Things To Do In SW Florida

MSC Cruises is unveiling upgrades to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the cruise line’s private island in The Bahamas.

One of the biggest enhancements comes with an extended pier, allowing two ships to call on the island simultaneously, that’s due for completion in late 2027. Other improvements include new dining venues, an adults-only beach, kid’s activities and conservation learning experiences.

Four new dining options will be added to the island, bringing Ocean Cay’s total up to seven venues. One new offering will be a specialty restaurant alongside new buffets and a food market.

The Sneakers Cove family beach will receive new experiences such as a children’s playground, a splash pad and a ropes course with water elements. This area will also feature ping-pong and foosball for families to enjoy.

Paradise Sands, an “exclusive retreat for adults,” will be added to Ocean Cay’s current lineup of eight beaches.

Guests can also find more hands-on experiences with conservation through the new MSC Foundation “Shifting Perspective” experience. Visitors can find ways to engage with conservation efforts including coral restoration and ocean ecosystems through hands-on activities. read more

The theme parks segment of Walt Disney Co. recorded record quarterly revenue of $10 billion worldwide for the October-December period, the company announced Monday.

It was a 6% increase over the previous year for Disney’s Experiences division, which also includes hotels, resorts and Disney Cruise Line.

The company does not break down financial figures or attendance by location, but Hugh Johnston, chief financial officer, addressed Orlando’s performance in a conference call with analysts.

“Walt Disney World had a very good quarter,” he said. Comparisons to 2024 are affected by Hurricane Milton, he said.

The 2025 quarter’s strong revenue uptick  “obviously benefited from the overlap of the hurricane,” Johnston said. “But in addition to that, [the quarter] saw strong attendance performance as well as strong pricing performance.”

He said hotel bookings for WDW are up 5% for the coming year.

CEO Bob Iger also noted a strong quarter for theatrical releases, including “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” the live-action “Lilo and Stitch” and “Zootopia 2,”  which earned $1.7 billion and became the highest-grossing animated film in history. read more

By MATT O’BRIEN, Associated Press Technology Writer

The one thing N. Lee Plumb knows for sure about being laid off from Amazon last week is that it wasn’t a failure to get on board with the company’s artificial intelligence plans.

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Plumb, his team’s head of “AI enablement,” says he was so prolific in his use of Amazon’s new AI coding tool that the company flagged him as one of its top users.

Many assumed Amazon’s 16,000 corporate layoffs announced last week reflected CEO Andy Jassy’s push to “reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company.” read more

By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Wild swings that swept through financial markets overnight eased as trading headed westward to Wall Street on Monday. U.S. stocks rose following sharp drops in Asia and then gains in Europe, while gold and silver prices rallied back from severe earlier losses.

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  Hulk Hogan’s beach house is going up for sale in Clearwater

The S&P 500 added 0.7% and is on track to snap a three-day losing streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 506 points, or 1%, as of 1:05 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.9% higher.

Stocks of companies that make computer storage helped lead the market, adding to gains from last week following several profit reports that topped analysts’ expectations. Airlines and cruise-ship operators were also strong, benefiting from a sharp easing of oil prices. read more

Come Monday, you can own the home of pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan when 1040 Eldorado Ave. in Clearwater officially lists for $10.98 million.

The star’s longtime beachfront residence features five bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathooms and a huge, covered outdoor area with panoramic views of the Gulf and a heated pool and spa.

Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, lived in the home until his death in July at age 71. Hogan purchased the house in 2012 for $3.3 million, downsizing from a 12,000-square-foot Belleair mansion on the Intracoastal Waterway that he sold for $6.2 million.

The 5,400-square-foot home featuring a striking dual staircase entry in front is being listed by Martha Thorn of the Thorn Collection and Coldwell Banker Realty, a news release stated.

The home was built in 2009 and features teak, marble and natural stone floors plus a private elevator.

Hogan’s family has hired a law firm to investigate whether the hospitals and doctors that treated the famed pro wrestler before his death committed medical malpractice. read more