Friday, October 26, 2012
SeaWorld's Antarctica...Pre Opening Film One
SeaWorld is well on its way to having one of the coolest attractions in central Florida..and by cool I do not just mean awesome. The Antarctica expansion will give the park a much needed boost to its high end attraction collection. Rumored to be the coldest attraction ever built, the journey following the life of a baby penguin through its harsh homeland should be a family experience like none other....watch the first pre-opening videos below to get an idea of what is in store!!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Universal set to make major announcement...
Universal has invited guests to a press event on the night of November 1st, 2012 to reveal a major announcement Sources have confirmed that Universal will announce Transformers: The Ride which is on track to open as early as next summer. Universal has placed Transformers on a 24/7 work schedule so things are going up fast at the site. Transformers is already a massive hit at Universal Hollywood and should be just as amazing here. The attraction is filmed in high def 3-D and features actual Transformer style robotics, along with live stage sets to make for a truly exciting experience.
I would expect announcements regarding the new Simpsons expansion along with Transformers to be part of the event, but I doubt we hear anything about the Potter at expansion at this time...then again time will tell!!
The pic below was taken from the launch hill of Rip, Ride, Rock-it, it is a little blurry but you can see the track layout for the first floor is being poured and things are moving at a brisk pace....
Track going in place...
Disney Update...AVATAR IS A GO!!!
Big things seem to be happening over at Disney Imagineering this week. Avatar: The World of Pandora was announced well over a year ago to a surprised and excited public, since that time little... other than the problems the project has seen (Cameron and Disney on costs)... has surfaced to the public information level.
I am pleased to pass on that it looks like "green light to go" for the project. Cameron has approved the final blueprints and designs for the area and Disney made some moves this week to step up the projects timeline. Cameron has agreed to two major rides for the area instead of the three he was pushing for, and signed off on the project late last week according to sources. Combine this with the fact that Disney has recruited legendary environment and rockwork artist Zsolt Hormay back to the company to work under Joe Rohde creative lead for the project. Hormay created some of Disney's most spectacular exteriors in the past 20 years. These include Mysterious Island at Tokyo DisneySea, the Tree of Life at Disneys Animal Kingdom, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland Paris.
The new area will have what is labeled at this stage as one massive "E-ticket" attraction and one "C-ticket" attraction, along with numerous other shops and a rumored restaurant set in the nighttime glowing world of Pandora. The "E" attraction is said to be a Sorain 2.0 on steroids. The new attraction would appear to be housed inside a massive multi-floor building and looks to have four theaters. Now the attraction is rumored to be a high intensity 3-D flight through the world of Pandora, but the catch is the ride car will be on a small track section with a multi point ride base that will allow for some intense movement. The "C" attraction appears to be an indoor/outdoor flume style attraction with guests boarding boats to see the world of Pandora "up-close".
Now remember this is all rumors and Disney is NOT talking about its plans at this stage. However, and there is always a however in this industry, blueprints have leaked that show the initial layout of the two attractions as well as hints as to what the buildings will contain. Bluprint one, shown below, indicates not only the layout of the 4 "Soarin" type theaters, but also the general traffic flow of the building, there is a wash station for 3-D glasses, four independent ride control stations, and other areas such as cast breakrooms, mechanics and other show related stuff.
I am pleased to pass on that it looks like "green light to go" for the project. Cameron has approved the final blueprints and designs for the area and Disney made some moves this week to step up the projects timeline. Cameron has agreed to two major rides for the area instead of the three he was pushing for, and signed off on the project late last week according to sources. Combine this with the fact that Disney has recruited legendary environment and rockwork artist Zsolt Hormay back to the company to work under Joe Rohde creative lead for the project. Hormay created some of Disney's most spectacular exteriors in the past 20 years. These include Mysterious Island at Tokyo DisneySea, the Tree of Life at Disneys Animal Kingdom, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland Paris.
The new area will have what is labeled at this stage as one massive "E-ticket" attraction and one "C-ticket" attraction, along with numerous other shops and a rumored restaurant set in the nighttime glowing world of Pandora. The "E" attraction is said to be a Sorain 2.0 on steroids. The new attraction would appear to be housed inside a massive multi-floor building and looks to have four theaters. Now the attraction is rumored to be a high intensity 3-D flight through the world of Pandora, but the catch is the ride car will be on a small track section with a multi point ride base that will allow for some intense movement. The "C" attraction appears to be an indoor/outdoor flume style attraction with guests boarding boats to see the world of Pandora "up-close".
Now remember this is all rumors and Disney is NOT talking about its plans at this stage. However, and there is always a however in this industry, blueprints have leaked that show the initial layout of the two attractions as well as hints as to what the buildings will contain. Bluprint one, shown below, indicates not only the layout of the 4 "Soarin" type theaters, but also the general traffic flow of the building, there is a wash station for 3-D glasses, four independent ride control stations, and other areas such as cast breakrooms, mechanics and other show related stuff.
Rumored Blueprint One
The second blueprint shows the same things but has some ride track details for the the "C" ticket attraction shown in the upper right hand corner and labeled as AH-5 or in the center "C ticket showbox". The blueprint clearly show that it will be an indoor/outdoor style attraction looking very similar to the Land pavilion at Epcot.
Once again this is all rumored information and we will have to wait and see what Disney announces in the coming months, but the information is concrete enough to show that the Avatar project is a go and the world of Pandora will be opening at Disney's Animal Kingdom sometime in 2015!!
Friday, October 19, 2012
A great time for a GREAT cause....Golf anyone??
I would like to take a moment to remind everyone that the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic will soon be here, and if you have never been to a golf tournament this is the one to see. Disney has been the proud home of this classic for many years now and it is honestly a tournament done in style. The tournament runs from November the 8th - 11th 2012, and will be held at Disney's Palm and Magnolia courses.
Character meet and greets, food and drinks, golf's top names, and usually perfect weather make this a great time for everyone. The best part is Disney donates all proceeds to the Children's Miracle Network and for you golf fans this is the last tournament of the year!! The classic is the longest running golf tournament in central Florida, and past winners have included names like Luke Donald, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Payne Stewart just to mention a few!
Below is a reminder that went out to all passholders, tickets are $20.. per day, or just $30.00 for the week, and may be purchased at the event or through Ticketmaster. If you can find time to attend the money goes to a fantastic cause and the memories you experience will last a lifetime. Hope to see everyone there!!
Character meet and greets, food and drinks, golf's top names, and usually perfect weather make this a great time for everyone. The best part is Disney donates all proceeds to the Children's Miracle Network and for you golf fans this is the last tournament of the year!! The classic is the longest running golf tournament in central Florida, and past winners have included names like Luke Donald, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Payne Stewart just to mention a few!
Below is a reminder that went out to all passholders, tickets are $20.. per day, or just $30.00 for the week, and may be purchased at the event or through Ticketmaster. If you can find time to attend the money goes to a fantastic cause and the memories you experience will last a lifetime. Hope to see everyone there!!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Universal to spend 1.5 billion dollars at Florida complex...
Universal Makes a Major Announcement !!
In some great news that is sure to be yet ANOTHER game changer, sources report that Universal Orlando has been granted a massive expansion budget. An estimated 1.5 Billion dollars has been allocated to spend on capital investments over the next 10 years at the Florida site. That’s approximately the amount of money that Disney recently spent on the renovation of California Adventure (including Cars Land and Little Mermaid).
The spending began with the fast tracking of a Transformers ride which is now scheduled to open before July 2013. At roughly 40 million, the attraction will easily be the major new attraction in Orlando for the Summer of 2013 and will be marketed as the high energy alternative to what is perceived as a lackluster summer offering from Disney.
The winning ticket however is the massive Harry Potter expansion taking place at the former Jaws location. The expansion will tie Universals two parks together with a Hogwarts train system, include a major E-Ticket Gringotts Bank roller coaster, and numerous other family rides and attractions, shops and dining and is estimated to be a total price of around 600 million.
That still leaves another 850 million to spend. Think of it. A resort that is doing amazing against Disney already will see a Disney California Adventure sized investment being poured into it. This is the theme park equivalent of a dream come true for Universal, and a nightmare for the Mouse down the street.
When compared to Disney World’s lovely but attraction deficient Fantasyland expansion Universal Orlando is obviously feeling very confident, this is why so many new projects have recently been green-lit. Rumors have already surfaced about a possible new Seuss attraction based on the Grinch, a new E-Ticket attractions for Jurassic Park, and a rumored replacement for E.T. themed to all of Spielberg's greatest movie moments has been on the drawing board for a few years now. I am thinking that we may see a replacement for Terminator T2/3D, and would think that down the road a little further Universal will want to cut the cord and re-theme the entire Marvel Super Hero Island
Universal obviously sees a HUGE opportunity and they aren’t going to waste their chance to steal the spotlight from Mickey. Disney on the other hand is still standing firm on the Avatar Land expansion to Animal Kingdom. Delays from Cameron and other issues which are stalling the project places Universal in the drivers seat. The Potterverse will be dominating the theme park industry, before Avatar can even take shape, and with a series of additional projects planned and under way Universal will be dealing some mighty hard blows to Mickey and company for many years to come.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Disney Announces "Limited Time Magic" for 2013.....
The Walt Disney Company announced its theme for next year at an impressive media event that included Mickey and Minnie revealing a fairytale castle made of 45,000 pounds of ice, right in the middle of Times Square. The castle will be on view as long as the warm autumn temperatures in New York allow it to exist.
The real news lies in the press event itself...2013 will see a long list of limited time events coming to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Think of these events as special parties that will run for short durations in the parks. Disney has just started to make its list, but with what they are already showing on the official Disney blog, it is going to be a VERY busy year at Disney.
The following is a partial listed compiled from the Disney blog, and remember this is just a few of the events already planned and more are on the way....so 2013 (like every year) is a great time to plan on a Disney visit!!
Which one are you most excited about?
From the official blog:
True Love: Celebrate romance and enchantment throughout Valentine’s Week with special moments and entertainment geared to lovebirds. Disney Princes join their Princesses to meet park guests in special settings, prix fixe menus turn up at select restaurants and Valentine’s collectibles will be offered for the week.
Independence Week: It’s red, white and blue as Disney Parks salutes America with a 4th of July Fireworks Party — for an entire week, with patriotic lighting bathing the Disney castles on both coasts. Mickey Mouse appears in his patriotic finest and guests will find special USA shirts, Ear Hats and other limited-edition souvenirs.
Long Lost Friends Week: Lesser-known Disney characters will move from the shadows to the spotlight meet-and-greets on both coasts. Photo opps with characters that could include Flik, Clarabelle Cow, Remy, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum will surprise and delight guests. And Disney guests even have the chance to vote online for which characters they want to see.
Pirate Week: Why talk like a pirate one day when you could celebrate these scalawags all week long? The adventures of Jack Sparrow come to life like never before during a bicoastal buccaneer bash in which Disneyland and Walt Disney World become pirate-palooza: pirate bands, pirate meet-and-greets and more.
Dapper Dans Sing Boy Bands: The Dapper Dans, the iconic quartet from Main Street, U.S.A., will add a special finale to their show, claiming the title of the “Original Boy Band” and delivering a medley of hits from One Direction, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.
Unleash the Villains: Friday the 13th in September 2013 is a special day, so Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are staying open until the 13th hour (1 a.m.). Maleficent, Captain Hook, Jafar and other Disney Villains host a dance party, complete with limited-edition collectibles and other nighttime mischief.
Golden Horseshoe Revue: The fabled Frontierland show returns to Disney for one month only, bringing back the corny jokes and enduring songs that were often enjoyed by Walt Disney himself.
Fairytale in ice
The following is a partial listed compiled from the Disney blog, and remember this is just a few of the events already planned and more are on the way....so 2013 (like every year) is a great time to plan on a Disney visit!!
Which one are you most excited about?
From the official blog:
True Love: Celebrate romance and enchantment throughout Valentine’s Week with special moments and entertainment geared to lovebirds. Disney Princes join their Princesses to meet park guests in special settings, prix fixe menus turn up at select restaurants and Valentine’s collectibles will be offered for the week.
Independence Week: It’s red, white and blue as Disney Parks salutes America with a 4th of July Fireworks Party — for an entire week, with patriotic lighting bathing the Disney castles on both coasts. Mickey Mouse appears in his patriotic finest and guests will find special USA shirts, Ear Hats and other limited-edition souvenirs.
Long Lost Friends Week: Lesser-known Disney characters will move from the shadows to the spotlight meet-and-greets on both coasts. Photo opps with characters that could include Flik, Clarabelle Cow, Remy, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum will surprise and delight guests. And Disney guests even have the chance to vote online for which characters they want to see.
Pirate Week: Why talk like a pirate one day when you could celebrate these scalawags all week long? The adventures of Jack Sparrow come to life like never before during a bicoastal buccaneer bash in which Disneyland and Walt Disney World become pirate-palooza: pirate bands, pirate meet-and-greets and more.
Dapper Dans Sing Boy Bands: The Dapper Dans, the iconic quartet from Main Street, U.S.A., will add a special finale to their show, claiming the title of the “Original Boy Band” and delivering a medley of hits from One Direction, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.
Unleash the Villains: Friday the 13th in September 2013 is a special day, so Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are staying open until the 13th hour (1 a.m.). Maleficent, Captain Hook, Jafar and other Disney Villains host a dance party, complete with limited-edition collectibles and other nighttime mischief.
Golden Horseshoe Revue: The fabled Frontierland show returns to Disney for one month only, bringing back the corny jokes and enduring songs that were often enjoyed by Walt Disney himself.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Orlando Dragon Boat Festival this weekend....
The Orlando Dragon Boat Festival returns to Downtown Disney this weekend, from October 19 to October 20 2012.
Guest viewing is available from the promenade along the Village Lake throughout the West Side. Events take place between 6pm and 10:30pm on Friday, and 8am to 5:30pm on Saturday. Due to the races, there will be no guest boat transportation on Friday between 3pm to 7:30pm, and Saturday 8am to 5:30pm.
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