The Forbidden Journey combines animatronics and motion simulation (comparable to Soarin’ at Disney’s Epcot) perfectly. Riding  ”enchanted benches”, you follow Harry and Ron through a Quidditch match while dodging Dementors, spitting Spiders and Hargrids misbehaving dragon. This ‘robocoaster’  swings you through several dome projections and real sets that look straight out of the movies. It will take a few rides for you to notice everything and the projections do tend to blur a bit due to the speed at which you are moving but all in all, the Forbidden Journey is the next step in ride technology.

Look for a more detailed review coming soon but I should mention that if you feel queasy on motion simulation rides, the Forbidden Journey might not be for you. Also, even if you have no intention of riding, the queue is amazing and worthy of a walkthrough. The talking portraits are very well done along with the holograms of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Professor Dumbledoor.

For fans of the books/movies, or even casual fans like myself, the Forbidden Journey is a ‘must experience’ attraction while in Orlando. I rate rides on if I would stand in line for 60 minutes to ride it a second time. I just completed my 4th ride this past weekend.

Link to Universals video

A bit of full disclosure: I am in the process of getting a hot-air balloon pilots license so my views are slightly skewed.

I wouldn’t call the ride ‘thrilling’ (see disclosure above) but it’s certainly interesting. While the roof of Bongos isn’t the most fascinating view to be had, you do get good picture opportunities of the Marketplace (Rainforest Cafe, etc.) and the  surrounding lake. I haven’t had the opportunity to ride the balloon at night but people I’ve asked say it’s a little more interesting looking down at the lights. If you time it right, you can even see the fireworks from Epcot and the Magic Kingdom (far away) when they launch.

The only real tip for this ride is to be among the first to board the 30 person gondola. The gondola is surrounded by netting and while you can fit a camera lens through the holes, the balloon does not really spin. The best views seem to be had by those who get on first and stand facing the Marketplace. If you’re going up while Epcot’s fireworks are going off, boarding around the middle of the pack should afford the best view in the general direction of the Epcot ball – a.k.a. Space Ship Earth.

The ride is suitable for all ages 3 and up ($16 per adult – $10 per child 3-9) and lasts 10-15 minutes in total. It’s a generally sedate ride (landing can be a little bumpy) that might bore your average teenager looking to ride something more thrilling. All in all, it’s a good family experience to be had for those so inclined.

P.S. If your looking for a balloon ride with a little more adventure, I recommend Orlando Balloon Adventures. You might even see me out there on the weekends helping out.

Happy flying!

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.

As a local, it’s rare that I would spend a full day in any Orlando theme park. This is especially true of the Magic Kingdom. While a ‘must see’ for any first timer, I’ve been there 30 times (at least) and these days it’s enough to visit for a few hours or attend a special event such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween. Perhaps we’ll have dinner with visiting family, hop on It’s a Small World or just watch the fireworks. Whatever we do, we are in and out. However, when visiting relatives want an escorted trip through the park it’s hard to say no.

Such was our trip this past Friday to the Magic Kingdom. My 13 year old daughter was off from school so she accompanied my mother, father (he’s never been to the Magic Kingdom) and myself for 10 hours of retro Disney magic. When we go with first timers around the park (any park) it’s hard not to say, “Oh, that’s not worth a 60 minute wait” or “That show isn’t worth seeing”. Sure, for the 10th time, it’s not worth standing in line for Space Mountain but if it’s your first time and you can’t come to the park like you were going to a local mall it is very much worth it. We keep our mouths shut.

So we did it all! Every ride and nearly every show. In the process I checked off the few remaining things that I hadn’t yet experienced in the Magic Kingdom and ate dinner a ‘new’ restaurant - The Liberty Tree Tavern. To my own surprise, the day was a lot of fun. For once, the weather was very cold (for Florida) and the crowds were light. Most rides were less then a 15-20 minute wait and it wasn’t a problem getting a table for dinner. As we walked out of the Liberty Tree Tavern (highly recommended – $150.00 for 4 adults with tip) at 8pm the sky was filled with fireworks which was a nice touch for my parents.

At the end of the day I was beat. Miles of walking and shuffling in line takes it’s toll. My daughter fell asleep in the car as she did the first time we took her to Magic Kingdom. The whole thing had a deja vu feeling to it. Even after so many visit to Disney, this place never truly wears off and thats a nice feeling to have.

With no one due in town until the summer, I doubt we’ll be going back to MK anytime soon. Certainly, it will be ‘in and out’ if we do. This full day trip was a little easier because we got to skip the children’s rides (too uncool for a 13 year old) and just concentrate on the main attractions. I have a feeling that in the coming years we’ll be spending much more time in the Magic Kingdom though. My one month old daughter hasn’t been there yet! I’m going to need some comfortable shoes.

I would consider myself a fairly experienced diver and living in central Florida has a lot of benefits for a scuba diver as it is an ideal location with its proximity to both coasts.  Not only that but the Florida Keys and the entire Caribbean are easily accessible for great diving adventures.  However, in my very back yard at Disney’s Epcot, I had the unique opportunity to go scuba diving in Living Seas Aquarium.  

The dive at Epcot offers a great experience for all levels of divers.  There was another couple with us from New York.  He was a seasoned diver and this was his 3rd dive at the Living Seas.  She had just become a certified scuba diver and they both absolutely loved the experience.  Many divers will never get the opportunity to experience all the different sea life the aquarium has to offer.  For a seasoned diver, it offers a truly unique experience.  In addition to all the incredible sea life, you get the opportunity to interact with the diners in the restaurant along with the other Epcot guests who are viewing the aquarium.  You become part of their entertainment!  Children in the restaurant were going crazy just to get a wave or a thumbs-up from us.  They would hold their hands up to the glass for you to do the same.   

The staff was very friendly, knowledgeable and extremely accommodating.  My friend Jason and I felt as if we were royalty the entire time we were there!  Disney has state-of-the-art equipment with over 65 species of marine life such as sharks, eagle rays and all sorts of tropical fish.  I feel like it was a great value for such an incredibly unique and enjoyable experience and would absolutely recommend it for any diver.

The National Training Center in Clermont is a campus designed for athletes, teams, and individuals looking to train at a state-of the-art facility.  It is a 300-acre, sports, health, fitness and education campus with a  37,000 square foot training center. It features an aquatic center, fitness center, track and field complex, cross country course, multi-purpose athletic fields and softball/baseball quadraplex.  This complex hosts a variety of events, from triathlon camps and clinics, track and field meets and a variety of children’s events and programs.  The National Training Center combines sports and athletic facilities with a hospital, medical office building, community college, and a four-year university.  It is an amazing concept and attracts athletes from all over the world.

The Glenbrook Resort is a private pool vacation home property and only 10 minutes from the NTC, located in Clermont.  If you are in the Clermont area, why not sign up for one of the many classes offered at the NTC.  If you are a visiting athlete or team and want to experience a training facility like none other, feel free to contact the NTC.

After cleaning up from spaghetti night, I raced to get dressed as I was running late for the 8pm Cirque Du Soleil show I had bought tickets for.  I hopped in my rental car and sped through Windsor Hills Resort, going much faster then the mandated 15 mph!

All my worrying turned out to be wasted energy as it took me no time at all to get to the venue (which is in the Disney’s West Side) and I ended up arriving 30 minutes early for the show.  I grabbed a Bud Light and some popcorn and took my seat, watching two mimes entertain the crowd as we all anxiously awaited the curtain rising.  The mimes were fairly amusing, however I have a small fear (okay, a large fear) of mimes so I was a little uncomfortable especially as they inched closer and closer to my row targeting unsuspecting audience members to poke fun at!  Luckily they did not choose me to prey on so I was able to relax a little and laugh at the people that became victims of the two mime’s shenanigans.

After what seemed like hours, when in actuality it was less then 30 minutes, the curtain finally rose.  I cannot even begin to explain how amazing the show was.  There was so much going on at all times and I saw some amazing stunts, tricks, and talents.  From tight rope walkers to BMX bikers to people flying around on curtains to trampoline gymnasts there was never a dull moment.  Cirque has so much visual stimuli at all times that there was not one second of the show that I was bored or not entertained by.  I wish I could better verbalize how great the show was, but unless you have seen Cirque it is hard to grasp what it’s all about and words simply just don’t do it justice when trying to describe the actual experience

The show lasted around an hour and a half and when the curtains went down I felt like it had only been watching for 20 minutes – it went by so fast and I didn’t want it to end, I wanted to see more!  I will be honest; I initially thought that the 80 dollars I spent on the ticket was a little steep, but now having seen Cirque I believe that it is worth every penny.  So, as so many people advised me before, I will now give the same advice to those reading this:  Do NOT leave Orlando without seeing Cirque Du Soleil!

Jordan