A sneak peak of SeaWorlds latest coaster - Manta

I was invited to the VIP opening of Manta, SeaWorld’s new adventure roller coaster, that is taking place on May 24th.  However, the ride opened earlier than expected to the public and my kids could not wait so we went and rode Manta today.

All I can say is WOW.  The entrance to the ride is pretty cool, literally, as much of it is indoors and nicely air conditioned.  There are aquariums along the route for viewing - nice for taking your mind off the long wait.  Fortunately for us, the wait was only 10 minutes.

You enter the ride and sit in a seat, very similar to Kraken (SeaWorld’s other roller coaster).  However, before you take off, the seat tilts forward so you are parallel to the ground.  The ride is called Manta because it mimics a manta swimming and gliding through the water.  However, this ride is a bit extreme – defiantly not for people who do not like roller coasters.  The g-force is pretty intense, especially the second drop where you roll through a full frontal loop – very extreme.  There are many twists, rolls and loops.  One part that is especially fun is where you drop down towards the water, nearly skimming it with your body.  We went on the ride 3 times, once in the front, once in the middle and once in the back.  The front has the best view while the back has the most g-force.

Huge kudos to SeaWorld as this is an awesome ride.  If you’re traveling to Orlando, make sure you check out.www.globalresorthomes.com for your lodging needs.

The Florida Lifestyle

Florida has felt the sting of these tough economic times, with foreclosure rates and unemployment numbers at their highest. One would think that maybe the “sunshine state” has lost some of it’s luster, especially for the financially weary American generation, to even consider relocating. However, a new national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project finds that nearly half (46%) of the public would rather live in a different type of community from the one they’re living in now-and two of the ten most popular cities, Tampa and Orlando, are right here in this great state of Florida. Also, Florida is no longer labeled as simply a retirement haven, it’s also growing in popularity with the younger generation as well. In fact, according to this survey, more people between the ages of 18-34 want to make several cities in Florida their new postal address.

We were one of these young up and coming families frustrated with the fast pace and cramped space of our New York life. During one of our vacations to Orlando, I convinced my husband that we venture into one of the newly constructed communities. I wanted to look at a model home, maybe get a few decorating ideas, and a few free cookies for the kiddies from the Welcome Center, with no further expectations. Once we drove through the gates and passed the lake and the fountain, continued on through perfectly manicured lawns and the community park and pool, my thoughts drifted to “one day, I will live in a place like this.” We met one of the new home consultants who offered to take us to one of the homes by way of a golf cart. The kids were excited to take a ride, my husband less enthusiastic, and my curiosity took the better of me, so we agreed. Once we walked through the double glass doors into a foyer with columns and ceramic tile, I thought to myself ” so this is how the other half lives?” Our overly talkative home consultant handed us the flyer. I didn’t even want to look at the asking price, but again, that nagging curious nature of mind, I had to just take a peek. It was then that I gasped at the price, I looked again in disbelief, it was…..AFFORDABLE. But my New York cynicism kicked in. What’s the catch? Was it a typo? Did this model have 1 million dollars worth of upgrades? Were the closing costs actually worth a year’s wages? But I had, in fact, discovered the beauty of home buying in Florida. Florida is full of beautiful subdivisions, which are like small tight knit communities. Neighbors can gather together at the pool for a community barbecue, and friends can work out together without membership fees at a community fitness center, and kids can ride their bikes around the lake, where you meet your neighbors at the community’s park for weekly play dates.

If the gated suburban lifestyle isn’t what you had in mind, there are communities in Florida still located on acres, yes acres, of land. One of my dear friends, owns a home in an equestrian community. Her home sits on 5 acres and she has the most incredible view of a lake from her back porch . My personal preference is to walk across a paved street to my neighbors home to borrow sugar, not by way of horseback, over the river and through the woods. But the great thing is whatever your lifestyle preference, you can enjoy it.

Now let’s mix in sunny days in winter, golf courses, new malls, outlets, a Starbucks, and you have the Florida lifestyle.

If you’ve been thinking about relocating or purchasing a second/vacation home, but thought it might be nearly impossible, why not talk to one of Global Real Estate’s expert team members? You can contact them at 1-800-280-9516. Let them send you some information and links with current listings, just take a look, you’ll be glad you did!!!

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