Attention, princesses, pirates and other dreamers: Have you ever wondered what life would be like inside Cinderella's Castle?

As part of its Year of a Million Dreams promotion, Walt Disney World is inviting some lucky guests to find out. Starting Thursday and running throughout 2007, a guest on an Orlando-area Disney property will be chosen to spend that very night in a suite created inside Cinderella's Castle at the Magic Kingdom.

Walt Disney World (ENLARGE)

Still searching for Nemo? You can find him and his underwater world in a new stage show, 'Finding Nemo — the Musical,' at Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. There's also a Nemo connection at Epcot.

Walt Disney World / Gene Duncan (ENLARGE)

Disney's Animal Kingdom family has a new member: Kendi, an 8-year-old white rhino, gave birth to a male named Tom on Jan. 4.

Discovery Cove (ENLARGE)

Families can interact with dolphins at Discovery Cove, a reservation-only resort in Orlando.

SeaWorld (ENLARGE)

The elaborate whale show 'Believe' was launched at SeaWorld in 2006. New this year: a high-energy night show.

And you thought that thing was filled with pink Styrofoam, right?

"If you back up all the way to the time that they were planning to build this castle, in the 1960s, there was this idea that there would be overnight accommodations for the Disney family inside," said Dave Herbst of Walt Disney World Resort public relations. "So the space was there."

But the castle stood empty until recently, when Disney's "Imagineers" designed a suite worthy of Cinderella and her prince. "It's not large, but it's extraordinarily befitting of the location and the story," Herbst said. Winners can even stay up past midnight without fear of turning into pumpkins, paupers or mice.

The giveaway is just one of many new twists and turns in the Theme Park State. Visitors to Florida's parks will find plenty of new shows and revues, a rebuilt classic coaster and new rides, especially of the family-friendly variety.

Here's a rundown of what's new:

Boomers
www.boomersparks.com/park/dania
1700 N.W. First St., Dania Beach, 954-921-1411

"Theme park" might be a bit of a stretch, but this huge family entertainment center in greater Fort Lauderdale will certainly keep you and your kids busy for hours. In addition to the park's wooden roller coaster, new additions include four kid-friendly rides: Magic Teacups, Caribbean Carousel, Wave Rider and the 30-foot Florida Frog Hopper. Open daily.

Busch Gardens Africa
www.buschgardens.com
Busch Boulevard and 40th Street, Tampa, 1-888-800-5447

Two shows debut this year at the animal-adventure and thrill-ride park that features more than 2,000 animals as well as delicious beers. The musical revue "Mirage Canteen" celebrates 1940s Hollywood. "Emerald Beat" brings the spirit of Ireland to Africa-in-Tampa with dancers, vocalists and musicians. Complicated, perhaps, but true. Still relatively new to the park are the multisensory movie "Pirates 4-D," starring Leslie Nielsen, and SheiKra, the state's tallest roller coaster. With a 200-foot drop straight down (really), it's said to be the tallest dive coaster in the world. Open daily.

Cypress Gardens Adventure Park cypressgardens.com
6000 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven, 863-324-2111

This summer guests can revisit an old favorite, the historic Starliner wooden coaster, originally built in 1963 at Panama City Beach's Miracle Strip Amusement Park. Cypress Gardens purchased the coaster when its home park closed in 2004 and has reassembled it. Also new this year is Bugsville, a children's area with 13 rides and a show, "A Bugsville Adventure." Open daily.

Discovery Cove
www.discoverycove.com
Orlando, 1-877-434-7268 or 407-370-1280

The newest program at this reservation-only, fish-centric resort is the "Ultimate Dolphin Experience," which entitles participants to a deep-water encounter and behind-the-scenes tour in addition to the resort's standard shallow-water dolphin encounter. Limited to 24 people a day in good physical condition, the Ultimate Dolphin package also includes unlimited access to the Coral Reef, Ray Lagoon, Tropical River, pool and aviary as well as meals, snacks and a seven-day pass to either Busch Gardens or SeaWorld. Reservations required.

Disney's Animal Kingdom
disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=AKLandingPage
Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-6244

Nemo is big this year in Mouseville, with the friendly fish found at Animal Kingdom and Epcot. Visitors to the Animal Kingdom — a part-zoo, part-theme park hybrid done in Disney style — can take in "Finding Nemo — the Musical" based on the Disney-Pixar animated film "Finding Nemo." Other attractions include the Expedition Everest roller coaster and animal safaris. Open daily.

Disney-MGM Studios
disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=GMLandingPage
Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-6244

If you have a daughter age 7-13, then you know all about "High School Musical." And so does Disney, which took its all-time highest-rated TV movie and turned it into "High School Musical Pep Rally," an interactive show that pops up all over the Disney-MGM Studios park. You may be walking along, minding your own business, when suddenly you're immersed in a singalong or basketball game. Other attractions at the park include the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror elevator plunge and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith. Scary. Open daily.

Epcot
disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=EPLandingPage
Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-6244

Love Nemo? You'll find the fish and his friends swimming among real marine life in "The Seas With Nemo & Friends," which takes riders on an undersea voyage aboard "clamobiles." Other attractions include the Mission: Space adventure ride, with two thrill levels so the whole family can participate, and the Soarin' high-gliding ride. Open daily.

The Holy Land Experience
www.theholylandexperience.com
4655 Vineland Road, Orlando, 1-800-447-7235 or 407-872-2272

To better showcase this unique depiction of Jerusalem during Jesus' time through exhibits, theatrical productions and costumed interpreters, the Holy Land Experience launched in autumn its "one day plus seven" admission program. Each general admission ticket is good for eight consecutive days — except for Sundays, because you know where you're supposed to be on Sundays. The park is open Mondays-Saturdays.

Magic Kingdom
disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=MKLandingPage
Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-6244

Even visitors who don't win a night in Cinderella's Castle — in other words, the great majority of us — can enjoy something new at Disney World's most popular park. Opening this spring is the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club, where one-eyed "monster of ceremonies" Mike Wazowski invites fellow monsters to the stage to trade jokes with human audience members. Magic Kingdom, complete with classics such as the Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise, is open daily.

SeaWorld Orlando
www.seaworldorlando.com
7007 SeaWorld Drive, Orlando, 1-800-327-2424 or 407-351-3600

A new high-energy night show and some kid-friendly additions to Shamu's Happy Harbor are on tap at SeaWorld Orlando, the 200-acre park starring the famous killer whales. If you didn't visit last year, then "Believe," the park's elaborate whale show launched in 2006, will be new to you as well. Open daily.

Silver Springs Nature Park www.silversprings.com

5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs, 352-236-2121

River cruises and animal shows are still the main draw at this historic park, but the big "new" thing in 2007, "as it is every year, is our concert series," said spokesman Steve Sprecht. The 14-concert series this spring and fall includes the Beach Boys, Clint Black, George Jones and Tanya Tucker. "It's all included in the price of admission to the park, so once you enter you can enjoy the concert as well as our famous glass-bottom boats, other rides and animal shows," Sprecht said. The park is open daily.

Universal Orlando (Islands of Adventure and

www.universalorlando.com

1000 Universal Studios Plaza, Orlando, 407-363-8000

Beginning in June, Blue Man Group, the internationally known percussive performance troupe, sets up shop at Universal Orlando Resort. The resort is home to two theme parks, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. The High in the Sky Seuss

Trolley Train Ride has recently opened at Islands of Adventure, taking riders above and through Seuss Landing. At Universal Studios Florida you'll find attractions such as the Shrek 4-D multisensory movie and Fear Factor Live. Open daily.

Wannado City
www.wannadocity.com

Sawgrass Mills Mall, Sunrise, 954-838-7100

If you're facing a rainy day in Fort Lauderdale, head to Sawgrass Mills Mall for a day of discovery for the kiddos (and shopping for the grown-ups, if they desire). In this indoor city designed to kid-scale, children ages 3-13 can try on different careers for size, from news reporter (our favorite) to surgeon, chef or paleontologist — more than 100 professions in all. Call or visit the Web site for hours.

Weeki Wachee Springs
www.weekiwachee.com
6131 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee, 352-596-2062

One of Florida's original roadside attractions, "the only city of live mermaids" celebrates its 60th anniversary with a reunion weekend scheduled for July 27-29. "We've heard from mermaids from all over the United States from all six decades who are willing to come back," said marketing director John Athanason, who is also one of Weeki Wachee's nine actual residents. To

coincide with the mermaid reunion, Weeki Wachee plans to open a museum with artifacts and photographs of celebrity visitors, including Elvis Presley, Don Knotts and Esther Williams. In addition to the famous mermaid shows, there are also riverboat tours, a water park, animal shows, scuba diving and canoe and kayak rentals. Call or visit the Web site for hours.

Wild Adventures
wildadventures.net
3766 Old Clyattville Road, Valdosta, 229-219-7080

OK, so it's not in Florida ... but from a metro Atlanta perspective, it's close. This spring, the animal and adventure park debuts its All-Star Amphitheater, which it is billing as the largest outdoor concert venue in South Georgia and North Florida. Performers scheduled to help break it in this summer include Sara Evans, Third Day, the Steve Miller Band, ZZ Top and Crosby, Stills & Nash. There's also a refurbished animal stage with new animal shows and improvements throughout the park, including games, rides and food stands. Call or visit the Web site for hours.