November 7, 2013 - On the Go in MCO

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party returns this week to the Magic Kingdom on Friday. I am so looking forward to this special event as it is the kickoff for the holiday season in the parks for me. Separate tickets are required for admission to the party. The event takes place select nights in November and December and runs from 7pm to midnight. Advance tickets are available at a discount for most nights with a savings of $5 per ticket, and select dates also offer military, DVC and AP discounts.

I can’t wait to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this Friday night for several reasons. One, the new Jingle Cruise is debuting. We rarely (if ever) get holiday overlays here at Walt Disney World and this is one I am excited about. I really enjoy the Jungle Cruise and its background music from the 1930s/40s is great. I hope they match that era of Christmas music in the queue as it is some of my favorite music. I think it will be especially cool to compare the Jingle Cruise here to the overlay in Disneyland in a few weeks.

My favorite part of the party by far is the Once Upon A Christmastime Parade. It takes place twice during the evening at 8:15 and 10:30pm and starts in Frontierland and ends on Main Street. If you get a chance, I highly recommend watching from Main Street with a view of Cinderella Castle. This makes for awesome pictures with the castle dream lights and the “snow” on Main Street. Seeing the characters all dressed up in their Christmas costumes is fantastic! It really makes it feel like Christmas to me during this parade ending with a certain jolly fellow.

Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season is a special fireworks show at 9:30pm on Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party nights. A new enhancement this year will feature the new to Walt Disney World Glow With The Show Ears that will change colors along with the fireworks. I have yet to see the ears here, but saw a small sampling last summer at Disney California Adventure during of World of Color, so I think it should be cool.

Also new this year will be a Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom card exclusive to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party featuring Huey, Dewey and Louie. As much as I hate to admit it, I’ve only played Sorcerer’s once, but I love collecting the cards, so I am looking forward to this special edition card. Of course another favorite aspect of the party is the included hot chocolate and cookies. There are also dance parties, stage shows and most attractions are open during the party.

What is your favorite part of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? Will you be attending this year? Some of us will be there for the first party of the year on Friday, which is already sold out. If you’ll be there, come say hi!

Global superstar Miley Cyrus announced details behind her highly anticipated Bangerz Tour, which is produced and promoted by Live Nation. The tour kicks off on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2014, visiting 38 cities throughout the United States and Canada. The Bangerz Tour stops in Orlando at the Amway Center on March 24, 2014. Tickets go on sale Saturday, November 16 at 10 a.m.

WHAT:

Miley Cyrus | Bangerz Tour

WHEN:

Monday, March 24, 2014 | 7 PM

WHERE:

Amway Center | Orlando, Florida

ON SALE:

Saturday, November 16, 2013 | 10 AM

American Express^® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, November 12 at 10 a.m. local time through Friday, November 15 at 10 p.m. local time. Fans have additional opportunities to purchase tickets early by signing up for a Facebook RSVP at http://bit.ly/_MileyRSVP. Additional details are available at www.livenation.com.

Details for Cyrus’ Bangerz Tour follow her surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live where she announced to fans that she would be launching a tour soon. The announcement comes on the heels of her well-received appearance on the show (re-airing November 9) as both host and musical performer on October 5 that was part of a series of headline-making appearances that supported the release of her new album, “Bangerz,” on RCA Records. “Bangerz” debuted at number one on both the Billboard Top 200 Album chart and the Digital Album chart with over 270,000 albums sold. Additionally, during release week, “Bangerz” hit number one on iTunes in more than 70 countries. Both singles, “Wrecking Ball” and “We Can’t Stop,” off “Bangerz” have already sold 4.3 million copies in the U.S. alone. “Wrecking Ball” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for two weeks. It became Cyrus’ first Billboard Hot 100 number one and her fastest-flying top 10 on Radio Songs.

“Wrecking Ball” also hit number one on Spotify where it reached the highest streams ever for any track in the U.S. beating the next highest week by nearly 500,000 plays. This exciting news came just two days after her music video for “Wrecking Ball” became the fastest music video ever to reach certified status, Vevo’s milestone for videos delivering 100 million views, in only six days. Cyrus shattered the previous record which she held for “We Can’t Stop,” certified by Vevo just 37 days after it premiered.

“Bangerz” has received rave reviews including Entertainment Weekly calling it “…utterly fresh, a pop blitz from a hip-hop blueprint, and proof that Miley won’t settle for just shocking us.” US Weekly declared it “the year’s most titillating pop explosion,” awarding the album “4 stars (out of 4).”

TICKETS: $37.50, $67.50 & $87.50 – Buy tickets at amwaycenter.com, Chase Box Office Amway Center box office, Ticketmaster retail locations, charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000 or at Ticketmaster.com. All dates, act(s) and ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All tickets are subject to applicable taxes, service, handling and facility fee charges. For Amway Center box office and ticket information, visit amwaycenter.com (phone purchases are not available through the Amway Center box office). The Amway Center is located at 400 West Church Street and the box office is located on the north side of the Amway Center, near the intersection of Church Street and Hughey Avenue.

ABOUT AMWAY CENTER

The Orlando Magic served as the developer of the Amway Center, which hosts major national events, concerts and family shows. Opened in the fall of 2010, the facility is owned and operated by the City of Orlando on behalf of the Central Florida community. The Amway Center was designed to reflect the character of the community, meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and entertainment in Orlando. The building’s exterior features a modern blend of glass and metal materials, along with ever-changing graphics via a monumental wall along one facade. A 180-foot tall tower serves as a beacon amid the downtown skyline. The 875,000 square foot, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified building features a sustainable, environmentally-friendly design and unmatched technology, including 1,100 digital monitors, the tallest high-definition video board in an NBA venue and multiple premium amenities available to all patrons in the building. Amway Center was recently honored with TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ 2013 Customer Experience Award and named SportsBusiness Journal’s 2012 Sports Facility of the Year. For more information about the Amway Center, visit www.amwaycenter.com.

Day: November 7, 2013

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Returns Friday

Miley Cyrus Bangerz Tour Stopping At The Amway Center