The Formula for Fun Vacations Has Changed

As winter finally loosens its vice grip on the U.S., lots of us are thinking the same thing…I NEED A BREAK! The great news –travel experts say customizing your trip to fit multiple tastes has never been easier!

“Some of the big trends I am seeing right now include multi-gen travel,’ said travel and lifestyle authority Laura Begley Bloom. “This isn’t just mom and dad and the kids traveling its everyone in the family. We’re talking aunts, uncles, and grandparents too. Another big trend is skip-gen travel this is when the grandparents are taking the grandkids on vacation and leaving mom and dad at home. Another big trend in family travel is achievement travel this when the family is celebrating a big anniversary or big birthday and taking everyone along. When you’re planning a trip like this it really important to think about a great destination and Orlando is great place because it appeals to everyone in the family. You got theme parks, amazing restaurants, wine bars, and waterparks. There is so much to do here that appeals to everyone.

Tourism officials announced a historic milestone in the travel industry as Orlando became the first U.S. destination to surpass 70 million annual visitors. In 2017, 72 million visitors traveled to Orlando, an increase of more than 5 percent over the prior year, once again making it America's most-visited destination.

Visit Orlando, the region's official destination tourism and marketing organization, shared the number today at a special gathering of more than 1,000 tourism and community leaders.

Named one of Travelocity's Coolest Places to Go in 2018 for Family Travel and AAA's Top Domestic Summer Destination, Orlando has a fresh lineup of thrilling attractions arriving this summer, giving travelers 10 new reasons to explore the destination, including those inside Orlando's legendary theme parks, as well as beyond.

MOVIES AND FANTASY WORLDS COME TO LIFE

1) Universal Studios Florida will put visitors right in the middle of the action with the new Fast & Furious- Supercharged ride, based on the popular film franchise, where an after-race party turns into a high-speed race to escape a criminal cartel.

2) Disney's Hollywood Studios opens Toy Story Land on June 30, featuring two new attractions, along with new dining and merchandise locations. The rides Slinky Dog Dash and Alien Swirling Saucers will take visitors right into Andy's imagination as they join beloved characters in their adventures.

3) Walt Disney World Resort will make Orlando even hotter with their Incredible Summer, featuring all-new character entertainment and special events. At Magic Kingdom, guests can party with The Incredibles' Mr. Incredible, Mrs. Incredible and Frozone, while Guardians of the Galaxy's Star-Lord and Gamora team up with an alien band at Epcot to play tunes from those movies' soundtracks.

4) Madame Tussauds Orlando's "Justice League: A Call for Heroes" will allow guests to jump in on the action as a loyal sidekick to Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill's Superman and Ben Affleck's Batman starting May 25. Replica props and costumes related to each superhero character's wax figure will provide an added dimension of authenticity and realism to the immersive experience.

5) LEGOLAND Florida Resort put the pedal to the plastic when The Great LEGO Race opened on March 23. The thrill ride experience is the first VR roller coaster experience designed for kids, and features Lego minifigures, a rocket-powered surfboard and an espresso-fueled scooter.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES AND RECORD-SETTING THRILLS

6) SeaWorld Orlando debuts Infinity Falls this summer, a whitewater rapid adventure raft ride through a lost jungle. The journey will send guests through fountains and waterfalls before dropping 40 feet - a world record for a river raft ride - into churning whitewater.

7) Aquatica, SeaWorld's Waterpark brings big thrills this summer with Ray Rush, featuring three ways to get soaked. First, water jets launch the raft in a burst of speed. Riders then spin through a water sphere before swooping across giant manta wings.

8) The Orlando Starflyer, the world's tallest swing ride, opens on International Drive June 1. At 450 feet tall, the ride offers open-air views of the destination for up to 24 guests at once, swinging them through the air at up to 60 miles an hour at top speed.

9) Orlando Watersports Complex debuted Central Florida's first Aquapark, which features a modular series of inflatable, interlocking climbing obstacles, pathways and slides for hours of watery fun. This water park also offers wakeboarding, wakeskating, wakesurfing, kneeboarding and waterskiing for children and adults.

10) Nona Adventure Park promises to please thrill seekers and outdoor adventurers this summer, with rock climbing towers, an inflatable water park, a bistro and snack bar, a pro shop and the world's first solar-powered

For a great summer vacation Visit Orlando.com

Laura Begley Bloom

Laura Begley Bloom is a travel and lifestyle authority with great expertise in family travel. She provides content strategy to clients that include Forbes, Food & Wine, and Family Traveller, where she is the newly appointed Chief Content Officer. Corporate clients include Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Holland America, New York’s Time Warner Center, Lincoln Motor Company, and more. Previously, Laura was the editor-in-chief of Yahoo Travel, where she oversaw all aspects of the digital magazine. In February 2016, the North American Travel Journalists Association awarded Yahoo Travel the gold medal for top online travel magazine, under her leadership. Before joining Yahoo, Laura was the deputy editor of Travel + Leisure, and has also been a travel editor at Condé Nast’s Brides magazine, a reporter at Money magazine, a stringer for The New York Times, and a contributor at Wallpaper magazine. She appears regularly on television, including Good Morning America and NBC Today.

About Visit Orlando

Visit Orlando, The Official Tourism Association®, represents the most visited destination in the United States, with a presence in more than a dozen countries around the world. Visit Orlando, together with its 1,200 member organizations, represents every segment of the area's leading industry.

About Orlando

Home to seven of the world's top theme parks, Orlando, Theme Park Capital of the World®, is the No. 1 family vacation destination and the most visited destination in the United States. An unparalleled mix of unique experiences create cherished memories for visitors, including legendary theme parks, an array of world-class water parks, entertainment venues, an award-winning food scene, shopping and nightlife. Orlando offers more lodging options than nearly any other destination in the world, from expansive resorts to uniquely themed hotels.

Courtesy: Visit Orlando