Sep 19th 2016

What's New Fall 2016

Anytime is a fun time to experience Kissimmee's varied vacation and holiday offerings.

Anytime is a fun time to experience Kissimmee's varied vacation and holiday offerings. Known as the Gateway to Fun, located just minutes from Orlando International Airport, guests to Kissimmee enjoy the type of accommodations and activities that inspire millions of travelers each year. Kissimmee's lodging properties are an idyllic place to return to after a day of soaking up the fun at Walt Disney World ResortsUniversal Orlando ResortSeaWorld Orlando and LEGOLAND Florida or after a day of soaking up the sun at some of the top beaches in the world, delightfully within reach of your stay in Kissimmee. As the winter season approaches, here's a glimpse into some of the latest and greatest offerings in and around the Gateway to Fun.

Become a cowboy for a day at Forever Florida's Crescent J Ranch. This real life adventure lets anyone who has ever dreamed of life on a ranch take part in the daily chores of a real cow hunter, learning the basics of herding cattle and tending a real Florida ranch. Start the day with a lesson in riding a Florida cow pony, tend to an injured animal or ear tag a newborn calf-this is a wildly exciting and unique experience.

Encore Club at Reunion Resort, a new luxury vacation home community in Kissimmee, debuted this spring. Located just five miles from Walt Disney World Resorts, this upscale 'resort within a resort' provides just the right touch of family-focused fun and elegant living. A tropical clubhouse crowns the center of the community surrounded by its very own water park filled with adrenaline-packed drop slide towers, pools, restaurant, bar, lounge and so much more!

Magic Development is excited to present Magic Village Resort: a unique, luxury, concierge-style community with 180 houses featuring four different floor plans, exclusive services, privacy and comfort. The houses are beautifully designed by experienced and refined architects and are fully equipped with modern decoration. Experience international delights at their new restaurant, Villagio inspired by Italian, Mediterranean and Latin American Cuisine.

A tasty new food tour is winding through Celebration. Celebrate Food Tours takes guests through several restaurants in the picturesque community while giving them information on the local history and architecture. Guest's culinary journey begins almost on a progressive dinner, visiting Columbia Restaurant for its famous "1905" Salad, Celebration Town Tavern for its clam chowder, Bohemian Hotel for crab cake sliders, Imperium Food and Wine for wine and cheese, and Kilwin's for some fudge and caramel apple.

Island Grove Wine Company at Formosa Gardens is expected to open this winter. The winery will feature wine demonstrations, a micro-brewery, a French pastry shop and over 3,000 sq. feet of meeting space for corporate meetings, weddings and festivals. A 5-acre botanical garden will grow organic fruits and vegetables, while maintaining sustainable agricultural practices that include biodynamic practices, permaculture and hydroponics.

Already breaking ground and set to open in late 2017, the $750 million vacation resort Margaritaville, promises something for everyone. The property will be home to a 175-room Margaritaville-branded hotel, 1,000 vacation homes, 300 timeshare units and approximately 550 condominiums. And Central Florida visitors will no longer have to travel to the coast to get their snorkeling fix. The resort will feature three acres of swimmable freshwater lagoons and water-based activities will include a 12-acre water park, paddle-boarding, snorkeling and children's play areas.

New Star Wars offerings have landed at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The Star Wars Launch Bay offers guests the chance to interact with characters from the film franchise. The adventure continues on Star Tours, which has been enhanced to feature new characters and journeys from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Younglings can get in on the fun over at Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple which allows young guests to step into the shoes of a Jedi in training.

For the first time in forever, guests can explore the kingdom of Arendelle at "Frozen Ever After" in the Norway Pavilion at Epcot. This family-friendly adventure picks up after the events in the blockbuster hit "Frozen" and celebrates a "Summer Snow Day."

Nightfall brings even more mystery and majesty to Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park with the premiere of the nighttime jewel, "Rivers of Light." This illuminating musical experience celebrates the magic of animals, humans and the natural world with a blend of performers, floating lanterns and theatrical animal imagery.

Universal Orlando Resort brings the next generation of the King Kong legend to life at Universal's Islands of Adventure with "Skull Island: Reign of Kong". Guests board large vehicles and explore ancient temple structures while encountering hostile natives and fending off unspeakable terrors. A powerful storyline, a stunning 3D experience, innovative technology - and the unexpected - will pull you into one of Universal Orlando's most massive adventures yet.

Mako, a brand new 200-foot-tall coaster recently opened at SeaWorld Orlando, named after one of the ocean's fastest-known sharks. It is Central Florida's tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster, reaching speeds of 73 mph, racing along 4,760 feet of steel track. This new hyper coaster is the centerpiece of the newly themed two-acre plaza. The surrounding realm is fully shark themed, providing guests with the opportunity to learn about the impact humans have on sharks and why these animals are critical to the environment.