It was 30 years ago this week that Simon’s first book was published, and led to a career in Orlando travel-writing that continues to this day. The Brit Guide to Orlando & Walt Disney World was unique in that it was aimed purely at the UK market to Central Florida, which no-one (surprisingly) had tried before. Our “little project” has since led to half a lifetime in the travel world, with book sales in excess of half a million, and counting!
There have been other travel adventures, to be sure, including trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Chile and Slovenia, plus our epic Year On The Road RV adventure, which this blog is named for. But Orlando has always been the abiding driving force, a constant in our world of regular globe-trotting.
The Brit Guide was always Simon’s specialty, though, an ever-evolving collection of user-friendly content, images and style that owed a lot to his newspaper background, but added his own personal experiences as a holiday-maker to the overall mix. In 2004, it led to him moving from the UK to Florida, to continue his love affair with the destination (and meet the love of his life!), which branched out into coverage for a wide range of media, including the BBC, the Telegraph, Independent and Sky Travel.
There were more books, online content aplenty and, of course, social media. Simon has appeared on TV, radio and various podcasts, and continues to write for a number of different outlets, despite now being in his Medicare years (which he hates!). Happily, there is also a new Orlando book in the offing, picking up where the Brit Guide left off in 2024. We’ll have more about that in due course, but, in the meantime, our new book – 111 Places in Orlando That You Must Not Miss – continues to be another major strand to the Veness Travel Media output, and something that has been really well received here in The City Beautiful.
All in all, it has been an action-packed 30 years of Orlando and much, much more, and we hope to bring even more to you in the next decade or so (God willing). So, just because the Brit Guide faded away last year, that doesn’t mean the end of our relationship with British visitors. It will just be re-born in a whole new package. Just like Orlando does every year!
The grand entrance to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. Truly epic.
If there is a most epic section of Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe, it has to be the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. From the moment you step inside this most immersive of worlds, you are transported to an authentic 1920s version of Paris that is breathtaking to behold. And that’s before you take in a single attraction or food or beverage sample. There is a stunning array of design, detail and imagination everywhere you look, and an inherent beauty to the artistry that surrounds you. This seven-minute snapshot video (hopefully) encompasses all that is best about this extraordinary theme park:
And there’s that word again: Beauty. This is an utterly beautiful park, with an astounding level of detail that is all-encompassing. It feels like no expense was spared to create a vivid and lasting impression of imagination and creativity, and it all culminates in this one world from the Potter-verse. Universal absolutely caught lightning in a bottle with their first two Wizarding Worlds, but this one is on a whole different level of immersion, not so much a theme park as a time machine that transports guests to another time and place. Just sit back and enjoy the journey…
The rich, astonishing, beautiful look of Ministry of MagicThe inside detail of Ministry of Magic. Just look at the detail in that floor!21st century Florida or 1920s Paris? You decide…!It just might be Paris, hey…?
An artist’s rendering of the new-look Magic of Disney Animation courtyardat night
OK, that headline sounds like a bit of gibberish, but it’s accurate – Walt Disney World is reimagining its current Animation Courtyard area in Disney’s Hollywood Studios as The Magic of Disney Animation, an all-singing, all-dancing area of characters, animation and classic fun, with a firm nod to Walt and his original Burbank studios.
Starting September 25, 2025, the Studios park will shut down the Courtyard area (with the exception of the newly reopened Little Mermaid show) and re-open it in late 2026 as a complete character-fest. Here’s what they say:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (July 22, 2025) – A brand-new animated adventure is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2026. “The Magic of Disney Animation,” will debut in the building that currently houses Star Wars: Launch Bay. Drawing inspiration from the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California, and the Emmy award-winning and heartwarming short film “Once Upon a Studio,” guests will step into a whimsical twist on the real-life studio building, but this time, when the animators are away, the characters come out to play! Topped with Mickey’s iconic Sorcerer Hat, the space will invite guests to explore different studio departments brought to life by Disney characters.
The redesigned outdoor courtyard space will become a tree-lined plaza full of Disney characters
In the Production Gallery, portraits come to life just like in the 2023 short film “Once Upon a Studio,” while in the Screening Theater, guests can get inspired by a short film the whole family will love. Additionally, they will have the chance to learn how to draw fan-favorite characters and greet them in real life.
Families with younger children will also delight in “Drawn to Wonderland,” an all-new indoor playground inspired by the whimsical concept art for “Alice in Wonderland” created by Disney Legend Mary Blair. This imaginative play area will feature an oversized flower garden with musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset, and a Tulgey Wood exploration area.
Beyond the building, Animation Courtyard will be reimagined into “The Walt Disney Studios,” a newly designed outdoor space offering shaded seating, playful landscaping and fun surprises, ideal for relaxing, snacking or spontaneous fun.
Walt Disney Animators and Imagineers are working hand-in-hand to bring the wonder and nostalgia of Disney animated films to the whole courtyard in new and immersive ways families will love.
“Our film came from the heart and from a desire of all the Disney Animation artists wanting to celebrate our artistic accomplishments and a passion for the studio’s legacy,” said “Once Upon a Studio” director, Trent Correy.
“Working on this film was the highlight of my career – the most fun I’ve ever had,” recalled his fellow director, Dan Abraham. “And now, to collaborate with the wonderful talents at Walt Disney Imagineering to bring the short and our studio to guests in this exciting way is beyond our wildest dreams.”
In addition to the new offerings, the exteriors of several existing buildings will be reimagined with design elements inspired by buildings found in Burbank. To prepare for the transformation, Animation Courtyard, Star Wars: Launch Bay and Disney Jr. Play and Dance! will close beginning Sept. 25, 2025. Guests can continue to enjoy “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” and Walt Disney Presents while the transformation is completed.
More details about new offerings, characters, and experiences coming to this new area will be shared in the coming months.
Farewell, Launch Bay and its Star Wars theme – there’s a new theme a-c0ming!
We are rarely smitten by relatively simple rides in our theme parks, but we have to admit to being bowled over by the Constellation Carousel at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe park. It’s hard to imagine anyone could come up with anything new or really compelling for such an “old-fashioned” ride, but Universal’s designers have really reinvigorated this formula with their take on a classic carousel. Check out our video of the ride here:
While there’s no Brit Guide for 2025 (scroll back to January’s entry for those sad details), we can use the blog to update a few things that we think are worth highlighting this year, and here’s something for the repeat-visitor factor…
Orlando is all about amazing experiences. From the theme parks to the supermarkets, everything is larger than life and twice as exciting. So it makes sense that anything new is going to grab our attention and demand we check it out. Things like the new Apéro Bar at the glorious Conrad Hotel just outside Walt Disney World.
You know you’ve arr5ived somewhere special when you drive up to the swish Conrad Orlando hotel, which is part of the mammoth Evermore Resort, with its Crystal Lagoon
It’s no real surprise that a fancy hotel will have a just-as-fancy feature bar or restaurant, whether it’s a classic Disney hotel restaurant like Citricos at the Grand Floridian or the fabulous steaks of A Land Remembered restaurant at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort on Universal Boulevard (still the best steaks we’ve had in Orlando).
Funnily enough, the bars at some of these hotels have tended to be something of the Cinderella of their food and beverage line-up, with far less attention paid to an elegant pre or post-dinner beverage experience than the dinner itself. That has changed a bit in recent years with the advent of eye-catching venues like Universal’s rooftop Bar 17 Bistro and the fantastic AC Sky Bar at the AC Hotel in downtown Orlando, but it is still a bit unusual for hotels to lavish their full decorative might on the lobby bar, or similar.
The rooftop vibe at Universal Orlando’s magnificent Bar 17 Bistro
Applause for Apéro
The Apéro Bar absolutely smashes that failing into little tiny pieces. Not only does it provide the kind of chic, eye-catching venue that wouldn’t be out of place in a James Bond film, it goes the extra mile in providing drinks and food items that are as good as the setting itself, which evokes a blissful Italian Riviera ambiance by day and by night.
We’re no strangers to the occasional cocktail or two; it’s an Orlando speciality that goes back almost to the opening of the theme parks themselves. But Apéro goes much further in offering an all-round icon of high style for that special evening out. Even the glassware is a distinct cut above the usual martini and rocks glasses that we’re used to seeing.
To start with, it occupies an ideal location within the Conrad, on the lower level looking out over the spectacular crystal lagoon at the heart of the resort, a seeming ocean of brilliant blue that disappears into the distance. (For the record, the lagoon covers a whopping eight acres and is the brainchild of a South American company that uses proprietary technology to create super-size pools. This one is big enough to accommodate paddle-boarders!).
The fabulous view from the Apero Bar’s lagoon-view location
The airy space that Apéro occupies is also designed to invoke an al fresco style while keeping everyone super-cool in its cosy air-conditioned confines. The venue features warm woods and gold accents, notably in the unusual lamps that range across the marbled bar top and the moody ceiling lighting that casts a particularly golden glow over proceedings. The rectangular bar has seating on all four sides, with a lowered section at one end that encourages casual dining.
What’s on the menu?
Ah yes, the menu. It probably comes as no revelation to find excellent cuisine at a five-star hotel, but the Apéro menu is carefully curated to provide some of the best tastes – in both drinks and dishes – that the hotel offers, without going to the formality of the main dining room. We find holidays are more conducive to the laid-back vibe of upscale bar food, and we especially enjoy small-plate bar dining when accompanied by delectable drinks.
A setting fitting for 007 himself – the super-chic bar-lounge of the Conrad Orlando’s Apero Bar
And the hotel’s chefs really know how to turn on the style when it comes to some magnificent mixology and Mediterranean-inspired dishes that hit all the right notes for flavour without overdoing the bulk.
We’ll start with the drinks (as you do!), and freely admit that we were treated to some real highlights. The cocktails are divided into five sections for Negroni (four notable variations), Sbagliati (or unusual mixes of Negroni that would be considered “happy accidents” by most mixologists), Spritz (all with sparkling elements of some kind), Americani (a quartet of classics) and Spirit-Free. The Svegliato is a delicious coffee negroni, while the Banana Splitz is just outright fun! There is also a notable Italian wine selection that is sure to appeal to connoisseurs.
Ready for a cocktail? The Apero Bar boasts fab Italian-influenced concoctions, like their Birra Americano – a mix of Nardini Bitter, Mancino Vermouth Chinato, Alchermes, Cardamon and Lager Foam
There are just 11 food menu items, and three desserts, but they run the gamut of relatively simple salads, pizza, chicken wings and a signature burger (albeit all with a stylish touch) to fab burrata, arancini, Italian tuna poke and a superb cheese charcuterie board. We found the chicken wings, burrata and tuna poke absolutely delicious, while nearby fellow diners sang the praises of the arancini and charcuterie.
For dessert, we were tempted by both the Bread Pudding and Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brulee, but our barman, Francisco, insisted we try the Rocher, and boy was he ever right! This outrageously decadent over-sized ball of chocolate Frangelico semifreddo, salted caramel, chocolate cake, chocolate fudge sauce and macadamia nuts is simply our new favourite dessert anywhere in Orlando, and there’s a fair bit of competition for that.
The highlight dessert – that outrageously delicious, chocolate sensation Rocher
The Deets
Apéro Bar is open from 2pm to midnight Monday-Thursday and 1pm to midnight Friday to Sunday, with food served from 2.30pm to midnight every day. There is only valet parking at the hotel, but the rate is reduced to $10 for guests dining at Apéro.
In summary, this is far and away one of the most elegant – and downright tasty – bars we have sampled in Florida, or anywhere else for that matter. It has masses of style, and the tastes to match. And, for that special occasion or anniversary celebration, it takes some beating.
Arriving at Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness Resort, the 84th and final stop on our great Year On The Road RV adventure
All good things come to an end, as Chaucer once wrote, and, for us, it was arriving at Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness Resort on the 52nd and final week of our grand A Year On The Road adventure across the US (and back) by RV. It was the culmination of a 12-month odyssey to discover more about the country, and expand our travel-writing horizons beyond merely Florida. It was successful in that aim in every aspect, and it was exhilarating to finally be back in our home town, and enjoying the inimitable Disney hospitality (especially at this rural and laid-back resort that most Disney guests never see).
Our campsite set-up in Fort Wilderness, in truly idyllic rural surroundings
We had started our final month in Biloxi, Mississippi, and traveled east and south via Gulf Shores and Mobile in Alabama, and then Navarre and Tallahassee in Florida’s “Panhandle,” the extreme north-west of the state, which is full of fabulous beaches and eye-catching coastline. The final 270-mile drive south from Tallahassee took us back into familiar territory once again, and the iconic signage that lets visitors know exactly where they are…
Gateway to “The most magical place on Earth,” Walt Disney World Resort, Florida
Having set out from home on May 14, 2023, we walked back through our front door again on the exact same day a year later, having traveled more than 35,000 miles in our combination of Winnebago Sightseer and Ford Fiesta (our trusty tow car), a journey involving 23 states, 16 National Parks and a lifetime of memories. In many ways, we’re still processing where we went and what we saw (it was a LOT), and we still have the appetite for more, albeit it won’t be for a while! The full trip gave us more food for thought than the previous 10 years combined, while also serving to underline the benefits of home and the myriad of places that are right on our doorstep.
It would probably amaze most Magic Kingdom visitors to know that this is the vista little more than a metaphorical stone’s throw from the theme park!
Of course, having completed the journey meant we were duty-bound to conclude our exclusive journal series for the travel pages of The Independent newspaper, a roughly 17,000-word diary of road-going exploits across the most remarkable country in the world. It was a real pleasure being able to highlight the month-by-month narrative of our RV exploits, especially the awe-inspiring scenic nature of most of it, and we hope people enjoyed riding along with us, and are also inspired to try some of it for themselves, especially by RV. This truly is The Big Country, and there is so much more to see apart from the obvious. For now, it is time to relax and reflect – but we WILL be traveling again in future! To read the final part of our Independent series, see this link: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/north-america/usa/road-trip-usa-mississippi-alabama-disney-b2688413.html
Our spacious and blissful campsite at Fort Wilderness, surrounded by nature
If you would like to go back and enjoy the previous 11 instalments of our epic trip for The Independent, check out these links:
It is with sadness that we announce, officially, that we have severed ties with our publisher of the Brit Guide to Orlando, which we have written for the last 29 years. It has been a while in the works after some deep disappointments in the past few years, concluding with the publication of the 2024 edition in black and white, against our knowledge or even consultation.
It has been a good run, though. For much of the 29 years we have been the best-selling travel guide of any kind in the UK, and we have sold in excess of 250,000 copies in all. We have been a big part of many visitors’ Orlando holidays and have had some wonderful feedback and made lifelong friends as a result.
We will still be happy to meet up with people when they’re here, and we will continue to post on various social media about our work here in the Theme Park Capital of the World. And our work definitely won’t stop. As the old saying goes, as one door closes, another opens, and that will certainly be our intention going forward.
So, stay tuned to us here on the Veness Travel Media blog, and Follow us on Instagram, BlueSky Social and YouTube. You never know where we will turn up next!
The Mississippi coast proved a true delight to travel along, with its long fringe of gorgeous beaches
Louisiana and Mississippi proved to be the perfect territory for the later stages of our epic Year On The Road RV adventure, providing rich cultural and recreational influences. From laid-back Lafayette to surprising Biloxi, we took the road less traveled and reveled in the sights, sounds and tastes of this pretty Gulf Coast region. And you can read all about it in the latest instalment of our exclusive series for The Independent, a story of crawfish, beignets and beaches:
Waveland, Mississippi, was Ground Zero for Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and these steps are all that is left of the home that once stood on Coleman Avenue, where only one building survived the storm surge
This is the penultimate instalment of our unforgettable 35,000-mile road trip, which opened our eyes about much of the country and underlined the fact that the only real way to SEE America is to travel, widely, and off the beaten track. We would never have discovered places like St. Martinville, Kaplan and Waveland if we hadn’t been in our trusty Winnebago, and we absolutely adored this close-up view of the country and its many attractions. Stay tuned for Month 12, and a grand finale in our home stomping ground in Orlando…!
Like Louisiana,Mississippi served up some delicious food, like this succulent barbecue plate from the rustic The Shed in Ocean Springs
As we come to the end of another year in the life of two weary-but-happy travel writers, we are able to look back on a truly remarkable 12 months, culminating in the launch of our latest book, 111 Places In Orlando That You Must Not Miss.
Making sure our local Barnes & Noble store has a signed copy of the book!
Back in January, we were holed up in Donna, Texas, at the beginning of the homeward leg of our grand A Year On The Road RV adventure across the USA, taking a breather as we figured out the final four-and-a-half months of the trip. In the end, we continued with Plan B (our re-routed itinerary after discovering New Mexico gets a fair bit of ice and snow!) to travel the full length of the Texas coast and then hop through each of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama before returning to Florida. It all worked out well, albeit, we lost our beloved Ruthie the Rescue to an ongoing medical condition (and old age) in May.
A happy dog – Ruthie did so well on our big RV trip, but then faded quickly on our return home
The rest of the year has been devoted to getting our Orlando lives back in shape, catching up with work back in The Theme Park Capital of the World – and launching our new book. The 111 Places guidebook was a happy coincidence of a contact on LinkedIn flagging up an opportunity for us, and we were delighted to dive into a different side of Orlando, the non-theme-park side, for what is now our 52nd book. While part of an existing – and highly popular – book series by German publisher Emons, it gave us the opportunity to spread our wings and delve into a completely different side of The City Beautiful, one which doesn’t get a lot of publicity.
The 111 Places in Orlando team – us with photographer Kayla L. Smith
The simple fact is, there is more to this huge tourist destination than meets the eye – much more, in fact. There is a wealth of history, art and culture, as well as a thriving downtown district scene, and some unique restaurants. All of this, plus some of the quirky and offbeat places that most cities can boast, and more can be found between the pages of the new book, studded as it is with wonderful photography by Orlando photographer Kayla L. Smith. This is a book we are immensely proud of, and we hope everyone who buys it discovers something new, exciting and captivating about the city we call home. There are 111 stories just waiting to be discovered (along with another 111 that are linked to the main Places!).
How our epic Year On The Road adventure started – with driving lessons!
And that’s our (basic) story of 2024, at least for now. There will be more new adventures in 2025, although we don’t know what they will be yet. We are probably going to take a step away from our Brit Guide work for the immediate future, but there will be another edition in Susan’s Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World series in the not-too-distant future, plus more about our Year On The Road adventure. We’re hoping to get back to Europe for some (long) overdue travels there, and we also want to see more of the USA’s east coast. We do plan more RVing at some stage, but we might need an extended break first! In the meantime, we’d like to wish all our family, friends and followers the happiest of Holidays, and a peaceful and prosperous New Year –
Posting this story has become an annual Thanksgiving tradition. It happened several years ago. There are no photos because some things should never be seen.
It’s 4 a.m. and I should be sleeping soundly, getting my energy back after two days of cooking in preparation for the big Thanksgiving feast tomorrow (today). Instead, I’m sitting at my computer, counting down 10 minutes, because that’s how long it takes Lysol to kill food-borne pathogens.
All I had to do was empty the brine bucket at 3 a.m., six hours after immersing what will surely be a glorious turkey when it’s cooked to 170 degrees (just to be sure) and presented lovingly to my family. A quick bleaching of the sink, return the turkey to the fridge, and Bob’s your uncle; off to sleepy-land again.
I knew the brine bucket was full. Like, really full. So I was careful, because, as we all know, cross-contamination is an ugly thing. The plastic bag I put the bucket on in the fridge, however, had other ideas.
The brine sloshed out of the bucket onto the plastic bag, the plastic bag hit the floor, and a poultry-infused mess splattered everywhere. It left a trail from the refrigerator to the sink, soaking the kitchen floor. It drained down my shirt, into my underwear, down my legs, and all over the counter. A literal trail of horror and unhappiness.
There may be some among you who would do a quick mop-up and think no more of it. That’s not me. Every single drop of cross-contamination welled up around me, like oceans of food-borne illness waiting to happen.
The bleach bottle was in the laundry room, which meant tracking brine through two rooms, cross-contaminating one-quarter of the downstairs portion of my home. But there was no escaping it. I had to do it, and I had to keep track of every single thing my hands, my feet, and my shirt touched during the round-trip journey.
The next hour was spent bleaching the floor, the sink, the counters, my feet, the faucet, the refrigerator, and the laundry tub.
My clothes, of course, had to come off, and I had to wash myself with hot, soapy water to avoid further cross-contamination. All I had was laundry soap, but it would have to do. Mercifully, the tablecloth I was going to launder was still on the washing machine, so I wrapped up in it, just in case anyone came out of their bedroom to see what the hell I was doing. The only thing that would make this night worse was to have my loved ones watch me run through the house naked.
I didn’t want to wake Simon by opening my underwear drawer once I reached the bedroom, so I rooted through the laundry basket, but only found a pair of his old tighty whities. The ones he wears when he’s doing sweaty yard work. They would have to do. I grabbed a clean shirt, put it on, and went back to sanitizing.
Bleach is good, but Lysol is better. I should own stock in Lysol. Just the smell of it makes me relax, and since the required 5 minutes it takes bleach to kill salmonella had passed and the floor was almost dry, it was time to put my best friend to work.
Methodically, like a woman who knows what she’s doing (the kind of woman who wouldn’t have filled that damned brine bucket up to the top in the first place), I sprayed my microscopic enemies and took pleasure in hearing the last of them die.
So, that’s how I came to be sitting at my computer wearing my husband’s underwear, with Lysol all over my feet. It should only take one or two episodes of Are You Being Served to get me back to sleep again, but there are some things you know you’re going to live again and again in your nightmares for several years to come.
I CAN chuckle appreciatively at the fact that the clean shirt I am wearing reads, Nevertheless, She Persisted, but you can be damned sure I’m getting a bigger turkey-brine bucket on Friday.
Happy Thanksgiving. I wish each and every one of you a blessed day and a safe, healthy meal.
Veness Travel Media 