Orlando Vacation Wizard Blog

I would like to remind everyone that we have great new offers for the Holidays and Thanksgiving. Please make sure to visit us at www.orlandovacationwizard.com.    2S8WB3GGHFHA

Cocoa Beach stands on a barrier island on the east coast of Florida, nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Banana River Lagoon. Cocoa beach is just 6 miles long and 1 mile wide, however the number of activities you can do there are endless. The beach and the pier are one of the biggest attractions, tons of unique shops and restaurants line the pier, along with a couple of fun beach rentals. Cocoa has been a very popular surfing destination for both residents and tourists. So those of you traveling from the north who are looking for a chance to hit the waves, should definitely ride the waves at cocoa. Just make sure to check the weather beforehand. You can rent surfboards, boogie boards as well as plenty of other things to enjoy the water. I’ve seen dolphins playing up and down along the coastline; however, seeing dolphins at play is no rare occurrence at Cocoa beach, and those who are lucky enough may even see migrating whales. You are almost guaranteed to encounter some dolphins when you take your kayak rentals through the vast wildlife the area has to offer.

Kayaking is a very popular activity here

Another plus is its close location to the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island. Some friends and I have witnessed the space shuttles launching into space from the beach, and even from our hotel rooms at times. Merritt Island is also a 140,000 acre wildlife preserve surrounding the Kennedy Space Center. Home to over 1,500 different kinds of plant and animal life, it is clear why so many stop there on their way to Cocoa or on their way back. These two hotspots, being only 5 to 10 minutes away, supply a great mixture of experiences that make Cocoa beach stand out from all other beaches in the country.

Only at cocoa beach

When I think House of Blues I think one thing, an intimate concert experience with my favorite artists. Located in the popular Downtown Disney, the inside is entirely wooden, from the upstairs balcony to the standing room on the bottom floor and the bars. On top of this aesthetically pleasing environment, the sound system in the venue is superb. Although a bit smaller than some of its Orlando counterparts (such as the Hard Rock Live), House of Blues offers an incredible sound in a much more intimate environment than that of other concerts. The perfect venue for any band coming to town short of any that might need an arena. Being an adamant music lover, this venue is where 90% of the concerts I attend are held and none have provided me with a better experience.

Die-hard fans of bands routinely come to House of Blues and the connection between the artist and his/her fans are stronger than industrial strength superglue. I’ve been on the floor when some of my favorite artists have made the entire crowd interact with them in order to finish the song, I’ve stood at the stairs between the bar and the sound technicians where I have a great view of the show and the best sound in the house. House of Blues is definitely an experience that one does not forget quickly, and one of the best parts is it’s also a restaurant. Not only can you watch your favorite band play, but you can grab a bite right before or after the show.

December in particular are going to be a great months if you’re looking to go to a rock concert during your stay. A short band list includes: Brand New, Thrice, Cobra Starship, Boys like Girls, JET, A.F.I, Our Lady Peace, Third Eye Blind, Five for Fighting, Taking Back Sunday, and All American Rejects! Surely November and December will be rockin’ and if you’re coming to Orlando you might as well take advantage and catch a great band at a great venue.

Soon after Disney and Universal studios both raised their prices, Sea World and Busch Garden’s seem to be following suit (a trend that has been going on for quite some time now). Sea world has increased their single day prices from $74.95 to $78.95 (Adults) and from $64.95 to 68.95 (Children). Busch Garden’s which is under the same ownership did so as well. The annual pass however (known as a Fun Card) is available for $69.95 online for Florida residents. Yes you read right, the annual pass is less then a single day ticket. This is good news for residents but out of state vacationers shouldn’t worry, multiday passes are still the best value when visiting more than one park. You can get heavily discounted tickets (both single day and multiple days) HERE along with the rest of your vacation package.

I still remember back in 1995 when I witnessed the first “all computer generated movie” known as Toy Story.  I was amazed at what I saw, nothing had like that had ever been done before. Flash forward 14 years later and there’s been literally hundreds of movies like it. It seems Andy is all grown up now and headed for college, theres nothing else for him to do with his useless toys…..or is there? It’s nice to see the one that started it all make a return, and its effects far surpass those of the first one. Check out the trailer below!

Epcot its celebrating it’s 14^th annual food and wine festival, which is being is being held from Sep 28 – Nov 9. All that you need to attend is your regular day entry to Epcot, no further fees are required! (Hint: You can get discount Epcot tickets in our home page) The festival has enough food and drinks to feed the family many times over. Be advised however, that although entry is free, most of the food and drinks are not. Most of the menu samplers range from $3 to $7 dollars.

One good way to start your trip is to purchase and a festival gift card to pay your way around the World Showcase. This way you don’t have to worry about cash or credit cards and having to follow everyone in your party the whole time. It’s also a good idea to grab a map and circle the locations you plan on visiting, this way you wont fill up completely in just your first couple of stops. What good is it to go to a food festival if you don’t have enough room in your belly right?

The Festival also features a “Eat to the Beat” concert series, which are held at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 at the American Garden’s Theatre. The remaining performances include:

10/26 – 10/28 - Boyz II Men
10/29 – 10/31 - John Waite
11/01 – 11/02 - Taylor Hicks
11/03 – 11/05 - Billy Ocean
11/06 – 11/08 - Los Lobos

Highlights from the Festival include:

The History of Beer in America: A history of the brewing, taste and evolution of beer
Taste of Puglia, Italy: Chefs demonstrate their unique Italian  cooking techniques
Flavorhood: Guests can purchase wide range of ice cream
Wine Walk: For $20, you can sample up to six hand selected wines.
The New York State Wine Adventure: Features award winning wines by the glass or bottle
Beer Hop: Sample beers from around the world.

All these events, plus the park rides and various complimentary food samples make this Festival a very worthy trip!

“The Princess and the Frog” is Disney’s new animated movie set to come out on December 11th. Free children’s movie tickets will be handed down to all theme park visitors between now and November 22.  Visitors to Disney World can walk to certain locations around the theme parks and receive a card with a code which will enable the free ticket at the movie theater.  The characters from the movie will alsodo meet and greets and Disney’s major theme parks to help promote the film.  The free tickets can be used till the end of the year, and even annual passholders are eligible.

EDIT: I should  specify that the tickets given out are ONLY for “The Princess and The Frog” movie!

Less than an hour drive from most of Orlando’s tourist areas, The Kennedy Space Center is one of Florida’s most unique attractions, and also one of the lesser known ones. This could be considered the 4th pillar to Disney World, Universal and Sea World. Most people think of the Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex as a NASA museum…..and in many ways it is. However, the visitor complex has various rides that are not only fun and educational, but surprisingly good!

The Shuttle Launch Experience before getting on the ride

In the Shuttle Launch Experience for instance, guests are treated to a launch simulation facility. Here they experience the sights, sounds and sensations of real Space Shuttle launch. There is also a ‘Rocket Garden’ where Rockets from earlier missions dating back to the 1960’s are displayed. Some of these things towered just over 10 stories and each one displays a short description of when and how they were used.

The Rocket Garden at dawn

Also at hand is a very entertaining IMAX film titled “Mad Mission to Mars 2025”. Here a 5 story screen and stunning special effects take you on a journey featuring dramatic space shots captured by astronauts during actual missions. There are also tours that start operating at 10 a.m, these are very insightful and take you places that are closed to the public and can only be seen with a purchased entry (the tours are part of your day’s ticket). Your exploration of NASA’s launch headquarters traverses an amazing area that includes towering launch pads, huge rockets, history-making technology, and vast stretches of our Florida wildlife preserve. The NASA Up-Close and Cape Canaveral: Then & Now tours are guided by space program experts and take you deeper into the operations of Kennedy Space Center.

Perhaps the highlight for most people is the A/B camera stop, where you get to the closest possible Space Shuttle Launch Pad (where people go to see actual space launches). Here you get to take pictures of the famous Pad, and if you’re lucky to go at the right time of the year, there will be Shuttle already getting prepped there for an upcoming launch.  These are just some of the rides to be found at the Visitor Complex. There are also exhibitions and various other attractions that suit all ages and interest (there’s a ‘playdome’ for the younger kids that looks like a much bigger and fancier McDonalds playground) but rest assured this is an all day event that will keep you entertained and amused.

The Space Center Visitor complex is open year round, except on December 25^th and on certain launch days.  So what are you waiting for? Get your tickets HERE along with a hotel package.

Operating hours are from 9 a.m to 5:30 p.m
Tours begin at 10 a.m and depart continuously every 15 minutes, with the last one departing at 2:15 p.m (Each tour runs approximately 2 hours)

Howl-O-Scream is another of the major theme-parks (Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World) foray into the Halloween celebration, in this case being Busch Gardens. I personally like this event in Tampa much more than their Orlando counterparts. The lines are much shorter than Halloween Horror Nights, its actually possible to see all the haunted houses on your visit and even catch a few roller coasters. This years event has seven different houses, four different scare zones, two Halloween themed shows, and even a club to party the night away! On top of that, the best rides stay open all night, my personal favorites being Montu and Sheikra, these roller coasters will make your neck hair stand as much as the haunted houses. The houses range from a creepy toy factory and inmates on death row to a sinister sorority with seductively evil secrets, you never know when the next scare is coming. Walking through the trails in the scare zones is so much fun; I was surprised by zombies, monsters, and other foul wicked things. My personal favorite has been watching the creepy clowns sneak up on my friends and watching them scream when I knew it was coming.

Quite honestly I never thought there could be a night that combined so much of both screaming AND laughing! Busch Gardens warns, “WARNING: This year’s event contains intense adult content such as violence, gore, and blood.” This years event is titled “A promise well kept” and it does not disappoint. Also, please remember that this is a separate ticketed even from a regular Busch Gardens pass!

With an Advanced Online Purchase, tickets are $39.95 Thursdays and Fridays (69.95 if you buy at the gate) and $49.95 on Saturdays.

Schedule:     Thu:      7:30 p.m – 1:00 a.m

Fri-Sat:      7:30 p.m – 2:00 a.m

EDIT: If you have 4 people in your party grab the Twisted Thursday 4-Pack which is only $19.95 per person!

You guessed it, there’s an app for that too! Recently developed, iPhone users can input the estimated wait time for a ride or attraction they’re currently in line for (or they can plug it in once they get out). The app is called “wait watchers” and it allows you to see the wait times for the major Disney parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom) as well as the Universal theme parks. I think this is a great application! Imagine you just got off a particular ride and aren’t sure where to go next, this will surely help you in deciding your next stop and steer you toward what will hopefully be the shortest line at the time. There has been over 1 billion different app downloads since the App store debuted in the summer of 2008, this is another great App to add to that list and I think its great addition to those who are vacationing to Orlando’s major theme parks (Disney World, Universal Studios etc) in the near future, and at only 99 cents it’s a time-saving addition I would want to have.    If you ARE traveling to Orlando, why not book with www.OrlandoVacationWizard.com They offer cheap packages that include hotel accommodations,  park tickets, breakfast and complimentary transportation!