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Vu Nguyen gestures toward the wide windows of Little Saigon, a Vietnamese restaurant on East Colonial Drive in Orlando. Outside, cars whizz by and pedestrians meander past, many heading to the Mills Market next door, where an early lunch crowd is beginning to gather. “There weren’t that many people here,” Son Nguyen says, translating for his brother here and there. “Traffic was more open. Half the area was actually American.” There was also a shop that made custom rubber stamps, a debt collector, and a dog groomer. “There was also a video store where you could rent kung fu and…

Another Disney-related auction is underway, including pieces of Walt Disney World theme park icons. Van Eaton Gallery has prepared approximately 900 items for its “Pop Culture and Disney Parks Featuring Disneyland Art” auction scheduled for December 6th. The auction will feature the usual assortment of park oddities, including autographs, posters, press kits, paintings, and costumes for both cast members and animatronics. Epcotters may be drawn to the constant flow of Figment-related items. Dragon-based options include dolls, props, costumes, and souvenir prototypes used on the Journey to Imagination ride, as well as celebratory pin signs and Imagination Institute signs. The 3-foot-long…

In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Jim Tobin, president and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital that he believes if inflationary costs, including increased tariffs, go in the right direction, we could see some positive movement in the housing market. Polling numbers show housing affordability is the top issue for voters. But the question is how to solve it. “I think the revitalization of Florida’s real estate market starts at the local level,” said Steve Beeman, an economic analyst at Talk Radio. “The solution is to…

Walt Disney World has announced a 2026 deadline for theme park attractions, including the return of two popular Magic Kingdom rides and changes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, including the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. The listing does not include a specific opening date. We are in a broader era that marks the season when companies expect the next experience. “We are excited to debut newly revitalized experiences throughout the resort as we continue our long-term expansion development,” WDW President Jeff Vahr said Wednesday via his social media accounts. Disney announced that the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger…

The Orlando Science Center will showcase the science of skateboarding on Saturday with a one-day event featuring demonstrations by Skate Buds and Galactic G Skateshop. Their problem-solving and brain tricks work in conjunction with an exhibit underway at the Lock Haven Park Museum called “2theXtreme.” Three sessions will be held on the first floor of the Science Center on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. These include “Learn, Create, Skate,” which uses fingerboards to teach fundamentals and physics, and creating a custom cardboard skatepark. Skateboarding 101 features Skate Bud’s board basics program, improved training boards, and instructors to help…

During the holiday season, Orlando theme parks ramp up the live entertainment element. Festivities are on the rise, with toy soldiers jumping rope at SeaWorld Orlando, interacting with the residents of Whoville at Islands of Adventure, and gospel music performances at Epcot. They are human beings working to spread good cheer, so my holiday wish is for us to be there a little more and soak up the cheerful vibes. (This was also spurred by the fact that we spied Magic Kingdom visitors shopping via Amazon while the merry-go-round was running; even the animatronic Sarah was surprised and stopped ironing.)…

As of December, there are approximately 50 members not running for re-election in 2026. The current number is 47. More Republicans (27) than Democrats (20) will not run next year. Some are retiring, and others, like Florida Congressman Byron Donald, have announced they are seeking higher office. Both sides are expected to spend significant amounts of money to gain and maintain control. The 2026 election is expected to be the most expensive midterm election in U.S. history, according to a new political forecast. Travis Trawick, CEO of FullPAC, a leading provider of nonpartisan campaign technology, predicts that political ad spending…

Australian animation sensation Bluey has found a home at Walt Disney World. The character will appear at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park starting in the summer of 2026, the company announced Tuesday. Blue heeler puppies Bluey and his sister Bingo will be part of DAK’s conservation station, which can be accessed by the Wildlife Express train. There, guests will play and dance with characters and play games from the TV show “Bluey” with a “fun animal twist,” Disney said. You’ll also have the chance to meet Australian animals as part of your experience. In addition, the characters will also participate…

I’ve been covering Orlando’s food scene for over a decade, and I’ve never made a discovery that I want to protect. But that’s what I actually thought for maybe a minute as I sat in the silence of D’Amico & Sons’ vast patio, watching squirrels root in the leaves, listening to Christmas music, sipping coffee, and luxuriating in a comforting breakfast sandwich that might have come from my old neighborhood bodega in Rego Park, Queens, or the giant midtown deli I stopped at on my last trip home. Because on this Sunday morning, there was no line here. Not yet,…

Imagine a place where humans could live and work underwater, combining scientific research, conservation, and training in one place. That vision has become a reality with the launch of DEEP Vanguard Habitat. This groundbreaking underwater facility represents a new era in exploration, where technology and environmental stewardship meet to create unprecedented opportunities for learning and action. DEEP exists to design and engineer the next generation of aquatic habitat systems that allow humans to remain safely beneath the waves for long periods of time. Its mission is to unite exploration, science, and conservation in previously unimaginable ways. At DEEP Vanguard, these…