What is you favorite dish? Trying all 29 Marketplaces in One Day at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

The fun is on the griddle at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, and there’s still time to enjoy the culinary adventures throughout the park before the event comes to a close November 12.

Half the fun of the festival is discovering new dishes in the 29 marketplaces. But what’s your favorite?

That’s the assignment I had on my recent trip around the Epcot culinary world. Whether it’s the subtle seasoning of the Kefta Pocket at the Morocco Marketplace; the volcano sauce on the Spicy Hand Roll at Japan; a smooth, fine Merlot from France; Griddled Greek Cheese at Greece or the wonderful selection of ales and beers at the Hops and Barley Marketplace, there’s a lot to please every palate. Rob, our Concerned Bystander, also makes a cameo in this video, but it seems his tune has changed just a tiny bit.

So, after experiencing all 29 marketplaces in one day, what was my favorite dish?

The Kalua Pork Slider (the chutney and spicy mayo are an unbeatable blend) from the Hawai’i Marketplace takes the top spot in my (very) unscientific sampling. Although the White Corn Arepa (AREPA!) from the Florida Local Marketplace was a close second. With the famous sweet corn from nearby Zellwood, Fla., it’s a tasty treat. (And if you order it, please shout “Arepa!” and you might get a reaction just like I did in the video.)

The best thing is that I received a special stamp at the Festival Center for visiting all 29 countries. (Although I might suggest visiting Epcot a few times before the event ends to collect all of the marketplace stamps!)

Let us know in the comments if you have visited all 29 marketplaces, or if you have discovered your favorite from this year’s festival. Arepa!

For you discount Epcot tickets to this event, please call our office toll free at 1-877-406-4836 or visit our web site at http://www.officialticketcenter.com/epcot-tickets.aspx

Meet John Lasseter, Celebrity Chef Cat Cora at Epcot International Food & Wine Fest Dinner

The Official Ticket Center ~ Pixar fans will love the opportunity to meet John Lasseter – yes, he’s an animation genius, but he also makes delicious California wines (with beautiful labels, too). You can meet John and his wife Nancy for lunch at 12:30 p.m. October 19 at Citricos, where Chef Philip Ponticelli will pair Lasseter wines with seasonal cuisine. Cost is $130.

Cat Cora fans will be happy to hear that two wine dinners have been added to the line-up for this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, with Chef Cat on hand to greet diners at 8 p.m. October 2 and October 4. Cost is $170 for a five-course dinner with wine pairings in the restaurant’s cozy CoraNation Room.

Meet Celebrity Chef Cat Cora at Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort

And three very famous dads are teaming up for what promises to be one of the coolest Food & Wine Fest dinners this year – Michael Voltaggio has been added to the line-up, joining his brother Bryan and Andrew Zimmern on stage for the family-friendly Magic of Healthy Living Dinner at 6:30 p.m. October 19 at Epcot World Showplace. Brothers Bryan and Michael shot to the front of the celebrity chef pack in 2009 on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and Andrew is best known for his show “Bizarre Foods” on the Travel Channel, so diners are guaranteed entertainment with their memorable four-course dinner. Cost is $110 and includes tip and non-alcoholic beverages. (Park admission required).

To book any of these dinners, call 407-WDW-FEST. Check epcotfoodfestival.com for more event details.

Take a look at more of what to expect at this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival:

New Fantasyland Grand Opening Set for December 6, 2012, at the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort!

New Fantasyland to open in December 2012

New Fantasyland to open in December 2012

The Official Ticket Center 8/09/2012 ~ The grand opening for the New Fantasyland® expansion at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort will take place on December 6, 2012!  Attractions included in this opening are Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Enchanted Tales with Belle, Ariel’s Grotto, Gaston’s Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts.

Previews of these attractions will begin earlier in mid November.

As previously planned, the New Fantasyland expansion will continue with the opening of Princess Fairytale Hall in 2013 and the debut of a new Disney “mountain” in the form of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in 2014.

The Storybook Circus section of the New Fantasyland expansion, which includes Barnstormer – Starring the Great Goofini, the Casey Jr. Splash & Soak Station, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant, opened to Guests in July.

Get you discount Disney Tickets in advance for this once in a lifetime grand opening event by calling our office to order your tickets at 1-8770406-4836 or by going to www.officialticketcenter.com

Save on your Orlando vacation by staying in a rental home?

Vacation Home Rentals In Orlando, Florida

Vacation Home Rentals In Orlando, Florida

The Official Ticket Center 7/18/2012 ~ Millions of travelers each year make the trek to Orlando, Florida to soak up the sun and visit our world famous theme parks. Most people use online booking engines to search for the cheapest way to get here, hotels and car rentals. While the most expensive aspect to a vacation is the airfare, the second is definitely the accommodations! While the average family still thinks a hotel or motel is the best and cheapest way to go, the truth is that a typical family can rent a vacation home rental with all of the bells, whistles and a pool  for the same price as a resort stay or even cheaper. One such company that specializes in this little hidden fact is www.thetopvillas.com/orlando/. Owner Tom Mannings of Top Villas states that he can find any traveler a beautiful, fully furnished vacation home rental, with pool within minutes of the Walt Disney World Resort area for about the same weekly cost that an average family would spend at a hotel within the same distance to Disney. With so many beautiful new homes in the Orlando resort area, many of these homes are bought to rent out to families wanting to have the comforts of their own home, without dragging everything in their suitcases. “Each home is a home away from home”, Tom comments, “and we can make any family feel right at home after a day at the parks or out at our beautiful beaches”. In addition to providing beautiful Orlando villas to their guests, Top Villas also can provide travelers with additional guest service items such as car rentals and discount theme park tickets.

2012 © Patrick Pulliam

Epcot Sounds Like Summer Concert Series Brings The Classic Hits 2012

Eat to the Beat at Epcot's Summer Concert Series

Eat to the Beat at Epcot's Summer Concert Series

The Official Ticket Center Orlando, FL. – The good ole days return to Epcot as select summer nights heat up from June to July with the some of the world’s greatest tribute bands. Classic hits from the likes of U2, The Bee Gees, Bon Jovi and many more will rock during Sounds Like Summer concert series. The high-energy performances take place at the open-air American Gardens Theater in World Showcase.

The schedule (entertainment subject to change without notice):

  • June 10-17: Hotel California ~ A Salute to the Eagles
  • June 18 to 23: Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot ~ The Ultimate Billy Joel Show
  • June 24 to 30: Stayin’ Alive ~ A Tribute to the Bee Gees
  • July 1 to 7: Slippery When Wet ~ The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute
  • July 8 to 14: The Police Experience ~ A Tribute to the Police
  • July 15 to 21: SouthBound and Company ~ A Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd
  • July 22 to 28: 2U ~ A Tribute to U2

Show times are 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m. – except on July 4 when show times are 5:15, 6:30, 7:45 and 9 p.m. Sounds Like Summer concerts are included with Epcot admission. Additional informatio on purchasing your discount Epcot tickets click here http://www.officialticketcenter.com/epcot-tickets.aspx . For the latest information and updated show times, guests may pick up an Entertainment Guide when entering the park.

Universal Orlando files permits for North Station, South Station, and Connector — for real Hogwarts Express?

New constructions permits have appeared which further suggest that Universal intends on building a working Hogwarts Express.

New constructions permits have appeared which further suggest that Universal intends on building a working Hogwarts Express.

For months we’ve been sharing rumors about Wizarding World Orlando’s expansion. New constructions permits have appeared which further suggest that Universal intends on building a working Hogwarts Express.

First, let’s catch you up: In December Universal announced they were closing Jaws at Universal Studios. Rumors stated that the classic boat ride was shutting down to make way for a Diagon Alley expansion, which would be connected to Hogsmeade via a working Hogwarts Express. Behind the scenes, Universal has been marking a path for the train to travel. We also saw the planned layout of the expansion.

Now new permits filed by Universal on June 1 call for the construction of three new elements: North Station, South Station, and Connector. Presumably North Station would be Hogwarts Express’ platform in Universal Studios, while South Station would be at the existing Wizarding World in Islands of Adventure. See the permits below, thanks to Park Rumors:

The project is groundbreaking in that this Hogwarts Express will take you between two of Universal’s parks, meaning you’ll have to have a ticket for both.

Universal has only confirmed that they were working on a Wizarding World expansion – they have not elaborated any further. We think they’re keeping it under wraps for as long as possible so as to not affect potential ticket sales before its grand opening. If they were to announce it today, families may want to hold off on their trip until the expansion opens.

When the Sun Goes Down, the Park Lights Up During SeaWorld Orlando’s Summer Nights

Summer Nights at SeaWorld Orlando is a nighttime spectacular that only SeaWorld could create, and the best place to be in Central Florida when the sun sets. Waves of fun wash over the park with incredible shows, an all-new attraction, thrilling coasters under the stars, and a nightly fireworks and fountain finale.

During Summer Nights –- June 23 through August 12 — SeaWorld is open until 10 p.m., providing even more time for guests to play.

Headlining Summer Nights is the all-new TurtleTrek, where guests can live the miraculous 3D 360 journey of a sea turtle; Shamu Rocks, a larger-than-life experience where guests jam to a rock-n-roll beat and watch as whales perform amazing behaviors; Sea Lions Tonite, a hilarious, satirical show featuring Clyde and Seamore that will have everyone in stitches; and Reflections, the sky-filling fireworks and fountains finale that ends the night with a bang.

Also, the Summer Nights VIP tour is available to help you get the most of your Summer Nights experience. This six-hour, guided tour includes an opportunity to feed dolphins, front-of-the-line access to our most popular rides, including Manta, and reserved seating at our exhilarating night shows, Shamu Rocks and Reflections. Included with the tour is the convenient, all-you-care-to-eat All Day Dining Deal, where you and your family can enjoy all of your favorite foods from your favorite participating restaurants!

Summer Nights at SeaWorld, plus the amazing, new TurtleTrek – the only attraction of its kind in the world – makes the park a must-see this summer. The best deals and more information can be found online by visiting www.officialticketcenter.com

Orlando Theme Parks To Increase Their Ticket Prices 2012

Get Ready To Pay More

Get Ready To Pay More

The Official Ticket Center 5-30-2012 ~ Every year here in Central Florida, the theme park giants get ready for their busiest season by increasing their gate rates. Even when the parks are called out for reporting record earnings, they still see fit to go ahead with the increase. As most Europeans stay home as most have been her many times, the parks are seeing increased travel from our neighbors from the south Americas. As economies rise and fall around the world, it is certain that here in the good o’le US of A, we are not being looked out for with our deteriorating economy and gas prices. It is officially over $100 for 1 person to go to either Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando or SeaWorld Orlando and add in the parking charge, you will have the $100 hurdle jumped. I sometimes wonder when enough will be enough. Maybe when know one comes anymore, they will come up with some major new money saving project, but that is not the case for anytime to come. Remember that Universal Orlando just dropped how many millions of dollars on their latest creation, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and with their record breaking attendance, it is not likely anytime soon that they will be going down on anything of theirs. With gas at over $3.30 a gallon and the average American family struggling to make ends meat, it is no surprise that the “Stay-cation” has replaced the traditional summer vacation. As a gesture of saving our domestic travelers a little more money, we have created our newest line of Orlando Ticket Packages. With these ticket packages, a family can see all of our world famous theme parks while at the same time saving a considerable amount of money. As for buying the individual Orlando theme park tickets, those are probably the worst way at tackling the parks. Doing this will cost you almost the full gate price, minus a few bucks and the wait in line at the parks. At the end of the day it all boils down to; is it worth going into debt for the next 10 years to come to Florida anymore and is a stay-cation the best during uncertain times.

© 2012 Patrick Pulliam

Universal Studios Orlando Unveils More Multi-Platinum Acts Performing at 2012 Summer Concert Series

All-New “Summer Concert Ticket” Offer Provides Access to Headlining Concerts for Discounted Rate

All-New “Summer Concert Ticket” Offer Provides Access to Headlining Concerts for Discounted Rate

Universal Studios Orlando is unveiling even more powerhouse performers that will take the stage at the 2012 Summer Concert Series. Every Saturday night beginning June 9 through July 14, Universal Studio Florida will host one of the hottest concert series around, featuring a star-studded lineup that will appeal to fans of every music genre.

This year, music lovers can expect live performances from classic rock to chart-topping country hits, from mainstream hip hop to soulful R&B. Newly announced performers include Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Famer Al Green, who’s recorded timeless hits like “Let’s Stay Together” and “I’m Still in Love with You;” country star Josh Turner, who has topped the U.S. country charts with singles like “All Over Me” and “Why Don’t We Just Dance;” and Grammy award-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco, who has collaborated with other hit-makers like Kanye West, Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z.

These new additions join previously announced musical acts, including the cast of Nickelodeon’s hit TV series, “Victorious,” on June 9, and rock bands ZZ Top and 3 Doors Down on June 16. The full Summer Concert Series lineup is below, and the final musical act will be announced at a later date.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES 2012 LINEUP

Date &  Headliner

June 9   Cast of Nickelodeon’s Hit TV Series, “Victorious”

June 16  3 Doors Down & ZZ Top

June 23  Josh Turner

June 30  Al Green

July 7   Lupe Fiasco

July 14  TBD

Access to all Summer Concert Series performances is included with admission to Universal Studios Florida. For guests that specifically want to enjoy the concerts, Universal Orlando is offering an all-new ticket that provides one-time access to Universal Studios after 7 p.m. – exclusively for the Summer Concert Series. Available online, the “Summer Concert Ticket” is priced at $59.99 plus tax and will go on sale beginning May 15.

The Summer Concert Series gives guests the opportunity to top off their day of theme park thrills with a headlining concert. By day, guests can enjoy some of the most popular entertainment experiences in the world– including the all-new Universal’s Superstar Parade, a daily parade that features elaborately themed floats that tower above guests, hundreds of energetic street performers and spectacular music and dance performances. By night, park guests can rock out to a live performance by a multi-platinum artist at the Music Plaza, a venue illuminated by the colorful LED lights of Universal Studios’ most rockin’ coaster, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.

For more information about the Summer Concert Series, visit www.officialticketcenter.com or click here for discount Universal Studios tickets.

Star WarsTM Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™

May 20, 25-27, 2012, June 1-3, 8-10, 2012

May 20, 25-27, 2012, June 1-3, 8-10, 2012

Star Wars Weekends is off to a great start at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ as the Star Wars film saga and the hit animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars are celebrated by fans from around the world of all generations. The power of the Force and magic of Disney combine as more than 60 Star Wars characters – including Wookiees, droids, Rodians, Ewoks, bounty hunters and Jedi – roam the streets of Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ for meet-and-greet opportunities with Guests. Star Wars celebrities highlight the event, appearing in themed parades, talk shows, star conversations, behind-the-scenes presentations and autograph sessions.

SCHEDULED CELEBRITY APPEARANCES—May 25-27
Andy Secombe (Watto – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace) Ray Park (Darth Maul – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace) Tom Kane (voice of Yoda – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
The centerpiece of the celebration is the spectacular 3-D attraction, ―Star Tours – The Adventures Continue. The attraction opened last year and uses eye-popping 3-D, a dramatic musical score and motion simulator-based technology to immerse guests in the Star Wars galaxy like never before on a theme park attraction. Limited-edition and event-exclusive merchandise is offered each year, and the ever-popular ―Hyperspace Hoopla ends each Star Wars Weekends day with a show filled with comedy, dancing and high-energy music. With all of the different activities and offerings that take place at Star Wars Weekends, it really is an event that can attract and entertain Guests of all ages. The Star Wars saga is a classic hit and means so much to so many Guests, they won’t want to miss the opportunity to be a part of it all at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™.