I didn’t make it to SeaWorld until late afternoon yesterday. I was just in time for the rain unfortunately. Of course it’s Florida in the summer, so we expected the rain, but we hoped it would stop. It didn’t. But I was able to get a few pictures and see the new Bayside Ski Jam show.
The construction wall for the new Manta coaster is one of the first things you’ll see after entering the park. (more…)
Local investors Patz and Ron Turner along with several dignataries will be breaking ground at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13 on Orlando’s newest entertainment venue, Icebar Orlando. They claim it’s the first permanent bar made of ice in the USA.
“While traveling throughout Europe, we visited icebars in other countries and wanted to bring this unique concept to the United States. We knew there was no better location than International Drive,” states Patz Turner.
Guests will enter Icebar through the Chill Lounge, a 4,000-square-foot ultra-hip bar featuring live entertainment, caviar flights and premium beverage service in a luxurious Nordic setting. Before entering the 1,000-square-foot air-locked Icebar, guests will be provided their own designer cape and gloves to stay warm during their 45-minute experience. The permanent ice exhibit will be kept at 27 degrees and the walls, tables, seating, sculptures and bar will be made entirely from ice. Admission prices start at $35 per person and include a premium vodka drink in a cup made of ice for guests 21 and older, and a non-alcoholic drink for younger guests.
The icebar design and construction is being managed by Bill Whidden, owner of Ice Magic based in Orlando. Ice Magic is known for their ice carvings and will be utilizing Aaron Costic, a world-champion ice designer, to create the venue’s unique build-out.
“We are estimating that it is going to take five to seven days to build the ice in the current structure that is known as a freezer. We will be using 15,000 gallons of water to create the 50 tons of ice and will be changing the design every six months,” states Whidden.
Icebar Orlando will open to the public on Friday, Oct. 3 and will operate 365 days a year. Reservations can be made by calling 407-426-7555 or by e-mailing reservations@icebarorlando.com. The venue will accommodate groups up to 250 for corporate functions, holiday parties, special events and weddings.
Icebar Orlando will be located at 8967 International Drive, minutes from the Orange County Convention Center. www.icebarorlando.com.
World-famous chef Paul Bocuse and country-rat-turned-chef-extraordinaire Remy of “Ratatouille” exchanged culinary secrets this week at the France pavilion in Epcot.
Bocuse, founder of the gold-standard Bocuse d’Or global competition of chefs, brings the USA semifinals competition to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 26 and 27 before an audience of park guests. The contest winner will compete in Lyon, France, in January. The Epcot festival runs Sept. 26 to Nov. 9 and features more than 25 international marketplaces and daily food- and wine-tasting events.
We had a chance to attend the Hot Import Nights show this past Saturday night at the Orange County Convention Center. There were plenty of cars, booth babes and loud music.
Hot Import Nights is the country’s largest touring automotive lifestyle event and one of the leading influencers in the sport compact car market. In addition to the dazzling display of numerous customized show cars, the pop culture experience also featured live music and dance performances in a lights-out, nightclub atmosphere. Guests were treated to product displays from sponsors such as Boost Mobile, NOS Energy Drink, The Army National Guard, Pioneer, Envizio, Bridgestone, GM Tuner Source and more. The touring festival boasts 21 shows in the U.S., attended by almost half a million auto enthusiasts.
Visit our Photo Gallery for more than 60 pictures from the event. Also look for a video to be uploaded later this week.
For more information on HIN, visit their Web site at www.hotimportnights.com
We now have a MySpace page for Orlando Attractions Magazine. If you’re a member of MySpace or would just like to check out the page, visit www.myspace.com/attractionsmagazine.
You can also become a fan of the magazine on Facebook. If you’re a member of Facebook or would like to become a member, click here to mark yourself as a fan.
And finally, if you use Twitter, you can follow the magazine’s updates and blog posts at www.twitter.com/attractions. For more on Twitter, see this previous blog post.
I got a chance to walk through Universal’s Islands of Adventure park this afternoon. In between the small showers, I was able to get these photos:
This is at the entrance to Seuss Landing. I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to read it before. (more…)
We recently finished putting together our first television commercial. We’re not sure where or when it will be seen yet, but it’s already shown once on the Travel Channel for Dish Network subscribers.
We’re looking into some other options for having it appear and it may appear on the Travel Channel a couple more times. For now, you can see it below …
Brian Brushwood will appear at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios with his world-renowned “bizarre” magic show.
Stuffed full of the most intense, riveting, and disturbing feats you’ve ever seen performed live, Brian’s show has been called “Amazing!” by Jay Leno and “funny, dangerous and brilliantly original” by Teller of Penn & Teller.
You can find out more about Brian at http://www.shwood.com.
This year’s MagicMeets, an annual event where Disney fans from online communities gather to share their interest in all things Disney, starts Friday in Camp Hill, Penn. If you’re planning on attending, be sure to look for your free copy of Orlando Attractions Magazine. All attendees will be receiving a free copy of the June/July issue with Mr. Potato Head on the cover.
If you haven’t yet signed up to go, it’s too late. This year’s event sold out in record time. So be ready later this year when 2009’s event tickets go on sale. We wanted to be there in person to meet all of our readers, but the table space also sold out in record time.
The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios recently became the fastest attraction in Universal Orlando history to hit one million riders, the company announced today. The millionth rider, Dion Fenderson, was on vacation from the Detroit suburb of Eastpointe with his wife LaTika and two sons, Dion (11) and Dylan (6).
America’s favorite animated family officially arrived in Orlando on May 15 when “The Simpsons Ride” celebrated its grand opening. Executive Producer James L. Brooks, Creator Matt Groening and Executive Producer Al Jean in association with 20th Century Fox Television and the creative teams of Gracie Films and Universal Theme Parks developed the world’s first authentic Simpsons mega-attraction.
