Pro Bowl Events Coming to ESPN Wide World of Sports

The Walt Disney World Resort is excited to welcome the NFL and its legion of devoted fans coming to Central Florida for the action-packed excitement of Pro Bowl week, celebrating all levels of football from youth to high school to the NFL’s best.

As the venue for the AFC and NFC team practices and many of the Pro Bowl Week festivities, Walt Disney World Resort is delighted to play a supporting role with Orlando in what will be a great win for Central Florida and sports fans.
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will host the team’s practices as well as multiple football competitions and activities, which are the perfect fit for the sports complex given that it hosts youth and NFL events, such as the Pop Warner Super Bowl, the Gruden QB Camp and the Tom Shaw Performance Camp.

Here is a quick view of what’s going on across property during Pro Bowl week. All events at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex are free and open to the public:
•EA Sports Madden Tournament – EWWOS Complex – Jan. 25-27
•Pro Bowl Experience Fan Zone – EWWOS Complex – Jan. 24-27
•Pro Bowl practices for AFC/NFC teams – EWWOS Complex – Jan. 24-27
•Pro Bowl Fun Run Series – EWWOS Complex – Jan. 27
•Pro Bowl All Star Pep Rally – Disney Springs – Jan. 27

Additional competitions at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex during Pro Bowl Week include youth flag football and more.

Guests who attend Pro Bowl Week will quickly find that Central Florida and Walt Disney World Resort offer an excellent backdrop for all the game’s activities. With Disney’s world class theme parks, resorts and reputation for exceptional guest service, we hope the Pro Bowl teams, their families and their fans have a magical and unforgettable experience during their visit.

More information on Pro Bowl activities can be found on the “NFL Mobile” app on the app store or at http://www.ESPNwwos.com/NFLProBowl.

 

Star Wars Days Coming to Legoland

This May, the creativity of the popular LEGO building system will meet the out-of-this-world adventures and many beloved characters from “a galaxy far, far away” when the LEGO Star Wars Days event returns to the LEGOLAND Florida Resort. Authorized by Lucasfilm, this year’s event will double the fun on two separate weekends – from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 7, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14.

In MINILAND USA, kids can explore some of the most famous scenes from the Star Wars saga made out of 1.5 million LEGO bricks, including detailed displays inspired by “Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope,” “Star Wars – Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” and “Star Wars – Episode VI: Return of the Jedi,” plus giant LEGO models of Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and R2-D2.

During this special event, kids will also be able to enjoy the folowing activities:

•Create a giant LEGO Star Wars mural, brick by brick
•Build their own LEGO Star Wars model
•Search for LEGO droids throughout MINILAND USA to unscramble a secret message
•Learn tips and tricks from our LEGO Master Model Builders
•Build the world’s largest LEGO Yoda model
•Meet LEGO Darth Vader
•Dress up as their favorite Star Wars character and participate in an intergalactic costume parade (ages 12 and under)

…and much more, including giveaways, fun photo ops, opportunities to win prizes, and exclusive retail offers.

New this year: Are you more rookie or Wookiee? Test your family’s Star Wars knowledge and LEGO building skills against other families during a just-for-fun competition!

All activities will take place both weekends and are included with all forms of park admission. No extra ticket or Jedi mind tricks required! It’s the only LEGO Star Wars theme park event in Central Florida.

For more information, including savings on advance purchase of admission tickets, multi-tier annual passes, special events, educational programs, services for guests with disabilities, VIP experiences, military discounts and much more, visit http://www.LEGOLAND.com/florida, or call (877) 350-5346.

Holidays At Universal

Beginning December 3, 2016, and running daily through January 1, families can celebrate the holidays at Universal Orlando Resort with the 15th anniversary of Macy’s Holiday Parade, the holiday cheer of Who-ville at Grinchmas, and musical performances by Mannheim Steamroller.

At Universal Studios Florida, the larger-than-life balloons as seen in the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City will fill the streets during the 15th anniversary Macy’s Holiday Parade. New to this year’s parade is the “Virginia” balloon depicting the 8-year old girl from the famed Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus newspaper editorial of the late 1800s, as well as the “Mother Ginger” special character from The Nutcracker, which will join the many popular balloons in the Macy’s Holiday Parade including “Big Man Santa” and the “Wiggleworm.”

At Universal’s Islands of Adventure, guests will come face-to-face with the mean, green one himself and be filled with holiday cheer as Grinchmas comes to life throughout Seuss Landing. Guests can discover the true meaning of Christmas in a live show, “Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular,” featuring the Whos from Who-ville, or join the Grinch and friends for a delicious holiday breakfast buffet on select dates.

On select nights, modern Christmas music-makers Mannheim Steamroller return with the sweet sounds of the holiday season at Universal Studios Florida. Performances will take place on the Music Plaza Stage on December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, & 18.

In addition, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without a New Year’s Eve party at Universal CityWalk. Guests can ring in the New Year at Universal CityWalk’s electrifying New Year’s Eve celebration featuring Orlando’s largest dance floor, endless entertainment and all-you-can-eat gourmet cuisine. Information about Eve event tickets will be released at a later date.

Outside the theme parks, the festivities continue at Universal Orlando’s five on-site hotels, including the all-new Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, which is celebrating its first holiday. All of Universal’s hotels will celebrate the season with visits from Santa and other characters; holiday movie screenings; Hanukkah candle lighting ceremonies; and more. Family-friendly hotel holiday events are detailed at their  website and include:

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

• Holiday Harbor Nights (Friday, November 25; 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m.): An evening in seaside Italy with live holiday music, wine tasting and the grand illumination of the Christmas tree. Regular Admission $50 ($55 at the door); VIP $85 (plus tax). Adults 21 and up only. Call 407-503-1200  for reservations.

• Thanksgiving Day buffet in Trattoria del Porto (Thursday, November 24; 11 a.m.-8 p.m.): Enjoy a Portofino-style Thanksgiving Day feast in Trattoria del Porto. Entertainment includes appearances by Universal Orlando characters, kids holiday crafts and activities table, face painter, and a balloonist. Adult $64 (plus tax); Child $18 (ages 3 – 9); Children under age 3 complimentary. Call 407.503.DINE (3463) for reservations.

• Christmas Day buffet in Trattoria del Porto (Sunday, December 25; 11 a.m.–7 p.m.): Enjoy an Italian-style Christmas Day feast in Trattoria del Porto. Entertainment includes appearances by Universal Orlando characters, kids holiday crafts and activities table, face painter and a balloonist. Adult $64 (plus tax); Child $18 (ages 3 – 9); Children under age 3 complimentary. Call 407.503.DINE (3463)  for reservations.

• New Year’s Eve Party in the Piazza (Saturday, December 31; 8:30 p.m.-12 a.m.): Say bravo to the New Year at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel on the picturesque Harbor Piazza. Entertainment will include a live DJ, holiday activities and crafts area, face painter, balloonist, plenty of party favors to go around and a midnight sparkling wine toast to bring in the new year. Adults: $150 (plus tax); Children: $35; Children under 3 are complimentary. Call407-503-1200.

Hard Rock Hotel

• Wine Riffs (Friday, December 2): Come experience one winery tell their stories as you indulge in the culinary pairings from our chefs, and feel the emotions of the music soundtracks that tie them all together. Join us for an evening exploring the relationship between wine, food, and music.

• Velvet Unplugged (Friday, December 9; 7:30 p.m.): Enjoy a laid back acoustic show in the heart of the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. You can reserve a table for two or four or come and hang—we have plenty of standing room. $60 (plus tax) for a table of 4, $40 for a table of 2.

• The Kitchen Thanksgiving Buffet (Thursday, November 24; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. & 5 p.m.–10 p.m.): Jazz up your holiday with a rockin’ Thanksgiving day feast with Universal Orlando characters stopping by to hang out, Magic Man and kid’s cookie decorating activities. Adults: $59 (plus tax); Children: $20; Children under 3 are complimentary. Reserve online or call 407-503-DINE (3463).

• Rock-In 2017 Holiday Buffet & Lobby Party (Saturday, December 31; 8 p.m.-1 a.m.): Tune in to the New Year with multiple food and dessert stations, live stream of Times Square, a DJ spinning holiday songs, Universal Orlando characters, a midnight toast and more. Adults: $64 (plus tax); Children (3-9): $38; Children under 3 are complimentary. To purchase tickets, call 407-503-2200.

Loews Royal Pacific Resort

• Jake’s Beer Dinner (Friday, December 9; 6:30 p.m.): Indulge in a four-course meal prepared by our award-winning chefs. Each course is expertly paired with craft and specialty beers.

• Islands Thanksgiving Holiday Buffet (Thursday, November 24; 11 a.m.-9 p.m.)

It’s a holiday feast with a tropical touch. Entertainment includes appearances by Universal Orlando characters, face painters and balloonists, musicians and hula dancers. Adults $58 (plus tax); Children (3-9) $26; Children under 3 are complimentary.

• Orchid Court New Year’s Eve Celebration: (Saturday, December 31): Savor the South Seas charm with h’ors d’ouevres, a live DJ, live stream of the ball drop and a champagne toast at midnight.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

Sapphire Thanksgiving Holiday Buffet (Thursday, November 24; 10 a.m.-9 p.m.): Thanksgiving Day feast in the Amatista Cookhouse with family-friendly entertainment including appearances by Universal Orlando characters, face painters and balloonists. Adults: $58 (plus tax); Children (3-9): $24; Children under 3 are complimentary. Call 407-503-DINE (3463).

Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort

• Thanksgiving Special at Bayliner Diner (Thursday, November 24; 12 p.m.-11 p.m.): Traditional holiday favorites including turkey, stuffing, cranberry compote, mashed potatoes, gravy, candied yams and of course biscuits. Arts and crafts activities, movies playing in the Fun in the Sun recreation center, and the Thanksgiving Parade on the jumbo screens. Adults $16.99 (plus tax); Children (3-9) $7.99 (plus tax); Children under 3 are complimentary. Add on dessert for $2.00. Reservations are not required.

• Cabana Bay’s Tree Lighting Ceremony (Friday, November 25; 6:30 p.m.–8 p.m.): Witness as they illuminate the grand tree in the hotel lobby. There will be live entertainment in the Swizzle Lounge, a special guest to light the tree, face painters, meet and greets with Santa as well as some of your favorite Universal Orlando characters. We even have hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies for the kids.

• Christmas Day at Bayliner Diner (Sunday, December 25): Holiday movies in the Fun in the Sun recreation center all day plus, arts and crafts, milk and holiday cookies for the little ones. Adults $16.99 (plus tax); Children (3-9) $8.99 (plus tax); Children under 3 complimentary.

• New Year’s Eve at the Bayliner Diner (Saturday, December 31; 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m.): Live DJ, balloon artists, face painters, a balloon drop to ring in the new year and plenty of party favors to go around. Plus, there will be a carving station special.

Guy Harvey Weekend At Sea World

Guests can meet world-renowned marine artist and conservationist Guy Harvey at SeaWorld Orlando during Guy Harvey Weekend taking place November 19 and 20. Guests will dive deeper than ever before as they explore the underwater world of sharks through inspiring conversations, extraordinary artwork, meet-and-greets and signing opportunities. Hear uplifting stories and gain insight into Guy Harvey’s work during hosted chats taking place at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

DINNER WITH GUY HARVEY AT SHARKS UNDERWATER GRILL – Guests can savor the flavors during SeaWorld’s culinary celebration at Sharks Underwater Grill hosted by world-renowned marine artist and conservationist Guy Harvey. Diners will experience a signature menu of sustainable seafood specialties in a unique oceanic space complete with a window into the mysterious world of sharks. Guy Harvey will be on hand to share compelling stories of the ocean, his artwork, and the inspiring beauty of the natural world we share. This 3-course dining experience includes a family photo with Guy Harvey, a signed mini-print of Guy’s artwork and one specialty beverage. Park admission is required, but not included. Pricing begins at $99/person.

PASS MEMBER EXCLUSIVE MEET & GREET WITH RUM TASTING – SeaWorld Pass Members are invited to join world-renowned marine artist and conservationist Guy Harvey for an evening of inspiration and conservation. Pass Members will learn about the beauty of sharks and the critical role they play in our ocean while they relax in SeaWorld’s atmospheric Waterfront.  Pass Members will also have the opportunity to enjoy a specialty rum tasting experience and receive a family photo with Guy Harvey, one specialty beverage and a set of exclusive specialty glasses. Pricing begins at $29 per pass member.

Browse SeaWorld’s collection of exclusive Guy Harvey artwork and merchandise plus stick around for meet-and-greets and signings inside the Guy Harvey Shop on both Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.

EXCLUSIVE GUY HARVEY SHARKS UP CLOSE TOUR – Join world-renowned marine artist and conservationist Guy Harvey as he takes visitors on an unforgettable “up close” tour of the park’s Shark Encounter. Guests will get closer than ever to a wide variety of sharks in this extraordinary 700,000-gallon habitat and learn more about their world and the perils sharks face in the wild. The tour includes a family photo with Guy Harvey, as well as a signed mini-print of Guy Harvey artwork.

Park admission is required, but not included. Pricing begins at $39 per person.

The best way for guests to visit SeaWorld Orlando is with an Annual Pass or Fun Card and by purchasing a pass now, guests can get three months free. Also available now is the brand new Transferrable Pass allowing Pass Members to bring a different guest each time they visit SeaWorld Orlando or Aquatica Orlando. For details about Pass programs and events, visit http://www.SeaWorldOrlando.com.

Universal Announces 2017 Mardi Gras Dates

In just a few months, it will be time to let the good times roll as Universal Orlando’s annual Mardi Gras celebration returns to Universal Studios Florida.  And next year, they are changing things up a bit. Mardi Gras will run for a total of 49 consecutive nights from February 4 to March 24.

That means you’ll have 49 nights to catch as many beads as possible during the dazzling Mardi Gras parade.  49 nights to interact with Mardi Gras characters and hear live music from bands straight from The Big Easy.  49 nights to enjoy the delicious authentic Cajun cuisine in the French Quarter Courtyard, like jambalaya, gumbo and more.

And on 12 select nights, some of the biggest names in music will take the stage for live concerts. Stay tuned – the concert lineup for Mardi Gras 2017 will be revealed in the next few months.

Mardi Gras is included in admission to Universal Studios Florida.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Sandtastic Weekends at Swan & Dolphin

Open to the public, this event will include professional sand sculptors as well as fun events for all ages, including amateur sandsculpting clinics and stump the sculptor, where a professional takes suggestions from the audience & must create something within a 10 minute time frame.

The fun extends beyond sand sculpting with beach games, a dj, food selections from the resort’s restaurants, and smores on the beach to close out the evening.

The second weekend, brings similar events, but will also celebrate the Kickoff Classic game, taking place in Orlando between Ole Miss & Florida State. Sand Sculptures to honor the game, as well as both teams will be on display, the lighting along the causeway will be in team colors,  and the game will be shown on an outdoor screen.

Admission is free, parking is $20 for self-parking, $28 for valet.

For more details visit http://www.sandtasticweekends.com

 

 

Kesha playing DHS this Saturday

As part of the Gay Days event in Orlando, Kesha will headline the Main Event Party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios this Saturday, June 4th. The opening act will be Nina Flowers, who you may know from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

This event is part of One Magical Weekend, which is sponsoring nine other Gay Days events this weekend, including Riptide, a party at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon on June 3rd, as well as the Deep dance party on the isle in the France Pavilion.

Gay Days celebration events will take place from June 2nd to June 8th.

American Martian playing around Orlando

American Martian, a band composed of the former members of Mulch, Sweat, & Shears will be performing at Fun Spot America in Orlando on July 16th. Admission is free.

The group was a fan favorite at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for years, until their contract wasn’t renewed last year.  They have also been spotted playing at Universal CityWalk.