I am going to Universal Orlando first thing in the morning to Harry Potter. Is there somewhere I can eat breakfast? These days, if you are heading to Universal Orlando to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it is incredibly important that you get there early. Throughout spring break and the summer, that area [...]

Join the fiesta at SeaWorld every Saturday and Busch Gardens each Sunday through April 3, 2011 as the parks heat up during their annual Latin festival, Viva La Música. This Hispanic event blends live performances from award-winning Latin artists with popular Hispanic cuisine and authentic arts and crafts. All-new this year is an expanded menu [...]

You may not have thought about putting fruit sauce on your hot dog, but there’s a new food stand along International drive that is doing just that – and getting rave reviews. Hula Dog serves authentic Hawaiian-style hot dogs. There’s a similar hot dog served in Hawaii called Puka Dog, but the new stand in [...]

One thousand of today’s guests visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal’s Islands of Adventure were most likely going to buy a Butterbeer at some point. But they were surprised with a free one as Universal announced they’ve now sold more than one million of the frost beverages since the Wizarding World opened [...]

The Winter 2011 issue of Orlando Attractions Magazine is now available to order. The magazine is at the printer and will be shipping out within the next week or two. Look for it in our iPad app soon, and in major bookstores nationwide sometime in January. Subscribers should receive their copy within the next four [...]

Many of the theme parks and attractions are holding special events to welcome the new year on Dec. 31. Some are included with your park admission and some cost extra. Here’s a look at what’s happening. Universal Orlando Multi-platinum rock artist Bret Michaels will be in concert at Universal CityWalk. Known for being the lead [...]

Column by Derek Burgan Hearing that McDonald’s was leaving Downtown Disney was enough of a shock, but to discover it was being replaced by three smaller venues, including one based around fresh salads and another being a vegan bakery, a betting man like myself would consider putting good money on the End of the World [...]

By Samantha Sanders Forget hot chocolate! This holiday season, warm up with a toasty, buttery mug of hot Butterbeer. As most of you know, you can get chilled or frozen Butterbeer in the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. During the sweltering summer months, the cold beverage is a sweet treat for guests. But, now [...]

Column by Kevin Yee Universal’s new Wizarding World of Harry Potter powered its parent company to some great quarterly profits in 2010, no doubt due to the amazing Forbidden Journey ride and those $25 wands. But a more humble item attracts equal attention from the rabid fans: the lowly beverage known as Butterbeer. Universal’s theme [...]

There’s a new store within a store in the Downtown Disney Marketplace. The Spice & Tea Exchange recently opened inside Mickey’s Pantry. As a complement to the kitchen-ware available in Mickey’s Pantry, the new addition offers 42 different blends of tea, many spices and different flavored salts and sugars. Some of the flavored sugars include [...]

Today the Disney Parks Blog announced details on their plans for the mostly shuttered Pleasure Island area. The 120-acre area will be rethemed as a restaurant district called “Hyperion Wharf.” Disney describes it as a nostalgic yet modern take on an early 20th century port city and amusement pier. Nighttime will be when the area [...]

The Pollo Campero restaurant is opening today at Downtown Disney. Sharing the space are Fresh A-Peel and Babycakes NYC. This is a fitting time to take a look back at the McDonald’s restaurant that used to be here. The Festival of the Masters also started today. A festival vendor who hadn’t been to Downtown Disney [...]

After Storck, the makers of Werther’s Original Caramels, shot a commercial in the Germany Pavilion at Epcot in which they made-over one of the storefronts to look like their original shop, they decided “why not make a real store here?” And so they did. Storck held the grand opening of Karamell-Kuche on Oct. 26, 2010. [...]

International Drive, AKA I-Drive, has a number of new businesses on the way. Some are proposed and some are already under construction. The above photo shows a wooded 70 acres that are for sale next to Festival Bay Mall at the northern end of I-Drive. Local TV news station WFTV.com is reporting that Baker Leisure [...]

When you’re in Orlando and don’t want to miss your Sunday worship, instead of seeking out a local church, head to the Gospel Brunch at House of Blues. Not only will you get a powerful message with great musical performances and food, but through November, you’ll get a little something extra. Each Sunday through Nov. [...]

A new candy store has opened in Epcot. Look for hand-crafted caramel treats at Karamell-Küche in the Germany Pavilion. The new shop opened without much fanfare yesterday, Sept. 30, 2010. Karamell-Küche means caramel kitchen in German. The shop is run by Storck USA, makers of Werther’s Original. Look for the full line of Werther’s candies [...]

California Grill is celebrating 15 years atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort. In our current Fall 2010 issue, we have a review of the restaurant and talk with Executive Chef Brian Piasecki. Here’s a Q&A with Brian that we didn’t have room for in the issue. As a chef, what do you love most about the California [...]

Like a fine wine that improves with age, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival celebrates 15 years in 2010. The fan favorite returns Oct. 1 through Nov. 14. 2010 with more than two dozen countries represented in a 1.3-mile stroll around World Showcase promenade. This year, Disney and celebrity chefs are teaming with winemakers [...]

A new restaurant and a rebuilt old restaurant, both under the same roof, are now open in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot. Overlooking World Showcase Lagoon, La Hacienda de San Angel is a 267-seat table service restaurant, while the reopened La Cantina de San Angel is now a 150-seat quick service restaurant. La Cantina opens [...]

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 [...]