American Police Hall of Fame and Museum

Titusville, Florida: The American Police Hall of Fame and Museum is a tribute to the nation’s law enforcement. It is part museum, part memorial and part working training grounds the museum is a great place to pay respects to those in uniform or learn a little about the history of law enforcement.

Founded in 1960, the museum was the nation’s first national museum. Originally located in Miami, the museum was relocated to its present day location in Titusville in 2003. Its current location houses a museum dedicated to the history of law enforcement, a memorial to all the officers killed in the line of duty, an indoor shooting range and is home to the National Association of Chiefs of Police and the American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens.

The museum features several exhibits chronicling the history of law enforcement. After being greeted by Robocop, guests can view the following exhibits:
• Auto Alley: collection of police cars from Florida agencies as well as the car from the movie Blade Runner.
• Terrorism: a look at some of the major terrorist events in the United States as well as memorials for the Oklahoma City Bombing, Olympic Bombing and 9/11.
• Crime and Punishment; a look at items from some major crimes and criminals such as Al Capone and items from the assassination of President Kennedy. There is also an exhibit of the punishment styles including a prison cell, electric chair and gas chamber.
• Crime Scene and Crime Lab: witness a crime scene and see how different tools and tactic are used to find clues to the crime. Also see national crimes statistics.
• Kids Discovery: area designed for the children with uniforms to dress up in as well as safety tips from McGruff the crime dog and a badge factory.
• Wild, Wild West: see how inmates were handled back in the early days of law enforcement. Witness the tramp chair and stockade, early prisoner holding devices.

The cornerstone of the museum is the National Law Enforcement Memorial. The marble walls are etched with the over 7,000 names of officers killed in the line of duty. Thousands of visitors come here each year to pay their respects to the fallen officers. Each year on Police Memorial Day a memorial service is held as names are added to the wall representing the officers killed over the past year.

So whether you are there to view the over 11,000 artifacts, hone you skills on the indoor shooting range or to pay respects to the 7,000 brave men and women killed in the line of duty, the museum offers a place to honor all those that risk their lives to ensure the safety of the public.

For more photos from the museum, click on the photo above or visit my American Police Hall of Fame and Museum photo page.

United States Astronaut Hall of Fame

Titusville, Florida: Adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center sits the US Astronaut Hall of Fame. The museum features a collection of personal items from the space program as well as equipment, interactive exhibits and simulators, and the Hall of Fame itself. Two of the more popular artifacts on display are he Mercury Sigma 7 spacecraft and a space suit worn by Gus Grissom on board Mercury 4.

The Hall of Fame was created by a vision of the surviving astronauts of Mercury Seven. They wanted a place for past astronauts to be honored and the resulting hall of fame opened in 1990 and was run by the US Space Camp Foundation in conjunction with the Space Camp Florida.

The Hall of Fame remained opened until 2002 when it was forced to close to low attendance. The museum was auctioned off through foreclosure and was purchased by Delaware North Services, the operators of the visitor complex at Kennedy Space Center. It was added as part of the visitor complex attraction and reopened to the public in December 2002.

The Hall of Fame boasts the largest collection of personal items from astronauts in the world. Many of items from space life are on display. The exhibits include items from all eras of American space flight from the early program through the space shuttle. There is also interactive experiences to allow guests to simulate different facets of space travel include a G-Force simulator, landing simulator and motion simulator.

Finally the cornerstone of the attraction is the Hall of Fame itself. The current hall of fame consists of 74 members with new members inducted every May. The first class inducted were the Mercury 7 astronauts and a new class has been inducted every year since its inception with exception of 2001.

For more photos from the museum, click the photo above or visit my US Astronaut Hall of Fame photo gallery.

Day Two: Cape Canaveral January 2010 Trip

Titusville, Florida: We began the day by heading back over to the port to check out what ships have arrived overnight. The port was busy with activity as three ships were docked and prepping for their next cruise. Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, Disney Wonder and Carnival Sensation were all in port Sunday morning.

When we returned to the hotel we headed to Flamingo’s Restaurant, the onsite restaurant. There they were serving a breakfast buffet consisting of an omelet station, breakfast meats, cereal and fresh fruits. We ate a delicious breakfast and toured the hotel grounds before loading up the car and heading back to the Kennedy Space Center.

We checked the dogs back into the kennel at KSC and began our tours for the day. We started out by visiting the US Astronaut Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is a collection of space memorabilia, Hall of Fame display and interactive experience allowing guests to get a real life feel of life as an astronaut. The museum contains flight suits, memorabilia and spacecrafts from past space missions. There are also interactive displays including a G-Force trainer, landing simulator and more. The final major attraction is the namesake Hall of Fame, here lies all of the astronauts that have been inducted into the Hall since its inception.

After completing the tour of the museum, we headed next door to the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum. The APHF contains many law enforcement displays including patrol cars, weaponry, crime and punishment and more. The exhibits surround the Law Enforcement Memorial, solid marble walls engraved with the names of law enforcement members killed in the line of duty. It is here where we are reminded of the sacrifices the men and women in blue make every day to keep us safe.

We then hit the road and began the trip back home. The trip was a lot of fun. I wish I would have had more time to spend in the area as I would have loved to take the Cape Canaveral tour at the Kennedy Space Center and seen the historic side of the Space Center and toured the old Apollo launch site. But there is always another day and I would defiantly like to take another trip over there to the Cape to witness a launch up close.

A special thanks to Lesley Llerandi, Public Relations Rep for the Kennedy Space Center and Joe Panackia, General Manager of Radisson Resort at the Port for their assistance in making this trip happen at the last minute.

Cocoa Beach

Cocoa Beach, Florida: This coastal town located along Florida’s Atlantic coast is home to one of the Space Coast most popular beaches. Home to some of the best surfing waves in Florida, Cocoa Beach is known as the Jewel of the Space Coast.

The areas first residents were a family of free slaves from the Civil War. The land was then purchased by a group of investors from Cocoa and eventually founded into the Town of Cocoa Beach in 1925 which was later incorporated into a city by 1957.

The population continued to grow and by the 60’s had increased over 1000%. Much of the growth had been contributed to the space program and nearby Kennedy Space Center. But just as quickly as the population grew with the program, it fell with the program. The city suffered a 14.3% unemployment rate in 1975 mainly due to the completion of the Apollo project and the associated layoffs. But the space program recovered with the introduction of the space shuttle and the city recovered. Today almost 12,000 people live within the fifteen square miles of the city.

Much of the tourism to Cocoa Beach can be contributed to its beaches and surfing waves. The city is home to the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame and the Ron Jon Surf Shop entertains over 2 million visitors a year. The annual Easter Surfing Festival began in 1964 which draws over 100,000 spectators annually.

Other attractions within the city include the Cocoa Beach Pier, several beachfront parks, the Cocoa Beach Golf Course and the Thousand Islands Conservation Area. The area also has its place in Hollywood, serving as home to “ I Dream of Jeannie”. Several celebrities call the city home including professional wrestlers Rick Martel and George “the animal” Steele, professional surfer Kelly Slater and USA Today’s founder Allen Neuharth.

As history has shown, the city will once again see a change in demographics following the completion of the space shuttle program in 2010. NASA plans to continue operations with the Constellation Project, but lack of funding from the Obama administration has the project in jeopardy. Only time will tell how the current economic status and the projected changes with the space program will effect the city of Cocoa Beach.

Radisson Resort at the Port

Cape Canaveral, Florida: Just steps from Port Canaveral, blocks from the Atlantic and a short drive to Kennedy Space Center, the Radisson Resort at the Port is an ideal hotel for those visiting the Space Coast. Located on AIA in Cape Canaveral, the resort’s location makes it an great choice for a weekend trip or a stay over before or after a cruise.

The Caribbean themed hotel features 284 guest rooms mixed between the standard guest rooms and Jacuzzi suites each featuring the Sleep Number bed by Select Comfort. The hotel is pet friendly and is also certified green by Green Lodging Florida.

The lush tropical landscape of the resort is home to a family of parrots. They have come to enjoy the landscape that provides tranquility to the guest relaxing by the waterfall pool. The pool has a separate kiddie pool and a poolside tiki bar to keep everyone entertained.

The Flamingo Restaurant features a full menu and a breakfast buffet. There is also a video game room, cocktail lounge, laundry, business center and fitness center to round out the many amenities of the resort.

One of the best features of the hotel is its close proximity to Port Canaveral. The resort offers a park and ride special which allows cruise passengers to book a room at the resort and then leave there vehicle in the parking lot while they are transported to and from the ship. This is a great feature because it guarantees you will be in town before the cruise and avoid missing the ship plus the added bonus of saving on the $15 a day parking at the port.

With its location and comfort of the rooms, the Radisson Resort at the Port is a great place to anchor the family vacation.

Kennedy Space Center: Visitor Complex

Titusville, Florida: When most people think of tourist attractions in Central Florida, they immediately think of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and Sea World. But tucked away on the Atlantic Coast is one of the area’s premier sites, the Kennedy Space Center. The Visitor Complex at the center entertains over a million visitor’s a year wanting an inside look at our space program.

Operated by Delaware North Companies, the visitor complex offers museum exhibits, bus tours and interactive experiences. In addition to the complex, they also operate the Astronaut Hall of Fame adjacent to the Space Center.

The complex features many exhibits once you pass through the admission gates. At the visitor’s complex you can visit:

• Astronaut Encounter; get the opportunity to meet an astronaut from past space missions.
• Astronaut Memorial; dedicated in 1991 the reflective wall displays the names of the astronauts that lost their life during the space program.
• Center for Space Education; a learning center for educators and students.
• Children’s Play Dome; a multi-level play structure for the kids.
• Early Space Exploration; takes a look at the early days of the space program, focusing on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. On display are models of the rockets, space suits, authentic Gemini space capsule and more.
• IMAX Theaters; 2 fully functional IMAX theaters featuring in your face films of the space program on a 5 story tall screen with 3-D video graphics. The theaters are currently showing Walking on the Moon 3-D and Space Station 3-D.
• Launch Status; get briefings on upcoming space shuttle missions.
• NASA Central; real time updates from NASA and upcoming space missions.
• Robot Scouts; learn about how the automated robots aid the space program.
• Rocket Garden; a collection of rockets from the space program including the Delta Rocket, Juno Rocket, Mercury Redstone, Mercury Atlas, Saturn and more. There are also command capsule replicas from the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs that allow guests to witness how tight the capsules were.
• Space Shuttle Plaza; tour a life-sized replica of the space shuttle. Space Shuttle Explorer allows guests to get an inside look at the flight deck and cargo bays. There is also a fuel cell and dual rocket boosters on display here as well.
• Shuttle Launch Experience; experience the sounds and feels of a shuttle launch. Board the simulator and take a ride to space.

Once you have completed the tour of the visitor complex, its time to board the air conditioned buses to the second half of the tour. The regular admission to the visitor complex also includes three stops on the space center.

Stop one of the tour is the LC-39 Observation Gantry. From the elevated gantry provides a view of both launch pads approximately three miles away. It also provides a view of the Vehicle Assembly Building, Crawler way and the vast wilderness of the space complex.

The second stop on the tour is the Apollo/Saturn V Center. As you enter the center, you will witness the launch of an Saturn V rocket from inside the firing room. Once the rocket is airborne, the doors open and you are inside the center. The center features a full sized Saturn V rocket as well as other items from the Apollo era.

The third and final stop of the tour is the International Space Station Center. Here you can watch a brief film on the history of the space station before heading into the processing facility. From a secure observation platform, guests can overlook the clean room where final processing of the space station components are performed on the final stage before being loaded onto the space shuttle. After leaving the observation window, you can walk through replica sections of the space station already assembled before boarding the bus and heading back to the visitor complex.

In addition to the standard tour, they also offer two behind the scenes tours. Discover KSC: Today and Tomorrow Tour takes guests on a tour of the KSC side of the property. The private tour goes through the industrial area, out to the NASA causeway, past the Vehicle Assembly Building and Launch Control Center, a photo stop near the launch pads and a brief visit to the Shuttle Landing Facility. The highlight of the tour is the photo stop between the launch pads and being within a half mile of the shuttle and the launch pad.

The second tour is the Cape Canaveral: Then and Now Tour. The tour takes guests on an inside look at the Cape side of the complex and focuses on the beginnings of the space program and the unmanned rocket programs. The tour features stops at the Launch Complex 5 and 6 where the start of the space exploration began, Launch Complex 34 where Apollo 1 suffered a fatal fire onboard during a training exercise along drives past several more of the launch sites on the Cape. The tour also includes a stop at the Air Force Space and Missile Museum before returning back to KSC and rejoining the public tour at the Saturn V Center.

Through the informative displays and interactive exhibits, the Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex helps bring the space program to life for the average American. As the program continues to evolve throughout the years, the complex will be right there to tell to the story.

For more photos, click on the photo above or visit my Kennedy Space Center photo page.

Day One: Cape Canaveral January 2010 Trip

Titusville, Florida: We hit the road early Saturday morning at 4:30 am heading over to the East Coast of Florida to visit the Kennedy Space Center. This is my first visit to KSC since 1999 and my son’s first trip. He has been fascinated with the space shuttle and with only five remaining missions before retiring the shuttle, there couldn’t have been a better time. We coordinated the trip with the press office of Kennedy Space Center to ensure that a shuttle would be on the launch pad during the visit.

We arrived at the Kennedy Space Center and checked our dogs into the kennel on property. KSC offers a free kennel service for guests visiting the center. We then proceeded to will call to pick up our passes and to purchase an add-on tour. We chose to take the Discover KSC tour, an up-close tour of the space center with a stop at the closest place possible to the launch pad along with other stops along the way.

Our tour boarded at 10:20, so we spent some time touring the visitor’s center. First we hit the Rocket Garden. The Rocket Garden contains many of the famous NASA rockets along with capsules from the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions. We then toured the Early Space Exploration and Nature and Technology buildings. Our son then played on the playground at the Children’s Play Dome.

Before boarding the bus, we went over to the Space Shuttle Plaza and toured the Space Shuttle Explorer. A full size replica of the real thing, we took a look inside the cargo bay and the flight deck to see what the inside of a shuttle looks like. From there we took a walk to the Astronaut Memorial to pay our respects to those who lost their lives while chasing the stars.

It was now 10:20 and we joined our scheduled tour. We boarded the air-conditioned bus and headed to the secure area of the center. The tour began traveling past the industrial area. On the way we passed the Central Instrumentation Facility, the NASA Headquarters Building and the Operations and Checkout Facility. The Operations and Checkout Facility is the location of the crew quarters where the astronauts spend their final days prior to the mission. During this time, the astronauts experience the daily cycle of a 90 day orbit (45 minutes light/45 minutes dark) to help prepare them for their mission. It is here where they gear up for the mission and board the Astrovan enroute to the launch pad on launch day.

The next stop on the tour was the NASA Causeway. We made a photo stop midpoint on the cause way. From here we had a vantage point of the Vehicle Assembly building, Launch Complex 39A with the Space Shuttle Endeavour on the launch pad and the many launch pads on the Cape Canaveral side of the center.

After reboarding the bus, we headed back to the industrial area for a pass through of some of the other buildings in the industrial area. We passed through some of the testing facilities along with a closer look at the Operations and Checkout Building. The building was once used during the Apollo missions to check out the capsules from the missions. It has seen continued use as crew quarters for the space shuttle, but will resume full operations during the Constellation program once the space shuttle is retired.

From the industrial area we headed to the launch pads, taking the route similar to the one taken by the astronauts on launch day. We passed by the massive Vehicle Assembly Building and the LC-39 Observation Gantry enroute to a closer look of the launch pads. We first passed Launch Complex 39B which has been deactivated and has begun being torn down in preparation of the Constellation Project. We then made our way to the Atlantic Ocean over look, the closest we could get to Launch Complex 39A, approximately a half mile away. There on the launch pad sat the Space Shuttle Endeavour ready and waiting for its mission, STS-130. The mission will begin on February 7, 2010 and marks the final night launch of the space shuttle.

After leaving the overlook, we made a brief photo stop at the Vehicle Assembly Building. Its hard to believe that the building is actually the size of a 52 story building. To put it into perspective here are some facts on the American Flag on the side of the building; the stars are six foot each, the blue union is the size of a regulation basketball court and the stripes are large enough for a full size charter bus to drive down the middle of each one. It is from within this massive structure where the shuttle goes vertical and is attached to the fuel cell and rocket boosters before heading out to the launch pad. Behind the VAB, we caught a glimpse of the crawler. These massive machines are responsible for taking the shuttle from the VAB to the launch complex.

The final stop of the up-close tour was the Shuttle Landing facility. The 15,000 foot runway is one of the longest runways in the world. It is the primary landing site for the space shuttle.

This concluded the Discover KSC tour and we joined up with the regular admission tour at the Apollo-Saturn V Rocket Center. As you enter the building, you begin the tour in the firing room. Here you will witness a launch of the Saturn V rocket. Once the go for launch commands have been given the countdown begins and then the rocket launches. Once the launch is completed, the doors opened and we were in the center. The highlight of the center was the full sized Saturn V rocket that stretched most of the building. We toured the exhibits and then ate lunch at the Moon Rock Café.

We then boarded the bus enroute to the final stop of the day, the International Space Station Center. We went to the overlook at the processing center and saw the space station components ready to be loaded onto Space Shuttle Endeavour. Afterwards we returned to the entrance and walked through the replica of the actual space station. We then took the bus back to the visitors center, picked up the dogs and headed to the hotel for the evening.

We checked into our hotel, the Radisson Resort at the Port in Cape Canaveral. The Radisson resort is just steps away from the cruise port and the cruise ships there were a giant tease. We made our way to the room and unloaded the truck.

Then we headed over to the port to watch the cruise ships depart for their cruises. We found a good spot at a county park alongside the port. From the shoreline we watched Carnival Dream and Disney Magic embark on their Caribbean cruises, wishing we were onboard and heading to the warmer waters.

We then hopped back into the truck and headed down A1A to explore the island. We made a stop at the beach in Cocoa Beach before driving further south. We made it as far south as Melbourne Beach before turning back north and heading to dinner. We had dinner at Durango’s and then retired for the night back at the hotel.

Day Three: Universal Orlando January 2010 Trip

Orlando, Florida: We woke up to some classic Florida sunshine, maybe the cold weather was a nightmare, until I stepped outside and realized it was still cold. While we no longer had any precipitation, we now had a cold northern wind to deal with. When we woke up, it was 33 degrees with a wind chill on 21.

We had breakfast at the hotel in the Islands Dining Room. The Islands has a daily breakfast buffet that was really good. The buffet features an omelet/egg station, pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausage, fresh fruits, pasties, breads and more. There was something for everyone in the family.

After breakfast, we planned on heading out to the parks again. However the wind chill combined with the cold and soggy conditions from yesterday, we decided to take a pass of the theme parks. So we packed up the truck and headed back home.

The trip was a nice last minute decision. The weather sucked, but we knew that heading in and planned accordingly. It reiterated the reason why I no longer live in Pennsylvania, I hate the winter weather. But it was worth it, my wife and son got to experience the sleet/snow/cold rain mix I have come to dread. However it may not seem as worth it once the pneumonia sets in later this week. It did feel weird driving home on Interstate 4 through Central Florida with the traffic warning boards saying “Icy Roads Reported Ahead”, haven’t seen that in over 12 years.

But the park was great. I really can’t wait to head back once its warmer out. We missed out on a bunch of fun rides because of the weather. Plus in the spring, Islands of Adventure is opening up an entire island focused on the Harry Potter movies. The replica of Hogwarts Castle already towered over the Lost Continent section of the park, adding to the anticipation of the land. You can count on us heading up there to check it out when it opens.

Universal Studios Florida: World Expo

Orlando, Florida: Located towards the back of the park, the World Expo is home to one of the parks newer attractions. The land gets its look from the world expositions of the past and combines it with modern architecture.

The first of the two rides in the land is Men In Black: Alien Attack. Opened in 2000, the attraction is made to look like a pavilion for the 1967 World Expo. Inside you join Will Smith and Rip Torn as they bring you inside the MIB training facility and then put you a training simulation. You board your specially designed vehicles and given laser guns and on the training mission you go. Then you hit the alien packed street with one mission, shoot the most aliens. A score is kept and at the end guests can compare their scores with the high scores from the past years.

The other ride located here is the Simpsons Ride. While it is one of the newest rides in the park, it takes the place of the Back to the Future ride which was housed here previously from 1991-2007. The Simpsons ride opened in 2008 and is based on the long running FOX cartoon. The motion simulator ride takes guests on a journey through Krustyland, but the journey goes wrong at the hands of Sideshow Bob. The six minute ride features an 80 foot IMAX screen and state of the art ride cars to make the ride come to life.

The International Food and Film Festival is the only food venue located here in the World Expo. The counter-service restaurant features meals from American, Asian and Italian cuisine.

There are several themed shops located at the World Expo. They are:
• Kwik-E-Mart: themed after the famed store from the Simpsons and features Simpsons gear.
• MIB Gear: locate at the exit to the Men In Black ride features gadgets toys and apparel based on the movie.

For more photos, click on the photo above or visit my World Expo photo page.

Islands of Adventure: The Lost Continent

Orlando, Florida: The Lost Continent is where the mythical legends and folklore of the past meet with the Universal Orlando of the present. The island is home to one of Islands of Adventure world class roller coaster, Dueling Dragons. It is also the site of the Mythos restaurant, a top runner for best theme park restaurant.

As you enter the island from Jurassic Park, you first encounter the Flying Unicorn. The family coaster is set inside an enchanted forest. As the story goes, a wizard found the horn of a unicorn and used it to create the ride. Riders then board the unicorn cars and take a ride around the track, reaching speeds of almost 30 miles per hour and hitting a height of 42 feet.

Then we have the major attraction of the islands, one of the parks major roller coasters, Dueling Dragons. The dueling inverted coasters take riders on a battle between the Fire & Ice Dragons as they come within inches of each other several times along the way. The dragons reach speeds of almost 60 miles per hour while featuring 5 inversions each. Neither track is the same, offering a unique experience on each train.

Next we approach one of the two live action shows on the island. The Eight Voyage on Sindbad is a stunt show follows Sindbad and his comical sidekick Kabob on a mission to rescue the princess. Along the way, they encounter battles with the evil sorceress Miseria and her evil accomplices. The show takes place inside a 1,750 person open air amphitheater and features great stunts and special effects.

The last attraction of the Lost Continent is another live action show, Poseidon’s Fury. Travel with your guide into the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon. Deep inside the temple, you find yourself in the middle of a battle between Poseidon and Lord Darkenon. The two nemesis exchange fireballs and water explosions as you are stuck in the middle. At one point during the show, guest walk through water as Poseidon parts the water to create a tunnel for the guests to pass through.

In addition to the rides and shows, the Lost Continent is also home to Mythos. Mythos is one of two full service restaurants in Islands of Adventure. It serves a menu consisting of seafood, pasta, pizza and more. Mythos has been voted the World’s Best Theme Park Restaurant for the last six years in a row.

In addition to Mythos, the Lost Continent also features the following restaurants:
• Fire Eater’s Grill; gyros, chicken fingers, hot dogs and more.
• The Frozen Desert; ice cream and sundaes.

The Lost Continent also contains the following shops:
• The Coin Mart; hand made coins and medallions.
• Historic Families; research your family history and create a coat of arms.
• The Pearl Factory; select your oyster and get its pearl or purchase pearl jewelry.
• Star Souls; physic readings.
• Treasures of Poseidon; jewelry apparel, purses and more.

The Lost Continent began undergoing dramatic changes when Universal Orlando announced an expansion to the Islands of Adventure theme park. The new land, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” was announced and construction began in the Lost Continent area of the park. The new area will have a replica of Hogwarts Castle and many other attractions inspired by the series of novels. As part of the expansion, both the Dueling Dragons and Magical Unicorn will be rebranded to fit in with the Harry Potter theme. The expansion is projected to open in Spring 2010.

For more photos, click on the photo above or visit my Lost Continent photo gallery.

Day Two: Universal Orlando January 2010 Trip

Orlando, Florida: Early morning wake-up courtesy of a black lab that needed a potty walk. As I reached the end of the doorway and step outside to the pet park, I was slapped in the face by the cold air. A little to cold for the t-shirt and shorts I was wearing since I was too lazy to put on pants and a jacket since I was only planning on being outside for a few minutes. As I left the covering of the dense foliage, I began being pelted by sleet pellets….mission accomplished, my wife gets to see winter precipitation.

I went back into the hotel and woke her up to go outside and take a look at the falling frozen stuff. She woke up our son and they both went out to see the rare Floridian flakes.

We then drove into International Drive for breakfast at the Word’s largest McDonald’s Play Place. The two story McDonald’s features arcade games, two bowling alley lanes and an improved menu featuring the normal favorites plus omelets, paninis and more prepared by a chef. After breakfast we headed up to the second floor to play a few arcade games. While we were up there playing games, the sleet with an occasional flurry or two continued to fall.

After breakfast we headed back to the hotel to get ready to go brave the cold and visit the parks. We hopped aboard the shuttle boat and took the brief boat ride into the theme parks. We picked up our tickets and heading to Islands of Adventure.

This was the first time we have been to Universal since January 2006…much warmer then I might add, so much for Al Gore and his global warming scam. I was excited since my son was finally tall enough to begin riding some of the rides.

Many of the rides at the park were non-operational due to the mixed precipitation that continued to fall. But we did managed to get a few rides in, we rode The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Pteranodon Flyers and the Cat in the Hat, each of the several times. After we completed the circle around the park, we headed over to Universal Studios.

Universal Studios had more guests since the majority of the attractions. We circled the park, riding Shrek 4-D, ET Adventure, The Simpson Ride and Men In Black: Aliens Attack. After the rides, we stopped for lunch at Richter’s Burger Company where we had the Aftershock double cheeseburgers for lunch. Following lunch we headed back to the hotel to thaw out.

When we finally warmed up, we hit the road again, this time heading for Downtown Disney. We had intentions of eating at T-Rex café, but the large lines out in the cold kept us from doing that. So we went and browsed through the Lego store before leaving Downtown Disney.

Since dinner at Downtown Disney did not work out for us, we decided that we would head to one of our favorite Universal Orlando dinner spots. Sal’s Market Deli located in the Portofino Bay Hotel is one of our favorite places. The deli looks like a lunch deli from Italy and features pizza and Italian sandwiches. My son and I shared a pizza while my wife had a Toscana sandwich.

Following dinner, we headed back to the Royal Pacific Resort to call it a day and stay out of the cold. Temperatures were dropping into the upper twenty’s on their way to a record low of 26, defiantly a reason to stay in for the rest of the night.

Royal Pacific Resort: Amenities

Orlando, Florida: Although the Royal Pacific Airlines dreams of a South Pacific getaway may be a dream of the past, the amenities of the Royal Pacific Resort are still a hit with guests staying at the Universal Orlando resort.

The resort features a lagoon style swimming pool that surrounds the waterfront side of the property. The pool features a sandy beach and Royal Bali, an interactive play area for the kids. There is even a poolside bar that features drinks and a limited menu of food. The staff also hosts dive-in movies on select nights of the week where guests can swim in the pool and watch a movie at the same time.

For those looking for activities, the resort features several gaming areas. On the outside there is a croquet lawn, shuffleboard court and a sand volleyball court. Inside there is an arcade featuring many of the arcade favorites. Off-site, the resort has paired with Orlando area golf courses to provide a golfing package for its guests.

If you are looking to continue your workout routine while on vacation, the Royal Pacific Resorts has choices for that also. The Gymnasium is a 5,000 square foot fitness center featuring state of the art equipment. If the treadmill isn’t for you, there are even walking and jogging paths throughout the property.

There is even a kids club for the kids. The Mariners Club is a supervised activity center that is open for the children of the resort. The staff on hand provides activities to entertain the kids while the parents get some alone time.

Keeping with the South Pacific theme, the resort features a torch lighting ceremony with fire dancers and the famous Wantilan Luau. The luau takes play every Saturday throughout the year and Tuesday during the season. The luau features tradition South Pacific entertainment with hula dancers, fire dancers and knife twirlers along side a buffet of South Pacific cuisine.

The many amenities offered at the Royal Pacific Resort adds to the overall Universal Orlando experience. With so much to do at the resort, some guests may have a hard time leaving the resort and heading to the theme parks.

For photos from the resort, click on the photo above or visit my Royal Pacific Resort photo page.

Day One: Universal Orlando January 2010 Trip

Orlando, Florida: Earlier in the week, the National Weather Service predicted winter precipitation for the state of Florida for the weekend. Being a native Floridian, the news of this excited my wife and she couldn’t wait for the possibility of seeing snow. However been through it a hundreds times growing up in Pennsylvania, I wasn’t thrilled and was thinking about packing up and heading further south.

But as any good husband would do, I put aside my hatred of winter weather and focused on giving my wife the best chance to see the wintry mix without breaking the bank. So I did some research and browsed the weather sites and learned the best bet to see snow would be the Central Florida area. Our hometown of North Port would be too warm when the moisture came through and it was only going to be a cold rain. Jacksonville, Gainesville and the panhandle were predicted to be cold enough but the rain line had already moved through. So the best place looked like Central Florida, the cold front and precipitation line were going to arrive at about the same time.

So I made a few phone calls to look for a good deal on a hotel room. While the priority was to let the wife see some snow, I thought it would be best to work a theme park visit in with the trip so it was a win-win for the whole family. With the Walt Disney World Marathon taking place this weekend, we took a pass on WDW. Then we got a good price on a last minute room at Universal Orlando’s Royal Pacific Resort.

When my wife picked me up from work, I told her my idea and she agreed with the plans. So we headed home to pack some clothes, load up the dogs and hit the road for the three hour drive to Orlando.

We arrived at the Royal Pacific Resort around 8:30 and checked into our pet friendly room. This is one of my favorite things about the Loews Hotel Group is that all of their resorts are pet friendly and they allow your pet to stay with you inside your guestroom for only a $25 one-time room cleaning fee. A great deal over leaving the dogs at the kennel for the weekend. This is the third time we have stayed at the Royal Pacific; our honeymoon in 2003, Christmas 2005 and now.

We moved our suitcases into the room and retired for the night….temperature at bedtime, 45 degrees.