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SeaWorld Orlando’s Just For Kids Festival!

by Erika on January 29, 2012

This past weekend kicked off an awesome new concert series for kids at SeaWorld Orlando. This concert series is part of their new Just For Kids Festival geared toward kids ages 2-12 years old. The Just For Kids Festival is jam packed with fun kid friendly activities and attractions spaced throughout the park where kids can learn and discover about sea life and the world around them or just dance and have some fun. You can even have breakfast with Elmo on Saturday’s during the festival at 8:30am or 10:30am. See the reservations counter for more info.

The Just For Kids Festival has lots of fun places for kids to visit such and the Voyagers Story-Time, Shamu’s Party Zone with a family-friendly DJ, some great photo opps such as ours with Elmo and an Elmo and Abby’s Treasure Hunt show with 3 show times daily. Oh, how I wanted to see this show but alas we missed it.  I may just have to go back to see it just for Wyatt. Wyatt loves Elmo or as he calls it Elm. Well he calls all Sesame Street characters Elm actually.

My family and I went on Saturday to check out the Just For Kids Festival. We had not been to SeaWorld in a few years and we had so much fun. It really is a beautiful park with an upscale feel to the buildings and shops. I like how you never feel overcrowded at SeaWorld even when there are people everywhere because of all the lush landscaping.

We got to enjoy the first concert of the series by LazyTown. The show was 30 minutes long and was about Stephanie and Ziggy trying to set a new energy record in the town they are visiting. They had to call Sportacus for help. Then Robbie Rotten appears dressed up as a chef and offers Sportacus an apple or Sports Candy that is supposed to increase his energy but as you know Robbie is Rotten so it was actually candy and it sent the energy down, down, down. Will they get the energy meter back up? Of course with the help of Ziggy and a real apple they set a new energy record. While we were waiting for the show to start there were also a few short acts that came on such as a hula hooping team and a juggler. My kids really enjoyed it. We also had the opportunity to meet the gang of LazyTown. They were so nice to the kids and it made the day very special for them.

Enjoy Just for Kids Saturdays, January 14 – February 4.

Concert times: 11 am and 2 pm.
• January 14 – LazyTown Live on Stage
• January 21 – Max & Ruby’s Musical Playdate
• January 28 – Doodlebops’ Musical Playdate
• February 4 – Choo-Choo Soul

Tickets for Just for Kids Concerts will be distributed across from Nautilus Theater starting at 9am each concert date on a first come, first served basis until all tickets are distributed.

All of these kid friendly interactive concerts are included with your park admission but seating is limited. SeaWorld also has a great new offering called the Preschool Pass that grants those under five years old FREE admission to SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay throughout all of 2012! This is a great accompaniment to their parents purchasing a Fun Card which is where you pay for a day and come back all year with no blackout dates. Now you can come back for not just more Just For Kids fun but for all of the other amazing special events at SeaWorld Orlando throughout 2012.

*I received media tickets. All opinions are my own.

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Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus Presents DRAGONS Review!

by Erika on January 13, 2012

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS came soaring into the Amway Center in Orlando last nights. The new show for 2012 honors The Year of the Dragon. The show includes performers from all over the globe that have been assembled for Ringling Bros. Presents DRAGONS to showcase their astounding acts of bravery and astonishing athleticism. DRAGONS is a never-before-seen blend of renowned spiritual and real life legends and will be in Orlando from January 12-16 at the Amway Center.

Ringling Bros.® Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson was awesome last night as he presided over the show that brought together mystical dragon lore with authentic circus feats. The show followed along a great story as the Ringmasters friend had to prove he had the Wisdom, Courage, Strength and Heart of a Dragon by teaming up with the Dragon Tribes.

The show included performances with animals such as riders on horse back, a super fun and entertaining 3 ring style pets act, the gorgeous parading Elephants and the ever popular Lion and Tigers act which as always proved to be a bit unpredictable but amazing. The show also included a lot of great aerial displaces with a fabulous trapeze act, a bouncing beam act as well as a sort of sea-saw catapult act.

The most interesting acts for me had to be these balls that were up in the air that had these acrobats in them who would open and close them. You really have to see it to understand. There was also a second aerial act with these gals who literally hang from their hair. Now we all know that there is a lot of completion in the beauty industry for hair care products but seriously we need to find out what these gals use and all use it if they can hang and twist from their hair. And last but not least was these phenomenal dome where these guys in motor bikes rode around inside of it. The act seriously made me feel uncomfortable to watch it because the Trapeze people have a net but these guys,,,,,,,,,, they are going fast and could crash into one another at any time. It was hands down the BEST act of the night.

I was honored to be able to attend another awesome Feld Entertainment Event and as always they do not disappoint. This was actually my second time seeing a Ringling show with them and I can say with no hesitation that last year was good, but this years performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS was truly the GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH! Tickets are still available for the Orlando show. Stop by their website and check out their performance schedule at http://www.ringling.com/TourSchedule. You can also check out their performances tab at their home page to see other shows that Ringling is currently running.

If you go to the show, I would love to know what you think so leave me a comment.

*I received media tickets. All opinions are my own.

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Lake Buena Vista Resort Village And Spa Review!

by Jennifer on January 2, 2012

Just minutes from Orlando’s major attractions, nestled back off the main State Rd 535 is Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa. This property offers luxury one, two, three and four bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens and private balconies. Also included are jacuzzi-style bath in all master bedrooms and washer and dryers in all units. The LBV Resort Village and Spa also offers an onsite restaurant, convenience mini-mart, spa & salon, fitness center and a water park with zero entry pool!

We arrived at our two bedroom suite and were pleasantly surprised with how grand it was. The living area offers a large flat screen television with coffee table, chairs and a couch. The dining room has a large round glass table that seats 6. The fully equipped kitchen is just that, fully equipped with a refrigerator, stove, microwave, sink and dishwasher. The drawers are filled with items to use for cooking and eating. And they even offer a toaster, coffee maker, blender and more! The master bedroom is luxurious including a jacuzzi-style bathtub, walk in shower, double sink and a very firm king bed.

Our room was located on the 11th floor and the view was amazing! We overlooked the large zero entry pool with Pirates Plunge water park. The free-form pool houses a huge pirate ship with water slide that’s perfect for kids! There’s also a Tiki bar called Lani’s Luau Grille on site at the pool area which offers a selection of food items, smoothies, beer and cocktails. You can also enjoy a poolside breakfast there in the mornings! And for your convenience there is a spacious sun deck just above the Tiki bar. I love that the resort offers a wheel chair lift for guests to use if they choose to go up to the sun deck. The Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa also has a second relaxation pool on the opposite side of the resort for guests who prefer a quieter pool side experience.

Reflections Spa & Salon is another perk to enjoy! This full service spa & salon offers anything you can imagine to help you unwind and relax during your vacation. Reflections Spa is located in the main building of the resort and is on a floor all its own. Talk about tranquility! They offer a number of services including facials, body treatments, massages, nail care, hair care and more! We chose to have the Tropical Island Massage in the Couple’s Massage room. The luxurious full body massage with the senses of the Island was just what we needed! We were encouraged to enjoy the complimentary sauna in each of our changing rooms. I loved the soft bathrobes and slippers provided in the changing rooms as well. The large inside waiting room housed a neat fish tank and included complimentary bottled water, pink lemonade and cookies. We truly enjoyed our experience at the Reflections Spa & Salon. The staff was unbeatable as well!

When we arrived, the front desk gave us a $5 off coupon for the resorts very own authentic Frankie Farrell’s Irish Pub and Grille. The restaurant menu included items like wings, salads, fish and chips, burgers, pastas and more. The pub offers 32 different beers on tap and has 17 plasma televisions for your viewing pleasure. We couldn’t wait to check it out!

On-site is a Pizza Hut Cafe Express which offers a variety of items like sandwiches, salads and of course pizza! They also offer a selection of breakfast items to accommodate their guests. Included in the same building is a mini-mart store and gift shop with anything you can imagine! This is convenient for grabbing a snack, a bottle of wine, an item you forgot to pack, etc. Located next door is a large game room with pool tables, air hockey and arcade games. The LBV Resort Village and Spa also houses a 24 hour fitness center equipped with all sorts of workout machines and televisions.

Located within walking distance are the Lake Buena Vista Factory stores. This small cluster of stores includes Tommy Hilfiger, Sony and Gap. A nice added touch is that the resort provides you with Factory store coupons valued at up to $400 upon arrival.

There is an array of housekeeping services available through the resort for a minimum fee. They even offer a free shuttle service to the Disney Parks, Sea World and Universal Studios! Can it get any better than this?! We were very impressed with all the amenities the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa has to offer. One of my favorite features of the resort is its location. Although it is minutes from many of Orlando’s attractions, it’s set back off the main road enough that you do not hear the hustle and bustle of traffic and there’s open land neighboring it to keep it peaceful.

I would recommend the LBV Resort Village and Spa to any family or couple planning a visit to the Orlando area!

*I received a complimentary stay, spa services and food comps in order to provide review. All opinions are my own.

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SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration And Santa’s Fireside Feast 2011!

by Lee on December 17, 2011

Last year I told you all about SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration in Orlando, FL. The Sea of Trees is one of my favorite Holiday experiences between all the theme parks. We were treated to this event again this year and it only got better.

This year we had dinner with Santa Claus at Santa’s Fireside Feast buffet. The food on the buffet is some of the best food I have ever eaten. You can get a full Christmas dinner with Turkey, numerous types of potatoes, stuffing, vegetables and the list goes on. It was delicious. My friend Amanda with DisneyEverday.com went back for stuffing more than once stating it was the best stuffing she’d ever tasted. They were smart as well when they created a special kids selection with chicken fingers, mac and cheese, fries and more. The desserts were plentiful and tasty as well.

Once you’ve had a chance to eat, the show takes the stage. Two super cute elves begin entertaining and introducing Mrs. Claus. She is so busy working in the kitchen she doesn’t realize all her guests have already arrived. When she calls in Santa to read everyone a story the kids will be fascinated. After that you can go up on stage and take a picture with him.

The show O Wondrous Night is 30 minutes long and includes puppets and many live animals. Your kids will get a kick out of seeing the animals, big and small, parade up and down the stage. This retelling of a Christmas Story is one that will keep the little one’s attention.

And of course you can’t miss The Polor Express. You actually get to ride (or there is a non ride option) the Polar Express train experience while watching a part of the movie. Then you are dropped off at the North Pole where Santa awaits. This is the kids favorite part every year.

Finally Shamu even has a Christmas show. Shamu Christmas Miracles focuses on children explaining what they consider to be miracles. Most of them say babies and puppies, but in super cute ways. The trainers have Shamu ready to entertain and they even do a bit of singing and dancing! It’s a can’t miss and only showing a limited time.

Check out the SeaWorld Christmas Celebration every night until December 31st. Buy your tickets HERE!

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CLOSED! Orlando, FL Giveaway For The Ringling Bros. & Barnum And Bailey Circus!

December 12, 2011

Here They Come They’re Back In Town It’s the greatest show around Cause the circus is coming to town That’s right ladies and gentlemen, Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus is coming to Orlando’s Amway Center January 12-16th. This season they will present Dragons! Don’t miss DRAGONS, a once in a millennium event that [...]

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Dreamworks Presents Ice And Snow At Gaylord Palms Hotel Orlando, FL!

December 9, 2011

Walking in a winter wonderland…unfortunately here in Central Florida we don’t get to experience such a thing. We walk in a sauna filled with wilting Holiday decorations. Honestly, the Holidays just aren’t the same without all the bundling and the cold. I guess someone tipped off the Gaylord Palms Hotel so they thought up a [...]

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Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2011 Review!

December 5, 2011

Every year we are invited to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, held on special nights throughout November and December, and every year we have a magical time. That is what Disney is all about right, magical times and the ability to get away from it all. This year was no different than any other and [...]

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Walt Disney World Festival Of The Masters. November 11-13!

November 11, 2011

Hey locals! If you are trying to figure out what to do on this nice cool weekend consider visiting Downtown Disney for the 2011 Festival Of The Masters. This is the 36th annual show and this year they’ve added Disney artists. On top of all the great art to browse (and buy) there are also [...]

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Chef Ming Tsai Visits Epcot International Food and Wine Festival!

November 7, 2011

Ming Tsai is more than just an award-winning chef, TV personality and author. He’s also a concerned father. Ming came to Orlando for the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival this week, giving guests a taste of his East-meets-West culinary philosophy, peppered with Ocean Spray Craisins. When he was wasn’t talking about the food (roasted beef [...]

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Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2011!

November 1, 2011

Epcot is currently holding their 2011 Food and Wine Festival through November 13th. This is a special event that occurs each year and offers food from all different countries for prices near $3 and some of the best wine and beer for similar prices. Of course the servings are very small so be prepared to [...]

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