jedimaster1227

The opening date for the newest experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy has been revealed! https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2019/01/start-your-engines-lightning-mcqueens-racing-academy-sets-opening-date/

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has shared new photos as construction of Tigris continues raise the track up even higher!

Carowinds has taken to Twitter to release several new photos of the construction work around Copperhead Strike! Coiled up and [almost] ready to strike! "We build barns." Miami River Lumber Co. A striking model. Return of the Mack. Mack Rides built Ricochet at Carowinds in 2002.

Virgin Voyages has released its first details on their new RockStar Suites onboard the first ship in the fleet, the Scarlet Lady. http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/virgin-voyages-latest-lure-rockstar-suites.html

This looks like a fantastic update for Naples! I've not had the chance in my past visits to give this restaurant a try but based on your report, it might be something I plan on for my next trip!

The Universal Orlando Resort has release new details about this year's Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida! Check out all of the concert lineup, parade and food details below! https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/things-to-do/events/mardi-gras/index.html

Details on the digital lottery for the upcoming performances of Hamilton at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts have been released!

The ThinkFoodGroup has sent us a new press release including details and renderings of the new restaurant Jaleo, opening at Disney Springs later this year!

^Uproar was filed at the same time. I believe these were all related to what ended up as Tigris. I'd imagine we'll see the trademarks for Gwazi come out deeper in the construction process.

The theming and signage surrounding those coasters at least alludes to what those creatures are... I don’t know that you could come up with some kind of themed name that integrates into Busch Gardens’ style that somehow involves RMC... That was filed at the same time as Tigris’ trademark right? When Cheetah Hunt was first being developed several cheetah-related names were trademarked (to the point that even the official announcement page had code referencing the name “Cheetaka”). I think this was more likely a title grab for Tigris than something related to the Gwazi project.

^You can bet that from a marketing approach, the new name for whatever Gwazi becomes will be something that the general public will understand... No one outside of the coaster/theme park community knows what RMC is.

SeaWorld San Diego has officially announced that Mako, a new floorless dive coaster will open at park in 2020! https://www.10news.com/lifestyle/exploring-san-diego/seaworld-san-diego-says-new-dive-coaster-mako-coming-in-2020?_amp=true&__twitter_impression=true

Merlin Entertainment has announced that they have entered into an agreement to open a new LEGOLAND Park in South Korea! https://bit.ly/2QoN5pD

After our time at Disneyland Paris, we spent a day and a half in Paris to explore the city. During my last visit, I had been able to visit Notre Dame, but didn't have the time to go in (I was on a school trip and not in control of my own schedule as a result), so that was a must do this time around. We also made sure to visit Sainte Chapelle and to have some incredible food (read: CHEESE) along the way before leaving France to make our way to London... This update is shorter that most, only because the next one will be much bigger and more magical! First stop in the city: Notre Dame! I'd seen the outside almost a decade earlier during my school trip but... I love this one! But I wasn't prepared for how gorgeous the interior would truly be! The stained glass windows are absolutely incredible and it is even more impressive when you realize that these were made centuries ago. Even if you don't have a religious affiliation with the church, it is difficult not to be overwhelmed with how much beauty is found within these walls. Absolutely stunning. Seeing the inside was well worth the decade-long wait... The next visit won't take nearly as long! We then took the (lengthy) steps upstairs to take in the view... Like something out of a Parisian postcard! Sainte Chapelle would be next on our list... Getting to go inside of the belltower of Notre Dame was a really awesome surprise! We were able to visit the famous "lock bridge" that many know from the film Now You See Me. It is no longer allowed to place locks on the bridge, but it was still neat to visit this film locale. Sainte Chapelle isn't as big as Notre Dame, but it has its own unique beauty. Wraparound stained glass windows that are overwhelming for sure! I spent a heck of a lot of time taking in this view. After our church foray, we visited a local favorite, St. Regus for lunch, where of course, we had French Onion Soup, and of course, it was the best we'd ever had. Some of the best tasting chicken we've ever had too. And I wasn't going to turn down a chance for a delicious Croque Madame! Easily the best eclair (salted caramel) I've ever had. Off in the distance is the Grand Palais... This structure has been very, very important to me since I was much younger. One of the more famous gardens in Paris--this was recently featured in a scene between Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson in Mission Impossible: Fallout. Just goofing around... TO THE LOUVRE! (Ok, not yet.) Dinner first at another local hotspot! ALL THE CHEESE. ALL FOR ME!!! And there was no way we were going to France without having authentic raclette. I still dream of this meal. My last trip to Paris was an extremely limited one, preventing me from visiting the grounds of the Louvre at night... My wife understood why I wanted to check it out, once we were here. And while we didn't go up in the Eiffel Tower this time around, we still had the chance to walk the grounds at night, which was beautiful. Just as there is Le Grand Palais, there too is Le Petite Palais nearby. Unfortunately the majority of Le Grand Palais was closed during our visit as it was in between exhibitions, but we did get to see the inside of one of the atriums. Why is Le Grand Palais so important to me? Years ago, when I was too afraid as a kid to ride most rides in the theme parks (Disney included), some of my favorite attractions were Circle-Vision films (hence my affinity for O, Canada at Epcot) and for this reason I would watch The Timekeeper quite frequently when I went to the Magic Kingdom. In the film, Jules Verne and H.G. Wells meet on the grounds of the Exposition Universelle (1900) in Paris, discussing the impossibilities and improbabilities of the future. I was enamored with the steel/glass architecture as pictured in the film and dreamed of visiting these grounds. During my High School trip I saw it from afar but I never was able to get close. And while we didn't get to go in due to the venue being closed, walking the grounds was still a dream come true. Oddly enough, I discovered later on that the location used on film in The Timekeeper for the Exposition Universelle was actually a structure in Switzerland... So I've got to add that to my list for the future. Mary Magdalene is buried under here... At least according to Robert Langdon. The macarons at Laduree were incredible! A walk through the Maison Meunier was quite nice! While it wasn't a part of our original plan to actually go into the Louvre this time around, the fact that we had a few hours on our hands before our train left for London, and that my wife had never been to the Louvre was enough to convince me that we should go in. There are some really incredible artifacts in pristine condition here. We maybe got to see 10% of the Louvre, but what we did see was well worth it. It was neat to see a model of the Louvre Abu Dhabi here. The grounds we walked the night before we could see from the window inside. The corridors of the Louvre are incredible. And while we didn't wait in a long line to get somewhat close to the Mona Lisa, we did see her from afar, with enough of a zoom to get a photo. All the delicious pastries. And a French-style omelette... Many of my travel desires have been inspired by some of my interests from my youth... I already told you about my fascination with Le Grand Palais... Another one of mine was with the Eurostar/TGV... I'll let you guess why. Have you guessed it? I grew up watching the original Mission Impossible film, which features a fantastic finale aboard the TGV. When it was decided that we would visit Paris and London before our cruise, it was a given that we would be taking the Chunnel to get between these cities. A few hours later, we arrived in London! We ended up at the Founders Arms, a well known pub on the banks of the river Thames that wasn't far from our hotel. I might've had a drink or two while we were here too... We called it an early night, knowing that our next day would be busy! The next morning we would gain a new insight into a certain magical universe...

Disney has shared with us that all Walt Disney World Annual Passholders are invited to attend the Potion Purple Premiere Pop-Up Event from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, January 10, in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom! Learn more about this and other new V-I-Passholder perks that Guests can enjoy in January! https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2019/01/celebrate-the-new-year-with-special-v-i-passholder-perks-in-january/

Yours thoughts on Valravn are similar to mine... It is a fine dive machine, but not as good as it could be. Of the three I've ridden, I find Sheikra to be my favorite and I definitely think the restraints play a part in that experience... Which is odd, because I love those restraints on the B&M flying coasters and on Gatekeeper. Thanks for sharing this great report with us!

It has been announced that Kevin from the Disney•Pixar film “Up!” will begin making appearances at Disney's Animal Kingdom soon! https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2019/01/kevin-from-disneypixars-up-is-headed-to-disneys-animal-kingdom/

This is exactly it. Parks either express their intended design or desired elements to a specific vendor/ride manufacturer or they open up to RFPs for designs to fill a designated plot of land or need (Energylandia did the RFP process for the coaster that ended up becoming Hyperion, with different manufacturers proposing unique designs). It comes down to the parks and their intentions... Most parks that are smart enough will also do serious surveys and guest studies to determine if a coaster of a higher intensity (like one with a high number of inversions) will suit their clientele... If it isn't going to be a draw for their primary audience, it isn't going to be worth the major investment that such an addition calls for.

I'm visiting for the first time next weekend... Now more than ever I feel like it'll be a good time to visit, since I feel like it may not be the same experience in a few years.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has announced that in honor of the park's 60th anniversary, they will bring back complimentary beer samples for the entire year and they'll host 52 weeks of events throughout 2019! https://buschgardens.com/tampa/events/new-in-2019/

New details about the upcoming Lionsgate Entertainment World in the Novotown project in Hengqin, Zhuhai, China have been released! Franchises including The Hunger Games, Now You See Me, Twilight and Gods of Egypt will be represented with unique attractions in this indoor entertainment center! https://thinkwellgroup.com/news/lionsgate-entertainment-world-to-open-in-2019/

https://www.themountaineer.com/news/newest-ghost-town-endeavor-hits-a-major-snag/article_700ae5be-ffc9-11e8-ae1b-cbf618b9bdcd.html The building at the foot of the hill in front of Ghost Town received over ,000 in repairs before Lamar Berry left town, leaving the bill unpaid.

SeaWorld Orlando has sent us a press release about their new event, Inside Look, where guests will be able to go behind the scenes of some of the rarely visited backstage animal care facilities throughout the park!

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/12/2019-garden-rocks-concert-series-expands-to-seven-days-a-week-reservations-for-dining-packages-open-dec-13/?CMP=SOC-DPFY19Q1wo1220180016A

New details have been released for the NBA Experience attraction that will open at Disney Springs next Summer! https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/12/nba-experience-at-disney-springs-will-help-you-feel-like-a-pro-new-details-revealed/