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As one of the world’s most popular destinations, it seems you never have to wait long for a new attraction to pop up in Orlando. While the theme parks have been busy adding new shows, new rides and new adventures, another major tourist area has announced plans for more excitement.

Already renowned for its shopping, dining and myriad attractions, Orlando’s famed International Drive is preparing to begin work on an all new $100 million project called I-Drive Live.

Set to be built on the 19-acre property formerly known as the Mercado, the new entertainment complex will include a towering, 425-foot-high observation wheel, a Madame Tassaud’s Wax Museum and a Sea Life aquarium.

The development will likely add a number of other restaurants and shops as part of its initial phase. Future development could also include a parking garage and two themed hotels.

For more information on I-Drive attractions and discount tickets, as well as discount Orlando vacation packages, please visit www.westgatereservations.com.

While visitors to Disney can enjoy a world of adventure, but for an even more international experience, no trip to Orlando why not try spending some time along the city’s famed International Drive.

Although International Drive stretches for miles, you never have to venture far to find something fun to do. The popular I-Drive area puts you on the doorstep of six amazing theme parks, including SeaWorld Orlando, Discovery Cove, Aquatica by SeaWorld, Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Wet ‘n Wild water park. You’ll also find I-Drive is home to more than 100 hotels and resorts, nearly 500 shops, more than 150 restaurants, three entertainment complexes, movie theaters and even the nation’s second largest Convention Center.

When you walk up International Drive - or take the I-Ride Trolley - you’ll discover plenty of options for the entire family. Try your hand at mini golf. Put the pedal to the metal aboard racing go-karts. Check out the towering Titanic Museum. Climb into a helicopter for a bird’s eye view of the city. Experience the thrills of indoor sky diving. Shock yourself at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. Or kick back and enjoy a cocktail at one of only two Ice Bars in the world.

You can watch the daily parade of ducks through the elegant Peabody Orlando hotel. You can walk through an upside down building full of fun at WonderWorks. You can play championship golf at Shingle Creek. Or you can enjoy a true dinner adventure inside the giant galleon at Pirate’s Dinner Adventure. Or you can even test your mental skills in trying to solve a murder at Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theater.

Train Land International is a museum featuring 14 miniature trains traveling through an indoor garden amidst 12-foot high mountains, waterfalls and more than 30 trestles and tunnels.

Shoppers will find a wealth of opportunities to browse everywhere from designer boutiques to popular outlet malls. Or choose from the many restaurants offering tastes from around the globe.

There’s never a lack of adventure along International Drive. So spend a little time along I-Drive and discover some of central Florida’s other attractions. For information and discounts on Orlando family vacation packages and discount accommodations, please go to www.westgatereservations.com.

Orlando sits in the middle of the sunshine state. Clear skies and sunshine are typically the order of the day in central Florida. But thanks to Florida’s low and flat elevation, it’s difficult to see for miles and miles unless you’re standing on a beach along the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico.

You won’t find any tall hills or even many tall office buildings in the Orlando area. But there are a handful of attractions that’ll get you high enough to catch a nice view of the Florida landscape.

For example, at Downtown Disney, Walt Disney World Resort’s popular shopping and entertainment complex, you’ll find “Characters in Flight,” a spectacular tethered helium balloon ride. The balloom takes riders 400 feet straight up and offers a spectacular 360-degree view of the immense Disney World property and beyond.

The bright yellow balloon decorated with Disney characters like Dumbo, Aladdin and Mary Poppins, can be seen from miles around as it soars skyward above the lake at Downtown Disney. Each ride lasts approximately 8-10 minutes. Adult tickets are $18 and children can ride for $12.

Across town at SeaWorld Orlando, you’ll find a similar airborne view aboard the theme park’s 400-foot-tall Sky Tower. The cost to ride to the top of the revolving viewing platform is included with regular theme park admission.

A less expensive view can be found just west of Orlando in nearby Clermont where the city’s Citrus Tower offers a panoramic of the surrounding lakes, rolling hills and developments in Lake County. An elevator takes visitors to the top of the 22-story high tower where there’s a glass enclosed observation area. Admission to the Citrus Tower observation deck is $4 for adults and just $2 for children.

Another spot to get a bird’s-eye-view is from the top of Mount Gushmore at Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park. You can take a ski lift to the top where you’ll find an observation area offering a great view of the surrounding Disney parks and property. And when it’s time to go, you can take the easy way back down or you can choose the faster path down Summit Plummet, a 120-foot water slide. You’ll experience the 12-story water slide drop at speeds of 50-60 miles per hour!

When it comes to air shows, it’s tough to match the electricity, excitement and awe-inspiring magic of watching the Navy’s precision flying team, the Blue Angels.

The Blue Angels make a rare visit to the Orlando/central Florida area this weekend while headlining the annual SUN ‘n FUN International Fly-In and Expo in nearby Lakeland.

With full performances scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday, the Blue Angels will be appearing in central Florida for the first time in three years. The Blue Angels will have practice flights on Friday from 4-5:15 p.m. and shows on Saturday and Sunday from 4-5:15 p.m.

The event, which opens today, also features daily air shows through Sunday with performances by the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo and US Special Ops Command Parachute Team.  The event will host more than 4,000 aircraft, educational forums and workshops, and more than 500 exhibitors.

Friday’s events also feature a Night Air Show with fireworks and a performance by the U.S. Navy Band “Pride.” There will be a hot air balloon launch (weather permitting) on Saturday between 6:30 am and 8 am.

On March 31, the nearby attraction, Fantasy of Flight, hosts its annual Splash-In, where dozens of seaplanes spend the day landing and taking off from Lake Agnes. Sun-’n-Fun attendees can take shuttles to the attraction and get enjoy discount admission.

The Fly-In is being held at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. Daily tickets are $35 for adults, $15 for children 11-17. Children 10 and under are free. Daily parking is $5. More ticket packages and event info is available at www.sun-n-fun.org.

The former Playhouse Disney live stage show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been updated and is now called, Disney Junior - Live on Stage!

While much of the popular interactive stage show remains the same, including segments starring Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins and Handy Manny, a new crew has been added. Jake and the Never Land Pirates can now be seen battling the villains, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee.

As part of the show, children are asked to help get rid of Hook and Smee by making “crocodile arms.” Then, when the Never Land Pirates finally succeed in fighting off the villains and defending their treasure, gold coins are released from the rafters. It’s all part of the interactive fun that also includes children clapping, dancing and catching bubbles, as well as character meet & greets in the Animation Courtyard following each show.

For more information on Disney’s Hollywood Studios, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. Or go to www.westgatereservations.com for information on Disney and Orlando vacation packages and discount Orlando accommodations such as the beautiful Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa.

Although we’re still a few days away from the official start of Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival and the accompanying Flower Power Concert Series, there will be plenty of music at Epcot this weekend, as well.

The Festival begins March 4 and features 11 weekends of Flower Power music starting with Jose Feliciano. But music lovers can get an early start by visiting the Disney World theme park on Friday, Feb. 25. The Orchestra, a six-piece band headlined by two alumni of the popular Electric Light Orchestra, will take that stage at Epcot’s America Gardens Theater in World Showcase. The Orchestra will perform three times, with shows at 5:15 pm, 6:30 pm and 7:45 pm.

All of the upcoming Epcot concerts are included with regular Epcot admission.

For more on the International Flower and Garden Festival, Epcot and other Disney World parks and events, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. Or visit www.westgatereservations.com for updates and specials on the latest discount accommodations and Orlando vacation packages.

The countdown to Christmas is on, meaning it won’t be long til we start the countdown to 2011. And what better place to spend New Years Eve than sunny Orlando. Sure you can stand outside and freeze watching the ball drop in New York City. Or you can rock in the new year at Universal Orlando CityWalk with a special performance by Bret Michaels.Kick off 2011 with live entertainment, gourmet cuisine and a little bit of the central Florida warmth!

Your CityWalk New Years Eve ticket includes admission to seven unique clubs, each complete with live entertainment, plus a midnight champagne toast, confetti burst, all-you-can-eat cuisine featuring filet mignon, jumbo shrimp, decadent desserts and more. Oh yeah, and there’s also that special concert by Bret Michaels.

This New Years Eve celebration runs from 8 pm til 2 am throughout Universal CityWalk. (You must be 21 or older to enter.) Tickets are available in advance for $119.99 plus tax - a savings of $20.

For additional information, visit http://www.universalorlando.com/. Or visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for details on discount hotel and resort accommodations in Orlando, including 5-Star Westgate Resort properties near Universal Studios.

All Aboard! Next stop, the North Pole!

Get ready. The fun-filled Polar Express Experience arrives back at SeaWorld Orlando starting Friday, Nov. 12, 2010. The popular theme park attraction is a holiday version of the theme park’s Wild Arctic simulator ride and is based on the best-selling children’s storybook and animated film starring Tom Hanks. The festive ride includes plenty of holiday thrills, including a chance to visit with the jolly one himself, Santa Clause.

The return of The Polar Express Experience is just the beginning of SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration, which officially begins Nov. 26 - the day after Thanksgiving. SeaWorld guests will also be able to enjoy a series of special seasonal shows such as “Shamu Christmas … Miracles,” “Winter Wonderland on Ice,” “Clyde and Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas” and “A Sesame Street Christmas.”

New to SeaWorld this year is the addition of the brilliant Sea of Trees. A total of 74 uniquely decorated Christmas trees will be displayed around the SeaWorld lake, each with lights choreographed to familiar holiday music.

SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration takes place Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 12 before becoming a nightly event Dec. 17 through Jan. 2, 2011.

For information on SeaWorld Orlando tickets and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to www.WestgateReservations.com or www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com.

Rainy weather has forced another day’s delay in the launch of NASA’s space shuttle Discovery. But launch fans, be patient, as there are only a couple of chances remaining to see a shuttle lift off from central Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.

The planned launch of Discovery on STS-133 is now slated for Friday, Nov. 5 at 3:04 p.m. Eastern Time. The orbiter is planned to go to the International Space Station for an 11-day mission. If Discovery launches Friday, it will dock with the International Space Station at 10:55 a.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 7. The mission’s two planned spacewalks will occur on Tuesday Nov. 9 and Thursday Nov. 11. Undocking will occur at 4:21 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, and landing at Kennedy Space Center will take place at 9:16 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16.

After finishing its final voyage to space, it is anticipated that Discovery will be shipped off for permanent display at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

A shuttle launch is one of the greatest and most awe-inspiring man-made spectacles in the world.  What could be the final space shuttle mission, the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour, is currently scheduled for Sunday, February, 27, 2011 at 3:35 p.m. for a 14-day mission.

However, there may be a third and final shuttle launch in summer 2011, but that mission is subject to NASA’s budget constraints.

If you plan to watch the shuttle launch (or land), you can check www.nasa.gov/ for updates for changes to the schedule. You can also find a complete launch schedule for all NASA missions.

 For details on other central Florida attractions, theme parks and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or www.Westgatereservations.com.

Fall has arrived in Orlando. And while the central Florida summer heat is gone, things are definitely heating up at Epcot where the 15^th Annual International Food & Wine Festival is officially underway at Walt Disney World Resort!

This special event runs now through Nov. 14, 2010 as the festival turns Epcot theme park into a food and wine lover’s paradise. You’ll find a wealth of specialty food items, unique culinary events, sophisticated parties and live music.

Enjoy delicious regional foods or sample wines and beers from around the world. Get tips from renowned chefs and winemakers at special programs and demonstrations. There is plenty to do at Epcot in addition to the usual array of rides and attractions!

The Eat to the Beat Concert Series also offers up plenty of great music. Check the dates below for a varied lineup of musical entertainers. It’s all waiting for you at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.

For more information on Epcot or any of the other Disney World theme parks and attractions, visit www.Orlandothemeparkvacations.com or go to www.WestgateReservations.com.

Eat to the Beat Concert Series:

Concerts are included with regular Epcot admission and will be held at the American Gardens Theater stage nightly at 5:15 pm, 6:30 pm and 7:45 pm.

10/4-10/5 - Kool & The Gang

10/6-10/8 - Sugar Ray

10/9-10/10 - Taylor Hicks

10/11-10/12 - Air Supply

10/13-10/15 - Sister Hazel

10/16-10/17 - Howard Jones

10/18-10/19 - Exposé

10/20-10/21 - 38 Special

10/22-10/24 - Night Ranger

10/25-10/27 - Billy Ocean

10/28-10/31 - Starship starring Mickey Thomas

11/1 - 11/3 - Boyz II Men

11/4-11/5 - Roger Hodgson (formerly of Supertramp)

11/6-11/7 - Jon Secada

11/8-11/9 - Hanson

11/10-11/11 - Rick Springfield

11/12-11/14 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy