SeaWorld Christmas Celebration Brightens the Holidays

Brighten up this year’s holiday season during SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration, where guests experience the joys of Christmas complete with all-new festivities and returning favorites sure to inspire traditions for years to come. Holiday events take place Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays November 25 through December 11 and then run daily December 16 through 31. 

During SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration guests of all ages can delight over scrumptious food, stunning live shows, joyful entertainment inspired by the natural world and much more.

All-New Holiday Festivities 

·         Rudolph’s ChristmasTown – New this year is the Rudolph’s ChristmasTown where guests can meet Rudolph, Clarice, Bumble and Yukon Cornelius from the classic family Christmas television special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  Plus, guests can stroll past life-size story book vignettes showcasing the classic Rudolph story.

 

·         Santa’s Workshop presented by Coca-Cola – Meet Santa Claus in an all-new Christmas experience.  Guests can make timeless memories to treasure as they embrace the joy of the holiday season at Santa’s Workshop, presented by Coca-Cola. 

 

Returning Holiday Favorites

·         Clyde & Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas – A returning classic, Sea Lion & Otter Stadium celebrates the season with a hilarious Christmas comedy show.  Clyde and Seamore, along with a few mischievous otters, a comical elf, and even a jolly walrus, invite guests to their fun-filled holiday celebration. 

·         Shamu Christmas Miracles – Shamu Stadium once again brightens the night with dazzling lights and glowing candles, while Christmas carols abound and Shamu splashes to celebrate the holiday season. 

 

·         O Wondrous Night – Experience a live nativity only SeaWorld can bring to life, complete with more than 30 carols, life-sized puppets, and animals in a spectacular Christmas favorite based on The Christmas Story.  Told through the eyes of the animals that were there, O Wondrous Night is a touching, light-hearted, and glorious celebration with a host of angels, animals, and the true glory of Christmas.

·         Sesame Street’s Elmo’s Christmas Wish – The holidays have arrived, and everybody’s Sesame Street^® friends have come to SeaWorld Orlando for a festive and fun musical celebration! Elmo’s Christmas Wish will soon become every child’s favorite show. Join Rosita, Grover, Zoe and Cookie Monster as they work together to help Elmo find his Christmas wish!

 

·         Winter Wonderland on Ice – Christmas comes to life on a stage of ice, jewels and light as skaters dazzle and delight in this show-stopping, ice skating extravaganza.

·         Sea of Trees – Families will stroll through a wintery, watery wonderland as they are immersed in a sea of glistening holiday trees that sparkle to music as they light up the water. New this year is a glistening Christmas tree towering 70-feet above the water. 

 

·         The Christmas Market – Nestled along the park’s Bayside Pathway, The Christmas Market features festive entertainment and delicious culinary delights. Complete with playful elves, a charming model train village, and the comedic antics of the Christmas Council, the Market is the centerpiece of SeaWorld’s Christmas event. Guests can also relax near the warm glow of the fire pit a holiday cocktail while experiencing a wonderful view of the vibrant Sea of Trees.

Holiday Cuisine

For those looking for unique holiday cuisine, The Christmas Market is filled with fresh-popped kettle corn, waffle cone S’mores, grilled slider sandwiches, short-rib brisket mac & cheese and SeaWorld’s very own apple pie with a unique and delicious twist. Guests can also sip on flavorful hoppy craft brews and specialty flavored hot cocoa located near the stage at Bayside Pathway. Live music under the Gazebo completes the entire experience as guests enjoy the craft brew. 

Guests can now indulge their senses with more than 60 delectable bites and craft brews served on tap with two all-new Tasting & Brew Sampler packages.

Guests can also enjoy a memorable holiday meal, along with a meet and greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Santa’s Fireside Feast. The exclusive dinner features an all-you-care-to-eat menu of holiday favorites and delicious desserts.

Ring In The New Year at SeaWorld Orlando

On December 31, guests can ring in the New Year at SeaWorld Orlando. Vibrant fireworks will fill the night sky and festive entertainment will take place throughout the park, including interactive DJ stations, craft beers and delectable bites. 

In early summer 2017, a first-of-its-kind water theme park will erupt at Universal Orlando Resort – Universal’s Volcano Bay. It will be an innovative experience filled with incredible thrills and perfected relaxation.  And on November 15, guests will have the chance to purchase tickets to experience it firsthand.  Guests can receive a notification when tickets go on sale and updates about Volcano Bay by signing up for real-time email alerts.

 

Volcano Bay will span 30 fully immersive acres and feature a variety of experiences that range from daring to serene.  Dozens of unique attractions will offer something for everyone, including a multi-directional wave pool with sandy beaches, a peaceful winding river, twisting multi-rider raft rides, speeding body slides that drop from the top of the volcano into the waters below – and more.  And the best part – guests won’t have to wait in long lines to enjoy any of it.

Today, Universal Orlando Resort reveals first-ever details about the park’s state-of-the-art Krakatau Aqua Coaster that will take guests on an exciting voyage unlike any other, and the all-new TapuTapu wearable technology that will redefine the way guests experience water parks.

 

Krakatau Aqua Coaster – Volcano Bay’s State-of-the-Art Marquee Attraction

Krakatau Aqua Coaster will be the star experience at Universal’s Volcano Bay – combining innovative ride technology with water theme park thrills to take families on an unforgettable adventure through the park’s massive icon – the 200-foot Krakatau volcano.

Guests will board specially-designed canoes and propel downwards – and upwards – through the volcano’s interior peaks and valleys.  They’ll twist, turn and plummet along dark passageways, be launched through sparkling waterfalls and so much more.

Universal is using some of the incredible technology that makes its theme park attractions so compelling to create a first-of-its-kind aqua coaster in Florida.  The attraction will use linear induction motor technology, which launches the canoe uphill before it immediately sends riders into a downhill plunge.  This technology – combined with the immersive theming Universal is known for – will make Krakatau Aqua Coaster a unique water theme park attraction that’s fun for the entire family.

 

TapuTapu Wearable Will Redefine the Queue Experience – Less Time Waiting in Lines, More Time Having Fun

Universal’s Volcano Bay will debut a new technology, the TapuTapu wearable, designed to make the guest experience throughout the entire park as hassle-free and fun-filled as possible.  As part of their admission, guests will receive a TapuTapu wearable upon arrival to the park that allows them to do the following with a simple tap:

·         Virtual Lines.

Guests will be able to virtually wait in line while they play in other areas of the park.  The wearable will alert guests when it’s time for them to ride so they can head to the attraction.

·         Tap to play.
Guests will discover various “tap-to-play” experiences throughout the park – all designed exclusively for Volcano Bay by Universal’s award-winning creative team.  With just a tap of TapuTapu, guests can trigger special effects like controlling streams of water spurting from whales in Tot Tiki Reef, shooting water cannons at guests snaking down Kopiko Wai Winding River and illuminating images in the volcano’s hidden caves.

NEW DETAILS ABOUT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT “RACE THROUGH NEW YORK STARRING JIMMY FALLON”

In Spring 2017, fans will be immersed in the world of America’s No. 1 late-night talk show “The Tonight Show” in a brand-new attraction – “Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Today, Universal Orlando Resort reveals new details about the ride – where guests will get up close and personal with the show’s most hilarious segments before taking off on a wild and action-packed race through New York against Jimmy Fallon himself.

The attraction will also feature cameos by familiar faces like Sara from “Ew,” Jimmy in “Tight Pants,” “Tonight Show” announcer Steve Higgins, and Grammy award-winning band, The Roots, who are also the musical masterminds behind the original attraction score.

Here are some additional, never-before-revealed details:

HANG OUT IN STUDIO 6B

·         Guests can enjoy a special live performance from the Ragtime Gals barbershop quartet in the Studio 6B Club. Plus, guests will have the chance to meet and interact with The Tonight Show’s beloved mascot, Hashtag the Panda.

·         Studio 6B Club will also give guests the opportunity to play host at their own Interactive Desk where they can send Jimmy Fallon’s famous Thank You Notes to their friends and family, prep for their race with a ‘Jimmy Drive’ retro-style video game, and watch their favorite show clips. 

GET READY FOR A CRAZY RIDE

·         Guests will board the world’s first-ever flying theater, which seats up to 72 audience members, for their thrilling race against Jimmy Fallon.

·         The race will take guests through the streets of New York City and all the way to the moon and back. They’ll encounter iconic landmarks from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building to everything in between.

EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF THE TONIGHT SHOW

·         As they step foot into the renowned NBC Studios, guests will get an up-close look at significant moments in the 62-year history of one of television’s most popular franchises, “The Tonight Show.”

·         In The Tonight Show lobby, guests get VIP access to NBC Studios. They’ll get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see real props and set pieces from one of the longest-running shows in television history – everything from actual suits of past and present hosts to NBC video cameras used to record the show to cue cards used in past episodes.

New Holidays Around the World Marketplaces

Explore what the holidays taste like around the globe at five new marketplaces Nov. 25 – Dec. 30. : indulge in duck confit and dumplings from the Alpine Haus Marketplace, celebrate with the shredded beef tamale from the Three Kings Feast Marketplace (open until Jan. 6), toast with Williams Punch from the Germany Marketplace, and more.

Holidays Around the World entertainment

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the nations of World Showcase, as each country’s holiday heritage comes to life amid joyful music and time-honored traditions.

A cherished Epcot tradition, the Candlelight Processional captures the spirit of the season in the retelling of the Christmas story by celebrity narrators, accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and choir. The Candlelight Processional is performed three times each evening, 5:00, 6:45 and 8 p.m. at America Gardens Theatre from Nov. 25-Dec. 30. Narrators in 2016 include Neil Patrick Harris, Whoopi Goldberg, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Meredith Vieira, and Cal. Ripken, Jr. Candlelight dinner packages are available through Disneyworld.com/holiday.

In the spirit of the holidays, the sky-filling spectacle IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth adds a special seasonal finale Nov. 25-Dec.30. Holiday greetings in native languages from the countries of World Showcase join with the classic song “Let There be Peace on Earth” to add a heartwarming finish to IllumiNations.

My daughter and I experienced a weekend Adventures by Disney vacation to New York City.  We loved this quick getaway!  The trip started on Thursday and ended on Sunday.  From booking to heading home, the whole experience was stress free!  Here is a quick guide to an Adventures by Disney experience.

Arriving to the Destination

When booking my trip, I included airfare into my package.  This way I had some support of Adventures by Disney, if anything went wrong with my flight.  The flight was an easy direct flight and all went well on my flight into New York City.  As a travel expert, I normally book my own flights, but I do recommend including your flights into your Adventure by Disney (ABD) package.

Once we landed in NYC, we walked down to Baggage Claim to find our town car driver holding a sign with our name on it.  I was traveling alone with my 9 year old daughter, so this made me feel safe and again stress free.  In addition, our driver was a careful driver!  If you have ever taken a taxi in NYC, you know exactly what I am talking about.  Our driver was careful maneuvering around the traffic to our hotel.

Hotel Accommodations

Adventures by Disney is a luxury tour company.  You enjoy exclusive experiences and top rated hotels.  Our hotel was near Times Square, just a few minutes walk.  It was a quaint hotel.  The highlight was the size of the rooms.  They were suites, not just typical smaller NYC rooms.  We had a mini kitchenette, two bathrooms, a huge living room, and a separate bedroom.  For NYC, these suites were HUGE.  That is one of the benefits of booking an Adventures by Disney vacation.  You stay is more exclusive hotels.

Dining

Most of your meals are included with an Adventures by Disney tour.  These meals are little hidden gems around the city.  On the first day of our NYC tour, we dined in a private area of the old church renovated into a pizzeria called John’s Pizza.  This restaurant is always a “must do” on our New York City vacations.  The entire meal was planned for us with appetizers ready to go, once we arrived to the restaurant to a selection of pizzas and desserts.  We left the restaurant stuffed!

This is just one of our experiences.  Several of the restaurants were in private areas, just for our group.  Many of the Chefs would come out and give us the history of the restaurants and NYC.  It was not just dining, but an experience!

Experiences

The experiences is why I book and Adventures by Disney!  You will enjoy once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that you would not get to see or do on your own or with any other tour company.  During our Adventures by Disney, we had so many highlights.  Here are just a few of the behind the scenes opportunities we got to experience.

• Behind the Scenes at Good Morning America:  This morning was an early day, but AMAZING!  We walked from our hotel (as a group) to Good Morning America in Times Square.  We walked right into the backstage area to the green room.  We had coffee and treats waiting for us!  They first took us to the control room.  We were right in the middle of the control room for the Good Morning America show.  I was so close to the action that I could have pushed one of the buttons.  It was incredible to see the behind the scenes of how they run the show.  After seeing the control room, they took us to the set.  We stood in the back while the hosts and film crew filmed Good Morning America LIVE.  In between takes, the hosts came over to say hi and get pictures.  My favorite part was waving to all of the fans outside the windows.  In the past, I had been one of those fans.  Today, I was inside waving back at them.
• Front Row for Jason Derulo:  After Good Morning America, we hopped on a tour bus to Central Park to another surprise.  It was the GMA Concert Series.  They had blocked off a front row area, just for us for the Jason Derulo concert.  We literally showed up, were escorted to our area, and then the show started.  It was amazing!

• Behind the Scenes at the Prop Room:  As a Disney fan, we have our favorite Disney movies turned into Broadway Shows like the Lion King and Mary Poppins.  Imagine our surprise, when we show up to the theater to be escorted to the Disney Prop Room.  We got to learn about some of the props from the Broadway Shows and even try them on.  It was amazing!
• Learn a Song & Dance from Aladdin:  This day could not get better, but it did.  We were then escorted to a dance studio.  We met up with (2) choreographers from Aladdin.  They taught us one of the songs and dances from the Aladdin Broadway Show.  This was so much fun!  Later in the evening, we got to see the Aladdin Broadway Show.  It was spectacular to look at everyone in our group singing and mini dancing to the same routine as the actors.  That was truly a VIP experience!

Stress FREE

As a female travelers with a child traveling alone in New York City, it was such a relief to have (2) NYC local guides (that were Disney Cast Members) there to assist us every step of the way.  We literally woke up and arrived on time.  The guides would take us everywhere.  They would tip the town car driver.  They would pay for the meals and tip the servers and singers.  Everything was included.  I did not have to take out my wallet once.  I did not have to worry about any lines or tickets.  It was truly a stress free vacation.

For some of the visitors in our group, our guides did a little bit more.  There was a family in our group that had a sick child.  Our guides helped them with doctors, a pharmacy, arranged transportation once they felt better to join our group, and was there for support.  When traveling to a new city, it is incredible to have a local there for guidance along with a concierge to make sure you have the best experience possible.  That is exactly what happened to this family during our trip.

Extra Magic

It is Disney, so there is always extra magic!  The guides are always taking pictures.  Of course, you still want to bring your camera, but they will be taking a lot of pictures for you during your vacation.  At the end of the vacation, they will email you all of the pictures to download from home.

Disney loves pins!  With the Adventures by Disney tours, you get a new pin each night (commemorating your experience that day).  You can add all of these pins to your lanyard to wear during your adventure and it is a great souvenir after your vacation.

Lots of swag!  Before you even leave for your Adventures by Disney, you will receive goodies.  For our trip, we received a nice documents/passport holder and bag.  These were fantastic for our Adventures by Disney getaway.

Our Adventures by Disney experience to New York City was a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.  We had such a great time and we cannot wait to take another Adventures by Disney vacation with the whole family.

How Can I Afford It?

The Adventures by Disney vacations are a luxury tour with truly exclusive experiences. With that, comes a higher price tag!  I suggest starting your Adventures by Disney experience with a weekend trip like San Francisco, Nashville, or New York City.  These trips are shorter weekend trips and are much more affordable.  There is a reason Adventures by Disney has a huge repeat guest ratio.  Once you take one ABD, you will take more.  Try a shorter weekend to test it out.  It is less expensive and it is a good jumping point for Adventures by Disney.

Another tip is plan early.  As soon as Disney releases the Adventures by Disney trips for the next year; go ahead and book your trip.  You can pay the deposit and then make small monthly payments until the final payment.  It is like a travel layaway plan.

Start planning your 2017 Adventures by Disney getaway today!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

It’s a Christmas party like no other, with joyful music, a shimmering Cinderella Castle, characters in their festive finery and the Magic Kingdom decked out and even more magical for merry-making guests of all ages. Disney princes join princesses at Princess Fairytale Hall. Guests can meet Nick and Judy from “Zootopia” in Tomorrowland. The special party – complete with cookies, cocoa and snow flurries – begins at 7 p.m., after regular park hours. Dates for this year:

November 7,8,10,11, 13, 15, 18, 27, 29

December 1,2,4,6,8,9,11,13,15,16,18, 22

All new! Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration

New to the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Mickey and his pals host some of their friends for an unforgettable Christmas soiree filled with medleys of delightful classic and contemporary holiday songs, and magical holiday projections on Cinderella Castle building to a sensational, snowy finale. (Also available Dec. 23 – 31 during regular park operating hours).

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

The enchanting holiday parade during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party transforms Main Street, U.S.A. Santa Claus, gingerbread men, elves, reindeer, toy soldiers and other friends from the North Pole join Mickey and his pals. Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf from “Frozen” join in the fun.

SeaWorld Orlando Penguin Receives One-of-a-Kind Wetsuit

Guests visiting Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld Orlando can see one penguin that does not quite look like the others. She’s wearing her very own wetsuit. This SeaWorld Orlando penguin received this one-of-a-kind wetsuit.

 

The female Adelie penguin recently experienced feather-loss, which can happen to penguins in their natural habitats and wild populations. As a result of her feather-loss, the bird had a hard time naturally regulating her body temperature. SeaWorld’s aviculture team set out to assist her and created a wetsuit to mimic her former coat of feathers. The coat was designed and sewn by SeaWorld’s wardrobe department and custom fit just for her.  

 

While wearing her wetsuit the penguin swims, sleeps and eats alongside her fellow penguins. This is just another extraordinary example of how SeaWorld Orlando cares for the marine animals at the park.

 “Once Upon a Time” is a Nighttime Show on Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom

Disney Storytelling & Technology Share the Spotlight in Projection Show Premiering Nov. 4 at Cinderella Castle, Walt Disney World Resort

Classic Disney fairy tales light up a fairy-tale castle as the projection show “Once Upon a Time” begins beaming its magic onto Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort.

The fantastic and heartwarming show begins regular performances for Magic Kingdom Park guests on Nov. 4.

The new show uses projection-mapping technology to produce a dazzling three-dimensional effect that fits every nook and contour of the Castle, from its base to the tips of its towers and turrets.

The result: Cinderella Castle opens like a storybook and becomes living art, the canvas for a kaleidoscopic and eye-filling feast of fantasy.

Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the timeless animated classic, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the new projection show is narrated by Mrs. Potts who shares “once upon a time” bedtime stories with Chip.

Projected scenes let guests relive some of their favorite Disney moments. They’ll fly with Peter Pan above the rooftops of London to Never Land, drop in on a whimsical tea party hosted by the Mad Hatter and watch Winnie the Pooh rise to the top of the Castle while he hangs from a colorful balloon. These are just some of the enchanting tales that come to life in “Once Upon a Time.”

The awe-inspiring show culminates with classic scenes from Beauty and the Beast – the Beast waltzing with his beloved Belle, his duel with Gaston, and finally his transformation back to the Prince. As Mrs. Potts and Chip conclude their bedtime story, the show moves to its grand finale including appearances by characters from some of Disney’s most beloved animated tales. Fireworks bursting above the Castle add to the magic.

“Once Upon a Time” is part of an exciting Fall lineup of offerings at Walt Disney World Resort. It joins the spectacular fireworks show “Wishes” among exciting nighttime offerings in the park.

“Once Upon a Time” takes its inspiration from a projection show that has thrilled guests at Tokyo Disney Resort since May, 2014. The new show replaces the “Celebrate the Magic” Castle projection show that will end its four-year run on Nov. 3.

La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil announces savings for Florida’s first responders

As a thank you to those who keep Florida safe, La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil is offering first responders (Florida police, firefighters and emergency medical service personnel) tickets at 39 percent savings on Category 2 tickets for themselves and up to five (5) guests per show. With the discount, tickets for first responders are $49.

Florida first responders can visit the La Nouba box office to take advantage of the savings. Offer is valid for Category 2 tickets. Florida emergency responder personnel ID required. The first responder offer is available for sale now for shows running through Dec. 16.

800-Pound Pregnant Manatee Flown to SeaWorld Orlando’s Rescue Facility by U. S. Coast Guard for Care

The SeaWorld Orlando Rescue Team is now caring for an 800-pound pregnant manatee that arrived today on a U.S. Coast Guard plane from Connecticut – an amazing 1,300 mile journey. The manatee, named Washburn was picked up in Nantucket Sound and sent to the Mystic Aquarium for rehab. Manatees are not native to Massachusetts and the water is too cold for them to survive.

SeaWorld’s Animal Rescue team partnered with multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) to coordinate today’s move. The manatee will receive expert care from SeaWorld’s Animal Rescue Team and veterinarians until she is ready to be returned to her natural Florida habitat.  

So far this year, SeaWorld Orlando has rescued 20 manatees and returned 17 back to local Florida waters. Washburn is SeaWorld’s 21^strescued manatee. Upon arrival, she immediately began to eat and swim in the rehabilitation pool. The SeaWorld Care Team will continue to monitor her and her unborn calf around the clock.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment operates one of the world’s most respected programs to rescue ill and injured marine animals, with the goal to rehabilitate and return to the ocean. SeaWorld animal experts have helped more than 28,000 animals in need – ill, injured, orphaned and abandoned – for more than four decades.

SeaWorld Orlando will work closely with the (FWC) to determine when Washburn is ready to be returned as well as the proper time and location for the return to take place.

Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership

As part of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), SeaWorld Orlando is an acute care rehabilitation facility that provides life-saving medical care to rescued manatees.

The MRP is a cooperative group of non-profit, private, state, and federal entities who work together to monitor the health and survival of rehabilitated and released manatees.  Information about manatees currently being tracked is available at www.wildtracks.org. The Florida manatee is at risk from both natural and man-made causes of injury and mortality. Exposure to red tide, cold stress, and disease are all natural problems that can affect manatees. Human-caused threats include boat strikes, crushing by flood gates or locks, and entanglement in or ingestion of fishing gear.