Florida Vacation Blog

Archive for the ‘Orlando Vacation Package’ 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.

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.

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 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.