Lindblad Galapagos Adventure Cruise On The Horizon

Galapagos Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic  Endeavour-2
Lindblad Expedition’s “National Geographic Endeavour”

Normally it’s impossible on the same day to snorkel with such cold water animals as penguins and fur seals and at the same time encounter typically warm water reef fish like Moorish idols and the red-colored squirrelfish and soldierfish. Cold and warm water marine animals usually are found thousands of miles (and thousands of dollars) apart … except in the fabled Galapagos Islands.

Even more intriguing are the Galapagos’ fascinating land animals, particularly the giant tortoises, marine and land iguanas and the blue-footed boobies. Overall, at least one‑third of the land species inhabiting the Galapagos Islands are found nowhere else in the world.

Linda and I are about to see them all, up close, on a 7-day cruise aboard Lindblad’s National Geographic Endeavour. This cruise fulfills a photographic wish we’ve shared for some time. Although I was fortunate enough to cross off the Galapagos from my bucket list a number of years ago, I’ve wanted for a long time to return and replace my deteriorating film slides with digital images. And, to be honest, I’ve forgotten so much about the trip that a second time for me should feel more like a first visit.

More than most cruise destinations, the Galapagos require some background information before departure. Not only to help you plan in advance on what precisely to bring (you won’t have time or the opportunity for anything but souvenir shopping) but to make sure you’ve chosen a time of year that you can be happy with.
  Young Seal lions Playing-blog                                                        Sea lion pups playing only yards from the shoreline.

The Galapagos, harsh volcanic islands located on the equator 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, were named the “Mysterious Isles” by the first Spanish explorers. The archipelago is far more than “mysterious;” they are like nowhere else on earth. Many of the land animals‑‑like the 3‑foot long, dinosaur‑like iguanas and huge land tortoises‑‑were so isolated from the South American mainland that they and others developed in ways distinctly apart from their nearby cousins.

The Galapagos climate is largely determined by Pacific Ocean currents that cut through the archipelago, made up of 13 main islands along with numerous islets and rocks. The colder, dominating Humboldt Current (also called the Peru Current) streams in from Antarctica, following north toward the equator from the southern tip of Chile to northern Peru. The Humboldt current, which upwells deep water to the surface, is responsible for making the water as chilly as 63 F during the June-December months. The cold, nutrient-rich water also supports one of the world’s most productive fisheries, primarily pelagics, jack mackerel, anchovies and sardines.

The cold Humboldt stream keeps the air temperatures surprisingly moderate year-round, from 69F (21C) to 84F (30C). It also helps create the annual rainy season (January through May). The rains, however, are brief and the sun shines most of the time. Sounds ideal, except the rain brings out the mosquitoes and flies, which can be fierce. In addition, the rains also make the water murkier for snorkeling and may also produce a sea mist.

During the remainder of the year, the skies are often overcast until midmorning, sometimes all day, under the influence of what is called the garua. You’ll actually see more sunlight during the rainy period, but that is the least strange element in this land overlooked by time.

This cold water upwelling of the Humboldt Current periodically is disrupted by an El Nino event, which brings a rush of warm, nutrient-poor tropical water, sometimes pushing the water temperatures as high as 86F.  The Galapagos is strongly influenced by the El Niño events that occur every 2-7 years with either a warm (El Niño) or a cool (La Niña). Strong El Niño events cause higher than normal sea surface and air temperatures in the January-May hot season along with an increase in rainfall; these months also make up the rainy season. Biological productivity increases on land during such periods but high water temperatures cause a 50% mortality among the seal and marine iguana populations, which survive on the plants, fish and invertebrates found in shallow water. The La Niña events cause lower than normal sea surface and air temperatures and reduce the rainfall amount in the normally wet, hot season of January through May. Reduced rainfall can also lead to drought, severe food shortages and mortality among the land animals.

As an example, Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island records that the median rainfall there is 7.62 inches (196 mm) in the rainy season and only 3.2 inches (81mm)in the cool season (June through December). In an extreme El Nino event, the rainfall has increased to 109 inches (2769 mm); during a La Nina extreme, it has fallen to just 2.4 inches.

Galapagos Seasonal Weather
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Months Low Temp High Temp Season Water Temp
Jan – May 65 – 70°F 85 – 90°F wet 75 – 82°F
June – Dec 65 – 70°F 85 – 90°F dry 62- 68°F

Our October cruise is during the cloudy garua season and a time of cold water; we’re relying on the digital cameras to compensate for the cloudy weather. Hopefully, they will do the job since it is no longer possible to use flash on the animals. About the cold water, though, we’re not so sure. As Floridians, Linda and I try to avoid it. We expect to tough it out, though, even investing in a couple of the new Nikon Coolpix AW100 point-and-shoot digitals capable of going down to 33 feet. That’s deeper than we expect to snorkel.

Lindblad Endeavour Galapagos Cruise Links

The Galapagos Experience                                          Endeavor Dining
Galapagos Adventure Upcoming                             Sustainable Dining Policy
How Darwin Saved The Galapagos                          Saturday Dining Menus
Galapagos Photo Tips                                                   Sunday Dining Menus
What To Pack For Cruise                                             Monday Dining Menus
Getting to Guayaquil                                                     Tuesday Dining Menus
Las Bachas Shore Landing                                          Wednesday Dining Menus
North Seymour Shore Landing                                 Thursday Dining Menus
Fernandina & Isabela Islands                                   Friday Finale Menus
Urbina Bay Shore Landing                                          Endeavour Recipes
Life Aboard The Endeavour
More About Life On Board
Puerto Egas Shore Landing
Endeavour’s Floating SPA
Meeting One of World’s Rarest Animals
Puerto Ayoro Walking Tour
Santa Cruz Highlands Tour
Hunting Tortoises in the Santa Cruz Highlands
San Cristobal, Endeavour’s final stop

Disney World Dining – If You Don’t Cancel, You Still Pay

disney wine epcot

Too many visitors to Walt Disney World in Orlando can’t dine at a favorite restaurant because all the spaces are taken. Reservation no-shows are one of the causes, so Disney World is imposing a fee on anyone who fails to cancel a reservation 24 hours in advance.

Beginning Oct. 26, Disney will charge $10 for the total number of people on a reservation not cancelled 24 hours ahead of time. For a party of 5, that’s $50. With a credit card required to make the reservation, Disney can be sure of obtaining the no-show fee.

The 19 signature restaurants included in this new policy are:

• 1900 Park Fare
• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
• Artist Point
• California Grill
• Cape May Café
• Chef Mickey’s
• Cítricos
• The Crystal Palace
• Flying Fish Café
• The Garden Grill
• Hollywood & Vine
• Jiko – The Cooking Place
• Le Cellier Steakhouse
• Narcoossee’s
• ‘Ohana
• Tusker House Restaurant
• The Hollywood Brown Derby
• Victoria & Albert’s – $25 per person
• Yachtsman Steakhouse

The following restaurants require a full pre-payment. If you don’t cancel a reservation there 24 hours is advance, you forfeit the entire amount you’ve paid at:

• Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
• Mickey’s Backyard BBQ

Canceling a reservation is easy. Just call 407-WDW-CNCL (939-2625) or sign in at Disneyworld.com/reservations

_________

This is a regular update for buyers of the app Orlando Essential Travel Guide and anyone who discovers this site.

Until next next week (or later),

Tim

LEGOLAND Florida Oct. 15 Opening Just Around Corner

Major new theme park aimed at kids 2-12

Legoland Dragon Coaster
LEGOLAND Florida photo

The new 150-acre LEGOLAND Florida theme park in Winter Have, FL, is on schedule to open Oct. 15. Catering to kids from 2 to 12, LEGOLAND features more than 50 rides – from roller coasters to race cars – as well as family focused shows and attractions. This is the 5th and largest of the world’s Legolands. The only other U.S.-based LEGOLAND is located in California.

LEGOLAND Florida is located on the site of Cypress Gardens, which opened in the 1930s and whose stunt water ski shows, Southern Belles and beautifully manicured gardens made it an international attraction for decades. The ski shows and gardens remain in some form but the Southern belles are now represented by Lego figures.

A distinctive part of the Florida attraction is its 4 “pink-knuckle” rides, junior roller coasters with the right blend of speed that should thrill the entire family, not just those with cast-iron stomachs. These include The Dragon Coaster in the Kingdoms zone with a humorous behind-the-scenes view of life within the enchanted LEGOLAND Castle. The indoor/outdoor steel coaster encounter a massive fire-breathing dragon along the way. Coastersaurus in the Land of Adventure features a wooden coaster that curves and dips in and around a life-sized Lego brick dinosaur, .

Other attractions include Duplo Village for 3- to 5-year-olds with themed play zones. Duplo Playtown lets toddlers operate a pint-sized town; at Duplo Barn they can climb, slide and crawl among a variety of Lego farm animals. Imagination Zone is a hands-on section of the park that emphasizes exploring and creation.

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At Pirate’s Cove on Lake Eloise, Lego “mini-fig” pirates star in a live-action, water-stunt spectacular families will love. This area also is the site of the Botanical Gardens, one of the attractions that made Cypress Gardens such a popular destination for many decades.

See map  for all the park attraction areas.

Realizing its out-of-the-way location could be a problem for some potential visitors, LEGOLAND will run a daily shuttle from Orlando Premium Outlets on Vineland Ave. Leaving at 9am and returning after the park closes, the 45-minute shuttle trip has a special opening price of $5, round trip, per person. The shuttle is equipped with seatbelts for youngsters.  To reserve a seat, click here.

For families that want to spend the night, LEGOLAND has a series of “Bed and Brick” preferred hotels , although some are not all that close to the property.

Ticket prices  are considerably less than at the other major theme parks. Hours vary by season and day of week.

Based on the popularity of LEGOLANDs in California and Germany and elsewhere as well as the advance ticket sales, LEGOLAND Florida will be a blockbuster. This new attraction should be motivation enough to attract a lot of families with young kids to visit Orlando once more, or for the first time.  

This is a weekly info update to the Orlando Essential Travel Guide for buyers of the app and anyone who discovers this site.

Until next Monday (or later),

Tim

Exploring Harry Potter’s Wizarding World

Universal HP Ride lead pixIf there really had been a fire-breathing dragon at this part of the Forbidden Journey, do you think we’d really be looking away from it?  Or appear so calm?  Universal Orlando Resort Photo. 

In Part 3 of our visit to Universal Orlando Resort, which has special vacation packages with Royal Caribbean Cruises, we share our experiences and offer some pointers for cutting line wait times. Part 2 was quite a while ago—Sept. 11; Part 1 appeared Sept. 5th. Blame Hurricane Irene cleanup in Virginia.

Although it’s a Friday morning and the beginning of a weekend, we’re able to check-into the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel early and move luggage to our room before noon. Unpacking, however, will wait until later. We’re finally off to the Islands of Adventure, taking one of the free water taxis that continually run from Portofino Bay to the landing serving both Universal theme parks and City Walk. Our water taxi travels through a lushly landscaped canal, bypasses the Hard Rock Hotel (each hotel has its own designated shuttles) and goes directly to the theme park dock, a ride of about 10 minutes. Another way to reach the theme parks is to take the sidewalk bordering the waterway. That would be a nice stroll in cooler weather, but with the water taxis starting as early as 6:30 am in summer and running until 2 am when City Walk closes, it’s an avenue we don’t bother to explore.

Both the Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Orlando have the landmark rides and shows that have made them so famous: Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Harry Potter’s Forbidden Journey and more. Ironically, it’s an unadvertised experience the twins particularly enjoy because it’s a test of their strength and ingenuity. It’s a rock climbing wall near the Jurassic Park River Adventure. Blending in well with the jungle landscape, the rock wall is an extra $5 per person charge but well worth it. Much smaller than the ones on board many RCCL cruise ships, this wall is shaped like a tall cube; it also doesn’t sway from side to side.

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Twins Emily and Andrew, equally competitive, are eager to start their climb. Andrew ascends to the top first to ring the bell at the summit. It is kind of an unfair contest since it’s obviously easier for Andrew to ascend on the left side than it is on the right. Emily trades places with Andrew and quickly reaches the summit while Andrew struggles to climb more than three-quarters of the way up. Since both can rightly consider themselves winners, they’re quite happy when we depart for the small but still impressive Harry Potter’s Wizarding World squeezed into a corner of the Islands of Adventure. Count on this expanding soon; it has to, based on Universal’s contract with J.K. Rowling to add 2 more rides from the Deathly Hallows films.

Anyone who started their Harry Potter fandom by reading the books will feel twice the awe they experienced as the film spectacles kept unfolding with one new wonder after another the first time they view the reproduction of J.K . Rowling’s famous books. I still sense a tingle in my spine every time I cross the bridge leading into the Wizarding World with Hogwarts Castle on my left and the permanently snow-covered roofs of Hogsmeade Village in front. Hearing the emblematic film music near the Hogwarts Express makes me feel 10 years old. From the looks and comments from Linda and the kids, it’s obvious they’re reliving Rowling’s magical surroundings as we experience the enchantment of Dervish and Banges, Honeydukes and Hogwarts Castle’s popular gift shop called the Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, named for Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry has made J.K. Rowling the richest woman in Britain and one of the wealthiest authors in history. I say well done, Jo Rowling, and thank you so much for enriching so many lives—and bringing some magic into them. People who can’t believe in magic don’t fully appreciate life’s many wonders, or look forward to the next possibility.

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On this afternoon, the Wizarding World lines are long and the Forbidden Journey is not covered by Universal’s Express ride pass. Which is the only reason why the next morning we are up at 5:30 am in order to get ready for the first water taxi departure at 6:30 am for the 7 am opening of Harry Potter’s Wizarding World in the Islands of Adventure. We have an hour to ride the rides before the regular park hours and the 20 minutes it usually takes after that for crowds to start forming in the Wizarding World. (The 1-hour early admission is another on-site hotel stay bonus; opening hours change by season)

Others were ahead of us when we arrive at Hogwarts. We place our cameras and other loose items in the free lockers just inside the entrance (on the right). We join the quick-moving line that abruptly stalls. The complicated Forbidden Journey ride is known to have its tantrums; this must be one of them. After about 5 minutes, the line starts again. We tour the castle and arrive at the ride without delay. The ride stops when we’re about three-fourths through and the lights come on, revealing a surprisingly mundane view of a room that looks like a second-rate haunted house.

That behind-the-scenes view is brief and the technical difficulty is quickly forgotten as the five of us are hastily escorted to the front of the line for a second ride, this time with no hiccups. Afterwards, eating breakfast at the Three Broomsticks, our conversation ranged from what was the coolest part of the ride to whether did-you-notice-this-or-that?

By mid-afternoon, with temperatures in the mid-90s and the humidity closer to 100%, we’re dragging from the early morning wake-up time and return to our hotel . Some of us take a quick nap, others opt for poolside fun. Without being able to take this break, the rest of the day would have been pretty miserable. When we return to the park in the early evening, Austin stays behind because his allergies are bothering him. The twins want to see the Wizarding World when it’s at its most magical, after sunset, and have one more butter beer.

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Much to my surprise, the line into Ollivander’s wand shop is only about a 20 minute wait, not the usual 90 minutes or 2 hours. Now spoiled by the instant access provided almost everywhere by the Express ride passes, Emily and Andrew are reluctant at such a “long” wait; talk about oblivious to theme park ways. We convince them to stay and a short time later we are crowded into Ollivander’s tiny shop where wand boxes cover the room from almost floor to ceiling.

Then we experience one of Universal’s best live presentations—also the type of shows the Wizarding World desperately needs more of. Mr. Ollivander, who with his beard and magical robes looks nothing like actor John Hurt, explains how “the wand chooses the wizard” and selects a boy of about 7 to demonstrate in a clever way with things going magically wrong with each wand choice except the final one. The twins are spellbound.

Our exit is through the wand shop (surprise!) where we choose our wands. Then we return to Hogsmeade’s main plaza for another round of butter beer. Standing beside a brightly lit window of Honeydukes sweet shop with his wand raised in his right hand and a butter beer in his left and grinning from ear to ear, Andrew suddenly announces: “This is one of the best days of my life!”

Perfect! That, after all, is what this trip was all about. And it delivered.

Universal happy kids-1  Universal portofino-1

Hint: To slash the typical 90-minute ride time at the Forbidden Journey, take the single-rider located on the right just past the Hogwarts locker area. You miss most the castle tour and arrive near the front of the line quite quickly. Although the ride has 4 people to a bench, you’re cut off from everyone once the ride takes flight. This is very much an individual experience; share it with someone else after the ride ends. For more advice on the Wizarding World, see my Orlando Essential Travel Guide iTunes app.

Avatar Theme Land Coming to Disney World

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To Be An Eco or Adventure Land?

James Cameron’s Avatar film saga will become a new land added to Disney World’s Animal Kingdom theme park; construction is scheduled to start in 2013. According to the Disney press release, With its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the AVATAR stories.

Obviously, I need to endure the first Avatar movie a second time to appreciate the harmony with nature as the main message of the first Avatar film. Seemed to me the Terminator series director’s Avatar with its helicopters and warfare was simply a poorly disguised rehash of old Vietnam war movies. Never did get why this was so popular since it was so predictable and the 3-D, well, it doesn’t match Terminator 2: 3-D, which still impresses audiences at nearby Universal Orlando Studios. Saw that classic again for the first time in years this summer and it’s still just as exciting as when it opened 15 years ago, in 1996.

Suspect the Avatar theme land at Disney World certainly will equal and with latest advances technically surpass Terminator 2: 3-D. As with the Terminator films, Cameron plans a trilogy for Avatar on the planet Pandora. Of course, Cameron is the master of disaster films and Pandora isn’t exactly a name that promises tranquility or—thank all movie gods–the likelihood of Ewok teddy bears or other silly creatures appearing in Avatar 3, as in the original Star Wars 3 (now #6).

Cameron says, “I’m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney’s legendary Imagineers to bring our AVATAR universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see hear, and touch the world of AVATAR with an unprecedented sense of reality.”

Other Avatar’s could follow the opening of Disney World’s, depending on its success. It should be exciting and dynamic, but the idea of this theme land being based mostly on living in harmony with nature—don’t believe it.

Is that something you would want to pay to see?

No specific time yet for Avatar’s Disney World opening.

Until next Monday (or later),

Tim

This is a weekly info update to the Orlando Essential Travel Guide for buyers of the app and anyone who discovers this site.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween-Party

Disney World Halloween

Just the name “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party” perfectly distinguishes it from the better known adult gross-out Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. The Disney Halloween event with nothing very threatening is perfectly suited for young children. It’s actually a giant trick-or-treat party with children encouraged to dress in a costume and accumulate as much candy as they can while wandering through the Magic Kingdom theme park, occasionally encountering Disney characters and villains in their own special Halloween costumes.

Held on select nightsfrom now until Oct. 31, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a separate ticket event held from 7pm-midnight, which makes this unsuitable for very young kids since they are likely to fall asleep by 9pm.

The admission gradually increases on dates closer to Halloween. The most expensive tickets are $62.95 + tax for adults and $57.95 + tax for kids 3-9. Discounts are offered for most nights when tickets are purchased in advance online. (Only in theme parks do children become adults at age 10, which probably is the upper age range before kids outgrow this.)

Some of the special attractions at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party include:

  • Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade with Disney Characters and the stars of the Haunted Mansion attraction.
  • The Happy HalloWishes fireworks show where the Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky.

Disney does this right. I’ve attended several times and it’s been just as much fun for adults as children. I mean, well, let’s face it–we never outgrow that Disney magic. And this celebration is loaded with it.

Disney World Halloween 2 

This is a weekly info update to the Orlando Essential Travel Guide for buyers of the app and anyone who discovers this site.

Until next Monday,

Tim

16th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Starts Sept. 30

The 16th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort runs from Sept. 30-Nov. 13, The 45-day festival serves up international cuisine, culture and entertainment from 6 continents using more than 25 international marketplaces –including new tasting marketplaces from Hawaii, Caribbean Islands and Portugal – all with tapas-sized portions paired with beer, wine and inventive new cocktails

More than 270 chefs including Disney chefs and culinary stars from across the country will conduct culinary demonstrations and host dinners and tasting events. Celebrity chef appearances include Jeff Henderson, Cat Cora, Alan Wong, Gale Gand, Suvir Saran, Jamie Deen, Rock Harper, Celina Tio, Robert Irvine, Andrew Zimmern, Buddy Valastro, Warren Brown, Art Smith, Keegan Gerhard and more.

It’s possible to spend a day of exploring the World Showcase Promenade. The tapas-sized portions of regional specialties run $3 to $8 each, with suggested pairings of wines, cocktails and beers. Instead of paying for each market sampling, you can buy a festival-themed mini-Disney Gift Card you wear on a wristband and load and reload at several park locations.

Live daily entertainment includes music, acrobats and improvisation performances along the promenade. Kicking off the festival from Sept. 30-Oct. 2 are former members of ELO and Gin Blossoms. Appearing for the first time on the Eat to the Beat! stage are The Pointer Sisters. Ending the festival Nov. 11-13 are fan favorites Taylor Dayne and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Disney is advertising that The World Showcase will feature a return of “Captain EO,” a musical 3-D production starring Michael Jackson. That seems a better Halloween addition for Universal’s horror-fest and not Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival. Watching this video when it first came out was scary years ago before knowing the talented singer had a strange fascination with young children. Now that we do, to advertise it as a possible appetizer or dessert for Epcot’s world-class dining experience?
Gag!

What’s Included with Epcot Admission:

Taste seminars and Authors Without Borders programs with special book signings at the Festival Center, Eat to the Beat! concerts, cultural adventures, Marketplace Discovery Passport and all attractions and park entertainment are included.

Special Programming by Reservation:

Senses grand tasting events and other special culinary and beverage programs require reservations and separate event admission. You can call now 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information and to make reservations for special events and programs. For details about everything, visit www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine.

This is a weekly info update to the Orlando Essential Travel Guide for buyers of the app and anyone who discovers this site.

Universal Orlando Hotels Provide Pleasant Surprises

Part 1 explained how Universal Orlando Resort  and Royal Caribbean  offer a resort/cruise combo. In Part 2, I  detail why we decided to stay at Universal Orlando instead of commute from home, just 45-minutes away.

Univ. kids 1 main

We recently drove our 3 Virginia grandkids from Richmond to Orlando for a much anticipated visit to Universal Orlando Resort. Although we live just outside Orlando, our grandkids never have visited any of Orlando’s famous theme parks except SeaWorld, many years ago and just for a single day. Anytime since when in Florida, their father (who hates crowds and refuses to wait in long lines) always has vetoed another theme park visit. Well, Linda and I have the same long line phobia but know of ways to avoid them. And since the 3 grandkids are ages 15 and 11 (twins, boy and girl), it seemed they were overdue for an in-depth theme park visit.

So we kidnap them for a week (with parental permission) for a theme park excursion involving only truly “grand” people as kid or parent. The grandkids have free reign to choose which park to visit when. Their only interest is Universal Orlando Resort, something of a surprise since they watch the Disney Channel all the time. Harry Potter, not Mickey Mouse, is foremost on their minds. Although the grandkids are aware from friends that Harry Potter makes up only a small part of the Islands of Adventure, Universal is where they want to go.

As Orlando area residents, the obvious choice for us is to overnight at home and commute to the park. Universal, however, sometimes offers surprisingly good hotel discounts for Florida residents, although I don’t expect to find any deals during the peak summer period. Universal’s 3 on-site themed hotels are all AAA Four Diamond Award-winning properties: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and the Hard Rock Hotel. Doing my advance research online in Virginia, the best offer for the 5 of us appears to be the Hard Rock Hotel. However, it’s a good thing I call to check the online rates with a Universal reservationist who tells me that because I am an annual passholder as well as a local resident, she can save me another $120 a night at Portofino Bay vs. the Hard Rock.

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            Loews Portofino Bat Hotel                                      Famed Hogwarts Castle

The room rate comes to just over $300 a night for the 5 of us, a rate that makes staying at home a poor option. Besides the convenience of staying on-site and not having daily to fight I-4 traffic to and from Universal, the hotel perks will make it cheaper to stay there. Each of us will receive a free Universal Express ride pass, which normally costs around $87 per person per day. Multiply the value of the Express ride pass by 5 and they’re worth $100 more per day than the room we stay in. The Universal Express ride passes turn out to have an extended bonus. For instance, by staying for 3 nights, the passes actually are valid for 4 days. They are valid the day we check-in, starting at whatever time we pick up them. It could be as early as 7 a.m. even though the official check-in time is 4 p.m. In the meantime, the hotel holds the luggage until a room is ready. Our check-out time will be 11 a.m., but the Universal express ride passes remains valid for us that day until the park closes. Not what Linda or I expected: that’s a lot of bonus ride time. All of us have 4 days of front-of-the-line rides for the price of a 3-day hotel stay and a 3-day park pass for the grandkids.

In addition, the hotel stay includes an hour’s early entrance to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for 4 days, which means we can ride the rides for an hour before the general public shows up; one morning 90 minutes after opening time we dine at the Three Broomsticks restaurant  for the highly coveted Harry Potter Breakfast. Hotel guests can make priority reservations anywhere. (Although Florida residents do get a price break on the rooms, every hotel guest receives the free Express ride pass and early admission bonuses.)

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            Three Broomsticks breakfast                                   City Walk celebrates

Arriving at the Islands of Adventure, we put the Universal Express ride pass to the test. Supposedly, just showing a hotel room key card would get us into a special express lane that bypasses the often long waits. Besides jumping to the front of the line, the 5 of us would be able to re-ride the same attraction immediately, over and over. No need to make ride reservations, as at Disney World (which also has many more visitors waiting for a ride).

Linda and I decide to initiate roller-coaster loving grandkids to Universal with the Incredible Hulk  roller coaster (we’re bad!). Living in Richmond and frequent visitors to Bush Gardens in Williamsburg, the grandkids all agree the Hulk is indeed incredible. Twins Emily and Andrew brave a second go-round, which includes 7 inversions and accelerates to 40 mph. Next, the 5 of us ride Spiderman 3 times in a row within about 20 minutes.

The grandkids love the no-wait express pass. They have no idea of the wait times the typical visitor endures on a theme park visit. The Universal Express ride pass spoils them by the end of our trip. Most of all, us too.

Part 3: What the grandkids think of their Universal experience. And more reasons why anyone planning a Royal Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral should seriously consider bringing their youngsters to Universal Orlando.

Dine At Orlando’s Best Restaurants In September For $30

 

One of the advantages of visiting Orlando off-season are the available discounts. September is the Magical Dining Month  organized by Visit Orlando,  the only officially recognized sales and marketing organization for the Orlando and Orange County area.

Featuring a wide variety of the Orlando area’s best restaurants, the Magical Dining Menu has a fixed price of $30 per person, per meal, for dinner only.

You select 1 item per course, with no substitutions. Price does not include tax or gratuity. The Magical Dining Month menu cannot be combined with additional discounts or promotions. Reservations subject to availability.

Restaurants listed alphabetically, with Location and Cuisine type

Click on a restaurant to see its 3-course dinner menu. For a reservation, click the online link or call the restaurant. However, those without reservations need only ask for a Magical Dining Month menu.

ANDIAMO ITALIAN BISTRO AND GRILLE, Lake Buena Vista Area, Italian

BICE RISTORANTE, Universal Orlando Resort, Italian

BIG FIN SEAFOOD KITCHEN, Sand Lake Road Area, Seafood

THE BOHEME, Downtown Area, American

CALA BELLA, International Drive Area, Italian

THE CAPITAL GRILLE, International Drive Area, American

CHARLEY’S STEAK HOUSE, Osceola County, Steak

CHARLEY’S STEAK HOUSE, International Drive Area, Steak

CHARLEY’S STEAK HOUSE, South Orlando Area, Steak

CHATHAM’S PLACE RESTAURANT, Sand Lake Road Area, Continental

CHEZ VINCENT, Winter Park, French

CITRUS RESTAURANT, Downtown Area, American

CITY FIRE AMERICAN OVEN & BAR, Sand Lake Road Area, American

CRAVE, Mall at Millenia Area, American

CUBA LIBRE RESTAURANT & RUM BAR, International Drive Area, Latin

DRAGONFLY ROBATA GRILL AND SUSHI, Sand Lake Road Area, Asian

ELEVEN, Osceola County, American

EMERIL’S RESTAURANT ORLANDO, Universal Orlando Resort, American

EMERIL’S TCHOUP CHOP, Universal Orlando Resort, Asian

EVERGLADES RESTAURANT, International Drive Area, American

FIORELLA’S CUCINA TOSCANA, International Drive Area, Italian

FISHBONES, Lake Mary, Seafood

FISHBONES, Sand Lake Road Area, Seafood

FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE, Sand Lake Road Area, Steak

FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE, Winter Park, Steak

FUNKY MONKEY WINE COMPANY, Downtown Area, Fusion

FUNKY MONKEY WINE COMPANY, International Drive Area, Fusion

HUE RESTAURANT, Downtown Area, American

IL MULINO NEW YORK TRATTORIA, Lake Buena Vista Area, Italian

ISLANDS DINING ROOM, Universal Orlando Resort, American

JOHNNIE’S HIDEAWAY, Lake Buena Vista Area, American

K RESTAURANT, College Park, American

THE KITCHEN, Universal Orlando Resort, American

LA LUCE BY DONNA SCALA, Lake Buena Vista Area, Italian

LAGO, Baldwin Park, Italian

A LAND REMEMBERED, International Drive Area, American

LATIN QUARTER, Universal Orlando Resort, Latin

LE COQ AU VIN, South Orlando Area, French

LUIGINO’S RESTAURANT, Lake Mary, Italian

LUMA ON PARK, Winter Park, American

MAMA DELLA’S RISTORANTE, Universal Orlando Resort, Italian

McCORMICK & SCHMICK’S, Mall at Millenia Area, Seafood

MIKADO JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE, Lake Buena Vista Area, Asian

MING COURT, International Drive Area, Asian

MOONFISH, Sand Lake Road Area, Seafood

MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE, Sand Lake Road Area, Steak

NAPA, International Drive Area, American

NICK’S ITALIAN KITCHEN, Downtown Area, Italian

NINE18, Lake Buena Vista Area, Continental

OCEAN PRIME, Sand Lake Road Area, Seafood

THE OCEANAIRE SEAFOOD ROOM, International Drive Area, Seafood

THE PALM, Universal Orlando Resort, Steak

PRICKLY PEAR, Downtown Area, American

PRIMO BY MELISSA KELLY, SeaWorld Area, Italian

RANGETSU, Maitland, Asian

RISTORANTE TUSCANY, Lake Buena Vista Area, Italian

ROY’S HAWAIIAN FUSION RESTAURANT, Sand Lake Road Area, Seafood

SEASONS 52, Altamonte Springs, American

SEASONS 52, Sand Lake Road Area, American

SPENCER’S FOR STEAKS AND CHOPS, International Drive Area, Steak

TAVERNA OPA, International Drive Area, Greek

TIMPANO ITALIAN CHOPHOUSE, Sand Lake Road Area, Steak

TODD ENGLISH’S BLUEZOO, Lake Buena Vista Area, Seafood

TOMMY BAHAMA, International Drive Area, Seafood

THE VENETIAN ROOM, Lake Buena Vista Area, American

VINES GRILLE & WINE BAR, Sand Lake Road Area, American

VITO’S CHOP HOUSE, International Drive Area, Italian

ZEN, Osceola County, Asian

Another weekly update specifically for the buyers of Orlando Essential Travel Guide iTunes app but also anyone else who comes to this blog.

Universal Orlando & Royal Caribbean Vacation Connection

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Tim and I are not fans of roller coasters. But after 3 days at Universal Orlando Resort, we’ve considered retesting our old fear factors. And thought about combining a stay at Universal with a Bahamas or Eastern Caribbean cruise from nearby Port Canaveral the next time the grandkids are in town.

Universal Orlando Resort and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line have a partnership that brings together two of the world’s most popular vacation providers with a variety of getaway packages. And with the world’s only Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park located at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, the theme park/cruise combo is more enticing than ever.

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For the cruise portion, the choices are a 3- or 4-nights aboard Monarch of the Seas or Jewel of the Seas and a longer voyage on their much larger sister ship, Freedom of the Seas. All ships offer the complimentary Adventure Ocean  youth program for ages 3-17 with separate activities for designated age groups and their own dedicated spaces. The daily programs start at 9am for younger children, while for those 15-17 their true party time begins in their own night club at 10pm and ends well after midnight. With all of the Adventure Ocean activities supervised by the ship’s trained personnel, parents actually do have the opportunity to relax and enjoy some adult time without worrying whether their kids are bored or getting in trouble.

The Monarch and Jewel calls in Nassau, Bahamas, and at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. CocoCay offers the usual water sports options as well as an Aqua-Park for children, beautiful beaches, shaded hammocks, a beachfront barbeque, and a straw market.

Shipboard life on the Monarch and Jewel include Broadway-style musical revues; Vegas-style gaming in Casino Royale; a rock climbing wall and the opportunity to just plain relax in the Day Spa. Don’t worry whether your kids will miss you. They have more varied on-board fun opportunities than adults.

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For a longer cruise, Freedom of the Seas has alternating week-long itineraries  in the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The Eastern Caribbean option includes 3 days at sea with stops at St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and CocoCay, RCCL’s private island. On Freedom’s Western Caribbean sojourn, passengers spend only 2 days at sea and stop at Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; and Labadee, a private resort on the north coast of Haiti. Since 1986, RCCL’s Labadee stops have provided largest proportion of tourist revenue to the impoverished island’s economy. Although often described as an island, Labadee  is not an island but a peninsula adjoining Haiti.

Because of its large size, Freedom of the Seas can offer many activities not available on Monarch of the Seas. Facilities like the FlowRider surf simulator; the H20 Zone water park; Studio B ice-skating rink; a full-size boxing ring; cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 ft. above the ocean; Chefmakers Cooking Academy; Karaoke Superstar and more. The recently added Dreamworks Experience allows youngsters to interact with popular Dreamworks characters such as Shrek and the Penguins of Madagascar. For dining, there’s a choice of eight onboard restaurants, including Royal Caribbean’s signature specialty Chops Grille steakhouse, Portofino Italian restaurant and a Johnny Rockets 50’s-style eatery; you can be sure no one will go hungry.

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These cruises (see sample of all itineraries) are exciting by themselves but coupled with the fun of Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure plus the entertainment/dining at CityWalk , your trip really could fall into a one-of-kind vacationalooza.

In Part 2, we’ll talk about the experience with our grandkids at Universal Orlando and why Florida residents (like us) with visiting guests may be foolishly throwing money away by staying at home and not moving everyone into one of Universal’s hotels. The theme park extras you receive for staying on-property are likely to dwarf the hotel room costs.

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All photos taken aboard Freedom of the Seas.

By Linda & Tim O’Keefe