|
|
Santa Rosa Beach, FL (July 23, 2008) - The WaterColor Inn and Resort was choosed by the readers of Travel + Leisure as one of the "Top 100 Hotels in the Continental U.S. and Canada" in the magazine's 2008 World's Best Awards survey.This is the third successive year the 60-room, luxury beachfront hotel on Northwest Florida's Gulf Coast has been named to this high - status list.
To meet the criteria for the World's Best Awards, readers of Travel + Leisure and TravelandLeisure.com judged hotels on five criteria: - rooms/facilities
- location
- services
- restaurants/food and
- value
They were also asked to rate the hotel's appeal for business travelers and families. Beyond 100 points, WaterColor Inn and Resort earned 84.75, ranking higher than other memorable hotels such as the famed Greenbrier and several Ritz-Carltons. This peculiarity adds to WaterColor's mounting collection of awards and accolades.Forbes.com freshly listed the belongings as one of its 2008 "Ultimate U.S. Vacation Spots," and the Inn was named to Condé Nast Traveler's popular 2008 Gold List, which exposed its reader's choices for "The World's Best Places to Stay." As Northwest Florida's only AAA Four Diamond hotel, WaterColor has again and again maintained the maximum values of service, providing an matchless number of facilities for guests of all ages and tastes. The 499-acre resort's white sand beach, coastal dune lake, lush parks and woodland trails are a attractive playground for all sorts of vacation activities, from biking, kayaking and canoeing to body boarding and fishing. WaterColor also boasts a state-of-the-art fitness center, full-service spa, gourmet dining at its much-admired Fish Out of Water restaurant, and a host of kid-gracious activities at its popular Camp WaterColor. In addition, guests enjoy fortunate access to three fashionable golf courses - Camp Creek Golf Club (by Tom Fazio), Shark's Tooth Golf Club (by Greg Norman) and Origins (by Davis Love III). The resort also offers several pragmatic programs that highlight the natural beauty of Northwest Florida, as well as eco-tours and unique culinary programs like the Foraging the Forgotten Coast Tour, where guests escort a chef to learn how food gets from the farm and sea to their plate by meeting local purveyors and working alongside them to forage for their own meals. WaterColor also holds special demand for art enthusiasts thanks to the July 2008 opportunity of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art @ WaterColor in the resort's Town Center. This first satellite branch of the famed Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans showcases altering exhibitions of noted Southern and local artists' works.
In 18 months, when Disney's newest hotel opens, guests will be able to look out their hotel room windows and see zebra, giraffes and antelopes grazing nearby. Walt Disney World has already begun construction of its 18th resort, a 1,307-room safari lodge close to the Animal Kingdom theme park. The Animal Kingdom Lodge, an upscale hotel set to open in spring 2001, will be modeled on an African village and will overlook three savannas with more than 200 birds and a variety of grazing animals. The savannas will total nearly 35 acres, about one quarter the size of the savanna at Animal Kingdom.
Bigger than life might describe the icons celebrating movies, sports and music. They are huge, but in contrast to the enormity of the icons at Disney's All-Star Resorts is the hotel's price structure....... the lowest on Disney property.
While any of these properties are fun, it's the new All-Star Music Resort Family Suites that make it particularly family-friendly. The new Family Suites will sleep a family of six and the added amenities - two full baths and a kitchenette with microwave and refrigerator - satisfy a previously unavailable accommodation for families visiting Disney World.
Dozens of people came out Saturday night to honor the memory of the monorail pilot killed in a collision at Disney World last weekend. "One Rail One Family" was organized by former and current monorail operations Disney cast members. The vigil was held in Celebration in front of the lake at the end of Market Street at 8 p.m. Austin Wuennenberg, 21, was killed last Sunday when another monorail slammed into the one he was piloting, trapping him inside. An initial National Transportation Safety Board report shows Wuennenberg may even have tried to back up his monorail in an effort to prevent the wreck. During the vigil, officials handed out purple ribbons, to represent the color of the monorail Wuennenberg was driving as well as Celebration High School where he attended. According to monorail pilots at the vigil, the purple monorail has been retired in honor of Wuennenberg.
Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park, one of 2 Water Parks in Walt Disney World Resort, features one of the world's tallest and fastest free-falling waterslides, as well as slides and rides for the whole family-like a kid-sized, snow-castle fountain play area with scaled-down versions of the more thrilling attractions. The story behind Disney's Blizzard Beach begins with a freak snow storm that blanketed Florida. Within the blink of a snowflake-tipped eye, a ski resort sprang up with slalom courses, toboggan slides and iceberg walkways. Then, just as quickly, the weather shifted back to hot. The whole resort started to melt. What to do? An enterprising alligator saw an opportunity! Clad in a scarf and hat, this Ice Gator slid down the snow-less ski jump, shouting 'Yahoooo!' all the way. With a big splash he landed in a pool of melted snow below the mountain. It was at this moment the slushy, slippery slopes became an exhilarating Water Park with a ski theme.
 One of the florida resortWhether you're married or single, mother to a brood or a beloved aunt of one, in your 20's or nearing the days of AARP, girls just gotta get away from everyone and everything occasionally and it's just more fun with your best gal pal along. Take a look at the new "Barefoot Beach Babes" package at the TradeWinds Island Resorts on St. Pete Beach. The package includes two-night accommodations at the Island Grand or Sandpiper Suites; a beach tote for each person, stuffed with a beach towel, stylish pocket koozie, fun "beach read" magazine, decorative wine glass and a "chocipes" chocolate recipes booklet. The package also includes a bottle of Choc-a-bloc wine, a decadent chocolate wine, to share. Beginning at just $476 for four adults ($119 per person), the package also includes the Resort Amenity Fee, which gives guests extra benefits at both TradeWinds properties, ranging from complimentary use of covered beach cabanas and fitness centers, to free self-parking and tennis court play. The TradeWinds Island Resorts are comprised of the Island Grand Resort and the Sandpiper Hotel & Suites, both located on the Gulf of Mexico on the island of St. Pete Beach, Florida. The properties are near some of near some of the top-rated beaches in the nation and just 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport, so you're not wasting valuable cocktail, sunning and snoozing time in transit. the digital camera juiced up for pix of water sports on resort's beach, turns on the bungee trampoline or paddling the resort's winding waterways. Dine at an on-site eatery (15 restaurant and bar options) or explore the many seafood shacks, pubs and entertainment in St. Pete Beach. The Barefoot Beach Babes package is available through December. 24, 2009. TradeWinds Island Resorts St. Pete Beach, Florida (866) JUST LET GO (587-8538)
Universal Studios Orlando has released its song list for the upcoming Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster. Some of the artists guests will get to choose from include Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West and No Doubt, Donna Summer, Evanescence and N.E.R.D. Some of the songs will include Fergie's "Glamorous" and MC Hammer's Hammertime. To listen to the song choices, click here. The rollercoaster goes 167 feet into the air and features first-ever maneuvers and high tech innovation. Another feature is that touch screens will be connected to the safety bars allowing riders to pick the songs they want to hear. An opening date for the ride has not yet been made public.
Busch Gardens is celebrating the New Year with special entertainment and fireworks nightly, December 27-31. You can give 2009 the ultimate "wild" welcome with coasters in the dark, including SheiKra - America's only dive coaster. Hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (until 1:00 a.m. on December 31). This event is included with daily park admission or a Passport membership. The Outback Bowl Parade and pep rally by participating college cheerleaders. along 7th Avenue in Ybor City is a huge celebration featuring high school and participating college bands, professional-quality floats, and more. Parade begins 5:30 p.m., with a fantastic fireworks finale at 8:15 p.m. (Please note: No coolers, glass containers or open alcohol allowed on streets.) Make a splash on the social scene this New Year's Eve at The Florida Aquarium, where you will see and be seen as you enjoy live entertainment, great food, complimentary beer and wine, underwater wonders and the best fireworks display in Tampa. Tickets are $75 for members before December 23; $80 general admission before December 7; $90 general admission before December 21; and, $100 after December 21. Call 813-273-4000 for further information. Light Up Tampa Bay at Channelside on New Year's Eve with live entertainment and a midnight fireworks show and ball drop along the downtown Tampa waterfront. Before the fireworks, enjoy the numerous restuarants and night spots at Channelside. Call 813-223-4250 for more information. Lowry Park Zoo will host Radio Disney with a countdown to noon during their Noon Year's Eve celebration from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31.
Disney World is about to get some serious competition as Florida's premier theme park, as Florida may soon be home to the second Legoland theme park in the US.
Merlin Entertainment Group Inc., the company that designs Legoland, is said to be doing research on building an entire new theme park in Central Florida.
The latest round of chatter was triggered by Screamscape, which reported that one of it's readers was asked to participate in a survey where the questions [were all about building Legoland Florida, which would be based on the basic design and layout of the Legoland California park, and feature about 50 different rides and attractions.]
The location mentioned for the park was in Winter Haven near Cypress Gardens, about an hour's drive south of Disney. Some mainstream news organizations followed up on the chatter, and a local NBC affiliate WESH TV got confirmation from a Legoland Spokesperson that Merlin Entertainment was indeed looking into a theme park in central Florida.
SPEND YOUR FLORIDA HOLIDAYS IN UNIVERSAL ORLANDO Stay 4 nights or longer at one of the AAA Four Diamond award-winning on-site hotels at Universal Orlando> and your Kids (ages 3-9) get FREE theme park admission, PLUS save up to 30% on hotel room rates! Enjoy admission to Orlando's most exciting thrills and entertainment PLUS on-site hotel accommodations, all for one great price.
Book by July 31, 2009 to take advantage of this incredible deal, from as low as $62 per person per night for a family of four!
• On-site hotel accommodations at: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel or Loews Portofino Bay Hotel - the longer you stay the more you save!
- Stay 4 nights - save up to 20% per night
- Stay 5 or 6 nights - save up to 25% per night
- Stay 7 nights - save up to 30% per night
Get one FREE Kids 2-Park Unlimited Admission Ticket* (ages 3-9) with each paid Adult 2-Park Unlimited Admission Ticket valid for Universal Studios AND Universal's Islands of Adventure theme parks (maximum of 2 FREE Kids admission tickets per room) FREE Universal ExpressSM ride access to SKIP THE REGULAR LINES all day at both Universal Orlando theme parksBONUS: Kids Eat Free at Lunch & Dinner at the on-site hotels during Extra Value Weeks, Now - June 10 and August 17 - September 30.
|
 |
|
|
