Orlando Monthly Happenings on I-Drive! - What's Making News on International Drive...March 2010

ORLANDO, FL. (March 2010) – It is a new year! What better time to plan an exciting vacation or spring escape to the world’s most exciting destination! The I-Drive area is one of the most popular travel spots for visitors looking for great weather, award-winning attractions, resorts, restaurants and shopping venues. Plan to enjoy the ride and give the car a rest when you hop onboard the convenient and fun I-Ride Trolley Service that allows visitors to save $$$ on gas. With more than 30,000 accommodations from budget to luxury, vacationers soon discover why I-Drive is Orlando’s Most Dynamic Destination! For vacation planning information, hot deals, discount coupons and reservations go to: www.InternationalDriveOrlando.com.

Visitors looking for spring will find inspiration at the Central Florida Home & Garden Show March 19-21, Hall North B in the Orange County Convention Center’s North/South complex off Universal Boulevard. The premier home improvement event boasts the area’s largest selection of the latest products and services for virtually every area of the home, indoors and out, all under one roof.

The show will also be blooming with expert tips and new products and services. Presentations will include Orlando’s popular expert green thumb, Tom MacCubbin on Friday only; a Disney Floral & Gifts demonstration inspired by the Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival; Karina Veaudry from the Florida Native Plant Society; The Gourmet Gardener and organic container gardening expert Barbara Baker; and The Landscape Renovator Andy Robinson. The University of Central Florida Arboretum will present a 1,500-square-foot wholesale garden center with plants on sale, and guests can stroll through more than 6,000 square feet of spectacular gardens.

Attendees will have the opportunity to shop, compare and save at more than 400 exhibits with the industry’s hottest products and services for home and garden, plus compete in contests, register to win prizes and much more. Show hours are Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m, and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are available at the door, and are $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12, and free for children 5 and under. Seniors (60 and over) are $5 on Friday only. Advance tickets can be purchased online for a $3 discount off full-price $10 admission at www.FloridaHomeShows.com. For information call 1-877-871-7469.

For the first time, the public will be able to see the Little Haiti House, a low-cost, eco-friendly, earthquake- and hurricane-resistant home developed for use in Haiti by Orlando hotelier Harris Rosen. Attendees may walk through the 36’ x 12’ model home and see how renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, as well as plant-based fuels, make this a smart and affordable solution to Haiti’s rebuilding effort. Donations will also be accepted, with 100 percent of contributions going directly to the Rosen Haiti Relief Fund.

Guests can also see the house and support the Relief Fund while sampling gourmet cuisine on Saturday, March 20 from 6-9 p.m. during a special after-hours fundraising event, “Rosen Hotels’ Homeowners for Haiti.” For just $25, which includes free admission to the show, guests can sample a mix of sweet and savory dishes from the award-winning Rosen Hotels’ restaurants, including Jack’s Place at Rosen Plaza, Everglades at Rosen Centre and A Land Remembered and Cala Bella Italian bistro at Rosen Shingle Creek. Complimentary wine and non-alcoholic beverages are also included. This first-of-its-kind event was created specifically to benefit the victims of the Haiti earthquake through the Rosen Haiti Relief Fund. Tickets for this special event are limited and must be purchased in advance online. To purchase, go to www.FloridaHomeShows.com and enter in the special code, HAITIHOUSE.

Sleuth's Mystery Dinner Theatre presents "I Hate Hamlet", a comedy by Paul Rudnick. The show, part of the Sleuth Theatre's "It's No Mystery!" series, will be performed on Thursdays and Saturdays through March 6 at 8:30 p.m. www.sleuths.com; 407-363-1985.

CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort is opening a 54,000 square-foot canopy covered water park with three water slides and an interactive play island. The 392-room hotel will be located on International Drive and grand opening rates will range from $99 - $149 per room, per night. 407-506-4317.

Aquatica will open a new water slide in March. The slide, called Omaka Rocka, is a high-speed tube ride with near-vertical thrills, which will give riders a sense of weightlessness. www.AquaticabySeaWorld.com. 407-351-3600.

Set to open this spring, the new land is previewed on the new "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" Blu-ray and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD. The sneak peek featurette contains never before seen footage including new details about the ride experiences and dining options at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and interviews shot on location with stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, who star in the Harry Potter films. www.UniversalOrlando.com. 407-363-8000.

Orange County Convention Center has been named the host facility for Lucasfilm, Ltd.'s 2010 Star Wars Celebration V event. The event is scheduled for Aug. 12 – 15, 2010 and feature discussion panels, live entertainment, autograph signings, cast and crew from the six-part film series and sneak peaks at the future of Star Wars franchise. Tickets are $120 for a four-day pass, three-day passes for $45 and one-day passes for $50. www.Starwarscelebration.com. 888-334-8719.

The I-Ride Trolley Service operates 15 trolleys with service from 8 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. daily. Costs: Single fare, $1.25 per ride; senior fare 65 and over, .25 cents per ride. Children under 12 ride free when accompanied by a paying adult. Unlimited ride passes are available: (one-day pass, $4.00 per person); (three-day pass, $6.00 per person); (five-day pass, $8.00 per person); (seven-day pass, $10.00 per person) (fourteen-day pass, $17.00 per person). Each I-Ride Trolley seats 54 riders plus two wheelchair positions and an ADA-specified hydraulic lift system.

ICEBAR Orlando now offers Wine Down Sundays every Sunday evening from 7 p.m. until midnight. The event features wine and cocktail specials, as well as live music by local jazz icon, Johnny Mag, in ICEBAR's Fire Lounge. Admission to ICEBAR is $19.95 and includes the use of thermal gear for the 27 degree Fahrenheit environment for 45 minutes. Admission to the Fire Lounge is free. www.Icebarorlando.com. 407-426-7555.

Banshoo Sushi is open at the Rosen Centre Hotel. The restaurant offers an inventive selection of six sashimi and seafood presentations; nine Nigiri sushi and sashimi selections and 12 signature rolls by 20-year sushi expert, Chef Tadayoshi "Yoshi" Kohazame. www.rosencentre.com. 407-996-9840.

Prime Outlets Orlando opened Vinito Tuscan Tavern. The new 400-seat eatery touts a menu of Italian dishes created by concept chef, Raffaelle Marsilio. The restaurant features a semi-private dining area with two tables. wwwvinitousa.com. 407-354-0404.

Be in Havana by dinnertime! Visit the new Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, located in Pointe Orlando, for award-winning Latin cuisine, dancing, floorshows and not-to-be-missed tropical cocktails! Cuba Libre features a contemporary interpretation of traditional Cuban cuisine and a broad base of authentic Cuban cocktails. www.cubalibrerestaurant.com/orlando_index.php. 407-226-1600.

The Orlando Science Center presents The Festival of Chocolate weekend March 6 -7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival will feature chocolate tastings, a creative workshop for kids, educational chocolate museum and more. Admission is included in Orlando Science Center ticket price, which is $17 for adults and $12 for children. www.festivalofchocolate.com. 407-514-2000.

Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Garden will host the museum's annual three-concert music serious featuring internationally acclaimed violin/viola player, Ayako Yonetani, and a variety of other guest instrumentalists. The concerts will be held in the salon of the Polasek residence March 14, 2010. Tickets are $30 per concert or $80 for the series. www.polasek.org. 407-647-6294.

The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art announces the return of "Friday Nights at the Morse," which features a lineup of live music, art demonstrations and family tours. Through April 2010, the museum is open until 8 p.m. on Friday nights with free admission after 4 p.m. www.Morsemuseum.org. 407-645-5311.

The Orlando Arts Getaway program launched the Loch Haven Cultural Pass, which includes admission to the Orlando Science Center, Orlando Museum of Art and the Mennello Museum of American Art for 20 percent off of the regular adult and children admission prices. In addition, American Coach is offering a discounted round-trip transportation ticket from International Drive to Loch Haven Park with the purchase of the Loch Haven Cultural Pass. Each Cultural Pass is valid for 14 days from the purchase date and costs $25 for adults and $15 for children. American Coach transportation tickets are $10 for adults and $7.50 for children. www.redchairproject.com. 407-872-2382.

Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College is featuring three new exhibitions in its Spring 2010 Collection. "Wonderful and Curious"is a natural history collection expanded to include many artifacts owned by former president of the university, Hamilton Holt; "Man and the Machine"features propaganda posters from the Stalin regime; and "Out of the Shadow"features works from 19th-century American women. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday 10- 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 12 - 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and free for college students and children. www.rollins.edu/cfam. 407-646-2526.

Orlando hotelier Harris Rosen was recently honored with a Legacy Award, Sustainable Florida's highest honor, during the organization’s 11th Annual Best Practices Awards held at Rosen Shingle Creek. Sustainable Florida is a public-private alliance of organizations and businesses that promote sustainable best management practices - those which protect and preserve Florida's environment while building markets for Florida's businesses by enhancing their competitive advantages today through collaborative educational efforts throughout Florida. To learn more about the Rosen properties and to schedule a site visit, call 407-996-9939.

The Peabody Orlando, Rosen Plaza Hotel, Rosen Centre Hotel and Rosen Shingle Creek have received Meetings & Conventions magazine's prestigious Gold Key Award, designating them as outstanding meeting properties. Additionally, Rosen Centre Hotel earned the Gold Platter award for its excellence in food and beverage, while Rosen Shingle Creek received one of the meetings industry's most prestigious awards, Golf Platter "Elite" status, which is given only to the top five convention hotel catering departments in the United States.

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando has been named one of the top 500 hotels in the world by the team of reporters and editors at Travel and Leisure magazine. www.universalorlando.com/portofino.

The Peabody Orlando hotel has earned its 11th Inner Circle Award from Association Meeting Magazine. Winners of the award are chosen by association meeting planners that read the publication and are graded on the hotel's food and beverage service, guest and meeting room quality, catering and convention services, and audiovisual and technical support at meetings. Currently, the Peabody is undergoing a $450 million expansion set for a 2010 completion that will double its guest rooms to 1,681 and add 210,000 square feet of flexible multi-use space.

Launched in March 2004, the Green Lodging Program establishes environmental guidelines for hotels and motels to conserve natural resources and prevent pollution. After receiving the designation, hotels are recommended to companies and trade organizations seeking environmentally conscious lodging facilities. www.dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging.

More Green… The Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) is the first in the country to receive certification for its recycling efforts. Recognized for recycling 40 percent of its waste, the center also uses reclaimed water for all of its landscape irrigation, has energy-efficient motors to power fountain pumps and has a control system to regulate air-conditioning and lighting levels. Hosting 300 events, shows and meetings a year, the OCCC is the second largest convention center in the U.S. www.occc.net.

Rosen Hotels & Resorts has purchased a 25-acre parcel of land to build an additional 300- to 500-unit villa property at Rosen Shingle Creek. The addition will expand the hotel to close to 2,000 guest rooms and will feature a pool, restaurant, private check-in and registration desk, a private club house and private meeting space. www.rosenhotels.com. 866-337-6736.

Hilton Orlando opened its 1,400-room hotel. With more than 200,000 square feet of meeting space, the hotel also offers two pools, a lazy river, a nine-hole executive golf course, a full-service spa and basketball, tennis and bocce courts. This is the first hotel to provide a covered, open-air walkway to the Orange County Convention Center. www.Orlando.hilton.com. 407-313-4300.

The International Plaza Resort & Spa has officially become DoubleTree Resort Orlando-International Drive. The resort has received a $35 million makeover of guest rooms, the lobby and hotel amenities including the pool, restaurants and meeting space. www.Orlandointernationaldrive.doubletree.com. 407-352-1100.

The Quality Inn Plaza has completed an eight million dollar renovation. All 1,020 guest rooms received a make-over including new bathroom tile, granite-topped vanities, carpeting, window treatments, new lighting fixtures, pillow-topped mattresses and a complete furniture package. The property also received a new brick paver entrance and all new furniture at the hotel's three outdoor pools. www.qualityinnplaza.com.

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando unveiled six Dr. Seuss-themed suites. The two-room suites feature a king bedroom for adults and two twin-sized beds in the children’s room. The suites are decorated with blue carpet, a montage of bright colors and famous Dr. Seuss characters, such as the Cat in the Hat, Horton and the Grinch. www.loewshotels.com or 407-363-8000.

The Point Orlando Resort, a new luxury condo-hotel, has opened with 144 suites. The contemporary European-designed property is located on International Drive near the Orange County Convention Center. Amenities include complimentary continental breakfast, Internet and local calls, a business center, fitness room and poolside Jacuzzi. www.thepointorlando.com. 407-956-2000 (public)

Westin Imagine is the area’s newest Florida art-deco style hotel and includes 315 guest rooms and one and two bedroom suites. All guest rooms and one bedroom suites are furnished with kitchenettes while all two bedroom suites have full kitchens. With over 7,100- square-feet of state-of the-art conference and meeting space facilities, meeting attendees will enjoy professionally planned banquet and catering events. WestinWORKOUT® helps guests maintain individual wellness while away on business or pleasure. The Westin Imagine Orlando is located directly across from the North/South Concourse of the Orlando Orange Convention Center on Universal Boulevard. www.westinimagineorlando.com. 1-800-327-2424.

Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando has opened Jurassic Park-themed kid’s suites and completed a $10 million room renovation. The new Jurassic Park suites include raptor’s cage headboards, custom wall murals, artwork from the making of the movies and Jurassic Park-themed furniture. The hotel has also completed renovations on all guest rooms and suites in a design motif that reflects the charm of the South Pacific. Technology upgrades include the addition of iHome clock radios with iPod docking stations and the installation of 32-inch (81-centimeter) flat-panel televisions. www.loewshotels.com. 407-503-3000.

New at Prime Outlets International Orlando, Red Brick Pizza and Magic Nails & Day Spa. Enjoy gourmet fire roasted pizza at Red Brick Pizza. Relax with a manicure or pedicure at Magic Nails & Day Spa. www.primeoutlets.com.

Universal Studios Florida opened Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, an innovative roller coaster reaching speeds of 65 mph. The coaster gives guests the opportunity to select a soundtrack to ride along with from 30 popular songs spanning five genres of music with the option to take home a music video of their experience. www.universalorlando.com. 407-363-8000.

SeaWorld Orlando opened a new show, A'Lure, The Call of the Ocean, an aquatic tapestry combing powerful athleticism, high-energy acrobats and mesmerizing electronic visuals. The 30-minute production takes guests on an enchanting journey through the ocean's depths and mysteries, telling the tale of the Sea Sirens, whose hypnotic calls have lured fishermen into their underwater lairs for centuries. www.seaworld.com/orlando.

Magical Midway on International Drive introduces a new tower thrill ride known as the StarFlyer. The only tower ride of its kind in the United States, this almost $2 million dollar unique attraction stands 256 feet tall and illuminates in the evening. Visitors board the StarFlyer on an 18-foot high platform and are seated in a chair like swing. The ride accommodates 18 passengers with 6 single seats and 6 double seats. The chair seats are attached vertically by chains to the star shaped center car, which revolves up the tower on its own axis making the seats fly through the air at 54mph reaching heights of over 230 feet. The StarFlyer provides visitors a phenomenal view of Orlando and exhilarating experience for the entire family. 407-370-5353. www.magicalmidway.com.

Universal Orlando Resort will partner with Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. to create a Harry Potter themed environment based on the bestselling books by J.K. Rowling and blockbuster feature films. Titled “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” the new 20-acre (8-hectare) area will become part of Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park. The new land based on J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series will to be located in Universal's Islands of Adventure. After entering through the Hogsmeade archway, guests can experience shops and dining featured in the books. The land will also incorporate several rides including "Dragon Challenge," a twin high-speed roller coaster, "Flight of the Hippogriff," a family coaster and "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey," an attraction bringing the world of Harry Potter to life using new and advanced technology. "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" is set to open in spring 2010. www.UniversalOrlando.com. 407-363-8000.

AirTran Airways has new flights arriving into Orlando International Airport: Daily nonstop flights from Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS), increased service from Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and a new service from Key West International Airport (EYW). In other news, Air Tran and the Orlando Magic will launch Magic 1, a custom painted Boeing 717 in team colors, blue, black and silver, which will operate across the company's network of more than 60 destinations. www.Airtran.com. 800-247-8726.

Orlando International Airport is the only airport in the state to offer an onsite walk-in urgent care. Solantic, a leading provider of walk-in urgent care across Florida, offers travelers an option to going to an emergency room while on vacation. Open daily from 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. www.solantic.com. 321-319-0349.

Also new…A new food court includes Burger King, Ruby Tuesday, Macaroni Grill and more. Airside 3 renovation has skylights, additional windows, marble floor and complimentary Wi-Fi and Samsung mobile charging stations. A new Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS) installation allows passengers to use one kiosk to check-in for multiple airline flights. www.orlandoairports.net. 407-825-2001.