Scott Powers and Christopher Boyd
Sentinel Staff Writers
October 8, 2007
Disney, which has been testing Segway trips along its Fort Wilderness trails for about a year, announced the formal start of its "Wilderness Back Trail Adventures." For $85 per person, a visitor can take a two-hour tour of the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground in tours offered twice a day on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Segways are self-balancing, two-wheeled electric vehicles.
Riders must be at least 16 years old. Disney also offers Segway training at tours at Epcot. More information is available through Disney's reservations line, 407-939-8687.
Homes for rent
Central Florida could well be the vacation-home rental capital of North America. Next spring, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and an events management company, MSE Management, plan to hold an exhibition in Atlanta that focuses on the fast-growing business.
The vacation-home rental concept was born in Europe and British tourists introduced the lodging alternative to Central Florida. There are now 20,000 to 25,000 vacation homes in the region, enough to give the conventional lodging industry some stiff competition.
The Vacation Home Expo, scheduled for April 11-13 next year at Cobb Galleria, will provide information on the vacation-home industry, focusing on condos, villas and houses that are rented for short durations.
Crofton is keynote speaker
Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton will be the keynote speaker at the International Association of Parks and Attractions annual convention at the Orange County Convention Center next month.
Crofton will speak about the future of the Disney theme park experience at the association's general managers and owners breakfast on Nov. 14 at 8:30 a.m.
The IAAPA Attractions Expo 2007 begins Nov. 12 and ends Nov. 16.
Closed for repairs
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has closed at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom for refurbishment through Oct. 24.
The closure joins those at Epcot for Spaceship Earth, which has been closed since summer for a long-term update, and the Wonders of Life Pavilion, which closed indefinitely in January.
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park is scheduled to close Oct. 28 for its annual winter refurbishment.
Hotel to open
Maitland hotel-development business Liberty Lodging LLC will open another Value Place extended-stay hotel in Lakeland next week.
The 121-room hotel will open near Interstate 4 on Oct. 15. It is the fourth of 40 Value Places that Liberty Lodging plans to open in Central Florida.
Scott Powers can be reached at spowers@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5441. Christopher Boyd can be reached at cboyd@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5723.
