Things To Do In SW Florida

It’s been the better part of five years since Walt Disney World made vegan options — real dishes, not just cobbled-together sides and salads — a mission throughout the realm. It’s a move we speculated, in late 2019, served as a tipping point for plant-based dining, and one that Cheryl Dolven, senior manager of health and wellness and environmentality for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, says is an undisputed success story.

Vegan at the steakhouse: Has plant-based dining finally hit the tipping point?

“It’s been a delight for our guests,” Dolven says, “Those who lead a plant-based lifestyle and also those who are looking for a new and exciting culinary adventure.”

Variety across the parks and resorts, Dolven says, has been at the heart of their achievement in proliferating all things plant-based.

“That means familiar foods that are designed to be approachable, like the spaghetti and Impossible meatballs at Tony’s Town Square or the Impossible nachos at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater … to adventurous items where you might not expect them, like the soba noodle salad in a waffle bowl at Fairfax Fare or the ancient grains stew at Citricos.” read more

Ever approach a Costco gas station, see the long lines and glumly pull away?

The big-box club in recent weeks finally did what members have sought for years: It expanded hours to pump gas.

Pumps are now open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday. On the weekends, the pump times are 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and 7:30 p.m. on Sundays. Previously, pumps closed at 8:30 p.m. on weekdays. Costco in its social media post said members should check their local club for gas station hours as all might not have updated to the new times yet, and hours may vary in states like California and Hawaii.

Universal Orlando is sharing more and more about its Epic Universe theme park, including souvenir merchandise that ranges from lightning-streaked T-shirts to Toothless popcorn containers and an expanded roster of Wizarding World of Harry Potter wands.

Some have been available for months at the Epic Preview Center at Universal CityWalk, although the lineup has been dominated by items featuring the now-familiar portal-shaped golden Universal Epic Universe logo. Expect an even wider array once Epic opens to the public on May 22.

The previewed goods have featured big graphics, bright colors and prominent characters. There are shirts from How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk with large horn-hatted Viking images and BERK on them and major Mario action on tees from Super Nintendo World.

Universal: One-day Epic Universe theme park tickets now on sale

Isle of Berk also will sell Viking cosplay gear and “rustic swag,” according to a Universal Orlando news release. There’s “a chance to adopt-a-dragon via a crossbody egg carrier that holds a plush dragon,” it reads. Plus there’s a ton of Toothless treasures sold at Toothless’ Treasures, an in-park store, including a zip-up jackets, plush headbands, wings, masks and popcorn containers. (Note to non-Berkers: Toothless is the main dragon character in the “How to Train” movie series.) read more

After initial reluctance, Osceola County commissioners have decided to kick in $500,000 toward a study on the feasibility of a SunRail extension from Orlando’s airport to the theme parks.

Commissioners voted unanimously and without discussion Monday evening to contribute toward the $6 million study of the Sunshine Corridor — the long awaited east-west extension reaching to Universal Studios, the Orange County Convention Center and Disney Springs.

The commission’s decision brings the project, seen as vital to reversing SunRail’s struggling ridership, another step closer to reality.

The Florida Department of Transportation estimates Sunshine Corridor will increase SunRail ridership to 6.4 million during its opening year. Ridership has been a point of contention as it never recovered after the pandemic. Currently just a few thousand passengers ride the train monthly.

Commissioners were hesitant in December to provide funding over concerns the extension’s impact on traffic would not be worth the financial contributions. read more

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s unemployment rate had a slight uptick to 3.5 percent in January, while Gov. Ron DeSantis touted growth in the labor force.

The state Department of Commerce on Monday released a report that said the January rate was up from 3.4 percent in December. It also was up from 3.2 percent in January 2024.

The number of people qualified as unemployed increased from 385,000 in December to 390,000 in January. It was up from 353,000 in January 2024.

Meanwhile, the labor force of 11.188 million in January increased by 18,000 from December and 66,000 from January 2024.

Across Florida, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan statistical area had the lowest unemployment rate in January at 3.0 percent, The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin regions were next-lowest at 3.6 percent, while the Tallahassee area was at 3.7 percent

The Naples-Marco Island, Jacksonville and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater areas were at 3.8 percent. The Cape Coral-Fort Myers, North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Palm Bay-Titusville-Melbourne, Panama City- Panama City Beach and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent areas each had 4 percent rates. read more