What do these big crowds mean to you? During Christmas week 2011, the Magic Kingdom park in Disney World actually closed due to capacity several times–leaving plenty of vacationers on the wrong side of the admission gates. Make sure you are on the right side of the fence–and that you can actually see and do some of the rides your favorite park has to offer–by using these tips:

1. Show up early. No matter what park you are heading to, get there before the park opens, even if it means getting up extra early. You’ll be one of the first into the park; and you’ll probably ride more attractions during your first hour than you will the rest of the day.

2. Make reservations: If you have any interest in dining in a regular, table service restaurant, you’ll need to make reservations well in advance. Otherwise, you will not get a seat. If you are planning on using one of the walk-up, fast food locations that are scattered throughout all of the theme parks, plan on waiting in line for a bit–or dine at “off” times to beat the crowds.

3. Go VIP: If you are going to one of Universal’s parks, spring for the VIP, front of the line pass option; you’ll be assured a seat on the most popular rides, though you’ll have to pay for the privilege.

4. Stay late: If early mornings aren’t your thing, or you are traveling without kids (and don’t want to encounter many of them), sleep in and head to the theme parks late–very late. Show up at 9 or 10pm on a night your chosen park is open late; you’ll have a few hours of low crowds–which will continue to thin out as the hours go by.

Get a behind the scenes look at some of your favorite Universal shows and events.

The Museum, located right in the city, is a fun detour any time of year, but will be a great addition to your Orlando vacation while this exhibit is running. The Serious Art of Make Believe features concept art and actual set pieces from a variety of Universal Orlando attractions and events.

Visitors can see artwork, mockups and models from the last 20 years of Halloween Horror Nights, Christmas and various other holiday festivities. The exhibit has a hands-on component as well, allowing visitors to create their own works of art, inspired by the pros at Universal.

The Serious Art of Make Believe runs through the end of April, 2012. The exhibit is included with your general museum admission ($9.00 for adults, $6.00 for kids, children under age 4 are free).

1. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Disney’s Hollywood Studios): Take the plunge down a dark elevator shaft in this fully themed adventure. The Tower of Terror incorporates all the little touches Disney is known for–and you’ll get a different experience each time, thanks to some innovative ride programming.
2. Hulk (Universal Orlando, Islands of Adventure): From the green track that dominates the Islands of Adventure skyline to the load roar emitted  by the ride vehicles, the Hulk is one of Universal’s most thrilling experiences. Expect surprises and extreme G-Forces from the stunning launch through the inversions and corkscrews offered by the Hulk. You won’t catch your breath until you are back on the ground.
3. Expedition Everest (Disney’s Animal Kingdom): Disney’s latest coaster is one of its greatest thrill rides ever. Expect to experience high speed twists and turns, a full ride reversal and an encounter with the resident Yeti himself.
4. Kraken (Sea World): Billed as Orlando’s tallest, fastest coaster, the Kraken is one of Sea World’s most thrilling attractions, with huge drops and multiple inversions. The ride car is floor less, so riders feel as though they are whipping through space. This ride is visually intimidating–so the line may be shorter than you would expect. You can board Kraken without a huge wait time almost any time of year–if you dare.
5. Dragon Challenge (Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter): While the Dragon Challenge lost a little of its bite earlier this year, the coaster still offers plenty of thrills for riders, offering side by side tracks, plenty of high speed inversions, twists and turns. A bonus for young riders is the Harry Potter-inspired theming. Arrive at the Wizarding World early if you want to ride Dragon Challenge–the line can be as scary as the ride itself if you show up later in the day!

Due to concerns about flying objects (at least two riders were hit with flying debris this summer), Universal Orlando had temporarily changed the timing for this ride. This week, the change became permanent; while both coasters will continue to run, the cars will be released at different times, so they do not cross paths during the ride experience.

Originally released as Dueling Dragons, the coaster features a pair of inverted cars; each track offers riders a different experience. The ride was given a makeover and included in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area, though the vehicles and themeing look different,the ride remains the same.

In recent months, the ride, renamed Dragon Challenge has sparked safety concerns as at least two park guests have been injured by falling debris. The primary concern surrounds items that fall from rider’s hands and pockets while the coasters intersect. At high rates of speed, even pocket change can pose a risk to guests aboard one of the Dragon Challenge vehicles.

Failure to secure loose items presents a safety challenge shared by other coasters, including Disney’s Rock N Roller Coaster and Sea World’s Manta. The risk is magnified by Dragon Challenge’s interlinked tracks and deliberate close calls. By modifying the timing of the Dragon Challenge cars, Universal can eliminate the risk caused by the “close calls” without modifying the track or detracting from the ride.

The change to Dragon Challenge went into effect in mid-summer, and became permanent this week.

I am a firm beliver that competiton makes for a better customer experience, and while Universal Studios and Sea World are great theme parks they don’t really compete with Disney World in regards to yearly admissions and number of attractions. I was hoping that through the Black Stone Merger of Universal Studios and Sea World, Disney World and the Black Stone Group would get into a theme park arms race. This arms race would ultimately attract more guests and provide an even better overall experience.

Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Studios is perhaps the most popular Thanksgiving event staged there. The main highlights of the event are the balloon inflations and the parade proper. Ever year, a different character is pumped full of helium and tied to several ropes which are then dragged around the streets of Universal Studio. Great band music, ice cream, and a lot of cookies are shared and savored by the visitors and guests. The Macy’s Holiday Parade hosted at Universal Studios runs from December 7- January 1. This great parade features some of the larger than life balloons from Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

Since 2002, Macy’s Studios has partnered with the Universal Orlando Resort  to bring  the floats from New York to Orlando. The parade is performed daily and includes the iconic  the famous Santa Claus float.

Participation starts at the warehouse area right between Jimmy Neutron and Twister exhibits. Volunteers sign up to drag the balloons here. Each volunteer must weigh a minimum of 120 pounds; the best part is that the event is completely free of any charges.

Not left out of the ceremonies for Thanksgiving is the Grinchmas also organized by Universal Studios; restaurants around Universal Studios also offer different kinds of events to mark Thanksgiving Day. Huge discounts are giving and special meals of turkey and bread are on the menu. It really is a great experience observing Thanksgiving Day at Universal Studios Orlando.

The best place to stay in Orlando if you are wanting to visit Universal Studios is a hotel in the Lake Buena Vista area. The Lake Buena vista area is located near Universal Studios and Disney World. There are quite a number of hotels in the Lake Buena Vista area so the prices tend to be a little less.

2010 marks the 20^th year of Universal Studios’ presentation of one of the best Halloween shows staged anywhere in the world. Halloween Horror Nights began as a 3-nights event, but by popular demand, has been extended to 24-nights. 2010 promises to offer some of the creepiest and most horrifying shows ever seen by man. Many events have been added to the list and the major goal this year is to introduce ‘fear’ into the minds of even the bravest visitors.

September 24 through October 31 will see the most legendary and scary shows and costumes at Universal Studios Orlando. This year, the main introduction to the show is ‘fear’; it will come in a form unimaginable unless seen; with weapons ranging from chaos, death, sacrifice, mythos and vengeance. Heading to its beck and call are his pawns – a clown, a storyteller, a caretaker, a director, and an usher. All clad in some of the scariest costumes you can only imagine.

Halloween Horror Nights is set to haunt and horrify September 24 & 25, September 30, October 1-3, 7-10, 14-17, 20-24 and 27-31, 2010. Tickets are on sale online and offline and start at $74.99 plus tax and include theme park admission and rides. Guests who already have tickets to Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure may add Halloween Horror Nights admission at a discounted rate. Saturday add-on:  $64.99 per person (plus tax). Friday add-on: $49.99 per person (plus tax). Sunday through Thursday add-on:  $34.99 per person.

Some live shows will also be on offer this year; Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure, and Brian Brushwood: Menace and Malice are some of them. Other horrifying features include the Zombie Gras, Esqueleto Muerte, Saws ‘n Steam, The Coven, and many more. Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios 2010 promises to be a wonderful experience for all who dare to visit the horror house. This is going to be the best Halloween party ever organized on planet earth.

There are so many new things to enjoy at Universal Studios’ Harry Potter theme park. With all the shops you can visit, your day will surely be filled with a magical adventure. You can try the Zonko’s Joke Shop, where you can find all the gadgets and gag tools for your prank stunt. This shop has everything from slime to green goo, walking robots, and all the tools and gadgets you can ever imagine. You can also have a fun time eating all the candies at Honeydukes which is a very colorful candy shop that sells various types of gummy bears, jelly beans, rock candies, and a whole lot more. The Three Broomsticks is also worth visiting for a magical restaurant experience. You can have your first butterbeer here and the popular Pumpkin Juice that you likely never even thought existed.

Apart from a fantastic food experience, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is also popular for its new rides, including the Dragon Challenge, Flight of the Hippogriff, and the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. These are among the newest attractions offered by Universal Studios, where the show never stops and the rides keep on rolling, allowing you to be transported into a new world of magical wonders. Visiting these newest attractions at Orlando Studios is one of the best ways to complete your holiday vacation and stockpile hoards of adventure and magical stories you can tell back at home.