Posted by Ashley McChesney on Wed, Aug 11, 2010 @ 10:11 AM
We are going to be trying something new: monthly updates on the cutest animals we can find in our Orlando, Florida Theme Parks!
This little manatee is only a few weeks old was given 24-hour care at SeaWorld Orlando. She was orphaned by her mother, and arrived at the park’s rehabilitation center on July 24 after being rescued from the waters of Daytona Beach, Fla.
They’re not pink, but they are all leg. Since June 3, seven baby Caribbean flamingos have hatched at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Florida. The most recent was born on Sunday, July 25.
The baby flamingos join a flock of about 125 adults on display in the Bird Gardens area of the park. The young ones tend to stay in the middle, so the entire flock can keep on eye on them.
Newly hatched chicks are not pink, but in fact have gray or white down feathers. They eventually have a pink coloring that comes from the carotenoid pigments they consume as part of their diet. They won’t lose all of their darker feathers for a few years.
On a visit to Busch Gardens Tampa this month, basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal fed giraffes African elephants. Shaq and his kids were at the park to enjoy a fun day together during the off-season. Though this elephant is severely mistaken about either his own size or the length of his trunk.
Last but not least, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a new baby white rhinoceros on July 12, 2010.
Never be behind in news and discount vacation package announcements!
Bookmark our Orlando Vacation Planning website!
Follow us on Twitter!
Become our Fan on Facebook!
Posted by Ashley McChesney on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 @ 01:36 PM
Disney World powers that be do listen to fans after all! Tomorrowland Transit Authority in Disney World's Magic Kingdom has gone back to it's original name - The Transit Authority PeopleMover.
This comes not long after the narration
"Paging Mr. Morrow. Mr. Tom Morrow. Please contact Mr. Johnson in the Control Tower to confirm your Flight to the Moon,"
was included to appease fans who were upset about Mr. Tom Morrow not being included in audio for the ride after a refurbishment done earlier this year.
Book your Walt Disney Orlando Vacation Now!
$99 Disney World Vacation Package includes 2 one day tickets for Disney and hotel for 3 days and 2 nights!
$299 for 2 tickets for 3 days at Disney World Orlando and 5 days and 4 nights in a luxury resort!
Posted by Ashley McChesney on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 @ 11:24 AM
Via Napoli, a new casual pizzeria in the Italy pavilion at Epcot in Disney World Florida has officially opened. The new restaurant features wood-burning ovens in a 300-seat pizzeria. The menu was inspired by pizzerias of southern Italy including pasta, salads, sandwiches, wine, and of course - pizza.
MENU (courtesy of
onlywdworld.com)
ACQUAFRESCAS
OUR SIGNATURE HOUSE-MADE, SEASONAL FRESH FRUIT JUICE COOLERS
GLASS $5. PITCHER $15.
- LIMONATA
- BLOODORANGE
- WATERMELON WITH STRAWBERRY
ANTIPASTI / APPETIZERS
SICILIAN CAPONATA $8.
PICKLED EGGPLANT SALAD WITH OLIVES, CAPERS,TOMATO & RAISINS
CONTADINO SALAD $10.
A COLORFUL ARRAY OF FARM FRESH GREENS, FAGIOLINI, FENNEL, RADISH COINS & TOMATOES TOSSED IN A RED WINE VINAIGRETTE.
FRITTOMISTO
AN ASSORTMENT OF JUST-FRIED SEASONAL VEGETABLES, FISH & CHEESE TO BE SHARED BY THE TABLE $24.
ARANCINI, MOZZARELLA, CALAMARI, MELANZANE, ASPARAGI, ZUCCHINI, CARCIOFI, AGRO-DOLCE SAUCE, SWEET & SOUR TOMATO SAUCE
ARANCINI $10.
FRIED SAFFRON RISOTTO BALLS FILLED WITH MOZZARELLA & MEAT RAGÙ
CALAMARI FRITTI $14.
CORN- CRUSTED RINGS SERVED WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE
MINESTRONE $8.
HEARTY VEGETABLE SOUP OF FAGIOLINI, ZUCCHINI, PEAS, TOMATO, CANNELINI BEANS & BASIL PESTO
INSALATE / CHOPPED MAIN COURSE SALADS
CALAMARI $18.
FRIED CORN- CRUSTED CALAMARI, ARUGULA, CARROTS, FENNEL, ORANGE VINAIGRETTE
POLLO $17.
CHOPPED SALAD OF LEMON CHICKEN, ROMAINE, CANTELOUPE MELON, CUCUMBER, RED PEPPER, GREEN BEANS, VIDALIA ONION, ALMONDS, PASTA CRISPS, HONEY-CITRUS DRESSING
BISTECCA $19.
CHOPPED MESCLUN, GRILLED STEAK, RADICCHIO, WATERCRESS, TOMATO, RED ONION, GORGONZOLA, ROYAL-GALA APPLE, CUCUMBER, RED WINE-MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
PASTA ALFORNO
BAKED IN OUR SIGNATURE WOOD-FIRED OVENS
“VESUVIO”, “STROMBOLI” & “ETNA”
LASAGNA VERDE $20.
SPINACH, PARMESAN, BESCIAMELLA
CANDELE $16.
CANDLE-STICK PASTA,, SAUSAGE RAGÙ, POLPETTINE, MOZZARELLA, RICOTTA
PASTA DI “VIA NAPOLI”
MAFALDINE AMATRICIANA $22.
RIBBON PASTA, GUANCIALE & POMODORO SAUCE FINISHED WITH PECORINO CHEESE
SPAGHETTI E POLPETTINE $19.
HAND-CRAFTED VEAL MEATBALLS & TOMATO SAUCE
FUSILONI TRAPANESE $17.
LARGE CORK-SCREW PASTA TOSSED IN A SOUTHERN ITALIAN PESTO OF VINE-RIPENED TOMATOES, ALMONDS, BASIL
WOOD - FIRED AUTHENTIC PIZZA NAPOLETANA
CAPUTO FLOUR IMPORTED FROM SOUTHERN ITALY, SAN MARZANO TOMATOES, HANDMADE FIOR DI LATTE MOZZARELLA, WATER FROM A LOCAL SPRING JUST LIKE THE SPRINGS IN ITALY’S CAMPANIA REGION MAKE OUR PIZZA AS AUTHENTIC AND DELICIOUS AS THAT FOUND ON THE STREETS OF NAPLES.
INDIVIDUAL , LARGE OR “1/2 METER ”TO SHARE.
MARGHERITA $15. / $25. / $34.
TOMATO, MOZZARELLA, BASIL
QUATTRO STAGIONI $17. / $28. / $36.
EGGPLANT, ARTICHOKES, PROSCIUTTO, MUSHROOMS
PEPPERONI $16. / $27. / $35.
SPICY PEPPERONI, TOMATO, MOZZARELLA
CALAMARI $17. / $28. / $36.
FRIED CALAMARI, ARUGULA, FENNEL
QUATTRO FORMAGGI $17. / $28. / $36.
MOZZARELLA, PARMESAN, FONTINA, PROVOLONE
ORTOLANO $15. / $25. / $34.
TOMATO, MOZZARELLA, VEGETABLES
PICCANTE $17. / $28. / $36.
ITALIAN SPICY SAUSAGE, BROCOLLI-RABE, TOMATO, MOZZARELLA
CARCIOFI $17. / $29. / $36.
ARTICHOKE, PECORINO, MOZZARELLA, TRUFFLE OIL
PROSCIUTTO E MELONE $17. / $28. / $36.
FONTINA, MOZZARELLA, PECORINO, PROSCIUTTO, CANTELOUPE
PIATTI ALLA PARMIGIANA
TRADITIONAL PREPARATION SERVED WITH TOMATO SAUCE TOPPED & GRATINÉED WITH PARMESAN & MOZZARELLA CHEESES
SERVED WITH SPAGHETTI TORTA
TORTINODIMELANZANE $18.
EGGPLANT
POLLO $22.
CHICKEN BREAST
VITELLO $26.
VEAL CUTLET
DOLCI / SWEETS
TIRAMISÙ $8.
MASCARPONE CREAM, ESPRESSO COFFEE, LADY FINGERS & CHOCOLATE
GELATO FRIZZANTE ICE CREAM SODA, ITALIAN –STYLE $10.
MADE WITH SAN PELLEGRINO ARANCIATA & VANILLA ICE CREAM
TRADITIONAL DESSERTS FROM OUR CHILDHOOD
TORTA DI SARENA $8.
APPLECAKE WITH ALMOND SORBETTO
ZEPPOLE DI CATARINA $10.
RICOTTA CHEESE FRITTERS SERVED WITH WHIPPED CREAM, CHOCOLATE SAUCE
GELATI E SORBETTO $7.
VANILLA, CHOCOLATE, PISTACHIO, LEMON SORBET
COPPA DI BRUTTI MA BUONI UGLY, BUT GOOD $10.
AMARENA CHERRY & VANILA GELATO SUNDAE WITH THE ‘UGLY, BUT GOOD’ COOKIES OF CARNEVALE
Book your Walt Disney Orlando Vacation Now!
$99 Disney World Vacation Package includes 2 one day tickets for Disney and hotel for 3 days and 2 nights!
$299 for 2 tickets for 3 days at Disney World Orlando and 5 days and 4 nights in a luxury resort!
Posted by Ashley McChesney on Fri, May 28, 2010 @ 10:45 AM
Weighing 288 pounds at birth, Luna is the fifth elephant born at Disney's Animal Kingdom. She joins the herd of thirteen, which now includes five males and eight females.
Luna's mother Donna is reportedly doing well after gaining more than 400 pounds during the 22-month gestation. Animal experts describe her as a model mother, taking excellent care of her newborn calf. Mother and child remain backstage while the calf becomes acclimated to other herd mates.
Donna became pregnant through artificial insemination in July 2008 and received extensive pre-natal care throughout her pregnancy. In addition to regular ultrasounds, veterinarians and elephant managers monitored her hormone levels on a daily basis to help them determine when she would give birth. Labor appeared May 20th 2010 and the animal care team stayed with her to provide round-the-clock care until the female calf was born around 11:30 p.m.
This is the fifth elephant born at Disney's Animal Kingdom. In addition to Donna's first female calf, Nadirah, Tufani, a male, was born in 2003; Kianga, a female, was born in 2004; and Tsavo, the youngest male, joined the herd in 2008. All remain on the savannah at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Book your Walt Disney Orlando Vacation Now!
$99 Disney World Vacation Package includes 2 one day tickets for Disney and hotel for 3 days and 2 nights!
$299 for 2 tickets for 3 days at Disney World Orlando and 5 days and 4 nights in a luxury resort!
Posted by Ashley McChesney on Thu, May 20, 2010 @ 10:08 AM
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed two endangered baby red-ruffed lemurs on April 21. The babies can be viewed by guests in Jambo Junction, where they reside with their mother and father, Maditra and Bozeny.
The babies are the first lemurs to be born at Jambo Junction, home to the parks' animal ambassadors, since Maditra and Bozeny arrived as babies three years ago. Lemurs are a species of primate, and reach sexual maturity between 2 and 3 years old.
The sex of the babies has yet to be determined, but they are developing well overall, according to trainers. They are getting braver each day, and exploring their habitat under the watchful eye of Mom and Dad. They currently weigh about 300 grams or a little more than half a pound; lemurs average about 80 grams, or .17 of a pound, at birth. They grow to be about 8 to 10 pounds.
Book your SeaWorld-Busch Gardens Orlando Vacation Now!
Packages Start at $99 and include accommodations as well at 2 tickets to SeaWorld or Busch Gardens.
Value Package: $229 inlcudes accommodations and tickets for SeaWorld and Aquatica (3 day ticket with a FREE upgrade to 7 days!)
Posted by Ashley McChesney on Wed, May 12, 2010 @ 09:21 AM
Lotso is a new character from the Toy Story 3 movie and guests can meet him in Magic of Disney Animation and see him in the Block Party Bash parade each day at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.
Lotso (short for Lots-o-Huggin' Bear) is the leader at Sunnyside Daycare. This is the daycare Buzz, Woody and the gang end up when Andy goes to college. Lotso seems like an easygoing toy, but the gang finds there is another side to him.
Get your tickets for Star Wars Weekend at Disney now!
$99 Hollywood Studios Vacation Package includes 2 one day tickets for Star Wars Weekend and hotel for 3 days and 2 nights!
$299 for 2 tickets for 3 days at disney and 5 days and 4 nights in a luxury resort!
Posted by Ashley McChesney on Fri, Apr 09, 2010 @ 12:14 PM
Singer Mariah Carey in front of the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios.
Plan your Universal Studios Orlando Vacation Now!
$99 Universal Studios Orlando Vacation Package: includes two tickets to Universal Studios Orlando, Florida and 3 days and 2 nights in a luxury hotel!
$249 Universal Studios Orlando Vacation Package: includes two tickets for 7 days at Universal Studios AND Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida plus accommodations!