Welcome to the September Newsletter
Hi Subscriber, welcome to the September 2011 newsletter of the Florida Review & Travel Guide.
This month's newsletter carries a strong safety theme but don't be disheartened by the doom and gloom tone. There is so much more to Florida than lightning strikes, sharks, rip currents and amoeba.
It is all about avoiding taking unnecessary risks whilst enjoying yourself. For instance, we once saw a young man dive into a lake alone after dark when there were clearly marked alligator warning signs posted around the lake. Luckily no harm was done but there is no point in placing yourself in danger when it can easily be avoided.
Florida is still a great place to have a vacation but you do need to take extra care, particularly when in a strange environment where the dangers are very different to what you might be used to at home.
Universal Studios and Busch Gardens are currently gearing up for Halloween and we will have full details next month.
I-Drive Live
Following a legal dispute with Universal Studios who operate CityWalk, the Merlin Entertainments Group have announced that the name of the new attraction planned for International Drive (I-Drive) has been changed from I-Walk to I-Drive Live.
I-Drive Live will feature the Orlando Eye observation wheel, a Madame Tussauds wax museum and retail outlets and restaurants. The third attraction looks like being a Sea Life style aquarium rather than a Dungeon as originally thought.
It is being built on the former Mercado shopping and dining site just north of the Orange County Convention Center.
The Orlando Eye will be 450 feet tall making it taller than the nearby PeaBody Hotel and the third highest Ferris wheel in the world.
Merlin Entertainments Group also own Legoland Florida, due to open in October in Winter Haven on the site of the former Cypress Gardens Adventure Park.
FASTPASS Return Policy
When you obtain a FASTPASS ticket, you have an allotted time in which you must return to the attraction to redeem the ticket. This time limit has rarely been enforced meaning you could pretty much return anytime that day, from the start of your FASTPASS return time, right up to park closing time.
However, there are reports that Disney are randomly testing more rigorous enforcing of the return times printed on the tickets.
Lightning Injuries
Several guests and employees were injured when a lightening strike hit SeaWorld's Discovery Cove in Orlando last month.
Eight people were hurt in the incident though none seriously and all were soon released from hospital. None were actually struck by the lightning and none had actually been in the water at the time of the incident.
Florida's water parks often close when thunderstorms are forecast in the vicinity. Safety advice always says to stay away from water and beaches when thunder and lightning is in the area.
Florida has the highest death rate in the United States from lightning strikes, around 10 people die every year. In fact more people die from lightning strikes in Florida than the whole of the rest of the United States combined.
Illegal Ticket Booths
The crackdown on illegal ticket booths in the Orlando area, particularly along U.S. Highway 192 in Kissimmee, offering part-used multi-day tickets continues with further arrests.
Over $1 million in theme park tickets have been seized in recent operations by the Tourist Policing Unit.
Read more about buying Florida theme park tickets.
New Disney Monorail Train
Since a fatal accident in 2009 involving two out-of-service trains in which a monorail train driver was killed, Disney have been operating with 11 monorail trains instead of the original 12. This has resulted in a reduced schedule, particularly impacting the extended evening hours for Disney resort guests.
After the accident, one train was rebuilt using cars from the two trains involved in the collision. Now a new train will be put into service built from new components and other parts from the original accident trains restoring the fleet back to 12 trains.
The Walt Disney World monorail system carries around 250,000 passenger a day. It connects the Transportation and Ticket Center with the Magic Kingdom and Epcot and a number of Disney's resort hotels.
It used to be possible to ride with the driver in the front of the cab but this practice was stopped following the fatal accident.
Latest Hotel Deals
Amongst the travel deals in September, the up to 20% discount at the Walt Disney World Resort Dolphin and Swan hotels is still running plus, five nights at Disney's Pop Century Resort including air fare from $335 and 4 Night Carnival from Miami from $179. Other deals include:
There are many more good deals this month as tour operators continue to offer discounts, so if you are planning a vacation to Florida during 2011, then let the Florida Review & Travel Guide help you on your way.
This is just a small sample. To see the rest of the great deals and more, check out our late Florida deals page.
Gasoline Prices
In the ongoing saga between the Orlando City Council and two gas stations close to Orlando International Airport that are refusing to post their prices outside of the gas station, a judge has ruled that both Sun Gas and Suncoast Energys have just 90 days to comply.
The two stations, sit across Semoran Boulevard just north of the airport and typically charge $5.79 per gallon. The battle has been going on for over a year now.
Global oil prices remain volatile. The average pump prices in Florida has dropped again, from $3.72 down to $3.58 for a gallon for regular, a drop of 14 cents.
This month, only Hawaii has prices over $4 a gallon.
You can always find the latest pump prices at GasPriceWatch.com.
Hurricane Irene
The first hurricane of the 2011 season was a big one. Hurricane Irene swept across the Caribbean Islands before racing up Florida's Atlantic coast and making landfall near Cape Lookout in North Carolina. At is peak, it reached category 3 status with wind speeds of well over 100 mph.
It continued on up the coast making a second landfall in New Jersey before striking New York City and then continuing up into New England. For the first time in New York's history, there was a mandatory evacuation of some areas. In total, over 2 million people were advised to evacuated their homes.
States of Emergency were declared in North Carolina, Virginia, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maryland. Up to 9 inches of rain fell in places with storm surges of up to 10 feet being recorded.
Airports and public transport systems along the East coast were closed and thousands of flights were cancelled. Over 4 million of people were left without power in the wake of the Irene and it will take months to clean up the devastation with the loss of roads and bridges swept away by the torrential rainfall.
In Florida, eight people were swept off a jetty at Boynton Inlet but luckily all were saved and at Jupiter Beach a man was swept away and found alive, one mile away.
However, at least two surfers died in Florida as a result of heavy surf and rip currents caused by Irene even though the centre was over 200 miles offshore. In total nearly 30 people are believed to have died as a result of Hurricane Irene.
Read the latest Florida weather updates.
Florida Beach Safety
With its thousands of miles of sandy beaches, Florida is a great place to visit the beach and perhaps go for a swim. However, before venturing into the water, you need to consider some simple safety tips as the ocean can be a dangerous place if treated with disrespect.
Some of Florida’s beaches can be susceptible to dangerous rip currents particular in the wake of tropical storms and hurricanes. The recent passing of Hurricane Irene drowned at least two people in Florida.
Florida’s waters are also home to a number of species of sharks, sting rays and jelly fish including the Portuguese Man of War. Whilst the chances of being attacked by a shark or ray are minimal, there are certain things you can do to make sure you keep as safe as possible.
Also look out for lifeguard towers and make sure you understand the beach warning flag colours. Statistically, you are 5 times safer if you swim where there are lifeguards on duty.
Finally, never go in the water (or stay on the beach for that matter) when there is the threat of thunder and/or lightning in the vicinity.
Read our safety tips on swimming in the sea in Florida.
Lake Health Warning
As inviting as fresh water lakes and rivers might be, health officials are warning people not to swim in lakes, rivers and canals during the hot summer months as they can contain dangerous amoeba, parasites and bacteria.
Before entering any freshwater environment, look out for any officially posted signs to indicate that the water has been checked and passed fit for swimming. You should also make sure there are no alligators about!!
The silt in the bottom of Florida's warm rivers and lakes can be home to the microscopic but deadly Naegleria fowleri amoeba which can cause fatal meningitis type brain infections. The greatest risk is during the summer months when the water temperature rises above 82 degrees and water levels are low.
Luckily infections are very very rare but unfortunately nearly always fatal, particularly in young children and teenagers. The average age of the victims is 12 years old. Youngsters will often dive and play in freshwater rivers and lakes.
The infection enters the brain through the nose, ears or eyes and some people seem much more susceptible than others.
To aid prevention, avoid entering warm, untreated freshwater when water levels are low and temperatures are high. If you do enter the water, you should:
- hold your nose shut or wear nose plugs/clips
- avoid jumping or diving where you might disturb the bottom sediment where the amoeba lurk
- also avoid poorly maintained swimming pools and hot tubs
Three people have died this year from the disease in the southern States, the latest being in Florida when a 16 year old Brevard County girl died after swimming in the St. Johns River.
Since the disease was first identified in the 1960s, there have been around 120 reported cases of which 31 have been in Florida, with over half of them in Orange County.
Early symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and neck stiffness. Some of these symptoms are also apparent in some equally deadly diseases caused by mosquitoes. You should seek immediate medical attention if you are in any doubt.
Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets
Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets, 5th Edition is written by Steven M. Barrett and was re-published on August 16, 2011.
The fifth edition has been fully updated and now lists over 1,000 Hidden Mickeys, an extra 200 new ones with over 70 new pages. This is very much a book to take to the park with you, rather than something you might read before your vacation. For that reason it is deliberately pocket sized, though it is still a bit tall.
It is no secret that the imagineers at the Disney parks enjoy hiding images associated with Mickey Mouse and his friends wherever they can; throughout the theme parks, in the restaurants, shops, hotels and even rest rooms. Once you start noticing them, like many things it can become addictive and books like the Hidden Mickeys series are there to help you find them.
It will also open your eyes to the amazing detail that is built into every attraction, ride and building. Not everything is just at eye-level, for example the windows above the shops on Main Street.
Read our complete review of Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets, 5th Edition.
Legoland Florida News
As the October 15 opening date approaches, Legoland Florida have made some more announcements regarding special offers.
Legoland Shuttle
To entice people to make the journey from Orlando out to Winter Haven, Legoland Florida are offering a Legoland Shuttle service, similar to that operated between SeaWorld in Orlando and Busch Gardens in Tampa.
The Legoland Shuttle will run from Orlando Premium Outlets on Vineland Avenue and depart each day at 9 o'clock sharp returning after the park closes. The trip will take about 45 minutes each way and guests should arrive 30 minutes before departure.
The shuttle will not be free however. The introductory price will be $5 per person round trip with children under 3 travelling for free. The normal price is expected to be $10 but no date has been set for the end of the preview period.
Reservations are recommended including all children, even those who would travel free.
Senior Garden Pass
A special weekday Senior Garden Pass has also been announced which gives anyone aged 60 or over, access to the park Monday through Friday for a whole year for just $60 including free parking.
Read more about the various Legoland Florida ticket options and prices.
Free Monthly Desktop Wallpaper
September and October 2011 desktop wallpaper calendars
The free Florida desktop wallpaper calendars are now available in new widescreen and netbook format as well as standard format so if you have a widescreen monitor or a netbook you can now download a new widescreen calendar. From July we have introduced some additional sizes for widescreens. 
Free desktop calendars for September 2011 (Old Saddle Store, Kissimmee) and October 2011 (Disney's Animal Kingdom Parade) are ready to download now.
Note that some of the larger files can be up to 1mb in size so if you are on a modem dialup line it will take a few minutes to download.
Click to view and then download the Florida free desktop wallpaper for September or October now.
Also don't forget if you are looking for inspiration on what to do on your Florida vacation, why not take advantage of our collection of free Florida brochures where you will find information on many activities including golfing vacations, eco-tours, scuba diving and Caribbean cruises.
September Events
September sees the annual Key West BrewFest plus touring shows from Disney on Ice and Sesame Street Live.
Monday September 5 is Labor Day so expect busy crowds throughout the state over the whole weekend.
Noticeable artists on tour in Florida this month include Marc Anthony, Adele, Enrique Iglesias, Roger Daltry, Elvis Costello, Blondie, Journey and Foreigner.
Looking further ahead, Josh Groban and Taylor Swift are also performing in Florida.
Click here for full coverage of the latest events throughout the State of Florida or for a comprehensive list of upcoming Florida concerts.
Weather Forecast
August saw the first hurricane and luckily it missed Florida by around 200 miles.
As in July and August, temperatures this month will be above seasonal averages across the whole state and rainfall above average particularly in Central and Southern Florida. Expect daytime temperatures in the low 90s throughout the state for some of the month.
In the North around Pensacola and Jacksonville, the month will again start with a number of thunderstorms and sunny periods. Daytime temperatures will again be in high 80s to mid 90s on the West coast and high 80s on the East coast. Overnight temperatures will be in the high 60s to mid 70s.
Across the Central region, the weather outlook is very similar but with more chance of rain. Temperatures will again reach into the low 90s.
Down in Miami and the Keys, the weather will be similar again. Temperatures will be in the low 90s during the day and high 70s overnight.
Click here to check out the rest of the weather for all of Florida including a live weather map, monthly temperature and rainfall charts across the State and the latest hurricane news.
September Books
A bumper crop of books this month especially for Disney fans, plus a few stragglers from July and August. The two Walt Disney World "bibles" are both published in September; the official Birnbaum Travel Guides and the Unofficial Guides. You will also find the latest editions from Fodor's and the Complete Idiot's Guide.
September Book List
- The Sharks of North America by José I. Castro
- Look Up, Florida!: Walking Tours of 12 Towns In The Sunshine State by Doug Gelbert
- Tours and Tales by Alejandro Roque Glez
- Eustis by Ruth Downs Akright & Betty Slaven McClellan & Eustis Historical Museum and Preservation Society
- Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets by Steven Barrett
- Growing Up in Pensacola by Charlie Davis
- Camping with Horses: A Trail Rider's Guide to Camping in Florida by Maresa Pryor-Luzier
- Along the Caloosahatchee River by Amy Bennett Williams
- Florida's Frogs, Toads, and Other Amphibians: A Guide to Their Identification and Habits by Richard D. Bartlett, Patricia Bartlett
- Florida's Turtles, Lizards, and Crocodilians: A Guide to Their Identification and Habits by Richard D. Bartlett, Patricia Bartlett
- Albert & Alberta's Great Florida Road by Mark Damohn
- Fodor's Walt Disney World 2012: With Universal, SeaWorld, and the Best of Central Florida
- Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2012
- Birnbaum's Walt Disney World Dining Guide 2012
- Birnbaum's Walt Disney World Pocket Parks Guide 2012
- Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids 2012
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World, 2012 Edition by Doug Ingersoll
- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's Cross Creek Sampler: A Book of Quotations by Brent E. Kinser, Rodger L. Tarr
- J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge by Charles LeBuff
- Cross Creek Kitchens: Seasonal Recipes and Reflections by Sally Morrison
- The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids 2012 by Bob Sehlinger, Menasha Ridge, Liliane Opsomer, Len Testa
- The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2012 by Bob Sehlinger, Len Testa
We plan to bring you a newsletter on the first day of each month with details of upcoming events and news from across Florida.
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