Rumoured Test Track Refurbishment

Test Track ride at Disney’s Epcot look like updating their excellent ride. They are planning it will be closed from April 15 to September 21, 2012 for a complete rework.

As part of the refurbishment, the pavilion will be sponsored by Chevrolet rather than General Motors as a whole and the existing Test Track vehicles will be replaced by Chevrolet inspired models. Back in August 2011 a few new sleeker cars were spotted on the tracks wearing Chevrolet badges and Tron inspired graphics. Our Grandchildren love this ride or should we say the experience, so any changes can only make it even more awesome.

Mary

The latest news from The Parks is that yet again, Florida’s main theme parks reached saturation point.

Most of Florida’s major theme parks reached capacity crowds in the period between Christmas and the New Year with wait times of several hours on the more popular rides. Even Legoland Florida reported capacity crowds in its first ever Christmas season. With our school holidays dictating our choice of dates, it is really hard to avoid these queues and is something we all have to try to live with.

Change of Soft Drinks at The Parks have even had newspapers calling it The Soft Drink Wars.

Coca-Cola and Pepsi brands have always fought for the exclusive rights to sell their brands in the major Florida theme parks. Up until recently Coca-Cola have been at both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios and Pepsi have been the choice at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens.

On January 1 that all changed when SeaWorld and Busch Gardens both switched allegiance and replaced Pepsi by Coca-Cola. Legoland Florida is now one of the few parks where you will find the Pepsi brand in Florida. It is such a shame (for us) as we do genuinely prefer Pepsi!!!

Hogwarts Rumours

Following the announcement that the classic Jaws ride along with the surrounding Amity themed area are closed at Universal Studios, rumours are already beginning to spread about what will take its place. The Jaws ride was one of the parks original rides when it first opened.

Universal confirmed that they would be opening a Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Hollywood, they also stated that they will “significantly expand” the Wizarding World in Orlando in the next couple of years but they have given no further details at this time.

The launch of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter within Universal’s Islands of Adventure has seen attendance records soar by 30% compared to only 6% at Universal Studios so there is a possibility that part of Harry Potter might come to Universal Studios as well.

The Potter rumours include the construction of the Ministry of Magic, the Diagon Alley and using the Hogwarts Express train to transport guests between the two parks.

Splitting Harry Potter between the two parks would split the attraction of one park over the other and some guests might resent having to buy tickets to both parks, but it could result in increased multi-day ticket sales, particularly for Universal Studios. They are as good as Disney for new ideas, making us ‘Guests’ pay more!!

Rather than spill over into Universal Studios, they might simply replace one of the other lands within Islands of Adventure such as the remainder of the Lost Continent in much the same way as they did to create the Wizarding World in the first place. This would leave the Jaws attraction available for another possibility such as the Transformers ride that is currently being built in both Hollywood and Singapore. We can’t wait to hear more.

One thing that is certain and NOT A Rumour is that Despicable Me will open at Universal Studios in 2012

Best Wishes for 2012 & Happy Holidays.

Mary & Larry

Hi Everyone,

In response to Universal’s Harry Potter taking over as the busiest Park in Orlando, Disney plans to build a multi-attraction “land” based on the movie “Avatar” in Animal Kingdom as the first step to regain the Top Spot.

Avatar is a set of worlds that is really exciting and offers them a chance to expand their themes with so much to explore in the different Lands.

They will begin construction of Animal Kingdom’s Avatar land in 2013 and expects to open it to guests about five years from now. It may seem a long time but believe me, it will be well worth waiting for, as Disney will never be Second Best!!! It is estimated to costing approximately $500 million.

The deal announced Tuesday gives Disney exclusive theme-park rights to use elements from the 2009 film and from sequels due out in 2014 and 2015. They plan to build multiple-attraction lands based on the film’s fictional world of “Pandora,” including themed shops and restaurants and entertainment. It’s the same approach Universal Orlando has taken with its Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The Avatar land will provide a huge uplift for the Animal Kingdom theme park. It has been criticized by some park fans for lacking attractions and not amounting to a full-day experience on par with the Magic Kingdom or Epcot. The last major new ride added to Animal Kingdom was the Expedition Everest roller coaster, which opened in 2006. That ride cost more than $100 million.

A precise date hasn’t been set for completion of the Avatar attractions in Animal Kingdom, but an opening sometime in 2016 is the target. With the planned release of sequal Avater films due in 2013 & 2015 you can bet that Disney will be up and ready to open on time!!!

We think this is great news for all of us holidaymakers, just hope the cost to us is not over the top!!!

Happy Holiday,

Mary & Larry

Hi,

Just to add to our last article, we have just received the following news regarding Legoland. It should be a great help for anyone not wanting the 45 minutes Drive down to the Park.

Legoland Shuttle

To entice people to make the journey from Orlando out to Winter Haven, Legoland Florida are offering a Legoland Shuttle service, similar to that operated between SeaWorld in Orlando and Busch Gardens in Tampa.

The Legoland Shuttle will run from Orlando Premium Outlets on Vineland Avenue and depart each day at 9 o’clock sharp returning after the park closes. The trip will take about 45 minutes each way and guests should arrive 30 minutes before departure.

The shuttle will not be free however. The introductory price will be $5 per person round trip with children under 3 travelling for free. The normal price is expected to be $10 but no date has been set for the end of the preview period.

Reservations are recommended including all children, even those who would travel free.

Happy Holidays,

Mary & Larry

Great news for all visitors to Florida both old and new is that Legoland Florida is 90 per cent complete and the  October grand opening is close to being officially announced. With only weeks left to get everything ready, as many as 500 workers a day are working round the clock getting the park ready for visitors.  As part of the transformation over 700 trees and plants have been re-sited and if you have visited the Old Cypress Gardens in the past, you will know how beautiful it looked. Some of the trees are over 100 years old.

Some of the rides like the Royal Joust and Island in the Sky have been passed and already have their safety certificates and are ready to go.

October 15th is the Target day, they say they are  definitely going to open on time. There is some landscaping to finish, some interior design and general tidying to complete but nothing is going to stand in the way.  The members of the press were given a two hour tour of the park and seem to agree on the successful transformation.

The 150-acre park will feature 50 different rides, shows and attractions with the target audience being kids aged 2 to 12. We think it is well overdue there was a Park for this age group as at the established Parks the rides are more for Teenages and adults. We have experienced the cry’s ’Why can I not go on Nan/Grandad’ from our Grandchilden on many occassions.  One of the Press said the kids eyes are going to get big. I think they are going to go absolutely bonkers in here when they see it for the first time.

Among the main attractions will be four roller coasters and Island in the Sky, which will take guests up 150 feet for a 360-degree view of the park.

General admission tickets will be $75 each for adults and $65 for kids aged 3-to-12. However, a $10 discount is being offered for all tickets purchased before the park opens in October. Parking at Legoland will be $12. We are not sure if the tickets are available any cheaper in other packages, it may be worth checking out.

Happy Holidays,

Mary & Larry

As we come to the end of our latest (last minute) visit to our villa in Florida, we have a few updates on what is going on at the Parks.

The Disney price increase has certainly not stopped the visitors as the Parks were busy, so it is still best to get to the Fast Track Stations in the Parks to make sure you have less waiting times on your favourite rides. For the other rides you want to make, try to plan them when the big Show Events are on, it makes a real difference with the queues.

Legoland at Cypress Gardens is ahead of scheudule and hope to open in October. It is about 45 minutes drive down the I4 from the Disney area, which makes it an easy choice to get to. Legoland  planners say 50 million of the iconic plastic building bricks will be incorporated into rides, statues and attractions geared toward children ages 2 to 12 and their families. The lineup will include four gentle roller coasters, but the park retains its famous botanical gardens and water ski show from Cypress Gardens, which was one of Florida’s first theme parks.

At Seaworld, the new environmentally themed Shamu show called One Ocean is now open, replacing the well-worn Believe show. The show features majestic killer whales as ambassadors of the sea, and the ocean as the center of the universe. The theme of the show is the message that both animals and humans are part of one world, with one ocean, and its future is in our hands to cherish and protect.

One of the Orcas back at the Park exhibiting his talents in the new show is Tilikum, the whale that sadly and tragically killed drowned 40-year-old trainer Dawn Brancheau last year. Tilikum spent more than a year away from the exhibits but has recently returned.

Trainers have not been in the pools with the whales since the accident in February 2010, but they are now upgrading facilities with safety equipment and readying the animals for trainers to get back into the water. A firm date for that has not been announced, but SeaWorld officials said the new show is planned to incorporate “water work” with the trainers when the time is appropriate.

Back in the car for a 60 minutes drive to Busch Gardens in Tampa where the new Cheetah Hunt roller coaster that uses the force of repelling magnets to launch riders from zero to 60 mph in a matter of seconds, three different times during the ride is due to open very soon. Opening this summer, (Summertime) here was officially 21st. June.

Cheetah Hunt will be the longest of the park’s coasters with 4,429 feet (1,350 meters) of track. It is the centerpiece of a new animal habitat area called Cheetah Run that will allow visitors to get up close to the lithe cats living there. You will be able to witness the world’s fastest land animal in action during daily sprints conducted by trainers. It is a must do for our next visit to Florida, hopefully with the Grandchildren

Hope you all get to try it before us, have a great holiday everyone.

Mary & Larry

Old Town is also a great place for the family as there are shops and also rides. One of the rides is the highest ride ever it goes by the name of the Sky Rider!!! It takes you up a 300ft pole and when you are at the top you are forced to pull a leaver to plummet down toward the crowds of people watching you fall from the sky. There are also Go-Karts which has a top speed of 15mph and it goes up-up-up and back down again. And if you are afraid of heights there is a smaller one too! The shops are for any one, of any age. There are toy stores and leather stores and many other to please you and satisfy you in any way.

Disney has 7 main parks to choose from, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom, these are the best parks in Disney and you would be dumb not to visit.

Animal Kingdom is known for one Rapid Roller Coaster, EVEREST! It is in a Yetis cave and when you’re with a yeti something is bound to go wrong. It is an evil yeti who is angry and rips up the track and you have to fly backward in-stead!!!

Hollywood studios is a great park if you like big scary rides as it has the biggest ride in Disney… Tower of Terror and it is amazing. You take a long journey into… the twilight zone and then when you least expect it, it drops you down into a dark hole. But it also takes you to the top and you can see for miles and another ride you can see from all away up there is Rocking Roller Coaster. It goes 0-60 in 1.4 seconds. It is a race to get to the party before you miss the gig and that, you don’t want. You are looping and spinning and it is an experience of a life time that you don’t want to miss.

Epcot is the one with less rides (more educational) but just as good quality as the other theme parks. Mission space is a ride where the mission is to get to Mars safely but some of you may have never flown a spaceship before so that is a problem. It all goes wrong… will you get there?

Soarin is also a fantastic ride to check out as you take a relaxing journey over many amazing different places. It is like flying with the birdies and you can feel the wind bouncing of your face and it is just so amazing.

Magic kingdom is the main park as it is the biggest and it has the most rides compared to the rest. One of the best rides is Space Mountain because it is inside and you cannot see where you are going. It is extremely bendy and swings you around like you are a toy, Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain are two rides that are quite the same as the all swing you around but splash Mountain is a water ride.

The story lines are set between the third and fourth movies but the big differences from the old Star Tours ride are firstly it is in 3D and secondly there are multiple destinations.

When you board the Starspeeder 1000 spacecraft you will not know which of the six destinations you are bound for; Naboo, a Death Star, Tattooine, Coruscant, Kashyyyk or Hoth.

In total there are 54 different story combinations involving multiple planets so you can take the ride many times and experience a different story each time. It sounds awesome!!

The original pilot is an AC-38 droid called Ace but owning to a mishap, the Starspeeder is eventually piloted by C-3PO (aided by R2-D2), again voiced by Anthony Daniels who has appeared in every Star Wars film to date.

Along the way you may encounter both friends and foes including a galactic bounty hunter who is after you, Darth Vader, legions of Imperial Stormtroopers, Yoda, Admiral Ackbar, Princess Leia, Chewbacca and Boba Fett. Amongst the story lines you may join in a podrace on Tattooine, meet Wookiees in the forests of Kashyyyk, race through a partially completed Death Star, visit Coruscant the busiest planet in the Universe, battle blizzards and AT-ATs on snow covered Hoth or dive underwater on Naboo.

As part of the run up to the official opening, Disney have been promoting the new ride at various malls in Florida so you will be able to pick up full details while shopping. (to keep Mum Happy!!)

There is an extra plus factor as you can also print out a personalised Star Tours Galactic Passport to take with you and get stamped as you leave the ride, just visit startourspassport.com and choose from four different characters; a rebel pilot, a pod racer, a Jedi or a princess. Upload your own photo and print out your passport.

It all seems Out of this World so Beam yourselves along to Holllywood Studios & enjoy the ride.

Happy Trekking

Mary & Larry

Theme parks are made to make you scream and shout. Any person in the world would love the opportunity to visit this amazing place.

Walt Disney World is one of the most outstanding places ever.  It is filled with spine-tingling rollercoaster’s and if you don’t like big rides, don’t worry there are smaller ones too.

Theme parks are probably the main attraction of Florida as Disney and Universal are probably the most famous ever. Because of this it has high ratings. It has some spectacular rides that go extremely fast and some that bend and bend until you’re so dizzy you want to go on again, but the highest one of them all is Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket. You go up 180 degrease and just drops you helplessly from the sky and you plummet around a bendy, loopy track, you even get to listen to music whilst going around. The Mummy is another great ride at Universal as it was one of the first there. It takes you on a journey into a Mummies Sarcophagus and then into a dark room where it throws you around. There are many amazing rides at Universal and these two are the scariest there but that is for you to decide!!!

Disney has some fantastic rides like Tower of Terror and Rocking Rollercoaster and many more. But it is not just the rides that are awesome but also it is the people and the sights. Disney has some amazing things to see and people to meet. You can meet your favourite Disney characters and you can have a photo with them. Disney rides are made for people big and small, thin and wide so you can ride no matter what size you are.

Another amazing attraction is Air boating. You cruise across lakes and lands in the fields but do be careful as a huge alligator could come and eat you but only if you’re a child!!! There are two types of airboat trips one with a guide and one with no guide. The one with the guide is a bigger boat and he takes you slowly around the river. If you are on your own you can go as fast as you want without anyone to stop you.