Tampa

Busch Gardens Premiers a Fun New Madagascar Live Show

20 May 2013 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Last week a brand new live music show premiered at Busch Gardens in Tampa. Madagascar Live: Operation Vacation brings all your favorite Madagascar characters to the stage, with original high-energy songs and dance numbers. The show is held in the Stanleyville Theatre, right near the Sheikra coaster. When we saw it, the theatre was filled with school groups, who were super excited about the show and really enjoyed it. The songs are catchy and you can’t help but want to get up and dance, no matter what your age. Of course, King Julien’s signature number “I Like to Move It, Move It” is played as well, which makes the crowd go WILD (pun intended).

“We are thrilled to partner with DreamWorks Animation to bring the hugely popular Madagascar characters to Busch Gardens,” said park President Jim Dean. “Both Busch Gardens and DreamWorks share a core the mission to provide quality entertainment to audiences. This show is certain to have families engaged and amused and will round out the triple play of amazing shows, thrilling rides and unique animal encounters that our park delivers.”

The lively stage show encourages families to sing, clap and dance along to original songs and party favorites on a 20-minute musical adventure. Singers, dancers and a live band join the rollicking Madagascar characters as they amp up the party to full throttle. And as part of each show, guests can meet the characters following the performance in Stanleyville Theater, which has been renovated and is now an enclosed and air-conditioned theater.

Here is a gallery of show images to get you excited. Be sure to add Busch Gardens to your summer “must-do” list this year!

Busch Gardens is fast becoming one of my favorite parks to just hang out in. I’m not a huge coaster person, but there is still so much to do here from animal habitats to shows to sky rides and train tours. It’s a great place to make a day trip over to, and don’t forget Adventure Island water park next door to cool off!

Disney on Ice Toy Story 3 in Tampa Opening Night Giveaway!

3 May 2011 by Suzannah Otis 14 Comments

A few months back, I posted about Disney on Ice Presents Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story 3 coming to the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa. Now opening day is approaching and I’m able to offer TWO sets of tickets to giveaway for the show!! It’s sure to be a fun evening as characters from “Toy Story 3”, the record-breaking movie, take to the ice! An award-winning creative team and a cast of world-class skaters are bringing Woody the pull-string cowboy, space ranger Buzz Lightyear, Jessie the yodeling cowgirl and the rest of the gang to your town!

I have TWO family 4-packs of tickets to the May 19^th show to giveaway!

Here’s how to enter (I’m going to make it simple this time!):

Just comment below with your favorite Toy Story 3 character to be entered in the giveaway.

Additional entries may be earned by sharing this giveaway on twitter or facebook.

Please only tweet or post to facebook once daily and be sure to include @zannaland on the tweets so I can track it.

Comment here separately for each tweet or facebook update to make sure your entries are counted!

Giveaway ends on Mother’s Day, May 8, 2011. Remember, these tickets are for the May 19th opening night show – in TAMPA at the St. Pete Times Forum, so be sure you can actually attend before you enter! Thanks and good luck! Winners will be announced Monday, May 9th.

If you don’t win, or you’d like to attend on a different day, here is an amazing discount code to use for tickets: Experience Disney On Ice presents Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story 3 for just $13 per ticket*! Just use the special promo code MOM at checkout when you purchase tickets at Ticketmaster.com. Offer is valid on these select performances: May 20^th at 7pm, May 21^st at 7pm and May 22^nd at 5pm. Don’t miss out, get your tickets today!

*Offer not valid on Rinkside Dining or VIP Seats.

Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 3 on Ice Coming to Tampa!

16 March 2011 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS DISNEY•PIXAR’S TOY STORY 3 IN TAMPA BAY, MAY 19-22

Tickets On Sale Now

TAMPA, FL – Have you heard the Buzz? Toy Story 3, the smash-hit box-office sensation, is so hot it’s cool as everyone’s favorite toys take to the ice in Disney On Ice presents Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3! An award-winning creative team and a cast of world-class skaters are bringing Woody, the pull-string cowboy; space ranger Buzz Lightyear; Jessie, the yodeling cowgirl; and the rest of the gang to fans and families around the country in this brand-new, live, ice spectacular.

Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney On Ice presents Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3 is performing at The St. Pete Times Forum from May 19-22. Tickets start at only $16 and are now on sale.

The summer’s biggest hit movie, Toy Story 3, and memorable moments from Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are hitting the ice in this sensational live production coming toTampa Bay! Catch all the heroic action when Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie and the Toy Story gang escape from the rambunctious tots of Sunnyside Daycare and race for home, in their most daring adventure ever. A few new faces join the fun, including Barbie’s groovy bachelor Ken and Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. It’s the biggest Toy Story experience on ice, jam-packed with fast-paced adventure such as Buzz’s galactic battle with Emperor Zurg and a hoe-down on the set of “Woody’s Roundup.” Relive the humor, friendship and charm of Toy Story when Disney On Ice presents Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3 takes family fun to infinity and beyond!

Show Times:

Thursday, May 19 – 7:00 p.m.

Friday, May 20 – 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 21- 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 22 – 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $16, $26, $34 (Lower Level), $45 (VIP), $75 (Rinkside Dining)

Tickets are available at www.disneyonice.com and www.Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000 or The St. Pete Times Forum Box Office (phone: 813.301.2500). For group ticket sales and information, call 866-248-8740.

Disney Store International Plaza Tampa Has Reopened!

3 December 2010 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

You may remember my enthusiasm for Tampa’s brand new Imagination Park Disney Store when it opened near me at International Plaza and Bay Street. I was there opening day to experience the magic and share it here with you. The store was amazing and its cast members instantly won me over with their knowledge, kindness and pixie dust. I couldn’t wait to go back with the rest of my children and family and show them around. Imagine my sadness when we returned a couple of weeks later to find the store closed!

A sign outside informed us the store was closed due to water damage. A pipe had burst on the second floor flooding the space above and the Disney Store with 15,000 gallons of water. Yikes. Peeking into the store that day, I could see that everything had been completely gutted and they were removing the hardware pieces while still drying out the store with floor fans. I thought of all the beautiful parts; the trees with projections on them, the gorgeous wall and ceiling displays, not to mention the merchandise – all ruined! I could only imagine how saddened the cast members were about this as well. I spoke to the Disney Store president, Jim Fielding on twitter and he let me know they’d be back open by Thanksgiving.

Disney Store Imagination Park Tampa — The key for the daily Unlock Imagination ceremony

Now the store is re-opened and ready to spread the magic once again, just in time for the holidays!! Jim Fielding asked for my help on twitter to spread the word, so I thought this was the least I could do. I wouldn’t be posting about it if I wasn’t confident that this store is an absolutely amazing experience – the next best thing to being at the parks themselves. Jim assures me that everything is exactly as it was before and the cast members are back and even more ready to help you Unlock Imagination, right in our backyard.

As I said in my first report, it’s just an hour away from the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando (right down I-4 West to I-275) so if you’re driving to the parks or renting a car, it really is worth a trip over here to experience this first Imagination Park in the central Florida area. I’ve shared before what a caring and involved president Jim Fielding is (in addition to his job title he is also a board member of the Make a Wish Foundation and volunteering in Phoenix this weekend). Reaching out to Disney store fans via social media is just one example of that involvement, and what makes shopping at the Disney Store such a rewarding experience.

In addition, the DisneyStore.com has some amazing deals happening right now – what better place to do some holiday shopping? Be sure you add the Disney Store Tampa to your “must do” list for the holidays!

Tampa’s New Imagination Park Disney Store Reveals Magic For Every Guest

28 September 2010 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

Tampa’s International Plaza and Bay Street mall became the first southern Imagination Park Disney Store to open today, designed with input from Apple’s Steve Jobs. The soft-opening already had a small crowd of people lining up by 9:00am and an hour later, the queue wrapped around the play area in front of the store. The first 250 guests received Disney Store ear hats as we waited. {click to enlarge photos}

Store managers spoke about the Key to Unlock Imagination ceremony, which will happen each and every day. A young guest will be chosen to use the Disney Store key to open the lock and the store each morning.