One More Reason MOAA’s 2015 annual meeting will take
place Oct. 29-31 at Orlando’s Buena Vista Palace Hotel. Enjoy events for servicemembers and family members at every stage of life and career, including a military- and spouse-friendly career fair, informational workshops, the Com- munity Heroes Award Night, the chair- man’s luncheon, and the chapter Levels of Excellence Awards. Registration will be open Aug. 1–Sept. 15 at
www.moaa .org/2015annualmeeting.
inspired homemade ice creams, scratch-made biscuits, and daily pastry offerings. Meanwhile, Cask & Larder is best
known for its house brews, high- lighting a growing craft brewery industry in the city. According to the Florida Brewers Guild, in the past five years, the number of breweries has more than doubled, with more than 20 up and running. And at Redlight, brew fans will delight in the exhaustive chalkboard list announcing 26 rotating drafts, which include on-site brews, in addition to a stock of 300 bottles. Though Redlight does not serve food, hungry imbibers can call out for delivery and enjoy anything from sushi to pizza and sandwiches on site if they wish.
Universal Studios
Be a kid again in your own Neverland Of course, it’s impossible to com- pletely resist the call of theme parks, especially if you have kids or grandkids in tow. Of the four Disney parks (Magic Kingdom Park, Dis- ney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Stu- dios), there’s a little something for everyone, especially with the Park Hopper passes available at a dis- count to active or retired members of the U.S. military.
The Disney family also includes Cask & Larder
two water parks, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and Dis-
ney’s BoardWalk. Another popular venue is the Downtown Disney Area, soon to be renamed Disney Springs and restyled in a manner that harks back to the look and feel of turn-of-the-century Florida. It is slated to open fully in 2016. Other theme parks in Orlando
that draw guests of all ages include SeaWorld Orlando, Discovery Cove, and Universal Studios. But sometimes, there’s nothing
wrong with going old school. Be- fore Walt Disney descended on the swamplands of central Florida and created dry land for his kingdom, alligators ruled. Since 1949, visitors have flocked to 110-acre Gatorland. And it’s still showing unforgettable reptilian shows, including the Gator Wrestlin’ Show and Gator Jumpa- roo. Guests also can explore via a raised boardwalk. Orlando has taken its place on
the world stage and grown well be- yond the vision that brought Walt Disney to Central Florida to quietly buy up millions of dollars of real estate in the early 1960s. And with a respectful nod to Walt for placing it on the map, the Orlando metro area now stands on its own. The New York Times agrees, including “City Beautiful” on its list of “52 Places to Go in 2015.”
MO
— Deborah Huso is a freelance writer based in Virginia. Her last feature article for Military Officer was “Military Made, Business Approved,” May 2015.
Gatorland
64 MILITARY OFFICER JUNE 2015 PHOTOS: FROM TOP, SHUTTERSTOCK; GARY BOGDEN; COURTESY VISIT ORLANDO
PHOTOS/IMAGES: TKTK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96