Florida Vacation Blog

Archive for the ‘Universal Studios’ Category

It’s almost time to face your fears at Universal’s annual scare-fest, Halloween Horror Nights.

Halloween Horror Nights® XX: Twenty Years of Fear, takes place only at Universal Orlando® Resort on select nights in September and October.  The theme park will be transformed into the nation’s premier Halloween event filled with haunted houses, scare zones and shows.

During this 20th anniversary edition of Halloween Horror Nights, Universal takes terror to a whole new level as guests venture into a nightmarish maze of one-of-a-kind frights in the night.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort is a separately ticketed event. This year’s event dates are September 24, 25 & 30; October 1-3, 7-10, 14-17, 20-24, 27-31.

Haunted Houses

Catacombs Black Death Rising

Hades The Gates of Ruin

Horror Nights The Hallow’d Past

Havoc Dogs of War

Zombiegedden

Legendary Truth The Wyandot Estate

Psychoscareapy Echoes of Shadybrook

The Orfanage Ashes to Ashes\\

Scare Zones and Shows

Zombie Gras

The Coven

Saws N’ Steam

Esqueleto Muerte

XX Fear Revealed

HHN Twenty Years of Fear

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure

Brian Brushwood: Menace and Malice

For more information on Halloween events in Orlando, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. Or go to www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando for details on Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios.

It’s time for another round of Velvet Sessions and there’s no better time to get your FIXX of rock & roll.

The Velvet Sessions concert for July at Universal Orlando’s Hard Rock Hotel features The Fixx, the English rockers best known for the song “One Thing Leads to Another.”

The group will perform July 29 at the hotel’s quaint Velvet Bar and Lobby Lounge. Admission is $30 at the door or $25 if purchased in advance. Admission to the adults only party includes free specialty drinks and finger foods from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and a cash bar at concert time. There is no charge for parking at the Hard Rock.

The award winning “Velvet Sessions” format is a monthly rock & roll cocktail party that features a different type of beverage theme as well as amazing live music from some of the world’s best groups and musical artists. Recent past performers have included Asia, Psychedelic Furs, Everclear and, A Flock of Seagulls.

Another weekend, another concert in Orlando!

Fire up your summer at Universal Studios tomorrow night; catch the next entrée on the theme park’s ongoing Summer Concert Series schedule. June 26, it’s Earth, Wind and Fire taking the Universal concert stage.

After earning eight Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, eight double platinum/Top 10 Pop albums, eight #1 R&B singles, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a year 2000 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement honors from the NAACP, ASCAP and BET - Earth, Wind & Fire remains an inspirational and influential group in the music industry.

For more information on Universal’s Summer Concert Series, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com. For details on discount Universal tickets and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.

With the recent opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal has unveiled its latest epic ride, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey^TM.

The adventure begins long before you actually reach the ride. The ride queue is an adventure in and of itself. You’ll make your way through some of the familiar classrooms and corridors of Hogwarts^TM School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

You’ll visit a variety of iconic locations from the Harry Potter movies, such as Dumbledore’s office, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, the Gryffindor^TM common room, the Room of Requirement and more. Finally, you’ll reach the actual ride which takes you soaring above the castle grounds as you join Harry Potter^TM and his friends on an unforgettably thrilling escapade.

Along the way, you’ll come face-to-face with an array of magical creatures and events. Riders will come face-to-face with Harry, Ron and Hermione, visit the Forbidden Forest, get in the middle of a Quidditch match and even run into dragons and Dementors. It’s all part of the fun of a ride that features groundbreaking new technology to create a one of a kind moment of exhilaration.

For information on Universal’s Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. Or visit www.WestgateReservations.com for discount hotel and resort accommodations or discount Orlando vacation package deals.

There’s sure to be plenty of excitement at Universal’s Islands of Adventure this weekend with the grand opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. But for those who prefer music over magic, it’s also a great time to head over to Universal Studios for the continuation of the Summer Concert Series on Saturday night.

The featured musical guest for June 19 is Pitbull who takes the Universal stage at 9 pm. The live concert is included with regular theme park admission.

The Summer Concert Series continues through July 17. Next week’s featured musical guest is Earth, Wind & Fire.

One of the nation’s longest-running and most popular game shows is coming to Orlando.

Family Feud, famous for the phrase, “survey says…” is moving its production studio from Las Angeles to a new home at Universal Orlando Resort this summer. In addition to the change in venue, the show will also welcome a new host in entertainer Steve Harvey.

The game show will tape 165 episodes from July thru September on Sound Stage 19 at Universal Orlando Resort. The episodes will be staged on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Family Feud will produce four to eight episodes a day.

You don’t have to be a theme park guest to watch the tapings. Currently, there are 22 taping dates scheduled between July and September, 2010. Access to the studio will be available through Universal CityWalk for those not visiting the theme park.

Family Feud is one of the most familiar game shows since Richard Dawson originally hosted it in the 1970s. The current version of the show has been running 11 years in syndication and airs weekdays at 10 a.m. ET.

Universal Orlando will play up Family Feud in promotions to bring more guests to the resort, said Pamela Tuscany, vice president of production.

For more information on Family Feud, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com. For details on the Universal theme parks and discount Orlando vacation packages and tickets, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.

The Original Wailers, featuring Al Anderson and Junior Marvin, will perform at Universal CityWalk during its annual reggae celebration Saturday, May 15 in Orlando, FL.

The late Bob Marley and the Wailers sold more than 250 million albums worldwide with such hit songs such as “Get Up, Stand Up” and “One Love.”

Saturday’s reggae party, A Tribute to Freedom, at Bob Marley’s within Universal Orlando CityWalk is scheduled to run from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and includes live music and authentic Jamaican food.

Admission to Bob Marley’s is free before 6 p.m., but a $15 cover charge will be assessed after that point. There’s also a $25 VIP ticket available that includes upstairs access, drink specials, an appetizer buffet from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and free admission to other select CityWalk clubs.

Go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com for details on Universal Orlando theme park, Universal CityWalk and discount Orlando vacation packages.

The Mardi Gras celebration at Mardi Gras is drawing to a close this weekend with musical guest Chicago coming to Orlando on Sat. April 17 at 8:30 pm.

One of the most popular and successful American rock bands of all time, Chicago is one of the top ten best-selling U.S. groups ever with Billboard chart albums in five consecutive decades.

Of course, while Chicago brings 30 years worth of hits to the Universal stage, the annual Mardi Gras party wraps up its 2010 run with one more big bead-filled parade and all the usual street performers, fantastic Cajun foods and more.

As Mardi Gras winds down, the excitement continues to build toward the June official grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s sister park, Islands of Adventure.

For more information on all of Orlando’s fun-filled theme parks and attractions, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or check out www.WestgateReservations.com for discount Orlando hotel and resort packages.

The day is set. June 18, 2010 is the official grand opening date for the highly anticipated Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure theme park.

The new $200 million addition that spans 20 acres will include a myriad of familiar sights from the best-selling book series written by J.K. Rowling. Some of the most prominent pieces of the Wizarding World include Hogsmeade Village, Hogwarts Castle and the Hogwarts Express Train.

A soft opening prior to the official launch could occur as early as May 28.

For more information on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Orlando discount vacation packages, visit www.universalorlando.com or www.WestgateReservations.com.

If you feel the need for beads, it’s not too late to head over to Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando!  The long-running event continues this weekend through April 17, 2010 with the usual Cajun food, street performers, and fun highlighted by an amazing parade and a concert.

This week’s musical guest is 3 Doors Down. The quintessential rock band has achieved huge mainstream success while maintaining its small town Mississippi roots. Best known for the breakthrough hit “Kryptonite,” 3 Doors Down continues the Mardi Gras tradition of great music by hitting the Orlando state at 9:30 pm on Sat., March 27.