OK, just back from the latest Brits Guide research trip to central Florida, and heres a (very) brief note of whats new (or closed), forthcoming or worth a second look:
Seminole County (i.e. the bit to the north of Orlando!) Katies Wekiva River Landing has closed, so no kayaking here any more (but you can have a go with the new Cypress Island Adventure Tours on Cypress Lake in St Cloud, south of Kissimmee). The Seminole County CVB is trying to revive the site, but dont expect anything there for a while (perhaps not until summer 2003).
Travel City Direct (who I travelled with) are moving their Welcome Centre to a bigger unit at the new development at the back of Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores.
The Pointe*Orlando have opened two new nightclubs, the Matrix (for the younger crowd, maybe 18-24, and including a teen disco for 14-17s once a week) and Metropolis (for a slightly older audience, perhaps 24-30). The XS Entertainment venue (a Gameworks-type affair) has modified its restaurant to do more down to earth diner fare (but still great pizzas!). Several stores have closed, but the main ones are all still there.
The Mall at Millenia this is the big new upscale devt just off I4 north of Universal. I did a hard-hat tour here (it opens on October 18) and it looks like being a technological marvel of a mall, including three big departments stores (Bloomingdales, Macys and Neiman-Marcus) and other designer name shops (Gucci, Hugo Boss, etc). Its quite a space-age design inside and also features a number of good-looking restaurants.
Best Western, Lake Buena Vista this Downtown Disney area hotel has been extensively revamped to include a new foyer area, new restaurant, bar and snack bar and fully refurbished rooms. This is easily the best-value Best Western hotel I have seen, and the views from the upper floors (there are 18 in all) are magnificent. Well worth considering if you want to be inside the Disney atmosphere but still within a budget.
Train & Trolley Museum (on I-Drive) have revamped their walk-through tour slightly since opening last year. Outdoor big train ride is still great for kids.
Masters of Magic (on I-Drive, where Movie Rider used to be) this is an intriguing new show, featuring a top-notch magic show, with stunts both large-scale and up close, in slightly awkward surroundings (decent stage, but just rows of ordinary tables and chairs for the audience). It is a little bit Las Vegas, but tailored for the family audience. Shows twice a night. More details: http://www.floridaorlandotickets.net/masterinfo.htm
Orange Blossom Balloons are back using the Days Inn on 192 (just past Splendid China after a brief enforced stint at the Ramada) and this is still one of the best rides anywhere.
Yacht Club the Yacht Club Galley (for breakfast and lunch) is reopening later this month (June) after being closed for a while due to the downturn in business since September 11. The Yachtsman Steakhouse reverts to a dinner-only restaurant (although it makes a brilliant lunch venue, too pure bliss!).
Pirates Adventure this dinner show has tweaked its storyline yet again to be a bit more audience-friendly, and the full 3-hour duration makes for pretty good value for money. The first hour is spent in the pirate village with the chance to snack on salads, pretzels and tortilla chips, buy drinks and visit the Pirate Museum (a bit hokey but mildly diverting). Then the main show lasts one-and-a-half hours (dinner is still pretty ordinary and the vegetarian option is just plain poor), and it has been enhanced with more audience participation (especially for the kids) and a more coherent story. Good, family fun, especially with the half-hour pirate bash disco at the end.
WDW the four parks were all pretty busy on the Memorial weekend, but I was still able to get a FastPass for Millionaire at MGM quite late in the afternoon, which is a good sign. Still dont rate the Rose & Crown at Epcot (mediocre, over-priced menu, and the most average service of the whole trip). There is a new exhibition featuring Japanese traditions and baseball in the Japan Pavilion, while Morocco has revamped its shopping village somewhat. The new Imagination ride is now up and running, and early signs are it is a big improvement on the previous version. Mission: Space ride (summer 2003, provisionally) is taking shape well and should be an absolute blockbuster. Legend of the Lion King has closed at Magic Kingdom, with Mickeys PhilHarmagic a new 3-D interactive film and stage show due to replace it next year (no opening date yet). Carousel of Progress and Time-Keeper both working at busy periods only. The Primeval Whirl ride (which opened in April) is a real giggle a bit comic-book two-dimensional in places, but with a neat queuing area and lots of spinning fun on the three-minute ride. The whole Dino-Rama area in Dinoland still looks rather garish to my eyes, though.
Kennedy Space Center a whole new look and presentation in the Rocket Garden, plus a brand new Imax 3-D film, Space Station, which is quite brilliant. Everything feels very fresh and exciting here, although the International Space Station section of the bus tour has been closed since September 11.
Daytona and Beach area a new restaurant find for me, the Lighthouse Restaurant right next to the Ponce De Leon Lighthouse attraction, on south Daytona Beach. The restaurant is right on the beach and is real Florida style very relaxed, quite quaint and totally authentic. Nice atmosphere.
The Gaylord Palms this is the massive new hotel on the junction of International Drive South and Osceola Parkway, hence in a great location (although theres nothing else there). The internal aspect of the resort, with almost 7 acres under glass roofs, is quite stunning, with three Florida-themed areas (St Augustine, the Everglades and Key West) that are amazingly detailed. Three fab restaurants (seafood in Key West, steakhouse in Everglades, Spanish style in St Augustine), two pools (one with a fun family theme, the other more geared towards a quiet adult hangout), a piano bar, coffee/delicatessen, Godiva chocolate shop and array of other high-quality stores mark this out as a truly extraordinary hotel. It does some serious convention business at times (hence it can be quite busy, while other days can be very quiet), and the whole place is geared towards business use (high-speed internet connections, room safes that take lap-tops, etc), but the rooms are huge and beautifully furnished and the whole place has an almost-spaceship-like feel, especially at night. Well worth visiting, even if you dont stay there.
Everetts Old Tymes Eatery this is a new discovery for me, but one of Kissimmees oldest diner-type restaurants. Easy to miss (as I have for several years!), it is an unprepossessing place on Orange Blossom Trail, just south of Osceola Parkway (on the right as you go south), but dont let that put you off. It is a proper down-home Florida establishment, a real locals place, but features fabulous 24-hour breakfasts (just huge portions) for just a few dollars, plus the usual sandwiches and burgers. Good fun, friendly service.
Gatorland the new train ride costs an extra $1 for unlimited rides but features a wise-cracking driver and a neat look at some little-seen corners of this great Florida attraction (which I rate very highly these days). The shows and the people who do them are all for real, and there is a new Trainer For A Day course here which looks good fun.
Splendid China nothing new here, but their top-to-toe refurbishment is almost complete after several years of neglect.
Olive Garden new on International Drive where King Henrys Feast used to be (now completely demolished) is the largest of this restaurant chain, and with the best food of all, according to the locals. I know, its supposed to be the same as all the others, but people who have been there insist this is a top-notch establishment.
Cypress Glades Adventure Tours new on Cypress Lake in St Cloud is this combination airboat ride and nature tour operation, run by the head trainer from Gatorland, who is keen to take people out into the wilds of Florida for a real look at its flora and fauna. Its incredibly peaceful (it ought to be its about half an hour off 192, 25 miles from Gatorland) and the airboat ride is excellent. They also offer kayaking, hiking and fishing, or a combination of all four in individual, tailor-made tours.
Soulfire Dinner Theater new at Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores in July will be this latest dinner-show. Its hard to describe fully, but their press release makes it sound like a cross between Sleuths and something more interactive. Everyone gets to play a part in the stories and it promises to be a full-scale theatrical production. More to follow!
Orlando International Airport are completely revamping their shopping and food and beverage operations. Many stores are closing, others are being added or comprehensively refurbished. The Shipyard Pub is closing down to make way for a new food court-style complex in the centre of the terminal.
Orlando Sanford Airport their major extension project to add another terminal is now complete and adds considerably more space when things are busy here (although the main departure terminal is still basically the same). The Guest House facility is now up and running and is well worth considering if you have several hours to kill for an extra $20/person ($10 for kids), you get access to an exclusive lounge, with two free alcoholic drinks, unlimited soft drinks and coffee, a pleasant café (with menu items not available in the main lounge), free video games for the kids, internet terminals (four of them), a mini cinema (showing videos like Legally Blonde and K-PAX when I was there) and a quiet reading room, plus another small play area for kids (completely separate from the other areas). See your tour rep on arrival for details and how to book.
Universal their two new rides for next spring sound like a LOT of fun. Shrek 4-D replaces the Alfred Hitchcock attraction with a lively interactive 3-D film experience that takes up where the Oscar-winning film left off, with the ogre, Princess Fiona and the donkey going on honeymoon (!). Then Jimmy Neutron ride will be an up-to-date replacement for the Hanna-Barbera simulator ride, with state of the art special effects promised here.
SeaWorld they have a new False Killer Whale Interaction programme, providing two hours in the company of the animal trainers at the Key West Dolphin Fest. Its open to just four people a day ($200/persn), more details on: http://www.seaworld.com/seaworld/fla/programs/animal_falseKiller.html
Then there is the Animal Care Experience, an all-day programme which gives you an amazing insight into all the behind-the-scenes work at SeaWorld, their animal activities and rehabilitations. It starts at 6.30am and provides a memorable days experience, but its not cheap - £389/person. More details on: http://www.seaworld.com/seaworld/fla/programs/animal_care.html
Hard Rock Vault opening (probably) in December will be this Hard Rock hall of fame on International Drive, replacing the now-closed Guinness World Record Experience. This will be a fully interactive look at the vast rock memorabilia collection of the Hard Rock group, with plenty of HR sights and sounds along the way. Expect a real audio-visual feast for all those who dig the HR style.
Grande Lakes Resort opening in autumn 2003 will be this colossal hotel-and-golf-course project on John Young Parkway (near its Central Florida Parkway junction). It features a 554-room Ritz-Carlton hotel and a 1,000 room, upscale JW Marriott hotel, plus a huge, state-of-the-art spa and an 18-hole Greg Norman-designed golf course. It will be the most luxurious hotel complex in central Florida and feature some the most opulent and spacious rooms, fine dining, elaborate water facilities and more.
Royal Pacific Resort just about to open (later in June) is the third of Universals on-site resort hotels. The final look of this hotel is far more luxurious than they intended and the rooms are quite magnificent large and beautifully furnished. Anyone staying there this year is on to a major bargain (especially if they booked through the Virgin special offer earlier this year rock-bottom rates), as prices will definitely be going up next year. It has a real South Seas/Balinese style and charm, with great kids facilities and a superb (and vast) freeform pool, with kids play area at one end (complete with water cannons, fountains, etc). A new Emerils restaurant will also open here in October. All in all, quite a startling option.
Disneys Pop Century Resort I have to admit this looks pretty horrible from a distance but better and better at close-up. This latest budget-price mega-resort (almost 6,000 rooms in 10 blocks spread between two main service areas) is extremely garish and two-dimensional at first look (at least the first half of the resort, which is all but finished) but is a lot more detailed and just plain fun close up. The rooms are the same basic size and function as the All Stars (i.e. nothing special) but the main service area is quite classy, with a good-looking restaurant and check-in area, while the outdoor areas feature some neat touches (like Twister boards, a giant table-football game, squirt fountains and a great main pool), too. All in all, it will be a genuine alternative to the All Stars resorts when it opens sometime in 2003 (Disney say they will open it up when the demand reaches pre-September 11 levels).
Festival Bay Vans Skate Park is now open and the big Ron Jons Surf Shop will open soon, but there is still no word on when the full devt, including a shopping mall, will be up and running.
Downtown the Thornton Park area, next to Lake Eola, continues to be a thriving area for shops and restaurants, with more opening seemingly every day. Church Street Station is now completely closed and there is no hint of what may replace it, but the Wall Street area off Orange Avenue is still buzzing in the evenings.
St Petersburg the main city area of St Petes is another happening area, with the BayWalk shopping and restaurant district well worth visiting. Take in a baseball game at Tropicana Field for another slice of true Americana.
Disneys Wide World of Sports the NFL Experience here is due to close, but the NFLs Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be here for training camp in August, making for another genuine attraction during the day (and its free to go in and see them go through their paces).
I4 increasingly congested, there is heavy construction on several stretches and the whole thing is just grinding to a halt at peak periods. Stick to the 417 (Central Florida Greeneway) and other roads where possible.
And thats it for now, folks. All this and more! will be shoe-horned into the next edition, provided I can tear myself away from the DIS for a while to do it all !
Simon
Seminole County (i.e. the bit to the north of Orlando!) Katies Wekiva River Landing has closed, so no kayaking here any more (but you can have a go with the new Cypress Island Adventure Tours on Cypress Lake in St Cloud, south of Kissimmee). The Seminole County CVB is trying to revive the site, but dont expect anything there for a while (perhaps not until summer 2003).
Travel City Direct (who I travelled with) are moving their Welcome Centre to a bigger unit at the new development at the back of Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores.
The Pointe*Orlando have opened two new nightclubs, the Matrix (for the younger crowd, maybe 18-24, and including a teen disco for 14-17s once a week) and Metropolis (for a slightly older audience, perhaps 24-30). The XS Entertainment venue (a Gameworks-type affair) has modified its restaurant to do more down to earth diner fare (but still great pizzas!). Several stores have closed, but the main ones are all still there.
The Mall at Millenia this is the big new upscale devt just off I4 north of Universal. I did a hard-hat tour here (it opens on October 18) and it looks like being a technological marvel of a mall, including three big departments stores (Bloomingdales, Macys and Neiman-Marcus) and other designer name shops (Gucci, Hugo Boss, etc). Its quite a space-age design inside and also features a number of good-looking restaurants.
Best Western, Lake Buena Vista this Downtown Disney area hotel has been extensively revamped to include a new foyer area, new restaurant, bar and snack bar and fully refurbished rooms. This is easily the best-value Best Western hotel I have seen, and the views from the upper floors (there are 18 in all) are magnificent. Well worth considering if you want to be inside the Disney atmosphere but still within a budget.
Train & Trolley Museum (on I-Drive) have revamped their walk-through tour slightly since opening last year. Outdoor big train ride is still great for kids.
Masters of Magic (on I-Drive, where Movie Rider used to be) this is an intriguing new show, featuring a top-notch magic show, with stunts both large-scale and up close, in slightly awkward surroundings (decent stage, but just rows of ordinary tables and chairs for the audience). It is a little bit Las Vegas, but tailored for the family audience. Shows twice a night. More details: http://www.floridaorlandotickets.net/masterinfo.htm
Orange Blossom Balloons are back using the Days Inn on 192 (just past Splendid China after a brief enforced stint at the Ramada) and this is still one of the best rides anywhere.
Yacht Club the Yacht Club Galley (for breakfast and lunch) is reopening later this month (June) after being closed for a while due to the downturn in business since September 11. The Yachtsman Steakhouse reverts to a dinner-only restaurant (although it makes a brilliant lunch venue, too pure bliss!).
Pirates Adventure this dinner show has tweaked its storyline yet again to be a bit more audience-friendly, and the full 3-hour duration makes for pretty good value for money. The first hour is spent in the pirate village with the chance to snack on salads, pretzels and tortilla chips, buy drinks and visit the Pirate Museum (a bit hokey but mildly diverting). Then the main show lasts one-and-a-half hours (dinner is still pretty ordinary and the vegetarian option is just plain poor), and it has been enhanced with more audience participation (especially for the kids) and a more coherent story. Good, family fun, especially with the half-hour pirate bash disco at the end.
WDW the four parks were all pretty busy on the Memorial weekend, but I was still able to get a FastPass for Millionaire at MGM quite late in the afternoon, which is a good sign. Still dont rate the Rose & Crown at Epcot (mediocre, over-priced menu, and the most average service of the whole trip). There is a new exhibition featuring Japanese traditions and baseball in the Japan Pavilion, while Morocco has revamped its shopping village somewhat. The new Imagination ride is now up and running, and early signs are it is a big improvement on the previous version. Mission: Space ride (summer 2003, provisionally) is taking shape well and should be an absolute blockbuster. Legend of the Lion King has closed at Magic Kingdom, with Mickeys PhilHarmagic a new 3-D interactive film and stage show due to replace it next year (no opening date yet). Carousel of Progress and Time-Keeper both working at busy periods only. The Primeval Whirl ride (which opened in April) is a real giggle a bit comic-book two-dimensional in places, but with a neat queuing area and lots of spinning fun on the three-minute ride. The whole Dino-Rama area in Dinoland still looks rather garish to my eyes, though.
Kennedy Space Center a whole new look and presentation in the Rocket Garden, plus a brand new Imax 3-D film, Space Station, which is quite brilliant. Everything feels very fresh and exciting here, although the International Space Station section of the bus tour has been closed since September 11.
Daytona and Beach area a new restaurant find for me, the Lighthouse Restaurant right next to the Ponce De Leon Lighthouse attraction, on south Daytona Beach. The restaurant is right on the beach and is real Florida style very relaxed, quite quaint and totally authentic. Nice atmosphere.
The Gaylord Palms this is the massive new hotel on the junction of International Drive South and Osceola Parkway, hence in a great location (although theres nothing else there). The internal aspect of the resort, with almost 7 acres under glass roofs, is quite stunning, with three Florida-themed areas (St Augustine, the Everglades and Key West) that are amazingly detailed. Three fab restaurants (seafood in Key West, steakhouse in Everglades, Spanish style in St Augustine), two pools (one with a fun family theme, the other more geared towards a quiet adult hangout), a piano bar, coffee/delicatessen, Godiva chocolate shop and array of other high-quality stores mark this out as a truly extraordinary hotel. It does some serious convention business at times (hence it can be quite busy, while other days can be very quiet), and the whole place is geared towards business use (high-speed internet connections, room safes that take lap-tops, etc), but the rooms are huge and beautifully furnished and the whole place has an almost-spaceship-like feel, especially at night. Well worth visiting, even if you dont stay there.
Everetts Old Tymes Eatery this is a new discovery for me, but one of Kissimmees oldest diner-type restaurants. Easy to miss (as I have for several years!), it is an unprepossessing place on Orange Blossom Trail, just south of Osceola Parkway (on the right as you go south), but dont let that put you off. It is a proper down-home Florida establishment, a real locals place, but features fabulous 24-hour breakfasts (just huge portions) for just a few dollars, plus the usual sandwiches and burgers. Good fun, friendly service.
Gatorland the new train ride costs an extra $1 for unlimited rides but features a wise-cracking driver and a neat look at some little-seen corners of this great Florida attraction (which I rate very highly these days). The shows and the people who do them are all for real, and there is a new Trainer For A Day course here which looks good fun.
Splendid China nothing new here, but their top-to-toe refurbishment is almost complete after several years of neglect.
Olive Garden new on International Drive where King Henrys Feast used to be (now completely demolished) is the largest of this restaurant chain, and with the best food of all, according to the locals. I know, its supposed to be the same as all the others, but people who have been there insist this is a top-notch establishment.
Cypress Glades Adventure Tours new on Cypress Lake in St Cloud is this combination airboat ride and nature tour operation, run by the head trainer from Gatorland, who is keen to take people out into the wilds of Florida for a real look at its flora and fauna. Its incredibly peaceful (it ought to be its about half an hour off 192, 25 miles from Gatorland) and the airboat ride is excellent. They also offer kayaking, hiking and fishing, or a combination of all four in individual, tailor-made tours.
Soulfire Dinner Theater new at Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores in July will be this latest dinner-show. Its hard to describe fully, but their press release makes it sound like a cross between Sleuths and something more interactive. Everyone gets to play a part in the stories and it promises to be a full-scale theatrical production. More to follow!
Orlando International Airport are completely revamping their shopping and food and beverage operations. Many stores are closing, others are being added or comprehensively refurbished. The Shipyard Pub is closing down to make way for a new food court-style complex in the centre of the terminal.
Orlando Sanford Airport their major extension project to add another terminal is now complete and adds considerably more space when things are busy here (although the main departure terminal is still basically the same). The Guest House facility is now up and running and is well worth considering if you have several hours to kill for an extra $20/person ($10 for kids), you get access to an exclusive lounge, with two free alcoholic drinks, unlimited soft drinks and coffee, a pleasant café (with menu items not available in the main lounge), free video games for the kids, internet terminals (four of them), a mini cinema (showing videos like Legally Blonde and K-PAX when I was there) and a quiet reading room, plus another small play area for kids (completely separate from the other areas). See your tour rep on arrival for details and how to book.
Universal their two new rides for next spring sound like a LOT of fun. Shrek 4-D replaces the Alfred Hitchcock attraction with a lively interactive 3-D film experience that takes up where the Oscar-winning film left off, with the ogre, Princess Fiona and the donkey going on honeymoon (!). Then Jimmy Neutron ride will be an up-to-date replacement for the Hanna-Barbera simulator ride, with state of the art special effects promised here.
SeaWorld they have a new False Killer Whale Interaction programme, providing two hours in the company of the animal trainers at the Key West Dolphin Fest. Its open to just four people a day ($200/persn), more details on: http://www.seaworld.com/seaworld/fla/programs/animal_falseKiller.html
Then there is the Animal Care Experience, an all-day programme which gives you an amazing insight into all the behind-the-scenes work at SeaWorld, their animal activities and rehabilitations. It starts at 6.30am and provides a memorable days experience, but its not cheap - £389/person. More details on: http://www.seaworld.com/seaworld/fla/programs/animal_care.html
Hard Rock Vault opening (probably) in December will be this Hard Rock hall of fame on International Drive, replacing the now-closed Guinness World Record Experience. This will be a fully interactive look at the vast rock memorabilia collection of the Hard Rock group, with plenty of HR sights and sounds along the way. Expect a real audio-visual feast for all those who dig the HR style.
Grande Lakes Resort opening in autumn 2003 will be this colossal hotel-and-golf-course project on John Young Parkway (near its Central Florida Parkway junction). It features a 554-room Ritz-Carlton hotel and a 1,000 room, upscale JW Marriott hotel, plus a huge, state-of-the-art spa and an 18-hole Greg Norman-designed golf course. It will be the most luxurious hotel complex in central Florida and feature some the most opulent and spacious rooms, fine dining, elaborate water facilities and more.
Royal Pacific Resort just about to open (later in June) is the third of Universals on-site resort hotels. The final look of this hotel is far more luxurious than they intended and the rooms are quite magnificent large and beautifully furnished. Anyone staying there this year is on to a major bargain (especially if they booked through the Virgin special offer earlier this year rock-bottom rates), as prices will definitely be going up next year. It has a real South Seas/Balinese style and charm, with great kids facilities and a superb (and vast) freeform pool, with kids play area at one end (complete with water cannons, fountains, etc). A new Emerils restaurant will also open here in October. All in all, quite a startling option.
Disneys Pop Century Resort I have to admit this looks pretty horrible from a distance but better and better at close-up. This latest budget-price mega-resort (almost 6,000 rooms in 10 blocks spread between two main service areas) is extremely garish and two-dimensional at first look (at least the first half of the resort, which is all but finished) but is a lot more detailed and just plain fun close up. The rooms are the same basic size and function as the All Stars (i.e. nothing special) but the main service area is quite classy, with a good-looking restaurant and check-in area, while the outdoor areas feature some neat touches (like Twister boards, a giant table-football game, squirt fountains and a great main pool), too. All in all, it will be a genuine alternative to the All Stars resorts when it opens sometime in 2003 (Disney say they will open it up when the demand reaches pre-September 11 levels).
Festival Bay Vans Skate Park is now open and the big Ron Jons Surf Shop will open soon, but there is still no word on when the full devt, including a shopping mall, will be up and running.
Downtown the Thornton Park area, next to Lake Eola, continues to be a thriving area for shops and restaurants, with more opening seemingly every day. Church Street Station is now completely closed and there is no hint of what may replace it, but the Wall Street area off Orange Avenue is still buzzing in the evenings.
St Petersburg the main city area of St Petes is another happening area, with the BayWalk shopping and restaurant district well worth visiting. Take in a baseball game at Tropicana Field for another slice of true Americana.
Disneys Wide World of Sports the NFL Experience here is due to close, but the NFLs Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be here for training camp in August, making for another genuine attraction during the day (and its free to go in and see them go through their paces).
I4 increasingly congested, there is heavy construction on several stretches and the whole thing is just grinding to a halt at peak periods. Stick to the 417 (Central Florida Greeneway) and other roads where possible.
And thats it for now, folks. All this and more! will be shoe-horned into the next edition, provided I can tear myself away from the DIS for a while to do it all !
Simon
It always amazes me the amount you manage to fit in. That is unless you went for 2 months, of course.........
