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

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.

Epcot is a great day out, but for me, one of my favourite parts is in the Land pavilion, mainly because it houses one of my favourite rides – ‘Soarin.’ This pavilion explores how we can use the land for our benefit, but it also highlights the ways we can destroy it too. Future technologies are explored here and the land itself is celebrated.

One of the most interesting and educational places to visit, this huge pavilion covers six acres, and has a fast food court, a unique sit-down restaurant that moves, and three great attractions, including Soarin’. Don’t visit Epcot without taking the relaxing and highly informative boat ride which takes you on a 14 minute journey through Disney’s unique indoor growing area. There are four greenhouses and each one is different, plus the amazing ‘Aquacell.’

We often do this boat tour late in the afternoon when there are fewer queues. You will sit in a boat with bench seats, and the seats at the front will give you the best view. The tour starts with a slow boat ride in the dark, and at one time there was a Cast member to give you a live narration. They have now been replaced by a recording. You sail slowly through a deciduous forest in the middle of a rainstorm, and then on through a tropical rainforest, a desert and the American prairie. Look out for the audio-animatronic figures which were originally created for an attraction which never came to fruition – ‘Western River Expedition.’ Of course there are special effects, including wind, heat and mist. The question is, how do we feed a growing world population whilst not destroying the very earth we live on, and what environmental issues should we take into consideration?

The part I enjoy the most is the tour through the greenhouses and laboratories where we learn about the latest farming techniques, including aquaculture, hydroponics, aeroponics, nutrient film techniques and desert farming. We always find this fascinating, as you see how it is possible to grow crops in the most unlikely of conditions. Plants are grown in a variety of mediums including rockwool, sand, coconut coir and perlite.

The Tropics Greenhouse has a 60ft dome where crops from the tropics are grown, including bananas, peanuts, rice, sugar cane, jackfruit, peach palm, dragon fruit, java apple, vanilla, pineapple papaya and cacao.

The Temperate Greenhouse features such technologies as integrated pest management, sustainable agriculture and specialized irrigation systems, which are designed to increase crop production and decrease waste. Here you can see huge crops such as Atlantic Giant pumpkins, winter melons and Nine Pound Lemon. As well as these giant crops you will see cotton, turnip, sunflowers, millet and beets.

The Production Greenhouse, now known as the String Greenhouse, is where tons of vegetables are grown for the Land’s Garden Grill Restaurant. Innovative high density techniques are used including vertical growing techniques, in which plants are grown on special trellises. These encourage plants to grow in the shape of trees. One of the most amazing plants grown by this method is the tomato tree which produced over 32,000 tomatoes over a 16 month period. Here you will see peppers, lettuce, eggplant, snake gourd, tomatoes and other vegetables. You will even see some amusing cucumbers and pumpkins grown in the shape of Mickey Mouse. They use growing systems which are kind to the environment, and over a year this greenhouse yields over 30 tons of produce.

But the most fascinating green house has to be the ‘Creative Greenhouse’ where plants are grown without soil – some just hang from the ceiling, most are gown via aeroponics, in which a fine mist of nutrients and water is sprayed onto the roots of the plants which dangle in the air. You can also see the hydroponic growing units which were developed by NASA for growing food on long space journeys. Look out for Swiss chard, super-dwarf wheat, rosemary, squash, lettuce, basil, cabbage, marigolds and snapdragons.

Fish are also farmed, and the boat also takes you past through the ‘Aquacell ‘where you will see many high-density tanks as well as low density display tanks and tubes. Some of the fish which are farmed here are used in the Coral Reef Restaurant in the ‘Seas With Nemo and Friends’ pavilion. You will see shrimp, catfish, eels, sturgeon, tilapia, bass and even American alligators.

The plants themselves are labelled to help you recognise them, and it is fascinating to see the innovative ways in which plants can be grown. If you want a closer look at what goes on behind the scenes then you can take a ‘Behind the Seeds’ greenhouse tour. For just $16 for adults and $12 for children, aged 3-9 you can see the latest innovations, taste some of the produce which has been grown, and feed the fish. Although you can make reservations at the tour desk to the left of Soarin’ you can also book up to 90 days in advance by calling 407 939 8687.

This is not something I would recommend if you have young children, but older children would probably find it fascinating. Its also great if you are feeling a little hot and weary!

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

When we visited our beautiful villa in Orlando in June we made a trip to Hollywood Studios to see the new interactive ride, 'Toy Story Mania'. However, we were not there early enough, having 'hopped' from Epcot first, and found that the queues were horrendously long - over two hours - and there were no fast passes left. We left disappointed, vowing to make sure that next time we would go there first. So when we visited our home again, in December, we made sure that Hollywood Studios was first on our list of parks, and that 'Toy Story Mania' was the first attraction we headed for when we reached the park.

So it was that we set off bright and early for Hollywood Studios, and luckily our villa is only a few short minutes away so we arrived at the gates just as they opened. We made a beeline for the Pixar area, which can be found behind Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat, which dominates the central area of Hollywood Studios. Located in the area which once housed 'Who Wants To Be a Millionaire,' this new attraction has been a huge success. The first view of this attraction is when you walk under the huge 'Pixar' sign which is suspended above the walkway. Even outside there are some great features - look up and see the giant Scrabble board which hang down the front of the building.

We were delighted to see that the wait times were only about 20 minutes, so we dashed over to get our fast passes for later in the day, and then stood in line at the entrance. We were not to be disappointed, as this is a really stunning attraction, and the fun starts the minute you walk round the corner into the main waiting area. As we entered we picked up 3-D glasses, and then made our way round and round the queuing area. This was brightly decorated with an amazing array of huge toys - giant crayons, bricks etc.

All of this makes you feel as if you have been shrunk to the size of a toy, when in reality the toys have been made to a large scale.  Despite quite a long queue, the time went quickly as there was so much to look at around the room, and hanging from the ceiling. As we reached the rear of this area we could see Mr Potato Head, interacting with the crowd and cracking jokes. Occasionally a body part would pop loose which is highly amusing.

The time seemed to pass in a flash and we soon found ourselves walking through to the vehicle area.  The vehicles themselves are partitioned, so that each couple face a different way. You sit back to back with the other couple, with a partition between you. In front of you is a toy cannon, which fires when you pull a string, and there are two cannons in each section of the train. The aim is to fire at targets in the game booths on the way.

We sat down quickly and familiarised ourselves with the cannon, before donning our 3-D glasses, ready for the off! The vehicle started on its way and we were soon in front of a practise target. A good tip is to keep firing, as you never run out of ammunition. The practice over, we were off to the real games. The route is themed, with about 12 scenes, each hosted by a character from Toy Story and Toy Story 2. We saw Buzz, Woody, Bo Peep, Hamm, and the Little Green Men who cheer you on. The aim is to hit the targets, and rack up the highest score. The cars do spin, but it is fairly mild. Each of the targets has a different score - the ones at the bottom of the game are often higher, so look out for the highest scoring targets and aim for them. It is surprisingly easy to get the hang of it, much easier than the Buzz Lightyear attraction at Magic Kingdom.

There are six mini-games including Pie Throw Practice Booth, Hamm and Eggs, Bo Peep's Baa-loon Pop, Green Army Men Shoot Camp, Buzz Lightyear's Flying Tossers, and Woody's Rootin' Tootin' Shootin' Gallery. The detail is brilliant, and your score is recorded on an onboard display screen.

We really enjoyed this attraction, and had great fun zapping away. We couldn't wait to do it again, although our fast passes were not for another couple of hours. Second time round it was even better, and it is definitely on our list of 'must do's' for the next time we visit Orlando. Make sure you go there first if you want to be sure of doing it, and get your fast passes first so that you can try it again later in the day. It's brilliant!

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

President Obama has now joined the revamped Hall of Presidents in Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom. The show is to reopen on the 4th July.

There have also been some new speeches added A film narrated by Morgan Freeman with video of presidents speaking during turbulent times, including Lyndon Johnson after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing and George W. Bush encouraging citizens at ground zero after 9-11. Midway through the film, a screen lifts to reveal the animatronic Abraham Lincoln, alone on the stage. He now delivers the full Gettysburg Address.

Typhoon Lagoon re-opens on Sunday March 22nd after a longer than usual winter rehab. There are believed to be some changes including:
Miss Tilly's vessel – Remove & reinstall rockwork & support steel.
Castaway Creek at Crush 'N' Gusher Beach and Wave Pool – Wave pool replacement.