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jedimaster1227

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  1. SeaWorld Orlando has announced a new first-of-its-kind flying theater attraction opening in Spring 2025. This new four and a half minute long, Arctic-themed experience will be family friendly with a minimum height requirement of 39 inches. SeaWorld Orlando, the Coaster Capital of Orlando renowned for its impressive selection of thrilling and unique rides, unveiled plans for its latest groundbreaking attraction planned to open in Spring 2025: the World's first-of-its-kind Arctic flying theater. This new experience invites families to soar over icy landscapes, dive beneath frozen waters and come face-to-face with some of the planet's most magnificent creatures. From majestic beluga whales to awe-inspiring orcas and walruses, this adventure puts riders right in the middle of the action. It's also all indoors, so rain or shine, this attraction guarantees a cool, thrilling escape for the entire family all year round. Building on the family-friendly thrills of the park's newest attraction, Penguin Trek, this new ride accommodates guests with a minimum height requirement of just 39 inches, ensuring the whole family can enjoy the adventure together. Riders will embark on this 4:30 minute journey within one of two of the attraction's immersive multi-level theaters, each accommodating 30 guests. They will experience the Arctic as if they were truly there, witnessing jaw-dropping visuals both in the air and underwater, including the stunning Aurora Borealis and remote, untouched areas of the Arctic. Only at SeaWorld Orlando will riders have the rare opportunity to experience a seamless journey from underwater views of the Arctic's marine life to the outer atmosphere, providing a satellite perspective of this incredible and expansive region. This attraction emphasizes SeaWorld Orlando's commitment to blending education with entertainment, offering guests a comprehensive view of the Arctic's vast and varied ecosystem. Thanks to custom filming equipment specifically created for this project, the award-winning production team was able to film in some of the most remote parts of the Arctic, capturing its diverse environment in stunning detail. From lush, green landscapes that challenge the typical perceptions of the Arctic to the snow-capped vistas and crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life, guests will be transported to locations that are otherwise inaccessible to most. "We are thrilled to introduce this first-of-its-kind attraction to SeaWorld Orlando," said Jon Peterson, President of SeaWorld Orlando. "This indoor immersive flying theater experience reinforces our commitment to education, animal care and research. As guests disembark from the attraction, they'll find themselves in the awe-inspiring wonder of one of the world's most remote places, face-to-face with some of those very animals found within the Arctic such as beluga whales, walruses and more. By bringing the wonders of the Arctic to life, we are offering guests an unparalleled and immersive experience that will create lasting memories for people of all ages." With the launch of this Arctic-themed flying theater, SeaWorld Orlando continues to innovate and expand its lineup of world-class attractions, solidifying its status as a premier destination for thrill-seekers and families alike. SeaWorld 2025 Annual Pass Members will have the exclusive opportunity to be among the first to ride this groundbreaking attraction before it opens to the general public. Passes are on sale now, so guests will want to grab their passes for the chance to be part of this exhilarating adventure. Be Among the First to Ride the Upcoming 2025 Attraction with a SeaWorld Annual Pass Guests can experience the best of SeaWorld Orlando with a 2025 annual pass including unbeatable benefits, unlimited visits and the opportunity to be the first to experience this new 2025 attraction before it opens to the public. Annual passes for 2025 are on sale now and starting as low as $15.75 per month with no down payment. For a limited time offer, guests can buy their 2025 annual pass and upgrade to the next tier for free. Membership includes unlimited admission, access to vibrant seasonal events and exclusive Pass Member benefits like FREE guest tickets, FREE parking and special savings on merchandise as well as food and beverage. Plus, Pass Members receive special monthly rewards throughout the year such as exclusive Pass Member merchandise, behind-the-scenes animal experiences, festival-exclusive food and beverage deals and discounts on admission to SeaWorld's separately ticketed Howl-O-Scream event. The SeaWorld Orlando Annual Pass program features the bronze, silver, gold and platinum annual pass options. The platinum pass grants access to all 11 parks in the U.S. that are in the United Parks & Resorts parks portfolio, including three SeaWorld parks, two Busch Gardens parks, two Sesame Place parks and several award-winning water parks. Annual Pass Members also get exclusive discounts at Discovery Cove in Orlando. The Annual Pass program is structured in a guest-friendly way that allows visitors to choose the pass, the benefits and the parks that best fit their needs. Restrictions apply. For more information, park hours and to purchase tickets, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com. Follow SeaWorld Orlando on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok for the latest news from SeaWorld.
  2. Cedar Point has announced Siren’s Curse, a new record-breaking tilt coaster will open at the park in 2025! https://www.cedarpoint.com/blog/media-center/record-breaking-sirens-curse-tilt-coaster-to-lure-cedar-point-thrill-seekers-in-2025 Cedar Point, The Roller Coaster Capital of the World®, will add fathoms of thrills to its world-renowned and record-breaking collection of scream machines with the 2025 debut of Siren’s Curse – the tallest, fastest and longest “tilt” roller coaster in North America. Siren’s Curse hearkens to the legend and lore of mysterious creatures living beneath the surface of Lake Erie; often spoken of – but never spotted. The sirens of the lake who lured sailors to their underwater demise with their sweet, seductive songs will finally rise to land and attempt to entrap guests in a sinister two-minute fate of non-stop roller coaster innovation. Riders will hear the echo of the siren’s chilling melodies as they ascend an old 160-foot-tall Lake Erie shipping crane tower, the sounds growing more sinister as riders reach the top. Their fate will hang in the balance as they encounter the roller coaster’s signature moment: a dead stop on a “broken off” section of track. The creaking platform holding the train of riders will slowly tilt the entire train into a 90-degree vertical position, forcing riders to peer straight down with the hope their train will connect to the twisted track below. As the track locks into place, riders will flee from the beckoning call of the siren and plunge into the abyss, speeding through 2,966 feet of track at a top speed of 58 mph. The ride will feature 13 weightless airtime moments, two 360-degree, zero-gravity barrel rolls and a high-speed “triple-down” element with twisted and overbanked track. Adding to the immersive experience, the two, 24-passenger trains on Siren’s Curse will feature integrated audio and signature LED lighting on each car. Located across from the Iron Dragon suspended coaster and near the Cedar Point Marina, the ride’s tangled and compact layout will provide the high-thrill experience Cedar Point guests have come to know from America’s Roller Coast®. Guests must be 48” tall to ride Siren’s Curse. “Record-breaking thrills have always been at the heart of Cedar Point’s roller coaster lineup, and Siren’s Curse lives up to that standard,” said Carrie Boldman, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. “The entire ride is an experience filled with non-stop action, but that first precarious tilted position where you’re hanging on – looking straight down – and waiting for the track to connect will be a signature moment our fans will love. It’s a first-of-its kind for Cedar Point and we’re thrilled to bring it to our guests.” With the addition of Siren’s Curse, Cedar Point will be home to an impressive lineup of 19 roller coasters, including fan favorites like Millennium Force®, Steel Vengeance®, Maverick® and more. As previously announced, the record-breaking triple-launch strata coaster Top Thrill 2® is scheduled to reopen in 2025. Guests can dive into season-long access to Siren’s Curse and the park’s 67 additional attractions with a 2025 Gold Pass. It includes Cedar Point and HalloWeekends® admission in 2024 and all of 2025, free parking, Cedar Point Shores® Waterpark admission, in-park discounts, bring-a-friend tickets and more. Right now, the 2025 Gold Pass is on sale for $125 or 10 payments of $10 after initial payment of $25. Guests can purchase online now at cedarpoint.com. Siren’s Curse is scheduled to open in early summer of 2025. For more information on Siren’s Curse, construction updates and more, follow Cedar Point on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube or visit cedarpoint.com. https://www.cedarpoint.com/new-in-2025 Siren's Curse The tallest, longest, fastest tilt coaster in North America The legend and lore of mysterious creatures living beneath the surface of Lake Erie comes to life with Siren's Curse, North America’s TALLEST, LONGEST & FASTEST tilt coaster. Often spoken of – but never spotted, the sirens of the lake who lured sailors to their underwater demise with their sweet, seductive songs will finally rise to the land above Cedar Point and attempt to entrap you in a sinister two-minute fate of non-stop roller coaster innovation. Located across from Iron Dragon and near the Cedar Point Marina, Siren's Curse is set to lure its riders in 2025. Will you answer the siren's call? HEIGHT - 160 FT SPEED - 58 MPH DURATION - 2 MIN The Siren's Call You’ll hear the echo of the siren's chilling melodies as you ascend an old 160-foot-tall Lake Erie shipping crane tower, the sounds growing more sinister as you reach the top. Your fate will hang in the balance as you encounter the roller coaster’s signature moment: a dead stop on a “broken off” section of track. The creaking platform holding your train will slowly tilt into a 90-degree vertical position, forcing you to peer straight down with the hope your train will connect to the twisted track below. Evade Her Grip As the track locks into place, you’ll flee from the beckoning call of the siren and plunge into the abyss, speeding through 2,966 feet of track at a top speed of 58 mph. Come face-to-face with 13 weightless airtime moments, two 360-degree, zero-gravity barrel rolls and a high-speed “triple-down” element with twisted and overbanked track. Guest must be 48” tall to ride Siren's Curse. Lore Brought to Life The legend is real – and you’ll hear and see it! The ride’s trains feature an over-the-shoulder lap bar with flexible vest restraint. The vehicles also feature two firsts for Cedar Point: on-board audio, allowing the sound of the siren to envelop you as you escape her grasp; and high-tech LED lighting on the exterior of each car, mimicking the silky motion and eerie nature of the mythical creature, from the top of the tower to the adrenaline-pumping journey below.
  3. We arrived in Rome at roughly 12:30 AM and immediately took the shuttle to the airport hotel to get some sleep. Just a few hours later, we returned to the airport to catch the shuttle to Civitavecchia for our cruise. The Disney Dream is the cruise ship on which I've sailed the most times, not just with Disney but with any cruise line. Getting greeted onboard by Captain Mickey is always the best way to start off a cruise! The design of the atrium will always be one of my favorite elements of this ship! Feels like home to me. First lunch of the cruise at Cabanas means all you can enjoy snow crab! Adults have an opportunity to explore the youth activity spaces onboard during Open House periods and there are many fun places to visit! The Disney Infinity space in Oceaneer's Lab is neat. The online elements of the game has been out of service for a few years but the offline gameplay and the figures are still fun to enjoy. If you bring home a Oceaneer's Band from the cruise (the MagicBands given to kids onboard for Oceaneer's Club and Oceaneer's Lab access) and place it on the RFID scanner for Disney Infinity, you can receive an exclusive digital DCL ship toy in the game. Now that's what I call podracing! One of my favorite spaces found on the way to Vibe, the teen club onboard, is a nod to the lighted hallways of EPCOT Center's past... Journey into Imagination's ImageWorks and Horizons are echoed here. Vibe really is a neat plae for the teens to hang out. And they have their own sun deck with loungers and jacuzzis! Our stateroom for the next 11 nights! The Sailing Away deck party is always a fun way to kick off a cruise! Roaming the ship you can find hidden Disney details that span over a century's worth of film and TV. Each time I sail I find something new, like this! Disney Victrophonics was a new experience to us, performing in the atrium on multiple evenings throughout the cruise. It isn't uncommon to see Disney friends roaming the ship. Disney Cruise Line offers beverage tastings of various types depending on the length of the cruise. My first of this cruise was the "World of Old Fashioned" tasting. For $100 per person, we were treated to four Old Fashioneds, handmade and curated by an informed bartender who talked us through all of the drinks and their base alcohols. The experience also included two chocolate truffles. Coming back to our stateroom at the end of our first night onboard, we were greeted by tthis cute towel animal. We woke up the next morning to a view of Greece outside of our verandah. We would be pulling into Chania later in the afternoon so we had time onboard for some early-day activities. Are you even sailing with DCL if you're not eating Mickey Waffles for breakfast? Yes, it is the morning and we're having champagne... Another new-to-us experience was the Champgagne Tasting. We were toured through five different champagnes (plus one macaron) by an expert somelier who informed us of the differences in style, preparation and history between each bubbly we tasted. We easily got our $60 per person out of this experience and I can't recommend it enough if you enjoy champagne. Once docked in Chania, Greece we boarded a motorcoach for our Port Adventure, starting with a stop at the ruins of ancient Aptera. The site is continually being excavated. Most notably, this theater in one of the more well-recovered elements of the site. Next we visited Kournas Lake for a quick dip... Our final stop of the excursion was a family-style lunch in the really wonderful setting of the mountain-side village of Argyroupolis. Fresh tzatziki, traditional Greek salad, empanada-like apps and my favorite, rice-stuffed fried squash blossoms were an amazing start to our Crete-style meal. Spit-roasted chicken and fresh fries rounded out the meal. There's nothing quite like walking back to a ship on which you love to be sailing. Spa water upon arrival? Don't mind if I do! Really? Mine too! The Golden Mickeys was our first of three broadway-style shows in the Walt Disney Theater. Crush joined us for our first night in Animator's Palate. One does not simply dine at Animator's Palate without consuming quantities of pasta pursettes. Our stateroom door would progressively become more decorated as the cruise went on. On this night I experienced the Premium Reserve Whiskey Tasting and I was very pleased! And a new towel animal welcomed us to bed!
  4. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has announced "Wild Oasis" coming to Jungala in 2025. This updated corner of the land will feature a refurbished and updated family drop tower (formerly known as "Wild Surge"), a new climbing structure, new water play areas and added animal exhibits. https://buschgardens.com/tampa/kid-friendly/wild-oasis/ Wild Oasis Opening Spring 2025 to Entertain, Educate and Inspire Busch Gardens Tampa Bay invites explorers of all ages to "Wild Oasis", an interactive, re-imagined realm designed to entertain, educate and inspire. Guests will be immersed in the sounds and sights of the rainforest and engage in activities that touch on its many elements, including a newly themed drop-tower ride with engaging special effects, a high-energy climbing canopy, a new multi-species habitat and interactive water play areas. Guests are challenged to explore even further by engaging in a scavenger hunt highlighting the connections and relationships between different species in the rainforest.
  5. ^I don’t get the sense that this would be a major motivator for moving ahead with finally clearing the site unless it was being replaced with something that was not only a draw but would be ready in time for the Superbowl crowds, neither of which are realistically possible between now and February. They’re also 18 minutes’ drive apart, so it isn’t necessarily a major eye sore (any more than it has been since Hurricane Katrina) enough to justify to push.
  6. This weekend I had a chance to stop into SeaWorld Orlando for the first time in a while, both to experience this year's SeaWorld Spooktacular fun with my family but also to ride Penguin Trek for the first time. SeaWorld Spooktacular is the park's daytime Halloween event, offering trick or treating, characters and some light entertainment offerings to supplement the normal day at the park before it closes to turn over the operation to Howl-O-Scream Orlando, which is a more mature, separately ticketed event. Penguin Trek took over the former Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin dark ride, but also manages to take up a significant portion of the land outside of the former ride's show building. It is hard to understand just how creative they got with plugging this coaster into the building until you're walking through it all... Sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. The queue is improved for its (expanded) of the former interior space--it makes you wonder just how much space the short, short-lived dark ride actually took up inside. The path to the station has you going upstairs and downstairs, at levels that the previous attraction never utilized, making you realize how tall these buildings were for no prior experiential reason. Where it gets a little wonky is the exit path from the ride, which ultimately leads you back to the existing penguin exhibit, crossing through the ride's entrance queue and stopping at the exit of the exhibit which now has a SeaWorld team member pulsing guests between doors that must be opened and closed in order to minimize the loss of cold air in the exhibit. This wasn't a challenge in the space before (as the exit used a revolving door) so I'm not sure why this change was made but it makes for a strange bottleneck in a space where Guests may not want to be stuck for an extended time due to the cold. On to the photos! This cute billboard marks the start of the SeaWorld Spooktacular treat trail. That's about as spooky at this gets. You can meet a mermaid here... The trick or treating starts at 11:00 AM and the initial rush can be a little surprising but it dies down later in the afternoon. Keep in mind, to participate in the trick or treating (at least to the full extent) you must buy a SeaWorld bucket or bag from the park. I've seen other people use other bags and in some cases be turned away, in others, be given less candy than those with one of the park-sold bags. I love Haribo candies, so this was right up my alley. Portions of the park are decorated for the event. A look at all of this year's sponsors/candy providers. Some more character meet and greets along the way. Behind the dogfish and catfish is a space where story time takes place during scheduled portions of the day. For the parents there are drinks and bites to get you through the Halloween day. You bring your bag up to a station and the SeaWorld team member drops the candy through the chute. My son's favorite part of the event... Is it even a Halloween event if you don't walk through a giant pumpkin head? New this year is the Harvest Maze, a cute little maze that is backstage near Journey to Atlantis. A cute little diversion. This was my candy haul at the end of one lap. We could go back as many times as we wanted to but with the heat being what it was, this was plenty for us. There is a DJ booth over by Journey to Atlantis which marks the end of the treat trail. Why I really was here today... Portions of the former Antartica queue are still intact but the building was definitely updated to accommodate the new coaster. I went through the Quick Queue line so I didn't have the chance to experience the standby queue during this visit. I had no where in the existing building I was at this point of the queue. This does feel radically different than what was here before. The train does look pretty sleek. I was pleased to find that despite this being a two-train operation with two-across seats, the operation moved abnormally fast (by SeaWorld standards). The coaster exits from the same station as you load, but dumps you out to an expanded window which used to be where the Antarctica ride vehicle would look into the exhibit before returning to the station. Perhaps the reason it is called Penguin Trek is because of the hike you have to make back to the exit. My sense of where this was in the former attraction is so lost. Next thing you know you're walking through the old interior queue--this was where the "mild" or "wild" experience used to be split up. And then you end up back in one of the pods that led to the exhibit. You're dumped out into the exhibit but walking along a path created by having walled off the former Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin ride exit station. You can still see the penguins up close. But now you have to wait to be pulsed between exit doors... Not sure what went into this decision making process but I'd argue that it is the one misstep I spotted with Penguin Trek over its predecessor. After leading you back out into the existing two-story viewing area of the exhibit, you finally exit into the newly-built, enclosed gift shop. Queue logistics aside, Penguin Trek is a really solid coaster. The launches aren't as aggressive as you'll find on other launch coasters but the track is B&M smooth and the maneuvers are fun to experience. Plus it is a pretty fun coaster to watch from the ground! My favorite elements of the coaster are these two twisty hills. Just a really solid addition to the park. Over at Wild Arctic, work continues on whatever is replacing the former simulators. Here's hoping we'll find out more soon. And obviously the most important update of the day is the addition of a new boba bar at The Waterfront.
  7. Six years ago I had the opportunity to sail with Disney Cruise Line on an incredible transatlantic adventure--one that we loved so much that when the opportunity to plan another European vacation came around, we knew we wanted it to be built around another Disney Cruise! Our entire trip would consist of a day and a half in London, an eleven night cruise on the Diseny Dream with stops in Chania, Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Valetta and Palma de Mallorca and ending with two days in Barcelona. We started our trip off with a day and a half in London, revisiting some of our favorites while enjoying a few new things as well... Norse does the job for cheap direct flights from Orlando to Gatwick... Just make sure you clearly understand their pricing structures and baggage policies because that's where the extra charges can add up. In our prior trip to London, we were supposed to dine at Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Amaya, but due to a transportation delay we missed our chance. This was the first thing we confirmed this time around when the European trip was officially happening. The white sweet potato with tamarind and yogurt was an amazing start to the meal. My first time having oysters at an Indian restaurant and they turned out to be some of the best oysters I've ever consumed! I still dream of this incredible raita. Did you even eat at an Indian restaurant if didn't get some kind of tikka masala? As if I didn't need any more reason to love walking around Piccadilly... One of our favorites! We called an audible and booked day-of tickets for Back to the Future: The Musical at the Adelphi Theatre. The last time we were here we saw the final run of Kinky Boots, which was incredible. And I love that Six is right next door! The lobby of the theatre has been slightly touched up to evoke the feeling of Hill Valley, California in 1985. Of course, there are plenty of merchandise options to choose from. I'll shamelessly admit that I started tearing up the moment the show started. The finale is something special... Do yourself a favor and see it for yourself without spoiling the moment. The final 10 minutes of the show are my favorite and there was one moment that, as a major Back to the Future fan absolutely blew my mind. Opium is our favorite speakeasy hidden in Chinatown not far from Piccadilly. The drinks are over the top and delicious... Not to mention strong! Plus you can order fresh dim sum to go with your drinks! This is one of our favorite places to hang out and I highly recommend it. Reservations are basically required if you intend to get in. I've been to a number of Chinatowns around the world and London's is among my favorites. Last time we were in London, Big Ben was hidden behind scaffolding for a major refurbishment. It isn't a trip to London without at visit to Fortnum & Mason. You had me at marzipan. The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon may not seem like it would be everyone's cup of tea, but I can assure you this is the place to come for an absolutely incredible meal. As you'd imagine, they serve tea here. But you also can choose from a menu of high tea combinations ranging from savory to sweet. My wife went the route of sweet while I revisit my favorite savory options including this unreal lobster omelette with truffles. All of the finger foods that are served with the tea are all-you-care-to-enjoy, so if you want more, you need only tell your server which ones and how many more. I wish I could have more of these right now. After our incredible meal, we did some damage in the store... For a $25 flat fee, we were able to ship everything home to Florida, so it was an easy choice to make. I was majorly tempted, but knowing we'd be ending our trip in Barcelona, I figured it was best to wait on trying the Iberico ham until we were in Spain. I've traditionally tried at least one new Coca-Cola product with each trip I take... This one was neither delicious nor refreshing. I've long been fascinated with the history of the London Trocadero and Sega World. I wish I could have experienced it firsthand but even passing by the old building feels like being able to embrace a little bit of the history. I've also been interested in The Crystal Maze (because of TPR) for years. If we had had more time on this trip, we definitely would have done it. After years of seeing them at A Celebration of Harry Potter at the Universal Orlando Resort, we finally had a chance to stop by the House of MinaLima. These are the artists who defined the look and feel of most collateral, art and stylings found in the Harry Potter and Wizarding World franchises... Cirque Arcanus is referenced in the second Fantastic Beasts film and will actually be a show/attraction in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic land in Universal's Epic Universe. After our brief stint in London it was time to fly to Rome... But not before we had a chance to finally try Nando's for ourselves! Worth the hype. It amazes me that Nando's hasn't made its way to more of the US, especially not Florida yet. Everything was so ridiculously tasty! Knowing that we had four days in Greece ahead of us, it felt appropriate to finally get around to watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3... This was a mistake.
  8. “If you tear it down, they will come.” is not a sound business model.
  9. ^ I would imagine if there were anything dire it would have been recognized some time ago and wouldn’t have been allowed to continue operating if it was significant enough to lead to a permanent closure. While I’m no expert in code/safety violations, I can’t imagine a scenario where any agency or inspector would allow unsafe conditions to go unaddressed while the ride still operates in violation/at risk. Immediate closure with the latitude to reopen once the issue has been satisfactorily mitigated would likely be the best case outcome in such a scenario. I think it is much safer to err on the side of Phoenix Rising opening right next door as a justification to replace one (aged, increasingly costly/difficult to maintain with low ridership/demand) moderate thrill coaster with another (brand new, marketable, easy to maintain) of the same class, with no real need to operate both.
  10. Keep in mind that this coaster has been operating with one train and reduced operating hours for some time… And it still hasn’t garnered significant wait times or demand. If you compare that to the ridership counts of other legacy coasters in the chain like Loch Ness Monster, the ROI for operating Scorpion just isn’t there. While Scorpion is a solid coaster and a good entry-level option for guests to choose for their first inverting coaster, it hasn’t warranted a major sendoff campaign and the ridership and guest trends will back this up. The coaster has been operating on borrowed time for years and guests haven’t been playing trips to the park specifically for it before, so there’s zero reason to believe that a significant amount of guests will flock to the park in the next nine days to send it off.
  11. Carowinds announced an expansion of Camp Snoopy with two new attractions to debut in 2025! The land will also receive some additional enhancement including splash play zones and a new meet and greet. Carowinds' Camp Snoopy will unveil two new family-friendly attractions in 2025 as part of the largest investment in family attractions in the park's history: a new family launch roller coaster and an interactive raft ride. These additions, alongside splash play zones and a meet-and-greet experience with Peanuts™ costume characters, offer more spots for families to cool off and new character experiences. The new attractions promise endless adventured fun for guests of all ages, making Camp Snoopy a must-visit destination for family fun in 2025. New Attractions: Snoopy's Racing Railway: Guests can join Snoopy as he races to deliver root beer and pizza to Camp Snoopy's Mess Hall, where Woodstock and his yellow bird buddies are causing quite a ruckus. This family-friendly steel launch coaster accelerates from 0 to 31 mph in seconds, providing an exhilarating adventure for all ages. Riders will experience exciting dips and wild turns, ensuring the delivery arrives safely and on time. Riders get double the fun as they race through the course twice. Charlie Brown's River Raft Blast: Families can hop aboard an eight-seater boat at Snoopy's swimming hole for a splish-splash adventure with family and friends. Equipped with on-board and onshore water cannons, riders can engage in friendly water skirmishes with other boats, spraying each other as they navigate the river channel. With their trusty water cannon mounted on the side, they can join in the excitement with other campers. Throughout their journey, riders will encounter their favorite Peanuts characters swimming, floating, and splashing—all eager to drench them in fun! "We're excited to introduce the latest adventures in Camp Snoopy in 2025," Manny Gonzalez, vice president and general manager for Carowinds, said. "Our re-imagined Camp Snoopy will allow families to ride and play together, immersing them in a summer camp experience with the Peanuts gang. From the thrilling twists of Snoopy's Racing Railway to the splashes at Charlie Brown's River Raft Blast, our focus is on family fun. These new features will transform Camp Snoopy into more than just a place to play and cool off; it will become a destination for creating family memories." New Enhancements: Splash Play Zones: Families can beat the heat in Camp Snoopy's brand-new splash play zone areas. Featuring enhanced shade and refreshing water features, these areas are designed to ensure everyone stays cool and has fun. The ample shade and water make it the perfect relaxing spot on a hot Carolina summer day. Camp Store Meet-and-Greet Experience: Guests can enter the newly remodeled Camp Store to meet Peanuts costume characters at their interactive, camp-themed meet-and-greet area. Complete with rustic log benches around a cozy firepit, this air-conditioned environment offers ideal photo opportunities and memorable interactions with favorite characters. Unlimited Family Fun: Unlimited access and visits to Camp Snoopy for the rest of 2024 and all of 2025 are available with a 2025 Gold Season Pass, now on sale at the lowest price of the season. A Gold Season Pass includes unlimited visits to Carowinds and Carolina Harbor Waterpark, admission to seasonal events like Tricks and Treats, SCarowinds and WinterFest, free parking, exclusive discounts, and eligibility for two Pre-K Passes. For more information on the new Camp Snoopy attractions, visit www.Carowinds.com and follow Carowinds' social media channels.
  12. My tour of the Vegas casinos continued with some more entertainment, some amazing food and a concert for good measure. The trip was winding down by the minute but there was still more to pack in... My last visit to Caesar's Palace came and went several years ago, but I hadn't realized at the time that there was an animatronic show in plain sight. Admiring the sights along the way... This dining venue closed just weeks after our visit. Who needs thematic integrity when the Super Bowl is in town? Not The Atlantis Show, that's for sure... Odd costuming choice aside, I can appreciate what the show is meant to accomplish and the fact that after all these years, it still exists despite what I'm sure are expensive costs for pyro and animatronic upkeep. The story didn't make much sense to me but I enjoyed the effects. I'll never not be impressed by curvy escalators. Back at The Mirage, I walked around a little more to say my goodbyes... The last time I was here, this was still Carnegie Deli. I made the short walk to The Venetian... I had spent a decent amount of time there during my last trip. I walked in, grabbed this photo and enjoyed the atmosphere for a few minutes before I moved on... With little time left, that's all I had for this resort today. The High Roller dominates this side of the Las Vegas skyline. It seems no lessons were learned after the unfortunate incident with the London Eye in 2007. Here's hoping the Fantastic Four will be around in case we have a repeat situation here. Over at The Cosmopolitan, I couldn't help but admire The Chandelier which is a multi-story lounge. It's all kinds of impressive. As big fans of Chef Jose Andres (both as a chef and as a humanitarian) we opted to dine at China Poblano. China Poblano, as the name alludes, offers a choice of menu items from both asian and latin cuisines. In some cases the items are strictly agnostic of the other, and in some they are fusion creations. We started off with these birria tacos, because I'm never one to turn down a good birria. Next up were traditional barbecue pork dumplings... And these were heavenly. Essentially chicken lettuce wraps... And these were phenomenal! Octopus taco for the win! But the absolute highlight of the meal was this beef tendon and oyster taco which was absolutely incredible. I ordered two more before the end of the meal. As I mentioned earlier, this was the catalyst for the whole trip. The venue at Planet Hollywood was great and even as far back as we were, the view was quite good. My wife was thrilled with the experience and the whole trip was worth the concert in her book. This "shop" at Planet Hollywood was closed by the time the concert ended... I just want to know how this works in the format of a "store." Every resort was getting in on the Super Bowl spirit this weekend. And the Bellagio had to one-up them all with custom fountain shows just for the event! One of these day's I'll actually get a chance to eat at a Hell's Kitchen... I did manage to peek inside of this location and it looked much like you'd expect from the show, albeit a little smaller. I wonder what will happen to this tribute now that The Mirage has closed and the Secret Garden is long gone. For as much as I enjoy seeing the evolution of Las Vegas, Treasure Island feels like it has gone in all of the wrong directions. This just feels cheap and wrong. Back at the hotel my treats from Dominique Ansel were waiting and they were worth the wait. The next morning we woke up with only a few hours left before we needed to head to the airport... The first stop was the Fontainebleu, newly opened and ready to explore. The property is very beautiful and the casino is more open/less dense than most others we visited. It felt a little unfinished (which given the history, I know sounds a little funny) but it feels like this property still needs time to come into its own. Major points though for having one of the best machines I've seen in town. "Well I hope you can enjoy the victory with one freakin' eye!" Another bit of Lost Vegas as we passed Circus Circus while leaving the Fontainebleu. One last look at The Mirage... Demolition of the volcano and the main lobby and casino is now under way to make way for the new Hard Rock Casino and Guitar Hotel. It wouldn't be a trip to Vegas without a stop inside of the Bellagio. More specifically, a chance for me to admire some pieces by Dale Chihuly. The Spring showcase at the Conservatory in Bellagio was really stunning. Good luck to all... One more Chihuly piece for good measure. I may not have made it to Hell's Kitchen this trip, but I did manage to snag one Gordon Ramsay meal on the way out... Man, was this a burger. What better way to end this trip than with a view of a giant Dorito from the airport.
  13. Cedar Point has announced that Snake River Falls will officially close on Labor Day, September 2nd, 2024 to make way for future expansion. https://www.cedarpoint.com/blog/2024/the-final-tidal-wave Get ready to go over the falls one last time. After 31 years of soaking riders (both on the ride and over its splashy bridge), it’s time to “wave” goodbye to the Snake River Falls boat ride. Opened in 1993, Snake River Falls debuted as the tallest, steepest & fastest water flume ride in the world. Standing 82 feet above Frontier Town, nobody had ever seen anything like it. Original concept art showcased the ride’s boats climbing up and over a mountain and meandering through a tunnel before plunging down into a giant wave up to 64 feet wide and 30 feet long. One of the most unique highlights of the ride has always been the exit bridge that traverses over the flume. Over the years, we’ve had a blast watching riders analyze just the right timing to either avoid, or stand right in the middle of, the next boat’s 1,920-square-foot tidal wave…a second way to enjoy the ride, if you will. Now’s your last chance to do just that. Snake River Falls will permanently end its operation on Labor Day, September 2, 2024, as we make way for future expansion. What’s that expansion? Of course we can’t tell you that. Yet. As with previous attractions that have reached the end of their serviceable life, we honor & respect the past but look forward to future FUN for generations to come. We’ll have more details on a special “last splash” in the coming weeks. For now, take the plunge and join the more than 15 million guests who have enjoyed their ride over the falls!
  14. This morning I was able to stop into Universal Studios Florida for a passholder preview of the new DreamWorks Land. This new area replaces the former Kidzone including the Woody Woodpecker Nuthouse Coaster, Fievel's Playland, Curious George Goes to Town, DreamWorks Destination (formerly the Barney show) and a Shrek and Donkey meet and greet. The new land takes up almost exactly the same footprint, but distributes experiences in themed sections inspired by the world of Shrek, Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda and Trolls along with the addition of the new DreamWorks Imagination Celebration show and some meet and greet spaces for a variety of DreamWorks characters to visit throughout the day. This corner of the park will once again be a go-to spot for families with younger kids. Troll's Trollercoaster is the rethemed Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster. Guests ride aboard the Caterbus in this familiar experience. The layout of the coaster remains the same but the queue and surrounding area has been updated to fit the new theme. Yes, this coaster train has an actual butt. The legend lives on. The former Curious George Goes to Town area has been transformed into Po's Kung Fu Training Camp, inspired by the world of Kung Fu Panda. Some of the water play elements from the former attraction remain and the core structure has been retained, but there's some pretty significant differences up close. The water play area is on the right side and the dry play area is on the left. Inside the former ball play area is the new Po Live! interactive meet and greet experience. The former ball play area has essentially become a theater for this interactive experience (the second floor walkways area still accessible). Some simple dry playground elements on this side of the Kung Fu Panda area... The tipping bucket returns from the past version of this complex. Even more water play areas can be found throughout the Kung Fu Panda portion of DreamWorks Land. There are multiple Haystack Dryers available to use in DreamwWorks Land. Onward... The Trolls section of the land is cute and feels different than its predecessor. All aboard the Caterbus! Trolls Treats offers two types of soft serve inspired by the two main characters of the Trolls films. Over in Shrek's swamp you'll Pinocchio's Fact Shack, where you can ask the wooden boy questions where his answers may or may not be true... This slide starts in a port-o-potty and the sounds it makes are as you would expect for the theme. The elevated play structure in Shrek's swamp provides the best views of the Troll's Trollercoaster in all of the land. Shrek's swamp features some water play elements as well. Shrek, Donkey and Fiona meet guests here in a relocated meet and greet from the former Kidzone. Swamp Snacks offers stuffed waffles, pretzel dogs and Shrek pretzels with green cheese sauce. Gabby's Dollhouse is represented with a meet and greet location for Gabby. King Julian from the Madagascar franchise is among the rotating cast of characters that meets guests throughout the land. Mama Luna Feline Fiesta is an interactive nook where you can toggle triggers for cats in this covered open air experience. DreamWorks Imagination Celebration replaces Dreamworks Destination (formerly the long-running "A Day in the Park with Barney" show). Characters from throughout DreamWorks Land appear in a show featuring music, dance and a lively atmosphere that is fun for all ages. The same theater-in-the-round design is still in use for the venue. The projections throughout the venue help to transform the theater with each segment. One final dance before the show is over! High Five Hideaway is the land's merchandise location, offering items inspired by all of the land's characters. King Harold's Swamp Symphony is an interactive play area where guests can jump on lily pads to make the frogs sing. Adjacent to DreamWorks Land, E.T. Adventure has shifted its entrance slightly to accomodate the new land, and with this shift comes a prominent new entrance sign.
  15. Rounding out our time at Area 15, we stopped for a quick drink at the Asylum Bar + Arcade... AREA15 Signal Lager is an exclusive Mexican lager from Able Baker Brewing in Las Vegas and it is quite good! John is a friend I've known through TPR for years (he toured us around Las Vegas during our last visit) and it was great to see him at Area 15 this time around! Liftoff Bar & Ride was something I was eager to try at Area 15... Again, the view of those snowy peaks was a treat! Looking to one side of the Area 15 campus expansion we found the future year-round Halloween Horror Nights attraction construction well under way. Looking back at the Rio from Liftoff... The exterior of this hotel is so cool, regardless of when you look at it! We wouldn't be visiting Circus Circus or The Strat this time around... But it was neat to see The Strat and its attractions off in the distance. Spending time at The Mirage was a priority for us during this trip as it will soon become the new Hard Rock in Las Vegas. But first, something new! The Neon Museum Las Vegas was something we didn't have time to experience during our last visit but was on our must-do list this time around. While the experience is open during the day, I definitely think the appeal of the visit comes from seeing the neon do its thing after dusk. What time is the Bohemian Rhapsody fireworks spectacular? Just need to make sure I'm off of "Nights in White Satin: The Trip" in time to get a good spot! The signage graveyard includes pieces that still work, some that don't and some that don't have any neon left on them... But the collection is incredibly impressive. While the museum grounds aren't huge, there is a lot to see within the space. One of my favorite pieces in the collection. After the Neon Museum we moved over to Resorts World Las Vegas for some New York comfort food at Junior's. Losing Carnegie Deli at The Mirage was a shame but our meal at Junior's took a bit of the sting out. Speaking of The Mirage... Last time we were in Las Vegas we wanted to see The Beatles LOVE but it was dark for two weeks (leading us to see O instead). This time around, it was a major priority for us, especially with rumors at the time that the show would be closing in the near future. The theater in the round is different from the more traditional seating arrangements of Cirque shows like "O" and La Nouba. No photos or video are allowed during the show but I can say that it was a great time, and even if you're not an uber-Beatles fan, you'll still appreciate the combination of visual artistry and the band's most famous tunes. I do believe that the show is a little less "stunt" oriented than O or La Nouba, but we really we were glad to have the chance to see it before the end of the line. Shortly after our visit it was announced that The Beatles LOVE would close after a final performance on July 6th, 2024. There's still time to see it, whether for your first or final time--if you can, I definitely recommend checking it out. Don't mind me... I'm just staring at abandoned ride system infrastructure. The next morning I woke up bright and early to Trek for a bit of Lost Vegas. The Westgate Las Vegas was once the Las Vegas Hilton and it was home to the world's only "Star Trek: The Experience." This ticketing attraction built upon Las Vegas' desire to offer family attractions including rides and shows, offered an immersive trip to the Star Trek universe with experiences inspired by The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. There was a simulator ride (Klingon Encounter), a 4D show (Borg Encounter), a bar and restaurant (Quark's), a museum of sorts plus shopping and roaming characters. The experience was operated by Paramount Parks (ultimately Cedar Fair) in late 2008 with the place to open in an alternate location but that plan never panned out. In the time since the closure of Star Trek: The Experience, the remnants of the old elements at the resort have slowly been removed. There isn't much left to see besides a futuristic gift shop and a preview center for timeshare sales... Tempting but not tempting enough. But if you know what you're looking for, you can find traces of what feels like a future era lost to the past. I couldn't subject myself to a timeshare pitch to take a closer look but this feels like the most "leftover" space remaining. Another gift shop space carries the same Star Trek-ish design. It is my understanding that all of these remaining spaces were outside of the ticketed portion of Star Trek: The Experience (along with the removed SpaceQuest Casino). This would be my first time on the Las Vegas Monorail and it may have been my last as it was recently announced that the monorail will likely be retired in the near future. This was as close as I got to The Sphere during this trip but the scale of it all is way more impressive when you see it up close. I swore I wouldn't do this during this trip... But my feet kept moving in this direction. In the time since my last trip to Vegas, the Manhattan Express/Big Apple Coaster had undergone a refurbishment including replaced track segments, new trains from Premier and a repaint. All aboard the Manhattan Express! The Premier trains and the updated track segments have made the ride a slightly more enjoyable experience... But the "comfort collars" do take a bit away from those gains. Seconds later my comfort collar injected itself into my neck. ] Our train got stuck in the station at the end of my first ride for over 20 minutes and we were offered a free re-ride. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment if the cost is free. I tried to get some better photos of the trains in motion... Going down! I went next to Luxor to see what traces of Lost Vegas I could find... There wasn't much. Enjoy this giant Dorito as a consolation prize. After not finding anything of note at Luxor, I drowned out my sorrows with an excessive number of purchases at Dominique Ansel…
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