Credit: PRK / PR Photos
As tradition goes, the NFL Super Bowl MVP gets a trip to Disney World for all of his hard work put forth during the past season. And since many of us are Giants fans here, we couldn’t help but potentially plot this for weeks: Where would our MVP Champ stay when visiting the amusement park (slash mini world of all things Mickey)? Plus, Eli already has an affinity for travel — he got married at the One & Only Palmilla — so we figured we’d help him plan his Orlando vacay. Check out our favorite Disney hotels for Eli Manning and his family after the jump, and then tell us: Which hotel would you stay at in Disney World?
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Sea Of Trees at SeaWorld, Orlando
If you’ll be in Orlando this hoilday season, I can recommend two wonderful holiday events to check out, both at theme parks. Both “SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration” and “Holidays at Universal Studios” have numerous attractions that are special for the season. There are two that I particularly enjoyed, that I believe are can’t miss experiences.
Universal Studios Orlando has an extra special treat in store this year. Mannheim Steamroller are the masters of Christmas music. Their music is powerful and compelling. On December 11th and 18th they will be performing your instrumental favorites and also providing the music for a The Grinch Who Stole Christmas reading. Actual actors from the Grinchmas show (currently on stage at Universal Islands of Adventure) provide their voices (out of costume) for a heartwarming show that people of all ages are sure to love. Read More »
Islands Dining Room at Universal's Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando
Hooray! My favorite time of the year is just around the corner! Thanksgiving marks the time when all things are good. Starting with that perfect bite: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing a gravy and ending with holiday cookies and the smell of all things Christmas. If you’re visiting Orlando for the holiday, or if you’re a local just looking for a place to have a nice meal, here are three suggestions to get out and about — and eat at! – on the infamous turkey day.
1. Islands Dining Room at Universal’s Royal Pacific Resort-a Lowes Hotel. The resort itself is a prime example of vacation luxury. The South seas exotic theme leads to that perfect feeling of zen that we are all looking for while traveling. The large, Indonesian-style Islands Dining Room will provide the perfect backdrop for a festive Thanksgiving buffet. Traditional turkey meals will be offered as well as the all-time favorite prime rib. There will also be a variety of food stations including: sushi, stir fry, omelet and waffle (until 2pm). Besides the food you can enjoy live music, hula dancers, face painting for the kids and the chance to get up close to some Universal characters.
Hours:
11am – 8pm
Price:
$43.95 for adults with champagne included
$17.95 for kids 12 and under, kids under 3 are free
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by Ben on November 11, 2010
During the last few weeks, the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort has been the best-selling hotel on Oyster.com, and if you take a close look at this wonderful hotel, it’s no surprise why. Like all Universal resorts, the 650-room Hard Rock has solid service, great dining, and modern, comfortable rooms. Its modest rock n’ roll theme will appeal to families traveling with teens, and the pools and facilities are phenomenal.
We thought you’d take you on a photo tour around the hotel to give you a good idea why so many travelers are booking stays at this hotel. But if you’re too eager, you can head straight to all of our 349 photos of Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort.
Hard Rock Hotel Entrance
We start our photo tour of the Hard Rock Universal at the entrance. A beautiful green lawn leads visitors up the driveway to the front of the resort, and this guitar-themed fountain should get you in the right state of mind for the rest of your stay here.
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Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa all decked out for Christmas
Every year at this time you start hearing Andy Williams sing that great holiday classic,“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.“ And perhaps no where is this more true than at Walt Disney World, where at some point during the first weeks of November, magic happens. Overnight every Disney World park changes and Christmas at Disney World comes to life.
Each of the parks have special events and shows.
The Magic Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom comes alive at the most wonderful time of the year. Every inch of the park seems to have a decoration on it. Events abound starting at Cinderella Castle, where over 200,000 lights create an icy effect that dances throughout the night. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a not-to-be-missed event that happens on selected nights during November and December. All around the park, you’ll see special holiday shows, parades and even a special holiday firework show to complete the day.
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Central Florida Zoo
While in Orlando your children may want to visit a zoo. You can always stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge but if you’d like a bit more “up close and personal” time with a greater array of animals, The Central Florida Zoo is a great inexpensive bet for some family entertainment.
The Central Florida Zoo is located in Sanford, FL, about 35 minutes away from the theme park attractions. It boasts more than 400 animals and includes a children’s petting zoo, a Herpetarium (reptiles and amphibians), and the Tropical Splash Ground to cool off at the end of a long day. Offering free parking and an entrance ticket of only $11.95 for adults and $9.95 for children 2 and over, the zoo provides a fun-packed day.
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Disney Monrail
Walt Disney World is a huge place. There are four theme parks, two water parks, hundreds of restaurants, thousands of shops, millions of people … How does everyone get around? Are things close enough to walk? Are there buses? What’s that monorail thingy? Where does it go? What about boats? I’m always seeing pictures of boats at Disney World. And the big one, how do I get from the airport to the parks?
How does one get from point A to point B in the 47 square miles of Disney World?
Walt Disney was fascinated with transportation. He developed some interesting transportation technologies when he was building Disneyland, so it’s no accident that Disney World has a very large transportation infrastructure that’s capable of moving over 15 million guests per year all around the property. That’s a whole bunch of folks.
How they do it (and how you should do it, too!):
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Orlando Gay Days is full of pool, parks, sun, and speedos
During the last two decades, Orlando Gay Days (June 1-7, 2010) has swelled into a weeklong, citywide celebration of love, life, sex, and everything G-A-Y. The right-wing protests have faded, and with over 150,000 attendees, Gay Days offers events and parties catering to all crowds: muscle boys, bears, butch lesbians, fem lesbians, families, pre-ops, post-ops, sports fanatics, teens. It’s the most anticipated annual event in Florida and a mind-boggling explosion of gay subcultures. Read More »
The Japan Pavilion at Epcot has some of the best sushi in Disney
There’s no doubt that the number of sushi lovers is growing all the time, and the trend is as true in Orlando as it is anywhere else. So if you’re headed to Disney World for vacation and can’t live without your raw fish fix, here’s a guide to hooking Disney’s best sushi.
1) Japan Pavilion in Epcot Center
Not too surprisingly, the best place for sushi in all of Disney World is the Japan Pavilion at Epcot Center, where all of the eateries serve at least some sushi. The contemporary Japanese menu at Tokyo Dining includes sushi, sashimi, and maki rolls, which is made by chefs stationed at a bar in the dining room. Teppan Edo, known for stir-frying meals on tabletop grills right in front of guests, also serves sushi, as does Yakatori House, a casual eatery overlooking the Japanese gardens.
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Downtown Disney in Disney World, Orlando
Orlando is typically a must-do vacation for any family with children. Parents might try to save money by searching the web for the best deals at Disney World, because we all know how expensive a family vacation can be, but they might not look into the numerous Orlando attractions outside the theme parks. To help keep your vacation within budget, consider these fun and free alternatives.
Downtown Disney Marketplace: Experience the Happiest Place on Earth without paying for it. Downtown Disney is a perfect spot for a relaxing day. You will enjoy walking along the boardwalk and shopping in various specialty stores like the Disney Mega Store and the Lego store. Afterward, you can reward the kids (and yourself) with ice cream from the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop. It’s within a short drive from Disney ‘s All Star Movie Resort, one of Disney’s most affordable resorts, or the pricier. Read More »
