jedimaster1227

The Mecalodon trains have begun to arrive at Wailibi Belgium and they look great! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1LX6yuinPS/ Mecalodon is here! The brand new Walibi coaster will soon come to life! What do you think of the train design? We are fans!

After some time at sea we arrived in port at Valetta, Malta, earlier than planned due to an unexpected itinerary change. We had been set to visit Mykonos in Greece but due to significant storms, the conditions were deemed unsafe for the ship to make port there. Valetta had already been on our schedule, but the ship worked hard to make up for the lost port, re-arranging our next planned day at sea, and arriving in Valetta a day early for an evening and overnight stay in port, leading into the originally-planned day there. Our first night in Malta was uneventful, and just consisted of aimless wandering on foot and a Maltese dinner at one of the port-area restaurants. The next day we would wake early to catch our bus for the Traditional Maltese Ftira Demo Making & Wine Tasting port adventure. The drive through Valletta was quite scenic. We stopped first at Diar Il-Bniet, a local Maltese restaurant for a hands-on cooking demo. We were able to sample some dips and spreads commonly found on the Maltese dinner table. Next we were tasked with rolling out our own ftira dough and loading it up with cheese and toppings of our choice. Ftira is in essence Maltese pizza, and as such it is cooked very similarly. Mine had two kinds of cheeses, green olives and eggplant. I opted out of the traditional cooked tuna topping that was available. Next on our tour was a visit to another culinary experience... The Meridiana Wine Estate is built on a former military airfield. We had a chance to walk through the wine-making process during our visit. This included seeing how the wine was stored in the cellars below. And finally we had a chance to sample the goods. Back onboard the Disney Dream we skipped Pirates Night dinner in the rotational dining venue in favor of dinner at Palo. These pillowly, pesto-y clouds of heaven were the restaurant's gnocchi. Butternut squash agnolotti for the win. Dinner featured an incredible view of Valetta as we sailed away from the port. Valetta is a major destination for the filming of movies, and during our visit, production on Gladiator II was underway. Having just watched the movie a few weeks ago, it is neat to think that I saw some of the sets relatively up-close not long before. A massive blue screen had also been constructed nearby, likely for the same film. It isn't a dinner at Palo without their signature Osso Bucco. But my favorite dish out of any meal at Palo is actually the Grilled Portobello Mushroom. Absolute bliss. The chocolate souffle is a must-have when visiting Palo. Even if you're full, you must find room and try it. After dinner we enjoyed the special vibes of Pirates Night. And we spotted a few notable pirates along the way... Due to the nature of our longer cruise, we were treated to some extra variety acts in the Walt Disney Theatre during our sailing. Paul Zerdin, from "America's Got Talent" fame was featured on the main stage for the night. Having watched him as a contestant on the show years ago, this was a really pleasant surprise to see him in person on our sailing. Pirates Night towel animal for the win! Pirates in the Caribbean is one of my favorite character experiences onboard. Mickey and the gang come out in pirate gear and teach the guests about how to be a pirate. And that knowledge is put to the test when a band of pirates under the leadership of Captain Hook and Mr. Smee crash the party. Some new-to-me magic was the chance to experience the show while wearing my DisneyBand+ which lit up and vibrated in sync with the show. The night concluded with a fun, adult-only performance by Chris Cox, a mind reader. Breakfast of champions required for the next morning... For today we would be welcomed to Catania, Italy. The ship docked within a size-able view of Mount Etna, the famous active volcano in Catania. We were greeted with a significant welcome trail! We toured the city by bus and found preserved remains of former city elements of Catania embedded in the modern, rebuilt areas. The architecture of the city center was impressive. We spent some time roaming the area on our walking tour... We visited a few churches along the way. Allow me one artistic shot per update. Next on our tour was a visit to another winery... There we learned about the Italian style of wine-making and sampled some small bites along the way. It wouldn't be a wine tasting without wine to be tasted. A hero's welcome was waiting for us back at the ship after our port adventure. I'll forever love this ship's atrium. Back onboard we could experience a fun dance party with Mickey, Minnie and the gang. Hi Elissa! Riding the AquaDuck with a view of Mount Etna is quite fun! Riding the AquaDuck in general is quite fun! We enjoyed this awesome water slide several times throughout our cruise. A view of the upper deck... The Mickey Slide is fun for the younger kids. Always one of my favorite photos to take while onboard. What else do I do with my free time in the stateroom than to watch obscure cult classics like Tomorrowland. Hiya Donald! Exclusive to the longer itineraries, the cast of the Walt Disney Theatre gets to put on a custom show where the performers can sing notable Disney songs of their choice. This is always one of the highlights of our longer cruises! Mickey looks great in his Greek outfit! The sun set on another amazing day... And as per tradition, we were greeted in our stateroom with another adorable towel animal.

After our brief but wonderful taste of Europa Park the prior evening, it was hard to sleep knowing that we'd have two full days to enjoy the resort ahead of us. I managed to grab what rest I could, eagerly awaiting the morning's exclusive ride time. We started with Blue Fire, another of the park's coasters that I had long anticipated getting the chance to ride. This is one sleek train! ERT earned many thumbs up! As soon as ERT was over, Robb and I rushed over to The Can-Can Coaster (Eurosat), not for the traditional ride experience, but for the newly-opened The Phantom of the Opera Coastiality VR experience. Replacing the previous Valerian VR experience that debuted with the rebuilt Eurosat, this new experience leans heavily into the fandom surrounding Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical. The queue is filled with props from the show... The queue also serves as pre-show experience before the VR elements begin, setting the stage for your visit to L'Opera Populaire in Paris. Fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber can find in-universe nods to some of his other works. I'll be absolutely honest. I'm not a huge fan of VR experiences on coasters. But I am a huge fan of Phantom of the Opera--I've seen the show seven times in my life, the movie countless times and I've listened to the soundtrack far too many times to count. For this reason, I wasn't going to be to visit Europa Park without seeing how such a beloved (albeit likely incompatible) IP could translate to a theme park ride experience. Unlike other VR experiences I've been on, this one had you put on the headset while standing in a room away from the loading platform. From here the pre-show experience begins in Box 5 of the Paris Opera House, the Phantom's preferred booth. Surprisingly, the booth lowers from the theater down into the catacombs below to reveal the Phantom's lair. Standing alongside others who are also wearing the VR headsets (you and others around you are represented as period-appropriate avatars, mine an older woman in a purple dress and Robb's a man with a monocle, a black top hat and a grey mustache) you are guided by another avatar through the catacombs to a convenient train of gondolas. What you don't realize is that from behind the VR helmets, you are walking to the Eurosat trains. And through the VR experience you are actually expected to walk to and get into your seats. If the VR isn't spot on (whether because of the headset placement or how it has sync'd up), then your results on getting in safely may vary... But I absolutely give them credit for such a ballsy approach. Once seated, your gondolas take off and begin on a journey that summarizes the key points of the musical's story in a compressed format. Logic, science and physics cease to matter as, once you ascend Eurosat's lift hill, your point of view shifts from the turning gondolas to a glowing orb that floats and flies through the story's scenes. The ride kicks off strong with the Phantom bringing down the chandelier to the famous tones of the show's main overture, and as the chandelier collides with the stage, you go crashing through it, down and into the catacombs. Flying through the layout of the physical coaster, you inexplicably weave in and out of the Paris Opera as it crumbles and burns, pausing near the end for Raoul and Christine to kiss in front of its burning remains, before returning inside to revisit the Phantom's lair, where he appears briefly and disappears in a gag that mirrors a final moment from the show, All in all, it was an interesting way to translate the show to a ride. The VR graphics aren't quite there yet and the syncing with the coaster's movement never really felt perfectly aligned--both reasons why I was in love with the end result, but as a Phantom fan, I'm grateful that Europa Park was gutsy enough to choose such a property for this experience. Now time for another hotly anticipated experience! Due to our visit taking place near Halloween, the coaster's signature music had been replaced with a special track for the season. "It's Halloween" plays on repeat throughout the queue and inside of the ride itself during this overlay. And I guess it is because I didn't know what I was missing--I thought it worked really well. Euro-Mir was a really fun ride (with a somewhat wild finale) and the randomized rotations made it very re-rideable. You know we had to come back for more Voltron! I love that the Croatia section of the park features three animatronics of Nikola Tesla (one in the queue, one at the start of the coaster and one in an outdoor area in the land). I strongly considered buying this Coaster Dynamix Nanocoaster but I haven't finished assembling several of the ones I already own. Silver Star stands in the foggy distance... Madame Freudenreich Curiosités was a very cute way to repurpose the "Universe of Energy" dinosaurs for a more unique (and less knock-off-ish) experience. The ride has a cute story. Familiar but different. There are lots of dinosaurs to be found in the ride. Not our dino, TPR has a bobsled team! Long had I waited for this moment! And Schweizer Bobbahn did not disappoint! The Swiss section of the park is charming and narrow... But most importantly... It is home to raclette! TPR takeover of the raclette hut! The park has so many beautiful areas to enjoy. I love the faux bateaux mouche so much! Europa Park had already been a delicious and refreshing experience so far! Time for more cute dark rides! Adorable. How does one follow up such cuteness? With coasters, of course! It was nice to just hang out for a bit. Of all of the rides inspired by Disney's Haunted Mansion that we experience on this trip, Castello dei Medici was certainly one of them. There's definitely key differences here. But there are also far more blatantly derivative sections. Familiar but different. There's even a hitchhiking ghost-equivalent finale. Though I have no affinity for the IP, "ARTHUR - In the Minimoys Kingdom" is a pretty neat mini land. The power suspended coaster was fun and unique. I love the architecture in the Iceland section of the park. And Wodan was a solid wooden coaster that has been well maintained. The station fly-through is such a fun element. Whale Adventures – Northern Lights is easily one of the cutest splash battles I've ever seen. Animatronics and flammable buildings out and about to enhance the lands' theming. I LOVE IT. I wish I had more time to spend in the Scandinavian section of the park. Snorri Touren is a gem of an attraction that no amount of research had prepared me for. Snorri is simply the best. This dark ride is not without value for adults. The gist of where the story takes you while onboard... Our carriage awaits! Our journey begins... Some great set design for this attraction. You can't go wrong with singing trolls. Snorri plays the mushroom drums. You can bet I brought a plush Snorri home to my son. Familiar but different. Some neat elements in the queue... Lots of exposition but I couldn't understand what it was. While he isn't Snorri, Jopie is great too. Piraten in Batavia feels similar but different to Pirates of the Caribbean. Some scenes are more recognizable than others. Jopie is helping to escape! Very pretty sets. I spy with my little eye, someone that is Mack. The ride's finale ends with an impressing series of projection mapping effects. Familiar but different. Equally familiar but different. Where have I seen one of these before? It was too cold for my tastes to ride Fjord-Rafting during our visit. Atlantica Supersplash looking good. This place is a theme park fan's dream. So cool to see in person! Such a fun and pictureseque coaster! Our time in Europa Park came to a close for the day... But our adventure was just beginning. As we had an evening set aside to experience Rulantica! Due to our limited time I have virtually no photos from inside, but I can't rave enough about the water park. This is the first indoor water park I've been to, but the bar was set so much higher than I anticipated. Rulantica is packed with themed areas, great water slides and some excellent spaces. Vildstrøm is the star of the show--a wild outdoor body slide that doesn't require you to go one at a time. Hilarity and chaos ensue. Robb has some fantastic video from our experience... The park was kind enough to let us try the Snorri Snorkling VR experience which was unlike anything I'd done before. It followed a similar story to Snorri Touren from in the park, but this time, experiencing it while gliding through the water. Super unique--mildly bizarre. I'm glad I had the chance to do it. After a wonderful evening at Rulantica, it was time to head back to the hotel for some rest. Tomorrow would bring even more adventures.

Silverwood has announced that they have undergone a substantial investment and upgrade of Tremors, with the installation of Rocky Mountain Construction's "208 Retrak" track replacement along with the addition of two new Millennium Flyer trains. These modifications are expected to bring a more smooth and quiet ride experience to the classic coaster, along with increased rider capacity (the coaster previously operated with one PTC train). https://www.instagram.com/p/DGrkOIwJW9B/

This weekend I had the chance to stop into SeaWorld Orlando for the first time in a while (it was time to activate my son's preschool pass) and while there, thanks to some free passholder perks, I had the chance to roam the park and enjoy some of the Seven Seas Food Festival. Signs at the entrance of the park warned that commercial production was underway at the park... Always a welcome sight. I can't deny, Pipeline is a good looking coaster, with an awesome setting in the park. I spy with my little eye, something that is a drone. Throughout the park Seven Seas Food Festival booths offer up a variety of food and beverage choices for guests to purchase. Flavors for all tastes. It was a busy day at the park. In addition to the Seven Seas Food Festival, the park was also celebrating Mardi Gras. They had a live band and a DJ performing alternating sets throughout the day. Work on the new flying theater attraction in Wild Arctic has accelerated, extending into the outdoor queue area. In preparation for the new attraction, the Wild Arctic animal exhibit and gift shop has also closed temporarily. Two more food booths plus a beer stand are found between Wild Arctic and Sesame Street. I honestly can't recall when the shade structures were put up, but they are a welcome addition to the beer garden area. The German Market has finally updated their imagery to make the chocolate covered pretzel look less intimidating. Flavors for all tastes. Always a popular booth. Which would you choose? One of the original booths from the Festival's beginning. A consistent performer. Lamb chops and beef gyros... For the guests that like to see fish and then seafood. Pearl divers have returned to SeaWorld Orlando in the form of mermaids... This experience was very popular with the kids. Free passholder Seven Seas Food Festival items makes for a nice sampling afternoon. These lamb ribs from the Polynesian Market never disappoint. The reimagined Lobster Mac & Cheese cone was a solid choice. To give you an idea of just how expansive the festival's reach has spread throughout the park over the years. The drone moved on to filming Ice Breaker in motion. Ice Breaker definitely packs a punch despite its compact layout. Walking from Bayside Stadium back towards the front, you get a view of Pipeline that isn't as commonly accessible. While it still isn't my favorite coaster in the park, I will admit that I enjoy Pipeline far more than I ever expected I could. It is a pretty unique coaster. Tucked underneath Pipeline is a new Seven Seas Food Festival booth. You had me at "blue cheese crumbles." Some themed performers were out and about for the festival.

^Crawfish étouffée is what it was and I still live to tell the tale!

A few weekends ago I had a chance to stop into Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to activate my son's preschool pass. It had been a little bit of time since my last visit, so I used the day as a chance not only to entertain my son, but to get caught up on a few notable changes at the park. Lazy morning for the cheetahs... Cheetah Run is seriously one of the best animal-focused elements of the entire park. Yes, they have giraffes and zebras here too. Shortly after Phoenix Rising opened it was announced that Scorpion would close. The park's second roller coaster (and oldest standing coaster in the park after Python was removed to make way for Jungala) had an abrupt closure, which had led to believe that its removal (whether disassembly or scrapping) would be swift. As you'll see here, that's not the case. The queue entrance has simply lost its ride signage and the path has been boarded off. If I didn't know the ride was permanently closed, I'd think it was simply down for refurbishment. With the exception of the there being no trains in the station or on the transfer track, this looks exactly like it did when it was still in operation. Here's hoping someone is planning to buy Scorpion for more than just scrap metal. Out with the old, in with the new, I guess. I will admit, I was surprised at just how sprawling the layout for Phoenix Rising is... Building a one-train-operating coaster at one of the most popular, year-round parks in the country was certainly a choice. To their credit, the ride ops did seem to strive for quick dispatches, but with one only train in operation, the hourly throughput is quite dismal. There are four screens within the station that animate with stylized designs as the phoenix rises into the lift hill. The track weaves in and around itself multiple times throughout the layout. A significant portion of the coaster sits backstage in the plot previous occupied by the Sand Serpent (previously Cheetah Chase) roller coaster. Because of its sheer size and location, it is pretty much impossible to capture all of Phoenix Rising's layout in a single frame. It does have some interesting twisty bits... Over in Jungala there are some familiar sights... Construction on the new Wild Oasis section of Jungala continues. Some significant additions are being built in the back section of Jungala's new Wild Oasis. Just monkeying around. SheiKra is among several attractions at the park currently closed for refurbishment. The last time I saw the the splashdown fully drained was when the coaster was first under construction in 2005. Also going on during our visit was the park's take on Mardi Gras. Yes, they have food and wine booths, not unlike other Central Florida theme parks... After the Mardi Gras parade, several of the performers offer photo ops near Iron Gwazi. Yep. Beads! Is it even Mardi Gras if you can't get your hands on a hurricane? More performers incoming! Overall it was a pretty solid day at the park!

Later in the second week of my trip, I planned another bucket list stop for after work. This one, in many ways is more recognizable and even more rare than Genting SkyWorlds... Times Square Berjaya Theme Park, and most notably, Supersonic Odyssey was within reach. I had watched Robb & Elissa's POVs of this coaster and I had long since ruled out the possibility of ever getting a chance to ride it myself. But when I found out that I would be working in Malaysia for a few weeks, this concept was instantly revisited and I started to plan... While not nearly as grand as Pavilion or Suria KLCC, Times Square Berjaya is a pretty nice mall... That just happened to be hosting a half court basketball tournament in the main atrium. Getting ready to be enveloped in a fever dream. Times Square Berjaya Theme Park is the stuff of theme park game fantasy (pick your poison, RCT, NoLimits or Planet Coaster). Paths intertwined with rides. A coaster weaving in around around other attractions and structures. Over the top theming. A totally indoor theme park with the scale of an outside amusement park. This place has it all. Supersonic Odyssey is the park's Intamin looper, which sports an incredibly unique layout that spans the entirety of the indoor park. Every angle (and there are many to be found) yields a very different perspective of the coaster's layout. I spent much of my time just walking around, staring at it in awe. They have a cute, mini Top Spin nestled underneath one section of Supersonic Odyssey. Not a single net underneath any of the track. Oh there's more... Lot's more. The theming is cartoon-like and otherworldly. It's almost overwhelming. Where my initial photos were on the ground floor, there's an entire section of the park dedicated to rides for younger guests, that Supersonic Odyssey weaves through. One of my favorite elements of this unique coaster. The trains look and feel similar to California Screamin'/Incredicoaster with traditional over-the-shoulder restraints. Rider's in the front row have the option to pay for a GoPro-recorded ridercam (which, of course I bought). Absolutely incredible. So few words are adequate to describe how over-the-top this park is. Somewhere amidst all of this theming is a small carousel. The lighting and the shine on almost everything in sight makes this feel even more unreal. It's pretty impressive just how much there is to do at Times Square Berjaya. Getting photos of Supersonic Odyssey in motion was difficult given the park operating one train every ten minutes or so, but I tried to grab as many as I could. Another angle found. The park features a giant panaromic window view out into the city... Intamin knows how to design an element. Just take it all in. This robot stairwell design had me floored. Even the floor design continuing in the ride area's flooring is a level of detail that I wouldn't expect. Gorgeous. I really didn't want to leave but the park closed as I was finishing my photo lap. I was able to ride Supersonic Odyssey six times (and nothing else) during my visit. I still can't believe that I made it to this park after years of watching the TPR POVs. I had to commemorate the visit with a ride photo (and video) as proof that it actually happened. I celebrated the evening's milestone with a variety of fresh sushi.

The next morning we docked early in Athens and disembarked for our tour of the Acropolis. There's something about this massive archeological site that amazes differently than other ancient sights I've visited. The preservation and scale of these landmarks is unlike anything I've seen. Our early morning ascent was a fortuitous one, as we managed to beat the bulk of the crowds. Simply magnificent. An active site both for preservation and restoration. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is also part of the tour of the Acropolis and it was very neat to see up close. I grabbed a fresh kataifi from a coffee shop in Athens and it was one of the best desserts I had across the entire trip. Following our tour of the Acropolis and time in the city, we were brought to a local rooftop restaurant for a Greek cooking class. Here we were able to create our own marinade for a chicken gyro dish that would be prepared in front of us to enjoy for lunch. While waiting for the chicken to cook we were also able to prepare our own tzatziki, spicy feta dip and dough for fresh pita. The end result was a delicious, full meal for which we had prepared almost every component. Back to the ship after a day of fun in the sun. Escargot for dinner is always a treat! Lobster and tarragon pasta is another favorite of mine onboard. Grand Marnier Souffle for the win! Hiya Mickey! Always nice to hang out! One of my favorite pieces of enchanted artwork onboard the Disney Dream. The Fly Boys were a variety act brought onboard for our sailing; an acapella group singing modern songs in the style of Frank Sinatra. Another cute towel animal to cap off a great day! The next morning we woke up off the coast of Santorini! Beneath the surface of the floating ring seen here are the remains of the MS Sea Diamond, a cruise ship that sank here in 2007. Such a beauty. Time to explore Santorini! First up was some time to walk around the town of Fira. While incredibly beautiful and unique, it is also very narrow, difficult to navigate when crowded and in a sense, exceptionally touristy. But the view is unrivaled. Next up was a relaxing beer and wine tasting with a panoramic view of Santorini. Not a drop of drink nor food remained when we were done. The views were fantastic. After our tasting, we walked about Oia to take in more sights. We had researched a spot in Oia to grab some authentic Greek bites before returning to the ship... And it was well worth the visit! I wasn't going to leave Greece without trying Ouzo or Raki. Of all of the alcohols I've had, these were certainly among them. When returning to the ship, you have a choice of taking the walking trail or waiting for the cable car. We opted for the cable car, only waiting about 45 minutes to load. This was the right choice. Santorini is a tendering port, which is not my favorite, but it makes for a great set of photo ops as you return to the ship. Curry shrimp for dinner! And cupcake ice cream for dessert at Vanellope's Sweets & Treats! Hi Elissa! Hanging out once again with the Captain! And the best towel animal yet to close out the night!

After an incredible week in and around Munich, it was time to move on to the theme park-focused portion of trip. Our travel day from Munich to Europa Park was spent mostly on the bus (with a brief rest stop visit along the way), but the payoff would come in the form of an early evening arrival at Europa Park. Robb and Elissa along with the team at Europa Park surprised us with a few hours of access to the park followed by an hour of exclusive ride time on the park's newest addition, Voltron Neverra. With two full days in the park ahead of us, it was a great first taste of just why Europa Park has earned world-class praise. Local soda flavors continue to be a travel passion of mine and Germany continued to impress. What happened to Germany's original Milky Way if they're already on Milky Way 2? On the way to Hotel Colosseo we got our first look at Rulantica, Europa's water park which we'd be visiting on the next day. In terms of themed hotel environments, this is one of the nicest I've experienced. Inside of the park for our few hours of access before our Voltron Neverra exclusive ride time, we enjoyed the sights of Europa Park. In a lot of ways, it feels like the park has found ways to utilize their land creatively, embedding multiple attractions in unique, intertwining spaces that look excellent. My jaw nearly hit the floor when we made it to this section of the park. Alpenexpress Enzian re-opened in 2024 after a fire in 2023 destroyed much of its layout along with several other parts of the Austrian section of the park. Europa Park goes out of its way to celebrate Halloween with a unique parade and a Halloween overlay to an existing attraction (we'll get back to that later). Hi Snorri! There's so much happening in this photo. It's almost too much to process as a theme park fan. Something I especially admire about Europa Park is its willingness to invest in animatronics for queues, scenic spaces and themed areas simply meant to pass by. I don't know that there's a wild mouse I've ever anticipated riding more than Matterhorn Blitz. The double-train elevator at the start of the ride is a neat touch. Matterhorn Blitz was a really fun coaster. Nothing earth-shattering but the layout was literal leaps-and-bounds ahead of standard wild mouse coasters. Familiar yet different. It was finally time to visit the park's new Croatia-themed area and its signature attraction... Long had I waited for this moment and even longer had I doubted that I'd ever have the chance for it to happen. This coaster is relentlessly intense and much longer than you'd expect. Each element of the coaster flows seamlessly from the previous and the train's unique seating allows you to be whipped around through inversions while being held in purely by a lap bar. Such a unique element and a great way to kick off the coaster's outside layout. Such a picturesque coaster. ERT was such a great surprise and Voltron more than lived up to the hype. This is quite easily one of the best rollercoasters I've ever been on, and having an hour to ride it repeatedly only solidified that notion. I could have kept going for hours more! Familiar yet different. Grand Prix of Europe is a new interactive dark ride that will open at the park in 2025. We passed through the grounds of the Hotel El Andaluz on our way back to the Hotel Colosseo... Absolutely beautiful. Dinner at Antica Roma kicked off with a wide selection of cheeses... Are you even in Germany if you're not having a beer each day? Antipasti for dinner! A new Cornetto Cone flavor for the books! After dinner we assembled for TPR's first ever competitive puzzling challenge. Joey and I participated. It was also the trip's designated time for the snack exchange and many treats were had. Here's a photo of a trophy I didn't come close to getting. After an evening of fun, it was time to get some rest, because tomorrow would be our first of two full days at Europa Park.

I'll reserve full judgement until riding but if Phoenix Rising at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is anything to go by, this will be a perfectly fine, adequate, non-extraordinary addition to the park... Thanks for the photo update on the construction!

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that Fast and Furious - Supercharged, the finale experience on the Studio Tour will close permanently next month to make way for a new experience. https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/web/en/us/things-to-do/rides-and-attractions/fast-furious-supercharged Hold on tight for the Studio Tour's grand finale. Featured on The World-Famous Studio Tour Ride along with the all-star cast from the hit movies on an exhilarating high-speed chase that exceeds 120 miles per hour and catapults you into the high-stakes underworld of fast cars and international crime cartels. You'll be engulfed in a world of cutting-edge, hyper-realistic special effects, including 3D-HD imagery projected onto the world's most expansive 360-degree screens! The "Fast & Furious-Supercharged" attraction on the world-famous Studio Tour prepares for its last ride on March 10, 2025.

Universal Destinations & Experiences has unveiled Universal Horror Unleashed, a year-round attraction in Las Vegas built upon the Halloween Horror Nights events offered across Universal parks. This new experience on the Area 15 campus will feature four haunted houses, entertainment, shopping and dining and will open on August 14th, 2025. Tickets for this new offering are now available to purchase. https://www.universalhorrorunleashed.com/en/us Universal Horror Unleashed Get ready to experience the nightmare in a year-round, fully immersive, high-quality horror spectacle that brings your greatest fears to life. Enter the evils of four haunted houses, each with their own terrifying stories: Universal Monsters, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Scarecrow: The Reaping, and Blumhouse's The Exorcist: Believer. Surrounding the haunted houses are four fully themed immersive entertainment areas, each with its own unique live horror experiences, plus decadent food and drink offerings in select areas.
 Your deepest fears are closer than you think. The Living Heartbeat of Year-Round Horror Experience Universal Horror Unleashed, a year-round celebration of horror from the creators and masters of the genre. Filled with haunted houses, themed live-entertainment areas and unique food & beverage experiences in select areas. Coming to Las Vegas in 2025. Four Haunted Houses of Undying Thrills Enter the evils of four haunted houses, each with its own terrifying story. Step inside the living nightmares inspired by Universal’s legacy of cinematic and live-entertainment horrors. Universal Monsters The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Scarecrow: The Reaping Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer

Today Universal Destinations & Experiences revealed the lineup of themed areas that will make up Universal Kids Resort when it opens in Frisco, Texas in 2026. https://www.universalkidsresort.com/en/us Universal Kids Resort Universal Kids Resort is an all-new theme park that inspires the unbridled creativity of kids through play, discovery, and imagination in a way that engages the whole family. Opening 2026 in Frisco, Texas, this first-of-kind resort is specifically designed and developed for families with young children. Enjoy Universal Destinations & Experiences’ iconic brand of entertainment, adventure and fun, bringing to life beloved characters and stories in ways that will just wow the youngest theme park goers in a totally inclusive way. It’s a Whole Universe Built Just for Kids! A beautifully themed on-site 300-room hotel will offer a delightful place to stay, play, and relax after all the fun of the park. With six immersive themed lands filled with kid-friendly rides, playful interactive shows, character meet and greets, and more, Universal Kids Resort is the place where kids rule the day. A Collection of Your Kids’ Favorite Worlds Discover lands for Jurassic World, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Illumination’s Minions and explore colorful and immersive areas dedicated to Dreamworks Animations' Shrek, Puss in Boots and Trolls. Your kids can also enjoy a custom Gabby's Dollhouse experience. DreamWorks’ Shrek Enjoy ogre-sized fun as you stomp, ride, laugh and play in Shrek’s swamp themed playground built personally by Shrek. Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants It’s Bikini Bottom’s best day ever and SpongeBob and friends cannot wait to show you around their neighborhood under the sea. Illumination’s Minions Let the games begin as Illumination’s Minions overrun a peaceful vacation retreat. When Yellow Minions attempt to rein in their Purple counterparts, it leads to a wave of unpredictable, water-soaked fun. Jurassic World It’s a journey of exploration where kids can learn about and come face to face with dinosaurs of Jurassic World in uniquely exciting and interactive ways. DreamWorks' Trolls You’re invited to the most colorful, most joy-filled, and, of course, most glittery music festival of all time! DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots It’s a legendary day with Puss in Boots in Del Mar as the kitty adoption drive is in full swing with colorful decorations, sideshow games, fun rides and festive food. Park Hub with DreamWorks’ Gabby’s Dollhouse A central hub with interactive play areas and shady lawns for rest & recharge, plus an immersive retail experience where guests can meet characters from Gabby's Dollhouse.

After our time at Genting SkyWorlds, we decided to roam the rest of the Resorts World complex, grabbing a bite and checking out the Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park. Madam Kwan's called to us as we were in the mood from some Malaysian cuisine. We did not regret our choice! Some amazing satay served here. Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park is, as the title suggests, the complex's indoor theme park. Several of the attractions found within used to operate in the outdoor theme park that preceded Genting SkyWorlds. Many of these attractions are covered in lighting so help the attractions glow in the dimmer building that houses the park. The surprisingly high ceilings enable the park's rides to reach impressive heights. There's a lot going on in this park... It can almost be overwhelming at times. They have a Disk'o here. Super Glider, a Zamperla Volare that previously operated in the outdoor park, is one of the largest attractions in Skytropolis. It was closed during our visit, which was not disappointing at all. Designed by the company behind Top Thrill 2. Skytropolis also features a light canopy, clearly inspired by the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas, right down to the zipline running down its length. The blue coaster with red supports is set to open later this year. Back down the Awana Skyway we go! Next up on our agenda was to check out the Petronas Twin Towers. While we couldn't get a reservation to go up to the incredibly popular observation deck, the towers and surrounding complex offer lots to see and do. The Suria KLCC mall beneath the towers offered a variety of shopping and dining options. One of my favorite things to note while traveling is the unique offerings that local Starbucks have. These are definitely different flavors than those you'd find at home. The towers look gorgeous at night! "The world is a carousel of color..." Another successful day ended with a Jungle Bird. Breakfast of champions! And dessert for good measure! After a full day of work, I stopped by Pavilion Kuala Lumpur to roam... And to satisfy a craving that I had since I arrived in town. Pavilion is an absolutely massive mall with shops, dining and entertainment across every floor. They even have an entire section dedicated to Japanese shops (including Daiso)! I wasn't going to pass up a chance to indulge myself in a melon custard bread and melon pan. Yes, they have Pizza Hut here. But this is why I was really here. And it was absolutely worth the trip!

After a few hours of rest in Rome, we went back to the airport to grab our bus to the port of Civitavecchia where we would be greeted by a familiar and exciting sight! I have sailed on all of the current Disney Cruise Line ships, and out of all of them, the Disney Dream is the one I've sailed upon most frequently. Captain Mickey greeted us as we first embarked on the ship. Much time would be spent here over the next 11 nights... I have always loved the atrium on the Disney Dream. First stop? Cabanas for some fantastic food including all you care to enjoy snow crab! We took advantage of the open house time on the first day of the cruise to explore all of the youth activity spaces onboard. The Disney Infinity room is inspired by the console game. If you tapped a Oceaneer Band on your game's RFID reader/pad, you could unlock an exclusive Disney Cruise Line ship toy in the game. I do wish the game series had lasted longer... Star Wars: Millennium Falcon in the Oceaneer Club features a revolving loop of sequences from Star Tours (including the original attraction's ride film) and it is hard not to geek out when I see it. One of my favorite spaces on the entire ship... Echoes of EPCOT history. Vibe is an exclusive youth activities space for teens. They even have their own outdoor sun deck and pool area. Our awesome verandah stateroom for the cruise! I've seen this Sailing Away party many, many times and it never gets old. Let the towel animal fun commence! I love how 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea continues to be a property that finds life and acknowledgement at Disney Cruise Line. Disney Victrophonics was a newer act performing on the ship for our cruise. Hi Goofy! I treated myself to a "World of Old Fashioned" tasting to kick off the cruise... And it was a heavenly experience. The experience is a little non-traditional in that not all of the alcohols used are strictly whiskey or bourbon. But the four unique takes on the drink were all worth consuming. So cute! After a relaxing day at sea, we awoke the following morning as we pulled into the port of Chania, Greece. But before we could go ashore, we needed fuel for the day. Due to it being an early-afternoon arrival in port, we opted to do a champagne tasting in Pink before our time on land. We were treated to five champagnes plus two macarons, all explained and curated by an expert sommelier who guided us through the experience. I highly recommend taking advantage of one of these tastings if you have the chance. Chania, Greece was a fairly straightforward port. We opted for an excursion (also known as a Port Adventure) that brought us on a tour of Scenic Crete... Starting at Ancient Aptera. Our first archeological ruins of the trip... This amphitheater was a neat stop along our journey. Next up was a brief visit to Kournas Lake, a picturesque body of water nestled in the mountains of Crete. Our port adventure concluded with a meal in the town of Argyroupolis... Fresh Greek food never disappoints! This was a fantastic way to kick off our time in Greece! Isn't she lovely? It was a lovely touch to be treated to spa waters upon our return to the port--it was exceptionally hot out in Chania and this hit the spot! Someone else loves John Carter like me? That's so cool! The Golden Mickeys is a classic show performed in the Walt Disney Theatre. Dinner that night was served in Animator's Palate which means we had a chance to hang out with Crush and the gang from Finding Nemo... But most importantly, it meant we could eat as many Black Truffle Pasta Purseittes as possible! Our door would become progressively more covered in decor throughout the course of our cruise... I also treated myself to a Premium Whiskey Reserve tasting while onboard. This ship is my happy place. Another cute towel animal to cap off our day!

Our final day in Munich was reserved for "on your own time" to explore the city and spend more time at Oktoberfest. For this reason, we used our day to accomplish both. Revisiting Marienplatz was the first activity of the day... Absolutely beautiful. We even had a chance to see and hear the Rathaus-Glockenspiel play. Reinheitsgebot München Viktualienmarkt was a short walk away and worth a stop for one reason in particular... Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog! Despite having been to Las Vegas, New York and several other cities that have an Eataly location, this was my first time actually visiting one. It's like a theme park for Italian foods. I could have done some serious damage here. This was one of the most indulgent meals I consumed on the entire trip. Back at Oktoberfest for our final evening, we spent some time watching Jack enjoy his favorite ride in all of Germany. As the sun sets, many of the rides begin to come to life in new and colorful ways... Out of the fire and into the frying pan? Hupferl was another "never in America" kind of experience and it was awesome. The size of some of these (traveling) flat rides is astounding. One more visit to the Devil's Wheel. We weren't on a log flume... We weren't on a log flume. We grabbed as many extra rides on Olympia Looping as we could on this evening... Just such an incredible experience! While it wasn't my favorite coaster to ride, Alpina Bahn looks great at night. Our last few hours at Oktoberfest were spent roaming the beer tents, each of which has unique entertainment, decor and more. Each tent felt totally different... The Paulaner tent is one of the bigger tents. And the interior is quite vibrant! I was grateful that I had the chance to visit Hofbräuhaus München at the start of my trip, because I wouldn't end up having a chance to drink at the Hofbrau tent. The Hacker tent may be smaller than some of the neighboring tents... But it has one of the most charming interiors of them all. Braurosl was quite busy on this night... Such a neat space! Spatenbrau was too busy to allow walk-in guests to jump in for a drink. We revisited the Lowenbrau tent to see if the atmosphere changed when compared to our daytime visit in the prior afternoon. The vibe was definitely more lively and party-like at this hour. It looks bigger from the outside. But a rock band on the inside was keeping everyone entertained. This looks familiar! Remember how I said I wasn't above riding both sides? I'm not. And somehow this ended up being the last coaster I rode at Oktoberfest...

I think you meant to share that here:

Genting SkyWorlds is a park with an incredibly unique history, a very unique setting and in a lot of ways, it is a really solid park. It sits atop Mount Ulu Kali in the Titiwangsa Mountains in central Peninsular Malaysia, not far from Kuala Lumpur. The park sits on a plot of land occupied by the previous Genting Outdoor Theme Park as part of the Resorts World Genting complex. It was originally intended to open in 2016 as 20th Century Fox World, the first theme park themed to Fox-owned IP. Plagued by project and construction challenges and only compounded by the acquisition of much of Fox by The Walt Disney Company in 2018, the project was subject to countless delays. With a planned opening in 2019, Fox (in progress of being acquired by Disney) invoked the right to pull much of their branding and license rights out of the park, which resulted in a lawsuit and settlement, enabling the park to operate with some of previously agreed upon IP (Ice Age, Robots, Independence Day, Night at the Museum, Epic, Rio, Blue Sky Animation and Planet of the Apes while losing the rights to other key properties such as Alien, Predator, Alien vs. Predator and Sons of Anarchy. The loss of these properties required that many of the nearly-finished or under construction attractions and areas would have to be stripped of their theming and reworked to operate without their original intent. COVID-19 only worsened the situation, further delaying the park's opening to early 2022. Two of the park's major attractions never opened with the park and have yet to operate, one of which hasn't even completed construction--both of which developed by the now-bankrupt and recently-acquired Dynamic Attractions. All of that said, the park has some interestingly bright spots. In ways, it almost teeters on greatness at a standard that you'd find at Universal, maybe even Disney in some rare cases. But in a lot ways, that shine is surface-level. Once you get into it, you find that this is comparable to a Merlin-level park with a slightly higher opening budget that has since been operated poorly. The park itself is smaller than it appears, but has a decent amount of offerings packed into the compressed space. But for this reason, the lands and attractions butt up against each other without the natural transitions you come to expect from other parks of this caliber (or the caliber at which this park aspires to be). It doesn't help that a portion of the park is closed following the fire that took place in June 2024... Or the fact that several of the attractions inexplicably are not operating "just because." But as someone who has watched this park's evolution from afar, getting the chance to see it up close, and to observe what I saw firsthand, knowing in many places what the lands and attractions were meant to be with the 20th Century Fox IP still attached, it is a really unique experience to visit Genting SkyWorlds. Not unlike other parks in Asia, park maps make it a point to highlight every element in the park, right down to the restrooms, to speak to the volume of things covered by your price of admission. The entrance of the park (seen in my previous update) feeds directly from the Resorts World Genting complex into the park's covered entryway. It's a decently sized set of entrance corridors leading to the two ways of getting around the park, but there isn't a lot found within this space besides shops, quick service options and games. Indepedence Day Defiance is a flying theater attraction inspired by the film franchise (more specifically, Independence Day: Resurgence). Sadly it was closed, "just because." Invasion of the Planet of the Apes might be the best example of how this park teeters on greatness... The queue design is absolutely wonderful from the moment you step in. The tone is set that you're entering the post-Simian Flu-riddled world of the modern Planet of the Apes films. I was blown away by how much detail was put into this worn down queue. Brilliant. You head into a pre-show grouping room where a pre-show sets the stage for where you are in the story. Set in the aftermath of the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes film (with a plot oddly similar to the start of War for the Planet of the Apes), you meet Malcolm (the protagonist from Dawn, recast here for the ride) who explains that the General and his army are coming to try to restore power to the humans using a generator that is home to Caesar and his ape brethren. Malcolm needs your help to warn Caesar of their impending attack in the hopes of staving off war between the two species... Clips from the films are used in the pre-show... You board trackless hovercraft vehicles and go along your journey wearing 3-D glasses. Not unlike similar rides of this sort, you are moved through scenes of water, fire, bullets, explosions and jostling motions. The animation in the ride looks like something out of Time Crisis 2, which takes away much of the positive momentum from the queue and the pre-show, but graphics aside, it is a really solid attempt at translating such a well known franchise into a ride. Robots Rivet Town is based on the hit, one-film franchise Robots, starring Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Robin Williams and Amanda Bynes. The movie came out in 2005. This is the whole of Rivet Town. Two stacked flat rides and a quick service kiosk behind me. Big Weld's Zeppelins (a Dumbo-like ride) and Rivet Town Roller (a Unicoaster) were both not operational today ("just because"). Not sure why they even let people into the land, considering there wasn't a single thing open in it during our visit. A land with nothing open is kind of fitting for such an obscure property... Due to its mountaintop location, Genting SkyWorlds experiences rolling bouts of intense fog that give the park the eeriest of feels. Walking through Andromeda Base, you pass by "Descent into Darkness," one of the park's two incomplete Dynamic Attractions coasters. This one was supposed to be themed to Alien vs. Predator (as the rest of the land was themed to Alien vs. Predator and the franchise's Weyland-Yutani corporation. Ride vehicles, animatronics and a complex series of show elements were all designed but never installed in the massive show building. The coaster's outside track was put in place but the interior layout was never completed. The inside of the show building continues to be a massive, dark and empty box. And there is no real expectation that the coaster will ever be finished. To read more about what was meant to be, I highly recommend visiting this site for a full look at the land's original design, ride details, art and more. Alpha Fighter Pilots was originally meant to be Colonel Fighter Pilots, themed to the Colonel Marines from Aliens. While the fog was still rolling through we moved on to the Ice Age land, by far the largest and most spread out section of the park. Ice Age: Expedition Thin Ice has a massive indoor queue, not because it is that popular, but because it is so low capacity. Even with only 50 people ahead of us in line, we waited almost an hour for this Oceaneering trackless dark ride to load. The ride features the characters from the popular Ice Age franchise (probably the park's most valuable IP they were allowed to retain), both on screens and in the form of a few animatronics. The ride was very short and only had a handful of vehicles in operation... It's obvious why this reminded me so much of Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld Orlando. Acorn Adventure is the land's signature rollercoaster. The queue is basic but winding with a few neat elements along the way. The park went with Beijing Shibaolai as the manufacturer. The coaster, while fun, was exceptionally rough, to the point that I was convinced it was a re-themed remnant of the former Genting Outdoor Theme Park, but alas, it was just poorly designed. The park could benefit from some sprucing, despite only opening a few years ago... Samba Gliders from the Rio section of the park soars over portions of the Ice Age land. Acorn Adventure's mountain is the largest structure in the park and can be seen from most lands in some way or another. Ice Age also has a pretty large child's play area... With not a lot to do inside. We moved back towards Andromeda Base as the fog rolled out to take a closer look. It's not hard to see how this land was meant to feel like something out of the Alien films. The story behind this coaster is such a shame. It looks like it had such potential. Andromeda Canteen is the land's quick service eatery. It has yet to open at the park to date. Terraform Tower Challenge was originally going to be Alien: Terrorforma. It is a unique S&S combo tower with a pre-drop sequence that lowers riders beneath the loading area for a show scene (that was originally going to involve Alien eggs, facehuggers and the xenomorphs attacking) before shooting you up the tower to drop back down. Boot Camp Training was meant to be Marine Boot Camp Challenge. The traditional ropes course (with a zip line coaster at the finale) had a strict, no-camera policy so this was as close as I could get to taking a photo before being turned away. After loading our items in lockers, we waited in line to harness up, only to find that, with Guests in the structure, almost all employees left the complex for 30 minutes, preventing the zipline from operating (or enabling guests to enter or exit the structure). Seeing this, we gave up before we started for fear of becoming stuck inside. The exit portal between Andromeda Base and the Eagle Mountain section of the park is easily the best transition between lands that the park has. The scale of the portal is huge. And the pathway through the tunnel is quite fun for lighting junkies like myself. You emerge from the tunnel in the more modern-era Eagle Mountain side of the park. Sadly Eagle Mountain is, in essence a mini land with one non-functional attraction, a few shops and dining options. Due to the park's tight footprint, it is nearly impossible not to see the attractions from several other lands from within view. This is really nice rock work though. Eagle Mountain is home to Mad Ramp Peak - Full Throttle Racing, a duel powered high speed motorcycle coaster that has never operated, also produced by Dynamic Attractions. Don't mind my finger, this is one of the best photos I have of one of the few areas of the coaster you can get close to. If you look closely, you can see the coaster track that sits beneath the ride's "pavement." The coaster trains would have motorcycles that rode above the pavement while a chassis was powered along the rails below. The ride's initial launch segment... You can kind of make out the coaster track-versus-pavement setup when looking at this bridge. Without the coaster, Eagle Mountain is a pretty shallow land. The coaster's gift shop contains some interesting items... It appears that the park produced a high volume of merchandise for when it was meant to operate as 20th Century Fox World... How do I know, you ask? Logos like this are not uncommonly found on the merchandise sold (at discount) throughout the park. From the side of Eagle Mountain, the path to the back half of Central Park is closed off. The Night at the Museum interactive dark ride was unharmed by the fire aside from damage to its facade, but the entire land has been shut down due to the extent of the rest of the damage. See what I mean? A look at the Mad Ramp Peak station... Independence Day: Defiance is pat of the Central Park section of the land for some reason. The shop has everything the two fans of Independence Day: Resurgence would ever need. ESD Global Defender here exists, for some reason. Glad to see Setpoint continuing to find ways to build low capacity coasters around the world... Sid's Rock 'N' Slide is a Zierer Kontiki that I missed seeing during my earlier laps of the park. The Blue Sky Carousel is ornate and centered in its own plaza. You can ride on the back of "recognizable" Blue Sky Animation characters... Ah yes, the hit film "epic" is featured here too. Epic Voyage to Moonhaven was so tucked in the back of the park, I nearly missed seeing it. Some solid queue design to set up the ride's story. This is a themed ABC Rides flume with dark ride segments. After seeing the state others were in, despite ponchos, after riding, we opted out. Epic Hummingbird Flyers is the land's other attraction. The design of the land is nice, but like other parts of the park, feels more like a mini land due to its small number of offerings. Of all of the bubble waffles I've consumed, this was certainly one of them. Oh look, a character. Samba Gliders dominates the skyline of the Rio section of the park. I will say, the Rio land was actually one of the better looking sections of the park. Rio Carnaval Chaos! is a Zamperla Demolition Derby but it wasn't operating during our visit "just because." Artsy fartsy. Another look at Acorn Adventure... This time from the Rio section of the park. Very nice. They even had the Rio characters in a show! A look back at the Awana Skyway passing over the park. The park has a pretty nice exit plaza... I spy a retired logo... Time to head out and do some more exploring of Genting Highlands!

^We had a few that offered to serve as private drivers but given the nature of our trip and timing not being something to plan around, it made more sense to just keep ordering new Grabs.

Universal Destinations and Experiences is partnering with Asset World Corp Public Company Limited and NEON to create an immersive experience in Bangkok's Asiatique The Riverfront Destination. This new Jurassic World-themed attraction will feature animatronics and immersive story experience set on Isla Nublar, along with a new shop and dining offering. https://news.marketersmedia.com/awc-neon-and-universal-destinations-and-experiences-announce-jurassic-world-the-experience-the-worlds-largest-immersive-experience-of-its-kind-coming-soon-to-asiatique-the-riverfront-destination-opening-q2-2025/89149007 Asset World Corp Public Company Limited (AWC), Thailand’s leading integrated lifestyle real estate group, is delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with NEON, a global leader in immersive and epic experiences, and Universal Live Events & Location Based Entertainment. This collaboration reflects the shared vision of these industry leaders to set a new benchmark for lifestyle destinations positioning Bangkok as a world-class tourism and entertainment hub. Together, we will introduce Jurassic World: The Experience to Southeast Asia—a groundbreaking, family-friendly adventure set to open at Asiatique The Riverfront Destination in Q2 2025. (From left to right) The press conference of Jurassic World: The Experience, in Bangkok, held at Asiatique The Riverfront Destination led by Mr. Michael Hariz, Chief Commercial Business Officer, Asset World Corp Public Company Limited, Dr. Paitoon Wongsasutthikul, Chief Investment Officer, Asset World Corp Public Company Limited, Mrs. Wallapa Traisorat, Chief Executive Officer and President, Asset World Corp Public Company Limited, Mr. Chadchart Sitthiphan, Bangkok Governor, Mr. Nithee Seeprae, Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mr. Gerald Raines, SVP, Live Events and Location Based Entertainment Universal Destinations and Experiences, Mr. Ron Tan, Executive Chairman & Group CEO, NEON, and Mr. Kurt Baker, Executive Vice President, Global Marketing, NEON. A new collaboration with shared value between AWC, NEON, and Universal Live Events & Location Based Entertainment, a division of Universal Destinations & Experiences, aims to redefine lifestyle destinations by integrating fun, entertainment, and sustainability, highlighting Bangkok as a global hub for tourism and entertainment. Jurassic World: The Experience, is the world’s largest immersive experience of it’s kind. This newly imagined walk-through journey specifically curated for Asiatique The Riverfront Destination, is designed to be a top destination for visitors from around the world. This groundbreaking project aligns with Asiatique The Riverfront Destination's vision of offering family-friendly, immersive experiences that foster connections and strengthen its status as a premier destination. Join the waitlist now at Jurassicworldexperience.com and be the first to receive updates and exclusive perks for Jurassic World: The Experience. Spanning over 6,000 square meters, Jurassic World: The Experience immerses audiences of all ages in settings inspired by the globally popular Jurassic World film franchise, from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, blending real-world science and education with the very best in high-quality entertainment. Unlike a traditional theme park, visitors to this this unique experience will find themselves surrounded by life-like animatronic dinosaurs and environments inspired by iconic scenes within Jurassic World as they navigate Isla Nublar, while making thier way to safety in an unforgettable exploration of the island’s wonders. As part of this exciting destination, a new Café & Restaurant space is in development which will provide a unique dining experience inspired by Jurassic World: The Experience, seamlessly blending the immersive journey with culinary delights for visitors of all ages. Mrs. Wallapa Traisorat, Chief Executive Officer and President of Asset World Corp Public Company Limited (AWC), said, “We truly appreciate the shared value that NEON and Universal Live Events & Location Based Entertainment bring to this partnership, setting a new benchmark in delivering happiness, innovation, and sustainable value for generations to come. This collaboration will create an unparalleled attraction at Asiatique The Riverfront Destination, in the heart of Bangkok by the Chao Phraya River, featuring a total development of over 10,000 square meters, including more than 6,000 square meters dedicated to Jurassic World: The Experience which will immerse guests in a thrilling new adventure deep into Jurassic World, as they roam amongst the largest cretaures to ever walk the earth.” “We are committed to strengthening Thailand as a global sustainable tourism destination, where tourism and sustainability go hand in hand. Through this collaboration, AWC aims to inspire people worldwide and across generations to build a better future by integrating innovative and sustainable concepts into entertainment.” Mr. Ron Tan, Executive Chairman & Group CEO of NEON said, "NEON is thrilled to partner with Universal Destinations & Experiences and Asset World Corp to bring Jurassic World: The Experience to the vibrant city of Bangkok. With our track records of sold out shows in cities around the world, we are confident that this immersive spectacle in Thailand will raise the bar even higher, exceeding every expectation to deliver an unparalleled experience into Jurassic World. We would like to thank our partners for their support in making this incredible vision a reality, and we eagerly look forward to welcoming massive crowds into Jurassic World: The Experience.” Mr. Gerald Raines, SVP, Live Events and Location Based Entertainment Universal Destinations and Experiences, said “We’re excited to work with AWC and NEON on bringing Jurassic World: The Experience in Bangkok to life for guests of all ages in 2025” Jurassic World: The Experience aligns with AWC’s mission to bring innovative and sustainable concepts to Thailand’s lifestyle and entertainment real estate sector. This project is a part of a broader strategy to develop Asiatique The Riverfront Destination into an integrated hub that combines retail, history, culture, dining and entertainment, captivating the imaginations of visitors from around the world while offering a diverse array of unique and inspiring experiences. This collaboration supports the strategic vision of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to strengthen Thailand as a global sustainable tourism destination and event hub. By delivering world-class experiences, it contributes to tourism growth, fosters job creation in the hospitality sector, and boosts local businesses through increased visitor engagement from across the region. Scheduled to open in Q2 2025, Jurassic World: The Experience will offer unforgettable, family-friendly adventures. To receive new updates and exclusive perks before anyone else, please visit Jurassicworldexperience.com and join the waitlist. https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/2956111/jurassic-world-approved-in-bangkok The Board of Investment (BoI) has approved a project to build Jurassic World, a new Bangkok-based attraction featuring animatronic dinosaurs, to promote tourism. The 1.2-billion-baht project, covering 4,000 square metres, will be located in Asiatique The Riverfront, an open-air mall on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Asset World Attraction and Retail, a part of Asset World Corp (AWC), received the green light from the BoI to go ahead with the investment. The project, named Jurassic World: The Experience, is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. Inspired by the Hollywood movie Jurassic World, Asset World Attraction and Retail is aiming to build a new attraction containing lifelike robotic dinosaur replicas. AWC said earlier it plans to open the park in this year's second quarter, as part of the first phase of its five-year plan for Asiatique The Riverfront. Jurassic World: The Experience hopes to attract visitors of all ages from both domestic and international markets.

^That’s a really disappointing number of major attractions closed at one time…

Six years ago, I had a chance to embark on a grand European adventure, combining time at Disneyland Paris, in London and aboard the Disney Magic for a transatlantic cruise ending in New York City. It was one of the best (and longest) vacations I've ever taken, and ever since, my wife and I have been itching to do something similar. In years that followed, we set our sights on the Mediterranean, with Greece being on both of our bucket lists--anything else would be bonus. Knowing we had a more limited time this time around (thanks to having a young child back home, work obligations and other pending trips--see my Oktoberfest and Malaysia trip reports for more on that), we opted to skip out on parks at the front end of the trip, doing a "best of" stopover in London before heading to Rome/Civitavecchia to catch the Disney Dream for our 11 night Mediterranean cruise. We flew Norse Airways from Orlando to London Gatwick directly. On our prior transatlantic trip we flew Norwegian's long haul from Orlando to Paris and loved our experience. Norse Airways emerged from Norwegian's restructuring as a budget airline replacing many of Norwegian's prior long haul routes with their former planes. Fair warning, while the planes are comfortable, this is the equivalent of flying Spirit or Frontier on a long haul flight. Baggage requirements are smaller/more stringent and everything is an up-charge, to the point that the price difference, if you're packing for a long trip like we were, might not be far off from one of the more established, major airlines. In our case, their itineraries worked the best for us timing-wise, but they wouldn't be our first choice to fly again. Due to travel delays on our last transatlantic trip, we missed out on our reservation for the Michelin-starred Amaya restaurant in London. When planning this trip, we knew we had to make up for it. Quite easily the best oysters I've ever consumed, anywhere. I could have eaten this entire bowl of raita myself. If you're looking for stellar Indian food, Amaya is well worth your time! It felt so good to be back in London after six years. We were seriously tempted, but for this trip we had something else in mind... The last time we saw a show here, it was Kinky Boots and we loved it! The inside of the Adelphi Theater is lightly themed to Hill Valley California... Of course, they have merchandise. I've waited for this moment for such a long time! Here's my honest take on Back to the Future: The Musical... The show is pure fun. The music isn't particularly deep but it is ridiculously catchy (especially when listening again after seeing the show). The story is mostly aligned with what you know from the original film, though some story points have been updated to better align with the times (avid Back to the Future fans may be caught off guard, but it doesn't take away from the overall show). The cast is super talented and the effects are next-level. There's a moment at the end of the show that absolutely stuns. Avoid spoilers if you can because it is breathtaking, especially as a fan of the franchise. I'm super excited to see this show when it tours through the US soon and I've been listening to the soundtrack on repeat in the months since our trip concluded. We set reservations at our favorite speakeasy bar in Chinatown a few minutes' walk away from the West End... Though the drink menu has changed since our last visit, we both were very pleased with our choices. Good vibes only. It doesn't hurt that you can order fresh dim sum from one of the restaurants in Chinatown to be delivered to your table while you drink. I definitely recommend visiting Chinatown while in London if you can spare the time. The next morning we hopped in a taxi for our next destination, passing Big Ben to see it up close for the first time since I was in high school. During our last visit, the clocktower was behind scrims for an extended refurbishment, so it was neat to see fully restored after all these years. Our time in London was dictated primarily by our foodie interests... I could have bought it all. The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason was where we had one of our best meals during our previous trip and it was a must-do for this trip, knowing we were coming back to London. You can bet I finished this entire pot of Apricot, Honey & Lavendar tea. While the Salon offers prix fix menus, they do allow you to mix and match elements if your personal preferences cross the lines. This lobster omelette was one of my favorite dishes from our previous visit, so I had to give it another go and I was not disappointed. I opted for a savory tea lunch. My wife opted for sweet... What's great about getting both is that you can share, and as part of the experience, you can order more of any of the finger sandwiches, finger foods and sweets as you care to enjoy. After consuming our weight in food, we went down to the Fortnum and Mason shopping floors to buy things to send home. Shipping to the United States was a flat $25 for all of this and it arrived about a week after our visit. I was tempted to sample all of the ham, but knowing we would be ending our trip in Barcelona where I could try the best, I resisted the immediate temptation. Sadly not my favorite Fanta flavor I've tried... Would've loved to experience the London Trocadero when Sega World was still open inside. Also would have liked to try The Crystal Maze but we didn't have time during this visit. While in London, my wife asked for us to stop by the MinaLima storefront. We had seen their artwork in the Harry Potter films, in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter locations around the world and even met them in person at the Celebration of Harry Potter events at Universal Orlando over the years, so it was important for her to visit the store if we could. If you're a Harry Potter fan, this place will feel like a candy store for you. Cirque Arcanus is one of the new shows coming to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic section of Universal's Epic Universe later this year... After our brief stop in London it was time to fly to Rome... But not without stopping at our first ever Nando's! Sweet potato fries from heaven. Garlic & Herb Nando's sauce for the win! During our flight it felt appropos to watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, considering where we were headed... The film was not worth the view. The next morning we would wake up and head to the port of Civitavecchia to catch our ship...

Mirabilandia has announced that Nickelodeon Land will be joining the park's lineup with new attractions, dining, shopping and character meet and greets! https://www.mirabilandia.it/en/nickelodeon-land Nickelodeon Land - 2025 Novelty - Mirabilandia's new themed area! Your favorite Nickelodeon characters will be the main protagonists of the new thematic area inside the Park, opening in Spring 2025! Check out the incredible new features for 2025: fantastic new attractions for the whole family, themed dining options to suit all tastes, and an incredible store where you can buy fantastic mementos of your visit to the Park. All this and much more coming at Nickelodeon Land! Purchase your open-date admission for the 2025 season now. Get ready for a new thematic area! SpongeBob and Patrick, the Ninja Turtles, Dora and PAW Patrol are waiting for you to enjoy unforgettable days together at Mirabilandia. Whether you are an adventure lover or an explorer looking for surprises, the Park's 2025 novelty is perfect for you! A season full of surprises Come and discover an entire area of the Park dedicated to Nickelodeon characters: 10 attractions 3 dining outlets 1 shop 2 meet & greet areas 25,000 square metres A world of fun comes to life Meet Nickelodeon characters in exclusive Meet & Greet inside the exclusive locations. Multiply the fun by trying out the Park's 10 new attractions, perfect for the whole family, from little ones to adults. And when you need a break, discover the new dining options with their tasty dishes and enjoy shopping at the area store, the perfect place to find unique gadgets and gifts. With more than 25,000 square feet of pure fun, Nickelodeon Land awaits you for an unparalleled 2025 season. Don't miss your chance for an unforgettable experience with your whole family! Meet SpongeBob and Patrick at the Park Pack your backpack with your appetite for adventure, a dash of adrenaline and a hearty dose of wonder... and get ready for endless fun! Don't miss the new SpongeBob-themed attractions and dining option! Come explore the world of PAW Patrol Dive into the streets of Adventure Bay with your favorite rescue pups and get ready for an experience like no other. Join Chase, Marshall, Skye and their friends to enjoy fantastic adventures firsthand! Dora is coming to Mirabilandia Live a unique adventure together with Dora and her friends and get ready for an unforgettable day full of discoveries and lots of fun. Pack everything you need and dive into this new journey at the Park's themed attractions! Join the Ninja Turtles on a quest Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo are waiting for you for unparalleled fun! Tackle their coaster and set out on a quest for their favorite pizza - here you'll find everything you need to become the perfect ninja.

Walibi Belgium has announced that their new family coaster will be called Mecalodon and it will be the third longest coaster in the park! https://www.walibi.be/en/explore-the-park/attractions-family/Mecalodon ABOUT MECALODON Immerse yourself in the charm of a picturesque fishing village and experience our exhilarating new family attraction! Hold on tight as you speed through 925 metres at 65 km/h, gliding just above the water. With breathtaking thrills and stunning scenery, this is the park’s 3rd longest coaster. Get ready—14 airtimes will take your breath away! 925 meters long Picture 205 great white sharks lined up in a row, bursting with excitement, eager to embark on this thrilling attraction. 3 launches Forget the snorkels and goggles! 3 accelerations will have you gliding over the water at top speed! 65 km/h This family coaster is as fast as a great white shark darting through the depths! Ready to ride the wave of adrenaline? 14 airtimes Hold on tight… we’re about to lift off – well, almost! Experience moments of weightlessness as gravity steps aside for a thrill-packed adventure. Behind the Scenes of the Benelux’s Biggest Family Coaster! From dream to reality, top experts teamed up to create a true masterpiece — Mecalodon, the brand-new family attraction at Walibi Belgium! Thrill-seekers, brace yourselves! Get ready for surprises, intense moments, and endless fun. Mecalodon might just become your new favourite ride!