CHILLY CHANGES IN FLORIDA

If you happen to be visiting in the next week and expecting a reprieve from the cold places you are coming from..... sorry you picked the wrong week this year!!! Hey it happens though, some years winter in Florida is actually cold this year it has been above average warmth. This makes most travelers very happy. However, this past week and the week to come it has been around the 60's everyday. Cold for us but probably perfect for you all coming from the north!! Tonight it will get down to the 40's!!

Don't get me wrong some winters here are down right cold and 40-60 for weeks at a time but most of the time average winter temps are low 70's and awesome. So, when planning a winter vacation to the Sunshine State remember to pack an array of clothing... JUST IN CASE!!

FLORIDA RESIDENTS SHOULD TOTALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE

See that blue sky... not a cloud in site?  Yeah well this was one of my best and cheapest Disney Vacations EVER!!! The reason? I'm a Florida Resident. We get amazing offers all year round to go to Disney World and Universal but so many ppl just don't take advantage! Why? I'm not really sure especially if you have children or don't for that matter lol.

This time of year not only is the weather great but the prices for Florida Residents are almost unbeatable!! Honestly people why are you not taking more vacations? They are one of the best ways for families to reconnect and for couples to relax together.

Calling all Florida Residents let me plan your next perfect vacation. Weather you want a luxurious experience where your children literally feel like princesses and pirates or your on a budget and still want some magic in your life, I can make it happen.

CONTACT ME TODAY AND LET'S PLAN YOUR NEXT VACAY

Come on Down

Chilly??

Come on down to Florida where the sun is shining and the weather is sweat!! High in South Florida today. ... 77! This is a great time to contact me to plan your next Florida Vacation!

MONDAY'S MAGICAL MEMORIES

Can you guess which Walt Disney World park we were in????

That's Right!!!    ANIMAL KINGDOM


We love this park. Some people call it a half day park we call it perfect it even closes right around the time we are finishing up!

Viva Paper Towels

I have been a Bounty user for a loooong time. They are great. Growing up I remember using Brawny with the manly lumberjack on the packaging.  Then somewhere along the line my mom switched to Bounty and we never looked back, until recently that is....

I started couponing and kept finding deals on Viva paper towels the quilted ones and they were about as good as Bounty.

Then I accidentally tried the one's that are kind of like a cloth texture. At first I thought they were strange, then I realized just how amazing they were! They were literally reusable! I could wash the dishes then dry my hands on it and still use it while I cooked for other things.  I could clean all my kitchen counters and dust more than a few places.  They rolls literally lasted me twice as long for less money.  I am so impressed with these Viva paper towels. .. not the regular the cloth ones!

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ORLANDO AND ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE

I need your help this time!!

We are going back to theme park heaven aka Orlando, Fl soon......
I personally have not been to Universal/IOA in over 15+ years and as far as the rest of my family I don't think any of them have been there.... EVER.

Just like everyone else though, the new Harry Potter attractions have me very intrigued. Not to mention my oldest child is a thrill seeker and now old enough and tall enough for the big roller coasters, so it seems like a good time to try it again.

That being said I don't know nearly as much about Universal as I do about the wonderful world of Disney, which I am somewhat of an expert on. I will absolutely be reporting back to let everyone know what I think and what they offer, but in the mean time if anyone has any tips or tricks to share with me it would be much appreciated.

WELL EVERY NOW AND THEN WE GET A COLD DAY!!!!

Ok maybe you northerners don't think it's cold but we woke up in the 50's today in South Florida so it's got to be even colder in Walt Disney World and it's surrounding adventures!!!

Sorry we do have a few cold days a year, sometimes even a few weeks!!

BEST TIMES OF YEAR TO EXPERIENCE WALT DISNEY WORLD

This is actually a much harder question to answer than one may think!!

It really depends on what you are looking to get out of your vacation.

Are you a foodie traveling with friends?
Are you a family with small children on your first vacation to the World?
Are you retirees wanting to go at it without children?
Are you a mother daughter or maybe a father son combo?
And my list of questions could continue for hours!!

These are just some of the things I would need to consider in order to decide the best time of year for you to travel!!! So I've put together a basic guidelines type of post just to get ideas for those looking to travel to Disney World. As always feel free to contact me or comment if you need help or assistance in planning any vacation.

#4: This would be now!! The January/February time of year. The weather can be absolutely wonderful and that is always a good reason to go. Keep in mind this time of year the weather can range from 40's to 80's but on average it's mid 70's in the day time and 60's at night.

Another plus with this time of year is the foot traffic. It is definitely less crowded than other times of the year. Actually some of the lowest crowds can be found in this time frame, Don't be fooled though as some of the highest crowd levels can also be at this time.

Negatives: Due to low crowds they tend to do quite a few refurbs of the rides and one of the water parks will always be closed this time of year. Also beware of shorter park hours especially during the week and a lack of night time shows with the exception being the weekends.

#3: Early May or Late August is another great time to travel. The weather will almost always be above 75. Both water parks will be open park hours will be long and late and then everyone's favorite.... low crowds!! Great time for home schooled families to go or for people without children or people who love warm weather and water parks.

Negatives: Again it's always 75+ outside usually more like 85+. In May it's beginning to get pretty sticky outside and in August it's been sticky for a while and us Floridians are waiting for a reprieve! Oh and rain, while at any time it can rain in Florida these times are more likely to rain than any other on my list.

#2 September/October This is another great time of year to go due to free dining which is a great way to explore all of Disney's food options and kind of spoil yourself. September tends to have lower crowds than October but October tends to have significantly better weather than September. Both times are graced with long park hours, water parks being open, and one of my favorite.... Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!! This is a hard ticket event and it is awesome and that's all I'm going to say because that's a whole different blog post! Also crowds are still milder than they would be in summer or on Holidays and depending on which week you choose they can be down right low! Oh also Epcot's Food and Wine Festival is this time of year.

Negatives: It can be hot and rainy and at times crowded. Also due to free dining it can be hard to get reservations at the best restaurants.

#1 November/December This is my favorite time of year to go. Why? Because I love the holidays and Walt Disney World does an amazing job of celebrating. From the decorations at every resort to decorations at every park I literally just love it here at this time of year.  This is another time of year with a hard ticket event: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Another one that I will not go in detail about but is fabulous.

There can be some lower crowd times to go here also. Just watch when your going. Very long park hours and festivities everywhere like the Osborne Family Light Show... Love it. It's just a magical time of year. The weather is also generally awesome 50's - 80's

Negatives: It can be extremely crowded so again watch your dates. Can be freezing like under 50's or sweltering like over 80's. Also one of the water parks will be closed this time of year for a refurb.


So there you have it. A few very important basics and my preferred times of year to go.

STARBUCKS INVADING WALT DISNEY WORLD

There are many Starbucks fans and many Disney fans but are they one in the same??

The answer is no, while some people are very excited about more Starbucks locations in the world others are mad. Neither makes sense to me. I could take it or leave it. There was already coffee and espresso offered all over the world including all of the resorts. Was it awesome? No. Is Starbucks any better? Probably not! I prefer homemade, Dunkin Donuts, or even certain gas station coffee to Starbucks, however, to each his own.

For the Starbucks and Disney lovers REJOICE!!!


There is already one open on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. Now they are building at least three more. One will be located in what used to be Down Town Disney and what is being completely overhauled to be Disney Springs. Totally looking forward to this (Disney Springs) by the way from the food trucks to Morimoto's Pan-Asian restaurant. Another confirmed Starbucks will be in Animal Kingdom one of my favorite parks also receiving a face-lift adding Avatarland Harambe Marketplace and Starbucks! A third will be placed in Disney's Hollywood Studios, another park about to be remodeled but other than Starbucks the rest here is still just speculation.

There you have it they are taking over J/K. They used to sell McDonald's fries in Animal Kingdom but that didn't last. I'm sure eventually this will find it's way out the door and on to the next thing. If I may be honest, I'm glad Disney can embrace change.

MICKEY'S SORCERER'S HAT TO BE REMOVED FROM DISNEY HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

Well the title says it all!!! The large sorcerer's hat that had been placed in the middle of it all will begin the removal process beginning on January 7, 2015. This means no more photo ops there! I have to admit I don't even have a pic to show you of this hat because the last time any member of our family actually took a pic with it was way back in 2004 before our phones had camera's. I have one in a picture frame of my mother and first child but the top of the hat is cut off. Which was my problem with the hat... it was to big to photo! There really isn't a good place to get a pic of the whole hat unless you are right at the front entrance.

Sooooo what will they be replacing it with. Rumor has it that it will be the original icon that is currently in the background, the earful tower. It is a water tower with Mickey ears very cute and it will leave plenty of room for a beautiful view of The Great Movie Ride. A Chinese theater that takes you back in time through the world of film.

The hat was also home to a huge gift shop in Hollywood Studios, that will be moved in doors. Other changes in Hollywood Studios include the closing of the American Idol Experience and also the Legend of Jack Sparrow and the Studio Back Lot Tour which was an original of the park at it's opening in 1989. Oh and at least one permit has been pulled to work on the empty studio building next to Toy Story Mania.....

Big things are coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios and I can't wait to see it all :-)

TURKEY RUN @ THE DAYTONA 500 RACEWAY IN DAYTONA BEACH, FL

How cool is it to walk on the Daytona 500 Speedway????


Pretty much as cool as it gets if your a car enthusiast!!!

Turkey Run is an Annual Event that meets inside the Daytona 500 Speedway. It is a huge car show and swap meet. You can find all things car that you didn't even know you needed! Plus you can probably find that old used original hard to get part that you thought you'd never find! Oh, and of course you can buy or sell you vehicle here.

This is what we brought this year to sell:

And yes that is my silly daughter and husband standing on the speedway with what is no longer our truck!!

Turkey Run is a family event. No not all the people there come as a family there are plenty of groups of guys and girls that just love cars!! But if you are looking for a place to take your family over Thanksgiving break next year this is a good one!

Turkey Run is held every year over the long weekend of Thanksgiving. Gates open early and close at 5 pm nightly. But don't worry you can find plenty to do after 5!

The car guys tend hang out on the beach at night so it is like a whole other car show on the beach when the sun goes down! And for the ladies in your life that don't want to look at cars all day again I give you the beach!!! There are also some outlet malls not to far for the shopper in your life, but with all the booths at the speedway the shopper in me is satisfied inside this event :-)

As far as places to stay there are many choices at many different prices and distances from the Speedway. Contact me or comment if you need help finding the one that's right for you.

BACK IN BUSINESS!!!!

Hello Readers!!!

I wanted to give a quick apology for not diligently informing you all of my recent travels or given you many reviews. This is due to a new addition to our family :-)

He is now 3 months old and I will be getting back to my normal routine of traveling and reviewing all things Florida!!!  And any other place I have the opportunity to get to.

In the past 3 months I have not gone many places, however, I do have a few new posts to get to you so I will start with Turkey Run in Daytona Beach and the La Quinta in Port Orange.

Happy Reading and Enjoy!

BIG CHANGES ARE COMING TO DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS....

With great rides like The Tower of Terror and Rock N Roller Coaster, this park is a no miss for our family. It also has well known shows like Disney Jr., Beauty and the Beast, Fantasmic, Indiana Jones, and Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt show.

Then there are a few other things to do like Toy Story Mania, a ride that always has a huge line so I recommend getting a fastpass, and Star Wars which you can do without a fastpass due to it's high capacity for people.

But other than that there is a food, a Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground (fun but kid's don't know what the movie is), the Great Movie Ride and the Back Lot Studio Tour.

The Back Lot Studio Tour was one of the original rides back when MGM Studios opened it's doors in 1989. In the 1990's I loved this ride. It was long, informative, and fun. The current version of the ride at what is now Disney's Hollywood Studios is not the same. Half of the ride is gone. Some of the cool stuff is still there but it is just not as good. My husband who only went on the new shortened version of the ride has made it clear he never has any desire to go on it again.

And so, the Back Lot Studio Tour will be closing and soon!!! Disney has officially announced that it will be closing on September 27, 2014. WOOHOOO!!!!

Ooops did I say that out loud?

American Idol has already closed and now this. What does this mean for Disney's Hollywood Studios? It means changes are coming. The Back Lot Studio Tour was located right next to and behind the current Toy Story Mid Way Mania ride. An extremely popular ride at the park. One has to wonder though is it only this popular due to lack of other rides that the whole family can go on? Most rides in this park have a height restriction. And let's be honest there are not many of those either.

While I love this park, I have been saying it needs more for quite some time. Epcot does too but that is a different blog entry!

So what's coming?  Nobody knows for sure but here are some of the rumors that have been swirling for the last two years or so....

Star Wars Land is that one word or two? I'm not really sure. I do know that I love the current Star Wars Ride and the gift shop next to it. I also know that Star Wars weekends are an extremely busy time for Hollywood Studios. It would be a welcome addition and many many people would love it.

Pixar Place. Another great idea. Honestly I think this would do the park more good than Star Wars Land. Sorry Star Wars fans but, Pixar Place would give the park more stuff for the smaller kids to do and keep them in a different section of the park most of the day. It would ease the wait times on Toy Story Mid Way Mania and it also gives so many different options for rides. Hopefully, they would put in two or three different rides related to the movies kid's love so much. Maybe two smaller rides and one large e-ticket roller coaster type ride! That is probably wishful thinking but it would be nice.

Carsland was another option people were talking about. Let me be clear here, I don't think this is a good idea. I think it is important to have some things different in California and Florida. This way Disney fans that live on one coast will still ultimately have to travel across the country to experience the other park. It's just good business to make people feel the need to do both. My son still loves the cars movies more than any other Disney Pixar movies but go ahead and keep that in California.  A small cars influence....cool. A Planes ride.... awesome but with the Car's Suites at the new Art of Animation Resort and Cars Land in DCA we could use something special here.

Well that's it for now BIG CHANGES ARE COMING..... what are they..... NO ONE KNOWS!!!!!

If you would like to book a trip to the wonderful world of Disney feel free to Contact Me and I will be happy to help you plan the trip you have been waiting for!!!

NEED EXTRA VACATION MONEY......

Let your old phones and tablets work for you!!!!

It's actually much easier than you think to bring in money from online sites. It is also not as much as you may have been hoping for!!! I have found it possible to make an extra $75-$150 by doing almost nothing!

Start here:

SWAGBUCKS

That is a referral link for Swagbucks. A very simple site that you can make very complicated if you want. The simple version is use your old phones and tablets to run a few apps while you are at work or sleeping. This will bring in a few dollars a day.

If you are hungry for free cash and have a little extra time do some of the surveys, activities, and your shopping through Swagbucks and you will earn more for that. If you have any questions feel free to comment and ask me.

Swagbucks can be turned into cash via Paypal. There is no fees to switch your Swagbucks to a Paypal deposit. Swagbucks also offers so many different gift cards for places like Starbucks, Target, Walmart, the list is pretty endless. There is absolutely something for everyone there.

Next do this:

BING REWARDS


Join Bing Rewards. Just for searching on your pc, tablet, or phone you will start to rack up points. You can trade them in for Swagbucks, prizes, or numerous gift cards. Again, minimal effort here. Granted it is slower than earning Swagbucks, but if you search the internet a lot you will get credit every time. And really why not get credit for something you do everyday multiple times a day?!


There are also survey sites.....

Some of these work some don't. I have had less luck with these and they take more time.

I will be joining two new sites today to evaluate them. If they work out I promise to report back and let you know how much you can make and how much effort it takes. I will not waste our precious blog time if they turn out to be unsuccessful. This is why I'm only giving you two as of now. The other ten or so I tried were just not worth it!

Happy free money!!! I use mine for extra's around the house, the kid's presents, and of course VACATIONS!!!!

What will you use yours for????

HAPPY LABOR DAY LETS PLAN A VACAY!!!!

I'm currently planning my families next vacation and hopefully you are too!!!!

There is nothing better than taking time off to enjoy life, love, and family. It could be a short get away in your home town or a far away adventure to explore places you have never seen.

It could be just a day trip or a month long excursion. Either way everyone needs a VACAY!!!!!

CONTACT US TODAY

And plan your next fabulous getaway.

Florida's Gulf Coast