Orlando remains hot this year, with the major theme parks continuing to debut compelling reasons for a visit — whether it’s your client’s first or umpteenth. The Walt Disney World Resort will complete its New Fantasyland expansion in the Magic Kingdom this year, the Universal Orlando Resort will open The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley, while SeaWorld Orlando will celebrate its San Diego sister park’s 50th anniversary by treating guests with surprise extras.

WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

The Walt Disney World Resort will soon add the crowning touch to the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. After the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opens this spring, clients will be able to experience the New Fantasyland — comprising the Enchanted Forest and Storybook Circus areas — in all its completed glory.

A new family-style coaster, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, is inspired by the 1937 animated classic “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” taking riders into the mine “where a million diamonds shine.” Featuring music and animated characters from the film, the coaster’s innovative vehicles swing back and forth during the indoor-and-outdoor ride, which will be similar in its intensity to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

The coaster joins a host of rides and experiences that are part of the 10-acre New Fantasyland expansion, which officially debuted in late 2012. In the Enchanted Forest, major attractions include Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid, a ride that immerses guests in Ariel’s underwater world; Be Our Guest Restaurant, a lavish dining experience in the Beast’s castle from “Beauty and the Beast”; and Enchanted Tales with Belle, an interactive meet-and-greet with Belle and Lumiere, in which guests participate in the storytelling.

In Storybook Circus, clients will find a Dumbo, the Flying Elephant ride that’s double the size of the original, with an air-conditioned big top play area where pagers notify guests when it’s their turn to ride; The Barnstormer Featuring the Great Goofini, a family-style coaster; Pete’s Silly Sideshow, a meet-and-greet area with Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Donald Duck outfitted as circus characters; the Fantasyland Train Station; and — newly opened in September — the Princess Fairytale Hall, a new character greeting area for Disney princesses.

Inspired by New Fantasyland, the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade will also debut at the Magic Kingdom this spring as a daytime parade on Main Street, U.S.A., featuring floats carrying Disney princesses and characters from such films as “The Little Mermaid,” “Brave,” “Peter Pan” and “Rapunzel.”

In other Disney World news, Downtown Disney continues its multiyear transformation into Disney Springs; by 2016, the shopping/dining/entertainment destination is expected to have 150 venues, doubling its current size. New retail locations include Fit2Run, for recreational runners and athletes; and, opening later this year, two additional Starbucks locations and the Marketplace Co Op, replacing Team Mickey with six new Disney retail spaces. In addition, clients looking for new places to eat at Disney World are in luck. The Spice Road Table restaurant is now open in the Morocco Pavilion at Epcot, serving Moroccan small plates and specialty drinks in an indoor/outdoor location adjacent to the World Showcase Lagoon.

Your clients will also have new accommodations options at Disney World in 2014 — particularly of the luxury variety. This summer the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort is slated to open — the first Four Seasons property in Central Florida. With 444 guestrooms and 68 suites, the hotel is five miles from the Magic Kingdom and four miles from Epcot. It is located within the gated Golden Oak residential community, created and master-planned by Disney. Amenities include a spa, golf course, three pools and a lazy river, and three restaurants, including a 17th-floor rooftop steakhouse with views of the nightly fireworks. Reservations are being accepted for stays beginning in August.

In addition, the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa opened in October, Disney Vacation Club’s 12th resort. It’s the first Disney Vacation Club property to feature deluxe studios that sleep up to five guests; expansive grand villas sleep 12 guests.

Also this year look for the official rollout of MyMagic+. Combining online and mobile tools, the technology allows clients to find and adjust all of their plans on one home page. Once fully launched (it’s now in the testing phase), MyMagic+ will include the FastPass+ service, allowing guests to reserve FastPasses, character greetings, and viewing areas for parades and fireworks before they leave home; and MagicBands, which are wristbands embedded with computer chips that allow wearers to enter the parks, access FastPasses, open their onsite hotel room doors and use charging privileges.

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO

It’s going to be a huge year at Universal Orlando Resort. The biggest news is the opening this summer of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida, which expands the Harry Potter attractions into both of Universal Orlando’s theme parks. Guests with park-to-park tickets will be able ride the Hogwarts Express between The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Hogsmeade, the original Harry Potter-themed land in Islands of Adventure, and Diagon Alley. The Hogwarts Express’ compartments and corridors are designed to bring to life the train scenes from the movies.

After guests disembark at Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station in “London,” they’ll see familiar landmarks from the books and films, including the Embankment and the triple-decker Knight Bus. Then they’ll pass through a brick wall to Diagon Alley, the area of London only accessible by wizards. Here they’ll find shops and restaurants from the series brought to life, including another outpost of the wand shop Ollivanders (also located in Hogsmeade); the three-story Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, featuring novelty items, magical jokes and toys; Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, with wizardwear and Hogwarts school uniforms; Quality Quidditch Supplies; and more. The Leaky Cauldron restaurant will serve traditional British fare, while Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour will offer up a variety of frozen treats. Guests can even turn down sinister Knockturn Alley to visit Borgin and Burkes, a shop for the Dark Arts.

Diagon Alley will also be home to the thrill ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, a multisensory, multidimensional experience that will have riders careening through the perils of Gringotts’ vaults after passing through the magnificent bank lobby. Gringotts Bank rises above Diagon Alley with a huge fire-breathing dragon escaping through the top.

Last year was a big year for Universal Studios Florida, too. Not only did TRANSFORMERS: The Ride — 3D debut, so did Springfield, where clients can immerse themselves in the world of “The Simpsons.” Anchored by The Simpsons Ride, the new area includes a host of eateries inspired by the animated show . There’s also a new ride, Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl and roaming Simpsons characters.

To help accommodate the guests expected to flock to Diagon Alley, Universal Orlando is opening Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Universal Orlando’s fourth onsite hotel and its largest. Cabana Bay Beach Resort is accepting reservations beginning on March 31 in the North Courtyard, the first phase of the 1,800-room hotel to open.

The North Courtyard features 600 family suites, each sleeping up to six. Rates start at $174 per night for the family suites. The North Courtyard’s design is inspired by the sweeping motor courts of the 1950s and ’60s, with open-corridor, four-story buildings surrounding a zero-entry pool with a 100-foot water slide, waterfall features and play area.

Three hundred additional family suites will be in the South Courtyard, opening later in 2014. In addition to the suites, the South Courtyard features 900 standard guestrooms, each sleeping four with two queen beds, and equipped with a minifridge. Rates begin at $119 per night. .

Clients staying at the new hotel, operated by Loews Hotels & Resorts, will get Early Theme Park Admission, complimentary shuttle to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk, complimentary delivery of merchandise purchased throughout the resort to their hotel and resort-wide charging privileges with their room key. In other hotel news, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel has unveiled 18 two-room kids’ suites with a “Despicable Me” theme. Universal Orlando is also expanding its CityWalk entertainment, opening eight new venues — including a Mexican cantina, Cold Stone Creamery, Menchie’s outlets, and a sushi/burger fusion joint. A bigger Universal Orlando store will debut, as well a 2,400-square-foot Starbucks, doubling the size of the existing coffeehouse.

SEAWORLD ORLANDO

It’s should be a whale of a year at SeaWorld Orlando. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original SeaWorld in San Diego, an 18-month “50th Celebration Sea of Surprises” starts on March 21 at SeaWorld Orlando, as well as in San Diego and San Antonio.

Clients who visit SeaWorld during this period will be in for a surprise — many of them, in fact. The park is adding more surprise encounters with animal ambassadors throughout the day, so guests could come face to face with a pair of Magellanic penguins, a lemur, or even a parade of flamingos. The SeaWorld “Surprise Squad” will also be roaming the park, giving away prizes and gifts such as exclusive access to rides or behind-the-scenes experiences, celebration T-shirts or Shamu-themed merchandise, reserved show seating and more. Giant sea life sculptures will be displayed throughout the park, created from ocean debris to underscore SeaWorld’s commitment to the environment.

Last year, SeaWorld opened its single-biggest attraction expansion ever — Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin. Guests first embark on a ride during which they see the South Pole through the eyes of a penguin, and then step out from the ride into a climate-controlled habitat featuring nearly 250 penguins.

Aquatica Orlando: At Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark,across the street from SeaWorld Orlando, new water thrill slide will open this spring. Ihu’s Breakaway Falls will be a 105-foot drop slide, the tallest, steepest and only multislide ride of its kind in Orlando.

Discovery Cove Orlando: SeaWorld’s sister park Discovery Cove Orlando earned a high honor last year, when it was rated the number-one theme park in the world by the 2013 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards. The all-inclusive resort experience — at which clients can swim with dolphins, snorkel with exotic fish and rays, and hand-feed tropical birds — added its latest attraction, Freshwater Oasis, in June 2012. Now clients can also come face to face with otters and marmosets beneath a rainforest canopy.