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Emmy Award-winning actress, writer & producer Tina Fey, star of the hit feature film “Date Night” and executive producer, head writer and star of the NBC series “30 Rock,” poses April 23, 2010 with Goofy at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Fey was visiting Walt Disney World Resort on vacation with her family. (Photography courtesy Disney. Gene Duncan, photographer)

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Get ready, muggles and magic folk alike — Universal Resort Orlando has finally announced the official opening date for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The big day is June 18, 2010. That’s right! Just in time for the big summer travel season, Universal will open the doors to their highly-anticipated new Island, based entirely on the works and world of J. K. Rowling.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter shares Island space with The Lost Continent but is an entirely new creation. Visitors will walk the streets of Hogsmeade Village, enjoy a butterbeer (already reputed to be delicious!) at The Three Broomsticks or The Hog’s Head, grab some pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs at Honeydukes Sweets Shop, and more. Check out all the magical ephemera in Dumbledore’s office. Take a wander through the Griffindor common room. Find your wand at Ollivander’s. The attention to detail is said to be extreme and exquisite, with much of it having been designed with input from Rowling herself.

Hogwarts Castle stands tall over the Wizarding World, drawing you to the park’s centerpiece — a magical flight with Ron, Hermione and Harry himself. The ride combines state-of-the-art animatronics and robotics with 360-degree immerse filming technology so you can experience the full effect of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. And they say waiting in line for the ride is half the fun, thanks to a whole lot of that detail I mentioned earlier. The queue takes you through some of the most iconic locations from the beloved book series, including Dumbledore’s office, the Griffindor Common Room, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, even the castle dungeons. There are also two outdoor coasters — Dragon Encounter (for your chance at the TriWizard Cup) and Flight of the Hippogriff (right by Hagrid’s hut). This will be THE summer experience for book lovers, theme park-goers, and ride aficionados alike. There is nothing like it anywhere else and the level of detail and layered experience all but guarantees plenty of return visits. This is a definite for any Orlando vacation but if you want to hit it on or close to opening day, book now — Universal’s special packages are already selling out fast!

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Aquatica is getting ready for the spring and summer seasons with a new, thrilling water slide — Omaka Rocka. This brand new family slide features high-speed tubes and half-pipe funnels. That means you’ll be splashing and dashing while sliding every possible way — forward, backward and even up the walls! Once you reach the bottom, you’ll literally skim and skip across the water before the drenching splashdown. I’ve sent my Orlando spies to go check out the new water action, so expect a first-hand report very soon.

After the splashdown, if you’re up for splashing out, you can look into renting a private cabana. Aquatica offers several levels for those who want a guaranteed places to relax and aren’t concerned about paying extra for it. There is a wide range of prices as well as amenities, starting from /day for up to four guests (extra guests for an additional /person) all the way to the Ultimate Cabana at a whopping 0/day. Cabanas feature upgraded furniture, lockers and more; some even include complimentary drinks and ceiling fans. But Cabana rentals do not include park admission–these rentals are all extras but during high capacity times, they’re worth budgeting for, provided you make your reservations early.

But it’s not all luxury extras–Aquatica has a new way to save money, as well. Check out the after 2pm pass, which allows entrance to the park after 2pm for the rest of 2010. That’s NINE MONTHS of entry, with NO blackout dates, for .99 — a whopping more than a standard one day adult pass. That’s a fantastic deal, especially if you know anything about Orlando summer weather, where daily morning and early afternoon thunderstorms are the norm. By 2pm, that weather will generally have passed and the parks will likely be less crowded, with the weather having chased away the morning crowds. Take advantage of this deal for sure.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., March 1, 2010 — Guests visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom are getting a special treat along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail where they can get a rare glimpse of a newborn gorilla born Feb. 19. The critically endangered western lowland gorilla, whose gender is still unknown, is doing well and has already become an integral member of the gorilla family group which includes first-time mother, Kashata, father Gino, and two other females, Benga and Hope.

Members of the primate team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are encouraged by Kashata’s natural instincts at motherhood. First-time mothers often experience difficulty knowing the right things to do. They must learn to properly hold the baby and adapt to a demanding nursing schedule. “Kashata has been a model mother from the moment the baby was born, said Matt Hohne, animal operations director for Disney’s Animal Programs. “She immediately knew how to properly hold the baby and her nursing skills have been exemplary.”

Since Kashata has been holding the baby close to her body, animal keepers have yet to determine the baby’s gender. Most gorilla mothers keep their offspring close for several months while the baby adjusts to the environment. In addition, gorilla babies typically nurse for approximately 12 months and may be weaned between the ages of four and five.

The new baby, which is yet to be named, is the third gorilla born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan which manages genetic diversity among species through detailed records of individual animals. Disney’s Animal Kingdom also participates in AZA Species Survival Plans for several other animals, including elephants, cotton-top tamarins and okapi. The first gorilla birth occurred in 1997 before Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened, and the second baby arrived in 1999.

Aside from breeding activities, Disney’s Animal Programs team remains active in gorilla conservation in other areas. The team currently:

· provides staff expertise for the creation of the first rescue and rehabilitation center in eastern Africa for orphaned gorillas to ultimately reintroduce them back into the wild. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has provided funding to support this effort.
· has developed an innovative training technique that enables team members to monitor the heart health of gorillas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom by administering cardiac ultrasound exams on fully alert gorillas.

GORILLA FACTS:
· Gorillas are the largest of all primates, standing 5-6 feet tall and weighing up to 450 lbs.
· In the wild, western lowland gorillas are found in lowland tropical rainforests throughout western Africa.
· Gorilla habitat in Africa is quickly disappearing because of coltan mining, a mineral used to make batteries for electronics. Recycling cell phones or laptops may contribute to gorilla conservation.

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Jay DeMarcus (left) of the country music trio “Rascal Flatts,” and his mother Caron Myers (right) pose May29th, 2010 with Pluto in front of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. DeMarcus took his mother to Walt Disney World to celebrate her 60th birthday.

The fun never stops when you’re a Disney Cast Member, especially when you’re raising money for a good cause. This last weekend, nearly 6,000 Walt Disney World VoluntEARS teamed up to extend their reach into local classrooms via the Disney Bowl-A-Thon. Event organizers anticipate the two-day fundraising event, held at bowling centers across Central Florida, raised approximately 0,000 for Junior Achievement of Central Florida and will ultimately benefit thousands of local children.

Junior Achievement is a non-profit organization that goes into schools to provide age-appropriate economic education for children in grades K-12. Preparing young people for economically sound futures, Junior Achievement helps students understand fiscal responsibility by teaching lessons in how to earn, save, maintain a budget, manage credit and control their personal finances.

“We are incredibly grateful to have Disney’s support in our mission to help local students become financially literate,” said Gary Blanchette, president of Junior Achievement of Central Florida. “Through the Bowl-A-Thon and the ongoing work of Disney VoluntEARS in local schools, Disney is ensuring our youth will become the successful leaders of tomorrow,” said Blanchette.

Disney VoluntEARS stay active with Junior Achievement year around by donating their time and talent to teaching Junior Achievement curriculum in Orange and Osceola County schools. In 2009, Junior Achievement reached 94,911 students in more than 4,286 classrooms in Central Florida. Funds raised from the Disney Bowl-A-Thon will go toward Junior Achievement programming, educator kits and classroom supplies.

“The Disney Bowl-A-Thon raises funds to create the educational materials that Junior Achievement volunteers use in the classroom to teach children about economics, finance, entrepreneurship and the free enterprise system,” said Jack Blitch, vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering and Junior Achievement board member. “Now more than ever, this education is vitally important, and Junior Achievement works to ensure students have access to it,” said Blitch.

Walt Disney World Resort has been involved with Junior Achievement for more than 16 years and has raised more than .45 million for the organization.

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