What’s your favorite Disney memory or even your worst? Some things that happen in Disney parks that are universal: The first time you saw the castle, eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table, watching the fireworks at night. All of these make for special memories but sometimes… Read More »Your Disney Memories.
Only one of the big three parks in Orlando offers a Halloween party that’s free with the price of admission. The family friendly Halloween Spooktacular is full of spooky fun. 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. My family and I enjoy the party-like atmosphere as much as the bigger pay events at the other parks in town.
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. When you’re there, make sure you take advantage of this social media promotion, you could end up with some cool VIP treats.
Spooktacular Highlights below the jump:
I have a confession to make: I’ve been having a deep, personal relationship with the pork two-ways from California Grill. You may say “Oh, it’s just another pretty dish” or “How can it be any better than its previous incarnation, the pork loin?” Well, it’s better, trust me. And it’s completely worthy of its own post.
If you dined at the California Grill before the recent refurbishment, you know that the pork loin was its number one dish for two decades. It was simple peasant food really, just a basic polenta flavored with goat cheese and topped with a few slices of lightly seasoned tenderloin and some button mushrooms. It’s simplicity, of course, was also what made it perfect. But while it was filling and satisfying, it had gotten a little bit boring. In recent years, I’d found myself straying over to the scallops or, if I was feeling especially adventurous, the sushi. It, not unlike the décor and the overall feel of the rest of the restaurant, was in serious need of an overhaul.
When the California Grill opened back up a few weeks ago, I was pleased to see that they had updated, but not removed entirely, some of its best dishes, the pork being one of them. Now you’ll get a smaller serving of pork loin topped with fried sage and another serving of pork belly. Pork belly, you say? Think a big square of bacon. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.Read More »Pork Two Ways at the California Grill: An Old Friend Returns, Only Better.
I’m a big fan of the food truck scene here in Central Florida. That’s my current favorite truck above! Downtown Disney has experimented off and on with adding a food truck to the lineup with mixed results. For a couple of months, there’s a been… Read More »New Food Trucks coming to Downtown Disney Orlando
The trailer for the controversial feature film shot surreptitiously at Walt Disney World is now online. Randy Moore’s Escape from Tomorrow starts out innocuously, as a family embarks on a trip to Disney World. Once there, however, the father learns that he’s lost his job.… Read More »Escape from Tomorrow Trailer Now Online
There’s one thing Universal Orlando wants you to know. It is not content playing second fiddle to Disney’s Orlando theme parks. They want to challenge for the lead, well, they at least want to close the gap between them and Disney’s least attended park.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom attracted 9.9 million last year and Islands of Adventure just 8.0 million. Universal Studios Florida did not experience the same boost as IOA did with the addition of Harry Potter, but they’re making up for it in 2013 with a better parade, Transformers 3D, and soon more Harry Potter with Hogwarts Express and Diagon Alley.
But even if you add in all that additional ride capacity it won’t be enough to match the people eaters that are Disney’s parks. So Universal has committed to spending $500 million more on its domestic theme parks. We know that Universal Studios Hollywood will get a Harry Potter attraction or two (construction walls are going up now). But what does that mean for Orlando? How about two new rides for Islands of Adventure.Read More »Universal Orlando Plans to Hold Disney’s Feet to The Fire
SeaWorld Olrando’s Aquatica opened in 2008 and expanded with a funnel slide in 2010, since then it’s been floating along doing a respectible job as one of the top 10 water parks in the US. Now there are signs that a new attraction is on… Read More »SeaWorld Orlando’s Aquatica Teases Something Tall
Last night I was invited to attend a gala party to re-open the California Grill at the Contemporary Resort. In addition to a revamped menu, they remodeled the dining area with a mid-century modern look inspired by Disney artist Mary Blair, added a new show kitchen, even upgraded the exterior with new windows and allowed easy access to the south observation deck for the first time. On both observation decks they added new lights and a new sound system that delivers the fireworks soundtrack clearer than ever before.
After dinner we were all invited outside to watch Wishes performed in the air over the Magic Kingdom. We choose the new south observation deck which allows a better view of the Magic Kingdom and Cinderella Castle. You’re able to see the front of the castle, which if you have great vision or a zoom lens, lets you get the digital projection show too and I’m sure will be spectacular when it’s lit up for Christmas season.
Below is a video of Wishes taken from the very end of the deck.Read More »California Grill: A New View for Magic Kingdom Fireworks