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We got to see a preview of this last night at Disney Springs complete with a Q&A with director Leslie Iwerks! It was incredible what they were able to put together with all of this lost footage! The documentary covers the construction of Disneyland leading up to the park’s opening date. For a documentary style film, the pacing was great, the historic footage was a lot of fun to watch, and this is going to be a “must see” for anyone interested in the history of Disney theme parks! We heard from film director Leslie Iwerks on the making of the documentary and the film received a standing ovation at the conclusion! Was a great night of Disney history and hanging out with friends! Our post on Instagram covers a little more from the event last night: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTfnq_Rjf3w/

Seriously, I do not see anything changing for the worse at any of these parks if they are sold to another operator. Status quo? Maybe. But they will certainly not get less investment than SFEC was going to put in to them. Also, seriously, the first time SFStL has real news in how long, and we've got nothing from @prozach626 ? I'm disappointed haha.

A few days later I was able to take a day to explore Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa. This was one of the two remaining Universal resorts I'd yet to visit (Universal Studios Beijing is all that remains for now) but also my third Resorts World property (Resorts World Las Vegas and Resorts World Genting). Not unlike Resorts World Genting, Resorts World Sentosa is an integrated resort property centered around casinos but offering extensive choices in hotels, shopping, dining and attractions. The main anchors for Resorts World Sentosa are Universal Studios Singapore, the Singapore Oceanarium and the Adventure Cove Waterpark along with a few smaller attractions scattered throughout the property. In the remaining moments of downtime of my trip, I would try to check a few more of those off but with my one full day, I would focus on Universal Studios Singapore. Like the other parks, I knew a decent amount about what to expect. Universal Studios Singapore is a smaller park with a collection of "greatest hits" from the other Universal parks with a few exclusives thrown in the mix. The lands are mostly unique compared to the other parks but the attractions within are mostly found elsewhere. Not long before my visit Minions Land had opened in the plot of land that originally opened with the park as Madagascar. And you could absolutely feel the Minion fever throughout the park. At the heart of Resorts World Sentosa is the casino itself, and many of the methods of arrival to the complex lead directly to the casinos. Obligatory entrance shot. Obligatory globe photo. Just to the left of the park's entrance is a size-able construction plot where the future Super Nintendo World will be located. Work has been underway for some time, but they were working onsite throughout the evenings during each visit I had to this area. From the Universal Studios Singapore entrance plaza you can see the SkyHelix Sentosa in flight. One benefit of Sentosa's integrated resort approach is the inclusion of a resort monorail with stations dotting the entirety of the Sentosa island property. It was neat to see The Count helping with the rope-drop procedures at Universal Studios Singapore. The park's Hollywood section, along with much of the New York area are covered. Halloween merchandise could be found in the park's entrance shops. Minion Mart was one of many Minions-focused merchandise locations in the park. Similar but different. Well this is different. This tangled mess of Vekoma track is Battlestar Galactica: Human vs. Cylon. If there is one thing this version of Revenge of the Mummy has going for it, it is the scale and quality of the theming around it. Minions Land and Far Far Away are on the opposite side of the park. The Lost World is found between Ancient Egypt and Far Far Away and all lands encircle the park's small central lagoon. The Pantages hosts a variety of shows in Universal Studios parks around the globe. I didn't get to see this one during timing, but it was neat to see the theater being used for a totally different show than the Beetlejuice or Horror Make-Up shows I've seen in the other parks. Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase was an addition that joined the park's lineup several years after opening. Originally intended to be a Stage 28 walk through experience that was ultimately cancelled, the family-friend ride opened in its place in 2013. Sadly the ride was closed for refurbishment during our visit. Besides Spaghetti Space Chase, the other major attraction in the New York section of the park is Lights, Camera, Action! The land features a few shops plus their own take on Finnegan's, which was serving as a Blumhouse Bar during the Halloween Horror Nights season. I love this. Transformers: The Ride was the first version of the attraction to open. Somehow over the years I managed to ride each version in the reverse chronological order of their debut (excluding Beijing's) starting with Florida's, then Hollywood's and finally the one in Singapore. Battlestar Galactica was running two trains on each side, and while they weren't dueling, they were operating in such a way that you could sometimes see both sides running at roughly the same time. Overall I thought this was an interesting concept for a ride, that would have been more enjoyable if it was operated dueling. The Cylon (suspending) coaster was quite punchy and forceful where the Human (sit-down) side was far more tame and meandering. They were incredibly strict about loose articles in this park so I couldn't bring my camera into the queue, but I appreciated that the queue had a video loop playing that featured characters/actors from both the original Battlestar Galactica series as well as the more modern version that aired on SyFy in the early 2000's. The scale of the Ancient Egypt section of the park is truly impressive. As with Battlestar Galactica, lockers were a hard requirement for Revenge of the Mummy so I couldn't take any photos beyond this point. That said, it is in most ways, a copied and plussed version of Universal Studios Florida's attraction. The queue abandons the "making of a third Mummy movie" plot in favorite of a fully-themed Egyptian tomb, but most of the same beats of the Florida queue, right down to the staircase surrounding the statue leading to the station are nearly identical. The coaster's layout is identical to that of Florida's with minor story tweaks to account for the non-movie-set themed story. That said, the coaster was operating with minimal effects (no fire in any rooms) and the coaster seemed to crawl through its entire layout, including the launches. I'd heard many good things about this version, so I was disappointed to find it was my least favorite of the three, theming-aside. Up next... Not sure what all of these structures are meant to be for... I do love the Jurassic Park III influences in this land. Universal... Keeping Setpoint busy since 1999. Canopy Flyer has a higher capacity than Pteranodon Flyers, so it has that going for it. To its credit, the coaster spans most of The Lost World and even has an unusually forceful helix before its end. Of all of the "similar but different" things I was looking forward to in this park, it was this. Let the record show that while I enjoy water rides, I rarely experience them when I go to parks because I hate getting wet on otherwise dry park days. That said, I wasn't going to pass up a chance to experience the alternate universe Jurassic Park River Adventure. Still kind of a greatest hits of its sister rides, the choice of ride system and the Hydroelectric Plant drop finale make for a unique experience. And I got drenched for riding it. This ride's name amused me far more than it should have. It was a very cute take on a Dumbo-style flat ride though. Rather than having a dedicated meet and greet for Blue like some of the other Universal parks, Universal Studios Singapore brings her out on a roaming truck in Jurassic Park. Several other dinos were a part of the show too. I was very curious to see how a land, centered around Shrek 4-D could turn out... Scaffolding aside, this was pretty neat. Puss in Boots Giant Journey is another one of those strange, unique offerings at Universal Studios Singapore. It's like someone asked Zamperla to build a Volare (spiral lift included) replace the grill-rack flying coaster trains with a strange suspended seated train. The whole thing is slow, nonsensical and unique. A closer look at one of the ride's trains. Donkey Live! in Far Far Away is more like Stitch Encounter or Turtle Talk with Crush than the puppet-style versions you've seen in Florida or Hollywood. Sadly we didn't have time to experience this due to other time commitments before the park's early closing that day. Clever. It isn't just a clever gag from the film. Frier's Good Food is an actual eatery in Far Far Away. And it lives up to its name as having good food. They even had a delicious Gingy sundae! As we crossed the halfway point in our day, we started to realize we were fighting the clock to have time in Minions Land and to do the few more unique attractions that were exclusive to Universal Studios Singapore, so sadly, a showing of Shrek 4-D would not be in the cards. But there was still more to see and do...

After last year's unexpected trip to Kuala Lumpur, I was once again surprised when I found out I would be working in Singapore. Over the course of my two weeks there, I managed to use my time in between work efforts to see what the city had to offer. A first for me this time when traveling to this side of the world, was flying through Doha, Qatar. My hotel was attached to one of the city's many large shopping complexes. After over 24 hours in transit from Orlando and a quick need to adjust to the current timezone to start work the next day, I ran down to the food court to get a bite before passing out. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Michelin-Starred venue (a counter-service one in a food court, at that). I didn't need much but I wasn't going to pass up the chance to have authentic roast duck and BBQ pork. The next morning I was pleased to find a Toast Box in the same attached mall. I had eaten at the same company's former location during my Shanghai Disneyland honeymoon in 2017, and this curry laksa became a comfort meal throughout my trip. When driving through the Raffles City and Marina Bay Sands area of Singapore I saw lots of F1-related structures as the event was only a few weeks away from taking place during my visit. Marina Bay Sands is the most iconic (and photographed) part of Singapore, and my hosts brought me here early into my trip to enjoy the sights. And yes, I did have a Singapore Sling or two along the way... Merlion Park is another key stop while touring Marina Bay Sands. I had a chance to see Sentosa from high above, getting an early sneak peek at Universal Studios Singapore, which I would visit both as a day guest and later for Halloween Horror Nights... But more on that later! One evening between working sessions, I used my downtime to go to Gardens by the Bay... The complex is absolutely huge and could easily fill a full day. I didn't have that much time, so I prioritized the things that interested me most and that would be open during my brief window of time available. Cloud Forest was first on my list, including the recently-opened Jurassic World: The Experience produced by Neon. The complex is incredibly impressive and the Jurassic World overlay fits really well into the normal year-round elements of the space. As one of two Neon-produced offerings I experienced while in Singapore, I was very impressed with the quality of what I saw here. The waterfall in Cloud Forest is kind of a signature element. The dinosaurs from Jurassic World are carefully integrated into the walk-through environment in ways that feel organic and immersive. The absolute show-stopper of the experience was this large-scale T-Rex animatronic with fully articulated movement in its head, neck and tail. If I wasn't so pressed for time, I could have watched it perform for a half hour or more. There were several other clever animatronic dinosaurs in the experience. The awe of the Jurassic franchise comes to life here and is only amplified by John Williams' and Michael Giacchino's scores playing majestically in the background. If you're a fan of the IP, it's hard not to get swept up by it all and to feel at least a little emotional by how "real" it feels. I'm a huge fan of Dale Chihuly's work and so I was greatly pleased to find a work of his in Cloud Forest. A sneak peak at Supertree Grove from inside of Cloud Forest. While Universal has shown us Jurassic incubators before, it was super cool (and cute) to see animatronic baby dinos warming in their own incubator next to the more traditional egg incubators. Mr. D.N.A.! Some of the year-round elements of Cloud Forest remain unaltered for the Jurassic World exhibition. I've seen dinosaurs like these at Universal before, but they were equally fun to see here. There's an immersive projection space inside of Cloud Forest tucked within the mountain structure. Yes, they did have the iconic park gates represented... No, they weren't the most impressive element of the experience. Being able to see this dino from the ground and from the elevated walking paths was neat. A look down on the T. Rex from above. Cloud Forest is such a unique environment! Didn't think you'd escape Isla Nublar without running into a few of these, did you? Pro lighting setup here. No, I wasn't queuing for Velocicoaster when this photo was taken. The experience's finale is a live showing where guests can see Blue the velociraptor up close. She did the pose! Admission to the Flower Dome is included with your Cloud Forest ticket... It is a large, indoor botanical garden that, if you're into greenery, can be very impressive. In addition to natural wonders, there are some pieces of art made with natural materials embedded in the habitats. There was a Switzerland-themed event going on during my visit... Oh, and they have rides here too. Fun for all ages! Supertree Grove is incredibly impressive in person. For those looking for an observation deck-style experience, Supertree Grove has both the OCBC Skyway (pictured here) as well as The Supertree Observatory (the center tree in the previous photo). Each of them has their own admission ticket required, so I chose the more unique of the two. The view is fantastic! I felt like I was in the Eloi village from The Time Machine (2002). On the grounds nearby is the United Buddy Bears exhibition with 145 unique, artistic bears representing different countries and territories around the world. After the sun sets, Supertree Grove takes on a different life with a bioluminescent glow. Otherworldly and beautiful. A special version of the twice-nightly light show was running during my visit, featuring "Worlds of Fantasy" music from Disney, Universal and Warner Brothers including Super Mario Bros, Harry Potter, The Little Mermaid and Star Wars. I might've had an out-of-body experience when the show started dancing to Star Wars' "Duel of the Fates." The Singapore Flyer can be seen from many vantage points throughout the city. This is one attraction I didn't get to experience firsthand during my trip. Gardens by the Bay is a short walk from the Marina Bay Sands mall and casino, so I stopped in to visit the famous mall. I was pleased to find multiple TeamLab experiences on the grounds. This very unique, three story fountain drains water in a pool found in the open air above this portion of the mall, draining into the mall's indoor lagoon. It is equally mesmerizing to watch from outside. One of the most unique Apple Store locations I've ever been to. And there's a downstairs floor that connects directly with the indoor mall! And there's a Bellagio/World of Color-style fountain show outside of the mall that I managed to see end right as I got to the railing... So this is the best and only photo I took to prove its existence. My time exploring Marina Bay Sands was a highlight of the trip. While there was a lot more work to do, I felt recharged after my time here. But there was still more adventure ahead...

Gideon's Bakehouse has announced a new venture at Disney Springs, Six Ravens. This new quick service location will serve "Coffyns," yeast bread-based hand pies with savory fillings. Other menu items teased include potatoes, local beers and more of Gideon's namesake desserts. This location will operate separately and in addition to the existing Gideon's Bakehouse location at Disney Springs (along with the original East End Market location). https://www.instagram.com/p/DTko0nTDh5I/?img_index=1 Today is the 5-year anniversary of Gideon’s in Disney Springs, and we’re ready to celebrate with you! It feels like a good day to make an announcement. This year might be our biggest year of growth, and there is one little mystery that people have been asking about. So let me tell you a little story. A few years ago, we started exploring ideas for something new that met a grab-and-go need in a small space. I will admit that another small shop caused some hesitation, but an idea came to mind that was hard to ignore. What if we created a place that offered up savory delights in collaboration with some of our favorite Central Florida chefs? After all, I got my start at Disney Springs as a secret menu item at the Polite Pig. It’s important to pay it forward and bring more local flavors to the international crowds we meet every day. So with that, I introduce you to Six Ravens. This new concept specializes in a creation we call Coffyns, the original term for an old school hand pie. This fluffy yeast bread is filled with flavors created not only by the talented minds in Gideon’s kitchen but also by some of your favorite Orlando culinary superstars. Combine that with potatoes, local draft beer, and, of course, some tasty desserts, and you will have a fun new place to fuel your park adventures. Six Ravens opens at Disney Springs later this year. Stay tuned here for details or follow @six.ravens! I’ll eventually start telling you more about our journey and share some behind-the-scenes as we build the stories in this new chapter. In addition to the unveiling of Six Ravens, we’d like to celebrate with a free gift! As you might have seen in my previous post, a Gargoyle Print will be available exclusively at Gideon’s in Disney Springs today! Limit one per transaction. While supplies last! We’re also adding some Birthday Cake Dunking Sticks to our menu today! Perfect for dipping in your Cold Brew! Both locations! While Supplies Last. Limit 2 per person. I just want to end by saying Thank You for supporting small local business at Disney Springs for the past 5 years. It has been an honor to represent our local community on the big stage. https://www.orlandoweekly.com/food-drink/food-news/six-ravens-by-gideons-bakehouse-owner-steve-lewis-is-coming-to-disney-springs/ Gideon’s Bakehouse started as a cult fave inside East End Market 10 years ago, then grew into an international phenomenon when owner Steve Lewis began hawking his half-pound cookie behemoths inside Disney Springs five years ago to the day. Lewis is now capitalizing on Gideon’s popularity with a concept called Six Ravens, a shop specializing in grab-and-go hand pies he’s calling “coffyns” — fluffy yeast rolls encasing a variety of savory fillings. Even better is that he’ll work with some local culinarians, like Eliot Hillis and Seth Parker of Red Panda Noodle and Bruno Zacchini of Pizza Bruno, on the hand pie offerings. Steve Lewis Credit: courtesy photo “Six Ravens is the result of collaborating with the family we’ve created at Gideon’s, and our friendships within the community, ” Lewis says. “We look forward to being a gateway to local flavors on the international stage by spotlighting our Orlando superstars.” Lewis says he spent years tinkering and experimenting with various coffyn fillings in his downtime with friends and peers from Orlando’s food scene. Spreading the wealth and affording local outfits with some powerhouse exposure was always the plan. “I got my start at Disney Springs as a secret menu item at the Polite Pig,” he says. “It’s important to pay it forward and bring more local flavors to the international crowds we meet every day.” Six Ravens will open in the building previously occupied by The Art of Shaving just a few doors down from Gideon’s Bakehouse. Lewis says the space might be small, but promises to “pack your world with flavors and the escapism that comes with the world of Gideon’s.” Gideon’s Bakehouse art director Michael Reyes will curate the design and imagery of the space, while Studio 407 will oversee the buildout. As far as the name is concerned, “The Six Ravens” first appeared on Gideon’s bill of fare in November 2023, and the menu card featuring a cloaked figure with a conspiracy of those feathered croakers has since become a collectible item. “I’ve been hinting for years that some of the Gideon’s characters are meant to venture off and create their own adventures.” From a historical perspective, ravens have long been tied to the lore of the Tower of London. Legend claims that should the six resident ravens ever leave, the kingdom will crumble. Caw! Caw! Caw! Caw! Smashed Potato with Honey Mustard Credit: Six Ravens Accompanying those coffyns will be smashed potato fritters with dips ranging from sweet heat to a storied honey mustard that Lewis has been serving to his friends for decades. Six Ravens will also collaborate with Sideward Brewing and the The Ravenous Pig Brewing Co. on beer offerings. And, yes, there will be sweet treats. Lewis hasn’t finalized the menu as yet, but he’ll reveal the flavors and collaborations bit by bit as the opening date nears, which should be sometime in Q3. That said, Hillis teased that his coffyn contribution may include chicken curry. Will we see four-and-20 blackbirds baked into one of those pies? Follow @six.ravens to find out.

The second half of the day was a rushed one as we aimed to experience as much as we could before the park's early closing. We moved from Far Far Away to Minions Land as our hosts had yet to experience this expansion since it opened. Similar to the Minions Land found at Universal Studios Japan, the experience here is bright, over-the-top and filled with Minion character moments. The space is huge (or at least it feels that way) and it definitely seems like a popular upgrade from the former Madagascar realm that was once in this same plot of land. They had a few fun Minions games in the Super Silly Fun Land section of Minions Land... Including this perfect recreation of the Super Silly Space Killer game from the first Despicable Me movie! Just so much to take in! They nailed the Super Silly Fun Land feel from the film. Very cute. Equally cute. Time for what ended up being my favorite thing we experienced in the park that day... I'm not even kidding. This Halloween Minions show was adorable and super fun to watch! And the Halloween minions looked great! It'll never not amaze me that the ride system for The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera gave life to this attraction in 1990 in Florida but has also managed to be cloned in modern times in Hollywood, Beijing and Singapore. Japan's version of the ride replaced Back to the Future: The Ride, and while the ride film is virtually the same (save for added bookends to help facilitate the film being shown on the larger screen), the ride system is different. The scale of the interior queue is larger than those I've seen in Florida or Japan. But as you go deeper in, it starts to feel more familiar... Right down to the 106.7 FM radio reference, a nod to the enduring radio station in Orlando, that has been copied in each of the queues since. The final pre-show is the same as well. If you've ridden it in Florida, Hollywood or Beijing, you know what to expect here. And the post-show experience is equally familiar. Buggie Boogie is the land's third attraction, but as I discovered with research after this trip, actually a re-themed experience from the former Madagascar land. It's a cute carousel though. Jumping back to Far Far Away we managed to see Shrek & Fiona greeting guests in from the Shrek 4-D. Yes, we chose to ride this. The queue had some pretty fun details... The train for Enchanted Airways was very nicely themed for the land. Waterworld is tucked in the back of The Lost World but was sadly closed for refurbishment during my visit. Back in Sci-Fi City, I still couldn't get over how sprawling these coasters' were in this section of the land. It wasn't easy to get photos of the coasters in motion with one-train operations taking place all day... But the coaster looks nice. Accelerator is a mini tea cups, like a smaller version of Storm Force Accelatron in Islands of Adventure. Sci-Fi City has such a neat, a different-for-Universal aesthetic. I was intrigued when I saw Star Dots, thinking that I could get Dippin' Dots in unique flavors here... It turns out they sold everything here except the ice cream of the future. Next up was Lights Camera Action! presented by Steven Spielberg. In the vein of classic Universal special effects shows like Backdraft and Twister, this show is smaller in scale but features an introduction from a famous director and then sends you into the movie set to watch firsthand how a sequence of unfortunate events plays out dangerously. In this case, we're in the middle of a hurricane inside of a boathouse. Of course, there's fire and fiery water. And there's watery explosions. And then a tanker crashes into the boathouse! They were doing small Halloween acknowledgements in the New York section of the park for daytime guests. Much of the staging seen here was actually set up for Halloween Horror Nights which would start the following week. They gave out candy on our way out! I'd never had this before. As we made our way towards the exit of the park as closing time neared, I was able to spot Battlestar Galactica in motion. Cylcons in flight. The covered Hollywood section at the entrance is nice, albeit smaller than others like it. This was a neat touch I noticed on my way out. Passing through the gift shop at the entrance, something caught my eye... I somehow managed to miss riding Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit while I was here. Just outside of the entrance of the park you'll find a Hershey's Chocolate World store. I've now been to the one in Singapore, Hershey, New York, and Las Vegas! They also had a sizable LEGO store... Some very cool localized models here. I loved the Merlion man and the Gardens by the Bay models!

This is what everyone has been asking for!! Better Lightning on the Fudd Machine!!! too damn funny

Yes. I'm done with "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know." Let's just stay in an abusive relationship, because we're afraid we won't find anyone else. Seriously screw SF. I thought at least when CF took over they would give us the resources to 100% finish the carousel. I'm not joking this time. Yes, the refurbishment is great. Good on them. New horses. Make is beautiful. I get that. Poor execution though. SF could have given us the resources to help make it beautiful in one off-season, like they should have. Cedar Flags didn't pick up the ball and run with it, like I was hoping they would.

Day 9: Holiday Park (now, Plopsaland Deutschland) this one ended up being a long, but fantastic day. we got up in the morning at Europa Park and after breakfast met in the lobby to check out and hop on the bus. before leaving tho, I made sure to get some daytime pics of Hotel Colosseo. . our amazing resort hotel. after loading up the bus, and after a drive, we ended up in Haßloch Germany, home to what was called "Holiday Park" but has now been renamed as of mid 2025 "Plopsaland Deutschland" so this was my last visit to "Holiday Park" ever. . it's a medium sized park, with some nice thrills, a lot of wasted space/closed attractions, and a killer top coaster in Expedition GeForce. we were also there during the Halloween event, called "Halloween Fright Nights". . tho not certain if they are still doing that now that it's a Plopsa park. there were certainly signs it was transitioning more towards a "tweens" park tho. . . as you'll see below in comments. Front gates Front Gates with TPR, pic courtesy of Robb. loved the light fixture additions. they were cutsey, but fit this front area of the park. I believe this is/was the park's mascot. . tho never saw him really anywhere other than near the front and by one ride at the back of the park. this was the main reason for our stop tho. . the excellent Expedition GeForce - this amazing Intamin Mega coaster, with tons of airtime pops, and that fantastic curving first drop. TPR on GeForce. Hawk seems to imply it was a bit chilly this day. Happy TPR train on Expedition GeForce the Starflyer, which ran a so-so program in an area that was almost completely shut down/abandoned. it LOOKED like they were getting ready to do some construction over here tho, so hopefully Plopsa has put some $$ into adding a bunch of stuff. the other "big" ride at this park: Skyscream (a Premier Skyrocket). i pass on riding, as I've been on several (including this one) before. the queue is really well done tho, and they leaned into the Halloween Season for this area, as the queue already was in the realm of "spooky" I rode this, tho I wasn't as good as getting the planes to flip as others on the TPR trip were. but, yup, it's "Plane on Stick!" the only other place I saw this mascot in the park. This was back over by the Starflyer. . not opening until this year (so yeah, they've been working on it for a while), but per RCDB, it's a Gerstlauer Family coaster with a booster lift, a chain lift, and a roll back. the flume that's over by the "animated" section that was a big "tweens" area already in the park. it has a nice double dip drop. . tho doesn't get one super wet TPR on the flume! and they DIDN'T make us all cram into one log. this was my face upon discovering that my *favorite* ride in the park, is no longer there. oh, Expedition GeForce is my favorite coaster, but my favorite ride in Holiday Park was the Castle Frankenstein dark ride. It was kinda / sorta Haunted Mansion, but done just different enough it wasn't a direct rip off. even tho the ride system is the same. last time I was here? I rode this, easily, a dozen times. this time ? closed down. and why? they are turning it into a Smurfs ride !! SMURFS !!!! bahhhhhh! oh well, I'd drown my sorrow in food, as our day included a meal voucher (along with skip the line passes). not sure what the heck this was, but suitably freaky for the time of year. lunch was pretty good tho. . I had the Schnitzel and a ride on the Carousel will always cheer me up. since I had last been here, a new section of the park had opened up near the front. so we went to check it out. and yeah, it seemed targeting children as well.. so signs were there that the park was gonna get a name change. the scenery looked pretty tho and the rides were all "tween type" rides. mini drop tower, dumbo type ride, and a galloping horse type ride tho instead of horses, one would ride Grasshoppers. I thought it was adorable, but didn't want to try riding in case there was a weight limit. the indoor section is still there, and looks pretty much the same - with the same family rides, including the classic wood carved roundabout, the kiddie roller coaster, and the fairy flight ride. even Jon was willing to pose for a pic on the St. Bernard that's a WHOLE LOTTA SAUSAGE for a teeny tiny bun! tho we had planned to leave after a few hours, the park offered us admittance to the Haunts if we wanted. so a vote was taken, and tho we had been planning to get to Phantasialand earlier in the day, overwhelmingly we all voted to stay at Holiday Park for a few more hours. which meant we got to hang out and drink coffee, and enjoy the Parade. oh look.. there IS the Mascot! so I was incorrect. tho Andrew doesn't look too impressed hmm. this parade has a lot of little kids in it (tried my best to take pics around them), but it's pretty spooky. maybe this is gonna be really fun? Spoiler - it was! I've always found the scariest thing about the Grimm Reaper to be his Nike's really cool parade. . and as the sun started to set, the park was getting ready for the monsters to come out, and to open up the houses. this was the entrance to the first house we'd be going thru: Freak Circus but much like Six Flags has "the Arrival". . .Holiday Park has a show, that brings out all the haunt actors for the houses. TPR anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Monsters Sponsored by a local radio station. . . the "show" was about what you'd expect, but I loved that they leave the stage and weave thru the audience as they head towards their houses they have arrived and Bob looks amused. she was great! and ended up in the "Disco Ball Room" of the first haunt. so many flashing lights. in the Freak Circus house, they send you thru in small groups. (actually all the houses did that - groups of 6-8), and in one room the "ringmaster" yells to all get together and smile for a picture that they take, and then hand to you upon exiting. for all the posing and direction the ringmaster gives you, the pictures are hysterically awful - blurry/out of focus - and they got worse as the groups went. she even missed half the group. hysterical! snapping a pic of the drop tower that is a park icon as we passed by it. (it's more of a "floating drop" than a sharp drop. . but it's ok, and it looks great) yes. they have a "Titty Twister" house. and yes! staffed by Vampires, including a door guy who says absolutely FILTHY things to people as they wait to go thru (a'la Cheech Marin in the movie" what I found absolutely the most hysterical thing about this? most of the scare actors - and the park guide who was walking us thru - had NO IDEA this was based on a movie! they were just working off scripts and getting into character that way. HAHAHAHAHA and don't even ask about "Ms Mona". . . poor Jon. no pics allowed inside the houses, but it's an experience we'll never forget (and I bet Jon won't either). this is also brilliant - right next to Titty Twister. This is an actual park restaurant. They closed it down for the Halloween Season, and turned it into a cannibal restaurant house. so you really ARE walking thru a restaurant. lots of random scare actors hanging about outside the main houses. . but that was really the only areas. if you weren't nearby a house, you were "safe" the fourth "house" is an outdoor maze, that seemed to be themed to Rats mutated by toxic sludge, and out front in the queue were protestors arguing for rat's rights. funny. (not really "scary" tho) a peek into the animated Norse land I mentioned earlier that has been the central area in the park (and is also at Plopsa). . with a Disc-o, a splash battle, the flume and a couple of other family rides. of course, it was never a trip to Holiday Park if you didn't stop into the "pipi station" bathroom next to Expedition GeForce. I really hope they kept this! as we finished up with the last TPR group thru the outdoor house, we headed towards the front of the park. as we passed between two "houses". . there was a scare zone here. so some scare actors to interact with. and crossing across the main square by the front entrance, they had turned off the fountains, and had a DJ on stage getting a dance party going. a final shot as we headed to the parking lot to get on the bus. and a pic from either Robb or Andy (since my camera lightened up the above, and theirs captures the beautiful sky) and then back on the bus and continuing on to Phantasialand. . where we were staying at the Hotel Charles Lindbergh on property. I don't think I took any pics of the room this time, as I have stayed in this hotel on prior trips. But snagged some areas I probably didn't get before. like the steampunk registration desk: and the park entrance to the hotel (yup, that's F.L.Y. track on the right. it goes thru the hotel). a sunset shot from the rooftop of the hotel, with F.L.Y. track underneath. could be mine, but I suspect I have to thank Andy for this. time for dinner (included with our hotel stay), the place looks really great at night. hungry TPR ready to chow down. and the food here is so dang good! best part of staying in this hotel? the ride may shut down with the park, but the area (Rooksville) stays open for hotel guests to wander around in if they so please. so able to get some wonderful pics. and then it was off to bed. tomorrow was the 1st of two full days at Phantasialand to end the trip

I'm surprised you didn't mention that the Scrambler, The Flash/Musik Express, Enterprise, Zforce, Flashback, Mountain Express, Galaxy, Jolly Monster, Metro, Skyway, Circus Wheel, Crazy Barrels, El Bumpo, Dragon, the Ski Show/Magic Lake, and Magic Pagoda are all gone now, too. I hope somebody told you that Magic Flyer, Tweety's Escpae, and Speedy Gonzalez Hot Rod are also leaving, too.

Thank you for demonstrating that having an actual discussion with you is impossible.

Day 3 concluded: Tiananmen Square back on the bus, and a short time later, we were back near where we had been the day before, closeby the Forbidden City. this structure is just outside of Tiananmen Square, and is the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower marking the south end of Tiananmen Square (so we were going around the outside to be let off the bus to walk to the security). Security at Tiananmen Square is incredibly strict - not only do you need a ticket to set foot into the square (which must be applied for way in advance, but we had an excellent tour guide who was able to swing getting tickets for those who wanted to go this evening), but there is a serious bag check, security pat down, metal detectors, and passport screen before you are even let into the square. in the below pic, Tiananmen Square is on the right. . the security check point is across the street on the left random buildings across from the square, as we headed towards security. the is the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao (taken from the security line to get into the square), that sits at the South side of Tiananmen Square inside this Mausoleum is Mao in the Crystal Coffin that preserves his body. tho tourists are welcome, tickets must be gotten in advance (and we didn't have tickets for that), and it was already late in the day so they had stopped letting folks in. it was still incredible to see even just the building in person. another pic of the Mausoleum from the Security line across the street. as noted, they are VERY serious about Security here. camera was put away all thru the security process. . not even gonna chance it. but here are pics from actually Inside Tiananmen Square. the monument in the center is: "the Monument to People's Heroes" and behind that, across the square is: National Museum of China behind me across the street (beyond security) is the Great Hall of the People. . another pic of the museum. . mainly to capture all the cameras that are on the light poles here. a look towards the most famous part of the Square: the Tiananmen gate on the North side of the square, that enters into the Forbidden City. the big basket of flowers is from the "Celebration of the 75th anniversay of People' Republic of China" in 2024 heading towards Mao's Mausoleum. . .this is one of the giant sculptures out front and in particular over here in front of the Mausoleum was heavy police presence the other giant sculpture out front, on the opposite side of the entrance to the Mausoleum the Monument to People's Heroes a selfie to capture the amount of cameras on site a closeup of the flower sculpture. . now celebrating 76 years (they changed the date to 2025) about as close as you really can get to the Tiananmen Gate while in the square. That photo of Mao is huge, but it looks small when viewing from where you can stand. looking out at one of Beijing's unique buildings in the smog, from Tiananmen Square. \ we were going to stay for the flag ceremony at the end of the night, but it was still an hour plus away, and my feet were kinda hurting, as were Stacy's. It was getting a little chilly too, and there really wasn't anything much to do other than sit in the crowd (getting larger by the moment) until the time for the ceremony. so we decided to bail. Probably shouldn't have, as it was a once in a lifetime, but ya gotta do what your body is saying to do - and mine was saying "go sit, and get a meal, you've done a LOT of walking today" luckily, Andy planned to stay, and not only shared photos he took of the ceremony, but also the video I'm sharing below. it's quite impressive and I'm super glad he shared it with the group, so I can share here! KBKD2717.MP4 once you're in the square via the security? there's really no exit other than at the corner that will bring you to the other buildings or the subway station. so we followed the crowd down into the underground (with SO MUCH police presence), but instead of going left to the Tiananmen Gate. . . or right to the Palace Museum. . . we headed straight ahead and out thru exit security to the Tiananmen station for the subway even once thru the "exit".. we still saw quite a bit of security around heading to the trains but, ahhhhh. . . sitting. (no issue finding a seat as people were coming TO the square, not leaving, so we got to sit for the ~1 hour ride back to the Universal Hotel) the Universal stop lets you out near CityWalk. . and as we were checking out of the Hotel in the morning, it was our last chance to sample things here at Universal Studios Beijing. at prices WAY below what they would be at a USA Universal park. so we headed to Toothsomes' Chocolate Factory for a late dinner, before going back to the room to pack. sounded kinda gross, but kinda good. . .but the urge for alcohol disappeared when we saw the offerings of milkshakes. and roaming characters coming from table to table. Stacy got a Chocolate and Strawberry shake. I went a little rogue and went for one that was pistachio and cheese. yeah. . it was very strange, but oddly satisfying. She got a burger, but I tried Chocolate braised pork. it was a bit too sweet for me, so didn't finish, but I did like it and glad I tried it. the offerings of shakes. . . and then it was up to the room (after paying way less than I expected it to be) to pack and be ready for tomorrow. was gonna be a tiring day, as after checkout, we were headed to the Great Wall (another bucket list item), and then we had a flight to another city. but after packing and before heading to bed, Andy sent the below pic, and i found it to be a perfect ending to what had been another great day on a TPR trip.

Interesting video. Tormenta looks incredible!

This actually looks really great. It’s great to see more original content on Disney+. I’ll check it out for sure!

Walygator Parc Sud-Ouest has confirmed that Speed: No Limits, formerly operated at Oakwood Theme Park will be the park's newest attraction! https://www.facebook.com/reel/906625961708761 Southwest Walygator adventure takes on a new dimension! Some dreamed it, some predicted it... We are beyond proud to announce the arrival of a brand new thrill ride! Get ready to experience unprecedented and even stronger emotions. Stay tuned to follow the build... ️ Don't hesitate to ask us your questions in the comments, we'll answer them very soon! #Walygatorsudouest #Walygator #agen #parcattraction #nouvelleattraction Dismantling underway: Oakwood’s famous Speed: No Limits rollercoaster being taken apart in preparation for its move to France (Pic: JC Explores). https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/125324/oakwoods-iconic-rollercoaster-finds-new-home-in-france/ One of Wales’ most recognisable thrill rides is leaving Pembrokeshire for good. Oakwood Theme Park’s legendary rollercoaster, Speed: No Limits, is set to begin a new life at Walygator Sud-Ouest in Roquefort, France. After almost twenty years of dominating the skyline with its dramatic 97-degree drop, the steel coaster — built by German engineering firm Gerstlauer — will soon thrill a new generation of riders across the Channel. First opened in 2006, Speed: No Limits was the UK’s first Euro-Fighter model, propelling riders down a beyond-vertical plunge at close to 60mph. It quickly became the pride of Oakwood and a must-ride for thrill-seekers visiting west Wales. Confirming the move, Walygator Sud-Ouest’s Director of Marketing, Benoît Baylocq, said: “The former Speed rollercoaster from Oakwood Park will soon be joining our site. As of today, the public opening date for this new attraction has not yet been determined, as construction work has not yet begun. We are currently awaiting administrative authorisations before we can start the project.” He added: “We will announce the official opening date as soon as these steps are completed.” The park’s Director, Sylvain Chatain, said the new arrival will offer “more thrill than Boomerang”, currently their biggest ride, adding: “It’s time for Walygator to grow up.” After thirty years of operation, the 20-hectare French park is undergoing major redevelopment — and the arrival of Oakwood’s famous coaster could be the headline attraction. For rollercoaster fans, it marks the end of an era for Oakwood, but the start of a new chapter for a Welsh icon set to roar again in France. For a look at the ride as it existed in its previous home, check out the POV below:

I'm always amazed how much is packed into Sentosa for it's size. Your picture of the island from the front, also has the hotel we stayed (Outpost) in the top right corner and that was located right on the Southern Part of the island. Honestly, I think most people skip the Singapore Flyer. It's not too bad a walk but it feels really isolated from the rest of the bay and the fact Marina Bay Sands has a viewing platform and restaurants makes for stiff competition. We hadn't even planned on riding it but the restaurant with a viewing platform was closed, so we wandered over and it was so dead that they were giving private cabins to every group, even our small group of three.

while I didn't care for it (I'm just not a fan of the Euro Fighter coasters) , this makes me super happy to see. and if you trust RCDB? Treetops coaster is going to / has gone to Walygator Grand Est. so maybe, just maybe. . someone will save Megafobia next!

Small park update, first the good news. Tigris has had its comfort collars removed. Like Ice Breaker, seat belts were added but it should be a much more comfortable ride now. Congo Rapids usually closes for annual maintenance around this time each year. It's still open for now and with the temperature getting up to 87 degrees today, it was nice to have it open. After some rides had 2 - 3 hour waits the past 2 weeks, with schools back open those same rides were back to being a walk on or 5 minute wait. Now for the other updates that aren't so good. Cheetah Hunt is still closed and now both Sheikra and Falcon's Fury are closed for annual maintenance. I know in a year round park rides are going to need to be closed at times but with the flume, Scorpion and Sand Serpent removed the past 3 years with only Phoenix Rising added, there is not a lot open. Cobra's Curse was down for most of the first half of the day and Serengeti Flyer having a breakdown, that left 10 rides open. Iron Gwazi added more lockers about 4 weeks ago. My last visit prior to today was the last day they weren't required. No phones, keys or other loose items can be taken on the ride. A 2 hour rental is $4, an all day moveable rental is $12. With rumors of both Sheikra and Tigris the next rides to get this policy, it's going to add up a lot for a frequent visitor. Some people think this is just a temporary fix and free lockers will be added eventually like Cedar Point did with Top Thrill 2 but I don't think that's happening. After the test in October, if they were going to add free lockers, they would have done it when new lockers were just added and not more pay ones. Taken during Christmas Town but I wanted to show the lights added to the Sky Ride cars. The lights are still there with the battery packs under the seats and hopefully they will be used all year. Unlike Scorpion that stood for around a year before being demolished, the flume is completely gone.

Parc Asterix has announced a significant series of enhancements, re-themed offerings and additions coming to the park between now and 2030! And the park has shared lots of concept art to tease the changes that are coming! https://newsroom.parcasterix.fr/strongparc-asterix-investit-250-m-eur-pour-consolider-sa-place-de-2supemesup-parc-francais-et-rentrer-dans-le-top-5-des-parcs-incontournables-en-europe-strong-25010/?lang=en Parc Astérix, the Compagnie des Alpes group's flagship leisure destination, reached a new milestone in 2025 with nearly 3 million visitors (2.9 million). This confirms its position as the second most visited amusement park in France. Carry by this positive momentum, the park has unveiled an ambitious development plan, backed by an investment of €250 million by 2030. CÉTAUTOMATIX VOTED BEST NEW ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR IN EUROPE Parc Astérix is proud to announce that its new family attraction Cétautomatix has won the prestigious 'Top European New Attraction' prize at the Parksmania Awards 2025, an accolade given to the most innovative and outstanding new additions to the leisure park sector. Cétautomatix is Europe's first spinning family roller coaster. LES FASTES DU NIL CROWNED BEST NEW FOOD OR RETAIL OUTLET IN THE WORLD Le Parc Astérix was once again honoured at the Park World Excellence Awards 2025*, receiving the award for Best Food or Retail Development for its new restaurant Les Fastes du Nil. This award recognises both the excellence of the restaurant's overall concept and the iconic success of its signature dish, the Merguez Burger, which has captured the appetite of park visitors. *The Park World Excellence Awards" are presented by a specialist jury that recognises excellence in the amusement park industry. PARC ASTÉRIX CONTINUES ITS TRANSFORMATION WITH A TRULY AMBITIOUS DEVELOPMENT PLAN UP TO 2030 Parc Astérix is embarking on a major transformation : Transformation of the Egypt area in 2026 with the re-theming of the Oxygénarium attraction, which becomes The Descent of the Nile Les Chaises Volantes becomes The Flight of Ibis and the Le Cirque restaurant becomes Le Comptoir d'Epidemaïs. Creation in 2027 of a new area in the Greek zone with two new family attractions, a playground and a restaurant, La Table de Dyonisos, with a capacity of 450 seats. The Odyssée Hotel 4* in 2027: a new 300-room hotel (High Environmental Quality) expands the hotel complex inspired by Asterix and Obelix's travels in the East, with four areas: Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Phoenicia. Creation of the Londinium Zone in 2028: a new indoor zone inspired by the Asterix in Britain comic book This plan will create 20% additional capacity at the park, two-thirds of which will be indoor, reducing dependence on weather conditions. In addition, the hotel complex will offer 750 rooms with the opening of the Odyssée Hotel. Last but not least, this ambitious plan aims to achieve the highest satisfaction ratings among the best parks in Europe.

Promises, SFA added an additional brake caliper to their brake run so the didn't have to worry about the trains bumping in the station

I love when parks fly the flag when topping tracks. Beautiful. It really towers over the rest of the park from those angles.

I will likely never visit (for a multitude of reasons), or at least not for a very long time, but I cannot help but geek out over Falcon's Flight from a technical standpoint. I remember seeing the original announcement and thinking it would never get built. The fact that it actually exists and is operating is absolutely wild. It seems like a sandbox fantasy NoLimits or Planet Coaster creation. Also slightly less talked about, but Iron Rattler also looks amazing. Is this Vekoma's biggest coaster?

Based on you calling it "Swiss Twist" I have to guess that your last trip there was pre-1993, when the ride was renamed. You know that Log Jammer has been gone for almost 15 years now (removed in 2011), and they still have another log flume, right? Spinout and and Sierra (nee Swiss) Twist have been gone since 2008. I agree that Rotors and Bayern Kurves are fun rides, but all things wear out eventually. The Spillikin Corner area of the park is still there, it's just called something else. Like did you seriously not expect the park to change in literally over 30 years? Yeah, legacy SF parks aren't the best, but these are all something to complain about, especially this long after the fact.

My general advice is to buy fast lane plus no matter when you go, busiest six flags park period, never been there where I didn"t absolutely need it. I have found that both thursday and friday from open until about 2 P.M. are the slowest, even with FLP it:s nuts, after 3 P.M., fuhgeddaboudit. All of our (U.S ) holidays are always slammed there. I have tried spring, U.S. holidays, summer, fall, Canadian holidays and every weekday, ect. I am not local, but live just across the border in NY and go frequently. I go to Cedar point more often and this place is just busier always, just no relief of crowds ever. All of that being said, great park in a great city. FLP here is very much like Kings Island as the FLP lines are generally short , less Alpen fury (average of 45 minute FLP wait), everything else is 5 to15 minute wait. My best park attack is to get your FLP first thing as the line just for the FLP can be 30 minutes and you can only purchase from 3 locations in the park (Main entrance, by Leviathan and a little kiosk back near Yukon Striker) the latter 2 do not open at gate drop, only after FLP can be used. Hit up Alpen Futy as the lines will never get shorter, ever. Then go either to Yukon Striker and behemoth (there are way more rides back there), or go marathon Leviathan. If you want to ride the non FLP rides, hit them up first, as gaurdians and thunder run, ect., the lines just get insane. This park is really awesome and I hope you have a great trip. If you have time , the city in itself is awesome, so much to enjoy.

Since when has FoF had a "pre-show"? Do you mean the TVs in the queue?

I went here for my birthday and had a great time. I went on Doctor Doom even (it wasn't that bad except for the airtime at the top.) I rode everything I wanted to except for ET, Trollercoaster, and Hagrid's. I also met Megatron, Squidward, and Patrick! And I have a crush on the Camouflage Alien on MIB... "SIX AGAINST ONE, EH? FIRE!!"

great pics!

Bobbejaanland has announced that the children's area of the park will be revamped to feature three new attractions in a new land themed to Nickelodeon properties. This new land is scheduled to open at the park in 2027. https://nnieuws.be/artikel/2027-zet-bobbejaanland-3-nieuwe-attracties-neer-met-nickelodeon-grootste-investering-ooit A few weeks ago, Bobbejaanland confirmed that 2027 would be a significant year for investment. The children's area at the park entrance is getting a complete makeover with three new attractions, in collaboration with Nickelodeon. The Nickelodeon characters have been a fixture at Bobbejaanland for several years, with a successful dance show and meet & greet. Starting in 2027, Nickelodeon will also have its own zone with three family attractions, a souvenir shop, a food and beverage station, and much more. In addition to SpongeBob SquarePants and the friends from Bikini Bottom, Garfield will also be there this time. Biggest investment ever "Next year, Bobbejaanland will have been a true family park for exactly 65 years. With the announced investment, we confirm that we want to remain that way. There's always something for the whole family to enjoy," says Yves Peeters, the park's General Manager. "We have the ambition to continue growing, and we're convinced we can, especially with a partner like Paramount combined with one of the largest investments ever." 3 new attractions: spectacular water ride, a wild swing and a free-fall tower Bobbejaanland will begin major renovations in the fall of 2026. The Flying Orca—which has been happily spinning with the youngest visitors since 2002—will be removed from the park. The carousel will make way for something much more impressive: a "Wild Swing" by ART Engineering, which will propel 18 guests simultaneously through the air up to a height of 12 meters. This attraction is tailor-made for Plankton. He's still striving for world domination. To this end, he's invented a gigantic machine powered by the electrical charge of a tank full of jellyfish. Plankton hopes the machine will create a superpower that will allow him to first destroy Bikini Bottom and then conquer the world! Take part in Plankton's experiment and swing through the air in "Plankton Power." A little further on, the Kettingmolen (Chain Mill) currently stands, but it will be relocated to another beautiful spot in the park. The nostalgic swing carousel will be replaced by a 21-meter-high "Big Wavez" from manufacturer Zamperla. The latter is a unique water attraction – unique in Europe – in which 20 guests sit side by side and are lifted into the air, only to plunge back down. This creates a 10-meter-high tidal wave, making even bystanders part of the spectacle. It sounds just like SpongeBob SquarePants. He's organizing a diving competition at Mussel Beach. Larry Lobster competes against a handful of volunteers, while Patrick watches from his comfy lifeguard chair. Or is he asleep? Who will create the biggest wave with a high dive? Take a seat in "Splash Down" and give it a try. Bobbejaanland is adding another experience to its lineup of new attractions. It's a 15-meter-high free-fall tower for the whole family, from the same builder as "Big Wavez." Garfield is the one who's making this attraction his own. From now on, he'll be celebrating his birthday every day at Bobbejaanland. His friends Odie and Jon have organized a surprise party for Garfield and hidden a giant cake at the top of the free-fall tower. Children are invited to retrieve the cake along with Garfield's friends. Only then can the party really begin. Welcome to "Garfield's Birthday Surprise." New zone will be a cozy and active place to spend time for the whole family “In addition to the new attractions, there will be much more to experience in the new zone,” says Peggy Verelst, commercial and creative director. On the way to "Garfield's Birthday Surprise," guests will encounter fun photo opportunities, and on the way to "Plankton Power," they'll have to navigate dangerous jellyfish. Next to "Splash Down," Sandy Cheeks has built a "hydro lab" where you can shoot water pistols at targets. The new family zone at Bobbejaanland will be a complete experience. Opening is expected in spring 2027.

Took a trip up to COTA last night, to check out the Peppermint Parkway Christmas Event - which thanks to the Director of Park Operations (Matt Hughey), and the local SW chapter of American Coaster Enthusiasts included free admission and rides on Circuit Breaker. lots of pics below, but will get the burning question out of the way up front. Circuit Breaker is amazing. Very smooth, has multiple inversions- including my favorite element - a short stall at the 1/2 way point on the ride, and wll be 100% worth the trip to Texas to ride. they have two trains running: Red and Yellow, both with onboard audio. Very loud onboard audio, I'll note. I mentioned that to Matt and he said they have brought that up to Vekoma, but apparently it's a program that cycles and they don't really have any control over whether the audio will be BLASTING loud, or not. for what it's worth? I thought the Audio was much better/quieter on the Red train. oh..they also lowered the price. at least during Peppermint Parkway, it's now $15 to get into the event, but once in? only $15 (3 tickets) to ride it. almost every other ride is only 1 ticket. (Circuit Breaker was prior $25 for one ride). Or you could do the Gold Band that is $50 and offers unlimited rides on everything, and includes Circuit Breaker. the only thing not included in the Gold Band are the Go Kart racing, and the upcharge "lap around the track" also even tho it's the weekend before Christmas? it looks like they are expanding the ride options - adding in a new section that has another kiddie coaster (Orient Express), an Octopus, a kiddie motorcycle carousel, and a ferris wheel - tho this section was not quite ready to open. As you'll see tho, they did have the lights on some of the new rides going tho. ok. .on to pictures. .it really is a good event, and we had a great time. more info scattered thruout the pics at the moment, the Entrance to what will be COTALand is via Peppermint Parkway. So it's just to the left of the main Grandstands, and the parking is mainly in lot A behind us is the startingline/main granstands and the Minigolf. to the right is the Karting for adults (and under that white shade back there is the kids Karting) bright and sunny, as they just changed the hours of Peppermint Parkway so it starts at 4 instead of 5:30. . but they haven't really gotten that memo out to folks, so it was actually pretty quiet (and almost ERT like) until about 5:30, which had been the starting time. entrance is not free - it's $15 per ticket to enjoy the carnival grounds, and the lights. then you can either purchase individual tickets for rides/attractions (each ticket is $5) or buy one of multiple wristbands that include different levels of activities (ie: all the 1 ticket rides, the mini-golf, the activities such as paint a dreidel or ornament, cookie decorating, smores, etc. . .) They did a really nice job. . tho I must admit the COTALand area looks much better at night, once the darkness hides the dirt/construction. the exit of the entry tunnel. . again, this will look incredible at night. I absolutely adore that they put up "wacky Santa inflatables". .. immediately put a smile on our faces the only thing actually open during Peppermint Parkway in COTALand "proper" is Circuit Breaker. . so it's off by itself after a bit of a walk on the left. but they actually DO have quite a bit done already. it was impressive to see. the Schwarzkopf Wildcat is not moved and pieced back together, but was not quite ready to go yet. and the S&S Screaming Swing has been topped off, and Matt said they will be back next week to complete work on it. as you might note, there are LOTS of ride pads, and pillars poured. so there will be things everywhere. . . I believe what's going right next to Circuit Breaker is the Starflyer. there will be no dedicated "kiddie area", but instead the kids rides will be scattered thruout the park so there will things for families to do in each area. this is the base of what will be a 250' drop tower! and off in the distance (beyond the final curve of the F1 track - there will be a path that connects the park to that side along the track), is Palindrome, the Gerstlaur infinity coaster. it also is not open yet, but WAS testing during our visit, to the delight of many. hard to see in this pic, but the lift hill/final drop of the log flume is up and done too. but here's what most came for. and as noted above, Circuit Breaker is amazing. Wildcat seen from the Circuit Breaker gift shop exit. these trains are covered in LEDs. . and really do look incredible at night. tho I rode several times in a couple of places (on both trains). . I really do prefer the back row. to be fair tho, the front really does have a ton of airtime. walkways are designed well over here, with tons of spots to get great pics. we pulled Matt over for a pic in the sleigh that's for use by a Santa later in the evening to pose for a pic. this coaster is a great success, in terms of rideability, smoothness, and thrill. walking back over to the main Peppermint Parkway after rides on Circuit Breaker, another pic of just how far out COTALand will extend (tho please note the big area in the center is the F1 track, so mainly along that path connecting the two sides of the park will be nothing but path). Matt did confirm for me there are still plans for the "most thrilling ride that will be in the park" - the multi seated "skycoaster" type ride, that will be rising over on the Palindrome side. but this pic gives a good idea of how many ride pads / supports have been done already, and a better view of the flume and Palindrome. looking back at Circuit Breaker a final time before leaving this section to head over to the main Peppermint Parkway area. tons and tons of lights, and things to do / photo ops over here. they did a Menorah Lighting at 5:45, which I appreciated, as last night was night 7 of Hanukkah. one of my favorite things is that they have the grandstands open (mainly for use of the Concession stands and bathrooms), but you can sit and watch the folks that did the "take a lap on the track".. so very loud and fun to see the cars zoom by at 100+ MPH. some of the stuff they had up was a bit "scary" for kids I thought. . but most of the adults loved it. and they had a screen set up playing movies (we saw the end of Grinch, and most of Elf playing during our visit) the smaller rides that used to be over by the Concert Venue entrance have been moved over to the front of the Grandstands to be included in Peppermint Parkway. Matt told me these are only here temporarily, and I'd say the vast majority of them will end up placed in COTALand - as many of the smaller kiddie rides are COTA branded already in the paintjobs and ride vehicles. but over here is also the Wacky Worm. . and since Jim wouldn't ride Circuit Breaker (it's too big a coaster for him still, so he freaks himself out), he WAS willing to ride the Wacky Worm with me. from the temporary placement, one does get a lovely view of the F1 track starting line from the lift hill. lots of other temporary rides have been set up over here, and tons and tons of lights. and would it be a "carnival atmosphere" without food carts? including the Donut place that is operated by Matt's wife. . yummmmm. . .a giant bucket of fried donuts! (and hot apple cider too). just a sampling of the lights over here. . which would look so much better as it got darker. back here is the new section, which as noted, didn't open last night as it wasn't fully ready. but they are assembling an Octopus there, the Orient Express looked ready to go (and was lit up!), but I guess it's not safe to operate while they are building a ride next to it. of course they have a kissing booth too. (and yes, we did kiss, but not sharing that pic here ) the only "permanent" things over here are the Zipline, the Mini Golf and the two karting tracks (Kids/Adults). but as noted, I would say most of these rides will make it over to COTALand proper eventually. it was time for the tree lighting ceremony, and it got PACKED over here. Princess Peppermint came out and did a little skit to light the tree. it really is pretty cool looking once the tree lighting happened, the crowd spread out, and since the place is so large? it never did feel crowded. tho I would estimate the line of cars to get in, as we were leaving, was at least a mile long. would it BE an event at COTA without some race cars? How about RaceCar driver Santa? (the line for him was at least 40 minutes, so I just waited outside the queue and snapped them between visitors) you could also queue to meet Mrs Claus (she had a much shorter line at about 15 minutes) THIS nightmare fuel: as well as Rudolf, and the "Ice Queen and Snow Princess" (aka: NOT FROZEN, but kinda, but we don't wanna get sued). . LOL the line for those two was easily the longest of the night other than Santa tho. so we kept walking and stopping for pics. we did bump into Princess Peppermint as she was making her way back towards the main entrance for her photo-op spot. she was kind enough to pose for a pic with us. the entrance gate at night. stunning. and the tunnel at night is pretty impressive too but our feet were hurting, so it was time to go. heading back to the car, a few final pics of Circuit Breaker - with the LEDs on the cars .. they start off the color of the train, then switch to Red/White/Blue, as the train runs the course. here's that Stall I love. well worth a visit if you're in the Austin Area this holiday season. . . .

Disney has announced that Soarin' will be debuting a new ride film in 2026 at both Disney California Adventure and EPCOT: Soarin' Across America! https://disneyparksblog.com/disney-experiences/soarin-across-america-at-disneyland-and-disney-world/ Buckle up and get ready for takeoff! The fan-favorite attraction Soarin’ will be receiving an all-new airborne adventure across the U.S. That’s right— you’ll soon be Soarin’ Across America at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, debuting Summer 2026! The new bi-coastal offering will showcase the United States—from sea to shining sea—highlighting some of the country’s natural beauty and iconic cityscapes. This will be brought to life with the iconic elements that make Soarin’ unforgettable – the flight, the sights and score, even the scents! Walt Disney Imagineering is hard at work capturing more than a dozen breathtaking locations for the new flight.

^ Great! Hope they're still doing it, when we (eventually) get there.

Tokyo Disney have suddenly announced single rider will run on 3 more attractions: over at DisneySea is Anna & Elsa and Peter Pan as well as Beauty and the Beast for Disneyland. And that will start from today

Give me a break, dude. I've been hearing this bullshit from members since the American Thunder days and we haven't gotten shit for thrills on rails. SFSTL either desperately needs a new roller coaster and/or a major family oriented overhaul. At this point, throw a hail Mary. Six Flags has given our park survival investments for the past decade. Why the fuck are they updating a children's ride with a lighting package when the majority of families are gone well before dark. My kid goes to bed at 8:30. The area doesn't seem to have as much potential for an urban development or a city center as other areas. I don't believe the doom and gloom of selling the park due to its real-estate value. Certainly the cost to buy the land, demolish ALL rides and EVERY structure/path/etc, get rid of underground infrastructure, and regrade land can't be worth it to build some single family homes or apartments. Just sell off the unused land, if possible. I'm not falling for the gloom and doom clickbait. In case anyone isn't in the know, here's what we're talking about: Bring it on, Enchanted Parks. I'm ready to roll the dice.

The Mellors Group has announced their acquisition of Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park along with their intention to add new rides and attractions in 2026! https://lightwatervalley.co.uk/news/view/mellors-group-announces-exciting-new-era-for-lightwater-valley-family-adventure-park MELLORS GROUP ANNOUNCES EXCITING NEW ERA FOR LIGHTWATER VALLEY FAMILY ADVENTURE PARK The Nottingham based, family owned Mellors Group, a leading force in the UK leisure and attractions industry has announced the acquisition of Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park in Ripon, North Yorkshire, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for one of Yorkshire’s most cherished family attractions. Lightwater Valley holds a special place in the hearts of many families across the UK, including the Mellors family, who visited the park often as children. Now, with decades of experience transforming and operating successful attractions both in the UK and internationally, Mellors Group is committed to bringing new life, new energy, and significant new investment to the beloved adventure park. The Group has ambitious plans for Lightwater Valley, including new rides and attractions set to debut in 2026. While the park’s focus will continue to cater for younger families and guests under 12, Mellors Group aims to broaden the appeal for all ages, creating an experience that the whole family can enjoy together. Known for revitalising major leisure destinations, including the award-winning redevelopment of Fantasy Island in Skegness, Mellors Group brings extensive industry expertise in operations, ride installations, engineering, guest experience, theming, entertainment, and large-scale event management. Their hands-on approach has consistently transformed attractions into modern, thriving family destinations. Lightwater Valley, originally established in 1969 and now home to more than 35 rides, family adventures, character entertainment and seasonal events, will benefit from fresh vision and investment designed to strengthen its legacy while exciting a new generation of visitors. James Mellors, Managing Director of Mellors Group, said: “Lightwater Valley is a park with real heart, history, personality, and potential, and it’s a place our own family has loved since childhood. We’re incredibly proud to be taking on its future. Our goal is simple: to put the park back ‘on the map’ as a major theme park, by introducing new rides, injecting new energy, and creating something truly special for families for many years to come.” He added: “We’re very excited about this acquisition and looking forward to planning a wide range of new attractions for 2026; fresh, fun, and full of excitement. While Lightwater Valley will continue to be a haven for younger families, we’re also widening the experience so that guests of all ages can enjoy the thrills, charm, and adventure together. The team here have done a brilliant job, and we’re looking forward to working closely with them as we begin this new journey.” With the acquisition, Mellors Group strengthens its position as one of the UK’s fastest-growing operators of family attractions, reinforcing its commitment to delivering memorable, affordable, high-quality days out. More details on the redevelopment and the new 2026 attractions will be announced in due course. (Photos courtesy of Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park)

So you are telling me there is a chance that the Enchanted pet-a-pet, and the mule-go-round reverse blast with Titan track could happen!?!? Bring on the new magical overlords for 2027!

The Universal Orlando Resort has released a comprehensive guide on all events they have planned throughout 2026 for guests and passholders alike to enjoy throughout the year! https://blog.discoveruniversal.com/events/complete-guide-to-events-experiences-at-universal-orlando-resort-this-year/ Universal Orlando Resort just announced the dates for every. single. event in 2026, so you can get to planning your theme park vacation right away. I don’t think I’ve been this excited since I was picked as the audience participant for the Animal Actors on Location! show back in the early 2000s. From our award-winning Halloween Horror Nights to Universal Mardi Gras and everything in between, there’s always something happening at Universal Orlando Resort. Mark your calendars (or get your day planners, if you’re like me) because here we go! Here are all the 2026 events coming to Universal Orlando Resort. Bonus Benefits | January 5–31 Exclusive menu items, hotel discounts, a giveaway and more. Get ready, Passholders, because Bonus Benefits are back from January 5–31. That’s nearly a month for us to show you some extra love! Rock the Universe | January 23–24 Rock the Universe is Florida’s biggest Christian music festival. At this separately ticketed event, fans can gather to enjoy live music, worship experiences, and thrilling rides at this event that Christian music fans have looked forward to for over 25 years. Find out more here: Rock the Universe: A Christian Music Festival | Universal Orlando. Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval | February 7–April 4 It’s a Mardi party — and you don’t want to miss it! Honestly, this is one of my favorite events because it’s just pure vibes. Plus, it’s included with your admission to Universal Studios Florida! Let the good times roll and catch beads at the famed Mardi Gras Parade, which is just pure spectacle. Groove along to amazing live concerts on select nights with your friends. Oh, and you’ll want to eat and drink everything in sight, from classics like freshly baked beignets doused in powdered sugar to international dishes that change every year. Need I say more? This event should definitely be on your spring itinerary. Find out all the details here: Universal Orlando Mardi Gras 2026 | Parade, Concerts, Food, Beads & More. Grad Bash | April 17, 18, 24 & 30 I wish I could say I love going to these events, but, alas, I haven’t been eligible for a graduation event for many (many) years. But I can guarantee high school seniors will have a blast with their friends at this grad celebration with exclusive, private access to both Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. Plus, they’ll enjoy thrilling rides and attractions, street entertainment, and more. This is a separately ticketed event — get your grad on here: Grad Bash 2026 | Universal Orlando Youth Grad Events. Volcano Bay Nights | Stay Tuned for Dates I’m low-key obsessed with Volcano Bay during the day. It seriously has some of the best water park attractions I have ever experienced. But add in nighttime lighting (like, have you seen how gorgeous that volcano is lit up at night?), seriously reduced wait times, and some uniquely Universal entertainment and I’m ready to dive right in. Another hot tip that I’m selfishly hesitant to share (but I won’t gatekeep from you): I’m going to book a Volcano Bay view room at Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort so I can truly maximize everything about this event. This is a separately ticketed event: Volcano Bay Nights 2026 in Universal Orlando Resort Gradventure | May 1, 8, 15 & 21 Oh my goodness, now we’re really going way back. Middle school grads can celebrate with their friends as they enjoy complete, private access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure all night long at this separately ticketed event. I’m pretty sure I just went to the local diner when I graduated, so you go, teens! Bonus Benefits | May 1–21 You became a Passholder for all the fun in our parks, and we’re sweetening that wise decision with even more Bonus Benefits from May 1–21, with exclusive offerings in the parks, Universal CityWalk and at select Universal Orlando hotels. Summer Fun at Universal Orlando Resort | May–August School is out and good vibes are in. Head to Universal Orlando to celebrate the movies! Experience the thrills and chills of your favorite attractions across all four theme parks, see your favorite movies come to life in the Universal Mega Movie Parade, sway to the scores of stirring films and watch the fountains dance in CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular — all happening on select dates throughout the year! Plus, dance to the Summer Concert Series at Universal CityWalk and grab your popcorn for the Summer Movie Series at Universal Cinemark. Stay tuned for more details about what’s sure to be a jam-packed summer! Fourth of July Sport your red, white, and blue and grab your sunscreen so you can spend the whole day celebrating independence with special activities sprinkled throughout Universal Orlando Resort — all included with your admission. Passholder Appreciation Days | August 15–September 30 Gosh, I love a perk. It’s so VIP. And UOAPs are the VIP-est of them all. Passholder Appreciation Days are an annual celebration of the UOAP family — exclusive to Passholders! — with over six weeks of offers, special events, and more. It’s our way of returning the love to our favorite people. And here’s more good news: Passholder Nights will be returning too! Join the UOAP family for a night where Passholders get the park to themselves. Enjoy favorite rides and attractions, character appearances, live entertainment, and more. Stay tuned for more information. Passholder Nights | Stay Tuned for Dates It’s UOAP’s park after dark. Join the UOAP family for a night where Passholders get the park to themselves. Enjoy favorite rides and attractions, character appearances, live entertainment, and more. Don’t forget to book a stay at your favorite Universal hotel, too! Stay tuned for more details and dates. Halloween Horror Nights | Select Nights August 28–November 1 There’s a reason this event has been named the Golden Ticket Legend Award for Best Halloween Event — it’s because it’s the best of the best Halloween events around. If you are into the best jump scares, production quality of haunted houses, and honestly all-around-vibes, then you HAVE to get your tickets for this event early — especially if you want to participate in any of the lights-on “Behind the Screams” tour or specialty VIP tours! If that’s not temping enough, you’ll also venture through next-level scare zones, experience thrilling live shows, and stock up on themed food and beverage offerings and merch. PRO TIP: Book a stay at a Universal Orlando hotel and the fear will follow you home in the form of specialty themed bars and lobby experiences. Holidays at Universal Orlando | November 14–January 3 The Holidays at Universal deliver traditional holiday fun wrapped in a big irreverent Universal bow. It’s Holidays the way only Universal can do it. Laugh along with the antics of the Grinch (or sing “Fah Who Doraze” with the Whos) during The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular, experience the excitement of the holidays across the theme parks, see larger than life balloons soaring in Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s, and enjoy seasonal entertainment, limited-time food and merchandise offerings, and decor throughout the destination, as well as holiday cheer and decor at all the Universal Orlando hotels! PRO TIP: The Holidays at Universal include the New Year, too! Between the theme parks and CityWalk, Universal does New Year’s Eve excitement like nowhere else. This event takes place in Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Epic Universe, and it’s included in your theme park admission! Get in the holiday spirit here. Universal Orlando Resort Hotel Events | Year-Round A visit to Universal Orlando isn’t complete without checking in to one of our fabulous hotels. Not only do you get exclusive theme park benefits (walking paths or free transportation to the parks? Early entry? Yes, please!), but they also have their own slew of fun events throughout the year to make your vacation feel like nothing but fun from sunup to sundown. Check out all the upcoming fun listed below: January Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday February Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday Harbor Nights Romantico: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, February 13 March Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday April Easter Dining: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, April 5 Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday Harbor Nights Primavera: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, April 17 May Mother’s Day Dining: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, May 10 Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday June Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday July Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday August Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday September Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday October Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday Harbor Nights La Dolce Vita: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, October 16 November Thanksgiving Dining: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, November 26 Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday Holiday Harbor Nights: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, November 27 December Christmas Dining: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, December 25 New Year’s Eve Dining and Ticketed Events: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, December 31 Wantilan Luau: Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Every Saturday Acoustic Brunch: Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Every Sunday Throughout the Year Velvet Sessions: Hard Rock Hotel, various dates Velvet Unplugged: Hard Rock Hotel, various dates Universal CityWalk Events | Year-Round Head to Universal CityWalk to dine, shop, and enjoy entertainment year-round. Honestly, my vibes are definitely the Dead Coconut during Halloween Horror Nights and grooving to the Summer Music Series! February Mardi Gras After Party at Pat O’Brien’s: Fridays & Saturdays, February 7–April 4 Cursed Coconut Club: Wednesdays–Sundays, February 7–April 4 Bob Marley’s Birthday Celebration at Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom: February 7 Watch NBC and Peacock’s Super Bowl at NBC Sports Grill & Brew: February 8 National Margarita Day at Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food and Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville: February 21–22 March Mardi Gras After Party at Pat O’Brien’s: Fridays & Saturdays, February 7–April 4 Cursed Coconut Club: Wednesdays–Sundays, February 7–April 4 St. Patrick’s Day at Pat O’Brien’s: March 17 April Mardi Gras After Party at Pat O’Brien’s: Fridays & Saturdays, February 7–April 4 Cursed Coconut Club: Wednesdays–Sundays, February 7–April 4 May Kentucky Derby at NBC Sports Grill & Brew: May 2 Cinco de Mayo at Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food: May 5 Mother’s Day Brunch at Vivo Italian Kitchen: May 10 June Love is Universal Nights at Red Coconut Club: Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, June 4–27 Father’s Day at Bigfire: June 21 Summer Music Series at the Waterfront Stage: Saturdays, June 20–August 15 Summer Movie Series at Universal Cinemark: Select Dates June–August 15 July Independence Day: July 4 Summer Music Series at the Waterfront Stage: Saturdays, June 20–August 15 Summer Movie Series at Universal Cinemark: Select Dates June–August 15 August Summer Music Series at the Waterfront Stage: Saturdays, June 20–August 15 Summer Movie Series at Universal Cinemark: Select Dates June–August 15 Jamaican Independence Day at Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom: August 8 Dead Coconut Club: Wednesdays–Sundays, August 28–November 1 Halloween Bash at the Plaza Stage: Fridays, August 28–September 25, Fridays & Saturdays in October September Dead Coconut Club: Wednesdays–Sundays, August 28–November 1 Halloween Bash at the Plaza Stage: Fridays, August 28–September 25, Fridays & Saturdays in October Jimmy Buffett Day at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville: September 4 October Dead Coconut Club: Wednesdays–Sundays, August 28–November 1 Halloween Bash at the Plaza Stage: Fridays, August 28–September 25, Fridays & Saturdays in October November Dead Coconut Club: Wednesdays–Sundays, August 28–November 1 Green & Red Coconut Club: Wednesdays–Sundays, November 20–January 3 Earl the Squirrel Meet and Greet: November 21–January 3 Thanksgiving at Bigfire: November 26 December Green & Red Coconut Club: Wednesdays–Sundays, November 20–January 3 New Year’s Eve 2027 Celebration: December 31 Whew! And I think that’s it…I mean, in addition to all the awesome thrills you can find at all four Universal Orlando Resort theme parks. And grabbing a slice at Pizza Moon. And meeting some of your favorite characters. And collecting digital coins with a Power-Up Band. And I didn’t even tell you about new my favorite rooftop bar, Bar Helios. And I can’t forget about my personal goal to go down the water slides in every hotel. And…well, you know what? You’re gonna have to just come and see it all for yourself. We’ll be here waiting for you!

I would ride the crap out of that slow moving, suspended, Puss in Boots ride! someday, I've GOT to get to Singapore.

Six Flags Magic Mountain has announced that Bugs Bunny World will be expanded and refreshed to become Looney Tunes Land in 2026. This new land will be split up into four sections inspired by Bugs Bunny, the Tasmanian Devil, Wile E. Coyote and Daffy Duck. https://www.instagram.com/p/DSVMKmdjfXM/?hl=en Get ready, folks! A whole new era of family fun is coming to Magic Mountain in 2026. We’re expanding Bugs Bunny World into the all-new Looney Tunes™ Land, inspired by the charm and nostalgia of your favorite classic characters. Explore Taz’s tropical chaos, journey through the New Mexico badlands with Wile E. Coyote, relax in Bugs Bunny’s cozy central park, and discover Daffy Duck’s High Sierra adventures. There will be something fun waiting in every direction. Construction begins this January, and we can’t wait to share each milestone! Follow along for more updates as we track the progress of Looney Tunes™ Land coming to life. #LooneyTunesLand https://ktla.com/news/theme-parks/looney-tunes-land-is-coming-to-six-flags-magic-mountain-in-2026/ Six Flags Magic Mountain has announced a major overhaul of its Bugs Bunny World family area. The area will be reimagined and renamed Looney Tunes Land, divided into four themed areas inspired by Bugs Bunny, the Tasmanian Devil, Wile E. Coyote and Daffy Duck. Park officials say the update will include refreshed attractions, new play spaces and expanded theming throughout the area. The land is scheduled to debut in summer 2026. At the heart of the new land will be a cozy central park, where Bugs Bunny welcomes guests into his home. In the other areas, visitors will traverse the New Mexico desert in pursuit of the Road Runner with Wile E. Coyote, explore lush tropical regions alongside Taz and take in the High Sierra with Daffy Duck. TAZ-MANIA The Tasmanian Devil-themed section will feature a tropical setting. The Whistlestop Train will be rethemed as Taz’s Tasmanian Train Tours, taking guests through the area. However, be warned: the Tasmanian Devil has escaped his enclosure and is set to wreak havoc along the way. A new Taz’s Exploration Trail will replace the former Magic Flyer and Tweety’s Escape locations, offering a walk-through experience with interactive elements. New seating and turf are also planned. ROAD RUNNER RIDGE Inspired by the New Mexico desert, this area centers on Wile E. Coyote’s pursuit of the Road Runner. The zone will include desert rockwork, ACME-themed details and a painted tunnel meant to evoke the look of classic cartoons. BUGS BUNNY PLAY PARK The Bugs Bunny-themed section will replace Speedy Gonzalez Hot Rods and Pepe Le Pew’s Tea Party. Plans include new free-play and exploration areas, as well as a refurbished Merrie Melodies Merrie-Go-Round with updated colors and signage. The restaurant Wascal’s will also be refreshed, with new picnic seating and a redesigned exterior. A new Granny’s House facade with an explorable interior is planned for the back of the restaurant. CAMP DUCK AMUCK In the Daffy Duck-themed area, Taz’s Trucking Company will become Daffy’s Forest Four-Wheelers, a ride that places guests in ranger-style vehicles. The High Sierra-inspired zone will feature updated scenery, character scenes and signage focused on conservation and outdoor safety. The Looney Tunes Lodge will also be rethemed to resemble a mountain cabin and receive new flooring. The transformation of the family area into Looney Tunes Land is set to begin in early January, following the Holiday in the Park seasonal event. The process will be conducted in three phases, with access to areas not undergoing construction open to the public. The introduction of the new land will also coincide with Six Flags’ 55th anniversary. It’s also part of the company’s multi-year focus on the park, which began with the complete refurbishment and improvement of Hurricane Harbor in 2025. Last year, the company announced a $1 billion investment over the next two years to enhance the guest experience.

Great PERK of your WORK! (Sry, had to do that) Awesome photos of all that you saw and toured through. Love all that vege -----tation.

Day 3: Continued. . . across from the corn was the first time I really got to see the treats on a stick that I'd get to know across many parks to come: LtR: Potato with mayo, Potato with ketchup, Potato, hot dog / sausage made pretty and spices, and fried cheese on a stick (sometimes with a hotdog inside, sometimes not), also along the bottom various filled "pancake". also a delicacy: Squid on a stick. we weren't gonna eat just yet, as were still full from breakfast. but I WAS intrigued by the "Rainbow EPCOT" Mexican restaurant. Which seemed to serve "authentic Mexican Pho" LOL behind it was a giant Frisbee tho. . so we decided to go on that. as it had no wait today it was a fun, tho short cycle, and gave a great view of the Waterpark on one side and some wonderful views across the central lake at the rest of the park. here's the top of Crystal Wing (under the water park slide), the Family Inverted, and the most you can see of the SLC (Golden Wings Over the Snowfield), across the lilly filled lake and looking back towards the "Mexican restaurant", the B&M Hyper here comes the train! let's see if I can get splashdown from this angle. . . yup! as we continued around the park after our ride on the Frisbee, we entered into Frontier Town area. . which had some . . . um. . . . "problematic" theming. I thought it was shockingly hysterical, and they were all the nicest people! so of course I snapped some pics. this looked like another show, but the times listed seemed to be only for weekend operations. but I did peek into the entry to snap a pic of the stage. Dying to know what the show would have been like (I have to look that up) based on the next group of folks that were "themed" Yup. . cavewomen in raised huts with Corn, holding bones. or a leopard skin purse. . . although. . this IS the kind of theme park job I'd totally sign up for "lay in a hut all day and wave to people" LOL this was a huge, and impressive, water feature on the side of the stage building. it really was massive, and I *guess* it's Speak no Evil, Hear no Evil, See no Evil ? and I DO love me a throne my fist official exposure to smelly Tofu. we didn't try it hear, but here is where I was able to really put the smell together with what it was, so I always knew when I was near a stand selling it. (and yes, I did try it later in the trip, and I liked it). I honestly have very little memory of this ride. i THINK it was a boat ride that was kinda like "it's a small world" ? I have some pics from outside, and a pic in the queue, but absolutely none from the ride itself. not even ones that came out blurry or bad, I just didn't take any. which implies I was very unimpressed by it. or maybe my feet just hurt, and I was focusing on sitting in the boat? or maybe my Battery was dying and I wanted to save it for Carousel pics? anyways. .here's the outside of "Happy World" and a couple of queue pics. there seemed to be an entire show building / museum here, and tho it looked interesting, it was more important to eat something and get a few other things in. so we bypassed this. my goal (really at most parks, especially if they have a unique carousel) OMG. .these Horses! and it's a double decker. . tho they only operated the bottom Stacy rode with me we were really getting hungry, but this thing next door to the Carousel caught our eye. what the hell is it? "Flying Cake". .. a stand up Rockin Tug type ride! which looked like it was once Surf themed before it got moved to this area, and hadn't been rethemed other than the base of it ONLY to add these two figures. . .HA! not gonna lie tho. . it was really fun, and I'm glad we stopped and rode it. never been on anything like it before. a look at the closed today Crystal Wing track, and the B&M flyer across the lake from "Flying Cake" Crystal Wing theming. . as we headed towards the front to eat something. ohhh.. some street entertainment going on here in the cookie/bakery section. . so we stopped and watched for a moment. and then went up to the front where there were about a dozen "food cart" stands. . all standing empty. But the operators were in the back of the carts, and when they saw a customer come up, they came out and greeted you. still being very early in the trip, I opted for more traditional Chinese street food for my lunch. (a pancake that had a lot of different things in it) Stacy stuck more to traditional noodles. what mine looked like once I got it in a cup and William had dumplings. the park was playing some "interesting" music up near the front where the food stands were. . including this nearly 8 minute mix of a song that seemed to be called "put your ass in the air" it was very catchy, and eventually got to me AAJM2130.MP4 getting close to the meet up time, in chatting with someone, they mentioned that the big building we had passed was a large indoor section. so we went over to check it out with about 30 minutes to spare. it really was a really large area. and it appeared that at one point the park did have a junior coaster in here, but now it was just a virtual one, so we passed. but a Dumbo type ride, a small frisbee ride. . . and then an Air Race on top of a gift shop! if we hadn't' just eaten, I totally would have ridden the Air Race. but luckily there's one close-by at Fiesta Texas. . so I didn't' mind skipping it. and then it was time to meet up at the front gate and head out to the next destination. (for those of us who wanted to go to Tiananmen Square) while others went sight seeing on their own, or stayed in the park for a bit longer. to be Concluded. . .

Wow! I had no idea they were doing this event. The park already seems to be a hit with the locals! Can't wait to see it grow over the next few years.

Holy crap. Reading your TR's made me remember that Europa Park is on my bucket list.

Has Gwazi returned to two train ops?

we finally have some movement from COTAland. their Facebook page came back to life this morning, revealing the brand new Logo. I love it, and hopefully we'll start seeing really regular updates. https://www.facebook.com/COTALAND

Wait times at the whole park already look better because of this change!

They haven't announced any scare zones, nor the rumored 2 shows (the Waterworld space and Dreamworks theater), so they could still be incorporated in any of those capacities.

In light of Iger's recent comments on the WGA and SAG strikes, I just wanna say that switching Bobs was never going to be the magic cure everyone hoped for.

I'm kind of obsessed with this one aspect of the Disney v DeSantis lawsuit... Disney never expressed concern over 1st Amendment protection, so DeSantis and his collaborators never thought to censor themselves. Normally in this kind of case, the Plaintiff would have the difficult task of proving to the court what the motive behind the Governor's actions was. And it would be easy for the Governor to say that it was purely financial and administrative. But because Disney stayed quiet, the prosecution now has dozens of pieces of evidence of defendants very explicitly saying: "the government of Florida is retaliating against The Walt Disney Company for engaging in political speech."

They look a lot like the hiking trail shelters around here, with the sloped roofs and high windows. Feels a good fit for the resort.

I've seen a lot of people trashing the look of these on various social media channels in comparison to the existing cabins that are a bit more "rustic" and actually look like cabins but I don't know, I kind of like these. I'm sure the footprint of these won't be that much different than the existing units but I like the more fresh and modern look, even if it does kind of resemble a shipping container.