When planning a vacation, most people think of visiting Orlando Florida. Why? Because Orlando is not only home to the magnificent Disney World, but it is also ranked very high on the list of places where families want to spend a vacation. As I have mentioned in previous articles, over 40 million people visit Orlando every year. It is really one of the best places to go on vacation because of its great theme parks, tourist sites and gorgeous hotels. Orlando has countless vacation resorts that cater to tourists but you also have several other options for your family vacation. (photo courtesy: orlandovillagemagic.com)

First of all, booking a hotel is easy to do and you do have lots of them to choose from. But you also want to discover the sights around Orlando and the fun places you and your family can enjoy. You really should become acquainted with the city of Orlando and its people. Of course, a visit to Disneyland should be included in your vacation plans to Orlando Florida. After all, Disneyland is a place where most people do plan to visit on their Florida travel vacation.

So what are your options for your family vacation to Orlando? For starters, you can check local ticket agencies and see what they are offering as a package. Some packages include your hotel accommodations, tours and meal arrangements. One benefit about these vacation packages is that you don’t have to worry about where to go in Orlando because they will have your vacation itinerary planned for you. It is also a great way for you to meet other families who are on vacation. Sightseeing around the city of Orlando you can make lots of new friends who also purchased the same package you have.

There are also lots of time-share packages to choose from. Most resorts do offer time-share packages for value conscious families. The best part of this is that some of these time-share packages allow you to stay at very nice resorts that are close to all major tourist attractions. Normally, these resorts are located within a few miles from major attractions like Disneyland. The time-share vacation condo units or resort packages as they are sometimes called can often be much cheaper than going out on your own. You can save lots of money as time-share plans will let you enjoy your stay at economical cost. (photo courtesy: timeshare101.com)

Another option you have is to rent a vacation home. Believe me, there are lots of vacation homes available for rental in Florida and especially in the Orlando area. If you are planning your dream vacation to Orlando for more than a two week stay, renting a vacation home may be ideal for you. Extended stays in hotels can be expensive and more so if you have children. Time-share vacation packages normally offer just a two week stay for use of the resort or condo so renting a home for a longer stay may be just what you need. (photo courtesy: discount vacationrentalsonline.com)

Here is another option for you. If you made your vacation plans with the idea of visiting Disneyland, then consider staying at a Walt Disney resort. These resorts offer packages that are built around the plan of touring Disney. You do have numerous resorts to choose from that cater to different tastes so choosing the right one will not be a problem. Find one that includes lots of fun things to do at a price that you can afford. And remember that Florida travel is still very affordable for most people.

Most people that travel to Disney World in Orlando are a bit confused and probably overwhelmed when they arrive. The reason for this is that Disney is not only huge but an absolutely incredible place with all its magic. What usually happens when you arrive at Disney is that you don’t know where to go first. My recommendation is that you start your day at Fantasyland. This is one of the most popular areas at Disney World because there are no age or size requirements. The only height restriction that I’ve heard is a 35 inch requirement at the Matterhorn attraction. (photo courtesy: gastipster.com)

Be sure to get to Fantasyland early in the morning to avoid long lines. As the day progresses, the place will fill up quickly and you will see very long lines later in the afternoon hours. An important thing to remember is that none of the attractions in Fantasyland have FastPass which basically allows you to make an appointment to go on certain rides but this option is not available at Fantasyland. What you can do is cover the areas you want at Fantasyland and then go and get FastPasses for other attractions.

Believe me, the crowds will start growing rapidly within a few hours of Disneyland opening every day. But if you arrive before the park opens you can be amongst the first ones through the gate and you can head straight to Fantasyland before going anywhere else. This will allow you to go on all the rides you want while people are waiting on long lines to get in. While at Fantasyland, start collecting FastPass tickets for other attractions that you want to visit throughout the park. You can start doing this early in the morning because the longer you wait, the longer it will be for your appointed time. One thing to keep in mind is that your appointed time is dependant on how many FastPasses have been issued for each ride. (photo courtesy: concierge.com)

Don’t waste any time though. While waiting for your first FastPass appointment, go ahead and enjoy some of the other attractions. You can also visit some of the shops or maybe get a snack. This is also a good time to visit the restrooms and just sitting down to get a little rest will be nice. But do remember that in order to enjoy everything that Disney has to offer you should start your day at Fantasyland. You can then proceed to gather FastPass tickets and enjoy other attractions in between. By all means, don’t put yourself on a very tight schedule that you forget to have fun.

Approximately forty million people visit Orlando, Florida every year. The reason for this is that Orlando is one of the most sought after vacation destinations in the world. When planning a vacation, the most exciting part of it is where to go once you’ve reached your destination. So if you are thinking about going to Orlando for its fun-filled tourists attractions, you are thinking the same way as all those millions of people who flock to Orlando every year. (photo courtesy: c21capitalrealty.com)

Somehow, the first thing you think of when someone mentions Orlando is Walt Disney World resort. It is the largest resort in the world with hotels, theme parks and water parks that you can visit and have lots of fun with the whole family. Located a short distance from the Orlando city limits, the Disney resort is by far the best place for families and kids to stay and you will have an unforgettable vacation.

Imagine this, within Disney there are four theme parks and each one has a towering structure that represents a unique theme that is distinct from the other theme parks. Every theme park is different and caters to different tastes but while there, you might as well visit all of them. There is no time to waste while at Disney so do take advantage of everything Disney has to offer for the whole family and make your dreams come true. If you are traveling in the summer months when it’s real hot in Orlando, there are water parks for you to cool down and at the same time have some wet and wild fun as well. (photo courtesy: weblo.com)

Another great place to visit in Orlando is the Universal Studio’s resort. Much like Disney, there you will find subsets to the area which serves different wants and needs to the visitors. During the day, you may want to spend some time at the Universal Studio Florida theme park. This is a theme park like Disney with rides that are inspired by the movies made by Universal. If you’ve never been here, this is a place you don’t want to miss. All the themes are segregated by sections in the park and there is also a Kid Zone for active fun for children. And, Universal Studios owns six islands all with their own feel to them like Jurassic Park Island theme take from the book and movie of the same name. So be sure to explore those islands while there. (photo courtesy: igougo.com)

SeaWorld also has a theme park in Orlando but unlike Disney and Universal Studios, there are no distinct themes separating it into different sections. What they have are zoned areas separating their various displays onsite. An example of this is Shamu’s happy harbor which is basically a place for children to have fun. SeaWorld is best know for its famous whale called Shamu but there are also rides, attractions and exhibits dedicated to the display of marine life. The thing to remember about SeaWorld is that it is not only a place to have fun but it is also very educational in nature. A visit to SeaWorld will allow you to gain new respect for the earth’s sea creatures. No wonder SeaWorld is ranked the 7th most visited park in the U.S. (photo courtesy: flickr)

Are you starting to see why Orlando, Florida is one of the top vacation places in the world? There are so many places to visit and things to do in Orlando that it is almost impossible to list them all here. All I can tell you is that a family vacation to Orlando will be an unforgettable experience for the whole family. Visit Orlando once and you will be back for more!

If you’ve never visited Florida’s Chautauqua before, this is an event you don’t want to miss. National recording star Ronnie McDowell and his band, the Rhythm Kings, will present a special benefit performance in DeFuniak Springs on August 26th to help Florida’s Chautauqua Center with fundraising efforts. The event will be held at the old Walton County High School auditorium. Tickets are just $25.00 each and all proceeds will benefit the Florida Chautauqua Center, a non-profit organization established in 1993 to orchestrate and host the official Florida Chautauqua Assembly. (photo courtesy: Florida Chautauqua)

“We are so grateful to Ronnie McDowell and his team for agreeing to support the Florida Chautauqua Center and our upcoming 2011 Assembly,” says Dennis Ray, Chairman of the Board, who approached McDowell about supporting the official Florida Chautauqua Assembly several months ago. “Mr. McDowell’s national travel schedule is extremely tight, and to bring such a high-profile singer to our DeFuniak Springs community is extremely rare. We can’t express our gratitude to him enough for helping support our historic Assembly.”

Ronnie McDowell charted a string of hit singles and albums for the Epic label between 1979 and 1986. Every single release with the exception of just one became a Top 10 Hit including the chart toppers “Older Women” and “You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation.” Other hits during his Epic years included “Watchin Girls Go By,” “Personally,” “You Made A Wanted Man Of Me,” “All Tied Up,” and “In A New York Minute.”

Moving to Curb Records in 1986, his current label to date, McDowell scored a Top 10 hit with “It’s Only Make Believe,” a duet with Conway Twitty on what was Twitty’s breakthrough hit from 1958. Two years later Ronnie teamed up with Jerry Lee Lewis for a rocking duet that McDowell wrote titled,”You’re Never Too Old To Rock N’ Roll.” He also recorded yet another Top 10 hit with his version of the pop standard “Unchained Melody,” which also became a #1 country music video. His entertaining abilities soared and he began to draw larger crowds. He started appearing in larger venues and touring with artists such as Conway Twitty, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn before headlining his own shows. (photo courtesy: Florida Chautauqua)

Ronnie McDowell is still constantly in demand on the road and he tours relentlessly with his band the Rhythm Kings. Additionally, he often tours with Elvis Presley’s original sidemen Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana along with Millie Kirkham and The Jordanaires staging a tribute to Elvis Presley’s music.

So pack your bags and come on down to attend this one of a kind event. For more information about the August 26th performance in DeFuniak Springs by Ronnie McDowell, call the Florida Chautauqua Center office at ( 850 )  892-7613 or log on to their website at www.FloridaChautauquaAssembly.org