Florida Vacation Blog

Archive for the ‘Attractions’ Category

Celebrate Mother’s Day with FREE Admission to Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL.

The central Florida attraction will feature carillon concerts being performed on the Singing Tower at 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 9.

The “Faces, Events & Places” art exhibit by Owen Jolly and “Fertile Ground” sculpture exhibit by William Kidd will also be on display in the Garden’s Visitor Center through May 27, 2010.

For information, on this and other Orlando area attractions, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.

With summer temperatures arriving in Orlando, it’s time to start seeking options to cool off when you need a break from the sun. With four major water parks - Disney’s Blizzard Beach, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Aquatica by SeaWorld and Wet ‘n’ Wild - the options are plentiful.

But now there’s a new water park option in Orlando called the CoCo Key Water Resort located near International Drive and I-4 in the midst of the attractions area.

While the colorful water slides and other water attractions are part of the newly remodeled resort, the water fun is also open to those who are not staying at the resort.

The watery attractions at CoCo Key offer wet fun for all ages. The youngest will enjoy Minnow Lagoon, a zero depth entry pool with mushroom style water fountains, soaker cannons and age appropriate slides. The area is also under a canopy, offering youngsters a respite from the hot Florida sun. Parents can watch from the comfort of the Wet Rooster Tiki Bar.

Older kids will appreciate the Coral Reef Cove which offers up water volleyball and the faster paced, Cyclone slide. There’s also a large arcade area filled with games and fun. Nearby is Parrot’s Perch where you’ll find additional slides, water cannons and a giant bucket that dumps 400 gallons of water every 30 minutes.

For the biggest thrills, check out the biggest slides. Over the Falls is a curve-filled body slide while Surfer Splash offers 1- and 2-person tubes. The Boomerango features 2-person tubes that depart from the top of a 60-foot tower.

Free to resort guests, the park is open to non-guests for $19.95 while Florida residents pay just $14.95.

For more information on all of Orlando’s water parks and attractions and other discount Orlando vacation packages, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.

Spring is in the air and Major League Baseball is back in Central Florida. Orlando might be the theme park capital of the world, but when it comes to Spring Training baseball, there’s no better place to catch all the Grapefruit League action.

Fourteen different major league teams call Central Florida their home for spring training. As a result, baseball fans don’t have to look far for the next game throughout the month of March.

Two teams - the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros - have training camps right in the middle of the greater Orlando area. The Braves play at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista while the Astros take the field just down the road in Kissimmee.

From there, just a short drive down I-4 takes you to Lakeland, spring training home of the Detroit Tigers. And farther west along the Gulf coast, you’ll find the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers, the New York Yankees in Tampa, the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota, the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, the Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte and the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater.

On the Atlantic coast side of Florida’s peninsula, you can catch spring training games and workouts for the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter and the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie.

There’s no better way to see and interact with your favorite MLB stars up close than at a highly affordable spring training game. For spring training schedules of your favorite team, or for any of the Grapefruit League teams, visit www.MLB.com.  

For details on discount theme park tickets and discount Orlando vacation package specials, please visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. For discount resort or hotel packages, go to www.WestgateReservations.com/sweepstakes.cfm.

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.

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.

The New Year has arrived and much of the nation finds itself in the midst of yet another winter’s chill. Snow, ice and bone-chilling temperatures can quickly cause “cabin fever” to set in throughout the Midwest and Northeast.

Now, with the holidays past and spring break still just a blip on the future horizon, is a great time to visit Florida – the Sunshine State. And what better place to start your winter thaw than in the centerpiece of Central Florida otherwise known as Orlando, the city beautiful. There’s nothing else quite like a discount Orlando vacation package.

Home to world famous Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and dozens of other popular attractions, Orlando is truly the theme park capital of the world and a renowned destination any time of year.

Whether you have been to Central Florida a number of times or are simply looking to go for the first time, Orlando is always full of new adventures and surprises. And 2010 is already teeming with big fun and even bigger adventures.

Universal Studios Resort offers up its newest roller coaster Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. And at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, the world is already gearing up for the park’s upcoming grand opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Meanwhile, Orlando’s newest water park, Aquatica by SeaWorld, recently announced the March opening of an all new ride - Omaka Rocka.

For more information on winter getaways to Florida, discount Orlando, Florida vacation packages and discount SeaWorld tickets or discount Universal tickets, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or www.WestgateReservations.com.

The New Year is just around the corner and there’s plenty of New Years Eve excitement brewing in Orlando, FL!

Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and all of Disney’s favorite characters are set to help ring in 2010 throughout Walt Disney World® Resort. The Disney parks are decked out in all their holiday glory as we reach one of the resort’s busiest and merriest times of the year.

The Disney parks will offer extended hours on New Years Eve and there will be plenty of year end fireworks to light up the night sky throughout Orlando.

At Disney’s Epcot, the park will remain open til 1:00 am while featuring a special version of the Illuminations at 11:40 pm.

Magic Kingdom Theme Park will also remain open til 1:00 am with a special showing of the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks taking place at 11:50 pm. Meanwhile at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, New Years Eve guest can stick around until midnight and enjoy the Lights! Cameras! Fireworks show starting at 11:50 pm.

Across town at Universal Orlando Resort, there’s also plenty of New Years activity on the horizon. Islands of Adventure theme park will offer extended hours til 10:00 pm while its sister park, Universal Studios Florida remains open for late night fun til 1:00 am. Best of all, Universal CityWalk will help rock in 2010 with a separate ticket event that offers live entertainment in every club, gourmet cuisine and a fabulous concert featuring the legendary music of The Temptations and The Four Tops and a midnight champagne toast!

Not to be outdone, SeaWorld® Orlando offers up its own special New Years Eve memories by staying open til 1:00 am. From 9:00 pm til 12:30 am, SeaWorld will offer continuous entertainment, music and an amazing midnight fireworks display.

Of course, the fun in Orlando rolls right on thru to New Years Day where the parks will again be filled with thrills and adventure. And sports fans will be delighted with a trip to Orlando’s nearby Citrus Bowl stadium where Penn State University is set to battle Louisiana State University in the annual Capital One Bowl. This high profile football game pits two of the most prominent and storied collegiate programs in a battle of highly ranked teams.

For discount Orlando theme park tickets, check out the deals currently available at www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. Or for great rates on discount Orlando resort and Orlando vacation packages, visit www.WestgateReservations.com today.

Tis the season to be jolly in Orlando. Central Florida’s fun-filled theme parks are a popular destination throughout the holiday season and this year is no different. And the parks are sure to provide plenty of opportunity to put you in the holiday spirit!

 SeaWorld Orlando has created a winter wonderland throughout its park with holiday decorations and festive holiday music, not to mention a wide variety of holiday entertainment.

 Youngsters will be delighted with the newest SeaWorld show: A Sesame Street Christmas, a 25-minute funfest featuring favorite characters like Cookie Monster, the Count, Bert & Ernie, Elmo and Big Bird.

 The show celebrates the holiday season as Big Bird and friends teach Abby Cadabby about the joys of Christmas while creating a feeling of good will the year ‘round.

Another new show at SeaWorld is the sea lion comedy adventure: Clyde & Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas. Those visitors who arrive for the show early will be treated by a short performance by a SeaWorld mime.

There may not be any snow in Orlando, but you will find some ice at SeaWorld as the park’s Winter Wonderland on Ice offers up a real outdoor ice rink complete with a graceful ice skating show. Immediately following the show, SeaWorld lights up the night sky with a fireworks spectacular.

Of course, even Shamu gets in on the Christmas fun with the killer whale show: Shamu Christmas…Miracles. Last but not least, SeaWorld Orlando also brings back its highly popular ride: The Polar Express Experience, based on the best-selling children’s book.

For details on discount SeaWorld tickets, discount attraction tickets and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or www.FloridaVacationStore.com.

If you are heading to Florida for your next family vacation, check out Universal Orlando’s newest attraction. The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster is the world’s most technologically advanced roller coaster, reaching heights of 17 stories over Universal Studios. Located in Production Central, you get the feel of being in a real film production studio with a stadium seating ride. Guests get to choose clips from a selection of songs to fit the roller coaster’s design and elevation to personally hear through their own headrest speakers during their ride. Video cameras record the experience – footage that also entertains guests in the ride’s queue line. Test out Universal’s new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and other great thrill rides with affordable Universal Studios vacation packages.

Jamie Foxx will be performing at Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida on August 30th during his “Blame It” tour. Check out Orlando vacations!