Disney World

Walt Disney World

It's massive, it's magnificent! The Walt Disney World Resort covers over 47 square miles, hosts thousands of visitors each day and we're about to give you a crash course in finding your way around. There are 4 major theme parks, Magic Kingdom , Epcot, MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom and water parks.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

Just east of the most popular Orlando attractions and theme parks, NASA's launch headquarters is the only place on Earth where you can tour launch areas, meet a veteran astronaut, see giant rockets, train in spaceflight simulators, and even view a launch.Experience more on your Orlando, Florida vacation with a daytrip to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where the sky isn't the limit - it's just the beginning.

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO

You’re the star at Universal Studios, the number one movie and TV based theme park in the world. At this real film and television studio you’ll go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and right into the action of your favorite movies. Islands Of Adventure, experience the cutting edge rides and attractions that bring your favorite stories, myths, cartoons, comic book heroes, and children's tales to life.

SEAWORLD

SeaWorld Orlando is the world's premier marine adventure park with 200 acres of world-class shows...SeaWorld Adventure Park is a great idea for the first full day of your holiday - stadium style shows means there's tons to see without having to line up in the searing heat! Make sure you pick up a show schedule and take 10minutes to plan your day proceeding clockwise around the park - running from one side to the other willget old fast

Bahamas - History

Main article: History of the Bahamas

The seafaring Taino people moved into the uninhabited southern Bahamas from Hispaniola and Cuba around the 7th century AD. These people came to be known as the Lucayans. There were an estimated 30,000+ Lucayans at the time of Columbus' arrival in 1492. Christopher Columbus' first landfall in the New World was on an island named San Salvador (known to the Lucayans as Guanahani), which is generally accepted to be present-day San Salvador Island, (also known as Watling's Island) in the southeastern Bahamas. An alternative theory is that Columbus landed to the southeast on Samana Cay, according to calculations made in 1986 by National Geographic writer and editor Joseph Judge based on Columbus' log; this remains inconclusive. On the island, Columbus made first contact with the Lucayans and exchanged goods with them.

The Spaniards who followed Columbus depopulated the islands, carrying most of the indigenous people off into slavery. The Lucayans throughout the Bahamas were wiped out by exposure to diseases for which they had no immunity.[4] The smallpox that ravaged the Taino Indians after Columbus's arrival wiped out half of the population on what is now the Bahamas.[5] It is generally assumed that the islands were uninhabited until the mid-17th century. However, recent research suggests that there may have been attempts to settle the islands by groups from Spain, France, and Britain, as well as by other Amerindians. In 1648, the Eleutherian Adventurers migrated from Bermuda. These English puritans established the first permanent European settlement on an island which they named Eleuthera — the name derives from the Greek word for freedom. They later settled New Providence, naming it Sayle's Island after one of their leaders. To survive, the settlers resorted to salvaged goods from wrecks.

In 1670 King Charles II granted the islands to the Lords Proprietors of the Carolinas, who rented the islands from the king with rights of trading, tax, appointing governors, and administering the country.[6]

During proprietary rule, the Bahamas became a haven for pirates, including the infamous Blackbeard. To restore orderly government, the Bahamas was made a British crown colony in 1718 under the royal governorship of Woodes Rogers, who, after a difficult struggle, succeeded in suppressing piracy.[7]

During the American Revolutionary War, the islands were a target for American naval forces under the command of Commodore Ezekial Hopkins. The capital of Nassau on the island of New Providence was occupied by US Marines for a fortnight.

In 1782, after the British defeat at Yorktown, a Spanish fleet appeared off the coast of Nassau, which surrendered without fight. But the 1783 Treaty of Versailles — which ended the global conflict between Britain, France and Spain — returned the Bahamas to British sovereignty.

After the American Revolution, some 7,300 loyalists and their slaves moved to the Bahamas from New York, Florida and the Carolinas. These Americans established plantations on several islands and became a political force in the capital. The small population became mostly African from this point on.

The British abolished the slave trade in 1807, which led to the forced settlement on Bahamian islands of thousands of Africans liberated from slave ships by the Royal Navy. Slavery itself was finally abolished in the British Empire on August 1, 1834.

Modern political development began after the Second World War. The first political parties were formed in the 1950s and the British made the islands internally self-governing in 1964, with Roland Symonette of the United Bahamian Party as the first premier.

In 1967, Lynden Pindling of the Progressive Liberal Party became the first black premier of the colony, and in 1968 the title was changed to prime minister. In 1973, the Bahamas became fully independent, but retained membership in the Commonwealth of Nations. Sir Milo Butler was appointed the first black governor-general (the representative of Queen Elizabeth II) shortly after independence.

Based on the twin pillars of tourism and offshore finance, the Bahamian economy has prospered since the 1950s. However, there remain significant challenges in areas such as education, health care, international narcotics trafficking and illegal immigration from Haiti.

The origin of the name "Bahamas" is unclear. It may derive from the Spanish baja mar, meaning "shallow seas";[citation needed] or the Lucayan word for Grand Bahama Island, ba-ha-ma "large upper middle land".[citation needed]

Key West

Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States.

The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 (the Overseas Highway) (east), Sigsbee Park (north, originally known as Dredgers Key), Fleming Key (north), and Sunset Key (west, originally known as Tank Island). Nearby Key Haven(northeast), the part of Stock Island south of U.S. 1 (east), and Wisteria Island, better known as Christmas Tree Island (northwest), are inunincorporated Monroe County. Both Fleming Key and Sigsbee Park are part of Naval Air Station Key West and are inaccessible by civilians.

Key West is the county seat of Monroe County.[3]

Key West is known as the southernmost city in the Continental United States. It is also the southern terminus of U.S. 1, State Road A1A, and the East Coast Greenway.

Key West is 129 miles (207 km) southwest (229.9 degrees) of Miami, Florida,[4] (about 160 driving miles) and 106 miles (170 km) north-northeast (21.2 degrees) of Havana, Cuba.[5] Cuba, at its closest point, is 94 statute (81 nautical) miles south.[6]

Key West is a seaport destination for many passenger cruise ships. The Key West International Airport provides airline service. Hotels andguest houses are available for lodging.

Naval Air Station Key West is an important year round training site for naval aviation due to the superb weather conditions. It is also a reason the city was chosen as the Winter White House of President Harry S. Truman.

The central business district primarily comprises Duval Street, and includes much of the northwest corner of the island along Whitehead, Simonton, Front, Greene, Caroline, and Eaton Streets and Truman Avenue.

The official city motto is "One Human Family."

Little about Florida

People who live in Florida or who come from Florida are called Floridians.

Floridians have been referred to as "Alligators" after the Alligator population of the state. They've been called "Crackers" in a reference to the sound of the Mule-driver's whips over the backs of their mules in the early days of the state. (Note: Early residents of Georgia were called "Crackers" for a very different reason.) "Fly-Up-the-Creeks" is another old nickname given to Floridians. This nickname was based on the name given to a variety of Green Heron that was common along marshy shorelines. In More About Names, 1893, Leopold Wagners states that Floridians were called "Fly-Up-the-Creeks "...doubtless from their retiring disposition on the approach of strangers."