It's time to take a look around Universal Studios Florida and see how some of the big construction projects are doing and what's new in the park! As soon as I got there I noticed a lot of new merchandise added to the main studio store for the upcoming film The Secret Life of Pets. There have been rumors of this property getting its own ride in the parks if the film is a success, (and I have a feeling the film will do just fine). One of the mugs caught my attention as it's actually branded with 'Universal Studios' on it! Over at Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon lots of work continues at a breakneck pace as facades get built, roofing gets laid, walls go up, and lots of interior work gets done. It looks like another rounded (screen-like) wall on the inside is being constructed too. See images below for more details. Not much is happening at Fast & Furious Supercharged. They took down the potted plants in front of the work walls. That's about it. And finally in City Walk, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium (formerly 'Chocolate Factory') is coming together nicely with new brickwork on the front. See the video along with lots of images with more information about these projects below and stay tuned for more theme park updates!
Kongstruction Update: WALLS ARE DOWN at Skull Island: Reign of Kong
The construction walls are down at Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Universal's Islands of Adventure! The wait has been long, but soon we'll be able to get our first rides on this new immersive attraction. We should hopefully expect to see soft opens within the week. It really could be any day now (or any hour even). Plus the outdoor gift shop stand, Base Camp Provisions, is open and selling Kong merchandise. Check out the video and photos below to see how the area looks now with the work walls down and some of the items you can get at the new gift shop and food stand. Stay tuned for more information as it happens. This should hopefully be our last update video before softs start and we'll post as soon as they start letting guests on the ride!
Mako Coaster Update – Soft Opening, Review, and Shark’s Reef Area Complete
Mako is currently in soft opening at SeaWorld Orlando and I got to ride it yesterday! It was incredible. The first drop and first turn are exhilarating and I won't lie, I was somewhat terrified for a few seconds. It's funny to me that a ride where you come up out of your seat so many times doesn't have shoulder restraints. I guess they want to really allow you to feel the air time. I rode a second time in the front row and it was even more incredible. After the first drop and turn it's a somewhat relaxing of a ride, even though I know we were traveling super fast because my ponytail was sticking straight out behind me the entire time! There's no loops or upside-down moments, so it's all about speed and air time. It's a fun ride and one I'll be riding every time I visit for sure. See the video for footage of the soft opening, my thoughts on the new coaster right after I rode it, check out some cool stuff in the gift shop and see all of the Shark's Reef area theming that is now complete. You can also see lots of images of the beautiful area theming below! And stay tuned for more theme park updates coming soon.
First Photos from the Scary Queue of Skull Island: Reign of Kong
USA Today has written an article detailing Skull Island: Reign of Kong, opening soon at Universal's Islands of Adventure, and they have included some never-before-seen images from inside the incredibly themed, and apparently somewhat frightening, queue. It seems that rumors were correct and we will be seeing scareactors within the queue itself, straight up Halloween Horror Nights style! See a section of the write-up along with all the incredible photographs in high resolution below. Click on an image to see it full size and stay tuned for more Kong news as it happens!
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Incredible Hulk Coaster: Ride Testing and Construction Update – With Video
I braved the crowds on a very busy Memorial Day weekend to get some pictures and video of vehicle testing as well as construction progress for the Incredible Hulk Coaster at Islands of Adventure. The brand new coaster trains look incredible in person and I cannot wait to hear the on-board music while riding. (Learn more about the new trains here.) The "roar" of the trains has been dampened a little to make for a quieter Hulk Coaster. I've been told this was to make the area a little more bearable for people trying to hear each other talking, but also help you to be able to hear the new on-board music for the ride. But trust me, it still roars out of the launch tunnel! It looks like there's still a lot of work to be done to the queue building before the Hulk Coaster can re-open later this summer. The queue building is being extended as well. Check out the video and all the images below for more details!
Mako Coaster Construction Update – Ride Testing and Shipwreck Themed Area Comes Together
We're just a couple weeks away from the June 10th official grand opening of Mako, SeaWorld Orlando's new hypercoaster. Mako will be the fastest, tallest, longest coaster in Orlando, and I cannot wait to ride it! During this visit I got video of their continuous ride testing and some great images of the new Shark Wreck Reef area theming surrounding the ride and nearby attractions. The new paint scheme and underwater scenery is gorgeous, most notably the shipwreck set-piece directly underneath some of the Mako track along the pathway! See the video for footage of the ride testing, the new area shipwreck theming, footage from the Mako Rising special presentation, as well as a few other surprises (namely a strange "Flamingo Walk" event). You can also see lots of images of the new area theming below! And stay tuned for more theme park updates coming soon.
Volcano Bay Construction Update: Volcano Takes Shape and Water Slides Appear
I recently stayed at the delightful Cabana Bay Beach Resort and while I was there I had the opportunity to get some good video and photos of the construction progress over at Volcano Bay. Volcano Bay will be Universal's water theme park that will be opening sometime in 2017. (In preparation for its opening, Wet ‘n Wild will be closing later this year.) The new water park will be located directly south of Cabana Bay and will be visible from the pool area at the resort, as well as from I-4. The giant centerpiece of this new water park will be a massive volcano. The volcano will have multiple slides and rides built-in to it and a wave pool beside it. In addition to the steel structure for the volcano you can also see some of the slides being installed near the south side of the site. Check out the video as well as lots of images of construction below and stay tuned for more theme park updates!
Universal Reveals Kong Himself in this First Glimpse of the Massive Animatronic from Skull Island: Reign of Kong
Universal Orlando has revealed the Kong animatronic in a new making of video and a few images. The Kong figure is three-stories tall, 18 feet wide at his shoulders and has a head larger than an automobile, according to Universal Orlando. The beast also has several "distinctive scars." Riders will come "face-to-face" with King Kong and get "so close they'll feel his breath sweep across their skin and his thunderous roar reverberate through every bone in their body". Reports say that the animatronic figure was designed by Creature Technology, the company behind the impressive full-size Kong puppet for the Kong stage show.
Skull Island: Reign of Kong should be opening soon at Islands of Adventure, but Universal has still not announced an official opening date, stating only that it will be opening Summer 2016. The media preview for Skull Island is scheduled for June 22-24. The ride may open around this time, with technical rehearsals in the days or weeks leading up to it. Technical rehearsals, or soft opens as it is also known, is a trial run where the ride may open for a few hours a day giving staff a chance to test the ride under real conditions. (Not all effects and features may be working during technical rehearsals.) Rumors say that there have been some unforeseen issues that are being worked out and that has pushed technical rehearsals back a bit. Stay tuned here for news of when you may get your chance to meet Kong face to face! See the video below for your first look at Kong in the flesh, plus more images and information. And see all Kong updates here!
Universal Reveals Incredible Details About What’s New About the Refurbished Hulk Coaster
"A new story. A new ride vehicle. A new queue experience. A new entrance. The only things you’ll recognize when The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure re-opens in late summer are the world-famous twists and turns of the ride track." These are the things Universal is touting about the completely overhauled Hulk Coaster, which has been closed for refurbishment for nine months now. The newly updated ride will feature an incredible new entrance with a full-size statue of Hulk (no more 2D wooden cutout) and he'll be holding up a large section of track. The track pieces were salvaged from the original ride, which is a great piece of trivia for a nerd like me. The newly designed ride vehicles will feature on-board audio, as has been rumored, featuring a new musical score by Patrick Stump, front man of Fall Out Boy. There's going to be a new storyline and fully redesigned queue as well. See the video, concept art, and full description of all the great changes coming below and stay tuned for more construction updates coming soon!
Universal Studios Florida Construction Update: Jimmy Fallon Ride, Fast & Furious, and More
Twister and Disaster have long closed to make way for the new attractions Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon and Fast & Furious Supercharged at Universal Studios Florida. More New York facades are being added around the gutted soundstage building for the Jimmy Fallon ride. It'll be nice to have that big bland building blocked by more themed New York building facades. Also, there is what looks to be a big rounded section of steel inside the building. It could be for a big screen, especially if this does turn out to be a Soarin' type attraction as rumored. Lots of digging continues at the site of Fast and Furious, but not much else is happening there. And new picture spot props have been added to the Hello Kitty store. Check out the update video and lots of construction images below!