While Orlando’s theme parks get most of the attention, you’ll find plenty of family fun just a short drive away at Silver Springs near Ocala, FL. The park is filled with nature, animals, rides and attractions, while offering a glimpse into what life was like in central Florida more than 10,000 years ago.

The landmark springs pump 550 million gallons of sparkling clear water each and every day. And the park’s unique glass bottom boats off an amazing view of underwater life in the clean, 99.8% pure waters of the Silver River. One spring, Fish Reception Hall, is home to dozens of species of fish plus alligators, clams, crawfish, shrimp, snails and turtles, all amidst the backdrop of tiny fossilized shells from 70 million years ago. 

Now you can also enjoy music from the park’s 2012 Concert Series. Shows begin at 3 pm and are included in park admission, $31.99 general, $24.99 ages 3-10. Reserved seats can be purchased for an additional $10.

Jan. 28          REO Speedwagon

Feb. 11         Thompson Square

Feb. 18         James Otto and Lee Brice

Feb. 25         Travis Tritt

Mar. 3           Steel Magnolia

Mar. 10         Styx

Mar. 24         Glen Campbell

Mar. 31         Eddie Money

For additional information, visit http://www.silversprings.com/. Or for discount Orlando family vacation packages, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

One small step for NASA. One giant leap for Kennedy Space Center guests.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will soon be offering something special to guests - access to NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building.

Other than NASA personnel and astronauts, few people have been inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, the structure where space shuttles were assembled and readied for launch.

However, the VAB will be part of a new Kennedy Space Center Up-Close tour to be offered eight times daily for a limited time beginning Nov. 1.  Also, for a very limited time, tour guests may actually see a space shuttle inside the VAB. Shuttles are being prepared for future display in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Florida.

Space shuttle Atlantis will be permanently displayed at Kennedy Space Center beginning in 2013.

Other stops on the two-hour Up-Close tour will include glimpse of the following:

• NASA’s KSC Headquarters.
• Operations & Checkout building - the astronaut crew quarters before each launch and where they boarded the Astrovan to ride to the launch pad.
• NASA Causeway and its panoramic view of the area and the coast.
• Crawlerway - the wide route that led shuttles to the launch platform
• Orbiter Processing Facilities - where orbiters were processed and maintained between flights.
• Solid Rocket Booster Storage Areas.
• Famed countdown clock.

Admission to the KSC visitor center is $43 for adults and $33 for ages 3-11. Admission for the Up-Close tour will be an additional $25 adults and $19 ages 3-11. Please note that the VAB stop is not part of the regular KSC bus tour that’s included with the regular admission.

For more information or to make reservations for the new tour, go to http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/. For details on discount attraction tickets and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

One of the most unique and intriguing theme park experiences in Orlando is the opportunity to swim with dolphins at SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove. Now the park offers a different kind of interactive animal experience with its Grand Reef SeaVenture attraction.

Guests are invited to wear a wet suit and put on a dive helmet to experience a scuba dive type experience to get up close and personal with 8,000 marine animals.

Following a quick training session, you’ll follow a Discovery Cove guide down a ladder and into the Grand Reef waters, kept at a chilly 77 degrees. While the compressed air helmet keeps water out and provides oxygen to breath, you’ll soon find yourself in an underwater world full of colorful fish.

Lead along the underwater handrail, guests can view sharks behind a large, clear window while the guide writes on an erasable board the different breeds of shark. Another glassed off area is filled with poisonous fish.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Grand Reef is teeming with tropical fish and other creatures such as pin-cushion sea urchins and hermit crabs. The underwater adventure lasts nearly a half hour and is open to ages 10 and older.

A limited-admission park, Discovery Cove plays host to a maximum of about 1,000 guests per day. Visitors enjoy a scenic, tropical setting with options like snorkeling, swimming, and interacting with birds in an aviary in addition to the park’s signature dolphin swim.

For more information about Grand Reef and Discovery Cove, go to http://www.discoverycove.com/. Or visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for details on discount Orlando vacation packages and theme park tickets.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is proud to announce the birth of a new baby boy. The yet to be named offspring tipped the scales at a very healthy 311 pounds!

The newborn African elephant becomes a sixth elephant born at Animal Kingdom and is now the park’s 12^th elephant in the herd. The mother, Vasha, was impregnated through artificial insemination in 2009 and gave birth following a 22-month gestation period. Vasha earlier gave birth to another calf, Kianga, back in 2004.

Vasha is currently nursing her newborn and the baby elephant will gradually be acclimated to the rest of the herd in the coming weeks.

For information on discount tickets to Disney’s Animal Kingdom or to learn more about Orlando discount vacation packages, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Already renowned for its shopping, dining and myriad attractions, Orlando’s famed International Drive is ready to add yet another major tourist attraction.

A new $100 million project called I-Drive Live is set to take over the property formerly known as the Mercado. The new entertainment complex will feature a giant, 425-foot-high observation wheel as well as a Madame Tassaud’s Wax Museum and a Sea Life aquarium.

The 19-acre development will likely add a number of other restaurants and shops. Future development could also include a parking garage and two themed hotels.

For more information on I-Drive attractions and discount tickets, as well as discount Orlando vacation packages, please visit www.westgatereservations.com.

No matter how many times you visit Walt Disney World® Resort it seems there’s always something new to learn. Whether you are a first-time guest or a hard core fanatic, there’s plenty of tips to be discovered across Disney’s four major theme parks, two water parks and dozens of resorts, restaurants and shopping options.  That’s why a good place to start is with a Disney guidebook and one of the most complete is the newly updated version of “The Complete Walt Disney World 2011″ by Julie and Mike Neal.

Filled with colorful photography (a whopping 530 photos), the new edition book offers help for families wherever they go at Disney World. In addition to the fabulous photos, you’ll also find trip planning ideas, descriptions, maps, schedules, ride advice and much more.

Uncover tips on how children get picked for in-park activities. Learn where to find your favorite Disney Characters. Be in the know regarding ride height requirements. Discover unique Disney resort swimming pool features. It’s all in the guidebook now available in bookstores and online.

For discount tickets to Disney World and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

The Orlando area is world renowned for its theme parks, and there area plenty to choose from between SeaWorld, Universal Studios and Walt Disney World Resort.

But you don’t have to travel far from Orlando to find even more theme park adventure, including Busch Gardens Tampa just a short drive along I-4 through central Florida.

With an amazing collection of roller coasters, family oriented rides and attractions, and even some up close encounters with wild animals, Busch Gardens has plenty to offer.

Sesame Street Safari of Fun is a perfect spot for the youngest in the family to enjoy some time with their favorite Muppets. The Safari area offers up a variety of adventure such as water splash zones, the Air Grover kids’ roller coaster, a number of additional perfect-for-the-kids rides and a live show featuring the Sesame Street characters.

Busch Gardens offers up several distinct spots for viewing an abundance of wild animals, including the Serengeti Plain, Edge of Africa and Walkabout Way which features a special kangaroo feeding area.

Busch Gardens’ newest roller coaster, currently under construction, features both thrills and wild animals. The Cheetah Hunt, set to open in late May, will offer an exhibit of live cheetahs adjacent to the ride.

For information and discount ticket options to Busch Gardens Tampa as well as discount Orlando vacation packages, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

SeaWorld Orlando recently announced that its new killer whale show - “One Ocean” - will make its debut at the park in late April. The show will replace the “Believe” show which has been running for nearly five years.

The new show will highlight the acrobatic killer whales in a series of maneuvers in which multiple orcas perform in unison amid giant fountains. As part of the park’s current safety precautions, there will be no in-water interaction between trainers and killer whales. While trainers will work directly from the stage, the new show is designed to highlight the interconnectedness of the whales and trainers.

Another focal point of the “One Ocean” show is a series of images and messages that help convey SeaWorld’s ongoing ocean and environmental conservation theme and the park’s efforts to make a difference.

The show will key in on the unique personalities of SeaWorld’s killer whales and offer some guests with a chance to interact with the animals through the glass wall around the show pool.

The new One Ocean show will also result in substantial changes at Shamu Stadium. The complex will be revamped and construction will include the installation of fountains, new paint color schemes and the replacement of the existing video screens.

SeaWorld Orlando also features a wide variety of other animal shows and animal interaction attractions, plus thrill rides such as Manta the Flying Ray. For additional information on the park, visit www.Seaworldorlando.com. Or go to www.westgatereservations.com or www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com for discount Orlando theme park tickets and accommodations, including complete Orlando vacation packages.

The blizzard of 2011 is making its way across the plains, Midwest and northeastern states, leaving a relentless trail of ice, massive accumulations of snow, high winds and frigid temperatures.

While much of the nation digs out from the storm, temperatures are still hovering around 80 degrees in Orlando, FL! Long story short, the only sign of snow in Orlando is on the fun-filled slopes of Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park.

Although the groundhog today saw his shadow signaling an early spring, there’s no reason to wait for the spring thaw. In fact, there’s no better time than now to escape to the sunshine and fun times of Orlando.

Put down the shovels and head to Walt Disney World^® Resort. Enjoy a rollicking show in front of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom^®. Or experience a trip around the world - or at least a trip around World Showcase at Epcot.

Put away the ice scrapers and head down to Universal Orlando^® Resort where you can step inside the awe-inspiring Hogwarts castle at the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter^TM adventure at Islands of Adventure^®. Or join the weekly Mardi Gras party, parade and concert at Universal Studios Florida!

Hang up the winter jackets and get out the swim suits for a trip to Aquatica^® by SeaWorld water park. Or sit in the warm sunshine and watch Shamu put on a water soaking show at SeaWorld^® Orlando.

It’s all part of a winter getaway to Orlando. For more information on Orlando’s many theme parks and attractions, visit http://www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com/. Or for details on discount Orlando accommodations and resorts, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

‘Tis the season for…football!

The holiday break is loaded with exciting football and there’s no better place than Orlando to watch some of the very best in a long lineup of college bowl games across the nation.

On Dec. 28, the Champs Sports Bowl takes over at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando. The game pits North Carolina State (8-4) of the Atlantic Coast Conference versus West Virginia University (9-3) of the Big East Conference.

The annual Champs Sports Bowl is the first of two inter-conference showdowns this week in Orlando. The second - the Capital One Bowl - matches the University of Alabama (9-3) of the Southeastern Conference against Michigan State University (11-1) of the Big Ten Conference on Jan. 1, 2011.

For the latest news and details on both of these exciting NCAA college football bowl games, including pregame festivities, visit http://www.fcsports.com/. For more about discount Orlando vacation packages and theme park tickets, visit. http://www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.