Disney Parks Blog have announced that HGTV, TLC, and the Food Network will all feature Walt Disney World 50th themed episodes this week. For instance, one family gets a magical Walt Disney World surprise on HGTV’s “100 Day Dream Home.” The episodes beganMonday, April 11, on HGTV’s “100 Day Dream Home”. Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt are a husband-and-wife team from Tampa, Florida, that makes dream homes come true. Together they help clients both design and build the perfect house from the ground up in 100 days or less. For this episode they make a family’s dreams come true with a Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration inspired room. As part of the surprise, the family is given a magical vacation to Walt Disney World to experience both Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park! The celebration continues Tuesday, April 12 at 10pm ET/PT on TLC’s “Doubling Down with the Derricos.” Karen & Deon Derrico are parents to fourteen kids, including four sets of multiples including quintuplets! The family journeys to Walt Disney World Resort for the first time ever to experience all four parks, while also enjoying their time at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. While at Walt Disney World, Deon surprises Karen with a fairy tale of her own! And finally, wake up Saturday, April 16 at 11am ET/PT to Food Network’s “The Kitchen”. As part of the episode Jeff Mauro and his son Lorenzo spend Spring Break at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The pair experienced what it was like to taste food around the world at the World Showcase at EPCOT as well as got an out of this world adventure at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!

Fabulous news for Orlando tourism as Orlando International Airport is not only one of the busiest airports in the U.S., but it is now recognized as one of the busiest in the world, as it's been added to the list of top ten busiest in the world, according to Airports Council International. Orlando International Airport is now the seventh busiest in the world for 2021, jumping from 27th worldwide in 2020. ACI said among the U.S. airports ranked in the top 10, “the biggest improvement recorded was from Orlando International Airport,” which saw nearly 40.4 million passengers travel through the airport. “The ACI World passenger traffic rankings tell the story of an encouraging trend of recovery, with most of the recurrent busiest airports pre-COVID-19 back at the top,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said in a release. “Although we are cautious that recovery could face multiple headwinds, the momentum created by reopening plans by countries could lead to an uptick in travel in the second half of 2022. The airport ended 2021 strongly as the busiest airport in Florida and the seventh busiest in the U.S., plus in OIA's latest update,, officials said February saw more than 3.6 million passengers, bringing the 2022 count to 7.1 million. This new ranking comes as Orlando International Airport prepares to open its brand new South terminal to handle even more passengers. Here are the top 10 busiest airports in the world: Atlanta, Georgia Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Denver, Colorado Chicago, Illinois Los Angeles, California Charlotte, North Carolina Orlando, Florida Guangzhou, China Chengdu, China Las Vegas, Nevada

Great news for Sesame Street fans as SeaWorld Orlando has brought back daily meet and greets with Sesame Street character Julia for Autism Acceptance Month. Through the end of April, park visitors can meet Julia in Sesame Street Land and take pictures with her select times during the day. Julia, a 4-year-old with autism, was introduced on Sesame Street, the TV series back in 2017. The character first appeared at SeaWorld Orlando last April. SeaWorld is an IBCCES-certified autism center, and also has quiet rooms available in the park, including one located inside the child care facility in Sesame Street Land. For more information check out seaworld.com/orlando.

Guests planning on visiting Disney's Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf next month should keep in mind that the Gardens course, which is the fun and whimsical miniature golf course featuring animations and characters based on Walt Disney's animated masterpiece "Fantasia" will be closed from May 9 through May 22, 2022. The course is currently expected to reopen to Guests on May 23, 2022. Despite having multiple animations and special effects, that including waterfalls, sound effects, and more that have not been working for years, it seems like this refurbishment will only involve the replacement of carpet and tee pads on select holes. The Fairways course which is well known as one of the most challenging miniature golf courses created will remain open while the Gardens course undergoes it's refurbishment. The two Courses at Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf will also remain open.

Walt Disney World is preparing for the return of traditional meet and greets beginning April 18th, and are holding auditions for a wide range of character performers as they prepare for traditional, non-distanced meet and greet opportunities around the theme parks and resorts. According to Disney, they are seeking character performers for the following height ranges: 4’8″ to 5′ 5’1″ to 5’4″ 5’5″ to 5’8″ 6′ to 6’3″ In addition, Disney have also posted auditions for Drum Corps performers for Green Army Patrol. This three-piece drum corps consists of snare, bass drum, and quads. Candidates must be proficient in all three. The casting call is for part-time and sub positions. For nearly two years, Disney World has had physical distancing restrictions in place for their character meet and greets. Now as they begin to reintroduce traditional, non-distanced meet and greets in phases over the coming weeks and months, they will require many more performers.

Beginning April 27, Disney Vacation Club members can enjoy a fireworks cruise with a champagne toast on Wednesday evenings. DVC Members will enjoy amazing views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks from a special cruise offered to Members and their Guests. Indulge in champagne and delectable treats before you set sail on the picturesque Seven Seas Lagoon. Then, enjoy premium, unobstructed views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks spectacular! This magical experience includes: A champagne toast and an individual sweet and savory treat box The Disney Enchantment nighttime spectacular, which lights up the sky over Cinderella Castle in a brilliant pyrotechnic display choreographed to music and sounds from classic Disney films. Weather and schedule permitting, a close-up view of the Electrical Water Pageant, where barges covered with colorful lights form fanciful animals and patriotic stars and stripes. This is not a private experience; each event can accommodate up to several parties. The cruise includes 2 boats, with 10 passengers per boat. When: Wednesday evenings. Please arrive 1 hour 30 minutes before the start of the Disney Enchantment nighttime spectacular. Departure time will be 1 hour prior to the fireworks. Where: The Boat Nook at Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Price: $85 per person, plus tax. Advance booking is required; payment in full is due at the time of booking. Reservations: Call Member Services at (800)800-9800 to check availability and book. To ensure spectacular viewing for all, capacity is limited per cruise, so advance booking is required.

Maroon 5 are hosting a party at Universal Orlando and everyone is invited! Music After Dark is a three day, two night event coming to Universal Orlando Resort with Maroon 5 headlining an exclusive after hours block party. The event is available with a Universal Orlando Resort vacation package or if your an Orlando local or have your own accommodation you can purchase a show pass for the concert alone. Music After Dark is your opportunity to experience stadium rockers Maroon 5 play an intimate concert on the Universal Music Plaza Stage. The event will be taking place August 25-27, 2022 and includes three days and two nights at a choice of Universal Orlando hotels, choose between Universal’s Aventura Hotel, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, and Hard Rock Hotel, exclusive evening access to Universal Studios Florida for package holders only, admission to Islands of Adventure, and a private, all-inclusive Universal CityWalk Maroon 5 after-hours block party celebration. Unlimited food and drink are also included during the evening events. Plus the great news is, if you live nearby or have other accommodations you can attend the intimate concert with Maroon 5 and enjoy an exclusive nighttime event at Universal Studios after the show with a show pass! A spokesperson for Maroon 5 said “It’s always special when we perform an intimate show for our fans. We’re looking forward to a fun night with fans from all over in this unique performance setting,” Maroon 5 Music After Dark Event Schedule August 25 Check in to your Universal Orlando hotel at your leisure, enjoy all the hotel’s amenities, and then experience an exclusive, all-inclusive block party at Universal CityWalk, with unlimited food, beverages, and entertainment. August 26 Relax like a rock star, enjoy the morning at the hotel, then visit Islands of Adventure from 2 p.m.-7 p.m., with the chance to ride some pretty cool rides including Jurassic World VelociCoaster and more. Enjoy Universal Studios Florida from 7:30 p.m.-1 a.m., including the exclusive 8 p.m. Maroon 5 concert. The evening is open to Music After Dark guests only, which means very short wait times at the parks attractions . August 27 Chill, and the hotel’s amenities before checkout, leaving you with memories that your gonna remember forever! “The band’s amazing fans are going to experience Maroon 5 as they bring their stadium and arena world tour performance to the Universal Music Plaza Stage. Everyone is a VIP, with passes to fabulous events and amazing resort accommodations,” said Scott Zeiger, chief production officer, EBG Presents, producer of Music After Dark. Presale for Maroon 5 S.I.N. Club Premium & Standard members begins at 10 a.m. ET on April 12, 2022. The general public can purchase tickets starting on April 18 at 10 a.m. Packages start at $995 per person, based on double occupancy. A limited number of single-evening passes are also available, providing access to the private evening event and concert at Universal Studios. Passes start at $496 per person. For more information visit MusicAfterDark.com.

The 31st Florida Film Festival is underway, so grab the popcorn and get ready as Hollywood sets up home right here in Central Florida. Hundreds of filmmakers are screening their projects throughout the 10 day festival that runs through April 17 and features celebrity sightings, critically acclaimed film's, as well as world premieres and more. This year’s festival will screen 167 films representing 37 countries, with 145 premieres, including 24 world premieres. The films will be shown on three screens at two locations, Enzian and Regal Winter Park Village. Highlights at this year’s festival include “892,” “The Territory,” “Warsha,” “The Headhunter’s Daughter” and “Stranger Than Rotterdam with Sara Driver,” as well as the opening night film “Pre Fab!” and world premieres of documentaries “Path of the Panther,” “Jack Has a Plan” and “Surviving Pulse.” This year’s festival lineup includes 84 women and eight non-binary filmmakers — the most in the festival’s 31-year history and 55% of this year’s total programming. “We have an incredible amount of world premieres this year,” explained Deanna Tiedtke, the director of public relations for Enzian Theater. The Florida Film Festival wouldn’t be complete without celebrity sightings, and actor-turned-astronaut William Shatner is arguably the biggest star set to appear at this year’s festival. On Friday, there will be a screening of the 1986 film “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” followed by a Q&A with Shatner in person. In addition to the dozens of filmmakers, 190 volunteers help make this film festival possible. Tiedtke says it takes a full year of teamwork to get ready for these moments. “Just having the filmmakers come here and watching those relationships blossom, it’s priceless,” she expressed. The Florida Film Festival runs until April 17th. You choose individual movie tickets, festival packages and festival passes.

Orlando residents can order not one, but two free trees from the City Of Orlando in honor of Earth Day, April 22, 2022. Residents who live within the city limits can order here through the Energy-Saving Trees Program. Orlando residents just need to enter their address, outline their home in the gray box, select a tree and pinpoint where they would like to plant the tree. Once ordered, the tree will be delivered to your home. This year’s tree selections include red maple, tulip trees, drake elm, eastern red cedar, and tonto crepe myrtle. The program is part of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's Green Works Orlando initiative. If every resident planted a tree in the city, its tree canopy would increase from 25% to 40%, which is equivalent to taking about 40,000 cars off the road, according to the program's website. The program also helps residents understand the best place to plant their trees to clean the air, increase property value, lower energy bills and shade homes.

Quacking good news as Winter Park's Mead Botanical Garden has brought back the family-friendly Great Duck Derby. The derby will take place on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mead Botanical Garden. The famous duck race is a local springtime tradition that has had participants of all ages cheering on their colorful rubber ducks for many years. Participants can customize their duck, with rubber duck adoptions starting at $5 for a single duck and $20 for 5 ducks. On the day, you can also enjoy wildlife animal encounter and crafting demonstrations, face painting, bounce houses, and a photo op that's not to be missed, with a huge yellow duck! The is a fun day out for all the family, visit the Great Duck Derby's Eventbrite website for full details. Mead Botanical Garden is a 47.6-acre park that offers a variety of facilities including an amphitheater, butterfly garden, boardwalk, and a bike trail. The park is large enough to encompass several different ecosystems and is an ideal place for nature lovers. The garden is listed on the “Great Florida Birding Trail.” Amenities include a pavilion, picnic tables, an amphitheater, community garden, recreation center, and a bike trail. Mead Botanical Garden website

Great news for Orlando, as two of Orlando's much loved local businesses have opened a joint location in College Park. Foxtail Coffee and Kelly's Homemade Ice Cream have launched a joint location in Foxtail Coffee's College Park location at 3405 Edgewater Drive. Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream has moved into the the space in the wake of Bruno Bagel’s departure from the location earlier this year. Kelly's will operate similarly to other ice cream counters that Kelly’s has in Howell Brand and the Milkhouse. The chain, which has five full scoop shops and three ice cream counters, began as a food truck that would appear at local farmer’s markets. The owners, couple Kelly and Scott Seidl, opened their first location in Audubon Park in 2015 and are now firm Orlando favorites.

The self claimed Central Florida’s largest celebration and market of local handmade pottery perfect for the home, garden, and gift giving returns May 7. The Orlando Pottery Festival and Spring Arts Market runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 25 at 5505 Hansel Ave. Over 30 talented local artists will offer their work, ranging from elegant ceramic jewelry and work inspired by Florida's fauna and flora to practical home and garden decor. Shop the diverse range of these artists’ original functional and decorative work, such as handmade everyday dish ware, elegant ceramic jewelry, sculptural and figurative work inspired by Florida’s flora and fauna, whimsical and practical home and garden decor, and much more—all created on the pottery wheel or using hand-built and slip-cast techniques. For more information visit the Orlando Pottery Festival and Spring Arts Market's Eventbrite website.