Last month we blogged about the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and how it had not reached Florida’s beaches. At the time of this blog post, the spill which was caused by an April 20, 2010, explosion of an offshore drilling platform, is still leaking oil and sadly, the impact is being seen on Louisiana’s, Alabama’s, Mississippi’s, and Florida’s beaches but this does not mean vacations need to be canceled.

Be an educated traveler before canceling or changing your Florida summer vacation plans. At the time of this post, tarballs ranging in size between a dime and a quarter, have washed up on some of Northwest Florida’s beaches (often referred as the Panhandle) between the Alabama-Florida state line to Bay County and are being collected as they wash ashore. Skimmers have also been deployed to gather them in the Gulf. Impact to more of Florida’s shoreline is anticipated and should be in the form of weathered oil of tarballs, tar mats, oil sheen or mousse (a pudding-like oil/water mixture).

Currently, there are no Florida beaches closed and Florida’s state waters remain open to recreational fishing.

No one can predict if, when and where the oil will land but if planning a Southwest Florida vacation in Naples, realize as the crow flies, Naples is more than 380 miles from Bay County, Florida, where highly weathered oil is washing up. If a Key West summer vacation is on schedule, keep in mind Key West is more than 450 miles from Bay County. Daytona Beach on Florida’s Atlantic coast is even further from where weathered oil is washing up.

Before embarking on your Florida summer vacation, here are some planning resources:
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill response website,
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) site,
VISIT FLORIDA, the official source for Florida travel planning, with destination updates and advisories,
NOAA for official trajectory and forecast information.

Image Source: Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau

We can’t always write about the feel-good vacation stuff because sometimes, vacations have their hiccups. The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com) which was caused by an April 20, 2010, explosion of an offshore oil drilling platform, is causing quite a hiccup in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s estimated 210,000 gallons of oil a day have been and is being discharged.

Despite this, at the time of this post, none of Florida’s 663 miles beaches have been impacted. Florida’s beaches are pristine as usual and are awaiting your arrival! There’s no need to cancel that Florida beach vacation to destinations as Naples and Key West.

If you have an upcoming trip planned to the Sunshine State, be an educated traveler and don’t give into the rumor mill (such as those untrue rumors circulating around Twitter and Facebook that Florida beaches are closed due to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill) because as of now, those rumors are false! Do the research yourself and check the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) website (www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon) for updates. DEP is monitoring the oil slick closely and has vowed to remain truthful and transparent with Florida vacationers.

Florida DEP is also utilizing social media to keep the public updated. They have established a Twitter account @FLDEPAlert to post updates.

You can easily find out the status of your favorite Florida beach destination through VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s official source for travel planning. They have created a special webpage with links to individual destinations plus an interactive map. Check out the site at www.visitflorida.com/florida_travel_advisory.

Be an educated traveler and don’t let the rumor mill spoil your summer Florida vacation.

Back in September we told you how The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort was set to open sometime in Spring 2010. Well, the wait is almost over for muggles and wizards wishing to experience the magical world. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort public grand opening is set for June 18, 2010.

The heart of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, one of three themed attractions and promises to “wow” visitors in ways they have never experienced before. The attraction lies within Hogwarts castle and includes Flight of the Hippogriff and Dragon Challenge.

During Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, visitors will meet Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as they venture through Hogwarts but rather than attend a lecture, they travel by Floo powder to begin the adventure. Soaring over Hogwarts, visitors will escape a dragon attack, get a little too close to a Whomping Willow, get pulled into a Quidditch match, and…, well, we shouldn’t reveal any more…

…well, we will tell you the attraction combines advanced robotic ride system technology with innovative, immersive filmmaking and a musical score by award-winning composer John Williams. While waiting to enter, visitors will be entertained by elements from the books and movies including Headmaster Dumbledore’s office, Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, and the Gryffindor common room.

The ride is about an hour, from entering the line and experiencing the attraction. There are 12 scenes within the Forbidden Journey and in addition to Harry, Ron and Hermione, favorite Albus Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid and Draco Malfoy make appearances, along with other favorite wizards.

When planning your Orlando vacation, consider Resort Rentals, Inc., for affordable lodging options.

HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights(C) JKR.

Image Source:  Universal Orlando Resort