Orlando, Florida is the home of Disney World but Orlando natives are normally quick to correct people that the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’ is actually in nearby Kissimmee.

Minus the theme parks and local tourist traps there is so much else to do in Orlando.

One of the best places to go with a family, as a couple or alone, is Kelly Park, home of Rock Springs. Wet n’ Wild’s Lazy River has captured the magic that Rock Springs has been bringing visitors for decades.

Kelly Park is a local state park, a reasonable distance away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of Oralndo. It has areas for camping that are fairly cheap and allow people to stay longer than just a day’s visit if they want.

Although camping is available, day visits are the most common. Visitors should enter the park early (with a dollar charge per person in the car upon entering) because the park has a capacity restriction and will close off to more people by 10:30 or 11 AM.

There are so many different things to do in the park itself. Although the park is a wood area there are sand volleyball courts near the parking lot and pavilions to eat lunch. If visitors don’t pack a lunch they can buy one at the concession stand. The park also features several walking trails with explanations of the local flora and fauna in view.

However, the greatest attraction of Kelly Park is Rock Springs. Kelly Park boasts a long, winding river that emerges from a clear, cold spring right in the park. Visitors entering the park will arrive at the widest part of the springs with a large, deep pool and a shallower area for children. There are plenty of places to set up a picnic or sunbathe.

If patrons take a walk on the boardwalk alongside the river they can enter the springs at the very beginning where the water first comes out of the ground. The closer to the mouth of the springs, the colder the water will be; a refreshing feeling in the hot, sticky Florida weather.

Patrons who enter the springs will continue down, lazy river style until they reach the big pool at the entrance of the park; visitors can also bring intertubes or rent them at a nearby shop to float on. The river continues past this point and is much slower and very relaxing, because most people get out at the big pool so they don’t have to walk back to their group.

Rock Springs is a great place to cool down and relax after a day at the parks or just to have a change of pace in a busy city like Orlando. The water of Rock Springs eventually runs into one of two wild and scenic rivers in Florida, Wekiva River (the other river being the Loxahatchee).

Wekiva State Park is close to Kelly Park but is more fun for teenagers and couples. Families with young children do not usually go to Wekiva because the water is deeper.

Wekiva State Park has a spring, much like Rock Springs, except that the area around the mouth of the spring is much wider, like a giant pool. There is a swimming area for patrons, but no lazy river. Instead visitors can rent canoes and kayaks and explore miles of untouched, pristine Florida landscape and wildlife.

As a recommendation, if you do go to Wekiva and kayak/canoe, take the left fork. After about a mile there is a small island with shallow water nearby — a great place to park the boats and have lunch or just play around in the water.

Chances are that visitors going to Wekiva will see a lot of wildlife, even an alligator or two. At Rock Springs the summer months bring in a lot of visitors that create a lot of noise and disturbances so creatures usually stay hidden. However, during the spring months when it is warm enough to go swimming but no one is on vacation, the park is a lot emptier and chances are you’ll swim with an otter or two.

The common misconceptions about Orlando are that the only thing to do are the parks and that there is nothing ‘outdoorsy’ worth doing. However, Rock Springs and Wekiva will be sure to amaze with the quality of the experience and the true beauty of natural Florida wildlife.

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After his epic play in Super Bowl XLVI leading his team to a come-from-behind 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots, what is New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning going to do next? In the celebratory moments after his team captured the National Football League championship Sunday night in Indianapolis, Manning stood in front of a TV camera and shouted five words that have become ingrained in Super Bowl victory celebrations:

“I’m going to Disney World!”

Manning’s pronouncement, part of the production for one of TV’s most enduring and iconic Super Bowl commercials, was captured seconds after the final whistle. Manning – named the game’s MVP — completed 30 of 40 passes and amassed 296 yards, including his trademark fourth-quarter heroics, leading the Giants to the winning score.

Manning’s stellar performance was crucial in Sunday’s game and earned him a second “I’m going to Disney World!” accolade. In 2008, Manning was treated to a hero’s welcome at Disney after leading the Giants to an upset win over the Patriots, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII. He becomes the first Giants quarterback to win two Super Bowls.

On Monday (Feb. 6), Manning is scheduled to go to the place where millions of vacationers make memories celebrating their own personal milestone moments – Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. Manning will be joined in the Magic Kingdom by NFL Youth football players, who will participate with the Giants star in the Super Bowl celebration near Main Street, U.S.A.

This latest commercial is the 45th in a series that began in 1987 following Super Bowl XXI. The first “I’m going to Disney World” commercial, featuring Giants quarterback Phil Simms, was regarded as a groundbreaking concept – a produced national commercial involving a current event, airing on major networks within hours of its conclusion.

Manning again joins a lineup of people from sports and beyond who have celebrated milestone accomplishments in “I’m Going to Disney World” commercials.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/newyorkgiants

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D23 devotes its entire Spring issue of Disney twenty-three magazine to the remarkable legacy and influence of Disney animated films. From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to the animated classics of tomorrow, the official Disney fan club takes readers on a fantastic journey from the drawing board to the silver screen.

Available nationwide on February 14, this special issue of Disney twenty-three magazine is an extraordinary treasure trove of fascinating stories, insights and details of Disney animation’s heritage. From pre-production to music composition, every facet of making classic Disney animated features is explored—including the transcriptions from Walt’s story meetings with his animation team as they developed such classics as Fantasia, Pinocchio and Cinderella.

Plus, especially for Gold-level members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, this all-new issue also features an inventive, breathtaking cover that incorporates a removable replica animation cell from Snow White.

“It’s often been said that animation is the heart and soul of Disney, so we knew we needed to do something truly spectacular with our magazine in this milestone year,” said Steven Clark, head of D23. “Whether you’re interested in the first Golden Age of Disney animation or you’re looking forward to the next beloved classic, there’s something in this issue for every Disney fan.”

Fittingly, the magazine’s first story examines the legacy of Walt Disney himself and the vision he set forth even before Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs hit the screen. FiIm historian and Academy-Award winner John Canemaker looks at how Disney animated films have continuously raised the bar for three quarters of a century, since audiences were first enchanted by the “fairest of them all.”  Also included in the Spring issue are:

• The Six Older Men: A revealing look at the rarely seen talented artists and illustrators who helped train Disney’s legendary “Nine Old Men”;
• Ralph’s Wrecking Crew: An early glimpse at the process of producing Wreck-It Ralph, the next feature film from Walt Disney Animation Studios;
• Ballyhoo and Buzz: A colorful look at some of Disney’s off-the-wall stunts for marketing new movies before the advent of broadcast and digital media;
• Striking the Right Chords: An exploration of the memorable music written for animated features, with insight from film historian Leonard Maltin;
• Still Soaring: A touching interview with talented artist Tyrus Wong, now 101 years old, who helped create the extraordinary look of Bambi;
• A Work of Art: An introduction to Disney’s Animation Research Library, home to 65 million individual pieces of original animation art.

There’s even more to discover—including spectacular photography and artwork—in the Spring issue of Disney twenty-three, which will be delivered directly to all Gold-level D23 Members beginning in early February with the limited-edition Snow White reproduction cel as their collectible gift.

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