LEGOLAND Florida's DUPLO® Valley- Opening May 23, 2014

New attractions coming to DUPLO Valley include a train, a mini tractor ride, and a water play area.  The central feature will be the DUPLO Train where toddlers can board a train on their own or with their parents to explore countryside-themed scenery passing through farms, fishing holes and campgrounds.

 Just across the way, toddlers can jump on a tractor just their size and help the farmers plow the cornfields and hunt for missing farm animals.

 For those looking to cool off, the new splash and play area will be refreshingly fun with intermittent water spouts and interactive water elements set among larger than life farm animals with a soft deck for safety.
  

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WET ‘N WILD ORLANDO ANNOUNCES NEW HIGH-SPEED ATTRACTION FOR SUMMER 2014

Aqua Drag Racer Will be the Tallest and Fastest of its Kind in Florida 

A high-speed race awaits guests this summer when Wet ‘n Wild Orlando opens Florida’s tallest and fastest water-based racing attraction of its kind. The Aqua Drag Racer will be six stories tall and propel guests through four lanes of head-to-head competition at fifteen feet per-second before splashing them across the finish line.

Guests will take their mark, get ready for a full throttle adrenaline rush and then power through enclosed braided, twisting tunnels as they accelerate into four parallel racing lanes. They will gain even more speed before rushing toward the finish line. The Aqua Drag Racer is designed to be the wettest and wildest high-speed drag race ever.

“The new Aqua Drag Racer will pull guests into a high-speed thrill ride unlike any other around,” said Michael Black, Sr. Vice President & GM of Wet ‘n Wild. “This ride combines friendly competition along with the excitement of sharing the rush with family and friends.”

Wet ‘n Wild, Orlando’s premier waterpark, sets the standard for thrills and over-the-top excitement – offering world-class attractions to thrill-seekers of all ages. Families can share a wide variety of waterpark adventure, with more than fifteen themed rides and attractions and more multi-person rides than any other waterpark in Central Florida. Experience a deep space adventure that’s light years from ordinary on The Black Hole™: The Next Generation, encounter a splashing does of group therapy on the Brain Wash™ or boogie down on the retro raft adventure Disco H2O™. At Wet ‘n Wild you’ll find high-speed, seriously twisted, multi-person adventures that let you feel the fun and share the rush. 

Click here to purchase Wet-n-Wild Tickets today!!

FARM ANIMALS ARRIVE AT LEGOLAND® FLORIDA’S DUPLO® VALLEY TODDLER AREA; OPENING DATE ANNOUNCED

A herd of cows, goats, chickens, and sheep arrived at LEGOLAND^® Florida to graze about in their new homes in the park’s latest expansion, DUPLO^® Valley, specifically geared to toddlers ages 2 to 5. DUPLO Valley will officially open to guests on May 23, 2014, just in time for family-fun over Memorial Day weekend. The DUPLO farm animals will be key features in two of the attractions, the mini tractor ride and the water play area. DUPLO Valley will be the ideal place for park guests to play and relax with their toddlers with new farm-themed attractions, an air-conditioned indoor play area, and a water play area.

The central feature of DUPLO Valley will be the DUPLO Train where toddlers will be able to board a train on their own or with their parents to explore countryside-themed scenery passing through farms, fishing holes and campgrounds. Just across the way, toddlers will be able to jump on a tractor their size and help the farmers plow the cornfields and hunt for missing farm animals. For those looking to cool off, the new splash and play area will be refreshingly fun with intermittent water spouts and interactive water elements set among larger than life farm animals with a soft deck for safety.

Another key element will be the existing DUPLO Barn which will feature significant enhancements to allow kids to play indoors in the comfort of air conditioning. Existing attractions will be enhanced with additional DUPLO farm-themed play areas and a toddler room where parents can relax while kids build with DUPLO bricks. The barn’s Baby Care Center will continue to provide all the amenities to take care of young children. It offers private nursing stations, rocking chairs, microwaves, bottle warmers, high chairs, changing stations, cell phone charging stations and more.

During construction, park guests with toddlers are encouraged to explore the many other attractions the entire family can enjoy including the newest attractions in The LEGO World of Chima presented by Cartoon Network. A complete list of toddler-based attractions can be found at www.legoland.com/toddlers.

The new DUPLO Valley will add more excitement to LEGOLAND Florida’s line-up of more than 50 rides, shows and attractions dedicated to children of ages 2 to 12.

SEAWORLD® ORLANDO’S BANDS, BREW & BBQ™ KICKS OFF FEBRUARY 1

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 29, 2014) – SeaWorld Orlando’s Bands, Brew & BBQ festival features six weekends of rocking concerts, mouth-watering BBQ, thirst-quenching beer and toe-tapping fun. Bands, Brew & BBQ takes place weekends in February (starting this Saturday) through the first two weekends in March (through the 9th).

Country superstar Alan Jackson opens the SeaWorld festival with a 5 p.m. performance on Saturday, February 1. Kid Rock plays on Sunday, February 2, at 4 p.m. Both concerts are at the park’s Bayside Stadium. 

Bands, Brew & BBQ also celebrates the food! Serious barbecue connoisseurs can taste it all and pick their favorites. Sample Orlando’s best barbecue from local smokehouses -- Bubbalou's Bodacious Bar-B-Que, Cecil’s Texas Style BAR-B-Q and Sonny’s BBQ^® – plus SeaWorld’s very own Sweet & Smokin’ Barbecue. Sip on our ice-cold craft beer selection while enjoying live rocking concerts and exciting activities for the whole family to enjoy. 

Even the little ones have their own area to get up close to animals, work on masterpieces at coloring stations, take photos with SeaWorld costume characters, learn from educators and play interactive games.

During Bands, Brew & BBQ, all Harley-Davidson® riders get free parking when they ride their hog to SeaWorld.  And in between all the eating and line dancing, event-goers can take in the proudly displayed 2014 Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Like all other events at SeaWorld Orlando, Bands, Brew & BBQ is included with park admission or any annual pass product.

Click Here to purchase SeaWorld tickets.

Top 5 reasons Why NOT to Buy Attraction Tickets at a Road Side Shack in Orlando

As you drive up and down Hwy 192 in Kissimmee and International Drive in Orlando, it is common to see many roadside shacks offering deals on tickets and/or to purchase back any unused days on your tickets.  They usually are marked with balloon billboards, people holding signs, or other marketing gimmicks.  Here are 5 reasons why not to do business with these companies….

1.  Not an Authorized reseller ~ Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld do not allow just anyone to sell their tickets.  You must have a legitimate contract with each attraction to legally sell tickets.  Legitimate companies will have the Authorized Ticket Seller logo (displayed to right) somewhere very prominent.  Note:  Look for this logo.  Just because they say they are “Authorized” doesn’t mean they really are.
2. Buy Back Tickets ~ A company that offers to buy back unused tickets is selling them too.  Chances are you will be purchasing a ticket that someone else has already used multiple days on the tickets.  Many guests have purchased these tickets, arrived at the gate, only to be turned away because the tickets do not have any days left on them.  Please Note:  Just because the sales person says there are 2 days left on the ticket, doesn’t make it true.  The only place that can actually tell you how many days remain on the tickets are the theme parks themselves.           
3. Its Illegal ~ Buying and reselling partially used tickets is a misdemeanor in Florida and you could go to jail.  Most of the time, the police will arrest the person selling the tickets, but it is not uncommon for the purchaser to be at the very least escorted out of the park and trespassed.  See Florida Statute 817.36 for more information.
4. Tickets may be fraudulent ~ Just like concert tickets and sporting events, some tickets can be created at home and/or duplicated.  The Parks have done many things to prevent this from happening, but to the unsuspecting guest , tickets can look legitimate.
5. Timeshare ~ Discounted (or free) tickets are often given in exchange for touring a Timeshare location.  While Timeshare presentations are totally above board and very popular in the Orlando area, they take valuable time away from your vacation.  The Tour bookers are very crafty in how they offer the tours and will often stretch the truth on how long it actually takes for the sales presentation.  They do give you a free breakfast, but after that be prepared to spend at least 2-3 hours listening to a high pressure sales pitch before you are given your tickets.  Time is money and your vacation time is extremely valuable, protect it.

Purchasing discounted tickets prior to arriving at the parks is highly recommended (saves not only money but time in line at the gate), just make sure it is a legitimate company.  Look for the Authorized Ticket Seller logos and ask to make sure the tickets you are purchasing are brand new tickets.  Remember:  If the offer sounds to good to be true, it usually is!

LEGOLAND Florida ~ November Military Veteran Appreciation Days

LEGOLAND Florida Salutes Military Veterans With Free Admission and More 

Nov. 1-17, 2013

Military Veterans Receive Free Admission Plus Family Member Discounts

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – LEGOLAND Florida salutes the military veterans of the United States Armed Forces with appreciation days Nov. 1-17, 2013. In gratitude for their service, all military veterans are entitled to free admission to LEGOLAND Florida everyday during the 17-day period. Veterans are also entitled to discounted tickets for up to six accompanying guests at $40 plus tax each to experience the park’s more than 50 rides and attractions designed for families with children ages 2 to 12.

To redeem the free admission ticket, military veterans should present their military ID to LEGOLAND Florida’s ticket window the day they plan to visit; military verterans may also purchase tickets for up to six accompanying guests at a discounted rate of $40 each ticket.

Adding to the celebration, Washington D.C. in Miniland U.S.A will be adorned in patriotic flair from Nov. 1-17, and guests may enjoy special offerings throughout the park on Veterans day.

Activities on Veterans Day, Nov. 11:

• Veterans will be invited to help ‘open’ the park at the beginning of the day with a small celebration
• Veterans and guests will help build an oversized American flag made out of LEGO bricks
• Veterans will receive a 20% discount on select retail and food and beverage items

AN OCEAN OF HALLOWEEN FUN AWAITS AT SEAWORLD ORLANDO’S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR®

Join SeaWorld Orlando every weekend in October for silly, spooky fun at Halloween Spooktacular. During this daytime event, families will be immersed in an underwater "fantasea" filled with trick-or-treating, dancing with sea fairies and pumpkin fish and sea-themed arts and crafts.

SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular takes place weekends in October: 5-6, 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27, from 12 to 8 p.m., leaving the littlest of trick-or-treaters wide-eyed for all of the fun-filled activities. Halloween Spooktacular is included with park admission.

Spooktacular Highlights Include:

 NEW this year: Spooktacular Dance Party

Princess Penelope and her undersea friends invite guests to join the Spooktacular Dance Party, where children can dance along to a Spooktacular mix of line-dancing favorites as clouds of bubbles fill the evening air. The party will kick off at the front of the park every event night an hour before SeaWorld’s park closing time.

Waves of Trick-or-Treat Fun

Offering more than two million pieces of sweet treats, costumed youngsters can trick-or-treat “under the sea.” Each trick-or-treat station features an assortment of ghoulish goodies including Tootsie Roll, Jelly Belly jelly beans, Airheads and other candy favorites.

Penelope’s Party Zone

Located at SeaWorld’s Bayside area, this dynamic underwater environment comes to life each day with a live DJ, a variety of interactive crafts to choose from, countless bubbles floating overhead and colorful pumpkin fish gliding around! 

Sweet Treat Decorating

Kids and parents alike can have a "splash" creating their own sweet treats at the cookie decorating station. Kids will be able to decorate and devour their spooky cookie when they purchase a kit that comes equipped with a cookie, frosting and toppings.

Jelly Belly® Bean Art to Come to Life at Spooktacular

Jelly Belly artist in residence, Kristen Cumings, will use more than 10,000 Jelly Belly jelly beans to create a portrait of rockhopper penguins, reflecting SeaWorld’s all-new, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin. Guests can watch as this handmade jelly bean creation comes together in front of their eyes during the final weekend of Halloween Spooktacular, Oct. 26 and 27. Kids can join in the fun too, with the opportunity to decorate a Halloween Spooktacular mural with a variety of Jelly Belly jelly beans.

Click here to purchase your SeaWorld tickets today!