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Luxury Pet Care Resort To Open At Walt Disney World

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Pets


Your pets don't have to be left out when you go to Walt Disney World. The new Best Friends Pet Care Resort will start accepting pets starting August 27. The property is more than 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, including 17,000 square feet of air-conditioned indoor space, 10,000 square feet of covered outdoor runs and play areas and a private dog park. There is a grooming salon that offers baths and haircuts. The facility will accommodate up to 270 dogs and 30 cats for both daytime and overnight boarding.

Options for dogs include air-conditioned indoor rooms, indoor-outdoor suites, and four larger VIP suites with television, raised bedding and private outdoor yards. The dog park includes a fenced walking trail that has various play areas offering artificial turf, a shaded place to play and even a water park. There are also areas for owners to sit and watch their dogs frolic. Dog owners can choose upgrades like bottled water, ice cream treats and private time with the staff that can include cuddle time and bedtime stories.

Cats will be off in "Kitty City" which has two and four-level condos. Cats can also receive private playtime, activities toys and special treats. There is also a special facility for boarding hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets and other small animals. The pet resort is located across from the Port Orleans Resort at 2510 Bonnet Creek Parkway in Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830.

Both daycare and longer stays are available and rates vary depending on services. Top of the line VIP service with two potty walks, two playgroups, a flat screen TV, webcam,bedtime story and a Go Home Fresh bath costs $76.

Where to Smoke in Orlando: Corona Cigar Co.

Filed under: Cigars


I'd heard about Corona Cigar Co. from several people before I took my trip down to Orlando, FL. A few weeks ago, a visitor to New York from Florida overheard me discussing my then upcoming trip and interjected with some great advice, "Check out Corona." There are three locations; I chose the spot in downtown Orlando (no, not the same thing as Downtown Disney).

The description I was given back home in New York was enough to get me interested, but it failed to capture the enormity of the experience. The South Orange Ave. location offers countless cigars from nearly every manufacturer you could imagine. I took advantage of the lower cigar tax relative to home to pick up an Avo Campanero at what felt like a discount and headed for the large in-store lounge. Sponsored by Diamond Crown, it seats more than 60 people without forcing them to bump elbows. There's also outside seating at both four-top tables and wooden rocking chairs.

Every table has a six-page cocktail menu, so there's a pretty good chance you'll find the right concoction to pair with your preferred cigar. Of course, the fact that the bartender is nothing short of stunning improves both the drink and the smoke.

Disney Offers Deep Discounts

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Children


Mickey, Alice and Cinderella are getting a little lonely. As The New York Times reported the other day, Disney is running discounts at its theme parks to stem an ebbing tide of visitors. Attendance began falling in late 2008 at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. Traffic was down roughly 5 percent from the year before.

At Disney World, cost-conscious parents can reserve a seven-night package at one of 23 on-site hotels for the cost of four nights. The offer, which is good for trips through Aug. 15, can be applied to even the most upscale accommodations, such as the Polynesian and the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Visitors who book stays in early or late March can also receive a $200 gift card. Disneyland, meanwhile, is offering a variety of packages, beginning on hotel stays of two nights. The deals include adult tickets priced at the cost of children's tickets and free flights for kids on Alaska Airlines.

One of the best ways to find these and other discounts is to take a spin through MouseSavers.com, a web site devoted to finding deals on Disney trips.

Disney Bans Kids From Posh Restaurant

Filed under: Dining

Walt Disney World might be the most popular spot to bring kids on vacation, but starting this week there is one place in the resort that will not be open to children. The Victoria & Albert's restaurant in the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the theme park's only restaurant with an AAA five-diamond rating, is banning children under 10. The decision came after surveys showed that diners were looking for a more adult restaurant experience. Of course, Disney has 97 other full-service restaurants to choose from, but this is the one with the highest prices and the most elegant atmosphere. Prices start at $125 a person.

Fuego By Sosa Cigars, A Cigar Bar For Disney

Filed under: Cigars

You wouldn't peg Disney World as the place to find the latest hot cigar bar but Fuego by Sosa Cigars opened last month on Disney's Pleasure Island. Cigar Aficionado reports that the cigar bar has a cool bar that looks like a slab of melting ice and a full menu of alcoholic beverages. There is also outdoor seating, Custom wooden humidors offer a variety of cigars include the Fuente Fuente Opus X as well as the house brand Sosa cigars. Smoking is prohibited throughout much of Walt Disney World and is limited to designated smoking areas. The cigar bar is open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

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