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Universal 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.

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.

Today, Universal Orlando Resort officially opened central Florida’s newest and most outrageously-themed miniature golf experience– Hollywood Drive-In Golf at Universal CityWalk. Featuring two 18-hole courses based on classic drive-in era horror and sci-fi movies, this all-new venue is the only place where the entire family can enjoy teeing off through the open mouth of a giant space worm or the basement laboratory of a towering haunted house.

To celebrate the grand opening, some of Universal Orlando’s iconic characters “hit the links.” Universal’s classic monsters – including Dracula, Wolfman, Frankenstein’s Monster and the Bride of Frankenstein – putted their way through a creepy cemetery on “The Haunting of Ghostly Greens” course. On the opposite side, Men In Black agents and Frank the Pug played “Invaders from Planet Putt” – a course themed after the “little green men” science fiction films of the 1950s.

Designed by Universal’s Creative team in partnership with Adventure Golf Design and Development, Hollywood Drive-In Golf is now open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Admission rates to play one course are $13.99 plus tax for adults and $11.99 plus tax for children (ages 3 to 9). For more information on Hollywood Drive-In Golf, visit www.CityWalkOrlando.com.

Looks like we’re getting another visit from President Barack Obama again today as he is scheduled to attend a private fundraising dinner at the home of former Orlando Magic superstar Vince Carter in Windermere.

“He really enjoys this type of event and he enjoys basketball. His schedule is very tight to be coming back two months, three months later, usually doesn’t happen,” said attorney John Morgan, who is organizing the event.

It seems the Presidential visit is being tied to the NBA All Star game held at the Amway Center this weekend and in some quarters it is believed to be a moment to get more national press coverage as well as a chance to raise some funds for his political campaign as he seeks re-election later this year.

About 40 people, including NBA Hall of Famers, current all-stars and music superstars will be in attendance and tickets will be a mere $30,000 a plate! So with a projected guest list of 40 people, the event will likely raise about $1.2 million.

All-Stars like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Joe Johnson, and Kevin Durant will not attend the event because they will be playing games Thursday night but it is believed that several of the 2012 All-Stars who are not playing that night have already bought tickets to attend the event as well as a New York music mogul.

Over on the other side of the political spectrum Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is determined not be outdone by President Obama’s fundraiser as he is also holding a fundraiser at the Daytona International Speedway area on Friday.

Seems we’re now in for a battle of racing fans, normally more conservative voters, versus NBA fans who are usually more democratic! Is nothing sacrosanct anymore?

This morning I wandered along to SeaWorld to take a preview of the new, first of its kind attraction, Turtle Trek. It was an interesting visit that lasted around 45 minutes as I took a look at the new state of the art dome that will house the animated film that guests will no doubt come to love and enjoy.

The fully domed theater has a powerful stereoscopic projection system and that allows for a seamless, 3-D virtual environment that goes all around the dome, including over the heads of guests. A fine silver coating on the dome allows each screen to focus the projection light back toward the guests and each fleck of silver is like a tiny mirror.

The 3D/360 degree film will showcase the epic journey of one sea turtle. No animal’s life journey is more extraordinary than that of a sea turtle. From hatching on a beach and then making a mad dash to open waters to the dangers and hazards they face as they mature and return to the very same beach where they lay their own eggs, their tales of life underwater have in the past been very difficult to tell.

In the same way that Sea World brought attention to the plight of the manatee, the park will showcase the vulnerable sea turtle when the attraction opens in the spring of 2012. The animated film will play its part in this and it goes well beyond the concept of high definition or even virtual reality as each frame of the film has approximately 26 million individual pixels … more than 13 times what is normally considered “high-definition.” The film will be shown at 60 frames per second which is twice as fast as the human mind can register movement and combined with the dome and the powerful projection system, the result will be one of the sharpest and most spectacular 3-D films ever created.

The movie began on the artist’s drawing board and every movement of every creature was animated independently, from our hero, the sea turtle, to thousands of fish right down to the smallest anemone. More than 12 species of sea animals will be brought to life in the movie and the astonishing thing is that the movie is actually two films that run together simultaneously to create the 3-D effect.

The six minute movie really will be incredible and you won’t find it on Netflix anytime soon… as it is nearly 950GB and would take you nearly three months to download even if you had enough storage space available. In fact, to give you some idea of how huge it is, if you were to try and create a full length film at this resolution and complexity, it would take you nearly five years to download!

34 projectors and 360,000 lumens of light will fill the 3-D, 360 degree movie dome and that’s more than 15 times a typical digital movie theater projection system. Nearly a kilometer of fiber optic cable carries the video date to the projectors and the sound system includes 22 discrete audio channels that will be mixed on site. This then allows for 3-D sound and pinpoint placement of audio effects.

Pretty neat eh? Well consider this, your own surround system at home will usually be a 5.1 arrangement with 5 sound channels and 1 channel for low frequency effects… the sound system at TurtleTrek is 18.4 and is rated at an amazing 32,000 watts!

So that’s the dome and the movie but it’s only part of the allure of TurtleTrek as the whole experience will feature two massive, naturalistic saltwater and freshwater habitats which will be the home to both sea turtles and manatees. Turtle Trek will become home to a variety of adult and juvenile sea turtles, including hawksbill, Kemp’s, loggerhead and green sea turtles. Guests will be able to view these exquisite creatures gliding past them from above or from a below water window. The manatees, believed to be four West Indian manatees to be housed in the location, can also be seen from above or below the water as they swim or graze on a leafy snack. Each of the gentle giants in the exhibit will have come from the SeaWorld rescue program.

Sea turtles are truly a global species found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide and they have survived in the seas for over 200 million years. The TurtleTrek residents though, have been deemed non-releasable by the Florida government, due to genetics, illness or being orphaned. Since 1973, SeaWorld Orlando has rescued, cared for and returned hundreds of endangered manatees and since 1980 it has returned more than 1,200 sea turtles back to their natural waters.

It really is a fantastic effort and SeaWorld is determined to continue educating the public while  helping ill, injured, orphaned and abandoned animals in need. To date, over four decades of SeaWorld activity has seen more than 20,000 animals rescued by the park’s animal experts including whales, dolphins, sea lions, manatees, sea turtles and birds… essentially, the equivalent of helping one animal a day, everyday, for 45 years. It’s why we at Florida Leisure are proud to support SeaWorld and their incredible staff. It’s also why we emphasize a visit to SeaWorld Orlando as both adults and children benefit from the experience. Not only is it fun, but it is very educational and you can’t help but learn something about the world we live in.

We look forward to the opening of TurtleTrek and look forward to bringing you more news and stories from SeaWorld Orlando… so keep checking back on this blog every week!

Here’s some video of construction progress:

Wet ‘n Wild Orlando is building a new attraction. Covering an acre and featuring a new sandcastle-themed water playground, the new Kids’ Park is expected to be the largest of its kind in Florida. Scheduled to open Summer of 2012, this will be Wet ‘n Wild’s first new attraction in over four years.

“We are excited to offer a tremendous, new experience for families and children of all ages”, said Michael Black, Sr. Vice President & GM of Wet ‘n Wild. “As the waterpark recognized for shared thrills and multiperson
attractions, we wanted to add new thrills for the kids to share with their families.”

The new interactive water playground will span more than 60-feet in height, expand across two pools (two levels: upper & lower) and have more than 85,000 gallons of water for guests to enjoy. The sandcastle playground itself will encompass more than 15,000 square feet, and will feature 17 slides and over 160 soakers, jets, waterfalls and water cannons.

Built on the site of Wet ‘n Wild’s current kids’ park, the new attraction will be a beach-themed area unto itself with only one entrance/exit. The area will include dedicated seating set amidst lush, tropical landscaping.  “We’ve all seen kid’s areas at waterparks”, Mr. Black stated, “but this will be bigger and unlike any other around. It will be fun and engaging for everyone, stimulating our youngest guests and delighting entire families.”

Wet ‘n Wild Orlando, the world’s first waterpark as recognized by the World Waterpark Association, introduced the world to the
waterpark concept in 1977. Today, over 15 themed rides and attractions comprise an arsenal of thrills that provide guests an exciting variety of ways to “share the rush” with family and friends.

The Goo Goo Dolls and Sugar Ray will perform at Universal Orlando Resort’s Mardi Gras celebration, completing one the most powerful musical line-ups of the event’s history. Goo Goo Dolls will rock the Music Plaza Stage at Universal Studios Florida on March 3 and Sugar Ray will do the same on March 17.

With four Grammy nominations, more than 10 million albums sold and 13 Top Ten hits including “Name,” “Slide” and “Black Balloon,” Goo Goo Dolls has become one of the most globally recognized and influential forces in pop music history. Their hit “Iris,” from the “City Of Angels” movie soundtrack, spent nearly 12 straight months on the Billboard charts and held the No. 1 position for 17 consecutive weeks.

Sugar Ray first gained fame in the music scene with the hit “Fly.”  Since then, lead singer Mark McGrath and his band mates have taken their combination of sunny pop and lightly funky hip-hop grooves and created several of the most infectious summer singles of the late ‘90s, including “Every Morning,” “Someday” and “When it’s Over.”

With the addition of Goo Goo Dolls and Sugar Ray, Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras musical line-up boasts a combined total of more than 350 million albums sold. Headliners include pop superstar Kelly Clarkson, teen sensation Big Time Rush, pop rock band Hot Chelle Rae, Grammy nominee for “Best New Artist” J. Cole and female Rock & Roll legend Cyndi Lauper.  For a complete list of this year’s performers and dates see below.

Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras celebration kicks off Feb. 11 and runs every Saturday and select nights through April 14.  The authentic and family-friendly version of the famed New Orleans street party combines unparalleled theme park entertainment with an elaborate Mardi Gras parade, dozens of colorfully costumed performers, authentic New Orleans bands, delicious Cajun cuisine and live concerts by some of today’s most popular artists. Guests can enjoy the Mardi Gras event and great theme park entertainment for the price of regular admission.

We’ve now received more details about the plans at Universal Orlando this year and it certainly looks like there will be more adventure, excitement, laughter and awe-inspiring moments than ever before – making 2012 an extraordinary year to be here in Central Florida.

There will be something for everyone and every family.  From a new Blue Man Group show and newly re-created experience inside one of Universal Orlando’s most popular attractions to a stunning parade, spectacular nighttime show and brand-new blockbuster attraction based on an incredibly popular film – Universal Orlando Resort is bringing guests more new entertainment across our entire destination in 2012 than during any other year in our history.

The new experiences will begin debuting in February.  Guests will discover the exhilarating entertainment of a new Blue Man Group show; marvel at breathtaking new animation and effects in The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man; dance and celebrate with their favorite animated characters during Universal’s Superstar Parade and relive memorable moments from Universal Pictures most powerful and beloved films during the nighttime show Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular – 100 Years of Movie Memories. And coming this summer – families will laugh together as they are transformed into minions for an incredible adventure inside the new Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction.

Universal Orlando will also be marking the Universal Pictures Centennial Anniversary Celebration during 2012 with a series of events to be announced throughout the year.

“We are about to offer our guests a historic range of incredible new entertainment experiences,” said Alice Norsworthy, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Universal Orlando Resort.  “This year will be filled with excitement and entertainment for the entire family.”

The new 2012 experiences at Universal Orlando include:

Blue Man Group ~ Opening February 2012 at Universal CityWalk

Universal Orlando’s Blue Man Group show is taking their unique and captivating mash-up of high energy music, comedy, audience participation and collective exhilaration to another level. Featuring a new show environment, new music, new technology and new experiences, the show will allow audiences to join the Blue Men as they discover, engage and explore the world’s obsession with cutting-edge technology.  Signature Blue Man Group moments combine with breathtakingly fun new pieces for an explosive evening of entertainment.  New show elements include the curious Blue Men interacting with enormous “GiPads,” a funny and insightful look at contemporary communication vehicles, and a pulsating new finale with an original Blue Man Group music score that will have guests jumping to their feet. Look closely – you may even see the Blue Men take a spin on one of Universal Orlando’s most popular attractions.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ~ Experience March 2012 at Islands of Adventure

Universal Orlando is transforming what is already one of the most amazing attraction experiences ever created into what will feel like an all-new adventure.  The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man will soon feature all-new, 4K digital high-definition animation, new high tech 3-D glasses and upgrades to the set, audio and lighting systems.  The re-animation of the ride film will include an entirely new level of detail for guests to discover, including a cameo by legendary comic book icon and Spider-Man co-creator, Stan Lee.

Universal’s Superstar Parade ~ Opening Spring 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Some of today’s most beloved characters and stories will bring new adventure to the streets of Universal Studios during Universal’s Superstar Parade – an all-new daily parade that features larger-than-life floats, state-of-the-art technology and hundreds of energetic street performers.  Guests will sing and dance along with characters like the minions from Despicable Me, E.B. from the hit comedy, Hop, Nickelodeon’s Dora & Diego and SpongeBob SquarePants during the interactive experience. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy performances and character meet and greets prior to the parade at select locations throughout the day.

Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories ~ Opening Spring 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Narrated by award-winning actor and recent Golden Globe – Cecil B. DeMille honoree, Morgan Freeman, Universal Orlando’s brand-new nighttime show, Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular, will celebrate the most powerful and emotional moments from Universal Pictures’ most iconic films – all on cutting-edge waterfall screens within the Universal Studios lagoon and surrounded by colorful fountains and pyrotechnics. The experience will take guests on a journey through epic cinematic moments filled with heroes, horror, laughter, good vs. evil and triumph. The new show opens this spring, runs all summer and then on select nights through the end of the year.

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ~ Opening Summer 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Universal Orlando’s newest attraction, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, will take guests on an unforgettable 3-D adventure with their favorite characters from the hit film – Gru, Margo, Edith, Agnes and the mischievous minions. The experience begins when guests enter Gru’s home, where they learn that they’re being recruited to become minions and undergo “minion training.”  Things don’t go as planned, and guests find themselves on a wildly hysterical journey with Gru and his daughters.  Once guests make it through training, they join an interactive, minion-inspired dance party where they can show off their best moves.

Universal’s Creative team is working closely with Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment to bring this all-new adventure to life in the most authentic way possible.  In fact, the beloved characters in the attraction will be voiced by the film’s original cast: Steve Carell (Gru), Miranda Cosgrove (Margo), Dana Gaier (Edith) and Elsie Fisher (Agnes).  The ride’s experience is being developed by the same creative team that brought you the award-winning film, Despicable Me. The motion-picture event Despicable Me 2 arrives in theaters on July 3, 2013.

Other New Experiences Opening this Year

• Hollywood Drive-In Golf, a unique 36-hole miniature golf experience inspired by the classic drive-in movie era, will open in February at Universal CityWalk.
• A great, new immersive retail entertainment experience that will become home to SpongeBob SquarePants and other characters from the number one kids animated TV series, Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants.  It will open inside Universal Studios this year.
• Minutes away from Universal Orlando, the popular Wet ‘n Wild water park will open its first interactive family water play area this summer – allowing everyone in the family to splash and swim together.  Amidst lush, tropical landscaping, the new area will feature 15 water slides and more than 100 soakers, jets, waterfalls and water cannons – making it the largest interactive water play experience in Florida.

Today, Universal Orlando Resort revealed details about a wide range of all-new exciting guest experiences that will open across the destination this year.

The new experiences will begin debuting in February and include:

• A new Blue Man Group show – opening in February
• HD enhancements and more to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man – experience in March
• Universal’s Superstar Parade – a new interactive parade experience featuring characters like the minions from Despicable Me, E.B. from the hit animated film, “Hop,” Nickelodeon’s Dora & Diego and SpongeBob SquarePants that is opening in Spring
• Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular – a new nighttime show that will celebrate the most powerful and emotional moments from Universal Pictures’ most iconic films – all projected on cutting-edge waterfall screens – and opening this Spring
• The highly-anticipated 3-D attraction, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, which is opening this summer.

We’ll be bringing you more details in the coming days about each new attraction and event as more is known. Meanwhile, here’s some video:

Legoland Florida is adding a new attraction to their theme park and with it comes the chance to cool off on a hot sunny day in Florida… the LEGOLAND WATER PARK.

The park is on schedule to open for the Summer of 2012 and with it comes a chance for all the family to relax as well as spark the creativity in young ones. The park will feature several areas and we preview them below:

• LEGO Wave Pool – Families can catch a gentle wave or simply cool off in this perfectly sized wave pool where the waves are just big enough for all ages to enjoy

• Twin Chasers – Friends ride tubes 375 feet down an intertwining pair of enclosed water slides before plunging into a refreshing pool below

• Splash Out – The thrill seekers of the family can ascend to the tallest point of the water park attraction and choose from one of three unique slides, then speed down a 60-foot drop and “splash out” into the water below

• Joker Soaker – A fun, interactive playground with various lengths, heights and types of slides that offer something different for every member of the family. Guests can wade in the surrounding pool and be surprised with a torrential spill from a 300-gallon bucket

• Build-A-Raft River – Families can imagine, design and build a unique LEGO vessel and set afloat on a maiden voyage around the 1000-foot-long lazy river, set amongst playful LEGO Friends, flowering vegetation and palm trees

• DUPLO® Splash Safari – Toddlers will rule at this water play area with shorter slides and interactive, larger-than-life DUPLO creatures

More photos at www.Facebook.com/FloridaLeisure