Filed under: Disney World, Vacations, disney, orlando, orlando vacation, sea world, theme parks, travel, universal orlando | Tags: ABC Super Soap Weekend, All My Children, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Children's Miracle Network Classic, Christian Rock, David Sanborn, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Magic Kingdom, Downtown Disney, Eat to the Beat Concert Sereis, En Vogue, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Festival of the Masters, General Hospital, Grits, Group 1 Crew, Halloween Horror Nights, House of Blues, Jack Nicklaus, Jars of Clay, Jeremy Camp, Jon Secada, Kool & The Gang, Leeland, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, New Method, Newsboys, One Life to Live, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando Events, Orlando Home Show, Otis Day & the Knights, Relient K, Rock the Universe, SeaWorld Orlando, Shamu the Killer Whale, Shamu's Halloween Spooktacular, Skillet, Soap Operas, Special D, Spyro Gyra, Stellar Kart, Switchfoot, Third Day, This Beautiful Republic, Tiger Woods, universal orlando, Universal Studios
For a complete list of Orlando events, visit the HotelsCorp.com Travel Events Blog.
Rock the Universe
Universal Studios, Universal Orlando, Orlando, Florida
September 5-6, 2008
Billed as “An Illuminating Weekend of Christian Rock,” Rock the Universe features some of the hottest names in the Christian music scene for an unforgettable weekend of fun and fellowship at Universal Studios. Rock the Universe 2008 boasts a powerful lineup of music ranging from contemporary Christian and hip-hop to punk. Scheduled entertainers include Switchfoot, Relient K, Newsboys, Skillet, Grits, Group 1 Crew, New Method, Third Day, Jeremy Camp, Jars of Clay, Stellar Kart, Leeland, This Beautiful Republic and Special D.
Orlando Home Show
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida
September 19-21, 2008
View interesting exhibits, speak with experts and listen to special guest speakers at the 2008 Orlando Home Show, Central Florida’s largest home design and landscaping showcase. Admission is charged.
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
September 26 – November 9, 2008
Epcot’s six-week international culinary celebration features an eclectic tour of the world as visitors sample delicious foods and fine wines. The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival also offers a nightly Eat to the Beat! Concert Series, celebrity-chef cooking demonstrations, children’s activities and the talents of street performers from musicians to acrobats. Scheduled performers in the Eat to the Beat! Concert Series include Kool & The Gang, Spyro Gyra, En Vogue, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, David Sanborn, Jon Secada and Otis Day & The Knights. Wine and beer seminars, cooking demonstrations, special book signings at the Festival Center, Eat to the Beat! Concert Series, culinary and cultural exhibits, and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission.
Halloween Horror Nights
Universal Orlando, Orlando, Florida
Select Nights, Late September – Early November 2008
Billed as “the country’s premier annual Halloween event,” Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights draws thousands of horror fans annually from around the world for the most immersive horror experience ever! Note: Halloween Horror Nights is definitely too intense for young children.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Select Dates, October 2008
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party features the “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade, live music, storytelling and the Happy HalloWishes fireworks spectacular. In addition, children are allowed to dress up in their Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat with their favorite Disney characters.
Shamu’s Halloween Spooktacular
SeaWorld Orlando, Orlando, Florida
Select Weekends, October 2008
Held during specific weekend nights at SeaWorld Orlando in October 2008, Shamu’s Halloween Spooktacular is hosted by non other than Shamu the Killer Whale and features trick-or-treating, a children’s costume parade, a spectacular themed show featuring Shamu, a water-ski laser light finale and much more! Shamu’s Halloween Spooktacular is included with regular park admission.
Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Walt Disney World Resort
Palm & Magnolia Course, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
November 3-9, 2008
One of the PGA Tour’s most popular golf tournaments, the Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Walt Disney World Resort has served as an annual tradition since 1971. Past tournament champions have included such legends as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. The Children’s Miracle Network Classic takes place at Disney World’s championship Pam and Magnolia courses.
Festival of the Masters
Downtown Disney, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
November 7-9, 2008
Approximately 150 award-winning artists and craftspeople display their wares at Festival of the Masters, one of the most acclaimed open-air art festivals in the country. Festival of the Masters also includes live entertainment, chalk art sidewalk displays, culinary offerings, children’s activities and the House of Blues Folk Art Festival. Festival of the Masters takes place from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily.
ABC Super Soap Weekend
Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
November 15-16, 2008
Enjoy a great opportunity to meet and get autographs from your favorite soap opera stars from “All My Children,” “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital” at the ABC Super Soap Weekend. Scheduled events at the ABC Super Soap Weekend include celebrity motorcades, interviews, game shows, autograph sessions and a slew of soap opera memorabilia.
Some of the most talented singers in contemporary Christian music will take the stage at Disney’s Magic Kingdom on Friday, September 5 and Saturday, September, 6, 2008, for Night of Joy, a magical celebration full of joy and inspiration. Scheduled musical acts for the 2008 Night of Joy include Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Rebecca St. James, BarlowGirl, Matthew West, Rush of Fools, Brandon Heath, Britt Nicole, Casting Crowns, TobyMac, Fred Hammond, Marcos Witt, Mandisa, Aaron Shust, RED and Pure NRG. Admission is charged and tickets are subject to availability.
Filed under: Vacations, orlando, orlando vacation, travel | Tags: Norman Rockwell, Orlando Science Center, Rockwell's America, Saturday Evening Post
The Orlando Science Center presents a new exhibit, “Rockwell’s America,” which will be on display until October 12, 2008. The exhibit features many technological advances and cultural changes that Norman Rockwell illustrated on the cover of <em>The Saturday Evening Post</em> and experience his works in 3-D interactive dioramas and 20 theatrical environments. Admission to “Rockwell’s America” is included with the regular Orlando Science Center admission price.
Filed under: Vacations, theme parks, travel | Tags: Central Florida Attractions, Circus World, Haines City
Filed under: Disney World, Vacations, disney, orlando, orlando vacation, sea world, theme parks, travel, universal orlando | Tags: Aquatica, busch gardens africa, central florida zoo, cypress gardens, Discovery Cove, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Blizzard Beach, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Magic Kingdom, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Downtown Disney, Epcot, Gatorland, Holy Land Experience, Islands of Adventure, kennedy space center, Orlando Florida, Orlando International Airport, Orlando Science Center, Pleasure Island, Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, SeaWorld Orlando, silver springs, Theme Park Capital of the World, Universal CityWalk, universal orlando, Universal Studios, Vacation Capital of the World, Walt Disney World Resort, Wet 'n' Wild Water Park, WonderWorks
Orlando, Florida, is known as both the “Theme Park Capital of the World” and the “Vacation Capital of the World.” Orlando boasts an average annual temperature of 72.4° Fahrenheit and is easily accessible via the Orlando International Airport. There are approximately 112,000 hotel rooms in Orlando, as well as 4,500 restaurants and 150 golf courses within 45 minutes of downtown Orlando. Orlando area theme parks include Walt Disney World Resort (Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom), Universal Orlando (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure) and SeaWorld Orlando. Water parks include Discovery Cove, Disney’s Blizzard Beach, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Wet ‘n’ Wild Water Park and Aquatica. Many other attractions can be found in the Orlando area such as Gatorland, Holy Land Experience, Orlando Science Center, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! and WonderWorks, among others. Popular day trips from Orlando include Busch Gardens Africa, Central Florida Zoo, Cypress Gardens Adventure Park, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and Silver Springs. Seeking nightlife? Check out such entertainment complexes as Downtown Disney Pleasure Island and Universal CityWalk.
Filed under: Vacations, orlando, orlando vacation, theme parks, travel, universal orlando | Tags: 20th Century Fox, James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Simpsons fans, Simpsons Ride, Theme Park, universal orlando, Universal Studios
The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios – recently voted “Best New Theme Park Attraction” for 2008 by ThemeParkInsider.com – became the fastest attraction in Universal Orlando Resort history to hit 1 million riders, the company announced today.
The new mega-attraction showcases everything the popular television series has made famous and that Simpsons fans love – a great story, humor and irreverence that are pure Simpsons with original animation starring many of the show’s instantly recognizable characters, voiced by the original actors.
America’s favorite animated family officially arrived in Orlando on May 15, 2008, when “The Simpsons Ride” celebrated its grand opening. In an unprecedented collaboration, Executive Producer James L. Brooks, Creator Matt Groening and Executive Producer Al Jean in association with 20th Century Fox Television and the creative teams of Gracie Films and Universal Theme Parks accomplished what had never been done before – the launch of the world’s first authentic Simpsons mega-attraction.
The millionth rider, Dion Fenderson, was on vacation in Orlando from the Detroit suburb of Eastpointe with his wife, LaTika, and two sons, Dion (11) and Dylan (6).
Filed under: Disney World, Vacations, disney, orlando, orlando vacation, theme parks, travel | Tags: 2008 Epcot Events, America Gardens Theatre, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Boyz II Men, David Cassidy, David Sanborn, Eat to the Beat! Concert Series, En Vogue, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Exposé, Jon Secada, Jonny Lang, Kool & The Gang, Los Lobos, Mickey Thomas, Night Ranger, Otis Day & the Knights, Peabo Bryson, Sheena Easton, Sister Hazel, Spyro Gyra, Starship
Below is the 2008 Eat to the Beat! Concert Schedule. Eat to the Beat! is part of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, which will take place at Epcot from September 26 through November 9, 2008. All concerts take place at the America Gardens Theatre stage at 6:30 PM and 7:45 PM nightly. Note: Concert schedule is subject to change without notice.
September 26-27, 2008 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
September 28-30, 2008 - Sheena Easton
October 1-4, 2008 - Starship Starring Mickey Thomas
October 5-7, 2008 - En Vogue
October 8-9, 2008 - Jonny Lang
October 10-12, 2008 - Peabo Bryson
October 13-14, 2008 - Sister Hazel
October 15-16, 2008 - David Sanborn
October 17-18, 2008 - Jon Secada
October 19-21, 2008 - Spyro Gyra
October 22-23, 2008 - Otis Day & the Knights
October 24-26, 2008 - Exposé
October 27-28, 2008 - Kool & The Gang
October 29-30, 2008 - Boyz II Men
October 31 – November 2, 2008 - Atlanta Rhythm Section
November 3-5, 2008 - David Cassidy
November 6-7, 2008 - Night Ranger
November 8-9, 2008 - Los Lobos
Filed under: Disney World, Vacations, disney, orlando, orlando vacation, sea world, theme parks, travel, universal orlando | Tags: Branson, Cancun, Gatlinburg, Hotelscorp.com, Las Vegas, Miami, Myrtle Beach, orlando, Park City, Travel Events, Williamsburg
The HotelsCorp.com Travel Events Blog features detailed information about upcoming events for Orlando, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Miami, Florida; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Park City, Utah; Williamsburg, Virginia; Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Branson, Missouri; and Cancun, Mexico. Visit the HotelsCorp.com Travel Events Blog today!
Filed under: Vacations, orlando, orlando vacation, travel | Tags: Anime Festival Orlando, International Drive, Japanese Animation Festival, Orlando Events, Wyndham Orlando Resort
A three-day Japanese animation festival, Anime Festival Orlando 2008 will provide hardcore anime fans with screenings, guest panels, workshops, game shows and contests, video games and a variety of anime dealers offering rare collectibles. Anime Festival Orlando will take place August 15-17, 2008, at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, 8001 International Drive, Orlando. Admission is charged.
