/directflight: Hot posts from our daily blog

WIZARDING WORLD PACKAGE

WHERE Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

WHEN Beginning May 28

THE DEAL In anticipation of its upcoming attraction "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," opening this spring (specific date has not been announced), Universal Orlando Resort has created vacation packages for Hogwarts fans and their families. Among the options - a four-night stay at an on-site hotel for a family of four, three-day admission for all to Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure theme parks, express access to bypass lines at select rides and attractions, early admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and breakfast at the attraction's Three Broomsticks theme restaurant (from $1,548).

INFO universalorlando.com

- Cathrine Duffy

LOVE GELATO? HEAD TO ITALY

WHERE Florence and Cortona, Italy

WHEN Beginning in April

THE DEAL There's no question that you can get good ice cream on Long Island - but if you are looking for really good ice cream, the place to go is Italy. Check out TourCrafters' new seven-day, six-night "Eat Your Gelato in Italy" package. Priced from $1,119 a person (double occupancy; add $165 a person in May or from Sept. 19-Oct. 31), the deal includes round-trip airfare from New York to Florence, three nights at the Hotel Roma in Florence, three nights at the Hotel-Spa Villa Aurea in Cortona, daily breakfasts and a spa session at the Villa Aurea, which has a Turkish bath and sauna - and a free gelato at Vivoli in Florence.

INFO 800-482-5995, tourcrafters.com

- TANIA PADGETT