CityWalk's Rising Star — Restaurant in Orlando

I love singing. I sing kareoke all over the world, at televised fundraisers, at work christmas parties, and everywhere in-between. I have won awards but never felt satisfied. Something was missing, and I always felt an empty void deep within my kareoke song list. Little did I know I would find my missing link at Rising Star.

It was a warm Wednesday night in January 2023. I spent the entire day at Sea World, and decided to go to City Walk for some food. I was dehydrated and still smelled like sardines and dolphin water. As we walked around, I noticed that several employees were standing outside of Rising Star. I thought it was strange because it's normally closed for private events around the time the parks close. I became very excited and thought about what song I was going to sing.

I quickly walked past the employees at the entrance and entered the building. I was met by an empty stage, no dancers, no music. The place was closed. I lowered my head and walked outside disappointed. It was then, when my life changed forever.

One of the employees said, "I'm sorry but we're not open yet". I stopped dead in my tracks, looked up, and saw Denise. The way she told me they were closed... She... She had the singing voice of an angel. It was as if I was talking directly to Faith Hill. She was very friendly, and told us we could come back later and sing.

We then left and went on a drinking spree around City Walk. I think it was my 4th or 5th alcoholic slushie from Fat Tuesday when I thought about Denise's voice. I realized she may possibly be my missing link for the perfect kareoke song. I decided I was going back, and me and Denise were going to do a duet together.

As I walked around City Walk I began practicing different duet songs. The more I drank the better my voice sounded.... I think. I then had a moment of reason and decided that Denise would not want to sing with an intoxicated person. She appeared far too classy for that. I lowered my head and walked back to my resort. I decided I would ask her to sing a duet the following night, my last night in Orlando.

I went to Islands of Adventure the entire next day. I was so nervous. What if Densie doesn't want to sing? What if she couldn't?! When the parks closed I entered City Walk. I was full of anxiety, butterbeer, and churros. I smelled like the water from Dudley Rights Ripsaw Falls. But I didnt care. The world was about to hear the greatest duet ever. John and Denise singing Remind Me by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.

As I walked over toward Rising Star, I saw the barricades.... and then I saw employees holding the lit up signs CLOSED FOR PRIVATE EVENT.

My heart sank. Several hours later I was on an airplane headed back home. Far from Faith Hill's voice-double.

Although the duet never took place, I will say that Rising Star is a true hidden gem on City Walk, and most people tend to overlook it. I highly recommend stopping in and checking it out.

If you do, you might just be lucky enough to hear the greatest...

I wanted to share my experience at Rising Star last night. I was supremely hurt and disappointed, which is a genuine first for me as an Annual Passholder.

I came in around 9:00 - 9:30 with 3 other people. We weren't very vocal about it, but this was a going away party for one of the members of the group. I immediately put my name into rotation because we had tried coming a few nights before, and didn't get called (that was fine with me as we had come in late that night.) A little bit later, I saw my name show up in rotation (pictured below), and was incredibly excited to go up. There was an over sight, and it turns out there was another Melissa there who also put in the same song as me, but she was with her bridal group. Mistakes happen, I understood. I went up to the host, Zach, and explained what happened. He apologized and said he'll get me in as soon as possible. Great, I thought, problem solved. So I waited. After about a half hour, I put in a second card, not knowing if they still had my first card. I assumed since they thought I was the same person, they probably threw it away. I went back to my seat, and then waited another hour. I still wasn't called.

I had to go and find the manager on duty to explain to him what happened. I had to then fill out a third card on the spot, and just tried to remember what I put. The manager made sure I was put next, but I felt so incredibly unwelcome when I went up there. It felt like, "oh my god, okay, come sing! Are you happy now?"

This was my first time back to Rising Star and participating since the pandemic, and I felt bullied, quite honestly.

Our server was great. The manager did his due diligence and made sure that I was able to sing. But this whole experience was absolutely awful.

I don't expect anything from this post, but I just wanted to share this so that perhaps this can be prevented from happening again to someone else.

This whole experience tainted Rising Star for me, and I'm not sure I want to go back, which is heartbreaking, as it was my favorite...

I just want to share how heartbroken I am after my visit to Rising Star on, Saturday December 30th, 2023. I thought this place was my pot of gold. After losing my sister and Dad within a few months of each other recently, my family traveled from the Bahamas to visit with me for the first time since 2019, which was when last we saw each other. I discovered Rising Star on November 8th of 2023. After a visit from my friend in the Bahamas who came to express her sympathy and spread some love. Which was why I exuberantly expressed to my family for an outing at Rising Star. To celebrate life in the midst of pain. My adult nephew Kenny who is 32 years of age and a special needs adult recently obtained his Driver's Permit was so excited to visit Rising Star, can I say, that OUR already fragile spirits were further decimated after encountering RICK . I can't say that I would recommend visiting there again Rick's attitude and disdain towards my nephew was very palatable. Kenny presented his Driver's Permit he is a NON-us citizen or resident, he was VISITING!!!!! This didn't deter Kenny. After the permit was denied Kenny went on to show RICK his Electronic Passport. This was also refuted. ? Who visits a theme park with physical passports? This is why an authenticated electronic passport is encrypted. For security purposes. Rick's attitude and annoyance reared and his sarcastic tune matched his DRACULA like appearance. He in fact did drain the life from our families outing, which is why we left. Ricks disdain was very palatable and non provoked. I asked to speak with a Manger, the manager who was standing 2 feet away by the name, Tasha; who was "BUSY..." So...BUSY AND DISMISSIVE. FEIGNING POLITENESS as she walked and pointed us away. AFTER spending $$$ hundreds of dollars on November 8th, & December 19th. I don't know if l can return to Rising Star, or recommend it anymore. Because Kenny and my family returned back home to the Bahamas this morning...