A new dinosaur themed restaurant recently debuted at Downtown Disney in Orlando.   The T-Rex Restaurant features several fun-filled environments, including a geothermal region with a “Kitchen of Fire” and a 26-foot-high lava wall oozing over “ancient geological formations.”  In an ice cave room, a woolly mammoth and her baby help greet visitors. And in an aquatic region, look for a 45-foot giant octopus with animated tentacles.

The exterior features a full-size Tyrannosaurus Rex and another massive dinosaur measuring 28 feet tall and 122 feet wide.

T-Rex features a fun combination of dining and shopping in an interactive, prehistoric environment. The concept is designed around water, fire and ice as guests visiting T-Rex will be greeted with life size animatronics dinosaurs that live among cascading waterfalls, bubbling geysers, a fossil dig site and more.

The Polar Express is returning to SeaWorld Orlando for the holiday season.   Originally introduced last year, the popular Polar Express ride is returning to SeaWorld Orlando from Nov. 14, 2008 thru Jan. 4, 2009.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Iwerks Entertainment reprogrammed the theme park’s Wild Arctic ride, transforming it into a simulated train ride to “Santa Town,” based on Chris Van Allsburg’s children’s book The Polar Express and the 2004 animated movie of the same name. 

The ride uses motion technology and big-screen video to simulate a wild, fast-moving trip. Normally, it offers visitors a simulated helicopter flight to an Arctic animal-research station, complete with swooping maneuvers to spy various animals and to avoid danger. Under The Polar Express format, the ride simulates a train excursion powered by a massive steam-locomotive.

Guests will ride the train up snow-cloaked mountains, across frozen lakes and along perilous, icy passes.  SeaWorld’s exhibit of polar bears, beluga whales, walruses and other Arctic animals also remains part of the attraction, although the exhibit area will resemble a winter wonderland.

Central Florida was well represented among the 2008 Golden Ticket Award winners in an annual vote of amusement park aficionados polled by Amusement Today magazine.  The poll gauges the best of the best among all of the nation’s theme parks.

Here’s how Orlando’s theme parks fared in the voting by category:

Best Overall Park

#5      Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Best Waterpark

#3      Disney’s Blizzard Beach

#5      Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon

Best Marine Park

#1      SeaWorld Orlando

#4      SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove

Cleanest Park

#4      Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park

Best Shows

#3      Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Best Food

#3      Epcot

Best Water Ride in Theme Park

#1      Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls at Universal’s Islands of Adventure

#3      Splash Mountain at Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park

#4      Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-rat Barges at Universal’s  Islands of Adventure

#5      Journey to Atlantis at SeaWorld Orlando

Best Kid’s Area

#2      Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Best Landscaping

#5      Epcot

Best Outdoor Show Production

#1      Epcot

#5      Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Best Dark Ride

#1      Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal’s Islands of Adventure

#2      Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

#5      Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park

Best Halloween Event

#1      Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida

Best Christmas Event

#2      Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park

Best Carousel

#4      Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Best Indoor Coaster

#1      Revenge of the Mummy at Universal’s Islands of Adventure

#2 Rock ‘N Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

 The Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort welcomes Eddie Money as the featured performer in the hotel’s monthly rock n’ roll cocktail party, Velvet Sessions. 

The Velvet Sessions party is held the last Thursday of every month and combines creative cocktails with live music from some of the world’s hottest rock bands and performers.

Eddie Money is best known for hits like, Two Tickets to Paradise, Shakin’, Take Me Home Tonight, Walk On Water, Think I’m In Love, Baby Hold On, and I Wanna Go Back.

Admission for Velvet Sessions with Eddie Money is $50 and includes FREE drinks, hors de oeuvres, and warm up tunes from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. There will be a cash bar and additional rock music from 8:30 pm on.

To attend a Velvet Sessions event, you must request an invitation online at http://www.universalorlando.com/.  Please note that Velvet Sessions is restricted to those age 21 and older.

Get set for the 15^th and final edition of ABC’s Super Soap Weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios - slated for Nov. 15-16, 2008.

The Disney theme park will play host to approximately 30 daytime drama characters during this year’s event, which is being discontinued by Disney-ABC Television Group after a 15-year run.  The group plans to send its soap stars out on a national promotional tour next year, rather than sponsor a single weekend at Disney World.
This highly popular soap event allows Hollywood Studios guests an opportunity to get up close and personal with their favorite ABC Daytime stars. The stars will answer questions, sign autographs and entertain with their unscripted and lively conversation.  The Daytime TV luminaries will also be featured in special motorcades and live music sessions during the two-day event.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of the event, guests are usually allowed to gather on Hollywood Boulevard about 30 minutes prior to official Park opening.

When it comes to Disney favorites, it’s tough to top Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel and the other popular princesses.  But look out now because Disney is ready to roll out the Disney Fairies!

To go along with a straight-to-DVD animated children’s movie about Tinker Bell scheduled for release on Oct. 28, 2008, Disney is also opening a new walk-through attraction featuring Tinker Bell and four other pixie fairies.  The new “Pixie  Hollow” attraction will be part of the Magic Kingdom and feature Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist and Fawn in addition to Tinker Bell.  The attraction opens Oct. 24 in Mickey’s Toontown Fair section of the park.

The Disney Fairies will be developed for books, movies, Internet games and other Disney merchandise.

Top Chef is coming to CityWalk at Universal Orlando Resort on September 23 and 24.  Come enjoy live cooking demonstrations with your favorite cheftestants from Bravo’s Top Chef television show.  Daily showtimes: 10:30am, 12:00pm, 1:30pm.

You can also shop for Top Chef gear, get autographs, sign up for a raffle, and check out interactive kiosks during this total Top Chef experience!

Admission is free, but tickets are limited.  Get your free tickets one hour before each show in front of the Plaza Stage.

Now everybody can enjoy a magical birthday wish!   That’s because Disney is offering free birthday admission to any Disney World theme park in 2009.

As part of a new promotional campaign, anyone who shows up with a valid ID including proof of birth date will receive a free ticket (currently valued at over $75) on that day in 2009 for one of the theme parks at Disney World Orlando or at Disneyland in California.
 

Disney’s goal is to get people to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoons and other big occasions at a Disney park.  Don’t miss your chance for a magical celebration… after all, it’s free in 2009!

Halloween comes early to Orlando.  All of central Florida’s major theme park players offer frightening or fun Halloween activities.  From Disney’s fun-filled event to Universal’s annual fright-fest, there are plenty of Halloween happenings for everyone!

DISNEY:  Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Celebrate a most magical Halloween at Disney’s Magic Kingdom! Come in costume and trick-or-treat for candy and goodies with all of your favorite Disney Characters, all dressed in their finest Halloween outfits. With special entertainment, this not-so-scary party is no trick - it’s a real treat!

Event Highlights:

• Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade
• Trick-or-treating throughout Magic Kingdom® Park at numerous locations.
• Happy HalloWishes fireworks spectacular - where the Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky!
• Characters decked out in their favorite costumes - so wear yours, too.
• Some of the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions.

Event Dates:

September 19, 23, 26, 28, 30

October 2, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30 (Oct. 31 sold out)
SEAWORLD ORLANDO:  Halloween Spooktacular

Enjoy an underwater fantasea at SeaWorld Orlando, where you can trick-or-treat with friendly sea witches, octopuses, mermaids, pumpkin fish and more.  Come in costume and play with sea fairies, learn from a “school” of fish or dance with an ice witch.

Event Highlights:

• Festivities are included with park admission and begin at 11 am
• Enjoy 15 “treasure stations” with treats galore
• Sesame Street “Countdown to Halloween” live musical stage show with Elmo, The Count and other Sesame Street pals
• Strolling Entertainment

Event Dates:

October 4-5, 11-12, 18-10, 24-26, 31

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA: Halloween Horror Nights

Nowhere to turn. Nowhere to hide.

On select nights in September, October, and November, come face to face with your deepest fears as Bloody Mary brings history’s most terrifying urban legends to life. Inside the haunted houses or on the darkened streets, there’s nowhere you’re safe in the most immersive horror experience ever. If you survive, you can experience it all - only at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, the country’s premier Halloween event.

Event Highlights:

• More Scare Zones
• More Scare Actors
• More haunted houses
• All new live shows

Event Dates:

September 26-27

October 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 22-26, 29-31

November 1

A favorite show is nearing the end of its run at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  The live stage version of Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends, which opened with the park’s opening 10 years ago, will conclude its run on September 27, 2008.The 15-minute show, which features one actor as Pocahontas interacting with a variety of animals including a possum, porcupine, ducks, birds and a snake,  while offering a view on how humans can better interact with nature and help protect our natural resources.