Gold Weekend Orlando
Universal Studios were the main sponsors of our event and we stayed at the spectacular Loews Portofino Bay Hotel right on the Universal Resort. The hotel is modelled on the seaside village of Portofino, Italy with cobblestone streets, courtyards, fountains, outdoor cafes and bars, all located on the waterfront. It has 750 large guest rooms including 45 suites and facilities include eight restaurants and bar lounges and three swimming pool areas. The hotel also provides a complimentary water taxi service to/from the Universal Theme Parks - or it's only a leisurely 10 minute walk away
Our packed programme began with an evening welcome drinks/dinner reception in a lovely Piazza within the Portofino Hotel. Next morning we enjoyed a VIP tour of Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure theme parks. Our tour began in the Studios Park and included ride experiences such as Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Transformers, Shrek, the Simpsons, Terminator and Men in Black. We caught a brief glimpse of the live Blues Brothers Show and a new Harry Potter attraction due to open in June 2014 which includes a rail link on Hogwarts Express to the main Harry Potter attractions in the Islands of Adventure Park. If you like getting very wet then the Island Adventure Park is perfect with lots of different ways of ending up soaked on themed rides such as Jurassic River Adventure and the Ripshaw Falls. It also offers some exhilarating/terrifying roller coaster rides. But the star attraction is without doubt the World of Harry Potter section with the Castle, Passageways, School Classrooms, shops and scary rides that really bring the characters and stories of Harry Potter to life.... Fabulous!
In the evening we returned to the park for drinks and dinner at Hard Rock Café which was great fun with lots of music memorabilia adorning the walls and a lively atmosphere. Afterwards we were taken to see a live performance of the Blue Man Show which was a unique experience with a lot of audience participation. Then it was back to the Portofino Hotel on the water taxi for a night cap at the Thirsty Fish bar on the harbour side.
I spent the next day at Universals Wet n Wild Water Park a few minutes drive from our hotel. With excellent water rides lakes, lagoons, beaches and sun loungers there is something to keep everyone happy and it is a great alternative to the theme parks. While I was getting 'wet and very wild', my husband was playing golf at the Grand Cypress Golf resort about 40 minutes away which offers a choice of three Jack Nicklaus designed courses.
In the evening we attended a splendid gala dinner in the Venetian Ballroom at the Portofino Hotel and were entertained by a Motown tribute Band. Next morning a group of us took an excursion to the Kennedy Space Centre. We were given a guided tour of the newest attraction the Space Shuttle Atlantis Building. Two separate film studios provide the story of the Space Shuttle program before you enter the main hall which has Atlantis raised up as if in space along with an exact replica of the Hubble telescope. Elsewhere in the building there are over 60 interactive exhibits, simulators and other attractions for visitors to experience. Over lunch we had a special treat with a talk from an Astronaut who entertained us with some great stories of missions he had undertaken. In the afternoon we visited the Apollo/Saturn V Center which includes excellent exhibits from the moon landing programme and earlier missions. Kennedy requires a full day to do it justice and again offers a great alternative to the theme parks.
Our final evening was spent back in the main park with dinner at an Irish Bar/Restaurant and next morning was spent chilling out by the main pool before heading off to the airport for our flight to the UK.
Orlando is a great destination with so much on offer as well as a superb climate. There is a wide choice of accommodation to suit all budgets but if you want a luxurious hotel in a perfect location, choose the Loews Portofino. Fabulous!