Memorial Day weekend offers the unofficial early kickoff to the busy summer vacation season in Orlando.  In the coming months, guests from around the world will fill the myriad theme parks and attractions throughout Central Florida. 

From rollicking roller coasters to  amazing animals, the parks offer plenty of action, advenure and extraordinary fun.  While prices typically peak during such high travel times, there are still opportunities to save substantially on your Orlando travel plans.

Whether you are looking for hotel/resort accommodations, discount theme park and attraction tickets or complete vacation packages, you can start your search right here on WestgateReservations.com or other vacation sites such as www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com.

Come celebrate Aloha Friday at Universal Studios Orlando’s beautiful Loews Royal Pacific Resort. This special celebration takes place on Friday, May 23 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. 

Get ready for some fun as you kick back in a tropical paradise and celebrate the weekend. Aloha Fridays are celebrated throughout Hawaii and now the tradition comes alive at Loews Royal Pacific Resort. Put on your favorite Hawaiian shirt or sun dress and join the festivities!

Aloha Friday features tropical drinks, beer, wine and Polynesian-inspired food, plus an islands-style party with live music!  Tickets are just $25 per person.

“It’s a ride; it’s game. It’s a game; it’s a ride.”  Based on those comments from the 5-foot animatronic “Mr. Potato Head” that sits outside Disney’s new Toy Story Mania attraction, it must be a little of both!  Visitors will find out for themselves when the unique new 3-D attraction officially opens May 31 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.

Whether you want to call it a ride or a game, one thing is certain…it’s a fun adventure for everyone! A four-person car takes riders through five interactive games of skill featuring favorite Toy Story movie characters such as Woody, Bo Peep and Ham. The cars don’t move fast or spin much, so there’s no fear of motion sickness.

The first stop on the ride features a practice opportunity for riders to learn how to fire their “spring-action shooter,” which is shaped like a miniature cannon. Then you’ll move right into a world of virtual reality, as you start firing pies at various bull’s-eye targets – and with realistic, three-dimensional effects. Along the way, you’ll progress to firing not just pies, but eggs, darts, baseballs and there’s even a ring toss. And while it’s fun to launch things, there’s not much time to relax.  It’s best to just keep firing away since the highest “scores” are the result of shooting as rapidly as possible. Launchers can fire up to six objects per second!

Although no special skills or training are required to play, various targets have different values and even some special effects. For example, if you hit a water balloon, you might feel a misty spray of water. And you can shoot at a variety of other objects, including green aliens, plates, ducks and trees. Because everything is oversized, you’ll feel a part of the game.  The scale of the ride is designed to make you feel toy-sized and the game takes place “under a bed.”   Oversized green army men, Tinkertoys, used crayons, checkers and Old Maid cards are just a few of the giant toys you’ll find. Toy Story Mania is sure to be another fun filled adventure for kids of all ages.  So grab your 3-D glasses and come along for the ride!  Or is it a game?

Long awaited and highly anticipated, The Simpsons™ Ride at Universal Studios Florida is now open!  Check it out and visit Krustyland, the low-budget theme park created by famed TV personality and shameless product huckster Krusty the Clown!You be there right alongside Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie as you enter through a carnival-like midway. Once you board your vehicle you’re in for one surprise after another as you embark on a wild, over-the-top ride through the park… flying, floating, and more or less crashing your way through Krustyland’s kiddie attractions, stunt shows and thrill rides. State-of-the-art digital projectors cover an 80 ft. diameter domed surface with an image four times the standard High Definition found in most home theaters, and twice what you’d experience in a normal digital theater.  All the character voices in the attraction were performed by the original stars of the long-running The Simpsons show.  In addition, hilarious new The Simpsons animation was created not just for the ride, but for the pre-show and queue areas as well.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park just turned 10-years-old!  

The Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund (DWCF) was established on Earth Day, April 22, 1995.  Since then, the DWCF has annually awarded money to conservation projects around the world to assist in preserving the diversity and splendor of the environment. From sea turtles to elephants, chimps to king vultures, DWCF funds have helped improve their chances at survival.

That commitment to conservation and education has continued and received additional importance with the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park on Earth Day 1998.  In the 10 years since the Park opened, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and DWCF have worked hand in hand to make an even more powerful coalition for wildlife. Park guests can also help make a difference by continuing to make financial donations to the ongoing efforts of DWCF.  Animal Kingdom cost nearly $800 million to build and the park covers 500 acres – that’s 5 times larger than the nearby Magic Kingdom.  The park’s massive and iconic “Tree of Life” is covered with carved images of 325 animals and has more than 100,000 leaves.

Although Animal Kingdom is much more than a zoo…the park is an accredited zoo, featuring 1,500 animals representing more than 300 species.  That includes 35 species currently listed as threatened or endangered.

Celebrate the music, spirit and culture of Jamaica at a two-day festival that fills the streets of Universal CityWalk on May 10-11 from 2:00-9:00 pm!  Enjoy steel drummers, DJs, local Reggae bands, Caribbean food, specialty drinks, over 20 African and Jamaican merchants as well as featured performers including: Inner Circle, Maxi Priest, Toots & The Maytals and Stephen Marley, the son of Bob Marley.   (1-day ticket is $25 plus tax / 2-day ticket is $35 plus tax.  Tickets include FREE ADMISSION to select CityWalk venues.)

Introducing Orlando’s Daring Dozen - 12 thrill rides you don’t want to miss.

With 7 major theme parks, Orlando offers plenty in the way of thrills and adventure.  And with SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Studios Florida recently announcing the development of new signature thrill rides, even more exciting adventure is on the horizon. Everyone has their own opinion on which rides provide the biggest thrills but here are a dozen attractions that are sure to make any thrill enthusiast’s “can’t miss” list!

Incredible Hulk Coaster (Islands of Adventure)  Feel the rage! After being launched from zero to 40 mph in two seconds, the Hulk takes riders upward 150 ft. and reaches top speeds of 67 mph.  You’ll experience a total of seven inversions and two subterranean trenches during the 2-minute, 15-second ride.

Kraken (SeaWorld)  Born from tales that struck terror in sailors for centuries, SeaWorld’s mighty Kraken is a monster coaster like no other. Consistently ranked one of the world’s top 10 coasters by ride enthusiasts, Orlando’s tallest, fastest, and only floorless steel coaster rises high above the horizon, daring you to take it on.

Dueling Dragons (Islands of Adventure)  The world’s first inverted, dueling roller-coasters. Soar 125 feet in the air at speeds of 55 mph. Ride with the Fire Dragon or Ice Dragon as they narrowly pass within 18 inches of each other on 3 separate occasions.  The flight offers several inversions, including a zero-g roll, a Cobra roll, two corkscrews, and two vertical loops.

Doctor Doom’s Fearfall (Islands of Adventure)  Doctor Doom has designed a diabolical device created to extract every ounce of fear from your body by rocketing you 150 feet into the air, then hurling you back down faster than gravity itself!  The initial launch uses more thrust than a 747 jet engine and accelerates faster than the space shuttle.  

Expedition Everest (Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park)  Take on the treacherous terrain of the towering Forbidden Mountain in this high-altitude, high-speed train adventure. Nail-biting hairpin turns hurl you forward toward the peak and then, just when you think it couldn’t get more thrilling - backward! The mountain’s full of surprises: Beware the snarling beast…the Yeti!

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)  Board a creepy, phantom elevator, shoot up 13 stories and brace yourself for a thrilling plummet… but beware! The experience just got scarier. You rocket back up, only to plummet down yet again. You dare to ride once more, but wait! That’s not what happened before. The Tower is in control, so it’s never the same fear twice!

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)  Aerosmith’s having a backstage party across town and you’re invited. Ready to brave the LA freeways? Zoom from 0-60 mph with the force of a supersonic F-14, take in high-speed loops and turns synchronized to a specially recorded Aerosmith soundtrack and zip through Tinseltown in the biggest, loudest limo ever seen.

Revenge of the Mummy (Universal Studios Florida)  Plunge into total darkness as you face fireballs, scarab beetles and an army of warrior mummies on a psychological thrill ride totally unlike anything that’s come along in the past 3,000 years!  The ride catapults you at speeds up to 45 mph.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (Islands of Adventure)  Put on your 3-D glasses for an eye-popping, pulse-pounding, first-of-its-kind 3-D thrill ride. Careening through the streets and swinging high above the city, you’ll see, hear, and FEEL the action.  This simulator ride encompasses 1.5 acres and includes a virtual 400-foot freefall experience.

Mission Space (Epcot)  This ultimate interactive thrill-packed adventure is as close as you can get to blasting off into space. Each member of your astronaut team has a challenging role in a dynamic and daring cosmic mission dodging meteors and navigating nebulae. Select the exhilarating and intense training or opt for a less intense galactic adventure.

Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom Park)  Dare to be a rocket jockey and blast into the outer-galaxy past shooting stars and other-worldly celestial satellites. Twist and turn in a tumult of fun as you launch into the inky blackness of the nether reaches of space. It’s one giant leap for fun!

Test Track (Epcot)  Enter the hair-raising world of auto testing on one of the longest, fastest rides in Disney history! Strap yourself in to race up bumpy terrain, roar through hair-pin turns, speed into freezing cold chambers, and rush on to 50-degree banked curves at 60 miles an hour.

SeaWorld Orlando has announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art thrill ride to open sometime in 2009.  Designed to be the theme park’s new signature attraction, the ride incorporates animal components, marine-life components and roller coaster style thrills that provide a sensation of gliding

The ride is expected to become a bold new focal point for the theme park’s entrance as well as become the park’s anchor attraction.  Few details about the ride, including the name, have yet to be announced.  However, the ride will combine entertainment with marine-life education.

The announcement of the new ride comes on the heels of the recent grand opening of Orlando’s newest water park – Aquatica by SeaWorld.

For those interested in some exciting recreational activity, Disney’s Contemporary Resort Marina includes a water sports centre where a variety of thrills await.  Among the activities available, you can enjoy parasailing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, jet skiing and tubing.

Parasailing is open to anyone 5 years old or older with a minimum weight requirement of 125 pounds and a maximum of 330 pounds.  Youngsters who do not meet the minimum weight may accompany another flier to meet the requirement.  Flights range from 8-10 minutes at 450 feet to 10-12 minutes at 600 feet.  The parasailing program is open 7 days a week, weather permitting.

Boats for waterskiing, wakeboarding and tubing enthusiasts can accommodate up to 5 guests and may be rented for as little as 30 minutes or by the hour.  Personal watercraft/wave runners can be taken on one-hour guided tours or non-guided excursions.  Watercraft can hold up to 3 guests with a combined weight less than 400 pounds.  Drivers must be at least 16 years of age and present a valid state issued driver’s license or permit with photo ID.

A 3,000-capacity concert venue located at Universal Orlando’s CityWalk, Hard Rock Live showcases a wide variety of music ranging from popular national acts to the best emerging new artists. Hard Rock Live and the 600-seat Hard Rock Cafe Orlando – which is also perfect for live music – are situated in a 140,000-square-foot building designed as a retro interpretation of the great Roman Coliseum.  The facility opened and held its first concert (Glenn Frey/Joe Walsh) on January 29, 1999. Today, the venue continues to be a popular stop for musicians and music fans alike.