jedimaster1227

It is definitely a shame to see this project once again hitting major roadblocks, but I think the lesson learned is that no grand opening date for a project of this scope should be set until the inspections have been passed. The number of false grand opening dates for this season alone can't help to garner local support.

The way this ride interacts with the hill and all of the other rides on it (Lisebergbanan and Atmosfear specifically) is fantastic! Looks like this park has another winner on its hands! Now if only other parks that are built on hillsides/mountains could take a hint... I'm looking at you Lake Compounce--Boulder Dash desperately needs a friend!

Based on my experience with Ednor L'Attaque at La Ronde (formerly Serial Thriller at Six Flags Astroworld, also a refurbished SLC), I'd say not great.

^A mega lite for any park would be perfect!

^Calling any place the next Dubailand doesn't bode well for a project.

^I was there on opening day and haven't been back since, so that is entirely possible.

On Saturday, SeaWorld Orlando invited us to check out this year's Summer Nights event including updated versions of the popular Sea Lions Tonight! show and Shamu Rocks, featuring an all-new fireworks finale! The event also gave us the chance to see Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at night, giving us a look at the new realm's unique glowing ice structures outside, as well as another opportunity to re-experience the area's main attraction. One more special addition for Summer Nights is the inclusion of a dance party at the front of the park featuring all of the park's characters including Shamu and his friends! We started off our evening with a delicious dessert reception! A quintessential part of the SeaWorld experience, the famous mime continues his (sometimes edgy) antics as a pre-show for Sea Lions Tonight! I won't point it out, but you can guess why he did this. If you've ever seen a Clyde & Seamore show, you'll recognize some of the gags, but much of this show is unique to Summer Nights. The premise of Sea Lions Tonight! is that you are experiencing at day at SeaWorld Orlando through the eyes of Clyde & Seamore, the park's signature sea lion duo. Height requirement? No problem! Last year the show featured Manta, so it was cool to see Kraken used instead. Time to poke some fun at Blue Horizons! Whoops! The things this mime has to do... Even though this show is more focused on parody, there are still some of the great sea lion stunts from the normal shows. "Feesh pleaze!" Next to be roasted was One Ocean! These kids had no idea how wet they were gonna get by posing with a walrus. Take that Shamu! Sea Lions Tonight! is a funny take on the SeaWorld Orlando experience and a great change of pace from the normal Clyde & Seamore Take Pirate Island show offered during the day. Be sure to check it out if you visit SeaWorld Orlando during Summer Nights! Over at Shamu Stadium, we were able to Shamu Rocks, where apparently this whale will be rocking way too hard! I'll admit I'm very biased having seen the show many times before, but Shamu Rocks continues to be my favorite Shamu show at SeaWorld. The show features recognizable music ranging from "Rock & Roll All Nite" by Kiss, "Eruption" by Van Halen, "You and Me" by Lifehouse and "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez. Much like in the other shows, the splash zone is still susceptible to being soaked. And like in the other shows, the killer whales still perform stunts that amaze. She's not as big as Tilly, but she still impresses! Shamu Rocks is a high-energy show that is definitely worth going out of your way to see. The show even includes a live guitar rendition of Van Halen's "Eruption!" New this year is the addition of fireworks to the finale of Shamu Rocks, replacing the separate fireworks show "Reflections" that used to be offered on the park's main lagoon. The entertainment team behind Shamu Rocks has done an incredible job syncing up the fireworks with the already great finale of the show, along with the water fountains and lights added recently to the stadium for the introduction of One Ocean. This is just awesome to see in person! The whales even wave goodbye as you leave the stadium! Our final stop for the evening was at Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin. Using a unique design process, the ice in Antarctica glows at night, giving an even greater ambiance to the immersive realm. Even the attraction's marquee looks different! Let's go on in! Have you had the chance to meet Puck yet? Had you seen the hidden penguin carved in the ice in the queue? There are some impressive visuals to be seen in the ice caverns! Having ridden Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin four times now, three of which on the "Wild" setting, I can attest that the ride experience is different every time. Brian Morrow told us when the ride first opened that it features over 32 different ride profiles! As it was mentioned a few weeks ago, there are currently nets up inside of the penguin exhibit at the end of the ride. But rest assured, these nets are a temporary precaution to be used while the penguins acclimate to their new habitat. Thanks to SeaWorld Orlando for having us on Saturday for some great desserts, a very fun time at Summer Nights and for a quick trip to Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin! As if there weren't enough great reasons to visit SeaWorld Orlando, you've got several additional things to check out at the park!

^The ride has been built with a Universal Express Pass queue and originally had an Express Pass sign up, but the sign has since been covered over. It is expected that the ride will be featured on the Universal Express Pass system, but as of right now it does not appear to be included yet.

I've gone ahead and added my video from the Grand Opening of Transformers: The Ride - 3D, including Mark Woodbury (President of Universal Creative), Peter Cullen (Voice of Optimus Prime), Frank Welker (Voice of Megatron), Tom Williams (Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks and Resorts) and Bill Davis (President and CEO of Universal Orlando Resort). This video also includes appearances by Steven Spielberg, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee.

^Pretty sure he's trolling, considering the fact that the train is in the post right above his. Pay him no further mind...

http://www.olc.co.jp/wpmu/wp-content/blogs.dir/8/files/2013/06/20130619_e.pdf So Tokyo Disneyland will be getting a nighttime fireworks spectacular in the vein of Disneyland Paris' Disney Dreams, Tokyo DisneySea will replace its "Under the Sea" show in Mermaid Lagoon with a new production and The Legend of Mythica will be retired in late 2014. That's a lot to take in but it should lead to some great new things for the resort!

Over the course of yesterday and today, the Universal Orlando Resort hosted the media to check out the latest happenings around the resort, culminating in today's grand opening of Transformers: The Ride 3D. The media offerings included a look at the upcoming Cabana Bay Beach Resort, the new Springfield area of Universal Studios Florida and of course, a good deal of focus on Transformers itself. In regards to Transformers: The Ride 3D, I have to admit, I love it. While it doesn't top Spiderman for me, it is a very, very close second. The ride's animation is beautiful, the story is easily accessible and the ride does not let off the throttle until you return to the station! The elevator lift's are an incredible marvel for the attraction and especially remembering that this attraction was built in such a short span of time (construction began last September), the fact that we were able to ride this one so soon speaks to how "in the game" Universal is these days! As for Springfield, the area is a beautiful, faithful recreation of the notable locales from The Simpsons. I'll have a followup article detailing that land soon after this, as this report's focus is more about Transformers than anything. So let's dive in! We were greeted at the start of the event by a surfer dude and a beach bunny! The newly expanded Universal Orlando Resort map shows the location of Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort, opening in the first quarter of 2014. The new resort will feature a mix of family suites and standard rooms at a "moderate price," featuring all of the added amenities of staying on property at Universal, minus the inclusion of unlimited Express Pass. Also announced to us was the inclusion of two pools, a lazy river (that was hinted as not being so lazy after all) and a ten lane bowling alley. Cabana Bay Beach Resort gets two thumbs up for my anticipation! When complete, Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort will add an additional 1800 rooms to the Universal Orlando Resort. They won't actually be this size though. They gave us themed mocktails to start off our morning with a sugar rush! We had a chance to hear from some of the main people related to this exciting project... Moving over to Springfield in Universal Studios Florida, we were given the chance to sample some of the new dining options available along Fast Food Boulevard. Cletus' Chicken & Waffle Sandwich from Cletus' Chicken Shack features a maple mayo and is served with a side of addicting tater tots! Mike West from Universal Creative (he oversaw the development of The Simpsons Ride, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and most recently, all of Springfield) welcomed us to Moe's [Tavern]. It was explained to us that at the earliest planning phase of the Springfield project, it was determined that if the food and beverages proposed for the new area weren't found in the show (or in the show's almanac seen here), it wouldn't be found in the new venue. Talk about authenticity! We were all given Flaming Moes, a non-alcoholic orange-and-vanilla drink that smokes and bubbles with the help of some dry ice. The reason the Flaming Moe isn't purple like it is in the show, is purely to emphasize the point that your drink is "on fire." There's the answer. Lard Lad Donuts make me go nuts! We even had a chance to sample Duff Beer, an actual, exclusive craft brew available only in Springfield. Duff Lite and Duff Dry are also available here! As an extra surprise, we were able to meet Krusty the Clown and Sideshow Bob, both new walk around characters for the park! Krusty Burger looks extremely authentic on the outside! Tapped Out yet? Cletus' Chicken Shack is home to some really, really tasty poultry products! Across from Fast Food Boulevard will be the Duff Brewery, Bumblebeeman's Taco Truck, several photo op's and... Kang and Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl, an Astro Orbiter-style flat ride with interactive triggers activated by raising and lowering your vehicle as it spins around its course. New hotness! "Your jacket is now dry!" We were next treated to an amazing spread of themed foods, many of which came with some very inventive flavor cubes! If you like cheeses as much as I do, you'll understand why this photo is so important. Blood Orange Ceviche surrounds these neat ice sculptures! And for you sushi lovers! We were even given a swag bag filled with Transformers gifts like a milk chocolate Allspark cube! After dinner we were allowed to go enjoy Transformers: The Ride 3D without any wait! The reason we're here: the Allspark. Scorponok's tail from the first movie is contained at this NEST training facility. And of course, there was more food outside! The Optimus Prime truck rolled out for photo ops! Do you read Cybertronian? Wheelie from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a part of the pre-show, and is voiced by the same actor who voices Spongebob Squarepants. And here's Evac. You'll be driving in him during the ride. You are his navigator. That is the story, nuff said. Talk about an experience I won't likely ever get again... I was able to save the planet twice on my own, with no other riders to accompany me! Universal's Cinematic Spectacular served as a great finale to a fantastic day of activities! I had to stop and get a photo with the "Big Guy" before I left... For a top secret training facility, it sure does blend in with the Universal skyline... This morning, we were back on the red carpet for the grand opening of Transformers: The Ride 3D! Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative was the first to walk the red carpet alongside Optimus Prime! He was a pleasure to speak with! Peter Cullen, the voice of Optimus Prime took a few minutes to chat with us about his experiences and his thoughts on Transformers: The Ride 3D! Frank Welker, the voice of Megatron gave us a demo of his character's voice, going as far as to get in character before us. The grand opening festivities began with a military convoy, from which General Glenn Morshower emerged. General Morshower has been in all three Transformers movies and was also present for the opening of Hollywood's version of the ride. Optimus and Bumblebee rolled out in their car forms. There was actually a flyover above the attraction as a part of the opening ceremonies! They actually attacked the Decepticons that were atop the building, attempting to steal the Allspark! FIRE! And some fireworks to signify the opening of Transformers: The Ride 3D! General Morshower announced that the ride was officially open, and we were then allowed to go in! Seriously, this ride is an amazing addition to Universal Studios Florida, to the Universal Orlando Resort and to Orlando as a whole! Come by and check it out! I even had the chance to meet Glenn Morshower on the way out! Thank you again to the Universal Orlando Resort for hosting me for the last two days! This was another incredible experience and there is plenty more exciting additions on the way for the Universal Orlando Resort!

^I didn't think it would, but it really does! The animation is insanely crisp and gives more life to the characters, making them look far less like they came out of an old computer game. The ride also received a new soundtrack along with a modified sound system with more channels of audio and more ambient noise pertinent to the story to further immerse the rider. All of that coupled with the additional layers of detail throughout the ride's digital scenes (and the few set modifications done to match the physical sets with the digital show) really made an incredible difference here in Orlando.

Holiday World has sent us a press release regarding their latest honor, this time from TripAdvisor.com.

Disney Cruise Line has sent us a press release regarding their recent, unique fundraiser for Make-A-Wish International. [youtu_be] [/youtu_be]

Universal has sent us an advisory about their latest Halloween Horror Nights contest, this time allowing fans to submit a drawing or description for a custom take on a classic Universal Monster! For the full contest details as well as the terms and conditions. Be sure to let us know if you submit an entry! http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/hollywood/2013/HHN_Character_Design_Fan_Contest_Rules_2013.pdf

http://seaworldparks.com/celebration [youtu_be] [/youtu_be] http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-06-11/business/os-seaworld-50th-anniversary-campaign-20130611_1_seaworld-san-diego-seaworld-orlando-antarctica-themed

http://seaworldparks.com/celebration [youtu_be] [/youtu_be] http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-06-11/business/os-seaworld-50th-anniversary-campaign-20130611_1_seaworld-san-diego-seaworld-orlando-antarctica-themed

http://seaworldparks.com/celebration [youtu_be] [/youtu_be] http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-06-11/business/os-seaworld-50th-anniversary-campaign-20130611_1_seaworld-san-diego-seaworld-orlando-antarctica-themed http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-cfb-tourism-0617-20130616,0,5941864.story

http://www.newsherald.com/entertainment/resurrecting-a-beach-icon-1.153480?tc=cr You can purchase a brick here: http://www.ms-pp.com/Starliner.html

It looks like the ride will be reopening soon! [youtu_be]http://youtu.be/a47_3vG-tPw[/youtu_be]

Busch Garden Tampa Bay has sent us a press release regarding the return of the popular Summer Nights offering at the park for 2013!

http://www.reviewjournal.com/business/tourism/full-scream-ahead-company-proposes-650-foot-tall-roller-coaster-strip A look at the Polercoaster concept as seen on the U.S. Thrill Rides website.

http://www.wiscnews.com/wisconsindellsevents/news/local/crime_and_courts/article_ca545120-d2e0-11e2-b20a-0019bb2963f4.html

http://seaworldparks.com/howloscream-tampa?source=fromportal Tickets are now available for sale for this year's Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.