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

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.

College football bowl season is almost here.  What better place to catch all the fun and excitement than Las Vegas, NV!  From the Eagle Bank Bowl early on Dec. 20 right through to the Fedex BCS National Championship Game in Miami on Jan. 8, there are 34 bowl games on tap for football enthusiasts.  And The Playing Field race and sports book at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino is an ideal place to catch them all.  Of course, if you’re visiting Vegas, you might even consider attending the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl in person on Dec. 20.  The game features Brigham Young University against the University of Arizona Wildcats.

First came Stomp, the international stage sensation featuring dance and drums.  Now, from the original creators of Stomp, comes STOMP OUT LOUD at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

With additional sequences created especially for The Showroom at Planet Hollywood, STOMP OUT LOUD is a unique journey through sound, a celebration of the everyday and a comic interplay of characters wordlessly communicating through dance and drum.

Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino offers a hip, modern and dramatic new centerpiece to the famous and ever-changing Las Vegas Strip.

Formerly the Aladdin, the new Planet Hollywood provides something for everyone, with amazing shopping at the Miracle Mile Shops, a myriad of dining options and a three-acre gaming area that is a hot spot for tourists and celebrities alike.  Gaming includes a variety of tables and slots, a massive poker room, The Playing Field race and sports book, and the Pleasure Pit where beautiful women deal blackjack while clad in sensual lingerie.

Dining options include eight extraordinary restaurants such as Koi and the Strip House.  After dinner, you can catch a show such as “Stomp Out Loud” Planet Hollywood’s 1,500-seat Showroom.  Or, if you prefer to relax, you could rejuvenate with a massage at the Planet Hollywood Spa by Mandara or simply kick back in one of 2,500 plush and stylish rooms and suites - each offering its own piece of Hollywood history - actual memorabilia from famous films.

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.

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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.

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