Frank Gehry, the Los Angeles-based architect whose buildings became iconic landmarks, died on Dec. 5 at his home in Santa Monica. He was 96.
Over a career spanning more than 60 years, Gehry designed concert halls, museums, academic buildings and public spaces that shifted how people talked about architecture, Los Angeles and sometimes city planning itself.
He was born Ephraim Owen Goldberg on Feb. 28, 1929, in Toronto. His mother encouraged him to draw and listen to classical music. His maternal grandmother kept live carp in the bathtub before turning them into gefilte fish, and those early shapes stayed with him. He later traced his fascination with fish forms back to afternoons spent on the floor with her and with wood scraps from his grandfather’s hardware store. His father struggled with business and had a volatile temper.
Gehry lost 33 members of his extended family in Auschwitz. He seldom spoke about it but told the Journal in 2019, “You hope that kind of stuff isn’t repeated; that people find pride in their own history.”
The family moved to Los Angeles after his father suffered a heart attack. Gehry drove trucks, worked odd jobs, and took night classes before finding his way into architecture school. He studied at Los Angeles City College, then earned his degree from USC in 1954. After a stint in the Army, he went to Harvard to study city planning but walked away from the program. He worked for an architect in Paris, where he studied Romanesque churches and paid attention to Picasso and Le Corbusier.
“Frank was honored by everybody: clients, the public, the press as the most important architect worldwide because he was the most important architect. You can point to at least twenty plus buildings that can only be described as amazing, a legacy that one must see with their own eyes.” – Michael Eisner
He returned to Los Angeles in the early 1960s, opened his own firm, and built small houses, academic buildings and museums across Southern California. He took the materials around him — chain-link, plywood, exposed studs — and treated them as legitimate building blocks. When he wrapped his modest Santa Monica house in those materials in 1978, critics saw it as a breakthrough. Neighbors hated it, though sent his career to new heights.
He created a giant fish sculpture for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and designed buildings across Europe, Asia and Latin America. But the two projects that would become his most prominent were The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, which opened in 1997, and The Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles, which opened in 2003.
Michael Eisner, who was CEO of Disney during the planning and construction of the hall, wrote on X, “Frank, very early, worked with us at the Walt Disney Company creating excellence in Anaheim and Paris.” He continued, “Frank was honored by everybody: clients, the public, the press as the most important architect worldwide because he was the most important architect. You can point to at least twenty plus buildings that can only be described as amazing, a legacy that one must see with their own eyes. From a hockey rink for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to Walt Disney Concert Hall, from a museum in Bilbao Spain to a soaring tower in NYC, and from a meeting/convening building that Frank designed for our family in Colorado to millions of square feet of ‘can you believe that’ around the world, we have lost someone who was super super super special.”
Both Bilbao and Disney Hall showed how far Gehry was willing to push metals, curves and surface. Both also leaned on software first used in aerospace engineering, adapted by Gehry Technologies for architecture.
Although he stepped away from religious practice at thirteen, after finding his bar mitzvah crowd “disingenuous,” he still carried pieces of Jewish life with him. He said he loved hearing Kol Nidre when performed well and that he viewed religion more as a search for belonging. “I look at religion as trying to find your place in the world,” he said.
His relationship with Israel was complicated. He agreed in 2004 to design the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem but withdrew from the project in 2010. “I’ve had so many funny relationships with Israel about buildings,” he said. “I don’t know if I’d accept a project in Israel other than this one.” The exception was the World’s Jewish Museum in Tel Aviv. For him, the museum’s purpose was to “be an important message for the world that a lot of people accomplished many things in the fields of science and art and education and all the important topics we live by and we are inspired by.”
He developed friendships with Israeli leaders, including Shimon Peres. Gehry recalled one moment that stayed with him: presenting a model at the president’s residence and thinking, “Zayde, I’m in the president of Israel’s house and I’m presenting a model for a museum in Jerusalem and I’m standing between Shimon Peres and Ehud Olmert.”
Following his passing, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation wrote on X, that Gehry’s “visionary architecture reshaped our institution and changed cities around the world.” The statement continued, “His buildings paid profound homage to Frank Lloyd Wright’s foundational vision for the Guggenheim—architectural distinction in service of art, artists, and visitor experience.”
Even at the height of his global fame, he pushed back at the idea that architecture had lost its artistic core.
“The issue for architecture is that historically, it was considered an art, and since the war, since modernism, it got mixed up with other issues like commercial developers,” he said. “It slowly became just stupid … I think what’s needed is architects who are artists.”
Gehry taught at USC, Harvard, UCLA and Yale. He received the Pritzker Prize in 1989 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
His work reshaped cities and set new expectations for what public buildings could be. A generation of architects grew up studying his models, drawings and the risks he took.
He is survived by his wife, Berta, and his children Samuel, Alejandro, Leslie and Brina.
The pro-Israel community is struggling to figure out a strong response to the frightening rise of antizionism. Should we call out the libels? Should we describe it as a hate movement? A racist movement? Should we seek more security? All of the above?
These are urgent questions because real incidents keep occurring and require a response. How should we react, for example, to pro-Palestinian mobs assaulting our synagogues, as we saw last week at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple? Or to a campaign led by Hollywood luminaries to secure the release of Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian terrorist serving five life sentences for orchestrating deadly terror attacks against Israeli civilians?
Evidently, no one pays a price for hating Israel, a sentiment that is growing in popularity.
As Charlotte Lawson writes in The Dispatch, “It’s now mainstream to identify as an anti-Zionist, particularly among young people. In a Harvard Harris poll conducted in August, 60 percent of respondents aged 18 to 24 said they supported Hamas over Israel in the war.”
This may help explain why it’s so hard these days to defend Israel. Fair or not, in the wake of the Gaza war too many people simply hate the idea of Zionism. We can rightfully call antizionism a hate movement, but for a world that sees Zionism itself as worthy of hate, antizionism is actually a good thing.
In other words, if haters feel their hate is justified, telling them they’re part of a hate movement is like giving them a compliment.
Given all that, how best to respond to Jew-hating antizionists in a way that will undermine their movement? Beyond the usual condemnations against antisemitism and calls for greater security, what truth can we convey that will put the haters on the defensive?
The truth that is most lethal is not that antizionists are haters, but that they are traitors to their own cause.
Antizionists claim to fight on behalf of Palestinians, but they’ve never lifted a finger to help them. If they really cared about Palestinians, they would have agitated years ago in support of Palestinian refugees living in misery in Jordan and Lebanon. But they never did, because Jews are not involved.
The hard truth is that antizionist protesters base their whole activism around bashing Israel rather than helping Palestinians.
Who understands that best? Palestinians.
“The best thing to happen to Palestinians is the defeat of the terrorists,” Nuseir Yassin, a popular Palestinian vlogger also known as Nas Daily, said in a recent interview. “By far the worst thing for a Palestinian is not Israel. It is our fellow countrymen,” he added, describing Hamas as “terrorists” and asserting that Palestinians with weapons “are the worst threat to our own society.”
Yassin refutes the libel of Israel as an apartheid state, citing his own experiences with employment, voting, and freedom of movement to show that “inside Israel, there is no place I cannot go as a Palestinian-Arab Muslim.”
Those truths don’t get much exposure, because they contradict the narrative of blaming Israel for all Palestinian problems. But it’s been true for a long time that the biggest enemies of the Palestinian people are their own corrupt leaders.
Antizionist protesters hate that truth. They’d rather keep the focus on undermining Zionism with lies and libels while the image of Zionism is already at a low point. Their venom is even more reason to move quickly to turn the tables on antizionists by exposing their shameful failure to help Palestinians. It’s not an exaggeration to say that “Antizionists are Anti-Palestinian.”
Next time a mob attacks a synagogue, we might consider this statement:
“These protesters have never done a thing to help Palestinians. They’re cowards and hypocrites. They pretend not to know that the biggest enemies of Palestinians have been the terrorists from Hamas who hide behind their own people to get them killed so they can win over public opinion.
“Their real cause is to destroy Israel, not help Palestinians.
“They pretend not to know that corrupt Palestinian leaders, who for decades have refused every Israeli peace offer, are most responsible for keeping their own people in misery, indoctrinating them in Jew-hatred and glorifying terrorists.
“Instead of yelling their hate-filled messages in front of synagogues, if they really want to help Palestinians, these protesters should go in front of Palestinian leaders at the United Nations and yell, ‘Stop killing your people!’”
Taking the fight to the enemy is a Jewish value in the spirit of Hanukkah. With the courage of our ancestors behind us, and with Zionism under siege, it’s time to delegitimize antizionism by exposing its hypocrisy. Who can trust a movement that betrays its own cause?
It’s that time of year again: you have to start thinking about what to get your loved ones for Hanukkah. Thankfully, the Jewish Journal is here to help, even if you’re making a last-minute purchase.
Remember, Hanukkah starts the evening of Sunday, December 14 this year and goes until Monday, December 22 this year.
Check out these fantastic items for your 2025 Hanukkah gift list.
Simcha Kits
Do you want to make Shabbat and the Jewish holidays meaningful and fun for your kids? Then check out Simcha Kits ($95), which include everything you need to celebrate Shabbat and Hanukkah, including candles, a menorah, stickers, chocolate coins, activity kits, and brochures to help walk you through the Jewish traditions. Brittany Barragan Wolf, a mom of two young daughters, created these kits “because finding beautiful, meaningful Judaica shouldn’t feel like searching for the afikomen,” she said. “I decided to stop kvetching about Jews being underrepresented in so many spaces and do something about it.”
Light up this Smells Like a Festival of Lights candle and you’ll smell a warm and comforting fragrance; the ingredients are holy oil, temple incense, and winter solstice ($38). Plus, the wooden wick crackles, giving some major fireplace vibes.
Do you want to snack on something healthy throughout the day? Jerky is a great option, but it often contains a lot of unhealthy ingredients. Don’t worry: Primal Krisp has got you covered, with their kosher-certified meat chips (from $8.49/bag) and chicken chips ($7.49 a bag) that don’t contain sugar or perspectives. You can load up on 40 grams of protein when you eat these paleo, keto, and carnivore approved snacks.
Author Meryl Ain’s upcoming collection of short, poignant, and humorous stories, “Remember to Eat and Other Stories” ($17.99) is available for pre-order on Amazon. It follows a Jewish family from before World War II to the not-too-distant future. The book explores the experiences of Marjorie, a baby boomer; her mother, Alice; and the friends and family that make up their community over the decades. As they each pursue higher education and choose career paths, both mother and daughter encounter challenges as they make choices within a changing society—from in-law problems to illness to antisemitism and beyond.
Founder Sarah Nathan, a Southern California native, created the world’s first instant matzo ball soup, NOOISH (starting at $36 for four cups). The kosher certified soup is parve, shelf-stable for 18 months, and, as Sarah described it, a “hug in a cup.” NOOISH has been highlighted by Drew Barrymore as one of her favorite things and endorsed by major Jewish chefs like Adeena Sussman and Micah Siva.
Gifted LA, a Judaica store in West Los Angeles, features several fun gifts you can get for Hanukkah. Light your candles with this Banana Menorah ($150), which is made out of polished stainless steel. Or get some dreidel cocktail napkins for your Hanukkah party ($44). If someone in your life is particularly fond of challah bread, pick up this cute Challah Charm Necklace ($98).
Purchase at GiftedLA.com or in person at 10569 West Pico Blvd.
Pop N’Dulge
The Pop N’Dulge Movie Night Set ($24.98) contains popcorn everyone will love for movie night, including classic, ruby crunch, and poppin’ blue kernels, along with seasonings like butter, chive, and hot pepper. The set is OU-D Kosher, made in the USA, and beautifully packaged for gifting.
“Fairy GodBubbie’s Shabbat” ($19) is the newest release from legendary Jewish children’s book author Ann Koffsky. Here’s the story: When Fairy GodBubbie visits the Mazel House, the family’s screens suddenly lose power, and they experience a peaceful, beautiful, and magical Shabbat. This lighthearted and fun tale gently and humorously shows the power of putting down our screens and eating a dinner with our family, playing games together, and taking a walk outside.
Hanukkah Nail Decals and Matching Family Hanukkah Pajamas
Do you want to show up to Hanukkah parties with the most festive nails possible? Then purchase Midrash Manicures’ Hanukkah Nail Decals ($14), which feature dreidels, menorahs, and latkes and last for up to eight days – just like the miracle! Another fun gift idea from the site is their Matching Family Hanukkah Pajamas in tie dye or splatter paint ($36-$46) so the entire family can match for the holiday.
“Stumbling Blocks” ($15.99) is a second-generation Holocaust memoir, where author Jennifer Krebs tells the touching story of how her father survived the war, escaped to America, and raised her in upstate New York. “Stumbling Blocks” is Jennifer’s journey to find truth and meaning from the legacy of the Holocaust while telling her father’s meaningful story.
“Presenting… Dick Davy” Album from Stand Up! Records
“Presenting… Dick Davy” is a must-have for comedy fans: This album features 1960s mystery comic Dick Davy, who spoke with an Arkansas accent and sang folk music. However, it was ultimately discovered that he was a Jewish cantor from New York City. He released two records during the ‘60s, and then suddenly vanished from the scene. “Presenting… Dick Davy” is available for a digital download ($9) or on vinyl ($24.99).
“When Caesar Was King: How Sid Caesar Reinvented American Comedy” Book
OK, here’s another one for you comedy fans: the new book “When Caesar Was King: How Sid Caesar Reinvented American Comedy” ($30) by David Margolick. It follows the life of the comedian, who, by 1954, was the most influential, highly paid, and enigmatic comedian in the U.S. He also nurtured the likes of Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and Neil Simon, making his unforgettable impact on comedy.
“Festival of Forgotten Tales” is a series of all-ages comics that blend popular genres and folklore with Jewish holidays and tradition. The first book, “The Beast and the Booth,” tells a Sukkot werewolf story, and was published in November 2024. Since then, authors Josh Edelglass and Arnon Shorr released the next two stories in the series, “The Tomb of the Broken Amulet,” a mummy adventure set in post-10/7 Israel, and “Batya’s Unicorn,” a North African Rosh HaShanah Unicorn fable. Each comic is $5.
“Choosing to Be Chosen: From Being an Atheist Non-Jew to Becoming an Orthodox Jew” Book
To round out this list, I included my upcoming debut memoir, “Choosing to Be Chosen: From Being an Atheist Non-Jew to Becoming an Orthodox Jew” (Wicked Son, $19.99), which follows my journey from a broken, secular Christian home, to teenage atheism, to a chance encounter with a lapsed Jewish stand-up comedian—culminating in a spiritual quest for conversion to Orthodox Judaism. Though it’ll be released in February, make sure you pre-order the book now. Mayim Bialik said, “This book glows with humility and devotion as well as providing a fresh lens on serendipity and the power that oversees all of our journeys.”
Proverbs 20:27 teaches, “A candle of God is the soul of man, searching all his inmost parts.” The Sfat Emet explains that ner, the Hebrew word for candle, should be read as nefesh and ruach, soul and spirit. Our soul and spirit are infused with God’s light.
We enter a season in which the days are short, and the nights feel endlessly long. Pain and despair are shared sentiments as many are struggling with grief, sadness, and hopelessness. It often feels easier to stay still, letting the angst of the world roar around us.
But God’s candle beckons us to search for our light, the light that exists within us; a soul and spirit that emits purpose, calling, and hope. A soul and spirit that was designed to shine, bringing light and life to its owner and bringing light and life to those that surround.
Your own ner was created to be kindled, a spark searching out the crevices of your inmost parts: Your intuition, creativity, insight, and aspirations—all waiting to emerge from the darkness, all waiting to illuminate the world.
May God’s light ignite your soul. May your soul bring God’s light forward.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Nicole Guzik is senior rabbi at Sinai Temple. She can be reached at her Facebook page at Rabbi Nicole Guzik or on Instagram @rabbiguzik. For more writings, visit Rabbi Guzik’s blog section from Sinai Temple’s website.
Kissimmee is a destination that refuses to fit into a single category — and that’s exactly what makes it extraordinary. Over the past week, I joined an international group of media for Expedition Kissimmee, curated by Experience Kissimmee, and discovered just how many worlds can exist within one destination. Theme park thrills, untouched wilderness, luxury resorts, world-class dining, and unparalleled vacation homes — Kissimmee holds all of it, effortlessly.
Theme Parks, Fireworks & Familiar Magic
The week began with the kind of joyful nostalgia only Orlando can deliver. We rode the newest headliners — including the adrenaline-spiking Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT — and I even returned to one of my longtime favorites, Test Track. This trip also gave me the chance to do something I’ve dreamed of for years: scuba diving in Disney’s Living Seas. Floating with the rays and sea turtles before stepping out to watch EPCOT’s fireworks sparkle across the sky reminded me why these parks remain some of the most beloved on earth. And with Epic Universe now open, the energy in Orlando is buzzing with possibility.
Luxury Retreats & Lakeside Sunrises
This week I stayed at Margaritaville Orlando by Rentyl, a relaxed, pastel-sunset dream that felt tailor-made for unwinding between adventures. Sunrise swims, adult-pool tranquility, and walks through the beautifully landscaped grounds set the tone each day. I loved being able to stroll to Island H2O for water-park fun or wander over to Sunset Walk for live music and an evening cocktail — a perfect reminder that Kissimmee is as much about slowing down as it is about speeding up.
The Vacation Home Capital of the World
But nothing surprised me more — or impressed me more — than Kissimmee’s luxury vacation homes. Reunion Resort & Golf Club is a world all its own, built intentionally (no mailboxes, ever) for multigenerational groups, celebrations, reunions, and families who want comfort without compromise.
We toured purpose-built estates with:
Private pools and lazy rivers
Chef-ready kitchens
Movie theaters, game rooms, and golf simulators
Themed kids’ rooms worthy of a film set
Access to Reunion’s private water park
And world-famous golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom Watson
Whether it was the Enchantment at Bear’s Den, the Fairway Tropic Oasis, or the massive home that hosted our final-night celebration — complete with bowling alley, basketball court, and live music under the stars — each property embodied the same truth: there is nowhere else in the world with vacation homes like these.
As I said in my interview with Ireland’s Travel Trade Network, “Kissimmee is incredible for multigenerational travel — families can wake up to simple breakfasts together, spread out in spacious homes with private water parks, and still have all the amenities of a resort.” It’s a destination where coming “home” is part of the magic.
Real Florida: Airboats, Wildlife & Wide-Open Sky
Beyond the theme parks and luxury homes lies the Florida that stays with you long after the trip ends. My airboat ride with Captain Jeff at Wild Floridabrought me nose-to-water with alligators and sweeping wetlands — a landscape that feels both wild and peaceful. I saw more bald eagles on that ride than I’ve seen anywhere in the contiguous United States. Add in the lakefront serenity of Celebration, the charm of Winter Park, and the ease of getting outdoors, and Kissimmee reveals itself as a place where nature still has the loudest voice.
Holiday Magic at ICE!
One of the week’s highlights was stepping into the icy wonderland of ICE! at Gaylord Palms. Inside a 9°F room carved from thousands of pounds of glistening ice, we slid down rainbow-lit slides and wandered through frozen scenes brought to life by master artisans from China’s legendary Heilongjiang province. It’s pure holiday joy — whimsical, impressive, and unlike anything else in Florida.
A Week Defined by Connection
What made Expedition Kissimmee truly special wasn’t just the experiences — it was the people. Sharing the week with media from across the world, hearing their stories, comparing notes on destinations and travel trends, and having conversations from breakfast to ballroom dance breaks reminded me why I love this industry. I’m grateful to everyone we met, from James Murray at Groupon to Joanna Jamal at Getaways by Southwest Airlines to Rodney Levy at Tripster — and so many more who shared their insights and passion for travel.
Kissimmee: A Destination With Layers
If this week taught me anything, it’s that Kissimmee is not one single story — it’s many. It’s the whoosh of an airboat, the hush before fireworks, the calm of a sunrise swim, the laughter echoing through a 10-bedroom vacation home, the thrill of new rides, the magic of old favorites, and the warmth of a destination dedicated to unforgettable experiences.
It’s world-class parks.
It’s wild Florida wilderness.
It’s culinary surprises and luxury retreats.
It’s innovation and imagination.
It’s home — even when you’re far from home.
And that combination? That’s Kissimmee’s real magic.
What a perfect start to Experience Kissimmee! Our opening night at Sunset Walk, just steps from our home base at Margaritaville Resort Orlando, was filled with live music, great food, Florida warmth, and the joy of meeting so many new colleagues.
I’m honored to be one of two U.S. journalists invited to join this talented international group—media from Ireland, India, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the U.K., and beyond. We danced, laughed, swapped travel tales, and soaked in the electric energy that comes with the start of something special. I can’t wait for a week of exploring one of Florida’s most beloved (and evolving!) destinations—theme-park magic, wild nature, unexpected luxury, and everything in between. Florida, let the adventure begin!
From Theme-Park Magic to Wild Florida Wilderness I took my first-ever airboat ride into the Kissimmee headwaters — the northern gateway to the Florida Everglades — and it absolutely blew me away. The Everglades, often called the “River of Grass,” is one of the most distinctive ecosystems in the United States, a vast expanse of wetlands and slow-moving water that supports extraordinary wildlife. And we got to glide right through it. Captain Jeff navigated the wetlands with such skill, skimming across glassy water while we spotted alligators basking, elegant white herons hunting, and bald eagles flying overhead with that unmistakable Florida majesty. Wild Florida is a family-owned adventure park rooted in conservation, and their passion shines through. Their U.S. Coast Guard–certified airboats take you into protected swamp ecosystems, and being out there felt like stepping back into the Florida that existed long before theme parks and highways.
And that contrast? With Walt Disney World and EPIC Universe just minutes away, it was incredible to trade man-made magic for nature’s magic — learning about waterways, wildlife, and the conservation efforts that keep this ecosystem thriving. My heart is full of nature awe. Thank you, Wild Florida, for an unforgettable first ride.
After our exhilarating airboat ride at Wild Florida, we headed straight to Celebration for lunch at the beloved Columbia Restaurant — family-owned since 1905 and famous for its iconic 1905 Salad (which absolutely lived up to the legend!). Five generations later, they’re still serving incredible food, and it was the perfect stop after a morning on the water. Then came one of my favorite surprises of the day: we walked down Wisteria Lane. Not the filming location from Desperate Housewives — that’s on the Universal Studios backlot in California — but Celebration’s own Wisteria Lane is widely believed to have inspired the show’s idyllic suburban aesthetic.
And honestly? I can see why. Celebration, designed by Disney Imagineers, radiates that storybook-perfect charm: peaceful lakes, elegant homes, birds soaring overhead, and yes… even a few alligators sunning nearby. Do you love strolling through picture-perfect small-town streets that feel straight out of TV? Celebration is exactly that — with real Florida nature steps away in every direction.
What an unforgettable night at EPCOT with the incredible Experience Kissimmee team! We kicked things off flying through Test Track with Lightning Lane (the best kind of breeze-through!), and then headed to our VIP private dining experience — complete with photo ops featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy. Dinner + superheroes = yes, please. Afterward, we stepped outside for the fireworks, and WOW. Disney storytelling at its best — music, lights, emotion, everything. And the dessert? Double-dipped Mickey Bars rolled in “space dust” and psychedelic sprinkles, flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Magical, dramatic, delicious. We ended the night with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, where I screamed the entire ride. The. Entire. Time. I loved it and was definitely a little scared… thank goodness I got to hold Jill’s hand! So grateful to be learning all about Kissimmee with this amazing group. What a night. What a crew. What a trip.
Connecting Global Trade with Local Magic
During Marketplace Day at Margaritaville Resort Orlando, we had a full day of connecting face-to-face with the incredible partners who make Experience Kissimmee shine. The room buzzed as hoteliers, attractions, and destination service providers met with buyers from the UK, Ireland, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and more — including partners such as TUI UK & Ireland, Jetset, Air Canada Vacations, Bon Voyage Travel, Viajes Falabella, Abreu Online, Despegar, plus specialist wholesalers and luxury advisors. On the supplier side, Kissimmee showed just how strong and diverse its tourism offering really is. From Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort to Gatorland, Wild Florida, Fun Spot America, Island H2O, and leading hotels like Reunion Resort, Gaylord Palms, and our host, Margaritaville Resort Orlando, the lineup was outstanding. Throughout the day, I loved connecting with partners across the industry — including great conversations with James Murray from Groupon, Joanna Jamal from Getaways by Southwest Airlines, and Rodney Levy from Tripster, among many other inspiring travel professionals.
Our Expedition Kissimmee crew took over Island H2O Water Park for an evening networking bash — and it turned into a full-on dance party. We started with salsa steps, slid into line dancing, and by the end nearly everyone was swaying in a conga line under the stars.
Island H2O is more than a daytime splash zone — they’ve been known to host evening events and concerts in the past, mixing music with water-park ambiance. Imagine sliding down a water slide by day, then lounging by a poolside stage with live music at night — that’s the kind of fun they create.
Even when the park rides were closed, the energy was high. With laid-back cabanas, poolside lights, and a DJ spinning tracks, our group soaked up the magic: laughter, new connections, late-night dancing, and that signature Kissimmee sense of freedom.
Today was all about exploring why Kissimmee is truly the Vacation Home Capital of the World — and WOW… I get it now. Reunion Resort & Golf Club absolutely blew me away. These aren’t “vacation rentals”… these are purpose-built, professionally managed luxury homes with every comfort, every detail, and not a single awkward host note or personal item in sight. No mailboxes. No surprises. Just pure vacation bliss.
We toured four unforgettable homes, each more incredible than the last — think
*Tropical-inspired kid rooms
*Moana and Encanto themed bedrooms
*Harry Potter hideaways
*Indoor basketball spaces
*Game rooms
*Private movie theaters
*Enormous kitchens with giant islands perfect for gathering
Plus: your own private pool, access to the Reunion Resort Water Park (lazy river, water slide, 5 acres of fun!), tennis + pickleball, and three legendary golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom Watson.
Here are the four homes we toured:
*Fairway Tropic Oasis – 10 bedrooms, 10 baths + 4 half baths, sleeps 25
*Enchantment at Bear’s Den – 8 bedrooms, 8 baths + 2 half baths, sleeps 18 (ultra-private, inside a gated enclave)
*Legends Tranquil – 8 bedrooms, 8 baths + 3 half baths, sleeps 20
*Legend Palmer – 5 bedrooms, 6 baths + 1 half bath, sleeps 10
Pricing varies by home and season, but many range from about $1,500 to $5,000, which can be an amazing value when shared across families or friends.
PLUS: You can use Marriott points at Reunion. AND — this is big — these purpose-built vacation homes are only in Kissimmee.
There are no vacation homes in Orlando like this. None. Only here.
I left today thinking:
I want to stay in one.
I want to bring my family.
I want to bring my friends.
I want to move in forever.
Thank you Reunion Resort for the incredible tour and Experience Kissimmee for arranging this unforgettable day.
Just spent an absolutely unforgettable night inside ICE! at Gaylord Palms — and yes, they hand you a warm jacket at the door, because it’s a crisp 9°F inside this frozen wonderland!
We slid down two-story rainbow-lit ice slides, wandered through life-size Rudolph and Santa scenes, and explored glittering tunnels carved from thousands of pounds of crystal-clear ice — all inside a 16,000-square-foot cold room that feels like a winter dream.
And the craftsmanship behind it? Mind-blowing:
2,000 hours of design for a single show – 36 master artisans from Heilongjiang province (Harbin), including 25 builders, 9 detail carvers, and 2 electricians– 12,000 hours of hands-on carving–33 days of carving + 52 days of showtime–7,000 ice blocks per show — each block 10″ × 21″ × 42″, ~300 lbs; 35 gallons of water per block → ~210,000 gallons total– Blocks are produced in 3 factories and delivered by 48 trucks pulling 52-ft trailers– The cold room is kept at 9°F with multiple industrial air handlers
Sliding down ice in Florida? Absolutely yes. Feeling like a kid again? Every second. Grateful for this Kissimmee adventure? Always.
Closing Night at the Most Incredible Reunion Home
We wrapped an unforgettable week with Experience Kissimmee inside one of Reunion’s most remarkable luxury vacation homes — a property designed for travelers who want space, style, and a touch of spectacle.
The details impressed at every turn: A half outdoor basketball court, A private bowling alley, A state-of-the-art golf simulator, An expansive game room, A fully equipped movie theater, A dedicated fitness center. Themed kids’ rooms (Barbie and Toy Story were instant favorites) A chef-inspired kitchen perfect for group meals. Spacious bedrooms and bathrooms with balconies and plenty of room to relax — even a meeting space for groups blending work and play. Live music under the warm Florida night
The home felt like a resort within a resort — ideal for multigenerational trips, golf groups, wedding parties, or any celebration that deserves comfort and real wow-factor.
Kissimmee continues to earn its title as the Vacation Home Capital of the World, and this final-night gathering showcased exactly why.
Huge thanks to Experience Kissimmee and Reunion Resort for an extraordinary week. My camera roll is overflowing — and so is my appreciation for this destination.
Just wrapped a stay at Margaritaville Orlando, and it was the perfect home base for a conference week — equal parts productive and palm-tree-peaceful.
I swam in the adults-only pool (the quiet escape every conference needs), watched both sunrise and sunset over the tropical-style grounds, and enjoyed the easy, breezy island vibe that just makes you exhale the moment you arrive.
The meeting spaces were fantastic — bright, spacious, and steps from everything. And being able to walk to Island H2O Water Park and the shops and live music along Sunset Walk made the evenings feel like vacation, even during a work trip.
Margaritaville definitely delivers on the Jimmy Buffett spirit: laid-back luxury, tropical landscaping, live music floating through the air and that “it’s-always-5-o’clock-here” energy
Plus, the location is ideal — close to the major theme parks and to Kissimmee’s natural adventures like Wild Florida airboats, wildlife encounters, and eco-experiences.
Whether you’re here for a conference, a family getaway, or just chasing the island state of mind, Margaritaville Orlando hits that perfect mix of fun, comfort, and pure Florida sunshine.
I just wrapped an extraordinary trip with an incredible group of international media, and I’m so grateful to have been included. We explored world-class theme parks, wild Florida nature, vibrant neighborhoods, and the spectacular luxury vacation homes that make Kissimmee truly unique. A huge thank you to Julia Labedz and the Ireland Travel Trade Network (ITTN) for covering our journey each day — and for capturing the spirit of the trip so beautifully. In her final article, she shared a quote from me:
**“What I love about Kissimmee is how it holds every kind of magic in one place. You’re surrounded by world-class parks—new adventures like Epic Universe, and at EPCOT I rode the incredible new Guardians of the Galaxy coaster, did my longtime favorite Test Track, and even went scuba diving in the Living Seas before watching the fireworks light up the sky. This trip, I stayed at Margaritaville and loved starting my day with sunrise by one pool and ending it with sunset by another. And then there’s the joy of coming ‘home.’ As the luxury vacation home capital of the world, Kissimmee is incredible for multigenerational travel. Families can wake up to simple breakfasts together, spread out in spacious homes with private water parks, and still have all the amenities of a resort. But Kissimmee is just as rich in natural wonder as it is in man-made thrills. My first airboat ride with Captain Jeff at Wild Florida brought me nose-to-water with alligators, sweeping wetlands, and more bald eagles than you’ll see anywhere in the contiguous United States—second only to Alaska. With peaceful lakes perfect for kayaking, bike rides through Celebration, and the charm of Winter Park, Kissimmee blends heart-pounding fun with the real Florida wilderness in a way that feels unforgettable.”**
Thank you, Experience Kissimmee, for opening so many doors and helping us truly experience this destination — from sunrise to nightlife, roller coasters to airboats, and luxury villas to wild wetlands.
I watched the entire EPCOT nighttime spectacular, and wow… what an 18-minute journey. EPCOT has always been about imagination, innovation, and our shared human story — and this show captures all of it in light, music, and pure magic.
From the first spark to the grand finale, the fireworks dance with a soundtrack that celebrates who we are across cultures, languages, and borders. It’s a reminder that we’re all connected, all dreaming, all part of something bigger.
The colors, the choreography, the storytelling — EPCOT’s fireworks are more than a show; they’re a feeling. A celebration of creativity, courage, and community. And being there, surrounded by families from all over the world, I felt that message in every burst of color reflected on the lagoon.
I’m so grateful I got to capture the full experience.
If you love fireworks, storytelling, or that pure Disney sense of wonder… this one is for you.
