The rapid spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had an enormous impact on the vacation plans and travel activities of Americans and people all over the globe. With concerns about future outbreaks, the effectiveness of vaccines, and the reality that some virus strains can find ways to mutate, it is unlikely that people will quickly revert to their old habits.
I live in Florida, the only state that gets over 100 million visitors per year and is the home of the world’s greatest family entertainment complex of amusement parks and attractions. Walt Disney World and Universal may be opening slowly but with so many restrictions and limitations one may wonder if a visit is essential. And besides, visitors coming and going face the possibility of 14-day isolations.
As a person who writes about travel and history, I question what I recommend in selecting vacation and trip activities. What skills and options should I include? As a college history professor for fifty years, I tend to look at what might be long term trends and changes in our society and culture.
Let me state then the approach I will take in more and more of what I write and why I will orient my present and future writing. These may reflect some of the trends which I think may be more part of “the New Normal” in vacations and trips:
DRIVING TOURS and EXPERIENCES: I have always been impressed how European cities provide maps, guidance, and options for all types of people. My mother-in-law had health issues and little money while raising five kids so on the weekends she would pack a picnic lunch, take a full-day trip in the old automobile, sight-see and only stop if something met her criteria, and dine in a park.
Kayaking and Snorkeling Provide Independent Social Distancing
I think many people will be leery about going to a restaurant or any attraction without observing the present options. Indoor activities such as museums, galleries, and even sporting events will be looked at in a different way than in 2019. Safety will join cost and value when I write about any spot in Florida.
The OUTDOORS and ECO-TOURISM, I believe, will become more popular and more important as an option to visitors and residents. A kayak or snorkel trip is a pretty safe choice for exercise and learning about your destination. Soft adventures like boardwalk tours and zip lines allow for social distance control in a safer setting.
Adventure Travel and Outdoor Activities Are 12-Month Deals in Florida
Florida has one of the most diverse and best State Park Systems and it has been underused by a large segment of our tourist population. For every famous park destination, there are two or three park options that will be practically deserted on the weekdays.
INSIDER ADVICE in articles usually emphasizes the best food or the most popular attraction, but it should now include options and ideas that relate to health concerns. Long before the virus I told people that instead of standing in a luncheon crowd to get into a Walt Disney Magic Kingdom restaurant, take the monorail to one of the hotels or the boat to Wilderness Lodge for the lakeside patio restaurant by the Villas. Better meal, same price, and less crowded and rushed environment.
This summer I will inform you of several new e-books and PODs about Florida travel options, including the dates when these publications will be part of free downloads or reduced prices.
This is the time of the year when individuals around the nation make New Year’s Resolutions and also the time Florida Chamber of Commerces start promoting what new things are coming up in the New Year.
For Florida’s all-important tourist industry that means new attractions, new resorts, and even new cruise ships. Actually the largest cruise ship, the Symphony of the Seas by Royal Caribbean, sailed into the Port of Miami in November. The ship is (gads) five times larger than the Titanic.
In the theme park industry which heavily impacts the 100 million annual Florida visitors, here are some of the 2019 highlights to come:
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge (Disney Hollywood Studios) appears to open minus its ultra-fantastic resort hotel around November of 2019. The Millennium Falcon ride will probably open sooner at Disneyland, but the Orlando site will include the entire Black Spire village on Batin complete with shops, a restaurant, bars, and performers.
The first floor of new Star Wars hotel won’t open until 2020
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Disney Hollywood Studios) will open in late summer in the huge Chinese Theater complex. This is the first interactive ride where riders will enter a wild film short featuring Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy.
Harry Potter Themed Roller Coaster (Universal Islands of Adventure) may be solidly located away from the other Potter attractions, but will feature the flying creatures of Wizarding World and be a “family” coaster. A summer opening is hoped.
Tigris Roller Coaster (Busch Gardens) will fly this Spring next to Jungala, the tiger compound, and display a very scary l,800 foot layout with speeds of 60 mph. Most terrifying will be the fact riders will fall backwards at one point.
Lego Movie World (Legoland) is a new section with a giant play area relating to the Lego film. There will also be two new rides: an interactive boat ride, the Quest for Chi, an a new adventure in Emmett’s Bricksburg.
Next to theme parks, most Florida towns advertise new resorts and large hotels:
Last year Miami had a hotel boom with some twelve new resorts and complete makeovers, but more are on the way. Most interesting to be is the arrival in South Florida of Paligroup from Los Angeles.
The Palihouse Miami Beach
They are opening this Spring Palihouse Miami Beach, a 70-room boutique hotel on Indian Creek Drive, Miami Beach. The Intracoastal resort is certainly going to be shabby chic eclectic.
A bedroom at Isla Bella is like staying on a ship
Perhaps more exciting will be the debut of the 24 acre Isla Bella Beach Resort on Knight Key in Marathon, almost next to the famous Seven Mile Bridge. This is the first big resort in the Keys since the destruction of Hurricane Irma and this 199 room, 4 restaurant, 5 pool place will become an instant landmark in the Middle Keys.
In Orlando, Universal is opening two new resorts. I thought since the theme park filled up its property, they couldn’t continue its hotel boom, but I was wrong.
The Endless Resort
Universal’s Endless Resort is being built on the location of the old Wet and Wild park at International Drive and Universal Boulevard. The first stage will have 750 guest rooms with 390 two-bedroom suites. Additional sections are in the works.
It will be interesting to see how Universal will operate a transportation system on major highways outside their property.
If you haven’t visited Walt Disney World in the last few years due to the CO-VID pandemic or the concerns about the Disney-Florida woke clash, there have been a number of major completions of rides and attractions. Did they live up to all the 50th anniversary promotion? Are they worth the additional cost as added ticket prices?
Here is our evaluation:
MAGIC KINGDOM: The big story is Tron has arrived and most of the character meetings so crucial to small children are back.
TRON LIGHTCYCLE/ RUN Rating 93%
TRON is faster than you imagine just by watching the cycles fly past.
After many delays to complete other projects Tron, the rocket-moving motorcycle that debuted in 2016 at Shanghai Disney, opened in 2023 with good reviews. The ride may look fast but tame when seen by bystanders, but the scarier sections are inside the dark area with its computer connection. There is a 48” height minimum and despite a more traditional seated car at the back of each train, this is NOT a ride for people with health issues. The theme of the ride is a race between the Blue Team and the Tred Team and this adds to the excitement even if you have little control in the race.
CONS: The ride is just under two minutes long and despite relatively fast loading and a maximum of seven trains, each with seven rows of two cycles each, the lines are long. It is an extra-pay Lightning ride. The ride is not comfortable if you are overweight.
MICKEY’S PHILHARMAGIC Rating: 88%
In case you haven’t visited the 3-D 12-minute film since 2021, the show was closed in October of 2021 for refurbishment and the addition of a singing of Un Poco Loco from the film Coco. The 2002 picture was getting a little “dullish”, but the latest edition has the feel of a new presentation: brighter colors, sharp images, and great soundtrack. And on hot Florida days, it is a cool theater.
TIANA’S BAYOU ADVENTURE Not Open – Later in 2024
This ride is being built within the structure of Splash Mountain and much like how Frozen was created out of the Norway ride, we firmly believe people will sense the same river movements and the same drop at the end of the ride. It may seem weird that a movie about life in 1927 is part of Frontierland which ended by 1900, but Disney correctly assumes that the ride will be about the music, the atmosphere, and on hot Florida days, the cooling water.
COUNTRY BEAR JAMBOREE Not Open – Bears Learning New Music
The classic animated bears will open late in 2024 with a more diverse music program, although Disney is using the same building. The Grand Old Opry may be removed for a more modern atmosphere.
DISNEY FESTIVAL of FANTASY PARADE Rating: 90%
One thing Disney fans missed besides the contact character meetings during the pandemic years was the full-scale Disney parades. If you haven’t been to WDW for a while, you will realize how improved technology and animation have made the floats bigger and better. This parade leaves out few popular Disney characters. The few I didn’t recognize were from the Disney Channel kid shows.
EPCOT: No park underwent as many changes as Epcot with the total redesign and reconstruction of the middle area of what was World Showcase with a new Epcot Store, restaurant, café, and even the old Coca-Cola Club Cool, which I could never resist. Also in its place are some extensive gardens and more places for people to sit down (GADS!). This is also the area of Disney’s most expensive ride.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: COSMIC REWIND Rating: 96% but
The largest dark ride in the history of Disney takes people to the planet Xander where your tour is suddenly interrupted as a weird; giant force” is trying to steal the crucial power supply. All visitors must be quickly evacuated to Earth. What do the wonderful Guardians of the Galaxy have to do with this? They are going to get the power thing back. This is one of those rides where you are spread out into various rooms to help the continuous loading process and to relate the story. You must be 42” tall and definitely think people with health reasons should avoid Xander. These fantastic cars almost seem to defy gravity on some turns.
CONS: After watching three years of detailed videos of the construction and promotion of this ride, I was very disappointed, not in the ride, but the ride presentation. I expected to see maybe an animated raccoon with a weapon or a piece of wood that can say only a few words. The stars of the Guardian movies appear with short lines on large screens (like they can be replaced with stars from another hit sci-fi in the future). Much like the Dinosaur ride where you are helping capture a dinosaur in the past and in the end are congratulated for participating in something you never saw happen, you feel like a distant bystander. Human interaction is not very big on Xander. It is a Lightning Lane must.
JOURNEY OF WATER, INSPIRED BY MOANA Rating 90%
Unlike Guardians, this walk through the park is totally interactive with exhibits allowing even small children to get sprays of water to jump up and even from bush to bush. Whether people read all the educational messages of not, the self-tour is refreshingly nice. Yes, the water that jumped around at the Imagination exhibit has moved to this presentation.
CONS: When the pathways get crowded with people the interactivity of Moana’s world loses much of its magic.
Speaking of Imagination, an exhibit that has seriously declined since Kodak, its original sponsor, collapsed, I am happy to say that fans of Figment the tiny dragon can meet and greet a larger version of Figment.
REMY’S RATATOUILLE ADVENTURERating: 90%
The star of Disney Land Paris (2014) opened at Epcot in 2021, this ride is a four-minute thrill ride that reduces you to mouse-size so you can join Remy in a wild race across the kitchen of a famous Paris restaurant. This is a delightful family ride was the first all-new ride at Epcot since 1988 because Frozen used the Norway ride waters.
In the new Epcot Gardens Walt Looks Out on the Lake and its Lands.
LUMINOUS THE SYMPHONY OF US Rating: 85%
The new night-time fireworks, music, and laser light show is a big improvement over the confusing 50th anniversary show, Disney Harmonious. And a notch above the substitute Epcot Forever fireworks. If you have seen Epcot shows for years (like me), I am not thrilled. Disney is the biggest user of fireworks in the world.
DISNEY HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: The opening of Star Wars and Toy Story drastically changed the operation of visitors at Hollywood Studios in the late 1990s. Since then, the changes have been mainly cosmetic.
ROCK N ROLLER COASTER is closed for a major refurbishment.
VOYAGE OF THE LITTLE MERMAID is closed, but I heard that it will be refreshed with more animation and songs. Not sure there will be a live singing Arial, the first one won Miss America. So, Ariel is the ONLY Disney Princess to become a real Queen.
There is finally a sit-down table restaurant in Toy Story, an absolute must when Florida is hot of filled with thunderstorms.
ANIMAL KINGDOM: The park seems neglected, but Disney concentrated on the bigger tourist volume parks. The big news is that slowly the DINOLAND area will be changed into a “Tropical World” – I expect it will be heavy on South American animals and foliage, both of which are easy to produce in Florida. Dino Diner and some other Dinoland places are already gone.
The turkey decorations are being taken down and across the land people are taking out the Christmas decorations. Our family actually got our ten-foot tree before Thanksgiving from the same people – North Carolina trees.
Growing up in New England, my family has always preserved some Northern holiday decoration habits. Every window has a nicely timed electric candle, simple design and wooden-like candle holder. And fake hanging light icicles across all the gutters to replace all the real ones we once had.
When I was growing up, we relied on lightning, the possibility of making snowmen in the lawn, and wooden props for manger scenes or sleds or toboggans. Today, the big thing is inflatables. Of example, Bed, Bath, and Beyond may have financial problems, but their website has a dozen pages of inflatables that can be sent to your house. Amazon has almost as many selections.
While some Florida transplants may wish to remember their cold weather roots, we think Floridians and people who wish for a Sunshine State vacation should have inflatables that reflect their location. Here are some of our favorite “warm weather” Christmas characters.
I will make concessions about Christmas decorations. Honor your pets PAST and PRESENT!
Both at Halloween and Christmas we honor Bitte and Danke our rescue dogs who went to Dog Heaven at ages 15 and 16. (I notice the shortage of Christmas cat inflatables.)
You are also allowed to have an inflatable you just love.
It does get cold in Tampa, but we don’t expect snow. Might put some marshmallow bags on lawn.
HERE ARE OUR FAVORITE INFLATABLES FOR FLORIDA.
SANTA in shorts, thongs with beach sand, a palm trees, and guitars. This is the Hawaiian version, I must admit, but maybe only San Diego can show this inflatable.
Overkill is OK if you are sending cellphone pics back up North: Santa, bathing suit, sand beach, surfing inflatable, beach chair, starfish, and happy reindeer.
Flamingos belong on Florida lawns but at Christmas they below with Santa and the beach sand and waves,
For those that like adventure sports, Santa and a shark is appropriate. It shows that we are not afraid on the warm Florida waters (compared to up North). Hey, two of the four JAWS films were done in Florida.
But let’s be blunt. Most people up North resent the fact that in Florida we can spend more time outdoors golfing, hiking, visiting parks, or just relaxing.
And don’t forget Jesus was not born in a Nordic snowy wonderland in Bethlehem.
Most residents and visitors to Florida associate the state with alligators or manatees or pelicans. Horses are not likely to be identified with the Sunshine State, but that would be a serious error.
With over 385,000 horses, Florida has the third largest horse population in the United States. Horses have a $11.7 billion annual impact on the state economy and 244,200 people work in the horse industries.
Florida’s horses are a diverse group. Nearly 30% of all Florida farms are horse farms and visitors will find horses to watch, to ride, and be entertained Of course, horses are also located on Florida’s cattle ranches.
Although the Spanish brought horses to Florida in the 1500s, it was not until that 1930’s that a group in Marion County (Ocala) decided the area was a wonderful all-year round site for thoroughbred racing horses.
A Triple Crown winner named Needles helped give Marion County the sub “Horse Capital of the World.”
The title is deserved for with 75,000 racehorses, Marion had more horses than any other county in the nation. Touring Ocala horse farms became an important tourist attraction. In 1996 the Florida Legislature built a major horse attraction – the Florida Horse Park The huge facility has an RV facility, twelve huge barns, a performance center, four outdoor riding arenas and a cross-country course.
The Ocala Equestrian Center is massive and draws people from around the globe.
Ocala’s Horse Shows in the Sun includes shows with over three million in prize money. From show jumping to dressage, the center is big boost to attracting related horse activities.
Florida has the third largest Quarter Horse population in the nation with dozens of events from cutting to barrel racing to roping. Just fifteen minutes from Walt Disney World is the Silver Spurs Rodeo grounds, the largest east of the Mississippi River. This official state rodeo is just one of several dozen rodeo centers. Arcadia, Homestead, Okeechobee, and Indiantown have genuine hometown rodeos.
Florida has standard bred horses used in harness racing. Pompano Park (1964) is one of the South’s top harness racing tracks. Florida also has over 1000 registered Cracker Horses, descendants of the Spanish mustangs that once roamed Florida. They are used by cowboys and tourists alike.
Florida is known as the winter center for polo in America with the famous International Polo Club of Palm Beach and active polo communities in Sarasota and The Villages. The Palm Beach Winter Equestrian Festival is the largest showcase in horse sport with over 5,000 horses and the top riders from around the world in dressage and other events.
Wellington, west of West Palm Beach, is a town where horses are more than common
Perhaps you might want a horse-oriented Florida vacation. There are rising centers and ranches all over the state, but one must state that the Westgate River Ranch Resort one hour south of Orlando was voted the #1 Glamping Sport by USA Today readers. It is a 1,700-acre wilderness where you can ride horses, fish in the Kissimmee River, or just relax.
The Westgate River Ranch has their own version of “covered wagon living”.
The Westgate even has its own weekly rodeo. “Glamping” means glamourous camping and the resort has several onsite dining spots from steakhouse grills to general store delis.
Florida beaches and horses: a nice combination for a vacation.
With a thousand miles of beach, Florida also has places to ride horses on beaches like Amelia Island, Cape San Blas, and Fort Pierce. Even in urban Tampa Bay where I live there are riding centers with beach tours: Florida Beach Horses in Bradenton, and C Ponies Beach Horses in Saint Petersburg.
There are a few things that I can guarantee you if you visit or stay at Walt Disney World: it will be expensive and that includes the food at the hotels and at the parks. I can also assure you that most will consider the food overpriced and undeserved of the prices.
Beginning January 9, 2024, Disney Dining Plans return (although people have been signing up for plans since May). They are just for Disney hotel guests! In the past the only dining plan where a majority of guests made a profit was the luxury plan but now only the Quick Service and Standard Dining Plans return. There is ONLY ONE GOOD REASONto buy a Disney dining plan – you have pre-paid for two of the most expensive vacation items: meals and snacks.
The only dining plans I have ever used in fifty-plus years is the Epcot dining plans for shows so that I can sit front row. I love food so I select the most expensive choices in each meal category and I did save a few bucks in food costs.
WHAT ARE MY CHOICES FOR BEST FOOD AT WDW?
I do consider price and environment in my selections for this is a list for the average WDW visitor. Not the very rich.
Best Food At A Character Meal: Tusker House, Animal Kingdom Park
Tusker House has lots of seats, Donald and Mickey, & food choices for all tastes.
Donald Duck hosts Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy (all in safari outfits) in a meal that features your standard meats and fish, but also unique African and Asian dishes. There is something for everyone and the layout is perfect to do a conga dance with the characters. NEXT CHOICE: Garden Grill (the Land at Epcot) is a rotating restaurant serving skillets of American food while Chip n Dale, Mickey and Pluto visit your table. Great if you have shy kids!
Best Food At A Buffet: Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge)
People at other hotels drive here for breakfast and dinner for the African and American dishes are wonderful and served in a delightful setting. NEXT CHOICE: Cape May Café (Beach Club) There is a character breakfast but the dinner surf and turf menu attracts tourists walking over from nearby Epcot.
Have times changed! Dinner at original California Grill $32.24 for two + Lennon Sisters show.
Best Quick Service Food At The Parks
MAGIC KINGDOM is dominated due to its family orientation to dozens of overcrowded, overpriced fast food joints. Cosmic Ray’s rates as one of the world’s largest “food dispensers.” Casey’s Corner would be nice if it had more indoor seating.
MAGIC KINGDOM WINNERS: (tie) Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café (Frontierland) serves good Mexican food and snacks in huge quantities. Columbia Harbour House (Liberty Square) has lobster rolls, grilled salmon, Parker House rolls in a place with a second-floor refuge for families and lovers.
EPCOT is for adults with its multitude of full-service spots, but it has some top spots.
EPCOT WINNERS: Sunshine Seasons (The Land) is a multi-part food court with a lot of healthy choices and many seats – food is OK but choice is great. NEXT CHOICES: Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie(France) is a wonderful bakery with soups, crepes, sandwiches, but a lack of seating and large crowds hurt its family appeal. Regal Eagle Smokehouse (USA) is an indoor/outdoor barbecue Americana, serving nearly every style of brisket and popular US dishes.
Sunshine Seasons is a huge food court with many healthy options and next to Soarin ride.
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS is a wasteland of quick service spots that either lack the food or the setting.
HOLLYWOOD WINNERS: Woody’s Lunch Box (Toy Story) serves three “funky private school” meals with some neat choices. Not enough seats & too outdoors. OTHER CHOICE: Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo (Star Wars) is fun Batuu food that actually tastes much better than it looks.
Docking Bay 7 at Star Wars may have wierd Batuu food, but it tastes good.
ANIMAL KINGDOM is very thin on good full-service restaurants, but oddly interesting in its diverse quick service choices.
ANIMAL KINGDOM WINNERS: (tie) Flame Tree Barbecue (Discovery Island) has a great selection of chicken, ribs, pulled pork, mac & cheese and if you carefully it has tables alongside the river. Satu’li Canteen (Pandora) in an isolated research center on Pandora is a terrific lineup of steamed bao bun pods, clever food bowls, and other-worldly pleasures. Good choice of environment and food.
Satu’li Canteen takes you to the atmosphere of Pandora and shockingly fun food to eat.
Most Daring Restaurant Menu At Parks
Jungle Navigation Co, Ltd Skipper Canteen (Magic Kingdom) in a park filled with burgers and chicken nuggets to serve a menu of exotic Asian, South American, and African dishes takes daring and good cooking. One of their three dining rooms is even hidden(?)
Most Daring Restaurant Menu at A Hotel
Sanaa (Animal Kingdom Lodge) is located in the condo part of the resort with a great view of the animals on the Sunset Savanna. The menu of African and Asian dishes is very creative, and I love the Indian-style bread service.
Sanaa is the only restaurant with a view of wild animals and an interesting menu.
Most Entertaining Restaurants AT WDW
WDW is all about entertainment, but often the atmosphere is not conducive to enjoying a meal, the staff, or the food.
Whispering Canyon Café (Wilderness Lodge) serves all-you-can eat skillets of American food, but a silly Wild West atmosphere is designed for kids to have fun, riding wooden horses. Ask for extra ketchup. NEXT CHOICE: 50’s Prime Time Café (Hollywood Studios) is for those who want to watch black and white TV while eating pot roast or meatloaf with a bossy waitress. Either cause trouble or support the waitress, but be careful what you say and do.
Family fun and comfort food make 50s Prime Time Cafe a good choice at Hollywood.
Best Full-Service Restaurants In The Parks
Some parks have too many good choices (Epcot) and some have limited choices (Animal Kingdom). Thus, my bias slips in.
MAGIC KINGDOM: Be My Guest is glamourous, but I select LIBERTY TREE TAVERN where family style Thanksgiving meals are well-priced and very good. MK is often a mad house and this place is relaxing and well managed.
EPCOT is the home of too much food. Le Cellier for steaks; Via Napoli for pizza; La Hacienda de San Angel for Mexican & fireworks views. But I select ROSE & CROWN provided you get a late dinner on the outside patio, the best view of the nightly light show.
The best view for Epcot’s night shows is at the Rose and Crown patio. Easy Brit food.
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: Lots of fun spots but for real food the BROWN DERBY is the showplace. But I save money arriving before noon to sit on their sidewalk café and order Cobb salad and burgers.
ANIMAL KINGDOM: While I like Yak & Yeti’s creative menu, by default TIFFINS has the best food though pricey. I must confess I prefer the quick service choices and character buffet here best.
Most Romantic Restaurant At WDW
CALIFORNIA GRILLE (Contemporary) While I am not big on the switch to a three-course selection menu, the food is good here and the view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks is spectacular. The LOUNGE requires an invite and you need to get there by 5 pm. My wife & I dined here when it was the nightclub Top of the World.
The best night view at WDW is at a California Grille window table.
NEXT CHOICE: TOPOLINO’S TERRACE (Riviera) This rooftop signature dinner spot offers fine Italian food and distant views of the Hollywood and Epcot fireworks.
I will be producing an update of my Insiders Guide to WDW and Universal this month with an e-book and POD edition on Amazon. There will be five free e-book days for Amazon members in early December.
Since Walt Disney World’s opening in 1971, my wife and I have spent about thirty of the fifty-plus years we have visited WDW, we drive from Tampa without kids. Kid-less vacation trips to WDW whether you are old or young provide different choices. Sadly, the cheapest resorts and food usually cater to families with kids.
Where to Stay? Our Picks
ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE ($$$$) for a different Florida vacation
Arriving by automobile eliminates the biggest negative of AK: long bus trips to the parks. Ask for a second or third floor room facing the plains filled with grazing animals. Boma is the best buffet at WDW and Jiko is a Top Ten restaurant. Go outside on the fenced trail and talk to the African animal specialists.
The villas at Polynesian Village cost more than a trip to Tahiti so I choose the seclude Cascade villas (8001-8012) which give you a forested view with boats going past. Boat to Magic Kingdom or boat/monorail to Epcot & Disney Studios. Fun meals at Whispering Canyon Café and lakeside relaxing at Geyser Point Bar & Grill. Sail over to nearby Fort Wilderness campground for nighttime carriage rides or go horseback riding.
BEACH CLUB VILLAS ($$$$) The Great Food Arena Centerpiece
Staying at any of the Epcot resorts (even the non-Disney Dolphin & Swan) gives you boat access to Epcot and Disney Studios, the entertainment complex at Boardwalk resort, and more quality restaurants and bars than anywhere else. I choose the villas that are a short walk into Epcot and the gondola trip to Disney Studios. The Beach has the best WDW pool complex: the sand bottomed Stormalong Bay lazy river with pool bar. Good seafood buffet.
WALDOLF ASTORIA BONNET CREEK ($$$$) Golf at your backdoor
This non-Disney classic has bus service to parks, but you step outside to a top-notch golf course. Since you can use the facilities of the connecting Hilton, you get a large lazy river, and the #1 (La Luca) and #2 (Bull and Bear) restaurants in Orlando. This Waldorf, the first built from scratch, has the original lobby and bar from the New York Waldorf. Super service for your needs. Bonnet Creek is surrounded by Disney property – Walt could not get the Asian owner to sell!
PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE ($$$) Hidden Mid-Price Charms
Although you bus to all the parks, this two-resort complex has great tropical scenery, a pool on an island in the middle of a river, and a boat ride to Disney Springs with its mass of nightspots and restaurants. You can take a nighttime ride along the river in a horse-pulled carriage. I prefer the secluded rooms along the bayou over the New Orleans style townhouses of this resort. The New Orleans area has a jazz bar.
Where To Eat?
CALIFORNIA GRILL ($$$$) Contemporary (Magic Kingdom Fireworks)
Despite some menu and policy changes, booking a window-size table to watch the nightly fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. The food, service, and ambiance of the CG has remained high since it was a nightclub Top of the World in 1971. (I was there.)
NARCOOSSEES ($$$$) Grand Floridian (Waterview & Seafood)
The best of several adult-oriented restaurants at the most sophisticated of WDW’s luxury resorts. Expensive but good seafood. You probably have to go out on the porch to see the MK fireworks.
BROWN DERBY ($$$$) Disney Hollywood Studios (Classic)
This authentic reproduction of the now-gone California celebrity showplace has captured the historic menu including the Cobb salad. TIP: If you can’t book arrive at 11:30 am if the weather is good and eat in the outdoor patio (Cobb Salad, sliders, drinks).
The new, expensive Riviera has some small but intimate rooms, but it also has a great restaurant with a rooftop terrace that can see the fireworks at Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios.
TUSKER HOUSE ($$$) Animal Kingdom (Character Buffet)
Disney’s character buffets are over-priced kiddie shows which most couples should avoid, but this Donald Duck hosted spot has a more diverse menu, an excellent layout, and an atmosphere that is more adult and couple friendly.
CHEFS OF FRANCE ($$$) Epcot (Busy Brasserie)
Crowded like a Parisian brasserie, this restaurant may not have an automated Ratatouille (he’s in a ride behind the place), but you can easily pretend you are in Paris. Big wine menu and a classic French menu.
BOMA ($$$) Animal Kingdom Lodge (Buffet)
People come from every hotel at WDW to have breakfast at Boma, with its African theme and wide assortment of different dishes. And you get to wander the outside trails.
ENZO’S HIDEAWAY ($$) Disney Springs (Hidden Gem)
This funky speakeasy with a tunnel bar and clandestine settings is a very good Italian restaurant and bar that seems miles from the noise and crowds of Disney Springs.
WINE BAR GEORGE ($$) Disney Springs (Room With A View)
This new restaurant and bar features 140 different wines and excellent food. Its second floor location is a wall of glass overlooking a huge patio of people.
Where To Drink:
The BOATHOUSE DOCK BAR Disney Springs
I usually order food from the inside menu as well as drinks on this boat dock, surrounded by a collection of antique boats. The Aqua boats go right past this spot. Best at night, of course.
TRADER SAM’s GROG GROTTO Polynesian Resort
You have to have a wild tiki bar at a resort that tries to duplicate the tropics of the Pacific. After eight the bar often plays fun games and gets everyone happy.
TUTTO GUSTO Epcot
At the Italian Pavilion between the main restaurant and the popular pizza spot is this sedate and rustic bar and light food place. You can tell this place is seriously an escape from the Disney crowds.
NOMAD LOUNGE at Tiffins Animal Kingdom
Hidden along the riverfront behind this expensive restaurant is a porch turned bar and refuge. Across the river is Pandora.
OGA’S CANTINA Disney Hollywood Studios
Of course this Star War’s watering hole has weird, overpriced drinks and colorful design. It may not be as good as the next door restaurant, but you probably don’t visit BaTuu too often. “May the drink be within you.”
A recent trip to the manatee rehabilitation center at Zoo Tampa in Lowry Park reminded me how extensive is the continual struggle to preserve the Florida manatee, one of two West Indian manatee species. The underwater observation area is always packed with families watching the manatees dining on vegetation.
Who doesn’t love looking at a huge creature with a pig-like face funneling lettuce into their mouth with the help to two small fin-like hands?
ZooTampa is a major manatee rehab like Orlando’s Sea World, the Jacksonville Zoo, the Miami Seaquarium, and Homosassa Springs State Park. When possible, these manatees will be returned to their original rescue spot. There is also a dozen temporary or short-term centers for injured manatees, such as Dolphin Research in the Keys.
The last few years have been hard ones for the Florida manatee. In 2021 some 1,100 manatees died, including a mass carnage in the Indian River area. Last year the toll was around 800.
There is an image that manatees die mainly from collisions with watercraft. Of the 800-manatee toll in 2022, just 76 deaths were caused by boats. 150 died of natural causes and 73 died of perinatal issues (often malnutrition). Fully one-half of all deaths are not necropolis due to location, time of death, and condition of the corpse.
Today, the most serious danger to the Florida manatee is the declining amount of sea grass in the Indian River Lagoon, Tampa Bay, Florida Bay, Sarasota Bay, and dozens of other coastal waterways. An adult manatee must eat 120 pounds of sea grass to preserve their adorably plumb bodies. Restoring just a single acre of vegetation can cost $20,000.
Fortunately, the manatee can argue that they are well-worth the financial investment. Florida’s 100+ million tourists are rarely going to see a Florida panther or black bear roaming in the wild, but manatees have become big tourist attractions.
Manatees can not take cold water under 68 degrees F so they head from coastal areas up rivers and canals to warmer places like Florida’s many 72 degree springs. Winter visitors go to Blue Springs State Park north of Orlando, Weeki Wachee State Park in Spring Hill, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs south of Tallahassee, Manatee Springs State Park (Chiefland) and more.
Other manatees head for the warming waters of power plants such as Tampa Electric’s Manatee Center, the Lee County Manatee Park, or Manatee Lagoon at West Palm Beach.
Decades ago, some attractions and tours offered swimming with dolphins; now people want to swim with manatees. Crystal River and Kings Bay have numerous underwater year-round manatee tours. Other places allow kayaks and canoes near manatee but no divers.
Despite their slow, casual disposition, humans should not touch or interfere in the movement of manatees. And never get between a mother manatee and her calf unless you want to feel the power of a 1500-pound living torpedo.
So, the next time you think about where to go in Florida – THINK MANATEE. And consider the Save The Manatee Fund (www.savethemanatee.org) and buying a Florida manatee plate from your LOCAL tax collector’s office. The plates have raised $50 million dollars to help the Florida manatee.
With so many people moving into Florida from large Northern cities, I am often asked questions about the wildlife of Florida and whether they will encounter dangerous situations in their new surroundings. I must confess that growing up in suburban Massachusetts meant I never saw sharks, alligators, rattlesnakes, and panthers.
PART ONE was about on dangers found in Florida’s 1,350 miles of saltwater coastline and 30,000 lakes. PART Two talks about creatures found on the land. If you come from the North and settle away from the coast, you may be shocked that 50% of Florida is still forested and a good ten center of the state is too swampy for large-scale habitation. That does not mean you will encounter dangerous predators.
The Florida Panther
The state animal is a North American cougar and would have been extinct by now due to in-breeding and declining habitat if the State did not import eight Texas female cougars into South Florida. There may be as many as three hundred panthers left, but unless you live in rural Southwest Florida or Dade County, you are unlikely to see this one in the wild.
If there is an abundance of small animals and waterfowl, Florida’s state mammal avoids livestock and pets. Only five sightings have been north of the Caloosahatchee River in the last two years. I saw one in the wild near Everglades City and was shocked to see it coming out from underneath an elevated shed. While males are 100-160 pounds and females 64-100 pounds, with a shoulder height 29=inches or less, they can vanish in tall grass.
Florida Black Bear
Florida’s largest mammal once covered the entire state, but thanks to management Florida’s bear habitat has increased in the last two decades. Some 4,000 bears live in some seven subpopulations (Southwest Florida, Northeast Florida, the coastal Panhandle (2), the coastal Nature Coast, Big Bend, and the north Everglades.
Black bears are shy and reclusive. But should never be fed under any circumstance. Breeding season is June to August when bears are more likely to be risk-takers. Stand tall and slowly move away. Florida bears are small, but males are still 125 to 400 pounds. Like the panther, injured bears end in Florida zoos.
PLEASE NOTE: Florida has many wild animal sanctuary tourist spots. Most of these bears come from circuses and carnivals and are not Florida black bears.
Wild Hogs
The largest dangerous large animal you might encounter in a rural setting are wild hogs. Even in groups, they are not aggressive unless they feel cornered or you have a dog. Stay away – they are unwelcomed 150-pound visitors. Farmers and ranchers hate hogs for eating up crops and digging holes all over the fields.
Fencing is essential in rural areas if you have animals or a small garden. How bad is the problem? You can hunt or live trap wild pigs all year. You must give permission to let people hunt wild hogs on your private property, but you will find lots of volunteers. And guess what? Wild pigs are not Florida natives – those Spanish conquistadors brought them here and they escaped.
Raccoons and Armadillos – Oh My
I tell newly arrived big city Northerners that the only intruders I have experienced in Florida are raccoons and armadillos. Raccoons are cute to watch, just but do not give them food (they have too many friends). Keep your garbage cans tightly closed and your dogs on lease (let the dog bark). There are aggressive raccoons, and many city coons contain rabies and canine distemper.
For many years I was the neighborhood guy to remove armadillos. A female armadillo with young will love your outdoor storage sheds if you don’t keep the door closed. They will bite and scratch pets. I found they like Skippy Crunchy peanut butter but are brilliant in avoiding my cage traps. A few armadillos do get rabies but in Florida, some armadillos actually can give adults leprosy.
Gators – Please Read PART ONE
Snakes
I have never seen a CORAL SNAKE in a natural setting despite many hikes into Florida State Parks, but I will continue to keep my eyes on the trail. Make noise as you walk, and most snakes will flee. In truth coral snakes are very shy and harmless unless pressured. There are Floridians who have them as human-friendly pets.
Sadly, the Florida scarlet snake and the red rat snake are often killed because they resemble coral snakes. Most locals know the important way to identify coral snakes by the line, “Red touching yellow will kill a fellow, but red touching black is safe for Jack.”
Coral snakes have this scary reputation because their venom is second only to the black mamba in toxicity. But coral snakes are small and a single bite will not kill an adult, but make you quite sick. The big point that people don’t know about coral snake bites: it sometimes takes 6 to 12 hours before a victim has any symptoms.
Florida has five other poisonous snakes in the RATTLESNAKE and COPPERHEAD family. Most snakes flee from the sound of feet on the ground and do not like to stay in an open trail. Snake hunters go into fields and woods, not yards. A herpetologist told me the snake most likely to bite a hand or a pet is the pygmy rattlesnake due to their size and visits to gardens.
Here are some interesting snake facts: only five people die in the entire nation each year due to poisonous snakes. 57% of all bites are caused by people trying to handle a snake. 28% of all those bitten were drinking in the woods. Only 13% of all bites were on legs and feet despite the reality that snakes are not too tall.
Insects, Of Course
It should be no shock that newcomers will complain about Florida’s enormous insect problem more than anything else. From mansions to mobile homes to Seminole chickee, you can not escape bugs. Florida has warm weather all year; lots of rain; and a lot of nature. Unlike the North, every month is a bug month in Florida.
The scariest bug is the Florida Bark SCORPION. I have never seen one in the wild in all my years, but perhaps my bug man has killed all their food. Scorpions love messy yards, log piles, and open patio doors where a whisk of air-conditioning fills a hot, humid summer air. They are dangerous to small pets and babies.
The biggest threat to your Florida home are TERMITES, particularly the subterranean and Formosan who have to be gassed out. In Florida, Tarzan’s tree house would not be safe.
The most hated bug is the WOOD COCKROACH, which can fly. Florida palmettos are scary large and thrive in dirty yards, dirty garages and dirty houses. Bugs must beware for people get rich killing insects in Florida. Cockroaches do not kill your home like termites and can be driven into the woods.
What about MOSQUITOES? Florida has more mosquitoes than any other state because of its tropical warm climate. I would not like to take a fishing trip in the Everglades in July. January, fine. But guess what? Only Miami and Fort Lauderdale are in the Top 20 Mosquito Cities. As a tourist state, we know people come to visit our attractions without mosquitoes. New York and LA have more mosquito problems than Orlando.
The one area where the bug-fighters are often on the short side of the war on bugs is at the beach. BEACH BUGS, like sand flies or no see ums (biting midges) can be a major irritation in Florida, which has more miles of swimmable beaches than any other state in the nation.
Repellent can help. Staying in the water always works. Avoid sweet smells. It would be nice if the State of Florida could hire some bats (but this would only work at night).
With so many people moving into Florida from large Northern cities, I am often asked questions about the wildlife of Florida and whether they will encounter dangerous situations in their new surroundings. I must admit that growing up in suburban Massachusetts meant I never saw sharks, alligators, rattlesnakes, and bears.
PART ONE will comment on dangers found in Florida’s 1,350 miles of saltwater coastline and 30,000 lakes ( over three million acres). While most Florida residents and visitors are concerned with going into the subtropical waters of Florida beaches, it should be noted that Florida’s lakes house 1.5 million alligators.
SALT WATER CREATURES
JELLYFISH are common in Florida, even some large Portuguese man-o-war. The basic rule: the longer the tentacle, the more painful a sting can be. Move away from any jellyfish because they have less control of their movement in waves and moving water.
If stung, do not rinse with fresh water nor rub the area. Isopropyl alcohol or vinegar should be poured onto the stinging cells and gloves should be used to remove tentacles with their stinging nematocysts.
FIRE CORAL is a good reason to snorkel or swim three feet from coral formations. There are too many types of fire coral to list: different colors, both sponge-like and hard like. Most fire coral have whitish tips with the same stinging tentacles as jellyfish.
Another undesirable of coral reefs, but also seagrass shallows, are SEA URCHINS, the porcupines of the sea. They are actually cleaning off the algae from coral. Their needle-like quills require a good dose of hot water and cortisone cream.
BARRACUDA look like a pack of silver, black-eyed torpedoes with scary pointed teeth. They want to avoid divers and swimmers, but have a bad habit of hanging out in the shady water of a dock. Do NOT jump off a Florida dock without looking and do NOT swim with flashy jewelry which looks like a barracuda’s favorite snack.
Clearly SHARKS are the greatest fear of Florida swimmers. Much of the impact comes from the fact that the media notes Florida having the most shark attacks in the world, with New Smyrna Beach labeled ‘the Shark Bite Capital.”
Let’s get past the sensationalism. In 2022 Florida had 16 attacks of the worldwide 57 recorded shark attacks. No one died although two bull shark attacks in Florida resulted in serious surgery. A key point is the majority of attacks were by nurse sharks, who avoid people.
So what gives? A study of Florida shark attacks since 1882 reveal a huge percentage of attacks occur when surfers cross into feeding sharks. The Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Kennedy has four of the top five counties for shark attacks and the ten counties with the most shark attacks are ALL on the Atlantic Ocean.
There is good reason that New Smyrna Beach (Volusia County) gets soi many attacks: surfing, coastal fishing, murky water along Ponce de Leon Inlet caused by boating and moving water which produce lots of baitfish that attacks sharks, and colder water. Despite its huge scuba and snorkel population, the Florida Keys (Monroe County) have had just 21 known shark attacks since 1882.
THE ADVICE: Do not swim or snorkel at night. Never go into the ocean with a bloody cut. Avoid swimming in murky water near inlets or rivers or heavy fishing activity. Stop surfing and wakeboarding if people see groups of sharks.
FRESHWATER CREATURES:
ALLIGATORS cause the most fear to Florida newcomers, but alligators are leery of humans and sense danger from us. Established urban areas have rooted out most gator habitats, but new subdivisions built into former marshy rural areas are intruding into the reptiles’ habitat.
Despite dozens of Florida parks located with lakes and along rivers only 17 people have been killed by alligators since 1948 when Florida kept detailed records. Moreover, these cases reflect the key truths about gators and humans. Almost one-half of all gator attacks in the USA take place from late April to early July, the mating season when male gators wander around looking for a mate and are more territorial than usual. Most photographs of big gators crossing golf courses or major highways involved romantically inclined gators.
The infamous death of a small child wading into the lake at Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort took place at 9 pm on June 14, 2016. Close to twenty percent of deaths occur when people walk small dogs around a pond at night or early morning. Gators are attracted to small pets. Likewise, swimming or searching for golf balls in a pond in the evening when alligators do most of their bunting is another common situation in gator attacks.
This may not relieve your of fears for the Florida outdoors, but it should give you the proper warnings in the right perspectives.
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