Fantasyland Renovations at Disney World in Orlando

Every girl loves a princess. From the youngest of age, little girls are enchanted with fairy tales, especially those featuring a princess. Perhaps they learn it from their mothers, who were little girls once. Or it could be innate. But whatever the reason, parents of little girls everywhere know that daughters would love to meet a real life princess. Well, Orlando is just the place to make that dream come true.

Disney is famous for its princesses. There’s Cinderella, Snow White, Jasmine, and the newest to the group- Princess Tiana. The princesses have always been a focus in Disney films and books, but now Disney World is working hard to make the adored princesses an even more integral part of the park going experience. Fantasyland is undergoing a significant renovation to enhance and expand its features and fun for guests. Among the major changes is the focus on the Disney princesses. They say there will be more interaction between the princesses and guests. They aren’t revealing much more than that, but to a little girl, this can only mean good things.

But Disney isn’t the only park in Orlando with a princess. Even Universal Studios Orlando has a princess - the lovable half-ogre wife of Shrek. That’s right, Princess Fiona is widely loved by little girls, too. So if you have a little girl who would love to meet a princess and even get to dress up like one, Orlando is the place to take her. It will be a memory she will never forget.

The Finer Side of an Orlando Vacation

Orlando has a finer side, especially when it comes to dining options. This is news to some, as they readily associate Orlando with hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, and other theme park food. But word is getting out that Orlando can whet even the most sophisticated of appetites. Below are just a few of the finer dining experiences that “the city beautiful” has to offer while on your Orlando vacation.

Downtown Disney has a resort called Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa. On the top floor (27th floor), is a corporate venue called 20Seven. One of the main reasons people choose this location for their corporate dinners, is the fact that the various fireworks displays from all of Disney’s parks can be seen from the floor to ceiling windows. Some of the favorite fare is found on their raw seafood bar or at their international cheese stations.

Another restaurant getting lots of attention from fine foodies is Jiko- The Cooking Place. Located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jiko boasts the largest collection of South African wine in North America- 1800 bottles to choose from. It is a AAA 4 Diamond restaurant.

Sand Lake Road in the Dr. Phillips area of Orlando (close to the intersection of International Drive and Sand Lake Road) is affectionately known as Restaurant Row. As this nickname suggests, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from, from casual to fine dining. Morton’s The Steakhouse offers more than just steaks as the name may suggest. They also serve a large selection of fresh seafood. It is a favorite for tourists and locals alike. Another raved about dining experience is the boutique restaurant Vines Grille & Wine Bar. Its chic atmosphere makes for more than just dinner. People say it is a true experience. As the name indicates, they also offer a wide selection of wines. Those are just a couple of the many restaurants to choose from on Restaurant Row.

Next time you think about Orlando, I hope that more than just theme parks and suntans come to mind. Orlando really does have a lot to offer in the way of fine cuisine. Whether you want to try one of the restaurants mentioned here, or search out some on your own, you can find a sophisticated dining experience in one of many locations in Orlando.

Kissimmee Hotels

If you are traveling to the Orlando are for your Disney Vacation, be sure to look for Kissimmee hotels rather than a hotel in the downtown Orlando area or around the Orlando airport. The reason that you want to focus your attention away from Orlando, Florida and towards Kissimmee is that Disney World is actually in Kissimmee, FLorida and not in Orlando. Orlando just happens to be the largest city in the area.

In fact, if you chose to say in downtown Orlando, you would be a good thirty to sixty minutes away from the Disney theme park resort. Of course this all depends all the local traffic. If you stay in Kissimmee hotel, you will be anywhere from five to twenty minutes from the Disney resort.

If you like having a shorter drive to Disney, then try booking a hotel like the Radisson Worldgate. This Kissimmee hotel is not owned by Disney but still sits near the Walt Disney World entrance.

We have many other helpful articles on our OrlandoVacation.com web site to help you get the most of your Disney vacation. With just a little planning, your vacation will be that much more enjoyable.

Disney's Night of Joy

If you are a Christian Music fan and you don't mind a thrill ride or two, then Disney has the event for you and you just might want to bring a few friends or family to share the fun.

Disney's Night of Joy is just a few short weeks away. This will be the event's 28th year. To this point, over 1,000,000 people have attended this unique event that combines contemporary Christian and Gospel music with the world's most popular theme park. Multiple stages are set throughout the park so that you have a variety of performance to choose from. You have the option to watch the artists or ride the rides throughout the event.

This year the event will be held at Disney's Hollywood studios which features such rides as Twilight Zone's Tower of Terror, the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and American Idol Experience to name a few.

The dates for Disney's Night of Joy 2009 are September 11th and 12th from the hours of 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m each evening.

Disney has always brought in the best Christian music talent and this year is no exception. Some of the scheduled artists for this years event are Mercy Me, Skillet, Jars of Clay, Mandisa, P.O.D. and NeedtoBreathe.

If you would like to learn more about Disney's Night of Joy, be sure to check out our in depth article.

Cheap Disney Vacations

Disney vacations just became a bit more affordable. You can now get a cheap Disney Vacation because Walt Disney World has changed the structure of their annual passes. For a limited time, you can purchase an annual pass for 15 months rather than just 12 months at the same price as the 12 month pass. If you love the Disney Theme Parks, then, the extra 3 months will really come in handy. It is important to know this because Disney has recently raised all of their ticket prices. This 15 month pass certainly offers you a great value provided that you can visit the parks a few times a year.

Of course, we know that buying Disney tickets is just one of the expenses for a Disney vacation. When it comes to lodging, we offer the best rates on quality Orlando Hotels. For example, you can book the beautiful Radisson Worldgate Resort near Disney for only $49 per night. They are only minutes from the Disney parks, have fantastic amenities, and they offer shuttle service to the parks as well. The resort recently received over twenty million dollars in upgrades, and AAA gave them a 4 Star Diamond Rating. So you not only get a great price, you have a very nice room for you and your family on your Disney vacation that is conveniently located. With cheap Disney Vacations, you can certainly have a great time with your family and still experience all of the magic of Disney.