Florida Attractions Info: August 2010

Help Solve a Mystery at an Orlando Dinner Show

Mystery Dinner Theater in Orlando

If you are looking for an unusual night out in the Orlando area, then a visit to the Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows is just what you need. "Thousands of crimes have been committed" at this dinner theater since 1980 and "we need your help," plead the owners of this theater.

Actually it is all in fun and diners are treated to a good meal while they watch the humorous drama and get a chance to mingle with the characters, watch for clues, interrogate suspects and eventually try to solve the mystery of the crime.

After the crime takes place you are served the dinner, and as you dine you can analyze and discuss the evidence and then formulate questions to pose to the suspects during an interrogation. Finally you can make an accusation and if you have made the right choice you will win a prize.

That's the formula at this popular Orlando dinner theater.

Currently Sleuths features many comedy-mysteries alternating throughout the week. In "G.K.'s 80th Birthday Party," family and friends are brought together for a festive occasion that soon turns sour.

"Lord Mansfield's Fox Hunt Banquet" takes you to Salisbury, England, where the gentry have gathered for a festival before the annual fox hunt.

Join the festivities at an Italian wedding where "Kim& Scott Tie the Knot." It is a wedding to die for! While touring England, your bus breaks down in front of the "Squires Inn," a fast-paced Sleuths' mystery. Or you can audition for "The Show Must Go On," a musical mystery that will keep you singing and laughing all nightlong.

The dinner at Sleuths commences with hors d'oeuvres, mixed green salad, dinner rolls, and crackers with the restaurants special cheese spread. The entrée menu choices include prime rib, honey-glazed Cornish hen, and cheese lasagna with or without meatballs. Prime rib is an extra $3.00. A vegetarian meal is also available. Unlimited wine, beer, and soft drinks accompany your meal.

Group rates are available for parties of 15 or more. Sleuths is handicapped accessible. For reservations, show times, or information, call 407-363-1985 or 800-393-1985. Most major credit cards are accepted. Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows is located at 8267 International Drive in the plaza next to Ripley's Believe It or Not.

Even if you are not planning to visit Orlando, you can enjoy a Sleuths show. The company offers a traveling show service, and stages the presentations at corporate and organizational venues throughout the United States. The comedy mysteries can be brought to a hotel, country club or any unique location like Universal Studios Sound Stage 33, SeaWorld's Port of Call or to your hometown. The ideas are limited only by your imagination. The shows have traveled through Europe, the United States and to Puerto Rico and the Sleuths' motto is "Have Show - Will Travel." Shows range in price from $1850 to $2060 plus expenses, depending on location and size of show.

So bring your investigative skills and prepare to laugh as you encounter deceit and scheming! As the owners of the restaurant put it, "It's such an uproarious good time...it's criminal!"

Recommended Reading:
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Experience the Sea at Orlando's Sea World

Orlando Florida's Sea World

Education, entertainment, wildlife conservation and thrills are what you can expect at Orlando's SeaWorld. This park has been called the most popular marine-life park in the world, and it certainly lives up to its reputation.

At SeaWorld you can get up close to dolphins, stingrays, water turtles, penguins and the other creatures that inhabit the seas of the earth. Let's look at some of the attractions that you can experience at this park.

The Wild Arctic is a popular favorite. Here, you'll enter a frozen wonderland with walls of ice nearly a half-inch thick. Exploring this multi-level ecosystem, you'll encounter abundant Arctic animal life seemingly drawn to the old ship. This includes face to face encounters with real walruses, beluga whales, and two famous polar bears named Klondike and Snow.

Do you like penguins? If so then you should make it a point to visit the Penguin Encounter attraction. It is Sea World's "slice of the Antarctic" and here you can watch penguins waddle about and enjoy themselves.

Stingrays have a fearsome name, but contrary to the name and the reputation they are among the most docile animals of the sea. Visit Sea Worlds Stingray Lagoon and you can watch 200 rays glide through the waters of their protected home. If you put your hand just below the surface, you're likely to get a velvety "high five" as they swim by. In a nearby nursery, stingray pups learn and play under the watchful eye of SeaWorld's animal care experts, always on hand to tell you anything you want to know about these graceful, mysterious creatures.

At Turtle Point you can view 300 sea turtles, ranging from tiny hatchlings to 6-foot-long leatherbacks. At Turtle Point you can also learn about and watch some of the endangered and threatened species of sea turtles. Here, these prehistoric-looking reptiles reside in a naturalistic lagoon complete with a beach, sand dunes and indigenous plant life.

Pacific Point Preserve is a recreated Los Angeles nature preserve featuring California sea lions. Here you can meet, touch and even feed some of these remarkable animals. Be sure to get a spot at Pacific Point Preserve at feeding time and you'll be in for a treat. This laid back community of California sea lions and harbor seals are always ready to entertain a crowd with their animated vocals and endless antics.

In addition to the thrill and wonder of seeing amazing sea creatures up close, the park also has sea-themed thrill rides. One of the newest is Journey to Atlantis.

Here is how the Sea World website, Seaworld.com, describes this ride: "Brave twists, turns, and watery falls of mythical proportions as you explore the mysterious, lost city of Atlantis aboard this thrilling water coaster ride. Journey along a dark, watery passageway through this sunken city guarded by sirens, whose fury casts riders out on some of the steepest, wettest plunges you'll find, sending you racing out of the gates of this ill fated utopian paradise." You can expect to get wet on this ride, so be prepared.

To top off the thrills, SeaWorld is also home to the Kraken, the tallest, fastest, longest and only floorless roller coaster in Orlando. That's right, it has no floor! Imagine a roller coaster that takes you to heights of a 15-story building, and puts you upside down seven times at speeds reaching 65 mph! Whew, that's Kraken and it can only be found at SeaWorld. (You must be 54 inches tall to ride).

After you have been thrilled by the rides and delighted by the sea creatures, you can chill out at the park's entertainment and dining area, known as the Waterfront. There is no doubt about it; SeaWorld has a combination of attractions, thrills and fun that is sure to bring a smile to every member of your family.

Previous Post: Medieval Times Dinner Show Orlando
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To Visit Orlando Theme Parks & Dinner Show Medieval Times

Medieval Times Dinner Show Orlando

To save time and to ignore further hassles you can do one simple thing and that is instead of buying each theme park ticket, buy a ticket which offers to see you collections of theme park in Orlando. In Orlando flex tickets generally the groups of parks such as Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Sea World of Florida, or Wet n Wild come together. If you wish to see these parks you need to buy 4 Park Orlando Flex tickets. Other than this, you can opt for 5 Park Orlando Flex tickets and 6 Park Orlando Flex tickets. As the name of the ticket suggests there are lots of flexibilities that this flex ticket offers. However, there are also some limitations such as you have to visit the parks continuously without making any interruption for 14 days. There are lots of advantages by buying Orland flex tickets but among them the prime profit is you can undoubtedly save money and enjoy the flexibility of the Disney World tickets.

Another great option of Disney ticket is Disney Base tickets. By buying this particular ticket you can make visit to the major four theme parks of Disney. It is will be a great solution if you buy base tickets instead of buying each and every theme park ticket. Definitely you will be benefited by availing this ticket but there are some limitations like the ticket get expired after 14 days of first use and you have to follow the rules like per day park visit system.

Medieval Times dinner theater offers you the 11th century atmosphere and this show has knights, dragons, chivalry and noble families along the gallant acts of the horses. This dinner show offers you the live shows of fighting for the honor of the king or the heart of a beautiful princess. During this show the trumpeters announce the opening of the Grand Ceremonial Arena and the entrance of the King Alfonso and his daughter. As the show goes on you can see twists and turns in the truth and honor, love and triumph, etc. Enjoy this dinner show which is full of suspense and surprises till the end. The food items that are served during this show are tasty warm garlic bread, vegetable soup, roasted chicken, baked potato, and so on. Medieval Times Dinner Show Tickets allow you to explore the whole thing with any interruption.

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Orlando Restaurants

Eating Out in Orlando

Orlando is a popular vacation spot located in the heart of Central Florida. It is considered as the sixth largest city in Florida and is also the largest inland city. The city of Orlando welcomes approximately 52 million tourists every year due to the various attractions it has to offer. Amongst the innumerable tourist attractions, the main reason that draws a huge crowd to this city is the presence of Walt Disney World. Along with various theme parks that offer legendary rides and characters, Walt Disney World also comprises of wonderful restaurants and fabulous lodgings with breathtaking scenery. Orlando has numerous restaurants ranging from fast food joints for kids to more sophisticated ones that service a variety of cuisine.

Along with being the theme park capital of the world, Orlando is said to have around 4,500 restaurants serving different cuisines. Orlando cuisine includes American, French, Continental, Italian, Spanish and Japanese along with Chinese, Cuban, German, Mexican and many more. Orlando restaurants offer a number of delicacies such as barbeques, pizzas and healthy-natural foods. The seafood served by most of these restaurants are fresh catches from the waters of the Central Florida stronghold. Orlando is known for its dinner show-theatre while some of the restaurants offer the best dining experience, not only for tourists but also for residents. Some of the restaurants serve guests with house-aged beef in a modern American style whereas others feature Hawaiian-Asian-American fusion cuisine with sakes and wines. There are certain restaurants that have Latin American themes. These restaurants normally consist of Samba rooms and white-linen Latin cafes with Bossa Nova dance and serpentine bars.

Orlando offers an extraordinary selection of restaurants with a variety of cuisine. Hence, this city is a gastronomic delight for every food lover.

Previous Post: Universal Studios Fine Dining
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Universal Studios Florida Fine Dining

Eating Out at Universal Studios Florida

The Universal Studios theme park in Orlando is another masterpiece of how they incorporate movie magic and how the fans can join in this magic with its rides and attractions. There are four theme parks to choose from namely Universal Studios Florida, Universals Islands of Adventure, the Wet n Wild Waterpark and soon to be opening The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Islands of Adventure. We would take a look right now on Fine Dining options you can find in Universal Studios Florida. Here are some of the choices that you can consider.

Lombard's Seafood Grille - This joint is a full service restaurant that offers fantastic interior design and fantastic food. An industrial-Victorian theme with brick walls, filigreed iron arches and tapestry covered dining chairs greets you as you enter its main dining room. It even has a big square saltwater fish tanks located dead center of the room. There are even windows on three sides looking out over the lagoon. The atmosphere is always really charming.

This restaurant's specialty focuses on the freshest seafood catches. The grilled,blackened or herb-crusted Catch of the day is the must try specialty. You can even also taste the San Francisco Stir Fry, Shrimp Primavera and Ravioli. Of course there is also salads and sandwiches and even includes as children's menu with entrees less than $7. Alcohol? Not to worry there are some selections of fine wines to compliment your meals. Of course to cap off your meal with an exceptional dessery called the San Francisco Foggie. I'm sure these selections will tingle your taste buds in Universal Studios Florida.

Finnegan's Bar and Grill - The Irish flavor comes to life in this lively pub and full service restaurant. To start your meal with some Irish soda bread with apple butter, then some to die for entrees such as the Potato and Leek Soup, Bangers and Mash, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Guiness Beef Stew, and finally Fish N Chips. There are even salads, sandwiches, burgers, fish, steak and more. You can wash it down with some of the most imported and domestic draft beers, cocktails, bottled beers and some specialty drinks. If you want a souvenir glass of your visit, the 5 beer samplers is a must try. This restaurant is complete with live music and you can sing along to your favorite pub songs or learn more the Irish way.

Previous Post: Disney World Roller Coasters
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Disney World - A Choice of Roller Coasters

Three Roller Coasters at Disney's Magic Kingdom

The three most popular roller coasters at Walt Disney World are Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and Thunder Mountain Railroad. Each of them has a different feel. Sometimes it's hard to decide which one to go on first.

Thunder Mountain Railroad, in Frontierland, is themed as the gold rush days in a flooded mine town called Tumbleweed, and you are seated in a runaway mine car. It is relatively gentle and geared towards adults and teens. The ride is about 3.5 minutes of hairpin turns and dark descents; where you feel like you are falling and you go around corners quickly enough to be tossed from side to side. There are 20 audio-animatronic figures including donkeys, chickens, possums, and a rainmaker called Professor Cumulus Isobar. There is antique mining equipment, falling rocks, an earthquake, and the smell of sulphur as you pass phosphorescent pools. You careen through a dinosaur's ribs, under a waterfall, past spewing geysers and over a volcanic pool. You really need to be paying attention to catch all the detail. The lines are long but move fairly quickly. It is best to go during parades, or use a FASTPASS, or go late in the day (many people say it's even better after dark). The queue can get pretty hot in the summer so a mister fan could come in handy.

Space Mountain, in Tomorrowland, is an indoor attraction, themed as a ride through outer space. You enter a space station and board and exit the ride at a space port. There are two almost identical tracks in Disney World. Controlled lighting selectively hides portions of the track, so the element of surprise keeps this roller coaster as exciting as an outside one would be. Space Mountain was the first rollercoaster that was completely controlled and operated by a computer system. When you enter Space Mountain, there is a dimly lit queue that seems endless. It is a good idea to use Fastpass, especially at peak times. The best times to ride are during parades or late at night. Eventually you get to board six passenger "rockets", seated single file. Your vehicle goes through a tunnel of strobe lights and colors before "blasting off into space". You dip and swerve through the galaxy for two and a half minutes with peak speeds of 28 miles an hour, riding past shooting stars and glowing planets. The ride may be too intense for young children.

Splash Mountain, in Frontierland, is themed as Walt Disney's classic 1946 movie "Song of the South". The crafty Brer Rabbit is chased by Brer Fox and Brer Bear through swamps and woods all the way to the Laughin' Place. You should definitely use Fastpass for this ride. It is best to ride it during parades, either in the day or at night. There is a long queue through the inside of "Chickapin Hill" (this is one of the most popular rides in the park, especially in warm weather) until you reach the eight passenger "log" that will take you along the flume for 11 minutes.

There are 100 audio-animatronics figures, (some taken from an old attraction at Disneyland), as you travel through caves, swamps, and bayous. You see that initially Brer Rabbit outwits his pursuers but he is headed for trouble. He plunges with you from the top of Chickapin Hill, down five stories into the briar patch, at descent speeds of 40 mph. There are several familiar songs to clap, and sing aloud to. During the ride there are three lifts and five drops in total. Getting wet is inevitable. If you want to get really wet, though, ask if you can sit up front. There are ride photos taken just when your log begins to tip down the 45 degree waterfall. It is pretty funny to see your expression after the ride, at Splashdown Photos, as you exit.

Which roller coaster will you choose? Splash Mountain is an obvious choice on very hot days. It is fun to sing along to as well. Space Mountain is basically a fast, bone rattling roller coaster that is indoors and largely in the dark. Thunder Mountain Railroad is relatively gentle (which I like) but has plenty of the details that make Disney Theme Parks so much better than others. I would choose all three, especially on your first trip. They all have their own special pleasures and should all be experienced at least once.

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