jedimaster1227

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304447804576414053458185520.html

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/bay_area/news/article_90413878-530a-5f13-8c4f-f8e0f966ae73.html

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11172/1155159-56.stm

http://www.wfpl.org/2011/06/21/workman-says-deal-close-to-reopen-kentucky-kingdom/

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/110630/story4.shtml

Final warning. DROP IT! You have your opinion, he has his. End of story. We are happy to have friendly discussion on TPR, but flame wars don't belong here. Thank you for your understanding!

While you may not agree, he is entitled to his opinion. Let's not start a flame war here, please. Both!

Please bring the bickering to a halt before it truly begins. Thank you!

(Continued) In the interest of not boring you with fluff, these next photos will be (mostly) presented without comment. "And the rockets red glare... The bombs bursting in air..." Fear lives!

Now that Summer is in full force (you can tell by the terrible heat here in Florida), many of the state's many seasonal offerings have kicked into gear, including SeaWorld Orlando's Summer Nights. And while it wasn't my first time visiting during this event, it was my first time giving some of the shows a try (besides Shamu Rocks, which I've always enjoyed). While I've never been a "show person" myself when it came to the parks, lately I've found a growing appreciation for in-park entertainment, especially at SeaWorld. So, with that in mind, I gave Sea Lions Tonite! and Reflections a go! I am happy to report that SeaWorld Orlando also sells the lemon slushies that I raved about at Discovery Cove. Even better, the park sells slushies in other flavors. I tried Watermelon later in the day, and it was amazing! Surprisingly, we were able to walk in five minutes before One Ocean's last show of the day... I can't explain it, but I really do love this show! This was a first for me... I saw Clyde & Seamore take Pirate Island a few years ago, and was fine after that. I, along with those who I was with enjoyed this show much more. Mime humor. "Vassup!" This is the most inaccurate representation of a tourist ever... He's not wearing a fanny pack. Sea Lions Tonite! is essentially the Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure of SeaWorld Orlando. They parody the park's many assets in whatever way they can. Not up to the height requirement? Fixed! The Manta parody was decently entertaining. Pretzel loop! No show is safe here... They made fun of the male lead's intro from Blue Horizons... Tastefully accomplished! Not sure why she jumped... Hardy har har. Honestly, the parody itself was more enjoyable than the real show (A'lure I mean). Much more entertaining. I'll give credit where credit is due. This is genius. It seems they actually updated the show to reflect the addition of One Ocean to the park's lineup (and the removal of Believe). Time for some Shamu Stadium-style dancing! Recreating the mother and child scene from One Ocean. This is not going to end well... So many amazing things going on here... Shamu chant? You're doing it wrong. One Ocean fountains? Nothing is safe from parody in this show. ... Haven't been on this in a while... Somebody doesn't want to be on screen. Star Tours will also take you to the planet of Melbow. Broadcasting live from District 9... Here we go! Just keep swimming! New to this year's version of Shamu Rocks, the new set enhancements from One Ocean have been integrated into the show. Um... Um... This band is rockin' way too hard! Orca overload! Never ceases to amaze! Recreating the One Ocean logo! Oh, and the show now has fire! Minor note: Killer whales can also make star bursts in mid-air. Eruption! Incoming! The new water jets are also in the show... Awesome! Tilly! Pre-show entertainment just jamming out before Reflections. Time to start experimenting with my camera...

^^Chance was another one of those favorite 2nd tier characters that I've loved from Horror Nights' past (along with the Body Collectors and basically all of the Asylum in Wonderland characters), but I doubt that she'd be used as the icon for the event. As much as I'd love to see her at the top, I'm thinking we'll see a new icon(s) this year, or possibly even a year without a central icon, relying on a theme alone instead.

^Only after Freestyle Music Park reopens as Monstars of Rock Park.

I really wouldn't be surprised if this isn't the last we've heard of the project, at least in some form. All things considered, the investment in planning and development of the concept is enough to at least call for an attempt to find an alternate location (which they had mentioned after the initial rejection from the Municipal Board). There is a good deal of land to be used (or repurposed) in the greater Kissimmee area...

I totally approve of the delivery of my Coke via looping rollercoaster! Just out of curiosity, is this in the building where Historama was last season?

I'm disappointed by this... For such an exclusive honor such as documenting the making of our show, you have failed. I'm shocked by the mere lack of bathroom-approach photos alone.

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20110623D23JFN05.htm

http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2011/jun/23/zippin-pippin-helping-to-post-big-numbers-in-first-month-of-bay-beach/

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/06/disneyland-grad-nite-new-twists-on-a-50-year-tradition-coming-in-2012-and-2013/

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/06/al-weiss-announces-retirement/ http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/als-message-to-disney-cast-members/

(Continued) Flying over Disney's Hollywood Studios really was my favorite part of the tour! Blizzard Beach also looks amazing from up here... Some more of the Disney resorts from above... I think these are the All Star hotels. The Family Raft Ride is a fun topic for my family thanks to my cousin forcing my mother on it many moons ago. Over to Animal Kingdom we go! Next to the Polynesian and the Grand Californian, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is my third favorite Disney hotel in the world. MiraCosta is fourth. "Diggin'... Diggin' in Dinoland." Ever notice the tree in the concrete of the entry plaza at Animal Kingdom. Everest still works from above. Time to make our way back... Which means I get to fly! Yes, the vent is jetting air from the outside into my face. But in the hot Florida Summer, it felt amazing! One more stop on the way back... What have we here? Power Trip, the park's new coaster (Cypress Gardens' old Galaxy Spin coaster) is nearly ready to open. Almost back... We're coming in for landing... Just as an old warbird waits to take off. "Nobody move a muscle..." The planes have room for up to three passengers, weight dependent. This truly was an amazing experience! Upon the end of the flight, guests are given a nice looking certificate if they participated in the "Captain's Package. Guests are also asked to write their thoughts on the experience in the Pilot Notes book, which will be read after each flight. This company takes its guests seriously, and takes all words to heart--a truly great sign in this business. Again, Mauiva Air Tours is a fantastic offering out of the ordinary, especially for the theme park fan. There are some great photo moments, some neat backstage glances and, if you choose to do so, the opportunity to fly a plane, which may be a first for some of you. Give it a try--I promise it will be worth your while!

Today I had the opportunity to represent TPR in trying out a brand new offering for the Orlando visitors, in the form of Mauiva Air Tours. A new branch of a larger company specializing in chartered flights and tours, this new group seeks to offer a different take on the Orlando experience. Flying higher than the tallest buildings in "the City Beautiful," Mauiva Air Tours offers several chartered flight options, including flights around Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Celebration and even a fireworks tour between Fantasmic! and Epcot's Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. My tour consisted of all that I mentioned above, minus Universal and Celebration, and obviously the fireworks. Flying in a Cessna, my pilot Blake and I covered lots of ground over the course of the flight. I was able to see things from the air that I could have never seen from the ground, especially at Disney. There is some backstage magic to be found on this flight! And the coup de gras of the flight? Well, I had been hooked up with what they call the "Captain's Package" which includes the option to give the guest a chance to fly the plane. A little nervous at first, Blake was an excellent teacher (as well as pilot) who, when not making sure I kept the pitch and yaw level along the horizon, was able to passionately speak about his interest in the area, including Disney. One thing I noticed about this experience that I've not seen at a tour like this before, was that everyone involved clearly loved what they were doing. I've attached a promo video that Mauiva gave us to share, but I think the photos will do even more justice. [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=mauiva30v2_j689[/coastertube]The bottom line: Mauiva Air Tours is an extremely unique, entirely welcoming offering found in Kissimmee that even the most relaxed fan should consider flying with. Even better, you can tell that their hearts are truly in the right place, as they offer children several flights a month in a program they call "Give Kids the Air," done in conjunction with the nearby Give Kids the World. My thanks go out to Brad, Angie and Blake for making my first Mauiva experience an unforgettable one... And it won't likely be my last. I'm seriously eying that fireworks tour for the near future! My morning started out with a very brief instructional video preparing me for what I was about to experience. This gives me clearance to fly! I'm starting to lose count of how many photos like this I've taken. The offices for Mauiva Air Tours are cozy and relaxing, setting a nice tone for the flight ahead. This is the business they are in, and they do it well! They own several planes and also lease a few. Are we ready? Almost! This is my pilot, Blake! And we're almost ready to fly! So many good movie quotes just flashed into my mind... I challenge you to think of which ones I haven't (or have) and post them. For all of you cockpit enthusiasts out there... Captain, we are ready for takeoff! And we are airborne! See the Peabody and the Orange County Convention Center? That means we are by SeaWorld! We're getting closer now... Wasn't I just here with Bryan? But first, let's take a look at Aquatica from above! Such a beautiful water park! I promise you, this isn't a photo of a model. And Aquatica's most recent addition, Omaka Rocka is looking good! Time for some Kraken love! Over at Shamu Stadium, you can see a few killer whales from above. You can also see the Dine with Shamu complex as it undergoes continued safety upgrades in preparation for its reopening. I've looked in this direction from the top of the Skytower before, but this is a little different. You can see the Magic Kingdom off in the distance. We would've gotten closer to the Magic Kingdom if we could have, but this yellow circle is a strict no-fly zone. Don't worry, we can still fly over the rest of the parks! We were two characters in flight over at Downtown Disney. No more Rock & Roll Beach Club or Motion... Did you know that the Casting building is designed to look like a cruise ship? The Swan & Dolphin dominates this side of the World Showcase. Typhoon Lagoon truly is a beautifully landscaped park. I see you Crush n' Gusher! On to my favorite park... Give me a moment... Disney's Art of Animation Resort is coming along very quickly... Disney's Hollywood Studios was already open for the day, which made our flight overhead even more exciting! Lights! Motors! Action! looks nice from here, though I still haven't seen it in person. I've never really thought about it, but the backside of the Grauman's Chinese Theater does really blend in with the rest of the studio buildings here. Oh, and look at Pixar Place... And how much raw space they have to work with in Stage 1, next to Toy Story Mania... A neat view of Catastrophe Canyon... No more scaffolding on Tower of Terror! Unintentionally tilt-shift. Focusing the camera while moving at such high speeds isn't easy, but the architecture of Epcot still stands out. Space Mountain, the Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower all look very nice together. Over at Fantasmic!, we got some neat sights... Anyone need a snake, canoes or a riverboat? "From here you all look like little ants!" Echo Lake is one of Mickey's ears...

^Beef taco box?