Have a Date at Downtown Disney

Walt Disney World can be a really romantic place. Sure, you wouldn’t always think of romance when it comes to Orlando theme parks but certain places can be a great place to have a date. Downtown Disney is especially couples friendly with its variety of entertainment options that make for a lovely date in the Orlando area. There are about 70 entertainment establishments at Downtown Disney. This complex surrounds the shores of the Village Lake and is divided into three sections: Downtown Disney West Side, Downtown Disney Marketplace and Pleasure Island. While the clubs of Pleasure Island have closed, there is still plenty of do in that area as construction continues on the new shops and restaurants. At the moment Raglan Road, Fuego by Sosa Cigars, Curl by Sammy Duval and Orlando Harley-Davidson are still open for you to check out. Downtown Disney is always changing and improving, adding new restaurants and stores for you to shop.

Start off your date night at one of Downtown Disney’s great restaurants. You have plenty of choices, from places to grab a quick bite to nice sit-down restaurants that will make you forget all about theme parks and Mickey Mouse. If you’re a seafood lover, you and your date will love the Fulton’s Crab House. Go there at night to dine on a riverboat replica featuring fresh seafood that is flown in daily. You’ll love the twinkling lights of the riverboat as you splurge on crab and lobster. If you would rather dance the night away, check out Bongo’s Cuban Café. This restaurant, owned by Gloria Estefan, brings the best of Cuban music and food to Downtown Disney. For a more relaxed, yet still fun dining experience, head over to Raglan Road for a taste of Ireland in Orlando. The food is great and the live music is even better!

You might want to hold off on dessert at your restaurant, because Downtown Disney has a Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop. Everything from milkshakes and coffee drinks to incredible ice cream sundaes and hot chocolate are available at this sweets paradise. For a quick stop there is also a Wetzels Pretzels/ Haagen Dazs stand for sweets on the run. Downtown Disney also features an AMC Theatre for you to catch the latest movies on the big screen. This 24 screen theatre features comfortable seats and amazing sound. Check out what’s playing during your date night.

For the ultimate way to impress your date, why not check out Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba? This permanent show is the only house show on the East Coast of the United States. Experience the amazing performances by the Cirque cast as they dance and fly about the stage with amazing acrobatics and live music. No matter what you decide to do at Downtown Disney, it’s a great place to have a date night!

Paradiso 37 Brings Street Food to Downtown Disney

Disney is full of numbers. There are 101 Dalmations, Club 33, D23 and now at Downtown Disney, Paradiso 37. Since the closing of the Pleasure Island clubs last year, many wonder what will be the fate of the Downtown Disney area. The Marketplace has a great draw thanks to the incredible shopping options it offers Disney fanatics, but on the other side of the center is the void created by the closing of the Pleasure Island dance clubs.

Raglan Road, a delicious Irish restaurant, is the one of the quieter area’s saving graces, but now with Paradiso 37, it’s obvious the west side of Downtown Disney is slowly coming back to life. Located opposite the Harley Davidson store, Paradiso 37 offers the best street food inspired cuisine from all of the American continents; North, South and Central. In keeping with the numbers theme, they feature an incredible tequila bar with 37 varieties of tequila from across the globe. For the margarita lovers, the restaurant boasts ten different varieties, with the mango margarita as their signature drink.

The food selections are inspired by 37 different countries in the Americas. The menu has a wide range of options from American macaroni and cheese to El Salvadorian pupusas, so you’re sure to enjoy your own culinary journey in the restaurant’s airy atmosphere. We love to start off our meal with the Queso Fundido, a delicious pot of the chef’s special melted cheeses flavored with cilantro and chiles. Have your cheese with either warm flour tortillas or crispy tortilla chips. For your main course, a great choice for a big appetite is the Paradiso 37 Surf and Turf. Enjoy grilled BBQ shrimp and Argentinean skirt steak served with corn on the cob and street style potato pancakes. Last but not least, a great dessert to try is the Paradiso 37 sundae. Beautifully presented in a fresh coconut shell, this sundae brings vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice creams with chocolate dipped bananas. This sinful sundae is topped with chocolate sauce, sprinkles, whipped cream and the quintessential cherry. Lunch and Dinner menus are available from the restaurant as well as a large alcohol menu.

The interior is fun and colorful with a great patio seating option that lets you look out at the rest of Downtown Disney and its shimmering lake. Everything is presented with its own flair, from the bubble glasses you get with your water to the colorful furniture and tequila bottle chandeliers overhead. It’s a great place to settle down after a long day of shopping at the Downtown Disney Marketplace and enjoy the various live entertainment Paradiso 37 plans to have every night. This is a great start to reviving the wonderful entertainment, dining and shopping complex that is Downtown Disney.

A True Princess at Downtown Disney

Orlando theme parks often get the most attention when thinking about the famous Florida city. But there are many Orlando destinations worth checking out and Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney World Resort is a crowd favorite. Downtown Disney is a complex of dining, shopping and entertainment options keeping the family-friendly Disney theme in mind. Downtown Disney is always adding new restaurants and entertainment options for its visitors, the latest being “DIANA- The People’s Princess," located in the building that formerly housed the Virgin Megastore, right near Disney Quest.

“DIANA-The People’s Princess" is an exhibit highlighting the life and achievements of Princess Diana of Wales. Inside the building’s 17,500 square foot setting, visitors can get a first-hand look at many Diana artifacts including hand written notes and the dresses Diana became famous for wearing. This exhibit, put on by the People’s Princess Charitable Foundation, Inc. (PPCF), will run until late November and is open to the public and all money collected from admission costs and gift shop purchases will be donated to the PPCF.

Adults and children over the age of 10 are welcome at the exhibit. Fans of the late Princess Diana will be delighted to view some of the artifacts the travelling exhibit will feature in Downtown Disney. Handwritten notes are some of the more popular artifacts the exhibit has to offer. Visitors can read notes Diana sent to people from all walks of life, including royalty and some of her celebrity friends.

Diana became a fashion icon during her time as princess. Celebrity designers clamored to design for the princess, who became an icon with her extravagant wedding dress during her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles. Amongst the 800-900 artifacts available for public viewing are a number of the dresses Diana donated to charity, five of which have been rarely seen by the public. The Princess was well known for her humanitarian efforts, especially with campaigns against landmines and campaigns highlighting the suffering of AIDS and leprosy victims.

Royal items from Diana’s engagement and historical wedding are also on display inside the complex as is the commemorative doll the Great American Doll Company created in her honor in 1998. The Downtown Disney stop marks the first time many Americans will be able to see the princess’ belongings. “DIANA-The People’s Princess” was previously only available for viewing in England.

La Nouba & Cirque Will Attempt World Record

Throughout the year, fans and entertainment seekers come from all over the world to Downtown Disney for one reason – to see Cirque du Soleil and its fantastic spectacle of dream and reality, La Nouba. However, this summer, Cirque du Soleil hopes that fans will return to Downtown Disney for a different reason: to show support and maybe even join in as the cast of La Nouba attempts to break a Guinness World Record in conjunction with other Cirque productions all over the world.

Five years after setting the first Guinness World Record for the most people simultaneously walking on stilts, Cirque du Soleil is attempting once again to reclaim the record (it has since been broken by the Japanese) in honor of its 25th anniversary. On Tuesday, June 16, the cast and crew of La Nouba, along with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, invite fans from all over the city to join them as they hold their stilt walk from 4 pm to 4:30 pm outside the La Nouba theatre at Downtown Disney.

Anyone can watch or even participate at the La Nouba crew and performers parade on stilts. CirqueduSoleil.com offers a stilt-making guide for those who want to march, along with a demo video demonstrating the process.

The June 16 event is actually one of several Cirque du Soleil stilt gatherings that will be taking place all over the world. The cast and crew of La Nouba will also be joined in other cities, simultaneously, by the teams of Kooza in New York, Varekai in Lisboa (Portugal), Zed in Tokyo, Zaia in Macau, Corteo in Nagoya (Japan), Quidam in Fortaleza (Brazil), and by the cast and crews of all six resident shows in Las Vegas. Cirque du Soleil employees will also gather in the Red Square in Moscow and at the international headquarters in Montreal.

To correspond with what will hopefully be a new Guinness World Record, La Nouba will hold a special event at the opening of the 6 pm performance that evening. All audience members will also be given a clown nose, which they’ll be asked to wear at some point during the show as a nod to Cirque’s 25-year history.

“Twenty-five years later, the dream continues, and these celebrations will kick off the next 25 years,” said Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil. “Our journey over the last 25 years was scattered with opportunities, some of which we decided to take, and others we found better to pass on. These choices sealed our success.”

To join in on Cirque and La Nouba’s anniversary celebrations, be sure to stop by Downtown Disney and try out your stilt-walk or make plans to see the 6 pm performance that night. Whichever activity you choose to participate in, you’re sure to experience a magical evening marked with Cirque’s signature style of spectacle and wonder. Get your La Nouba tickets right here on DWTickets.com to witness the 25th anniversary show.

Pleasure Island Heats Up This Spring

It started with the opening of new stores like Tren-D and Disney Design-A-Tee early this year, and then guests were offered an amazing new experience earlier this month in the form of Characters in Flight, a hot air balloon ride taking off from the waterfront and hovering over Walt Disney World. Now, even more fun additions are being made to Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island, and they can leave no doubt that Walt Disney World is working hard to improve everyone’s favorite entertainment district in time for vacation season in Orlando, Florida.

First up, there’s no denying that the closing of Pleasure Island’s nightclubs has left a void in Downtown Disney. However, Disney is now filling at least some of that absence with a new nightly celebration that takes the parties that once existed inside the nightclubs and moves them right to the streets. “Celebrate Tonight!” is an energetic street party hosted by Disney DJs who will spin the latest and greatest of party hits. Perfect for anyone celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or just having fun, this new celebration is themed to match with Disney’s What Will You Celebrate? promotion and invites everyone to celebrate along – no matter what the occasion.

As part of the fun, guests are invited to join in on popular group dances and participate in sing-alongs. There’ll also be stilt walkers and a party crew to get the crowd motivated and excited. “Celebrate Tonight!” will be held every night in the West End Plaza of Pleasure Island, with the party carrying on from 5 to 11 pm Sundays through Thursdays and 6 pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

And aside from a new party, spring will also see the opening of a new restaurant at Pleasure Island called Paradiso 37. This high energy restaurant and bar will arrive in early May and bring with it cuisine from North, South, and Central America for a true paradise.

Located lakeside across from the now closed 8TRAX, Paradiso 37 will offer a delectable variety of menu offerings representing the 37 countries of Americas. Guests will also be able to sample an international wine bar, 37 varieties of tequila, and ten tasty signature frozen margaritas. In addition, this lively new addition to Pleasure Island will offer nightly entertainment, serving up food, drinks, and music until late into the evening.

Paradiso 37 is coming to Downtown Disney from the Orlando-based E-Brands Restaurant Group, which also owns and operates Timpano Chophouse, Samba Room, Taqueria Canonita, Aquaknox, David Burke, Salsa Orlando, and Canonita Express.

With a new restaurant and street party, it looks like Pleasure Island, which has been somewhat shy of pleasure for quite a while now, is coming back to life just in time for the summer. Take it as your cue to plan your Walt Disney World vacation, which can include fun days at the parks and exciting nights at Downtown Disney. Book your Walt Disney World tickets now at DWTickets.com and you’ll have made step one towards a pleasurable Disney getaway.

Up, Up, and Away with Disney's Characters in Flight

Imagine being able to see all of Walt Disney World and beyond from high up in the sky, and you don’t even have to climb to the top of Cinderella’s Castle. That’s the experience now being offered with Characters in Flight at Downtown Disney, a new attraction that gives guests a bird’s eye view of Disney by taking them up in a giant tethered balloon. Guests will soar to new heights on this flight, which began taking riders up on Wednesday, April 1.

The giant yellow balloon, which is operated by Aerophile, reaches heights of 300 feet every ten minutes, depending on the weather. Decorated with airborne Disney characters such as Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and company, Dumbo, and Aladdin, it offers sweeping, 360-degree 10-mile panoramas of Lake Buena Vista and the surrounding environments, and it can even be seen from as far away as SeaWorld’s Sky Tower.

The balloon begins its ascent from the Downtown Disney West Side waterfront, carrying up to 30 guests at a time. Flights last six minutes long and can take place by day or night. At nighttime, the balloon lights up internally, a bright glowing orb as it hovers over Downtown Disney.

Adults can take the flight for $16, while kids ages 3 to 9 pay only $10, tax included. Tickets can be purchased at the new Characters in Flight Booth, formerly an Information Booth located near DisneyQuest.

Here are a few fun facts about the balloon – developed by Aerophile, the world leader in captive balloons, the Character in Flight orb is the newest and largest of the company’s models. It boasts a volume of 210,000 cubic feet, a 72-foot diameter, a circumference of 240 feet, and a height of 105 feet, and it lands on a platform designed especially for Downtown Disney.

A unique opportunity to experience some thrills and ascend to the skies over Walt Disney World, Characters in Flight is great fun for the whole family and a new way to make a day at Downtown Disney special. And while you’re there, don’t forget to check out the other new additions to the area, including TrenD, Disney Design-a-Tee, and T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure. And since it’s an excellent way to cap off an evening after visiting the other Disney parks, be sure to stop by Downtown Disney after enjoying Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. You’ll have more money to spend on fun at Downtown Disney, too, when you save on Walt Disney World tickets from DWTickets.com.

Downtown Disney Gets Tren-D

Downtown Disney, one of Orlando’s best places for shopping and entertainment, has just gotten a bit more fun – the complex has unveiled a new addition this week where shoppers can get edgy and up-to-date Disney fashions and accessories, including exclusive merchandise from cutting edge designers. Tren-D recently opened on March 19, and the 2,500-square-foot shop near Pin Traders and Once Upon A Toy is already attracting a crowd with its fun designs and unique style.

An eclectic new women’s boutique, Tren-D features a mix of vintage and hip designs with whimsical Disney characters thrown in, all in a trendy fashion salon setting that’s fun to browse through even if you don’t plan on buying a thing. Located in Downtown Disney Marketplace, the boutique showcases the artistry of favorite designers like Tarina Tarantino, Roxy, and Kidada Jones. And much of it, which is blended with Disney-inspired creations, won’t be available anywhere else in Downtown Disney.

“This unique environment, filled with textured fabrics, new silhouettes, and whimsical art and design allows us the opportunity to push the creative envelope as it relates to fashion and our characters,” said Mark Perrotta, Disney’s director of Product Development and Design. “Our guests continue to respond to trend merchandise and novel products that they can’t purchase at home. Tren-D speaks to what is happening today with a blend of vintage and hip with stylized Disney influences.”

Some of the store’s offerings include organic loungewear, embroidered handbags, jeweled sunglasses, and other trendy accessories. And when you go inside, be sure to take a good look around – the store is intricately designed with a lot of fun details, from the many pastel-colored and jeweled chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to the modernly-attired Minnie’s painted on the interior columns. There’s also lots of fun Disney portraits and art on the walls.

“With its exclusive product lines and new environment, we think Tren-D will complement the existing merchandise offerings at Downtown Disney,” said Perrotta.

So next time you’re visiting Walt Disney World, be sure to stop by the urban and hip Tren-D for a fun and different kind of Disney merchandise. And keep an eye out for other upcoming changes to Downtown Disney – for example, the Virgin Megastore will sadly close this summer, so you’ll definitely want to pay a visit before its last day, May 31. Word has it that Disney is looking to fill that space with an ESPN Zone.

And in the Pleasure Island area, a new E-Brands restaurant will be opening in the coming months called Paradiso 37. The menu will represent the 37 countries of North, Central, and South America, and you can look for that to debut sometime this spring.

As always, stay tuned to our blog for news about your favorite Disney parks, and remember to save on your Walt Disney World tickets with DWTickets.com.

Bolt Launches into Theaters and Walt Disney World

Though Walt Disney World is undoubtedly awesome for its fun and amazing Orlando theme parks, there would never have been a single park at all if it weren’t for Disney animation. That said, we hope you’re as excited as we are about the debut of the latest Walt Disney Pictures production, Bolt, which hit theaters on November 17th. This computer-animated film about a frisky dog with a superhero complex is sure to delight Disney fans everywhere and bring a lot of future fun to the parks, as well.

Bolt is the story of a super-dog (voiced by John Travolta) who’s only super when the cameras are rolling. The star of a hit TV show, Bolt faces adventure, danger, and intrigue on a daily basis along with his screen partner Penny (voiced by Miley Cyrus). It’s all fun and games until Bolt is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, where the real adventure begins. Still operating under the delusion that his super-powers are real, Bolt embarks on a journey back home with two hilarious companions, a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens and a TV-obsessed hamster in a plastic ball named Rhino. Together, the three work as a team as they learn that you don’t have to have powers to be a hero.

Like many other films by executive producer John Lasseter (the mind behind Finding Nemo and The Incredibles), Bolt is wildly funny, smart, and filled with a lot of heart. It’s being called the first in-house Disney movie to compare to the gems of Pixar and Dreamworks. And since Bolt was animated in 3D, the film features crystal clear, super-sharp imagery. Unlike other films that use cheesy 3D in-your-face ploys, Bolt doesn’t fling things at its viewers so much as make them feel as though they’re within the movie’s environment. Though watching Bolt in 3D will generally cost a bit more, it’s absolutely worth it to see the high-quality animation craftsmanship that went into the film.

While you’re in Orlando, be sure to take a break from park-hopping to catch this latest Disney flick; we highly recommend the AMC Pleasure Island 24 Theatres Complex at Downtown Disney. With the complex’s bright Art Deco design, impeccable maintenance, loveseat-style stadium seating, and THX Surround Sound and Sony Dynamic Digital Sound, you’ll be able to enjoy Bolt in all its glory. The AMC Theaters are also playing Bolt as a regular feature and in Disney Digital 3D, so you have options as to how you’d like to immerse yourself in the super-doggie’s world.

And after you’ve seen Bolt, be sure to stop by Disney’s Hollywood Studios to meet and greet the characters from the film! You can see Bolt and Mittens (and Rhino the Hamster at special events) at The Magic of Disney Animation attraction.

We’ll be sure to catch Bolt in theaters this weekend, and we hope we’ll be seeing a lot more of the film’s furry threesome in the parks soon. Maybe a Bolt attraction is in the future? If and when it happens, expect DWTickets.com to give you the first sneak peek!

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!

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.

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!

Celebrate Saint. Patricks Day at Your Favorite Orlando Theme Park

Saint Patricks Day is a colossal celebration and the Orlando theme parks are joining in the festivities with parties at CityWalk and Pleasure Island. Get your Disney tickets or Universal tickets today, and wear your green for a festive frolick at any Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando theme park.

After a gleefully green day, step out in your Irish colors for a real St. Pat’s party at CityWalk or Pleasure Island. Both nightlife niches are offering fine Irish celebrations that are sure to be fun for all.

CityWalk is celebrating “St. Patty’s Day…With Attitude” at Pat O’Brien’s from 2 p.m. – 2 a.m. where you will find:

• Traditional Irish fare
• Live Irish music and dueling pianos
• Hurricanes (Pat O’Brien’s specialty drink) just $7.95 all night
• Bud drafts only $2 all night
• Admission $12; Must be 21 years old to get in
• Leprechauns, bagpipers, and beads for all!

If you really want to honor St. Patrick in style, go for the VIP package ($20 per person). This special pass includes:

• Line jumping (and on St. Patrick’s Day, this is really a time saver!)
• Access to exclusive balcony with private upstairs bar
• Delicious hors d’oeuvre buffet
• And…even more beads!!

Over at Pleasure Island, there is no admission charge and the party goes on all weekend with:

• Live music featuring the band “Seven Nations”
• Irish music videos for your viewing pleasure
• Leprechaun appearances and stilt walkers to enhance the evening
• 3-Days of partying: March 14, 15, and 17 from 7 p.m.-2 a.m.

This is the biggest day of the year at the Raglan Road Irish Pub in Pleasure Island, where traditional Ireland is always in abundance. For this year’s party they invite you to enjoy:

• U2 Elevation. (The U2 cover band is back by popular demand!)
• Tuskar Rock, the house band straight from the heart of Ireland.Top notch Irish dance performances by Danielle Fitzpatrick.
• Kilts and competitions and mayhem for all!
• Party starts at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 16. (Cover charge on March 17.)

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, so get your Orlando theme park tickets now and join in the wearin’ o’ the green. Eringobragh!

Advice for the Theme Park Weary

If you are planning a vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort your plans are surely centered around your visits to and from the four world class theme parks on the Disney property. And while these four parks have more entertainment options than one could take in during one vacation, there are undoubtedly going to be times during your vacation that you want to get away from the madness of the parks to just relax and enjoy everything else that the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer. To help prepare you for those rare down times, DWTickets.com has assembled some helpful tips of things you can do away from the parks, whether you have half a day off or a full day to occupy your time. Keep reading below for more details!

• If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, which we highly suggest due to the amount of benefits you receive, one of the best things you can do with downtime is to explore your resort and all of the other hotels on property. Each one has a distinct personality and theme that is reflected through everything from the hotel rooms themselves to the architecture of the buildings and the activities/pools on the hotel grounds. If you are not staying at a deluxe resort, you might want to venture to one of them, especially the Magic Kingdom Park resorts around the Seven Seas Lagoon (you can easily access any of them via the monorail at the Ticket and Transportation Center). Another way to fully experience one of the resorts is by booking a full-service meal at one, as the hotels have some of the top-rated restaurants in all of Central Florida incorporated into them.


• While the Walt Disney World Resort has some great shopping (Downtown Disney is a great place for one-stop souvenir shopping), it doesn’t compare to the shopping that local area malls and outlets provide! With two of the largest outlet malls in the southeast, the Prime Outlets and Premium Outlets, only a few miles away, along with two malls with every story you can imagine (the Florida Mall and Mall at Millenia), Orlando has turned into a shopping mecca over the last few years. If you are looking to stay on a budget, you can get designer duds for a cheap price at the outlets, or if you are looking for the real thing, the Mall at Millenia is the place for you to go for all of the best in designer merchandise in town!


• Want to fuel your competitive juices while on vacation? Try a round of golf at one of Disney’s five championship golf courses, or for those less skilled, you can always test your hand at Disney’s two miniature golf courses. Of course, these aren’t the only courses in town to choose from – mini golf course line the streets of Lake Buena Vista and Kissimmee, and Orlando is one of the top spots in the country for competitive golf courses due to the year-round seasonable climate. A day on the links just may be the perfect way for you to get away from the hustle and bustle of the Disney parks!In addition to some of the best shopping options in the state, Orlando also has some of the best restaurants in the entire country! You can find a restaurant for every taste bud in the Orlando area, and you have plenty of affordable options to choose from as well. However, if you are looking to make an entire night out of your dinner, we suggest taking in an area dinner show. These dinner shows are several hours long and offer unlimited food and drinks, as well as spectacular entertainment for the whole family. And, exclusively here at DWTickets.com, you can purchase discounted dinner show tickets for your whole family! We offer these discounted tickets to Arabian Nights, the Pirates Dinner Theatre, Medieval Times, the Makahiki Luau at Sea World and Tony and Tina’s Wedding dinner show, and any of these shows are guaranteed to give you a whole new dinner experience!


• Finally, Disney has a plethora of recreation options for those who want to relax and see a different side of Disney. The Walt Disney World Resort has everything from luxurious spas, boat rentals for the many waterways across property, bike rentals, horseback excursions and even the Richard Petty Driving Experience, which allows you to step into a real stock for the ride of your life! These activities are only the tip of the iceberg of things to do while you are at Disney, so be sure to check with your resort if you are staying at a hotel on property for a complete list of activities and ideas of things to do while you are visiting.

No matter what activities you plan for your time outside the parks, we would also like to keep your theme park plans as stress-free as possible. That is why we are proud to be your No. 1 online source for discounted tickets to Walt Disney World, Sea World Orlando, Universal Orlando and all of the other top Central Florida attractions. If you are planning a trip to Central Florida, be sure to start right here at DWTickets.com!

Great Weekend for DisneyQuest !

TGIF Disney fans, this is the DW Blog Man with a weather report. This weekend is supposed to be wet and windy in Orlando, so rather than get wet waiting in theme park lines, head over to DisneyQuest, Downtown Disney's interactive indoor theme park. With over 250 games, attractions and high-tech, interactive exhibits, DisneyQuest is a fantasy-land for both children AND adults! DisneyQuest has everything from a virtual reality, "build your own rollercoaster & ride it" attraction, to a very cool Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Remember, if the weather isn't looking good, go to DisneyQuest and explore this 5-story indoor theme park. Have a great weekend, stay dry, and see you on Monday.

PLEASURE ISLAND

TGIF everyone ! That's right - today is Friday, and the weekend is among us. I'm very excited to welcome in ESPN and the whole crew from Bristol, Connecticut for ESPN - The Weekend at MGM Studios. The roster of sports celebrities is incredible, and it should be a great time for the entire family. If you want to read more about ESPN - The Weekend, you can read my blog from last week right here...

Since it is Friday however, I wanted to talk about one of the coolest, most happening places on Disney World property -Pleasure Island. Pleasure Island is made up of a cluster of bars, nightclubs, and dance studios that makes you feel like it is New Year's Eve every single night of the year. There are a variety of clubs for everyone and always something cool going on at Pleasure Island. A couple weeks ago for Fat Tuesday they had something called "Party Gras". A lively New Orleans style street party with jugglers, stilt walkers, live entertainment and loads of Mardi Gras beads filled the streets of Pleasure Island, and it was a great time. In a few weeks for St. Patrick's Day, there will be a party for 3 nights from 7pm-2am ! The luck of the Irish will be in the air as everyone can celebrate this holiday with leprechauns, Irish artist videos, stilt walkers, live bands, DJ's, and lots of green beer ! Who would not want to come out and see stilt walkers - which seems to be a Pleasure Island speciality. This is all I'm going to write today, because I expect to see everyone out tonight at either Pleasure Island, or ESPN - The Weekend at Disney. This is the DW Tickets Blog Man signing off, and wishing everyone a great weekend. To buy Pleasure Island tickets, click here !