We have a photo update on the upcoming Star Wars Resort. The exciting new Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is set to debut in 2021 and will connect to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The latest aerial photo show us the progress of the future resort.
Guests begin their Star Wars adventure the second they enter the Galactic Starcruiser Terminal. From there, it brings you into an exclusive launch pod that transports guests to the Halcyon. The Halcyon is the themed starcruiser where guests will enjoy their two-day cruise across the galaxy.
What’s amazing is how immersive this new resort experience is from beginning to end. The pod that transports guests to the starcruiser will have viewports showing space outside. It will look like you’re actually leaving the planet and boarding a massive spaceship. The level of detail is necessary since this immersive resort is meant to feel like a real adventure!
Part of the cruise itinerary is a “spaceport of call” where guests go directly to Galaxy’s Edge. Because of the emphasis on being an immersive resort experience, Disney will use special guest transports to bring people to the Black Spire Outpost on Batuu. The whole excursion keeps you locked in the Star Wars story mode, so entering and leaving Batuu will be a new kind of experience. The story told between the starcruiser and the planet of Batuu will be an incredible adventure for resort guests. We will post updates on the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser resort when more information becomes available!
Amazing news for fans that have been following progress on the Jurassic World VelociCoaster! Universal just announced that the latest thrill ride will opened June 10th. We’ve been waiting for an opening date and we are so excited to finally get one. Universal announced the opening date in this tweet.
— Universal Orlando Resort (@UniversalORL) April 6, 2021
The hunt beings June 10th. There is currently no news on a Passholder preview but we will continue to keep you updated on everything you need to know about opening day! We definitely can’t wait to ride this amazing roller coaster!
It’s official: On Thursday, June 10, thrill-seekers will have the opportunity to soar 155 feet in the air and catapult up to 70 mph alongside a ferocious Velociraptor pack as Universal Orlando Resort opens Jurassic World VelociCoaster – Florida’s fastest and tallest launch coaster, located at the Islands of Adventure theme park.
This all-new species of roller coaster was conceived and designed by the award-winning Universal Creative team in partnership with acclaimed filmmakers from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment – bringing to life a new “Jurassic World” story that combines the epic thrills and popular characters from the blockbuster film franchise with jaw-dropping roller coaster maneuvers. The original cast from the movies – Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and BD Wong – reprise their roles as Owen Grady, Claire Dearing and Dr. Henry Wu in the thrilling new attraction, which sends guests on an extreme adventure through the raptor paddock and beyond with the films’ Velociraptor pack: Blue, Charlie, Delta and Echo.
VelociCoaster will transport guests into a dynamic environment inspired by the “Jurassic World” films, surrounded by intricately detailed rock work and lush landscaping, conveniently located near the elevated watch tower used to keep an eye on the dinosaurs. Once inside, guests are greeted by Dr. Wu as they learn about the cutting-edge new coaster, which Jurassic World is touting as its newest “carnivore expansion.” Along the way, they’ll hear the screams of fellow riders as they rapidly roar by with Blue, Delta, Charlie and Echo right on their heels – and even come face-to-face with a few hungry Velociraptors who are anxiously awaiting being released from their stables. As the adrenaline builds and guests approach the load platform, they will hear a few reassuring words from Claire Dearing – and one final warning from Owen Grady.
After boarding revolutionary ride vehicles that have been specially designed to intensify the thrills, guests take off on an epic coaster experience that sends them through the raptor paddock, into the air, just inches above water, and more. They’ll encounter a series of intense maneuvers along the coaster’s 4,700 feet of track, including near-misses, a barrel roll right above the Islands of Adventure lagoon, high-speed launches – the fastest reaching 70 mph in 2.4 seconds – and the signature “Top Hat,” which propels riders 155 feet in the air and then immediately into an 80-degree drop – Universal’s steepest drop yet.
Stay tuned. More details about Jurassic World VelociCoaster will be revealed soon.
Universal Orlando continues to implement its enhanced health and safety procedures and guidelines focused on “screening, spacing and sanitization.” Key measures include screening guests and team members, enforcing social distancing, requiring face coverings, limiting capacity at the theme parks, attractions and hotels and increasing the already-aggressive cleaning and disinfection procedures. Universal Orlando has also launched its own contactless payment method – Universal Pay – which can be accessed through the Official Universal Orlando Resort App and allows guests to quickly scan to pay for purchases at most merchandise and quick-service food locations throughout the theme parks and CityWalk directly from the in-app wallet.
For more information about Jurassic World VelociCoaster and to sign-up to receive exclusive updates about the attraction, visit www.universalorlando.com.
We are carefully reviewing the recently released guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and working toward resuming operations. As we continue to refine our protocols for our eventual return to service, we are cancelling all Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wonder sailings departing through June 2021.
We have canceled Disney Magic sailings through September 18, 2021. The Disney Magic will set sail in the United Kingdom for a limited time this summer on short voyages limited to UK residents, pending the issuance of UK Government guidelines and authorizations. Learn More
Canada Departures
In light of the Canadian government’s announcement that they will not allow ships with more than 100 passengers to dock in any Canadian port until February 28, 2022, we continue to evaluate various options for the Disney Wonder’s scheduled season in Alaska. Once a decision is made, we will reach out to Guests booked on these sailings.
Additionally, as previously shared, based on the conditional sail order provided by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Disney Cruise Line has canceled sailings longer than 7 nights.
Guests booked on affected sailings, who have paid their reservation in full, will be offered the choice of a cruise credit to be used for a future sailing or a full refund. Guests, who have not paid their reservations in full, will automatically receive a refund of what they have paid so far. Affected Guests and travel agents will receive an email from Disney Cruise Line outlining details and next steps.
Guests who’ve booked their reservation through a travel agent should contact them directly with any questions. Those who have booked directly with Disney Cruise Line, and have questions after receiving their email, should call (866) 325-6685 or (407) 566-7797.
Like many fans, I am totally obsessed with Disney popcorn buckets, and other collectible snack novelties. Now we can carry them with us wherever we go with these fun new Disney Popcorn Bucket Keychains! You can now find an assortment of popular popcorn buckets transformed into keychains!
The keychains are fully dimensional, and look just like mini replicas of the buckets! They also have “popcorn”! Not real popcorn, obviously… although I wouldn’t be against the idea. The popular Mickey balloon bucket in a classic red color is probably my favorite of the recreations.
The Green Alien from Toy Story has also been a popular popcorn bucket design. You can even find him dressed up for the holidays in seasonal outfits! He’s got his classic style for the keychain though!
You can also get a Minnie version of the balloon popcorn bucket! It even comes complete with her iconic bow!
If you’re more of an ice cream fan, you can also get the Mickey pants kitchen sink sundae as a keychain! This was actually one of the first Disney Parks novelty items I was ever obsessed with. It may have created an ongoing collection issue since then though.
You can find all of the Disney Popcorn Bucket Keychains and the Mickey Pants sundae keychain now at Walt Disney World, and Disneyland. Each keychain retails for $9.99!
With 595 guest rooms and 11 floors, the hotel’s exterior, entrance, lobby and other areas will bring to life the world of toys based on the Academy Award-winning Disney and Pixar “Toy Story” films. This will be the fifth Disney hotel to open in Japan but the first “moderate type” Disney hotel in the country, offering guests a new option between “deluxe type” and “value type” hotels.
The hotel is situated directly in front of Bayside Station on the Disney Resort Line, providing guests easy access to both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea Parks.
Recently a video has surfaced of a family being kicked off an Orlando Spirit Airline flight due to their two-year-old child not wearing a facemask.
Ari and Avital Eisenberg, of Toms River, N.J., were on a Monday flight with their children Rikki, 2, and Daniel, 7, who has special needs after spending a Passover vacation in Florida. The mother is also seven months pregnant.
The video which has blown up on social media shows Rikki the 2-year-old girl on her mother’s lap quietly eating when a flight attendant, relaying a message from the pilot, said the girl had to have a mask on.
The family was on their way from Orlando back home to Atlantic City and were eventually forced to get off the plane by the Flight Attendant after some arguing with the parents. You can also hear some of the passengers supporting the family.
Eventually all the passengers had to depart the plane and then re-board the with an all new flight crew.
Here is more video from the interaction between the family and the Spirit Airline Flight Attendant.
Orlando Police responded to the situation and talked with the family about Face Mask Compliance, they were eventually allowed to get back on the plane after the flight was delayed for over 2 hours.
Happy ending for the family kicked off Spirit Airlines! Everyone got back on they kicked the flight attendant off instead 😋 pic.twitter.com/Te2G6W04GZ
Federal law requires all passengers over the age of 2 to wear a mask when they’re not eating aboard a flight which to me it look like she was.
Spirit Airlines released this statement on their Facebook page:
This is not the first time Spirit Airline has made National Headlines. Just last month Spirit Airlines removed a young boy with Autism from a flight for not wearing a face mask.
Harmonious barge construction and placement near completion, as shown in these new aerial photos captured yesterday. Three of the “LED” panel barges have been placed, the 4th barge is sitting in between the China pavilion and Germany ready to go. Excitement grows as testing of the fountains has been ongoing.
Taking elements from HarmonioUS these permanent barge elements will provide entertainment both in the day and at night. The daytime will provide a fresh look in the World Showcase lagoon, with all 4 barges becoming fountains. I don’t know how to describe the 5th floating stargate yet. Is it a barge? a floating platform? and where does our newly discovered stargate go? Is this a new stargate or did we retrieve it from Chyanne Mountain? I mean this is Disney we are talking about. SG1 or Atlantis?
Night time should be lit up with fountains and lights prior to the night time spectacular.
Harmonious will be one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created for a Disney park. It will celebrate the way Disney music inspires people the world over, carrying them away harmoniously on a stream of familiar songs reinterpreted by a culturally diverse group of artists from around the globe. “Harmonious” will feature massive floating set pieces, custom-built LED panels, choreographed moving fountains, lights, pyrotechnics, lasers, and more.
Aerial view of the Harmonious barges staged so far. They will be a large fountain in daytime. pic.twitter.com/I0ogqMuF4u
Disney has refreshed the exterior appearance of Fantasyland’s Tangled area with a new paint job.
Even though it’s a restroom area, the exterior of the Tangled area is quite picturesque along the background of Fantasyland. You can see the areas painted below.
Also, we have seen Disney update other exterior locations at Fantasyland in recent months. Magic Kingdom is refreshing both the exterior of both Peter Pan’s Flight and It’s A Small World. Magic Kingdom is getting Fantasyland ready for the 50th anniversary celebrations!
We enjoy seeing this area get maintenance since it’s meant to have a bright appearance to reflect Rapunzel’s movie.
The paint refurbishment surely improves the exterior design with vibrant colors. The fresh appearance is going to be delightful to guests in the future.
Brightline is currently working on a new line with a stop at Orlando International Airport. Disney and Brightline have joined together to bring a stop at Disney Springs as well. Now, Universal Studios is pushing for a stop on I-Drive according to Orlando Business Journal.
“The future Orlando-to-Tampapath of the multibillion-dollar Brightline intercity rail system still is being determined, and business leaders are working feverishly to figure out how International Drive can be connected to it.
Stakeholders such as the I-Drive business chamber of commerce and Universal Orlando Resort have been meeting or plan to meet with Brightline after a March presentation with the Central Florida Expressway Authority showed a potential path to the corridor, sources told Orlando Business Journal.”
Meanwhile, Universal Orlando Resort will make its own push in a future meeting for I-Drive to have a Brightline connection, said sources with close knowledge of the ongoing activity. A rail system connecting to I-Drive would benefit Universal’s future Epic Universe theme park that’s now under construction.
Brightline and Walt Disney World Resort announced at the end of last year they have entered into an agreement to construct a train station at Disney Springs, the popular shopping, dining and entertainment complex. The Brightline station is intended to provide a convenient, car-free travel option between Walt Disney World Resort and Brightline stations at Orlando International Airport (OIA), Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach and planned stations in Aventura, Boca Raton and Port Miami. Brightline’s expansion from West Palm Beach to OIA is on track to be completed in 2022. The agreement is conditioned upon Brightline’s satisfaction of certain obligations including obtaining all necessary government approvals.
The design concept for the proposed station at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort includes a lobby on the ground level, passenger facilities and an upper level train platform. The proposed location would be in close proximity to Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks, two water parks and more than 25 hotels.
“Brightline will offer a car-free connection to the millions of visitors from around the state and the world who plan to make Walt Disney World Resort part of their vacation plans,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. “Our mission has always been to connect our guests to the people and places that matter, and Walt Disney World Resort is a tremendous example of this.”
“We’re excited to work with Brightline as they pursue the potential development of a train station at Walt Disney World Resort, a project that would support our local economy and offer a bold, forward-looking transportation solution for our community and guests,” said Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort.
Orange County, Florida Mayor Jerry Demmings commented yesterday on the county’s mask mandate. The mayor says the mandate will likely remain in place until 50% of the population is vaccinated. He thinks that will be around July of this year.
The mandate was introduced last year and declares that every person in Orange County must wear a face covering, and businesses can deny entry to non-compliant customers.
Much of the Walt Disney World Resort is located in Orange County. Guests visiting the theme parks are required to wear face coverings while on Disney property. Disney is also very strictly enforcing their mask rule. Even if the county ends the mask mandate, individual companies, like Disney World, can still set their own face mask rules.
It’s the first Monday of the month, and that means it’s time for new nuiMOs! The April nuiMOs collection welcomes friends from the Hundred Acre Wood, and two new assortments of outfits!
For the characters, we now have Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore available as pose-able plush models!
The first new assortment of outfits is the Vintage Day collection. It features character inspired Dapper Day like styles. Which is perfect with Dapper Day coming to Walt Disney World in April! I also feel that the suits have some serious Dr. Who vibes to them.
The second new outfit collection is called Electric Festival. Just like the name suggests, it has a music fest style.
You can get all of the new April nuiMOs characters and styles now at shopDisney!
‘The Right Stuff’ Season 2 Has Been Canceled by Disney+. Disney+ is passing on the opportunity to feature a second season of the live-action series, The Right Stuff on the popular streaming service. Series creator, Warner Bros. Television is reportedly looking to move the series to another network for a new seasoning beyond, with top contenders TNT and HBO Max looking like the most probable networks to pick up the series.
Based on the book series of the same name by Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff takes a “gritty, anti-nostalgic look at what would become America’s first reality show as the obsessive original Mercury Seven astronauts and their families become instant celebrities in a competition that will either kill them or make them immortal.
The cast for the series currently includes: Jake McDorman as Alan Shepard, Patrick J. Adams as John Glenn, Colin O’Donoghue as Gordon Cooper, James Lafferty as Scott Carpenter, Aaron Staton as Wally Schirra, Michael Trotter as Gus Grissom, Micah Stock as Deke Slayton, Eric Ladin as Chris Kraft, Patrick Fischler as Bob Gilruth, Nora Zehetner as Annie Glenn, Eloise Mumford as Trudy Cooper, Jackson Pace as Glynn Lunney and Shannon Lucio as Louise Shepard.
