September 27, 2008 For those who haven’t heard the news, tonight is the last night for the clubs at Walt Disney World’s Pleasure Island. Even though last ditch attempts have been made by fans of venues like the Adventurer’s Club, Disney says they have plans for the space currently occupied by the clubs which include more dining and shopping options.
The Rock’n'Roll Beach Club was closed in February, but tonight is the last hurrah for Mannequins, 8-Trax, BET Sound Stage, Motion, the Comedy Warehouse and the Adventurer’s Club. To celebrate, PI is bringing back Frankie and the West End Boys for one last night to play the waterfront stage (since the West End stage was replaced several months ago by the new pedestrian bridge to the West Side of Downtown Disney). They will play four 45-minute sets at 7:30pm, 8:45pm, 10pm, and 11:15pm.
The Adventurer’s Club will also open early at 6pm with additional Library shows, as will the Comedy Warehouse with shows at 6:55pm, 8pm, 9:10pm, 10:25pm, 11:35pm and 12:45am.
It’s free to be on PI, so you can enjoy the waterfront and DJ entertainment outside. Individual club admission is $10 (plus tax) with a multi-club pass costing $20 (plus tax). Annual PI passes will still be valid this last night, too, and holders can then request a pro-rated refund for the balance. Or you can use that pass and trade it in for a special Universal Orlando CityWalk party pass good until next March.
Even though I haven’t been to PI much in recent years, it’s still sad to see Disney close it all down. When I first moved to Orlando thirteen years ago, I knew nobody and many of the friends I have today are ones I made by going out to PI the first few years I lived here. I also have many good memories of celebrating birthdays and other special occasions with friends there.
So, I think I’m gonna head out to say goodbye and maybe take some photos. Will I see any of you out there?
September 26, 2008 So those who have bank accounts with Washington Mutual - aka “WaMu” - woke up this morning to find out their bank had gone under and was bought up by JPMorgan Chase for $1.9 billion.
Holy cow right??
Reportedly JPMorgan Chase won’t close many Florida branches because they view us as a growth market, but accounts will be transitioned over to the new ownership, which means in coming months, customers can expect everything to be rebranded and most likely anyone with an ATM, debit or credit card issued by WaMu will be issued a new card during the process. But for now, the new owners say everything from account numbers to customer access to their accounts will remain the same.
Thankfully I don’t have an account with them, but I can’t imagine a scarier feeling than to wake up and find your bank isn’t your bank anymore. If you have a WaMu account, what are your feelings on this sudden change?
For who look forward to those fall fests at the area theme parks, two of the biggies start today.
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 Epcot’s Food & Wine Fest starts today. It’s the 13th year of the festival which offers up samples of food and drink from around the world, and this year’s focus is on “culinary cities,” along with the state of Louisiana. You do need to buy a park admission or have an annual pass of some kind for Walt Disney World, but once inside, you can stroll the World Showcase in the back of the park and try food and drink native to countries and cities from around the world. Average samples will set you back $2 to $5 per item, so it’s an inexpensive way to try something you’ve never had before.
There’s also free seminars daily, which usually offer up samples (though the lines can be very long to get in to one, especially on weekends), and free nightly entertainment from nationally-known entertainers. This year’s fest kicks off with the sounds of ska-swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tonight and tomorrow (Saturday) and continues over the weekend with Sheena Easton on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
For more info, visit the official Walt Disney World Food & Wine website.
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 For those that would rather be scared than wined and dined, Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights also starts tonight. It’s the 18th incarnation of the annual event and this year’s theme is Urban Legends, Fairy Tales & Myths, epitomized by the legend of Bloody Mary, who comes to life if you chant her name into a mirror. Universal says over 300 new characters were created for this year’s event, which runs September 26-27, October 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 22-26 and October 29-November 1.
Separate park admission is required for Halloween Horror Nights, even if you have a Universal Orlando annual pass, but special Florida-resident discounts and multi-night passes are available. The event’s official website has all the details.
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Are you planning to go to one or both? Do you prefer one over the other? Let us know in comments.
September 23, 2008 Before heading out on your Orlando Florida vacation for tons of family fun; here are a few tips and tricks on packing sensibly and cutting a few financial corners.
If you are flying into Orlando Florida always pack an emergency bag that you can carry with you onto the plane. The emergency bag should include a bathing suit, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, clean undergarments, a brush, t-shirt and a pair of shorts for each family member. Be sure that the toothpaste is within airport security standards or it might get confiscated. This will really save you should your luggage get lost. Nothing starts a vacation off the wrong way such as getting to your destination and having your luggage lost; preventing you from swimming in the pool, brushing your teeth or changing into clean clothes. You won’t have to spend additional money to get you by until your luggage is found and delivered to you.
It is always a good idea to put your shampoo, conditioner and lotions into a gallon sized Ziplock bag to keep them from leaking onto your clothes in the suitcase. The change in air pressure often times makes these items leak. This will also help in cutting down on how many suitcases are packed, enabling you to pack your liquid items in with your clothes. Many airlines are charging extra for additional baggage that is checked. Most hotels provide hair dryers, so these are best left at home and will help conserve space during your packing.
Even though Orlando Florida is warm and sunny, it is always good to pack a pair of long pants and a sweatshirt or sweater. An unexpected rain or heavily air conditioned restaurant will make you glad you remembered a few articles of warmer clothing. Check with your hotel to see if they have washers and dryers on the premises. This will greatly reduce how much you have to pack if you can do a load of laundry in the middle of your vacation and get by with packing half the amount of clothes.
Buying anything in an airport is going to cost more. You can’t bring liquids past the security check point, but you can bring snacks. Stop and load up on snacks the night before your flight. There are a variety of individual powdered drink packets that can be used to turn an ordinary bottle of water into a fruit drink. These are helpful in saving a bit and keep children who want more than water satisfied. Drinks and snacks in any of the theme parks in Orland Florida are high priced as well. Buying snacks and water before entering the park can really help save some money.
You want your vacation to Orlando Florida to be a success and following a few of these tips will hopefully help you pack lighter and save a bit of money.
September 17, 2008 Why chose Orlando Florida as your home? Many people associate Orlando Florida with two things; Disney World and retired seniors. There is a lot more to Orlando than retirees and tourists. Floridians enjoy no state income tax and Central Florida presents an affordable cost of living with an array of economical residential options from spacious apartments to opulent upscale homes.
There are an abundance of cultural opportunities in Orlando, whether you want to take in a major Broadway production, expand your knowledge at the Orlando Science Center or visit the many art galleries. If you’re an avid golfer, you can choose from 48 fabulous golf courses. Check out one of the Orlando Magic basket ball games for some courtside excitement. Beach life is not far away, you have your choice of Daytona Beach and Cocoa Beach and if a quieter beach scene is what you are looking for there are a myriad of sandy seaside options to choose from that are lower key.
If you are still thinking that Florida is only retired people, think again, Forbes ranked Orlando 20th on its list of “Best Cities for Singles.” So if you are looking for your soul mate, chances are they could be in Orlando Florida. Aside from the singles life, Orlando is a booming business metropolis that serves as home base for major corporations and all sized companies in a variety of industries. As a result, the diverse economy boasts outstanding job growth projections and a blooming population of young business professionals. There are few places you could choose to live that boast such a wide variety of culture and entertainment, an affordable lifestyle, a booming economy and don’t forget, of course, Disney World. You will have no trouble getting friends and family to visit such an iconic theme park near by.
September 9, 2008 An exciting and educational stop to put on your list of things to do during your vacation to Orlando Florida is to make a visit to Gatorland. This is an incredible 110 acre theme park that is pure simple fun. With obvious homage to its name you will most definitely encounter Alligators, but the park offers much more than that. Learn about a variety of reptiles and other animals from experienced animal handlers.
Cool off in the new Gator Gully Splash water park and be ready to get wet. Be prepared to be entertained with shows on a variety of dangerous and unusual animals. Watch experienced alligator wrestlers accomplish amazing feats with alligators. Visit Alligator Island where hundreds of some the largest alligators and crocodiles inhabit “Gator Lake”. Take a train ride around the south end of the park for a better view of a few of the animal displays. Allie’s Barnyard is a great place to visit a variety of cuddly barnyard critters, such as Gracie the goat. Interested in the feathered kind of friends?
Visit the Very Merry Aviary where you can get up close and personal with beautiful and colorful Lorikeets. Last but not least, don’t forget to stop by the gift shop and pick up a friend to take home. Gatorland started out as a roadside attraction in 1949 and is still owned by family members of the original founders of the park, it has grown and changed to the park it is today, but there are some things that are still the same, educating people about nature and animals in a fun and exciting atmosphere. So, on your next visit to Orlando Florida stop by Gatorland for some old fashioned fun and excitement.
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