Spring Training is in full swing in Central Florida

Having such an extremely cold winter, I, for one, am ready for Spring! I’m sick of the cold, but then, I’ve lived in Florida so long anything below 80° is cold. One sign that spring is on its way is the commencement of Spring Training Baseball. Oh yeah! The smell of hot dogs, the pinging sound of a bat making contact, and an umpire yelling, “Let’s play ball!”

If you’re here on vacation, maybe your home team is training nearby. Many major league teams hold spring training camps and exhibition games in Florida. It gives tourists a chance to check out the new lineups while here on vacation. Many locals check on their home team – the Marlins or Devil Rays, as well as their favorite adversary.

Here’s where they play at:
Florida Marlins & St. Louis Cardinals @ Jupiter
Boston Red Sox @ Ft. Myers
Toronto Blue Jays @ Dunedin
Minnesota Twins @ Lee County
Pittsburg Pirates @ Bradenton
Baltimore Orioles @ Sarasota
NY Mets @ Port St. Lucie
Philadelphia Phillies @ Clearwater
Washington Nationals @ Viera, FL
NY Yankees @ Tampa
Tampa Bay Devil Rays @ Port Charlotte

Closer to Central Florida:
At Disney’s Wide World of Sports you have the Atlanta Braves on the roster. The Houston Astros are in the dug-out in Kissimmee at the Osceola County Stadium. And the Tigers make their spring home in Lakeland at the Joker Marchant Stadium. The Disney Sports Complex is a wonderful venue and hosts many other sports which can often be seen once your ticket gets you into the venue. ESPN’s own Wide World of Sports Grill is fun with large screen TV’s and a menu to suit all ages, yet a little pricey. The Osceola County Stadium is newly built and easy to get to via the FL Turnpike. It’s been awhile since attending a game in Lakeland. I remember getting lost getting to the venue, but had a great time once we were there. With GPS and online maps, it’s easier to find. In fact they recently had the second-largest crowd ever attend a game there.

Spring Training tickets are fairly inexpensive ($15 & up) and a day out at the ballpark may just be what your winter-weary spirit is calling for. So root, root, root for the home team, whichever park you may go. Peanuts, popcorn and Cracker Jacks; I don’t care if Winter ever comes back!!

ABC’s telecast of the Academy Awards Sunday night was watched by more than 41.3 million viewers. Although there were a lot of good things about the Oscars, there were also some bad. Listed here are my top ten “worst of.” Again, they are in no particular order. Feel free to comment on these or any of your own.

1.) Farrah Fawcett and Bea Arthur left out of Oscars memorial montage.

2.) Worst dressed: I can’t decide between Vera Farmiga with too much ruffle, Mariah Carey’s dress that looked like something found at a Good Will store or Jennifer Lopez’s way too much volume in what looked to be pink bubble wrap.

3.) Best short documentary speech when director Roger Ross Williams started to accept the award for ‘Music by Prudence’ before being hijacked by producer Elinor Burkett.

4.) Matthew Broderick seemed uncomfortable all night, from the time he and wife, Sarah Jessica Parker were introduced, throughout his role as a presenter.

5.) The show simply went too late – past midnight and was too long, 3:25.

6.) Best Score Interpretive Dance Number.

7.) Horror Movie Tribute.

8.) Environmental activist sign during the acceptance speech of the feature documentary award for “The Cove.”

9.) Tom Hanks’ rushed announcement for the best picture winner.

10.) Sean Penn, mumbling something about Oscar night omissions.

Let me know what YOUR least favorite moment was; feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget to vote for the best moment in the story posted below.

I am typically not a big fan of awards ceremonies. Speeches usually are too long and if you saw the Oscars other years then you know what I mean.

Ten Best Moments in no particular order.

1.) You know I am not a huge Steve Martin fan but he and Alex Baldwin did an incredible job. Great one-liners throughout.

2.) The live musical production numbers from animated cartoons. The dances were huge, fun and I wish they had more.

3.) I thought they did a great job of editing the movies down to a brief clip that really told a lot about the shows.

4.) For the most part the presenters did a great job. They had a few prompter issues but overall well done.

5.) Acceptance speeches on average were brief and funny.

6.) Unique presentation of the nominees for the most part, they didn’t go too long and were done well so you got a good glimpse of the nominee movie.

7.) The lead up to the red carpet interviewers did a great job especially Sherry Sheppard.

8.) Roasting of some of the greatest actors of our time. Hysterical!!!

9.) The glaring match between George Clooney and Alec Baldwin. George Clooney was not a good sport although most everyone else was.

10.) The staging of the show and the incredible theatre was delicious. Very fancy and I loved the lighting job.

Overall thumbs up to ABC! Great job on a fabulous show.

Tomorrow I will post my 10 least favorite moments. Quite a lot of uncomfortable situations. The one that caught my attention the most was the introduction and interaction between Matthew Broderick and his wife Sarah Jessica Parker. When they did the red carpet they were introduced as Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. He looked very uncomfortable from the start and the interviewers pretty much only spoke to Sarah. They were both presenters but not as a team. I see divorce in the future for this couple. Can you imagine what it’s like at home if on prime time it didn’t seem like they were happy with each other.

Many tourists in the area may not have realized when they planned their vacation it would be at the same time as Bike Week. Years ago they may not have even noticed Bike Week, but as the event has grown and the activity area has spread throughout Central Florida, it’s hard NOT to notice. Even though the cold weather and tough economy have kept the numbers of bikers lower than in past years, there are still motorcycles everywhere.

If you are attending theme parks, your vacation will most likely be “business as usual.” Bikers primarily attend the events created for them elsewhere. While the Daytona area attracts most of the crowd, Deland, Orlando and other areas have put together some great events to lure the bikers away and get in some great seat time too. Events are not for bikers only so feel free to drive your “cage” to any event. I recommend checking out the Veterans Memorial Wall in Daytona, the Rat’s Hole Bike Show held this Saturday at Destination Daytona, the Bobby Blackmon Concert at Orlando HD, or the legendary David Allen Coe at the Ironhorse Saloon. If you want to see something a little on the wild side, there is coleslaw wrestling Saturday at the Cabbage Patch. Roads nearer to the events tend to become highly congested, so plan accordingly and PLEASE drive with safety in mind.

As the transformation from bikers to spring breakers begins this weekend, hotels will be emptying out, then filling back up, but one thing is for sure – the roads will be very busy. I taught my kids when learning to drive to LOOK for the motorcycle, you’ll see the car, you’ll see the truck, you’ll see ALL of the other vehicles on the road, as long as you are LOOKING for the motorcycles (and bicycles). Yes, I know a lot of motorcycle riders drive recklessly – so do cars! (Feel free to leave a comment about that statement!) I ask that you give bikers the same respect that you give any other vehicle. Don’t follow too closely, don’t cut them off, don’t stop suddenly in front of them, etc. This applies to the vehicles towing the bike trailers as well. The roads will be filled this weekend with both riders and trailers.

If you are on an extended holiday and/or will be in the Kissimmee area June 10-12, 2010, the 1st Annual Kissimmee Bike Fest will be held, and again, bikers will (hopefully) flood the roads and hotels. Tourists are a huge part of our economy and bikers tend to spend a lot of money. Please be safe and allow ALL of our tourists a return visit to these yearly events. Look twice, save a life… it could be mine!

Animal Kingdom welcomes their newest bundles of joy!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has had a few visits from the stork already this year. Early January a baby white rhino arrived, then in February both a baby gorilla and a white-cheeked gibbon arrived! While these baby animals are adorable to look at, getting a look can be a challenge.

The little rhino is still “backstage” away from the rest of the herd with her mother, so seeing her may have to wait a few more weeks. The little gibbon arrived Feb. 2 and park guests may be able to see him in their habitat near the Kali River Rapids attraction. The rare baby gorilla born February 19 may be spotted along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. However, the proud (and protective) first-time mother keeps the baby so close that we don’t even know the gender yet!

If seeing these little ones is a priority, go online and create a customized map of these park locations, have it sent to you online or through the mail. Pretty cool. If you’ll be visiting several Disney parks during your stay, look into purchasing “The Complete Walt Disney World 2010” book ($24.95 retail) which contains a LOT of useful information, including an Animal Kingdom habitat map to help spot your favorite exotic creature. I found the book online for less $ at Books-A-Million.  This book can really save you a lot of time and money with it’s useful tips.

So map out where these babies are located in the park, get your telephoto lens ready and hopefully you’ll be able to get a peek at these adorable little bundles of joy! (Just in case, we’re including a photo. LOL)

A speakeasy that’s easy to speak about, and tweet about, and write about on my wall, and on and on. Capone’s Dinner & Show is a real dinner theater that truly is worth talking about. Why? Well, there are many reasons, for me it is: cost, value, experience and reward.

An easy-to-find coupon will save you 50% off your ticket price.  You’ll find the coupon on their site. You WON’T find tickets at “discount” ticket resellers. This is because the tickets are already discounted and Al  is a very direct guy.

The value is pretty unbelievable. Recently, I took my 3 grown kids (plus one son’s girlfriend) out to dinner. The bill went well over $150 (without alcohol and tip), and my boys probably went home and looked in their refrigerators looking for more food! Had we spent the evening at Capone’s we would have eaten all we wanted (good food too), drank all we wanted (even a few adult beverages) PLUS have been entertained for LESS than this “so-so” meal out. Capone’s dinner show is a great value.

The experience at Capone’s is different every visit. If you read their wall on Facebook, you’ll see dozens of entries from fans that return year after year. Not only do they know a good thing when they see it, but they have so much fun that they want to go back. Sometimes 2 or 3 times a year! The performers and wait staff really make you feel like you are a part of the show (and sometimes you are – literally).

And speaking of Facebook, Capone’s offers a once-a-month fan-only special. This reward does not go unnoticed. With over 1,000 fans and growing, more and more people are ‘writing on their wall’ about Capone’s. Some fans have even taken advantage of Capone’s last minute special pricing that even beats their online coupon! It too is only valid for Facebook fans. It pays to be a FB fan.

Next time your “gang” is looking for something to do, try Capone’s – or return to Capone’s if it has been awhile. I’ll bet the next day when you’re standing around the water cooler (or tweeting, on FB, YouTube, etc.) you too will find it easy to speak up about the speakeasy – Capone’s Dinner & Show!

A major renovation of Fantasyland has been in the planing stages for some time now, but now Disney has begun hiring contractors for the massive renovation. Starting in early 2012 Disney plans on opening it’s new Little Mermaid attraction and Pixie Hollow a new meet and greet area for Disney’s various fairies and princeses to interact with guests.

While Universal Orlando prepares to open it’s newest theme park within a theme park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the coming weeks. The appeal at Universal Orlando’s expansion will be mainly aimed at boys.

Disney’s revamp of Fantasyland will be going after the girls. It should be interesting for families with boys and girls begining in 2012 with options for both girls and boys at Orlando’s two premier attractions. Start saving now or plan a trip this year to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and then plan on early 2012 to visit or revist the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Central Florida is saddened by the death of animal trainer, Dawn Brancheau, after yesterday’s accident at SeaWorld Orlando. Theme parks in this area employ tens of thousands of area residents who go to work every day expecting to come home and do so without harm. Theme parks take their employee’s safety very seriously. They also take their accidents very seriously.

This tragic accident follows last years’ July 5th death of 21 year old Austin Wuennenberg at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom wherein OSHA found serious concerns, and the National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the monorail accident. While Disney has supplemented its safety procedures, it is not yet known if SeaWorld will modify any of its procedures or remove the whale, Tilikum, from the park. He is also blamed in the death of two other people in 1991 and 1999. There’s little chance that SeaWorld will put down the killer whale. They will, however, close the ‘Believe’ and ‘Dine With Shamu’ shows at SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld San Diego, pending the investigation.

Most tourists will not let this tragedy change their mind to visit SeaWorld. There are many other shows to see and animals to experience and learn about. Tourists think little of their safety at theme parks, because the parks go to great lengths to create a safe environment for their guests and employees. No doubt SeaWorld, like Disney, will review all of their operating procedures and make adjustments if necessary.

While thousands of theme park employees will go to work today, many will have Dawn on their mind. We’ll extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the trainer, and perhaps look around our own workplace. If there are any areas we could improve upon, we’ll work to make it a little safer for everyone. After all, theme parks are suppose to be fun…not tragic.

Epcot hosts an annual International Flower & Garden Festival

With the Winter Olympics attracting the world’s attention, it brings to mind an attraction here in Central Florida that showcases the world – Epcot Theme Park. One of 4 theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort, Epcot is huge (300 acres) and features a “Future World” and the “World Showcase.”

Future World focuses on technology and imagination whereas the World Showcase focuses on the culture of 11 countries. Not as many countries as the Olympics features, but nonetheless a very inspiring collection. Within this one park you will be “amazed, inspired, enlightened and entertained!”

Adults will usually attend this park because of the vast amount of education and relaxation it provides. Families with older children are often “out voted” on this park, because the kids would rather go to the theme parks built more around the rides and excitement. Epcot HAS rides and CAN be exciting! For instance, the “Test Track”, “Honey I Shrunk the Audience”  and the “Mission: Space®” rides, are fun AND many other features offer a LOT of learning opportunities too. Kids may not even realize they’re receiving an education!

While strolling through the park, you may think you’re at the Olympic Village with the many dialects being spoken. Rich in culture of the Country they represent, the shops, restaurants, and park staff create an out-of-the-country experience. Stepping into any of these park areas will transport you to that Country’s wonders, foods, entertainment and grandeur.

Epcot hosts special events throughout the year. Beginning in a few days (March 3 – May 16, 2010) is the International Flower & Garden Festival; with colorful flowers, gardens, topiaries, live music and educational events. While this is a great event, the International Food & Wine Festival (Oct. 1 — Nov. 14, 2010) is most popular with Florida locals.

If you want to experience Canada, but can’t go to the Olympics, why not go to Epcot and discover Canada?! You don’t have to be an athlete to experience this theme park, but it might help! With so much to do and see, you’ll earn a gold medal education if you hit even half of its’ features. Good luck and may the best tourist win!!

Contrary to the current trend, which has room rates sliding to incredible low prices with occupancy mostly steady. Because of the special offers of hoteliers, theme parks and the big Kahuna The Walt Disney World Resort. Discounts at Disney hotels/motels are not aggressive now as they were last year. So it seems as if the Orlando tourism market is heading towards higher room rates. With the official date of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter more or less announced as May twenty eigth, which is when Universal has opened new package deals (read the article after this one) on that date so we pretty much know it will be open by then.

But after the horrific promotion of the opening date of the Hollywood Rip Ride Roller Coaster at Universal, .. it was months late of marketed debut, Universal will be sure all is open and operating at Islands of Adventure the Wizaeding World of Harry Potter by then. Soft openings are very common and look for Universal’s Islands of Adventure to slowly start opening attractions earlier at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

All of the dynamics I’ve spoken about leads me to say book now for the best rates on your summer vacations now. Although the trend has been later bookings my belief is if you wait to long for this summern in Orlando you will likely pay more for your accomadations.