jedimaster1227

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.

(Continued) Albert is the best. So much happens on this ride in such a short span of time. In lieu of singing busts, the singing suits of armor do a great job. Love this! I could live in this section of the ride. I adore the use of Rolly Crump tiki designs as inspiration for these figures in the attraction! The show scenes throughout this ride are all amazing. The finale in the Chinese gallery is amazing! Some of the most fun effects I've experienced on a ride before. Brilliant. It ends where it all began... What a perfect attraction! I wish this was closer to home! A nod to the Haunted Mansion featured in the Mystic Manor entrance/exit rooms. I love that there are so many glow in the dark options in the The Archive Shop in Mystic Point. Time for one more ride on Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! We both honestly loved this new take on a Disney shooting dark ride. So fun! We made one final photo lap to take in the park after dark before making our way out... Tomorrowland in Hong Kong Disneyland has several unique structures... Like this one. I love the look of the expanding Stark Expo campus. Ant-Man and The Wash: Nano Battle is a really solid addition to the park! For Larry... Space Mountain, similar but different. Stuck in Hyperspace... Astroblasters poster found! Similar but different! Citizen is a newer sponsor of the Disney parks, but their impact on clocks throughout the park has begun to be felt subtly. I can't wait to return! Back at Disney Explorers Lodge, I took in more of the lobby details... Including some Disney Cruise Line nods. True Life Adventures! A nod to the Boat Builders short from 1938... Oswald and Ortensia! Minnie's wardrobe is more colorful. Goofy's wardrobe ties into his shorts, as well as The Barnstormer and Goofy's Sky School. Plane Crazy reference! You can also find this in the queue for Goofy's Sky School in Disney California Adventure. A cross between Aulani, Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Polynesian... And I love it so much. One final snack... Pizza and nachos. Look at these Disney desserts! I wanted all of them! Kevin and her chicks hidden on the hallway lampshade... Original Legends of the Enchanted Tiki concept art found! I love this... On our way out of Hong Kong, we spotted a few Hong Kong Disneyland store locations... Another... After a long but great two weeks, it was time to head home...

And so our journey began to near its end... Our final day in Hong Kong was nearly over and with that it was time to start making our way home. For the last half of our full day at Hong Kong Disneyland, we worked to get a few more shows in, to try to experience as many of the unique rides in the park as possible, and of course, squeeze in as many repeat rides on Mystic Manor and Big Grizzly Mountain as we could before the end of the night! I love the America section of Hong Kong's it's a small world. The Chinese section of it's a small world is the largest of any version around the world, and this one represents Hong Kong most distinctly. Mary Blair visuals are timeless to this date. Classic. The Leaky Tikis were an opening day at Hong Kong Disneyland. Similar but different. Jungle River Cruise at Hong Kong Disneyland is offered in three languages with three separate queues to ensure you board the right boat. Hong Kong Disneyland might have my favorite redemption games I've seen in a Disney Park. So much fun! Spoiler alert: I didn't do well. But we did well enough to get a ton of pins! I wasn't aware that I needed Hong Kong Disneyland Bubble Waffles in my life until moments after this photo was taken... But now it is among the highest ranking things I want from Hong Kong right now. I love how popular Moana is in Hong Kong! Best Coca-Cola vending machine is best. Moana: A Homecoming Celebration is a fun show which retells the events of the film with Moana and a series of polynesian performers. It is quite interesting. Te Kā! Quite a different view than what I'm used to! Dedication plaque credit acquired! A closer look at the English side... I might have started sweating from my eyes when I saw this... Also this. Festival of The Lion King is Hong Kong Disneyland's version of the hit Animal Kingdom show... In many ways it is very similar to the original show, but its unique theater flooring/staging/set pieces differentiate it. I honestly love this version even more than the one in Florida. Serious chills during the finale. The section floats move automatically in synchronization with the center stage and it is a jaw-dropping effect. You head this way to visit three of the park's newest lands... Hello beautiful! Disney details! Time for some POV shots... Was this taken forwards or backwards? I honestly can't remember. This light hill scene is incredibly effective and tons of fun! Guess I was going forwards last time because now I'm going backwards! Switch track time! Best bear animatronics are best! For Larry... The park takes on new life when the sun sets... Time for the best Disney attraction in existence... So much detail... I saw this model at the D23 Expo years before the ride opened. I love that it found a home in the queue for Mystic Manor. I love how WDI leans on the World's Fairs as periods for storytelling... SEA connections... Mary Oceaneer is also referenced onboard the Disney Cruise Line ships... There is so much to love about Mystic Manor. The animatronics and the effects are next level. One of my favorite gags of the entire attraction... Brilliant. So simply achieved but so effective! Unreal how good this works... Blink and you'll miss it. The snakes actually break away from the flat surface to give this gag a three dimensional effect.

Ride Entertainment has unveiled their newest creation from the team at Funtime, Booster Unhinged. This evolution of their original Booster flat ride concept features three axes of rotation, two controlled and one gravity-driven.

The Nankai Electric Railway has announced that Misaki Park, the 63-year old Osaka amusement park will close with a "graduation ceremony" event between February 29th and March 31st, 2020. http://www.nankai.co.jp/contents/sotsuen/?fbclid=IwAR2BtzBvmOjoUiT5jGNlEMSlBk9W-4z5tbf9hLya84UyRSCTekGMs7ISjYk Misaki Park photos from the TPR Park Index Misaki Park photos from the TPR Park Index

The area seems to be sponsored by Lipovitan, a Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. product marketed to alleviate physical and mental fatigue.