Relax and win.  That’s the concept behind a new exhibit at Orlando’s WonderWorks attraction on International Drive.

Instead of activity and adrenalin, Mindball demands calmness as it measures a participant’s ability to relax.  The goal is to be more relaxed than your opponent in order to move a physical ball away from you into your opponent’s goal. You win by relaxing!
This technology is used as a training tool for cadets at The U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Officers are trained not only to be alert but also to control their thought process and remain calm in high-pressure situations.

Similarly, Mindball records and examines each participants’ brain waves and whoever achieves the level of least stress wins.
On the game table, top a rubber-coated steel ball moves back and forth during the game. Players wear headbands containing electrodes which are constantly measuring their brains’ EEG (brainwave activity). Players use their Alpha and Theta brainwaves to control the rubber-coated steel ball and mentally “push” the ball across the table into the opponent’s goal and score a point. Alpha and Theta waves are strongest when a person is calm and relaxed, or concentrating intently.
The players and the audience can follow the mental process during a game as the players’ brain wave activity is presented graphically on a 52-inch monitor.

Get ready for parades, fun and beads.  Lots of beads.  Universal Studios Florida has announced its 2009 Mardi Gras concert series performers and there’s plenty of great music for everyone’s taste.

The annual Orlando Mardi Gras celebrations kick off Feb. 7.  Your general admission ticket to Universal Studios also provides all the Mardi Gras fun including the rocking parade and concert.

Universal’s Mardi Gras Concert Series:

Sat. Feb. 7   KC and the Sunshine Band

Sat. Feb. 14   Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

Sun. Feb. 15   Village People

Sat. Feb. 21   Ne-Yo

Sat. Feb. 28   Pat Benetar

Sat. Mar. 7   Barenaked Ladies

Sat. Mar. 14   Montgomery Gentry

Sat. Mar. 21   Collective Soul

Fri. Mar. 27   Boys Like Girls

Sat. Mar. 28   Kelly Clarkson

Sat. Apr. 4   MC Hammer

Sat. Apr. 11   Trace Adkins

Sat. Apr. 18   Nelly

Are you the next American Idol?  Here’s your chance to find out.The American Idol Experience, which officially opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Feb. 14, offers you the opportunity to audition in front of a Disney casting director.

Contestants who make the cut must then audition for a Disney producer. Those selected by the producers will get a chance to take the stage and perform in front of an onstage panel of judges and an audience of theme park guests who vote on the winner.

Performing guests with the highest votes compete in an end-of-day grand finale show. The winner of that competition gets a guaranteed reservation - a Dream Ticket - with no waiting in long lines, for a future regional audition for the real American Idol TV show.

Dream Ticket recipients must satisfy American Idol TV program requirements in effect at time of use, such as age and residency stipulations. Dream Ticket does not include travel, meals, lodging or other expenses.

Qualified guests 14 or older inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios may audition to sing that day at The American Idol Experience attraction. Auditions are limited and only a few singers will be chosen for each preliminary show.

Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure is an ultra-interactive quest at Epcot Theme Park based on the Disney Channel animated series, Kim Possible.

Epcot guests can transform into secret agents, join Team Possible and help save the world from super-villains with the help of a high-tech “Kimmunicator.”  Upon registering, they’ll receive a special mission assignment and be sent out into the park to thwart evil with the help of a super-secret Kimmunicator - an interactive, handheld, cell-phone-like device that help maneuver agents through their mission.

The Kimmunicator connects agents with a variety of Kim Possible characters who provide clues to help stop super villains from carrying out their dastardly plans.

Different missions are available throughout Epcot’s World Showcase area. Exciting quests for clues are possible at the Mexico Pavilion, Norway Pavilion, China Pavilion, Germany Pavilion, Japan Pavilion, France Pavilion and the United Kingdom Pavilion. Missions are designed with groups in mind and can last anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes.
With 7 different experiences, the program allows guests to match wits with 7 unique super villains. In the China Pavilion, for example, agents must rescue the precious Jade Monkey from Lord Monkeyfist and his monkey ninjas.  In the Germany Pavilion, the goal is to stop Professor Dementor from using his evil mind-control device to influence world leaders.

Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park is preparing to debut an all new show, beginning in mid-February 2009.  The all new, Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party will be performed several times on most days at the theme park.

The magic begins with an emcee enticing guests to join the fun as favorite Disney Characters, floats resembling giant gift-wrapped packages, stilt-walkers and other performers promenade toward Cinderella Castle.

When the street party reaches the front of Cinderella’s Castle, the packages will burst open to reveal more Disney Characters, including Genie, Lumiere and Sebastian.  It’s all accompanied by an upbeat and contemporary musical score that will keep guests dancing and singing along.

One of Walt Disney World’s most iconic attractions is scheduled to receive a substantial facelift beginning this spring.

Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park will close its popular indoor roller coaster, Space Mountain, for a months-long “refreshment” of the 34-year-old ride.  Disney plans to close the coaster on April 19 until sometime late in 2009.

Renovations of Space Mountain, which opened in 1975, will include new track, an upgraded queue area and a new ceiling for the mountain shell.

Disney is proud to honor the U.S. military with its “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” program.  Throughout the year, all active and retired U.S. military personnel are eligible to receive a free 5-day pass to Walt Disney World Resort.

The offer is good through Dec. 23, 2009. Military personnel need only to show their military ID at a ticket window to receive the free 5-day ticket.  They may also buy additional 5-day single-park passes for only $99 each.

Busch Entertainment Corp. is getting ready to end one of the longest-standing traditions at its theme parks: free beer sampling.

The company announced that it will close the popular hospitality houses at all of its SeaWorld and Busch Garden theme parks beginning in January. The facilities will eventually re-open as restaurants only, without the beer sampling. 

The Busch Gardens hospitality house in Tampa is scheduled to close “briefly” at the end of January and will re-open with a “cafe-style menu.” The SeaWorld Orlando hospitality house is slated to close for a longer time, as of Feb. 1, and it will be converted into a new restaurant.

Universal Orlando® Resort is the new official home of the Florida Lottery’s POWERBALL nightly drawings, beginning January 7.

To celebrate, Universal Orlando Resort is hosting a street party that night from 6:00 to 11:00 pm at the Universal CityWalk® Plaza Stage.The street party will feature hourly giveaways sponsored by the Florida Lottery, live music, street performers and other special performances.  It all leads up to the first Powerball Drawing in Florida at 10:59 pm which will be broadcast LIVE throughout CityWalk.

Join the fun for your chance to win fabulous prizes, listen to live entertainment and celebrate the Florida Lottery’s latest game… POWERBALL with POWERPLAY!

You must be 18 or older to play the Lottery. Play responsibly. See participating retailers or visit www.flalottery.com for details.

 A total of 28 hotels in Florida are on the newest list of the 500 Best Hotels in the World, according to Travel & Leisure magazine.  The annual list features seven hotels in Orlando and includes three Disney resorts. 

Orlando hotels on the exclusive Travel & Leisure list are:

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Grand Bohemian Hotel
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando
Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes