James Swartwout

Walt Disney World fans at the Magic Kingdom know that the iconic Cinderella Castle changes colors each night more often than Flora, Fauna and Merriweather can work their magic. So what’s your favorite color for the castle each night? Enjoy this gallery of photos , and be sure to cast your vote here . Photos by Steven Ford, Orlando Sentinel ... (more)

Disney World kids’ centers give parents guilt-free night out

  The Sandcastle Club at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resort offers kids a magical evening while parents have a night out. (Steven Ford/Orlando Sentinel) Recently, my kids got to experience a little bit of magic without me at Walt Disney World. My husband and I dropped them off at one of the six children’s activity centers, where kids ages 3 to 12 are supervised and can play video and board games, participate in arts and crafts, color, read, play with a variety of toys and watch movies. When we arrived, my almost-8-year-old son made a beeline for the wall of Wii and Playstation ... (more)

Summer Is Here on the Marco Island Florida

Vacation Homes Journal Marco Island represents the perfect fusion of the old world charm with the modern day marvels and natural glory with man made splendor. Situated on the northern tip of Ten Thousand Islands, It lies to the south of Naples with the Florida Everglades to its west. Marco Island has famously retained much of the natural splendor from the days when the Calusa Indians inhabited the Island. It is blessed with miles of beaches with pristine white sand, azure inviting water and the most glorious sunset view in Florida. The area is home to varied tropical fauna and alm... (more)

Vacation Rental Owners have options in Marketing their Properties

If you own a vacation rental and are looking to get the most out of your investment it is important to understand your options when marketing online. Here is a quick checklist of things to consider to assist your marketing effort: 1) Get a Facebook account - millions of travelers interact every day on Facebook. Use it to get your message out - and its FREE 2) Have your own website. Many hosting services like Yahoo are cost effective ways to get on line with easy to use tools for building the page. YOU DO NOT NEED A PROFESSIONAL Website. 3) Pick one of the large sites (VRBO, Homea... (more)

Flashed! Redneck Yacht Club Memorial Day weekend

Shur'nuff, they've got bikini bull riding, mud races, and tractors galore! ... (more)