The excitement just keeps on building at Orlando’s world famous theme parks. It seems you never have to wait long for one of Orlando’s top parks to announce something new. This time it’s Universal Orlando that’s ready to make its next big splash.

The theme park announced a variety of new attractions set to open in 2012, including a new parade, an after-dark show, a new Blue Man Group show and more.

The new attractions should help Universal Studios regain some of the traffic it lost to sister park Islands of Adventure when it opened up the highly popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2010.

The new “Universal’s Superstar Parade” becomes the park’s first daily parade event. The interactive parade will stop to allow characters, dancers and performers a chance to engage with spectators. Highlights include large floats, street performers and characters from “Dispicable Me,” “Dora the Explorer,” “SpongeBob Squarepants” and “Hop.”

Universal is also expanding its nighttime fun by adding “Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Moments.” The end of the night event on the theme park’s lagoon offers a salute to Universal Pictures based on a movie history projected on both sides of a series of 30-foot by 30-foot waterfall curtains. The show also includes lasers, pyrotechnics, fountains and a special narration by actor Morgan Freeman.

Other new attractions at Universal include a revised Blue Man Group show and two new miniature golf courses at Universal CityWalk. Later this summer, the park will open a new attraction based on the film “Dispicable Me” called Dispicable Me Minion Mayhem. The park is also introducing new high tech adjustments to its popular Spider-Man ride such as some re-animation and a more vivid high definition projection system.

For information on discount Orlando theme park tickets and discount Orlando family vacation packages, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

Catch the beads. Catch the Music. Catch the Spirit. It’s all part of the fun and excitement of the annual Mardi Gras celebration at Universal Studios^® in Orlando!The whole family can join the party as the sights, sounds, and even the tastes of the Big Easy come back to Universal Orlando Resort on Saturdays and select nights from February 11 through April 14, 2012.

On Mardi Gras days, the fun begins every evening as a variety of unique performers take to the streets of Universal Studios. Head over to the French Quarter Courtyard to sample some authentic Cajun food and enjoy live music from bands straight out of New Orleans.

Then get ready for a spectacular parade filled with dazzling floats, colorful costumes and, of course, beads, beads and more beads being tossed from the floats into the crowd.

This year’s parade highlights the wonder and whimsy of planet Earth. A wide variety of floats help take guests on a breathtaking journey to different parts of the world to explore the beauty and diversity of our globe. Float designs include a riverboat, gator, New Orleans, deep blue sea, polar regions, rain forest, bayous & swamps, coral reef and more.

If that’s not enough, there’s also an electrifying concert, featuring some of the biggest names in music. Scheduled performers include:

• Sat, Feb. 11:  The B-52s
• Sat, Feb. 18:  Kelly Clarkson
• Sun, Feb. 19:  Boyz II Men
• Sat, Feb. 25:  Diana Ross
• Sat, March 3: [To be announced]
• Sat, March 10:  Big Time Rush
• Fri, March 16:   J. Cole
• Sat, March 17:  Jill Scott
• Fri, March 23:   Hot Chelle Rae
• Sat, March 24:  B.o.B
• Fri, March 30:  Plain White T’s
• Sat, March 31:  Prince Royce
• Sat: April 7:  Cyndi Lauper
• Sat, April 14:  KC & the Sunshine Band 

Even the littlest ones can enjoy Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando. Children get their own private parade experience at the Little Jester’s Parade Viewing Areas located next to the Terminator 2^®: 3-D attraction.

Children will also love the KidZone Mardi Pardi Krewe, located in Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone. This special party zone features free beads and a live stage show starring their favorite characters. Check out the daily shows at 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm and 5 pm.

When the excitement dies down at Universal Studios, the party continues on at Universal CityWalk.

On Mardi Gras event nights, guests 21-and-older can use their Universal Studios theme park ticket or Annual Pass to receive free admission to the shopping and entertainment district’s seven unique clubs and bars. That includes admission to Pat O’Brien’s, an exact replica of the famed New Orleans club where it’s Mardi Gras every day of the year. CityWalk is open nightly til 2 am.

Mardi Gras parades and concerts are included in regular admission to Universal Studios. For more information, visit www.universalorlando.com/mardigras. Or go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for details on discount Orlando theme park tickets and discount Orlando vacation packages.

Orlando’s famous theme parks are filled with special high energy parades throughout the year. But when the Christmas holiday season arrives, one parade just seems bigger than all the rest.

The Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Studios Orlando is that parade. That’s because it features many of the same floats and giant inflatable balloon characters that are brought to life every year in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade through New York City.

Now in its 10^th year at Universal, the Macy’s parade experience begins as soon as the Thanksgiving Day parade ends when a variety of props and balloons are packed up and trucked from Manhattan to Orlando.

Upon arrival in Orlando, the balloons are re-filled with helium and stored in a Universal Studios sound stage ready to be paraded through the streets of the theme park throughout the holiday celebration that runs through Jan. 1.

The nightly parade is included with park admission and runs at 5 pm on Dec. 16 and Dec. 19-25, at 5:30 pm on Dec. 17-18, and at 8:00 pm on Dec. 26-31. In addition to the famed balloons, the parade features music, dancers, marching bands, stilt walkers, floats and, of course, Santa Claus!

Mannheim Steamroller is returning to Universal Studios for the holidays.

The Orlando theme park has announced its holiday plans and those plans include six concerts by the popular Mannheim Steamroller at Universal’s Music Plaza stage. The group, which also played at Universal last year, will host concerts on the first three Saturdays and Sundays of December - Dec. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 & 18.

Another holiday classic at Universal also returns and the park is set to present Macy’s Holiday Parade. This is the 10^th year that giant balloons from Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade will make appearances in Orlando. Universal’s holiday celebrations begin Friday, Dec. 3 and will run through Jan. 1, 2012. The evening parade, which begins around 5 pm, will conclude with a special tree-lighting ceremony with Santa Clause.

In addition to extensive holiday decorations, Universal Studios will also present a number of special holiday themed stage shows and offer a Holiday Village with hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts and more.

At Universal’s other major park - Islands of Adventure - the popular, live “Grinchmas” show returns, featuring the one and only Grinch and various Whos from Who-Ville. Multiple performances of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will be offered daily.

Let the frights begin.Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios theme park kicks off Sept. 23 and the popular fright-fest will feature eight new haunted houses.

One of the new haunted houses is being billed by Universal as a 3-D house. Called The In-Between, the three-dimensional house will have a portal that leads to creatures from various nightmares.

Other haunted house themes include:

• Saws n’ Steam: Into the Machine
• Winter’s Night: the Haunting of Hawthorn Cemetery
• H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: Holidays of Horrors
• Nightingales: Blood Prey
• Nevermore: The Madness of Poe, based on the works of Poe
• The Forsaken, which involves Christopher Columbus’ cursed fourth ship.
• The Thing

In addition to haunted houses the park will present six new scare zones and two  live shows - “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure” and “Death Drums.”

Scarezone themes include Acid Assault; Canyon of Dark Souls; Grown Evil; NightMaze; Your Luck Has Run Out; and 7, featuring seven temptresses.

Halloween Horror Nights 21 is a special after-hours, separate-ticket event.

For more information, you can visit www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando.

Or go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for details on discount theme park tickets and discount Orlando family vacation packages.

Get ready to Rock the Universe at Universal Studios Florida. The annual Christian music festival returns to Orlando’s popular theme park on September 9-10 with some of the biggest names in Christian rock.

The special separate ticket event runs from 4 pm til 1 am on Friday and Saturday. The lineup for Sept. 9 includes:

• Switchfoot
• David Crowder Band
• Anberlin
• Grits
• Family Force 5
• Rhema Soul
• Hyland

Scheduled performers for Sept. 10 include:

• Casting Crowns
• Third Day
• Relient K
• Red
• Tenth Ave North
• Brandon Heath
• Live Fish

Guests will also be able to enjoy the fun and excitement of Universal Studios’ thrill rides and attractions. The exciting Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster will also feature songs from many Christian bands during the event.
For more information on Universal Studios tickets and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

It must be summer. Orlando’s theme parks are full of music and adventure!At SeaWorld Orlando, Saturday kicks off the start of “Summer Nights at SeaWorld.” Events include the return of the fun-filled killer whale show, Shamu Rocks plus the night-ending fireworks and water fountain show called Reflections. A new adventure for summer at SeaWorld is a family friendly party zone - Summer Nights Central - that stretches along the path to Bayside Stadium. The area will also feature live music on weekends from now thru August 14.

SeaWorld Orlando also offers extended hours for the summer with the park open until 10 pm.

At Universal Studios, the weekend brings another round of the park’s Summer Concert Series. Special guest Nelly takes the Universal stage at 9 pm on Saturday.

Meanwhile, at Disney World Resort, the Sounds Like Summer Concert Series featuring tribute bands continues at Epcot. Shows on June 17 and 18 feature Hotel California - A Tribute to the Eagles. Beginning Sunday, June 19 and lasting all week, the musical performances will be dedicated to Stayin’ Alive - A Tribute to the Bee Gees.

Epcot’s Sounds Like Summer concerts are held at 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m.

Concerts at all three theme parks are included with regular admission.

Universal Studios recently announced two new upcoming adventures for its Orlando, FL theme parks.

The first is an all-new 3-D ride experience based on the popular Universal Pictures’ film, Despicable Me. Opening in 2012, the ride features Gru, the world’s most lovable super-villain as his brings his high tech empire and three adopted daughters (Agnes, Edith, Margo) to Universal Studios for a new mission. After being transformed into fun-loving, mischievous minions, riders will set out on a fun-filled and comical 3-D experience.

Guests will have an opportunity to explore Gru’s lair and descend into his secret lab. And they’ll take the floor in a minion-inspired, interactive dance party!

The second new adventure is actually an enhancement of an old Universal favorite, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man® at Universal’s Islands of Adventure®. The innovative attraction will be re-animated for 2012 to create a high-definition experience designed to give the attraction’s towering visual spaces even more larger-than-life proportions.

The new 4K High Definition digital animation will create an even more life-like sensation by allowing riders to experience even finer details, such as the electricity arching through Electro’s body and the stitching on Spider-Man’s gloves. New details will also be added to the film to take advantage of the new high definition clarity.

Tickets to Rock the Universe, the two-night contemporary Christian music celebration at Universal Studios Florida, are now available for advance purchase.

One of the theme park’s most popular annual events, Rock the Universe is a special after-hours, separate ticket experience scheduled to be held Sept. 9-10, 2011.

The event mixes Universal’s action-packed thrill rides and attractions with soul-stirring music from some of the world’s most popular Christian artists for an unforgettable weekend of fun, faith, love and rock ‘n’ roll.

Scheduled performers for Friday, Sept. 9, include Switchfoot, Dave Crowder Band, Anberlin, Grits, Family Force 5, Rhema Soul and Hyland. Scheduled performers for Saturday, Sept. 10, include Casting Crowns, Third Day, Relient K, Red, Tenth Ave North, Brandon Heath and Live Fish.

In addition to the main stages, Universal Studios will offer a brand new Fan Zone with more live music from Jason Castro, Dara Maclean and For King and Country.

For more information on tickets, go to www.UniversalOrlando.com. Or visit www.WestgateReservations.com for details on discount theme park tickets and discount Orlando vacation packages.

The newest adventure at CityWalk will be “Hollywood Drive-In Golf.” The shopping, dining and entertainment complex plans to build two 18-hole putt-putt courses in an area between the AMC theaters and the resort parking deck.

The new mini golf courses will be designed to incorporate the classic drive-in movie era on the 1950s. The courses, named “The Haunting of Ghostly Greens” and “Invaders from Planet Putt” will offer a family friendly atmosphere based on vintage horror movies and science fiction movies from the ‘50s.

With movie-style scenes, guests will encounter obstacles including a cemetery, a giant spider, a flying saucer and a haunted house. The courses will also introduce other interactive elements, special effects and course-edge lighting for nighttime play.

Course construction is scheduled to begin this summer with the courses officially opening sometime in early 2012.