jedimaster1227

Tonight Theme Park Review was invited to attend the first night of SeaWorld Orlando's 2015 run of Summer Nights. This year's event features the return of the Shamu's Celebration: Light Up the Night show and extended park hours, coupled with the introduction of a new weekend Summer Concert Series featuring different musical acts each weekend. All of this is included in normal park admission to enjoy in addition to all year round offerings at the park. Our evening at Summer Nights began with a concert by Trick Pony in the Nautilus Theater, previous home of the recently-closed A'Lure: Call of the Ocean show. Trick Pony is a country band who rose to billboard success in the 90's but has been touring ever since. They put on quite a good show! Even if you're not a country fan, the concerts are worth checking out since they are included in general park admission. A fun show to see! It is nice to see the Nautilus Theater in use again! Next week's acts... We visited Shamu over at the Killer Whale viewing area behind Shamu Stadium. The former games area has been demolished to make way for a new pretzel eatery set to debut later this year. The Pretzel Bacon Fury from Busch Gardens Tampa is expected to be offered here as well! The Pearl Divers are back at The Waterfront after being previously laid off in a round of budget cuts. It is great to see this space being put to its intended use. Passholders can enjoy "Happy Hour" discounts on alcoholic beverages at The Sandbar, Sharks Underwater Grill and the Terrace BBQ. We had to indulge. Since we're already here... Let's check out some penguins! As the sun began to set and the rain slowed to a near-stop... A huge rainbow began to appear... And shortly after, the full rainbow (along with second larger rainbow above it. Shamu's Celebration: Light Up the Night features a DJ hyping the show along as it goes. Pretty! Get ready for some Killer Whale photos! The show concludes with some fantastic fireworks. Well worth the wait! Come by and check out Summer Nights at SeaWorld Orlando when you get a chance--you'll have a great time! Special thanks to SeaWorld for allowing us to join for another fantastic night at the park! We'll definitely be revisiting Summer Nights before it is over (and you should too)!

Quash has officially announced a huge expansion to their water park along with several other new additions to the park!

Two weeks ago I returned to California for my annual Disneyland Resort trip, but this time around, we actually rented a car and ventured outside of the Anaheim city limits to visit a few additional highlights in California, some that I've never been to before, and others that I hadn't seen in many years. Sure, there'll be tons of Disney photos ahead, but let's start with the new and revisited experiences first... SeaWorld San Diego was a unique experience for me. I grew up with SeaWorld Orlando in my backyard and I've had an annual pass there since the age of four. I remember the park in its old days--the days before Antarctica, Manta, Blue Horizons, Kraken, Journey to Atlantis, the Waterfront, Key West, even Wild Arctic. SeaWorld Orlando has evolved over the years and it with it, almost all of the park feels like it has been updated to match the times. SeaWorld San Diego has a VERY different feel. This park felt like I was trapped in a time warp... But only half the time. New'ish additions like Explorer's Reef at the entrance, Manta and Journey to Atlantis stand out as more modern experiences dropped in place in the middle of more dated areas of the park that make you feel like you're back in the early 90's--things like the Aquarium de la Mer, Shark Encounter and Penguin Encounter. This isn't to say the park is bad, nor that it is lacking in charm. I really liked SeaWorld San Diego. It was just so strange to see all of the differences in the park when compared to SeaWorld Orlando. You could say I felt like a fish out of water. Driving into the parking lot I was greeted by a very different looking Journey to Atlantis. The park's new entrance... Explorer's Reef is pretty neat! The cleaner fish touch pond was seriously one of my favorite things in the park! They have a shark touch pond! What's this I see? A very different Manta. Very picturesque though. I love how the ride weaves in and out of guest pathways. Manta was much more fun than I expected! It was my first Mack launched coaster and for a ride that isn't even 30 ft tall at its peak, it packs in some quick airtime and two nice launches! Definitely a surprise hit for our visit! And fun for me to photograph too! Dolphins just taking it easy! Very interesting! The park's Skytower is very old school, complete with the Christmas tree-style popcorn lighting in use year round. SeaWorld Orlando's Skytower complex was rebuilt from scratch when The Waterfront was being developed, but I strongly remember riding that Skytower when it looked much more like this. This was totally a blast from my past! Okay, I can't stop. Do you blame me? It really does take up a sizable plot of land in the park. I can't imagine what this park was like without Manta! Aquarium de la Mer is an old-school SeaWorld aquarium tucked in the back of the park. I loved revisiting the old-style black lit fish tanks! I may have an addiction. I was thrilled to get the chance to explore the park's former Hospitality House because I had so many fond memories at the one in SeaWorld Orlando. This one sports a beautiful interior! The old Hospitality House features several historic displays from the company's 50 year history. I was in awe of this place! I miss Shamu Rocks so much... The infamous Baywatch at SeaWorld show! Time to try this out... Journey to Atlantis was also an odd surprise for me. The ride was fun... Just very bizarre. There is no explained story for the elevator lift or anything that happens. But as long as you ignore the lack of story, the ride itself is really fun! I couldn't really figure out what was going on in here... Or why a ghost was hovering over my mouth. Journey to Atlantis has one main aquarium at the exit of the ride. I figured Wild Arctic would be pretty similar to the one in Florida, but I wanted to check out the animal exhibits, so we took the Walking Tour option... I was amazed to see that a full room has been designed to look like the inside of the simulator pods so guests could enjoy a stationary ride on Wild Arctic before moving into the animal exhibit space. Florida's Wild Arctic has a viewing space for the ride film, but it is nowhere near as themed as this, as far as I know. It was surprising to see the Wild Arctic animal exhibits are open air and not enclosed like the ones in Florida. Here's a polar bear. Baby... Baby beluga... Whoa! Very old school! They even have penguins outdoors! Turtle Reef is a newer addition to the park... I was a little concerned to see this was the area's entrance as I felt like I was being led backstage. It has a nice space for the turtles though. Didn't get to ride Riptide Rescue this time around as it wasn't operating during my visit. Time for something very different... You start out above the surface of the water looking down into the tank in SeaWorld San Diego's Shark Encounter. The tank is far lighter inside and a much shorter experience than the one in Florida. He's just staring down his lunch. The sea lion space was a little small. Not this trip. The Killer Whale viewing area was nice. Sesame Street Bay of Play looked nice from above. An overview of the Explorer's Reef entrance complex. It amazed me that Shamu Stadium does not offer any covered seating. I'd imagine the Hospitality House would be the next thing to go if a new expansion were to be planned for the park, based on the sized of the land it occupies. Manta really was awesome! One last visit to the cleaner fish fondle pond! So fun! It was such a fun visit to SeaWorld San Diego... But this was just the start of our trip!

^Wet 'n Wild is approximately 51 acres. While an actual theme park could take its place in theory, that isn't a lot of land to work with, especially when considering the notion of planning with expansion in mind. The plot is landlocked by Universal Boulevard, Major Boulevard and International Drive, so acquiring land and integrating it wouldn't be easy... I think additional resorts and an extension of CityWalk are far more probable options for this land.

Yesterday Theme Park Review was invited to attend the first day of Frozen Summer Fun at Disney's Hollywood Studios! This event brings back several favorites from last year's initial Frozen programming along with some new offerings to add to a day at the park! A new stage setup has debuted this year thanks to the removal of the former Sorcerer's Hat icon, with the new stage sitting approximately where the old pin trading booth under the hat was located. Sitting slightly closer to the Chinese Theater/The Great Movie Ride than the stage did previous when the Sorcerer's Hat was still present, there is a slight increase in space for guests directly in front of the stage to enjoy the entertainment. A brand new show called Olaf's Summer Cool Down debuts this year as well, featuring a newly-articulated Olaf that can blink and move his mouth as he speaks, sings and daydreams about all things warm. I've attached a great video from our friends at Orlando Attractions Magazine for the show. For the First Time in Forever: A "Frozen" Sing-Along Celebration has moved from its previous home in the Streets of America's Premiere Theater to the Hyperion Theater (the previous Superstar Television Theater that hosted The American Idol Experience most recently) and with this move, the show has been given a new set, new in-theater effects and a much larger seating space for more guests to be able to enjoy each show. The content of the show itself is still the same super-popular show that has been running at Disney's Hollywood Studios for the past year, but the new venue makes the show feel far more permanent and the audience seemed to be loving it. And for those curious about the remnants of The American Idol Experience, the former show's stage has been entirely removed as have the former voting panels along each seat. The culmination of Frozen Summer Fun at Disney's Hollywood Studios is the "Frozen" Fireworks Spectacular. It is always a treat to see fireworks at Disney's Hollywood Studios, something that is most often reserved for special events like Frozen Summer Fun, Star Wars Weekends or major holidays like the Fourth of July or New Year's Eve. I can't say for sure if this year's fireworks spectacular is a carbon copy of last year's version, but I was thoroughly impressed by the sheer amount of pyro used during this impressive show. It was also nice to have the characters appear on the stage to cut between the fireworks at several points in the show. Definitely a great way to end the day at the park! We had a great time today at Disney's Hollywood Studios for this year's version of Frozen Summer Fun! The event runs every day from now until September 7th, 2015, so be sure to check it out during your next visit to the Walt Disney World Resort! It is a little strange not seeing the Sorcerer's Hat behind the stage after all these years... The stage setup is quite different than last year's layout which was heavily borrowed from Star Wars Weekends 2014. For the First Time in Forever: A "Frozen" Sing-Along Celebration has moved from the Premiere Theater to the newly-renamed Hyperion Theater... The show's popularity called for a larger show space and with The American Idol Experience moving out, this was a natural place to move the show. With how popular the show is and how full the theater is during each showing, it comes as no surprise that the theater hosts a huge number of performances each day. The Hyperion Theater received a slight signage upgrade to prep it for its new title and tenant. This photo op ROCKS! Wandering Oaken's Trading Post did not return for this year's event, but a more permanent Frozen merchandise space has been set up at the exit gift shop that was formerly used for The American Idol Experience merchandise. The ABC Sound Studio (formerly home to Star Wars Rebels: The Ultimate Guide, the Cinderella movie preview, the Maleficent movie preview, the Comedy Warehouse: Holiday Edition and before that Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey) now hosts half hourly showings of Frozen Fever, the Frozen sequel short film that accompanied Cinderella in theaters. The Frozen Royal Welcome is a small procession featuring some of the residents of Arendelle to kick off the day's Frozen Summer Fun activities. Anna pulled in a horse-drawn carriage... Hi Anna! Kristoff makes an appearance on the Wandering Oaken's Trading Post float (fans of the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party may recognize this float from the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade). Queen Elsa brings snow to Florida with her magical powers... Time to conjure more! If you're tweeting in the park with #FrozenSummer your tweet may be featured on the screen for all to see! Olaf's Summer Cool Down is a new show featuring a newly-articulated Olaf character that looks fantastic! Olaf gets to sing "In Summer" with the crowd... Then they do a medley of Summer-friendly songs to turn up the heat! I just like this photo. Noting how hot it is in Orlando, Olaf directs his personal snow flurry to share the cold with all of the guests present... And next thing you know, you're engulfed in a blast of cold fog--it was quite refreshing! Inside of For the First Time in Forever: A "Frozen" Sing-Along Celebration, the royal historians continue their typical antics. And yes, there are sing-alongs. Everyone in the audience knows the words. Kristoff still makes several appearances in the show. Elsa makes an entrance from a brand new set piece added for the Hyperion Theater version of the show. Time for the final "Let it Go" sing-along. The sides of the Hyperion Theater have added projection mapping effects that help to transform the theater throughout the show. And it wouldn't be a Frozen experience without snow! These projections effects are really fun! The cold never bothered me anyway... A new sand sculpture for Frozen Summer Fun has been added outside of the entrance of Disney's Hollywood Studios! DJ Elliott hosts a dance party as a pre-show for the fireworks. The "Frozen" Fireworks Spectacular begins with a little introduction by Olaf, Anna and Kristoff. There is some HUGE pyro in this show! No Sorcerer's Hat makes for a newly-interesting view! Lighting up the night... There is no shortage of fireworks in this show! Such a blast to witness! Queen Elsa comes out to sing "Let It Go" one more time as the fireworks go off. The final seconds of the fireworks show are absolutely loaded with fireworks... The blast takes your breath away, even from a far. Special thanks to the Walt Disney World Resort for inviting us to this exciting event! Be sure to come check Frozen Summer Fun out for yourself!

http://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/wet-n-wild-orlando-closing/

This weekend I had the chance to stop in to SeaWorld Orlando for an hour and to my surprise, construction walls are already up for Mako! I also made a quick lap of the park to see what else is new since my last visit... Manta, the most recent coaster addition to the park still makes a wonderful entrance experience for park guests to witness. The ride's attached aquarium and queue weave into the center of the ride path for some great photo moments. The Manta aquarium features this gorgeous octopus that is always neat to see. Leafy Sea Dragons are mesmerizing to watch. I love this tank! Over by Voyager's Smokehouse, the side booth now features Churro Dippers where funnel cakes used to be offered. A ride on the Sky Tower provided an opportunity to look at the park from a different angle... The park's newest coaster Mako will take up this large plot, hovering over the retention pond behind Kraken and weaving around and between Shark Encounter and the Nautilus Theater. Within days of the ride's official announcement construction walls have already gone up between Shark Encounter and the Nautilus Theater. The emergency-rising floor installation for one of the side pools at Shamu Stadium has not been added to the other pools in the complex and there is no indication that the system will be added anytime soon. I love looking at Manta from this view! The sets of the new Sea Lion High show can be seen from above. This is the plot where the former redemption games were hosted. A new pretzel eatery similar to the Twisted Tails Pretzels at Busch Gardens is being built in their place. This new location will offer a version of the infamous Pretzel Bacon Fury along with other pretzel goods and craft brews. Over by The Waterfront, the old Oyster's Secret pearl diving show has been retired. Guests can still purchase pearls pulled from oysters, but the oysters are no longer pulled by divers in the tank. The former viewing area is now used for seating but the tank does not host divers. The entrance of Shark Encounter will look very different by next year. The first construction walls span from the restrooms of Shark Encounter to the main entrance of the Nautilus Theater. The wall's signage makes no secret of what is to come. I can't wait! I never miss out on an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the old Hospitality House area. So perfect! A new pretzel shop coming here soon! I love these retro images that the park has used for the 50th Anniversary Celebration. I remember seeing photos of this when I was younger! Look at that concept art!

ZDT's Amusement Park has sent us a great batch of photos showing off the latest progress on construction of Switchback!

I leave for Disneyland tomorrow morning and this trip report has only hyped me up that much more! Thank your guys!

^Answered one page before your post. There will not be a water feature. Brian Marrow told me himself today that they didn't want the ride to look just like Manta. Instead, he said the ride will be "Crashing through" that shipwrecked boat you see in the concept art. I'm guessing there will be some sort of sound or visual effect attached to that to pull it off. I personally think it would be completely silly if they had a "water splash" element with two coasters that are around the corner from each other in the same park. It would be like having two coasters in the same park with a fire element... Oh, wait... *cough* sfmm *cough*

Yes, it is a B&M Hyper like most of us expected but looking at the concept art and how it will integrate with the park, I'm onboard.

Yes, we are jaded when it comes to B&Ms. There was a time when a B&M coaster meant a forceful coaster with a unique layout and great speed and even airtime. These days B&M delivers "safe" coasters that deliver consistently good experiences for all of the parks but coaster fans often find them underwhelming because there isn't anything new or exciting to them them when compared to how "cutting edge" they were back in the 90's. It isn't that B&Ms are bad coasters, because they most definitely aren't. They're just safe, almost simple when compared to the balls-to-the-wall craziness that fans have come to expect from Intamin Rocky Mountain Construction these days. The general public eats up new coasters from all makers, but yes, the fans often turn their noses up to B&Ms when they are announced because they feel that there is little about a new B&M that is unique or intense. While I'd be disappointed if it did end up a B&M, I'm still of the firm belief that a new B&M is better than nothing (or at least better than another Maurer Sohne in Orlando)... I'll ride it happily either way. And if it ended up being a B&M hyper like Goliath at La Ronde I'd frequent it often.

^Thank you for letting us know about the rides that are no longer there at Wild Waves! We'll work on updating that! At this time, there doesn't appear to be enough discussion to warrant a discussion thread specifically for this park--the last time any news related to this park was posted to the forum was in late 2014 and it was a part of a larger news piece relating to several small parks throughout the country being sold. If news picks up for the park that we need to aggregate it in one thread then we can re-assess creating a discussion thread for Wild Waves.

http://deadline.com/2015/05/abc-disneyland-anniversary-special-abc-1201425454/

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/150508qa/index.html The recent Nintendo investor call yielded a comment from Nintendo on how the now-public partnership with Universal Parks & Resorts came about... It looks like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was an audition of sorts to convince the IP-protective executives that their brands would be in good hands with Universal in the form of fully fleshed-out lands and experiences.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/05/announcing-new-retail-dining-experiences-coming-to-disney-springs-at-walt-disney-world-resort/ http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/05/jock-lindseys-hangar-bar-to-open-this-fall-at-downtown-disney-at-walt-disney-worldresort/

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/05/disney-cruise-line-announces-new-sailings-from-the-big-apple-in-2016/

http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando/index.html http://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/hhn25-jack-is-back/

http://www.wesh.com/orlandomyway/orlando-theme-parks/seaworld-orlando-busch-gardens-tampa-lowers-ticket-prices/33129512

http://tbo.com/news/business/theme-parks-find-upgrading-aging-coasters-brings-fresh-excitement-for-less-20150524/ Busch Gardens has officially acknowledged that Gwazi isn't necessarily gone and all options are still on the table.

During the 24 Hour Event at the Magic Kingdom I was able to pass by Adventureland and noticed progress on the construction taking place at the former Adventureland Verandah Restaurant. In the most recent years it has been used as a meet & greet venue and before that it was a special event venue (used mostly for the Not So Scary Halloween Party and the Very Merry Christmas Party for treat distribution). Nothing official has been released regarding this new project.

Yesterday I had the chance to stop by the new Harambe Market at Disney's Animal Kingdom Park! Rounding out the recent expansion efforts for the Africa section of the park that started with the relocated Festival of the Lion King show, the Harambe Market takes over a space that was previously unused in the park, adding several new food and beverage options along with shade structures in a highly immersive environment that you'd swear had been there since the park opened based on how well it fits in with the rest of the surrounding area. While I didn't get to try any food this time around (a rare thing for me), I can attest that everything looked (and smelled) fantastic and I will most definitely be coming back to try it all soon! New hotness at Disney! Built onto the backside of the existing side of Harambe, you'd never know that the Harambe Market is a new addition to Animal Kingdom. The level of detail throughout the Harambe Market is incredible. Notice the tag on the fire hose valve? Even backstage access points are heavily themed! Time to go in! What's this? Fichwa Mickey! The posters throughout the area help to tie the Harambe Market into the rest of Africa. So many layers of detail! Wanjohi Refreshment is the first of several counters within the new Harambe Market... This one features signature drinks including imported beers as well as two African sodas (Bibo and Sparberry) available for purchase. Kitamu Grill features the grilled chicken skewer and the ground beef kabob flatbread... And here is the rest of the menu. Authentic decor! Chef Mwanga's Rib Shop features Spice-Rubbed Karubi Ribs. The Harambe Market is built on the edge of the railway between Harambe and the Conservation Station, so it provides a great view of the passing train. Authentic crafts are on display in the market near the seating area for dining. Lots of new seating and shade added to the park for the Harambe Market. It may seem insignificant to most, but the level of detail put into the design of these covered seating areas has me thrilled. Not a corner unfinished. Time to make our way out... Another not so hidden Mickey! It looks like a new sweets shop is coming to Harambe soon! Time to make one last pit stop on the way out! I gave the Sugar Cane Mojito from the Dawa Bar a try for the first time--and I highly recommend it!

Last week Disney presented Theme Park Review with the opportunity to see Tomorrowland, the new Walt Disney Pictures release starring George Clooney and Hugh Laurie along with newcomer Britt Robertson in a unique narrative about the future—or so we’re led to believe. Directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) the film presents its storyline using paralleled introductions between its lead Casey Newton (portrayed by Robertson) and a young Frank Walker, later played by a skeptical and seemingly-hopeless Clooney. After a brief introduction of the narrative (a storytelling method that won’t be revisited until the end of the film, interestingly enough), the film travels back in time with Frank to the 1964 World’s Fair where a glimpse of the 1964 vision of the future can be seen, albeit briefly. Production photos and panels at the Destination D: Attraction Rewind event at the Walt Disney World Resort previously confirmed that additional scenes were shot and developed for this taste of the notable Flushing Meadows expo but didn’t make the final cut of the film, so it can be expected that more of these scenes will show up on the Blu-Ray, including a scene shot within the Carousel of Progress that I’m dying to see. Attention to detail within this short jaunt back in time is incredible to absorb, with the Unisphere’s dimensions overstated slightly to emphasize how Frank would have perceived the fair from his view (and height). Authentic Greyhound buses, the Bel-Gem Waffle stand and most stunningly, a full recreation of the UNICEF/Pepsi “it’s a small world” pavilion complete with an all-too-short glimpse at the oft-forgotten Tower of the Four Winds sent chills down my spine. Not often during this wonderful tour can you tell that any of the footage is digitally altered—you’d swear as Frank runs through the entrance of it’s a small world that Disney somehow rebuilt the ride in full specifically for this film… And that is partially true. Several days of intensive filming at Disneyland Park in Anaheim where the 1964 World’s Fair attraction was relocated to after the close of the fair allowed for a faithful recreation of the fair version of the Small World experience with temporary awnings and an alternate ride vehicle were added to the trough to allow for the iconic scene to be shot. The rest of the façade was recreated digitally, but you’d never know it if you hadn’t tracked the production closely. In this flashback we are introduced to two main characters, Athena and David Nix (Hugh Laurie), a young girl that seems drawn to Frank’s desire to invent the future and a man seemingly focused on finding inventions that will make the future better, not just fun. Athena covertly presents Frank with a pin and a plan that puts him on the fast track to an extended stay in Tomorrowland, but not before a taking a near-perilous trip off a platform with a jetpack that leads to a powerful introduction to the title realm in which he has entered. Finally able to taste the promised fruit we’ve all come to the theater to see, the film violently shifts to the present day’s Casey Newton, leaving us to wonder what happened to Frank and to Tomorrowland. Casey is the optimistic daughter of a NASA engineer (played by Tim McGraw), equipped with inexplicable smarts that are cleverly shown through a brief series of clips that emphasize that the others around her simply don’t match up. When the topic of her intellect is brought up (only twice), it is simply shrugged off as “she knows how stuff works.” After getting into trouble while trying to influence the future in the best way she can imagine given the circumstances around her, Casey finds a similar pin to the one Frank was given by Athena that when touched, transports her to an active Tomorrowland filled with limitless technology, whimsy and futuristic Chevrolet products pulled straight from the Test Track queue. The pin runs out of power at a pivotal moment in her first tour of the city leaving Casey desperate to find a way back. The next act unites Casey with Frank and Athena (suspiciously the same age as she was at the World’s Fair) in a race to return to Tomorrowland before the ominous but unexplained clock runs out. Nerd humor, robots and the clever use of an iconic world landmark catapult a previously-slow plot into a trans-dimensional jump that finally gives us what we want—Tomorrowland. But the Tomorrowland they find isn’t what Casey visited in her vision, nor the version we saw Frank arrive at in 1964. The third act presents a powerful message about the future and how society today is leading us towards it—and not in the way it should be headed. Some may find the argument to be a little preachy, but the story does a great deal to build up a case in support and Laurie’s David Nix presents a villainous monologue that made most around me nod in agreement. He may be the antagonist in this film, but to say that Nix is the villain isn’t entirely fair as the film paints current society as the catalysts in a fast-approaching future that they have had ample opportunity to change. Casey’s optimism and brilliance of mind lead to a successful change in plan concluding in a powerful final montage of a new plan to build the world a better future. The ending message is a brilliant payoff to the two hour and ten minute film that, despite dragging a little between the first and second act, rounds out a great movie that is well worth seeing at least once. Having seen the film twice now, I can share that the film is full of nods subtle and not towards Disney fans, sci-fi fans and even fans of Brad Bird’s past works. There is something for everyone in this film—heart, action, sci-fi, Disney history. Tomorrowland isn’t a perfect film, but it presents a perfect message that when delivered makes the journey worth the haul.

The Orlando Eye has resumed operation and was swamped yesterday when I visited...

^Given how productive of their brands Nintendo is (with the exception of one very bizarre film), I would agree. It has been rumored that Nintendo has been courted for years by various theme park chains (as well as individual operators hoping to partner with Nintendo to build their own parks) but they've never pulled the trigger until now... I'd imagine the level of quality and immersion behind Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade was probably a convincing factor in showing the Nintendo executives that their brands can be brought to life in a way that is respectful, immersive, innovative and worthy of the names which have made their company so successful for so many years. This arrangement can only benefit both parties--there is no downside to be seen here.