Category Archives: Florida News

Donna and I scour the internet for news on Florida, and have compiled the best news snippets below for you to browse before your vacation.

April Fools in Florida. Over-reaction?

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Indefinite suspension for April Fools’ joke

Florida morning radio hosts Val St. John and Scott Fish played an April Fools’ joke on their show.  But it backfired.  Indefinite suspension for an April Fools’ prank seems a little harsh to me!  Fort Myers watch out.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2013/04/florida-djs-april-fools-water-joke/63798/

They warned listeners that dihydrogen monoxide was coming out of the taps in the Fort Myers area.  And they fell for it.

The Fort Myers population were so worried that Lee County Utilities had to make a statement saying that their dihydrogen monoxide (think water) is actually safe to drink.

Maybe there really was something in the water after all?

International Driving Permit required in Florida or not?

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So do I need a permit?  Confused?

In January 2013 an international driving permit (IDP) was indeed needed in Florida to drive legally for visitors outside of the USA.

However this law has now been backtracked (March 2013):

The DHSMV released a Statement on International Driving Permits, stating that the Florida law will not be enforced until a final determination regarding the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic can be made. Although the DHSMV states the law will not be enforced, theoretically this law still exists.

IDP

Internation Driving Permit debate

They are only a few pounds to buy, and the Post Office sell them, so it may be worth a quick visit before heading off to Florida.  Get your IDP here.

Source: http://www.theaa.com/getaway/idp/index.html#florida

A law introduced in Florida, USA, on 1 January 2013 requires all persons who hold a licence issued outside of the US to carry an International Driving Permit along with their national driving licence.  Without an IDP, a driver is therefore driving without a valid licence. If stopped, law enforcement has the options of  – Arresting the driver and taking them to jail  – Or giving the driver a citation with a mandatory court appearance.  The AA strongly advises that you should obtain an IDP if you intend to drive in Florida.  Although updates (below) indicate that a fine will not be given just for driving without an IDP, the law hasn’t been amended as yet and does still exist.

Disney’s MyMagic+ MagicBands RFID wristbands will transform your next theme park experience

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Disney claim it’s a whole new way to plan and share your Walt Disney World vacation.  They’re right.

Disney’s MyMagic+ MagicBands RFID wristbands will transform your next theme park experience.  These are just one part of the 3 part MyMagic+ system. More on that later – the best part of technology is the RFID wristband.

Walt Disney Theme Parks and also their resorts plan to advance theme park technology and are taking the Disney guest experience to the next level, but is this another case of big brother and big data being used in conjunction with your privacy being the biggest loser – one doesn’t seem to exist without the other and as the saying goes – nothing is free nowadays, especially not your whereabouts.

Disney are dangling the carrot of convenience and harnessing a huge amount of data for potential marketing avenues and commercial advantages. So:

  • No more paper tickets.
  • No more credit card.
  • No more fast pass.
  • No more hotel room key.
  • No more photopass.

This is all handled by the MagicBand and optionally the smartphone apps too, and it all makes up the My Disney Experience:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/

Disney’s MagicBand RFID technology (radio frequency identification) is incorporated into stylish wristbands. On their own they are useless, but dotted throughout the parks are special sensors that will interact with sensors throughout the theme parks.

How much information do you want to give away? Once again this is a catch-22. More information equals a better experience, but also how much do you value your privacy? Favourite Disney characters, fair enough, and names. The Disney characters can then access the child’s MagicBand information and could greet the child by name, if the parents allow, of course.

disney wristband

Disney MyMagic+ RFID wristband

MyMagic+ is needed in order to use fastpass, so it’s not exactly a complete opt out system without any negatives – you lose fastpass.

MyMagic+ comprises two other components: The My Disney Experience website with smartphone app, and FASTPASS+.

FASTPASS+ will also allow guests to reserve spots for the fireworks and parades before they even enter Disney theme parks, so it’s not just the traditional fastpass system.

So on to the smartphone app: Disney has released its guide app that covers all four theme parks and its other tourist areas that make up Disney World. The app features detailed maps, complete with markers of interest, and GPS tracking to help you find your way around (and them to find you).

Itune app: https://itunes.apple.com/app/my-disney-experience-walt/id547436543

Amazon app: http://www.amazon.com/Disney-My-Experience-WDW/dp/B0096CDHIK

Some of the features available are approximate times for Disney character appearances,  wait times (hooray!), FASTPASS return times, book dining reservations, nearby Disney Characters, attractions, entertainment, park hours, schedules.

Other facts:

  • For purchases of $50 or more Disney will require the user to enter a PIN as a safety precaution
  • Bands can be disabled and replaced to avoid misuse
  • MyMagic+ is rolling out in this spring and should be available to all guests by the end of 2013
  • 47 million visitors visited Disney in 2012
  • Data can be tracked minute by minute, raising interesting discussions on Big Data. This needs a new order of magnitude of processing and data power to harness and make use of
  • The Disney My Experience smartphone app is a free download
  • Walt Disney World is a site of over 30,000 acres in size
  • You can even make a reservation at one of the restaurants without getting off your phone app

 

New Disney World Fantasyland – Now Open

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Beauty and the Beast Fans – get excited! You can now dine in the BE OUR GUEST RESTAURANT inside the Beast’s Castle!

Now open in New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom park Orlando. Through the Enchanted Forest, you can venture round the magical world of Beauty and the Beast, with lush landscapes, roaring waterfalls and royal castles along the way.

By day, you can enjoy a short break from the park activities with light snacks. By night, it becomes a traditional table-service restaurant.

We for one can’t wait to go back in the Spring and meet Belle and the Beast!