Florida Vacation Blog

Archive for the ‘SeaWorld Orlando’ Category

The holiday season is only just beginning at Orlando’s theme parks, but the fun just keeps on coming in 2012, as well.

SeaWorld Orlando recently announced the musical acts for the 2012 version of the its popular Bands, Brew & BBQ Fest, to be held over four weekends in February and March. The event features eight live concerts featuring country stars,  1970s rock bands and the reigning American Idol champion.

2012 Bands, Brew & BBQ Performers:

Feb. 11: Foreigner

Feb. 12: Gary Allan

Feb. 18: Trace Adkins

Feb. 19: Kenny Rogers

Feb. 25: Doobie Brothers

Feb. 26: Ronnie Dunn

March 3: Sara Evans

March 4: Scotty McCreery (reigning “American Idol”)

All concerts are included in regular SeaWorld Orlando park admission. For additional details visit www.seaworldorlando.com.

Universal Orlando added The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Disney’s Magic Kingdom is busy creating a new expanded Fantasyland. And now SeaWorld Orlando has joined the fun by announcing plans to create two new attractions in 2012 and an entire new “land” with an Antarctic theme in 2013. The additions will be among the biggest expansion plan in SeaWorld history.

The first new attraction, TurtleTrek, will take guests on the life journey of a sea turtle. The attraction will include a pair or aquariums, one filled with manatees and the other filled with sea turtles. After passing through the aquariums, guests will enter a domed, 3-D theater where images of sea turtles will appear to swim around and above those guests.

A second new attraction will be Freshwater Oasis, an exciting new environment to be built at SeaWorld’s sister park, Discovery Cove. Guests can wade through a rainforest spring while small marmoset monkeys play in the surrounding canopy. Guests will then enter a faux sinkhole where they’ll have an opportunity to swim along with Asian river otters.

Each of the new attractions should be open by spring 2012. Meanwhile, SeaWorld also plans to open a completely new area of the park based on the continent of Antarctica. This area will replace the existing Penguin Plaza and allow guests to experience Antarctica through the eyes of a penguin.

Orlando’s theme parks will be filled with music again this weekend.

The music kicks off tonight at Disney’s Epcot where the annual Sounds Like Summer concert series features Stayin’ Alive, a Tribute to the Bee Gees. It continues on Saturday with another set of shows featuring Slippery When Wet - The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute. Concerts sets are scheduled for 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m. both evenings.

At Universal Studios, the Summer Concert Series returns to the Universal Music Stage on Saturday night with a live performance featuring Third Eye Blind beginning at 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, at SeaWorld Orlando, guests can stay late as the park’s Summer  Nights at SeaWorld keeps the park open til 10 pm from now through August 14. The Summer Nights fun includes the popular shows Shamu Rocks, Sea Lions Tonite and Reflections, a fireworks and fountains grand finale. There’s also the new Summer Nights Central, a family gathering and party area that stretches along the pathway to Bayside Stadium at opens at 6 pm nightly.

Events at all three theme parks are included with regular park admissions.

The music starts a day earlier next weekend with the Thursday, June 30 appearance of Psychedelic Furs at Velvet Sessions, the monthly rock and roll party at Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel. Go to www.velvetsessions.com for event, ticket and price information.

Go to www.westgatereservations.com to find discount theme park tickets and discount Orlando family vacation packages.

For those who did not get invited to the Royal Wedding, there are plenty of fun opportunities for fun in Orlando this weekend, including taking your own picture in front of Cinderella’s Castle at Disney’s Magic Kingdom!

You’ll also find lots of music around Orlando’s theme parks throughout the weekend. At Universal Orlando’s Hard Rock Hotel, you can catch The Smithereens performing as part of the monthly Velvet Sessions concert series. The concert in the hotel’s lobby area also features free food and drink prior to the band taking the stage at 8:30 pm. For more information, visit www.velvetsessions.com.

At Epcot, you can continue to enjoy the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Musical guest Paul Revere and the Raiders will perform three shows per day throughout the weekend at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The concerts are part of your regular Epcot theme park admission.

Although he won’t be singing, famed animal expert Jack Hanna will be hosting live shows at SeaWorld Orlando on Friday, Saturday and Sunday inside the Nautilus Theater at 1:15 and 3:15 p.m.

Meanwhile, on another musical note, tickets go on sale this Sunday for Disney’s popular Christian music gathering, Night of Joy. The two-night extravaganza at Magic Kingdom will be held Sept. 9-10, 2011.

Featured performers scheduled for Night of Joy include Group 1 Crew, Francesca Battistelli, Sidewalk Prophets, Jeremy Camp, Skillet, Matthew West, Disciple and Newsboys on Sept. 9.

The Sept. 10 event will include musical guests TobyMac, Jars of Clay, MercyMe, Marvin Sapp, VaShawn Mitchell, Sanctus Real, Chris August and Kutless. For details, go to www.nightofjoy.com.

Jungle Jack is back.

Get ready for another Jack Hanna Weekend at SeaWorld® Orlando, April 29 - May 1, 2011.The celebrity animal expert affectionately known as Jungle Jack, makes regular appearances at the Orlando theme park and is recognized worldwide for his knowledge and enthusiasm for wild animals and wildlife conservation.

Hanna will host two shows per day during his long weekend at SeaWorld. He will introduce guests to exotic and endangered animals in his own special way, answer questions and provide exclusive up-close encounters in the Nautilus Theater. Show times are scheduled for 1:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. each day.

For a complete list of other shows, attractions and events at SeaWorld, please visit http://www.seaworldorlando.com/. Or you can go to http://www.westgateresevations.com/ to find discount SeaWorld tickets and discount Orlando family vacation packages.

Are you ready to rock? With the weekend just around the corner, there’s plenty of musical entertainment on deck throughout Orlando.

Universal Studios Florida kicks off its first weekend of Mardi Gras with an evening of high energy street performers, a festive, bead-throwing parade and the first concert featuring Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The concert starts at 8:30 pm immediately following the Mardi Gras parade.

Mardi Gras doubles the fun next weekend with a two-day celebration. On Sat. Feb. 19, the concert headliner will be The B-52s followed by a Sunday Mardi Gras party with KC & the Sunshine Band.

Meanwhile, across town at SeaWorld Orlando, the park will be throwing its second of four Bands, Brew and BBQ events. The party features 60 craft beers from 21 breweries, BBQ from local restaurants and a live concert with country icon Willie Nelson. Additional concerts will feature REO Speedwagon on Feb. 26 and Josh Turner on Mar. 5.

SeaWorld concerts will kick off at 4:30 pm. Park hours are 9 am to 7 pm and the event is included with regular park admission.

For more on Orlando area theme parks and concerts as well as discount Orlando vacation packages, go to www.WestgateReservations.com.

SeaWorld Orlando has announced plans for its all new killer whale show - “One Ocean.” The new orca show will debut at the Orlando park in late April, replacing the ”Believe” show which has been running for almost five years.

“One Ocean” will highlight the acrobatic killer whales in a series of maneuvers where multiple orcas perform in unison amidst giant water fountains. As part of the park’s new safety regulations, there will be no in-water interaction between trainers and the killer whales. Trainers will work directly from the stage, but the show is designed to highlight the unique and special interconnectedness of the whales and trainers.

Another central focus ”One Ocean” is a series of images and messages that help convey SeaWorld’s ongoing oceanic and environmental conservation efforts and the park’s willingness to make a difference.

The show will key in on the unique personalities of SeaWorld’s killer whales and offer some guests with a chance to interact with the animals through the glass wall around the show pool.

The new One Ocean show will also result in substantial changes at Shamu Stadium. The complex will be revamped and construction will include the installation of fountains, new paint color schemes and the replacement of the existing video screens.

SeaWorld Orlando also features a wide variety of other animal shows and animal interaction attractions, plus thrill rides such as Manta the Flying Ray. For additional information on the park, visit www.Seaworldorlando.com. Or go to www.westgatereservations.com or www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com for discount Orlando theme park tickets and accommodations, including complete Orlando vacation packages.

Get ready for the joys of Christmas at SeaWorld Orlando!

Listen as the familiar sounds of joyous Christmas carols fill the air. Delight to a sparkling sea of trees that light up the waterfront. Enjoy figure skaters as they gracefully dance across the ice. It’s all part of the amazing Christmas Celebration waiting for guests at SeaWorld Orlando.

Of course, you can also journey to the North Pole aboard The Polar Express Experience, or simple marvel at the live animal shows featuring sea lions, dolphins and Shamu! You can share a moment with Elmo and the gang from Sesame Street. Or experience thrills galore on epic rides like Manta the flying ray.

For more on SeaWorld’s annual Christmas celebrations, visit www.Seaworldorlando.com. Or go to www.WestgateReservations.com to get details on special discount Orlando accommodations and vacation packages.

Even while we are busy soaking up the beautiful fall sunshine in Orlando, it’s never too early to start thinking about the upcoming Christmas season in central Florida’s popular theme parks.

The parks continue to announce news about this year’s holiday celebrations, and SeaWorld Orlando has joined the fun by outlining its planned addition of a new “Sea of Trees” - a display of 74 holiday trees, standing up to 30 feet tall, set up along the waterfront. The Christmas trees will be decorated, lit up and choreographed to a holiday orchestral soundtrack.

SeaWorld Orlando is also expanding its overall holiday décor throughout the park. Other holiday events include the return of the Winter Wonderland ice skating show, Shamu Christmas - Miracles, Clyde & Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas and A Sesame Street Christmas.

Another holiday favorite - The Polar Express Experience - also returns as the Wild Arctic attraction receives its annual makeover based on the popular children’s movie, complete with an opportunity to meet Santa Claus.

And at the end of the night, guests can enjoy a fireworks and fountains show. It’s all part of the SeaWorld Christmas Celebration that runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Nov. 26 through Dec. 12 and every night from Dec. 17 through Jan. 2, 2011.

For more on SeaWorld Orlando events and discount tickets, please visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or www.WestgateReservations.com.

Halloween is on the horizon and there are plenty of treats to be found around Orlando’s theme parks. For example, SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular features an underwater “fantasea” where children can trick-or-treat, meet amazing sea creatures, and catch silly and spooky shows.

SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular takes place October 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, and 29-31.

A special daytime event, the family friendly, fun-filled Spooktacular begins at noon and is included with the regular park admission.

Of course, you’ll also enjoy full access to SeaWorld Orlando’s many other rides, shows and attractions. Get your thrills on the flying coaster, Manta. Feed a dolphin. Pet a sting ray. Or get splashed by Shamu.

For more information on SeaWorld Orlando or discount theme park tickets, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or www.westgatereservations.com.