logo ×

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The latest new Harry Potter Adventure!  Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Ride is opening at Universal on June 13th.

The latest addition to the World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure is sure to delight coaster freaks and Harry Potter fans alike.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike ride boasts some thrilling white-knuckle stats:

* The longest rollercoaster in Florida

* The first coaster in the USA to feature a free-fall vertical drop

* The most launches of any coaster in the world

Fun Fact:  It combines some of the most high-tech animatronics and input from the creative team behind the Harry Potter films.  Universal’s creative team worked with Stuart Craig, the films’ Creative Director and Alan Gilmore, the Art Director.

Immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter

Thanks to this exciting new ride, visitors to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Hogsmeade at the Universal Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando will be ushered into a new world of magical creatures

It’s the first time that visitors to the park will come face to face with one of the series’ best loved characters.  Universal has pulled out all the stops to create its most advanced and realistic animated figure yet.

Fun Fact:  The team worked directly with Robbie Coltrane, the actor who plays Hagrid in the films, to develop facial expressions and body movements for the animated Hagrid figure that introduces visitors to his magical creatures.  New voice recordings by Robbie Coltrane where produced for more authenticity.

Meet the magical creatures of Hagrid and Harry’s world

Enter through Hagrid’s hut prior to venturing on to the abandoned ruins, on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

A pre-ride show featuring digital projection technology will entertain you as you meet Hagrid, Arthur Weasley and Hagrid’s pet – Fang.

You’ll then be able to decide whether to ride Hagrid’s motorbike or travel like Harry in the sidecar alongside.

Buckle up and the ride will plunge deeper into the Forbidden forest – where you’ll meet some of the wizarding world’s rare and wonderful magical creatures.

A rip-roaring ride

It isn’t only magical creatures that will be taking your breath away. Hadrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Ride launches at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.

Fun Fact:  The ride track measures in at 5,053 feet long.  This makes Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Ride the longest roller-coaster in Florida.

The ride includes the first free-fall vertical drop in the USA.  Drop 17 feet vertically down for an adrenaline-spiked, stomach-losing free-fall, before in one movement being catapulted 65 feet into the air at a 70-degree angle and dropping back down again.   A really wild and hair-raising adventure!

Want to live the adventure for yourself?  Book your visit!

Check out our vacation homes near Disney World Orlando:

Ellis Exclusive Villas – Vacation Homes

Read our best-ever hacks for Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure:

Universal Orlando Hacks

Spend the most magical time of year in the most magical place on earth.  Disney World isn’t the only attraction in Central Florida that puts on a show at Christmas.  Here’s our pick of the best attractions this Christmas in Orlando.

 

You can celebrate the holidays in all four of the Disney World Parks.

There are also plenty of special events at Universal’s two Orlando Parks.

Read on for more details.

 

Magic Kingdom: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Orlando Christmas highlights at the Magic Kingdom include:

Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

A Frozen Holiday Wish: Queen Elsa transforms Disney’s Cinderella Castle into a sparkling, icy centrepiece for the celebration.

Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration: a special Christmas show

Find out more.

 

Epcot: International Festival of the Holidays

Orlando Christmas highlights at Epcot include:

Candlelight Processional: Hear the stirring story of Christmas as told by a celebrity narrator, accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and massed choir.

An International Yuletide Extravaganza: enjoy the sights, sounds and flavours of the season with stirring live musical production and international seasonal food and beverage specialties.

JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season: uplifting Gospel, R&B and holidays songs at the Future World Fountain Stage.

Find out more.

 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Flurry of Fun

Orlando Christmas highlights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios include:

Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! A light show spectacular of holiday music, fireworks, special effects and dazzling state-of-the-art projections.

Enhanced Holiday Décor Around Echo Lake, including a giant Christmas tree on the water.

Santa Greetings: visit with Santa Claus from November 9 to December 24, then with Santa Goofy until December 31.

Find out more.

 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

In Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you can see a special show that tells the story of Diwali, the Indian festival of lights.

Find out more.

 

Universal Orlando

Orlando Christmas highlights at the Universal Parks include:

Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Visit both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley which will be transformed with festive décor and special entertainment.

Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s: Merry and Mayhem combine as the Minions join Santa Claus in this Holiday favourite that features characters from Madagascar and Shrek.

 

 

Seuss Landing™ is home to the Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular, a live retelling of Dr. Seuss’s classic holiday tale starring The Grinch™.

Mannheim Steamroller: the best-selling holiday artist returns for live performances on select nights.

Find out more.

 

Celebration

 

The Ellis team love wandering round the boutiques at Celebration. The Christmas décor around this picturesque town will get you in the holiday mood!

Now Snowing: a winter wonderland spectacular featuring strolling Charles Dickens Carollers, photos with Santa, horse drawn carriage rides, train rides and nightly snowfall at 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m.

Skate under the stars on Celebration’s seasonal ice-skating rink

 

Find out more.

 

Come early for some Christmas shopping!

Disney Springs is transformed with holiday décor and Christmas cheer. Enjoying the shops, restaurants and bars at Disney Springs is the perfect prelude to Christmas.

Orlando’s malls are renowned for good reason – whether you are looking for high-end labels or great discounts, there’s something for everyone here. Read our guide to Orlando’s shopping.

Find out more. 

 

 

If you would like to join us for Christmas in Orlando 2019, book your visit now!

 

Check out our vacation homes near Disney World Orlando:

Browse our homes

 

Talk to our ticket partner for the best deal on tickets – guaranteed!

Buy Tickets

 

Read our best-ever hacks for Disney World:

Orlando Hacks

 

The Ellis Exclusive Villas team shares our favourite Disney World top tips. This is everything you need to know about Disney World!

Even experienced Disney visitors will learn something from this collection of our favourite Disney hacks. If you are planning to visit Disney World while staying at one of our Orlando vacation homes, make sure you try these best-ever Disney World Hacks.

Let us guide you step by step through everything you need to know about getting the most from your visit to Disney World Orlando.

#1. Pick your dates wisely

Ticket prices can vary wildly from one month – or day – to the next. Choosing the right dates to go can have a huge impact on your total bill. If you are able to pick your travel dates freely, January and September are usually the cheapest months – and the weather is milder too.

If you are planning a visit to the parks with tiny tots, then make the most of these cheap rates before your toddler reaches school age and you’re constrained to the more expensive school holiday periods.

We really love Dave Shute’s guidance on this and if you’re serious about picking a day with lower footfall highly recommend you visit his site.

#2. Get your ticket from a reputable source

Don’t fall for too-good-to-be-true prices – always get your ticket from a reputable source.

If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. You don’t want to find yourself signed up for a timeshare meeting to get a discount (what a waste of a day’s holiday!) or, worse, turned away at the gates.

#3.Buy your tickets AT LEAST a month before you go so you can use the Fast Pass service

Disney’s Fast Pass Plus will save you lots of time standing in line.

Fast Pass is a free service from Disney. To use it, you need to have Disney tickets.

Then, 30 days before you are due to visit, you can use your Fast Pass to reserve your place in the queue on some of Disney’s most popular rides and attractions.

If there are some rides you don’t want to miss, your Fast Pass is the best way to minimise the time you stand in line for those rides. Simply register online or in the app to book your slot in the queue in advance.

Each guest can reserve their place in the queue for up to three rides or attractions.

You can also use your Fast Pass Plus to book character Meet and Greets too – which is really great if you have toddlers and little ones in your party.

Spend some time thinking about what you want to do, what you don’t want to miss, what is going to make your day special and use of your Fast Pass allocations wisely.

#4. Download the Disney World app

The best source of information before you go is the Disney World app – it includes information about wait times per attraction as well as showtimes for fireworks and parades.

Download the Disney World guest app “My Disney Experience” as soon as you can. The app is available on IoS and Android.

The app is ideal for helping you get familiar with the park layout and services before you arrive.

It also gives you access to the Fast Pass Plus scheme – so you can book your place in the queue for the most popular rides (see item #3). You can access the Fast Pass Plus system from 30 days before your visit. This scheme is one of the best ways to minimise the time you spend in line during your visit – so do make use of it.

#5. Book Disney restaurants and Disney character meet and greets far in advance

Character meet and greets are extremely popular and you need to book them month’s in advance. Don’t leave it to the last minute.

 

#6. When you visit, aim to arrive BEFORE the parks officially open

People don’t usually want to get up early in the morning when they are on vacation so, as a rule, the parks are always quieter first thing in the morning. Aim to arrive even before the official opening time. This enables you to make your way to the gate for “rope drop” and be at the front of the queue!

Magic Kingdom opens an hour before rope drop – so you can spend a little time browsing the stores on Main Street before getting yourself into pole position for opening.

On some days, on some rides, you may even be able to enjoy an attraction before the official opening time.

#7. Early starts don’t have to mean a full day

If you have toddlers in your party, one thing we have found useful over the years is to book a villa just a short drive from the main gate – our homes on Seasons are ideal. This way, you can align your trip perfectly with your toddler’s schedule.

You’ll be used to the early starts with your toddler’s early rises so can arrive at the parks early and make the most of the lighter queues in the mornings. When your little one is ready for their lunchtime nap, escape back to the vacation home for lunch. This will save you a fortune because you can cater for yourself instead of having to pay high restaurant prices in the parks.

 

You can chill by the pool during the heat of the day, then return to the parks fully refreshed in the late afternoon – ready to enjoy the evening fireworks and parades.

Disney can be quite overwhelming, especially on a first visit, so this is one way to reduce the stress and sensory overload on your whole party!

#8. Extra Magic Hours

One way to sneak into the park before anyone else is to stay at a Disney hotel for a night when there are Extra Magic Hours running at the park you want to visit.

On these days, hotel guests can access the park an hour early or stay a couple of hours later than other guests.

A word of warning, however: this is really only useful if you intend to get up an hour earlier and make use of that extra magic hour. What’s more, the parks do tend to be busier on the days when Extra Magic Hours are available.

There is a cheaper and better way to get into the park early which we will explain below.

#9. Time your Disney restaurant bookings and Disney character meet and greets wisely

Rather than checking into a Disney hotel and leaving your villa empty for the night, we recommend saving your money and booking a character breakfast on a day when there are no Extra Magic Hours instead.

Book an early breakfast at Crystal Palace or Cinderella’s Royal Table on a non-EMH morning and you can skip down an empty Main Street USA and pose with characters with hardly any others in the picture.

This is a great treat. Plus, the rest of the day won’t be subject to the extra crowds that seem to materialise on Extra Magic Hours days.

You can also use the Disney app to book restaurants and character meet and greets.

Do book as early as you can because they are popular!

#10. Agree a meeting point

As soon as you enter the park, set a meeting point where all your party can meet up in the event you get separated and your phone batteries die. If nothing else, it’s good for peace of mind.

#11. Your first visit should be to Guest Services if it is a special occasion

On your first visit, birthday, anniversary or special event go to Guest Services as soon as you arrive to pick up a pin badge. Wear your “It’s my birthday today” pin and you’ll be regaled with birthday greetings all day. A little bit of extra Disney magic which makes an occasion or birthday extra special.

If you are going to do this, we recommend an early start because the queue for Guest Services can get long quickly – and early start saves the time you’ll spend in line.

#12. Leave your selfie stick at home

They are not welcome at Disney.

#13. Do pack a poncho

This is our favourite money saving tip. At certain times of year, Florida is known for its flash showers so having a lightweight waterproof is vital.

Plus,  your waterproof poncho will also come in very handy on the water rides!

However, the ponchos you buy in the park are expensive, so if you are trying to save money don’t leave it until you get to Disney World to buy one. Pick them up cheaply from local stores or online before you go.

#14. Make use of the Single Rider and Rider Switch schemes

Just as in Universal, Disney operates a rider swap scheme for parents with young children, so no one has to miss a turn on the ride because they’ve been left holding the baby.

As well as ensuring both Mum and Dad get to turn on the ride, older children in the party can enjoy a second turn without having to return to the back of the line.

Another way to reduce times is to ride as a single rider. This way, you will be seated where there are single seats between large parties. However, you do need to be prepared to ride alone; if you join the Single Rider line with other people in your party, you need to understand that you will be seated separately.

If you are parents visiting with one child who is too small to ride, you can combine Rider Switch with Single Rider and keep your wait times to an absolute minimum.

#15. Keep adding to your Fast Pass Plus selections as you use them

Once you use up your three pre-booked Fast Pass Plus selections, you can add more Fast Pass Plus options through the day (subject to availability). Either use the app or go to one of the Fast Pass Plus kiosks around the park.

Remember, to use the Fast Pass Plus scheme to full advantage, you need to get your Disney tickets well before you travel.

#16. If you don’t mind missing parades or firework shows, this is the time to ride!

The wait times for attractions are usually much lower when there is a parade or show happening.

On nights when there are no evening spectaculars in Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom, you’ll find those parks have shorter waiting times too.

So, provided you don’t mind missing the shows, this can be a great time to get some extra rides in.

If you have little ones in your party or its your first visit, you won’t want to miss these magical events of pure Disney – so position yourself to the beginning of the parade route so you can scoot off once the parade passes and enjoy the short lines!

Word of warning: make sure you are on the right side of the parade route for the attraction you want to ride. There’s no crossing the parade route once it’s started.

#17. Offset your mealtimes

Wait times are often shorter during mealtimes too. So, you could consider scheduling a mid-morning snack and afternoon tea instead of having lunch.

This is a double win: you eat when the restaurants are less busy and you make the most of the short lines during peak dining times.

#18. Shop wisely

There are so many ways to spend money in the parks, so it’s worth thinking about what you want to spend your money on before you go.

You can pick up Disney merchandise cheaply in stores like Walmart or online, so if you are trying to save money it might be worth buying your little princess her Elsa dress before you go.

You can also save money by taking refillable water bottles with you – most restaurants will give you free iced water if you ask for it.

When Main Street is busy, you can avoid the crowds by walking through the shops instead of along the road. The shops are all inter-connected and the air conditioning is a cooling bonus!

We suggest you leave your shopping until the end of the day, because the shops of Main Street remain open for an hour after the rest of the park closes. However, if you do pick up a few souvenirs during the day, you can ask for them to be sent to the front of the park for the end of the day, so you can pick up your gift shopping as you leave.

Follow these 20 tips and you can get your most from your Disney World Orlando visit.

Share your Disney World Orlando hacks!

If you have other Disney World Orlando tips you can share with our guests, please do share your thoughts on our Facebook page.  We’d love to hear your Disney World tips and hacks.

If you’d like to talk to us about finding you the perfect vacation for your Disney World Orlando vacation, please email: reservations@ellisexclusivevillas.com 

 

Now you know the hacks, book your visit!

 

Check out our vacation homes near Disney World Orlando:

Browse our homes

 

Talk to our ticket partner for the best deal on tickets – guaranteed!

Buy Tickets

 

Read our best-ever hacks for Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure:

Orlando Hacks

 

Exciting news for all Star Wars fans… Disney has announced its plans for the new Stars Wars worlds that it is developing for its theme parks in Orlando, Florida, and in California.

Disney has announced that the construction of its new Star Wars attractions is already underway at Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando.

The new land will be called Galaxy’s Edge, set in the galaxy of Batuu.  The site covers some 14 acres of the Disney plot – putting the Star Wars extension on an unprecedented scale; the biggest single-themed development Disney has ever undertaken.

Pictures of the construction site released so far obviously show the construction in very early stages.  Even so, there are some tantalising glimpses into what we can expect in this much-anticipated new world.

Feel the Force

Disney has also released news about the activities guests can expect to enjoy in the new Star Wars worlds.  These announcements include news that guests will be able to pilot the Millennium Falcon as well as witnessing a battle with stormtroopers.

At the D23 Expo last year, Disney also released plans to open a Star Wars theme hotel as part of the development.  The hotel will resemble a spaceship and it’s planned that, over the course of a two-night stay, guests will be able to take part in an immersive story-led interactive Star Wars experience.

For Star Wars fans, it could be well-worth considering checking into the hotel for a couple of nights during your stay at one of our villas.  Pack an overnight bag and immerse yourself in this exciting new universe!

Starry Eyed

Disney imagineers say the new worlds will really enable guests to get the Star Wars experience for themselves.

Disney’s Doug Chiang, VP Creative Director Star Wars, says, “it’s all the things you wanted to do watching the movie that you’ve never had a chance to do.  Having this attraction will allow guests to really immerse themselves and feel like they really are visiting Star Wars.”

MaxPass Rumours

There’s speculation online around how Disney will deal with the huge crowds expected when the new Star Wars worlds open.

Orlando Weekly has suggested that Star Wars land will open with a MaxPass scheme and not the usual free FastPass and FastPass+ fast-track schemes.  MaxPass is a paid-for pass that ranges in price from $10 to $75 for an annual pass.  Orlando Weekly suggests these prices may increase as we approach the Star Wars land opening date.

Of course, the rumour mill is in overdrive about this new opening, so we will have to wait for more news from Disney before we know for sure what will be available to guests.

May the Force Be with You

Much as we’d like to tell you the new Star Wars world will open on May the Fourth, announcements from Disney seem to suggest it will be later in 2019 before the new Star Wars worlds open at Disney World Orlando.  At the moment the schedule is suggesting a late Spring opening at Anaheim and a summer opening in Orlando.

If you can’t wait until then, check out this video released by Disney which shows a detailed view of the model on which this new world will be based:

Then check out all the latest announcements on the Disney blog.

If you want to reserve a vacation home for summer or fall 2019, browse our Orlando vacation homes on our website.

September and October could be great months to visit, when the crowds are likely to be quieter than during the summer vacation season.

There’s only a month to go until Disney’s newest world opens at Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando.

 
Here’s everything you need to know about the soon-to-open Toy Story Land.
 

Toy Story Land – Opening June 30, 2018

 
This summer visitors to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Disney World Florida can enjoy a whole new land: Toy Story Land.

It’s the first of two major expansions to the Hollywood Studios park and is intended to be a really immersive experience. Toy Story fans should definitely not miss getting tickets to this park this summer!
Toy Story World will cover approximately 11 acres just off Pixar Place, behind the existing 4D shooting game, Toy Story Mania.


 
This is currently Hollywood Studio’s most popular ride, which is presumably what inspired Disney to expand on the Toy Story theme. The Toy Story Mania building will be extended to create a new entrance which will open directly onto the newly created Toy Story Land area.
 

Slinky Dog Dash

 
The centrepiece of the Toy Story Land area will be the Slinky Dog Dash – a family-friendly rollercoaster which coils around curves, hills, bridges and drops.

It should give a great view over the whole of Toy Story Land and the giant-size toys of that fill the landscape. Disney says there are more than 400 toys around Andy’s backyard.


 
Riders have to be 38in (97cm) or taller to enjoy Slinky Dog Dash and Disney describes the thrill level as “Thrill Ride, Small Drops”.
 

Alien Swirling Saucers

 
The other Tier One ride in Toy Story Land is the Alien Swirling Saucers spin ride.


 
Disney says, “Inside a play set that Andy won at Pizza Planet, the Aliens have powered up their flying saucers—and they’re ready to spin you on a wild ride into space! Hold on for some wild fun as your toy rocket takes off, all while electronic space music provides an intergalactic soundtrack. And if you’re really lucky, you might just get ‘chosen’ by the claw. Oooooo!”

The height restriction on this ride is just 32” (81cm) or taller.
 

Woody’s Lunchbox

 
Woody’s Lunchbox is the new food kiosk in Toy Story Land which will offer guests “tasty meals and old-fashioned floats” from a walk-up window service.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, visitors can enjoy a Toy Story themed menu.

Announced earlier this year, it includes: S’more French Toast Breakfast Sandwich; Banana Split Yogurt Parfait; Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwiches; Raspberry Lunch Box Tart; an Ice Cream Float with Barq’s Root Beer; and Grown-Up’s Lemonade.


 

Toy Story Merchandise

 
The Disney site is also promising Tshirts, Novelties and Beyond!


 

Character Meet and Greets

 
You can get a taste of the character meet and greets you can expect at the new Toy Story Land by checking out this video in which ABC previews the park attractions.

Disney says, “So buckle up your space ranger utility belt, set your lasers for big fun with some of your best pals… and get ready for the biggest play date of all time!”

 

Use Your Fast Pass

 
The FastPass+ reservations opened for Toy Story Land in April 2018. This means if you are planning a trip to be one of the first to experience the new Toy Story Land at Disney World Orlando, you can pre-book your rides on Alien Swirling Saucers or Slinky Dog Dash.
 

Best Price on Tickets

 
For great value tickets and information and advice about the best ticket and FastPass packages for you, we recommend you speak with our ticket partner Kissimmee Guest Services. They guarantee to match any price if you find the ticket cheaper up to 14 days after your visit – so you can be sure of getting the best deal.

Click through to their site from our attraction tickets page: www.ellisexclusivevillas.com/attraction-tickets/
 

There are so many reasons for choosing to stay at your own vacation home instead of an expensive resort hotel… here are some of our favourites!

The pool doesn’t close

No need to rush back from the park… the pool isn’t going to close.

We don’t have a dress code

Whatever you’re up to, you can relax in comfort!  Read the story of our guests who ran ToughMudder here.

So much space

There’s room for the whole family to relax.View this home.

The kids won’t be bored

Many of our homes have fantastic games rooms.  View this home. 

Dine out by the pool

Kick back and relax in comfort without having to dress for dinner!  View this home.

You aren’t tied to eating at expensive resort restaurants

When you rent a vacation home you can eat in when you fancy it.  Pick up pizza on your way back from the parks or rustle up something on the BBQ.  Save money and enjoy more flexibility in all this space.  View this home.

You have your own master bedroom

Relax and enjoy!  View this home.

And the kids have theirs!

No more tiptoe-ing around the hotel room at night so you don’t wake the kids!  No more sharing a bathroom with the kids!  View this home.

https://www.ellisexclusivevillas.com/Allamanda/

Enjoy a down day by the pool

The theme parks can be tiring.  When you rent a vacation home, you can choose to spend a day by the pool every now and then so don’t get jaded.  You’ll enjoy your park days more – and may even save on attraction tickets because you visit the parks on fewer days.  View this home.

https://www.ellisexclusivevillas.com/Bella-Vista/

If you aren’t sure which home is right for you, please give us a call.  Our friendly team are only too happy to help and offer advice.

USA:321-710-8779

UK:0333 3321411

Florida’s beaches are consistently named among the best in the world.  Although there are no beaches in landlocked Orlando, it is easily possible to make a day trip to either the Atlantic coast or the more sheltered Gulf Coast.

 

Atlantic Coast Beaches

The Atlantic Coast beaches are the closest to Orlando, at just over an hour’s drive away.  The wide stretches of sand buffeted by Atlantic waves might not be quite as picturesque as their Gulf Coast counterparts, but the sweeping vistas and bustling resorts make them well worth a visit.

Cocoa Beach

Cocoa Beach is the closest beach to Orlando and can be reached in just over an hour’s drive.   A five acre stretch of beach with beachfront parking, it has a wide choice of shops, activities and restaurants along the beachfront, including the 900-foot wooden pier built in 1963, Canaveral pier.

Cape Canaveral National Seashore

Beaches along the 24 miles of Canaveral National Seashore include Apollo, Playalinda and Klondike.  It is a beautiful stretch of coastline without the shops and bars of Cocoa Beach or Daytona Beach.  You’ll need to pack all your supplies for the day and get there early – the limited parking spaces can fill up early, especially during peak periods.

Be aware the beaches do close when there are rocket launches.  On these days, park up and watch them from the nearby Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.  The 57,000-acre reserve is a refuge for a variety of bird species and a nesting ground of loggerhead sea turtles.

Daytona Beach

Daytona is probably the most famous of Florida’s beaches, and a Spring Break favourite.  You can drive right on to the beach in Daytona and you’ll find several days’ worth of entertainment along its length, including the Boardwalk and Pier, the Bandshell which has regular live concerts over the summer, and – to the very south – the tallest lighthouse in Florida, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse and Museum.

New Smyrna Beach

South of the Ponce de Leon Inlet, you’ll find the 13-mile stretch of sand that is New Smyrna Beach.  New Smyrna hosts a series of concerts in its beachfront park through the summer months.  With white-sand beaches, and offshore rock ledges which create excellent wave breaks, it’s a perfect family beach.  At its southern border is the north entrance to Canaveral National Seashore.

Flagler Beach

A slightly longer drive than Daytona, at an hour and a quarter’s drive from Orlando, the Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches area has 19 miles of pristine, cinnamon-coloured beaches.  There are lots of family-friendly events throughout the summer including Pirate Invasions and Sandcastle competitions.

Gulf Coast Beaches

The white sands of Florida’s Gulf Coast beaches make the extra drive time worth travelling – if you can, we recommend making time to visit both coastlines for a real Florida experience.

Treasure Island Beach

The closest of the Gulf Coast beaches to Orlando, Treasure Island is around a two hour’s drive away.  It is an island, connected to the mainland by three bridges.  It’s a great approach to this family-friendly stretch of gorgeous white sand framed by restaurants and shops with a distinctly “old Florida” vibe.

St Petes Beach

The beach at St Petes was voted the third best beach in the USA by TripAdvisor travellers in 2017.  The long stretch of white sand offers plenty of attractions and water sports along its length – at parts lined with tall hotels, at others palm trees.  The Corey Avenue district has a variety of funky speciality shops, galleries, and restaurants.

Siesta Beach

To the south, and just pipping St Petes Beach in the 2017 TripAdvisor Best Beach rankings, Siesta Beach on Siesta Key is a barrier island to the west of Sarasota which was voted the best beach in the USA by TripAdvisor travellers.  It made number two spot on Dr Beach’s list of the best US beaches in 2016.

Clearwater

Clearwater Beach won the Travel Channel’s Best Family Beach award in 2014 and when you see its three miles of powdery white sand and family-friendly attractions, it isn’t hard to see why.  At the end of your two-and-a-quarter-hour’s journey to Clearwater, you’re rewarded with a few bridge crossings as you approach this barrier island off the peninsula.

Caladesi & Honeymoon Island State Parks

Just north of Clearwater you’ll find two beautiful state parks: Caladesi State Park and Honeymoon Island State Park.  You’ll need to take the ferry to Caladesi, whereas you can drive to Honeymoon Island; it is located at the extreme west end of State Road 586.  On either island you can swim, fish, and snorkel in the warm waters of the Gulf, shell hunt along the stretches of picturesque white sands, or spot some of the wildlife along the shore, including Ospreys and other seabirds.

Other Options

If you don’t fancy making the trip from Orlando to these beautiful coastal resorts, you can of course hit the water closer to home.

Whether it is in the private pool of your own vacation villa.

Or in one of Orlando’s brilliant waterparks!

blog-wetnwild

We are incredibly lucky here at Ellis Exclusive Villas to work with such a fantastic bunch of home owners.

In this week’s blog, we speak with Pierre, one of the home owners to most recently join us.

How did you end up buying a property in Orlando?

We first went to Florida in 2001. We were living in Canada at the time and a friend lent us his house in Kissimmee. We fell in love with Orlando right away. The kids were very young and they really enjoyed the parks. We have always wanted to buy a house there and plan to live out there for six months every year once the kids are grown up and settled.

In the meantime, we are renting it out through Ellis Exclusive Villas.

crofton-springs-pool

How did you decide where did you buy?

We did look at many homes, but because I am in a wheelchair most of them would need to be adapted for me. Rather than knocking down walls and putting in new bathrooms, we realised it would work out cheaper to buy off-plan and have the house built to meet our needs. Providence is one of Orlando’s newest resorts and it boasts a wealth of amenities, and it is in a great location for Disney and Orlando’s other attractions, so it made perfect sense.

View Pierre’s home now.

crofton-springs-lounge

How does the home specially cater to wheelchair users?

All the doors are wide. We have two master suites on the ground floor and in one of them we have an accessible bathroom. You can access this from the pool area, which is great for minimising the drips through the house on the days when we’re out by the pool. We also have a pool hoist for access in and out of the pool. We’ve recently added a ramp into the garage where we have a games room. The pool table and fussball tables are the right height for wheelchair users.

How does this compare to the kind of accommodation in the parks?

We’ve never stayed at the parks – we’ve always wanted the extra flexibility that a vacation home gives you. We like being able to go out to dinner without feeling like we’re paying twice for it (because we’ve already paid for it at the hotel). Now, it is great to be able to spend time at home. Being able to get in and out the pool is a really important advantage.

Do you find that the parks usually pretty good in terms of accessibility?

The Disney parks are superb for wheelchair users. The only thing I find uncomfortable are all the cobbles in the Harry Potter worlds at Universal!

blog-universal

However, I do understand this is because Universal is being authentic to the books and, to be fair, it is all still accessible.

The staff are really happy to help in whatever way they can. Quite a few of the rides have spaces where I can take my wheelchair directly into the booth or cars. I can’t transfer once I’m in the chair, so I have to avoid the rollercoasters, but usually there are designated areas in the front carriages. When we get to a ride, the staff will usually come up and bring the whole party to the front, so we don’t have to join the queue.

What about the dining options?

I haven’t found anywhere in any of the four parks which wasn’t accessible. My wife and I went to eat at The Liberty restaurant in the Magic Kingdom but the only tables available were up on the tiers.

So the staff checked if we were ok and brought a table down to us. They were absolutely great; we couldn’t fault them.

Do you find that this is reflective of a better awareness of accessibility across Orlando, even outside the parks?

Most places are accessible, yes.; all the restaurants and shopping malls. I think in large part this is because the buildings are generally quite modern and recent. They don’t have quite the same issues with adapting historic and listed buildings as we do here in the UK!

How about getting around?

We use Orlando International as it is convenient for our property. Entry and exit are easy, and we have always found ground staff extremely helpful helping me in and out of the chair. Nothing has ever been too much trouble. My whole party has been fast-tracked through Immigration. We’ve flown with United, BA and Virgin and they are all good – make sure you compare prices though as there can be huge variations.

We hire a fully adapted vehicle with a ramp from Dennis at Advantage Vans Mobility Florida. They meet us at the airport and collect us, he is a great guy and we would wholeheartedly recommend him. You can reach them at advantagevansmobilityflorida@outlook.com

How easy is it to get around inside the parks?

The train that runs between the Disney parks is also wheelchair accessible. There is a separate queue and a separate carriage in the front which has more space for you and your party.

It sounds like Disney are doing a really great job in terms of accessibility?

Yes, I’d definitely recommend it as a holiday.

There is a big difference when compared with theme parks here in the UK, where large chunks of them aren’t accessible.

Have you encountered any drawbacks?

The only time I’ve really encountered a problem is at the Water Parks. The Disney Blizzard Beach water park doesn’t have any facilities for getting in and out of the water; there were no pool hoists. I found that very difficult, because trying to find somewhere in the shade on a hot day was very difficult.

It was the same story at Discovery Cove. There was no facility to get changed, nor was there a pool hoist there. It meant that I couldn’t go swimming with the dolphins with the rest of my family. I thought I’d watch, but I couldn’t get close enough to see.

blog-discoverycove

I might have been better if I had someone to push me in the special wheelchairs they have there for getting through the sand. But it was disappointing, especially since I was paying full price to get in.

Do you have advice for anyone considering a trip to Orlando and Disney?

Everyone is apprehensive to start off with, but you don’t need to be apprehensive about Disney World as they are fully adapted. You aren’t waiting for rides – especially if you use your FastPass+. Plan ahead because it is plainly advertised which rides are accessible and which are not – and many of them are.

I’ve never come across anyone who was not willing to help. In fact, I’ve met many friends since becoming disabled and I have recommended it to them. One friend stayed at our house – she needed the pool hoist so she didn’t have to keep physically lifting her son in and out of the pool – and before she left, she’d already booked for the next holiday!

Just go and enjoy yourself!

To view or book Pierre’s home click here.

For additional help and advice about theme park tickets, we recommend you speak with our Attractions partner, Kissimmee Guest Services. Find out more about the service and discounts KSG offer here.

For help and advice about buying or managing a vacation home in Orlando or Central Florida, contact the Ellis Exclusive Villas team:

In USA: 321 710 8779

In UK: 0333 332 1411

Do you have any advice you would like to share with our guests about accessibility issues?  We’d love to hear your thoughts… please share them in the comments section below.

I can’t quite believe it is February already!  Just where did January go?  For me, it disappeared under a flurry of bookings.

Having just come out of a busy festive period, we are now almost fully booked for Christmas and New Year 2015.

So I hope this post works as a rallying cry for all my regular guests – please, if you want to spend the holidays in Florida in 2015, please get in touch to book soon!

Especially if you are a returning guest and you have a specific property in mind, it’s worth making that call to me today.

I know some property managers in Orlando will hold properties back until the festive period is nearly upon us and then release them at the last minute, when they know they can command astronomical rates from late bookers.

I’m personally not comfortable with that approach and that’s why Ellis Exclusive Villas don’t hold villas back.

At least, I’ve never done it before.  But after what happened this Christmas I am seriously considering holding a couple of villas back just for a personal insurance policy.  Not to command the astronomical rates; just to save myself paying them!

We had a – rare – last minute problem this year and I had to move a guest.  If you know me, you’ll know I will never let down a guest.  I think this makes me a bit of a rarity in the Florida rentals market.  I’ve taken so many last minute reservations over the years – even from people who were travelling with the big tour operators!

And if there is ever an issue with a property I’ve taken a booking for, I’ll always find a property of better spec for my guests in order to make up for the inconvenience of a last-minute change.

This Christmas – when something did happen – finding that other property turned out to be not only expensive, but almost impossible!

The trials and tribulations of a property manager, I suppose.  I did eventually locate a beautiful villa on the Champions Gate resort in the end.  But it did make me think about having an insurance policy this year… let’s hope that I won’t need it, but if I do, at least I will have planned ahead!

And I guess that’s what I’d like all my guests to do too: please start planning those 2015 Christmas and New Year breaks now and hopefully we can all avoid any festive disappointments!

With thanks & best wishes,

signature