From fireworks to football, there is sure to be plenty of action in Orlando for New Year’s. 

All of Orlando’s famed theme park attractions are preparing for a festive night of fun and adventure on Dec. 31.  Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Studios Resort and SeaWorld Orlando will all offer extended hours and fabulous fireworks displays to help ring in the New Year.

Then on Jan. 1, 2009, all eyes will be on Orlando’s Citrus Bowl Stadium for the Capital One Bowl pitting the Georgia Bulldogs against the Michigan State University Spartans.

Don’t miss all the excitement that Orlando has to offer. For information on additional activities and attractions, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.

With Christmas just around the corner, the special celebrations continue at all four Disney World theme parks throughout holiday season.  And what better way to catch the holiday spirit than by experiencing the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 

Millions of holiday lights flash, flicker and glow in perfect sync with your favorite holiday music, creating an epic winter wonderland. You’ll be amazed by twirling carousels, sparkling bells, majestic trees and heavenly angels. And the electrifying extravaganza happens every 10 minutes after dusk now thru January 4, 2009.

Christmas is in the air at SeaWorld Orlando.

From December 26 - 30, SeaWorld visitors can enjoy nightly Christmas concerts performed by the Orlando Philharmonic .  The resident Orlando orchestra, now entering its 16th season, will be performing selections from holiday children’s book and motion picture favorite, ”The Polar Express.”

The Philharmonic’s mission is to foster and promote symphonic music through excellence in performance, education and cultural leadership.  The Philharmonic is led by Musical Director Christopher Wilkins while Andrew Lane continues in his role as Principal Pops and Resident Conductor.

Concerts will be held at SeaWorld’s Bayside Stadium, with fireworks immediately following.

The landscape is changing at SeaWorld Orlando. The theme park’s new signature roller coaster, Manta, is slated to open during summer 2009. But the “flying” coaster is already taking shape near the front entrance where the rails are in place as construction continues on schedule.

The exciting new coaster puts riders in a facedown, headfirst position on a ray shaped car with a 12-foot wingspan. Harnessed into seats with legs dangling, they will be moved into a “flying” position and sent on a swooping, looping, flipping trip that takes them over the Whale and Dolphin Stadium. From there, the up and down thrills continue before ending with an epic dive toward water and a spine tingling splash!

Part of the rides fun will come before boarding, as the waiting area features a giant aquarium. The queue line will bring guests past waterfalls, sea-inspired artifacts, mosaics and the giant tank filled with 300 rays, 23 sea dragons and 2500 tropical fish.

For those who desire less thrills, the aquarium area will also offer a line for non-riders.

America’s #1 syndicated series, Wheel of Fortune, is scheduled to be on location in Orlando Dec. 11, 12, 14 and 15 to tape four weeks of episodes at SeaWorld. Vanna White and Pat Sajak will be on hand to co-host the 20 shows which will be taped in front of live audiences and air in 2009.

The show has also filmed segments within SeaWorld, showcasing the park’s up-close animal encounters, rides and popular attractions.

Wheel of Fortune has been one of the world’s most widely watched game shows for a quarter century.  During its 25 years in syndication, the show has awarded more than $180 million in cash and prizes to its contestants, including more than $9 million last year alone.

Rock in the New Year with a memorable night of food, fun and entertainment at Universal CityWalk® on December 31 from 8 pm to 2 am!

With live performances by The Doobie Brothers and additional live entertainment at each of the popular CityWalk clubs, this is sure to be one of the hottest New Year’s parties in Orlando.

Besides great music, you’ll also enjoy an all-you-can-eat gourmet feast with a tasty menu featuring filet mignon, jumbo shrimp and lots of desserts.  And as the countdown begins, there will be plenty of party hats and noisemakers, and a midnight champagne toast!

Advance tickets are now on sale for $119.99 plus tax.  Tickets are valid for one-night admission to the New Year’s Eve party at CityWalk between 8 pm and 2 am only.  You must be 21 or older to enter.  Tickets do not include admission to AMC Universal Cineplex 20, the Blue Man Group show, Hard Rock Live or the Universal Orlando theme parks.  Offer is subject to availability.  Restrictions apply.

Catch Wildcat Fever with the newest rendition of the show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios - High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Right Here! Right Now!

It’s the latest update of a rolling musical stage show that sets up at the theme park’s iconic Sorcerer’s Hat and debuted the same day as the big-screen movie version of High School Musical 3.  This high-energy concert celebrates the hit songs from the movie and offers a gleaming set, concert lighting, pulsating music and choreographed dance routines.  

Like the previous two incarnations of the show, HSM 3 features plenty of upbeat music and dance - though all the music (six songs) is from the current movie - there are no flashbacks to earlier movie favorites like “We’re All in This Together” or “What Time Is It?“

The holidays are steamrolling into Orlando!  The Grammy-award winning Mannheim Steamroller is scheduled to perform two live holiday concerts at Universal Studios Florida on Dec. 6 to kick off the resort’s annual holiday program.

Mannheim Steamroller is famous for the New Age-jazz spin it adds to Christmas and other holiday seasonal music.  During the concerts, the band will perform songs it specifically composed for the resort’s original holiday stage show, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” as well as new music from its latest album release titled, Christmasville.

The concerts will take place at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the “New York” area of the Universal Studios theme park.  The concerts are included with regular park admission.

The performances are the start of the month-long holiday festivities at Universal Orlando which begin Dec. 6 and run through Jan. 1, 2009.  Other holiday highlights include the resort’s Grinchmas show and Macy’s Holiday Parade.

High flying acrobats help set the stage for the newest show at SeaWorld Orlando.  “A’lure, the Call of the Ocean” replaces Odyssea and features a wide variety of tumbling and aerial maneuvers, hula hoops, unicycles, trampolines, puppetry, dance, Chinese pole climbers and more.

The 30-minute stage show tells the tale of a fisherman who falls overboard and is lured into the lair of the hypnotic sea sirens.  There he encounters a very different kind of sea life on the ocean floor.  Amidst all the action on stage, a rear projected screen provides additional visuals of fish, coral and even a giant sea serpent.
A’lure, the Call of the Ocean features a dozen electrifying acrobats, five graceful dancers and two star tumblers.  Together they create an aquatic and visual tapestry that offers fun and adventure for all ages.

The votes have been cast and the Hall of Presidents at Disney’s Magic Kingdom will soon be receiving a new addition, namely Barack Obama, the 44^th President-elect of the United States.

The 37-year-old animatronics-based attraction closes its doors today to undergo an extended eight-month refurbishment, including the addition of Obama as the next President.  The attraction will reopen after Disney completes updates to the hall’s lighting, sound, mechanics, projection and show systems.
The Hall of Presidents originally opened in 1971 and features a 10-minute panoramic film of American history, followed by the roll call introduction of every U.S. President in the form of life-size, robotic figures.
The show features a speech by the Abraham Lincoln figure and also a second speech by the current president - a tradition that started with Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. 

Disney hopes that when the show reopens on July 4, 2009 the next president will also have recorded a new speech.  In addition, it is expected that the George Washington figure will be given a speaking part.

Enhancements to the attraction include new digital projection systems, state of the art technology and controls, LED lighting and a longer spotlight during the introduction of each President.