Al's Blog – Advice You Can't Refuse

Throughout the year Orlando Attractions offer Florida residents discounts on admission into their theme parks. Now through March 31, 2013 Gatorland is offering $9.99 admission per person if you have a valid Florida license. This takes $15 off the regular adult admission cost! No matter what age, the cost is only $9.99. A family of four can visit Gatorland for about half the cost of one adult ticket at one of the other larger Orlando theme parks!

Gatorland has grown in the past few years, so if you haven’t visited this Orlando attraction lately, you should. The most exciting expansion is their zip line experiences. These thrilling adventures take you high above the park where the view is spectacular. Read more from an earlier post.

Another area that is increasing in popularity is Gatorland’s bird rookery. While it has been around since 1991, this alligator breeding marsh has grown into one of the largest and most accessible wading bird rookeries in Florida. Over 20 different species of birds can be seen here. Since some of these birds are endangered, Gatorland has set up a Photographer Pass program from February through June 16th. The cost runs from just $19.99 for a single day up to $99.99 for an entire year. Bird watching has grown into a huge business, and since Florida is located along many migration paths, Orlando attractions which feature bird sanctuaries are a magnet for bird watchers.

After your day at Gatorland, make your reservations to visit the Orlando attraction which doubles as a dinner show attraction – Capone’s Dinner & Show. They offer a year-round Florida resident special of a free gift. The show at Capone’s is family-friendly and your entire flock (or gang) will enjoy it. The only birds you’ll see at this Orlando attraction are jail birds! They’re fun to watch though and will have you laughing like a kookaburra!

Tourism so far in Central Florida has been good for 2013. The warmer weather has attracted thousands of visitors from colder climates into our local theme parks to enjoy being outside without the snow gloves and boots. The warmer weather isn’t just for tourists though, and neither are some of the great theme park ticket deals that the attractions are offering. If you are a Florida resident, you are most likely enjoying this warm weather too, and now is a great time to catch up on area theme parks at a fraction of the normal cost.

The best attraction ticket deal that I have ran across lately is the Walt Disney World 3-day Discover Disney ticket. From January 5 through June 3, 2013, Florida residents can check out any of the 4 Walt Disney World theme parks for 3 days for only $199 plus tax. Add another day for only $10. There are blackout dates (spring/Easter break for many schools – March 23 through April 5), and you may only visit one park per day, but this is still a fantastic deal!

If it has been awhile since you’ve been to Disney, a lot of new attractions are in place. Two new castles in the Magic Kingdom join the Cinderella Castle. If you’re a “Little Mermaid” or “Beauty and the Beast” fan, you’ll enjoy these great additions. At Epcot you can now create your own virtual concept car and put it through its paces in the re-imagined Test Track. Pirates of the Caribbean join Hollywood Studios this year. These are just a few of the things to “discover” with this great Disney ticket deal.

Many special events will be taking place at our Central Florida attractions in the coming months. Disney is creating a great promotion for Valentine’s Week with special moments and entertainment geared to lovebirds. Disney princes join their princesses to meet park guests in special settings, prix fixe menus turn up at select restaurants and Valentine’s collectibles will be offered for the week.

If you’re a Florida resident, take advantage of the great weather and these theme park ticket deals. The weather and special offers don’t get much better than this! Enjoy!

Universal Orlando Resort is now the most expensive theme park in America. This week, Universal raised the price of a one-day, one-park ticket to $88 before tax. That’s $3 higher than a similar ticket at Walt Disney World. Other tickets for Universal’s theme parks also went up in price. There is some good news though. People who buy their tickets online will still get a discount, and Florida residents are still rewarded with some great summer deals.

First, here are the current ticket prices for Universal (these do not include tax):

• SINGLE PARK
  1-day: $88 adult, $82 child
  2-day: $119.99 adult ($60 per day), $109.99 child ($55 per day)
  3-day: $135.99 adult ($46 per day), $123.99 child ($42 per day)
  4-day: $145.99 adult ($37 per day), $132.99 child ($34 per day)
• PARK-TO-PARK
  1-day: $123 adult, $117 child
  2-day: $139.99 adult ($70 per day), $129.99 child ($65 per day)
  3-day: $152.99 adult ($51 per day), $140.99 child ($47 per day)
  4-day: $159.99 adult ($40 per day), $146.99 child ($37 per day)

Now for a couple of Universal’s Florida resident deals. The 3 Extra Month deal offers just that, now through August 31, when you purchase a two-park annual pass, you’ll get three additional months. They are also offering Summer Vacation Packages which start at $95 per adult. You must book the package now through August 31 and travel prior to December 20, 2012. Upgrades are available, but the basic offer sounds pretty good and includes:

• 3-night hotel accommodations at a nearby Universal Partner Hotel
• 2-day base ticket to Universal Orlando theme parks
• One-day admission to Wet ‘n Wild Orlando waterpark – located just minutes away from Universal Orlando – featuring an all-new family water play area, Blastaway Beach, scheduled to open in June
• Access to live entertainment at Universal CityWalk
• Early park admission to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and, for a limited time, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (valid for travel through June 30).

So while Universal Orlando Resort may be the most expensive theme park, they are at least attempting to make it financially easier on some of their guests. Unfortunately, Disney and the other theme parks usually follow suit, so expect an announcement in the very near future with their price increases. They may not make the announcement ahead of time, so buy your tickets now, if you’re planning on visiting soon. Here at Capone’s Dinner & Show, we too must increase our ticket price to keep up with the ever-increasing gas and food costs, but more on that in my next post.

Enjoy Orlando’s theme parks and remember, after a day at the park, our gang is here to welcome you with open arms (and a few Tommy Guns), great food (all-you-can-eat buffet) and loads of comedy before, during and after our show.

If you are a Florida resident and do not have an annual pass to Universal Orlando, you should check out the new Florida resident special that Universal Orlando Resort is offering. It is perfect for the Florida resident who is already planning to visit Universal before the end of June and wants to spend more than a day or two at the park.

An exclusive Third Day Free offer will allow Florida residents to purchase a 2-day ticket at $99 and get a third day free! Be one of the first to watch the Universal’s Superstar Parade and Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories as they will both be starting May 8th.

Universal has already re-launched the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man attraction which now features 4K digital high definition animation, a new music score and new high-tech 3-D glasses. The upcoming Cinematic Spectacular will be narrated by Morgan Freeman and celebrates Universal Pictures’ films on waterfall screens within the Universal Studios lagoon synchronized with music, fountains and fireworks. Universal’s Superstar Parade will entertain guests with some of their favorite characters and larger-than-life floats and hundreds of energetic street performers. You can also use your Florida residency to experience the new Blue Man Group show and their new finale and receive $35 off regular adult ticket prices.

What’s the catch? You must purchase your 2-day ticket before May 31, 2012 and use the 3rd day before June 30, 2012. You must have a Florida ID and purchase your tickets online. The tickets are not valid for separately ticketed concerts, shows, and special events.

It’s great to be a Florida resident when the deals are good. Take advantage of this spring-time deal. The summer crowds, heat & afternoon showers will be here soon, so get it while the gettin’ is good!

If you’re shopping at the outlet mall stores on International Drive this weekend, make an entire day of it by including a trip to Ripley’s Believe It or Not attraction. Their half price offer for Florida residents will end December 20th, so take advantage of it. Present a photo ID or power bill to get your discount. If you are not a Florida resident, Ripley’s is discounting their online tickets by a few bucks, so you can still get in at a reduced rate.

Depending upon your interests, this Orlando attraction can take an entire day to explore, or a few hours. In the Odditorium you can explore an unbelievable variety of artifacts and displays in 16 unique galleries that pay tribute to the odd and strange from across the globe. You’ll see a large collection of weird and unusual relics and rare treasures. The Odditorium is a self-guided, self-paced tour that allows guests to fully enjoy Orlando’s most bizarre attraction!

After you’re done shopping and studying odd collections, Capone’s Dinner & Show invites you to an evening of fun, laughter, great food and entertainment at our Orlando attraction. Come on down the road from I-Drive onto Hwy. 192 and spend an evening with ‘the family.’ Tickets for our regular show are half price when you purchase them online every day of the year!