A number of visitors riding the monorail at Disney World in Florida on Sunday were trapped for about three hours because of a power failure.
The stranded passengers were either helped to safety by fire and rescue crews or their train was towed back into a nearby station.
“The monorail just shut down and came to a stop,” said a woman who was in one of the stranded cars. “The lights turned off, the air conditioner turned off, and then the pilot said: ‘We’re experiencing technical difficulties.’”
In a statement, the resort said passengers were never in danger. It apologised for the inconvenience and assured visitors that it was continuing to work actively to ensure their safety.
The monorail, which has 15 miles of track, connects the various theme parks and takes guests into the complex from the giant parking lots.
by Andy Moreton
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The magnificent mansion in Florida where Gianni Versace lived and died is opening its doors to the public.
Casa Casuarina
Casa Casuarina is a three-storey, Mediterranean-style home surrounded by a high wall on a fashionable stretch of Ocean Drive in South Beach and tours are now on offer for $65.
Visitors get to see the exquisite central courtyard, dining room, lounges, pool and a marble toilet with a gold seat, said to be one of only three in the world. The upstairs bedrooms are off-limits on the tour, but those willing to part with substantial amounts of cash can stay in one of the villa’s ten suites or join its private club.
Casa Casuarina Courtyard
Casa Casuarina was built in 1930 by the Standard Oil heir, Alden Freeman. It later became a hotel, but fell into disrepair and was at one point a hostel where rooms went for as little as $1 a night. Versace bought it in 1992, along with a hotel next door, and ordered extensive renovations to make the estate what it is today.
Versace was shot dead outside his home in 1997. The family sold it three years later and it’s now owned by the telecommunications mogul, Peter Loftin.
by Andy Moreton
Visit the Versace mansion and get great rates through Luxique for a fabulously chic South Beach hotel.
With the Florida property market at a virtual standstill, a couple are offering the chance to bid for a luxury home for just £25 ($37).
Colin and Sue Stafford, who moved from the UK to America in 1997, are running an online raffle for their five-bedroom villa in Orlando, which is worth £841,000 ($1.25 million).
The couple hope to sell 45,000 tickets, which would net them £1.125 million ($1.67 million). As well as the house - set in five acres - the winner will receive a new car, passes to Disneyworld, membership of a local spa and 40 rounds of golf. There will be cash prizes for the runners-up.
Some previous attempts by homeowners to raffle property have fallen foul of gambling laws, so the Staffords have set up a competition in which entrants must answer three trivia questions (www.perfectholidayhome.co.uk).
Entries will close when 45,000 tickets have been sold or on April 30th next year, whichever is the earlier.
The Staffords say they’ve enjoyed living in Florida, but they’ve recently become grandparents and want to spend more time in the UK.
by Andy Moreton
If you love the Sunshine State but don’t particularly want a home there, Luxique can help you find and book the finest luxury hotels in Florida.
