End-of-the-Year Fun With Music and Shamu at SeaWorld

In the last few blogs, we’ve talked about options for celebrating New Year’s Eve at Orlando theme parks – and boy, there are plenty. In addition to the fun on December 31st at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, there’s also going to be some incredible end-of-the-year festivities at SeaWorld Orlando. So head on over to your favorite water-themed park as they pull out all the stops for a memorable New Year’s Eve celebration.

On December 31st from 9 pm to 12:30 am, jazz and swing group Michael Andrew and his 18-piece Atomic Big Band will be keeping the party going with continuous music and excitement during their performances at SeaWorld’s Bayside Stadium. Guests can jump, jive, and wail along to the music, as well as enjoy their favorite thrill rides and classic SeaWorld entertainment late into the evening.

A live DJ will also be on hand providing plenty of tunes for dancing, and at the Waterfront at midnight, all eyes will look to the sky for a fabulous fireworks show over the water. SeaWorld will be open on New Year’s Eve from 9 am until 1 am, so it’s a great opportunity to enjoy your favorite park for extended hours for the price of regular admission.

In addition to enjoying all the park’s festivities and the jazz stylings of Michael Andrew and the Atomic Big Band, guests will also have a one-of-a-kind chance to dine with Shamu on December 31st. This unforgettable New Year’s Eve dinner with your favorite orca starts with a reception at Shamu’s Underwater Viewing. While they get to view SeaWorld’s most incredible orca, Guests will snack on canapés like Smoked Beef and Spiced Chicken and receive a Welcome Drink in a Lighted Souvenir Glass.

Then, it’s time for a delicious dinner buffet with chef-attended stations at the Dine with Shamu area (SeaWorld’s exclusive behind-the-scenes venue). Guests will nosh on tasty dishes such as tri-colored cheese tortellini, grilled Mahi Mahi, Spanish paella, and more; special kids’ selections will also be available. After dinner, guests will be treated to an elite Shamu interaction. That’s not all – after some fun with Shamu, guests will get to see the Shamu Rocks Show from VIP seats, in addition to the Michael Andrew jazz show, which they’ll also be able to enjoy from reserved seating. It’s an incredible VIP experience that ends with the explosive fireworks show at midnight. New Year’s Eve at Dine with Shamu requires a separate ticket in addition to regular admission.

If you can’t make it to SeaWorld on New Year’s because you have other plans, do try to squeeze in a trip before the end of the year; from December 26th through December 30th, guests can enjoy nightly holiday concerts by the Orlando Philharmonic, performing selections from The Polar Express. The concerts will be held at Bayside Stadium with fireworks immediately following, so it’s a fun precursor to a New Year’s Eve blowout.

So make a splash as you ring in 2009 this December with all the music, fun, and excitement at SeaWorld. And remember to save on discount SeaWorld tickets at DWTickets.com – it’ll make celebrating the New Year that much sweeter.

Ring in the New Year at Universal Studios

We’ve kept you in the know about all the New Year’s Eve festivities over at Walt Disney World, and now it’s Universal Studios Orlando's turn. Though Walt Disney World might have some of the best fireworks shows and parades on December 31st for a memorable, family-friendly way to ring in the New Year, Universal Studios is where the party’s at. You can bid a particularly fond farewell to 2008 and rock in 2009 at Universal CityWalk with the "Takin’ the Party to the Streets" celebration on December 31st, from 8pm to 2 am.

In this wild, end-of-the-year celebration, it’s all about the music and food in a raucous street party that will say hello to 2009 with a bang. Live performances from the Doobie Brothers and other bands will keep the streets of CityWalk grooving all night long, along with music in every club, all-you-can-eat gourmet food, and more.

On December 31st, be sure to bounce around to all the clubs and restaurants at CityWalk -- the special one-night-only party ticket includes all-night admission to them all. Live entertainment will be featured at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom, the groove, Latin Quarter, Pat O’Brien’s, Red Coconut Club, and CityWalk’s Rising Star. In addition to hot music, you’ll also be able to find Chef-attended food stations featuring cuisine from each CityWalk venue. There’ll be Jammin’ Jambalaya, Paella, Cheeseburgers in Paradise, and Jumbo Shrimp, just to name a few. Partiers will also be able to find delicious dishes at Chef Carving Stations and Buffets, offering everything from Roasted Applewood Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon Tips to Skewered Fruits with Chocolate Fondue.

Then, just before midnight, party hats will go on and noisemakers will be passed around to usher in the New Year. The countdown will end in merriment and a midnight champagne toast for all.

If you do have the family in tow, the "Takin’ the Party to the Streets" celebration at CityWalk probably isn’t an option for celebrating the New Year – guests must be at least 21 years old to party. Don’t be discouraged, though – you can always ring in 2009 at Universal Studios theme park. The park will be open late on December 31st from 8 am to 1 am (Islands of Adventure will be open from 8 am to 10 pm).

At Universal, you can enjoy all your favorite rides late until the evening, and don’t miss the final showing of Universal 360 – A Cinesphere Spectacular at the end of the night. Through unique “Cinesphere” technology, this show recreates the sights and sounds of some of Hollywood’s biggest films projected onto the huge spheres in the Universal Studios lagoon, along with one of the largest laser and pyrotechnics displays in Florida. For folks staying at the resort, there are also New Year’s Eve party packages at the Hard Rock Hotel and the Loews Royal Pacific Resort.

So this New Year’s Eve, don’t stay home watching the countdown on TV. Start 2009 in style with the celebrations at Universal Studios and CityWalk. Save on discount Universal Studios tickets at DWTickets.com, and you’ll be on your way to some incredible New Year’s festivities.

Get Ready for an Explosive New Year’s at Walt Disney World

As the holidays and the end of the year draws nearer, we’ve reached that time in December when everyone starts talking about what their plans are for New Year’s Eve. And we here at DWTickets.com would be remiss if we didn’t keep you informed about all your options for ringing in 2009 at Walt Disney World. This year’s celebrations are bound to be spectacular, with dazzling fireworks shows, live entertainment, and extended park hours throughout Walt Disney World on December 31st.

The parks are especially getting ready to launch an incredible show in the sky, with almost every one hosting its own special nighttime fireworks display. At Disney's Epcot, a special version of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth will be presented just in time for the New Year. This laser-light spectacular features dancing flames, cascading fountains, and incredible fireworks set to an original musical score. New Year’s revelers will be able to see the show at 11:40 pm, and those who want to turn in early can see the show at 7:40 pm. Epcot will be open late for the night’s festivities, from 8 am to 1 am.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the party is going on all day, starting with the Block Party Bash at 3 pm, an interactive parade featuring all your favorite Disney Pixar characters. Then, don’t miss the Fantasmic! Show, a lavish spectacular of water animation, lasers, and fireworks, taking place at 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm. In the evening, the in-park band “Mulch, Sweat, and Shears” will be giving live performances, and a DJ will be keeping the park grooving at Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat. Then at 11:50 pm, the celebrations will be capped with a special Lights, Camera, Happy New Year fireworks show. Hollywood Studios will be open from 9 am until midnight.

And finally, at Disney's Magic Kingdom, partiers can enjoy parades and fireworks all day in celebration of the New Year. At noon and 3 pm, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade will light up the park streets with holiday cheer, followed by the SpectroMagic parade at 7 pm and 10:30 pm. Then the Holiday Wishes show will light up the sky at 8:30 with the biggest and brightest pyrotechnics display at Disney. And just when you thought Disney had outdone itself, the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks show will provide the grand finale to the evening at 11:50 pm. Magic Kingdom will be open on New Year’s Eve from 8 am to 2 am.

With so much going on at the Disney theme parks on New Year’s Eve, deciding which one to ring in the New Year at will be a tough decision. Hollywood Studios will certainly have a lot of music and fun going on throughout the whole day, but the New Year’s edition of IlluminNations: Reflections of Earth is sure to be breathtaking. Then again, there’s nothing like seeing fireworks light up the sky next to Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom. No matter where you choose to celebrate, New Year’s Eve is sure to be incredible at Walt Disney World. Be sure to arrive at your chosen park early that day, as the parks are a popular place to ring in the New Year and often reach capacity. So get with your friends, start making those plans now, and remember to get your discount Disney tickets at DWTickets.com.

New Years Eve Around Town

The year is rapidly coming to a close, and the time has come to make that final decision: what are you doing for New Years? DWTickets.com is here to help! First, we will give you all of the latest details on what is going on this December 31. Once you decide which event you want to attend, DWTickets.com steps up with the best discounts on cheap theme park tickets around.

Virtually all of the Orlando theme parks are open late during the holidays, and that means past midnight on New Year’s Eve. That also means some special celebrations for those year-end park guests.

New Year’s Eve at SeaWorld will feature pop, Latin and swing music throughout the park along with dancing tunes provided by Michael Andrews and his 18-piece Atomic Big Band. All of the park’s rides and attractions are staying open until midnight, when a fabulous fireworks show will escort in the new year.

Shamu’s cousins over at Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa will be hosting the “Ultimate New Year’s Eve Celebration” and keeping the rides open until 1 a.m. There will also be music and dancing featuring Rhythm Nation on the Gwazi Park stage. Over in the Desert Grill, guests can see Theatricks, with special guest Sideswipe (previously seen on America’s Got Talent!). To close out the old year and bring in the new, Busch Gardens will fill the sky with fireworks from December 26-30.

Back in Orlando, the excitement at Islands of Adventure continues late into the night. Park guests will be able to bring in the new year at midnight and then hang out and ride until 1 a.m. Universal Studios is also staying open until 1 a.m., and they are playing host to the special VIP Capital One Bowl Pre-Game party. Some lucky Universal Studios guests may even be treated to a sneak peak at the new Disasters! Ride that is due to open this month. Disasters! is replacing the Earthquake ride.

Also at the Universal Orlando Resort, the Blue Man Group will have special New Year’s Eve performances that include a champagne toast and “Auld Lang Syne” in the unique Blue-Man-Group style.

So if you don’t want to hit a bar or a gigantic crowd this New Year’s Eve, consider SeaWorld or Universal for your year-end celebration. Whatever you decide, DWTickets.com has the theme park tickets you need at the best prices in town.