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The option to purchase land that had been flagged for Hong Kong Disneyland expansion will not be renewed by the Hong Kong government, taking away https://in.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-disney/hong-kong-government-ends-disneys-option-for-expanding-theme-park-idUSKCN26E1XP

Last week the Universal Orlando Resort reopened for guests for the first time since March 15th, just ahead of the resort's 30th anniversary. It was a surreal experience for me to visit after having not been to the parks for a few months, particularly because these two were the last two I visited right before all of the Orlando parks had shut down due to COVID. I hadn't planned it this way, but when I decided I was going to venture out for a visit, it turned out to be the park's actual 30th anniversary to the day. My goal for the visit was really just to make a lap of each park, get some photos, grab merchandise and if there was time and it was convenient, get a ride or two in while there. Along the way, I was able to observe the changes found throughout the parks that have come in response to reopening restrictions including reduced capacity, temperature checks, required masks, U-Rest areas and virtual lines. I'll share these thoughts on my experience... The temperature check process was ridiculously simple. I arrived at 10:30 am, an hour and a half after park opening and there was only one person ahead of me in the temperature check queue. My check took approximately 3 seconds before I could proceed through security, which due to the low crowds was an equally quick transaction. It impacted my experience in absolutely no way. Most guests (85-90%) that I witnessed during my four hours at the resort observed and respected the park's new policies when it came to masks and social distancing in queues. Masks are required in all areas (other than designated U-Rest spaces) unless you are in the process of eating or drinking. The vast majority of people I saw kept their masks on, but every once in a while you'd see someone on the phone with a mask hanging off of one ear, or another sitting down in a more crowded area with their mask resting under their chin. No employees were walking up to guests to tell them that they needed to abide by the policies, though team members at the entrances of the shops and attractions were quick to remind guests that face coverings were mandatory. I felt safe enough since I wasn't physically anywhere near close to anyone that wasn't participating in the required policies. It was honestly better than I imagined, but not flawless either--about as good as I could expect, knowing that there are plenty of people that are only wearing masks because it is the park policy, not because they believe they need to. And no, wearing a mask during your entire visit is not bad or experience-ruining. I visited a few of the U-Rest locations to check them out but the only time I took down my mask was when I'd grab a drink at a water fountain. I didn't get overheated or anything. I was used to the experience a few minutes in because I focused on everything else and that seemed to work out fine for me. Regarding social distancing, I was impressed with how methodical the placement of the social distancing markers were in queues. With the reduced capacity and virtual lines in combination, moving through the lines and stopping on each six foot marker felt natural. I experienced this for Reign of Kong: Skull Island and Hagrid's Magical Motorbike Adventure. My only critique would be that the winding and sometimes dark nature of each of these queues, sometimes made it difficult to know if the next line marker was clear because it was around a corner or hallway... This would result in me stepping forward too soon and the people at the marker behind me following, for me to have to pause and step back a little. The fine line between thematic integrity in the queue and bringing up the lighting a little, but a minor observation--I share only because I felt like it was difficult to avoid a mistake as a result, not because anyone in the line was intentionally choosing to do something wrong by moving forward. Hand sanitizer is given to every rider as a requirement before their board the vehicle. And riders from different parties are placed with empty rows in between them... This resulted in me having my own row on Kong, along with the row in front of me being empty. For Hagrid's, I was seated with no one to my side but one rider in the row ahead of me, which I didn't think would happen as we were in different parties. The Virtual Line experience was solid though not always easy to win with if there's one attraction you're trying to get into... It is based on the same system that has been in use for Race through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, along with Fast and Furious Supercharged, for quite some time. I tried my hand at a virtual line reservation for Hagrid's as soon as I entered the park (the system requires your GPS to be enabled on the app) and was immediately met with a message that no times were available. This message would show consistently with my attempts for the next half hour. Once at the entrance of the attraction, I overheard others around me saying that they were just able to snag a time, and sure enough when I tried I successfully got a reservation for an hour later. The system lets you have two reservations for two attractions at a time, so I grabbed my reservation for Kong to help kill time without going too far. Kong's reservation was for five minutes after I booked it, and from the time I entered the queue with my app scanned to the time I exited the ride, it was 20 minutes. From the entrance of Hagrid's queue (which extends with barricades past the Hogsmeade entrance) to my leaving the ride totaled 27 minutes. Overall, my four hour visit was an enjoyable one. People's fears about the new social distancing and safety policies really should be calmed by the reports coming out of these first few weeks of operation. Things all worked fairly smoothly. The vast majority of guests in the park obeyed the rules and were civil about the changes in procedure. The U-Rest spots offer an added safe space for those that feel they really need to pause from mask wearing along the way. And virtual queuing eliminates the fear of packed queues putting guests within a concerning distance. This is the new normal, but not the forever normal. To those that find these measures an inconvenience, it is a small price to pay for being able to have these parks in operation, these jobs restored and the businesses up and running to support and feed other businesses around them. I'm grateful the parks are moving in this direction... The alternative is far less enjoyable for everyone. The Universal Orlando Resort has changed pretty dramatically over the last 30 years. And at some point in the next decade, a new park and even more resorts will open. It'll be quite the ride knowing what is coming next (Super Nintendo World and Universal's Epic Universe at some point) and wondering what else may surprise us... I felt very comfortable on my way into CityWalk for obvious reasons. The first of many sets of signage throughout CityWalk from beyond the moving walkways... Right before COVID, Fossil, PiQ and Quiet Flight closed. Based on the scope of the construction and how much of the collective building has been gutted, it looks this will become one large venue as opposed to several smaller stores. Universal Orlando is cashing in on nostalgia with a new line of 30th anniversary merchandise... This will make fans of the classic attractions like King Kong, Back to the Future: The Ride and Jaws very happy. At the entrance of each park, team members are on a loudspeaker announcing social distancing and mask policies as well as sharing information about the Virtual Line and “U-Rest” options in the parks. It feels good to be back in a theme park... A nice sight to see. The first U-Rest area I spotted in the park... Basically, it is an area in the park where you can take off your mask while maintaining a social distance from others. This view looks very different than it did when I was last here a few months ago. An Intamin coaster has sprung up in Jurassic Park! The coaster’s expected top hat maneuver has its support structure ready to go. A barrel roll over water... Very nice. I’ve always loved the look of this Intamin track spine. Pathways have barriers set up to help drive the flow of traffic, though they aren’t enforced. Surprisingly open! Tots do sound good, but not today... The last remaining guardian of The Lost Continent received a fresh paint job right before the parks reopened. Another U-Rest area in Islands of Adventure is the Sinbad theater. Despite having lived in Orlando my entire life, having visited this park since before its grand opening and having had an annual pass since the age of 13, I was never compelled to see the show... And it closed before I ever got around to giving it a try. The Enchanted Fountain is still entertaining guests, but markings on the ground indicate where they can stand for an appropriate social distance. The entrance for the Hagrid's queue extends outside of the gates of Hogsmeade. Feels good to be back. Even The Wizarding World of Harry Potter received social distancing markers throughout the land. They may not be themed, but it is a small price to pay to be able to have the place open again. Standing spaces are defined for the outdoor show venues in the parks. I didn't ride during my visit but Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was operating under the Virtual Line reservation system. Flight of the Hippogriff operated with the normal standby queue, albeit with social distancing markers on the ground. This coaster is going to be quite the sight to see! Such a good looking mess of steel! Looks like an inversion in the works! I do think it is kind of humorous that Dueling Dragons was supposedly despised by JK Rowling due to the exposed nature of the coaster's steel and yet, a new coaster that is equally exposed will be roaring within view of Hogsmeade. These photos were taken from the balcony seating area behind the Hogs Head Tavern. I seriously can't wait to ride this. Time to keep moving onward... A new locker area for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is being set on the side of the attraction nearest Jurassic Park. It looks like it will actually help to obstruct the "box" show building for the ride when it is complete. At 11:10 I was able to snag a Virtual Line reservation for Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure for only an hour away. With an hour to kill, I continued to roam Jurassic Park to get more photos of the construction of the new coaster. The project's scope can be best understood when standing in front of the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. This coaster will really change the feel of the land when it is complete. Despite the park's closure, Universal was able to complete the construction of the new Raptor Encounter space with a themed queue and meet & greet paddock. It wasn't open for me to check out due to the rain, but I'm sure I'll get around to seeing the interior at some point. More track going up! My first (of only two) ride of the day. Notice the distance between those in the queue, as defined by the social distancing markers six feet apart. A fun detail I never noticed before in the queue... I'm more used to seeing this room full, but with the pulsing of the queue and the social distancing measures in place, I was only in this room for a few minutes while waiting. Individual parties are loaded into their own rows, with empty rows between them. In this case, that meant a number of rows with only one to two people in them at a time. I love the look of this coaster! It is a crime that these chicharrones are not called "Jurassic Pork." Can't. Wait. Time for a different Intamin coaster. A subtle tribute to Dueling Dragons in the queue for Hagrid's... Also used to seeing this room full... Dudley Doo-Right's Ripsaw Falls was up and running... It is a rare thing to see Wimpy's open in Toon Lagoon... Paper menus are available for interested guests to see what can be ordered at Wimpy's. Toon Lagoon is one of my favorite lands from a detail standpoint, as there is so much to take in! Social distance meet & greets are offered throughout the parks. Spidey pose! Spider-Man only had a twenty minute wait during my visit. Just nice to see coasters back in operation in Orlando. Yes, I absolutely bought one of each of these retro masks... Universal is playing to Dueling Dragons nostalgia for merchandise and I'm easily hooked. I can't wait to come back when this coaster is fully assembled and ready for riders! Next up, a lap at Universal Studios Florida...

Very interesting for sure. Given the rumor that a wing coaster was headed towards the festival path... I'm curious to find out what a "surf coaster" could mean for B&M and for park if true.

We really had a great time at the park during the TPR East Coast/Behemoth 2008 trip... Silver Comet was running pretty great. I'm bummed that this park couldn't find a way to survive. I'm hoping that someone picks up their "I Got It" setup so another park could use it.

After our previous visit to New York City at the tail end of our Grand European Adventure, we looked at different options for a quick weekend getaway to celebrate my birthday, and we landed on NYC. This time around, our focus would be on shows, shopping and a few food stops. We managed to splurge a bit and yet somehow found a pretty unreal price for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child tickets, for Parts 1 and 2 in the same same, for a Sunday... Scoring second row right, center seats for the duration of the shows. After years of hype for the show, and both of us being Potter fans (my wife more so than me), we tried pretty desperately to get into the show at a reasonable price in either London or New York on that prior trip but weren't able to pull it off. So when this time around we found the seats at the price we did, we couldn't wait to book the tickets. So some key details about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for those that have been interested/considering paying for the show. This is not a small commitment when it comes to time or money (though weekdays sometimes can see seats available for as low as $69 per part). Each part of the show consists of two acts with a 20 minute intermission, amounting to about 3 hours per part. You have a choice to see both parts in the same day if you opt for the weekend schedules, or you can split your shows across days, with either option having its pros and cons. We chose to see both parts in the same day, to maximize our free time on our other two days, plus it kept everything fresh in our minds between parts... Though, it amounted to a near full day of Potter, which even for us fans was a bit exhausting. The show itself is incredibly inventive and well thought out. The show takes liberties with some of the established iconography and characters that you've seen in the films... And thus, JK Rowling chose not to be beholden to what was shown onscreen, rather how she imagined it from the books. That can be a little jarring for fans of the films, but for as long as this show is, it is easy enough to shrug off after the initial introductions of the show begin. The entirety of the show is incredibly well-acted, with the standouts being Albus Potter (Harry Potter's son), Scorpius Malfoy (Draco Malfoy's son) and Harry Potter. The show picks exactly where the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows left off, with Harry's son going off to Hogwarts. Along the way, you meet new faces in Albus' life, but revisit familiar faces from Harry's past. The show spends a good deal of time establishing the story as Albus', but as we get deeper into it, the relationship between him and his father, and the decisions from his father's past fall more into question, with key elements of the prior stories being revisited in a clever way. In lieu of cinematic effects, The bottom line is, if you're familiar with Harry Potter, you'll likely enjoy the show. If you're a Potter fanatic you'll love it. Just know you're in for the long haul between the two parts, even if you space them out across different days. Outside of our full day at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, we spent time noshing around New York, hanging out in the West Village, along with window shopping throughout the city. We even managed to snag some amazingly cheap tickets for front row at Phantom of the Opera (my favorite show)! For a quick weekend, it was an amazing way to celebrate my birthday! During our previous visit to New York while experiencing Scott's Pizza Tours, we passed the Bantam Bagels storefront in the West Village. It was already closed for the day by the time we were there that time, so we vowed to revisit this location the next time we came to the city. Most people know Bantam Bagels from Shark Tank, but since their debut on TV, they've blown up to be offered in many Starbucks locations along with selling some of their products as frozen foods in grocery stores. This flagship store was where the company started... So we made sure to sample as much as possible! We tasted eight different bagel flavors (including a few egg bites) and four of their Bantam Pancakes. While roaming the city, I spotted this facade in the wild. It was kind of a fun theme park throwback, as this Paramount facade was at the entrance/exit of Kongfrontation at Universal Studios Florida (although the Paramount sign actually says "Paradise" in the park). The building facade and sign is still there for Revenge of the Mummy today. The Lyric Theatre received many upgrades inside and out to support hosting Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. On our day not set aside for Harry Potter, we tried our hand at the lottery for Little Shop of Horrors, which while we were there was the last weekend in which Jonathan Groff was performing (Christian Borle was also in the cast at the time). While we didn't win the lottery, getting to experience the process was still kind of neat, even as a snowstorm enveloped us. With 45 minutes to spare from the start of any other matinees, we ran from the Westside Theatre to TKTS in Times Square to see what was available for the rest of the day (matinee or evening performances). There was no line at this point, so we walked straight up and asked what was available. Of the remaining shows, Phantom of the Opera was the only one that interested us, so we asked what the best we could get was... The attendant advised that he could give us second row right center seats for $81.50 each... My wife jokingly responded by asking, "I wonder what front row costs?" He replied quickly, "the same price." SOLD! A fantastic cast, with this Phantom having previously played the Phantom in Love Never Dies, the sequel musical to this show. Nothing beats the scale of permanent staging compared to the traveling show. The detail is amazing... And so was our view! Love it! I didn't even have to lean to see into the orchestra pit! I love this theater so much! This cast's Christine and Raoul were both fantastic. It isn't a trip to New York City without a visit to the Times Square Disney Store. There are so many hidden details throughout the store. Frozen II had come out only a month earlier, so the store was still dressed in its Frozen best. Hidden Mickey! New to me was the Nintendo New York store! Such cool merch! So much plush! I really appreciate how much effort Nintendo has taken to fill the store with memorabilia and props honoring the legacy of the company and its games. The giant game screens don't hurt either. I love this display. I didn't realize how many Amiibos had been created. A cool find (with a working screen). Any fans of Pikachu out there? This store is for you! The main history case... R.O.B.! I never owned the Virtual Boy, but I had its competitor, the R-Zone as a kid. I nearly bought all of these. I thought it was pretty neat that you could earn Nintendo Points just by checking in with your My Nintendo account in the store. Holy Blue Shell Batman! After Phantom and Nintendo, we took the subway over to The Plaza Hotel to grab a bite... And I ended up enjoying so lobster from Luke's Lobster while there. I picked up a Parisian Steak & Cheese sandwich from Epicerie Boulud because I couldn't resist a chance to taste something from Daniel Boulud's food empire. This was a good call. And I wasn't going to leave The Plaza Food Hall without something from Laduree! The next morning we woke up and went over to Junior's for a hearty breakfast... But you don't come here and not get cheesecake! Where is the giant Jimmy Fallon sign? How am I going to Race Through New York??? While in the area, we stopped into the new FAO Schwarz location... Dolittle was a featured film in the store... For what that is worth. The Funko section was fun. Weird to see Sharper Image existing in any form... A famous FAO Schwarz fixture restored. The Times Square Ball was still in place during our visit! I love this view! Ready for a day full of Harry Potter... Despite showing up nearly 1.5 hours early, this is how far back in the line we were. The show takes some visual liberties with the established iconography from the films... The detail work applied to the inside and outside to the Lyric Theatre for the show is really great. Time to head in! Quite the foyer. It would've been strange to not see these for sale in the concessions area. Minalima, the designers behind many of the elements of the Wizarding World/Harry Potter franchises was involved in the development of the decor for the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child venues. Each venue that hosts the show has its own unique designs inside. The show transforms the theater in surprising ways. The cast list... The staging is quite clever... And the way the stage transforms throughout the two shows is surprising. Quite pretty. Not going to say what this means or why it is important... But it is important. Cats Taxi. During our break between parts of Cursed Child, we ran to a nearby food hall where I grabbed more from Luke's Lobster! We would end up seeing Aladdin live in Orlando just a few weeks later. That night I found a hole in the way shop by our hotel that sold katsu curry... It was bliss. For our final day in the city, we woke up early to visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The Oculus is a really neat shopping center right by the museum and the Freedom Tower. Stunning. I'm not going to share too many photos from inside, because it really is meant to be experienced in person, but the museum is an incredibly powerful experience. A breathtaking piece. The museum is underground and a portion of its wall is an exposed side of the slurry wall retaining the Hudson River. My second time visiting this breathtaking place. The Freedom Tower really is incredible. I love the inside of The Oculus. While here we dropped a decent amount of money on Sugarfina... We stopped at Ruby's Cafe and had an amazing last bite before heading back to Times Square to wrap up our trip. I'll never tire of this site. Always worth a visit. We realized 30 minutes before it was time to leave for the airport that in the rush of our trip, we somehow managed to totally miss out on getting some classic New York style slices... So I ran around the corner to the closest pizza shop I could find, rushed two hot slices back to our hotel and scarfed them down before our Uber arrived. Back in Orlando, it was nice to be greeted by some friends...

In advance of its 10th season, Luna Park has released new concept art of their upcoming enhancements at the park including their new ropes course, log flume and roller coaster! https://lunaparknyc.com/luna-park-2020-more-fun-more-smiles-more-thrills/

Last night Theme Park Review was invited to a VIP preview of this year's Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival. This event returns for another year of great food and drink options, concerts and other entertainment--and of course, it is just one more reason to enjoy the park's many coasters and experiences. During this preview event (which was presented as a surprise for annual passholders alongside invited VIP guests), we had a chance to sample options from all of the food cabins, as well as enjoying an Eaglemania concert (described as "the world's greatest Eagles tribute band") and a special fireworks show (not something that will be offered regularly throughout the event). As has been true for the past food festival events between SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, the best way to enjoy the event is to get a sampler lanyard and try as much as possible. With each year the event has grown to include more flavors, more food cabins and more overall to enjoy, and the beauty of these lanyards is that it allows you to pay less per item if you commit to a certain number of items on a lanyard. The sixth annual Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival can be enjoyed on weekends from February 29th through April 26th. For more event info including concert details, events menus and more visit: https://buschgardens.com/tampa/events/food-and-wine-festival/ Tonight we’re Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to preview this year’s Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival offerings! It is hard not to visit the Food and Wine Festival event spaces of the park without Iron Gwazi catching your eye. The structure absolutely changes the skyline of the park. It looks like the attraction is getting very close to being ready to open! Another look at the awesome new sign! RMC goodness incoming! Some de-vine fun... SeaWorld and Busch Gardens really do a fantastic job of taking care of their passholders. This surprise passholder preview is another example of such care. It's a most wonderful time of year. Forgive me for oogling over this coaster for much of the report... On the topic of Iron Gwazi, check out this insane maneuver on the new coaster! It looks so great! We’re enjoying food and drinks at Busch Gardens with a fantastic view of Iron Gwazi! Unreal to see in person, especially if you saw Gwazi operate here previously. The Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls looked great! There are menu options for every palate at the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival! The “Boujee Bacon” at the Hog Heaven booth is a bacon-lover’s delight! Food cabins dot the park with options for most tastes. Freshly prepared chicken coming up! I'm gonna stare at this for a while. The festival path is quite pretty at night. They have coaster-inspired cocktails at the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival! Which one would you choose? I went with the Tigris Tea (left) and the Iron Gwazi Gimlet (right) and both were quite tasty. Pretty... The new Coca-Cola® Canopy: is set to open on March 14th. The Coke Fusion food cabin returns with some Coca-Cola-infused flavors... The Sticky Coke® Wings are awesome! Pretty and clever! The Short Rib & Cheddar Tostadas are fantastic! More delicious food awaits your order! The Bison Slider is a returning favorite of ours. The Griddled Cheese Cake Handheld also makes a triumphant return to the event, and it is just as delicious as it was in previous years! Live art demonstrations also take place during the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival. The end of the night brought more opportunity to admire Iron Gwazi in all its splendor. Eaglemania, an Eagles tribute band kicked off the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival with a performance in the park! Quite a fun show! Just look at this beautiful monster. An awesome fireworks show featuring the music of this year’s Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival concert acts marked the perfect close to a great evening of corks and coasters! Special thanks to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay for hosting us for this VIP preview event! We can't wait to come back to try more delicious menu items at the event!

That's what I was getting at. If a small park (especially a water park that uses this as an entry into a dry park market) is able to install such a coaster (at a low cost) to much fanfare and positive results, it has the potential to increase the product appeal for the RMC Raptor. While the rides are highly regarded, Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster and RailBlazer stand out in their respective park lineups with other major coasters, as Jersey Devil will be as well. Installing this in a smaller park means that the RMC Raptor has the potential to be one of if not, the star attraction of the park for a solid period of time.

^Everything I've seen online indicates that this is replacing the previous The Walking Dead walkthrough experience, so I think it'll be along those same lines.

For reference, Volcano Bay charges $80 per adult for admission. Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon costs $69. So this water park has topped pricing for the two industry leaders...

Impossible Foods has announced that they have formed a strategic alliance with Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, beginning to offer the Impossible Burger in menu items at the Disneyland Resort, the Walt Disney World Resort and aboard the Disney Cruise Line ships. The first menu items to launch under this new partnership will debut at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival on February 28th, 2020! Business Insider has a few extra photos from the announcement! https://www.businessinsider.com/impossible-foods-deal-disney-plant-based-meals-to-menu-2020-2

Seeing the Grand Canyon with snow is a pretty awesome sight! Thanks for sharing another great report!

^I agree with Joey. If the coaster was already manufactured and just ready to be installed, it serves RMC more benefit to have a small park with little-to-no coasters put it up to get more hype. I do wonder what if anything this water park would do to add the coaster... Would riders need to change to ride this as a dry experience or would it be something that they can move from a water slide to a coaster on without changing. Or would the park add additional dry attractions to create a new section of the park exclusively for non-water rides. I've been trying to figure out the same thing operationally for when Sesame Place San Diego opens up.

It has been announced that Black Mirror Labyrinth, a new themed maze experience is coming to Thorpe Park! https://www.shortlist.com/news/experience-black-mirror-irl-with-thorpe-parks-new-labyrinth-experience-401899

Tigris and Tempesto were my first Premier launched coasters with the comfort collars, and I was surprised at how inconvenient they were for the load/unload process... Not to mention how narrow the foot-space is when trying to get in and out of the seat. The rides are quite fun, except for this part of the experience.

The Big Apple Coaster wasn't nearly as bad as I expected after years of watching videos that portrayed it pretty terrible. I know the ongoing work that has been done over the years has made it a more tolerable experience and I only had a few moments where I felt like someone really messed up when engineering this track... I never need to ride it again, but I'm glad I did once.

On Thursday TPR was invited to visit Estefan Kitchen, one of the newest restaurants at Sunset Walk by the Margaritaville Resort Orlando. This new Cuban restaurant brings over some of the classic feel from the former Bongos Cuban Cafe at Disney Springs (owned by the same company) while infusing this new space with a vibrant, modern and entertaining flair that sets it apart from its predecessor. The food at Estefan Kitchen leverages some of the classic ingredients and cooking styles in Cuban cuisine, but the chefs here manage to make these recipes their own with unique presentations, clever flavor combinations and a small (but mighty) selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes that rival their meaty counterparts. Fresh mojitos prepared table-side and wines from the Estefan Kitchen label are amongst the drink options you can enjoy during your visit... All of which are well worth your time. Entertainment is definitely a focus within the venue, with a live trio (pianist/singer, drummer and keyboardist) performing wonderful covers of current and classic tunes with pitch-perfect ease. Estefan Kitchen employs dancers whose talents can be seen throughout the evening with a variety of dances offered in an ongoing loop throughout the evening. And given that this is Gloria Estefan's restaurant, it should come as no surprise that the "Conga" is celebrated in the restaurant with a conga line around the restaurant and the twirling of napkins. Estefan Kitchen feels like the natural evolution of what was Bongos Cuban Cafe. While a smaller venue, the menu has several items that simply pop when you taste them. The atmosphere is lively but laid back, slightly more formal, but a party atmosphere at times. It has to be experienced to fully understand... But based on everything I experienced this week, I would definitely come back to enjoy a few more of favorites. Tonight we’re at Sunset Walk to experience the new @EstefanKitchenO restaurant! If you look closely at the Estefan Kitchen crest, you'll notice the bongo player from the former Bongos Cuban Cafe at Disney Springs. The restaurant interior looks great! The style is slightly different in each direction. A look towards the main stage. Estefan Kitchen also features an indoor/outdoor bar. Freshly shaken mojitos prepared table-side are a speciality at Estefan Kitchen! Delicious and refreshing! There are Estefan Kitchen wines available to enjoy when visiting Estefan Kitchen! The Vegan Dumplings here are great! The Traditional Ceviche Estefan Kitchen is a must-try for seafood lovers! You had us at burrata. The Lechon Flatbread features roasted pork, mozzarella cheese, sweet plantains, honey and truffle oil! The flavor combination is incredible! An evening at Estefan Kitchen is about more than just great food and drinks! There is plenty of entertainment to experience inside! Some more talented entertainment! You'd never guess that this Ropa Vieja is meatless and swaps beef for Jackfruit! The seafood paella is a fantastic option to enjoy Estefan Kitchen! Time for some fun with the entertainment staff! It wouldn’t be a night Estefan Kitchen without a little Conga! The Conga ends in a really fun way! Lamb, prime rib and chicken wings are among the many delicious options to choose from Estefan Kitchen! More performances on the main stage... Birthdays are kind of a big deal here. Flan lovers rejoice, this is perfect. Desserts are the real deal here! The plate was empty shortly after it arrived. Thankfully we weren't the only ones here! Plenty of souvenirs to buy before you leave... The restaurant's signature piece showing Gloria Estefan. We had a great night experiencing Estefan Kitchen at SunsetWalk! Awesome food, drinks and entertainment make this restaurant well worth your visit!

^Isn't that the one they built for Ducati World? I've not seen anything about it operating since it was built.

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that on March 27th, 2020, "The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!" will officially open! The new ride features the original voice cast from the films, as well as 64 animated figures and an optical enhanced gesture-tracking technology for a unique ride experience. This attraction will feature a Virtual Line and a non-traditional queue experience leading up to the boarding station.

This ride's removal bodes real well for Carnival's new ship which will feature their own Maurer-Sohne spike coaster...

Pretty sure that should have been reason alone to not hire him... In related news, the Fantasy Island amusement park in the UK has had to put out messaging reminding everyone that they aren't closing due to the publicity surrounding this park's closure... https://www.skegnessstandard.co.uk/business/we-are-not-closing-fantasy-island-ingoldmells-reassures-fans-after-picture-mix-1885932?fbclid=IwAR3LnArwqw_qvKz9uYBAIN5eaMsiu-_WVrY6_ca_FDetxBwyl3YeAlfeP7c I really enjoyed Fantasy Island when we visited during the 2008 East Coast Trip. They treated us really well during our visit, Silver Comet was running well and we had an amazing Fascination takeover. It is a shame that this park is another casualty of Apex Parks Group's poor management.

The design of the rooms at the Hilton Tokyo Bay surprised us too. Fun and futuristic. We enjoyed our stay there last year! Thanks for sharing another great update!

I enjoyed The Strat when we visited earlier this year. I wish I had planned to do SkyJump but I'll give it a go next time. Thanks for sharing this report with us Michael!

I'm bummed I never got the chance to experience this park firsthand... That video was really insightful for several reasons. I didn't realize Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain was so long. I also didn't realize just how much infrastructure the park has had built out over the years. I can't imagine the land having any other use based on just how much has been done to accommodate the rides like footers over the water. I think it is pretty telling that there were no other interested buyers. This park (more so than Fantasy Island) feels like a perfect fit for the Parques Reunidos portfolio alongside Kennywood, Lake Compounce, Dutch Wonderland, Story Land, Idlewild and Castle Park... The bottom line must've looked really bad for no one to recognize the inherent value in what the park already has established. I can't imagine any of the wooden coasters being relocated, which leaves Tig'rr Coaster, Steel Hawg and the park's flat rides to be moved to the other parks under Apex control. I never had the chance to experience Indiana Beach, but I feel bad knowing that 94 years of history is going down the drain... Just a shame.

^^I think the terraced design was done more so to make the show building look less blocky and help emphasize the notion that thematically, the city was rising from the sea. The only water features on the exterior of the building that I know of are the two waterfalls on either side of the arch leading into the lift hill that takes you back into the building for the final drop.