Hit the Water Parks on Your Orlando Vacation

Florida contains some of the nicest beaches along the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico but what few know is that Florida offers the very best water parks in the country. So if you are in Orlando and don't want to make a trip to the beach, water parks are a good option.

Before you purchase water park tickets, make sure you ask about group packages and Florida resident discounts, if you have a Florida driver's license. Also check the parks hours of operation, some parks are open the entire year while some are closed during off season. Ticket prices start at $16.95 for children.

Here is a list of Orlando's finest water parks:

Aquatica (Owned by Seaworld)

Blizzard Beach (Owned by Walt Disney World)

Blizzard Beach (Owned by Walt Disney World)

Typhoon Lagoon (Owned by Walt Disney World)

Wet 'n' Wild

Disney Theme Park Closes Fan Favorite Attraction

Walt Disney World recently announced that Space Mountain, Disney's in the dark roller coaster thrill ride, will be undergoing renovations to better service their guests. Space Mountain has been a park favorite since its grand opening in 1975 and has never been updated. The ride will close on April 19th and will remain closed during renovations. The ride is expected to be closed through the Summer months. The 34 year old coaster was in need of some updating. Renovations will include changes to the ceiling, loading area and the track itself. Disney has been steadily working on updating all of their older rides throughout the Magic Kingdom. A date has not been set for the reopening of the ride.

Our Best Vacation

When we were out looking at hotels to rent in the Orlando area for our large family, we quickly found out that we could rent a vacation pool home right next to Disney at comparable prices. Well that was a no brainer when it came to making our decision. I really liked the idea of enjoying our own private pool.

I tend to stay away from hotel pools as they are often crowded and chaotic. The kids tend to run a bit wild as adults dont watch them very closely and when you have a couple of little ones, that can make you a bit nervous and I didnt go on vacation to be stressed.

I found out that depending on when you book your vacation, rates may vary from about $125 to $175 for each night that you stay.

We had a great time at the Universal and Disney parks. The kids cant stop talking about it. They have wanted to go to Disney since they can remember but the added bonus to the vacation was the pool home. We actually took a couple of days off from the parks to enjoy it and I am sure glad that I did.

We played a bunch of games as a family in the pool that were just too fun. We even managed to capture some of it on video without getting the camera wet. The pool really tired the kids out and when they went to bed my wife and got a chance to talk and reflect. It was truly a great vacation.

Let's Play Daisy Duck Trivia

1. Who is Daisy's boyfriend?

Donald Duck.

2. What cartoon marked Daisy's first film appearance?

Mr. Duck Steps Out.

3. Who are Daisy's nieces?

April, May and June Duck.

4. Who wrote Mr. Duck Steps Out?

Carl Barks.

5. What role did Daisy play in Mickey's Christmas Carol?

She was cast as Isabelle, the romantic partner of a young Scrooge McDuck.


6. What was Daisy's first comic book appearance?

Daisy's very first original comic book appearance was in the 1943 story "The Mighty Trapper" by Carl Barks, which was first published in Walt Disney's Comics and Stories.

7. What is the name of Daisy's iguana in the series Quack Pack?

Knuckles.

8. When was Daisy born?

Unofficially, she was born in 1920 according to Don Rosa.


9. What is the name of Donald Duck's cousin that also is attracted to Daisy?

Gladstone Gander

Let's Play Mickey Mouse Trivia

1. What was Mickey's first film?

Mickey's first acting role was in 1928's Plane Crazy

2. How much did it cost to produce Mickey's first film?

A whopping $2,500

3. Who was the original voice of Mickey Mouse?

The original voice of Mickey Mouse was Walt Disney himself. He was the voice of Mickey until 1946.

4. What was the first Mickey Mouse film to have sound?

Steamboat Willie

5. What was Mickey's original name?

Walt originally called Mickey by the name of Mortimer Mouse. His wife, Lillian was not crazy about it and suggested Mickey Mouse.

6. When did the Mickey Mouse comic strip begin?

January 13, 1930 was first publishing date. It was first drawn by Ub Iwerks.

7. Who Led the 1935 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?

Mickey Mouse. Who else? The famous New York City Parade was led buy a 55 foot high Mickey.

8. What was Mickey's first feature film?

1940's Fantasia, where he played the Sorcerer's Apprentice.

9. When did the Mickey Mouse Club TV show launch?

1950