The Beautiful Florida Keys and Islands

DAYS OUT IN ANNA MARIE ISLAND

Whilst relaxing on Anna Marie Island why not enjoy a day on the ocean where you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself whilst watching out for dolphins, manatees and turtles! Visiting this area of the world really is so relaxing and can they can be Cheap Holidays in Florida depending on the activities you intent to take on.

Visit small islands where you can spend your time snorkelling looking for the perfect sea shell or just lying in the sun reading a book!

If an evening watching breathtaking sunsets whilst catching the warm sea breeze, enjoying light refreshments is your cup of tea then why not try an evening cruise and experience a beautiful Florida sunset at sea.

If you have always wanted to try riding a horse along the beach then this is the perfect place to try!  Imagine a beautiful horse, palm lined beaches, you riding your horse as it gently wades into the crystal clear water, this is an experience to be tried by anyone as young as 3 to senior citizens!

SIESTA KEY

At the southern end of Sarasota are is the island of Siesta key, its award winning beaches have powdery white sands and an amazing blue sea which is crystal clear.

The sand is cool to the touch even under the subtropical sun!

The visitors who visit here every year enjoy the many miles of wide white sand beach, gourmet restaurants, shops and a quaint village with an island ambience all of its own.

MANASOTA KEY

Manasota key lies south of Sarasota and is one of Florida’s best kept secrets.

It’s not unusual to see dolphins play just off the beach! Logger-head turtles in the sand and tourists collecting shells whilst enjoying the warm waters of Manasota key  the sea temperature here is nearly always in the 80’s.

After you’ve had a relaxing day on the gorgeous pristine beach watched the sun go down, why not visit the charming town of Venice, which is minutes away.

SARASOTA

Travelling to other areas around the Sarasota area is very easy with quick access to the interstate 75.  Tampa Bay, Florida aquarium, and other attractions are only an hour of Sarasota, Orlando is only a 2.5 hours drive 125 miles away.

Sarasota has a more cosmopolitan feels to it with its street lined cafes and restaurants that range from star bucks to push restaurants which have such amazing menus, you will be spoilt for choice.

WHAT SORT OF RESTURANTS ARE ON OFFER?

You’ll have a choice of Thai, Spanish, Mexican, Greek, Seafood, French, Japanese, Amish, American or Mexican.

Just make sure you bring enough evening wear with you as people in Sarasota tend to dress up more than the average American you may find in other towns.

Sarasota is where the award winning beaches meet culture and art.

The main beach of Sarasota is a little more built up compared to other beaches on the Gulf coast, with condominiums and Florida hotels backing on to the beautiful beach.  

Harry Potter World of Adventure and Mystic

This is the park in Florida with a difference! Using the castles, classrooms, corridors, magic state of the art in technology and characters from the Harry Potter films, this park will not disappoint the hardcore Florida holiday Thrill Seeker Adventurers.

As you pass through the Hogwart Castle gates you will feel you have been transported to a different land as the parks has been kept in total keeping with the film, and it’s there for you to create your own Adventures!

The Harry Potter and new park is split up into different areas such as Dragons Challenge, Fly the Hippogriff, Hogsmeade as well as shops and restaurants, the magic and excitement here has no hogbounds!

The rides here are completely different to anything else you will find whilst on your Florida holiday, here’s a sample of just one of the rides in Harry Potter land, Dragon Challenge, where each dragon gives you a completely different experience, chose from a Chinese fireball or Hungarian horn tail, then hop aboard and hang on as the dragon’s twist and loop on an intertwining Roller coaster! (Height requirement is 54” 138 cm)

Dining in Harry Potter land is also a unique experience, visit the Three Broomsticks and sample dishes such as Sheppard’s pie, fish and chips, great feast platter, Cornish pasty!

The kids meals are mini adult meals.

Desserts are just as delicious and to wash it all down visit the Hogshead pub where you can sample the butter bear and pumpkin juice! Other beverages and some speciality’s drinks too!

Whilst at Harry Potter land you can post your postcards and stamp’s when it reaches it destination it will have an authentic Hogameade postmark! You can tell your family and friends that you're having the perfect Florida Holiday. 

Before you leave Harry potter land don’t forget to visit Ollivanders and purchase a wand there are many replicas to choose from as well as collector’s sets,  you can practise your magic when you return home!

Choosing Florida Holiday Dates Wisely

Families with children who are travelling on Holiday to Florida in 2012 need to choose their holiday dates very carefully!

Florida Holidays in Summer

 

 

 

Let’s look at them in detail:

February Half term Florida holidays - This is a great time to go, as weather is not too hot and queues are not too long. There is however an issue with these dates as the schools only give 1 week, so you need to take your child out of school for 1 week extra (this can be 2/3 days either side or 1 week earlier or 1 week later) Another favourite for this time is a 10day stay in one of the Universal Studio Hotel packages.

Easter Holidays – March or April, By far the most popular time of the year, you will need to book early if you are a school teacher I would recommend looking 2 days either side as you will still grab yourself a bargain ( and you never know your school may have some training days booked so you won’t need to take them out of school).

Florida Holidays at Christmas

 

 

May half term Florida holidays -  Special offers is the name of the game in this month, all airlines will introduce a discount BUT it a book early offer so look at for these..

Summer holidays 2012 – 20^th July to 18^th August is peak price and peak season. All airlines know this so this is their main profit time. You can bit a bit sneaky by taking out a Florida holidays offer on the 20^th august for 2 weeks or 13^th July for 2 weeks – just missing the huge price increase,.

October half term Florida holiday – brilliant time to go, plus you can fit in Halloween  (if that is your thing). You really will need to book early if its a direct flight you are after. If you do bot mind a one stop and can take your child out of school 1 or 2 days either side you will grab yourself a fantastic offer..

And finally the big one  - Christmas Florida Holidays – My only advice is to come back on the 1^st of January or the 4^th of January to stand a chance to get a good priced holiday. The 2^nd and 3^rd a very popular so get busy really quickly OR the cheapest option is to go 1 or 2 days before the term ends and come back 27/28^th December. Mickey Mouse always has something good going on over Christmas.



Disney Florida Cruises

Disney Cruises: Everyone’s Dream

Florida Disney Holidays

Disney Land: a Memorable world of wonder and fun. It is a perfect place for Holidays, vacations, anniversaries and other celebrations.Best of all, it is a sort of a magical place where your kids and whole family can have the best time they can ever have as kids and you can find the kid in you as well.

Disney cruises allows you to experience the magic of Disney Land in a luxurious, yet affordable, cruise line.

Walt Disney Resort has different kinds of resort rooms. Ideally, the rooms are located on the boarding location. There is also some state luxury type rooms located on the balcony of the cruising ship.

The stateroom on the cruising ships allows each passenger to make purchase onboard.  This is just one of the great conveniences a Disney cruise can offer you.
On the way of Disney Wonder, the passenger can have several beautiful views. For example, the passenger can be able to stop first on a particular area to take photos on the gangplank area.

The passenger can also use the shipping board in order to rest for few hours. By doing this, the passenger can have a lot of comfort at a relaxed atmosphere.

Most of the cruising lines going to Disney Wonder make a lot of difference. Normally, inside the lines, there are many types of restaurants. There are many foods that the cruising lines offers. Most of the foods come from different parts of the world. There are also foods intended for the kids.

Most of the foods are mountain shrimps, carved beef, decadent deserts, every variety of salad, and festive tropical juices, these are just a few among the offerings their majestic banquet and menu offers. Kiddie meals are also served to satisfy the palate of your children.

On the top part of the ship, there are many amenities which the passenger can spend their extra time. Kids can also play on the pool deck. They can also enjoy the comfortable lounge chairs scattered all over the area for relaxing and resting. There are also places created for sun bathing. Aside from those, the passenger can even have enough time to play ping pong and other onboard sport activities.

A Disney Cruise Holiday is indeed a very good family experience. Most of the cruise lines have one television in each room. By having these equipment, the passenger can have a lot of entrainment even if he is inside the cabin.

Not only that, if the passenger manages to pre-book for the cruise, the shipping line can also give them some discounts and great deals. In normal agreements, food menus are also included in the special purchased package.

Aside from that, there are also some spa treatments for each passenger. Normally, spa schedules are recorded upon the arrival of the passenger.

Most of the route going to Disney world Resort has a “Sail Away Part”. It is a place where the passenger stays if you have a late afternoon or early evening departure.

The Sail Away Part has a lot of entertainment packages.There are nightly dancing shows and circus performances. Aside from that, Disney Characters are also present. The passengers can also take some opportunity for photo taking together with their family along with Mickey Mouse and some of his friends.

Ship photographers are also available at every beck and call. They are in charge of taking the photo at every part of the ship. The passengers can often view the photo taken and purchase it if they want. Aside from that, there are also photo packages available. These holiday photo packages are obtainable so that passengers can have the best shots of their trip to keep their memories forever.

Moreover, Disney Cruises have a unique way of dinning preparation. The dining menu rotates between three dining sets. Each day, the passengers can enjoy a whole set of new menu and dishes. For example, at the first night, the menu is the Animators Pilates, the next night it can be Tritons, each day provides a new wonderful adventure for your stomach.

While sailing on a Disney cruise holiday, the passenger can spend his entire day to choose his preferred schedule of activities. Not only that, Disney World has also a lot of on-shore action to choose from. The hard part of the situation is choosing which activity is the best. But basically, those activities are really great things to be experienced.

This interesting cruising tour is indeed a great way to relax with the kids. Disney Cruises will surely give the best experience in cruising. The thrills, entertainment and recreation activities are combined into one great experience.
 
Disney… it is a place of magic and fantasy that became a reality with Holidays and Cruises.

2 Weeks - Holidays to Disney Florida

Our 2 Weeks in Florida - Disney

We took our two boys age 7 and 10 to Disney Florida during the Easter holidays in 2009.

The hotel we chose was the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We’d read that it was unnecessary to stay somewhere quite so nice as you only sleep there but we only planned to ‘do Disney’ once and wanted to experience it at it’s best.  

Animl Kingdom Lodge Florida

The hotel was absolutely brilliant. When your spending all day in the parks it’s fantastic to be able to come back to a tranquil, relaxing hotel where all you have to do is revive yourself, treat yourself to a massage in the spa, pop to the pool and get ready for the next days excitement. From the minute you step inside you’re in a different world. The food was excellent, breakfasts were our favourite, there was just so much to choose from and you can have as much as you can eat. We chose a room that overlooked the animals. It was wonderful to see giraffes, gazelles, pelicans and giant buffalo just strolling past your balcony!

Florida Wildlife at Animal Kingdom Lodge

The park we had to visit first was Disney’s Magic Kingdom, that’s the one with the Cinderalla castle. Walking into the park and seeing the castle was just magical, our holiday had started! We headed straight for the rides, Splash Mountain was so much fun and Buzz Lightyears Spin was excellent. You can eat in Cinderella’s castle and at certain times they have character dining. The food is apparently fab but expensive.  We didn’t eat here – mainly because we have two boys who aren’t interested in Cinderella, but also because it was fully booked. One guy we met at the desk had to book his table 5 months in advance. We did however eat at the Liberty Tree Tavern, they also do character dining and if you pre-book a table at the front of the restaurant and time it right you can have perfect seats for watching the Electric Light Parade.

Day two and we were off to SeaWorld where a major highlight was to feed and stroke the Dolphins, they were beautiful and took quite a liking to my eldest son, they stayed by him even tho he had no fish left to feed them.

We also saw the Shamu show which I found very emotional – it was incredible.

Florida Sea World

We ate at the Sharks Underwater Grill. We had booked a table right by the glass but something went wrong and we didn’t get it. We were very disappointed but polite, the staff were so shocked that we didn’t get cross they opened up another section of the restaurant especially for us and we had the best viewing seat in the house – It’s a very strange feeling to be eating your meal while a shark swims past giving you the eye!

On day three we went to Animal Kingdom. There are loads of brilliantly fun rides here. We heard the screams coming from Expedition Everest and decided to give it a go. There’s one point, right at the top, where you have no idea what’s going to happen next - it’s brilliant, we all screamed – it’s part of the fun! The Kali River Rapids, the Tree of Life, the Safari and the Dinosaur ride were all fantastic. We ate at the Yak and Yeti and would highly recommend it. We did get totally soaked on the rapids and had to buy the boys new t-shirts as the weather wasn’t quite warm enough to dry them out! We worked out that a good route would be to get a fast-pass for the Expedition Everest ride, then go on the Kilamanjaro Safari and the Pangani Forest, the timing should then be perfect to go straight onto the Everest Ride!

Animal Kingdom Florida

We went back to Animal Kingdom later in the holiday – we booked a table at the Rainforest Café for breakfast. It’s literally right outside the entrance to the park so you can get here early have a relaxing, very filling breakfast and then go straight in to the park – brilliant.

Next stop was Hollywood Studios.The two rides we enjoyed most here were The Tower of Terror, our 7 year-old wasn’t at all scared! and the Studio Backlot Tour. I had a veggie burger at Rosie’s Al-American Café – it was delicious and a great little find. The best part of the whole day had to be the evening showing of Fantasmic. It was absolutely brilliant, all the characters were there and the effects are amazing. We booked an evening meal at Brown Derby which meant we got priority seating at this show so we could just walk in without queuing and got perfect seats.

Tower of Terror Florida

Time for a chill-out day at the Water Parks! We chose to go to Typhoon Lagoon as we’d heard that it’s better for younger children. The wave machine was awesome – 6ft waves in a massive pool - makes anything I’d seen before just seem like mini-ripples!  You can float round the edge of the park in a tyre and there’s a whole range of very fun water slides. Some slides you do on your own and some you do as a group, and we had no trouble finding a shady spot with sun loungers. 

A great day out.

On day six we went to Downtown Disney. There are lots of shops, places to eat and an indoor theme park here. We queued for ages to go on Aladins Carpet Ride – it was dreadful and I really wouldn’t recommend it. I’ve loved all the rides so far but this one left me feeling terribly nauseaus. We weren’t thrilled by Downtown Disney but we did have delicious ice-creams at Ghirardelli’s and there was one great shop near the entrance where you can design your own t-shirt and get it printed which was a fun activity. Also, the lego shop was pretty impressive and they had huge models outside and a big lego built loch-ness-monster in the water.

I keep meaning to mention that the Disney characters are around all of the Disney parks and are available for pictures and autographs. This was a big part of our holiday as the boys really wanted to meet all the characters and fill up their autograph books – the mission was completed by the end of the holiday.

Next we headed off to Epcot and even more amazing things to see and do. We loved Ellen’s Energy Adventure, Spaceship Earth and Mission Space. Soarin was incredible and Living with the Land was very calm and informative.  This is the park where you stroll round a huge lake and on the way you go thru Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, UK, and Canada!  In each of the countries there are traditional buildings, attractions, costumes, shops and food. There’s also an evening firework display here which was excellent.  You need to get near the waters edge at least one hour before the show is due to start in order to get a good view – we thought that in between Mexico and Canada was a great place to stand.

Epcot Florida

Day eight was a hot day so we headed off for the Islands of Adventure – it’s good to go on a hot day because you can get very wet here. Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls and Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges are two of the rides where you will get soaked but it’s worth it they are just so much fun. The Jurassic Park section was brilliant and we thought the 3D Spider-Man ride at Super Hero Island was excellent.  Both my boys love Dr Seuss so we spent a lot of time at this section of the park, it was just like being in one of his books and you get to meet all the characters – the boys just loved it here.  We ate in Mythos which is set in a dormant volcano – the interior was fab and the food even better!

The Universal Studios brochure was waiting to be used so that was our next stop. The Jaws ride here was good fun, we’d heard that it was terrifying so we sat the boys in-between us and told them it was only pretend. In fact they weren’t at all scared, you can see the workings under the water so instead they were quite fascinated with how it all worked! The Simpsons ride in 3D was fantastic. It was a great park to walk round but there wasn’t enough here to fill a whole day so we headed back into Islands of Adventure which was walking distance away and re-did some of our favourite rides.

We spent the last few days of the holidays revisiting our favourite parks and only spent half a day chilling out at the hotel. The Florida Holiday flew by and we’ve promised ourselves we’ll go again when the boys are both teenagers.

For Holidays to Florida or Flights to Orlando why not visit Total Florida.

Total Florida 0207 428 6080

Florida Without The Parks

FLORIDA WITHOUT THE PARKS

Natural Florida - have you found the paradise that’s waiting for discovery? Whether it’s a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks,  a stop off en route to your next Florida destination or a night or two camping in the outdoors to add to your Florida holiday experience, there’s plenty of choice for you in Florida.

FLORIDA HOLIDAYS AT BLUE SPRING STATE PARK

History began here with the Timucuan Indians in residence, the spring  run, river and swamps provided everything they needed to sustain a life in Florida for hundreds of years,  they made their tools and weapons, ate foods such as snails!

By the mid 1800’s the Indians had been killed or chased off and pioneer settlers moved in, in 1872 the Thursby  family built a large home on top of the Indian shell mound they had created over the centuries!



Florida - Without The Parks



Visitors can explore the self guided boardwalk through to blue spring, view manatees, enjoy a scenic boat trip, guided or solo canoe or kayak adventure, or a relaxing swim.

Blue spring is a manatee refuge and the best time to view these wonderful creatures is in winter from mid November to the beginning March - the best time of day to see them is early morning. Swimming or diving with manatees is strictly prohibited here

Manatee in Florida Waters

The Blue Spring State Park in Florida is a must for nature lovers, picnickers and romantics. The wildlife plants and bird viewing are on offer at Blue spring in abundance, enjoy a picnic under the huge Oaks’s then finish a perfect day with a beautiful sunset over St John’s River.

Please be advised to arrive early in the morning as the park reaches its capacity on weekends, during the Florida holidays and especially during manatee season as the Americans have different public holidays to us its best to see if any coincide with your visit!

The springs crystal clear water can be enjoyed by both young and old you can swim, snorkel or dive (if you are a certified diver and have a partner) The Florida water offers an inviting temperature of 73 degrees,.

Overnight stays are available, there is a choice of a full-facility camp ground or air conditioned cabins, the park has lots of picnic areas for your comfort!

Blue spring in Florida has something to entertain everyone both young and old, there is a children’s park to keep the kids amused also a hiking trail for the more active, which ever you choose to do we guarantee you will have unforgettable memories of your Florida holiday to take home with you!

Book Your Florida Holidays Today.

Total Florida 0207 428 6080

Wedding Holidays to Florida from the UK

Wedding Holidays to Florida from the UK



Wedding Holidays in Florida



Wedding Holidays in Florida - Are you fed up with the British summer weather? Have you always dreamed of being a princess marrying your prince charming? Well now all of your dreams can be made as a reality. By having your dream Disney wedding in Magic Kingdom, Epcot or one of the Disney Florida Hotels.

Whether you want your Disney wedding to be on a grand scale or a more intimate gathering, then why not let Florida Holidays company, Total florida make your dreams come true, don’t forget this is Florida where anything is possible!

Dream Weddings in Florida

Alfred Angelo is the designer behind the beautiful princess wedding gowns there are 8 to choose from  - Cinderella, Jasmin, Ariel, Snow white, Belle, Sleeping beauty, Rapunzel and Tiana. The American market is very different to the British when it comes to wedding gowns they have gowns that we the British brides wish we could have and luckily at very affordable prices!

Who is your favourite princess? You could theme your wedding around her, this year it’s the platinum anniversary of Cinderella.

Your childhood dreams will be made reality as you live out your fairytale day by stunning  your guests arriving in Cinderella’s coach being pulled by six welsh pony’s skilfully guided by a driver and two footman in full regalia, how amazing! If your more drawn to the motor world there’s a choice from vintage fords  to luxurious limousines!

Your dream wedding is unique as you two, chose from one of the globally inspired venues, Epcot Paris - Time travel in your mind to romantic Paris  your wedding here would certainly be chic! Here you will find yourselves amongst quaint shops, charming architecture, manicured gardens and of course the breathtaking Eiffel tower above you.

Epcot Itlay - Take your dream wedding vows in beautiful romantic Venice, the city of love.  You will feel  the passion of the culture, the flavours of the Italia, your day will be an expression of your love for life as well as your dream wedding.

Epcot Morocco -Exchange your wedding vows in the land of mystic, intricate Moroccan architecture, mosaics made by native craftsman sounds of a faraway land how different your dream wedding could be here.

DISNEY’S BOARDWALK RESORT

Sea breeze point - Set in the charm of the 1940’s America, on the picturesque shores of crescent lake as you walk down the aged wood-plank board walk you will be taken back in time. A gorgeous hideaway within Disney’s boardwalk resort, the sunny croquet lawn offers beautiful garden ceremonies with manicured gardens and white trellis entrances very traditionally British but different at the same time.

DISNEY Boardwalk Resort

DISNEY’S YACHT AND BEACH CLUB RESORT WEDDING GAZEBO

Tie the knot under a charming gazebo amidst flourishing garden at the New England themed escape; you’ll feel the seaside splendour of the New England’s seashore.

DISNEY Yacht & Beach Club Resort

RENEWAL OF WEDDING VOWS IN FLORIDA 

Now you have marriage experience why not shower each other with your love and say I do once again, maybe you have a special anniversary coming up or you would like to surprise your other half then a Disney Wedding vow renewal maybe just the Holiday and surprise you’re looking for. Incorporate it with a second honeymoon to Florida and Las Vegas or a cruise and Hawaii stopover? The possibilities are endless when you book with Total Florida!

Disney Weddings

Call Total Florida today to discuss your endless options for your Dream Wedding Holidays to Florida from the UK.

Florida Holidays 0207 428 6080