The Wandering Disciple

Sarasota, Florida: The Reds minor league squad took on a squad from the Twins for a fall exhibition game under sunny skies at Ed Smith Stadium for the final game of the fall instructional league. The Fall Instructional League follows the completion of the regular league season and consists of highly regarded prospects in the lower levels of minor league baseball. The players compete in a series of games and workouts to help refine their game and advance their careers. Just like minor league spring training and extended spring training, the purpose of the instructional league is to enhance a player’s game. No stats or scores are officially recorded; the focus is strictly on player development and not competition. Click on the photo above for pictures from the Reds/Twin gallery.

Tampa, Florida: The Tampa Museum of Science and Industry, more commonly known as MOSI is a hands-on science museum located near the University of South Florida in Tampa. The museum is home to hundreds of exhibits and Florida’s only IMAX dome theater. MOSI is the largest science museum in the Southeast United States and the fifth largest in the United States. The history of a science museum dates back to 1962 when Hillsborough County created a youth science museum in Sulfur Springs called the Museum of Science and Natural History. The museum continued to grow and in1967 it was renamed the Hillsborough County Museum. As the museum continued to grow and develop, it quickly outgrew its location and needed a new home. So in 1976, the county approved funding to construct a new museum. A site was selected in North Tampa and construction began on the new state of the art facility. The construction was completed in 1980, the new Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) opened to the public in 198...

Sarasota, Florida: The Sarasota Reds were swept by the Dunedin Blue Jays following a 3-0 loss on Sunday afternoon to wrap up the 2008 season. Dunedin wasted no time taking the lead, striking for a run in the top of the first. Brad Wilkerson doubled to right to lead off the inning. Wilkerson scored on a double by Anthony Hatch to take a 1-0 lead. The Blue Jays added to their lead in the sixth inning. David Corrente doubled to left to lead off the inning. Luis Sanchez reached on an error followed by a walk to Wilkerson to load the bases. Marcos Cabral drew a bases loaded walk to push across the first run of the inning. A second run came on a wild pitch by Terrell Young to give the Blue Jays a 3-0 win. Click on the photo above to view the Reds/Blue Jays gallery.

Sarasota, Florida: The Sarasota Reds suffered a 7-1 loss to the Dunedin Blue Jays on Saturday night at Ed Smith Stadium. Dunedin jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Brad Wilkerson went deep with a solo home run to lead off the game. Then the rain came and the tarp was pulled with the Jays leading 1-0 in the first. Play resumed after a 25 minute delay and the Blue Jays offense continued right where they left off. In the top of the third Wilkerson led off the inning with a double to center. He later scored on a double by David Cooper to increase the lead to 2-0. The Reds pushed across their only run in the bottom of the third. The inning got started with single by Jake Long, Jose Castro and Carson Kainer to load the bases. Yonder Alonso plated a run with a single to right. But the Reds left the bases load as they cut the lead in half 2-1. The Blue Jays got a solo run in the fourth and another in the firth to help extend the lead. Then in the sixth they pushed acros...

Sarasota, Florida: The Sarasota Reds rallied late but were unable to defeat the Dunedin Blue Jays, losing 4-3 on Friday evening. The Reds took the lead in the first inning. Logan Parker struck an RBI double to center that scored Todd Frazier to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. But Dunedin bounced back to take the lead in the fifth inning. Chris Emanuele hit a triple to left to lead off the inning. Then Anthony Hatch cleared the bases with a two run homer to give the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead. The Blue Jays added to their lead in the seventh inning. Brad Wilkerson doubled to right with two outs to put a runner in scoring position. Wilkerson then scored on a single by Marcos Cabral to increase the lead to 3-1. The Frazier/Parker connection struck again in the eighth for the Reds. Frazier drew a walk and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. Parker drove him home with a line drive to right to pull the Reds within a run of the lead 3-2. But Dunedin posted an insurance run an inning later....

Bradenton, Florida: The Gulf Coast League Pirates are the rookie affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The GCL Pirates are in the northern division of the Gulf Coast League. The club was founded in 1978. They are a three time division champion having won the division title in 2003, 2003 and 2008. The GCL Pirates play there games at Pirate City, the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, Florida. Click on the photo above to view the GCL Pirates photo gallery.

Tampa, Florida: Jambo Junction takes a behind the scenes look at the animal care program at Busch Gardens. The Junction is home to newborn animal, animals under veterinarian care and also a few other animals are on display outside the care center. Opened in 1986 as the Nairobi Field Station, the care center is home to the world class animal care team. Here guests can take an inside look through windows at the care provided to newborn and sick animals. Outside the care center are several animal habitats. The Junction is home to flamingos, lemurs, sloths and more. In 2007, the attraction was transformed into Jambo Junction. The area was remodeled to provide a more interactive experience. The Junction is now also home to the animal ambassadors, a group of animals that travel to educational facilities to educate animal awareness. For more pictures, click on the photo above or visit my Jambo Junction photo page.

Bradenton, Florida: The GCL Pirates defeated the GCL Orioles 7-2 on Saturday afternoon at Pirate City. The Pirates used a five run fifth inning to help secure the win. The Orioles took the lead in the second inning. Edinho Meyer led off the inning with a solo home run to give them a 1-0 lead. But the Pirates battled back to take the lead in the fourth. Jesus Aguilera drove home two runs with a single to right to score Wes Freemand and Andury Acevedo to give them a 2-1 lead. The Pirates took a commanding lead an inning later by crossing five runs across the plate. The inning was highlighted by a two run triple by Acevedo to help them take a 7-1 lead. The Orioles would push across another run in the sixth. Xavier Avery hit a triple to center then later scored on a ground ball by Luis Ramirez. But they failed to produce any more runs and took a 7-2 loss. Click on the photo above to view the Orioles/Pirates photo gallery.

Bradenton, Florida: Pirate City in Bradenton is the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates as well as the base for the Pirate’s Florida operations. It is also the home to the Gulf Coast League Pirates during the summer. The facility received a major facelift in 1993. The grounds include five practice fields, batting cages and even a three story building with dorms and offices. It is the southern home of the Pirates. The Pirates keep the facility busy all year round with major and minor league baseball activity. But it is also available for rent for amateur events as well as corporate events.

Sarasota, Florida: The Gulf Coast League Orioles are the rookie affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The GCL Orioles are in the southern division of the Gulf Coast League. The club was originally founded in 1991. They won a division title in their first season but lost in the championship series. The team was later disbanded in 2003. In 2007 the GCL Orioles were reinstated and they are currently an active Orioles affiliate. The GCL Orioles currently play at the Buck O’Neil Baseball Complex at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota, Florida. They played the 2010 season in the backfields of the Ed Smith Sports Complex while their complex underwent a major renovation. Click on the photo above to view the GCL Orioles photo gallery.

Sarasota, Florida: The Sarasota Reds and Lakeland Flying Tigers faced off in a pitchers duel on Saturday night at Ed Smith Stadium. Both pitching staffs went through the entire nine inning regulation period without allowing a run and it took fifteen innings to determine a winner. But when it was all over, over four hours later, the Reds walked off with a 3-2 victory. Pitching was the name of the game tonight. Both staffs pitched 11 consecutive innings before allowing a run. It wasn’t until the fourth inning before a base hit was allowed. There was a total of 34 strikeouts combined between both clubs who used a total of thirteen pitcher in the game. The Flying Tigers scored the first run of the game in the top of the twelfth inning. Justin Justice singled to third to put a runner on the bases. Justin would later score on an RBI single by Brandon Timm to take a 1-0 lead. The Reds answered back with a run of their own in the home half of the inning. Carson Kainer singled to left...

Sarasota, Florida: The Sarasota Reds picked up a big win against the Brevard County Manatees on Saturday night at Ed Smith Stadium. The Reds beat the Manatees 7-1. The Reds struck first in the first inning. Jake Kahaulelio homered to center to lead of the game. Jose Castro then singled to right followed by a walk to Todd Frazier. Carson Kainer drove home two runs with a double to left. Kainer later scored on a single by Justin Tordi to give the Reds a 4-0 lead. The Reds picked up three more runs in the bottom of the third. Frazier singled on a line drive to left to lead the inning. Chris Heisey followed with a walk. Jason Louwsma cleared the bases with a three run homer to increase the lead to 7-0. The Manatees got their only run of the game in the fourth inning. Darren Ford walked to lead the inning. Ford moved to third on a double by Brent Brewer. Taylor Green then drew a walk to load the bases. Chuck Caufield was hit by a pitch to push Ford across the plate for the only...

Orlando, Florida: Since its inception in 1973, Sea World Orlando has been one of the world’s leaders in marine entertainment. From the signature Shamu shows to the funny antics of the California Sea Lions Clyde and Seamore, thousands of visitors flock to the park daily to catch some of the parks award winning entertainment. The park features seven entertainment venues, each with their own shows and cast of critters that entertain guests. The most popular venue is Shamu Stadium. Here the park’s collection of orca whales, perform their new show called One Ocean. One Ocean debuted in 2011 and replaced Believe. During the summer and holiday weekends, there is a second show at night called Shamu Rocks which combines rock n’ roll music with the acrobats of Shamu. The Whale and Dolphin Stadium is home to the show Blue Horizons. The show combines live acrobatics with dolphins and birds for an exciting show. The Sea Lion and Otter Stadium is home to Clyde and Seamore, a pair of Californ...

Lakeland, Florida: The Sarasota Reds defeated the Lakeland Flying Tigers 8-2 as they hosted their annual Kids Camp Day on Wednesday afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium. Kids from area summer camps packed the stadium to watch the Reds post a big eighth inning to secure the win despite major league baseball star Gary Sheffield being in the Flying Tigers lineup. The Reds jumped out to an early lead in the second inning on a solo home run by Juan Francisco to put them ahead 1-0. The Flying Tigers then countered with two runs of their own in the fifth inning to take the lead. Jeramy Laster singled to left to lead off the inning. Michael Bertram followed with an RBI double to right, scoring Laster. Bertram would later score on an RBI single by Shawn Roof to give the Flying Tigers a 2-1 lead. Sarasota regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Drew Stubbs led off the inning with a line drive single to center. Carson Kainer then reached on an interference call to put runners on f...

Lakeland, Florida: The Lakeland Flying Tigers are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The Flying Tigers play in the North Division of the Florida State League. The club was founded as the Lakeland Tigers in 1963 and was later renamed the Flying Tigers in 2006 to honor the World War II pilots known as the Flying Tigers who trained at nearby Lakeland School of Aeronautics. The affiliation with the Detroit Tigers is one of the longest affiliations still in existence. The Flying Tigers are three time Florida State League champions. They won the league championship in 1976, 1977 and 1992. The Flying Tigers play their home games in Joker Marchant Stadium. The 8,500 seat stadium built in 1966 is also the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers as well as the home of the GCL Tigers during the summer. Click on the photo above to visit my Lakeland Flying Tigers photo page. Here you will find galleries containing game and player pictures.

Clearwater, Florida: The Sarasota Reds dropped a close contest against the Clearwater Threshers 3-2 on Saturday night at Bright House Field in Clearwater. Both clubs took a 2-2 tie into the bottom of the ninth where the home team Threshers knocked home a run to earn the walk-off win. The Threshers jumped out to the lead in the fourth inning. Jake Blalock broke the scoreless tie with a solo home run to left field. Gus Milner followed by drawing a walk. Then Jay Miller drove him home with a triple to right, giving the Threshers a 2-0 lead. The Reds battled back to tie the game an inning later. Chris Heisey drew a one out walk to get things going. Then Jason Louwsma cleared the bases with a two run homer to tie the game 2-2. The game would remain tied until the bottom of the ninth when Reds pitcher Logan Ondrusek got into a jam. John Urick led off the inning with a double to left. Milner then drew a walk and Miller was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Threshers. Ondruse...

Clearwater, Florida: Bright House Field in Clearwater is the home to the Florida operations of the Philadelphia Phillies organization. The stadium is the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies and the regular season home of the Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League. The stadium also host numerous high school, collegiate and amateur games as well. Bright House Field hosted the 44th annual Florida State League All-Star Game in 2005. Opened in 2004, Bright House Field is often considered the innovator in spring training ballpark design. The stadium features a boardwalk, berm seating, upper deck seats, air-conditioned suites, team store, tiki bar, kids play area and much more amenities for the whole family to enjoy. The stadium can has 7,000 fixed seat but the berm and boardwalk areas can help push the attendance even higher. The single game attendance record is 10,724 set on March 22, 2010 when the Phillies hosted the New York Yankees. The stadium cost $28 mil...

Sarasota, Florida: The Sarasota Reds rode the dominating arm of starting pitcher Jordan Smith to a 5-1 victory over the Daytona Cubs on Saturday night at Ed Smith Stadium. Smith pitched eight scoreless frames before allowing his only run of the night in the ninth inning. The game remained tied 0-0 until the home half of the fourth inning when the Reds pushed across their first run of the evening. Chris Heisey led off the inning with a line drive double to left field. Heisey would advance to third on a ground out by Jason Louwsma. Eddy Rodriguez drove home the run with an RBI single to center to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. The Reds posted two more runs in the fifth inning as they delivered back to back to back triples to push across the runs. Justin Turner got the hit parade started with a double to center. Todd Frazier followed with an RBI double to score Turner. Then Frazier crossed the plate on an RBI double by Juan Francisco to give the Reds a 3-0 lead. The Reds would further ...

Daytona Beach, Florida: The Daytona Cubs are the Class A-Advanced affiliates of the Chicago Cubs. They play in the North Division of the Florida State League and are four time league champions. Minor league baseball in Daytona Beach dates back to 1920 but the Cubs affiliate began in 1993. Many major league stars got their start in Daytona, including some Hall of Famers from the early affiliates. The Cubs play their home schedule at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The Jack is located on the waterfront in downtown Daytona Beach and can accommodate 5,100 fans. The ballpark opened 1914 and features the feel of the vintage ballparks of years gone by. The Cubs are four time league champions. They won the title in 1995, 2000, 2004 and 2008. Click on the photo above to view my Daytona Cubs photo gallery. Here you will find game and player picture galleries from Cubs games. Updated January 23, 2011

Dunedin, Florida: It took thirteen innings to determine a winner but when it was all said and done, the Sarasota Reds fell to the Dunedin Blue Jays 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Knology Park. Like the night before, the Reds jumped out to an early lead. Chris Valaika delivered a two out single to right to put a runner on the bases. Juan Francisco drove home the runner with an RBI double to left to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. The Reds would get another run in the top of the third to increase their lead. Justin Turner drew a walk to get things going. Valaika then singled to left, advancing Turner to third base. Francisco would pick up his second RBI of the afternoon by driving home Turner with a ground out to first, increasing the Sarasota lead to 2-0. The Blue Jays cut the lead in half during the bottom of the fourth inning. Sean Shoffit was hit by a pitch to put a runner on first. Shoffit stole second and then later scored on an RBI double by Brian Dopirak to cut the lead in half 2...

Dunedin, Florida: The Sarasota Reds held off a late inning charge by the Dunedin Blue Jays to walk away with a 6-4 on Saturday night at Knology Park. The Reds took the lead first and never relinquished the lead to earn the road win. The Reds broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning. Drew Stubbs led off the inning with a triple to right field. Carson Kainer plated the run with a ground out to third, scoring Stubbs. Jason Louwsma would then follow with a double to center. Louwsma would move to third on ground out by Justin Tordi and then later score on an RBI single by Anthony Esquer to give the Reds a 2-0 lead. The Reds would add another run to their total in the top of the sixth inning. The inning once again got started with an extra base hit by Stubbs, this time a double to left. Stubbs would steal third and then score on an RBI single by Louwsma to increase the lead to 3-0. The Blue Jays picked up their first run in the bottom of the sixth inning. David Smith do...

Dunedin, Florida: Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin is the home to Florida operations of the Toronto Blue Jays. The stadium is the spring training home to the Toronto Blue Jays as well as the regular season home to the Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League and the Dunedin High School baseball program. Built in 1990 on the site of the former Grant Field, Florida Auto Exchange Stadium is one of the top five facilities to catch a spring training game according to Sports Illustrated. The stadium has 5,510 seats and has three picnic areas along with air-conditioned skyboxes. The stadium has been the Florida home of the Blue Jays since its construction. In fact, the Blue Jays have held spring training in Dunedin ever since their inaugural season in 1977. They came close to holding regular season games here in 1995 during the Major League Baseball strike. When the league proposed using replacement players, the Blue Jays looked to move their games to Dunedin due to an Ontar...

Sarasota, Florida: The Sarasota Reds held on to win a close one run game against the Fort Myers Miracle on Saturday night at Ed Smith Stadium. Great pitching from the Reds Jordan Smith helped secure the 2-1 victory. The Reds jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Justin Turner singled to left to put a runner on the bases. Chris Valaika followed with an RBI double to right, scoring Turner and gave the Reds a 1-0 lead. The Reds pushed across another run in the second inning. Drew Stubbs doubled to center to lead off the inning. Jason Louwsma reached first after being hit by a pitch to give the Reds runners on first and second. Reds manager Joe Ayrault called a double steal to put both runners in scoring position for Anthony Gressick. Gressick knocked in the runner with sac fly to right, scoring Stubbs and increasing the lead 2-0. The Miracle would strike for a run to cut the lead in half in the top of the third inning. Brian Dinkelman and Rene Tosoni delivered back to ...

Fort Myers, Florida: The Fort Myers Miracle are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. The Miracle are in the Southern Division of the Florida State League. The Miracle are five time Florida State League Champions. The history of the Fort Myers franchise actually begins in 1926 when the Fort Myers Palms were organized. The club was moved to Miami the next year and operated a as the Miami Hustlers. The Hustlers were deactivated in 1928 and remained deactivated until 1962 when they became the Class D affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies and renamed the Miami Marlins. Then in 1963, the league changed class status and became an Advanced A league. The club changed affiliations to the Baltimore Orioles in 1966 and were renamed the Miami Orioles. They remained with the Orioles until the end of the 1981 season. They could not land another affiliate for 1982 so they played as an independent franchise for 1982 and reverted back to the Miami Marlins team name. The team ...

Tampa, Florida: This darkened cavern in Nairobi is home to Busch Gardens nocturnal neighbors. The entrance to the cave is tucked away on the backside of the Myombe Reserve. The cave is home to bats, snakes, sugar gliders and many more animals that enjoy the darkness. The cavern is the smallest, overlooked animal attraction in the park, but it is an interesting look at the nocturnal animals and a good place to escape the heat and sun for a little. For more pictures, visit my Busch Gardens photo page. Updated November 20, 2009.

Sarasota, Florida: The field is ready, the fans fill the seats and the players take the field, its time for opening day, Sarasota Reds style. The Reds kicked of their 2008 home schedule on a winning note by defeating the Tampa Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium. The tightly fought contest seven and a half scoreless innings before the Reds finally scored the lone rune of the game. Seth Henry led off the inning with a line drive to left. He advanced to second on a sac bunt by Michael DeJesus and later to third on a ground out by Chris Valaika. Juan Francisco drove home the runner with a single to right, scoring Henry and giving the Reds the 1-0 win. Matt Belisle, in Sarasota on a rehab assignment from the Cincinnati Reds, picked up the victory. Belisle was one out shy of a complete game shut-out, being pulled from the game with two outs in the top of the ninth after reaching his pitch count. He allowed just two hits and struck out three. Click on the photo above to view my Reds/Yankees ...

Fort Myers, Florida: Hope aboard the train and be transported back to the day when the rails were luxury transportation. Seminole Gulf Railway in Fort Myers is a functioning short line railroad that operates passenger excursions and dinner trains along with its freight fleet. Since 1991, the railway has operated passenger excursions out of their Colonial Station. Most nights of the week, they depart on a murder mystery dinner train. Riders take to the rails on four vintage railcars from the 1930’s to 1950’s. They have entertained over a half million rides in their history. They also operate a daytime excursion that takes riders on an hour and a half journey through Lee County passing through towns that flourished from the rails. The main function of the Seminole Gulf Railway is its freight service. Operating since 1987, the railroad took over tracks that were once operated by Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Seaboard Air Line Railroad. They operate two lines, one from North Na...

Sarasota, Florida: Almost 7,000 fans packed Ed Smith Stadium on a sunny Sunday afternoon to watch the Cincinnati Reds face the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training exhibition game. Those fans enjoyed a great pitching duel between the Reds Edinson Volquez and the Phillies Brett Myers, but when the game was over, it was the Phillies holding on to a 6-2 victory. Both Volquez and Myers clinged to a shut-out through five innings of play. It wasn’t until bottom of the sixth inning when the scoreless tie would be broken. That’s when the Reds stuck for two runs to take the lead. Ken Griffey Jr drove home Juan Castro and Alvin Colina to give the Reds a 2-0 lead. The Phillies struck in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of the Reds bullpen, rocking both Gary Majewski and Todd Coffey. The Phillies used two hits and four walks to score three runs and take the lead 3-2. The Phillies added three more runs in the top of the ninth inning to ensure their victory. Brett Myers picked ...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Phillies are a major league baseball team from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest single city professional sports team. The Phillies play in the Eastern Division of the National League and are two time world champions and have won seven National League pennants in their franchise history. The franchise was founded in 1883 as the Quakers. The name was soon changed to the Philadelphias which was ultimately shortened to the Phillies. The Phillies remained relatively quiet until the 1950’s. Their lone league pennant came in 1915. During this large stretch of mediocrity, the Phillies managed just one winning season from 1918-1948. With a new owner in 1943, the Phillies began to work their way out of the basement. The new leadership combined with exciting young players propelled the Phillies to win the NL pennant and sent them back to the World Series in 1950. But they fell apart following the season and struggled through the late 19...

Cincinnati, Ohio: The Cincinnati Reds are a major league baseball team from Cincinnati, Ohio and are a member of the central division of the National League. The Reds are five time world champions and won the National League pennant nine times in their history. They are the oldest team in professional baseball. They began play in 1866 as the Cincinnati Red Stocking and were originally an amateur team and gained professional status in 1869. The Red Stockings went 130 games in a row without a loss from 1869 to 1870 with the 1869 season being an undefeated season at 57-0. In 1870, the team relocated to Boston and became the Boston Red Stockings. The city of Cincinnati returned to professional with a new Red Stockings team in 1876. However the team was banned from the league in 1880 for serving beer to fans and renting their ballpark out on Sundays. The Red Stocking resurfaced again in 1882, this time in the American Association where they won the league title their first season. They pla...

Tampa, Florida: On the edge of the Serengeti Plain lies the home to the king of the jungle. The Edge of Africa is a walk-through safari that takes you face to face with lions and underwater with hippos. Opened in 1997, the Edge of Africa is an abandoned African fishing village on the edge of the Serengeti that is now home to many African animals. It is home to lemurs, hippos, crocodiles, hyenas, lions, vultures and meerkats. For more pictures, click on the picture above or visit my Busch Gardens photo page.

Sarasota, Florida: About fifty area kids attended the annual Kids Clinic held by the Cincinnati Reds at Ed Smith Stadium. The annual clinic occurs each year during spring training and allows the kids the opportunity to learn some points from their big league idols. The kids broke into groups and then took the field with the Reds players. Alvin Colina and Craig Tatum worked the catchers clinic, Alexander Smit worked with the pitchers, Andy Green and Paul Janish worked the infield clinic and Jeff Keppinger and Ryan Freel worked the outfield clinic. While the kids rotated to each clinic, the parents sat in the stands and got tip from minor league manager Rick Sweet. After the clinics were over, the kids hit the dugout to share stories and then met with the Reds mascot who helped raffle off autographed baseballs from the Reds players. The free kids event has taken place yearly since the Reds have been training here in Sarasota.

St. Petersburg, Florida: Thousands of Rays fans flocked to Tropicana Field for the annual Fan Fest presented by the Tampa Bay Rays. The event occurs each season and services as the kick-off event for the upcoming season. The event features vendors and events that showcase the Rays and their commitment to the community. After spring training camp wrapped up for the day, the players and coached headed to the Trop to entertain their fans. The players spent time signing autographs and answering questions for those who waited in line to see them. There were plenty of booths set up with gifts and games for those who attended. Children got the opportunity to run the bases and swing for the fences just like the pros do. In addition to the activities, fans got the opportunity to tour the Trop and the Rays clubhouse. The event occurs annually and admission is free.

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: Discovery Island is your gateway to the fun and adventure that awaits you at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. In the middle of the island lies the park’s icon, the Tree of Life. Radiating out from the island are the bridges that lead to each of the parks themed lands making it the park’s central hub. Originally opened as Safari Village, the island was renamed Discovery Island in 1999 when a similarly named attraction on Bay Lake closed. It is home to a few animals, a multi-sense movie, shopping and restaurants. The lands focal point is the Tree of Life. The 145 foot man-made tree is the icon of the Animal Kingdom. Using an oil rig platform as a skeleton, Imagineers constructed this fourteen story tree that contains carvings of over 325 animals. In the base of the Tree of Life is the Tree of Life Theater. Here you can watch the 4-D film called “It’s Tough to be a Bug.” The nine minute show inspired by the Disney-Pixar film “A Bug’s Life” brings the audienc...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: We spent our last day at Walt Disney World at Animal Kingdom. I am not a big fan of Animal Kingdom, but our son loves the animals. Like always, we arrived at the park first thing. We watched the opening ceremony with Mickey, Minnie and the gang. Once the ceremony concluded we began our journey through the park. Our first stop was the popular Kilimanjaro Safari. One of the most popular attractions in the park, we hit it first thing to avoid the crowds. Because the animals are so unpredictable, no two rides are the same. This time we managed to see the Cheetah, the other times we rode the safari, he was not visible. When we concluded the safari, we headed over to the Harambi train station to board the Wildlife Express train to take us to Conservation Station. While at Conservation Station, we briefly watched them perform surgery on an animal, met with Jiminy Cricket and Rafiki and then visited the animals of the petting zoo. We then hopped back on the...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: A stroll down the streets of the United Kingdom pavilion at Epcot’s World History is more like a stroll though the history of the country then a theme park attraction. Each building here represents a different unique style from the UK. While there are no ride attractions here, there is plenty of shopping to keep you busy. The United Kingdom pavilion was one of the original pavilions of the World Showcase when it opened to the public in 1982. The buildings of the pavilion represent each of the various architectural styles from United Kingdom history. The pavilion makes up for its lack of attractions by providing lots of shopping venues. Here you will find the following shops: Crown and Crest: Beatles merchandise. Historical Research Center: family history merchandise including family crests. Sportsman’s Shoppe: soccer and rugby merchandise. Tea Caddy: tea items. Toy Soldier: toys and other children’s merchandise. UK Card: pin trading and park souvenirs. If yo...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: The smallest land in the Magic Kingdom, Liberty Square plays homage to the birth of America. Colonial American spirit is alive and well amongst here in the village. Liberty Square is home to all of the nation’s presidents as well as a mansion with 999 ghosts. This small land is one of the original lands of the Magic Kingdom and is the only one in the park not to have received a major renovation since opening day in 1971. The theme here is colonial America, the buildings resemble old clapboard houses found in the colonies in the 1700’s. There is even a replica of the Liberty Bell and Liberty Tree. Liberty Square is home to three attractions, the Haunted Mansion, Hall of Presidents and Liberty Square Riverboat. The main attraction here is the Haunted Mansion. Enter the creepy mansion and embark on an eight minute journey through the haunted halls and come face to face with 999 happy haunts. As you ride in you doom buggy, you will pass through many scenes with ...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: With our passes back in service, we woke up early to hit the Magic Kingdom. We had breakfast at the Riverside Mill here at the hotel and then boarded the bus for the Magic Kingdom. When the rope dropped, we headed down Main Street USA enroute to Fantasyland. Once there we visited all of the attractions there. We rode Dumbo, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Peter Pan’s Flight and It’s a Small World all be before the crowds became unbearable. From there we headed to Liberty Square to ride the Haunted Mansion. Afterwards it was a trip to Frontierland so my wife could ride her favorite ride, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Then we hopped on the ferry to Tom Sawyer Island where the little guy explored the caves and bridges on the island. I love the suspension bridges, the bring out the mischievous kid in me. On the barrel bridge, I jumped down on the bridge so hard, it flung the people on the ot...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: A mix of elegant mansions and rustic cabins dot the coastline of the Sassagoula River as it winds through the Port Orleans Riverside Resort at Walt Disney World. It is here where rural Louisiana is recreated for a unique Florida resort hotel. The resort opened in 1991 as the Dixie Landings Resort. In 2001, the hotel was renamed Port Orleans Riverside in conjunction with a merger with the neighboring Port Orleans Resort. The two hotels, Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter remain two separate facilities but join together to recreate the Old South from the French Quarter to the antebellum mansion and finally the rustic bayou cabins further up river. Port Orleans Riverside is two resorts rolled into one. The first section is the area closest to the city and thus the more elegant buildings. Magnolia Bend consists of four mansion with over 1,024 guest rooms. The buildings are built to resemble the rich southern plantations. Further up the Sassag...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: With just over a month left before out annual passes scheduled to expire, we decided to squeeze in one last trip to Walt Disney World. We booked a short stay at the Port Orleans Riverside Resort, a moderate hotel in which we had not stayed at yet. We arrived at WDW early in the morning dropped the dog off at the Fort Wilderness kennel and then headed to Port Orleans to check in. Then we boarded the bus and headed to Epcot. When we arrived at Epcot, we were given some bad news, our passes were blacked out until tomorrow. I misread the blackout dates on the back of the pass and the passes did not come out of winter break blackout until tomorrow. Not only did that put us behind schedule on our park plan, but try taking a 2 year old to the front gates of the park and then turn around and leave…what an awful feeling. But we went back to the hotel and made the most of a bad situation. Fortunately for us, our room was ready early. We moved our stuff into th...