TTG Features Florida
A Despicable Me-themed ride opens in Universal Orlando Resort this summer
Character building
Florida theme parks never rest on their laurels. Katherine Lawrey rounds up new developments in Orlando this year
Walt Disney World The Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland is set to double in size over the next two years, with new attractions and experiences opening in phases. These include The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a musical ride into a diamond mine; Under the Sea: the Voyage of the Little Mermaid; and the Storybook Circus area. There will be a new junior rollercoaster called The BarnStormer featuring the Great Goofini, and new food options in the Beast’s Castle.
The park also gains a new hotel, its 25th, which is Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Located next door to Disney’s Pop Century Resort, the hotel will have four sections – there will be 1,120 family suites in The Lion King, Cars and Finding Nemo-themed wings and 864 rooms in The Little Mermaidwing. The resort’s exteriors and interiors will be decked out with animated scenes and larger-than-life characters. The Nemo wing opens in May 2012, Cars in July, The Lion King in September and The Little Mermaid in late 2012.
SeaWorld Orlando It’s a busy spring for openings in the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment group. SeaWorld Orlando is creating a new TurtleTrek, which will combine up-close encounters with sea turtles and manatees with a 3D movie showcasing the epic journey of a sea turtle.
Discovery Cove opens a new
Freshwater Oasis – families can wade through waist-height water to discover marmosets and Asian otters along water-filled trails.
Meanwhile in Busch Gardens Tampa
Bay the curtain has just been raised on a new live show, Iceploration. The 30-minute show involves a cast of 20, and features ice skating, acrobatics, large puppets and aerial animal stars.
Universal Orlando Resort It’s all about the entertainment factor at Universal with a revamped Blue Man Group show opening on Universal CityWalk this month. New music and sketches will keep the show looking fresh. Islands of Adventure’s The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man will be transformed in March, with new animation to wow the crowds. Also in spring, a new daily SuperStar Parade will take to the streets of Universal Studios Florida. The Despicable Meyellow minions
TurtleTrek opens at SeaWorld Orlando this spring 46
09.02.2012
will invade Universal Studios Florida when Minion Mayhem opens in the summer. In the interactive 3D experience, visitors will undergo minion training and join a minion dance party. Also in the summer, Wet ‘n Wild Orlando gains a new 60-ft high sandcastle-themed water playground.
Art of Animation will be Walt Disney World’s 25th hotel Updates
Virgin Holidays is opening a new hotel in May on International Drive, exclusive to Virgin Holidays customers. Hotel NV Florida will offer free transfers to Disney, SeaWorld and Universal, free continental breakfast and late check-out until 1pm. ■
vhols4agents.co.uk
Cosmos Holidays has added an extra flight from Glasgow to Orlando Sanford every Tuesday between June 26 and July 12, to boost capacity in the school holidays. An additional Tuesday departure has also been added at Gatwick between July 17 and August 28, available for two-week durations. ■
cosmos.co.uk
Until March 31, Attraction World is offering adult tickets at child rates for the NASA Kennedy Space Center. The £22 offer applies for travel anytime up to December 8, 2012. ■
attractionworld.com
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