Disney Dishes Out Stars during Super Soap Weekend

Every year, soap opera fans everywhere tap their feet anxiously, get their autograph books and cameras ready, and count down the days until the biggest soap opera event of the year. Only one event causes this kind of stir year after year – the ABC SOAPnet Super Soap Weekend! Held at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and presented by Colgate Total, the annual Super Soap Weekend is a one-of-a-kind chance to meet and chat up your favorite daytime television stars and get their autographs. On November 15th and 16th, head down to Walt Disney World for a great weekend full of stars, music, and daytime soap fun!

The Super Soap Weekend, which is now in its 13th year, draws more stars than any other Soap event. Every Super Soap features about thirty stars from All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital, as well as countless opportunities to meet and get to know your favorite actors and actresses. This year, expect to find soap stars such as Thorsten Kaye, Aiden Turner, and Rebecca Budig from All My Children; Erika Slezak, Michael Easton, and Kristen Alderson from One Life to Live; and Kelly Monaco, Greg Vaughan, and Kimberly McCullough of General Hospital. Also attending is queen of daytime television, Susan Lucci, who is the only star to attend every Super Soap Weekend. Lucci is attending only on Saturday due to the confines of her busy Dancing with the Stars schedule, but you can expect to find plenty of surprises planned when she’s in town.

In addition to the usual autograph sessions and meet and greets, the weekend will be chock full of fun events such as parades, talk shows dedicated to specific series or actors, game shows, and “casting calls” where fans can audition opposite their favorite actor. Also, there’ll be a big concert each night, the Colgate Total Street Jam, featuring some of the musically talented stars at Super Soap. Hosting the Colgate Total Street jam will be Sherri Shephard of The View and Cameron Mathison, who plays Ryan on All My Children. The pair hosted the 2008 Daytime Emmys together with hilarious results, so you can expect this show to be blast.

In addition to all the usual fun and glamour of the Super Soap Weekend, there’s one extra big reason to attend this year: it’s the last one! In 2009, a new event titled the “Soap Nation Tour” will begin, which will feature a nationwide city tour of soap stars as opposed to one big blowout at Walt Disney World. In the meantime though, fans can expect the last Super Soap Weekend to go out in style with plenty of surprises, commemorative clips of the shows and prior Super Soap Weekends, and special events dedicated to the fans.

In order to really enjoy Super Soap Weekend, here are a few handy tips: first, be sure to grab an event schedule and guide at the Event Information Table near the entrance of Hollywood Studios. Secondly, in order to secure a place in line for an autograph session, you’ll have to get a Disney FastPass at the Main Entrance Gate, which will provide you with a time and location at which you can meet your favorite star. Finally, since lines for FastPasses form very early, you’ll want to get there as early as possible (the park opens at 8 am).

There’s no excuse not to catch all the fun this Super Soap Weekend, especially since there’ll never be another one like it. And all you have to do to get in on the action is get your discount Disney tickets at DWTickets.com. Then join the anxious toe-tapping and get ready for an incredible weekend where soap stars and fans unite!

Trick or Treat & Get Sweets at Orlando Theme Parks

Orlando is undoubtedly one of the best places to have spooky Halloween fun, with great October events like Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Howl-O-Scream. However, what can kids do for some good old-fashioned trick or treating on Halloween, especially if these events are sold out or too scary for young ones? Never fear, for Orlando theme parks always have you covered. Families can always throw on their costumes and head down to Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney or Universal Studios CityWalk for some trick or treating in a safe and friendly environment. And boy, will they score some candy!

On Halloween, Downtown Disney always has something going on unofficially for families and children to enjoy. From 5 pm to 9 pm, enjoy an evening of “Happy Haunting”; explore the myriad of Disney shops and restaurants, and you’ll be rewarded with special gifts and treats. Be sure to hit up Goofy’s Candy Company, Once Upon a Toy, World of Disney, Team Mickey, Pooh Corner, Disney’s Days of Christmas, World of Memories, Disney’s Pin Traders, Mickey’s Pantry, Mickey’s Groover, Pin Cart West Side, and DisneyQuest Emporium to fill up your Halloween candy bag. Before you head out, stop by the pumpkin patch set up in the town center to snap some memorable Halloween 2008 pictures.

There’s also usually plenty of other entertainment on hand; this year, you can look for storytelling at the iron gate near World of Disney throughout the evening, and magicians and performers near the Earl of Sandwich. Throughout the night, a DJ will spin for a dance party at the Fountain Stage, and skeleton stilt walkers will be surfing through the crowd.

And over at CityWalk at Universal Studios, a similar event called “Big Treats for Your Little Monsters” will be underway on Halloween from 4 pm to 8 pm. Children ages nine and younger can visit their favorite CityWalk shops and restaurants for candy and treats. And for adults who are never too old for Halloween, the groove nightclub is hosting a costume contest for prizes beginning at 9 pm. And you never know what characters you might spot prowling the CityWalk streets – in past years, SpongeBob SquarePants, Scooby Doo, The Incredible Hulk, and Woody Woodpecker have been known to make appearances.

Trick or treating at CityWalk and Downtown Disney is a great alternative to door-to-door trick or treating because it’s much safer and more convenient. Kids can get a lot of candy all in one location, and best of all, it’s free! Downtown Disney and CityWalk have no charge for admission, and Downtown Disney offers free parking as well. Parents will also have the comfort of knowing that their children are getting their candy from a safe source – although you will still want to practice good trick or treating safety and not let the kids take any candy that isn’t wrapped.

So for a boo-tiful Halloween with lots of candy goodness and fun for the kids and young at heart, make Downtown Disney and CityWalk your trick or treat destinations this year. And check out Halloween Horror Nights and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party if you get a chance – there’s still time to get discount tickets to these great Orlando theme park events at DWTickets.com. Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Fall Fun for the Not-So-Halloween Inclined

It happens – people grow out of donning costumes every year and lose a taste for candy (or never develop one). Some just aren’t into the whole horror and terror thing. Some people, believe it or not, simply aren’t a fan of Halloween, and come every October, these poor souls find themselves surrounded by a barrage of Halloween decorations, spooky events like Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights and Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream, and flocks of children showing up at their door begging for candy. What can you do if you’re such a person in Orlando, Florida, during the fall? Quite a lot, actually – one of the great things about a major metropolis like Orlando is that there’s always something to do for every different kind of person. So those who want a break from Halloween will have no trouble finding one at these great late October and early November events.

Velvet Sessions at the Hard Rock Hotel
On October 30th, enjoy the Hard Rock’s monthly rock n’ roll cocktail party. Each session combines creative cocktails with live music from the hottest rock bands. This month’s session will feature singer-songwriter Eddie Money, who will perform hits such as “Two Tickets to Paradise,” “Shakin’,” “Walk on Water,” and more. The party’s admission includes free drinks, hors de oeuvres, and warm-up tunes from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, so be sure to get there early to take advantage of the pre-show fun.

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
We’ve written plenty about the famed food festival at Walt Disney World, so we won’t rehash all he particulars. But the end of the month is a great time to hit up the festival if you haven’t already; Eat to the Beat performers include Boyz II Men on the 29th and 30th, and the Atlanta Rhythm Section will be performing from Halloween to November 2nd. You can also catch one of the few City Tastes events on October 31st, where you can experience a taste of Italy and meet noted chefs, taste regional brews and wines, and enjoy live entertainment. Also on Halloween, be sure to see a one-day only cooking demonstration from Marimar Torres of the Catalan Country Kitchen in Sonoma, California.

Jazzed in Sanford
On November 1st, check out the free monthly Jazz Concert series held in Magnolia Square in downtown Sanford from 4 pm to 7 pm. It’s a cool, relaxing event in the historic brick square near award-winning restaurants, a wine bar, coffee bar, and martini club. This month’s concert features renowned guitar player Michael Leasure. Admission is free, so bring your jazz beret and enjoy the tunes.

Alfa Romeo Car Show
On November 1st, the Mid Florida Alfa Romeo Owners Club will host the annual Alfa Romeo Car Show in Downtown Celebration’s Town Center from 10 am to 3 pm. Fifty cars will be shown at the event, including an extremely rare Fiat Bianchina, and a rare 1959 Alfa Romeo Giuletta Spring. These Italian built automobiles first began manufacturing vehicles in 1913 and stopped importing cars into the US in 1995, so this is a rare chance to see these one-of-a-kind automobiles!

So if you’re not a Halloween enthusiast and you’re just counting the days until the holiday season passes, escape the craze with one of these unique Orlando events. Or, you can always hit up Orlando theme parks like Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Universal Studios, which doesn’t become Halloween-ified until nighttime. Best yet, you can save on discount tickets for these great parks at DWTickets.com. Have fun not trick or treating!

Children’s Miracle Network Classic Comes to Walt Disney World

Guys, get those funky plaid polo shirts ready; ladies, don’t forget your sunscreen. The most popular event of the PGA tour and its longest-running event, the 2008 Children’s Miracle Network Classic, is returning to Orlando from November 6th to November 9th. The Classic, presented by Wal-Mart, brings 128 world-class golfers to Walt Disney World for four days of fun, golf, and charity.

Come watch the excitement as some of the best golf players in the world battle it out on the championship Palm and Magnolia courses, located near Disney’s Shades of Green Resort in Magic Kingdom. The tournament will begin on the beautiful Palm course, considered the toughest of the original Disney golf courses. It features nine water holes, heavily wooded fairways, and one of the most challenging 18th holes on the PGA Tour. The final round of the tournament will take place on the 4-star Magnolia Course, named so for the abundance of Magnolias throughout its 175-acres of thick Florida wetlands. The Magnolia course features 97 bunkers, including the world-famous Mickey-shaped “Mouse Trap.”

This will be the event’s 38th year since the first one in 1971, the same year Walt Disney World opened its doors. Past events have crowned golf champions such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Vijay Singh, and Mark O’Meara. This year, the 2007 champion Stephen Ames will return to defend his title.

Though the actual tournament begins on Thursday, November 6th, the week actually begins on Sunday with check-in and the Miracle Makers Club Hospitality Open, which continues through the whole week. You can also catch the Pro-Am Practice Rounds on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Though Orlando has been home to the tournament for 38 years, it was formerly known as the FUNAI Golf Classic. It wasn’t until the fall of 2007 that the Children’s Miracle Network teamed up with the PGA to create today’s event, which will continue to be named the Children’s Miracle Network Classic until 2012. The Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization committed to saving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals across the nation. Though the organization is international, the funds they raise in one area always benefit that area’s local Children’s Miracle Network hospital. Proceeds from the sale of general admission tickets to the Classic will go straight to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Shands Children’s Hospital at the University of Florida, which are both Central Florida Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

Though the Golf Channel will broadcast all four rounds of the competition, you should definitely grab a ticket and head down to Disney’s Palm and Magnolia courses for four incredible days of golf. Tickets range from $20 to $30, and parking for general admission is free. Be sure to get there early to score the perfect spot on the green, and don’t forget to grab a map and guide at the entrance. The Children’s Miracle Network Classic is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to watch amazing golfers in action, and it’s for a fantastic cause.

Get Artsy at the Downtown Disney Festival of the Masters

One of the best things about Orlando, Florida, is the constant array of attractions and events. And speaking of constant, Walt Disney World, one of our favorite Orlando theme parks, is always brimming with fun things to check out. Just as the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is winding down, Disney is gearing up for the 33rd annual Festival of the Masters at Downtown Disney, running from November 7 - 9. The festival brings some of the nation’s most talented and renowned artists to Disney for the hottest art ticket of the year. If you’re a fellow artist, an art collector, an art aficionado, or just looking for something interesting and different to do in Orlando, the Festival of the Masters is a hip and fun event with live music and entertainment, dining, shopping, and of course, plenty of amazing art.

Over 150 award-winning national and local artists come to the famed art festival every year. In order to participate in the festival, each artist must have won a primary award in a juried art festival within the last three years. Because of this rule, visitors can be assured that the festival will contain a wide selection of truly incredible, award-winning art. In addition to the outdoor gallery’s regular exhibits, the festival will also include the 10th annual House of Blues “Where Art Meets the Soul” Folk Art Festival, which features local and national folk artists, great music, and fun children’s activities.

The Central Florida Chalk Artists Association will also be returning to the Festival of the Masters this year; don’t miss the excitement when over 6,000 square feet of sidewalk at the Marketplace becomes a canvas for some of the country’s most talented chalk artists. Kids will also be able to join in on the fun with their own special chalk-drawing area.

The Festival of the Masters is definitely not too high-brow for the kids – plenty of areas throughout Downtown Disney will be set aside for kid-friendly fun. For example, little ones can learn how to draw their favorite Disney characters outside the DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park. They’ll also be able to dance and groove at a special DJ Dance party at the Dock Stage every afternoon. And be sure to head over to the Cirque du Soleil tent, where the family can meet performers from Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba and receive a little body art of their own with some face painting.

The festival is also going to be hopping with live performances all weekend long. Moreover, it’s a great opportunity to take advantage of all the great shopping Downtown Disney has to offer. Pin lovers especially will be uniting at Disney’s Pin Traders at the Marketplace during the festival, bringing with them a wide assortment of pins for viewing and trading.

Best yet, admission and parking for the Festival of the Masters is completely free. It’s not often that you can enjoy a mass collection of the nation’s finest art, live entertainment, and a wide variety of children’s activities without having to pull out your wallet. The festival runs each day from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, so be sure to enjoy a day of fun and culture Disney-style when the Festival of the Masters comes to town. And while you’re in the neighborhood, you might as well check out all of the Walt Disney World theme parks! You can catch an express ride into Disney when you get your discount Walt Disney World tickets at DWTickets.com.

Enjoy Seasonal Fun at Cypress Gardens Fall Festival

Just because you have gone to Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights, Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream, or Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World, it doesn’t mean you have had all the Halloween fun you can have in Orlando. On October 31st and November 1st, Cypress Gardens theme park will be holding a Fall Festival with trick or treating, fall activities, and live entertainment. It’s a great event for the whole family, and it’s an excellent opportunity to enjoy some Halloween fun if you’re booked with work on Halloween night.

During the Fall Festival, kids age 9 and under get in free, and adults only have to pay the normal admission. Be sure to bring your costume; those in Halloween gear (no masks) will receive a free ice cream. The Halloween fun begins at the festival with trick or treating from 4 pm to 9 pm on Friday and 4 pm to 6 pm on Saturday. Kids will love going from store to store at the Village for treats, and vendors will also be posted all over the park with their own trick or treat stands.

And at Cypress Gardens, even the animals will get into the festivities with the Trick or Treat for the animals of Nature’s Way. Normally, the park’s animals are fed before or after park hours, but during the Fall Festival, guests will be able to watch as the animals are fed pumpkin by the animal handlers. Jaguars and wallabies will be fed at 11:30 am, and goats, lemurs, and tortoises will be fed at 3:30 pm.

On both days of the festival, there’ll also be plenty of children’s activities and live entertainment. A Gypsy will be fortune telling and reading palms on Friday and Saturday (for $3), and there will be street performances at the gazebo. Look for jugglers and balloon artists on Friday and jugglers, a magician, and a comedian on Saturday. Kids will also love the arts and crafts table, where they’ll be able to make a trick or treat bag or a Halloween mask.

Also, be sure to check out some of the special attractions during the festival. Find out the spooky history of the Magnolia Mansion and Plantation Gardens during the Haunted Tours, or take a Spooky Boat Tour through the canal on Friday Night. And for a haunted house experience that’s not too spooky for kids, stop by the Boo House where the old candle house used to be.

There’ll also be dance performances by the local schools, and plenty of tasty fall treats such as caramel apples, pumpkin pie, and apple cider. Moreover, during the festival, visitors can still enjoy all their favorite dining spots, shows, and rides, such as the Triple Hurricane wooden roller coaster, the boardwalk-style Paradise Sky Wheel, and the tot-friendly Rio Grande Train.

With all the additional fun coming to the already-fun Cypress Gardens, it’s definitely time to take a break from school or work and head down to Winter Haven. And take advantage of huge savings when you get your discount Cypress Gardens tickets here at DWTickets.com. See you at the Festival!

New Downtown Disney T-Rex Café is Dino-Mite

Downtown Disney, known to visitors from all over for its amazing restaurants and shops, now has a new reason to attract visitors, especially families. The T-Rex Cafe, which opened on October 14th, is more than just a restaurant; it is a complete attraction, with retail, dining, and fun activities for adults and kids alike.

T-Rex, which is owned by Rainforest Cafe owners Landry Restaurants, creates an interactive prehistoric environment, with décor centered on water, fire, and ice. The restaurant has been designed to make visitors say, “Wow,” with an exact life-size replica of a 140-foot long Argentinosaurus outside and a 5,000 gallon shark tank and robotic octopus on the inside. Kids will love the large animatronic dinosaurs ensconced in the walls along with real fossils, and the cascading waterfalls and bubbling geysers make it a nice setting for adults, too. The Geo-Tech and Ice Cave rooms are also particularly neat, with their flaming walls and glowing, color-changing ceilings.

Kids will be able to have fun before or after dinner with the restaurant’s many activities. In the fun and educational Paleo Zone, little ones can learn on interactive screens and play in multiple exploration areas. They can excavate in the "dirt" in the Discovery Dig area, or explore the mine and pan for precious stones, minerals, or fossils in Discovery Creek. T-Rex is a great place for children to act out their curious natures and have fun exploring and learning. And if nothing else, it’s also a great way to get them to burn off the sugar from dessert.

And though it might be easy to forget, T-Rex is, after all, a restaurant. So how is the food, you ask? T-Rex offers a surprisingly wide selection of American fare, including appetizers, soups, salads, pizzas, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, meat entrees, and dessert. Think T.G.I. Fridays, but with catchy dinosaur-themed names. The restaurant actually has a wood-burning pizza oven in its “Kitchen of Fire,” and guests have the option of designing their own custom pizza. The Mammoth Mushroom Raviolis are also quite nice, cooked in a lobster cream sauce with Roma tomatoes and fresh spinach. The most creative options on the menu, though, are the seafood and sandwiches, with unique offerings like the Tarragon Chicken Salad sandwich, which includes a Rotisserie chicken pulled and tossed with tarragon, celery, onions, toasted almonds, and mayo on a toasted hoagie roll. And herbivores need not worry – there are some vegetarian options available. There is also a separate menu for children.

T-Rex also features a wide array of souvenirs, apparel, toys, and other dinosaur-related merchandise. Children will especially enjoy building their own stuffed dinosaur friend with the first-ever Build-A-Dino, by the makers of the Build-A-Bear Workshop. It’s not all fun and games just for children, however. T-Rex features a full-service “Shark Bar.”

The 600-seat restaurant has been widely anticipated since its construction began in October 2007. With Walt Disney World’s recent closure of six Pleasure Island nightclubs and their family-oriented replacements nearly two years away, T-Rex is fulfilling a need for dining space in Pleasure Island.

So be sure to stop by T-Rex and have your own prehistoric adventure. And while you’re there, don’t forget to actually eat!

Jack Hanna to be at SeaWorld

One of SeaWorld Orlando’s most popular and beloved guests is returning to the park this November: celebrity animal expert Jack Hanna. Hanna, who was a guest at SeaWorld last year, is coming to the park for a special Jack Hanna Weekend on November 8th and 9th. Don’t miss Jack as he brings some of his exotic feathered, furry, and scaly friends from all over the world.

Hanna has been a valued guest at Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks for some time, and has made several television appearances with animals from both Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. Hanna first got his start working in a veterinarian’s office, where his love of animals led him to opening a pet shop, and then, eventually, directing the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford, Florida. Five years later, Hanna was named director of the zoo in Columbus, Ohio. While bringing the Columbus Zoo to new heights and increasing attendance with new programs and events, Hanna was invited to appear on Good Morning America and eventually The Late Show with David Letterman. It wasn’t long before he became a celebrated animal expert and wildlife correspondent, and his media appearances took up too much time from his director position at the zoo. He was appointed to Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo in 1992, and in 1993, he became host of Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures, a nationally syndicated television series. After ten years of success with this program, Hanna decided to start a new unscripted show, Into the Wild, where he and his family travel all over the world in search of interesting animals and cultures. Into the Wild recently won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Series.

While SeaWorld Orlando already features a host of fun and exciting animals such as sea lions, dolphins, polar bears, walruses, whales, manatees, and orcas (including the famous Shamu), Jack Hanna’s visit to the park is a great opportunity to see some new animals, especially those that aren’t necessarily aquatic. Hanna has been known to appear with animals such as bald eagles, tigers and leopards, alligators and crocodiles, hyenas, armadillos, and more. Hanna often brings animals that are endangered species in order to educate people about the problems they face, such as over-hunting and habitat destruction.

Jack Hanna will be returning to SeaWorld again in late February with the Jack Hanna Animal Adventures. It will be a different show with all-new animals, so don’t miss Hanna this November if you can help it. The show is included in the ticket price, so there’s no reason not to get your discount Sea World tickets at DWTickets.com right now! Whether it’s with Jack Hanna’s November or February visit, all his fun and interesting animals will have you roaring with excitement!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is Actually Quite Fun

This Halloween, the party of the season is definitely Mickeys Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World. Held in Magic Kingdom, the party is the perfect way to celebrate the year’s spookiest holiday in an event filled with fun, candy, costumes, and your favorite Disney characters.

Some of the highlights of the event are the Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade and the Happy HalloWishes fireworks spectacular, where Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky, as well as some special live shows and dance parties. And no matter how old you are, you’re never too old for some trick-or-treating, which you can do throughout the park with candy stations posted at numerous locations. In addition, many of the restaurants and rides are open during the event, so you can enjoy some of your favorite attractions sans lines, since Disney caps attendance for each day at a reasonable number.

And one of the best parts of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party is the costumes! Nearly everyone comes to the park decked out in the most creative, unique, and spooky Halloween costumes, and half the fun is simply looking at what everyone is wearing. Even some of your favorite Disney characters are in disguise too – so make sure you’re not left out when you join the party and come in your full Halloween gear. There are some costume guidelines to remember though; costumes that are too scary or gruesome are not allowed, as well as costumes that feature a mask.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party is a great alternative to more horror-filled events such as Busch Gardens Howl-o-Scream and Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. These events, while very fun, can be too frightening and inappropriate for children – which is where Mickey comes in. The Disney party is more silly and fun than scary, so kids will definitely have fun and parents can be worry-free. But that doesn’t mean that it’s only for kids – Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party is fun for all ages, even teenagers and adults.

In order to have the most fun at Mickey’s party, be sure to wear comfortable shoes with your costume – you’ll be walking all over the park! Also be on the lookout for Halloween Trick or Treat bags as you come into the park – these run out pretty early. And finally, take advantage of the special Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Photo, a 5x7 picture which is taken for free.

You can catch the party on October 10, 13, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, & 30, from 7 pm to midnight. The party on October 31st, Halloween, is unfortunately sold out, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate Halloween all month long with Mickey! You won’t want to miss out on this fun Disney event, so don’t wait until the last minute to get your discount Magic Kingdom tickets right here at DWTickets.com.

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights of the Past

Universal Studios Orlando has always been one of the best places to celebrate Halloween in spooky style, so we decided to pay tribute to some of the Halloween Horror Nights themes of the past. You have been petrified, you have been haunted, and you have loved every second of these frightening themes.

Halloween Horror Nights X – Not Afraid of the Dark? You Don’t Know Jack

Jack the Clown was the terrifying host of the tenth Halloween Horror Nights. Jack was an evil clown and mass murderer, a carnival performer in “Dr. Oddfellow’s Carnival of Thrills.” On Halloween 1920, the police were closing in on Jack and he revealed his secret to Dr. Oddfellow hoping that he would hide him. In an effort to protect himself and keep his own crimes secret, Dr. Oddfellow murdered Jack and hid his body within a traveling carnival as an exhibit. Years later, a television crew came upon the carnival and discovered a large wooden box with a crank. After turning the crank, out popped the decomposing body of Jack. His body was taken to the coroner’s for examination, but on Halloween, the van carrying the box disappeared – and later that week, the film crew was discovered dead!

It’s said that Jack is on a search for Dr. Oddfellow and will reward anyone who releases him from his box. During Halloween Horror Nights X, Jack hosted a haunted carnival and a scarezone taken over by clowns, and he appeared in the Jacked Up show.

Halloween Horror Nights XII

In 2002, the mazes revolved around the imagination of Dr. Albert Caine, otherwise known as the Caretaker. Dr. Caine was a tall and withered old mortician of a cemetery where he and his family used the town’s deceased citizens to conduct unnatural and twisted experiments. Eventually, he began using live specimens by luring victims to his Victorian mansion, so that he could then perform experiments on them to capture their soul – while his family used their body parts for meal ingredients! The Caretaker’s mansion was the main scream house of Halloween Horror Nights 12, and he starred in a show where guests got to see him torturing victims with his signature claw in one of his horrific experiments.

Halloween Horror Nights XIII - The Director Will See You Now

The Director was the star of “The All Nite DIE-in Theater,” one of Halloween Horrror Nights 13’s six haunted houses. The European director was a demented creator of slasher films who liked his actors to do their scenes in one take! In films that were banned in almost every country, he would torture his actors and murder them in brutal and violent ways. Upon entering his haunted house, guests would see him on screen editing one of his bloody movies, only to walk through the screen and into some of the most horrifying movie sets!

With all the many great past Halloween Horror Nights themes, you can be sure that this year’s is going to be just as terrifying, if not more so! At the current Halloween Horror Nights, you can see Dr. Mary Agana, or Bloody Mary, who faces her fear of death by watching you experience yours! Catch Halloween Horror Nights now through November 1st, and get your discount Halloween Horror Nights tickets here at DWTickets.com.

Plenty of Outdoor Fun at Awaits at Walt Disney World Resorts

Whether they want to stay in shape or just have some fun away from the parks, guests of the Walt Disney World Resorts will find there is more than enough to keep them occupied outdoors. From tennis to horseback riding and waterskiing, the range of options is unbelievable.

If you are into sports, you will be more than happy with the tennis and volleyball facilities available at multiple Disney resorts. Better yet, you won’t have to bring a thing – equipment is available for checkout. And if you want to brush up on your tennis game, you can even get instruction from a pro at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

Perhaps you’re more of an exerciser than an athlete – several of the Walt Disney World Resorts offer jogging trails with varied scenery and terrain. You can jog through wilderness, around lagoons, or past scenic shores, all at your own pace. Bikes are also available for rental, with multiple winding paths, waterfront walkways, and scenic trails for bikers to enjoy. You can even make the outing a family event with four-passenger surreys. Don’t bother bringing a helmet – Disney has got you covered.

Need the kids to burn off some extra energy from that gigantic mountain of cotton candy they ate at the park? Plenty of Disney resorts offer playgrounds, some open specific hours and some open 24 hours a day. Children can run, climb, slide, and swing to their hearts’ content, all in a fun, safe environment filled with imaginative sculptures and creative play areas.

There’s also plenty of opportunity for family bonding with outdoor activities such as miniature golf and horseback riding. Experience Disney’s two miniature golf courses, Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course and Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course, for some fun through these musical and interactive courses that will have the whole family smiling. Or, ride a horse or pony, or horse-drawn carriage through Central Florida’s wilderness.

Finally, guests of the resort should be sure to take advantage of all the water activities available. Guests can reel in some fish, sun, and fun with two-hour excursions in the lakes of the Walt Disney World Resort. Up to five guests can trek out with Disney’s experienced guides, who also provide rods and reels, tackle, artificial and live bait, beverages, and a one-year BASS membership. Specialized cruises are also available for parties, as are a fleet of motorized and non-motorized watercraft for rental. Or try your hand at wakeboarding, waterskiing, parasailing, or tubing – there’s no end to all the fun in the water.

So no matter what you choose, there’s plenty of fun and adventure to be had in the outdoors of the Walt Disney Resorts. And getting started is easy when you book your discount Disney tickets at DWTickets.com – it’s deciding which activity to do after a day at the park that’s hard!

Wheel of Fortune LIVE at SeaWorld Orlando

Wheel of Fortune fans will be excited to learn that the show is coming to SeaWorld Orlando! The gameshow, which is currently in its 26th season, will be taping four weeks of shows in Orlando for its Family Week. The tapings will take place on December 11th, 12th, 14th, and 15th, and are scheduled to air in 2009.

In the meantime, you might also catch the show taping various promos and commercials all over Orlando Florida in order to promote the broad range of places the city has to offer during the shows. Sources say you might see Vanna and Pat filming in Winter Park shops, cafes, and galleries, the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Resort, and Harry P. Leu Gardens.

During the episodes, Vanna will be featured at SeaWorld, swimming with beluga whales, talking to sea lions, and getting some face-to-face time with Shamu. The shows will also highlight SeaWorld’s newest water park, Aquatica.

If you’d like to try your hand at being a Wheel of Fortune contestant, be sure to stop by Seminole Towne Center on Saturday, October 4th, and Sunday, October 5th. The Wheelmobile, a 39-foot Winnebago, will be on site from 2 pm to 6 pm, looking for the perfect Central Florida residents to be their latest contestants. Look for the Wheelmobile in the grassy portion of the Center’s parking lot, adjacent to the United Artist Theaters and Sears Auto Center buildings.

To be a contestant, all you have to do is fill out an application and wait for the show to begin. The Wheelmobile staff will select applications at random, and if you’re lucky, they’ll call you on stage for a brief interview and a version of the Wheel of Fortune Speed-Up Round. Even if you don’t get called back, players will be awarded prizes such as Wheel of Fortune hats, t-shirts, and duffle bags. After all the players have been called up, a select few will then be chosen to participate in a final round of auditions, which will take place in Orlando at a later date in October. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, and the show is especially looking for mothers and sons or daughters, fathers and sons or daughters, and siblings.

Wheel of Fortune, which was created by Merv Griffin, first aired in 1975 and is the longest-running syndicated game show in American television history, as well as the most watched since 1984. Since its debut, Vanna White and Pat Sajak have hosted the show, in which contestants spin the wheel for a chance at solving a word puzzle and winning up to $1,000,000 in cash.

Be sure to buy your SeaWorld tickets now so you can catch an episode of one of America’s most beloved game shows and be a part of the Wheel of Fortune fun.

China Dining

The China Pavilion is one of the most interesting pavilions around the World Showcase at Epcot. With its distinct architecture, CircleVision 360 presentation Reflections of China, one of the largest merchandise shops in the entire park and even acrobatic performers showcasing their skills throughout the day, it is safe to assume that there will always be a crowd gathering around this popular pavilion. But despite all of these reasons to make the trek here, there is another reason that attracts even more foot traffic to the area, and that is the Nine Dragons Restaurant and the Lotus Blossom Café.

From the get-go, the Nine Dragons Restaurant makes guests feel as if they are entering a Chinese palace with its ornate décor. The menu features Cantonese, Mongolian, Szechuan, Hunan and Kiangche-style cuisine, while also offering unique desserts such as caramel ginger ice cream. And of course, what Chinese meal would be complete without a fortune cookie to crack open at the end of your meal? You can find all of that, and much more, by reading all about the Nine Dragons Restaurant right here!

If you would rather spend your day at Epcot spending equal time at each of the 11 pavilions of the World Showcase, there is also a quick service option in the China Pavilion that will get you in and out in a hurry – the Lotus Blossom Café. Open for lunch and dinner, this restaurant offers six entrees under $8, such a shrimp with fried rice, orange chicken, a beef noodle soup bowl and sesame chicken salad. Children also have the option of the kids’ Beijing BBQ drumstick, while ice cream puts the finishing touch on any meal here!

While your choice of whether to dine at the Nine Dragons Restaurant, the Lotus Blossom Café or any of the other restaurants around Epcot’s World Showcase may be a difficult decision to make, there is one choice we would like to make easy for you – where to buy your theme park tickets! In fact, we can make that the easiest decision you will make during your entire vacation; simply click here to find out why! With one simple click of your mouse, you can find hundreds of ticket packages to all of the top entertainment options in Central Florida, from the four theme parks of the Walt Disney World Resort to the Universal Orlando Resort, Sea World Orlando, Discovery Cove or Aquatica (Sea World’s new water park). We even offer discounted deals to local dinner shows and even the popular Blue Man Group at Universal Orlando or Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba. Make this your best (and most economical) vacation your family has ever taken – purchase your discounted theme park tickets with DWTickets.com today!