Disney to Host ESPN The Weekend 2011

ESPN The Weekend 2011 will take place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex March 3-6, 2011. Highlights will include the ESPN Interactive Sports Zone, Fan Q&A with Athletes, Celebrity Game Shows, Athlete Motorcades, ESPN Live TV Telecasts and ESPN Radio Live Broadcasts of Mike & Mike in the Morning featuring cohosts Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg, NFL Live, First Take, Baseball Tonight and much more. Don’t miss it!

Scheduled participants at ESPN The Weekend 2011 include:

Athletes
Anquan Boldin, NFL
Darrell Green, NFL
Alonzo Mourning, NBA Legend
Darrelle Revis, NFL
Frank Thomas, MLB Legend
Joba Chamberlain, MLB
Mia Hamm, Soccer Legend
Urban Meyer, Former Coach
Cal Ripken Jr., MLB Legend
Roddy White, NFL
Tony Dorsett, NFL Legend
Brandon Jacobs, NFL
Chad Ochocinco, NFL
Bart Scott, NFL
Bernie Williams, MLB Legend
DeAngelo Williams, NFL
Jason Witten, NFL

ESPN Personalities
Skip Bayless, ESPN First Take
Colin Cowherd, The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Nomar Garciaparra, MLB Analyst
Merril Hoge, NFL Live
Mark Schlereth, NFL Analyst
Derrick Brooks, ESPN First Take
Jay Crawford, ESPN First Take
Mike Golic, Mike & Mike in the Morning
Dana Jacobson, ESPN First Take
Howie Schwab, Stump the Schwab
Tedy Bruschi, ESPN Analyst
Herm Edwards, NFL Live
Mike Greenberg, Mike & Mike in the Morning
Ron Jaworski, NFL Analyst
Trey Wingo, NFL Live

For more information about ESPN The Weekend, visit www.espn.go.com/espntheweekend.

Note: Appearances scheduled to change without notice. 2011 ESPN The Weekend is included with the regular theme park admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Traveling to Orlando for ESPN The Weekend? Check out the great deals at Westgate Resorts! Visit www.westgatedestinations.com for more information.

Upcoming Celebration Events for 2011

Winter Sidewalk Sale - January 14-16, 2011
Celebration Art Stroll - February 26, 2011
Spring Art Festival - April 2-3, 2011
The Great American Pie Festival - April 9-10, 2011
Celebration Exotic Car Festival - April 16-17, 2011
Celebration Art Stroll - June 11, 2011
A Flashback 4th of July - July 4, 2011
Survivor Weekend/Summer Sidewalk Sale - July 29-31, 2011
Celebration Art Stroll - September 24, 2011
Oktoberfest 2011 - October 7-8, 2011
Alfa Romeo Car Show - November 5, 2011
Radio Disney Holiday Concert - December 10, 2011
Now Snowing Nightly - November 26 - December 31, 2011

For more information about Celebration, check out the Celebration, Florida Guide.

2011 Atlanta Braves Spring Training Schedule

Sunday, Feb. 27 – New York Mets – 1:05 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 28 – Houston Astros – 1:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 3 – Detroit Tigers *SS – 1:05 p.m.
Friday, March 4 – Toronto Blue Jays – 1:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 5 – New York Mets – 1:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 8 – New York Yankees – 1:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 9 – St. Louis Cardinals – 1:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 10 – St. Louis Cardinals – 1:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 12 – New York Mets – 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, March 13 – Houston Astros – 1:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 16 – Boston Red Sox – 1:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 17 – Washington Nationals – 6:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 19 – New York Mets *SS – 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, March 20 – Houston Astros – 1:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 23 – Florida Marlins – 1:05 p.m.
Friday, March 25 – Detroit Tigers *SS – 6:05 p.m.
Sunday, March 27 – Philadelphia Phillies – 1:05 p.m.
Monday, March 28 – Washington Nationals – 6:05 p.m.

*SS – denotes split squad
All times are Eastern and are subject to change.
All games to be played at Champion Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Information on the Braves’ spring training season, group tickets and mini-packs is available by calling 407/939-GAME (4263) and online at www.espnwwos.com/atlantabraves.

Planning on traveling to Central Florida to catch the Atlanta Braves in action? Check out the latest deals at Westgate Resorts! Visit westgatedestinations.com for more information.

Candlelight Processional Returns to Epcot

The Candlelight Processional will return to Epcot November 26 through December 30, 2010. Joined by a mass choir and 50-piece live orchestra, this immensely popular holiday tradition will take place at America Gardens Theatre nightly at 5 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:15 PM.

Below are scheduled celebrity narrators (subject to change without notice):

November 26-28, 2010 – Isabella Rossellini
November 29 – December 1, 2010 – TBA
December 2-4, 2010 – Corbin Bernsen
December 5-6, 2010 – Susan Lucci
December 7-9, 2010 - Jodi Benson
December 10-11, 2010 – Whoopi Goldberg
December 12-15, 2010 – Steven Curtis Chapman
December 16-18, 2010 – Thomas Gibson
December 19-21, 2010 – Trace Adkins
December 22-23, 2010 – Brad Garrett
December 24-27, 2010 – Edward James Olmos
December 28-30, 2010 – Marlee Matlin/Jack Jason

Note: Performances are included with Epcot admission, and guests are advised to arrive early.

For more information about the Epcot Candlelight Processional, visit www.disneyworld.com/holidays.

Westgate Resorts: Passport to Travel Adventure

Westgate Resorts provides a passport to travel adventure in Florida! With full-service resorts in premiere destinations throughout the Sunshine State, you and your family can explore world-class theme parks such as Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando, and relax on white-sand beaches. Flexible meeting space and catering services are available. Visit www.westgatedestinations.com and plan your dream vacation today!

Epcot Eat to the Beat! Concert Schedule

The Eat to the Beat! concert series will take place in conjunction with the 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival October 1 through November 14, 2010. Note: Concert schedule subject to change without notice.

October 1-3, 2010 – Taylor Dayne
October 4-5, 2010 – Kool & The Gang
October 6-8, 2010 – Sugar Ray
October 9-10, 2010 – Taylor Hicks
October 11-12, 2010 – Air Supply
October 13-15, 2010 – Sister Hazel
October 16-17, 2010 – Howard Jones
October 18-19, 2010 – Expose
October 20-21, 2010 – 38 Special
October 22-24, 2010 – Night Ranger
October 25-27, 2010 – Billy Ocean
October 28-31, 2010 – Starship starring Mickey Thomas

All performances are at America Gardens Theatre, with shows at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. each day. The opportunity to enjoy Eat to the Beat! is included with Epcot admission on the days of scheduled shows.

Seeking great deals on spacious accommodations that provide convenient access to Epcot and other Disney World theme parks? Look no farther than Westgate Resorts! For more information about Westgate Resorts, visit www.westgatedestinations.com.

Cool Off at an Orlando Water Park!

Beat the heat during summer 2010 and cool off at one of the Orlando area’s state-of-the-art water parks, where you can barrel down a thrilling waterslide, take a whitewater rafting adventure, snorkel through a colorful reef full of exotic fish, body surf in one of the world’s largest wave pools and interact with dolphins, sharks and stingrays.

Billed as the “ Coolest Water Park in Central Florida,” Disney’s Blizzard Beach boasts nearly two dozen waterslides – all centered around 220-foot-tall Mount Gushmore! Highlights of Disney’s Blizzard Beach include the twisting flumes of the Runoff Rapids tube run, Snow Stormers racing slides, Cross Country Creek river ride, Melt-Away Bay wave pool, Downhill Double Dipper racing slides, Summit Plummet free-fall slide, Teamboat Springs raft ride, Mount Gushmore Chair Lift, Tike’s Peak children’s water play area and Ski Patrol Training Camp.

According to Disney World legend, a freak storm dumped a ship high atop Mount Mayday and created Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon in the process! In addition to a Shark Reef, Surf Pool and Humunga Kowabunga speed slides, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon features the Ketchakiddee Creek children’s water play area; Storm Slides; Keelhaul Falls, Gangplank Falls and Mayday Falls tube runs; Castaway Creek lazy river ride; and a Sandy White Beach, the perfect spot to enjoy some relaxation in the sun.

From thrilling waterslides to relaxing river rides to children’s water play areas, Wet ‘n Wild Water Park has something for everyone! Nestled in the heart of world-famous International Drive, Wet ‘n Wild is known as “ America’s most exhilarating water park.” The truly adventurous will want to experience Wet ‘n Wild’s “extreme slides” such as “The Blast,” “Der Stuka” and “The Storm,” as well as “Brain Wash” (which features a 53-foot vertical drop) and the Disco H20 raft adventure.

Spend a day in a tropical paradise at Discovery Cove, SeaWorld Orlando’s sister theme park, which allows visitors to interact with bottlenose dolphins, sharks, barracuda and stingrays, as well as snorkel through a colorful reef full of exotic fish. Float down a river through waterfalls and lush landscaping, feed hundreds of tropical birds and relax on a white-sand beach overlooking the beautiful lagoon. Attendance at Discovery Cove is limited to 1,000 guests a day, so it is never crowded. Note: Reservations are required for Discovery Cove.

In addition, SeaWorld Orlando’s Aquatica opened along International Drive in the spring of 2008. The sister theme park of SeaWorld Orlando and Discovery Cove, SeaWorld Aquatica boasts 36 thrilling waterslides, side-by-side wave pools, raft rides, more than 80,000 square feet of white-sand beach, and six rivers and lagoons. SeaWorld Orlando’s Aquatica’s signature attraction is the 300-foot-long waterslide, which features a clear tube that will plunge riders down a 42-foot drop and through a crystal-clear lagoon full of black-and-white Commerson’s Dolphins.

With state-of-the-art water parks and world-class theme parks, Orlando is the ideal destination for family vacations this summer. And if you are seeking great deals on comfortable accommodations that provide convenient access to world-class theme parks and attractions, check out Westgate Resorts, which offers a variety of Orlando area properties, including Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa, Westgate Vacation Villas, Westgate Palace, Westgate Towers, Westgate Palace, Westgate Town Center and Westgate Leisure Resort. For more information about Westgate Resorts, call (800) 864-1645 or visit www.westgatedestinations.com.
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Disney World Thrill Rides

Walt Disney World’s four world-class theme parks – Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park , Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park – each boast not-to-be-missed thrill rides with names like Expedition Everest, Rock ‘n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Soarin' and Splash Mountain. Be sure to check height and medical restrictions that are listed at the entrance to each of Disney’s thrill rides.

One of the most popular Orlando-area thrill rides, Expedition Everest, can be found in Asia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Expedition Everest, which towers nearly 200 feet high, is a thrilling train adventure through icy canyons and mountain caverns toward a terrifying encounter with the ferocious Yeti or abominable snowman. You must be at least 44 inches tall to ride Expedition Everest.

At Disney's Hollywood Studios, thrill seekers have their choice of Rock ‘n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, a classic indoor roller coaster that features classic songs from the legendary rock group; and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which features a scary, 13-story plummet aboard a faulty elevator within a decrepit, 199-foot-tall Hollywood hotel. You must be at least 48 inches tall to ride Rock ‘n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and 40 inches tall to ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

Epcot is home to Mission: SPACE, which opened in 2003 and takes you on a simulated space flight to Mars (complete with motion sickness bags) at the “ International Space Training Center.” Each member of the four-person crew is assigned a specific role – pilot, commander, navigator and engineer. Adjacent to Mission: SPACE lies Test Track, a six-passenger vehicle that cruises onto 50-degree banked curves at speeds up to 65 miles per hour. You must be at least 44 inches tall to ride Mission: SPACE and 40 inches tall to ride Test Track. At Soarin', sttate-of-the-art technology allows you to take a bird’s eye view of California’s spectacular scenery, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Redwood forest, Yosemite National Park, Napa Valley, Disneyland and much more.

Space Mountain, the original thrill ride at Walt Disney World, still draws huge crowds in Tomorrowland. Two roller coaster tracks wind their way through the 183-foot mountain at speeds of 28 miles per hour in total darkness. You must be at least 44 inches tall to ride Space Mountain.Two other classic thrill rides at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, lie within Frontierland. Splash Mountain takes you on a wild flume ride as you visit characters such as Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear and Brer Fox from Disney’s 1946 classic, Song of the South. However, the real highlight of Splash Mountain is the five-story free fall at a 45-degree angle into the splash pool below at 40 miles per hour. Adjacent to Splash Mountain lies Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a “runaway train” that winds its way through an Old West mining town around mountains, through caves and over sulfur pools. You must be at least 40 inches tall to ride both Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

When you plan your itinerary around Disney’s popular thrill rides, make sure you take advantage of Disney’s FASTPASS, a free reservation system that will help you avoid long lines. To use FASTPASS, simply visit the FASTPASS ticket machine at the entrance to the ride and insert your admission ticket. The FASTPASS ticket you receive will indicate a time frame that allows you to return later without waiting in line.

Westgate Resorts offers spacious, comfortable and affordable accommodations that provide convenient access to Walt Disney World Resort. For more information about Westgate Resorts, visit www.westgatedestinations.com.

Captain EO to Return to Epcot

Walt Disney World Resort has announced that "Captain EO," the classic musical spectacular and thrilling space-fantasy adventure that ran at Epcot from 1986-94, will return to the theme park July 2, 2010. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by George Lucas, "Captain EO" was a 17-minute, 3-D film that starred the Michael Jackson and Anjelica Huston. The colorful Disney-created characters in "Captain EO" included Hooter, Fuzzball, the Geex (which had two shaggy heads named Idy and Ody), Major Domo and Minor Domo. "Captain EO" will be presented multiple times daily at the Imagination Pavilion at Epcot, replacing "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience," which is planned to return at an undetermined date.

2010 Fall/Winter Events at Disney World

Night of Joy
September 10-11, 2010

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
September 14 - November 1, 2010

Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
October 1-2, 2010

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
October 1 - November 14, 2010

Children's Miracle Network Classic
November 11-14, 2010

Festival of the Masters
November 12-14, 2010

Old Spice Classic
November 25, 26 & 28, 2010

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
Select Evenings in November and December 2010

Seeking great deals on spacious, comfortable accommodations during your next visit to Walt Disney World Resort? Look no farther than Westgate Resorts, which features several Orlando area properties that provide convenient access to Walt Disney World Resort theme parks, as well as Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando. For more information about Westgate Resorts, visit www.westgatedestinations.com.