LITTLE ONES? DON’T TAKE THE MICKEY
THINK Mickey Mouse is too cheesy for your teenagers?
They might have outgrown the Disney character parades and reckon Dumbo is…errr, dumb, but there is still plenty to thrill this tricky age group at the Florida theme parks and beyond.
Our two-week fun fest began at Walt Disney World Orlando where, for us, white-knuckle rides and VR experiences put Snow White and Cinderella well down the pecking order. First on the bucket list was venturing into Pandora, World of Avatar, to hike among floating mountains and glowing trees, just like in the film. Avatar Flight of Passage, meanwhile, is a 3D ride where we sat upon winged banshees above a vast moon.
Teens will love the cool factor of the Disney Magic Band, a smart wrist band which allows you to book rides, cut down queuing time, order food PINNACLE NEON ONE: New riders could do a lot worse than buy this simple steed that’s great on the road and on trails.
It’s got eight gears, a nice light frame and plenty of room to fit mudguards so you can ride in all weather. £375, Evanscycles.com. and even open your hotel room door.
Staying in the resort at the colonial-style Disney BoardWalk Inn, in the middle of the BoardWalk, with all the nightlife, shops and restaurants, is also a winner with teens.
Popping out to the ESPN sports bar for a quick American football fix, or for a pepperoni slice at Pizza Window, meant we were in the “coolest” location. Our room overlooked the lake, plus there’s a pool complex with a 61m slide, a white sand beach – and that all-important wi-fi!
From here it was a short stroll into Epcot, where the breezy adventure of Soarin’ Around The World flew us over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Great Wall of China. Meanwhile, the acceleration and speed thrills of Test Track had my boys itching to start driving lessons.
A complimentary bus took us everywhere else, starting with Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where the fast and furious Slinky FWE COLDHARBOUR THERMAL PADDED BIB TIGHTS: The seat pad in these bargain leggings ensure you will be sitting pretty in the saddle, while the thermal Roubaix material keeps out the cold. Ankle zips make them easy to get on. Buy: £59.99, Evanscycles.com. Dog Dash in the recently opened Toy Story Land was a surprise hit with Aidan and Liam.
After our dash around Disney, we took time to decompress in a detached holiday rental on the beautiful Providence Golf and Country Club in Davenport, a 25-minute drive from the parks and attractions. We would certainly recommend a villa or house with teenagers, simply because you all get space to unwind. We had a private pool with patio area, wi-fi, cable TV and en-suite bathrooms all round.
Our boys were equally keen to taste the thrills at Universal Orlando Resort. They grew up reading Harry Potter and couldn’t wait to try Forbidden Journey, a ride which soars above the castle grounds while coming face-to-face with some magical creatures.
But for a pure adrenaline rush, it had to be Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Aidan and Liam were howling with laughter as they were propelled down ferocious drops at 65mph.
We also had a day at Universal’s RAPHA BREVET INSULATED GILET: Polartec Alpha insulation in this vest keeps chills at bay but it’s breathable enough to not get sweaty when riding hard. There’s a water resistant coating to keep drizzle out and it packs down small when you don’t need to wear it. Buy:
£130, Rapha.cc. ALGARVE: Volcano Bay waterpark. The boys loved the four-person Krakatau aqua coaster, which slides riders upwards through the mists inside a volcano, before plunging through a shimmering waterfall.
One attraction loved equally by all the family was Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures, which allows visitors to get extreme close-ups of creatures in their natural environment. Our boat got within yards of a five-foot alligator nestling in the mud.
Another gem we really would recommend is the new Andretti Indoor Karting and Games, where we spent the day racing indoor go-karts and playing virtual reality games and laser tag.
Dining out is always a pleasure in Orlando. There was nothing left when we dined on meaty treats at the Four Rivers Smokehouse.
Packing out our days at the parks and attractions, followed by chilled out nights in the balmy evening heat made our Orlando adventure magical for all ages. PRENDAS GRAND TOUR CELEBRATION JERSEY: The pink, yellow and red bands on this warm and fleecy top honour cycling’s three biggest races – the tours of Italy, France and
Spain. It’s got a nice high neck, a full zip and three pockets.
Buy: £79.99, Prendas.co.uk. NORTHERN LIGHTS: Seven nights’ B&B at the four-star Sommaroy Arctic Hotel on the Norwegian Tromso archipelago is from £1,049. Includes your flights from Luton to Tromso from mid-December (new route) and car hire. Visit sunvil.co.uk or call on 020 8758 4722. dhb MERINO LONG SLEEVE BASE LAYER: LAKE DISTRICT: I WAS glad they told us about the scorpions
we had finished harvesting the grapes. We were in a vineyard in the Rhône Valley in the south of France, cutting and collecting bunches of Muscat grapes.
September is harvest time for these little jewels which have a lovely rusty golden blush on their pale green skins.
They are the main ingredient for the famous Beaumes-de-Venise sweet white wine, inset, which the Queen ordered for her Coronation banquet in 1953. Prince Charles gets a supply every year.
But it was only after we’d finished that our guide and driver, Gabriel, mentioned the vineyard is home to white scorpions and snakes.
We were on a trip with Lidl UK to discover the wines in their Rhône Wine Tour collection, which will hit stores next week.
We’d spent a few hours in 4X4s on the rough tracks which lead to the vineyards clinging to the steep slopes under the Dentelles de Montmirail mountains.
These peaks form a horseshoe around the vineyards of Beaumes-de-Venise, Gigondas, Rasteau and Vacqueyras.
Next, we headed to the Rhonéa producer to see local farmers delivering their harvest and watch the fermentation and bottling processes.
That evening, we returned to our base for the trip, the 12th century Chateau de
Rochegude. Before dinner, we were introduced to, among others, a Cuvée César Clairette de Die, a sparkling white by producer Vincent Viard.
The next day, we visited the producers of Rasteau red wines before heading to L’Oustalet restaurant in Gigondas.
After lunch was a visit to Vignobles & Compagnie, who make world-famous Chateauneuf du Pape.
From there, it was a short drive to the Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct over the gorge of the River Gardon, to taste more great wines.
Finally, we set off for the L’Amphitryon restaurant in Castillon-duGard for steak with morel mushrooms and pepper sauce.
The Côtes du Rhône boasts beautiful castles and mountains, pretty villages and truly great wines.
Lidl is launching six Rhône wines as part of its Christmas Wine Tour, with dry whites, fizz and classic red blends. In stores from Nov 22, the Rhône collection starts from £5.99.