Monday, June 16, 2008

Busch Gardens Safari

"The safari was great. We got to see a baby rhino- just three weeks old.It was playing and looked remarkably like a puppy. Feeding the giraffes was real nice too. Yes, I already knew they were big but it was striking to feed & touch an animal that big." ~Keith









Thursday, June 12, 2008

Get the "Sheikra" scared out of you!!

The Brady Family braving "Sheikra"

Golf Event

Keith surrounded by fellow CFVRMA board members

"Disney World invited us to golf on The Palm Course, the one the PGA Tour is on - beautiful!" ~Keith

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

"Sounds Like Summer" Concert Series

This summer from June 9, 2008 - August 10, 2008 Epcot will be hosting the "Sounds Like Summer" series at the America Gardens Theater. The series will include bands covering the songs of U2, The Eagles, Bon Jovi and more! These concerts are included with your Epcot admission and are the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy the summer evenings. The America Gardens Theater is an outdoor pavillion located in the World Showcase. There will be 3 shows nightly at 5:15pm, 6:30pm and 7:45pm.

Scheduled Performers Include:

June 9-15: 2U, The U2 Tribute Band

June 16-22: Stayin' Alive, A Tribute to the Bee Gees

June 23-29: Hotel California, A Salute to the Eagles

June 30- July 10: Bjorn Again, A Tribute to ABBA

July 11-20: Slippery When Wet, The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute

July 21-27: 52nd Street, A Tribute to Billy Joel

July 28-August 3: Captain Fantastic, A Tribute to Elton John

August 4-10: The Sounds of The Supremes

Be sure to take a break, rest those tired feet and check out these rockin' bands during your visit!

Monday, June 2, 2008

SeaWorld Orlando Announces New Mega-Attraction Coming In 2009 - Manta, Ride The Flying Ray

ORLANDO Fla. (May 29, 2008) -- SeaWorld Orlando announced today the next generation of SeaWorld thrills with Manta -- a new mega-attraction which will seamlessly transition guests from the awe of encountering rays in underwater flight… into the sensation of actually being one. Swooping over sea and sky, Manta will inspire riders with amazing underwater animal habitats, then soar them face-down, in a horizontal position, aboard a manta-inspired flying coaster. Manta opens summer 2009.
The Manta flying coaster will create a new level of immersion into the animal world -- in a way only SeaWorld can do -- enveloping riders in a sensation of oneness with the ocean’s most powerful and graceful creature as they soar, dive and plummet through the air.. and at times within inches of the sea.
The journey begins the second guests enter a mythical village filled with artisan-created engravings and artwork that celebrate ray legend and lore. No ordinary queue line – the attraction starts with the first step inside. Anticipation builds as guests wind through caverns adorned with ray-inspired art in marble, jewels, and mosaics, all hand-created and left behind by artists who were moved to pay tribute to the beauty, grace and intrigue of these animals.
Whether guests choose to ride or not, the attraction is a world unto itself. Floor-to-ceiling windows create mesmerizing face-to-fin encounters with 300 rays, as well as thousands of fish and mysterious creatures native to oceans all over the world. Shark rays, spotted eagles rays, leopard rays, cownose rays, and oscillate river rays float past guests with fluidity and grace in a view new to SeaWorld. Enhancing the feeling of awe, elaborate lighting, sound and rushing waterfalls further submerge guests into this underwater universe.
The experience then evolves from seeing ... to being.
Inspired by the underwater flight of these powerful creatures, guests will fly face-down, in a horizontal position, underneath the belly of a coaster train shaped as a giant manta. With a wing span of 12 feet, the giant manta will soar over sea and sky in the most graceful flying coaster ever created.
Gliding, swooping and diving up to nearly 60 mph, through four inversions on 3,359 feet of track, riders will feel as if they are a ray, taking flight effortlessly from sky to sea -- so close at times that the Manta’s wings skim the waves.
“This ride is uniquely SeaWorld,” said Dan Brown, Vice President and General Manager of SeaWorld Orlando. “SeaWorld is famous for connecting guests with the sea and its amazing creatures, and Manta does this in a way that has never been done before, creating a true sense of oneness between human and animal.
“The sensation of Manta also will be like none other in the world – guests will be inspired by the grace and power of live rays, then feel as if they, themselves, are gliding through air and water,” said Joseph Couceiro, Chief Marketing Officer for SeaWorld’s parent company, Busch Entertainment Corporation. “No one but SeaWorld can unite thrills and ocean animals into such a unique experience.”
The 7-acre, 140-ft tall attraction will be located inside the main entrance to SeaWorld, and become an icon in the park with its unique design. Towering over SeaWorld’s 200-acres, the manta-themed coaster – cloaked in hues of dark purple, ultramarine blue, and cobalt – will lure guests into the world of the mysterious ray.
SeaWorld is working with the renowned Swiss coaster design company, Bolliger & Mabillard for the design of Manta.

Source: http://www.seaworld.com/sitepage.aspx?PageID=44