3 February 2012, 5:59 pm
Cinderella Castle Covered in Roses for Valentines Day
If you plan on visiting Walt Disney World ® this February you may be surprised to see Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom ® covered in gorgeous red roses and thorns. It’s all a part of a new seasonal segment inspired by some of the most romantic moments in Disney ® animation. And it’s just in time for Valentine’s Day too!
Watch in amazement as Cinderella Castle goes from being covered in stunning red roses and thorns one minute to being turned into a star-filled sky the next. Stained glass windows will even grace the facades, depicting cherished Disney ® couples including Belle and Beast, Lady and Tramp, and other Disney ® princes and princesses. You’ll even be able to see famous Disney ® female characters including Cinderella and Snow White.
The romance segment is planned to run as part of “The Magic, The Memories and You!” campaign through mid-April. In addition to popular romantic Disney ® characters, Cinderella Castle will display the images of hundreds of Walt Disney World ® guests, captured during the day and incorporated into each 10-minute show. And to make the night even more romantic, guests should stick around for the nightly fireworks display that lights up the Orlando sky over Cinderella Castle.
This isn’t the first time Cinderella Castle has undergone a makeover for “The Magic, The Memories and You!” projection show. For Christmas last year, the iconic show added effects to make the Cinderella Castle look as if it was wrapped as a giant present, covered in gingerbread, adorned with colored lights, and even made of candy canes!
“The Magic, The Memories and You!” campaign debuted at Walt Disney World ® in January of 2011 and blends classic Disney ® music with a grand canvas of guest memories from earlier in the day in a 10-minute spectacle. The finale culminates in fireworks show you won’t forget. The show uses 16 high-powered, state-of-the-art projections in three locations – Main Street, Frontierland and Tomorrowland – to create a stunning nighttime performance. During its transformation, Cinderella Castle shimmers with colors, its turrets spin and vines climb up its towers. Disney ® characters become backdrops as multiple Disney ® stories drape across the Castle walls. In all, more than 5,000 images are projected onto Cinderella Castle for each show, making for a stunning spectacular!
You can expect Walt Disney World ® to continue adding festive elements to Cinderella Castle for other holidays and events throughout the year. Stay tuned for more details.
To experience Cinderella Castle adorned with roses and colored in pinks and reds for Valentine’s Day you can find discounted Walt Disney World ® tickets right here on OrlandoFunTickets.com.
3 February 2012, 9:02 am
Butterbeer Cast Spell Over Orlando
With such incredible rides as “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” the shops of Hogsmead and the overall incredible likeness of Hogwarts from the hit Harry Potter films, it’s no surprise Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure is a huge success.
But what exactly is it that lures in thousands of muggles every month from around the country? Is it the chance to choose and ride your own dragon in Dragon Challenge? Or the impressive technology guests get to experience when they enter Ollivander’s Wand Shop? Or is it something different all together? Something that once you experience it casts a spell over you.
Based on surveys that Universal Orlando employees have conducted, the most alluring part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a drink, yes a drink and it’s called Butterbeer.
That news couldn’t be more exciting for Chef Steven Jayson, Vice President and Corporate executive Chef for Universal Parks & Resorts. Chef Steven and his team spent nearly three years coming up with a workable recipe for this mythical brew that’s mentioned repeatedly throughout all eight Harry Potter films.
Steven and his team made a trip to Scotland in July 2008 to meet with Harry Potter’s author J.K Rowling as well as tour the various spots that had inspired her during her writing. During the trip, Steven reportedly quizzed Rowling in regards to Butterbeer, trying to get the author’s exact thoughts on the imaginary drink.
“This was a pretty daunting situation," Steven recalled during an interview, which he gave during the Wizarding World's grand opening press event back in June of 2010. "We wanted to take what Harry Potter fans had read in the books and seen in the movies and bring it to life. We knew that people's expectations were going to be very high. What's more, we had to create a beverage that was good for all ages."
After 15 or 16 tries and running the prototypes by his bosses at Universal Orlando it was time to get Rowling’s approval. Steven and his crew made 5 different butterbeer prototypes for Rowling to try and after tasting the real glass of butterbeer she smiled approvingly and said, “Yes, Chef. That’s it.”
So, what exactly goes into the famous butterbeer? Well, we can’t tell you that. It’s confidential, literally. In fact, Universal Orlando is doing everything in their power to keep the recipe a secret. Chef Jayson even admitted that Universal has already “implanted special security procedures to protect the recipe.”
If you want to taste the magical ale that’s captivating Orlando guests you can find discounted tickets to Islands of Adventure and Universal Orlando right here on OrlandoFunTickets.com.
1 February 2012, 4:58 pm
Say I Do in Orlando
February is a month of romance and to get into the spirit of love OrlandoFunTickets.com is offering a quick guide of our favorite places to say “I Do” in Orlando.
Make your wedding dreams come true with a fairytale wedding at Walt Disney World ®. With four different wedding collections to choose from, getting married at Disney ® is nothing short of magical.
Engaged couples can keep their nuptials simple with nothing but close friends and family in the Escape Collection. Or let Disney ® make all of your wishes comes true with the Wishes Collection and create a lavish ceremony and reception that will leave you breathless. For a couture touch work with entertaining expert David Tutera and the Disney ® team to make a one-of-a-kind celebration that reflects your style with the Couture Collection. Married couples can even renew their vows in a special anniversary celebration in the Memories Collection.
Disney ® has been recognized as a top-ranked wedding and honeymoon destination over the last 20 years. The Orlando theme park currently hosts more than 1,000 couples tying the knot each year. Walt Disney Weddings typically take place at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion, but nuptials at Walt Disney World ® Resort also take place in outdoor garden settings, gazebos and courtyards, or even inside attractions like the Living Seas at Epcot with a 5 ½ million-gallon salt water aquarium! More than 40,000 couples have married at Walt Disney World ® Resort, Disneyland ® and on Disney Cruise Line ®.
Universal Orlando is making sure every bride and groom gets a memorable wedding day with the help of award-winning catering, an experienced events team and the partnership and creativity of weddings expert Susan Southerland.
Southerland is one of the world’s top destination wedding planners and the national weddings expert for Perfect Wedding Guide. She and her team of planners will work with Universal Orlando’s own wedding team and couples to create an unforgettable day. Southerland’s expertise is known worldwide as she has executed thousands of wedding ceremonies all over the world, some of which have been featured on Style Network’s “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?” and TLC’s “A Wedding Story.”
Having a dedicated wedding planner is just one of the many elements included in a Universal Orlando wedding. Engaged couples will be able to choose which Universal location they’d like to tie the knot in including Universal Orlando, Islands of Adventure or CityWalk. Guests can even combine venues by holding one part of the wedding at each location, making for one thrilling day! Popular venues include the Latin Quarter, Pat O’Brien’s, Red Coconut Club, CityWalk’s Rising Star, New York & Hollywood areas in Universal Studios and more.
If you want to experience Walt Disney World ® or Universal Orlando before you say “I Do” you can find discounted tickets right here on OrlandoFunTickets.com.
