Have you been to Orlando lately? Even if you have, you might want to take a second look as Orlando continues to expand its offerings for tourists of all ages!
So what else is there to do besides the "big three" theme parks (Disney, Universal, and Seaworld)? Lots, and many of them are right along the major tourism road International Drive! You probably already know about some of them, like Legoland and the Orange County Convention Center, but here are a few that are either opening soon or have just recently opened:
- Orlando Eye: Yep, just like London, Orlando is getting an "Eye"! It will be a whopping 400 feet tall, making it the tallest observation wheel in the Eastern U.S. The compartments will be air-conditioned and able to hold up to 15 passengers. Before you board, you'll be able to attend a 4D theater experience showcasing Florida landmarks.
- The StarFlyer: Want to have a different viewing experience that keeps you out in the open? The StarFlyer will be a 420-foot swing, the tallest StarFlyer in the world! It's like your favorite carnival ride, just much much taller.
- The Skyscraper: 420 feet isn't tall enough for you? How about a 570-foot roller coaster? The Skyscraper is being described as the world's tallest roller coaster, climbing up past 50 stories and then plummeting at speeds up to 65 miles per hour - yipes! There will be an observation deck for those of you like me who'd rather just allow their loved ones to ride, along with several other ride options in an indoor theme park called the Sky-Plex.
- Madame Tussauds: The world-famous wax museum is setting up a new shop in Orlando, and just like its sisters and brothers around the world, it's sure to be amazing! Never been to one? Check out this quick video I made at the Madame Tussauds in Vegas:
- Sea Life Aquarium: Great for young visitors, this educational Aquarium will feature more than 5,000 sea creatures throughout numerous types of displays, including 180-degree underwater tunnels.
- I-Drive Nascar: This attraction opened in December 2014 and is THE place to go for indoor karting, with electric karts that can go up to 45 miles per hour. There is also bowling and an arcade available for those who don't like to kart.
- Escapeology: Another attraction that opened in December, this themed attraction involves teams of 2 to 5 who must work together to find clues and solve puzzles that allow them to escape a room within 60 minutes. If you love puzzles, crime shows, or just want to do some family bonding, this is a great option for you! Fall in love but run out of themes? Travel to nearby Winter Park (just outside of Orlando) and visit It's A Trap, which hosts similar games but with a more video-game theme.
- Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts: Catch a show and rest your feet after a long day at one of the theme parks at this new community space taking up a full two city blocks.
So, next time you visit Orlando, make sure to ask your travel agent to add on one of these amazing new attractions and add some extra flair to your trip! Don't have a travel agent? We're always happy to take on new clients at Operation Relax! Visit us online at www.operationrelax.com and start planning your next vacation.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Why I'm So Excited About the Quantum of the Seas (and her sister ship, the Anthem)
As a travel agent, I see a lot of cool and exciting places and ships. But none of them has excited me as much as the arrival of Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas!
Ever since the ship was announced a couple of years ago, I've eagerly gobbled up every tidbit of information, each mock design, and all videos discussing what was happening with the build and release.
Then to top that off - they picked none other than Kristin Chenowith to be the Godmother of the ship! :)
So what is it about the Quantum of the Seas (and her identical sister Anthem of the Seas, which will debut in November) that has this travel agent in a tizzy?
1) The Quantum of the Seas is the world's first "smart" ship! It's chock full of technology, from the fastest internet at sea to the Royal IQ app (where you can book dinner reservations, spa appointments, and excursions) to faster boarding by pre-uploading your passport and information to ... wait for it... ROBOTIC BARTENDERS!!! Yep, you can get your favorite shaken and stirred beverage from a cool futuristic robot-thingy.
2) The Quantum of the Seas has SOOOO MUCH TO DO! Sure, it has the features that many of the newer Royal Caribbean ships have, such as a climbing wall and the Flow Rider surf simulator. But now there's also the North Star, which is this orb that rotates out over the ocean with amazing views; the RipCord, an indoor sky diving simulator; and bumper cars - and a slew of other activities within the same area, including skating in a roller skating rink, and a circus training school with a trapeze. There's so many great choices for people of all ages and skill levels.
3) The Quantum of the Seas brings Broadway to the sea! Ok ok, so Royal Caribbean already offers that on other ships, but it will be awesome in the new theater But one offering that the Quantum will have that is new is the Earth Harp, which is the coolest thing to see but impossible to describe. However, I found a video that should help.
4) The Quantum of the Seas has Dynamic Dining - no giant main dining room! Instead, there are four smaller themed dining areas that are still free of charge. There are still restaurants that charge a fee, but you are no longer confined to one area to eat.
5) The Quantum of the Seas is chock full of the best rooms - balconies! In fact, 90 percent of the ship features balconies. And of the rooms that don't have a "real" balcony, many of them have "virtual" balconies - video screens live streaming the ocean that make you feel like you have a floor to ceiling window!
Can you blame me for being excited to get to experience this ship in April?!? It's going to be great! Just a heads up - the Quantum is leaving the US for Asia in May, so if you miss the chance to sail on her you'll have to wait for the Anthem to arrive in November.
Ever since the ship was announced a couple of years ago, I've eagerly gobbled up every tidbit of information, each mock design, and all videos discussing what was happening with the build and release.
Then to top that off - they picked none other than Kristin Chenowith to be the Godmother of the ship! :)
So what is it about the Quantum of the Seas (and her identical sister Anthem of the Seas, which will debut in November) that has this travel agent in a tizzy?
1) The Quantum of the Seas is the world's first "smart" ship! It's chock full of technology, from the fastest internet at sea to the Royal IQ app (where you can book dinner reservations, spa appointments, and excursions) to faster boarding by pre-uploading your passport and information to ... wait for it... ROBOTIC BARTENDERS!!! Yep, you can get your favorite shaken and stirred beverage from a cool futuristic robot-thingy.
2) The Quantum of the Seas has SOOOO MUCH TO DO! Sure, it has the features that many of the newer Royal Caribbean ships have, such as a climbing wall and the Flow Rider surf simulator. But now there's also the North Star, which is this orb that rotates out over the ocean with amazing views; the RipCord, an indoor sky diving simulator; and bumper cars - and a slew of other activities within the same area, including skating in a roller skating rink, and a circus training school with a trapeze. There's so many great choices for people of all ages and skill levels.
3) The Quantum of the Seas brings Broadway to the sea! Ok ok, so Royal Caribbean already offers that on other ships, but it will be awesome in the new theater But one offering that the Quantum will have that is new is the Earth Harp, which is the coolest thing to see but impossible to describe. However, I found a video that should help.
4) The Quantum of the Seas has Dynamic Dining - no giant main dining room! Instead, there are four smaller themed dining areas that are still free of charge. There are still restaurants that charge a fee, but you are no longer confined to one area to eat.
5) The Quantum of the Seas is chock full of the best rooms - balconies! In fact, 90 percent of the ship features balconies. And of the rooms that don't have a "real" balcony, many of them have "virtual" balconies - video screens live streaming the ocean that make you feel like you have a floor to ceiling window!
Can you blame me for being excited to get to experience this ship in April?!? It's going to be great! Just a heads up - the Quantum is leaving the US for Asia in May, so if you miss the chance to sail on her you'll have to wait for the Anthem to arrive in November.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
The World from your Couch
These days, a TV is a regular staple of our homes. In fact, the average American home has at least 2 TVs, and the average American watching a whopping 5 hours of television each day (which, when considering that most of us work at least 8 hours per day, is a bit ridiculous - it's like watching tv is our part time job on the side!)!
So this means that you have most likely stumbled upon a show that had travel at it's core - maybe The Amazing Race or Bizarre Foods or Rick Steve's Europe. Perhaps you caught a documentary, or a fictionalized movie that got your mind blurring what is real and not real.
Either way, there's one truth - television can help to make the world seem a lot smaller.
However, that comes with a catch - when you watch these shows, you may see many fascinating places, but you aren't really getting the full experience. For example, you can always watch one of my travel videos (like the one below from my visit to Furnas, in Sao Miguel in the Azores), but you won't be able to experience the smoke burning your eyes or have the stench of sulfur choke you while you bravely try to pretend like it's not so bad.
True, that may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think you understand what I am illustrating - there is often no substitute for getting out and experiencing the world yourself. You may discover that the world is actually a big place filled with fascinating people and extraordinary phenomena, some of which may not be around much longer with the way the climate has been changing.
My challenge to you is to try to get in at least one international trip in your lifetime. It can be something relatively simple - such as a cruise down to the Bahamas where you can try conch fritters for the first time while enjoying island music - or something relatively complicated - like a trip around Europe via rail and car. You can do this with a travel agent (my completely biased first pick for you lol) or maybe turn in your credit card points or book something yourself.
The world really is bigger when you go out and see it firsthand - it's much more fun than settling in for a night on the couch!
So this means that you have most likely stumbled upon a show that had travel at it's core - maybe The Amazing Race or Bizarre Foods or Rick Steve's Europe. Perhaps you caught a documentary, or a fictionalized movie that got your mind blurring what is real and not real.
Either way, there's one truth - television can help to make the world seem a lot smaller.
However, that comes with a catch - when you watch these shows, you may see many fascinating places, but you aren't really getting the full experience. For example, you can always watch one of my travel videos (like the one below from my visit to Furnas, in Sao Miguel in the Azores), but you won't be able to experience the smoke burning your eyes or have the stench of sulfur choke you while you bravely try to pretend like it's not so bad.
True, that may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think you understand what I am illustrating - there is often no substitute for getting out and experiencing the world yourself. You may discover that the world is actually a big place filled with fascinating people and extraordinary phenomena, some of which may not be around much longer with the way the climate has been changing.
My challenge to you is to try to get in at least one international trip in your lifetime. It can be something relatively simple - such as a cruise down to the Bahamas where you can try conch fritters for the first time while enjoying island music - or something relatively complicated - like a trip around Europe via rail and car. You can do this with a travel agent (my completely biased first pick for you lol) or maybe turn in your credit card points or book something yourself.
The world really is bigger when you go out and see it firsthand - it's much more fun than settling in for a night on the couch!
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Upcoming Show Schedule for 2015 - Come Meet Jess!
Who's that girl? It's Jess! :) Ok, seriously though, have you ever wanted to put a face to the name and meet the owner of Operation Relax? Well, you have several chances to see Jess in person all over Nebraska in 2015!
Operation Relax is proud to be participating in many great shows and events throughout the area this year, providing free travel brochures while selling our travel accessory products (currently HipKlips and Mighty Wallets). Even if you don't want to buy a product, feel free to stop in for a free travel brochure or to talk travel with Jess at any of these shows.
You can also find a continuously updating list on our website: www.operationrelax.com/vacationshop.html . We update the list every two weeks or so with new additions or changes to our schedule.
Hope to see you there!
Show Schedule 2015 (as of 2-4-15):
- Feb 15 Norfolk Bridal & Prom Extravaganza, Norfolk, NE
- Feb 20-22 Abate Bike Show, Lincoln, NE
- Mar 1 Lincoln Pius X Spring Fling, Lincoln, NE
- Mar 15 Omaha Bridal Showcase, Omaha, NE
- Mar 20-22 Husker Lawn & Leisure Show, Lincoln, NE
- Mar 29 Nebraska Bridal Show, York, NE
- Apr 3-4 Mother of All Garage Sales, Lincoln, NE
- Apr 11 St Wenceslaus Spring Bowtique, Omaha, NE
- Apr 25 West O Spring Boutique, Omaha, NE
- May 8-10 ConStellation 6, Lincoln, NE
- May 16 Woofstock, North Platte, NE
- May 29-31 O! Comic Con, Omaha, NE
- June 12-14 Wizard World, Des Moines, IA
- July 4 Seward 4th of July Celebration, Seward, NE
- July 10-12 John C Fremont Days, Fremont, NE
- Aug 28-Sept 7 Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island, NE
- Sept 18-20 AppleJack Festival, Nebraska City, NE
- Sept 26 Bryan High School Fall Craft Show, Bellevue, NE
- Oct 3 Harvest Arts & Crafts Boutique, Gretna, NE
- Oct 24 St Wenceslaus Fall Bowtique, Omaha, NE
- Nov 6-8 Anime NebrasKon, Omaha, NE
- Nov 21-22 Norfolk Yuletide Market, Norfolk, NE
Operation Relax is proud to be participating in many great shows and events throughout the area this year, providing free travel brochures while selling our travel accessory products (currently HipKlips and Mighty Wallets). Even if you don't want to buy a product, feel free to stop in for a free travel brochure or to talk travel with Jess at any of these shows.
You can also find a continuously updating list on our website: www.operationrelax.com/vacationshop.html . We update the list every two weeks or so with new additions or changes to our schedule.
Hope to see you there!
Show Schedule 2015 (as of 2-4-15):
- Feb 15 Norfolk Bridal & Prom Extravaganza, Norfolk, NE
- Feb 20-22 Abate Bike Show, Lincoln, NE
- Mar 1 Lincoln Pius X Spring Fling, Lincoln, NE
- Mar 15 Omaha Bridal Showcase, Omaha, NE
- Mar 20-22 Husker Lawn & Leisure Show, Lincoln, NE
- Mar 29 Nebraska Bridal Show, York, NE
- Apr 3-4 Mother of All Garage Sales, Lincoln, NE
- Apr 11 St Wenceslaus Spring Bowtique, Omaha, NE
- Apr 25 West O Spring Boutique, Omaha, NE
- May 8-10 ConStellation 6, Lincoln, NE
- May 16 Woofstock, North Platte, NE
- May 29-31 O! Comic Con, Omaha, NE
- June 12-14 Wizard World, Des Moines, IA
- July 4 Seward 4th of July Celebration, Seward, NE
- July 10-12 John C Fremont Days, Fremont, NE
- Aug 28-Sept 7 Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island, NE
- Sept 18-20 AppleJack Festival, Nebraska City, NE
- Sept 26 Bryan High School Fall Craft Show, Bellevue, NE
- Oct 3 Harvest Arts & Crafts Boutique, Gretna, NE
- Oct 24 St Wenceslaus Fall Bowtique, Omaha, NE
- Nov 6-8 Anime NebrasKon, Omaha, NE
- Nov 21-22 Norfolk Yuletide Market, Norfolk, NE
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Traveling with Food Allergies
Before I even became a travel agent, I was already dealing with one important aspect of vacation planning - traveling with food allergies! I'd find myself spending hours ahead of time finding eating options along the route or in the destinations, and even avoided some areas just because I was afraid I wouldn't find anything to eat.
It's actually one big reason I promote working with a travel agent - we can help you find ways to make it work, contact resorts ahead of time with instructions, and may even be able to line up something special! We also know which resorts and cruises are better at handling food allergies than others. While not all travel agents have food allergies, all travel agents should be able to help you navigate the travel landscape to make sure that you can enjoy what you eat while on vacation.
I also recommend looking into helpful apps to enhance your dining experiences while on the road. For example, I have a gluten allergy, so I frequently reference two great apps - Find Me Gluten Free, and Gluten Free Registry. While they are not always up to date and it's still worth calling ahead, they still make finding a last minute option much easier (and keep me from just relying on 1-2 national chains that I quickly get tired of). For your particular food allergy, just do a Google search to see if there are apps available.
As you may know if you are also a fan of my Facebook page, I LOVE to cruise - and it has been getting easier to eat onboard every year! Many of the cruise lines will set you up with a specific dining room attendant or server who can help you pre-plan your meals, and Royal Caribbean even has several main allergens clearly marked on their menus and buffet descriptions.
Resorts are also getting much better, even despite the language barrier. My personal preferences are the Karisma resorts (such as El Dorado Maroma), Disney, and Sandals/Beaches. Here is a video I took of my quick informal meeting with the culinary concierge at Sandals Whitehouse - it's a free service available to all guests where you can meet to discuss dietary restrictions, allergy concerns, or anything else that needs to be examined when it comes to food.
What cruise lines/resorts have YOU found to be the most accommodating when it comes to food allergies?
It's actually one big reason I promote working with a travel agent - we can help you find ways to make it work, contact resorts ahead of time with instructions, and may even be able to line up something special! We also know which resorts and cruises are better at handling food allergies than others. While not all travel agents have food allergies, all travel agents should be able to help you navigate the travel landscape to make sure that you can enjoy what you eat while on vacation.
I also recommend looking into helpful apps to enhance your dining experiences while on the road. For example, I have a gluten allergy, so I frequently reference two great apps - Find Me Gluten Free, and Gluten Free Registry. While they are not always up to date and it's still worth calling ahead, they still make finding a last minute option much easier (and keep me from just relying on 1-2 national chains that I quickly get tired of). For your particular food allergy, just do a Google search to see if there are apps available.
As you may know if you are also a fan of my Facebook page, I LOVE to cruise - and it has been getting easier to eat onboard every year! Many of the cruise lines will set you up with a specific dining room attendant or server who can help you pre-plan your meals, and Royal Caribbean even has several main allergens clearly marked on their menus and buffet descriptions.
Resorts are also getting much better, even despite the language barrier. My personal preferences are the Karisma resorts (such as El Dorado Maroma), Disney, and Sandals/Beaches. Here is a video I took of my quick informal meeting with the culinary concierge at Sandals Whitehouse - it's a free service available to all guests where you can meet to discuss dietary restrictions, allergy concerns, or anything else that needs to be examined when it comes to food.
What cruise lines/resorts have YOU found to be the most accommodating when it comes to food allergies?
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