Host An outdoor Movie Night!

While I have never been to a drive in movie, I have had the awesome experience of watching movies under the stars! What will certainly become a Christmas tradition, my family decided to host an outdoor movie night this past December! We had a great time and watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in early December. It was such a hit we decided to do another movie night last month.

The Projector

The largest expense that we found was the actual projector rental. I'll admit I didn't really do my research on this one, but instead just went straight to the place my brother in law rented one for Christmas. While the price was reasonable at $60 for the weekend or $40 for a single day, their speciality wasn't projector rentals. There was no manual, the cables needed to be replaced, and I had to plop down a $200 deposit! To top it all off, they made me sign a document stating that the replacement value of their item was $2000! This model projector can be found online for around $400! Needless to say I won't be renting from them again.

You may want to do your research and call around to local rental companies for rates and availability. Projectors typically become scarce around big sporting events because people want to watch their favorite event on a huge screen.

If you think that you would do this quite often, you may wish to consider purchasing a projector. If you rent one five or six times, you will generally surpass the cost for an entry level projection unit. You may want to check out The Projector People.  Their website features all sorts of information on a wide variety of projectors. They offer entry level projectors up to HDMI capable HD and 3D projectors. Their site is easy to navigate and offer great pricing for an A/V novice.
 

The Screen

Depending on who you ask, you might get different answers if you inquire about projector screens. These can be as simple as a white bed sheet hanging from your gutters, a vibrant highly reflective professional screen, or even no screen at all. Your picture quality will be effected by your decision, but if you're just hanging out in the backyard like we were, don't spend an arm and a leg on a display screen. 

A simple solution that we found was to just hang a white bed sheet from the gutters with spring clips. We didn't have any plain white sheets so I ran out to buy a queen sized sheet from Walmart and a few spring clips from Home Depot. The entire setup only cost about $15, and we have it for next time we rent a projector.

The Video

Remember, I only rented the projector, so I needed to find a video source. I just grabbed my blu-ray player from the living room, and used a generic yellow RCA video cable. It's important to note that I had to actually setup the player to use the downgraded video output instead of the HDMI cable that I normally use. Worst case scenario, you can purchase a dedicated DVD player for around $20 brand new at Walmart, or even cheaper at a thrift shop.

Other ideas to actually get a video signal would be a laptop, as most projectors have a computer input, a Roku player, or even your cable box. Just remember if you use an online streaming device, your projector setup will need to be within wi-fi range, or your cable box needs a cable run to your projector to work.

The Audio

I actually had a friend's old surround sound sound receiver and a few older thrift shop speakers that I dragged outside to use for the audio so I was good to go. I highly recommend trying to rent an audio unit like a PA speaker, so it's easier to setup. It was a bit of a pain in the next to drag out all the audio gear. Remember your outside and odds are you won't have 7.1 surround sound or anything, so you don't need to go all out. All you need is something with audio inputs. If you're planning on a drive in movie experience, you may be able to just use your car stereo if you have an audio input jack!

My Next Projector Rental Solution

So you know I wasn't very pleased with my previous rental company, and the audio portion was a bit of a pain in the neck, so I did some research and found a great rental company!

ATS Rentals actually rents not only projectors, but complete outdoor movie kits! This nation wide company can ship a projector to your door, for as little as $58! In many cases a deposit may not even be required! Shipping is extra, but when you purchase the rental unit, they also include return shipping so it's not so bad. Especially if you don't have a local rental place this would be a great option! A DVD projector kit complete with projector, portable audio solution, and a DVD player is only $85. They also offer Blu-Ray kits for $109 and even a PS3 Gaming package for $126. This is definitely the way to go! not too bad for an entire weekend of fun! You would receive it Friday night and return it Monday.

When you're done, you just box up the equipment and drop off at any location accepting UPS packages!

Minimizing Your Expenses

If you bring your own audio, or DVD player to the table so to speak, the cost will be cheaper. My suggestion is to plan a movie night with lots of friends and family! You never know, maybe someone will have an audio solution they can bring, or even a DVD player. If you think about it, you can even ask guests to make a donation to go twords the rental or split the costs with another family. Whatever you do, DO NOT CHARGE ADMISSION! This is a major violation, and could potentially lead to jail time, so be sure to stray away from that idea.

This is a great idea for a warm summer night, a birthday party, or a neighborhood get together! Now all you need to worry about is what you're actually going to watch!

Debary Veterans Memorial Park - They Have A Jet!

As with any marriage, sometimes my wife and I get into arguments. Often times

she is telling me I did something wrong, and other times she's telling me I'm not all that observant. I don't know really, I generally tend to tune her out. Well when it comes to the Veterans Memorial park in Debary, SHE is the one who isn't very observant! She somehow managed to miss the centerpiece of this park. I mean how can you miss a jet looking like it's taking off? Yes a real jet!

Ok so I'm embellishing the whole argument thing, but my point still stands: She missed a jet! While on our way to Gemini Springs, we ran across this park and actually went to check it out on our way back to the highway. Maintained by the city of Debary, this little park stands out in a big way! Of course there is the actual life sized, (probably real) jet sitting atop a pedestal looking as if it is about to take off, but there is also a topiary right under it that is very well placed. I would imagine that at night, this tiny park is awe inspiring.

When we went to check it out, we were the only car parked in the lot. In fact my family was so tuckered out from the previous park, they just wanted to relax in the AC for a bit. But I was on an adventure! Although the park has been around for a number of years, it looks as if the grass was just laid down recently. The grounds were immaculately well kept, and there didn't seem to be a single thing out of place. There were a handful of small pavilions on this small property, and most had water fountains at each.

Gemini Springs - A Park Right Off A Movie Set!

Perfect summertime fun in the park: take 1 aaaand ACTION! A bit of a back
story for this unexpected gem of a find. The family was on our way to visit Disney's Boardwalk, and I got a little hungry so we pulled off I4 at a random exit. A quick stop for a $5 foot long sub and we were off to find a nice place to sit down and eat. Like so many other surprises we have found, we actually saw one of the "brown signs" as we call them and we were off to Gemini Springs!

When we first arrived I almost thought there was an admission charge since there was a small shed at the main entrance, but this visit turned out to be FREE! We started searching for a parking spot, which seemed to be very scarce. I was happy we kept searching thought because of what we found! One of the first things we noticed were quite a few park visitors with dogs in tow. It turns out there is a decent sized dog park right on the park grounds.

When we found our spot, we quickly grabbed our little guy and ran off to a picnic table. Right next to a nice, covered playground, we settled down under a tree at an open air picnic table. There were quite a few pavilions, but they all seemed to be in use. Some were reserved, and others were just in use by other park goers. I swear that I think we were dropped into a movie set, as everything just seemed to be perfect. There were kids riding bikes across a large field, folks flying kites, families playing catch, and even a sunbather or two.

South East Volusia County Humane Society Spring Fling Pet Festival

It's A Community Event For Your Pet!

For those of you that live near us, or those willing to make a bit of a drive, Please join the Southeast Volusia Humane Society as they present their Spring Pet Festival on Saturday May 18th! This event sounds like it will be filled with fun and adventure!

Going On All Day:

• Marcody Ranch Horse Rides
• Face Painting
• Bounce Houses
• Spring Pet Photos
• Community Vendors
• Kissing Booth (I'm not so sure about that one!)
• Pet Blessings
• Raffles 
• Food & More!

Throughout The Day:

11:30 Aikido Self Defense Demonstration 

12:30 Dog Costume Contests

1:30 Volusia County Sherriff's K-9 Demonstration

This of course is a VERY pet friendly event, and you are encouraged to bring your beloved pets with you. All pets must be leashed, and if you don't have a county or city tag for your animal, you can purchase them right on site! 

East Coast Cruisers Car Show on Canal St. - New Smyrna Beach

Thanks For The Pictures Rachel!

Since 1991, this even has been going strong! If you're looking for something, fun and FREE to do this weekend, be sure to check out the car show! Featured every second Saturday of the month, Historic Canal Street in New Smyrna Beach transforms into a pedestrian walk way filled with all sorts of automotive gems! I have seen everything from tricked out car stereos, hopping, flashing, and futuristic vehicles to classic Chevys, Fords, and other vintage vehicles. There is something for everyone to enjoy!

This monthly event is absolutely free to attend and is sponsored by the East Coast Cruisers Car Club and the Canal Street Historic District.

Event Specifics:

Second Saturday of Every Month
4pm to 8pm
Address for GPS:
100 Canal St. New Smyrna Beach Florida (East End of Street)
462 Canal St. New Smyrna Beach Florida (West End of Street)



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Universal Orlando Announces Lineup for Summer Concert Series

While everyone knows I generally try to stay away from theme park news, I thought this might we
worth sharing. I'm listing these as "High Price", but realistically, if you have a Florida resident annual pass, these concerts are a great way to get out and enjoy an evening of music with the family. Again pass holders also get free parking, so if you are one of the lucky Floridians that has one, you might want to check it out! I have also added each concert to the FrugalFloridaFun.com calendar, so be sure to add the calendar to your phone so you know who is playing and when.

ORLANDO -- 

Universal Orlando’s Summer Concert Series kicks off in Orange County on June 1 with R&B Star NE-YO taking to the stage.

Other artists performing this summer every Saturday night June 1 through July 6 include country artist Kip Moore and American Idol’s Adam Lambert.

Disney's Art of Animation Hotel An Adventure In Itself!

As you may already know, I'm not the first one to scream "Lets Go Visit The Mouse!", but a few weeks ago the Mrs and I headed out on an adventure and didn't really know where we would end up. We started heading South, and discovered India Fest, Checkout Vero Beach, but ultimately wound up in the Mouse's back yard.  Little guy is still too young to really enjoy Disney World, and lets face it, I'm very cheap and didn't really want to pay for tickets to the park. Instead we checked into a Disney Hotel and went exploring!

We ultimately wound up staying at the Coronado Springs Hotel, but the wife had heard about a new Pixar themed hotel that she wanted to check out. We had never been there before, so I figured it would be a great way to kill some time and we could see what all the hype was about.

For starters, it's not necessarily a "Pixar" hotel, as we had first through, although they do use many of the Pixar characters. Secondly, if you are using Apple Maps on your iPhone, don't bother mapping it, just ask a cast member where to go. The resort is ultimately near the value resorts, right next door to Disney's Pop Culture resort so just follow the signs. If you use the map on your phone you will get lost if you don't have the actual address. It picked up on another hotel in the area that wasn't even affiliated with the mouse.