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Halloween Horror Nights 2019 houses

Halloween Horror Nights 2019 - everything we know so far

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So on Monday, I was very lucky to attend one of my favourite events of the year, the UK celebration of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights event. There are often some surprises, some behind the scenes stuff, some big reveals, occasionally the odd monster, and of course a lot of absolutely iconic horror films and franchises - all coming to Universal Orlando this autumn for the biggest Halloween event in the world. If you’ve been here before, you’ll know I’m a massive fan (read my top tips for planning a trip to Halloween Horror Nights here), and this year, we were joined by the lovely Patrick Braillard, Creative Development Show Director and writer at Universal Orlando who had plenty of news to get our spines tingling ready for the big event. So, let’s chat about those Halloween Horror Nights 2019 houses - everything we know so far is right this way <insert evil laugh here>

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Making the most of a day at Universals Volcano Bay

Making the most of a day at Universal’s Volcano Bay

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And so, sadly, we’ve reached the final part of our Universal Orlando Resort Adventure. I’ve told you all about what it’s like to spend Christmas at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, talked you through our top ten attractions and everything to do with Christmas at Universal Studios, and last week was all about Grinchmas and Christmas at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. The last park on our list was Universal’s Volcano Bay, the beautiful tiki-themed water theme park centred around a huge volcano, which had been calling out to us every day from our hotel room window. We were originally booked to go on the Monday of our trip, but the weather wasn’t looking great and, as it turned out, the park wasn’t even open, so we swapped our days around and - happily - the Tuesday morning turned out crisp and a little chilly, but with perfectly bright blue skies and the promise of decent temperatures to come as the day warmed up. I really loved our evening conversations when we all did a bit of brainstorming after a day out and came up with our best bits from the day: things we’d loved, things we thought you would like to know… So without further ado, here are our top tips for making the most of a day at Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park.

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Our Florida Family Christmas - Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Christmas at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort

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I’ve been promising that I’ll update you all on our Florida family Christmas, and as I’ve got so much to tell you and I don’t want to miss anything out (I’ve had so many messages from people considering Christmas holidays at Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World) I thought I’d split it into a few different parts, with this first bit covering the journey and Christmas at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. This was a big ask as a holiday: we had a pretty varied age range, from young adults to my 78 year old Mum, and a lot of different bucket list items to tick off too. I got myself into a bit of a flap planning it all and in the end Jim had to sit me down and tell me to chill out a bit, as it was starting to look like a bit of a military operation getting everyone to see and experience everything I wanted. As it turned out, we had a lovely mix of relaxing and exploring, and there were loads of wonderful memories made. I’m not going to lie to you: six adults being together 24/7 for 10 days was never going to be 100% without stress, but although it was pretty tiring (and the weather wasn’t great), it was definitely one of the best holidays we’ve ever had.

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10 brilliant things to see and do at Universal Orlando Resort this Christmas

10 brilliant things to see and do at Universal Orlando Resort this Christmas

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If, like us, you’re planning a Christmas trip to Orlando, excitement levels must be pretty close to fever pitch by now (I know they are in this house!). As with planning a Christmas trip to Walt Disney World, a little preparation will go a long way to make your festive visit an extra special one. I’ve got some insider tips and some great recommendations for things to see and do at Universal Orlando Resort this Christmas. And if you’re not lucky enough to be visiting Universal this Christmas, then here’s some festive inspiration for your next visit. Ready? Then let’s begin!

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Planning a trip to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando

Planning a trip to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando (updated)

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I always get a little flurry of emails and messages as soon as I mention Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort, so recently, I’ve been keeping a note of the kind of things that people ask me, so I can bring together an FAQ for planning a trip to this brilliant event. I’ve collated a ton of advice here, with everything from picking the best dates to information on tickets and some tips on attending the event itself, so if you’re going to be heading to Universal Resort Orlando over the next few weeks, or are maybe even considering booking a trip for next year, here’s everything you need to know about planning a trip to Halloween Horror Nights.

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All the news from Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

All the news from Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

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Hola! Well isn’t this weather nice? I was actually in Athens this weekend, working for Cruise International, and the weather here in the UK was actually hotter when I landed. Crazy. Anyhoo, I’ve been storing up all the news from Universal Orlando Resort for a while now, so whether you’re interested in breathtaking new rides (in which case, may I direct you to my Fast & Furious - Supercharged post here), beautiful new accommodation options or big fat gorgeous doughnuts, you’ve come to the right place. Grab a cuppa and settle down to read my exciting roundup of everything new at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida.

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My top ten tips for visiting Halloween Horror Nights

My top ten tips for visiting Halloween Horror Nights

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So you already know that we’re all Halloween crazy, and last week - a dream come true - I got to take Mr E and Sam to Universal Orlando Resort, Florida to experience the amazing Halloween Horror Nights 27. I don’t want to be one of those people who give all the good bits away before you even get there, so I’m not going to go into huge detail about everything you’ll find at HHN27, just in case you’re due to visit. If you’re tempted to attend next year, though - and you really, really should - here are my top ten tips for visiting Halloween Horror Nights, plus a couple of my awful blurry pictures - you’re welcome!

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News from D23 Expo - what's coming up at Walt Disney World, Florida - MINNIE VAN SERVICE COMING TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

News from D23 Expo: what’s coming up at Walt Disney World, Florida

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‘Oh, I’ve been to Walt Disney World, I don’t need to go again’, said no-one ever. One of the things I love most about the happiest place on earth is that it’s ever-evolving. One of the best places to hear all the news and future plans for the Disney Parks and Resorts is D23 Expo, Disney’s official fan club’s brilliant biannual gathering, billed as the ultimate Disney fan event, which took place in Anaheim over the weekend. There have been some pretty jaw-dropping announcements, so if you’re a Disney fan, grab a cuppa, and I’ll take you through what’s coming up at Walt Disney World, Florida (and a few bits from the other parks too). Excuse all the artist’s impressions but obviously that’s all there is at the moment, apart from the pic I took of the hoarding hiding the new Toy Story Land!

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Why St Petersburg, Florida is one of my favourite holiday destinations

Why St Petersburg, Florida is one of my favourite holiday destinations

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I absolutely adore St Petersburg. The last time I visited, back in 2012, we really only had one day there and I was desperate to go back and really explore. I absolutely love its buzzy vibe, the gorgeous beaches and the way the downtown area absolutely comes alive at night, with restaurants, bars and cafés thronging with people. Even as recently as the 90s, Downtown St Pete was really quite unloved. Remember Cocoon? Jeff, our lovely guide told us that the movie was filmed in St Pete in the 1980s, and it was an area known as ‘God’s Waiting Room’, full of retirees and not a lot else. Slowly, though, the locals transformed their beloved neighbourhood, and now it’s such a creative, lively place to visit, with a wonderful arts scene and fabulous shops, restaurants, galleries, stunning museums like the beautiful new Morean Arts Centre and the Dali Museum, and beautiful open spaces. Read more

Visit Celebration: the iconic movie theatre in Celebration, Florida

In which I finally get to visit Celebration, Florida

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In all the years that I’ve been visiting Walt Disney World, there’s been one iconic Disney place that I’ve never managed to visit: Celebration, Florida: the prettiest little community, and Walt Disney World’s home town. With wide streets and colourful shops and houses, it’s a really lovely place to spend a day, wandering the lovely, tree-lined residential areas (there’s actually a Wisteria Lane there that looks like it’s straight out of Desperate Housewives), and popping in to all the lovely shops (there’s a fabulous dog shop there selling everything you could possibly need for your pampered pooch!). Here’s my photo diary of our day: a little taster of what to expect when you visit Celebration.

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Why Clearwater is a fabulous choice for a family holiday

Why Clearwater is a fabulous choice for a family holiday

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So last time, I was telling you all about family holidays in Kissimmee. The next stop on our little tour of alternative Florida destinations was beautiful Clearwater. This gorgeous Gulf Coast barrier island destination sits just across Old Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida along with St Petersburg. Between them, they boast 35 miles of white sandy beaches and an average of 361 sunny days per year. So apart from lazing away endless, sunny days and glorious sunsets in this pretty resort town, here are a few other reasons why Clearwater is a fabulous choice for a family holiday.

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Flying to Florida with Norwegian: my Kissimmee, St Pete and Clearwater photo diary

Flying to Florida with Norwegian: my Kissimmee, St Pete and Clearwater photo diary

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I’m back! I’ve had the most incredible few days with a group of really lovely people, and I’ve got so much to tell you about our wonderful trip, from flying to Florida with Norwegian’s state of the art Boeing 787 Dreamliners, a stay in the most ridiculously luxurious villa in Kissimmee, loads of really fun outdoorsy stuff like kayaking, climbing and swimming, and discovering pretty towns, gorgeous hotels, white sandy beaches and trendy towns with buzzy nightlife. Read more

Where to eat on Amelia Island - our top dining experiences

Where to eat on Amelia Island: our top dining experiences

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When you’re on a family holiday, dining out can be a bit of a flash point. Firstly, it’s going to account for a large part of your budget (especially if, like me, your children eat like rabid wolves), and secondly, everyone has different ideas about what they want - whereas you might want to sit and sip a cocktail while pondering the delicious items on the menu, your teenagers might well want to grab a burger and go. We always try to do a wide selection of dining when we’re away that suits everyone, mixing fast food with some more upmarket dining, and we always seek out anything quirky or unusual. We found some incredible places to eat during our trip to Amelia Island and thought we’d share the best of the best with you:

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Out and about on Amelia Island: the boys with our beautiful pearly Hertz 4x4

Out and about on Amelia Island

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Recently, you’ll remember, I shared my little Florida secret with you – a deliciously quirky and lovely little barrier island just off the coast of northern Florida called Amelia Island. The boys and I spent a wonderful week there making some treasured memories together, and I wanted to tell you a bit more about what we got up to. We sat down and had a little head to head and came up with our favourite five things to do when you’re out and about on Amelia Island. And guess what’s number one…?

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Pirate Playground signpost, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island

Amelia Island: the coolest place you’ve never heard of

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If you’ve been following me on my social media channels over the last week, you’ll know that I’ve got a secret to share: an island so rich in history, so naturally lush and beautiful, so authentically old Floridian that everyone should visit. Situated just off the coast of the north eastern edge of Florida near the border with Georgia, what this quirky little barrier island lacks in size, it makes up for in character; with a chequered history and a beauty that will steal your heart. Say hello to Amelia Island.

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