Florida Vacation Blog

Archive for January, 2010

There will be plenty of music, food, beverages and fun across Central Florida when SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay presents their annual Bands, Brew & BBQ 2010 - weekends throughout February.

This feel-good music festival and live concert series offers fabulous concerts, great BBQ food and ice-cold beer. It’s your chance to kick back, enjoy the music of your favorite bands, and experience the fun-filled attractions of the theme parks.

Bands, Brew & BBQ 2010 kicks off at SeaWorld on Feb. 6 with special guest performer LeAnn Rimes. The fun moves to Busch Gardens on Feb. 7 with a concert starring Dennis DeYoung featuring the music of STYX.

For more information on central Florida’s theme parks, details on discount tickets and savings on accommodations, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or www.WestgateReservations.com.

Sports fans get ready. ESPN The Weekend returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, February 25-28, 2010.

Highlights of this popular sports fest include the ESPN Interactive Sports Zone, Fan Q&A with Athletes, Celebrity Game Shows, Athlete Motorcades, ESPN Live TV Telecasts and ESPN Radio Live Broadcasts of Mike & Mike in the Morning, NFL Live, Baseball Tonight and more.

Athletes scheduled to appear at ESPN The Weekend 2010 include Adam Vinatieri of the Indianapolis Colts, retired major league baseball pitcher Curt Schilling, champion beach volleyball player Misty May Treanor, Steven Jackson of the St. Louis Rams, U.S. women’s soccer star Brandi Chastain, former NFL star Darrell Green, former NBA player Scottie Pippen, University of South Carolina football head coach Steve Spurrier, gymnast Shawn Johnson and NFL legend Thurman Thomas.

A variety of ESPN personalities are also scheduled to appear at ESPN The Weekend, including Mike Golic, Karl Ravech, Mark Schlereth, Skip Bayless, Mike Greenberg, Ron Jaworski, Tedy Bruschi, Trey Wingo, Dana Jacobson, John Kruk and others.

For details on great discount Orlando hotels and accommodations, go to www.WestgateReservations.com. Or for discount Orlando theme park tickets and discount Orlando vacation packages, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.

While there are numerous opportunities to pitch in and donate time and money toward the Haitian earthquake relief cause, one option allows you to enjoy some Orlando theme park fun at the same time.

Holy Land Experience, Orlando’s unique bible-based attraction, is donating ALL ticket revenue from admissions on Feb. 1, 2010 to the Haitian relief efforts.

Admission to Holy Land Experience, owned by Trinity Broadcasting Network, is $35 general admission, $20 for ages 6-12 and $30 for ages 55 and older.

The Holy Land Experience is a living biblical museum that blends fun and excitement with an interactive learning experience. From ancient Jerusalem to the Qumran Dead Sea Caves, the park takes visitors back 2,000 years to bring the history of the Bible to life.

Visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com for additional information about discount Orlando vacation packages, discount Orlando theme park and show tickets or discount Orlando accommodations.

Five. Only five space shuttle missions remain on NASA’s schedule, with Endeavour getting prepared now for a planned February 7, 2010 flight from Central Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.

Commander George Zamka will lead the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station - a scheduled 13-day mission designed to increase the interior space for the ISS. The Endeavour crew will deliver the Italian-built Tranquility node, to provide space for crew members and the space station’s life support and environmental control systems.

They will also deliver a 7-windowed cupola, which will be used as a control room for robotics. The cupola offers a panoramic view of Earth, celestial objects and visiting spacecraft. The mission will also incorporate three spacewalks.

While there is plenty of work to be done in space over the final five space shuttle missions, much of the excitement for Central Florida visitors is geared around the remaining launches.

The Endeavour launch on Feb. 7 is targeted for 4:39 am EST, meaning the night skies will be lit up with a brilliant glow seen from as far away as Orlando and beyond.

For more information on the STS-130 mission, visit www.NASA.gov. Or for details on the Kennedy Space Center and discount Orlando vacation packages and discount Orlando accommodations, please visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.

The Muppets are coming. The Muppets are coming.

Busch Gardens theme park in Tampa, FL is preparing to open a new Sesame Street Safari of Fun area, featuring a kid-sized roller coaster, water playelements, a playground and lots of opportunities to take your photo with the ever popular Muppets!

Schedule to open in March, 2010, the new theme park area will boast Air Grover - a new family friendly roller coaster. Geared for children, the coaster will offer big thrills for the little ones, with a 23-foot high hill and hitting speeds up to 23 miles per hour.

Another key attraction to the Sesame Street area includes Bert & Ernie’s Water Hole where kids will enjoy a variety of water jets, dumping buckets and geysers designed for some cool, “splash zone” fun on a hot Central Florida day.

Of course, no Sesame Street attraction would be complete without the Muppets and there will be plenty of potential for meeting and greeting your favorite characters from Big Bird and Elmo to The Count, Bert & Ernie, Cookie Monster and more.

From Busch Gardens and SeaWorld Orlando to Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando, you can visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com to find discount theme park tickets, discount Orlando hotels and discount Orlando vacation packages.

A new theme park is coming to Central Florida!

Merlin Entertainments Group announced that the world’s largest Legoland will be established in Winter Haven, FL on the site of the former Cypress Gardens theme park. The newest Orlando area theme park is slated to open by the end of 2011.

Located just a short drive from Orlando’s other popular theme parks and attrations, the new Legoland complex is expected to include 40 to 50 main attractions ranging from kid-powered rides to their signature giant Lego brick models.

The new theme park will also incorporate some favorites from Cypress Gardens, including the park’s magnificent historical gardens, its popular water ski shows and possibly one of the two existing wooden roller coasters.

Another section of the old Cypress Gardens - the Splash Island Waterpark - will also remain in operation, but as a separate ticketed admission.

Merlin said it plans to keep the popular Splash Island Waterpark operating, although it will be a separate, ticketed admission. Cypress Gardens’ water ski shows and one of its two wooden roller coasters will probably be integrated into the new Legoland as well, Varney said.

Visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com for additional information about Orlando hotels, discount Orlando vacation packages and discount Orlando theme park tickets.

The best concerts! The most spectacular parade! More fun than ever! It’s all part of Universal Orlando’s annual Mardi Gras celebration.

Bring on the music! Bring on the parade! Bring on the party! Now’s the time to celebrate 15 years of Mardi Gras with the event’s most amazing concert line-up ever, featuring some of the biggest names in popular music. Concerts will be held every Saturday night from Feb. 6 thru April 17, 2010, as well as Sunday, Feb. 14 and Friday, April 9, 2010

Enjoy authentic Cajun food vendors, outrageous street performers, a non-stop party and LOTS of Mardi Gras beads! The fun begins with February 6 with KC and the Sunshine Band kicking off the musical celebration.

Visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or www.WestgateReservations.com for additional details on discount Orlando vacation packages and discount Orlando theme park tickets or accommodations.

Ready to escape the winter chill? There’s no better time than now to visit Orlando, FL where sunshine and family fun awaits you.

From world class theme parks like Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Studios Resort to a wide variety of fast paced water parks and other attractions, Orlando offers fun for the entire family, regardless of age.

You’ll also find championship golf, nearby beaches, lots of amazing shopping and dining options and much more.  Why wait? Now’s the time to book your Orlando fun vacation. Check out the discounts today at www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.

Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida features 13 Nights of fun, music and entertainment: February 6 - April 17, 2010 (11 Saturday nights PLUS Sunday, Feb. 14 and Friday, Apr. 9)

2010 CONCERT LINEUP

February 6 - KC & The Sunshine Band

February 13 - Heart

Sunday, February 14 - Kool & The Gang

February 20 - Blondie

February 27 - Dierks Bentley

March 6 - Akon

March 13 - Aretha Franklin

March 20 - Miranda Lambert

March 27 - 3 Doors Down

April 3 - The Beach Boys

Friday, April 9 - Sheryl Crow

April 10 - Flo Rida

April 17 - Chicago

Visit www.universalorlando.com/mardigras for complete details. Or for additional discount Orlando vacation package information, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com and save!

Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida

Saturdays & Select Nights • Feb. 6 - Apr. 17

Bring on the music! Bring on the parade! Bring on the party! Celebrate 15 years of Mardi Gras with the most amazing concert line-up ever, featuring some of the biggest names in pop, rock, R&B, country, hip-hop and more. You’re right in the middle of the celebration with outrageous street performers and our most spectacular parade ever, featuring colorful costumes, dazzling floats, and beads by the handful. Plus, the air will be filled with the spicy aroma of authentic Cajun food* and the sweet sounds of real New Orleans musicians playing in the French Quarter Courtyard. Join in 15 years of the biggest party this side of the bayou with Mardi Gras at Universal Studios-and let the good times roll.

Visit www.universalorlando.com/mardigras for details. Or for additional discount Orlando vacation package information, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com and save!