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While you may not expect to see much holiday spirit from a theme park that focuses on marine life, Sea World puts on a surprising Christmas display that rivals any holiday event in the area. If you will be heading to Florida for an Orlando vacation this holiday season, be sure to stop by Sea World and take in some Christmas fun. Holiday events at Sea World are included with your theme park admission, so you won’t have to pay for a separate ticket to enjoy the fun.

Christmas at Sea World Highlights:

The Christmas experience at Sea World begins with a ride on the Polar Express. Guests board the train, modeled after the classic storybook and holiday film. After a brief trip, riders are deposited in the North Pole. The Polar Express experience is sure to please riders of all ages, and you can expect a ride that features sights, sounds and effects right out of the movie.

The park’s most popular resident, Shamu, hosts a Christmas event as well. The Shamu Christmas…Miracles show features popular carols, extravagant lighting and a special holiday performance by the popular killer whale himself. Shamu Christmas…Miracles is performed on select evenings in November and December in Shamu Stadium.

Families traveling with little ones won’t want to miss the Sesame Street themed Christmas event in Sea World, A Sesame Street Christmas. This show, geared towards the preschool set, is performed daily and features a post show meet and greet session any toddler will love. If you are heading to Sea World early in the day, make a reservation for a Christmas Breakfast with Elmo, a character dining experience designed to delight the parks smallest guests.

Clyde and Seymour’s Countdown to Christmas features the parks fun-loving sea lions, along with a host of other animal friends, and will entertain park goers of all ages. This special Christmas show is performed on select evenings in November and December, and is a fun way to start off your evening in the park.

If there is one character that can be considered the enduring face of an Orlando vacation, it is Mickey Mouse. In the last year, Disney World has offered more ways than ever to meet the main mouse himself, including a recently announced talking, interactive Mickey theme park character.

Mickey Mouse Fastpass:

If you’ve visited one of the Disney World theme parks in recent years, you ‘ve probably met Mickey — after waiting in a hefty line. The first change in the “Mickey Meet and Greet” offers guests the option to use Disney’s Fastpass program to avoid waiting in a long line to visit with Mickey Mouse. If getting Mickey’s autograph without delay interests you, then head to the Magic Kingdom theme park.

Just inside the park gates, adjacent to the railway station and Tony’s Town Square restaurant, is a Fastpass greeting location. You can pick up a pass to meet with Mickey later in the day; you can expect to wait a few minutes for your meeting — instead of an hour or more. You can also meet the Disney princesses in this location using the Fastpass program. If you are traveling with small children, being able to meet the characters without waiting in a huge line is a great way to add some magic to your Orlando vacation. The Fastpass program is free and included with your theme park admission, so you won’t pay any extra for your timely meeting.

Mickey Mouse has traditionally interacted with guests via pantomime and gestures — he doesn’t normally speak. While Mickey usually gets his point across just fine, a talking Mickey encounter is at the top of the wishlist for many fans.

The wait to talk to Mickey Mouse is over — Disney World just announced a pilot program featuring in interactive, vocal Mickey Mouse. This program is currently being tested in the Disney World theme parks–so if you are coming to Orlando this fall, stop in and say hi to Mickey Mouse–you may just get a verbal answer in return!

If you’ve been craving an Orlando vacation, fall is the ideal time to plan your next trip. From ideal weather to theme park and hotel savings and special events, you’ll find plenty of reasons to plan a fall Orlando vacation.

4 Reasons to Visit Orlando in the Fall:

• Events: Fall is prime time for Halloween events, with Disney World and Universal Orlando putting on some of the most intricate and involved parties of the year. While Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights offer very different experiences, they showcase the theme parks at their best, and will add plenty of fun to your fall getaway.  Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival spans the season, offering innovative gourmet cuisine and plenty of wine and beer-themed classes and events.
• Savings: Book your Orlando vacation hotel, resort or home at a discount when you plan a fall trip. Since the fall is the off season, you can take advantage of your choice of special offers and reduced rates no matter where you stay. If you want to experience the best accommodations in the area without paying regular rates, fall is the time to visit.
• Weather: Enjoy some of the best weather of the year when you come to Orlando in the fall. You can enjoy the pool at your Orlando vacation hotel or resort without roasting in the overly hot sun. After dark, you can enjoy all the area has to offer in comfort; just pack a light sweater or jacket and you’re all set.
• Crowds: Unless you head to the theme parks on Halloween or Thanksgiving, you can expect to see some of the shortest lines and wait times you’ll encounter all year. Fall is considered the value season by the theme parks, and you can expect to see fewer guests at Sea World, Universal and Disney World. Fewer guests means a lot less waiting in line and a lot more enjoyment for you.

If you are heading to Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival this month, consider attending some of the events at the Orlando Waldorf Astoria as well. Designed to complement the offerings of Disney World’s popular food festival, the Food and Wine Weekends at the Waldorf Astoria offer plenty of foodie and gourmet fun in one of the most luxurious settings Orlando has to offer.

Each weekend in October, the Waldorf Astoria will host different wine and food themed events, including a session of “Adults only” trick or treating featuring a selection of tempting cocktails ($50 per couple). The Bull & Bear is hosting weekly gourmet meals with perfectly paired wine selections each Friday evening this month, while representatives from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Glenlivet Scotch pair with Ashton Cigars to present several Wine and Cigar themed events this month.

Sweet-toothed visitors won’t want to miss presentations on chocolate and other confections, presented each Friday and Saturday evening this month at the Waldorf Astoria Chocolate Shop. Expect a variety of demonstrations and sampling at this sweet event.

You do not have to be a guest of the Waldorf Astoria to indulge in the Food and Wine Weekend events, and reservations are required for most scheduled programs. While the Food and Wine Weekends are luxury events aimed at adults, the resort offers a childcare program complete with dinner options, so parents don’t have to miss out on the gourmet fun.

The Waldorf Astoria is one of Orlando’s premier luxury resorts, offering complimentary transportation daily to the Disney World theme parks, including Epcot, home of the International Food and Wine Festival.

Whether you deliberately schedule a theme park-free day as part of your Orlando vacation, or simply visit on a day when the theme parks are bursting with crowds, you can find something fun to do that doesn’t involve rides or characters. While the Universal, Disney World and Sea World theme parks are an essential part of your Orlando vacation, exploring some of the town’s other offerings can add plenty of fun to your trip. Consider trying one of these fun places or activities on your next visit:

1. Miniature Golf: Visit one of the area’s themed putt-putt courses for a morning or afternoon of fun. Check out Disney World’s Winter Summerland or Fantasia Gardens, or try Pirate’s Cove or Congo River, both on International Drive. Mini golf is fun for the whole family, and ideal for fall, winter and early spring Orlando vacations.

2. Petting Zoo: While you may not think of Orlando as farm country, the area is home to one of the best petting farms you’ll find anywhere: Green Meadows Petting Farm. Green Meadows is a local’s favorite, but if you want to slow down a bit and enjoy getting up close and personal with some of the sweet and friendly animal residents. This is an excellent destination for families traveling with school-aged children.

3. Explore the Unusual: Spend a day exploring Ripley’s Odditorium, an interactive museum packed with oddities from all over the world. If you enjoy the strange and bizarre, then a visit to Ripley’s could be the highlight of your trip.

4. Dive with Dolphins: Spend a day at Sea World’s exclusive little sister, Discovery Cove. Discovery Cove allows visitors to get up close and personal with marine life.  If you’ve ever wanted the chance to swim with dolphins or just want to escape the crowds, Discovery Cove is the place to go — daily attendance is capped at 1,000 guests.