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icon_STOPHalloween Horror Nights 19 - (8/28/09) A new press release from Universal Orlando confirms that this year’s entire event will be inspired by Hollywood’s biggest mega horror hit films and contains the complete list of attractions with three based on films that have yet to rip into the silver screen itself. There are 8 confirmed haunts this year:
SAW – F2009_0708_HHN_Artwork_600or years you have come to celebrate Halloween and to witness the weakness of others. The only way to gain redemption for this voyeuristic obsession is to truly know what it means to bleed, to feel weak; to experience pain. Jigsaw will give you this experience. Happy Halloween. Let the games begin.
The Wolfman – Pure. Animalistic. Rage. Take a journey through England’s countryside and come face to fangs with one of the most terrifying creatures to ever explode from the silver screen. Forget everything you thought you knew, and prepare yourself for the sights and sounds of the newest addition to Universal Pictures’ legacy of horror.
Chucky: Friends to the End – Ever wonder what happens when good toys go bad? Chucky has been hard at work, tinkering with your favorite childhood playthings. Nothing is what it seems as you step inside and experience what its like to live in Chucky’s world. This is no Child’s Play.
Dracula: Legacy of Blood – Welcome to Castle Dracula on the night of “The Calling.” Vlad Dracul bids you welcome – be you one of the chosen women who has been called or merely a mortal man. Those who have been chosen must decide whether to join the Dark Prince in everlasting life as his brides, or reject his offer and suffer for all eternity. The blood must be renewed. The fate of the legacy hangs in the balance – Dracula’s legacy of blood.
Frankenstein: Creation of the Damned – It has been a fortnight since his creation caused the castle to be engulfed in flames. Doctor Frankenstein now continues his work to perfect the art of resurrection and regeneration, surrounded by his creations. The Creature has also returned, to make the Doctor pay for the pain and suffering he has had to endure. The Creature will destroy everything in his path to gain redemption, and you are now caught in the middle of this epic battle.
The Spawning – Something “different” has moved in among the sewers of Wyandot County, Ohio. The locals claim that these creatures, these “Sculders,” are two feet tall, with the body of a snake. As a volunteer member of the local water district, it is your civic duty to venture into these pipes and restore the flow. But beware, the locals are wrong about the “Sculders” and the only thing that will be flowing is your blood as it leaves your lifeless body.
Leave it to Cleaver – Samuel Meetz works for the people of Carey, Ohio as a butcher, bringing them the freshest meat possible. With a steady livestock of transients and town lawbreakers with which to serve, and a staff of volunteers who will preserve their towns deadly secret by any means necessary, there is truly no end in sight for Samuel or his family business. As Sam always says: Meet Me at Meetz…The Z stands for cannibal.
Silver Screams – Julian Browning has been the usher in the Universal Palace since it opened in 1922, of course, he’s been dead since 1940, but he still commands respect for his most beloved films from every patron. Buy a ticket to the Universal Palace, and let Julian usher you into a realm where the horror on the screen is ripped away to reveal a world that is truly terrifying. Features “Shaun of the Dead,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “My Bloody Valentine 3D” and other popular horror films.
In addition to the two hit shows, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure and The Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute there will be six awesome Scare Zones this year:
Lights, Camera, Hacktion!!! – Hollywood Boulevard is being used as a location for the filming of the next big horror movie to be released in October 2010: The CHAINSAW DRILL TEAM MASSACRE in 3-D. Lights, Camera, Hacktion! Our director, Mas Imair, noted horror film aficionado, is bringing the massacre to life in blood-red terrorcolor. But the actors seem to be taking their direction literally and are “hacking” through the cast and crew. It’s a close encounter of the worst kind as the backlot becomes a hacklot and the streets run red with blood. Are you ready for your close-up?
Cirque Du Freak – Inspired by Universal Pictures’ upcoming film “Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant,” which tells the fantasy-adventure tale of a boy who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.
Horrorwood Die-In – The Hollywood Drive-in has been closed for years, and some say the abandoned grounds are haunted, where late at night the dim flickering images of carnage and chaos, monsters and madmen leave the screen and enter the real world looking for fresh victims to star in their latest horrors.
Apocalypse: City of Cannibals – A whole civilization of war-like carnivorous humanoids emerges from the sewers and underground tunnels of New York, looking for fresh food. Half-humanoid, half-beast and ravenous, these tribal cannibals invade the streets of Manhattan. No one is safe!
Containment – When an experimental bio-nerve gas is accidentally released into the atmosphere, the streets are filled with a toxic green mist that turns anyone that comes in contact with it into an infected, melting glob of flesh and blood.
War of the Living Dead – On a remote island in the Pacific during the last days of World War II, German military attempted to create the unthinkable – a new breed of super-soldier made from the reanimated corpses of the dead. American forces quickly seized the island compound, but not before the reanimate agent was released. The island was quarantined and has remained a secret until now. Fifty years later, the two opposing dead forces are still locked in immortal combat with you caught in the crosshairs.
Still want more? Behind The Thrills managed to record and post today’s conference call with the producers of the SAW film series and Michael Roddy. And by the way… the all new HHN Website is now live, featuring that creepy movie usher character I’ve been telling you about for months now as this year’s host / icon character. Want to see something extra interesting? Check out the downloadable wallpaper at the Concessions Counter and look closely at the bottom of the Leave It To Cleaver and Spawning movie posters which include a Fangoria logo. A future announcement to come or did they back out of the deal and someone forgot to remove this extra from the wallpaper graphics? A good video about the making of the haunts has also been posted to YouTube and embedded below.
(8/25/09) The newest update to the HHN website wasn’t the big update I was expecting, perhaps revealing our host icon, instead it just added the next chapter, Electrocuted. Given the theme of lightning blasts, electrocution and organ harvesting, I can only guess that they are hinting at the Frankenstein haunt with this one. They have also dropped hints that new updates could start appearing very frequently from now on, and you may want to check out the official HHN page on Facebook, as they will be hosting an official Q&A session there on Thursday between 3-3:30pm EST with Michael Roddy.
(8/21/09) For anyone curious, a new trailer for the new Wolfman film can be found at
AintItCool, which actually gives a plug for Halloween Horror Nights at the end.
(8/19/09) Like most people, I’m afraid I’ve become a little disappointed with the rather slow progress of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights website. Compared to years past where we were treated to huge story building events online, this year’s attempt is moving at a snail’s pace and has yet to really draw me in. Of course, this has led some to wonder, just what happened to the whole Legendary Truth storyline from last year? After the Bloody Mary story evolved into the big investigation story during HHN itself from The Collective, many expected to see that story bridge the gap into this year’s event. So far... we’ve got nothing... or do we?
According to a post over at Behind The Thrills, they have made a great and possible connection between the old Legendary Truth site and this year’s site. It all has to do with the color coding of those little buttons at the bottom of this year’s screen and how they match up with what we’ve seen before.
(8/6/09) Screamscape sources have come forward with the names and basic themed of the unknown haunts. The Parade Building maze (codename: Flashlight) will indeed be themed as the haunted Universal Palace Theater and possibly use the name Silver Screams. Meanwhile the Disaster queue area (codename: Plea Sant Vielle) will indeed be given a quiet small neighborhood theme with various storefronts, and I’m betting a butcher shop may also be a big part of this. I’ve also heard that Fangoria is involved here in some fashion, possibly with the design, and the rumored name for this haunt is: Fangoria Presents: Leave It To Cleaver. Fangoria isn’t done there though, as they are also rumored to be involved with our last unknown maze in Sprung Two entitled, Fangoria Presents: The Spawning. I’ve still got no idea what the theme of that one may be yet however.
(8/3/09) I’m going to recap a bit on what we think we know about this year’s Halloween Horror Nights event. First off... lets talk about the mazes, rumored themes and locations. Over in Soundstage 23 I believe we have two mazes fully built right now for Dracula and Frankenstein. The nearby Soundstage 22 is also thought to be home to the Wolfman maze. The Jaws Queue area has been pretty much confirmed as the location of the SAW maze this year, though the Disaster queue area still isn’t entirely known. It was one thought that this may be the Universal Theater themed concept, codenamed Flashlight, but now that maze is thought to be the one going into the Parade building instead. So what is going into Disaster? A series of weird building facades... which we’ve heard was codenamed “Plea Sant Vielle”. I’ve also heard something about a possible butcher shop and pet stores being part of the scenery used here. Anyone have an idea? Finally this brings us to the two mazes in the “Sprung One” and “Sprung Two” structures betwee MIB and Simpsons. We know one of these has been confirmed as the Chucky themed maze but the other is still not known. The only clue was a codename... Civic Duty. Again... these are all still rumors for the most part, so anything is subject to change or not being entirely correct.
(6/29/09) While we still don’t know much more about this year’s Halloween Horror Nights, an early rumor we received a few weeks ago does now hold more water. At the time they claimed that this year’s event would be more ‘movie’ themed once again, and that this year’s icon character may actually be some kind of twisted old-fashioned movie theater Usher character with a flashlight. Time will tell if this rumor also holds water.
Resort News - (7/28/09) Good news today for those of you with with cheaper $99 “Season Passes” to Universal Orlando. According to the Orlando Sentinel Universal has lifted the blackout dates from those passes. The blackout dates however remain in effect for the Power Passes. By the way... check out the Halloween Horror Nights website again for a few new updates to the Theater site.
(7/2/09) Good news for Universal Orlando this week as a lengthy lawsuit between them and the Orange County Property Appraiser’s Office has reached a settlement that will give the resort a $1.4 million tax refund. Read more here.
(4/21/09) Bad news for Universal Orlando, as the Orlando Sentinel reports that attendance at the resort is down 20% so far for the year (Q1) compared to the same period the year before. This has been caused by a combination of the downturn in the economy as well as the moving of Spring Break out of Q1 and into Q2 this year.
(3/26/09) Universal Orlando has reported a $9.3 million decline in profits for Q4 (55%), dropping from $16.8 million in 2007 to just $7.5 million this past year. While the parks are only responsible for a 4% attendance loss, the company lost out the rest due to investment losses, and troublesome interest-rate swaps.
Future Resorts, Parks & other Expansions - (12/4/07) Screamscape sources
ART_NewHotelConcept1_web
2007_MasterPlan_Update_web
2007_MasterPlan_apartment_art_web
have sent a piece of concept artwork discovered showing off what the proposed new 16-story tall 1,800 room hotel project may look like. As described in the master plan amendment, this hotel would go right across Hollywood Way behind the Jurassic Park building, between Turkey Lake Road and Adventure Way. We also have map over the overall new master plan, a small piece of artwork showing off what the proposed employee apartment building would look like. There is also a photo of the billboard showing off The Promenade (mixed use office/retail/restaurant) going in across from the Hess station as well as a construction photo of the site posted to OrlandoRocks.
(8/2/07) Today we have to discuss the fate of Wet ‘n Wild. It’s been a few years since anyone talked about this, but the latest rumors claim that the end of the road for Wet ‘n Wild may be in sight. For those who need a little history lesson, I confirmed a few years back that the property under Wet ‘n Wild is actually not owned by the park or Universal, but was part of a land lease deal signed by the creators of Wet ‘n Wild back before it opened in 1977.
Even today no one really knows for sure just how long the term of the lease was for, but shortly after I uncovered that fact one of the local Orlando papers did their own research to contact the property owners who confirmed that there was little chance of them signing a deal to renew the lease due to the increased value of the property and it’s key location on I-Drive that could be put to better (and more profitable) uses. An older article in the Orlando Sentinel about Aquatica once mentions that the terms of their lease start to change in 2007 and the price is expected to rise through the roof by 2012.
The bottom line… Wet ‘n Wild is living on borrowed time. This has led many to speculate about when and if Universal Orlando may take the next step to build their own new water park on their own resort property. It’s also been noted that all of the “new attractions” added to the waterpark over the last few years have either been rehabs of older attractions (The lazy river, The Blast) or larger above ground attractions (Storm, Disco H2O, Brain Wash) that would be fairly simple to move to a new location when the time comes.
These days the rumor mill has picked up once again claiming that 2009 could very well be the last summer for Wet ‘n Wild. If this is true, then my best guess may be that Wet ‘n Wild signed a 35 year lease possibly as early as 1975 which could come to an end in 2010. Remember that the park will need time to remove their property from the site, so you can see where the 2009 closure idea may be coming from.
Keep in mind that other than the fact that there is a ticking clock… everything else is just speculation right now. For all we know the park may have another 10 years left on their lease… or they could already be in some kind of overtime extension where the fees grow higher and higher each additional year. If the end is near, I’m sure we’ll hear more about this very soon and Universal is likely to promote this fact to drive up attendance in the final season when they find themselves up against the new waterpark on the block, Aquatica.
(5/15/07) According to a post at UrbanPlanet.org, Universal Orlando is asking for an amendment to their master plan to add Timeshare Units and Multi Family Residential units to their 800 acre property. Currently only 104 acres are undeveloped and this plan pretty much fills up almost all the rest of the holes. The Residential section of the plan will add up to 316 units along Vineland that are intended to be used as Workforce Housing, most likely in much the same manor that Disney offers housing for their International and College Workforce programs. A new four story tall office building will be added not far from the current office building(s) along Turkey Lake Road. Meanwhile it looks the plot of land next to the Royal Pacific will become home to an 800 room 8-story tall hotel property and the land between Adventure Way and Turkey Lake Road will become home to a 1,800 room 16-story tall hotel project. From the look of the new Masterplan Map, the river system will be expanded to allow for transportation to these two new hotel projects. Looks like those rumors last week about the new Premium and Moderate sized resort projects were right on the money. Meanwhile the only big holes left open for future development include what’s left of the property from the new 1,800 room resort down the South end of Universal’s property on Turkey Lake (enough room to build a new waterpark still) and the large plot of land between the Men In Black ride building and Universal Blvd where they set up a few mazes at last year’s Halloween Horror Nights. Here’s another look at the Sat Map showing off the various site plans.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
trusted source reports that Disney is reviving a Stitch show
A trusted source reports that Disney is reviving a Stitch show that will be presented this year during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. It's name: "A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas," but it will include the rascally character.
Expect it on the stage where Stitch was previously seen for the short-lived, much-panned Stitch's Supersonic Celebration.
A Disney official told me they have nothing to announce at this time.
Reasons to believe: You had to know that stage wasn't going to sit idle forever. But it has a distinct look that isn't going to work for just anything, say, princesses, for example.
DSC04763
On August 10, when I was at MK to collect my Fun Card, I wandered over to Tomorrowland to see how deserted it felt. Mainly, on this side of Tomorrowland I bumped into smokers. But look, scaffolding on the site of the late, not-so-great SuperSonic Celebration (above). How much distress could it have gone under? A clue is given.
I had already been wondering about Very Merry, especially Mickey's Twas the Night Before Christmas Show, which has been staged on the Galaxy Palace Theater. That was adjacent to Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin -- until the stage was demolished earlier this year.
But now I'm wondering about the interactive portions of the new show, if any. Very Merry is always after-hours, therefore after dark. Do they have the technology to project audience members onto the big screen? Or is that even planned. Not that they need to copy all the elements of the SuperSonic show. Santa, help us!
Very Merry runs for 19 select nights, beginning Nov. 19.
Sidenote: Disney officials confirm that the first night of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights has been moved up to Nov. 10 at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It was originally on the calendar for Nov. 30. It will run through Jan. 4.
Expect it on the stage where Stitch was previously seen for the short-lived, much-panned Stitch's Supersonic Celebration.
A Disney official told me they have nothing to announce at this time.
Reasons to believe: You had to know that stage wasn't going to sit idle forever. But it has a distinct look that isn't going to work for just anything, say, princesses, for example.
DSC04763
On August 10, when I was at MK to collect my Fun Card, I wandered over to Tomorrowland to see how deserted it felt. Mainly, on this side of Tomorrowland I bumped into smokers. But look, scaffolding on the site of the late, not-so-great SuperSonic Celebration (above). How much distress could it have gone under? A clue is given.
I had already been wondering about Very Merry, especially Mickey's Twas the Night Before Christmas Show, which has been staged on the Galaxy Palace Theater. That was adjacent to Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin -- until the stage was demolished earlier this year.
But now I'm wondering about the interactive portions of the new show, if any. Very Merry is always after-hours, therefore after dark. Do they have the technology to project audience members onto the big screen? Or is that even planned. Not that they need to copy all the elements of the SuperSonic show. Santa, help us!
Very Merry runs for 19 select nights, beginning Nov. 19.
Sidenote: Disney officials confirm that the first night of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights has been moved up to Nov. 10 at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It was originally on the calendar for Nov. 30. It will run through Jan. 4.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Theme Park Insider news
By Robert Niles: I've been writing several articles about how parks can help themselves by earning more money from each visitor spends in the park during this recession. But my suggestions are designed not to lead to more nickel-and-diming, but to show parks ways to increase the value of what they offer, so that we will *want* to spend more money, and will get better deals in return.
Part Four: Improving food service throughout the day
Part Three: Sell all park merchandise online, too
Previously:
Part Two: Free water (or even free drinks)
Part One: Better breakfasts
Another Earnhardt-themed roller coaster?
Carowinds announced this week that its new $23 million (not $11 million, as previouly leaked) B&M hyper coaster for 2010 will be called... Intimidator.
That's right: a Dale Earnhardt theme. Just like Kings Dominion's Intamin giga, announced last week.
Carowinds' announcement that its version of Intimidator would be the tallest coaster in the Southeast also sparked a raging website debate over whether Virginia is part of the U.S. Southeast or not.
Check it out the comments (and watch some propotype ride video) at
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200908/1361/
Photo galleries: The parade of silly theme park hats
By Robert Niles: I suspect that we are not the only family that finds great entertainment in going to theme park hat stores and taking many, many pictures.
See the photo gallery
More photos of the week:
The most unusual theme park job in the world?
Theme park cast member stories: Hablamos Español... Sorta
By Robert Niles: Sure, I took three years of Spanish in high school and college, but the only place I learned any Spanish that I actually remember was... working at Pirates of the Caribbean.
Thank you, again, for reading ThemeParkInsider.com!
Sincerely,
Robert Niles, Editor
Theme Park Insider
Part Four: Improving food service throughout the day
Part Three: Sell all park merchandise online, too
Previously:
Part Two: Free water (or even free drinks)
Part One: Better breakfasts
Another Earnhardt-themed roller coaster?
Carowinds announced this week that its new $23 million (not $11 million, as previouly leaked) B&M hyper coaster for 2010 will be called... Intimidator.
That's right: a Dale Earnhardt theme. Just like Kings Dominion's Intamin giga, announced last week.
Carowinds' announcement that its version of Intimidator would be the tallest coaster in the Southeast also sparked a raging website debate over whether Virginia is part of the U.S. Southeast or not.
Check it out the comments (and watch some propotype ride video) at
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200908/1361/
Photo galleries: The parade of silly theme park hats
By Robert Niles: I suspect that we are not the only family that finds great entertainment in going to theme park hat stores and taking many, many pictures.
See the photo gallery
More photos of the week:
The most unusual theme park job in the world?
Theme park cast member stories: Hablamos Español... Sorta
By Robert Niles: Sure, I took three years of Spanish in high school and college, but the only place I learned any Spanish that I actually remember was... working at Pirates of the Caribbean.
Thank you, again, for reading ThemeParkInsider.com!
Sincerely,
Robert Niles, Editor
Theme Park Insider
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
hollywood Rip Ride Rockit now open
Just four days after launching a soft opening of its long-delayed but highly anticipated roller coaster, Universal Orlando on Wednesday declared Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit officially open to all guests.
The resort said it decided to formally open the $45 million Universal Studios Florida attraction after surveys of guests during the brief "technical rehearsal" turned up glowing reviews. Billed as the state's most technologically advanced coaster, Rockit allows riders to listen to customized soundtracks as they hurtle around the track at speeds of as much as 65 mph.
"We moved to the official opening of the attraction when we did because we listened to our guests, who are clearly enjoying this ride," spokesman Tom Schroder said.
But the move surprised some industry experts, particularly because Universal is still ironing out kinks with its new coaster.
For instance, Rockit is equipped with a series of video cameras that record riders and allow them to buy music videos of their experience. But the video system is working only sporadically.
Rockit is also supposed to feature the first "moving roller-coaster load platform" in the U.S., which allows trains to depart the station every 23 seconds. But the people-mover-style conveyor belts are not yet functioning, and Rockit's load time is significantly slower right now.
While such hiccups are to be expected with any new ride, parks typically use the soft opening to address them, said Robert Niles, publisher of themeparkinsider.com.
"You need experience with this particular attraction and the particular way people flow through it," said Niles, who said he was "stunned" that Universal had staged such a short soft opening for the coaster.
Several others said they think Universal opened Rockit as quickly as possible in hopes of squeezing what extra business it can from the last few weeks of summer.
Rockit, which is opening about three months behind schedule, has already missed the peak of the typically busy summer period. But there are still more than two weeks left before Labor Day, when traffic really slows.
"They're trying to get it open ... and capture some of the holiday school travel," said Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services in Cincinnati.
Universal is also likely anxious to end negative publicity spawned by the coaster's delays. "There's pressure on by the public to get it open," Speigel said.
But elevating an attraction from a soft opening to a full opening brings higher expectations -- and risk.
"One advantage to doing a soft opening is that the guests are more tolerant [of mistakes] because they know they're doing it in a preview," said Jerry Aldrich, president of Amusement Industry Consulting of Orlando.
Jason Garcia can be reached at jrgarcia@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414.
The resort said it decided to formally open the $45 million Universal Studios Florida attraction after surveys of guests during the brief "technical rehearsal" turned up glowing reviews. Billed as the state's most technologically advanced coaster, Rockit allows riders to listen to customized soundtracks as they hurtle around the track at speeds of as much as 65 mph.
"We moved to the official opening of the attraction when we did because we listened to our guests, who are clearly enjoying this ride," spokesman Tom Schroder said.
But the move surprised some industry experts, particularly because Universal is still ironing out kinks with its new coaster.
For instance, Rockit is equipped with a series of video cameras that record riders and allow them to buy music videos of their experience. But the video system is working only sporadically.
Rockit is also supposed to feature the first "moving roller-coaster load platform" in the U.S., which allows trains to depart the station every 23 seconds. But the people-mover-style conveyor belts are not yet functioning, and Rockit's load time is significantly slower right now.
While such hiccups are to be expected with any new ride, parks typically use the soft opening to address them, said Robert Niles, publisher of themeparkinsider.com.
"You need experience with this particular attraction and the particular way people flow through it," said Niles, who said he was "stunned" that Universal had staged such a short soft opening for the coaster.
Several others said they think Universal opened Rockit as quickly as possible in hopes of squeezing what extra business it can from the last few weeks of summer.
Rockit, which is opening about three months behind schedule, has already missed the peak of the typically busy summer period. But there are still more than two weeks left before Labor Day, when traffic really slows.
"They're trying to get it open ... and capture some of the holiday school travel," said Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services in Cincinnati.
Universal is also likely anxious to end negative publicity spawned by the coaster's delays. "There's pressure on by the public to get it open," Speigel said.
But elevating an attraction from a soft opening to a full opening brings higher expectations -- and risk.
"One advantage to doing a soft opening is that the guests are more tolerant [of mistakes] because they know they're doing it in a preview," said Jerry Aldrich, president of Amusement Industry Consulting of Orlando.
Jason Garcia can be reached at jrgarcia@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414.
The best burgers in Orlando
I love me a good burger -- greasy and cheesy, or topped with thick bacon, blue cheese and caramelized onions ... or both.
And I was talking to my friend and former peer, Chowhound Scott Joseph, the other night about the resurgence of the burger at high-end eateries. (More on that in moment.) All this talk accomplished two things: Made me hungry. And made me starting thinking about whose burger I like best.
So, in looking to take a break from all the health-care hubbub, I decided to focus on something decidedly unhealthy -- and put together my list of my Five Favorite Burgers in Orlando.
Now, there's the obvious disclaimer that I'm not food critic (i leave that to folks like Scott and our lovable food expert, Heather McPherson, who's a heckuva cook hereself). Also, there are oodles of burgers in this town I haven't tried ... but want to. I'm just a guy who likes thick burgers and salty fries. So with that disclaimer outta the way, my top five are:Menu-welcome-burger
1. Ravenous Pig (Winter Park)
2. Johnny's Fillin' Station (Orlando)
3. Five guys (multiple location)
4. Hamburger Mary's (church street)
5. Johnny Rockets (chain)
You can see my tastes run the gamut -- tho the higher-end Pig's blue-cheese-and-onion-topped masterpiece tops the list. (Mouth ...watering ... now.)
And Joseph mentioned that other higher-end eateries are following suit, trying to tap into customers who have swapped their steak budgets for hamburger-sized ones. We're talking everywhere from Fleming's to Ruth's Chris. (You can read the full piece on Joseph's blog here.)
Now, I'm quite sure I'm opening a can of chopped meat on this one. So if you want to weigh in on your favorite burger in town, throw it out there ... preferably on the grill.
posted by ScottMaxwell on Aug 19, 2009 2:22:34 PM
And I was talking to my friend and former peer, Chowhound Scott Joseph, the other night about the resurgence of the burger at high-end eateries. (More on that in moment.) All this talk accomplished two things: Made me hungry. And made me starting thinking about whose burger I like best.
So, in looking to take a break from all the health-care hubbub, I decided to focus on something decidedly unhealthy -- and put together my list of my Five Favorite Burgers in Orlando.
Now, there's the obvious disclaimer that I'm not food critic (i leave that to folks like Scott and our lovable food expert, Heather McPherson, who's a heckuva cook hereself). Also, there are oodles of burgers in this town I haven't tried ... but want to. I'm just a guy who likes thick burgers and salty fries. So with that disclaimer outta the way, my top five are:Menu-welcome-burger
1. Ravenous Pig (Winter Park)
2. Johnny's Fillin' Station (Orlando)
3. Five guys (multiple location)
4. Hamburger Mary's (church street)
5. Johnny Rockets (chain)
You can see my tastes run the gamut -- tho the higher-end Pig's blue-cheese-and-onion-topped masterpiece tops the list. (Mouth ...watering ... now.)
And Joseph mentioned that other higher-end eateries are following suit, trying to tap into customers who have swapped their steak budgets for hamburger-sized ones. We're talking everywhere from Fleming's to Ruth's Chris. (You can read the full piece on Joseph's blog here.)
Now, I'm quite sure I'm opening a can of chopped meat on this one. So if you want to weigh in on your favorite burger in town, throw it out there ... preferably on the grill.
posted by ScottMaxwell on Aug 19, 2009 2:22:34 PM
Tequila bar opening at Epcot, but attraction in Japan closes
The World Showcase section of Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park is in the midst of some small but noteworthy comings and goings.
A week from today, the resort expects to launch the soft opening of La Cava del Tequila, a 46-seat lounge inside the Mexico pavilion. Disney says the space will chronicle the history of Mexico's most famous export.
Oh, and it will also sell some 70 varieties of tequila. The drinks will be offered both straight and in margaritas; Mexican appetizers will also be for sale.
But even as one attraction arrives, another is departing. The Tin Toy Stories exhibit in the Japan pavilion has closed.
Considered something of a hidden jewel in Epcot, the oft-overlooked exhibit displayed more than 350 antique Japanese tin toys, a colorful collection that included characters ranging from Mickey Mouse to Godzilla.
A week from today, the resort expects to launch the soft opening of La Cava del Tequila, a 46-seat lounge inside the Mexico pavilion. Disney says the space will chronicle the history of Mexico's most famous export.
Oh, and it will also sell some 70 varieties of tequila. The drinks will be offered both straight and in margaritas; Mexican appetizers will also be for sale.
But even as one attraction arrives, another is departing. The Tin Toy Stories exhibit in the Japan pavilion has closed.
Considered something of a hidden jewel in Epcot, the oft-overlooked exhibit displayed more than 350 antique Japanese tin toys, a colorful collection that included characters ranging from Mickey Mouse to Godzilla.
hollywood Rip Ride Rockit now open
Here's a roundup of our Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit goodies in conjunction with the Universal Studios' roller coaster official debut on Wednesday:
Today's Calendar cover story is a large overview of what to expect. Further advice: go early, go single-rider if available. There's a little talk about the hidden tracks, although no official confirmation from Universal. The quote from ride designer Louis Alfieri: "There are many layers of the experience that our guests have the ability to come and discover for themselves."
Sure, we've heard more, but we want to actually test it before reporting it. Join us! )And why is everyone so focused on "The Rainbow Connection"?)
Today's Calendar cover story is a large overview of what to expect. Further advice: go early, go single-rider if available. There's a little talk about the hidden tracks, although no official confirmation from Universal. The quote from ride designer Louis Alfieri: "There are many layers of the experience that our guests have the ability to come and discover for themselves."
Sure, we've heard more, but we want to actually test it before reporting it. Join us! )And why is everyone so focused on "The Rainbow Connection"?)
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Hold on TIGHT! First Look: Universal Orlando's new Rip Ride Rocket Coaster
Universal Orlando Resort is getting ready to unveil one of the most radically innovative roller coasters ever created - Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit - set to open late spring/early summer. The coaster combines hit music, breathtaking first-ever maneuvers and highly sophisticated audio and video for a one-of-a-kind ride experience.
Riders will pick their own soundtrack and listen as it blasts through individual concert-quality audio systems - all while hurtling through a series of never-before-attempted maneuvers and at speeds up to 65 m.p.h. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit's audio system will carry songs representing five genres of music: rap/hip-hop, country, classic rock/metal, pop/disco and club/electronica. Each rider's song pick will also be featured on a ride video they can purchase that uses a network of sophisticated cameras to mix music, moves and special effects.
Since announcing Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit last year, Universal Orlando has not revealed details of the ride - until now.
Universal Orlando's Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is the tallest, largest and fastest X-CAR style roller coaster in the world. The X-CAR coaster vehicle is more maneuverable than other coaster vehicles and uses innovative restraints that are less restrictive, more open and more exhilarating. That X-CAR design also means Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is capable of maneuvers other coasters are not. The coaster design also allows for more vehicles on the track at one time than with other coasters - creating non-stop movement and action.
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit features 3,800 feet of steel track, a 17-story vertical lift and six maneuvers - three of which have never been built before. For the first time, Universal Orlando shares details on Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit's signature moves below. Brace yourself for Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit's catch-your-breath maneuvers.
Vertical Lift
You strap in, select your soundtrack and race 11-feet-per-second at a 90-degree angle toward the sky. You conquer all 167 feet of the vertical lift, the tallest point of the coaster, in just 16.5 seconds. At the top, you will be at the highest point of any coaster in Orlando.
Double Take - First-Ever Maneuver
You drop from the vertical lift at 65 m.p.h. and ascend into the Double Take, the world's largest non-inverted loop. You zoom along the inside of the track until you reach the top, where you twist to the outside of the track and ride over the top of the loop. You then twist back inside the loop for your descent. The Double Take stands at 136 feet tall and is 103 feet at its largest diameter.
Treble Clef - First-Ever Maneuver
You rock out to music during your Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit journey, but when you reach the Treble Clef, you get to ride a music symbol. Universal Orlando engineers and designers worked to bend the steel of the track into the shape of a treble clef music symbol. Not only is it the first time this maneuver has ever been done, but the Treble Clef also bursts through a building facade, sending you roaring over the New York area of the park. Fun fact - this move was first sketched out on a paper napkin.
Jump Cut - First-Ever Maneuver
Typically, a negative-gravity maneuver is straight up and down (often referred to as a camelback). Instead, the Jump Cut is a spiraling negative-gravity move, making it a first-ever coaster maneuver. When you reach this point on the track, you feel like you are experiencing a corkscrew without actually going upside down.
Crowd Surfer
Soaring 33 feet above ground, you are turned at a 95-degree angle as you fly over a crowd cheering you on from the load platform as they jam to in-queue music.
Drop Tuning
As you barrel past the Blue Man Group theatre toward Universal CityWalk, you'll drop underground and emerge from a chasm near the entrance to Universal Studios.
Plot Twist
The final maneuver is an inclined loop - meaning it leans at an angle to the ground - and has a 150-degree banking turn as well. You also fly around a complete 360-degree turn before heading back to the station.
Now sit back, strap in and select your song!
Riders will pick their own soundtrack and listen as it blasts through individual concert-quality audio systems - all while hurtling through a series of never-before-attempted maneuvers and at speeds up to 65 m.p.h. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit's audio system will carry songs representing five genres of music: rap/hip-hop, country, classic rock/metal, pop/disco and club/electronica. Each rider's song pick will also be featured on a ride video they can purchase that uses a network of sophisticated cameras to mix music, moves and special effects.
Since announcing Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit last year, Universal Orlando has not revealed details of the ride - until now.
Universal Orlando's Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is the tallest, largest and fastest X-CAR style roller coaster in the world. The X-CAR coaster vehicle is more maneuverable than other coaster vehicles and uses innovative restraints that are less restrictive, more open and more exhilarating. That X-CAR design also means Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is capable of maneuvers other coasters are not. The coaster design also allows for more vehicles on the track at one time than with other coasters - creating non-stop movement and action.
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit features 3,800 feet of steel track, a 17-story vertical lift and six maneuvers - three of which have never been built before. For the first time, Universal Orlando shares details on Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit's signature moves below. Brace yourself for Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit's catch-your-breath maneuvers.
Vertical Lift
You strap in, select your soundtrack and race 11-feet-per-second at a 90-degree angle toward the sky. You conquer all 167 feet of the vertical lift, the tallest point of the coaster, in just 16.5 seconds. At the top, you will be at the highest point of any coaster in Orlando.
Double Take - First-Ever Maneuver
You drop from the vertical lift at 65 m.p.h. and ascend into the Double Take, the world's largest non-inverted loop. You zoom along the inside of the track until you reach the top, where you twist to the outside of the track and ride over the top of the loop. You then twist back inside the loop for your descent. The Double Take stands at 136 feet tall and is 103 feet at its largest diameter.
Treble Clef - First-Ever Maneuver
You rock out to music during your Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit journey, but when you reach the Treble Clef, you get to ride a music symbol. Universal Orlando engineers and designers worked to bend the steel of the track into the shape of a treble clef music symbol. Not only is it the first time this maneuver has ever been done, but the Treble Clef also bursts through a building facade, sending you roaring over the New York area of the park. Fun fact - this move was first sketched out on a paper napkin.
Jump Cut - First-Ever Maneuver
Typically, a negative-gravity maneuver is straight up and down (often referred to as a camelback). Instead, the Jump Cut is a spiraling negative-gravity move, making it a first-ever coaster maneuver. When you reach this point on the track, you feel like you are experiencing a corkscrew without actually going upside down.
Crowd Surfer
Soaring 33 feet above ground, you are turned at a 95-degree angle as you fly over a crowd cheering you on from the load platform as they jam to in-queue music.
Drop Tuning
As you barrel past the Blue Man Group theatre toward Universal CityWalk, you'll drop underground and emerge from a chasm near the entrance to Universal Studios.
Plot Twist
The final maneuver is an inclined loop - meaning it leans at an angle to the ground - and has a 150-degree banking turn as well. You also fly around a complete 360-degree turn before heading back to the station.
Now sit back, strap in and select your song!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Disney World raises ticket prices; one-day pass up 5.3% to $79, from $75
Even as it tries to lure recession-saddled consumers with deep discounts on hotel rooms and food, Walt Disney World is raising the price of its theme-park admissions to new heights.
Beginning Sunday, Disney World will increase the base price of a one-day, one-park ticket to $79 -- up $4, or 5.3 percent. The price of a similar ticket for a child between the ages of 3 and 9 will climb $5, or 7.9 percent, to $68.
Prices for the resort's more popular multiday-ticket packages will also rise, climbing between 2.6 percent and 4.7 percent. In keeping with Disney World's strategy of driving guests toward extra days in its parks -- rather than those operated by rivals Universal Orlando or SeaWorld Orlando -- the smallest increases are reserved for tickets good for four or more days.
What's more, Disney will raise the price of adding a "Park Hopper" feature to any ticket -- which allows a customer to visit multiple Disney parks in one day -- to $52, up from $50. The price of adding a "Water Park Fun & More" feature, which allows admission to secondary venues such as water parks and DisneyQuest, will also rise to $52 from $50.
Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said tickets represent good value for consumers, even after the increases. Disney last raised its admission prices in August 2008.
"We survey our guests regularly and, in our research, nearly nine out of 10 guests rate the value of our theme parks as good, very good or excellent," Prunty said. "Our pricing is based on the high-quality experience we deliver to our guests, and our guests continue to agree that a ticket to Walt Disney World represents a great entertainment value."
Still, Disney's latest price hike is not as aggressive as other increases in recent years, in a likely reflection of the challenging economic environment.
For example, the price of a five-day park-hopper -- which analysts say is among Disney's most frequently purchased ticket options -- will rise 2.9 percent to $280. That's the smallest percentage increase in at least four years, according to data compiled by the stock-research firm Pali Capital; Disney raised the price of the same ticket by 4.6 percent last year.
Disney's price increase could be a precursor to similar announcements by Universal and SeaWorld, because the three theme-park resorts have historically raised prices in concert with each other. A spokesman for Universal said the resort had nothing to announce Friday, while a spokesman for SeaWorld said it had no plans to raise ticket prices "at this time."
Jason Garcia can be reached at jrgarcia@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414.
Beginning Sunday, Disney World will increase the base price of a one-day, one-park ticket to $79 -- up $4, or 5.3 percent. The price of a similar ticket for a child between the ages of 3 and 9 will climb $5, or 7.9 percent, to $68.
Prices for the resort's more popular multiday-ticket packages will also rise, climbing between 2.6 percent and 4.7 percent. In keeping with Disney World's strategy of driving guests toward extra days in its parks -- rather than those operated by rivals Universal Orlando or SeaWorld Orlando -- the smallest increases are reserved for tickets good for four or more days.
What's more, Disney will raise the price of adding a "Park Hopper" feature to any ticket -- which allows a customer to visit multiple Disney parks in one day -- to $52, up from $50. The price of adding a "Water Park Fun & More" feature, which allows admission to secondary venues such as water parks and DisneyQuest, will also rise to $52 from $50.
Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said tickets represent good value for consumers, even after the increases. Disney last raised its admission prices in August 2008.
"We survey our guests regularly and, in our research, nearly nine out of 10 guests rate the value of our theme parks as good, very good or excellent," Prunty said. "Our pricing is based on the high-quality experience we deliver to our guests, and our guests continue to agree that a ticket to Walt Disney World represents a great entertainment value."
Still, Disney's latest price hike is not as aggressive as other increases in recent years, in a likely reflection of the challenging economic environment.
For example, the price of a five-day park-hopper -- which analysts say is among Disney's most frequently purchased ticket options -- will rise 2.9 percent to $280. That's the smallest percentage increase in at least four years, according to data compiled by the stock-research firm Pali Capital; Disney raised the price of the same ticket by 4.6 percent last year.
Disney's price increase could be a precursor to similar announcements by Universal and SeaWorld, because the three theme-park resorts have historically raised prices in concert with each other. A spokesman for Universal said the resort had nothing to announce Friday, while a spokesman for SeaWorld said it had no plans to raise ticket prices "at this time."
Jason Garcia can be reached at jrgarcia@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414.
Matching Disney, Universal raises base ticket price
Universal Orlando has matched Walt Disney World's latest price increase -- sort of.
Universal has raised the price of a one-day, one-park ticket purchased at the gate to $79, a move that came less than a week after Disney World increased its base ticket to the same price.
But while Disney raised prices on all manner of ticket packages, Universal said it left all other prices the same. That includes the online price for a one-day, one-park ticket, which is $73.
"Pricing for our most popular, most value-driven tickets remains unchanged," Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said.
Universal has raised the price of a one-day, one-park ticket purchased at the gate to $79, a move that came less than a week after Disney World increased its base ticket to the same price.
But while Disney raised prices on all manner of ticket packages, Universal said it left all other prices the same. That includes the online price for a one-day, one-park ticket, which is $73.
"Pricing for our most popular, most value-driven tickets remains unchanged," Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said.
Introducing the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios
Did you ride the Rockit this weekend? Universal Studios started its "technical rehearsal" of its new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster, and we'd like to hear the thoughts of folks who have been onboard already. We're especially interested in song selection -- did your music work especially well with the movements of the coaster? Share in this post's comments or email to dbevil@orlandosentinel.com and we'll use some of your observations in an upcoming story.
I rode yesterday afternoon, and I'll share some tidbits that didn't fit into today's story in a moment. But first, a reminder: In this phase of the coaster's life, there are no guarantees. There are kinks to be worked out, the occasional stoppage, a learning curve from the operators. But just because you go the theme park does not mean you'll definitely be allowed on the Rockit at this point. Parkgoers, beware.
Overview: I found Rockit to be a fun coaster. In fact, it exceeded my expectations in a few ways. First, I didn't think I cared about the soundtrack. Big woo, I'm all about the ride, right? But I actually quite enjoyed my first two selections ("Guitars, Cadillacs" by Mr. Dwight Yoakam and "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor) and it made me want to ride again and hear the other 28 selections that Universal makes readily available. Sneaky!
Secondly, there were more thrills and spills that I expected from my on-ground inspection of the track. It looks pretty standard: big hill, big loops, dips, spills, curves, etc. But the design and sequence of the events makes for constant entertainment and a good deal of air time. Lesson learned: don't judge a coaster from the ground.
Comparisons: Rockit is reasonably smooth with a pinch of rattle. It's not nearly as jarring as the Incredible Hulk, its sister coaster at Islands of Adventure. And the physical sensation is way different than on IOA's Dueling Dragons, which features riders dangling, inverting and corkscrewing. On Rockit, your legs are very secure and your arms are more free than on Dragons. I'd put Rockit ahead of Revenge of the Mummy, but maybe that's the new-toy effect? And in many ways, the ride is more like Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom than the similarly themed Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
The wait: On Sunday, folks were lined up at 9 a.m. though there was no movement on the ride. My friend Greg and I joined the line a little bit before noon -- once shade was thrown from the Music Plaza stage. A lot of folks around us were just accidental tourists who couldn't believe their dumb luck of being there on a day that the Rockit MIGHT open. Universal workers in Rockit attire came by on occasion to tell us they were trying their hardest, but there were no guarantees. They'd also tell people "there is no line" but those of us in line begged to differ. A water/beer cart was rolled out for our convenience.
About 12:30, we were allowed into the official line. Universal Express was not in effect (this brought cheers from the crowd), but they were doing single-rider line at that time.
The queue area is pretty basic back-and-forth routine but decorated in the establish Rockit rockin' motif and LED screens. Only a small part of the extended line is not under cover, and there were misting fans there to battle the heat. The screens feature animated characters who go through the safety rules (think Spider-Man pre-show) and explain how to lock in the song of your choice.
Another unexpected benefit: The snippets of the available songs almost create a dance party in line.
The queue snakes around a few areas on the ground floor, then goes upstairs to the loading platform. Up there is an offshoot line for folks who want to wait for the front row. Child swap is there too.
The restrictions: You must be 51 inches tall to ride -- but no taller than 6-foot-7. There's even a mark on a pole in the queue indicating "you can't be taller than this." The usual heart-condition restriction apply plus the unusual warning of "keep your flipflops on." They don't want you sitting on them.
The loading: Each train holds 12 passengers: six rows, two people across. It's a modified version of stadium seating. Row 2 is a little higher than Row 1, Row 3 is higher than both.
The seats are molded and surround your head a bit. After getting in, a Universal team member glides the large, curved lap belt into position. I would call the fit extremely snug. There's no way you're falling out of that baby. In the center of the lap bar is the touch-screen selection pad, about the size of an iPhone. The whole contraption looks like a chastity belt, Greg noted. I laughed.
Go ahead and make your soundtrack selection. Touch one of five genres (classic rock/metal, rap/hip-hop, club/electronica, pop/disco and country) as instructed by the animated characters in the queue. Then pick one of six songs that fall into that category.
If when you are seated, there's already a song on the screen, hit the BACK button to get back to the genre screen. There's not a lot of time to do all this, so it's best to make up your mind on the ground floor. (Right now, there's no video reminders or signage to remind you on the loading platform).
The ride: First thing, straight up, flat on your back. In fact, it may be a little past flat. Mainly you can only see sky, a bit of lift hill and hoops. The curved seat back (with speakers) gives an isolated feeling. The music starts during ascent. It's loud, but not painfully so. I could not hear any of my neighbors' choices.
What goes up then comes down and heads into the loop behind the Music Plaza stage. You never go completely upside down. Midway up the loop, the rail twists and shifts the car around to that passengers are sitting ATOP the loop and right-side up. It's twists back to "normal" on the way down.
You're heading for the back part of the ride now, including the bust-through of the New York movie set (smile, that's where the still-photography camera is) and the Treble Clef maneuver. This steers you back toward the station, over the queue and past the station again before heading through a low-lying bumpy area and a double curve near CityWalk.
Then coasting back to the station. The music ended abruptly. Remember the songs have NOT been rearranged for the ride. What you're hearing is a 95-second snippet from the originals, beginning where the designer felt would be most effective.
The team members at the loading station were appropriately enthusiastic, Lots of "ROCK 'N' ROLL!" hollering, some of it staged and themey, but much of it just happy to have "real" folks onboard.
The aftermath: Leave the car to the right, go downstair, land in a photo spot. Many kiosks to look at your photo and (eventually) sample the video on board. Photo prices begin at $16.95. The videos will got for $29.95, but there will be combo packages available.
The lockers where you really should leave your loose belongings (really, do it) are nearby. And if people will follow the signs to the exit back to park, the traffic flow shouldn't be bad.
Bottom line: Fun and freewheeling. Worth the wait.
I rode yesterday afternoon, and I'll share some tidbits that didn't fit into today's story in a moment. But first, a reminder: In this phase of the coaster's life, there are no guarantees. There are kinks to be worked out, the occasional stoppage, a learning curve from the operators. But just because you go the theme park does not mean you'll definitely be allowed on the Rockit at this point. Parkgoers, beware.
Overview: I found Rockit to be a fun coaster. In fact, it exceeded my expectations in a few ways. First, I didn't think I cared about the soundtrack. Big woo, I'm all about the ride, right? But I actually quite enjoyed my first two selections ("Guitars, Cadillacs" by Mr. Dwight Yoakam and "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor) and it made me want to ride again and hear the other 28 selections that Universal makes readily available. Sneaky!
Secondly, there were more thrills and spills that I expected from my on-ground inspection of the track. It looks pretty standard: big hill, big loops, dips, spills, curves, etc. But the design and sequence of the events makes for constant entertainment and a good deal of air time. Lesson learned: don't judge a coaster from the ground.
Comparisons: Rockit is reasonably smooth with a pinch of rattle. It's not nearly as jarring as the Incredible Hulk, its sister coaster at Islands of Adventure. And the physical sensation is way different than on IOA's Dueling Dragons, which features riders dangling, inverting and corkscrewing. On Rockit, your legs are very secure and your arms are more free than on Dragons. I'd put Rockit ahead of Revenge of the Mummy, but maybe that's the new-toy effect? And in many ways, the ride is more like Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom than the similarly themed Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
The wait: On Sunday, folks were lined up at 9 a.m. though there was no movement on the ride. My friend Greg and I joined the line a little bit before noon -- once shade was thrown from the Music Plaza stage. A lot of folks around us were just accidental tourists who couldn't believe their dumb luck of being there on a day that the Rockit MIGHT open. Universal workers in Rockit attire came by on occasion to tell us they were trying their hardest, but there were no guarantees. They'd also tell people "there is no line" but those of us in line begged to differ. A water/beer cart was rolled out for our convenience.
About 12:30, we were allowed into the official line. Universal Express was not in effect (this brought cheers from the crowd), but they were doing single-rider line at that time.
The queue area is pretty basic back-and-forth routine but decorated in the establish Rockit rockin' motif and LED screens. Only a small part of the extended line is not under cover, and there were misting fans there to battle the heat. The screens feature animated characters who go through the safety rules (think Spider-Man pre-show) and explain how to lock in the song of your choice.
Another unexpected benefit: The snippets of the available songs almost create a dance party in line.
The queue snakes around a few areas on the ground floor, then goes upstairs to the loading platform. Up there is an offshoot line for folks who want to wait for the front row. Child swap is there too.
The restrictions: You must be 51 inches tall to ride -- but no taller than 6-foot-7. There's even a mark on a pole in the queue indicating "you can't be taller than this." The usual heart-condition restriction apply plus the unusual warning of "keep your flipflops on." They don't want you sitting on them.
The loading: Each train holds 12 passengers: six rows, two people across. It's a modified version of stadium seating. Row 2 is a little higher than Row 1, Row 3 is higher than both.
The seats are molded and surround your head a bit. After getting in, a Universal team member glides the large, curved lap belt into position. I would call the fit extremely snug. There's no way you're falling out of that baby. In the center of the lap bar is the touch-screen selection pad, about the size of an iPhone. The whole contraption looks like a chastity belt, Greg noted. I laughed.
Go ahead and make your soundtrack selection. Touch one of five genres (classic rock/metal, rap/hip-hop, club/electronica, pop/disco and country) as instructed by the animated characters in the queue. Then pick one of six songs that fall into that category.
If when you are seated, there's already a song on the screen, hit the BACK button to get back to the genre screen. There's not a lot of time to do all this, so it's best to make up your mind on the ground floor. (Right now, there's no video reminders or signage to remind you on the loading platform).
The ride: First thing, straight up, flat on your back. In fact, it may be a little past flat. Mainly you can only see sky, a bit of lift hill and hoops. The curved seat back (with speakers) gives an isolated feeling. The music starts during ascent. It's loud, but not painfully so. I could not hear any of my neighbors' choices.
What goes up then comes down and heads into the loop behind the Music Plaza stage. You never go completely upside down. Midway up the loop, the rail twists and shifts the car around to that passengers are sitting ATOP the loop and right-side up. It's twists back to "normal" on the way down.
You're heading for the back part of the ride now, including the bust-through of the New York movie set (smile, that's where the still-photography camera is) and the Treble Clef maneuver. This steers you back toward the station, over the queue and past the station again before heading through a low-lying bumpy area and a double curve near CityWalk.
Then coasting back to the station. The music ended abruptly. Remember the songs have NOT been rearranged for the ride. What you're hearing is a 95-second snippet from the originals, beginning where the designer felt would be most effective.
The team members at the loading station were appropriately enthusiastic, Lots of "ROCK 'N' ROLL!" hollering, some of it staged and themey, but much of it just happy to have "real" folks onboard.
The aftermath: Leave the car to the right, go downstair, land in a photo spot. Many kiosks to look at your photo and (eventually) sample the video on board. Photo prices begin at $16.95. The videos will got for $29.95, but there will be combo packages available.
The lockers where you really should leave your loose belongings (really, do it) are nearby. And if people will follow the signs to the exit back to park, the traffic flow shouldn't be bad.
Bottom line: Fun and freewheeling. Worth the wait.
Orlando: Save bucks on ducks
The Peabody Orlando is offering a Family Ties Escape Package, available through Dec. 27. The package includes a superior or deluxe room, VIP participation in the march of the Peabody Ducks, $100 food and beverage credit, and complimentary valet parking.
Cost is $299 per night, including taxes.
Info: peabodyorlando.com.
— Georgina Cruz
Cost is $299 per night, including taxes.
Info: peabodyorlando.com.
— Georgina Cruz
Travel Troubleshooter: Hotel bills non-guest for non-visit
I don't know where else to turn. I recently booked a room at the Holiday Inn French Quarter-Chateau Lemoyne in New Orleans through its central reservations phone number.
When I arrived, the New Orleans Police Department had the entire block closed off. I immediately called the hotel and told a manager I couldn't access the hotel. He said he did not know when the blockade would be lifted and couldn't help get my car or luggage to the hotel.
He couldn't cancel my reservation because I had made it through Holiday Inn's central reservations number. After several more attempts to reach the hotel, he agreed to help me cancel my reservation. I stayed at another hotel that night.
Three days later, a $113 charge appeared on my credit card from the Holiday Inn. I disputed the charge, but they told me I couldn't get a refund because I could not prove that they refused me the room. When I called guest relations, they said they needed a cancellation number before they would consider a refund. Otherwise the hotel itself would need to reverse the charge. When I call the hotel, I get only voice mail. Can you help?
—Gabriel Medina, Elk Grove, Calif.
AIf a hotel representative says your reservation is canceled, you shouldn't be charged for your stay.
But a review of your correspondence raises a few red flags. First, a manager told you that it was impossible for him to cancel a reservation made through Holiday Inn's 800 number. Then a few minutes later the same manager agrees to "help" you cancel the reservation.
I would assume that "helping" you means your reservation is officially canceled, but what if he just looked into it and then decided it couldn't be done and left your original reservation intact? Because Holiday Inn didn't have a cancellation number, it probably means there was no cancellation.
Here's what you did right: You noted the name of the manager with whom you spoke. You followed up with Holiday Inn, and you were persistent but polite.
Here's what you overlooked: You should have called the central reservations number and asked for a cancellation number. If they refused to give you a number, you should have given a representative the name of the manager you spoke with. I would have followed up with the manager and not let Holiday Inn off the hook until you had a number.
But getting a number isn't enough. Instead of continuing to call Holiday Inn, I would have sent it a short, cordial e-mail asking for a verification of your cancellation in writing. If you send an e-mail through a hotel company's Web site, you typically will receive a meaningful answer in a matter of days, if not hours.
With that information, your credit card dispute probably would have been a slam-dunk.
Before getting to the resolution on your case, let me add one more thing. As far as I can tell, Holiday Inn was under no obligation to refund your money. You couldn't reach the hotel because of a police barricade, which the property couldn't control. But because a manager assured you that he would help you make a cancellation, I think it's reasonable to expect a refund.
I contacted Holiday Inn on your behalf. It reviewed your case and apologized for the way in which your refund was handled. You are getting your $113 back.
Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. Read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org, or e-mail him at celliott@ngs.org.
When I arrived, the New Orleans Police Department had the entire block closed off. I immediately called the hotel and told a manager I couldn't access the hotel. He said he did not know when the blockade would be lifted and couldn't help get my car or luggage to the hotel.
He couldn't cancel my reservation because I had made it through Holiday Inn's central reservations number. After several more attempts to reach the hotel, he agreed to help me cancel my reservation. I stayed at another hotel that night.
Three days later, a $113 charge appeared on my credit card from the Holiday Inn. I disputed the charge, but they told me I couldn't get a refund because I could not prove that they refused me the room. When I called guest relations, they said they needed a cancellation number before they would consider a refund. Otherwise the hotel itself would need to reverse the charge. When I call the hotel, I get only voice mail. Can you help?
—Gabriel Medina, Elk Grove, Calif.
AIf a hotel representative says your reservation is canceled, you shouldn't be charged for your stay.
But a review of your correspondence raises a few red flags. First, a manager told you that it was impossible for him to cancel a reservation made through Holiday Inn's 800 number. Then a few minutes later the same manager agrees to "help" you cancel the reservation.
I would assume that "helping" you means your reservation is officially canceled, but what if he just looked into it and then decided it couldn't be done and left your original reservation intact? Because Holiday Inn didn't have a cancellation number, it probably means there was no cancellation.
Here's what you did right: You noted the name of the manager with whom you spoke. You followed up with Holiday Inn, and you were persistent but polite.
Here's what you overlooked: You should have called the central reservations number and asked for a cancellation number. If they refused to give you a number, you should have given a representative the name of the manager you spoke with. I would have followed up with the manager and not let Holiday Inn off the hook until you had a number.
But getting a number isn't enough. Instead of continuing to call Holiday Inn, I would have sent it a short, cordial e-mail asking for a verification of your cancellation in writing. If you send an e-mail through a hotel company's Web site, you typically will receive a meaningful answer in a matter of days, if not hours.
With that information, your credit card dispute probably would have been a slam-dunk.
Before getting to the resolution on your case, let me add one more thing. As far as I can tell, Holiday Inn was under no obligation to refund your money. You couldn't reach the hotel because of a police barricade, which the property couldn't control. But because a manager assured you that he would help you make a cancellation, I think it's reasonable to expect a refund.
I contacted Holiday Inn on your behalf. It reviewed your case and apologized for the way in which your refund was handled. You are getting your $113 back.
Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. Read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org, or e-mail him at celliott@ngs.org.
Disney's Yacht Club Resort: Traveler Reviews
here are some reviews some people have made i am posting this for info and its up to you if you want to go to disny's yacht club resort on your tip
Around February we decided to go to Disney World for vacation from May 4- May 11. We usually go places like Jamaica, Mexico, etc., but I persuaded my parents to take us to Disney World (I'm 13) . We all agree it was the best vacation we have ever had. I did months of planning in advance. But I found out the best book ever was The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2009. You can buy it on Amazon for about $20. But it also allows you to go to a website called touringplans.com and print out touring plans of Disney World. Those plans were a life saver! The longest we waited was to meet Ariel in Ariel's Grotto. That was a 30 minute wait. The plans tell you in order what to do. We followed the "Happy Family" touring plan, which included a 3 hour or more break from the parks in the middle of the day. We were done with everything we wanted to do in Disney World in one week using these plans. Some people complain about hating being on a schedule. But its really loose guidelines you don't always have to follow! They were just amazing.
Okay, more about our hotel. The Yacht club was awesome! The people there were just so nice, we really didn't want to leave! As you walk in the huge lobby they have a little corner with old cartoons playing, which are fun to watch. The atmosphere is so calming, that after a hot, tiring day, you feel relaxed. Not to mention the pool is fantastic! The Yacht Club shares a Pool with the Beach Club, but its more like a mini water park! Its has a fun water slide, a relaxing sand bottom pool, and a lazy river. The downside is that you have to pay to rent an inter-tube. I don't think it's worth it. They also have a beach but you can't swim in the water.
The rooms were also very elegant. We originally booked a water view room on a regular level. When we got there, we were awarded Family of the day and got upgraded to Concierge level. That was a nice treat, but I wouldn't pay to stay on concierge level. The one thing thats was cool about it was the lounge. In the morning they had breakfast, in the afternoon snacks, and the evening dessert and Appetizers. They also had a happy hour with beer and wine at a certain time at no extra cost. If you aren't planning on booking concierge level, bring your own breakfast foods like granola bars, oatmeal, etc. You don't want to break the bank paying for breakfast. And again, I don't think we would pay the extra money to stay on the concierge level. The only difference is a slightly bigger balcony and the lounge. Are you going to pay $100+ for breakfast per day? I wouldn't. So, overall, the Yacht Club was an amazing hotel! When we go back in two years, there is no question about where we are staying!
If you are going to stay on Disney property, I would highly recommend the Disney Dining Plan. I think that was one of the keys to our great vacation! When you check in, you get your hotel key which is called your "Key to the World" card. On it are all of your meals and snacks. So whenever you eat, you just swipe your card and you're covered! They give you a receipt that tells you how many meals/snacks you have left. We weren't hungry at all! They give you such large portions there! It was awesome. You can check out more about it at DisneyWorld.com or The Unofficial Guide.
The restaurants we went to were all awesome. The first night we went to Cinderella's Royal Table in the Cinderella Castle. That took up two of our meals but was worth it. We all agree it was the best dinner. In the beginning you meet Cinderella and take photos (two of which you get to keep) and get autographs. Later they preform a show, that was cool too. The food was pretty good but the experience was even better! I would highly recommend it but hurry and book soon cause it fills up fast! We also had my sisters (10 and 6) dress up as there favorite princesses and we did their hair. We bought really nice cinderella and Sleeping Beauty dresses at a garage sale for bout $10 each. You might want to try that instead of paying a lot at the Boutique they have there. They next day we went to Crystal Palace, which was cool too since we got to meet all the Pooh characters. Then we went to Princess Story book dining in Norway. That wasn't our favorite and we wouldn't go again. The food wasn't good and we had seen the princesses earlier so it wasn't as special. That one you do get two free photos as well though with one of the princesses. Then we went to ESPN club, right across the lake in front of the hotel. That was good. We did that the night we didn't have any plans ( because of the Cinderella dinner) It wasn't expensive and the food was really good. Then we went to Tepen Ido, a Japanese food restaurant where they cook the food right in front of you. That was really good too. The steak was awesome. Then we went to the Grand Floridian Cafe, which was good too. They had American food, the Steak was good there as well. The last night we went to the Sci-Fi dine in theater. That was cool but bring a sweatshirt! It was so cold in there we couldn't enjoy ourselves! All i was thinking about the whole time was my jacket sitting in the hotel room. Other than that. the food was pretty good and the short clips of old movies were entertaining.
When you are at the parks, look around for cast members who look like they are searching for someone. My dad saw some and told them to pick my sisters. In Animal Kingdom, they were Honorary Presenters and they got to present the Regal Emperor scorpion when the park opened. We were also let in early :) . So my dad and I were the very first of the day on Expedition Everest!
They also have this great thing called Disney's Photo Pass. We bought a cd of all the pictures before our vacation for $99. You get a card and give it to any of the cast members with a camera and they take really cool pictures of you. When you are back home you can view all your photos online, add borders and more. The CD was really worth it because we have about 300 pictures!
Lastly, remember to buy a park hopper pass, make dinner reservations in ADVANCE and get fast-passes!
I hope this helps!
Around February we decided to go to Disney World for vacation from May 4- May 11. We usually go places like Jamaica, Mexico, etc., but I persuaded my parents to take us to Disney World (I'm 13) . We all agree it was the best vacation we have ever had. I did months of planning in advance. But I found out the best book ever was The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2009. You can buy it on Amazon for about $20. But it also allows you to go to a website called touringplans.com and print out touring plans of Disney World. Those plans were a life saver! The longest we waited was to meet Ariel in Ariel's Grotto. That was a 30 minute wait. The plans tell you in order what to do. We followed the "Happy Family" touring plan, which included a 3 hour or more break from the parks in the middle of the day. We were done with everything we wanted to do in Disney World in one week using these plans. Some people complain about hating being on a schedule. But its really loose guidelines you don't always have to follow! They were just amazing.
Okay, more about our hotel. The Yacht club was awesome! The people there were just so nice, we really didn't want to leave! As you walk in the huge lobby they have a little corner with old cartoons playing, which are fun to watch. The atmosphere is so calming, that after a hot, tiring day, you feel relaxed. Not to mention the pool is fantastic! The Yacht Club shares a Pool with the Beach Club, but its more like a mini water park! Its has a fun water slide, a relaxing sand bottom pool, and a lazy river. The downside is that you have to pay to rent an inter-tube. I don't think it's worth it. They also have a beach but you can't swim in the water.
The rooms were also very elegant. We originally booked a water view room on a regular level. When we got there, we were awarded Family of the day and got upgraded to Concierge level. That was a nice treat, but I wouldn't pay to stay on concierge level. The one thing thats was cool about it was the lounge. In the morning they had breakfast, in the afternoon snacks, and the evening dessert and Appetizers. They also had a happy hour with beer and wine at a certain time at no extra cost. If you aren't planning on booking concierge level, bring your own breakfast foods like granola bars, oatmeal, etc. You don't want to break the bank paying for breakfast. And again, I don't think we would pay the extra money to stay on the concierge level. The only difference is a slightly bigger balcony and the lounge. Are you going to pay $100+ for breakfast per day? I wouldn't. So, overall, the Yacht Club was an amazing hotel! When we go back in two years, there is no question about where we are staying!
If you are going to stay on Disney property, I would highly recommend the Disney Dining Plan. I think that was one of the keys to our great vacation! When you check in, you get your hotel key which is called your "Key to the World" card. On it are all of your meals and snacks. So whenever you eat, you just swipe your card and you're covered! They give you a receipt that tells you how many meals/snacks you have left. We weren't hungry at all! They give you such large portions there! It was awesome. You can check out more about it at DisneyWorld.com or The Unofficial Guide.
The restaurants we went to were all awesome. The first night we went to Cinderella's Royal Table in the Cinderella Castle. That took up two of our meals but was worth it. We all agree it was the best dinner. In the beginning you meet Cinderella and take photos (two of which you get to keep) and get autographs. Later they preform a show, that was cool too. The food was pretty good but the experience was even better! I would highly recommend it but hurry and book soon cause it fills up fast! We also had my sisters (10 and 6) dress up as there favorite princesses and we did their hair. We bought really nice cinderella and Sleeping Beauty dresses at a garage sale for bout $10 each. You might want to try that instead of paying a lot at the Boutique they have there. They next day we went to Crystal Palace, which was cool too since we got to meet all the Pooh characters. Then we went to Princess Story book dining in Norway. That wasn't our favorite and we wouldn't go again. The food wasn't good and we had seen the princesses earlier so it wasn't as special. That one you do get two free photos as well though with one of the princesses. Then we went to ESPN club, right across the lake in front of the hotel. That was good. We did that the night we didn't have any plans ( because of the Cinderella dinner) It wasn't expensive and the food was really good. Then we went to Tepen Ido, a Japanese food restaurant where they cook the food right in front of you. That was really good too. The steak was awesome. Then we went to the Grand Floridian Cafe, which was good too. They had American food, the Steak was good there as well. The last night we went to the Sci-Fi dine in theater. That was cool but bring a sweatshirt! It was so cold in there we couldn't enjoy ourselves! All i was thinking about the whole time was my jacket sitting in the hotel room. Other than that. the food was pretty good and the short clips of old movies were entertaining.
When you are at the parks, look around for cast members who look like they are searching for someone. My dad saw some and told them to pick my sisters. In Animal Kingdom, they were Honorary Presenters and they got to present the Regal Emperor scorpion when the park opened. We were also let in early :) . So my dad and I were the very first of the day on Expedition Everest!
They also have this great thing called Disney's Photo Pass. We bought a cd of all the pictures before our vacation for $99. You get a card and give it to any of the cast members with a camera and they take really cool pictures of you. When you are back home you can view all your photos online, add borders and more. The CD was really worth it because we have about 300 pictures!
Lastly, remember to buy a park hopper pass, make dinner reservations in ADVANCE and get fast-passes!
I hope this helps!
traveling to orlando heere are some tips
Purchase tickets in advance
Purchasing multi-day, multi-park tickets in advance saves you money and time by allowing you to bypass the crowds at the ticket windows and walk right to the turnstiles. Purchase Universal Orlando’s Bonus Pass, only available online, and get 5-days of admission for less than the price of a two-day ticket. You can also save on shipping charges by buying online and picking up your tickets at the electronic will call at the front gate of either theme park, Universal Studios® or Islands of Adventure.
Where to stay
For convenience and value, nothing beats the On-Site Hotels at Universal Orlando® Resort, which put you within walking distance of both theme parks and Universal CityWalk®. PLUS, enjoy special park privileges including UNIVERSAL EXPRESS ride access, just show your room key card and bypass the regular lines at your favorite Universal Orlando rides and attractions. No Express Pass or ride reservations are necessary when you stay on-site!
Purchasing multi-day, multi-park tickets in advance saves you money and time by allowing you to bypass the crowds at the ticket windows and walk right to the turnstiles. Purchase Universal Orlando’s Bonus Pass, only available online, and get 5-days of admission for less than the price of a two-day ticket. You can also save on shipping charges by buying online and picking up your tickets at the electronic will call at the front gate of either theme park, Universal Studios® or Islands of Adventure.
Where to stay
For convenience and value, nothing beats the On-Site Hotels at Universal Orlando® Resort, which put you within walking distance of both theme parks and Universal CityWalk®. PLUS, enjoy special park privileges including UNIVERSAL EXPRESS ride access, just show your room key card and bypass the regular lines at your favorite Universal Orlando rides and attractions. No Express Pass or ride reservations are necessary when you stay on-site!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
still alive lol
hey every one i am digging into new stuff in Orlando just at usf they do not know when they are getting the new coaster to open so i will keep you in the loup
Sunday, August 2, 2009
food for thought
when going to Orlando make sure you don't eat in the park. i drive is a good place to get good food at a good price. But if you do eat in the park their are some places in the park that make good food at a good price. universal has a place called city walk and Disney has a place called down town Disney. the universal city walk has a place called st Augustine a little food joint near pat O'Brien and burger king just opened at city walk. Down town Disney has rain forest cafe the 3 are big savings
hi
this is tom i am glad you guys love my blog but going to the theme parks is big money 1 day ticket is 70 bucks or more. Sow please click the ads on the side so i can go and tell you whats going on
Saturday, August 1, 2009
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