ITTN’s Julia Labedz is on the Expedition Kissimmee FAM trip this week, exploring one of Florida’s most dynamic visitor destinations through a packed itinerary. The group spent the day discovering some of the area’s wildest highlights, riding rollercoasters, skimming across the Everglades on an airboat, and spotting a Floridian classic – ‘gators!
She is joined by Jo White of Experience Kissimmee, Charlotte Flach of Selling Travel, and 10 international media representatives; Ikram Casas, Daniel Guerrero, Amanda Leonel, Martha Vargas, Ann Rupenstein, Nancy Benettonsampath, Jill Weinlein, Lisa Niver, Khursheed Dinshaw, Christophe Hardin, and Marcos Ferreira.
The day began at Wild Florida Adventure Park, a standout attraction that delivers up-close encounters with Florida’s native and exotic wildlife. The group kicked off their visit by heading around the different exhibits available – bobcats, lemurs, the cutest fennel foxes, and of course – crocs. There were plenty of lookout points available, including raised verandas over the gator pond where the group were able to observe the animals getting into and out of the water as well as swimming around.
Afterwards, it was time for a 30-minute airboat ride across the headwaters of the Everglades! Airboats are flat-bottomed boats with a giant fan strapped to the back, and they are an iconic way to explore Florida’s wetlands. They’re loud, fast, and simply glide over shallow waters, making them perfect for spotting wildlife in otherwise unreachable areas. Not something you’d typically find in Ireland, that’s for sure!
The Florida Everglades, often referred to as the “River of Grass,” is one of the most distinctive ecosystems in the United States, home to a huge network of wetlands, marshes, and slow-moving waters. The group got to glide across its headwaters thanks to their Captain Jimmy, and experienced firsthand the beauty and biodiversity of this protected landscape. There were plenty of wild animal sightings, from birds to, of course, alligators. Wild Florida was a crazy albeit immersive start to the day, and additionally combined both conservation with adventure, making it a highlight on the itinerary and a definite recommendation from Julia.
Soon, it was time to grab a bite to fuel up for the rest of the day. Lunch was hosted at the Columbia Restaurant in Celebration, a family-owned institution that has been serving Spanish-Cuban cuisine for over 115 years. Set in a beautifully styled space, the restaurant is known for its hospitality and time-honoured recipes.
The group enjoyed a selection of traditional dishes, including the famed Original Cuban Sandwich, with the highlight being Columbia’s signature 1905 Salad. Julia enjoyed the popular Half & Half Combo, which included a Cuban Sandwich and a cup of bean soup. Columbia was both a delicious and homely place to dine in, and the perfect pick-me-up for the second half of the day.
After lunch, Julia opted for the bike ride through Celebration, a master-planned community originally developed by The Walt Disney Company in the mid 1990’s, and there couldn’t have been a better way to experience this truly storybook town! With bikes provided by Celebration Bike Rentals and the sun shining, the group pedalled off on a relaxed loop through the heart of the community.
The town officially opened in 1996 and was designed in collaboration with renowned architects and urban planners to reflect early 20th-century aesthetics, complete with wide front porches, picket fences, and pedestrian-friendly streets – basically, the representation of a truly idyllic American town. The open trails made for a refreshing mid-afternoon break, and a few photo stops along the way didn’t hurt either…
After the bike ride, the group headed back to the Margaritaville Resort to refresh before dinner. We’ve had lemurs, gators, speeding over wetlands and the experience of a classic Americana town – question is, what does dinner have in store? Well – have you ever dined in a theme park the size of a small city?
EPCOT is a world of its own. Spanning over 300 acres, it is designed around four neighbourhoods: World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature and World Showcase, each offering a different feel and purpose.
World Discovery immerses guests in themes of space, science and innovation; World Nature invites exploration of the planet’s ecosystems; World Celebration focuses on creativity and global connection; and World Showcase presents authentic experiences from eleven nations, centred around the World Showcase Lagoon.
The evening kicked off with a ride on Test Track, which was the perfect opening to the night and got everyone absolutely rearing to go. The attraction tops out at nearly 105 km/h and definitely left a few members of the group with windswept hairstyles. After regaining consciousness and getting rid of jelly-legs, the group moved on to a private dinner that was nothing short of spectacular. Delicious buffet-style dishes were available for the group to pick and choose from, and the DJ kept the party atmosphere alive long after the plates were cleared.
Dessert came with a show – the Fireworks Dessert Party at Mexico Vista, where the group seriously indulged in sweet treats like Mickey Mouse shaped ice-cream while taking in the Luminous – The Symphony of Us, the current nighttime spectacular at EPCOT, playing from a floating stage on the World Showcase Lagoon. It features fireworks, lasers, water fountains, lighting effects and a (very) emotional musical score. Unlike some earlier shows which focused primarily on spectacle, Luminous is designed to tell a human story, from themes of birth, family, play, love, loss and unity. According to its creators, the idea is that each guest plays a part in the “symphony” of life – different melodies coming together to create something beautiful.
And create something beautiful they did. The group enjoyed the firework show over the Lagoon with a prime view, but the magic of Kissimmee didn’t end there (the group couldn’t believe it either!).
To cap the evening off, it was time for a high-speed journey through the cosmos on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This reverse-launch rollercoaster very nearly launched Julia’s socks into orbit, making for a larger-than-life ending to a day packed with energy, surprises, and hospitality that will be hard to forget and even harder to leave behind!
ITTN extends sincere thanks to Experience Kissimmee for hosting this FAM, to all organising partners involved in delivering today’s exceptional itinerary, including Wild Florida Adventure Park, Columbia Restaurant, Celebration Bike Rentals, and Walt Disney World Resort for the EPCOT dinner and fireworks experience.
Make sure to stay tuned for more on what the group get up to on our social media channels!
