jedimaster1227

The Universal Orlando Resort has announced the next original content haunted house that will be offering up scares at this year's Halloween Horror Nights! https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/depths-of-fear-at-hhn-2019/

Thank you for such an awesome new look at this coaster! It definitely looks like they leveraged the old queue's existing infrastructure, which while smart fiscally, I'm curious to see just how much of the inside was touched, given how heavily built out the old Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge tunnels were... I'm hoping that they did a little to the interior than they did when Dueling Dragons became Dragon Challenge. I'm really loving how these Intamin launched coasters are springing up all of a sudden... While I wouldn't have sacrificed the Dragons for this, it at least seems like they've put in a lot of effort for the coaster to use the plot of land for more than just a brief experience. A coaster with story was more of what I was expecting with Gringotts, where with that we got more of a dark ride with a coaster segment, so I'm curious to see how their take on the inverse turns out. That being said... I don't know how anyone from Universal could pass the red face test over the claim that this is the first vertical free fall drop segment on a coaster in the US... As others have mentioned, Verbolten was the first to claim that title years ago.

This week it was announced that Estefan Kitchen, a concept from Emilio & Gloria Estefan, will open at Sunset Walk at Margaritaville Resort Orlando in the Fall 2019!

Visit Orlando has sent us a press release announcing a new tourism milestone that Orlando reached in 2018! (Left to right) Adrian Jones, Visit Orlando Board Chair and Divisional Director USA, Merlin Entertainments USA Inc.; Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings; and George Aguel, President and CEO, Visit Orlando; celebrate a record 75 million visitors to Orlando in 2018.

The Edison has sent us a press release announcing the launch of Havana Nights, a special event that will bring a Latin flavor to the complex on select nights through October!

After four amazing days at sea, it was nice to wake up to the sight of land. Sydney, Nova Scotia. Funny enough, we treated it more like another day at sea, with the benefit of getting off of the ship to get our land legs back, before getting back onboard to enjoy more of the ship. The next day we went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where a local friend took us on a tour of the city. Along the way we were treated to a few surprises and a beautiful city. As before our days started and ended with some incredible entertainment and meals aboard the Disney Magic! It is always interesting to look out your porthole or window when first waking up... You never know what you'll find. I'm too easy. Before stepping off of the ship in Sydney, we figured we'd take advantage of the Open House going on in the Oceaneer's Lab and Oceaneer's Club onboard. Andy's Room is such a neat space for kids! Looks like something's set to happen tonight... After four days, it was kind of nice to be able to get this view from land. Why? Because why not. The shore line of Sydney's port area features several statues dedicated to the many immigrants who arrived by these waters. Hello beautiful! How you know you're in Canada. In the Cove Cafe onboard we were able to see the ship's voyage from Cobh to Sydney... It was a beautiful port day in Sydney... When we returned to our room we found these light up necklaces waiting for us... As it turns out, the day's theme was Frozen, with the evening culminating in the Freezing the Night deck party. During the day guests could participate in a free scavenger hunt that when completed would result in a surprise being delivered to the stateroom. Thanks to the extended itinerary of our sailing, we were treated to a special Cast of the Disney Magic variety show where the Cast of the Walt Disney Theater shows would perform live takes on Disney tunes. The talent we witnessed was incredible. And the performances were far from predictable. The whole experience was overwhelming and an absolute standout for the entire cruise. What a beautiful day on which to sail away... There's such a simple beauty to these ships. That's no moon... Or maybe it is. I can never resist these kind of photos... Seriously, gets me every time. Time for some Frozen shipboard fun! Similar to the Pirates in the Caribbean Deck Party (minus the fireworks), the evening's entertainment includes character appearances, dancing and a few surprises. Olaf joined in for some Frozen fun! Elsa arrives (with Anna and Kristoff joining as well), bringing an amazing snow flurry with her! So cool! Such a neat experience! Mini empanadas were a starter for dinner... No way I was turning down Curry Shrimp! I love Disney Towel Animals! The next morning we loaded up on breakfast (note the Strawberry Mickey Waffles), as we knew we were going to be getting a lot of walking in on this day. Halifax, Nova Scotia. Welcome. We met up with a good friend who lives in Halifax and were fortunate enough to have her touring us around the city... Starting with the harbor, I was absolutely ecstatic to find that the famous Blue Nose II was parked here. I had thought she would be elsewhere during our visit to Halifax, and as a lifelong fan of O, Canada at Epcot, seeing the Blue Nose II was on my bucket list. Here I am swooning over a ship... But not just any ship... Yes, I am here. Canada's so proud of her, they put her image on a coin! Give her a look next time you find a Canadian dime in your change! How you know you're in Canada. If you've not had authentic poutine before, Smoke's is a pretty amazing start. We stopped for lunch and being that Halifax is a coastal city, I wasn't going to pass up the chance to tickle my seafood fancy ashore. We wrapped our time on land with a visit to the famous Public Gardens... There we saw quite the fat goose... But who is judging? A really neat space! Also due to the extended nature of our sailing, we were treated to a live performance from Broadway-alum Michelle Mallardi who told us of her personal journey to stardom through song. Michelle previously played Belle in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast, among many other non-Disney roles. Best towel animal is best. Our next dinner in Rapunzel's Royal Table saw us celebrating Rapunzel's birthday... The Spinach, Zucchini, Eggplant, and Ricotta-filled Potato Crêpe baked in a Tomato Provençale Sauce and topped with Buffalo-Mozzarella Cheese and Basil was heavenly! The Tangled Pasta was a favorite of mine on this cruise... I ended up special ordering it for a second night because it was so good! Rapunzel’s Fry Pan Sweet Bread is about as delicious as it can get! Can't go wrong with Crème Brûlée Cheesecake. When celebrating a birthday, you don't not get the Birthday Cupcake Sundae. Our surprise for completing the Frozen scavenger hunt the day before! Next up, Saint John, New Brunswick!

Tonight Theme Park Review was hosted by Maria & Enzo's for a special Pasta Palooza dinner as the restaurant select summer pasta dishes over the next three months. All of these dishes are featured year round at the restaurant, but by shining a spotlight on these wonderful menu items, we were able to learn about their preparation before indulging in their tastes, with a few other samplers along the way. Tonight's pasta of note was the house Lasagna Verde, a spinach lasagna that was rich, indulgent and more than filling. Along the way we also tried several appetizers, prosecco and an out of this world dessert. There's no shortage of dining options at Disney Springs, but Maria & Enzo's has managed to more than hold its own despite the surrounding variety. Top notch Italian food from the same chefs that have made Via Napoli in Epcot so great makes this restaurant a winner. If you're a lover of pasta, cheese or Italian food (or any combination of the above), Maria & Enzo's will meet that need and then some! You start with the sauce... Chef Charlie Restivo will be demonstrating how to make Chef John Miele’s Lasagna Verde! I was surprised to see that Maria & Enzo's, Enzo's Hideaway Bar and Pizza Ponte all have themed merchandise available to purchase now. Hand kneaded dough becomes pasta sheets... Tonight we visited Maria And Enzos for a special Pasta Palooza dinner! Each month from May through July the restaurant will highlight a summer pasta dish for guests to enjoy--all of these dishes are available year round! Pasta, meat ragù, bećhamel and lots of cheese! Layer and repeat! This Lasagna Verde was sure to be delicious! We watched lasagna sheets being made fresh by hand at Maria & Enzos and it was wonderful! The interior of Maria & Enzo's is grand with high ceilings and a low volume of tables for the amount of space. It really is a visual experience to dine here, just as it is a culinary one! Some very delectable shrimp! No visit to Maria & Enzos is complete without Salumi e Formaggi! The Lasagna Verde (the headliner of the evening) was absolutely fantastic! The perfect end to a phenomenal Pasta Palooza dinner Maria & Enzos! House made cannolis for dessert! There are so many great options to enjoy at Maria & Enzo's at Disney Springs... Lasagna Verde and amazing cannolis are just two reasons to dine here during your next visit--we highly recommend giving this place a try during your next stroll through Disney Springs!

The Universal Orlando Resort has unveiled the new Hagrid animated figure that guests will encounter when riding Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure when it opens next month! https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/first-look-at-hagrid/

We stopped by Icon Park yesterday after grabbing dinner nearby... It looks like they’re getting ready to start site work soon!

(continued) There's an amazing deck party that pretty much everyone attends... And of course, Minnie and the gang are here! And there's pirates too! But when pirates try to cause trouble... Mickey comes to the rescue! And he brings fireworks with him! Seriously... It is so cool that you can experience fireworks while on a cruise ship! One of the highlights of any Disney Cruise! Then there's more dancing fun! Chip and Dale are the best... Like the actual best. Pirates Night culminates in a late night Pirates Buffet at Cabanas... You could easily do some damage here. Nothing like some crepes to ring in the evening sleep... All is quiet by the end of the night... But those looking to stay up for a bit longer can watch Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl on the Funnelvision screen. The next morning we woke up for another round of Anyone Can Cook... This time we got wine! And Chocolate Maple Bacon Creme Brûlée! CHURRO MICKEY WAFFLES!!! Another presentation by Gary Landrum! He took a moment to highlight Hong Kong Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle transformation that is under way. According to the Kingsmen, this is amazing. Can you guess what tonight's show is? Tangled: The Musical! And it is AMAZING! During the day, we got to experience another variety act... All the polenta for me! Wonderful artichokes! More steak! And it wouldn't be a Disney Cruise without a Mickey Bar! O'Gill's Pub gets taken over by thugs as it becomes the Snuggly Duckling for the night. The atmosphere is wonderful! And they really do take over the bar to make it different for this one night! Live entertainment too--carried over from the Tangled: The Musical show. Really, really fun. And themed drink options! Even the menu gets touched up! Ever played Thugo before? Love it! Time for more Ukebox! Four days at sea meant lots of time visit the Cove Bar for coffee and treats!

After some incredible first ports, it was time to begin our four day crossing of the Atlantic aboard the Disney Magic. Thanks to the extended time aboard the ship, there was an abundance of special experiences to enjoy, some signature to normal cruise itineraries and others exclusive to our sailing. Overall, it was an amazing four days filled with incredible food, wonderful character experiences and no shortage of fun! Character Breakfasts aren't offered on every voyage, so it was fun to get the chance to experience one this time around! The Disney Cruise Line Anyone Can Cook Culinary Series is another experience offered on longer sailings where guests can observe a live preparation of a recipe and then get a chance to taste it! The format is really great for guests of all ages and the fact that you get to taste the finished product is icing on the cake... Plus the offering is free to all guests! I couldn't resist. Time for some familiar faces! Hi Minnie! More great breakfast! While you can meet Anna and Elsa on land, it is very rare that you get the chance to meet Kristoff, so it was fun to be able to do that here. What a beautiful view! Sr. Show Producer for Walt Disney Imagineering, Gary Landrum was a special guest aboard our sailing, offering three different presentations about the history and processes of Imagineering. This one was focused on Disney castles around the world. Hiya Stitch! Checking out Marvel's Avengers Academy onboard the Disney Magic. My first time ever seeing Spider-Man in a non-Universal Studios environment! THWIP! Cabanas makes for great lunch! Treadmills with the view in the Senses Spa & Salon fitness center. The AquaDunk is unique to the Disney Magic and features a ProSlide SkyBOX that drops the floor out from under riders before the plummet into a translucent helix over the edge of the ship back into a splashdown. The AquaDunk really is awesome! Don't forget, Room Service is available 24/7 onboard and comes at no additional charge throughout the sailing. French Onion Soup for the win! That night we enjoyed Fried Brie... Escargot... And a wonderful filet! With an abundance of time to enjoy the ship, movies in the Buena Vista Theatre are a must! And watching Avengers: Infinity War is never the wrong choice! I love that Coca Cola Light is a thing in Europe versus Diet Coke. I love the unique decor in Cabanas. Time for a Mojito Tasting class! If you haven't done them before (or even if you have), I highly recommend the DCL tastings onboard. A look at the four drinks you get to enjoy onboard during the Mojito Tasting. Time for my favorite place at sea... This will surely intrigue a few of you. My favorite drink onboard, the Raspberry Balsamico is only available at Palo... And it has no shortage of balsamic vinegar! Add vodka and raspberry puree and you find heaven. *DROOLS* The Butternut Agnotti was out of this world! My favorite dish at Palo is the Portobello Mushroom with balsamic glaze and polenta. Time for a few new tastes, like this lobster dish! There's really no bad option on the menu here. Filet anyone? Lamb plus pasta equals heaven. Lemon pie... Can't go wrong! You don't come to Palo without getting the chocolate souffle... And now they have a Grand Marnier souffle too! I love the decor here! Pirates Night was upon us and this octopus towel animal greeted us in our stateroom. That night Ukebox too the Walt Disney Theater stage to perform some wonderful ukulele hits. They ended up being one of our favorite acts of the entire cruise! Time for some Pirates Night fun!

(Continued) I believe this finale was new... But I could be wrong. Heading back to the park... With a name like "Makin' Whoopie Pies" how could I not??? The value here is really great. You can choose two different (or the same) cookies and one frosting filling to make your own custom Whoopie Pie. And you could sample the flavors like ice cream! So awesome! Another look at Hershey Triple Tower. On the TPR East Coast Trip 2008 I was obsessed with Stacker games. Arsty fartsy. For the love of Larry. I'm glad to see the park's classic monorail still in operation after all these years. Such a great ride! Sooperdooperlooper's support structure is really something! I love how many rides they've crammed into The Hollow over the years. Best support is best. I might have an unhealthy obsession with Great Bear's layout... I might. On our way out of the park we returned to Chocolate World to make our own chocolate bars for the road. Once you've chosen your base chocolate and fillings you send your bar off to the assembly line... Screens at each step of the line tell you whose bar is up to bat. I wanted crisped rice... And semi-sweet chocolate. Time for a chocolate bath! Add in a layer of sprinkles before gliding through the cooling tube. While your bar is cooling, you get to design your own custom packaging... Obviously lobsters mean chocolate. Your bar gets inserted into a more generic box, which is then put in a souvenir tin which is then wrapped in your custom packaging sleeve. Hair net. Lobsters. Apron. Chocolate. I am become art. Back in Philly we hopped over to the Franklin Institute to check out the new Marvel Universe of Super Heroes exhibit which just opened that weekend. I am still disappointed to find that the Silence Dogood letters are not here. Silence Dogood aside, this is why we're really here. The exhibit is well designed and manages to set the stage for Marvel Comics' origins with a very timely display and film. I'm now itching to watch Tomorrowland again, which no doubt borrowed inspiration from this comic for young Frank's original jetpack and suit. Interesting... The exhibit had some great tributes to Stan Lee... Including this video featuring clips from all of his cameos all the way through Infinity War. Several of the Marvel Cinematic Universe character costumes were on display, including these three from Black Panther. Spider-Man: Homecoming was represented as well. I love that they included some memorabilia from the earlier days of Marvel's film forays like the original Spider-Man film. Into the Spider-Verse (solid film) had a section as well. I wonder if these suits came from Disneyland's former Hall of Armor experience in Tomorrowland. Marvel fans, casual and hardcore should really visit the Franklin Institute for Marvel Universe of Super Heroes... You may not find the Silence Dogood letters here, but you'll find a great time! The Ant-Man display was really neat! Thor and Hela costumes from Thor: Ragnarok. The screen-used Tesseract looks a little less interesting up closing without the post production glowing effects added. Captain America and The Winter Soldier costumes from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. I was surprised to see costumes from several of the Netflix Defenders series represented here... The Doctor Strange tribute room was very cool. The main man himself. Deadpool hasn't been forgotten either. Captain Marvel's Star Force uniform was the latest MCU costume to be featured.

Following two weeks in Asia (I'll have a photo report for that up and ready as soon as I'm done with my Europe trip report ) we turned around and flew to Philly to celebrate a friend's engagement... And to revisit Hersheypark, a place I hadn't visited since the TPR 2008 East Coast Trip. Following our time at Hersheypark, we went back to the Franklin Institute (which we visited last year as our first trip to Philly) to check out the just-opened Marvel Universe of Superheroes exhibit. I loved Hersheypark during our visit over a decade ago, but a lot has changed since I was last there... I rode Roller Soaker and Canyon River Rapids on their last day of operation before they were torn out for The Boardwalk. In the time since my last visit, Skyrush had opened, Reese’s Xtreme Cup Challenge had closed, Laff Track had been added, Hershey Triple Tower was opened and the park entrance revamp had begun. Unfortunately our visit was early in the season so several of the bigger attractions were closed (Fahrenheit, Storm Runner and The Boardwalk) but it was still great to revisit the park (and Chocolate World) for the time we did! The park continues to get better with time and thanks to the smaller crowds in the morning we were able to get everything we wanted to (that was open) done in the first hour and a half of the day, allowing us to enjoy a more leisurely pace for the remainder of the day. Not something you spot on your normal drive... I didn't get the chance to ride any of Hershey Triple Tower but they all looked fun. Nor this. The new Chocolate Town entrance project looks like it'll be a great entry statement for the park when it is done! Operations amid construction were pleasantly smooth and quick during our visit. I figured Skyrush was going to be the ride everyone would rush to in the morning, so we went there first to beat as much of the crowds as possible. The Hollow definitely looks a little different than it did during my last visit. Skyrush was incredibly fun. I had braced myself for a more insane experience but I never felt like the airtime was too intense or the restraints were too much. There was some serious air here, but super comfortable throughout the experience. For my first ever Intamin Hyper, I was more than pleased! For the love of Larry. Great Bear was one of my favorite experiences in Hersheypark during our 2008 visit and it did not disappoint during this trip. I've always loved the super unique layout. I might have accidentally butted heads with the Reese's Cup... Sadly not operating today... But having done an hour of ERT on this in 2008, I wasn't super bummed. I didn't remember riding The Wildcat that many times during my last visit... Definitely an older-school GCI but I do enjoy the twister-style maneuvers. It reminded me of Gwazi back in the day. Proper representation found! Still the best set of attractions in the park! The iconic Ferris Wheel still looks great. I kind of wonder if they've considered relocating it closer to the new park entrance at some point. Laff Track was new during this visit... I was surprised by the level of theming throughout the queue and station. Sure, this is a catalog coaster, but they've done a solid job giving it some thematic overlays. A brief look inside of the Laff Trak box. This is a Maurer Sohne catalog model, but the blacklit theming really did a nice job to elevate the experience. Next time perhaps... I'll definitely be back. I only got the chance to ride Storm Runner once last time around, so I was disappointed to see this one not yet open for the season... But all the more reason to revisit Hersheypark in the future! I was wondering if any of the history buffs here could assist... Did there used to be an attraction whose station was here? The new entrance will provide great views of Skyrush! Laffin' Sal being at the entrance to the queue is a nice touch. Fine and good. Reese’s Xtreme Cup Challenge was a pretty funky experience... I'm excited to see what the new attraction looks like when it is done. A Hershey's themed Midway Mania would be a knockout for this park. And some new footers have already been installed for the new B&M coaster opening next year! Lots of room for Chocolate Town to be built up! Taking a lunch break from the park to visit Hershey's Chocolate World! I seem to remember Chocolate World used to have Chocolate Ketchup but they didn't this time around... These four sauces were all peculiar. Character parade! Fun! In case wanted to know a little more about the sauces... Interesting... But not my jam. Hershey's Chocolate Tour has supposedly been updated a bit since my last visit. It's like an omnimover! I gotta go Julia, we got cows! Glad the singing cows are still a staple in the attraction! Heading into the Hershey Chocolate Factory! The full process overview... Hershey has done a creative job of showing off what a chocolate factory assembly process would look like without it being the legitimate product being produced in front of you. One of my favorite effects in the tour. And of course, there's a song! My favorite room in the tour. Such a fun, free experience! Next stop, IMAGINATION! Wrong ride...

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that "Universal Monsters - Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man" will serve as the inspiration for a new maze at Halloween Horror Nights 2019!

Universal Orlando has announced that "Universal Monsters" will have a new haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights 2019!

Officials have voted in favor of the construction of the $250 million indoor water park project attached to the Mall of America! A rendering of a proposed water park adjoining the Mall of America. http://www.startribune.com/bloomington-presses-forward-with-moa-water-park/508730342/ COURTESY OF CITY OF BLOOMINGTON, STAR TRIBUNE An updated rendering of a 250,000 square foot indoor water park proposed in front of the Mall of America in Bloomington.

Loving that new color scheme!

It has been announced that a new version of Rivers of Light, known as "Rivers of Light: We Are One" will debut at Disney's Animal Kingdom during Memorial Day Weekend 2019! https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2019/04/rivers-of-light-we-are-one-debuts-this-summer-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/

The Universal Orlando Resort has released details about some of the creatures Guests will see when riding Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure when the ride opens this June! https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/first-ever-look-at-creatures/

Uremet has been teasing this wheel tech at IAAPA for years so it is neat to finally see it in use... I'm curious to see if parks will add them to existing coasters or simply get them for new coasters where lighting is of importance. Hollywood Dream in Universal Studios Japan seems like a great candidate where this could be add to the train's existing lighting.

It has just been announced that Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway will open at Mickey's Toontown in Disneyland Park in 2022! https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2019/04/mickey-minnies-runaway-railway-to-roll-into-disneyland-park/

Margaritaville Resort Orlando has sent us a new press release announcing the theme of the new Island H20 Live! Water Park along with slide names and more!

The Universal Orlando Resort has announced the second haunted house coming to Halloween Horror Nights 2019, Nightingales - Blood Pit! https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/nightingales-blood-pit-at-hhn-2019/?_ga=2.159962361.535202017.1555342934-1661684524.1555342934

I really, really think I need to finally commit to visiting Knott's during my next California trip... And now I'm considering timing it up with the Boysenberry Festival. I'm drooling over these incredible food photos!

It is neat to see the park opting to build Minion Park/Despicable Me Minion Mayhem using the Back to the Future ride system as opposed to the ride style found in the stateside parks. This would be the first new build of this ride system since Back to the Future opened at Universal Studios Japan in 2001. Having just experienced Minion Park in Japan, I'm actually pleased to see this version of the ride being chosen-- I found that the larger screen medium worked so much better than the ones back home, and the additional scenes added to the film really made the experience even better!