Yesterday the House of Representatives passed the 189 page bill, House Bill 9B which proposes that the State of Florida effectively take over and renames Reedy Creek Improvement District. Today, Friday, February 10, Florida lawmakers have given final approval to Gov DeSantis power grab for Walt Disney World. In the face of this news that will strip Disney of many of its powers, Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle has released a statement responding to the news. "For more than 50 years, the Reedy Creek Improvement District has operated at the highest standards, and we appreciate all that the District has done to help our destination grow and become one of the largest economic contributors and employers in the state. We are focused on the future and are ready to work within this new framework, and we will continue to innovate, inspire and bring joy to the millions of guests who come to Florida to visit Walt Disney World every year." Vahle's response comes at the GOP-led state Senate has voted 26-9 on the fast tracked bill that will allow the state take over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the government body that has given Disney unique powers in Central Florida for more than half a century. Under the bill, the district’s existing board will be replaced by a five-member board hand-picked by DeSantis, all but handing power of the Kindom to DeSantis. The bill will now be placed on Gov DeSantis desk within hours where he is of course, expected to sign it. The189 page bill, House Bill 9B will see Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District re-named the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, a government-controlled district that will elect a board of supervisors, who will then propose a list of changes to the district’s power within one year. The bill states that all 5 board members will be personally approved by DeSantis, with confirmation from the senate. Plus, anyone who has been a theme park employee, officer or director in the past three years is prohibited from serving on the board, along with their relatives, meaning DeSantis will have a large say in the future of Walt Disney World, via the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. In effect, Disney will lose control of the district upon the creation of the board of supervisors, whom are selected exclusively by DeSantis. Disney have largely remained silent on the subway, other than a statement earlier this week from Jeff Vahle, the president of Walt Disney World Resort, who said the company is “monitoring the progression of the draft legislation, which is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.” Vahle said “Disney works under a number of different models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience for the millions of guests who visit each year,”

Yesterday the House of Representatives passed the 189 page bill, House Bill 9B which proposes that the State of Florida effectively take over and renames Reedy Creek Improvement District. Now today, Friday, February 10, Florida lawmakers have given final approval to Gov DeSantis power grab for Walt Disney World. The GOP-led state Senate has voted 26-9 on the fast tracked bill that will allow the state take over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the government body that has given Disney unique powers in Central Florida for more than half a century. Under the bill, the district’s existing board will be replaced by a five-member board hand-picked by DeSantis, all but handing power of the Kindom to DeSantis. The bill will now be placed on Gov DeSantis desk within hours where he is of course, expected to sign it. The189 page bill, House Bill 9B will see Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District re-named the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, a government-controlled district that will elect a board of supervisors, who will then propose a list of changes to the district’s power within one year. The bill states that all 5 board members will be personally approved by DeSantis, with confirmation from the senate. Plus, anyone who has been a theme park employee, officer or director in the past three years is prohibited from serving on the board, along with their relatives, meaning DeSantis will have a large say in the future of Walt Disney World, via the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. In effect, Disney will lose control of the district upon the creation of the board of supervisors, whom are selected exclusively by DeSantis. Disney have largely remained silent on the subway, other than a statement earlier this week from Jeff Vahle, the president of Walt Disney World Resort, who said the company is “monitoring the progression of the draft legislation, which is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.” Vahle said “Disney works under a number of different models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience for the millions of guests who visit each year,”

Orlando's Largest Pet Festival is back for 2023, taking place tomorrow, Saturday, February 11 at Lake Eola Park. Rain or shine, enjoy a doggone good time full of pawsome activities and fun-draising, with Paws in the Park helping to support The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando save over 4,000 dogs and cats this year by providing shelter, care and love until they find their forever home. The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando will once again host its much loved annual pet festival and parade, Paws in the Park in Lake Eola Park on Saturday, February 11 from 10 am - 4 pm. Paws in the Park will include the popular Pet Costume Contest with this year’s costume themes including Stars of Film & TV, Favorite Food, and Dogs with Jobs. Other highlights include the return of the dock diving pop-up pool and a lure course for dogs, a beer garden and a variety of food trucks and shopping for the owners! The Pet Alliance will also have pet adoption opportunities as well as the Pet Alliance’s mobile vet unit which will providing free vaccines on the day. As the go-to pet experts across Central Florida, Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando does good things for dogs and cats and the people who love them. Formerly the SPCA of Central Florida, their goal is to provide compassionate and knowledgeable services for pets and to be leaders in innovative animal care and sheltering. More than 5,200 homeless dogs and cats will turn to the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando for caring, compassion and hope at our two animal shelters this year. Their highly skilled veterinarians will help and heal pets in their public veterinary clinics. Innovative programs like the Pet Apartment Registry and Community Cat Initiative will work to decrease the number of surrendered pets and homeless animals in Central Florida. For more information, and to help, please go to the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando website.

Walt Disney World have announced an end date for the Disney Dining Promo Card offer, which was included free with the purchase of select vacation packages of at least 4 nights. The gift card which was only introduced at the start of this year, will only be available to guests through March 27, 2023. Here is the details of the offer, which you only have until March 27 to get your hands on! The card is available for a minimum four-night length of stay with a four-day theme park ticket. The value of the gift card will vary based on room type and dates booked, and will be worth up to $750 maximum for the length of the stay. The Disney Dining Promo Card will be available for arrivals between June 25 and September 14, 2023. The digital card will be sent to guests after check-in at their resort and must be presented during transactions at participating locations. 2023 Disney Dining Promo Card Giveaway Details Package Requirements: 4 day minimum ticket, 4 night minimum required Booking Begins: 1/5/2023 Arrival Window: 6/25/2023 – 9/14/2023 Dining Promo Card Giveaway ($ value per night) For Arrivals June 25 through June 30 and July 11 through July 31 Value Resort: $35 per night Moderate Resort & Cabins: $75 per night Deluxe Resort & Deluxe Villa Resort: $125 per night For Arrivals July 1 through July 10 and August 1 through September 14 Value Resort: $50 per night Moderate Resort & Cabins: $100 per night Deluxe Resort & Deluxe Villa Resor:t $150 per night For all dates, the maximum value for the Promo Card will be $750. These values are per night, not per guest. The amount remains the same regardless of the number of guests per reservation. The room and ticket package must be non-discounted to receive the Disney Dining Promo Card offer. The offer will go live tomorrow, January 5, 2023, with a list of participating resorts and dining venues available on the Walt Disney World website at that time.

Another store is closing forever at Disney Springs! The UGG Store in the Town Center area of Disney Springs will have its final day of operation on February 15, 2023. The UGG Store is one of the original tenants from when the Town Center expansion opened back in 2016. Shoppers will still be able to get the latest UGG products nearby at the two Premium Outlet locations here in Orlando, and cheaper too! Here is the details for the two stores: Orlando Premium Outlets-Vineland Ave. 8225 Vineland Avenue, Space 2091 Orlando, FL 32821 407-374-2445 Orlando Premium Outlets 4953 International Drive, Space 1B.09 Orlando, FL 32819 407-965-5021

Universal Orlando's brand new escape room attraction opened in CityWalk at the beginning of December last year in a blaze of publicity. Universal’s Great Movie Escape invites guests of all ages to solve their way through two first-of-its-kind escape rooms based on two of the biggest film franchises in history, “Back to the Future” and “Jurassic World.” From evading an apex predator in Jurassic World: Escape, to the time-traveling chaos of Back to the Future: OUTATIME, Universal hyped the attraction by saying that this is no ordinary escape room experience, but now les than two months later, the attraction is suffering from low attendance levels, and Universal have now dropped the ticket price in a bid to attract guests. When the attraction opened in December, the starting prices for single tickets to the attraction were $49.99 each, and now Universal have slashed $10 off the price, reducing the ticket price to $39.99. Even the private experience price has been reduced, with a group of eight getting one of two escape rooms to themselves for $240, down from $300, that's a whopping $60 saving! It remains to be seen if this will be enough to get more people through the front doors of the attraction, or was opening an escape room doomed to failure from the start... If you want to know more about the two space rooms redone below. Universal’s entertainment team partnered closely with filmmakers and escape room industry experts around the country to create innovative experiences that go beyond the typical escape room – blending state-of-the-art challenges, detailed sets, and original storylines to immerse guests in story-driven adventures that allow them to escape into the movies like never before. A unique feature is the variety of challenges guests must work together to complete – each one specifically crafted so that the experience is enjoyable for novices and escape room-aficionados alike. Each adventure boasts eight incredibly detailed environments featuring state-of-the-art activities that are: Randomized – so the solution can vary with each visit. Customizable depending on party size – ensuring everyone gets to participate. Designed to adjust based on skill level and complexity – so there’s always something to solve. As soon as guests enter the art deco-style, theater-inspired venue, they’ll immediately be swept into one of the following adventures: Back to the Future: OUTATIME Great Scott – Biff’s at it again! He’s stolen Doc Brown’s newest time travel device to sabotage the timeline for his gain. Follow Doc’s clues to find the prototype, track down Biff and save the day before you’re outatime. Guests are transported to a museum in 1993, where they learn Back to the Future’s antagonist, Biff, is up to his antics and has stolen Doc Brown’s newest time travel device to sabotage the space-time continuum. Guests must work together to uncover Doc Brown’s clues as they travel through time to track down Biff and save the past and future before they run “outatime.” Jurassic World: Escape Find yourself in a secret genetics lab on Isla Nublar and use your wits to solve a serious problem: an apex predator has broken free and is headed your way. Guests are new geneticists at a secret lab on Isla Nublar, where they are undergoing training that includes the completion of various day-to-day tasks that range from feeding ferocious dinosaurs to splicing dinosaur DNA to create new genetic codes…until they learn an apex predator has broken free and now they must work together to avoid becoming its prey.

Sad news from Melbourne this morning, as Brevard Zoo have shards the news that popular resident Sammy the Camel has unexpectedly passed. Brevard Zoo have shared the new son their social media accounts that Dromedary camel Sammy unexpectedly passed away on Thursday morning. The zoo say that Sammy appeared normal at first in the morning, but he suddenly became unresponsive. There were no signs of any issues with Sammy beforehand or any physical abnormalities to suggest what happened. Sammy will now be taken to the UF Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for necropsy and histopathology analyses, and the zoo hope to share those findings soon. The zoo pointed out that there is no evidence that the cause of Sammy’s illness is being experienced by Frankie, his brother, withveterinary staff running tests on him now, and his animal care team is keeping an eye on him. Commenting on losing Sammy, the zoo shared "Losing an animal resident is always hard, especially so unexpectedly. We ask that you keep our Expedition Africa animal care team and volunteers in your thoughts." Sammy and Frankie came to the Zoo together in 2009, where they shared a habitat with Ankole-Watusi cattle, Eastern bongo, impala, Grévy’s zebra and more Expedition Africa residents. Africa Barn Area Supervisor Nikki Perry’s favorite memory of Sammy was moving him into different habitats. “He would get excited and run around to see if there were any snacking opportunities,” Nikki said. Keeper Vanessa Kunz cared for the two camel brothers since their arrival at the Zoo. She described Sammy as a feisty, loveable camel. She remembered how little they both were when they first arrived. They both quickly grew to their average weight – over 1,700 pounds each. “Sammy would love to come up to the truck with all the snacks on it and rub his body all over the truck making the truck shake from side the side,” Vanessa said. Other favorite activities of Sammy included wallowing in puddles, getting his nail trimmed, and enjoying his snacks like browse, carrots, sweet potatoes and lettuce. He was a little lazy – so sometimes he’d army crawl up to the browse or grain. One of Vanessa’s favorite memories was brushing Sammy when he was losing his winter coat. He tended to lose a lot of hair on the top of his head – and looked like he was balding. “He is just an amazing animal and I feel lucky that I have gotten to work him all these years,” Vanessa said. “I will always remember him.” You can read more about Sammy on Brevard Zoo's blog.

Two popular Central Florida attractions have been nominated as the best safari park in North America. by USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Both, Wild Florida Drive-thru Safari Park, and The Showcase of Citrus Monster Truck Adventure, are named in a shortlist of 20 safari parks as being the best in the country, and now the awards need you to choose a winner from the shortlist of attractions from across the country. The overall winner from the shortlist will be determined by a public vote. Voting is open now and you can help your favourite by voting once per day through Monday, March 6 at all the links below. The winning exhibit will be announced on Friday, March 17 Wild Florida Drive-thru Safari Park At Wild Florida Drive-thru Safari Park, take your car and journey around the globe on the gravel paths of this 170-acre property. Keen eyes will spot eland antelope, mouflon sheep, American bison, scimitar oryx, and other wild animals. Following the safari, guests can head to the Gator Park to see more than 200 additional animals and witness the Exotic Animal Show, Gator Feeding Show and other educational animal shows. You can help Wild Florida to win by voting here. The Showcase of Citrus Monster Truck Adventure While The Showcase of Citrus Monster Truck Adventure is a drive-thru safari experience, it isn't your typical drive-thru experience. Here you'll learn about the citrus fruit that Florida is known for before you hop onto a gigantic monster truck where you will see wildlife native to Florida and have the opportunity to feed animals, like zebras, bison, and water buffalo. Continue the fun by visiting the farm animals and mining for gems before you leave. You can help Showcase of Citrus to win by voting here.

Ain’t no party like a NOLA party and at Pat O’Brien’s in Universal CityWalk, the're doing it up Orlando style with a huge Fat Tuesday Celebration on February 21, and of course you can celebrate all month long at the legendary Pat O’Brien’s Mardi Gras After Party! Pat O’Brien’s is a super-fun Bayou bar known for it's N'awlins party atmosphere with dueling piano players and an authentic menu of Cajun specialties. The bar is an authentic reproduction of the famous New Orleans’ watering hole, and quite honestly, it's always Mardi Gras in Pat O’Brien’s, but come February and the bar goes all in. Pat O’Brien’s Fat Tuesday Celebration On February 21, Pat O’Brien’s will host its annual Fat Tuesday celebration from 4 pm - 1 am. After catching beads by the handful and savoring incredible food at Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval, guests can head over to the venue and enjoy live entertainment, including a dueling piano set of course, plus exclusive food and drink offerings. While admission is complimentary, reservations are encouraged and can be made here or by calling 407-224-3663. Pat O’Brien’s Mardi Gras After Party Guests can keep the festivities going all night long during Pat O’Brien’s Mardi Gras After Party. Taking place from 4 pm - 1 am on select nights during Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval (running February 4 – April 16). This party includes live DJs, stilt walkers, exclusive food and drink offerings and more. While admission is complimentary, reservations are encouraged and can be made here or by calling 407-224-3663.

Yesterday at Disney's earning call, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that as part of a multibillion-dollar cost-cutting initiative aimed at streamlining the company’s operations in the face of financial turmoil within the company, that they would be cutting 7,000 jobs from its workforce. Now today, Thursday, February 9, Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Chairman Josh D'Amaro has sent a memo to Disney Cast Members echoing Iger's comments, and also confirming that job losses will be happening in the parks segment. D'Amaro commented that "reorganization will result in necessary reductions to our overall workforce. While our teams have made great progress in contributing to cost savings, these measures affect every segment and organization — including ours — and are vital as we implement more cost-effective, coordinated, and streamlined operations." This means that job losses will occur within Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products division, although the cuts are not expected to affect hourly paid Cast Members. Just how many job losses can be expected here in Orlando at Walt Disney World is unclear.

Not one, but four popular Central Florida Zoo's have been nominated as having the best zoo exhibit in North America. by USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards asked a panel of zoo professionals and family travel experts to nominate their favorite animal exhibits in North America, and now the awards need you to choose a winner from the shortlist of exhibits from across the country. The Maharajah Jungle Trek in Disney's Animal Kingdom, Busch Gardens Animal Care Center, Myombe Reserve also at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, the Kayaking Tour at Brevard Zoo, and The David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center at Zoo Tampa are all nominated in this year's awards. The overall winner from the shortlist will be determined by a public vote. Voting is open now and you can help your favourite by voting once per day through Monday, March 6 at all the links below. The winning exhibit will be announced on Friday, March 17 Maharajah Jungle Trek at Disney's Animal Kingdom The Maharajah Jungle Trek in Disney's Animal Kingdom is a highlight of a Disney World vacation for many adventure lovers. It’s located in the Asia area of the theme park, and guests of all ages are allowed to wander the trails and try to spot Asian tigers, water buffalo, gibbons, blackbucks and Malayan flying foxes, among other animals. Visitors should keep an eye out for over 50 species of birds, too. You can help Disney's Animal Kingdom to win by voting here. Busch Gardens Animal Care Center While Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is most famously known as an amusement park filled with thrill rides, the Tampa location is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and offers abundant animal encounters as well. The Animal Care Center at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay allows visitors to observe and even participate in the animal care experience, from "nutrition to treatments, X-rays to surgeries." You can help Busch Gardens to win by voting here. Myombe Reserve at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay The Myombe Reserve exhibit at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay gives visitors a close-up glimpse into the behaviors and habits of gorillas and chimpanzees. Guests can observe these great apes and learn more about the traits they share with people. You can help Busch Gardens to win by voting here. Kayaking Tour at Brevard Zoo Brevard Zoo is the only one in the United States to offer a guided kayaking tour around an animal exhibit. Family members ages five and up can enjoy a guided trip on the Nyami Nyami River in the Brevard Zoo’s Expedition Africa exhibit, floating past giraffes, ostriches, impalas, lemurs, zebras and more. Take a self-guided kayak tour through the restored Wetlands area in the Wild Florida exhibit for a more adventurous trip. You can help Brevard Zoo to win by voting here. David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center The David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center at Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park has been helping manatees since it was founded in 1991. It was the first manatee critical care center ever built specifically to care manatees who are injured or ill. Guests can observe the rehabilitation process in the recovery pools of Manatee Mangrove, and the non-profit organization hopes to inspire young people to protect these creatures. You can help Zoo Tampa to win by voting here.

Today, Thursday, February 9, Florida lawmakers passed the 189 page bill, House Bill 9B which proposes for the State of Florida to effectively take over and rename Reedy Creek Improvement District has passed the Florida House of Representatives. The fast tracked bill passed 82-31. The bill will now move to the Florida Senate within the next 36 hours, and could quite possibly be on Gov DeSantis desk by the end of the week if it passes the chamber, when DeSantis is expected to sign it. Also, the amendments that were proposed by Rep. Eskamani and Rep. Harris, who were seeking to change the language of the bill to ultimately prevent too much power falling into the hands of Gov DeSantis failed. The189 page bill, House Bill 9B would see Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District re-named the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, a government-controlled district that would elect a board of supervisors, who would then be expected to propose a list of changes to the district’s power within one year. The bill states that all 5 board members would be personally approved by DeSantis, with confirmation from the senate. Plus, anyone who has been a theme park employee, officer or director in the past three years would be prohibited from serving on the board, along with their relatives, meaning DeSantis will have a large say in the future of Walt Disney World, via the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. In effect, Disney will lose control of the district upon the creation of the board of supervisors, whom are selected exclusively by DeSantis.