Florida Vacation Blog

Archive for the ‘orlando fun’ Category

The countdown is on to the grand opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort this spring.

 The exciting new addition to Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park is still under construction. But as the spires of Hogwarts Castle rise into the sky, worldwide anticipation is also on the rise.

Those expectations will get an additional boost during the 2010 Super Bowl on Feb. 7 when Universal unveils a new commercial to kick off a new, national advertising campaign. The commercial designed to hype the Harry Potter attraction which is based on the J.K. Rowlings books and movies will offer all new footage of the theme park area - from the bustling village of Hogsmeade to the immense castle.

The commercial is scheduled to air during the first half of the Super Bowl contest between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints. Kickoff for the big game is 6:30 pm on Feb. 7 on CBS.

For more information on Universal Orlando Resort and discount Orlando vacation packages, theme park tickets or accommodations, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or www.WestgateReservations.com.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Looking for a new vacation idea or already planning a trip to Florida for your next vacation?  You can’t visit central Florida without exploring the adventurous attractions of Orlando – the theme park capital of the world.  Between Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld and Universal Studios, the whole family will be entertained.  Let your vacation get magical at Disney, meet Mickey and take a tour of the Magic Kingdom. Explore the marine life at SeaWorld where you can also meet Shamu and ride the epic new Manta coaster. Or jump into the action of a movie production set at Universal Studios and ride the all-new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster.  Florida vacation packages ensure non-stop fun at an affordable price.

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.