If you are looking for a place to spend quality time with your family, Cypress Gardens is the place to start. Located in Winter Haven on U.S Highway 27 south of Interstate 4, Cypress Gardens is a family oriented theme park offering a variety of activities for the whole family to enjoy; with over 40 rides, kids of all ages can enjoy six roller coasters and the world’s tallest spinning rapids ride! Walk through the historical botanical gardens or cool off at the Splash Island Water Park and don’t miss the famous Cypress Gardens Water Ski show!

Cypress Gardens also offers a variety of dining experiences, indoor restaurants offering everything from an all-you-can-eat buffet, BBQ favorites and pizza pies made to order with your choice of toppings. Enjoy your favorite off the grill food at the parks Picnic-styled restaurants; juicy burgers, hot dogs, fries and more…

If you are planning a group outing, Cypress Gardens have their very own group sales team who are dedicated to making your event “the talk of the town!” You can plan a Wedding, corporate events, park tours and special group events for Schools. Visit www.cypressgardens.com for additional information and to plan your family trip or group outing today.

Brought to you by Florida Spirit Vacation Homes

Polk county attractions have joined forces and are offering Florida residents a Play Pass. You receive seven consecutive days of unlimited visits to all Polk County Attractions and Museums. This is great opportunity to “enjoy shorter lines, less stress and more time to connect with family and friends.” The participating attractions include Cypress Gardens, Fantasy of Flight, Bok Tower Gardens, Explorations V Children’s Museum, Florida Air Museum, Polk Museum of Art and Water Ski Museum; pass holders can also enjoy 50% off admission at Westgate River Ranch Rodeo for their Saturday night Rodeo.

The Florida residents’ special is active through September 30, 2008 for one low price of $69.95 + tax for adults and $39.95 + tax for children ages 3 to 9. The pass is valid for 7 consecutive days from the day of first use and can be used all day and any day at participating attractions. For more information about the attractions and to purchase tickets online, visit www.visitcentralflorida.org. Tickets can also be purchased at Central Florida’s Polk County Visitors Information Center on Hwy 27, ½ mile South of Interstate 4 at exit 55 and at any AAA travel office; tickets are not available at Attractions or Museums.

Planning a family reunion can be overwhelming; trying to come up with ideas, the perfect location and time for everyone can become very stressful. Simple details can help your family reunion to run smoothly and be a lot of fun. Finding out how many people are going to the reunion is the first step, whether there are a lot of children or elderly will help you to make your decision on things such as location and accommodation for the entire family. Next is time, when will everyone be available to take this exciting vacation. Knowing when everyone is available can help you a lot with the next step. Once you know how many people, the dates for your reunion and have an idea of what you would like to do during the reunion, picking the location will be a breeze and choosing Orlando is a no-brainer. Anytime is the perfect time! With all the theme parks and the wonderful selection of vacation homes, how could you pass it up?

Florida Spirit Vacation Homes has beautiful homes located within 15 minutes from Disney. You can take the whole family to the parks or stay home and have a Barbeque at one of our vacation homes. We have communities with homes that are walking distance or maybe even next to each other. Just let us know what you are looking for and we will find it for you. Renting vacation homes can make things so much easier; bathrooms galore so no fighting over who is going first or having to sit around waiting for that last person to get ready. There is enough space for everyone to have a little private time and every home has a pool, perfect for just hanging out and reminiscing about old times or even catching up on what’s new with everyone. Having the space to just hang out and not be locked away in a room gives you the chance to mingle with a family member you’ve never met before. And to make things better and affordable for everyone, Florida Spirit will offer you a discount for each home that you book as a group. This will save you money on the homes and having all the family there with all those good recipes you will save even more by preparing your own meals in a fully equipped kitchen. You’ll not only leave with good memories but you will also have some new recipes when you get home. Don’t forget the T-shirts for when you go to the parks and the cameras because you don’t want to miss all those special and candid moments that will last even longer than your vacation. So don’t pack everyone in cramped hotel rooms, choose a beautiful vacation home and make it your “home away from home” with everyone in your family just a couple doors down.

We all want to visit the theme parks when we’re on vacation but sometimes we spend half the day trying to find shade and running for the AC. Well, this summer get out of the sun and stay late at SeaWorld for SeaWorld’s after dark rock ‘n’ roll extravaganza! There are shows that are just as exciting as if it were the middle of the day but even better. Shows such as Shamu Rocks that offers live music from the rock ‘n’ roll band in the background and spectacular visual effects. You can enjoy great food at the Shamu Rocks dinner buffet, where you enjoy poolside seating in the outdoor dining pavilion, then get escorted to reserved seats at Shamu Stadium for the exciting show. Bayside Ski Jam is an all new nighttime show located in Bayside Stadium, described as a “concert where the performers are skiers and the water is the stage.” Take in the performance of fast-moving wave runners pulling stunt kites and performing maneuvers as fireworks light up the sky in the background. The Mistify show that is inspired by the majesty of the sea immerses guest into an underwater adventure with amazing special effects. Don’t forget the sea lions, you will laugh out loud as the talented sea lions, otters and walrus parody other SeaWorld shows.

If you are looking for other dining you can also enjoy the Rockin’ dinner deal, where you enjoy great food, a good time, fun and entertainment. For a taste of the Pacific Islands visit Makahiki Luau dinner and show, you will see authentic costumes, hear rhythmic music and enjoy authentic cuisine. If you are 21 or older you can opt for the SeaWorld Night Adventure tour which is a 5 hour tour, take advantage of front of the line access to Kraken and Journey to Atlantis. You also receive reserved seating at two shows and a visit to the Brewmaster’s club to sample Anheuser-Busch beers. The tour is for the older crowd but everyone can enjoy the amazing shows.

Everyone needs a vacation every once in a while, and your family is probably no different. But let’s face it – with gas prices at sky-high levels and already-high hotel rates on the rise, it’s getting harder and harder to take an affordable vacation that won’t break the bank.

When it comes to containing costs, it’s always better to rent out a vacation home than make hotel reservations for your entire family, only to stay amidst the maddening crowd of other vacation seekers.

If you’re planning a trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, then renting a vacation home is probably your best option – especially if you’re looking to save some money.

Cost and Space Issues

If you have a large family (4+ people), then you probably find it difficult to go on vacation due to hotel costs alone.

It is hard, if not impossible, to find a hotel that can accommodate every member of your family in less than 2 separate rooms. That makes planning a family vacation a logistical nightmare – and an expensive proposition.

You can rent an Orlando vacation home for less than the cost of 2 hotel rooms – which means that you will be able to spend your hard-earned money on other things, such as visiting an extra theme park or a special dinner out.

In addition, Disney area vacation rentals are a lot more spacious than hotel rooms – there is space to stretch out and relax, cook, play and just spend more quality time together.

Money-Saving Amenities

When you choose to stay in an Orlando vacation home, you’ll save money in other ways as well. Depending on the home that you choose, you’ll benefit from having any extras right on site.

Many vacation homes have their own private pool and Jacuzzi. They also have video games such as Playstation and Xbox. Going out to the arcades in Orlando can be fun, but the cost does add up.

Be smart and save money where you can.

Orlando Vacation Rentals – Helping You Save Money

Vacation rentals in Orlando are all about affordability. You are obviously going to save a lot of money by cooking or barbequing yourself. On a typical 1 week family vacation, restaurant costs typically account for nearly 50% of total expenses. That’s a lot of money!

By cooking in just half the time, you’ll have extra money to spend on little splurges, such as trinkets and souvenirs, or even a short side trip to the Kennedy Space Center or Busch Gardens.
Just because the economy isn’t the best doesn’t mean that you can’t take your family on an affordable vacation. Rent an Orlando vacation home, surprise your family by giving them the time of their lives, and save some money in the bargain!