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:
Universal Orlando officially announced it is building a water park near Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort, but there is a twist. It isn't just a water park. Universal is billing Volcano Bay as its third theme park. Yes, a water theme park! We frogs would feel right at home. According to Universal's blog, it's a highly immersive park "set in picture-perfect islands, formed by a massive volcano" that will offer something for the entire family. If it's as immersive as Universal's most recent projects, including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley, we're sold! Volcano Bay is set to open in 2017.
SeaWorld Orlando provided more details about Mako, the hyper coaster it's planning for 2016 that will be Orlando's tallest, fastest and longest coaster. Nearly a mile long, the coaster will reach speeds up to 73 miles per hour, with its first drop at 200 feet. Who's in?- Nearby Busch Gardens Tampa had its own coaster announcement this week with Cobra's Curse. This family spin coaster set in Egypt is set to debut in 2016. Be sure to check out the video and let us know what you think!
- Over at Epcot, there is new entertainment at America Gardens Theater. American Music Machine is an a capella group, performing excerpts of hits spanning the decades.
- Another 24-hour day at Magic Kingdom is in the books. Here are a few of the highlights in case you weren't lucky enough to attend. There's always next year ;)
- Disneyland held its own 24-hour day to kick off the Diamond Celebration and debut an all-new parade and fireworks show (plus new World of Color). Look for some new videos from Tad soon :)
- Last but not least, Disney is surveying passholders about the possibility of paying more for admission based on the day you visit. For example, $125 for a one-day ticket to Magic Kingdom during the holidays and the month of July. This tiered pricing based on demand was floated to Disneyland passholders too. Disney is only saying that it frequently polls guests on possible changes, some of which come to fruition and some that don't. It's certainly an interesting topic, and we'd love to hear your thoughts about it. Share in comments below!
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.
