I know what you are thinking: “Vacation is about unplugging my kids from their video games”!  I agree with you completely.  The only problem is the fact that video game consoles, next to wireless internet service are one of the most popular amenities we offer in the vacation rentals besides the private heated pool. 

Many of our Orlando vacation home rentals  offer a video game system such as Sony Play station, Xbox 360 or the Wii system.  Since all the homes are individually owned it is the choice of each property owner which game system they put in the home.  Many parents like the kids to have something to do while they have some down time.  When reserving one of our vacation rentals it is listed if a home has a game system and if so what kind.  We do recommend the following tips for everyone to get the most enjoyment out of them:

1. Confirm what kind of game system is in the home
2. Bring your own games.  Most of the homes may have a few games, but most likely not the hip game of the month.
3. You can rent games from a local Blockbuster rental store or through www.Netflix.com.
4. Parents beware of what your kids are playing. Some families do not have a game system at home and may not be aware that video games have ratings just like movies.  E is for everyone, T is for teens and M is for mature.  Some game systems even have online capability to play live online over the internet.  Parents need to be very cautious of who they are playing with online.
5. Limit how much time children can play video games .

It has been our experience that most families are out enjoying the theme parks and our great weather in Florida, rather than over playing video games.  We find most parents have more trouble getting kids out of the pool rather than turning off the television while staying in one of our beautiful vacation rental homes in Orlando.

Brought to you by Florida Spirit Vacation Homes

Everyday people that are reserving our vacation homes are choosing homes that have wireless internet service in them.  It is now our most desired amenity in a vacation home by guests over game rooms and large screen TVs.

In the past it was Dad lugging the laptop computer on vacation to check in with work back home.  It is amazing how just a couple of years change everything.  Now it is mom and the kids who are bringing the laptop computer on vacation.   Most are using the computers to share with their friends and family all the fun and excitement they are having on vacation in real time.

More people are uploading that same day of their vacation photos on their Facebook account and yes some are even twittering what is going on.  It is an amazing way to not only share the vacation with people but also reflect on how much fun they are having.  A facebook account and even Twitter become a kind of vacation journal for the whole family.  By adding photos and video to facebook people are sharing what a great life experience they are having.

If you are planning a vacation, hopefully to Disney and with us at Florida Spirit Vacation Homes, you will need to make sure where you are staying has internet access.  With our Orlando Vacation Homes it is really cool since you can sit by your private swimming pool and upload your information for free at the end of day or over breakfast if you like. 

To make it a family affair let the kids post their favorite part of the day online.  If you want a really easy and fun way to use video on your vacation than you need to check out the Flip Camera.  It is really small and easy to use.  No carrying around a normal size video camera when for around a $100 you can get a Flip Camera that takes good video that anyone can use and upload.  The camera even has the USB connection built right in it.  No need for any cables.

For your next vacation make social media a fun way for everyone to be involved and to share your wonderful time together.

Cypress Gardens! Here we are!

Our first stop was a quick visit to Sheeba, a Florida Black Panther – just one of the many animals you can see at Cypress Gardens; we stopped to have dinner at Aunt Julie’s Country Kitchen an all you can eat buffet (Great food!), we walked through gorgeous Gardens with shaped animals, passed trough the lake where they host the water ski show, saw some of the rides and the huge wooden roller coaster… There was so much to see in such a short period of time… I can’t wait to come back with my family for a whole day of fun!

In some ways, the atmosphere of Cypress Gardens reminded me of my childhood, where my mom used to take me to the local park where they had a carrousel and all those cool rides that as a kid, all you want to do is go over and over again. They also have all these animal’s displays – who doesn’t remember the trip to the zoo as a kid. But Cypress Gardens goes way beyond the local park and zoo on my home town; they have amazing rides, beautiful gardens AND a Water Park, all in one place!

It was a full day, which I loved!

I remembered the first time I traveled abroad, to live in England for 6 months. I was so eager to visit every museum, every park and any sightseeing spot I could find in my travel guide. And when I went back home I realized that I have never visited most of the local places I had around me for years. Whether you are a local resident or are traveling to Central Florida as a visitor, I hope you will find the time not only to enjoy all these wonderful places but to learn about the history behind it and the people who built it.

Enjoy your trip!

By Florida Spirit Vacation Homes

Still in the mood of airplanes, we left Fantasy of Flight and headed to Florida Air Museum, another great display full of history – Besides Howard Hughes archives and great collection, the museum is a tribute to others who created and built their own experimental prototypes and an incentive for kids to use their creativity and skills… “The sky is the limit!”

Another great experience for kids is Explorations V Children’s Museum, where kids are encouraged to use their 5 senses to learn through experience. The museum created small environments, where kids can play pretend and learn from shopping or working on a mini supermarket to being an astronaut.

Still in Lakeland, we went to Polk Museum of Arts, which has a great variety of exhibitions and offers art classes and summer camp activities for children!

From the art museum we drove through “Spook Hill” on Lake Wales on our Way to Bok Gardens.

Simply amazing…It is always good to see nature as it is intended to be: simple and preserved. The flowers… the trees…the birds… the Tower and the music of the 60-bell carillon… So peaceful and so beautiful, it is hard to describe. On top of all that you can enjoy a nice “Café” and ice cream shop, trails, tracks, picnic areas and visit the Pinewood Estate, a 20-room Mediterranean-style mansion built in the early 1930s, which gets fully decorated during Christmas and is open to the public.

We only had 1 day, so we left Bok Gardens after a quick tour and moved on to our last visit of the day: Cypress Gardens.

To be continued…

By Florida Spirit Vacation Homes

As a member of the vacation rental industry in Polk County and being the marketing coordinator for Florida Spirit Vacation Homes, I was invited to join a group of other vacation homes and property management companies to visit some of Polk County local attractions, parks and museums.

The trip started at Outpost 27, a great information center on Hwy 27 created a year ago by the Central Florida Visitors and Convention Bureau. Loaded with information, the center includes a media room where visitors can watch a short video presentation, a small gift shop with items either made in Polk County or that represents Polk county, you can find all kinds of brochures and enjoy a great landscape with Florida native plants.

Guiding the group was Rachel Roberson from Fantasy of Flight, Don Rousseau from Cypress Gardens and John, one of the many volunteers at the outpost.

Our first stop was the Water Ski Museum with the international Water Ski Hall of Fame and a great display of water ski history. They have a lake that is being remodeled to improve its depth, once the project is completed they will be able to host events, competitions and classes.

Second stop was at Fantasy of Flight, which holds the largest collection of aircrafts that can still fly. It was amazing to see how well the planes are maintained; to be able to enter a B-17 Bomber plane from World War II and to learn how the “whole 9 yards” expression was created. Without mentioning the gift shop – with a brand new book for kids, the café and the flying programs…

To be continued