On May 21, 2012, Philadelphia area residents, who tuned in to KYW-TV CBS 3 Philly for the 11 p.m. Eyewitness News, learned ways to save if they were planning an Orlando vacation along with helpful tips from All Star Vacation Homes. The segment, called “3 On Your Side: Orlando Travel Deals” with consumer reporter Jim Donovan, traveled around Orlando highlighting various attractions, vacation values and deals.
Steve Trover, Chief Executive Officer of All Star Vacation Homes, discussed the money-saving options and advantages of vacation homes: “One of the big benefits of staying in a house or a condo is the kitchen. You can spend time eating and dining here as opposed to out, so you can save a lot of money.” Trover also explained how vacation homes offered values to families needing extra space, accommodating more guests and adding up to considerable savings.
Click here to watch a video or read a transcript of “3 On Your Side: Orlando Travel Deals.” You can visit AllStarVacationHomes.com to learn more or reserve a vacation home.
Can you hear it? It’s the rockin’ sounds of summer coming to you and your family through talented tribute bands playing your favorite hits live at the America Gardens Theater in World Showcase at Epcot®. June 10 through July 28, the Sounds Like Summer Concert Series makes “hot” summer nights sizzle courtesy of music and entertainment from seven of the most popular tribute bands.
Dance, move and tap your feet to re-creations of classic hits from the Eagles, Billy Joel, The Bee Gees, Police, U2, Bon Jovi and Lynyrd Skynyrd. With the tribute bands showing off signature moves, wearing costume replicas and impersonating band members, you’ll be amazed at the similarities – if you have ever been lucky enough to experience the actual bands perform. Some of the musicians have even played with the actual bands!
Tentative schedule of performances:
June 10-17: Hotel California – A Salute to the Eagles
June 18-23: Mike DelGuidice and BIG SHOT – The Ultimate Billy Joel Experience
June 24-30: Stayin’ Alive Canada – A Tribute to The Bee Gees
July 1-7: Slippery When Wet – The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute
July 8-14: The Police Experience – A Tribute to the Police
July 15-21: SouthBound and Company – A Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd
July 22-28: 2U – The World’s 2nd best U2 Show
*Please note: the schedule is subject to change without notice. Please visit the official website as the event gets closer for confirmation.
Admission to the Sounds Like Summer Concert Series at Epcot® is included with theme park admission. Concerts take place June 10-July 28 at 5:45 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Special performance times on July 4 are 5:15 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. Please visit the official event website to confirm dates and times prior to planning your trip.
Calling all home and garden enthusiasts! The Central Florida Home and Garden Show, returning to Orlando May 25-27 at the Orange County Convention Center, showcases home improvement products, exhibitors, how-to seminars, actual gardens and décor…all in one location. You’ll learn the best tips, trends and tricks from experts in remodeling, building, decorating, landscaping and much more. You might even be inspired to start your own do-it-yourself project. Here are some highlights:
Seminars: Be sure to visit the main stage that is filled each day with professional landscapers and home improvement gurus who enjoy sharing their expert knowledge with you. Don’t miss celebrity guest Kimberly Lacy from HGTV’s “Curb Appeal: The Block” who offers advice on how to enhance your home’s exterior.
Green Avenue: Wander around Green Avenue, a 6000-square-foot gardener’s paradise featuring abundant greenery and exquisite landscaping. Learn about gardening and meet with professional landscapers who will inspire you to create your own flourishing masterpieces at home.
Garden Marketplace: Browse this area for everything you’ll need to create your own backyard terrace. Purchase planters, pots, decorations, tools, hand-made gifts and more.
Exhibitors: No matter what home improvement task you’re attempting, the Central Florida Home and Garden Show has exhibitors and experts that can help! Interact with more than 100 vendors including appliance, construction, real estate, fitness, gardening and home entertainment professionals.
Pooch Parade: There’s even something for pets! Visit the pooch parade on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the latest in canine couture and shop the pet supply expo for pet products.
The Central Florida Home and Garden Show will be held at North Hall B of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students (ages 13-18) & seniors (60+) and free for children 12 and under. View the show’s official website for details, directions, parking and more information about this exciting upcoming event. Not all the details for the event have been released so be sure to check the website for updates.
Did you know there are snowmen and igloos in Florida?! If a North Pole-inspired adventure sounds like something you’d enjoy during your next Orlando vacation, check out Walt Disney World® Resort’s Winter Summerland miniature golf courses. You’ll be surprised and delighted as you putt through one winter and one summer-themed course with impressive obstacles like a smoky campfire, scattered hockey sticks and Santa’s boots descending down the chimney.
Legend has it that one Christmas Eve when Santa was heading back to the North Pole, he spotted a peculiar snowy location smack in the middle of Florida. He thought it would make the perfect site for his off-duty elves to take a vacation, so he built one area for elves who enjoy the sun and another for elves who prefer the arctic scene. Lucky for you, he included an 18-hole mini golf course in each setting!
Santa has worked closely with the Disney Imagineers to create a truly entertaining golf experience that incorporates your favorite Disney characters with North Pole-influenced scenery. Be on the lookout for fun details like flamingoes that lead Santa’s sleigh, characters made from “snow” and “sand,” and an actual spinning pole on the “North Hole” that takes your golf ball on a vertical ride. You’ll discover clever traps placed throughout the courses that add just enough of a challenge to make each hole exciting. At the “sand” castle in the summer course and the “snow” castle in the winter course, a drawbridge opens and closes to allow only so much time for your ball to pass before it ends up in the moat. You’ll also find a decorated Christmas tree surrounded by a moving train…with the hole right beside the tree trunk!
Both courses at Winter Summerland are open all week from 10 a.m. – 11p.m. Admission is $12 per 18-hole course for adults and $10 for kids ages 3-9. Visit Walt Disney World® Resort’s miniature golf website for more information. If you’d like to play both courses, receive a 50% discount on the second course with your same-day receipt. “Merry” putting!
Have you heard? Universal’s innovative team has been dreaming up a whole new type of interactive parade and a dazzling nighttime performance that will leave you feeling captivated and awe-stricken. With the grand opening of “Universal’s Superstar Parade” and “Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories” at Universal Orlando® Resort on May 8, you will have the chance to experience these exciting shows and more!
The “Superstar Parade” is not simply a parade but a moving show. State-of-the-art technology combined with spirited, interactive performances make this a must-see family event where kids of all ages can dance with E.B. from “Hop,” get silly with minions from “Despicable Me” and sing along with Nickelodeon favorites like SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora & Diego. (Hint: if you crave additional character action, selected floats will be converted into character “meet and greet” areas throughout the day.)
As the evening approaches, get ready for a magnificent nighttime show where you can relive some of the most inspiring and emotional moments in movie history. In honor of Universal Pictures’ centennial celebration, the “Cinematic Spectacular” projects fan-favorite highlights from almost 200 beloved films onto water screens at the Universal Studios Lagoon. Narrated by Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman, this breathtaking show will be accompanied by towering fountains, colorful pyrotechnics and a powerful musical score to culminate your fun-filled day at Universal Orlando® Resort.
You will have plenty of opportunities to experience these shows, as they run year round except during annual and special events. Visit Universal Orlando® Resort’s new-in-2012 website to learn more about these brand new additions as well as the “Despicable Me” adventure opening this summer.
Have you been following SeaWorld® Orlando’s webisodes? If so, you know that the brand new TurtleTrek attraction is finally opening this Friday, April 27! If you haven’t watched the popular webisodes, now is your chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of TurtleTrek before it opens later this week.
TurtleTrek, the world’s first 3D 360-degree domed theater experience, takes you on the incredible journey of the sea turtle, from hatching on a beach to adulthood when a sea turtle must return to lay its eggs. Understand life from a turtle’s point-of-view and see the amazing challenges and hardships turtles and other sea creatures face to survive.
TurtleTrek gives you opportunities to view actual endangered and threatened species of turtles and manatees while you learn about conservation and how to help protect marine wildlife. In the naturalistic saltwater habitat area, see a variety of adult and juvenile sea turtles including green, loggerhead, hawksbill and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. In the freshwater habitat area, view gentle Florida manatees and discover how SeaWorld® Orlando rescues and cares for these heavy herbivores.
TurtleTrek, opens April 27, and is included in admission to SeaWorld® Orlando. Click here for more information.
Stormtroopers, Jedi Knights, Sith warriors, droids and fighters for the Rebellion and the Empire are invading Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. At “Star Wars” Weekends, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from May 18 to June 10, make some out-of-this-world memories with your family as you explore the vast universe of “Star Wars” during your Orlando vacation. This annual event celebrates the legendary “Star Wars” saga and the animated television series, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” with celebrity meet-and-greets and autograph sessions, special shows, parades, presentations and more!
During “Star Wars” Weekends explore Disney’s Hollywood Studios® with characters and celebrities from the “Star Wars” films. Take pictures with your favorite characters or get an autograph from a “Star Wars” star. Scheduled Guests Include:
May 18-20
Ray Park – Darth Maul, “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”
Jerome Blake – Rune Haako/Mas Amedda, “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”
Dee Bradley Baker – voice of Clone Captain Rex and Clone Commander Cody, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”
May 25-27
Andy Secombe – Watto, “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”
Ray Park – Darth Maul, “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”
Tom Kane – voice of Yoda, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”
June 1-3
Jake Lloyd – Anakin Skywalker, “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”
Silas Carson – Nute Gunray/Ki-Adi-Mundi, “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”
June 8-10
Michonne Bourriague – Aurra Sing, “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”
Jeremy Bulloch – Boba Fett, “Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back” and “Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi”
Daniel Logan – Boba Fett, “Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones”
Nika Futterman – voice of Asajj Ventress, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”
Blast through the universe to Hoth, Tatooine and beyond on a 3D motion simulation adventure inside a Starspeeder 1000 on the Star Tours ride. Party “cantina-style” at the Hyperspace Hoopla and be entertained with music, comedy and dancing with Ewoks, Wookiees, Jawas and other creatures. At the Jedi Training Academy, children under 12 can see if they have the “force” and learn lightsaber skills to defeat Darth Vader.
Admission to “Star Wars” Weekends, May 18-June 10, is included in Theme Park admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. “Star Wars” Weekends takes place during normal Theme Park hours. Meet-and-greet sessions and autograph opportunities are extremely limited, so arrive early! Autographs are issued on a first-come, first served basis; limit one autograph per guest. Click here for more information.
No need to go to Broadway because “The Lion King” is coming to Orlando. Now, that’s a wonderful phrase! From April 17 until May 13, the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in Downtown Orlando hosts Disney’s “The Lion King,” a Tony Award-winning musical enjoyed by more than 60 million people around the world that tells the heartfelt story of how a young lion cub must face the reality of becoming king.
Listen to the Oscar-winning songs originally made famous by Elton John and Tim Rice as you marvel at the intricately designed costumes and one-of-a-kind choreography that incorporates animal movements with tribal dance. Zebras will trot, hyenas will prowl and giraffes will prance, all right beside your favorite characters like Simba and Pumbaa in a colorful African landscape that remarkably comes to life on stage. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
If you are coming to Orlando after the show leaves town, you can still see some “big-as-Broadway” Lion King entertainment year-round at the Festival of the Lion King. This 30-minute show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Park combines the famous Lion King tale with puppetry, acrobatics, singing and dancing…and you’re encouraged to be part of the action.
A festival devoted to the dark? That’s right! Just before sundown on Saturday, April 14, take a short drive to Harmony, Fla., less than a half hour from Kissimmee, where the 9th Annual Dark Sky Festival celebrates the marvels of the night sky while teaching the importance of protecting its darkness. You’ll become fascinated when you view stars and constellations while learning about how light pollution can affect not only astronomy research but also wildlife and our environment.
This nighttime festival offers activities to delight the celestial curiosity of your entire family. Peer through impressive telescopes as you stargaze on “telescope hill” and interact with local astronomers and scientists from NASA. Challenge your kids to a game of “glow golf” for some unique nighttime fun! Other highlights include a cosmic kids zone, science exhibits, a mobile planetarium and live music.
The Dark Sky Festival is a free public event on Saturday from 6 – 11 p.m. in Harmony, Fla., located less than 30 minutes from Disney. You’ll have your whole family seeing stars at this “must see” event – last year’s festival welcomed an estimated 5,000 attendees! View the festival website for directions and more information.
Get revved up for this four-day festival held in downtown Celebration and at the Daytona International Speedway, April 12-15. The 9th Annual Celebration Exotic Car Festival showcases more than 250 exotic cars and racecars, including some from your favorite movies and TV shows, along with live music, food and more for the entire family! All of the net proceeds from the festival benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Special Olympics Florida.
The festival begins, April 12 and 13, with two exhilarating track days and Ferrari races at the world-famous Daytona International Speedway located approximately 70 miles from Kissimmee in Daytona Beach. More than 100 exotic cars and racecars will get your heart pumping as they circle the track exhibiting handling, maneuverability and speed. Additionally, each afternoon, owner-drivers of Ferrari Challenge racecars will keep you on the edge of your seat as they race to the finish line in the FCRA vintage Ferrari Challenge Race for individual and team trophies. Friday night, return to Celebration to refuel during the Prime Time Steak Out Lakeside barbecue and concert with Prime Time, New York’s ultimate party rock band.
Satisfy your need for speed on Saturday, April 14 at the Concours of Exotic Cars with up-close looks at more than 250 cars and racecars, including Maserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Rolls Royce, lining the streets of downtown Celebration. See the “Back to the Future” DeLorean, “Herbie the Love Bug” Volkswagen Beetle, the Lamborghini and Mutt Cutts van from “Dumb & Dumber,” “Star Wars” Land Speeder and more! Also, get a glimpse of celebrities from “Back to the Future” and other movies and TV shows who will be in attendance.
On Sunday, April 15, the festival concludes at 10 a.m. with the Exotic Car Road Rally. Watch the RPMs rise as cars compete in a police escorted road rally for bragging rights and trophies that will be awarded at a special luncheon following the event. Visit celebrationexoticcars.com for more information and ticket prices for each Celebration Exotic Car Festival event. Admission to the Concours of Exotic Cars is free for spectators.
Soak up the Florida sunshine during a Scenic Boat Tour in Winter Park. A popular tourist activity for more than 50 years, the Scenic Boat Tour guides you on a one hour narrated cruise through the lakes and canals of historic Winter Park.
The city of Winter Park was established in the late 19th century and was once a popular winter getaway and resort community for wealthy northerners. Today, it is famous for its stately oak trees, brick-lined streets, abundant parks, world-class museums and upscale homes. With an entertaining tour guide at the helm, learn about the area and take in breathtaking views of landmarks including Rollins College, Kraft Azalea Garden and Isle of Sicily along with tropical water birds, plants, flowers and magnificent mansions.
Winter Park is located less than 40 minutes from Kissimmee. After the boat tour, you and your family can share a meal at one of Winter Park’s fine restaurants or take a stroll down Park Avenue. Tickets for the Scenic Boat Tour are $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 2-11. Children under 2 ride free. Visit scenicboattours.com for more information.
Have you ever seen gymnastics on TV and wondered what a live competition would be like? Coming soon to Walt Disney World® Resort’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships, April 16-18, and the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Age Group Competition, April 20-22, showcase athletes from all over the globe as they compete for top ranks in categories such as balance, dynamic and combined.
You will be amazed at the magnificent abilities of these acrobatic gymnasts to combine the power and agility of acrobatics with the elegance of dance. More than 600 gymnasts have traveled across the world from countries like Russia, China and Brazil to participate in routines set to music that consist of partner skills, dance and tumbling, right in front of your eyes.
Competitions take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex’s HP Field House at Walt Disney World® Resort, and ticket prices range from $15.50 to $50 per person. View the USA Gymnastics website for complete details.
Looking to warm up after the winter months? This spring’s hot and spicy Viva La Música festival will leave you feeling muy caliente. Every Saturday, April 14-May 5, SeaWorld® Orlando hosts Viva La Música, a food and music festival that showcases popular Latin artists, exquisite ethnic cuisine and more.
The festival kicks off at noon with lunch. And amigos, do we mean lunch! SeaWorld’s executive chef, Héctor Colón, has created some outstanding traditional delights from South America, Mexico and the Caribbean presented along with a variety of beverages that complement each dish. On the menu are arroz con pollo (chicken with rice), lechón (roasted pork), sweet guava pastries and much more. For those of you with a curious palate, try something new like alcapurrias (Puerto Rican meat fritters) or mofongo con carne frita (plantain balls with fried pork and stock).
After lunch, don’t miss the Latin concert series starting at 3 p.m. This year’s event features internationally renowned artists who perform merengue, salsa and Spanish pop. Here is a list of entertainers:
• April 14: Elvis Crespo
• April 21: Grupo Niche
• April 28: RKM & Ken-Y
• May 5: Gilberto Santa Rosa
SeaWorld’s Viva La Música festival is included with admission, and there is a nominal fee for food. Concert seating is available on a first come, first served basis. View additional details at Viva La Música’s official website.
How would you like to taste Tuscan cooking, sip on Valencian wine and listen to Australian music, all in one place? This weekend, March 31 and April 1, the City of Orlando hosts the Downtown Food and Wine Festival, bringing together top restaurants, celebrity chefs, live entertainment and worldly wines to captivate your senses:
Wine: From Napa Valley in California to the Loire Valley in France, some truly delightful wines have traveled over mountains and seas to this event for you to sample.
Food: Your mouth will be watering as you enjoy delectable dishes from 40 of Orlando’s top restaurants such as Cantina Laredo and Taverna Opa.
Demonstrations: Celebrity chefs will be showcasing scrumptious meals and taste-bud-thrilling desserts, prepared right in front of you.
Music: Don’t leave out your aural senses; listen to some fantastic musicians including “American Idol” winner David Cook and Australian Rockers of the Little River Band.
The Downtown Food and Wine festival will be open Saturday, 12 p.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m.-7 p.m. and take place in Downtown Orlando around Lake Eola, on Robinson Street. Tickets cost $15 per person at the door or $10 in advance; admission for children under 12 is free. Visit the official event website for more details, including parking information and directions.
Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, if you’re planning to visit Walt Disney World® Resort during your Orlando vacation, you and your family are in for a special treat! The brand new Storybook Circus area of the Magic Kingdom® Park has just opened giving you and your family a chance to be among the first to “step right up” and see this amazing attraction.
The first in a series of phases planned to double the size of Fantasyland, Storybook Circus will surprise and delight you with three main attractions for guests of all ages:
Dumbo the Flying Elephant – Soar high into the air and control your own flight with Dumbo, the stupendous pachyderm circus performer.
The Barnstormer – Goofy is back with an all-new airplane adventure! Join circus pilot, “The Great Goofini,” in a spiraling roller coaster air show “stunt” of aerial acrobatics.
Fantasyland Station – Board one of four antique freight trains at this stop for the Walt Disney World Railroad for a 20-minute scenic tour of the Magic Kingdom® Park.
The Storybook Circus area of Fantasyland is still in “soft opening,” which means some rides might shut down temporarily for maintenance. You can visit Fantasyland during regular park hours with admission to the Magic Kingdom® Park. The next phase of New Fantasyland, Fantasyland Forest, is planned to open late 2012 and will include interactive attractions and opportunities to meet Disney princesses and visit their kingdoms. Click here for more information.
Travel with your family back to the 1950s, when drive-ins were all the rage, on a mini golf adventure at Universal Orlando® Resort’s new Hollywood Drive-in Golf attraction, located at Universal CityWalk®. Choose from two classic movie-themed courses: “The Haunting of Ghostly Greens,” inspired by an old drive-in theater monster movie, or “Invaders From Planet Putt,” which follows the style of a classic sci-fi film.
Open for 18 hours every day from 8 a.m. until 2 a.m., the attraction offers you plenty of opportunities to take your best swing at a hole-in-one. You can decide to play either one or both courses, each with 18 unique holes. These are no ordinary putt-putt courses; watch out for some out-of-this-world and spooky surprises, including:
Hair-raising lighting effects with an eerie glow (best after dark!)
Squirting water and spraying air to keep you on your toes
Patience-testing multilevel challenges
Colorful scenery and entertaining obstacles
Admission is $13.99 for adults and $11.99 for children ages 3-9 to enter one of the courses. Feel free to play one course and come back later with your receipt for a discount on the remaining course. The official website for Hollywood Drive-in Golf is still under construction, but check back soon for updates. Right now, you can view a series of photos on the home page of Universal CityWalk®.
Whether you’re Irish or Irish at heart, gather your family and head over to Raglan Road for three days of leprechaun-approved St. Patrick’s Day fun at this pub and restaurant located in the Downtown Disney® area. Running Thursday, March 15 through Saturday, March 17, 2012, the St. Patrick’s Day Festival presents bands imported straight from Ireland, award-winning Celtic dancers and a variety of authentic festivities.
Here are a few highlights:
Thursday, March 15:
Exclusive luncheon and culinary demonstration with Irish Master Chef Kevin Dundon, who will prepare a few deliciously authentic dishes (reservations required)
Live music and dancing featuring a performance by Creel, a band that combines rock music with traditional Irish sounds
Friday, March 16:
Musical performances by Creel with special guests and Murphy’s Law & The Irish Rogues
Impressive shows featuring the Raglan Road Dancers
Saturday, March 17:
Musical performances by Creel and Murphy’s Law & The Irish Rogues
Raglan Road Dancers performing throughout the day
A concert featuring ELEVATION, “the world’s greatest U2 tribute band”
Dancers from the Watters School of Irish Dancing
St. Patrick’s Day themed face-painting, stilt walkers, and more
Choose your best shamrock-shade attire and check out Raglan Road’s official event site for celebration times and details. You can also view a video of last year’s festivities.
In the March 2012 edition of New England Golf Monthly magazine, the article “The Perfect Life: Golf Luxury & Style at the 2012 PGA show” lists homes and condos offered by ALL STAR Vacation Homes as “The Perfect Foursome Digs in Orlando.” The article highlights the upscale resort amenities including pools, restaurants, a Spa and a fitness center golf travelers can enjoy with ALL STAR’s homes and condos located in Reunion Resort. Not only affordable when shared by golfers, homes and condos in Reunion Resort provide luxurious accommodations situated between three world-class golf courses: The Tradition by Jack Nicklaus, The Legacy by Arnold Palmer and The Independence by Tom Watson.
New England Golf Monthly is the most read golf publication in the New England region. Click here to read the article.
What could be better than a day of rockin’ bands, thirst-quenching brews and mouthwatering BBQ? Two days of bands, brews and BBQ! This year, SeaWorld® Orlando has expanded its Bands, Brew & BBQ Festival to include both Saturdays and Sundays, each week, through March 4.
The fun starts at 11:30 a.m., just in time for lunch! Grab plenty of napkins and satisfy your craving for authentic BBQ as SeaWorld’s culinary team, along with local restaurants, dish up some delectable plates including beef jerky, ribs and a whole lot more. To all beer enthusiasts, don’t miss the expansive beer garden for the “Brew-licious Beer Sampler” that consists of nearly 50 craft brews from domestic and international breweries.
At 4 p.m., the main concert series showcases some of your favorite artists like Sara Evans and the Doobie Brothers. The concerts take place at Bayside Stadium, and be sure to get there early because seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Here is a list of upcoming performances and festival dates:
Saturday, February 25: Doobie Brothers
Sunday, February 26: Ronnie Dunn
Saturday, March 3: Sara Evans
Sunday, March 4: Scotty McCreery
Also at the festival, check out some of Orlando’s local bands that will be performing on a side stage. For those of you who like to show off your “slide and strut moves,” a DJ will play tunes that you can line dance to.
The Bands, Brew & BBQ festival is included with park admission and takes place on Saturdays and Sundays through March 4. Click here for more information.
Grab some beads, put on your favorite feathered mask and stroll over to Universal Studios Florida® for a Mardi Gras celebration only New Orleans could top! With concerts, Cajun cuisine and a parade of elaborate floats for the whole family to enjoy, Universal Studios® Mardi Gras brings the Big Easy to you!
Universal Studios® Mardi Gras hosts concerts on Saturdays and select nights through April 14. Upcoming performances include Kelly Clarkson, Boyz II Men, Big Time Rush, Hot Chelle Ray and KC & The Sunshine Band.
What Mardi Gras celebration would be complete without a parade? Your family won’t want to miss the must-see parade where they can catch handfuls of colorful beads, jive and clap to Zydeco music, watch street performers and stilt walkers and wave to the Mardi Gras king and queen. This year’s parade is themed “Blue Planet” and debuts some all-new floats. The theme for the parade explores the beauty of planet earth with floats decorated to represent the sea, rainforest, bayous & swamps and different parts of the world. Small children will enjoy the Little Jester’s Parade Viewing Area and KidZone Mardi Pardi Krew where they can watch a parade just for them, get lots of free beads and party with some of their favorite characters.
In between the parades and concerts, visit the French Quarter Courtyard to listen to musicians direct from New Orleans playing blues, Zydeco and more while you snack on New Orleans-style food. Sample jambalaya, shrimp gumbo, red beans & rice, andouille sausage, beignets and other Cajun favorites. Surrounded with the tastes, sights and sounds of New Orleans, you’ll feel like you’re back in the bayou.
Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida® occurs Saturdays and select nights through April 14. Admission is included with park admission. Click here for a full concert schedule.
On May 21, 2012, Philadelphia area residents, who tuned in to KYW-TV CBS 3 Philly for the 11 p.m. Eyewitness News, learned ways to save if they were planning an Orlando vacation along with helpful tips from All Star Vacation Homes. The segment, called “3 On Your Side: Orlando Travel Deals” with consumer reporter Jim Donovan, traveled around Orlando highlighting various attractions, vacation values and deals.
Did you know there are snowmen and igloos in Florida?! If a North Pole-inspired adventure sounds like something you’d enjoy during your next 
Have you heard? Universal’s innovative team has been dreaming up a whole new type of interactive parade and a dazzling nighttime performance that will leave you feeling captivated and awe-stricken. With the grand opening of “Universal’s Superstar Parade” and “Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories” at 
A festival devoted to the dark? That’s right! Just before sundown on Saturday, April 14, take a short drive to Harmony, Fla., less than a half hour from Kissimmee, where the 9th Annual 
Get revved up for this four-day festival held in downtown Celebration and at the Daytona International Speedway, April 12-15. The 
Have you ever seen gymnastics on TV and wondered what a 
Looking to warm up after the winter months? This spring’s hot and spicy 
How would you like to taste Tuscan cooking, sip on Valencian wine and listen to Australian music, all in one place? This weekend, March 31 and April 1, the City of Orlando hosts the 
Travel with your family back to the 1950s, when drive-ins were all the rage, on a mini golf adventure at 
Whether you’re Irish or Irish at heart, gather your family and head over to 
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