaring, with Mickey below it holding a clapboard. Every trace of the old logo had to be obliterated, and that included merchandise in the shops, on maps, and on such things as bus stops. It was a mammoth task, and one which took a huge amount of money to complete. The new Hollywood Studios logo shows the torso, arms and head of Mickey Mouse, holding a film-maker's clapboard, and it has a retro feel about it.

For more interesting facts about Hollywood Studios, read Part 2.

Submitted by "ellie" view her property here:
http://www.perfectfloridavillas.com/main/prop.aspx?pID=183

If you are travelling to the USA by air then you will only have a luggage allowance of one suitcase weighing  23 kg, in Economy, plus hand luggage (or 'carry on as the Americans call it), and nowadays they are very much more strict than they used to be about overweight luggage. If your suitcase weighs more than 23 kg then you will have to pay a considerable amount in excess baggage charges.

 
If you are like me, then you always pack too much when you go on holiday, but if you are going to a villa then there here are some tips to help you ensure that your suitcase is not bulging at the seams and overweight when you get to the check-in desk.

The one thing that you need to remember about holidaying in Florida is that it is very 'laid back.' You truly won't need a tie, or to dress for dinner - unless you are planning a special occasion meal at one of the top restaurants. Everyone dresses casually, and that means shorts and t-shirts for much of the time.  Of course jeans are fine - though you may find them too hot in the summer - so cut offs will probably be more appropriate.  In the winter, late autumn and early spring you may need a sweater or two, particularly for the evenings. Whilst you may well be revelling in temperatures in the   80s in December, it can also get quite chilly from time to time, so pack something warm so that if you stay for the amazing firework and laser shows at Disney you will have something to keep out the chill. Trousers of course are ideal for the cooler evenings, and a fleece is ideal.

One of the joys of staying in a villa is that you don't need to pack so much, as your home will undoubtedly have a washing machine and tumble drier (though everything dries very rapidly if you hang it up in the garage) for your use. These are generally much larger than the ones we are used to in the UK, and in my experience they are very quick - they don't tend to have heaters in them, taking in hot water directly from the hot tank, so that makes the cycles shorter. It makes it very easy to wash out anything you desperately want to wear again - although of course, I don't recommend anyone spends too much time doing the washing - it's your holiday, after all!

Now as any woman will know, shoes are a very important part of a ladies wardrobe. However, if you are going to visit lots of the parks then you really do need to pack at least one comfortable pair of shoes as there is a lot of walking and there is nothing worse than limping around with blisters. Some ladies prefer flip flops - but make sure they really are comfy. Sandals are great as they will keep your feet cool, but trainers can be very comfortable too. You certainly won't needs lots of different pairs of shoes, so don't waste valuable space in your suitcase as you will, no doubt, want to buy some things to bring home - and shoes and clothes can be much cheaper than in the UK.  Jeans and trainers in particular, are often considerably cheaper than at home.

So what about toiletries etc? Well, believe it or not, they DO sell shampoo and deodorant in the USA, and you will recognise many brands from home. But if you are very sensitive then do bring some with you - there is nothing worse than finding your skin is irritated and uncomfortable due to a new and previously untried product. But if you run out then you will definitely be able to find something to suit, either at Wal-Mart or Target. We have also found that sun tan lotion is much cheaper in Florida - and shops like Target do their own generic ones, which are identical to named products but considerably less expensive.

We are often asked if guests need to bring towels. Well, no, there will be towels for you to use in the bathroom, but it is always sensible to ask your own villa owner if they supply pool towels. We certainly do, and we are happy for guests to use these round the pool. You can hire towels at the water parks, but some people like to bring a couple of towels for this. However, towels are very cheap in Florida, and if you don't want to pack any then just buy a couple from Wal-Mart or Target and then leave them behind if you don't have room for them - it will certainly be cheaper to do this than to hire them.

Most villas will supply hair dryers, and in any case, UK ones will not work well, even with an adaptor plug, as the voltage is quite different, so don't bother to pack one to take to Orlando. However, my daughter, who uses ceramic hair straighteners, will not travel anywhere without them as she has difficult hair to tame, so if yours are multi-voltage then this might be one item you should make sure you pack - and she will only carry them in her hand luggage in case they go astray, as they are very expensive.

It us usual for there to be some toilet paper, a couple of dishwasher tablets,  and some kitchen roll in the kitchen, and soap in the bathrooms ready for your arrival. We also like to make sure there are basics such as cling film, foil, washing up liquid etc ready for our guests, and we also provide cotton wool balls, 'q' tips and small toiletries, but each villa differs, so do ask what your villa owner provides. Please don't bring toilet paper from home as it is too thick for the plumbing in the USA  to cope with due to its very small pipes, and it will block the toilet very easily and cause it to overflow, so don't waste luggage space on it as it is easy to obtain in the shops. However, one handy thing to pack is some tea bags for you to use on arrival (you will need to pick up some milk on the way, of course) if you have a favourite brand, as not many recognisable brands of tea bags are available in Orlando. However, you can buy Liptons, which is similar to our tea, or Orange Pekoe. We always make sure there is tea and coffee for our guests' arrival as there is nothing like a cup of tea after a long flight.

Don't forget that your villa owner will be pleased to give you any help and advice you need.
Now all you have to do is enjoy a wonderful vacation in Orlando, the theme park capital of the world!

For hints on hand luggage see Part 2

written by “ellie” an Orlando villa owner. You can see her property  here http://www.perfectfloridavillas.com/main/prop.aspx?pID=183