Hi there! Welcome to our weekly roundup of the most interesting theme park news around the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and other theme parks.
This week’s theme park news highlights:
![Mardi Gras at Universal Studios]()
More dates and performers for Universal Mardi Gras 2014 have been revealed. Daughtry will kick off the party Feb. 8. This year's other performers include Barenaked Ladies, Thomas Rhett and Lynyrd Skynyrd.![Maleficent]()
We're very excited to see the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade that's debuting at Magic Kingdom this spring. If the level of detail in this pic of Maleficent is any indication, it's going to be absolutely amazing. The "Sleeping Beauty" dragon will tower 26 feet above the parade route and stretch 35 feet in length.- There are few things in life I love as much as Disney. Awards season is one of them. So imagine my delight at finding US Weekly's look at the celebs who channeled Disney princesses at the Golden Globes.
- As we mentioned last week, Spice Road Table soft opened this past weekend, and the first reviews are in! It's prime location on the waterfront means it's going to be a popular spot during IllumiNations.
- Those of you trying to keep your New Year's resolutions will appreciate this post outlining tips for healthy eating at Universal Orlando. I know Leap is always concerned with keeping his frogish figure, but I, for one, have never met a theme park caramel apple that I don't like!
- It's going to be another HGTV and DIY Network extravaganza at this year's Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Here's the list of home improvement experts.
- An Orlando artist has fashioned a portrait of Steve Jobs made of 6,000 computer keys, currently on display at Ripley's corporate headquarters in Florida.
![Elsa and Anna from "Frozen"]()
With the success of "Frozen," Disney is in discussions to develop it into a Broadway musical.- Construction began last week on Pandora, the AVATAR-inspired land, headed for Disney's Animal Kingdom in 2017.
That’s it for the theme park news this week. Have a great weekend!
If you’re thinking about a trip to Disney World, make sure to check out the other news, tips and information we post to the blog throughout the week. If you’re ready to plan your trip, we recommend you start with our planning pages.
— Mommy Frog
