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Busch Gardens Williamsburg completes the track for VerboltenBy Robert Niles
Busch Gardens Williamsburg has completed the track for its new multi-launch roller coaster Verbolten, which will open at the Virginia theme park this spring.Published: January 27, 2012 at 11:05 AM Here's an update from the park, with some footage from inside the ride's show building, currently under construction. Verbolten will be a high-speed ride through the Black Forest, along the course of the old Bid Bad Wolf coaster.
2012 Best Attraction Tournament: Best Musical?By Robert Niles
We're celebrating musicals today in the 2012 Theme Park Insider Tournament by selecting the best theme park live musical. Here are the top five nominees, based on your Theme Park Insider reader ratings.Published: January 27, 2012 at 9:01 AM Campaign for your favorite by posting a link to today's post on Facebook or Twitter, and encouraging your friends to vote. Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage - at Disney's Hollywood Studios ![]() Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue - at Universal Studios Florida ![]() Festival of the Lion King - at Disney's Animal Kingdom and Hong Kong Disneyland Finding Nemo: The Musical - at Disney's Animal Kindgom
2012 Best Attraction Tournament: Best Indoor Ride?By Robert Niles
Today in the 2012 Theme Park Insider Tournament we're honoring the dark ride - indoor track rides that take us to fantastical places or ancient times, telling us engaging stories along the way. Here we've listed the top five dark rides in your Theme Park Insider reader ratings. Note that these are only the "dry" dark rides - We voted earlier on best boat rides (winner: Pirates of the Caribbean), as well as for shoot-'em-up dark rides (winner: Men in Black).Published: January 26, 2012 at 8:46 AM Campaign in the comments, and on Facebook and Twitter, to rally the troops to vote for your favorite. Haunted Mansion - top-rated version at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Also at Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and as Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris. The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure - at Disney California Adventure and coming later this year to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. ![]() Pooh's Hunny Hunt - at Tokyo Disneyland Spaceship Earth - at Epcot 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - at Tokyo DisneySea
Universal Orlando confirms 2012 parade, night show, Despicable Me opening and Spider-Man changesBy Robert Niles
Universal Orlando this morning declared 2012 its "Year to be Here."Published: January 25, 2012 at 8:45 AM "Never before have we created this many new experiences across the resort in a single year," said Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative during the invitation-only webcast (embedded below) to announce the resort's plans for the year. Here's what's coming to the resort, which we first told you about earlier this month: ![]() We asked about down-time in preparation for the new show, but Jim Timon, Senior Vice President of Entertainment, didn't give a specific answer, saying only that there would be a "brief" closure and to check Universal's website for specific dates. Currently, there is no closure for Spider-Man listed. Update: Reader in the comments hears from guest relations that the ride will be closed starting Feb. 8. ![]() ![]() Also in spring, Universal will debut its new nighttime show, Universal's Cinematic Spectacular - 100 Years of Movie Magic, a "World of Color"-like lagoon show narrated by Morgan Freeman, with screen projections, fountains and lights. ![]() ![]() So what will be the best place to see the show? "It's designed to be see from anywhere around the lagoon, so there's not a bad place to see it," Timon said. "It's the last kiss goodnight at the end of the day." ![]() In addition, Woodbury confirmed that Hollywood Drive-In Golf will open in February, and he plugged a new water play area at Wet n' Wild, to open this summer. Universal told reporters before the webcast that there would be no announcements about the new Harry Potter land, but make no mistake. This announcement very much was influenced by Potter. Universal's trying hard to impress visitors with everything else the resort has to offer - to encourage people to visit this year, instead of waiting several years for the new Potter land. Update: Domenik was out at Universal today and took these shots of the lagoon. Coupled with the concept art, it looks like we're talking about actual physical screens for the lagoon show, and not the mist projections we saw in World of Color. ![]() ![]() ![]() And here's the webcast, now available to all:
2012 Best Attraction Tournament: Best 2D Film?By Robert Niles
Film provides an important component in many theme park attractions, but a great film can stand on its own as an attraction, too. Today in the 2012 Theme Park Insider Tournament, we're honoring the best of the best in theme park 2-D film experiences.Published: January 25, 2012 at 8:07 AM Here are your top nominees, based on Theme Park Insider reader ratings. For the winner, let's select the film that best engages the viewer, rewarding us with stunning visuals and a unique experience. Campaign for your favorite in the comments, or hit up Facebook and Twitter to rally the troops to your favorite film's cause. Impressions de France - at Epcot O Canada! - at Epcot Reflections of China - at Epcot ![]() Walt Disney: One Man's Dream - ar Disney's Hollywood Studios ![]()
Keep reading: January 2012 Archive
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