Disney’s Twinned Town

You might be wondering what a Twinned Town is. No, it’s not a new Orlando theme park; it’s a great new initiative by the Walt Disney Company to bring different cultures, countries and people closer together. The Walt Disney World Resort is looking for a twin town, a sister city, in the United Kingdom. Much like US states have sister relations with foreign cities (Orlando has nine international sister cities, by the way) the Walt Disney World Resort is looking for one of their own.

If you’re a reader living in the United Kingdom you definitely want to listen up. The Twinned Town won’t be selected by Disney suits or any of the cities, but by the citizens of the UK themselves. This contest is openly accepting photographic, written and video submissions from people in the UK looking for a dose of Disney magic in their own town. Anyone from any town or city can submit their vote via the Twinned Town website. There are a few things that the folks at Disney are looking for in these submissions. Along with telling them why your town is great, Disney wants to know about your hopes and dreams. Who is the most inspirational person in your town? How is your town looking toward the future? What does your town do to celebrate its traditions? If you recognize these values, it’s because Disney considers many of them while expanding their own brand name. "We believe it is time to recognize the great values that make UK towns and villages special,” said Disney Destination International's Hugh Wood, “and with so many guests visiting Walt Disney World every year from the UK, we felt there was no better way to find that special town or village than by allowing the British public to nominate the places they are proud of."

The winners of the Twinned Town contest will have a special Disney party in January where the magic of the Walt Disney World resort will be brought to the winning town. The person that submits the winning entry will receive a special trip for four to the Walt Disney World Resort where they will attend the “twinning” ceremony at Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom. The contest runs until November 22nd, 2009, so if you’re reading this in the UK—get started! You might be coming to see us very soon.

Disney’s Night of Joy

Who says Disney theme parks don’t know how to rock? This September, Disney will host the Night of Joy concert series at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This special event will welcome a 14-act lineup of Christian musicians for a two-night concert series sure to rock the house at the movie-themed park. Just like Mickey’s Christmas Party and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party, Night of Joy operates after hours from 7 pm to 12:30 pm with stages located all around the park.

Concert-goers will not only be able to see some of their favorite bands, they will be able to ride certain attractions that will remain open especially for them. If you come with a group, you can also attend the park during the day while still gaining access to the park at night and a special entrance into “The American Idol Experience.”

The American Idol Experience opened on Valentine’s Day of 2009 in Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the Superstar Television Theatre. This attraction lets guests audition before an actual live audience and Disney “producers." Much like on the popular TV show, the best members advance to the next rounds for a chance to win the show. The winner at the end of the day receives a “Dream Ticket” which allows them, if they meet the age requirement, to go to the front of the line at the real American Idol auditions next season. It’s a very popular event for both idol hopefuls and music lovers.

The highlight of the Night of Joy series will be the performance by P.O.D. The band that brought us hits like “Boom” and “Alive” are back from their hiatus after being on tour in South America. Sonny Sandoval, the band’s lead singer, is excited to mark the band’s return to the stage at the Happiest Place on Earth. “In the past year we’ve been blessed to play all around the globe but performing at Disney World excites me most of all,” Sandoval said.

Other popular Christian acts like Jars of Clay and Flyleaf will be joining P.O.D on stage. The full lineup includes: MercyMe, newsboys, Skillet, Chris Tomlin, Kutless, Grits, Leeland, NEEDTOBREATHE, Superchick, Mandisa and Family Force 5. Eight of these acts are nominated for the 2009 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. Chris Tomlin leads the pack with seven nominations. This will be a great event at Walt Disney World for Christian music fans to attend so make sure you head to Orlando for the Night of Joy concert series!

Kennedy Space Center Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Apollo Moon Landing

This July marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. What is now a historical event riddled with conspiracy theories by today’s youth was, at the time, an emotional, untouchable moment in American history. Neil Armstrong’s classic delivery of the “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” line made him an international hero and a patriotic symbol of a country at the pinnacle of technological advancement. The Kennedy Space Center will be featuring a special celebratory event in honor of the moon landing along with the great ongoing activities the attraction has to offer.

The Visitor Complex houses an incredible variety of NASA artifacts, two IMAX theatres and an active launch pad, Launch Pad 39, where visitors can see rockets launch toward the sky at various times of the year. An educational center with resources for teachers is also available. The Visitor Complex also houses the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame, where items from all stages of NASA’s space exploration and the men and women who experienced it can be viewed. After exiting the exhibit, visitors will have the chance to experience what it’s like to launch into outer space. The Kennedy Space Center has G-Force simulators that let visitors experience the incredible physical pressures put on the human body by rocket launches and space travel.

But what better way to learn about space travel than from personal accounts from astronauts themselves? As part of the Apollo 40th Anniversary Celebration on July 16th, the Kennedy Space Center will have astronauts on hand to take audience questions and tell their first-hand accounts of what it is like to travel to outer space. Among the astronauts is the legendary Buzz Aldrin. USAF Colonel Aldrin was the second man to set foot on the moon after Neil Armstrong and winner of many Air Force accolades including the Legion of Merit and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

If you would like to meet Buzz Aldrin to partake in the Apollo 40th Anniversary Celebration and check out the great exhibits the Kennedy Space Center has to offer, then check out the Kennedy Space Center link on our website. DWTickets.com provides the best discounts for you year-round, not just during specials events. Let us help you make your Kennedy Space Center experience out of this world!

Gay Days at Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World has always been a gay and merry place, but this early June, the theme parks will receive a boost of a different kind of gay. The first week of June through Sunday, June 7, marks the annual Orlando event known as Gay Days, which unites members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and supportive community in enjoyment of a day at the Disney parks. Since 1991, GLBT visitors and supporters have worn red and gathered at Magic Kingdom. Today, the event is bigger than ever, bringing an estimated 75,000 visitors to Orlando and encompassing all four parks and several Orlando resorts with meet-ups and special events.

This year, the Gay Days calendar is packed with expos, concerts, comedy shows, and parties all over Orlando. At the parks, however, the event rotates to a different Disney park each day. On Thursday, Gay Days is at Animal Kingdom; on Friday, the event moves to Disney’s Hollywood Studios; on Saturday, the traditional (and biggest of all) Gay Days takes place at Magic Kingdom; and on Sunday, Gay Days winds down at Epcot.

What this means to those unfamiliar with Gay Days is that a large amount of GLBT visitors will be visiting the designated Disney park on that specific day, where they’ll ride the rides and have fun like everyone else. The daily parade usually serves as a gathering point, especially on Saturday when Gay Days guests will “meet at Cindy’s place” (Cinderella’s Castle) for the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade at 3 pm.

While for GLBT visitors to the park, Gay Days is a chance to don their rainbow-colored Mickey ears, the event has stirred up some controversy in the past. Some Gay Days guests have been known to engage in public displays of affection, which sometimes make other guests and families with children uncomfortable.

For those who feel like Gay Days might taint their Walt Disney World experience, we advise steering clear of the specific meet-up park on the day you want to visit. For example, you may want to visit any other Disney park besides Magic Kingdom on Saturday. Visiting the parks early is also a good idea, as the crowds will be particularly thick in the afternoon.

It’s important to note that Gay Days is not sanctioned by or affiliated with Walt Disney World. Still, as Gay Days participants and GLBT Disney lovers know, the parks do an excellent job of treating every guest the same. Mickey loves you no matter what your sexuality is.

Ultimately, for those participating in the event, Gay Days is a fun and festive opportunity for the GLBT community and its supporters to get together, show their pride, and have some good, old-fashioned Disney fun. And if the event doesn’t bother or affect you, feel free to go and enjoy the parks among its red-wearing visitors like you would on any other day.

As always, you can save on Walt Disney World tickets -- for Gay Days or a regular magic-filled visit to your favorite park – right here on DWTickets.com.

Busch Gardens Celebrates 50 Years with Extra Summer Fun

As we’ve previously reported, Busch Gardens is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion, the park will be pulling out all the stops this summer with extended hours, special entertainment, and festive food and drink every night. Summer Nights at Busch Gardens will heat up Tampa Bay every evening from June 6 through August 16, and it’s sure to be the best event of the season as the park marks half a century of providing family adventures.

The fun kicks off this Saturday, June 6, with music from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s performed by original artists in Gwazi Park. The night will be capped by a spectacular fireworks display. Then on July 3, guests will be able to groove to David Cassidy in Concert, while the 4th of July features Starship and Mickey Thomas, along with another amazing fireworks show.

On every night in between this Saturday and the festivities in July and thereafter, Busch Gardens will also feature Darren Romeo, the voice of magic, presented by master magicians Siegfried and Roy. Romeo will thrill the crowds with his captivating mix of magic and music in the Moroccan Palace. Meanwhile, at the Marrakesh Theater, Jeff Civillico will present his amazing blend of comedy, juggling, balancing, athleticism, and audience participation. And every night, an infectious new dance choreographed expressly for park guests will keep the energy in the park amped, while DJs spin party songs from four different spots throughout Busch Gardens.

While guests enjoy the hot tunes, fun shows, and the thrill of riding their favorite coasters in the dark, they can also visit the new exhibit honoring Busch Gardens’ 50th birthday. Hundreds of items, including photos, souvenirs, and artifacts, are on display, along with a 70-foot timeline marking milestones from the park’s humble beginnings as a bird garden and brewery tour, all the way to its present day status as a world-renowned adventure park. The exhibit is located between the Crown Colony House Restaurant and the Clydesdale Hamlet and is open during regular park hours.

While normal park hours usually end at 7 pm, during Summer Nights at Busch Gardens, the park will be open until 9 pm Sundays through Thursdays and until 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Best yet, all these extra hours of fun and excitement are included with regular Busch Gardens admission, making it one of the summer’s hottest deals.

So if you love the atmosphere of a high-energy street party, check out discount Busch Gardens tickets on DWTickets.com to get your pass to summertime dancing, music, and partying at the hottest theme park in Tampa, Florida.

American Idol Comes to Disney World This Week

Kris Allen just won season 8 of American Idol, and what is he going to do next? Why, visit Walt Disney World, of course!

Just jmoments after he won, the adorable and sweet-voiced Allen promised he'd be visiting the Mouse House in celebration as part of the iconic Disney commerical that aired just a few hours later. And he's wasting no time in keeping that promise; Allen will be making a visit to Disney's Hollywood Studios this Friday, May 29. Sources say he'll be starring in the 10 am motorcade, and he'll most likely follow that with a visit to the American Idol Experience. While he's there, he'll probably shoot some film spots for the attraction, which features cameos by several past American Idols and finalists, in addition to the current American Idol.

Allen is just the second singer in history to participate in the "I'm Going to Disney World" campaign, joining David Cook and a league of football heroes, Olympic superstars, and other athletes and celebrities. The very first star to utter the famous phrase, "I'm going to Disney World!" was New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms in 1987, right after Super Bowl XXI.

In the latest Disney commercial, Allen sings the classic song "When You Wish Upon a Star" in the background while scenes from his childhood and his first American Idol audition flash across the screen. The commercial concludes with Allen saying that famous line and enthusiastically following it with a "WOO!"

Disney camera crews captured the celebratory declaration on the Nokia Theatre stage a short while after American Idol host Ryan Seacrest announced Allen's win to the millions of viewers watching worldwide. Within hours, the iconic commercial was already on air.

Allen's role in the commercial is inteded to draw attention to Hollywood Studios' American Idol Experience, which opened this past February. The best way to experience American Idol short of actually witnessing a show in Los Angeles, the Experience gives park guests the chance to show their singing chops on stage in front of a live audience of fellow park guests. Complete with a trio of quirky judges and some surprise guests, the Experience awards on talented guest each day with a Dream Ticket - a pass to a front-of-the-line audition at an actual American Idol regional audition.

"The American Idol Experience really will blow your mind. If you've never been to the show, you pretty much have been to the show after you've been there," said Jason Castro, season 7 finalist, on the red carpet of the American Idol finale.

"Go in there, give it your all," added season 2 winner Ruben Studdard, "because you may be where I am right now."

If you want to see Kris Allen in person and try your hand at the American Idol Experience, check out Walt Disney World tickets on DWTickets.com and visit the park this Friday! You just might be able to get some singing tips from Allen and take your first step to becoming the next American Idol.

Out of this World Fun at Disney's Star Wars Weekends

If you're an avid Star Wars fan, then follow the trail of the Force - to Walt Disney World this May and June! It's time once again for Star Wars Weekends, a sci-fi fan-fest like no other that pays tribute to one of the world's greatest film sagas. Galactic characters, unique events and attractions, and one-of-a-kind meet and greet session are just some of the highlights of these fun-filled weekends, which are a must for any Jedi or Wookiee at heart.

Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from May 22 through June 14, Star Wars Weekends will fill Disney's Hollywood Studios with the power of the Force - and more Star Wars characters than you've ever seen in your life! Sith, droids, Jedi, Ewoks, bounty hunters, Rodians, and yes, even Wookies - they'll all flock to the park where guests will be able to pose and chat with them in meet and greet encounters throughout Hollywood Studios. There'll even be well-known figures from the saga, including Darth Vader, Yoda, and Princess Leia, and fans will be able to spot them all during "Legends of the Force," a Star Wars motorcade.

That's not all - guests will be able to participate in Star Wars trivia contests, ride the famed Star Tours attraction, purchase one-of-a-kind memorabilia, and more. There'll be autograph sessions and star conversations with famous Star Wars actors and creative geniuses every weekend, and special shows, presentations, and interactive experiences each day of each Star Wars Weekend.

This year, the Weekends will be hosted by Jay Laga'aia ("Captain Typho") with special guest Ashley Eckstein ("Ahsoka Tano"). During the weekend, Laga'aia will host "Stars of the Saga," a Star Wars talk show and Q&A, and Eckstein will host "Clone Wars: Behind the Force," a behind-the-scenes show that explores the TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Both stars, along with other big names in the saga, will also have autograph sessions with fans.

Another highlight of the Weekends will be the Jedi Training Academy, where each young Anakin who is chosen will be readied to face the dark side. Taking place throughout the day on the event's main stage, young guests will learn a lightsaber combination from a Jedi Master before testing their skills in a battle with Darth Vader.

Kids under 12 will also be able to test their wits befor the Jedi Council in a Padawan Mind Challenge. And of course, no Star Wars Weekend is complete without blasting your starspeeder through the galaxy on the Star Tours attraction or shopping a galaxy of Star Wars themed and limited edition merchandise in Wicket's Warehouse.

At the end of each Weekend day, Star Wars characters and guests will gather for the Hyperspace Hoopla! Show, an entertaining conclusion to the day where the saga favorites let loose with music, comedy, dancing, and more. The Star Wars Weekends dates are May 22-24, May 29-31, June 5-7, and June 12-14.

The Star Wars Weekends are free with regular admission to Hollywood Studios, so all you need are Walt Disney World tickets, which you cna get right here on DWTickets.com. Get yours and strap in for a wild space ride of a weekend with more Star Wars fun than you can handle!

Star Gardeners at the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

In addition to a beautiful assembly of fantastic foliage and whimsical topiaries, fun activities for big green thumbs and little ones, the International Flower and Garden Festival at Walt Disney World will feature appearances from an array of gardening professionals. From March 20 to May 31, guests visiting Epcot can take in the sights and scents of spring and learn how they can foster them in their own backyard from the experts themselves as part of the Great American Gardeners series.

Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the 16th annual Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, some of the most respected gardeners and nature experts will reveal tips and share entertaining stories at noon and 3 pm. The presentations are open to all and will kick off from March 20 to March 22 with author Jon Carloftis, who’ll share insightful tips on how to integrate plants and nature in every aspect of life, from interior spaces to urban scapes.

Shirley Bovshow will then take over from March 27 to March 29; the garden designer and TV host will present gorgeous edible gardens that provide food as well as style and function in the garden. Susan Belsinger will then appear from April 3 through April 5, informing about the magic of herbs from garden to kitchen, and renowned horticulturist, NPR host, and author Felder Rushing will share practical tips for maintaining a garden’s beauty all year long using tough shrubs, flowers, herbs, and even “designer” veggies.

Then from April 17 through April 19, author, gardening expert, and famed TV host of PBS’s GardenSMART Joe Lamp’l (otherwise known as Joe Gardener) will talk about some of the best gardening tools and accessories available today. Following Lamp’l will be America’s longest running garden columnist Jeff Lowenfels from April 24 through April 26, who’ll explain organic gardening and some of its practical applications, and TV host Joe Washington from May 1 through May 3, who’ll talk about landscaping and water-smart designs. From May 8 through May 10, guests will be able to hear Florida garden writer Tom MacCubbin discuss growing edible foods and perfume expert Raymond Western speak on the history of fragrance and its relationship with plants.

The Gardener series will wrap up in May with TV host and gardening expert Melinda Myers, who’ll share simple money and energy saving ideas for a beautiful landscape from May 15 through May 17; author and Harry P. Leu Gardens director Robert Bowden, who’ll discuss unusual plants for landscaping from May 22 through May 24; and speaker and plant collector Rita Randolph, who’ll demonstrate eye-opening plant combinations from May 29 through May 31.

The eleven experts will be making their presentations at Garden Town in Future World East next to Universe of Energy. There’s no extra cost to hear these all-stars of gardening speak; regular admission to Epcot is all you need. So nab your Walt Disney World tickets at DWTickets.com today and ensure that your garden will be the most beautiful one on the block this season.

Sneak Peek at Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

At the beginning of February, the Groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter. Since then, the country has endured its fair share of snowfalls, icy roads, and chilly temperatures, with which even Orlando has had to contend. But March 20, the first day of spring, is finally right around the corner, and Walt Disney World plans to ring in the season with a floral celebration that will make even Mother Nature jealous. Taking place from March 18 to May 31, the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival will light up the city with colorful tableaus and topiaries, fun exhibits and activities, and groovy concerts all intended to celebrate spring.

Presented by Disneynature, the festival is now in its 16th year, and it looks like this one will be better than ever, starting with the topiary. Every year, one of the staples of the festival is the intricate topiary created by Disney’s imaginative gardeners, and we’ve heard they’ve outdone themselves this time around with an extraordinary display set against the backdrop of Spaceship Earth. The topiary will feature beloved Disney characters like Cinderella and Prince Charming, Show White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, and Belle and the Beast, all made out of a variety of plants, flowers, grasses, and mosses. The display will welcome guests as they head into Epcot, though 70 other topiaries will also be spread throughout the park.

Aside from fresh sights and flowery scenes, there’ll also be lots of spring-themed fun during the festival, from colorful butterfly gardens to gardening presentations. There are so many activities and events that we can’t cover them all, but a few highlights include the Green Garden, which teaches anyone how to make an environmentally friendly garden, the Flower Power concert series featuring popular bands from the 60s, and the Great American Gardeners series, which will include appearances by gardening celebrities and authors from around the country.

Kids will find plenty to keep them entertained with the Pirates Adventure Zone, “Kids Paint Out” celebrations, and the Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden, featuring colorful topiaries of Tinker Bell and her friends along with hands on activities for kids.

And be sure to check out all the festival fun around the World Showcase. At the France pavilion, a Fragrance Garden tells the “love story” of plants and perfume; at the United Kingdom’s English Tea Garden, complimentary guided tours explore the art and history of blending tea plants; and at the Japan pavilion, guests can learn about the art of bonsai.

During the festival, those who need to shake off the gloomy winter can lift their spirits with beautiful flora and fauna displays. And with plenty of educational exhibits and presentations, wannabe green thumbs will learn tips from the experts that they can take home and try out on their own gardens. The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is all about spreading springtime fun, so gear up for the season by attending this fun and natural celebration. Admission to the festival is included with regular admission to Epcot, so all you need are Walt Disney World tickets from DWTickets.com.

ESPN The Weekend at Disney's Hollywood Studios

March Madness. Football Fever. Hockey Hullabaloo. Whatever you want to call it, sports tend to get people riled up and excited. And only one event captures the excitement of all those sports in one fan-infested weekend. Only at Walt Disney World can sports fanatics unite in one weekend that brings the hottest lineup of athletes, ESPN personalities, and sports fun and activities. That’s right – ESPN the Weekend is upon us, and Disney is ready to create a one-of-a-kind experience for sports fans of all ages at Disney’s Hollywood Studios from February 27 to March 1.

Every year, ESPN the Weekend gets bigger and better, and this year will be one of the best with a veritable “who’s who” of athletic elite. The sixth edition of ESPN the Weekend will feature some of the biggest names in sports, including Super Bowl heroes like Kurt Warner, Hines Ward, Adam Vinatieri, and Brandon Jacobs. There’ll be Major League Baseball stars too, like Rickey Henderson, Jim Palmer, Curt Schilling, and Job Chamberland. Even US Olympic gold medalists will be on hand, such as Shawn Johnson, Misty May-Treanor, and many others. Fans will be able to see them all in daily motorcades through Hollywood Boulevard and at the base of Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat for special dialogues and Q&A sessions.

Fans will also get to meet their favorite ESPN personalities, including John Anderson, Colin Cowherd, Jay Crawford, Dana Jacobson, Chris McKendry, Peter Gammons, Stuart Scott, Karl Ravech, and Trey Wingo. This year’s event will also feature live daily telecasts, including First Take, Baseball Tonight, and NFL Live, filmed from a set in front of Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat. There’ll also be live broadcasts of the “Mike and Mike” radio show, starring Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg, and The Herd with Colin Cowherd, broadcast live from the ESPN Club at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort.

And it’s not all about the athletes and celebrities – Disney guests will be able to become a sports star themselves with the ESPN Sports Zone. In this interactive area, people of all ages will be able to test their skill in a wide variety of sports, including baseball, basketball, football, and even biking on an X games dirt course. The ESPN Sports Zone will also include an ESPN Play Your Way playground, a fitness initiative designed to let kids use their imagination and create their own physically active games.

Moreover, Disney guests will even be able to try their hand at being a sports personality through a special audition experience. Select contestants will go through a series of “on-air” tasks and the audience will select the best “sportscaster” during each show. ESPN pros and athletes will help mentor contestants as part of the experience.

And a new addition to ESPN The Weekend will be a 5K race through Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Saturday, February 28. The 5K Road Race and Fun Run will challenge runners along the course with ESPN and sports trivia, and more ESPN personalities and athletes will be present for the fun. The race will benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research and will include a Fun Run for kids as well.

Best yet, all the fun and activities of ESPN The Weekend come free with admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, so all you need to do to attend is get your Walt Disney World Tickets from DWTickets.com. So what are you waiting for? Get your tickets now, so you can be part of the ESPN madness and hullabaloo.

Corvettes and Coasters in November at Cypress Gardens

Folks can go to Cypress Gardens theme park to see lots of interesting things, from the historical botanical gardens and animal exhibits to the spectacular shows. However, this November, guests can add Chevy Corvettes to that list as the Bay Area Corvette Club comes to Cypress Gardens. On November 16th at 10 am, the Gardens’ Splash Island water park will be taken over by more than a hundred beautiful corvette models. It’s a great event the whole family can enjoy that will spice up the usual array of Cypress Garden fun.

Guests can see and admire car models built as early as 1953 to newer 2008 models. And for the first time, the Bay Area Corvette Club (BACC) is holding a People’s Choice competition in addition to a traditional judged contest. 31 trophies in total are up for grabs, including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place People’s Choice Awards that BACC members are not eligible for. Guests will be able to place their votes for the best cars, and after the top five vote-scoring cars in each class are selected, the results will be given to judges who will inspect the cars for verification. Cars will be judged by their cleanliness, condition, overall appearance, the engine compartment, and the trunk compartment.

If you’ve got an amazing car that needs to be shown off, there’s still time to register for the Corvette Garden Show. There’ll be goodie bags and polo shirts for the first 100 cars that are registered; cars participating in the event must be parked by 9:30 am.

For those who want to join the fun early, there will also be a parade of cars kicking off the weekend on November 15th. The cars will parade through the city of Winter Haven at 5:30 pm, and a Welcome Party from 7 pm to 10 pm will be held afterwards at the Best Western Admirals Inn & Convention Center with beer, food, dancing, and a raffle for a free room.

And cars aren’t the only fun arriving at Cypress Gardens on Sunday. The Original Drifters and The Coasters will be performing in the Star Haven Amphitheater. The Coasters will be hitting the stage at 1 pm, and the Drifters will be performing at 3:30 pm. These famous foursomes will be singing some of the biggest doo-wop, R&B, and rock and roll hits of the 50’s and 60’s in a double concert that is sure to have you dancing along. The concerts are included in the park admission, so guests can feel free to bring their lawn chairs or enjoy bench seating. Reserved seating for an additional fee will also be available.

There’s no better combination than hot cars and great music, so don’t miss all the excitement on this jam-packed November weekend in Cypress Gardens. And best yet, all the fun comes at a very low price – simply get your discount Cypress Garden tickets at DWTickets.com, and you’ll be all set to go and enjoy the show.

Santa, Ice, and Everything Nice at the Gaylord Palms Resort

The winter season is upon us – Thanksgiving is just a few short weeks away, and Christmas will be here before you know it. Of course, with the temperature running at an average high of about 79 degrees in mid-November and the palm trees still swinging happily, visitors to Florida may not feel in a very wintry mood. Some might even say Florida’s no place to spend the holidays, with no snow to put you in the holiday spirit. The people over at Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, though, have never heard such nonsense. With their ICE! Attraction opening from November 17th to January 4th, 2009, the Gaylord Palms near Walt Disney World proves that you can still have classic winter fun even in Florida.

A walk-through attraction hand-carved from nearly two million pounds of ice, ICE! will definitely make anyone forget they’re in the Sunshine State. The attraction, which is entering its sixth year, allows visitors to experience a winter wonderland with incredible icy landscapes, slippery ice slides, and three-dimensional sculptures hand carved by a team of artisans from China. Combined with over 1,500 fluorescent and fiber optic lights frozen within the ice in over 18,000 square feet of space, the sculptures create a magical holiday experience like no other.

This year’s ICE! theme is “Santa’s Arctic Blast,” which will feature several scenes starring St. Nick, including an oversized “Santa’s Knee” photo opportunity that kids will love. The ICE! castle and slides have also been upgraded to celebrate Santa’s Christmas Eve flight, complete with reindeer and all. And don’t miss ICE’s yearly signature scene, a life-sized Nativity carved completely out of ice. A favorite among visitors, the nativity features dramatic lighting and a narrated soundtrack that brings to life the story of the birth of Christ. It’s a great way to pause and reflect on the meaning of the season.

Every year, 40 artisans from Harbin, China, spend a month in Kissimmee, Florida, to create the sculptures in ICE! out of nearly 5,000 blocks of ice. The artisans are participants in Harbin’s famous annual International Ice and Snow Festival, where sculptors carve a 100-acre walk-through at Zhao Lin Park with ice taken from the Songhua River.

Visitors to ICE! should beware; this is no artificial winter simulation. It really is cold in there! Kept at a brisk 9 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the ice, the unique structure housing ICE! is also known as the “Florida Fridge,” one of the first of its kind in North America. So lose the flip flops unless you want to have some really cold toes. Long pants and closed-toe shoes are definitely recommended. However, if your suitcase is lacking in fuzzy sweaters, all guests are provided calf-length, hooded winter coats to keep them warm (coats are available in all sizes). Hats and gloves should also be donned and are on sale in the ICE! House Gifts shop, which also features one-of-a-kind holiday gift items.

Whether you’re a hardy winter expert or haven’t ever seen snow, ICE! is a exciting wintry attraction for all. From the incredible artistry and craftsmanship to the heart-warming holiday scenes, there’s plenty to see and enjoy, so don’t forget a cold-friendly camera! You’re sure to have a lot of fun, so long as you don’t lick the ice – no mater how good it looks.

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!

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.

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.

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.

The Top 10 Reasons to Visit Disney

There are literally hundreds of reasons to visit the Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida, from the gorgeous year-round weather and the location to all of the endless fun you will have on vacation, no matter if you spend a weekend, an entire week or longer experiencing everything Disney has to offer. But with all of the limitless options you have, we at DWTickets.com have narrowed down the list to the top 10 reasons for why you and your family should visit the Walt Disney World Resort this year!

10. The Year of a Million Dreams – This special year-long celebration celebrates your dreams coming true and the Disney Cast Members that make magic for their Disney guests every day. Along with the new attractions and shows that have been brought in throughout the parks, including The Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epcot, the High School Musical Pep Rally at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom Park’s Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, over a million dreams will also be granted through various giveaways, from an overnight stay in Cinderella Castle to a dream FASTPASS badge or even a trip for one lucky family to visit each and every Disney theme park around the globe. Guests are picked at random, and you never know when you or someone in your family may get the surprise of a lifetime on your next visit to Walt Disney World!

9. Recreation – While the four theme parks and two water parks may be the main attractions at Disney, there also countless recreation activities that can give you a much-needed break from the parks for a few hours or an entire day. Among those activities are golf at one of the five Disney championship golf courses or two miniature golf courses, the Richard Petty Driving Experience, the various watercraft rentals on the many waterways throughout the property, fishing excursions and many sporting activities such as bike rentals, jogging trails, tennis and volleyball.

8. Special Events – There are many special events that happen throughout Disney all year long. At the Magic Kingdom Park, there are special after-hours parties that bring even more magic to Disney guests, from Disney’s Pirate and Princess Party, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. At Epcot, guests get a different kind of celebration with their two major events, Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival in the Spring of Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival in the fall. Disney’s Hollywood Studios also gets into the act with Star Wars Weekends in the summer, ABC Super Soap Weekend and ESPN The Weekend.

7. Disney Spas – Who says Disney is only for kids? For a full-service spa experience, guests can head to one of eight Disney resorts that are equipped with full-service spas, including Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney's BoardWalk Inn, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort and Disney's Yacht Club Resort. These world-class spas specialize in rejuvenating treatments for the face, body and mind, including an array of message therapies, facials, aromatherapies, signature services and fitness facilities that will either work you into shape or keep you in peak physical condition while you are vacationing.

6. Disney Resorts – If you are traveling to Walt Disney World, you have many hundreds of options on where to stay in Central Florida. But, if you choose to stay on property at Disney you will receive many benefits that are reserved for resorts guests only, including free transportation to and from the Orlando International Airport and to all of the parks and Downtown Disney, Extra Magic Hours at the parks, free package delivery and the ability to charge purchases in the parks back to your hotel room charge. But that is not the only reason to stay on property – the resorts themselves are beautiful with tons of amenities, including hours of fun for kids in each resort’s pools, and there is a resort with a theme for everyone and a price for every budget!

5. Dining – Theme park dining may not have a good reputation, but there are many restaurants at the Walt Disney World Resort that are critically acclaimed, like the California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort or Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and many more that offer good food and good wholesome family fun, such as the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. But there are also good options inside the parks, both full and casual service, and many character dining opportunities inside the parks and at the Disney resorts as well to give your family a plethora of dining options for your vacation. And with the Disney Dining Plan, which includes one casual service meal, one snack and one full service meal for everyone in your party at one low price, your family can also eat where you play and not break the bank!

4. Disney Water Parks – Disney has two world-class water parks that are open year-round (each take a few months off for rehab in the winter months, but one is open at all times), and each have a distinct theme and attractions that will appease everyone in the family. Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park has exciting slides, including the world’s largest body slide in Summit Plummet, among piles of “snow” and even a real, working ski lift. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, however, has one of the largest wave pools in the nation to go along with their attractions, which are all in the tropical setting of an island that has been hit by a wild typhoon. Both of these parks are rated as two of the top water parks in the world, and with their array of unique attractions and activities (including the chance to snorkel with sharks at Typhoon Lagoon), we can see why!

3. New Attractions and Shows – In the past few years, Disney has made a conscious effort to keep guests coming back, adding new attractions and shows that are more relevant to the new movies that have been produced in recent years. Off of the success of “Finding Nemo,” Disney has dedicated an entire pavilion at Epcot and a musical at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park to the hit movie, while the High School Musical Pep Rally based off the hit Disney Channel movies is now entertaining guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Soarin’ was also brought to Epcot from Disney’s California Adventure Park and has quickly become one of the park’s most popular attractions, as has the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you haven’t visited Disney World in awhile, you will be surprised at everything that has changed in and around the parks in the recent years, giving you yet another reason to come back for more!

2. Theme Parks – The theme parks may be the top reason why guests fall in love with the Walt Disney World Resort. From the young at heart nature of the Magic Kingdom, the lure of tomorrow at Epcot, the bright lights of Hollywood at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to celebrating Walt Disney’s love of animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, there truly is something for everyone at these four very unique and distinguishable theme parks. From the young to the old, the magic of Disney captures the heart of all, making dreams come true each and every step of the way.

1. Discounted tickets! – You could make a case that every one of the reasons above is the No. 1 reason to visit the Walt Disney World Resort, but we at DWTickets.com believe the top reason you should make a trip to Central Florida is all of the money you can save by purchasing discounted theme park tickets! That’s right – here at DWTickets.com, you and your family can purchase discounted tickets to Walt Disney World, along with all of the other top attractions in Central Florida, and even have them delivered right to your home before you leave for vacation! With all of the money you will save with us, along with all of the reasons listed above, why wouldn’t you want to take a vacation to Disney? Click here to get started now!