Things To Do In SW Florida

Sure, your Halloween decorations haven’t started collecting cobwebs yet. But now we are all in for the November-December holiday season at Central Florida’s theme parks and attractions.

We’ve compiled a list of seasonal activities — arranged by start date — and thrown in a few not-so-holiday occasions for your planning purposes.

This list probably will grow once the sugar rush of Oct. 31 passes. So consider this a sampler, and stay tuned. (We didn’t try to wrangle New Year’s Eve events yet. They’re so 2025.)

• Nov. 2: Aquatica water park’s Beach Nights promotion features holiday movies on Saturday evenings through Dec. 21. (Included with regular admission.)

• Nov. 2: Jungle Cruise shifts into holiday mode and becomes Jingle Cruise at Magic Kingdom.

• Nov. 4: Blizzard Beach water park reopens at Walt Disney World.  (Typhoon Lagoon closes Nov. 3.)

• Nov. 8: SeaWorld Orlando’s Coasters After Dark – Christmas Edition, an after-hours, extra-ticket event, will happen six select nights through Dec. 13. Participants will have access to seven thrill rides amid holiday lighting. read more

Princess Cruises may have stepped up its ship game with the debut this year of Sun Princess now sailing out of Port Everglades, but the details within the massive vessel are what make it stand out.

The first in the line’s new Sphere class of ships arrived to its Fort Lauderdale winter home in October to begin seven-night Eastern  and Western Caribbean itineraries. The exterior notably shows off not one but two “spheres” in the form of a bulbous center of the ship that is home to the main atrium within, but also “The Dome” atop the vessel, which is home to the ship’s avant-garde aerialist performances.

The sphere-theme continues within at the main theater called The Arena, which can transform from a normal stage production to a theater-in-the-round experience.

It’s within these spaces and others on board the 177,882-gross-ton ship that can carry more than 4,300 passengers that the line has cooked up a bevy of new experiences that set it apart from the rest of the fleet. Here are 10 of the best. read more

Walt Disney World has announced a massive renovation and expansion to the resort’s popular Swan and Dolphin hotels, creating the park’s largest event space.

The three-hotel complex includes the Dolphin Resort, the Swan, and the Swan Reserve, which are located next to each other adjacent to Epcot. The expansion announced Wednesday will deliver an additional 120,000 square feet of meeting space, bringing the total amount of event space up to 469,000 square feet, GrowthSpotter reported.

The 4-star hotel complex is owned by Tishman and managed by Marriott.

The additional meeting space will be built in a new two-story annex building constructed on a portion of a parking lot next to the existing convention space at the Dolphin Resort. A rendering provided by Disney indicates that the new space will have a design and color scheme consistent with that of the existing convention building, allowing it to integrate into the existing structure.

The new building will be connected to the current convention space. (Handout from Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin) read more

By Tommy Tindall, NerdWallet

November is a great month for bargains. Black Friday happens this month after all, and the supposed single-day sale holiday seems to get stronger and go longer every year. Plus, online retailers like to keep you guessing and may drop a worthy deal on any given day.

Your strategy to save money this month? Review your budget, make a list of what you want and remember to ABC: always be checkin’ (or just set deal alerts) for discounts. Consult this Nerdy list of the best things to buy and skip in November, too.

Buy: Electronics

Black Friday, which falls on Nov. 29 this year, is synonymous with great deals on gadgets, but you may not have to wait until the end of the month to get the goods you’re after. Jane Boyd Thomas, a professor of marketing at Winthrop University, says she’s noticed retailers are getting an early jump on technology deals.

“We know that a lot of spending on Black Friday is self-giving, not gift-giving,” says Thomas. And with consumers still dealing with high prices in non-discretionary categories like food and fuel, retailers can entice shoppers to spend discretionary dollars with deals that come early and often. read more

Consulting

Jeff Lessey has joined KW Property Management & Consulting as regional vice president overseeing the Central Florida market.

Hospitality

Jessica Bingham was appointed executive pastry chef at the Caribe Royale Orlando.

Law

Attorney Lynn B. Aust Moot has joined the Orlando office of ShuffieldLowman as of counsel, practicing in estate planning.

Public relations

Ryan Greene was hired as a public relations specialist at Curley & Pynn Public Relations Management, Orlando.

Real estate

Jessica Ray has joined Hillpointe LLC, Winter Park, as vice president of marketing.

Submit professional appointments, management-level promotions and significant awards for individuals, along with photos as .jpg attachments, to peopleonmove@orlandosentinel.com.