Magic Kingdom & Epcot Christmas Displays

Disney sets the bar for going all out for Christmas in Florida by decorating anything they can. Goofy and Donald have the Holiday spirit as they play in front of Spaceship Earth at Epcot.



"Let the Memories Begin" was the theme at Disney's Magic Kingdom for 2011, as New Year's Eve approaches, what will the theme be for 2012? Possibly "The Year of More Magic".



Timeless favorite toys are displayed under a giant Christmas tree at the Magic Kingdom.



Topiary shaped like Mickey and Minnie in the Christmas spirit.



Epcot's tribute to the Nutcracker, a traditional Christmas favorite.



The Christmas tree at Epcot looks amazing, even at night.



There are many special Disney Christmas events like Epcot's Candlelight Processional where Lorraine Bracco was one of the guest narrators.

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando captures the spirit of Italy and the Riviera with the romance of a Mediterranean seaside resort.



The resort is just outside Universal Studios and is considered one of the top Florida resort hotels. Every guest room features authentic Italian furnishings and marble accents and a festive harbor piazza filled with Italian sports cars and Vespa scooters.

New Lego Creations at Downtown Disney

Lego Imagination Center at Downtown Disney has reopened with new Lego scenes. Buzz Lightyear & Woody pictured are pictured above.



With all the excitement about Legoland Florida opening in October, this is a great opportunity for Lego fans to preview what's ahead for the new Orlando area attraction. Pictured above and below are Maleficent Dragon vs. Prince Phillip.



A few of the Seven Dwarfs.

Daytona Bike Week 2011

We had a great time at Daytona Bike Week this year, the weather was good and so were the crowds.


Bikers of all shapes and sizes were there and everybody was having fun in Daytona Beach.



The girls at the Dog House were outa control, dancing on the bar and all. Want to see more, view all Daytona Bike Week 2011 pictures, and make your plans to be there next year.







More Daytona Bike Week 2011 Pictures

Lake Dora

On a recent visit to Mt. Dora we saw this Great Blue Heron sunning itself on the shores of beautiful Lake Dora. The Great Blue Heron is the largest and most common heron in North America.



Lake Dora has many water birds that grace its shores; this Double-Crested Cormorant was alert looking for food in the reeds.



The marina at Lake Dora is a great example of the 'old Florida' style marina; it's quaint just like the rest of the town. We were visiting Mt. Dora as guests of WhatToDoInMtDora.com and were attending the Central Florida TBEX Chapter Meetup.



Many of the houses on the shores of Lake Dora have boats docks with covers or boathouses. The city of Mt. Dora has all the peaceful charm of old Florida while being only an hour's drive from the busy Orlando attractions area.



This lighthouse is at the very end of Grantham Point on the shores of Lake Dora. It's lit by a 750-watt photocell that powers a blue pulsator guiding light to all boaters sailing at night on Lake Dora.

Blue Spring State Park

On a cold December morning I ventured to Blue Spring State Park for a few pictures of manatees that tend to gather whenever the mercury drops.



Manatees are very sensitive to cold weather and hold up in Blue Spring Run which empties into the St. Johns River. The water emerges from Blue Spring is 72 degrees year round making it a popular hangout for manatees.



Blue Spring State Park is one of most popular Florida state parks and also popular with tourist who visit Orlando between now and March. If you go, get there early as the park tends to fill-up before 10 am on really cold days when viewing is the best.