“Until we got the RV our lives were all about work. Going to Tropical Palms and spending the weekend is really the first time in forty-three years of marriage that we have gotten to truly relax,” Tom says.

Tom’s not kidding when he says life was all about work. Patty works as an Administrative Assistant for the town of Cape Coral and Tom and his sons are mowing contractors responsible for maintaining all the vacant properties in the 114 square mile town.

“We mow each site seven times a year so in a year we’ve mowed more than 90,000 acres. I’m on the mower from 7AM to 5PM five days a week.”

Getting an RV and starting to take up the lifestyle was a decision the Browns made about the time Tom’s mother passed away. They realized what time they had was precious and they wanted to make the most if it, doing something other than spending it all on the job.

So in 2009 they bought a used 5^th wheel they got at a bargain. It sat for a few months before they took their maiden voyage to Tropical Palms and spent New Year’s Eve there.

“Everyone was so friendly. And we loved the idea that it was a Resort and not a campground. We like the idea that we can be as busy or as relaxed as we like. So we decided to become part of the Park and Leave program,” Tom explains.

Among the things Patty and Tom like most about the Resort is that if there’s ever a problem, it’s taken care of quickly and things are constantly being upgraded, like the work now being done to improve Internet service. The Resort isn’t alone in making upgrades. In the past two years the Browns have upgraded RVs twice, this year getting a forty-foot Redwood they plan to travel around in after they retire, but more about that later.

“It’s kind of like having a rolling condo so if we didn’t like Tropical Palms, we’d move. It’s a testament to how much we enjoy the Resort that we keep it here.

“We get in about 8 on Friday night, and do some grocery shopping for the weekend. On Saturday we might go to the pool, maybe play some miniature golf and visit Old Town. I love to people watch there and Patty likes shopping. Or we might not do anything at all–just take it easy.

“We’ve made a lot of good friends over the last few years who are also Park and Leave people. Sometimes we’ll get together with them and have a beer or glass of wine. On Saturday the ladies will go shopping in Celebration or at one of the nearby outlet malls.”  Asked what the men do when the women shop, Tom says, “we sit around and tell tall tales.”

It’s a lifestyle Patty and Tom both love and that has really helped mellow Tom. He tells us that it’s their intention when they retire to sell their home, live full-time in the RV and do some traveling when they’re not at Tropical. The first trip the couple is planning is to Alaska.

“The only thing my dear wife has ever asked for was that I take her on a cruise to Alaska for our 25^th wedding anniversary. I was 15 years late, but bless her heart, she never complained and we went on our 40^th. It was spectacular and we want to go back.”

We certainly hope they are able to make that trip in the very near future – but we also certainly hope they’ll be back with us as soon as possible.

Originally from Venezuela, in 2001 the 26-year old moved with her family to Altamonte Springs and, from there, to Orlando about ten years later.

Soon after graduating from Valencia Junior College with an A.A. in General Studies, Andrea began her professional career with the social services agency 4-C – Community Coordinated Care for Children – where, in conjunction with the Early Learning Coalition, she helped determine program eligibility for low-income families. It was work she enjoyed but her heart was elsewhere.

She first heard about the Tropical Palms Resort from a friend at Florida Central University, where she’s now studying for a degree in Event and Hospitality Management.

“I thought the job and I were a perfect fit so I called and was lucky enough to get an interview. The people here are terrific and I was so happy when they asked me to join the team. Everyone – the team and the guests – has welcomed me with open arms.

“One of the things that has most impressed me about Tropical Palms is that the guests and their happiness is everyone’s major concern. It’s certainly mine.”

To prove that point, Andrea has arranged a number of events for both long-term guests as well as for those who only get to visit for a few days each winter.

For Sandcastle owners and long-termers, she recently helped put together a Western Night party in the Veranda Room. Everyone dressed in country garb, dined on pulled pork with rice and beans, and danced the night away to Country-Western music provided by singer Donna Moore.

Andrea was also the force behind our very popular Italian themed Night in Venice party. Guests enjoyed lasagna, salad, garlic bread and cake while dancing to the music of singer and entertainer Will Yancy.

“My job was to coordinate everything from the decorations to the dining. I think the only person happier than our guests was me for successfully getting everything arranged.”

Of course, Andrea has also been looking after guests who are only able to stay for a short time. One of her favorite parties was a Hawaiian themed affair poolside with the very popular DJ Tony. She also put together a Hawaiian party for the kids in the Bamboo Room that included a piñata, sack races, a Wii gaming system and a movie.

“They had a blast.”

Activities aren’t just a weekend thing. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays Andrea is responsible for the fitness walk and exercise class. She makes sure everyone has what is needed for the Cornhole Toss contests that our volunteers run every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. She also looks after the shuffleboard games, though she’s never played herself.

“The volunteers have been teaching me the rules and helping to polish my game,” she says.

Andrea also makes sure every thing is running smoothly in our cross-stitch, Swedish weaving, and crochet classes. When asked about classes for the guys, Andrea assured us she hadn’t forgotten about them. “We’re starting a woodworking class for them. With more things to follow.”

One of the things Andrea is doing to encourage guests to volunteer and share their hobbies is holding a Tuesday morning coffee klatch where guests can share their suggestions for activities.

“I’d like to get speakers who come in and talk about subjects of interest to our guests, like health, RVing, and current events.”

“What I most want to accomplish at Tropical Palms is to make sure everyone continues to be happy and satisfied.”

As for her own future, Andrea plans to finish school, gain more experience here and just keep growing.

We hope she’ll continue to grow with us.

“We have someone here that’s a regular seasonal visitor. And she regularly orders wings at the Toucan café. Now, we have honey garlic wings, barbeque and spicy barbeque wings, teriyaki wings, and buffalo and mild buffalo wings. But all she ever orders are plain wings. Her only special request is that we serve her celery with them.

“So when she was scheduled to arrive, we of course ordered celery – and a lot of it. For a couple of days everything was just fine. But when she suddenly had to leave because of an illness in the family and was gone for a while, we were left with all that celery.

“Just as suddenly as she had left, she returned. We didn’t know she was coming back so we weren’t prepared. Of course, her first day back she ordered her favorite wings. However, she wasn’t happy about not having her favorite side served with them and she let me know about it in no uncertain terms. I dropped everything I was doing, rushed to the Walmart nearby, got her celery, came back and cut it up myself. Another crisis averted,” Rich says with a laugh. “She’s terrific, a special lady,” he adds. “I didn’t mind at all.”

Making sure a guest who wants celery gets celery is just part of the responsibility of the man who oversees everything from budgets, vendors, contracts, and supplies for Maintenance, Housekeeping and Landscaping to ordering for the Café – hence the celery.

Rich also makes sure guests have everything they need for all the games and goings on at the Resort. “We have a host of activities from Petanque, Volleyball and Miniature Golf to classes for sewing, making window art and creating stained glass. I line up the volunteer Chairpersons for all these and take care of making sure they have all the supplies they need and that everything is in great shape. For example, we’ve just had the shuffleboard court resurfaced with new cues and pucks, and gotten new corn bags for Cornhole, one of the most popular games played here.

“Right now, I’m in the process of getting our wireless internet service up to standard. People are clamoring for it and we’re responding.

“I also take care of siting the new Sandcastle vacation cottages, which means overseeing everything from plumbing and sodding to air-conditioning and making sure all concrete foundations are in place. And then there’s making sure RVs have all the hookups they need so they can just get busy enjoying themselves. It keeps me busy and being busy keeps me happy.”

When he does get a few free minutes, Rich enjoys taking four year-old grandson, Tyler Alan, fishing or teaching him how to restore and refurbish classic cars. His latest project was an ’81 El Camino. “I’ve been a GM man all my life.”

But then it’s right back to work for the forty-nine year old Operations Manager – even if it’s the middle of the night.

“I recently got a call at one in the morning – my wife Donna was just thrilled – from a guest who had been partying a bit too hard and locked himself out of his vacation cottage. I drove back to the Resort only to find that there was no spare key on the board. So I had to break into the cottage by jimmying open a window and crawling through it. But I got the guest in OK. Then I drove back home and got back to sleep at about two. Then was I up again at five-thirty getting ready for another day at work. There’s always something going on and something to do.”

We’re happy Rich is here to do it – and so are our guests.

The story starts in November of 2010, when Donnie, who had retired from a job as a Sales Manager for Frito Lay and taken up the RVing lifestyle, accepted a position at Tropical Palms in security as part of our work/camper program.

Shortly after his arrival, he attended the Team’s Christmas Party. He had been divorced for years and certainly wasn’t looking for a new relationship. So he did what any fellow in his position would do, he danced with as many of the ladies at the party as he could – until someone introduced him to Lola.

Lola had come to America from Chile years before and had been working in housekeeping at Tropical Palms. And while she certainly understood enough English to get by, she hadn’t mastered speaking it. So while the couple had little to say on the dance floor, they certainly enjoyed dancing together and never changed partners again. As Donnie explains it, Lola “had rhythm and all the right moves.” He asked her to a movie a few nights later.

Though she worked days and he worked nights they somehow found time to spend together. They discovered that the best way to communicate was on the computer, Lola typing in Spanish, Donnie in English and then using Google translation.

“Love is the same in every language and in every culture,” Donnie explains. “And though neither of us had been looking for it, we soon realized that it had found us. We didn’t need Google translation to know that.”

When the season ended, Donnie returned to the Cape Hatteras Campground, and his camper/work job there while Lola stayed on at Tropical Palms. But before he left, Donnie declared his love, Lola declared hers, and he proposed.

For the next few months they emailed and spoke on the phone, with love helping to provide the translation. In July, he came back to Tropical, picked her up and they began making their plans to marry in Cape Hatteras before returning to Tropical.

The wedding was set for Sept 10^th, 2011. The cake was ordered, the preacher hired, the chapel reserved. In short, as Donnie tells it, all plans were in place. The one thing they had not planned for however was Hurricane Irene making landfall at the Cape.

Forced to evacuate, they made their way 100 miles inland. They couldn’t get back to the Cape; roads and bridges were washed out and the National Guard was keeping everyone off the Island.

There was one bit of good news. The preacher who was going to marry them agreed to come to where they were to perform the ceremony. Then fate intervened again and two days before the wedding, Lola was severely injured in a serious auto accident.

But nothing was going to deter this couple. After all, they had managed to find a way to break the language barrier, they had weathered the hurricane, and Lola was too brave and too strong to be stopped by her injuries. So on September 3^rd at a small church in Stumpy Point, North Carolina, the couple took their vows before returning to Tropical.

It was on their return that they had the wedding they had hoped for: a ceremony at the Kissimmee Wedding Chapel followed by a big party thrown by Tropical Palms where the couple was surrounded by loving family and friends.

Now, a year later, Donnie’s learned a little Spanish and Lola’s learned a little English. What neither needs to learn is how to love, honor and obey for as the poet also teaches us “all’s well that ends well.”

“One of my most important resolutions for the Resort is the development of a volunteer lifestyle program,” General Manager Richard Medina says. “From dancing, music, and arts and crafts like jewelry making and wood working, we know our residents have a wide range of hobbies they’re really passionate about and would like to share with others.  We want to give them that opportunity. So we’re asking anyone with an idea to let us know about it and we’ll do whatever we can with things like space and supplies to help them get a program started.”

Another of our GM’s resolutions is to give our homeowners more special benefits and discounts. So owners will get an ID that will entitle them to 10% off on any purchases they make at the Resort; enjoying burgers and drinks at Toucan Café or picking something up at our Convenience Center just got a little more affordable. “I also want Sandcastle owners to know that if family is visiting, they get a 25% discount on a rental cottage,” Richard reminds us. “We know the amusement parks are pretty expensive so we want to save our guests some money when the kids and grandchildren visit.”

“We’ve also made a resolution to make one of our guests’ favorites, our themed weekends, better than ever,” Richard promises. “We’re hoping to have more activities for the whole family, more live entertainment, and more themed specials at the Café Toucan.”

Richard also told us he’s made some personal resolutions. He planning to spend more time reading with his five-year old darling Isabelly and he also promising to get his beautiful wife Anny out for a date night at least once a month. We’re sure the girls will hold him to those resolutions.

Some of the team shared their News Year’s resolutions with us as well. Here’s what they’re determined to do this coming year:

Among Sales Advisor Karen Norris’ resolutions is one many of us are making, “To cut down on the amount of dessert I eat.“ Her resolution for Tropical is a sentiment many of our teammates share, “To put myself into the guests’ shoes, make sure each and every of them has the most enjoyable time possible at Tropical Palms.”

Sales Associate Filipe Collares, has resolved to work to “Bring the team closer together as friends and make the work environment more pleasant and fun.” Filipe also plans to “get involved with volunteer work, especially for children who are sick.”  He’s also has also made some ambitious resolutions for his life away from work. He plans to “read Peter Abelard’s “Sic et Non” and “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” move out of my mother’s house, and take the steps necessary to get to Costa Rica so I can catch some mean surf.”

Losing 80 pounds in order to get his diabetes under control, is Operations Manager Rich Houchins resolution for the New Year. His motivation makes him a lock to achieve it – Rich wants “to live longer so he can watch my grandson grow up.” We all support him in the effort. He’s also made it a resolution “to gain a better working knowledge of resort marketing and sales so he can be more proactive in the overall management of Tropical.”

Sales Advisor Alex Rosario has made a resolution “to head back to school and begin building a better future for myself.” He’s also determined “to improve his customer service skills when it comes to making reservations and selling Sandcastle cottages.”

Because we believe in its importance, we support Sales Advisor Team Leader Ashley Ogozaly’s resolution “to develop new incentives to increase productivity and to initiate a volunteer program for The Florida Hospital for Children in Orlando.” Her personal resolution is “to spend more time with my family and to take a family vacation to the Florida Keys.”

All good ideas and we hope everyone on the team is able to hold fast to their resolutions. We hope that all of you are making a resolution to join us this coming year for all the good times and memories making we’re resolved to provide all our owners and guests in 2013. See you poolside!

Of course, this Christmas, it’s hard not to think of those less blessed than we are. So for General Manager Richard Medina, who is celebrating his first holiday season with us, and the rest of the team at Tropical Palms, the true Christmas spirit starts with helping to make the season special for others less fortunate.

To start the season we’ll be holding a special event to kick off our annual Toys for Tots drive. Sandcastle owners and long-term residents are all invited to a party December 6th. There will be free food and terrific entertainment with a DJ spinning tunes. And all we’re asking as the price of admission is that everyone bring an unwrapped toy to the party.

Of course, if you can’t make it to the party, you can still get in the spirit by dropping off a gift at the reception area for a child in Osceola County who might not otherwise have anything to open Christmas morning. We’re hoping everyone lucky enough to spend time with us remembers those less fortunate, as these are difficult times for far too many families in our community.

With that in mind, we’re also holding a food drive as part of our holiday celebration. We’re asking everyone to drop off canned food or dry goods at the reception area. We’ll be delivering the food you contribute to the Kissimmee Food Bank.

We’re also planning on bringing Christmas to children who are in the hospital at Florida Hospital for Children in Orlando. It can get mighty lonely for a kid at Christmas who is in the hospital and can’t be at home with family so we’re bringing a bit of home to them by holding a pajama party at the Hospital. Remember, you can light up a child’s face like a Christmas tree just by spending some time with them. Stop in at reception for the date and details and plan on volunteering to join us.

Jaki Tucci, our new Activities Director, is also planning a month filled with special events for our Sandcastle homeowners and guests. Every Friday and Saturday our Dive-in movies at the pool will have holiday themes.Santa and his elves will be taking folks for sleigh (hay) rides around the resort. And we’re encouraging everyone to decorate their cottages – there’s a prize for the winner – and to join the carolers as they serenade the season.

Of course the holidays wouldn’t be the holidays without great food – lots and lots of great food so we’ve planned a mouthwatering Christmas Day menu that features glazed ham, au gratin potatoes, carrots, green bean casserole, garden salad and homemade dinner rolls. Don’t worry, if you’ve still got room, we’ve got dessert.

We’ll also be having our annual New Year’s Eve party. It starts at 8:30 and there will be dancing, big screen TVs to watch the ball drop in Times Square, and a complimentary champagne toast at the stroke of midnight. It’s going to be a great party to ring in the New Year so bring someone you love and share that midnight kiss.

We suggest getting your tickets for both Christmas dinner and New Years now because these events are popular and often sellout.

So have yourself a merry little Christmas and join us for some unforgettable holiday Ho, Ho, Hos.

The Dupuis, natives of Ottawa, found Skipper when he was a pup at a local kennel. The couple’s journey to make Yuki part of the family was a somewhat longer one. A thousand miles longer. The Dupuis heard about her from Nancy’s sister in Nova Scotia just after she was born and they made the trip from their home in Ottawa to Yarmouth by RV to get her. You can tell from the lilt in Jean Claude’s voice when he talks about her that every mile was worth it.

Avid RVers, the two dogs travel everywhere with the Dupuis. “They like to curl up and nap while I drive,” Jean Claude says. “When we stop, they’re full of energy and ready to go. Yuki’s made a real difference with Skipper. He’s a real motivational source for getting his big sister up and moving. They love playing together and it seems they’ve always got one of us up playing with them.”

The Dupuis’ discovered Tropical Palms through Heather and Cameron McGreggor, friends and neighbors from Ottawa who have had a cottage here for years. The Dupuis’ started coming here about seven years ago for a couple of weeks every winter and found they really enjoyed the Resort’s central location and easy access to both coasts. It’s allowed them to spend a fair amount of their time here exploring, visiting everywhere from Port Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, and the Kennedy Space Center on the East Coast to Fort DeSoto on the West Coast, where the couple has discovered a pristine, nearly deserted beach they love. We’ll withhold the name to help keep crowds down. Doing a lot more exploring of the state is one of the top items on their agenda; John is particularly interested in getting down to Port Everglades.

“I like watching the harbor there over a web cam, seeing the ships come and go. And I like Googling the Everglades, checking out all the channels.” It’s a natural diversion for a long time sailor like Jean Claude, who developed his interest during a stint in the Canadian navy and who has had a sailboat since ’91.

Last year, after Nancy retired from her position with the Bank of Nova Scotia – Jean Claude retired in 2001 after thirty years teaching electronics at the Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology – the couple came down in their RV for a three-month stay at Tropical before making a final decision to buy. They closed on a new Sandcastle this past September and they – along with Skipper and Yuki – have been busy furnishing their new getaway. This year, they’re headed back to Canada in early November and plan to come back on Boxing Day. For the uninitiated, Boxing Day in Canada is the day after Christmas.

They enjoy the laid back life at Tropical, walking the Resort with their little buddies, spending time at the pool, and socializing and making new friends. They get over to Old Town every week or so, where they enjoy pizza and people watching at Flippers. They’ve been to Disney a few times, Busch Gardens, and Wet n’ Wild, and hope to get back to Disney in February when Jean Claude’s son, David, and his grandchildren Christopher and William may visit.

When we caught up with them they were about to leave for the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, where Nancy was planning to spend a little time playing the slots. We hope they come back winners. We feel like winners having them – and Skipper and Yuki – as new neighbors here at Tropical Palms.

The Norris’ sold their convenience store businesses in Wheaton, Illinois back in 1988 and hit the road. And for the next 5 years all they did was to RV around the country, so that now, according to Richard, he’s been to 49 (“missed Alaska”) states and Karen to 45. They’ve even spent some time in Canada so they could attend the Calgary Stampede. “A really special event,” Richard tells us. And they’ve also ventured into Mexico.

Two of their favorites: the Rio in Las Vegas, where Richard suggest the seafood buffet before checking out the view from the top floor’s Voodoo Lounge and the geological wonder, Byrce Canyon in Utah, which the Norris’ found spectacularly beautiful. But, Richard says, picking an absolute favorite site is impossible because all of them “are fantastic.”

There was no special plan to their traveling. “We’d just decide we were going to go and we’d take off,” Richard explains. “We’d visit a lot of National Parks (the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Arcadia among them) hook up the RV in a park and then hike into the park. We enjoyed hiking.

After doing nothing but traveling from ’88 to ’93, the Norris’ found a way to combine work with travel when then took a job with the American Guide Service who publish campground guides, selling advertising at parks for the AGS publications. In addition, they got what would be a dream job for many of us – they became “mystery diners” for several chains of restaurants.

“We enjoyed all the traveling. When I think of all the places I’ve ventured to,” Richard says nostalgically. It was great to see all the history here in the states and to find that every state has something special in it and about it. It’s a great country.”

One of those really special places for the Norris’ is Florida. They came here in ’88, their first year on the road to escape the winter weather and discovered Tropical Palms. In fact, they were here before it was Tropical Palms. Back then they would stay for about a month and they’ve been returning ever since because they like being near Disney and the areas other terrific attractions. They’re particularly happy with the changes that have been happening since Royalty Resorts took over management of the Resort.

“They’re doing a really great job of taking care of the Park. They know their stuff, they’re putting money into it, and the Park is steadily improving.”

About six years ago, while fixing a wheel on his 5^th wheel, Richard injured his knee pretty badly and the Norris’ decided it was time to pack it up, kick the dust off their boots, and settle down. Then four years ago, they got rid of the RV and they bought a Sandcastle Vacation Cottage.

These days, Karen puts business experience to good use in our convenience store. Richard describes his job as looking after Karen and Precious, their 12- year old Boston terrier.

“If it hadn’t been for the knee, we might still be on the road.” You can hear a certain wistfulness in Richard’s voice when he talks about life RVing around the country. But the truth is we’re glad he and Karen have decided to settle down with us.

That’s because over the last few years, Tropical Palms has been going through a renaissance, constantly making improvements to ensure everyone’s stay at the Resort is more enjoyable. There’s more entertainment during theme weekends, more activities for adults staying for the season as well as those here for the weekend, and more improvements to the property, like the facelift we’ve given the pool, resurfacing it, adding new furniture and making the Hippo Slide permanent, something every kid and every adult with a bit of kid in them just loves.

Folks have been responding, with more people coming all the time and making new friends, which of course only adds to the good times. To accommodate them we’ve made improvements at the Welcome Center, added five new spiffy one- and two-bedroom rental cottages fully equipped with everything from pots and pans to towels and linens so that when you’re here, you’re home. We’ve upgraded 80 of our RV sites with concrete and gravel pads and full hookups that include cable TV, sewer, and electric so you’ve got all the conveniences that make Tropical the ideal place for a rally.

Of course, what ain’t broke, we ain’t fixing, so the air will still be filled with music, you’ll still find the same great poolside fun and games. The café is still serving up burgers, fries, and chicken wings along with cold beer and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks poolside; non-alcoholic so you can pass the sobriety test to ride the Hippo Slide.

Far from the Ordinary. Close to the Magic.

Ruth and Dan Healy, visit Tropical Palms every six weeks or so from our sister resort, Sun-N-Fun. Connie and Dewayne Dennis come here two or three times a year to hook up with family who come to Tropical from all over the state.

Both the Healys and the Dennis’ appreciate all the upgrades and conveniences of home Tropical offers. They also love that it’s only minutes away from so many great attractions. After all, when you’ve only got a few days to visit you don’t want to spend your precious time in the car getting to the parks when you could be at them, sampling beers from around the world at Epcot or experiencing life as wizard like Harry Potter.

Ruth and Dan Healy Come to Play at the Parks

Ruth Healy has been coming to Disney since it’s opened and estimates she’s been to the park more than a hundred times. Now husband Dan is a fan and together they go to Disney and Universal every few weeks. They’re also big fans of Tropical and all the changes that have been happening here.

At Epcot, Soarin’, an IMAX glider ride along the Pacific Coast is their favorite, while Space Mountain is their thing when they go to the Magic Kingdom. At Universal, Ruth, a huge Harry Potter fan, loves the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but the couple’s favorite rides are Spiderman at Islands of Adventure and Men in Black at Universal.

“The parks are a place to have fun. They make us feel like kids again. It’s why we love to take the grandchildren when they visit. They’re just magical places. That’s why we can’t stay away.” They can’t stay away from Tropical either.

“It just seems to get lovelier every time we visit. More care being given to everything. For us, Tropical offers all the convenience and comforts of a home. We bring Lucky, our apricot poodle, drop him off and head straight to one of he parks.” Ruth explains. ”Tropical gives us that freedom so we enjoy every minute of our time here.”

Connie and Dewayne Dennis Just Want To Have Fun

“We’re a family that likes to have fun,” Dewayne Dennis says in explaining the purpose of getting together with his wife Connie’s four brothers and two sisters and their broods two or three times a year. And they always get together at Tropical.

“For us it’s the convenience of Tropical Palms’ central location. We’re spread out all over the state, but wherever anyone lives, they’re never more than an hour and a half drive away. And when we’re here we’re just minutes to all the great parks, restaurants, and shopping near Orlando.

“But what we really like about Tropical is that there’s always something going on there. The oldsters can hang at the out together and have a drink while the twenty some-things can do their thing. And everybody can have a good time.

“It’s so much homier than a motel, especially now that they’ve got new furniture and fixed up the pool. Just imagine everybody trying to get together in some motel room or lobby. We wouldn’t have any fun. And we’re all about fun,” a point Dewayne is most emphatic about. Like when he talks about how much everyone in the family loves Harry Potter.

“We’ve all either read the books, listened to them on audio, seen the movies, or done all of the above,” Dennis says. So last year for Connie’s birthday, the family, which always picks a wild and crazy theme for birthday celebrations, decided to do something magical to mark the occasion.

“We met at Tropical, got all dressed up as Harry Potter characters and went out to dinner. We didn’t know how big a table to get because some of us would disappear then appear and then disappear again. Of course everybody was there the next day when we went to Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

‘We wouldn’t even consider staying anywhere else for our family get togethers.”

With all that’s happening at the Resort, we don’t think you should either.

Richard Medina

There’s nothing more important to new General Manager Richard Medina than family. It’s central to everything he does which is a big part of the reason he’s the ideal choice to be the new patriarch of the Tropical Palms family.

His parents, Ricardo and Martha, natives of Columbia, came to America and settled in Queens, New York where Richard was born. Though the family moved to Florida when he was still a teenager, Richard maintains some of his New York roots – he’s still a Mets fan.

But the biggest thing to come from the move was Anny. Richard met Anny when he was sixteen and she was fifteen. It was love at first sight so when Anny’s family moved from Orlando to Tampa two years later, Richard, though just out of high school, followed.

To prove himself worthy of his lady fair, he got his real estate license at nineteen, worked for a broker for a year and soon opened his own real estate agency. The market was booming and business took off. So did the relationship. Anny, as Richard tells it, “finally gave in or I gave in. I’ve never been sure which,” and the one time teenage sweethearts, now twenty-something, married.

As the real estate market began to collapse, Richard decided he needed something more secure for his young bride and the family they were hoping to soon have. He began working in the resort rental business, which eventually led to a job at Tropical Palms as an Assistant Sales Manager. His arrival here coincided with the arrival of beautiful daughter Isabelly. When former GM Chris Wasalewski decided to devote all her time to getting better, this dynamic young man was offered, and accepted, the GM position.

As the fourth anniversary of Royalty Resorts’ management of Tropical Palms rolls around, Richard is making plans to continue improving our owners’ and guests’ experience at the Resort. Top of his list is overseeing the building, in the near future, of a new Welcome Center. He’s also planning to expand the lifestyle activities and services available to vacation cottage homeowners.

Getting the Resort more involved with the community is another of Richard’s goals for the future. One part of that plan is to start a volunteer day for owners and guests to raise funds for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. And he’s hoping to make Tropical Palms a destination for local camps and perhaps start a camp at the Resort that would be staffed by teachers from a nearby Montessori school.

But even with all this on his plate, Richard still finds time to get together with his family – Mom, Dad, kid sister Shirley and her husband and two little ones – twice a week. They all have dinner and fuss over the kids.

We’re happy to have him here fussing over our owners and guests just like they’re family.

Lavonda Noel-Martinez

Whether you’re looking for a great restaurant in nearby Kissimmee or something in Keflavic, Iceland, Lavonda Noel-Martinez, our new Front Desk Manager is the person to ask.

That’s because before coming to Tropical Palms four years ago, Lavonda worked as a flight attendant flying all over the world, first for US Airways and then for Miami Airlines International, a private airline. In fact, you might know some of the people Lavonda has flown with, among them Sir Paul McCarthy on his way to concerts, the Miami Heat on their way to play games, and the Victoria Secrets’ Angels on their way to modeling assignments. In her nine years working for airlines, Lavonda’s had her passport stamped in Hungary, France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece and the Caribbean, all while being based out of Amsterdam.

Before becoming a flight attendant, Lavonda had worked in resorts around Florida, loved it here and so, when it came time to settle down, she decided to come back with her two children. Daughter Angie Noel now works at the Front Desk as a Sales Advisor while she pursues her studies as student at Bethun College. Her plan is to become a nurse. Son Gregory Noel, a recent high school graduate is working at the Welcome Center while he decides what college to attend.

For the Noel-Martinez’ Tropical is very much a family affair. In fact, soon after arriving at Tropical Palms, where she was also done stints at the Front Desk and in the Accounting Department, she met now husband Raul Martinez who oversees Tropical’s Housekeeping, Landscaping, and Activities team. He ‘s the man in charge of setting up the water slide, which makes him very popular with all the kids here.

Happily, this very close family that loves spending time together at work and away. Angie and Gregory, who have their own place together, entertain Mom and Dad once a week for a family movie night – Lavonda proudly tells us Angie does all the cooking, her specialties being fried chicken with black beans and rice. They also attend church together weekly; this is a very close family.

We’re happy to have them be part of ours.