Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Universal Orlando announced the return of King Kong to their Orlando Parks.  Skull Island: Reign of Kong was officially confirmed to be going into Islands of Adventure between the Jurassic Park and Toon Lagoon areas.  Details are scarce at this point, but if the concept art and teaser video are any indication, this is going to be one incredible ride.  You can read the official announcement on Universal Orlando Resort blog.

Help Me Decide Which Event to Attend

Spring is upon us and many parks around the country are getting ready for opening day.  The start of another season brings excitement for our first rides on the newest additions we’ve spent the offseason poring over, as well as a chance to experience our favorite classics once again.  With the new season comes one of the best perks of being a coaster enthusiast:  the events. 

There are several park sponsored enthusiast events in my part of the country, and while I would love to experience them all, time constraints won’t allow me to do so.  This is where you come in.  I need your help in deciding which event I should attend.  I will blindly give you details about each event, and then you can vote on which one you think I should attend.  Feel free to leave a comment explaining your choice as well.

With a little help from Google you can probably determine what each event is if you really want to, but I want it to unbiased as possible so I will leave out the event name and associated park for now.

So without further ado, here are the events in no particular order:

Event #1

•  A two day event – one evening and one full day
• Includes both waterpark and evening dry park ERT
• Photo walkback opportunities
• Meals are included for both nights, as well as other snacks and drinks
•  Park admission included
• I’ve already been to this event before

Event #2

• A brand new event lasting two full days
• Includes both morning and evening ERT on both days
• Photo walkback and behind the scenes opportunities
• One dinner and one lunch are provided
• Park admission included
• I would have to leave early on the second day

Event #3

• A one day event
• Not technically a park sponsored event
• Opportunity to meet coaster enthusiast celebrities
• Other exciting aspects that have yet to be announced
• No additional cost outside of park admission
• Crowd levels will be high based on the day

Event #4

• A one day event
• Includes both morning and evening ERT
• Lunch is provided
• ERT isn’t as exclusive as it is with other events
• No additional cost outside of park admission
• I would have to take a vacation day in order to attend

There you have it.  Four exciting events to choose from.  Vote for which one you think I should attend, and feel free to leave a comment as well.  You can also interact with me on Twitter @ParksBlog if you feel inclined to do so.  Thanks for taking the time to read the blog and vote!

free polls

Trip Report: Disney's Hollywood Studios

After a week of visiting theme parks and attractions in the Orlando area, we decided to sleep in a bit before heading to the last park of our trip.  We arrived for our first ever visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios about an hour after rope drop and headed straight for our first fastpass attraction of the day, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.  This ride absolutely blew me away.  The theming was top notch, the backstory was intriguing, and the ride itself was thrilling.  This was by far my favorite attraction in all of Walt Disney World, and it deserves every bit of praise it receives.

We took our time throughout the rest of the day, because frankly, if we hadn’t, we would have been done with the park in only a couple of hours.  It was possible to see everything we wanted to see without having to traverse back and forth across the park to hit our fastpass windows or avoid long lines.  Our feet appreciated the choice to make this park the last on our trip due to the least amount of walking involved.

Outside of the Tower of Terror, none of the rides really stood out to me.  Everything seemed to be “so-so” or “just okay”.  The Great Movie Ride was a bit boring due to its slow pace, Star Tours seemed like a generic motion simulator with a Star Wars overlay, Toy Story Midway Mania was enjoyable even though you just moved from one screen to another without much in between, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster was fun but had way too much head banging.

In addition to the rides, we also experienced several of the shows: Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, Muppet Vision 3D, Lights Motors Action, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, The Magic of Disney Animation, and Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream.  Again, much like the rides in the park, the shows were decent but seemed to fall flat.  They didn’t quite measure up to the Disney standard that I had built up in my head, and they all felt like filler in a park lacking quality attractions.

The remainder of our time in the park was spent perusing gift shops, eating a mediocre lunch at the ABC Commissary, taking a gander at the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground, and taking in the general vibe of the generic movie set theme.  The park did not feel as neglected as EPCOT did, but it did feel incomplete.  It seemed as though many of the attractions were being promoted as major attractions in this park, when in reality they would only be considered minor attractions if they were located in another park such as the Magic Kingdom.   

We ended our day by watching Fantasmic.  This was by far my favorite nighttime show in all of Walt Disney World.  The production really captured the mystical proverbial “magic” that exudes from the Disney brand.  The lights were great, the props were great, the actors were great, and the music was great.  The way everything came together was, for lack of a better word, magical.  It was the perfect way to end not only that night, but our entire Orlando trip as well.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is far from a perfect park, but I also don’t think it deserves some of the criticisms it receives.  I had a fun time here.  If it came down to returning to this park or going back to EPCOT, I would choose the Studios based on Tower of Terror and Fantasmic alone.  There is certainly much room for improvement, and thankfully, if the rumors are true, upgrades are on the way in the not too distant future.  It will be interesting to see what this park looks like in a few years.

Trip Report: EPCOT

Anticappointment has a name, and its name is EPCOT.  Out of all of the parks on my Orlando trip itinerary, I was looking forward to EPCOT the most, and after hearing Disney fans clamor over how amazing the park was for years, I was excited to finally visit for the first time.  My expectations remained low though, knowing full well how the Walt Huggers like to proclaim everything Disney related as the greatest thing ever, but the supposed blend of entertainment and education within EPCOT was very intriguing to me.

It was cold and grey on the day we visited, and the crowds were very low.  We had our three fastpasses booked in advance for Test Track, Mission Space, and Spaceship Earth.  Even though the only two attractions in the entire park that needed a fastpass were Test Track and Soarin’, due to the tiered FastPass+ system in place at EPCOT (and Hollywood Studios) we had to use our three fastpasses early in order to be able to reserve an additional time for Soarin’ as well.

We spent the first half of our day in Future World.  EPCOT first opened in 1982, and based on the sad condition of the entire area it feels as though nothing has changed since then.  Everything felt very outdated and downright neglected, which is something I did not expect from the supposedly industry leading Disney.

Future World had two attractions that I thought were good in Test Track and Soarin’, and four attractions I thought were okay in Mission Space, Spaceship Earth, Living With the Land, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends.  Everything else was awful.  Universe of Energy, Circle of Life, Journey into Imagination, and Captain EO could (should?) be demolished tomorrow and I would not care at all.  They were terrible.  Innoventions East could go as well, and as far as I’m concerned the only thing worth saving in Innoventions West is the Cool Club and its free samples of sodas from around the world.  None of the attractions blew me away, and to say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

One of the few bright spots in Future World for us was our lunch from Sunshine Seasons in The Land pavilion.  The selection here goes well beyond your typical counter service offerings, and it didn’t feel like a complete rip-off based on the quality of the ingredients and the quantity of the entrees.  I ordered the spicy thai green curry shrimp with jasmine rice (and a cup of free water), and I would highly recommend it.

After lunch we decided to roam around World Showcase.  The only attractions I can comment on are the Gran Fiesta Tour and the American Adventure because, well, those are really the only attractions there outside of a few films from various countries.  Neither of these attractions are anything to write home about.  The Gran Fiesta Tour has a cool setting next to the indoor marketplace and restaurant in Mexico, but the ride itself is rather boring.  The American Adventure is worth seeing if you’ve never seen it before, and the shuffling of the audio animatronics is interesting from a technical standpoint, but you’re not missing much if you decide to skip it.

I was very underwhelmed by the rest of World Showcase.  The thing I hear time and time again from the die hard Disney fans is that the best thing about World Showcase is the opportunity to spend money.  Whether it’s the overpriced restaurants that you need a reservation ten years in advance for, or the gift shops peddling kitsch inspired by random countries, everything seemed like a money grab.  The various entertainment throughout each country was a nice touch and helped the otherwise lacking atmosphere, but it did not make up for the cheap feeling I received from nearly everything.  Perhaps it’s because I’ve experienced some of the countries and landmarks first hand, but I did not see the appeal of World Showcase.

We wanted to have a nice sit down meal for dinner, but after being turned away by restaurant after restaurant because we didn’t have a reservation, we decided to eat at Tangierine Café in Morocco.  It was decent food, but keeping with the overall trend of World Showcase it was way overpriced. 

After dinner we found a spot near the lagoon and settled in to watch IllumiNations.  I had heard good things about this show, but after the disappointment from the rest of EPCOT my expectations were down the drain at this point.  I must say that I enjoyed this show quite a bit.  The fireworks, the laser lights, and the physical set pieces on the barges combined with a great soundtrack to create a very entertaining show.

As I was leaving the park for the night, I couldn’t help but think of what EPCOT could be compared to what it currently is.  There is so much potential here, but Disney is not doing anything with it because people still flock here in droves for some reason unbeknownst to me.  With all of the empty buildings and neglected attractions in Future World, and all of the overpriced everything in World Showcase, I don’t see the appeal of spending a bunch of money just to have the opportunity to spend even more money and experience a couple of mediocre attractions.  I had a decent day at EPCOT, but I don’t have much desire to return until something changes.  

Trip Report: Magic Kingdom

My only previous visit to the Magic Kingdom was in 2001, and after a 14 year absence I finally made it back for a second visit.  Aside from the addition of New Fantasyland, not much had changed since my last visit.  Usually a lack of growth and updates throughout a park does not sit favorably with me, but for some reason I have no problem giving the Magic Kingdom a pass.

As someone who had only visited the park once previously, my apathetic stance on the stagnant condition of the Magic Kingdom is not rooted in nostalgia like most others who defend the park.  I’m willing to overlook the lack of growth for two reasons: 

1) The park already has a large amount of attractions
2) The Magic Kingdom is just plain fun

In a park devoid of major thrills, the clichéd “magic” that seems to permeate throughout every 

attraction leaves everyone with a smile on their face.  I believe this is a direct result of Walt Disney’s vision and Roy Disney’s execution of that vision.  But I digress.  On to the trip report.

Despite being the off-season, the crowd levels were heavier than expected.  With strategic use of the FastPass+ system we were still able to hit nearly every attraction that we wanted to.  We pre-selected FastPasses for Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad all for the morning, and throughout the day we were able to get additional FastPasses for the Jungle Cruise, the Haunted Mansion, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Peter Pan’s Flight.  The FastPass+ system is far from perfect, but you can skip a lot of lines simply by understanding how the system works.  Most people had no clue how to use it, let alone use it effectively.

Most of the attractions were just as good as I remembered.  The three mountains, the Haunted Mansion, the Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and all of the other rides were so much fun.  The Enchanted Tiki Room, the Country Bear Jamboree, and the rest of the shows were still entertaining after all these years.

There were a few attractions that I had not experienced previously either due to time restraints or they had since been added since my last visit, and most of them were good as well.  Mickey’s Philharmagic, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Walt Disney World Railroad, Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, Stich’s Great Escape!, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, and the Carousel of Progress were all new attractions for me and I enjoyed all of them except one (*cough* Stich *cough*).  There are still a few things that I’ve yet to experience, so I guess that means I’ll just have to come back.  Wishes was a decent fireworks show as well.

For our meals we stuck to counter service restaurants mostly as a cost saving measure, but also because we didn’t have reservations 17 years in advance.  For lunch we had the waffle sandwiches from Sleepy Hollow.  I had the sweet and spicy chicken while other members of my family tried the ham, prosciutto, and swiss.  For the quality of the ingredients and the size of the sandwiches, we actually felt like we were getting a good value from ordering these.  Dinner consisted of a trip to Pecos Bill’s.  There’s only one reason to eat here, and that reason is the toppings bar.  Being able to customize an otherwise uninspired burger and fries is certainly a plus.  Both of my meals were accompanied by cups of ice water, which are free upon request in case you didn’t realize it.

The only other food or beverage options that we tried were the Dole Whip and the LeFou’s Brew from Gaston’s Tavern.  Having tried Butterbeer at Universal Studios just the day before, I was interested in seeing how Disney’s specialty drink stacked up against the competition.  While I enjoyed the LeFou’s Brew, it just tasted like frozen apple juice.  I didn’t get any of the toasted marshmallow, passion fruit, and mango flavors that were advertised, but as a sucker for slush type drinks I still liked it quite a bit.  It’s certainly no Butterbeer though.  The Dole Whip is still delicious in case you were wondering. 

All in all it was a great day.  With the mix of rides, shows, and other attractions, it was easy to find something to please everyone in the family.  A little bit of planning went a long way in allowing us to skip a lot of lines and maximize the number of attractions we were able to experience.  I look forward to getting back in the future, and I would certainly recommend visiting the Magic Kingdom if you’ve never been there before.

Trip Report: Kennedy Space Center

When my family was planning to meet up in the Sunshine State for a week and my Dad expressed interest in seeing the Kennedy Space Center, I was reluctant to even consider it.  If we were headed the theme park centric market of central Florida, why would we take a day to visit some antiquated museum full of useless junk?  I could not have been more wrong.  Not only did the space center exceed my expectations, but it was the unexpected highlight of the entire a trip.

After making the hour long trip from Orlando, we parked the rental car and headed towards the entrance around 10 am.  At this point I was still thinking we might spend an hour or two, maybe grab some lunch, and then be on our way.  We grabbed our tickets and a map, took a few photos of the entrance, and headed in.

Our first stops were the Early Space Exploration exhibit and the Rocket Garden.  Die hard space enthusiasts would probably be more intrigued by these attractions than I was, but to me they just felt like a cool museum.  A very well done museum, executed at a high level with some neat artifacts, but still a museum none the less.

From there we headed to the IMAX theaters.  The space center has two separate 3-D movies to choose from, and they are both included in admission.  We intended to see them both, but with each one having a 45-minute run time, the clock got the best of us and we were only able to see one.   The film we saw was about the Hubble Space Telescope and the attempts to repair it.  It was a great film with absolutely mesmerizing images, but I can’t say I was blown away by it.  Don’t get me wrong.  It’s definitely worth your time to see it, but IMAX movies can be found everywhere these days so I did not feel this was a unique experience.

At this point we were ready for lunch so we stopped at the Orbit Café to grab a bite to eat.  The menu consisted of your run of the mill counter service offerings such as burgers, sandwiches, and salads.  I opted for a Cuban sandwich, and was able to cobble together a side salad from the toppings bar.  It was good, not out of this world good as was advertised, but still good.  The café also had a Pepsi Spire machine, and this was my first time seeing one in person.  I’ve experienced Coke Freestyle machines plenty of times before, so it was nice to customize my beverage with Pepsi’s lineup of drinks.  Strawberry Mountain Dew was delicious.

So far the Space Center had met my expectations.  The exhibits were nice, there were a lot of cool things to look at, but nothing really stood out.  That all changed when we visited the Space Shuttle Atlantis experience. 

All I can say is WOW.  The exhibit begins with a pre-show outlining the origins of the space shuttle program, followed by a video experience highlighting the Atlantis shuttle.  At the end of the video, the screen lifts up and you find yourself face to face with the nose of the Atlantis.  Not a model, not a cheap knockoff representation, but the actual, full size Atlantis space shuttle.  It’s absolutely breathtaking.  The sheer size and awe inspiring magnitude of the shuttle cannot be adequately expressed in words.  It’s something that must be experienced firsthand.

The Atlantis exhibit also includes several interactive experiences, a replica of the Hubble Space Telescope, a shuttle launch experience, and much more.  I could have spent an entire day at this exhibit alone.  This was the first exhibit where I felt like I was no longer visiting a museum and was experiencing something truly unique.

Despite the desire to spend the rest of our time at the Atlantis exhibit, we knew there was more to see so we jumped on a bus and took off on a tour.  The basic tour, which is included in admission, takes you around the rest of the space center complex that is otherwise not accessible to the general public.  You are provided an opportunity to drive by the large vehicle assembly building, some of the launch pads, and several other landmarks.

The bus tour culminates at the Apollo/Saturn V center.  This was another exhibit that I was thoroughly impressed with.  Much like the Atlantis exhibit, we began by experiencing a pre-show with an overview of the Apollo program.  Following the pre-show was a simulated launch that gives the guest insight into the goings on in the command center in the moments leading up to a launch.  After the simulated launch, we exited the command center and were greeted with an up close and personal encounter with a fully restored Saturn V launch vehicle.

This thing was massive.  It’s one thing to see pictures or videos of it, but to see it in person makes you marvel at how something that large ever made it off the ground.  The exploded layout of the exhibit gives you a great view of the several components that make up the Saturn V, and it gives you a great appreciation of the engineering and technical innovations that were required to send people to the moon.

The Apollo exhibit includes other attractions such as an Apollo 11 moon landing show, displays of several articles from the moon landings, and also the chance to touch a piece of moon rock.  Overall, it’s a wonderful exhibit that you might miss out on if you decide to forgo the bus tour.

After perusing the gift shop of the Apollo/Saturn V center, we caught a bus back to the main visitor complex and headed back to the Atlantis exhibit to try out the Shuttle Launch Experience.  This is the closest thing to a pure theme park attraction that the space center has to offer.  If you’re looking for a thrill ride then you might leave disappointed, but if you take it as the well-executed simulator that it is then you might be surprised.  We ended our day by checking out some of the minor exhibits such as Exploration Space, Great Balls of Fire, Nature and Technology, and the Astronaut Memorial.

Overall it was a wonderful day.  All of the exhibits are very well done, and there are more than enough experiences to fill your day.  The Atlantis and Apollo exhibits blur the line between a museum and themed entertainment in such a way that there is truly something for everyone to enjoy.  When you take a step back and realize that these exhibits are based on real, actual events from history, you can’t help but be filled with a childlike wonderment of what we have accomplished and what is left to be discovered.  I highly recommend checking out the Kennedy Space Center.

Theme Park Podcasts

Although podcasts have been around for a while now, they’re still a relatively unknown media source for many.  Interest in podcasts has increased recently, due largely in part to the buzz surrounding the popular crime series Serial, and the platform only seems to be growing.  So whether you’re new to podcasting, or just looking for some new shows to check out, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite theme park related podcasts.

When it comes to podcasts about the amusement industry, they usually fall into one of two categories:  Disney or Other.  We’ll break it down a little further than that by adding a third category for Universal Studios, but for most shows this is the way they pan out.  The Disney centric shows focus primarily on, you guessed it, the Disney parks, while the general shows cover topics from the entire industry.  Alright, now here are some of our favorites:

General Theme Park Shows

CoasterRadio
With an intro from none other than Neil Patrick Harris, this weekly podcast covers news and topics from theme parks across the globe.  Hosts Mike Collins and EB bring a light hearted, self-deprecating approach to their show that is really a lot of fun to listen to.  From interviews and trip reports to characters and the occasional game show segment, you never quite know what to expect when you tune in for a listen.

The Season Pass Podcast
Billing themselves as “the essential theme park podcast”, if you’re looking for discussions about your favorite theme park attractions straight from the people who design and create them, then this podcast is well worth your time.  Doug Barnes, Brent Young, and Robert Coker bring you in depth interviews from industry professionals that you’re not likely to hear anywhere else.  If you’re interested in the behind the scenes ins and outs of the theme park industry, this show is for you.

In the Loop
Although this show does feature the occasional interview, the main draw of this podcast is the free-flowing (and uncensored) dialogue between the hosts Clink Novak, The Legend, Drew the Intern, and recent additions Braedon, Dan, and Toronto Josh.  Every week they offer opinions on the latest industry news and rumors, and they also have a very active YouTube page.

Disney Shows

Inside the Magic
To be fair, this show hosted by Ricky Brigante is not completely focused on Disney, but the majority of the content is geared towards the Walt Huggers out there.  This is a very well-produced podcast with great transitions between segments and nice touches of background music throughout.  Ricky covers a lot of the special events in the parks and often has interviews that all theme park fans would enjoy.

The Unofficial Guide’s Disney Dish with Jim Hill
What this podcast lacks in production value, it more than makes up for with content.  For what amounts to not much more than a conversation between the hosts Jim Hill and Len Testa, the history and rumors that are discussed are remarkably fascinating.  Jim may not be the most reliable of sources, but he does seem to have an insider’s perspective and there’s no denying he’s a great story teller.  Len also does a great job of guiding the conversations.

Communicore Weekly
With quite possibly the best theme song of all the amusement park related podcasts, Communicore Weekly covers not just the parks but all things Disney.  From book and movie reviews to interesting things hidden throughout the parks (i.e. five legged goats), George Taylor and Jeff Heimbuch provide a fun and quirky show that Disney fans are sure to enjoy.  And as crazy as it sounds, they also wrote a musical.

Universal Studios Shows

Unofficial Universal Orlando Podcast
It’s hard to believe that with the sheer volume of Disney related podcasts out there that it wasn’t until 2011 that a Universal podcast emerged on the scene.  It took a married couple from the United Kingdom, Lee and Tracey Mallaby, to create the first show focused solely on Universal Studios.  Joined by co-hosts Darren and Hunter, this weekly show explores news and rumors about the Universal Studios theme parks from around the world.

Parkscope Unprofessional Podcast Hour
Comprised of a group of guys and occasionally a cat, hosts Joe, Mike, Nick, Sean (and Baloo) cover theme park news from the entire industry but devote a large portion of their episodes to the Universal Orlando Resort.  These guys are usually the first ones to break news related to building and construction permits, so they have a good pulse on rumors and activities from around the resort. 

Orlando United Radio
Drew, BriMan, and hatetofly from the Orlando United forums come together on this podcast and discuss random topics related to Universal Studios.  Fans of rumors and speculation will enjoy this show since hatetofly has proven himself as a reliable source for insider information. 

Other Honorable Mentions

Pardon the Pixie Dust
The E Ticket Report
Inside Universal
WDW Today

So there’s the list of our favorite podcasts.  Feel free to chime in with your suggestions of new shows we should check out.  Thanks for reading!