Wedding venue in Blue Ridge, GA for couples in Orlando, FL

Starting March 15 to April 30th, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando will be celebrating Butterbeer season! What does this mean exactly? Guests at parks on both coasts will be able to enjoy Butterbeer, a delightful magical wizard beverage, in all-new ways. To make things even more exciting, the popular Florean Fortesue’s Ice-Cream Counter will be opening at Universal Studios Hollywood on March 29 in Honeydukes and will feature 10 soft-serve flavors (Butterbeer, Banana, Chocolate, Mint, Orange, Vanilla, Toffee Nut, Granny Smith Apple, Pistachio, and Toffee Apple)!

Here are all the ways you can enjoy Butterbeer and where you can find it during Butterbeer season!

Cold

This refreshing beverage has a nice fizzy feeling combined with a sweet taste reminiscent of butterscotch and shortbread.

Hot

When the weather gets chilly, a cup of this warms you right up. This drink has the same flavor reminiscent of shortbread and butterscotch you know and love.

Frozen

This is the smooth, cold beverage you’ve always wanted, especially during those hot summer months. This drink has a flavor that tastes like shortbread and butterscotch served with a whipped topping.

Potted

This sweet treat is a traditional British fare with a Harry Potter-inspired twist.

Fudge

This treat has two layers that taste like shortbread and butterscotch, which combined make Butterbeer fudgy goodness.

Soft Serve Ice Cream

This soft-serve tastes like vanilla and butterscotch swirled to perfection.

Are you ready to book your Universal vacation? Leave all the details to our friends at Academy Travel Agency & let one of their Universal experts take it from here! Just click HERE, fill out the quick & easy questionnaire, and your personalized, free agent will be in touch soon! Take a look around our website in the meantime, and read all about resorts, dining, entertainment & more! Be sure to follow us @thekingdominsider on Instagram & The Kingdom Insider on Facebook for updates & Insider info on what’s not to be missed! Get excited; the countdown to your vacation is ON!

SeaWorld Orlando is one of Florida’s most iconic theme parks, renowned for its marine life exhibits, thrilling rides, and captivating shows. Its history is a tale of innovation, conservation, and entertainment that began with a vision to create a marine park unlike any other.

SeaWorld Orlando can be traced back to the early 1960s when a group of four UCLA graduates, led by George Millay, had an idea of creating a marine zoological park in San Diego. Their vision was to create an attraction that emphasized education and conservation while also entertaining visitors. After visiting Marineland of the Pacific, they were inspired to create something similar but with a unique twist. Thus, SeaWorld San Diego was born in 1964, which quickly became a popular destination for visitors due to its outstanding marine life exhibits and live shows.

In the wake of the success of SeaWorld San Diego, the SeaWorld brand was set to expand to other locations. In 1973, SeaWorld Orlando came into being, located on a vast 250-acre property in Central Florida. The park’s prime location in close proximity to other major attractions such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios played a crucial role in attracting visitors from all corners of the globe.

SeaWorld Orlando opened to the public on December 15, 1973. The park offers visitors a chance to learn about marine life and conservation. Exhibits feature a variety of sea creatures, such as dolphins, whales, penguins, and sea lions. The park uses these exhibits to not only entertain visitors but also educate them about the importance of preserving ocean ecosystems.

In addition to its marine exhibits, SeaWorld Orlando introduced a variety of thrilling rides and attractions over the years to cater to guests seeking adrenaline-pumping adventures. One of the park’s earliest roller coasters, the Steel Eel, opened in 1980, providing riders with exhilarating twists and turns. This was followed by the debut of Journey to Atlantis, a hybrid water coaster and dark ride, in 1998, which became an instant hit among visitors.

In 2007, they opened the Aquatica water park next to SeaWorld, which offers exciting water attractions, lazy rivers, and opportunities to interact with animals. This addition helped establish SeaWorld Orlando as a leading location for family-friendly fun in Central Florida.

SeaWorld Orlando has faced issues and controversies over the years, particularly regarding their treatment of captive marine animals. In response to public criticism and changing attitudes, the park has introduced several programs to promote animal welfare and conservation, such as phasing out theatrical orca performances and increasing educational activities.

Today, SeaWorld Orlando continues to enchant and inspire millions of visitors each year with its unique blend of marine life exhibits, thrilling rides, and immersive experiences. With a legacy rooted in education, conservation, and entertainment, the park remains a beloved destination for families and wildlife enthusiasts alike, offering glimpses into the beauty and wonder of the ocean realm.

In this new quarterly Foodie Awards format, we’ve eliminated runners-up on the Critic’s Choice side. Why? To give equally award-worthy venues and their dishes — in a town with near-innumerable excellent options — a lot more space to shine. Look for these follow-ups throughout the quarter.

The Loco Moco Burger, Sweet & Salty Island Grindz

The garlic. The gravy. The gorgeous yolk. A trifecta of loveliness that brings a classic Hawaiian plate lunch into the realm of the handheld with stellar results.

This is the Loco Moco Burger from Sweet & Salty Island Grindz. And its one burger fans should not miss.

“It’s breakfast, lunch and dinner!” says co-owner Sonya Rogoobeer of the menu staple, which began its life as a Burger Week special on the food truck that started its culinary journey here in town.

“We thought it was going to be a one-off thing,” says Rogoobeer, ” but then everyone was like, ‘No, this has to be on the menu!'”

It was difficult, though, on the food truck, where high-heat cooking and a very fast pace made the flawless execution of the perfect-and-poppable egg yolk challenging.

“The egg is the most delicate part of the loco moco,” she says, “but once we moved into the space at Henry’s Depot, it was easier to pay attention and take our time. You want it perfect, so when you get it, you can either take that first bite or do the squeeze and have that drip … it’s so good.”

The burger was a hit right away, on track with the smash burger trend, and the hype, she says, was immediate. And worthy. This two-patty monster, bathed in gravy that melds with the yolk, features another secret weapon: chef/owner Will Adkison’s potent, housemade, fresh garlic aioli.

Together, the flavors are symphonic.

Not a burger fan? Look for a new huli-huli grilled chicken sandwich to drop at the end of the month.

Sweet & Salty Island Grindz: Henry’s Depot, 212 W. 1st St. in Sanford, sweetandsaltygrindz.com

The Classic Thornton Park

Whether you’re a stickler for the classics or want to get funky, the burger roster at this haven for pub grub, appropriately nestled into the beloved confines of Burton’s Bar, is ready and waiting. Chef/owner Brian Minkel says three out of every five sandwiches they sell are the Classic Burger, whether single or double.

It’s made up of elements expected, “but the way we make it is very thoughtful,” says Minkel. “Thin onions, thin tomatoes, plenty of pickles, the toasted bun.”

‘A bartender walks into a kitchen…’ at The Classic Thornton Park | Review

They prep in the style of the smash burger but don’t smash too hard.

“Keep[ing] a little thickness works best for us,” says Minkel. Cheese is standard unless you ask them to leave it off. “We’re not reinventing anything with the Classic burgers; we’re just trying to be consistent and fresh. The special burgers are where we get to flex.”

Indeed, the specials board can get weird in the most wonderful of ways.

“We love the challenge of making a new burger every week to keep the creativity flowing,” says Minkel. Also gives staff ownership of part of the menu. We think it’s fun, and we have guests who look forward to trying something new. It’s really taking off. You have to get it this week or it’s gone kind of thing. Helps our social media.”

Best Burger: 2024 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards

The recent Pate Fundido, inspired by Taco Week, featured a taco-seasoned beef patty with smoked pork belly, refried red beans, pico, house hot sauce, and melty jalapeño American cheese.

The Classic hasn’t repeated any specials since the practice started, Minkel notes, but they might do a Greatest Hits week near the end of the year, bringing back some of the customer favorites. Throw a dart at whichever sounds best and dig in.

The Classic: 805 E. Washington St. in Orlando, 407-730-5646; theclassicthorntonpark.com

Papi Smash’d Burger

Smash burgers have definitely been having their moment, and in Orlando, Papi Smash’d has been cited, consistently, as a fan favorite since opening its doors just about one year ago at press time.

“Everybody likes the crust on the meat, the crispiness of a smash burger,” says chef/owner Chris Hernandez, who spoke to me amid his mobile kitchen at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Why so far from his burger joint’s downtown Orlando digs? Because Papi Smash’d was the Grand Prize Winner of the 2024 Mastercard Foodies and Fairways contest, which not only included a concession space at last week’s world class golf tourney, but a $10,000 grant.

“They liked our presentation,” says Hernandez, which doesn’t surprise me. The burgers here are top-shelf, featuring grass-fed beef that’s smashed into Snake River Farms‘ Wagyu beef tallow. Between that and the creative toppings and house-made sauces, it was probably in the bag from first bite, but the judges also enjoyed Hernandez’s backstory.

Papi Smash Burger’s low-rider patties hit big downtown | Review

The company’s name is inspired by his late father, who loved to cook but comically turned every dish he made into Latin food without fail. The result: Latin-influenced burgers with toppings that include chimichurri, croquetas and caramelized banana.

The OG is more than just Hernandez’s favorite; it’s the most popular on the menu. He sells about 5,000 a week, but their other inventive takes do well, too.

“I think nostalgia is a big part of why people love burgers,” he says. “I don’t think there’s anything better than a simple burger, made well and with good quality ingredients.”

After their big scholarship win, Papi Smash’d Burger pledged to donate 10 percent of their tourney-gleaned profits to the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation and the Athlete Connections Foundation. Furthermore, they invited children from the Parramore district to attend the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

They also have plans for expansion, says Hernandez. “We want to go slow, but we’re looking at other locations in Orlando, as well as Miami.”

Meanwhile, you can hit them up downtown.

Papi Smash’d Burger: 60 E. Pine St. in Orlando, 321-231-7902; instagram.com/papismashdburger

Organizations around the globe are striving to harness the power of data and analytics strategies to optimize decision-making. However, they face some stiff challenges. The rise of GenAI has added to the complexity of the digital landscape. While technological advancements offer a lot of promise for growth and innovation, there are also some concerns.

The Gartner Data and Analytics Summit offers an opportunity for business leaders to understand how they can facilitate business innovation and drive value with data and technology. The summit will take place in six cities across the globe in 2024. The latest summit took place in Orlando, FL, this week.

Some of the world’s top chief data analytics officers (CDAOs) and data and analytics (D&A) leaders attended the Orlando summit to share their expectations and experiences of embracing the complexity of data, analytics, and AI-driven organizations.

The opening keynote at the summit by Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst Debra Logan and VP Analyst Ehtisham Zaidi highlighted the importance of creating synergies between AI and human intelligence to help organizations achieve organizational goals.

The summit highlighted that the key challenges faced by D&A leaders include difficulty sourcing talent, lack of data-driven innovation, incorrect use of data for decision-making, and the higher total cost of ownership (TCO) for D&A projects.

Speaking at the summit, Rita Sallam, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, shared that “By 2027, 60% of organizations will fail to realize the anticipated value of their AI use cases due to incohesive ethical governance frameworks.”

Gartner expects CDAOs and D&A leaders to become indispensable. However, they can expect their roles to become more complex as they gain more access to data and budgets. While they still need to take ownership of foundational capabilities of data and analytics strategies, they must reinvent themselves as drivers of business innovation. If they don’t take on this new role, they might find themselves becoming irrelevant.

According to Sallam, “CDAOs who are successful in articulating the impact of D&A governance through the lens of value to the stakeholder are more likely to be strategically involved across the organization”.

A key prediction at the summit was that the loss of intellectual property and copyright infringement would be a major risk and could potentially slow down GenAI adoption. While IP risk is not a new issue, the impact of this risk has grown to now affect everyone in the organization.

Another issue that could slow down GenAI adoption is abandonment issues with LLMs. Gartner predicts that more than 50 percent of organizations that have built LLMs from scratch will abandon the models by 2028.

Gartner predicts that 75 percent of new analytics content will be contextualized for intelligence application by GenAI by 2027 and over half of the GenAI models used by enterprises will be domain-specific.

Gartner VP Analyst Gareth Herschel was also a distinguished speaker at the summit. He shared the top trends that address common issues and key actions to take in response. According to Gareth, organizations must think differently to embrace complexity and protect innovation time. He also recommends building financial acumen and initiating deeper levels of understanding for AI-enabled systems.

“Data and analytics is the heart of our organizations, which means we are the single point of failure for almost everything else in our business. If our systems go down, the entire organization goes down.” Gareth Herschel, VP Analyst at Gartner.

Sarah James, Sr Director Analyst at Gartner, spoke about key steps executive leaders can take to overcome common roadblocks. This includes establishing a dedicated change team, developing data-driven change stories, and addressing barriers to adoption by addressing engagement strategies for each group.

To help integrate AI models with data and scale GenAI across the enterprise, Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst Arun Chandrasekaran, recommended that organizations must instill robust data engineering and pilot use cases for scalability. He also recommends that enterprises must explain the outputs of the AI agents and encourage responsible use to enable seamless collaboration of humans and machines.

The first Gartner Data and Analytics Summit of 2024 helped address some most pressing issues in the data, analytics, and AI market. It also offered solutions for some of the key challenges in the industry using data management, data architecture, and governance best practices.

A total solar eclipse will slice a diagonal line across North America on April 8, 2024, which falls on a Monday.

It will start in the Pacific and first reach land over Mexico around 11:07 a.m. local time, NASA predicts. Then, it’ll cross over into Texas and move across parts of the Midwest and Northeast in the afternoon.

Those within the "path of totality" will see a total solar eclipse, meaning the moon’s shadow will completely block out the sun. People outside the path of totality will still be able to see a partial solar eclipse, where the moon only obscures part of the sun.

The Sunshine State, true to its name, will not be in the path of totality, but that doesn't mean we won't see anything at all.

The sun will be obscured 57% at the maximum eclipse visible in Florida. The eclipse will begin at 12:46 p.m. and will be peaking at 2:03 p.m.

Viewing a total eclipse must be done safely, though. It is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection.

Hearst Owned

Related: How to know if your solar eclipse glasses are safe to use

Related: Central Florida residents view rare 'ring of fire' solar eclipse

Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are all in the path of totality.

NASA

If you miss next year’s spectacle, you’ll have to wait 20 years until the next one hits the U.S. But that total eclipse will only be visible in Montana and the Dakotas.

Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun’s light from reaching us.

Related: The science behind a Total Solar Eclipse

Even though the moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, it’s also about 400 times closer to Earth, explained University of Colorado astronomer Doug Duncan. So when the orbits line up just right, the little moon can block out the whole sun. Those who are standing in the right spots will experience totality when the moon casts its shadow over the landscape.

“In just seconds, you go from bright, bright daylight to like the middle of the night,” said Dr. Debby Brown, who saw her first total eclipse in 2017 with Duncan in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

“The stars are out. All of a sudden, all the animals are quiet,” recalled Brown, of Arlington, Virginia.

During the 2024 eclipse, totality will stretch to around four and a half minutes — almost twice as long as in 2017.