There can be few places better to spend the Christmas and New Year than Orlando.
Here’s the Ellis Exclusive Villas run down of the very best ways to celebrate the holiday season.
#1. Disney’s Magic Kingdom: Micky’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a warm-hearted family celebration featuring all your favourite Disney characters.
It is a specially ticketed event running over select nights between Nov 8 and Dec 22.
This year’s event features a Frozen-themed Disney castle and a special Christmas Parade and lightshow.
#2. Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has seen a slew of new openings in recent years, including the new Star Wars world and Toy Story world.
Its Christmas celebrations this year include the Jingle Bel, Jingle BAM firework spectacular and a special show on Sunset Boulevard which includes falling snow.
#3. Epcot: International Festival of the Holidays
Discover Christmas traditions from all over the world at Epcot’s Christmas celebrations.
The highlight is the Candlelight Processional with a 50-piece orchestra, which takes three times each night. Plus, enjoy delicious festive treats at the food stalls and a festive cookie stroll.
#4. Universal: Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
This festive season, Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley have both had a holiday makeover.
If you’re a Harry Potter fan and you haven’t been this year, do make a trip to the Universal parks a part of your holiday season schedule because Universal has also had a fantastic new opening in its Harry Potter world this year: a new rollercoaster called Hagrid’s magical creatures motorbike adventure. Plus, there’s a new lightshow featuring Dementors, Death Eaters and the Dark Lord Voldemort at Hogwarts Castle at Islands of Adventure.
Elsewhere in the Universal parks, you can enjoy a Macy’s Holiday Parade and a Who-liday Spectacular featuring Dr Seuss’s Grinch.
#5. Snow falling in Celebration
We’re big fans of the town of Celebration, just outside the Disney Parks. It’s well worth a visit anytime of year, but Christmas time is particularly special.
As well as horse-drawn carriage rides around the town as it is all dressed up for Christmas, carol singers on the streets, and a really buzzy Christmas feel in the shops and restaurants, the town also boasts a temporary ice rink and even has its own snowfall every evening!
#6. Legoland Florida Resort
If you have young children in your party, don’t miss a trip to Legoland this festive season. Your little ones will love the special Christmas activities at the theme park.
As well as special fireworks shows on select nights leading up to Christmas, there’s also a child-friendly new year’s party this holiday season.
#7. Festival of Trees at OMART
If you aren’t travelling with little ones, the Festival Trees at the Orlando Museum of Art is perhaps a more age-appropriate way to celebrate the holiday season. This highly regarded event is a bit of an Orlando Christmas institution. It’s a great way to stock up on truly unique gifts made by local designers and artists, while supporting the museum’s programmes for lifelong learning.
Loch Haven Park, where the Orlando Museum of Art is sited, is about 10 minutes from downtown Orlando. So, while you’re visiting downtown Orlando, combine a trip to the Festival of Trees with tickets to enjoy another Orlando cultural Christmas tradition: Orlando Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker at the Dr Philips Centre for the Performing Arts.
This year’s performances run from Friday, December 13 through to a matinee performance on Monday, December 23, 2019.
#8. ICE! At Gaylord Palms
If you don’t want to make the trip downtown, then you might want to try another local favourite a bit closer to home. This year, the popular ice sculpture show at the Gaylord Palms hotel and resort features a Polar Express theme.
The walking tour around the ice sculptures is a real holiday treat and your kids will love the ice slides at the end! Running: November 25, 2019 – January 5, 2020 at the resort at 6000 West Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee.
Remember! If you need help purchasing tickets for any of these wonderful holiday celebrations, please speak with our ticketing partner, Kissimmee Guests Services.
With Christmas inspiration, now book your visit!
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The latest new Harry Potter Adventure! Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Ride is opening at Universal on June 13th.
The latest addition to the World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure is sure to delight coaster freaks and Harry Potter fans alike.
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike ride boasts some thrilling white-knuckle stats:
* The longest rollercoaster in Florida
* The first coaster in the USA to feature a free-fall vertical drop
* The most launches of any coaster in the world
Fun Fact: It combines some of the most high-tech animatronics and input from the creative team behind the Harry Potter films. Universal’s creative team worked with Stuart Craig, the films’ Creative Director and Alan Gilmore, the Art Director.
Immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter
Thanks to this exciting new ride, visitors to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Hogsmeade at the Universal Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando will be ushered into a new world of magical creatures
It’s the first time that visitors to the park will come face to face with one of the series’ best loved characters. Universal has pulled out all the stops to create its most advanced and realistic animated figure yet.
Fun Fact: The team worked directly with Robbie Coltrane, the actor who plays Hagrid in the films, to develop facial expressions and body movements for the animated Hagrid figure that introduces visitors to his magical creatures. New voice recordings by Robbie Coltrane where produced for more authenticity.
Meet the magical creatures of Hagrid and Harry’s world
Enter through Hagrid’s hut prior to venturing on to the abandoned ruins, on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
A pre-ride show featuring digital projection technology will entertain you as you meet Hagrid, Arthur Weasley and Hagrid’s pet – Fang.
You’ll then be able to decide whether to ride Hagrid’s motorbike or travel like Harry in the sidecar alongside.
Buckle up and the ride will plunge deeper into the Forbidden forest – where you’ll meet some of the wizarding world’s rare and wonderful magical creatures.
A rip-roaring ride
It isn’t only magical creatures that will be taking your breath away. Hadrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Ride launches at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.
Fun Fact: The ride track measures in at 5,053 feet long. This makes Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Ride the longest roller-coaster in Florida.
The ride includes the first free-fall vertical drop in the USA. Drop 17 feet vertically down for an adrenaline-spiked, stomach-losing free-fall, before in one movement being catapulted 65 feet into the air at a 70-degree angle and dropping back down again. A really wild and hair-raising adventure!
Want to live the adventure for yourself? Book your visit!
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Universal Orlando has just released a new preview of its forthcoming Volcano Bay water park, due to open in Summer 2017, timed to coincide with tickets going on sale.
The park is still being built, so the film is CGI but does give some clear ideas about what guests can expect from visits to the park when it opens in June 2017.
As well as the towering 200ft-tall “volcano” that will dominate the park, the video shows some of the rides and facilities visitors can expect and promises a “full day of fun that lasts well into the night”.
Clearly positioning the Volcano Bay water park as a full day out, Universal is describing it as the third park in its Orlando family.
Watch the video now
If you will be in Orlando in the latter part of 2017, watch the video now to see what you can enjoy:
Make the most of every splash!
One of the highlights of the video is the Krakatau™ Aqua Coaster, a four-person canoe ride which slides upward into dark twists and turns within the volcano before emerging with a plunge through a shimmering waterfall.
There will also be a toddler area, winding river, raft rides, tubes, drop slides and a 125ft body plunge.
Read more details about the rides to come on the Universal website.
New Wearable Technology to Eliminate Queueing
One of the most exciting announcements in the video is the digital queueing system.
Guests will be given a “TapuTapu” wristband which will enable virtual queueing so there is less standing in line. The wristband will also be used to activate videos at tap-to-play spots around the park.
Get Tickets Now!
If you’d like to book your place to be first to experience this exciting new water park, tickets go on sale today – November 15th 2016 – for visits from June 1st 2017.
Purchase them through our ticketing partner, Kissimmee Guest Services, and they will guarantee that you will not find tickets cheaper anywhere else – or they will refund the difference up to 14 days after your visit.