Hi there! Welcome to our weekly roundup of the most interesting theme park news around the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and other theme parks.
Here are this week’s theme park highlights:
![Orlando Eye]()
The Orlando Eye officially opens Monday, offering incredible views of central Florida from its location on International Drive. Merlin, who owns the 400-foot observation wheel, says you can see all the way to Kennedy Space Center on a clear day! We're now offering tickets to the Orlando Eye, along with Madame Tussauds and the SeaLife Aquarium, so there's no reason to miss out. We frogs plan to hop on board during our next trip to Orlando!- We won't be following in the footsteps of daredevil Nik Wallenda, who made history on the Eye earlier this week when he walked along the top of the observation wheel while it was in motion!
![Disney's Animal Kingdom Harambe Market]()
In late May, Disney will open the Harambe Market at Disney's Animal Kingdom, an expansion of the park that adds some 220 seats in a shaded area of Africa. This street market will offer guests the chance to indulge in some African cuisine along with American favorites at four walk-up windows: Kitamu Grill (skewered chicken and kabob flatbreads), Famous Sausages (corn dogs), Chef Mwanga's (karubi rib) and Wanjohi Refreshments (African wines, beer and non-alcoholic drinks). No doubt, the new eating area will be popular when the park debuts its nighttime spectacular "Rivers of Light" in 2016!- SeaWorld Orlando's animal rescuers returned 11 Kemp's Ridley sea turtles that were taken in during a mass stranding last November.
![Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration - Paint the Night]()
For those of you who are planning to visit Disneyland this year during its Diamond Resort Celebration, the Los Angeles Times outlines what you can expect to see in the brand-new, "overwhelmingly bright" Paint the Night parade.- The LEGOLAND Hotel at LEGOLAND Florida is less then two weeks away from its grand opening. Here's a sneak peek inside the new colorful hotel!
- Six Flags Magic Mountain's hybrid coaster Twisted Colossus is set to open May 23. When open, it will be the world's longest hybrid coaster, combining wooden track from the original Colossus, plus a steel top!
That’s it for the theme park news this week. Have a great weekend!
If you’re thinking about a trip to Disney World, make sure to check out the other news, tips and information we post to the blog throughout the week. If you’re ready to plan your trip, we recommend you start with our Orlando Planning Guide.
