Hi there! Welcome to our weekly roundup of the most interesting theme park news around the Walt Disney World Resort, the Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and other theme parks.
Here are this week’s theme park highlights:
- This week, the original houses at Halloween Horror Nights Orlando were unveiled. While we've seen plenty of juicy (gory?) details about the iconic horror properties and their houses, the four original houses will continue the nightly nightmares. The Fallen, Dead Waters, Scarecrow: The Reaping and The Hive will certainly scare up screams. Our Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Survival Guide has the entire house lineup as well as tips on how to survive the night. For those brave souls considering heading to the horrors, we're selling discount Halloween Horror Nights Flex Sunday - Friday tickets to the event as well.
- Over on the West Coast, there is plenty of terror coming to Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood. Insidious: Beyond The Further will take guests into the world of parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier’s past. This maze will feature elements from the forthcoming sequel “Insidious: Chapter 4.” Our Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood Survival Guide will give you all the details on that party.
- For a less frightening Halloween experience, make your way to SeaWorld Orlando. This year's Halloween Spooktacular arrives earlier than last year. Running weekends Sept. 23 to Oct. 29, this kid-friendly Halloween event features trick-or-treating, dance parties and plenty of costumes.
- Disneyland Halloween Time kicks off Sep. 15. For the first time, Disney California Adventure is getting dressed up for the haunted holiday. The amazing artist concepts of Cars Land and the Headless Horseman statue have us hopping with excitement.
- We're preparing to stuff our faces and fill our bellies with food at drink at the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. We're hopping down to give you full details that we'll post in our guide. In the meantime, sink your teeth into 6 don't-miss experiences for opening weekend.
- How did you celebrate National Slinky Day? Disney used this awesome day to unveil the ride vehicle for the upcoming Slinky Dog Dash coaster. This adorable attraction is part of Toy Story Land, opening at Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2018.
- If Halloween isn't your thing, get ready to get merry. Universal released full details for Holidays at Universal Orlando Resort. The highlight is Christmas in the Wizarding World — with lights, festive foods, tempting beverages and holiday-themed wizarding entertainment. Universal's Holiday Parade, Grinchmas and other activities will let you celebrate the season in style. The holiday season at Universal Orlando Resort starts Nov. 18.
- New narrators for the 2017 Epcot Candlelight Processional have been announced. Actors Warwick Davis ("Star Wars" and "Harry Potter"); Matt Bomer ("The Last Tycoon" and "White Collar") and Whoopie Goldberg ("Sister Act") — will join previously announced narrators such as Pat Sajack and Neil Patrick Harris. The Epcot Candlelight Processional runs every weekend from Nov. 24 through Dec. 30, with a different narrator every weekend.
- CRAZY RIDES ALERT. Six Flags announced its lineup of new rides for 2018. We're most curious to see what Magic Mountain's new CraZanity — the world's tallest pendulum ride — is. Two parks will receive HARLEY QUINN Spinsanity, a 147-foot Zamperla Giant Discovery. It's a giant spinning attraction that we will politely stay the frog away from.
- SeaWorld San Antonio and the San Antonio Zoo are stepping in to care for animals affected by Hurricane Harvey. SeaWorld is sending biologists and has partnered with the Zoo to send a helicopter of supplies to the distressed Houston Aquarium.
- Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort will be temporarily relocated. Due to kitchen maintenance, the popular restaurant will be moved into the hotel's convention center from late November to mid-December.
- And finally, what kind of blog would we be if we overlooked the chance to post a photo of David Hasselhoff? Zardu Hasselfrau was at Disney California Adventure to promote the in-home release of "Guardians of the Galaxy — Vol. 2" and check out Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT! Guardians Inferno forever!
That’s it for the theme park news this week. Have a great weekend. We are Groot.
Hoppy planning!
