Walt Disney Adds New Tech to Their Resort

Disney has recently come out with a all-in-one wrist band. The MagicBand allows you to enter the park and open your hotel room dooor. And later in the year, you willbe able to use this wristband to check in at FastPass+ entrances (with the introduction of FastPass+) and connect Disney PhotoPass images to your account.

As well as adding new wrist band passes, Disney is also introducing an updated version of FastPass+. FastPass+ will now allow you to reserve acess to entertainment, character greetings, and viewing areas for parades and fireworks before you leave for your vacation. There is also a mable app so you can make changes as you go. 

Both the MagicBand and the FastPass+ are still under way. They are currently under testing with select Disney guests. 

Disney expects that thier new technology will cut down the line wait dramatically and instead of thier guest staniding in line for two hours, they will be in stores for a  hour and a half. 

"Middle-Earth" Theme Park

The Saul Zaentz Company has added fule to the fire. It was reported that Universal Orlando has a Lord of the Rings theme/amusment park in the works, and The Saul Zaentz Company has trademarked "Middle-Earth" as a part of the park.  

The Saul Zaentz Company is well known for their film, stage, and merchendice rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. On the information page from The Saul Zaentz Company's website, I collected some information on the well renowned company, "For more than twenty years, studio and independent filmmakers from around the world used the Saul Zaentz Company facilities to finish their productions. Films posted at the Fantasy Building have earned 26 Academy Awards, including three for Best Picture and three for Best Sound. Fantasy Records was acquired by Concord Music Group in 2004."

The Saul Zaentz Company onloy has one project going on at this time. On thier webiste there is a link (http://www.middleearth.com) that took me directly to a specialized branch of the company: 

Middle-earth Enterprises is the new name for Tolkien Enterprises. Middle-earth Enterprises is the part of The Saul Zaentz Company that owns the exclusive rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, such as merchandizing, motion picture, and stages. 

Middle-earth Enterprises curently holds licenses for:  

One company license that stood out was The Hobbit Hole. The company specializes in customized Hobbit-themed chicken coops, playhouses, sheds, saunas, studios, reading nooks, bus stops, guest cottages, storage, meditation rooms, changing rooms, dog houses, camping huts, and anything you can think of. The Hobbit Hole The only thing that is the same in every Hobbit Hole project is the Hobbit-themed strucsture, the rest is designed they way you want it for what ever purpose. 

  

  

Halloween Horror Nights 23

Halloween Horror Nights 23 filed permits with Orlando for seven locations, with eight horror houses for this years "horror night". Halloween Horror Nights 23 have three locations: Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Orlando, and Universal Studios Singapore. On certain nights from September 20 to November 2, Halloween Horror Nights 23 is open.

Universal Studios Florida is transformed every year into a Halloween hot spot. Hundreds of Thousands of people tavel from all over to visit this famous event. Halloween Horror Nights 23 is well known for inspiring terror into their guests, "the winner of Amusement Today's "Best Halloween Event" Golden Ticket award." 

Attractions:

Shows: Bill & Ted's Excellent Haloween Adventure and Rocku Horror Picture Show. 

Houses: The Walking Dead, Resident Evil, Evil Dead, Cabin in the Woods, An American Werewolf in London, La Llorona, Havoc, and After Life are the themed houses for Halloween Horror Nights 23. On thier website: www.haloweenhorrornights.com you can find a page for each house, along with pictures, videos, and wait times. 

Halloween Horror Night 23 is so terrifying that they had to put a disclaimer out for the younger crowd along with some comical rules: 

WARNING! Event may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children under the age of 13.

THIS YEAR YOU'RE UP AGAINST A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF FEAR. HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO HELP YOU MAKE IT OUT ALIVE.

• If you're into cutting things, make sure to purchase a Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass so you can cut past the regular lines at ALL haunted houses, plus participating rides and attractions. A limited number are sold each night and they sell out fast.
• No masks or costumes allowed. Your own terrified face will be enough.
• No food, drinks, bottles, recording, flash photography, flashlights or laser pens are permitted in the haunted houses. Screaming and sobbing are perfectly fine, though.
• If you mistreat any of the Halloween Horror Nights performers, you’ll be sent home (possibly in a body bag).
• Avoid line jumping, foul language, inappropriate behavior, and any bloodthirsty creatures headed your way.

Legoland California Adds a Three Acre Water Park

Legoland California, in Carlsbad, is adding a three acre expansison to the park. This new addition will be in the same section of the park as the new 250 room hotel that was recently completed. It will be a "Legend of Chima" themed water park, based off of the "Ledgend of Chima" lego set and hit Cartoon Network television show.

There will be a water slide that comes out of a giant crocodile's mouth, a create your own Lego boats, water cannons, and a wave pool in the new addition. 

"This hasn't been done before, and to come up with a really popular toy brand and express it as a water park, we think the young children will freak out when they see it -- in a good way," Legoland California General Manager Peter Ronchetti said. 

The "Ledgend of Chima" television show is on Cartoon Network, it aired in January of 2013. In the television show, personified animal warriors reside in the land of Chima and are split into two groups. One group is fighting for power, the other for peace. Each group is fighting over Chi, an energy source that gives energy to the animal warriors and fules the machinery. 

Merlin Entertainment of London, created Legoland in 1999. There are only two Legolands in the United States, but there are 70 attractions in 10 different European countries, and other countries such as; Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S. 

Pandora Coming to Walt Disney Co.

Disney had officially announced their intention to build Pandora. As some of you may remember, Pandora was the planet in the movie Avatar. Pandora will be added to Disney's Animal Kingdom part of the park. Construction is expected to start in 2013. The estimated time the project will take is about FIVE years. 

Tom Staggs answered questions fans had on the official Disney blog: 

The main question appears to be; what is going to be in Pandora?

Answer: "This was hands-down one of the most popular questions we got and understandably so. While we’re still in the very early stages of design and planning, we expect this land to be anchored by multiple attractions, entertainment, merchandise locations, restaurants and other immersive elements. Our AVATAR lands will give guests the chance to see, hear and touch the world of Pandora and we can’t wait to dive in with James Cameron and his team as we create new experiences that will delight and thrill our guests."

How does Avatar fit in with the Disney theme?

Answer: "Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the perfect place for our first AVATAR land because at its core, the park gives guests the opportunity to experience the worlds of animals and nature – real and mythical – in whole new ways. With AVATAR, we’ve found the perfect opportunity to let our guests explore one of the most compelling mythical worlds ever conceived. Animal Kingdom also celebrates adventure, living in harmony with nature and environmental stewardship – themes that are deeply rooted in the story of AVATAR."

A little more details please? But alas, more information on that front will not be coming any time soon. 

Not everyone is excited about the new addition, Stephanie says: "With all due respect, I think this is a bad idea. Avatar has hardly proven it’s staying power the way Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or even James Bond have. I think your money would be better spent on something that is more likely to still hold the publics interest in 10+ years.

I hope this doesn’t wind up being a very expensive version of the now defunct Who Wants to be a Millionaire-Play It attraction!"

Avatar 2 will be in theaters in December 2014, and Avatar 3 will come out in December 2015. Both films will come out before the opening of Pandora, it is expected to open in 2016 -2017. It appears that Disney wants to continue Avatars trend, the trend of taking years to complete. 

Permit filed for major Jurassic Park Additions

Islands of Adventure is widely known for it's Jurassic Park section. Rumors have been going around about a new addition coming to the Jurassic section. A permit was filed on July 26 for remodeling.  

Earlier this year, new themed games came to the park, but the permit was the first concrete evidence of the remodeling.  In the permit, Islands of Adventure filed with the City of Orlando, for a construction trailer on Adventure Way, also known as the staging area for project 609, project 146, and project 772,  for about 18 months.

With the 18 month time line, we are expecting to have this newly updated Jurassic Park section to be opened some time in early to mid 2015.

KHS&S was the construction company who worked on the first Jurassic Park section, and it is likely that they will be called in again for the expansion of the park. KHS&S is known for their specialization of theme park construction. KHS&S has also worked on Cars Land and the Aquatica at SeaWorld. 

With Universal Orlando opening the new Diagon Alley section next summer, the Jurassic Park addition is not the only new thing going on in Florida theme parks. It is a competition between Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure on which addition will get the most visitors. May the best theme park win!

Universal Creates The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley

Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. announced on May 8, 2013 that they would be creating The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley. Diagon Alley can be found in Universal Studios Florida, it is scheduled to open in 2014.

Universal is working with Warner Bros. and the production design team from the Harry Potter films, to make the new addition as popular and authentic as possible.  In Diagon Alley you can go to resturants, shops, and even Gringotts Wizarding Bank. 

Diagon Alley is right across from Islands of Adventure Theme Park, where Hogwarts and Hogsmead is located. To add to the excitement theme park goers can travel from Diagon Alley to Hogwarts and Hogsmead on the Hogwarts Express.

Universal also sent out an "invitatin" with the announcement, of the new addition, for each passanger to travel from Hogwarts/Hogsmead to Diagon Alley.