All the whispered Rumors, News, and Opinions on all things theme park related in Central Florida. Theme Park Whispers is for all that love and live the amazing events in the Orlando area!!
Disney's Frozen reached a milestone this week when it became the highest grossing animated film of all time, beating out Toy Story 3 for the coveted title.
The cast of Frozen
Total global box office revenue for the film reached over one billion dollars this week and still has room to climb. The amazing success of the film has also earned it number ten on the list of largest global blockbusters of all time.
The movie, for those that have not seen it, is an amazing heart-warming story of family,and friends and the ability to trust the love of both. Disney was already looking at breaking records when the film took both Best Animated Film and Best Original Song at the 2014 Oscars. The win of an Oscar, as with most films, simply pushed its box office receipts even higher.
Congratulations to the cast and crew at the Disney Company that labored to bring this film to life. We also want to give our thanks to Disney for once again thawing our hearts and showing us how to "Let it Go" in a way that only Disney storytelling can do.
The Huffington Post recently published an article giving 23 Reason Florida may be the Best State to Live In, and the article is great. I think we as Floridians tend to forget how good we have it here sometimes. The theme parks, the beach, the sunshine, the always green and lush landscape, and the list goes on!
Vintage Post Card
Do not mistake the fact that we have issues, and our share of crazies, but for the most part I am proud to be a native Floridian and love being here. Take a moment and read the article below then tells us what you love most about living or visiting the "Sunshine State"!!
Do you feel a disturbance in the force? The disturbance would be the joy of thousands of Star Wars fans hearing the announcement that for the first time ever you will be able to dine with characters from Disney and the Star Wars films during Star Wars Weekends at Disney Studios!!
Parking At-At the front gate
Starting May 4th, the official Star Wars day, Star Wars fans and geeks can have breakfast at Sci-Fi Dine in, or dinner at Hollywood and Vine with their favorite characters. Dinner characters will include Ewok Chip and Dale, Leia Minnie, Jedi Mickey, Darth Goofy and Stormtrooper Donald, all taking photos and signing autographs while families dine on a great selection of specially theme Star Wars foods. Breakfast will be dominated by Stormtroopers, Jawas, Greedo, Boba Fett, and the evil mastermind himself Darth Vader!!
A rainbow moment
Prices for breakfast will cost $47.99 for adults, and $29.99 for kids. Dinner will run you $55.99 for the adults and $36.99 for your little Ewoks. You will also receive a digital download on a special Photopass card made for the event . These dining options will run during the entire time period of the event and not just on the weekends.
The news follows the announcement from Disney that Mark Hamill will be making his first ever appearance the weekend of June 6th - 8th, 2014. The attendance of the original Luke Skywalker is expected to be paired with an announcement the he will be appearing in the new Star Wars: Episode VII film due in theaters December 18th, 2015.
Luke Skywalker announcement expected
I am also counting on some type of announcement from Disney regarding a new Star Wars expansion at the Florida complex but only time will tell.
Disney Imagineering has released the new official logo for the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster which is soon to open at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando. The artwork is bright, detailed, and solidifies the rumors that we will see all seven of the Dwarfs in the attraction.
Official Logo
The attraction has been a very long build and is the final piece to the massive Fantasyland expansion. The opening date has not been set in stone but cast members begin training on April the 20th, so look for a soft opening around that time with a grand opening in May.
Guests staying at the Cabana Bay Resort at Universal Orlando will have a new experience to add to their lists of things that make Cabana Bay resort unique. The once rumored Garden Path walkway leading from the resort to the theme parks has been started, and looks to be like an amazing scenic journey from Cabana Bay down a new canal system and into the Royal Pacific Resort grounds before heading into CityWalk and the park areas.
The project was first discovered months ago, but only recently has Universal Orlando made it official. Pylons are being driven into the ground near Cabana Bay and blueprints have been released. Guests will actually cross from the resort over what is being called a Garden Bridge. The bridge will allow guests to cross without ever realizing they are crossing over a busy roadway system.
Bridge Artist Concept
The path will then wind along side canals and landscaping ending where the Royal Pacific Resorts guests cross now to get to Citywalk and the entrances of the parks.
Overlay of new walkway
Cabana Bay Resort Phase 1 is scheduled to open at the end of this month, with Phase 2 opening later in the summer. More details to follow.
The main characters from Disney's smash hit Frozen will getting a new home soon, and it is going to be with the other Princesses at Fairytell Hall at the Magic Kingdom!!
Anna and Elsa from Frozen
The pair currently do meet and greet photo ops at Epcot's Norway pavilion, but due to their popularity the wait in the past few weeks has reached as long as three hours. The queue is causing major congestion around the world showcase lagoon in that area, with the line wrapping across the pavilions entrance then back across the world showcase lagoon promenade.
April 20th is the date for the duos move to Princess Fairytell Hall in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom. The move will allow guests to secure Fast Pass times and avoid the lengthy wait times that are currently the norm.
Dementors, Hagrid, Buckbeak, Sirius Black, The Knights Bus. What do these all have in common? The are all part of the magical world of Harry Potter yes....but what makes them so exciting is that you will be seeing them all again, and very soon!!
Universal Orlando revealed earlier this week some new details about the journey guests will take when they board the Hogwarts Express this summer in London and travel with other first time muggles to the village of Hogsmead and the castle of Hogwarts.
Here is what we know so far with some press release photos and some I took recently in the park:
Guests will get a chance to board the Hogwarts Express on platform 9 3/4 at London's Kings Cross station. Universals creative team has stated that you will see people transition form London to The Wizarding World right before your very eyes, and that is only where the magic begins.
King's Cross as of March 12th 2014
Once on board "Muggles" will be ushered to private booths which they will find have been outfitted with the same fabric seats, lights, and windows, as found in the Potter movies. The trains will hold 200 guests and the entire ride experience is billed as family friendly, well, as family friendly as a Dementor can be. The journey will take about 7 minuets and along the way riders will encounter different characters and events from the Harry Potter novels. The windows will actually be high definition video monitors that are using technology never before seen in a theme park environment. They will not be 3-D so no need for pesky glasses, but we can be assured that it will be amazing.
Weasley on a broom
Hagrid wishes us safe journeys
Buckbeak is majestic flying over the Black Lake
Once the train reaches the Hogsmead station guests will disembark and travel down a winding forest path to the village itself. Construction is in full swing and you can already see some of the station details.
Hogsmeade Station March 2014
Hogsmeade Station March 2014
Universal is again going to be the ticket to have this summer in the Orlando area. Please allow me to make a correction: Universal is the ticket to have now and for the foreseeable future in the Orlando area. The opening of London and Diagon Alley combined with the Hogwarts Express train journey to Hogsmead, will be the experience to have on vacation this year.
I will post more as soon as the info becomes available. Please feel free to ask any questions or place your comments, we love hearing from you guys!
We reported a couple of weeks ago about the Walt Disney Company increasing tickets prices for it parks here in Orlando and now, as is the normal trend, Universal Orlando has increased its ticket prices also.
Universal increased their ticket prices this morning and they mark a sizable jump in prices with some of the multi-day ticket media jumping by 20%. Price increases have become an annual staple for all of the Orlando theme parks for many years now. Combine this with the fact that Universal is once again set to open what will be the hit of the theme park industry for the next few years with Diagon Alley and this increase is no surprise.
Universals Price Increase 2014
Orlando Informer, and others sites, are reporting that many people are actually applauding this move by Universal hoping that it will help to ease some of the summer crowds that are expected to flock to the theme parks this year. I can tell you it will not make a difference.
Diagon Alley, from what we have seen, and rumors that have been confirmed is going to be a massive draw for Universal Orlando this summer and for a long time to come. Then again summer crowds are just part of the game down here and when you consider dollar for dollar what you are paying for admission, the theme parks are still your best entertainment dollar value. What do you think of Universals price increase?
Thanks to OI for posting of the web capture of the new prices.
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