Gatorland is an attraction in south Orlando featuring thousands of alligators and crocodiles. They have reptile shows, a petting zoo, train rides and more. If you are a Florida resident, price for a day’s admission is only $9.99 through June 30. Normal price is $21.99 ($13.99 ages 3-12), so this is a great deal. It doesn’t matter what your age, if you are a Florida resident, you get this special price. Guests can pay an additional fee for the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line experience.

If you are a Florida resident, and you own a non-Florida (non-native) pet, you can bring it to Gatorland this Saturday, May 19 and the Florida Wildlife Commission will accept the pet with no questions asked or fines. Only exotic reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, invertebrates and mammals will be accepted. Domestic pets, including dogs, cats, ferrets, etc. will not be accepted.

It is Gatorland’s hope that you will not release a non-native animal into the wild. Florida is already home to more than 400 non-native species. This amnesty day is free and open to the public. Go to the attraction’s south parking lot entrance at 14501 S. Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. this Saturday. While you’re there, you might as well enjoy the Florida resident deal!

For more information, go to www.gatorland.com or call 1-800-393-5297.

Happy Mother’s Day! The Mother’s Day buffet and show will be held early tonight at Capone’s Dinner & Show. We’ve made arrangements with Al & Momma Capone to have the show a little early tonight. Show time is 5:00pm Sunday, May 13, 2012. Arrive early!

Bring the entire gang over and feast on our all-you-can-eat dinner buffet. Drinks are included and dessert too! By having the show early, everyone can get home and off to school or work the next day bright and early.

A big thank you to all the moms here and gone. We love you and appreciate everything you have done. Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

During the month of May, visitors to the Orlando Science Center will enjoy a few out of the ordinary astronomy events. In the past, events such as this were a day long, but the event is now being offered as a month full of activities (select weekends through June 2). Some of the events include:

• NASA speaker series
• Space-based demonstrations
• Solar and Nighttime viewings
• Planetarium Shows
• Exhibits: “Our Planet, Our Universe” and “Science on a Sphere”

NASA speakers will provide interesting information about unmanned spacecraft, launch systems, Mars and more. Catch their presentations on select Saturdays. Astronomy and light-themed experiments will be held in Dr. Dare’s lab and will delight both adults and kids. Also included are SunWatch sessions (on select Saturdays and Sundays) where you can view the sun through a telescope without hurting your eyes. Take a peek at the sun’s surface to see if it is placid and serene or boiling with sunspots and solar flares.

Also offered during this event is “Orlando By Night.” This is a live planetarium show from 1pm to 5pm. Night sky observations are held from 7pm to 9pm with astronomers on hand to answer questions. The “Science on a Sphere” exhibit in the Dr. Phillips CineDome is also highlighted in this event with its Kinesthetic Astronomy program. There is a lot to see and experience!

These additional events are included in the regular admission to the Orlando Science Center which is $17 for adults and $12 for children ages 3-11. If you only want to attend the night viewing after 5pm this Saturday, May 12, you can purchase tickets for that by calling (407) 514-2000. The rest of the science center, with the exception of the planetarium, will be closed at this time. For more information, visit their website at www.osc.org.

If you haven’t made plans for Mother’s Day, you’d better get on the phone or the computer and reserve your seats for the best bet around Orlando/Kissimmee. Capone’s Dinner & Show is the only way to go on this special occasion. The wise guys and doll faces at that joint sure know how to treat a mom right. They’ve been taught well! Mamma Capone keeps them in line.

There are a lot of buffets in Orlando to choose from, but few offer a cabaret show with comedy and action to go along with the entree. Capone’s Dinner & Show offers an all-you-can-eat Mother’s Day dinner buffet filled with American/Italian favorites, such as spaghetti and meatballs, pot roast, loads of vegetables and salad. Did you know? The drinks are unlimited and included in the ticket price! This even includes alcoholic beverages. Wow! Not many Orlando dinner shows can say that!

This Mother’s Day, Al and the gang are giving each mother a flower pop (candy lollipop) and some special recognition during the show. It’ll make Mom feel special. After all, you really do owe your mother. Remember this post? “I Owe My Mother.” The best part will be spending time with the mother in your life, whether it is your own mom, someone else’s mom, your aunt or even a future mother. Everyone loves Capone’s – even the kids will have a blast.

Purchase your tickets online and save 50%, but you need to hurry! Seats are filling up fast, and the sooner you make your reservation, the better seats you’ll have. Although Mother’s Day is only a few days away, there are still some great seats available. There is a special show time of 5:00pm so everyone can enjoy the show and still get to bed early for school, work or being a mom. Click here to order your tickets!

Make Mom a happy dame this Sunday. Spend some time with her and the rest of your gang in a little joint with ‘the family.’ It’ll be the best Mother’s Day present ever.

Guests at Universal Orlando will now be able to enjoy 2 more additions to the Orlando theme park’s line-up. A few hours before the park closes, the all-new Superstar Parade will now be weaving its way through portions of the park. This is the first daily parade in the park’s history. It features new floats and characters from “Despicable Me,” “Hop,” SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Dora the Explorer.” Tip: Be in the New York or Hollywood section of the park where the parade has 3-minute show stops. This is where you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the performances, the state-of-the-art technology as well as the hundreds of energetic street performers that make up this new addition to Universal Orlando. If you are looking to meet some of these characters, check out the park’s signage as to the where and when the meet-and-greets will be held. The floats are used as mobile backdrops for the character meet-and-greets.

The second addition to Universal Orlando’s entertainment line-up is the “Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 years of Movie Memories.” This new nighttime lagoon show celebrates the most powerful and emotional moments from Universal Pictures’ most iconic films. It all happens on waterfall screens with colorful fountains and pyrotechnics synchronized with a powerful musical score. As you watch the show, you’ll be taken on a journey through epic cinematic moments filled with heroes, horror, laughter, good vs. evil and triumph. Morgan Freeman narrates the new show which features scenes from about 200 films. Tip: Get comfortable before the show begins. It lasts around 20 minutes and there are a few “splash zones” to avoid (or not).

Universal Studios has promoted 2012 as the “Year to be Here,” and with these new features, it is well on its way to offering their theme park guests a great day of thrills and memories. Later this summer a new attraction, “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” will open, about a year before the motion picture Despicable Me 2 arrives in theaters July 3, 2013. For tickets or information to the Universal Orlando theme park, visit their website at www.universalorlando.com.