Cee Lo Green, Samsung AT&T Summer Krush

I love free concerts! Most of the "free" concerts I attend are actually "included with theme park admission", like the concerts at Universal Studios' Mardi Gras or Summer Concert Series, and Epcot's Eat to the Beat Concert Series. Since I have annual passes to all of the parks, it feels like free to me! I've seen Sugar Ray, Boyz II Men, The Roots, Parramore, Katy Perry, Train, Third Eye Blind, Sean Paul, and more! Having access to all of these shows is definitely a great benefit of my theme park annual passes. 

The Samsung AT&T Summer Krush Concert is different from these shows because it does not take place in a theme park. It really is a free concert, open to anyone who wants to go. This year's Orlando performer was Cee Lo Green. I registered online a couple weeks in advance, printed out my free tickets, stood in line for nearly 2 hours outside Hard Rock Live at Universal CityWalk, and finally got to enjoy the free show. Since the concert was sponsored by Samsung, there was a lot of heavy promotion of their latest products...including booths set up inside the venue where you could play games on their newest phones. They were also giving away a lot of free stuff, including water bottles, t-shirts, light-up mugs, and tote bags. Cee Lo Green's actual performance only lasted about an hour, but it was a fun show! I'm already looking forward to seeing who the Summer Krush Concert will bring to Orlando next year.

my free swag

To see videos from some of the theme park concerts I've been to,
visit www.facebook.com/funlifeorlando
or click around my blog!
Boyz II Men at Epcot
Sugar Ray at Epcot
The Roots at Universal Studios

Harry Potter, the Movie and the Theme Park

One of the coolest things about living in Orlando is being able to enjoy the oh-so-popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure. Since its opening one year ago, this addition to the theme park has been one of the most talked-about attractions and has enchanted visitors from all over the world (including the stars of the Harry Potter movies themselves). Click here to visit my first blog post about the Wizarding World, and here to see my videos of the Frog Choir and Beauxbatons and Durmstrangs. You can also find more photos on Facebook.

So, what better way to commemorate the end of the Harry Potter movie franchise than with a visit to Universal's Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! First, of course, I had to watch the movie. It was early in the afternoon when I arrived at the AMC Universal Cineplex at Universal's CityWalk. Even though it was opening weekend, the afternoon shows were still available (I noticed that the 7pm show was already sold out). The movie was great! Everything I was hoping for, and more. Adventure, excitement, love, tragedy, heroism, good vs. evil, and a happy ending.

Hog's Head

After the movie, it was time to head straight to the Wizarding World. Our first stop was the Hog's Head Pub for a nice cool mug of frozen butterbeer. After that, we strolled the shops of Hogsmeade and stopped to listen to the Frog Choir. There was a 90-minute wait for the Forbidden Journey, so we decided to skip it today and just meander through the rest of the Wizarding World. I know that there are thousands of people all over the world who are dying to visit this theme park, and I know how lucky I am that I get to visit almost whenever I want. A great benefit of living in Orlando!



All in all, it was a lovely Harry Potter-filled afternoon. I got to watch the final movie and visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter all in one day. Although the movies are over, the experience lives on through the theme park. Thanks J.K. Rowling, and thanks Universal Studios!

Dinner at Downtown Disney

 Some family members were in town for a few days, and invited me to join them for dinner near their hotel at Downtown Disney. On Monday night, we went to the Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant. I'd never been there before, and was looking forward to trying it out. We sat at a table towards the back, away from the main stage, so that the loud music wouldn't bother the kids. But I did get up to sneak a closer look at the entertainment. They had a small group of Irish dancers doing a jig, and a live band that followed their performance. It was great! I was ready to break out in a dance myself, but headed back to our table to check out the menu. We ordered a round of Guinness, and the battered cocktail sausages as an appetizer. For dinner, it was chicken and mash for me and beef curry pie for my husband. Others at our table ordered fish and chips, and shepherd's pie. I'm not usually a fan of Irish cuisine, but the food was good! I'm glad I had the chance to try it!

The next night, my family invited me back for another dinner at Downtown Disney. This time, it was Fulton's Crab House. We had to wait awhile for a table, especially since the fierce rain brought in large groups of people at once. I was starving by the time we got seated! But luckily our server brought us lots of bread and crackers with crab dip. For dinner, I had the Atlantic salmon. It was served with shiitake mushrooms, and it was absolutely delicious. Others ordered Parmesan-crusted tilapia, mussels, crab cakes, and snow crab legs. One member of our group said the fish tacos he ordered as an appetizer were the best he'd ever had. Although the meal was pricey, it was delicious and a lot of fun. Oh, and I was able to show my Disney annual pass for an extra 10% discount!

So, thanks to my out-of-town visitors, I was able to dine at these two restaurants that I had never been to before (honestly, we usually eat at Pollo Campero). To see more of my photos from Raglan Road and Fulton's Crab House, check out my Facebook page. And in case you're wondering what else there is to eat at Downtown Disney, here's a list of all their dining options:

Bongo's Cuban Cafe (yummy!)
Fulton's Crab House
House of Blues Restaurant
Portobello (Italian food; I've never eaten there)
Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant
Wolfgang Puck Cafe (never eaten here)
Cap'n Jack's Restaurant (never eaten here either...never really notice it either)
Earl of Sandwich
Pollo Campero
Paradiso 37 (brand-new!)
Planet Hollywood (I'm not really a fan of their food)
T-Rex (don't really like their food either)
Rainforest Cafe

There you have it! For more info on these restaurants, click here. 
Thanks, and have fun!

Star Wars Weekends 2011

"Star Wars Weekends is an annual special event at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park that celebrates the legendary Star Wars Saga and the animated television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each weekend, you can join celebrities and characters for special shows, panels, presentations and more!" - from the Walt Disney World/Star Wars Weekends website

This year, Star Wars Weekends took place on May 20-22, May 27-29, June 3-5, and June 10-12. I honestly think I have become a bigger Star Wars fan simply because of this event at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It is so neat to see the characters walking around the park, and really interesting to attend some of the special activities and shows. You  can't help but get caught up in all the Star Wars excitement.

Check out this video of Ray Park, aka Darth Maul, doing a brief light saber demonstration during one of the celebrity autograph sessions. 

An extra special part of this year's Star Wars Weekends included the reopening of Star Tours: The Adventures Continue! I love the new 3D effects, as well as the fact that you can get a different experience every time you ride. Now you have the possibility of traveling to different destinations with different characters, so riding once is not enough!

I definitely recommend Star Wars Weekends to anyone who has even just a tiny bit of interest in the Star Wars series. There is lots to see, lots to do, and lots of fun souvenirs to buy! Check out more photos on my Facebook page!

AMC Dine-In Theatre

The new AMC Dine-In Theatre at Downtown Disney officially opened on Monday, May 16th. However, thanks to a special promotion, I was able to attend a free movie the Friday night BEFORE it opened to get a preview of the new theatre. I pre-registered online, printed out my passes to Tron: Legacy, and headed to Downtown Disney right after work on Friday.

Even though it's a dine-in theatre, our movie didn't start until 10:00pm and we didn't want to wait that late to eat. So we went over to House of Blues for dinner, then came back to the theatre at around 9:15pm to choose our seats. One really cool thing about the Dine-In Theatre is that you preselect your seats before actually going into the theatre. You choose your seats from a computer screen at the customer service desk, which means your seat is secure and you can hang out at the bar without having to worry about the theatre filling up without you. Your seat number is printed on your ticket stub.

Once you enter the theatre, you can order food and drinks throughout the entire movie and use a call button to request service. I thought it would be distracting to have servers running all over the place, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. The seats are large and comfy, and there is plenty of room to put your feet up and recline as you watch the movie.

Not only did I get to see a free movie at the brand-new theatre, but they also gave out coupons for buy-one-get-one-free movie tickets and a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of an entree! So of course we had to visit again for dinner and a movie. This past week, we went and saw Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in 3D. Tickets are $13 each, plus an extra $4 for 3D. Thankfully, I was able to use my buy-one-get-one-free coupon! Originally we had planned to go on Sunday night, but by the time we got to Downtown Disney all the good seats had already been selected. So we reserved tickets for the following night and strolled the shops at Downtown Disney instead.

When we came back Monday night, we browsed the menu at our seats and placed our orders during the previews. Our food came right as the movie was starting. I ordered the fish and chips, and my husband had a cheeseburger. It was kind of funny trying to eat dinner while wearing 3D glasses, and I ended up holding my plate on my lap instead of leaning forward on the table during the movie. I'm glad I ordered finger food! The meal was good, and very satisfying. About mid-way through the movie, we ordered angel food cake for dessert. I liked it, but I think I want to try the cheesecake next time. One complaint I do have is that the servers try to collect the bill before the end of the movie. I mean, come on, don't interrupt the climatic ending of the movie! I'd rather pay during the credits. But all in all, we had a great time trying out the new AMC Dine-In Theatre at Downtown Disney. My husband is especially a fan of the reserved seating and big chairs. We definitely plan on visiting again!

general menu

LEGO at Downtown Disney

 
The LEGO Imagination Center at Downtown Disney was renovated recently, and of course I had to check it out for myself. The new store, still in the same location at the Downtown Disney Marketplace, is spacious, colorful, and still lots of fun.

I really love the huge outdoor LEGO sculptures, especially this one with the dragon.

Here are some links with more info about Downtown Disney's LEGO Imagination Center:
Renovated LEGO Imagination Center opens at Downtown Disney
Remodeled Lego store at Downtown Disney reopens - Photos and Video


You can also find more photos on my Facebook page!

@FunLifeOrlando insider tip:
Disney Annual Passholders, show your pass inside the store for a 10% discount!

Glow-in-the-Dark Mini Golf

 A few months ago I purchased a Groupon to Putting Edge in Festival Bay Mall on International Drive. For $10, I got 18 holes of glow-in-the-dark mini golf for two. This weekend I finally got a chance to go for the first time, and it was a lot of fun! Putting Edge offers indoor putt-putt (great for hot Florida days) featuring 18 holes lit by black-light and decorated with bright characters and obstacles. This location also hosts birthday parties and has a small arcade.

The course wasn't very difficult, and there were no moving parts that you might see at other mini golf courses, but the music was good and there were fun little games to play at certain holes that made it more interesting. For instance, one hole insisted that you hit the ball using only your foot. Another said that everyone must be touching the putter while you make your shot. With two people, we finished all 18 holes in about an hour. It was a lot more fun than I had expected. Thanks, Groupon, for introducing me to a fun new experience in Orlando!

My Vinylmation Collection

Disney Vinylmation is a recent craze that involves collecting artistically decorated Mickey figures that come in a huge variety of colors and designs. People have been collecting pins at Disney for years (see a previous blog post about my pins here, and another here), and Vinylmation provides Disney fans with another fun way to collect and trade with one another. Vinylmation.net is a great website that provides more information about Vinylmation is, as well as info about the artists and upcoming series.

Each figure comes in a blind box, meaning you don't know which one you'll get until you open it. There are different themes for each series, like Urban, Park, Muppets, Cutesters, Star Wars, Holiday, Toy Story, Sports, and more. If you don't like the one you got, you can trade it at multiple retail locations all over Disney. Besides the excitement of not knowing which figure you'll get, trading is the best part! Sometimes the Vinylmations available for trade are displayed in a clear box near the register, and other times you can do a mystery trade from a numbered blind box. Just pick a number, and you'll get whatever figure is hiding behind the door!

The photos in this post represent my current Vinylmation collection. However, my collection will definitely change as I trade and collect new figures. Disney releases new sets pretty often, and it's fun trying to chase after the one you really want. I'm trying to collect figures that represent different experiences and memories I've made at Disney. I won't have my Disney annual passes forever, so these small toys will always serve as a reminder of all the fun I've had at the Disney parks.  :)

Another (Busy!) Weekend in Orlando

This blog is about sharing all the fun stuff I do in Orlando, so here it is!

My weekend started early (since I decided to take the day off of work on Friday and spend some time with my mama). She drove down early Friday morning from Gainesville, which is about 2 hours north of Orlando. We ran a few errands, then headed over to Bahama Breeze on International Drive for lunch. We ate out on the patio, enjoying the gorgeous weather while sipping on our tropical beverages.

After lunch, we went straight to the Premium Outlets on International Drive. We shopped at Kenneth Cole, Gap, Banana Republic, Polo Ralph Lauren, Ann Taylor, and more! I think my mom only likes to visit me when shopping is involved.  :)

Saturday morning, I woke up bright and early to run a 5k in College Park. After the race and a little nap back at home, we went to Panera Bread for lunch before heading off to the Mall at Millenia. We didn't stick around for long, though, because I was eager to go to Epcot to check out the International Flower & Garden Festival. We spent a few hours walking around the World Showcase, admiring all the beautiful flowers and topiaries. (You can find more photos on my Facebook page).

Sounds like a pretty busy Saturday already, right? But oh no, that is not the end of it! After Epcot, we went to Universal Studios to check out Mardi Gras (going on now through April 23rd). We ate jambalaya, grabbed a beer, and snagged a spot near the concert stage so we wouldn't miss the show after the parade. After catching beads from the parade floats as they passed by, we stuck around for an amazing concert by The Roots (check out a short video clip from the concert below). Your Mardi Gras ticket gets you in free to the clubs at CityWalk, so we made a stop at the Red Coconut Club before heading home for the night.  

On Sunday, we decided to make a visit to the 52nd Annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival. I love visiting the city of Winter Park, and it was a perfect day for walking around and admiring all the different types of art that was on display. While we were there, we noticed that the Morse Museum on Park Avenue was having a free open house. The museum boasts one of the most comprehensive collections of Tiffany windows, lamps, jewelry, pottery, paintings, and more. We really enjoyed exploring the museum for the first time. It was a great way to unwind from the busy weekend.

So, there you have it! Just another weekend in Orlando! A lot of activities crammed into one busy (and fun!) weekend.  :)

St. Patrick's Day Parade in Winter Park

 

It was a lazy Sunday. My husband and I had both slept in, and were lounging around the apartment when we decided to go to Winter Park for lunch. I love spending an afternoon on Park Avenue, strolling the shops and people-watching in the park. There is always something to see or do. This Sunday was no exception! After parking the car and walking over to Park Avenue, we realized we had arrived just in time to catch the 32nd Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade (even though St. Patrick's Day was really almost 2 weeks away). What a surprise! Apparently it is the only St. Patrick's Day parade in Central Florida, and there were tons of people lining the streets to celebrate. The parade lasted about an hour, and included floats, dancers, marching bands, fire engines, and even a Storm Trooper in a kilt. There was also Irish music and step-dancing on the main stage. Lots of fun for all!  :)

 

After the parade, we were really starving and walked over to Pannullo's to have lunch on the patio. The lunch prices are very reasonable, and we enjoyed a nice meal in the cool breeze as we watched people walking by on Park Avenue. All in all, a great way to spend a lazy Sunday!

Lunch at Hollywood Studios

My husband and I were in the area of the Disney parks last weekend, and when we got hungry we decided to head over to Disney's Hollywood Studios for lunch. One of the many perks of having a Disney annual pass is being able to go to the parks whenever we feel like it, even if its just for a quick visit! We chose Hollywood Studios because we like the variety and quality of their restaurants. My husband likes the buffalo chicken wrap from the Studios Catering Co., and I'm a fan of the fish & chips or chicken curry from the ABC Commissary. There's also Pizza Planet, the 50's Prime Time Cafe, the Hollywood Brown Derby, and more. On this particular visit, we decided to try out the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater for the first time (but not before running past the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror to pick up some fast passes for later).

When you first walk into the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, there's not much to see. You're behind the movie screen, and the restaurant is on the other side of a large wall. They told us we would have to wait 15 to 20 minutes, but they called our name after 5. Once you walk down the long hallway and into the restaurant, its like you've been transported to another time. The large room is filled with cars converted into tables and booths. On one side is the movie screen, and at the back is the large concession stand/kitchen. It really feels like you're in a fenced-in lot, sitting under a beautiful star-filled night sky. Its pretty dark in the restaurant, so it was difficult to take any good photos. We were seated at a car with three rows of seats. A family of four took up the first two rows, so my husband and I sat side-by-side in the backseat. He ordered a cheeseburger, and I had the chicken sandwich. The food wasn't incredible, but it wasn't horrible either. The portions were very large, which meant no room for dessert. On the big screen, they were showing previews of 50's and 60's sci-fi monster flicks. No feature films here, like I had thought. Just quick, and entertaining, clips from various B-movies. It was a fun experience, and I'm glad we tried it.

We left the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater just in time to catch the beginning of the Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun parade. I love a good parade!

(check out my Facebook page for more pictures from the parade)

After walking around a little bit, we used our fast passes at Tower of Terror and headed back home. Just another fun and relaxing afternoon in Orlando!