Sheriff says Jan Stratton's death self-inflicted

Executive guided company's civic and charity work, serving on many local boards

Universal Orlando executive Jan Stratton died Sunday from a self-inflicted gun shot wound in an apparent suicide. (Stratton family, Stratton family / November 27, 2010)

Stratton was vice president of community and diversity relations at Universal Orlando, responsible for the company's charitable giving, community events and minority relations.

"Jan Stratton's fingerprints were on so many things," said long-time friend and associate Dick Batchelor. "This is so surreal because she gave so much to so many people in this community."

She served on boards for many organizations, including Give Kids the World, the Valencia Community College Foundation, the Orlando Regional Healthcare Foundation, Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital Advisory Board, African American Chamber of Commerce, Central Florida Urban League, Florida's Independent Living Advisory Council, Association of Corporate Contributions Professionals, City of Life, Orlando Children's Trust Committee, Harbor House of Central Florida, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Community groups received hundreds of thousands of dollars in corporate donations earmarked by Stratton.

"Jan was a woman of enormous heart. She had a great passion for helping the families of our community," said Universal Orlando spokesman Tom Schroder. "She will be forever missed."

Pam Landwirth, president of Give Kids the World, which hosts more than 5,000 families with ill children each year, first met Stratton 30 years ago when they worked for Walt Disney World.

"Jan cared so deeply and passionately about children," Landwirth said Sunday evening. "She just drew you in and you knew it was genuine. She genuinely cared."

David Odahowski, president and CEO of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, said he knew Stratton for 20 years and will remember her and her trademark red business suit with black trim.

"There is no one more passionate and professional in her work," Odahowski said. "She is a great advocate for children and champion of the Second Harvest Food Bank."

Before coming to Universal in 1996, the University of Central Florida alumnus worked for the Walt Disney Company for 21 years. Stratton was named Business Woman of the Year by the Orlando Business Journal in 2000 and by the Orlando Rotary Club in 2004. In 2007, Stratton was the recipient of the Summit Award by the Women's Resource Center.

Stratton is survived by her husband, Jack Cudworth, and two sons, James and Michael.

"The way to celebrate her life is to continue giving and supporting the causes she cared so much about," said Batchelor, who hosts an annual 5K foot race to support abused children. "It will be a void that will be very, very hard to fill."

SeaWorld Orlando has posted their concert line-ups for the upcoming Band Brew & BBQ

(12/23/10) SeaWorld Orlando has posted their concert line-ups for the upcoming Band Brew & BBQ and Viva La Musica events in Spring 2011.

Band Brew & BBQ:
Feb. 12 – Hey Lewis & The News
Feb. 19 – Willie Nelson
Feb. 26 – REO Speedwagon
Mar. 5 – Josh Turner

Viva La Musica:
Mar. 12 – Chino Y Nacho
Mar. 19 – Manny Manuel
Mar. 26 – Jerry Rivera
Apr. 2 – Edniya Nazario

    In other news, a 44 year old woman from Miami was arrested after seemingly to abandon her “severely disabled” son at SeaWorld Orlando. An off duty police officer noticed him alone in the Happy Harbor area for up to two hours and took action to help what had appeared to be a 8 year old in distress. According to the report, the son may actually have been between 18-21 years old, but has no ability to communicate.

    (12/7/10) A review of SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas offerings can be found at BGT Nation this week. I’ve also embedded a nice video showing off the park’s Sea of Trees display below, showing off the huge display of lights set up in the water along both sides of the park’s lengthy bridge over the central lake.

Halloween and haunted houses go hand in hand

ALBANY, GA (WALB) – Halloween and haunted houses go hand in hand and one opened their doors Friday night.

Darton and Shriners' House of Horrors gave visitors quite a scare. It's in the old Office Max building behind the mall.

There was a line of people waiting to get in. Organizers didn't let us in because they didn't want to ruin the scary surprise.

"We didn't want the reporters to go through with because we want our customers to be scared and surprised," said Cynthia Mann, Darton College Servant Leadership Dir.

"$7 admission we're open 7-11PM Friday and Saturday 7-11PM next weekend, during the week Monday-Thursday we're open from 7-10PM," said Dorsey Holt, Shriner's Potentate.

The money collected will split between the Shriner's and to Darton's Leadership Program so they can take a trip to the Florida Keys to study Coral.


Halloween events and haunted houses

Halloween events and haunted houses

by WWLTV.com

wwltv.com

Posted on October 15, 2010 at 5:30 PM

Updated today at 1:24 PM
Gallery

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See all 39 photos »

Looking for a good scare? Check out some area Haunted Houses:

    * House of Shock: For 18 years this haunted house has creeped out locals and brought those looking for a good scare from far and wide. Inside a warehouse in Jefferson, it is rated one of the most intense haunted houses. Open Oct. 14-17, 21-24, 27-31 from 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. Admission $25. Located at 319 Butterworth St. Jefferson, LA. 70121
    * The Mortuary: An old funeral home that was coverted into a freaky spot for thrill seekers. Oct. 13-17, 21-24, 26-31 from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. Admission $25. Located at 4800 Canal Street.
    * The Warehouse of Terror: Slidell's only haunted house; it is not for the faint of heart.  Open 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. every weekend in October. Admission $15 on Fri. and Sat., $13 on Sun. Located at 54367 E. Howze Beach Rd, Slidell
    * The Chamber of Horrors:   In its fifth year, the River Parishes now have a place for those looking to scare themselves. Open Friday and Saturday night in October and Halloween night. from 7:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. Admission $12. Located at 702 East Airline Hwy., LaPlace, 70068

 Click here or the images to take a peek inside the haunted houses.



Halloween Events - Friday, October 22nd - Sunday, October 31st

    * Park-a-Boo, Lafreniere Park, Friday, October 22nd - Sunday, October 24th
    * Ghosts in the Oaks, City Park, Friday, October 22nd
    * Barktoberfest, New Orleans, Saturday, October 23rd
    * VooDoo Experience, City Park, Friday, October 29th - Sunday, October 31st
    * SoLA Center for the Art's Halloween Parade, Houma, Friday, October 29th
    * Krewe of Halloween Parade and Monster Bash, New Orleans, Saturday, October 30th
    *  Halloween Hayride and Hoopla, Fairview-Riverside State Park, Madisonville, Saturday, October 30th
    * Mortuary Haunted House, New Orleans, Friday, October 22nd - Sunday, October 31st
    * The Historic New Orleans Collection presents Haunted Histories, New Orleans, Friday, October 22nd - Sunday, October 31st
    * Southern Food Museum's Halloween Party, New Orleans, Sunday, October 31st
    * 15th Annual NOLA Designer Halloween Costume Boo-tique, New Orleans, Saturday, October 23rd, 504-948-2583 * Free & open to the public, Saturday, October 23 * 12 Noon - 5 PM, at Blue Nile * 532 Frenchmen St.
    *  Trick or Trunk, St. John Luthern Church in New Orleans, Friday, October 29th. For more information: Call 488-6641. Children of the community are invited to participate in free games, crafts, and trick or treat from decorated car trunks of church and school members. Please, come join the fun from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on October 29th.
    *  Boo at the Zoo, Friday and Saturday, October 22 and 23, and the following weekend, Friday and Saturday, October 29 and 30! Admission is 5pm  - 9:30pm each day and tickets are $16 each. Proceeds benefit Audubon Zoo and Children's Hospital.

TULSA - Ready for Halloween?

Many people enjoy visiting Haunted Houses during this time of year, but where are the real haunted locations in the area?

2News has compiled a list of places rumored to be haunted in and around Green Country.

1. Gilcrease Museum - The Gilcrease Museum houses one of the world's most extensive and renowned collections of Native American and Western art and artifacts. Thomas Gilcrease passed away in 1962. It is said that the philanthropist's ghost has been seen and heard haunting the museum.

2. Brady Theater - According to local legend, famed opera singer, Enrico Caruso died of pleurisy just one year after an open-air carriage ride on a cold and wet Oklahoma day while on tour in the area. It is said that his ghost still haunts the Brady Theater for causing his death.

3. Haunted Train Tracks - Though the exact location is unknown, legend has it that four children died playing chicken on a particular set of train tracks in Tulsa. Some believe that if you park your car in this location, the ghosts of the children will push your car off the tracks and leave dirty handprints on it.

4. Spotlight Theater - Local legend says footsteps can be heard coming from the costume room, and strange scratch marks can be seen on the wall in the basement.

5. Murdoc's Mansion - It is believed this mansion was once located near 111th and Sheridan. One day the mansion burned down, and people began to visit the site of the old mansion for fun. It is said that these adventurous individuals reported sensing an "eerie" feeling when they stepped foot on the property.

6. Constantine Theater - The theatre is located in Pawhuska, in Osage County. The building is said to be haunted by the ghost of Sappho Constantine Brown, the daughter of George Constantine. While the building was undergoing restoration, workmen claimed to hear phantom footsteps and saw an apparition of a young girl.

7. Philbrook Museum - The statues at this museum may have some "personalities" of their own. It is said that the eyes of many of the statues will follow you, and some of the heads will actually turn.

8. Will Rogers High School - It is rumored that at night you can see a man in a white penguin tuxedo walking around on stage. People say it is the ghost of an old band director who died of a heart attack on stage in the 50's.

Copyright 2010 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.







The Bridgetown teen starts thinking about the spooky holiday in September, when he begins plotting the concept for the annual haunted house he builds at his mother's home at 5603 Green Acres Court.

This year marks the seventh straight year Thierauf, a sophomore at The School for Creative & Performing Arts, has put together a haunted house at his home.

Billed as House of Horrors Manor, it will be open to the public from 6-10:30 p.m. Oct. 29-31. A kid-friendly version of the haunt is open from 6-7:15 p.m. each night.

"I enjoy scaring people," said Thierauf, a lighting design student. "It's actually more fun to scare the older teens and young adults who think they can't be scared."

The first couple of years it was confined to the garage, but now he said the manor encompasses his front and back yards as well. Each year the haunted house gets bigger and bigger, and there are typically about 500 people who walk through it each night, he said.

"The whole driveway is full of people lined up to walk through," he said.

Thierauf starts thinking about the concept for the production and drawing plans in September. He utilizes everything from costumed actors and strobe lights to fog effects and animatronics to scare people. This year the cast includes 15 actors, many of whom are fellow SCPA students.

He said this year he's started making his own latex masks and learning how to do more detailed makeup.

"I wouldn't recommend anyone younger than 10 years old go through it," he said. "We've been told it's better than most of the haunted houses that charge admission."

Spending roughly 20 hours a week building rooms and getting the haunted house together has forced him to enlist the help of his neighbors and Matt Glass, who is engaged to Thierauf's mother, Kimmie.

Glass said it's been neat to lend a hand and watch Ryan work hard to make the haunted house bigger and better each year.

"This is our Christmas," Glass said.

Thierauf said he wants to pursue a career in set design, and his goal is to one day open a haunted house for which he can charge admission.

"Someday I want to go pro," he said.

While admission to House of Horrors Manor is free, Thierauf does accept donations.

For more information about the haunted house, visit www.hohhauntedhouse.weebly.com.



A while back, researchers from the Sonoma County Paranormal Institute came to Cloverdale with their precision instruments to check out several sites where apparitions have reportedly been seen.

Next Saturday, October 23, the researchers will be at the Cloverdale History Center, 215 N. Cloverdale Blvd., for “Haunted Cloverdale,” a presentation on ghosts and related phenomena.

They will also report their findings on two of the buildings they investigated – the Gould-Shaw House and the Isaac East Shaw Building, both of which are adjacent to the new History Center.

Gould-Shaw house

Each building is on the National Register of Historic Places in Sonoma County. The Gould-Shaw House was built in 1862 and is currently home to the Cloverdale Museum. The other building was built in 1875 and currently houses Low Knob Press.

While the first part of the evening is sold out, there are still tickets available for docent led walking tours of these facilities.

Beginning at 7 p.m., researchers will escort Haunted Cloverdale participants into each building, describing in detail the building’s history, as well as what their instruments recorded, and what they personally saw and heard during their investigation.

In case all these ghostly events put your nerves on edge, a Wine Reception with a variety of delicious appetizers from local restaurants will follow.

Tickets are $10 each and can purchased at the door. All proceeds support the Cloverdale History Center’s public programs and education exhibits.

disney info

(10/13/10) Amusement Insider drops into Mickey’s Not So Scary and posts an update of nearly 100 new photos from the upcharge event at the Magic Kingdom.
(10/8/10) A posting over at Orlando United claims that the queue area for the Haunted Mansion will soon be replaced with a “Next Gen” style interactive queue, which will include the replacement of the tomb stones in the graveyard with new “interactive” tombstones. I’m not so hot on the idea of removing the old tombstones myself, but I wouldn’t mind seeing some fun new ones added, much like the one added a few years ago that has the eyes that look around.
(9/17/10) Over 300 pictures taken at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party can be seen at MouseSteps this week.
(9/10/10) Orlando United has posted the first pictures of the Boo To You parade at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, taken during a CM Preview performance.
(9/9/10) MouseSteps takes a look around the Magic Kingdom at all the new Halloween decorations going up, as well as a peek at what’s new in Fantasyland.
(9/7/10) A new photo update from the Magic Kingdom as they add all the Halloween decorations to the park can be seen at WDW MouseTails this week, as well as a peek at the Little Mermaid site.
(8/25/10) Local WDW sources tell us that the characters on the Small World merchandise are not planned to be added to the ride and that the merchandise may simply be repurposed designs created originally for Disneyland but modified for use at WDW. The true primary purpose of the lengthy rehab is to reverse the way the load/unload traffic works. When it reopens guests will load in through the longer “exit” queue pathway and exit up the old entrance ramp.
(8/23/10) WDW Mouse Tales has posted an interesting update this week from the park. In addition to the basic construction updates to Fantasyland and Main Street. Then they came across something that may give a clue as to what’s going on inside Small World during the current rehab. New Small World merchandise can now be found in Fantasyland gift shop outside Philharmagic that clearly shows classic Disney characters mixed in with the Small World dolls. Is a top secret upgrade to Small World taking place like the one done to Disneyland? Oh... and in case it wasn’t mentioned before, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority has gone back to being called the Peoplemover once again... or TTA: Peoplemover if you will.
(8/17/10) Orlando Parks News has a new construction update from the Magic Kingdom this week.
(8/16/10) Summer Nightastic may be ending but you can relive it again with this great photo coverage of the Fireworks Spectacular from the Magic Kingdom posted to Amusement Insider this week.
(8/2/10) Storytime with Belle will come to an end with the final show on September 12th. It will be replaced with a new Meet ‘n Greet experience for the Tangled characters (Rapunzel & Flynn Ryder) starting October 15th.
(7/30/10) WDW has confirmed today that they will be keeping the Main Street Electrical Parade INDEFINITELY.
(7/11/10) I actually missed this when it was posted back in May but The Theme Park Guy managed to get permission for a rare low-altitude fly-over the Magic Kingdom and posted some great pictures of the park showing of the size of the Fantasyland expansion site as well as a look down into the former River Country waterpark.

Ride Rehabs - The following information is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.
Small World – NOW CLOSED through 10/22/10

Late 2010 - Space Mountain in Starry-O-Phonic Sound - (8/31/10) Good news for Disney fans, the new rumored Audio system on Space Mountain has now opened to the public. Disney has created a new old-time looking attraction poster to promote it, calling it “Starry-O-Phonic Sound”. According to the posting it is , “a new composition that’s exclusive to the attraction at Magic Kingdom Park that will play with varying sound effects throughout all “flights” on 60 newly installed speakers. “Starry-O-Phonic Sound” compliments a slew of enhancements that debuted on Space Mountain last year, including new lighting, storyline elements and updated decor.”
Want to take a quick listen? WDWMouseTales.com braved the ride a few hours ago to record it and post it on YouTube for everyone to enjoy. Follow the link or check out the embedded version below! However, as I feared, this is a poor substite for having an actual on-board audio system, as the audio is very hard to hear for much of the ride, other than the occasional loud sound effect.

halloween news in orlando

Grab your little vampires, superheroes, princesses, monsters — and duffels.

Halloween is no longer just about trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. Instead, you can take your pick of zoos, museums, theme parks, campgrounds, big cities, small ones — all of which have Halloween doings guaranteed to scare the teens and plenty of benign "spooky" fun for the littlest ghosts and goblins.

Even Broadway is getting into the act with its first Kids' Night on Broadway Halloween, which means kids between 6 and 18 can see Broadway shows for free, including hits like "Wicked," "Billy Elliot" and, perfect for Halloween, "The Addams Family," "Mary Poppins" and" Memphis." (Use promo code KNOB2010. A paying adult must accompany each kid.) Even better, KNOB tickets include a pre-theater Halloween party at Madame Tussauds, restaurant and parking discounts and more. You can feel extra good about participating because the event salutes the 60th anniversary of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, which to date has raised nearly $160 million. (For more on New York's Halloween offerings visit http://www.nycgo.com/.)

Twenty theme parks across the country have big Halloween haunts, including Knott's Berry Farm, which is celebrating its 38th Halloween Haunt, Busch Gardens Williamsburg and its Howl-O-Scream (Want to have your makeup done just like the performers?), the less frightful Legoland in Carlsbad, Calif., where "Brick-or-Treat includes "Mail Order Monsters" where your little monsters can help Princess Playwright break the spell and the brand-new maze at Paradise Park in Lee's Summit, Mo. (Try not to get lost in this 9,500-square-foot labyrinth!)

Photo courtesy of Disneyland Resorts

Mickey and Minnie welcome guests to Halloween Time at Disneyland.

Go to Disneyland's Halloween Time where Space Mountain turns into Ghost Galaxy — yes, a haunted version of what may well have been your kids' first "scary" ride, and the chance to meet and greet all of your favorite villains and vote for them too. (For 10 nights this month, you can come to Mickey's Halloween Party ($49, if tickets are purchased in advance; $59 on Halloween) in costume and trick-or-treat your way through the park, as you enjoy special shows, fireworks and more. (To save $300 on four-day packages, visit http://disneyland.disney.go.com/special-offers/.)

You're crazy busy, of course, shuffling work, the kids' science projects, soccer practice, clarinet lessons ... all the more reason to take an afternoon, or a weekend, if you can manage it and have some fun in the pumpkin patch. Visit www.pickyourown.org and find one near you.

Go camping. Some of the busiest camping weekends are in the fall at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts, which offer "no scare" weekends with corn mazes and more.

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Head to a resort. Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls, Canada's largest indoor water park, transforms into a haunted lodge complete with monster mash family dance, spooky story time and even science projects.

If you are in Northern California — or hanker for a getaway there — visit Half Moon Bay. Located about 40 miles south of San Francisco, Half Moon Bay calls itself the pumpkin capital of the world with festivals, farms, pumpkin ale and even pumpkin spa experiences. (While you're in the neighborhood, the California Academy of Sciences — considered one of the "greenest" museums in the world — is celebrating the "SuperNatural" all October with special programs and events that allow you to commune with bats and get up close and personal, just not too personal, with tarantulas, snakes and otherworldly fish.

In Orlando, SeaWorld's "Ocean of Halloween Fun" means kids can watch "spooky" shows and help "Sesame Street's" Abby Cadabby find her magic wand and search for hidden "sea" treasures throughout the park. There's even a Spooky Spectacular Sleepover Oct. 15-16 and Oct. 22-23. There are hotel discounts as much as 25 percent off at Walt Disney World too, where your littlest park goers will like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Nearby, Universal Orlando is celebrating its 20th Halloween Horror Nights with what they promise will be the scariest yet with eight new haunted houses, scare zones and live shows.

Make it a new tradition to head to a city near you for some spooky fun. Chicago's Navy Pier brings you the zombie march, a haunted house and carnival of curiosities, as well as fireworks every Saturday in October.

Providence's Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular features thousands of illuminated jack-o-lanterns.

Providence, R.I., boasts the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Park Zoo where there will be thousands of illuminated jack-o-lanterns that have been created by professional pumpkin carvers.

If you are looking for real ghosts, Ohio promises that Waynesville is a bona-fide haunted village with hands-on ghost hunting and information on real ghostly encounters.

If you're planning a holiday in Britain, then head to Wales and stay in a haunted castle. (Wales apparently has the highest castle-to-person ration in the world — 641 castles, 3 million people — and a long history of hangings and riots and, as a result, plenty of ghosts.

Ghostly encounters aren't that unusual closer to home either. According to a Rent.com survey, 11 percent of renters believe they have lived in a home inhabited by ghosts. The website lists the top 10 haunted cities in the country, including Savannah, Ga. And Gettysburg, Pa., where all 40 miles of the battlefields where some 51,000 Civil War soldiers died are believed to have paranormal activity.

And let's not forget Salem, Mass., the site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The restless spirits of the 19 hanged as witches are said to haunt Gallows Hill. New Orleans' St. Louis Cemetery, meanwhile, is considered one of the country's most haunted resting places and you can also tour the historic Voodoo Museum. New Orleans touts plenty of good October deals, too.

Wherever you decide to go this Halloween, just don't forget your witch's hat.

For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.

Theme parks roll out Halloween thrills

This time of year, theme parks across the nation are transformed into Halloween hot spots.

If you're searching for a destination that has pulled out all the stops to give you a monstrously good time or an attraction that won't give the littlest trick-or-treaters nightmares, scare up your favorite costume and check out these amusement parks for Halloween fun.

Universal Studios

Universal Studios is scaring guests on both coasts during its Halloween Horror Nights, drawing hundreds of thousands of horror fans each year.

In Hollywood, California, guests can experience five new mazes based on the most popular horror themes and movies of all time, including "Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Friday the 13th."

Universal Orlando in Florida boasts eight new haunted houses and six scarezones at "Halloween Horror Nights XX: Twenty Years of Fear."

Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event. The price is $59 at the gate every night in California. Advance-purchase discounts are available on select nights.

In Orlando, general admission is $74.99. Guests may also add discounted Horror Nights admission to daytime park rates. Special Horror Nights rates are available for Florida residents: $34.99 Sundays through Thursdays, $49.99 on Fridays and $64.99 on Saturdays.

Cedar Fair Entertainment

Cedar Fair Entertainment operates such parks as King's Dominion in Doswell, Virginia; Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri; and Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, all boasting frightful Halloween events along with their usual jaw-dropping thrills.

Knott's Berry Farm, for example, is transformed into Knott's Scary Farm. Its annual Halloween Haunt features mazes, live shows, scare zones and 1,000 monsters roaming the park. Advance tickets are $33 to $50 based on the day of the week, in addition to park admission. Day-of tickets are $56.

Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, is offering a Halloween Haunt for $27.99 on Saturdays and $21.99 on Friday nights with online ticket purchase. Saturday tickets include all-day park admission and the Halloween event from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m.

Although the Haunts are generally not recommended for kids under 13, many of the parks also offer daytime Halloween events for the whole family.

Snoopy's Costume Party at Knott's Berry Farm celebrates Halloween with a Monster Dance Party and Costume Parade, a Peanuts Halloween Spooktacular and, of course, trick-or-treating.

At Kings Island's Howl-o-Fest, guests can join the Peanuts gang in a spooky singalong and visit a pumpkin patch with free kid-size pumpkins.

Six Flags

Six Flags Amusement Parks offer Halloween thrills at all of its locations, with their annual Fright Fests turning parks into playgrounds for ghouls and goblins. Even the most frightening coasters look tame in comparison with what awaits you in the terrifying mazes and haunted houses.

At Six Flags Over Georgia in Atlanta, guests can experience the Last Ride, simulating being buried alive, or check out Dr. Fright's Frightorium and CarnEvil.

Families won't want to miss the daytime Halloween celebrations, including pumpkin painting, trick-or-treating and a kids costume contest at some locations. Fright Fest is included with park admission, although additional fees are required for some Fright Fest attractions. General admission is $49.99.

Sesame Place

For the youngest Halloween enthusiasts, Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, celebrates the Count's Halloween Spooktacular on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Visitors are invited to come in costume, and there is a costume contest on October 31. Guests can enjoy hayrides, trick-or-treating throughout the park, Elmo's World Live! Halloween Show and Abby Cadabby's Magical Halloween Maze.

Don't miss the Count's UN-Haunted Castle Maze, which teaches children that things are not as scary as they appear.

Tickets are available for $33 for single-day admission during Spooktacular weekends.

Disney

Guests of all ages are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes and collect candy while trick-or-treating around the Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a special event from 7 p.m. to midnight on select nights through November 1.

Guests can enjoy Mickey's Boo-to-You Halloween Parade and Happy HalloWishes -- a spectacular fireworks show in which the Disney villains go trick-or-treating in the sky.

Mickey isn't celebrating only in the Sunshine State.

During Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland Park in California, guests can enjoy live music and embark on a three-hour Disney's Happiest Haunts tour to learn about the spookiest events in the park. Some rides are transformed into spooky attractions, like the haunting soundtrack and added visual effects to Space Mountain.

Purchase of an additional ticket is required at both locations. Tickets purchased on the day of the event cost $53.95 for ages 3 to 9 and $59.95 for ages 10 and up in Orlando. Advance-purchase discounts are available on some dates. At Disneyland in Anaheim, admission is $49 to $59, depending on the date.

Star Tours, both here in California and in Florida as well

Things are very busy in the world of Star Tours, both here in California and in Florida as well!

A few weeks ago I shared a first look at two new characters joining Star Tours, and today, I want to take you behind the scenes and show you what we were working on back in April 2009. We occupied a large soundstage in Hollywood to film a key sequence of the new show. Anthony Daniels flew in from London to bring C-3PO to life on the stage, as well as workshop the script with our writer Steve Spiegel.

I spoke with Anthony Daniels the other day about what it felt like to be back working on Star Tours.

“Wow! Back in the gold suit for the first time since ‘Revenge of the Sith,’” was Anthony’s reply. “But on this occasion in front of a beloved Starspeeder, a bit like the one R2 and I’d repaired every day since Disneyland first opened the Star Tours Spaceport all those years ago. I’d enjoyed being a part of the original Star Tours, one of the most wonderful jobs I ever had. I’d been alerted that amazing things were in store for passengers on the new Starspeeder – and for me too – and so here I was again, working with many of the same creative teams, with even more spin and excitement than the first time.”

On the immense soundstage, our production team re-created – full size – a portion of the Starspeeder 1000, so we could film it from multiple angles. Later, the effects wizards at ILM, under the direction of Bill George, completed the scene, adding in a whole range of droids and characters, and expanding the scale and scope of the scene.

Here, for the first time, are some photos from that soundstage shoot. More on Threepio in our next post.

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Pictures: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/orl-universalharrypotter-pg,0,2369550.photogallery

Going to universal next weak

Going to universal next weak wow everyone i have not put that much updates here any more but going to universal next weak look for cityorlando.info shirts walking the park on july 6 2010

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Premiere

Harry Potter Forbidden Journey POV

SeaWorld killer whale dies while giving birth

A killer whale at SeaWorld Orlando died Sunday from complications that arose while she was giving birth, officials said.

The park said Taima, a 20-year-old orca born at SeaWorld Orlando in 1990, died late in the afternoon, approximately 20 hours after going into labor Saturday evening.

The calf was stillborn.

“Everyone is very saddened by the loss … Everyone is reeling,” said Dr. Chris Dold, vice president of veterinary services for Orlando-based SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Taima “was a member of the family.”

More here.

Harry Potter and the VIP access

Colin and Vicky Hanley were first through the doors with kids Luke, eight, and Caitlan, six, yesterday. And the family, from Swadlincote, Derbyshire, thought it was a magical marvel.

Colin said last night: "It is fabulous - the kids were blown away when we walked into Hogsmeade and they saw the Hogwarts Express at the station.

"It's far better than we expected it to be. My son Luke is a huge Potter fan and he's just been in heaven!

"The new ride in the castle is probably the best theme park ride we have ever done.

"You feel like you are flying through the air with the dragons and the pre-ride walk through the castle is great. Seeing Harry and his pals appear and talk to you was incredible.

"We went into the wand shop Ollivanders three times to make sure that Luke was chosen by the Wand Master - it was worth the wait!"

Exclusive access is a huge coup for Virgin Holidays, who are celebrating their 25th birthday this year.

Their customers get in earlier and enjoy a breakfast at the Three Broomsticks as well as picking up a free gift.

And to celebrate their 25th birthday they have come up with an amazing offer for Sun readers who book an Orlando holiday.

Chuffed ... Hanley family and
the Hogwarts Express

Call to book between now and June 13 and you'll get a FREE Universal Orlando 2-Park Bonus Ticket for every person (adult and child) booking a new seven-night minimum stay Virgin Holiday to Florida that departs before October 31 next year.

With the 2-Park Bonus Ticket, you get unlimited access to Universal Islands of Adventure - including the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter - and Universal Studios theme parks for 14 days.

That could save an incredible £350 for a family of four.

We've full details on the offer on the right. But however you get to Orlando, I can guarantee you're in for a treat.

Universal have always done fabulous movie rides and brilliant recreations - The Simpsons ride and rock coaster Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit are two of my Orlando all-time favourites. And when I had a sneak preview of the Wizarding World last month I was amazed by the detail that has gone into creating Potter.

The excitement starts as you walk through the ornate gates and spy the Hogwarts Express billowing plumes of steam at Hogsmeade station. Snow sparkles on roofs from Ollivander's Wand Shop and the Owl Post Office to the Three Broomsticks Inn and Hog's Head pub.

And there, looming in the distance, is the iconic Hogwarts Castle - towering on its grey, rocky crag above a forest of pine. Author JK Rowling has been involved in creating this celebration of all things Potter, coming up with new stories and characters for its three rides, approving every morsel of food and piece of merchandise for sale.

The jewel in the crown is Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey - a ride snaking through the awesome Castle and featuring stars of the books and films brought to life with stunning holographics, robotics and live action.

Standing in a queue has never been such fun - winding its way through the creepy corners and corridors of the school before bumping into Professor Dumbledore in his office.

On to the Defence Against The Dark Arts classroom and here Harry, Hermione and Ron appear to rescue you from a dull lesson - promising a wild ride as you escape the dragon, take part in a game of Quidditch and have a close encounter with the Whomping Willow.

A strong stomach is all you'll need for the second ride in the park - Dragon Challenge. Originally the hugely popular Duelling Dragons ride, it has been re-themed and now sees the mythical creatures battling in the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

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Dragon Challenge is a thrill attraction for the over-tens with its 60mph close-shave ride as two cars come within inches of each other. The final ride in the park, Flight Of The Hippogriff, will delight younger fans. Hagrid's welcome as you queue is a great introduction to Harry's story for little ones.

But the park is much more than its three rides. The streets of Hogsmeade village are lined with stores fans will be familiar with. Pop into Ollivanders and you could be chosen by the wand.

The shop is small and will be hugely popular but only 30-odd people can cram in at once and they will all want to see the wand choosing someone and hear the wandmaster's patter - it could lead to long queues outside.

At the Owl Post, send off your own letters marked with a Hogsmeade stamp. Or check out the authentic tricks and magic at Zonko's joke shop - there are plenty you'll remember from the film and some more besides.

The entire park is a tribute to the incredible attention to detail and faithful recreation of the world of Potter.

Muggles will definitely not be disappointed!

Universal Orlando allows first group of regular day guests inside Wizarding World of Harry Potter soft opening

Today Universal Orlando began allowing a limited number of regular day guests into the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter section of the Islands of Adventure theme park. On-site Universal hotel guests were allowed in first, beginning at 8 a.m., as they have been since Friday, May 28. But at around 9 a.m., it was decided to begin to allow a certain number of other guests into the Wizarding World.

For the past few days, the scheduled hours for each morning’s previews have been 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., though once inside, guests are gently urged out of the area by noon. But today was the first time that park guests who are not staying at a Universal Orlando on-site hotel have been allowed in during a window of roughly 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. I was told by a Universal team member that a limited number of guests were being let in and that number is based on how many hotel guests were let in during the early entry period from 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.

There are is guarantee that these “soft openings” will continue in the coming days. Whether more day guests will be allowed into the Wizarding World seems to, at least for now, hinge upon the number of on-site hotel guests that take advantage of the early morning previews. So while it is possible that arriving at Islands of Adventure first thing in the morning could gain you access to Hogsmeade Village, it is also just as possible that guests will continue to patiently wait outside the Wizarding World’s gates

rlando's theme park ecosystem is changing.

Like organisms that once fed off of one another in a relationship that was more symbiotic than competitive, Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando are now hunting on a recession-altered landscape with less food to go around.

It used to be that marketing by any of the Big Three was good for all of them. Moms and dads lured in by a promotion to one resort were practically guaranteed to take the family to at least one of the other two during their stay.

Last year, though, in a theme-park match of survival of the fittest, that dynamic changed and Disney further cemented its place as the Big One and stopped feeding scraps to the others.

A report on estimated theme-park attendance released this week shows that Disney grew its market share in Orlando with flat to 1 percent gains at its four parks in 2009 while the crowds plummeted 10 percent at Universal Studios and 11 percent at sister park Islands of Adventure while SeaWorld fell 7 percent.

The recession helped along Disney's plan to keep more vacationers on its property and ensure they spend all of their money there rather than give cuts to Spider-Man and Shamu.

The Disney marketing machine drummed heavy discounts such as buy four hotel nights get three free, Magic Your Way ticket packages and the clincher — a shuttle system for guests and their luggage to and from the airport that means fewer people rent cars and easily come and go from the resort.

The appeal of all of those deals soared as the economy faltered. And the good-for-one-good-for-all mantra was bibbidi-bobbitied into boo for everyone but Disney.

The deep discounts kept Disney from losing attendance at the expense of Universal and SeaWorld. And it's clear from the numbers that the dips were brandwide and not just pinned to the resorts' big draws, because the same trend played out among the water parks as well. Disney water parks were flat while SeaWorld's Aquatica was down 7 percent and Universal's Wet n' Wild was down 5 percent.

But will Disney manage to keep its edge — and for how long?

Good answer: Guests and non-guests can see Family Feud at Universal

UPDATE: Here’s the Sentinel’s Family Feud trivia quiz.

As our TV Guy Hal Boedeker reported, Family Feud is moving its production to Universal Orlando. Episodes with new host Steve Harvey will be taped on a Universal Studios theme park soundstage beginning July 10.

You don’t have to be a theme-park guest to watch the taping, but you might exercise caution before striking out for an afternoon of game show watching.

First of all, tape times will vary. Universal suggests calling 407-224-6000 for the latest info. And the tapings won’t happen every day. Universal has 22 taping dates posted between July and September.

Theme park guests will follow signs within the park to the tapings or visit the Studio Audience Center for information.

But non-guests can go too. Park in the Universal mega-garage (bet on them charging you there). Go through Universal CityWalk and walk toward the Sharp Aquos Theater (home of Blue Man Group). Bear right at the theater (you’ll be in the shadow of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit ) and follow the Family Feud signs.

More cautionary tales: Seating is first-come, first-served, and it’s recommended you arrive an hour early. This is posted at the Universal/Feud site, along with info about auditioning.

Family Feud finds a home at Universal Orlando

The phrase "survey says" will become a familiar feature at Universal Orlando when Family Feud moves its production to Orlando this summer.

Executive producer Kevin Williams cited several reasons for moving the game show from Los Angeles, but the chief one is that entertainer Steve Harvey is becoming host.

"Everything is being geared around him," Williams said in an interview last week. "He's based in Atlanta. It's a 45-minute flight for him to Orlando."

But Family Feud sees potential in the Orlando market.

"If you're not shooting in Los Angeles, Orlando studios are a good alternative," Williams said. "Universal is so well set up with marketing. And the audience comes from all over the country and the world. That suits our brand."

FremantleMedia, which produces Family Feud and American Idol, knows Orlando has a lot to offer from the American Idol Experience at Walt Disney World, Williams added.

The game show will tape 165 episodes from July through September on Sound Stage 19 at Universal Orlando Resort. Episodes will be staged Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to accommodate Harvey, who hosts a radio show from Atlanta. Family Feud will produce four to eight episodes a day.

Family Feud is one of the most familiar game shows since Richard Dawson hosted it in the 1970s. This version of the show has been running 11 years in syndication. Current host John O'Hurley followed Richard Karn and Louie Anderson in the job. The show airs at 10 a.m. weekdays on WFTV-Channel 9.

Universal Orlando will play up Family Feud in promotions to bring more guests to the resort, said Pamela Tuscany, vice president of production.

"We did a dynamic change last year. We looked for audience-based television opportunities for guests to see live television," Tuscany said. "It's a strategy. We've been working with Fremantle."

America's Got Talent, another Fremantle show, recently taped at Universal.

In Los Angeles, Family Feud has to bring the audiences in. At Universal, Williams expects a different dynamic: an energized audience looking for something similar to getting on a ride. But you won't have to be a theme-park guest to see a taping.

"We have to construct an experience," Williams said. "We want Steve to connect with families and get his comedy out."

Harvey will receive a lot of support as Fremantle stages the show. "Bottom line: We hire a lot of people," Williams said. "We fly in a core group who knows how to make the show. But we're leaning heavily on the Orlando infrastructure and production community. There's a lot of qualified people down there. America's Got Talent went well for us."

Williams didn't give a number, but Tuscany estimated that Fremantle will probably hire 50 to 70 people.

Several times a week, Family Feud will carry a plug for Orlando. Providing $150,000 in all to help the game show relocate were the city of Orlando, the Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency and the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"We thought that was important because of the jobs it [Family Feud] would create, the economic impact it would generate and the promotion of downtown Orlando on a national stage," said Orlando spokeswoman Heather Allebaugh.

How To Book a Luxury Cruise at a Huge Discount

Ahh! The joy of a cruise. If you're an experienced cruise traveler you know what it means. If you've never been on a cruise, it is only a matter of taking your first one and you'll be hooked for life.

No travel experience in the world offers the pleasures of a cruise. It's the ultimate stress free vacation. All-inclusive service, delicious food, luxury amenities, fantastic weather and exotic destinations are just a few of the factors that make cruising the fastest growing segment of the travel industry.

Now, what if you could combine all of that with a discount of up to 75% off?

Believe it or not, it's possible from a company called Vacations To Go.

Way back in 1984, Vacations To Go realized that cruise companies had a dilemma. Their profits relied on selling most of their cabins well in advance at full price. They couldn't offer steep discounts on unsold cabins because people would just wait until the last minute and then all cabins would be sold at a discount. Vacations To Go approached the cruise lines with a way for them to sell their unsold cabins at a deep discount without affecting their full price market.

How did they do it?

Simply put, the cruise lines allow Vacations To Go to re-market their unsold cabins to their exclusive and highly confidential client list at huge discounts from the regular price.

Vacations To Go has now provided more than a million of their "members" with dream vacations at a fraction of the regular price, often as much as 75% off. It has also achieved the highest level of recognition possible for exceptional sales and superior service from every major cruise line in the world.

So how do you get onto this exclusive and confidential list?

That's the easy part - all you have to do is register on their web site. That's how you become a "member" and Vacations To Go is then authorized by the cruise lines to offer you these amazing deals.

It's completely free and once you're registered you'll instantly have access to some really cool features.

The "90-Day Ticker" is a complete listing of last-minute cruise deals on the world's best cruise lines, showing information on destination stops, port city, ship type and much more. Customers frequently save more than half what they would normally pay, often up to an amazing 75 percent off.

And it's not just last minute deals that can have huge savings. The "Find A Bargain" feature shows special early bird discounts, two-for-one deals and promotions for seniors, military personnel and others that they've negotiated with top cruise lines.

Vacations To Go offers one of the widest selections of cruises. If you know exactly what you want, or if you are new to cruising and are looking for help in selecting the cruise best suited to your individual needs, www.vacationstogo.com is the place to start your cruise adventure.

Whale kills trainer at Florida's SeaWorld

UPDATE 1-Whale kills trainer at Florida's SeaWorld
Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:46pm EST
Related News

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Tue, Feb 23 2010
* Australia sets Japan Nov deadline to halt whaling
Thu, Feb 18 2010



By Jane Sutton

MIAMI, Feb 24 (Reuters) - A killer whale at the SeaWorld amusement park in central Florida killed a trainer on Wednesday, a sheriff's spokesman said.

"She apparently slipped and fell into the tank and was fatally injured by one of the whales," Orange County Sheriff's spokesman Jim Solomons said.

The 40-year-old trainer was dead when rescue officials arrived, he said.

Media reports said the orca at the park's Shamu Stadium grabbed the woman by the waist, thrashed her about and dragged her underwater.

The trainer was killed in the whale holding area just before the start of a public performance and the stadium was immediately evacuated.

Dan Brown, president of SeaWorld Orlando, said the victim was one of the park's most experienced animal trainers.

There were conflicting reports about how the incident occurred. The Orlando Sentinel quoted a spectator as saying the whale came up from the water and grabbed the trainer by her waist. The sheriff's official said preliminary accounts indicated she slipped and fell in, but that was still under investigation.

The Florida park is owned by the Blackstone Group (BX.N), a private equity company that also owns part of the Universal Orlando theme park.

A spokesman for SeaWorld in San Diego, California, said killer whale shows have been suspended following the death in Orlando.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, the orca involved in Wednesday's incident, named Tillikum but popularly known as "Tilly," has a controversial past.

The whale was blamed for the drowning of one of his trainers in 1991 while he was performing at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia, the newspaper said.

Sold to SeaWorld as a stud in 1992, the whale was involved in a second incident when authorities discovered the body of a naked man lying across his back in July 1999.

Authorities said the man, who had either snuck into SeaWorld after hours or hidden in the park until it closed, most likely drowned after suffering hypothermia in the 55-degree (12.7 C) water.

A former contractor with SeaWorld told the Sentinel that Tillikum is typically kept isolated from SeaWorld's other killer whales and that trainers were not allowed to get in the water with him because of his history. (Editing by Tom Brown and Sandra Maler)

The Story of the Haunted Mansion - The Show - with Patrick Episode 6

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