Tails were wagging and kitties were purring when Best Friends Pet Care opened the doors to its new luxury pet resort in Walt Disney World. This new space replaces all the former kennels at Disney World. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading New luxury pet care center replaces kennels at Disney World – Video/Photos…

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When Space Mountain reopened last year after a seven-month refurbishment, it had many new enhancements such as video games, lighting and other queue enhancements. The track was made smoother as well, but many guests were hoping music would be added to the ride like Space Mountain at Disneyland. Well a year later, they have their wish. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Musical soundtrack and sound effects added to Space Mountain – audio and video…

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Let’s start our photo update back in Jurassic Park. Guests can now meet a 10-week-old Triceratops in the Camp Jurassic area. The baby dinosaur moves and blinks her eyes. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Photo Update: Islands of Adventure – Dinos, Wizarding World and character bands…

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Column by Andy Guinigundo

Amusement park company Cedar Fair announced the addition of WindSeeker to its ride lineup at four Cedar Fair parks for 2011. The high spinning ride will grace the landscapes of Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio near Cleveland, Kings Island near Cincinnati, Ohio, Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park, Calif., and Canada’s Wonderland Park near Toronto. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Out of the Loop: WindSeeker will take riders 300 feet up at four Cedar Fair parks…

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All 53 contestants for the title of Miss America 2011 visited the Magic Kingdom today. Representing 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the ladies restarted the Miss America tradition of walking together down Main Street toward Cinderella Castle. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Video: Miss America 2011 contestants visit Disney characters at Magic Kingdom…

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We were the first to tell you Banks Lee’s story in early June in an article entitled, “Are you too big to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey?”. This young man’s quest to lose enough weight to ride the new attraction in Universal’s Islands of Adventure made national headlines. Today he made his goal. He rode Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. (Pictured above, second from right.) [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Man’s weight loss quest to ride Forbidden Journey a success…

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Vidia, one of the stars of the upcoming movie Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, is the newest fairy to become a “resident” of Pixie Hollow at the Magic Kingdom. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Magic Kingdom guests can now meet Vidia, Pixie Hollow’s newest resident…

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The musical group Survivor will be live in concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5, in Gwazi Park at Busch Gardens. Survivor is best known for ‘80s hits including the Rocky theme, Eye of the Tiger, as well as High on You and The Search is Over. The concert is free to all park guests. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Survivor in concert at Busch Gardens for Labor Day weekend…

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“There is more to paralyzing fear than a scream in the darkness or a cool breath on the back of the neck. Or the grip of the undead. Fear that truly consumes us comes from deep inside our souls, stirred by something we don’t always understand and rarely have the chance to confront. Until now.”

The Halloween Horror Nights 20 theme for 2010 is about Fear himself. He is the master of everything Halloween Horror Nights has ever been and will become. His weapons: Chaos, Death, Sacrifice, Mythos, Vengeance. His pawns: a clown, a storyteller, an undertaker, a director, an usher, and you. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Halloween Horror Nights 20 to feature 8 new houses, 6 scare zones and 2 shows…

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Column by Kenny “The Pirate” White

A website is offering a special deal for Orlando area restaurants for $2. That’s right! Not dinner for two, it’s dinner for only $2.

If you purchase a restaurant.com gift certificate using the code “Clearance” at check out, you will receive $25 worth of food and beverage for only $2. There are a lot of Orlando area restaurants involved in this limited time offer including Shulas, bluezoo, Kimonos and Garden Grove Disney character dinner at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin.

Other prominent restaurants include: House of Blues, Giordanos, TradeWinds in the CoCo Key Water Resort and Tarantino’s. Some offer certificates up to $100 for only $8. Each restaurant has its own restrictions, so be sure to check the details before purchasing. Some may require a certain number of entrees per ticket or a total purchase amount.

You can use one certificate per person purchasing. You can purchase for each restaurant you’d like to try on your next vacation to Orlando or even purchase some in your own hometown. Restaurant.com requires a United States address and credit card with purchase.

To find Orlando’s attractions-area deals, visit restaurant.com and search the zip code 32830. The $25 gift certificates will be listed at $10, but this will be updated when you enter the promo code: CLEARANCE. This offer expires Aug. 31, 2010. There are also limited amounts of each certificate.

Have dinner for $2 and tell them Kenny the Pirate sent you.

Kenny “the pirate” White is an avid fan of the Orlando theme parks. He specializes in saving his friends and family money on their Orlando vacations. He and his family have also won numerous contests and sweepstakes. Kenny and his family have made more than 25 trips to Orlando. He currently lives in Gun Barrel City, Texas.

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AARP (an association for people aged 50 and older) is bringing its annual National Event & Expo to Orlando this fall. Taking place at the Orange County Convention Center from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, Orlando@50+ is a three-day event geared towards those over 50 and will offer something for everyone with entertainment, celebrities, experts and exhibits. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading AARP expo to bring celebrities, concerts for the 50 plus crowd to Orlando…

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There’s a new way to read Orlando Attractions Magazine. Besides the print edition, which is available via mail and at major bookstores nationwide, you can now purchase and read full versions of the magazine on Apple’s iPad. Besides reading the magazine, the app can also be used to read the latest Orlando theme park and attractions news. The app is a free download from the iTunes store. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading ‘Orlando Attractions Magazine’ iPad app now available free in the iTunes store…

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Pinkberry, the tart frozen yogurt brand made famous by celebrities in California, has opened its first store in Florida, just down the street from International Drive in The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Florida’s first Pinkberry frozen yogurt store now open in Orlando…

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Busch Gardens officially kicks off it’s 11th season of scares with more haunted houses than ever before, all new scare zones, a new idea in how to experience a haunted house and live concerts each night by the rock stars of horror – Sylvie and her killer band, My X. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Howl-O-Scream 2010 to offer new and unique houses, zones and shows…

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Keith Cardin loves visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. He thinks it’s an awesome place for fans to visit, so much so, that he’s trying to raise money for a pair of financially-strapped hard-core Potter fans to win an all-expenses paid trip to Orlando and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Organization wants to send two passionate Potter fans to the Wizarding World…

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The first-ever D23 Expo in 2009 left Disney fans asking when there would be another. Now’s the time to start planning. Tickets and special packages are on sale now for a three-day event that will bring the entire world of Disney under one roof at the Anaheim Convention Center in California next Aug. 19 to 21. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading D23 Expo 2011 tickets on sale now – Convention returns to California…

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Column by Andy Guinigundo

As Pixar favorites have continued to grow in popularity, they have been taking up an increasing amount of real estate in the Disney Parks. Toy Story Midway Mania has been in place in Florida and California for a few years now. Pizza Planet has been dishing out the slices of pie for probably over a decade at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Work continues at Disney California Adventure on the new Cars Land. It should be completed in 2012. This Pixar popularity crosses over internationally too. This week at Disneyland Paris, the new Toy Story Playland officially debuted. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Out of the Loop: A look at Toy Story Playland in Paris…

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Column by Audrey Brown

Before the majestic hang-gliding sensory rich experience of Soarin’ in The Land at Epcot, in the very same space was a musical animatronic stage show called Food Rocks. From 1994 to 2004, it baffled and delighted audiences of parents and children, in precisely that order. Because like the sassy uncle at your family holiday gathering, Food Rocks was entirely pun-based. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Retro Orlando: Food Rocks was great, but it’s better off closed…

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Star Wars Celebration V took over the West Hall of the Orange County Convention Center for four days. But now that the creatures, droids and Stormtroopers have left, it’s time to look back. Whether you experienced the event or not, you’ll enjoy looking through our favorite photos and videos below. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading A look back at Star Wars Celebration V in photos and videos…

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The Last Tour to Endor special-ticket event was held Saturday night at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as part of the Star Wars Celebration V convention. The event gave Celebration attendees a last chance to ride Star Tours before it closes Sept. 8, 2010. The event drew many celebrities including George Lucas for a night of fun shows and dancing. But even if you missed it, you can still enjoy the night through our videos and photos below. [Read more...]

Click here to continue reading Last Tour to Endor brings Star Wars celebrities and shows to Disney World – Full videos…

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