Florida Vacation Blog

Archive for the ‘Universal Studios’ Category

You can get your fix of great live music when the popular Velvet Sessions concert series returns to Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando. After a two-month holiday hiatus, the 2012 concert series is set to kick off in January with musical guest The Fixx, appearing live on Jan. 26.

Velvet Sessions concerts offer a quaint and up-close atmosphere as performers hit the stage in the lobby of the Hard Rock. An English rock band, The Fixx is making a return engagement to Velvet Sessions and is best known for hits like “One Thing Leads to Another,” “Are We Ourselves?” and “Deeper and Deeper.”

Admission to Velvet Sessions is $29 when purchased online and in advance. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $35. The admission price includes select specialty drinks (which vary monthly) and finger foods from 6:30-8:30 pm. There is a cash bar when the concert starts at 8:30 pm.

For details on the Velvet Sessions 2011 concert series, visit www.velvetsessions.com. For additional information on Orlando theme park concerts and events, go to www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com. Or visit www.westgatereservations.com for up-to-date savings and discounts on Orlando family vacation packages and resort accommodations.

The final Velvet Sessions concert of the year is set for Oct. 27 when the band Survivor takes the stage in the lobby of the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Studios in Orlando.

The band is best known for songs including “Eye of the Tiger,” “The Search Is Over,” and “High on You.” The event, which runs monthly from January through October, will also feature a Halloween costume contest. The winner will receive a two-night stay at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Velvet Sessions offers an up close atmosphere as performers hit the stage in the lobby of the Hard Rock. Past performers include Brett Michaels, Joan Jett, The Romantics, Eddie Money, The Tubes, Psychedelic Furs, Blue Oyster Cult, Foreigner andothers.

The award winning “Velvet Sessions” is a rock & roll cocktail party held in the hotel’s Velvet Bar and Lobby Lounge. Each “Session” showcases a different type of beverage theme each month.

Open to those age 21-and-up, admission to Velvet Sessions is $45 when purchased online and in advance. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $50. The admission price includes select specialty drinks (which vary monthly) and finger foods from 6:30-8:30 pm. There is a cash bar when the concert starts at 8:30 pm.

For details on the Velvet Sessions concert series, visit www.velvetsessions.com. For additional information on Orlando theme park concerts and events, go to www.westgatereservations.com. You’ll also find up-to-date savings and discounts on Orlando family vacation packages and resort accommodations.

It’s almost time to Rock the Universe at Universal Studios Florida. The annual fall Christian music festival returns to Orlando’s popular theme park on September 9-10 and, once again, some of the biggest names in Christian rock will be there.

The special separate ticket event runs from 4 pm til 1 am at Universal Studios on Friday and Saturday. The lineup for Friday, Sept. 9 includes:

• Switchfoot
• David Crowder Band
• Anberlin
• Grits
• Family Force 5
• Rhema Soul
• Hyland

Scheduled performers for Saturday, Sept. 10 include:

• Casting Crowns
• Third Day
• Relient K
• Red
• Tenth Ave North
• Brandon Heath
• Live Fish

In addition to the great music, Rock the Universe guests can enjoy all of the fun and excitement of Universal Studios’ thrill rides and attractions. The exciting Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit music video roller coaster will feature songs from many Christian bands during the two-day event.

For more information on Universal Studios tickets and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to www.westgatereservations.com.

Get your fix of great music with the popular Velvet Sessions concert series at Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel. This month’s special musical guest is The Fixx, appearing live in concert on July 28.

Velvet Sessions concerts offer a quaint and up-close atmosphere as performers hit the stage in the lobby of the Hard Rock. An English rock band, The Fixx is best known for hits like “One Thing Leads to Another,” “Are We Ourselves?” and “Deeper and Deeper.”

Admission to Velvet Sessions is $29 when purchased online and in advance. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $35. The admission price includes select specialty drinks (which vary monthly) and finger foods from 6:30-8:30 pm. There is a cash bar when the concert starts at 8:30 pm.

For details on the Velvet Sessions 2011 concert series, visit www.velvetsessions.com. For additional information on Orlando theme park concerts and events, go to www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com. Or visit www.westgatereservations.com for up-to-date savings and discounts on Orlando family vacation packages and resort accommodations.

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.

The popular Velvet Sessions concert series makes its monthly appearance at Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel on June 30 with special musical guest, Psychedelic Furs.

Velvet Sessions offers an an engaging and personal atmosphere as performers hit the stage in the lobby of the Hard Rock. The English rockers, Psychedelic Furs are best known for hits like “Pretty in Pink” and “All That Money Wants.”

Admission to Velvet Sessions is $29 when purchased online and in advance. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $35. The admission price includes select specialty drinks (which vary monthly) and finger foods from 6:30-8:30 pm. There is a cash bar when the concert starts at 8:30 pm.

For details on the Velvet Sessions 2011 concert series, visit www.velvetsessions.com. For additional information on Orlando theme park concerts and events, go to www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com. Or visit www.westgatereservations.com for up-to-date savings and discounts on Orlando family vacation packages and resort accommodations.

Memorial Day weekend means summer is just around the corners! It also means there are plenty of great entertainment options throughout the Orlando and central Florida area theme parks and attractions.

For those looking to get an early jump on the weekend fun, you can start with the monthly concert series, Velvet Sessions, at Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel. This special rock ‘n’ roll cocktail party and lobby concert features musical guest Ed Kowalczyk. The fun gets started at 6:30 pm with food and specialty themed drinks. The musical guest is Live’s Ed Kowalczyk. For tickets and additional details, visit www.velvetsessions.com.

Star Wars fans can enjoy the second of four Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The annual Star Wars celebration features dozens of your favorite Star Wars characters, special motorcades and events and more. This weekend’s special guests include actor Anthony Daniels who portrayed C-3PO, Bruce Spence who played Tion Medon and Dee Bradley, the voice of Captain Rex in the animated television show Clone Wars.

The Disney park also features a newly revamped Star Tours ride. Now in 3-D, the Star Wars ride now includes multiple missions, making it a new adventure every time. 

Meanwhile, just a short drive from Orlando, you’ll also find some new excitement at Busch Gardens Tampa where the theme park’s newest roller coaster, Cheetah Hunt, is scheduled to open on Friday. The park’s longest coaster, the Cheetah Hunt attraction also includes an adjacent cheetah habitat called Cheetah Run.

For more information about Orlando area theme parks and attractions, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

Universal Studios recently announced two new adventures coming to its Orlando, FL theme parks in 2012,

The first is an all-new 3-D ride experience based on the popular Universal Pictures’ film, Despicable Me. Opening in 2012, the ride features Gru, the world’s most lovable super-villain as his brings his high tech empire and three adopted daughters (Agnes, Edith, Margo) to Universal Studios for a new mission. After being transformed into fun-loving, mischievous minions, riders will set out on a fun-filled and comical 3-D experience.

Riders will explore Gru’s lair and descend into his secret lab while also taking the floor in a minion-inspired, interactive dance party!

The second adventure is actually an enhancement to the popular and innovative attraction, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man® at Universal’s Islands of Adventure®. The ride will be re-animated to create an even more visually stimulating, high-definition experience designed to give the attraction’s towering visual spaces even more larger-than-life proportions.

The new 4K High Definition digital animation will create an even more life-like sensation by allowing riders to experience even finer details, such as the electricity arching through Electro’s body and the stitching on Spider-Man’s gloves. New details will also be added to the film to take advantage of the new high definition clarity.

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.

Taylor Dayne, best known for her breakthrough album, “Tell It To My Heart, is the musical guest as the popular Velvet Sessions monthly concert series returns to Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel on Thursday, March 31.

Velvet Sessions offers an up close atmosphere as performers hit the stage in the lobby of the Hard Rock. Admission to Velvet Sessions is $29 when purchased online and in advance. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $35 and a special VIP ticket is available for $50. In addition to the concert, admission includes select specialty drinks which vary each month, plus finger foods and parking.

For details on the entire Velvet Sessions 2011 concert series, visit www.velvetsessions.com.

Velvet Sessions is the kickoff to another weekend of concerts throughout Orlando’s theme parks.

On Friday-Saturday-Sunday, guests at Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival can celebrate the music of Starship featuring Mickey Thomas in the Flower Power Concert Series.

Also on Friday night, visitors to Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida can see Sean Kingston live in concert following the traditional Mardi Gras parade. Universal also celebrates Mardi Gras again on Saturday night, with a concert featuring Ne-Yo.

Meanwhile, at SeaWorld Orlando, the annual Viva La Musica celebration of Latin culture ends its 2011 run with a Saturday afternoon concert starring Ednita Nazario. Music begins at 3 pm.

For additional information on Orlando theme park concerts and events, go to www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com. Or you can visit www.westgatereservations.com for up-to-date savings and discounts on Orlando family vacation packages and resort accommodations.