I visited the Florida Eco Safari at the Crescent J Ranch in early January and learned that this is much more than an attraction ride through the Florida wilderness but a story about a family. Your visit starts by driving into the 4,700 acre St Cloud ranch back to the Visitor Center which is a beautiful building with a wrap-around porch and enough rocking chairs for everyone. Plan to arrive a bit early or stay a bit late to simply sit and enjoy. If you’re hungry, half the Visitor Center is occupied by the wonderful Little Cypress restaurant.
Your Coach Safari Tour begins in a theater style room with a movie/story about Allen Broussard . Allen was an avid outdoorsman, whose dream was saving a piece of the Florida wilderness after understand the ecological value of the Crescent J once he became a Wildlife Ecologist. After Allen passed way to early, his mother and father made Allen’s dream come true when the founded the Allen Broussard Conservancy for the purpose of purchasing the land and keeping it as a wildlife preserve. A portion of the proceeds from visitors to Forever Florida go to purchasing more land to be preserved. Visit http://www.foreverflorida.com/AllenBroussardConservancy/ to learn more.
Once aboard the Coach Train, you head out into the wilderness on a narrated tour where you’ll experience streams, wetlands and learn about the array of white tailed deer, alligators, birds and the occasional black bear. The ranch is a living museum for Spanish Colonial Cattle and unique Cracker Horses. There is plenty of time for picture taking and questions on top of the 8 foot high safari coach. Remember, the Coach Safari Tour is an included admission with the Go Orlando Card. See Forever Florida to learn more.
Additionally, Forever Florida offers Horseback safaris and a new Zipline Safari as well as hiking trails. Additional programs available include the full-service Cypress Restaurant, meeting planner and special event facilities, educational camp programs for kids and adults, field trip and scout programs, camping and cabin rentals.
Get your cameras ready for the Florida photo adventure of a lifetime!
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If you find your visit to Orlando is going to include a trip South to Miami, then you may want to check out Jungle Island’s Lemur Experience. This unique offering allows members of the public the chance to learn extensively about these colorful and vivacious creatures, while interacting with them in a hands-on way.
The 45-minute experience brings small groups of guests – no more than six at a time – in the park’s Lemur Nursery, where young ring-tailed lemurs, and the rare red-ruffed and black-and-white ruffed lemurs are growing up and developing. Before the interaction begins, the guests are educated about the lemurs natural habitat, diet and habits and are advised of the best way to pet them and feed them their favorite treat – juicy grapes.
When everyone is comfortable, the lemurs come out to meet their newest friends (and servers!) Quite the rambunctious crowd, the lemurs often make themselves right at home either on guests’ laps, shoulders or heads. (Don’t worry – they don’t charge for their hair styling services.) After a lemur has leaped off of your head, you’ll never be quite the same!
Native only to the island of Madagascar, lemurs are considered very rare in the animal kingdom. While some species of lemurs have actually gone extinct as a result of habitat destruction, the three types of lemurs on Jungle Island are each classified as either endangered or threatened.
As in their natural environment, the female lemurs certainly run the show. Female dominance is common in many branches of the animal kingdom (humanity arguably one of them) and the lemurs are certainly no exception. On Jungle Island, the dominant female is named Susie Q and all the males have been known to mind their P’s and Q’s around her.
Jungle Island’s Lemur Experience is offered daily, but advance reservations are suggested. The Lemur Experience costs $45 per person for the 45-minute experience and can accommodate up to six guests at a time. Reservations can be made by calling (305) 400-7275 between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, 7 days per week.
Jungle Island, Miami’s entertainment destination, is located in the heart of the city between Downtown Miami and South Beach. The multifaceted grounds host Miami’s newest theme park, home to the world’s most rare and incredible animals. Guests marvel at the engaging animal shows and presentations, participate in hands-on interactions with fascinating animals, and are amazed by the park’s breathtaking landscapes and vistas.
If you have a short list of things to do, the Go Orlando Card may not be right for you. In that case, The Official Ticket Center may be perfect. It’s a great place to get Disney tickets with discount pricing at all times and excellent customer service. They are an independent ticket agency, and they sell a lot of tickets giving them the buying power they need to pass on savings.
Walt Disney World tickets are easy to obtain by visiting the Official Ticket Center website, where you’ll will find a wide variety of ticket buying options. Disney tickets are always in demand, since Walt Disney World in Orlando is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. There’s good reason. Orlando has so much to offer with a variety of attractions, not to mention an incredible array of restaurants, shopping and so much more. There is something for everyone here.
Walt Disney World is definitely a “must see,” so you’ll want to get those Disney tickets early. But don’t overlook some of the other great nearby attractions, including Waterpark Fun and Downtown Disney. Oh, and did we mention that there are ways to get free Disney tickets from The Official Ticket Center? You just might qualify!
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“It’s not a thrill ride,” said Dan LeBlanc, chief operating officer of the Visitor Complex. “You won’t be dodging asteroids or battling any aliens. We have worked hard to ensure that it is as close as you can be to simulating the reality of a Space Shuttle launch within the confines of Earth’s gravity.”
Orlando’s popular Gatorland has always drawn visitors to its 110 acre site with the promise of up close encounters with its primary inhabitants. Now there are four more reasons to spend some time at the “Alligator Capital of the World” – four of the world’s largest white leucistic alligators.
These striking blue-eyed creatures are each over 10 feet in length and weigh over 800 pounds. They are on display in a special exhibit space that allows visitors to (safely) get within a few feet for an unbelievable view of these extremely rare animals. Originally discovered in a Louisiana swamp, the white alligators were collected as babies before the liability of their lack of pigment caught up with them.
In addition to its newest residents, Gatorland has thousands of alligators and crocodiles. It also features an aviary, a nature walk, a petting zoo, rides, a restaurant, a Gator Wrestlin’ Show, and more. Now in its 60th year, admission to Gatorland is included as part of the Go Orlando Card. So stop by on your next visit to Orlando for a fascinating and fun experience.
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The I-Drive 5K run will be held for the seventh time on May 9th to benefit the I Drive YMCA Aquatic and Family Center Scholarship Fund. Kids and families are able to take advantage of programs that teach swimming as an accessible and safe lifelong skill that is available to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. The 3.1 mile run/walk will draw 1,500 participants.
The run began in 2002 and has grown significantly in sponsors and participants and has raised more than $50,000. It all starts at 7:30am with the 5K and then is followed up at 8:45 with the Kids dash. The Run starts at Pointe Orlando and takes participant through the heart of the I Drive Resort Area.
Each runner receives a T-shirt and a gift bag and special offers from the Orlando tourism community. One of the sponsors is the International Drive Resort Area who operated the I-Ride Trolley. The I Ride Trolley is an inclusion with the purchase of the Go Orlando Card.
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The Go Orlando Card site has a completely new look. The old site has been replaced with a new site that offers a number of improvements for customers.
First, the site has been folded in under a new top navigation bar that allows customers see all of the Go Cards and Explorer Passes offered by Smart Destinations. Previously, each Card had its own separate site which meant most customers were not even aware they could get Cards in other destinations across North America.
Second, more information has been placed at customers’ finger tips. They can learn how the card works, where it is accepted, read reviews by other customers, and see all the VIP extras on the same page.
Images and descriptions have been upgraded, navigation streamlined and improved, and other changes have also been made to the site to help customers plan their trip and get the right Card.
Smart Destinations reports that demand for the company’s attraction passes has not only been strong, but actually accelerating in 2009 as more and more people are looking to travel smarter. The fact that Go Cards and Explorer Passes let people into the top museums, tours, and attractions for a single money saving price makes sense in any economy. The expectation is the new site will further contribute to strong growth.
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The Atlanta Braves’ 2009 spring training schedule features an 18-game home schedule at Champions Stadium within Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Conveniently located near many Orlando area attractions and hotels (many offering great deals), this is a great family friendly complex which makes for a great way to spend an afternoon or evening.
The Braves are entering a dozen seasons of spring training baseball at the 200-acre sports complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando. The Atlanta Braves will host several opponents in 2009, including visits from the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies. After two weeks of workouts, the Braves will plan an 18-game home schedule that includes two World Baseball Classic Exhibition games featuring Panama (March 3) and Venezuela (March 5), as well as a pair of contest against the Yankees and Mets. For ticket information visit www.atlantabraves.com or call 407-839-3900.
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The town of Mount Dora, Florida sits about 25 miles NW of Orlando but it feels a lot further away from the fast paced world of theme parks. This tranquil little town with tree lined streets sits on the shores of Lake Dora. “Mount” because it is elevated higher than most of the Central Florida area, 266 feet above sea level.
Many visit this quaint town for the historic bed and breakfasts, antique shops and sightseeing but there are many parks for sports, fishing and picnicking. You can also make the round trip to Tavares on the Mount Dora Railway offering great views of Lake Dora, tropical foliage and wildlife from its’ open window coaches. There are numerous festivals throughout the year ranging from the Mount Dora Art Festival, the Bike Festival and the Craft Festival.
So make the trip to beautiful Mount Dora on a day you’re not using the Go Orlando Card.
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This summer, why not rent a vacation home instead of paying for a hotel? FlipKey helps you browse vacation rental listing and verifies the information for you so that you can travel with confidence. This free website works with renters and rental managers to find the best fit for everyone. Popular FlipKey destinations include Orlando and Kissimmee, Florida; North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Barnstable, Mass.
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