Things To Do In SW Florida

By Liz Weston | NerdWallet

A couple of years ago, I wrote a column about how to have a retirement worth saving for. It ended with a quote from personal finance educator Barbara O’Neill, who reflected on how the pandemic disrupted many retirees’ plans.

“It wasn’t just two years lost, it was two good years,” O’Neill said then. “You don’t know how many of those you have left.”

One of my younger colleagues objected to that sentiment, saying it was a jarring ending to an otherwise upbeat column. But my older co-workers got it. Those of us who currently have good health and energy don’t know how long those blessings will last. There’s no guarantee we’ll get to enjoy the retirements we have planned.

That lesson was driven home in July 2023, when a longtime colleague died at age 61. We’d had many talks over the years about the retirement he had envisioned. It’s heartbreaking that his dreams will never happen.

But his death was the push I needed to make my own decision. By the time you read this, I will have retired from my job at personal finance site NerdWallet. read more

JetBlue Airways and South Florida-based Spirit Airlines asked a federal appellate court Tuesday to expedite their appeal of a judge’s ruling that blocked their proposed merger earlier this month.

The airlines asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to place the appeal on a fast track because an agreement that envisions JetBlue buying Spirit has a closing date of July 24. U.S. District Judge William Young of Boston refused to approve the deal after the U.S. Justice Department sued to halt the transaction. The government alleged consumers would end up paying higher fares and lose access to an ultra low-cost industry competitor in Spirit.

The carriers’ joint appeal said the district court ruling  “disregards the benefits of the transaction to the majority of the flying public.” They said if their appeal is not given a priority by the appellate court, judges might not be able to deliver a ruling in time.

The two discount carriers filed their petition on the same day JetBlue announced a $104 million loss for its fourth quarter, and declared 2024 as a “transformation” year designed to return to profitability. During a Tuesday morning conference call with Wall Street analysts, JetBlue executives disclosed a voluntary employee buyout plan, a slowdown in new aircraft acquisitions, and a systemwide reduction in seating capacity. read more

Orlando-based SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. is undergoing a name change.  As of Feb. 12, the company will be known as United Parks & Resorts Inc.

The move won’t affect the names of the company’s theme parks and attractions, including SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica water park and Discovery Cove in Central Florida.  The company operates seven theme-park and water-park brands in 13 locations across the United States and, as of last year, in Abu Dhabi.

“Our new company name, United Parks & Resorts Inc., better reflects that we have been, and will continue to be, a diverse collection of park brands and experiences,” CEO Marc Swanson said in a news release Tuesday.

“What also remains unchanged is our deep commitment to creating experiences that matter for our guests and inspiring them to help protect animals and the wild wonders of the world,” Swanson said.

The publicly traded company’s stock ticker symbol on the New York York Stock Exchange will change from SEAS to PRKS. That will kick in Feb. 13; that’s also when the company’s main website will become UnitedParks.com. read more

Epic Universe theme park will feature a dueling coaster named Starfall Racers in its Celestial Park area, a new Wizarding World of Harry Potter land, roaming monsters and “How to Train Your Dragon” attractions, Universal Orlando confirmed Tuesday.

The under-construction park is scheduled to open in 2025. Epic Universe was announced in 2019, but the company has shared details about the attractions sparingly.

Tuesday’s news release represents the first major bundle of park details, and it concentrated on Celestial Park, the first area that visitors will encounter at Epic. Universal said it will consist of gardens and waterways, Constellation Carousel, the Astronomica wet-play area, dining options and shopping establishments.

Celestial Park then will serve as a portal to four other lands, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Super Nintendo World and Dark Universe, home of the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein. This  announcement marks the first confirmation of the lands by the company. read more