Trip2earth.com Travel Blog

Orlando nightlife is not without it’s very own hotspot…Club Firestone. Located in downtown Orlando at 578 North Orange avenue, Orlando’s premiere concert and entertainment venue boasts one of the largest dance floors with phenomenal lighting, video, sound and is complete with two full bars and vip bottle service. The outdoor patio rivals some of the tres chic establishments found in your big city favorites like New york, London, Paris and provides a comfortable respite from the rest of the action.

Upcoming Events at The Club include:

May 01, 2008 Saturday Thursday Guest DJ’s, Full Effekt, DJ Deville & Docta Rawe & Carlos Mendosa

May 02, 2008 Caliente Friday Ladies Night

May 04, 2008 102 JAMZ Officieal Ladies Night

May O8, 2008 Bonde De Role with Deathset

May 09, 2008 Mindless Self Indulgence

May 10, 2008 Red Dawn/Seasons 2 year Anniversary Party

May 22, 2008 S/T presents STEVE AOKI

June 7, 2008 Vampire Weekend

June 12, 2008 LADYTRON with Datarock

June22, 2008 Baby Loves Disco

So if your like most of us who like to getaway, listen to some good jams and dance a little bit, I highly recommend you visit Club Firestone in Orlando.

I recently attended a Moose convention at the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive in Orlando Florida and I was thrilled with my accomodations at the Vista Cay Resort. Friends of ours told us about the resort and that they enjoyed the entire experience and recommended the company that booked their orlando vacation, trip2orlandousa.com. The location was so convenient, my wife was able to drop me off within 5 minutes of leaving the villa and be at Sea World or Universal Studios in 10 minutes. The accomodations were spacious and clean, well-lit, comfortable and beautiful. The kids loved the pool and all the many supervised activities available to them. We will definitely be coming again to this beautiful resort whenever we come to the Orlando Disney Area.

Opening Spring 2008 at Universal Studios Orlando Resort

The Simpsons(tm) are visiting Krustyland, the low-budget theme park created by famed TV personality and shameless product huckster Krusty the Clown!

You are there right alongside Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie as you enter through the carnival-like midway of Krustyland where you’ll get a taste of what Springfield’s krustiest theme park has to offer: inept fortune tellers, uninspired musical revues and rides such as “The Tooth Chipper” roller Coaster, and more.

Once you board the vehicle you’re in for one surprise after another as you embark on a wild, over-the-top ride through Krustyland’s kiddie attractions, stunt shows, and thrill rides.

This ride takes the place of the beloved Back to the Future ride which was closed last year.

Just announced- Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit is coming to Universal Orlando.

Adrenaline pumping and music thumping, you find yourself heading straight toward the sky. Suddenly, you are doing 65 mph, 17 stories over Universal Studios. Gasping with excitement, you rock out to a song you picked before strapping in. And, it’s all on video. Once the adventure is over, you edit the video to send to your friends.

This is true high-tech, customizable, multi-sensory entertainment. Scheduled to open in spring 2009, Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit will stake its claim as the most technologically advanced roller coaster in the world. The Universal Creative team is combining audio and special effects engineering, sophisticated on- and off-board video and one-of-a-kind guest personalization to create a roller coaster experience unlike any other.

“This is the perfect intersection of the digital age and theme park entertainment,” said Mark Woodbury, President of Creative for Universal Parks & Resorts. “Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit blends roller coaster intensity and guest interaction in a way where no two experiences will be the same.”

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit touts six near-miss moments and first-ever thrills including a record-breaking loop. Ride vehicles feature the brightest and most innovative color changing LEDs in the world. High-energy visual displays fill the queue line. With up to four ride vehicles on the tracks at any given time, and with concert lighting and special effects mixed in, Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit will be a true high-intensity, multi-sensory experience that is unmatched.

Guests can customize their ride experience by choosing what song will play while they’re on the roller coaster. LED boards in the queue lines will display song options from five genres (classic rock, rap, country, pop and disco). Once on-board, guests can choose their song or let the coaster’s digital sound system choose for them. When the ride is over, guests will be able to customize footage from their experience and compile it into a take-home music video.

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit will be located near the Jimmy Neutron attraction traveling the southern perimeter of the Universal Studios theme park, over to the CityWalk lagoon and back.

If your like most Rollercoaster enthusiasts you’ll be highly anticipating this new “Orlando Attraction Superstar” and ready to roll this time next year!

On this day in Disney history…

In 1998, on April 22nd, Walt Disney World Resort opened it’s fourth theme park in Orlando Florida, Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Thrilling children of all ages it is the largest single Disney theme park in the world covering more than 500 acres, it was promoted by Disney when it advertised “nahtazu” pronounced “not a zoo” which enmphasized that the park was more than your typical experience at a city zoo. The theme of the park is animal conservation and it certainly has grown from Walt Disney’s orignal Discovery Island concept. Records show that the popularity of the park continues each year with approximately 9.5 million guests having visited in 1997.

On this day in Disney History…

Pleasure Island Grand Opening!

April 28th, 1989, Pleasure Island was created, originally as a watering hole for Disney team members to enjoy fellowship and camaraderie at the end of their work day - in the hospitality industry, this is known as a shift drink. This new spot enabled the ever increasing number of Disney employees the option to stay and play, as opposed to commuting to downtown’s Church Street Station for nightlife adventures.

Pleasure Island’s grand opening was such a success in the bustling city of Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Resort in Downtown Disney that word spread like wildfire. Disney team members, Orlando locals and travelers from all over the world were now lining up to experience this new nightlife phenomenon.

Pleasure Island is still as popular as ever and continues to draw travelers to the Orlando, Florida area consistently throughout the year. What better way to cap off a day spent at the magical theme parks of Orlando than right next door, toasting with the ones who make it possible!

On this day in Disney history…

The year is 2002. Primeval Whirl had it’s grand opening at the Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. Primeval Whirl was the theme park’s rendition of carnival rides and the ever so popular county fairs that travel the countryside. This ride is included in Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama in Dinoland USA. It’s a rollercoaster, actually two, that are woven together, that has cars that spin in circles while traveling on tracks which makes for a unique experience each time you enjoy the ride, known in the trade as a “wild mouse”. As with most Disney rides there is always more to the picture than sometimes meets the eye, this themed ride suggests time travel; complete with lighting and meteors which were believed to have been the cause of Dinosaurs extinction. Recently In the news around it’s anniversary date, Disney announced the addition of safety features including sensors that would detect if a Disney cast member entered into areas that are off limits and shut off the ride.

On this day in Disney history…

The year is 2001 and Walt Disney opens its next major theme park hotel Animal Kingdom Lodge at the Orlando Walt Disney World Resort. To much celebrated fan fare the theme of the hotel is an African Wildlife Preserve with live animals that feed at your window in the morning as you rise for coffee on your balcony. A “deluxe” classed hotel resort in the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida it has recently announced The Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas first phase was complete February 18, 2008. The villas are the latest edition to the Disney Vacation Club with the first phase containing 109 rooms. The Kidani Village is currently being built and will contain 300 villas with the Sunset Savanna being enlarged and more species of animals being added to the lot. A truly unique African experience with cuisine and ambience, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has enjoyed wonderful acclaim since it’s inception and with the new additions for all that it offers to the Wild at Heart.

Vacationing in Orlando, most people don’t think of shopping, rather it’s common to hear people talk about visiting Disney, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. However, if your an avid shopper looking for a thrill (and not in the harness of a roller coaster, but prefer the clutching of a shopping bag), then Orlando’s Mall at Millenia is your pearl in this sea of attractions!

As Orlando’s shopping scene has blossomed, offering shops and department stores, just like New York City or Beverley Hills, is no longer a remote idea! Chic luxury, style and class is what you’ll find budding at Orlando’s Mall at Millenia. This garden of world class shopping offers boutiques from well known designers such as Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Gucci and countless others including Saks 5th Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s - all under one roof! Similar to walking down Rodeo Drive, at the Mall at Millenia you can stop in at David Yurman, Tiffany’s and Co. or Cartier, and add a quick sparkle to that new outfit you bought!

Don’t worry if your family is too fixated on Mickey Mouse and alligators, because they can always meet you for an afternoon snack or dinner at The Mall at Millenia! You can have the family choose between a variety of casual eateries located in the food court or from the assortment of dine-in restaurants, such as Brio, The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro or McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant. Whatever your selection, your bound to satisfy their stomachs and win their hearts with a delicious meal at the Mall at Millenia!

The guest services counter is just as dazzling as the mall itself. At The Mall at Millenia you may make use of the concierge service that offers you a postal service so that you may mail your packages home or even customize your shopping adventure based upon your wants and desires. If you need to change your Euros into dollars and you feel more comfortable communicating in French, all your needs may be met at the guest services area; all you have to do is ask!

Enjoy the highest level of quality in customer service and in the fashionable boutiques and department stores while promenading through the Mall at Millenia, the best shopping and vacationing experience in all of Orlando!

The Mystic Dunes Resort and Golf Club in Orlando was phenomenal! While my family and I stayed, my children were extra excited that Mickey and Minnie were only five minutes away. The drive to Walt Disney World was ultra close that we spent more time trying to look for parking in the Disney Complex, then getting to the park! The accommodations are extremely nice! From decor to convenience, our two bedroom unit was fully furnished from ceiling to floor, with the master bedroom having it’s own jacuzzi! The second bedroom had two comfy double beds, while the sofa in the living room turned into a queen size sleeper! My wife was enjoying the great kitchen to cook in and remarked how helpful it was to have all the equipment needed to make all our meals! (Oh yeah, the unit’s washer and dryer was very convenient for washing our bathing suits!)

To our surprise, this resort has five pools. Each pool has their own tiki bar (bonus), but even better was that two of the pools have sparkling waterfalls! We did have to worry too hard about the little ones (while I was playing golf and my wife was tanning) because Mystic Dunes has an array of activities to offer! From the children areas, tennis courts or miniature golf, to basketball courts and bike rentals, everyone in the family found something to do the days we didn’t go to an Orlando theme park!

Did I mention the world class service and staff at Mystic Dunes!?! When we walked into the registration area we were immediately greeted with a warm smile. Everyone on-site was so friendly and helpful, a staff member even helped us with directions to Universal Studios and guided us to some local restaurants!

Not only the was the Orlando area a fun place to vacation, but the Mystic Dunes Resort and Golf Course were we stayed at was incredible! My suggestion; the next time your family goes to Disney, do like our family did and stay at the Mystic Dunes Resort and Golf Course!