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Rides at Busch Gardens

Kumba is a well known roller coaster in this park. The name means roar in the language of the Congo in Africa. This is a steel coaster that is 143 feet tall. The coaster reaches top speeds of about sixty miles per hour. Kumba has multiple inversions throughout the ride. If you love roller coasters, you need to ride Kumba during your visit to this park.

There are four roller coasters in addition to Kumba in the park. The Python and Scorpion coasters are very popular rides. The Gwazi is an eight hundred foot wooden roller coaster. Montu is a steel, inverted roller coaster that is also very popular. There is plenty here to keep the roller coaster enthusiast in your family happy all day long.

There are several water rides to help you cool off on a hot Florida day. You will find that some are great for younger kids, while others are better for the older children and adults in your group. The Tanganyika Tidal Wave, Stanley Falls Log Flume and Congo River Rapids are some of the more popular water rides in the park.

The park has several rides that are geared toward the younger guests. The Congo and Timbuktu areas have rides for children. The bumper cars are always popular with children. Your kids may have fun digging in the sand in the Egypt section of the park. The sky ride is fun for the whole family.

Animals at Busch Gardens

The park is home to approximately 2700 African animals. You can view the animals on rides such as the Rhino Rally. This is a jeep ride through the animal habitats in the park. The safari and river ride takes you on a land and water safari to experience the animals from both vantage points.

The Myombe Reserve is home to the Great Apes of Africa. Here you will see chimps, gorillas and many more ape species. The Serengeti Plains area is home to free roaming African animals. In this area, you will see elephants, giraffes, zebras and more. The Edge of Africa is where you will find rhinos, white Bengal tigers and hippos.

Busch Gardens offers one feature that the other amusement parks in Florida don’t offer. They have a rain guarantee. If your day at the park is spoiled by rain, you will be given free admission to come back to the park another day. This is a great feature, especially in the summer. The weather during the Florida summer can be very unpredictable. You won’t have to worry about missing out on the fun with this guarantee. To save even more money, ask about flex tickets that include admission to other parks, such as Sea World, Universal Studios, Wet and Wild and Islands of Adventure.

The facility was originally called the Launch Operations Center. It was renamed for President John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963. There is a lot to see when you visit the Space Center. There are museums, two IMAX theaters and a variety of other attractions.

Things to See at Cape Kennedy Space Center

A bus tour is included in the price of admission. The tours take you closer to the restricted areas. You will see the launch pads for the space shuttle. Other things to see on the tour include the vehicle assembly building and Apollo/Saturn V Center. The budding astronauts in your family will love this tour. Tours depart every fifteen minutes from the Visitors Complex.

Other tours are available at an additional cost. The NASA Up Close tour is very popular and tends to sell out many days of the year. If you want to take this tour, consider making a reservation in advance. This tour gives the closest view possible to the Space Shuttle launch pad. The Cape Canaveral Then and Now tour allows you to see the first satellite launched into space. You will see some of the active rocket program and the Air Fore Space and Missile museum.

The Visitors Complex is where you will start your tour of the center. There are a variety of exhibits and shows here. You will see the past, present and future plans for our space program. There is memorabilia from the early days of space exploration. You will see a capsule from the Gemini program on display.

For more history of the space program, visit the Rocket Garden. This is an outdoor display of unused missiles and rockets from all phases of the space program. There are real test rockets and replicas. The garden is home to a full size replica of the space shuttle. You can walk through this replica and get a feel for how the astronauts spend their time in the shuttle.

Consider visiting the center during a shuttle launch. You can find launch information on NASA’s website. There is nothing like seeing the blast off in person. If you are in the area during a scheduled launch time, you won’t want to miss this. Be aware that schedules frequently change due to weather or mechanical issues.

Meeting Astronauts at Cape Kennedy Space Center

There are a few opportunities to see and meet real astronauts during your visit to the center. The Astronaut encounter is a very popular attraction. You will get to see and listen to stories told by a real NASA astronaut. They tell of their experiences in the program and take questions from the audience.

If you want more interaction with an astronaut, consider having lunch with an astronaut. You will get to meet an astronaut and hear stories of space exploration while enjoying a meal. Autographs are signed during lunch. You will need a reservation for this, as it is a very popular feature. This is offered daily at lunch time. For true space nuts, this is the highlight of the day.

The park closed in 2003, due to financial difficulties. The park was purchased by a new owner and redesigned in 2004. It reopened in November of that year. Many new attractions were added, but the original charm was retained. The Southern Belles can still be found strolling the paths around the gardens.

There are thirty rides and five roller coasters in the park. This includes the Triple Hurricane wooden roller coaster. This is a short ride that isn’t too scary. It is the calmest coaster in the park and is perfect for your child’s first experience on a real roller coaster. The Fiesta Express is another roller coaster that is good for kids.

The other three coasters are faster, longer and more exciting. The Swamp Thing is a suspended coaster. The Galaxy Spin is a spinning wild mouse type roller coaster. The Okeechobee Rampage is a roller skater coaster. Another coaster is under construction at the park. The Starliner is a classic wooden roller coaster. This coaster was originally located in Panama City, Florida at the Miracle Strip Amusement Park, which closed. It is currently being constructed and is planned to open in 2007.

Cypress Gardens is famous for its gardens. The park is home to amazing gardens and horticultural displays. A holiday display can be seen from Thanksgiving through January 6 of each year. A Poinsettia Festival is held at the park during the Christmas season. There are also a variety of great water skiing shows held daily in the park.

There are a variety of specialty shops for shopping in the park. Many of these contain beautiful hand made crafts made by local craftsmen. Spend some time browsing in the shops and enjoying the crafts. This is a great place to pick up a stunning and unique souvenir of your trip or gift for family or friends.

Splash Island Water Park is part of Cypress Gardens. You get admission to both parks with one ticket. This water park has a wave pool, lazy river ride and slides. The park has a Polynesian theme. There are water rides for younger children, older kids and adults. This is a great place to cool off in the hot Florida summer.

Admission to the park includes access to the gardens, rides, shows, concerts and admission to the water park. The concerts vary throughout the year. Call to find out who is playing when you plan to visit. There are specials allowing you to enjoy two days for the price of one. Ask about this when you purchase your tickets.

Swimming with the Dolphins

The dolphins are Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins. The park is home to thirty five of these magnificent creatures. Guests are taken to swim with the dolphins in groups of six to eight people. Each group gets a thirty minute session in the lagoon with the dolphins. You will love their friendly and playful nature.

Prior to meeting the dolphins, you will be given an interactive orientation session. This includes a video that will introduce you to the bottlenose dolphin. During the orientation, you will learn about dolphin communication and hand signals used by the trainers. The session will also cover safety guidelines for the swim.

Other Attractions at Discovery Cove

You will find pristine beaches inside Discovery Cove. This is a great place to relax and enjoy the sunshine that has made this state famous. Take a swim in the tropical river. This is a freshwater river with rocky waterfalls. The water fall and rain forest areas offer relaxing sounds and sights for guests to enjoy. The beaches contain soft sand that is perfect for relaxation.

If you want to observe more sea life, consider snorkeling in the coral reef and ray lagoon. Here you will find a variety of tropical fish and sting rays. In spite of what happened to the Crocodile Hunter, rays are generally very gentle sea creatures. The rays are Southern and Cow nose rays. They are very calm, but can be quite large. They are up to four feet in diameter. When you touch their skin, it has a smooth texture like velvet.

There are also shipwrecks for you to explore around the coral reef. This adds fun to the snorkeling experience. These are man made ship wrecks. You will also get to observe sharks and barracuda that are located behind glass. You can come face to face with these amazing creatures behind the safety of the glass.

When you’ve seen enough wild life, take a relaxing swim in the resort pool. The water temperature is a very comfortable 80 degrees. There are deep areas and shallow areas for children. The grottos and waterfalls add a relaxing element to the pools, which is perfect after an encounter with ocean life. It’s the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure in Discovery Cove.

There are different packages available to guests. All packages include lunch, a snorkel, fins, mask, towels, a swim vest and locker. Sunscreen is provided to protect guests from the strong Florida sun. If you plan to attend Sea World, there are combination tickets that can save you money. You will need an entire day to visit Discovery Cove. There really is a lot to see and do here.

The Magic Kingdom opened in 1971. It has grown enormously since that time. The park opened with twenty three attractions to entertain guests. The park now has forty eight attractions. These are located in seven areas or lands within the park.

When you enter the park, you will find yourself on Main Street, USA. This area is designed to resemble a small town in the early twentieth century. There are shops and restaurants in this area. There is a barber shop and Emporium in addition to sit down restaurants. At the end of Main Street, you will find the famous Cinderella Castle.

Adventure Land has the theme of foreign lands and exploration. This includes exploration of Africa, Asia, the South Pacific, South America and the Middle East. The Pirates of the Carribean is a popular attraction in this area. The Jungle Cruise and Swiss Family Treehouse are also located here.

Frontier Land has a wild western theme. You will find cowboys and Indians featured in this area of the park. The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain and the Country Bear Jamboree are located in Frontier Land. The Jamboree is great for the whole family. Splash Mountain is a great spot to cool off on a hot day.

Liberty Square is set up like a small town at the time of the American Revolution. There is a replica of the Liberty Bell in the center of the town square. The Hall of Presidents is a great educational attraction in this part of Disney World Florida. The Haunted Mansion and Liberty Square Riverboat are popular attractions here.

Fantasy Land is where the younger kids in the family will want to be. This area has a Medieval Fair theme. You will find the gentler attractions in this area. Popular rides include Cinderella’s Carousel, Dumbo’s Flying Elephant ride and It’s a Small World. There are two areas here for your kids to meet the characters. In Ariel’s Grotto and Fairy Tale Garden, your little one can relax and listen to a story.

Mickey’s Toon Town Fair opened in the late 1980s. At this time it was called Mickey’s Birthday Land. It was expanded in the 1990s. This is where to go to meet the man himself. Mickey is located in the Judge’s Tent. After you’ve met Mickey, take a walk through his house. Minnie’s house is located next to Mickey’s. Also in this area is the Toon Town Hall of Fame.

Tomorrow Land has a futuristic theme. This area is home to a few of the most popular attractions in the park. There are attractions for the younger and older ones in your family here. The younger kids will love Snitch’s Great Escape and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. The older kids and grown ups will like Space Mountain, a fairly tame roller coaster ride. The Carousel of Progress is a good attraction for the whole family.

Once you’ve visited the Magic Kingdom, there’s still a lot to see at Disney World Florida. The resort has four theme parks and two water parks. In addition, there are six golf courses, a race track and sports complex. The forty seven square mile resort is the largest in the world. Stay at one of the twenty hotels to enjoy all Disney has to offer.

Epcot was originally planned to have housing facilities, an industrial park and its own airport. The plan called for room for 20,000 residents. The city would be designed in the shape of a circle. The residential areas would be on the perimeter with the commercial areas toward the center. After the death of Walt Disney, the plan for the park changed.

Epcot is dedicated to the cultures of the world and innovation in technology. This is the most educational of all Disney’s theme parks. There are two main sections of the park: Future World and the World Showcase. Visitors experience international cultures in the World Showcase. In Future World, the focus is on changing technology and the innovations of the future.

Future World at Epcot Center

Spaceship Earth is the most recognized ride at Epcot. This attraction is a large sphere, about 18 stories tall. It’s located at the gateway to Future World. This is a dark ride. It explores the history of communication. The future of technology and communication is also shown in this exhibit.

Mission space is another great attraction in the park. This ride simulates training for our space program. The guests are trainees getting ready for a mission to Mars. The highlight of this ride is the gravity simulator. This lets you experience the feeling of blasting off in a rocket to Mars.

The Living Seas is an enormous indoor aquarium. It is set up to look like a deep sea research station. Guests learn about our seas and the life in our oceans. This exhibit is dedicated to the preservation of oceans. Kids will learn the importance of the oceans to our planet.

World Showcase at Epcot Center

The World Showcase consists of eleven different pavilions. Each pavilion represents a different nation: China, USA, UK, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Norway France, Japan and Morocco. Each pavilion is sponsored by the country it represents. The country provides funding for the exhibit.

In each country, you will see employees dressed in clothing from that nation. There are shows that include the music and dance of each country. You can walk from country to country around the world. This is a great way for kids to be exposed to other cultures.

In each area, there are shops and restaurants. The shops have items and souvenirs for sale. These are related to the country you are visiting. The restaurants don’t all have international cuisine, but a few do. There is alcohol and beer available that is imported from the country, such as German beers. This is the only Disney Park that does serve alcohol.

Water Parks

The Florida sun is hot, especially in the summer. Standing in line for rides at the parks is exhausting in the heat. Plan one day of your vacation at a water park to give everyone a chance to cool off. The sun is strong in Florida, so be sure to pack a good sunscreen. Look for a water proof one since you will be spending your day getting wet. There are three large water parks in the Orlando area.

Two of the three main water parks in Orlando are Disney owned: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Blizzard Beach is a 66 acre park with a wide variety of rides and slides. There is something for the thrill seeking and more laid back members of the family. Tikes Peak is a smaller area with things for the younger kids in the family to enjoy.

Typhoon Lagoon has a large number of attractions including a water coaster. There are slides and tube rides for every comfort level. The white water rafting ride is great for older kids and adults. There is an area with small slides and fountains for younger children. Try out the snorkel adventure at shark reef. Here you will see a variety of colorful water creatures.

Wet n Wild is the one park not owned by Disney. This park is great for all ages. The Beast and Disco rides are great for older kids and adults. The Wake Zone has tubing and boarding on a half mile long lake. Other popular attractions include the lazy river and wave pool. There are kiddie pools for the smallest members of the family.

Smaller Orlando Attractions

Gatorland is the alligator capital of the world. This place has grown to be one of the more popular small Orlando attractions over the years. It is a wild life preserve and park. At Gatorland, you will see a variety of animals including alligators, crocodiles and birds in the aviary. There is a petting zoo here as well. Other attractions include a gator wrestling exhibition, jungle crocs of the world, up close encounters and shows.

Fantasy of Flight has an aviation theme. There are a variety of displays from World War I and World War II. While you are here, you can tour the restoration shop. Each day there is a presentation and air show around the aircraft of the day. A different air craft is chosen each day. There are also hot air balloon rides and biplane rides available at the park.

If you are traveling with young children, visit Green Meadows Petting Farm. You don’t need much time to do this one, about two hours is plenty of time. Your kids will love meeting the chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, ducks and horses that live on the farm. Each guest gets a chance to milk a cow. There are also pony rides, a train and hay ride. This is a great place for the little ones to relax and recuperate after a few days running around the big parks.

Universal City Walk is on the property of Universal Studios. Here you can sample a variety of cuisine at the restaurants in the area. Some of the more popular restaurants include Emeril’s, Motown Café, NASCAR café and NBA City. There are several clubs here too, such as City Jazz and Hard rock Live. Here you will hear rock and roll classics, while enjoying delicious food and memorabilia.

Downtown Disney offers a variety of night time entertainment options. There are night clubs and live stage shows. The House of Blues on the west side of Downtown Disney has live music and performances. Cirque de Soleil is another popular attraction here. Pleasure Island is located here, with seven night clubs featuring every type of music from rock and roll to hip hop. There is a fireworks display every night here. If you are staying at a Disney resort, this is a great place to go for night life.

Dinner Theater Shows

Pirates Dinner Adventure is a live action adventure and interactive dinner show. The show takes place in a replica of a Spanish Galleon from the 18^th century. The show starts out at a King’s festival in a sea port village. The village contains fire breathers, vendors and fortune tellers. Pirates plunder the village and kidnap the guests. The captain of the pirate ship offers guests a last meal. The special effects during the show are amazing.

The meal includes an appetizer, salad, beef or chicken, seasoned rice, bread and vegetables. Apple cobbler a la mode is served for dessert. Beverages offered include beer, soda or coffee. Vegetarian meals are available upon request. If you want a vegetarian meal, be sure to mention this when you make your reservations.

Arabian Nights is a show with 70 horses and 30 performers. The performers are talented stage and circus performers. There are 17 breeds of horses in the show. The show lasts about an hour and forty five minutes and features elaborate costumes, lighting and special effects. The show takes place in the largest indoor equestrian arena in the country.

Prior to the show, you can take the VIP stable tour for an additional cost. This features a behind the scenes tour. You will learn about the breeds and care of the horses. You will have the opportunity to meet the horses and some of the performers in the show. The menu features salad, prime rib, chicken tenders, vegetarian lasagna, desert and drinks. There is a cash bar for beer and wine. After the show, you can stop by the gift shop for a variety of horse related memorabilia.

Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede is another horse related dinner show. There are horses with professional riders that perform a variety of stunts. The show also features singing, dancing and a fireworks display. The menu includes barbecue pork loin, rotisserie chicken, corn on the cob, vegetable soup, potatoes and biscuits. Vegetarian meals are available upon request. Order your vegetarian meal when you make your dinner reservation.

Condo hotel units are larger in Orlando than in most large cities in Florida, such as Miami and Fort Lauderdale. In addition, they tend to be less expensive per square foot here than in south Florida. In Orlando, prices are between four hundred and seven hundred dollars per square foot. In south Florida, this price jumps to between one thousand and two thousand per square foot.

How a Condo Hotel Investment Works

Condo hotels are high rise, luxury properties. They are often run by large hotel companies, such as Hilton, Trump, Hyatt or Four Seasons. They have the amenities and services that are typical of five star hotels. Most have spas, pools, fine dining, laundry service and room service.

You purchase the condo and use it when you want to vacation in Orlando. The condo hotel has a rental program. The company takes care of renting, maintenance and cleaning. They also operate the services offered by the hotel. In return, the company keeps a percentage of the rental fees.

The best deals can be found prior to the beginning of construction and in the very early stages of construction. After this phase, the cost of ownership increases dramatically. Some tend to sell out fast, so you need to get in early to get the best price and be sure to get a space in the hotel of your choice. This is especially true in areas with a high rate of tourism, such as Orlando and other large cities in Florida.

Who Pays What in a Condo Hotel Investment?

There are a variety of expenses involved in a condo hotel. Some of these fees are paid by the owner and others are paid by the operator of the hotel. The owner pays all the taxes and insurance on the unit. Any improvements that are needed, or wanted in the unit are the responsibility of the owner as well. If you need new tile in the bathroom, you will be responsible for paying the bill for the installation.

The operator pays the operating expenses of the hotel. This includes all administrative costs and marketing, such as advertising the units for rental. In addition, the costs incurred for housekeeping are paid by the operator. This includes the salary of the cleaning personnel, supplies and other equipment needed to keep the hotel in good condition.

When you purchase the property, you will need to sign an owner’s agreement. This should stipulate the amount of money you get and the company gets for rental on the condo. The agreement should spell out when you plan to use your condo. How much time will you be staying there? If you want to add more time, how much notice do you need to give the company? This is important because if the unit is already rented, you may not be able to stay there.