Shows & Events

Is the Fireworks Desert Party at Magic Kingdom Worth it? One Family’s Review of the Pre-Party.

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Walt Disney referred to the fireworks display at the parks as their “kiss goodnight” for the guest, a way to end the day on a memorable note. For many visitors the fireworks are an essential part of the Disney experience and they’ll arrive in front of the castle 1-2 hours in advance to scope out the best seats. However, did you know Disney has several options that give you reserved seating for the fireworks? The fireworks pre-party, post-party and sweets & seats provide reserved seating along with unlimited desserts and alcoholic beverages. Of course this comes at nearly a $100/person price, but is it worth it?

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Where to watch “A Total Eclipse of the Theme Park”

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Them Parks Where You Can Watch the April 8, 2024 Total Eclipse

On Monday, April 8, 2024 a total eclipse cuts across much of the central and eastern USA and some theme parks as well!. These celestial events are rare and we won’t have another one for 20 more years. I had the chance to watch the “Ring of Fire” eclipse back in 2023 at SeaWorld San Antonio and it was a fantastic experience! There’s something about experiencing an event like that with a crowd that brings energy and excitement you just can’t get on your own. You can see below on the map that the “totality” (where the sun is 100% covered) occurs in several major cities like San Antonio, Dallas and Cleveland and the nearby theme parks below could be a great place to watch the eclipse.

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The First Drop Videos are a Hidden Gem of Busch Gardens

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Have you caught an episode of “The First Drop” yet? This monthly web series available on YouTube and the park’s blog started in 2022. It is done in more of a podcast form and features monthly announcements about park events, pass member rewards and usually features a special guest from the park staff. Episodes are around 30 minutes in length and are hosted by the duo of Shaniah Thompson and JP Taylor from the park’s marketing department. In the first episode you actually find out that they started at the park on the same day and their energy and chemistry are pretty infectious which really carries the show.

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Wild Adventure’s New “Wild & Bright” Christmas Event Will Make You Feel Merry!

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Our Family’s Experience and Review of this Great New Event

Most theme parks in moderate climates have some sort of holiday event whether that “Smokey Mountain Christmas” at Dollywood or “Holiday in the Park” at Six Flags. New for 2023 at Wild Adventures is their Christmas event “Wild & Bright”. We had a chance to experience Wild & Bright the Saturday after Thanksgiving and absolutely loved the abundant and varied activities throughout the park. This event has so many things happening that it’s ridiculous, much of it geared toward families, kids and the young at heart. We went on a Saturday and there were 45 events (some duplicates) on the schedule! There were literally several Christmas somethings going every hour all day, so much so that we didn’t even come close to seeing everything. Here’s our family’s review and experiences of our spectacular day that really got us into the holiday spirit.

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Opening Day for Kid Flash Cosmic Coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia

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A Review of the New P’Sghetti Bowl Coaster by Skyline Attractions from a Parent/Coaster Fan and a 7-Year Old

Opening day for a new coaster is a special day you’ll seek out once you’ve done it once. The buzz in the air and the party atmosphere makes for loads of fun. I had a chance to visit Six Flags Over Georgia for the Kid Flash Cosmic Coaster opening ceremony and the technical rehearsal on Saturday, November 4th. I was a “Six Flags” day (as they say at the park) that did not leave me disappointed. This is a great new set of coasters that kids will love and parents will enjoy too.

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Zagora Cafe and Kangaroo Area at Busch Gardens Getting Refurbishments

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From http://www.buschgardens.com

According to the Accela database it appears the Zagora Cafe is getting an overhaul. Of all the dining options in the park it was probably most in need of some refurbishments. The actual food service area looks quite dated and the dining area is essentially a covered patio. With the recent renovations the the Giraffe Bar, Springs Taproom and Coaster Coffee, it was probably next up in the rotation.

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What do horses, beer, a haunted house and Busch Gardens have in common?

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How the former Budweiser Clydesdale stable became the Howl-0-Scream Stranglewood Estates haunted house.

If you know the history of Busch Gardens you they used to be owned by Anheuser-Busch, maker of Budweiser. The parks were a promotional tool built on the grounds on some of their breweries. The parks were later sold, but remnants (including the name) still remain. One thing Budweiser is known for is their Clydesdale horses which are seen on Christmas ads, Super Bowl ads and special events. They also used to be housed at the parks, in fact you can still find them at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. They are no longer in Tampa, but their stable still exists and is now the Stranglewood Estates haunted house!

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It’s Howl-O-Scream Time at Busch Gardens!

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New “Sin City” Vegas themed scare zones at Busch Gardens from http://www.buschgardens.com

Howl-O-Scream is going on now and runs from September 8th to October 31st this year. Halloween is big business at theme parks with a chance to earn lots of extra revenue from haunted houses and other events. This year’s events features several new haunted houses, scare zones, shows, food options and even behind the scenes tours. The super cool Christmas themed haunted house is back along with the Cirque X-Scream show. New this year are Las Vegas and demolition derby themed scare zones, a circus themed haunted house, a new musical show and the “Raveyard” with cocktails and music.

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