Breaking News- Disney to Re-theme Splash Mountain

Breaking News: Disney announces that Splash Mountain will be re-themed to "Princess and a Frog". 

With the current movements in the world and changes coming to be more sensitive to minorities, Disney has announced that Splash Mountain will undergo a re-theme.

Currently, Splash Mountain is themed upon the controversial film "Song of the South" which is considered 'banned' by the Disney Vault. It has not been seen or released since 2000. The ride is hugely popular but it's unlikely many have seen the movie which is was based upon.

On the matter, the below is what Disney has to state about the matter:

Today, Disney announced that in both the US parks, Splash Mountain will be transformed with the hit movie "Princess and the Frog".  Disney has stated this new ride will tell a story, picking up where the movie left off. We'll be following Tiana and Louis on musical adventure as they prepare for their first Mardi Gras performance.

Currently there are no additional details or information regarding the new changes coming to the ride.

Breaking - Kings Island Announces Mystic Timbers Coaster for 2017!

We've been teased for the past couple of weeks of the big announcement from Kings Island for their 2017 project, and at long last, we're finally here! So, just what is coming to the park? What could possibly be bigger than the Banshee announcement? Well, look no further...

The creation from GCI marks the park's newest and baddest coaster to be added to the family of already insane creations. So, let's get right to it and stop waxing poetic about the whole thing.

Mystic Timbers will be located in the Rivertown section of the park. Already home to The Beast and Diamondback, the newest creation from GCI looks to be one insane addition to the park. The lift hill will be 109ft and the first drop 97ft. Traveling at 53mph this one is going to one wild ride through the trees and cover 3m265ft of track as you fight against nature itself. The ride itself will feature 16 airtime hills and an extreme S-turn feature.

There's been talk about a shed, and this is sounding very much like what's going on with Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Is it a drop track, marking the first ever wooden coaster with such a feature? Something else all together twisted? They're not saying, but it definitely smells like something that's similar in nature.

Here's some of the official word from Kings Island on the parks 16th coaster!

"Themed to an area surrounding a lumber company becoming overrun by a mysterious medusa-like overgrowth of vines as nature reclaims its land, Mystic Timbers will be 3,265 feet in length, reach 109 feet in height and weave along steep cliffs, down ravines, cross over water and go through an extreme S-turn, among a forest of trees, at speeds up to 53 mph.

The ride will feature a total of 16 airtime hills, a mid-course tunnel and interact with parts of the Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad and White Water Canyon attractions."

Check out more details and the POV below!

Star Wars Land Announced for Disneyland and Disney World Hollywood Studios!

Yep, you read that headline right. Just a short while ago, at Disney's annual D23 Expo, the announcement of the long anticipated Star Wars Land was finally made. It was never a matter of "if", but always when with this one.

Now, though? We have the details go along with it and just what guests will be able to expect from this massive new project that will be going on at not just Disneyland but also Disney World.

Since this is a breaking story, we don't have all the details yet, but here's what we do know!

So, just what can we expect? Well, here's the breakdown on things. Both parks will be a massive 14 acres in size. If that doesn't sound big, just think of the fact that this will be taking up most of the space in the existing Disney Hollywood Studios at Disney World for starters.

The Millennium Falcon on Landing Pad

“We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever," Iger said. "These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”

There's at least two new rides coming along with this, and one of them, you'll be able to pilot the Millennium Falcon in one of two new signature attractions coming to each land. The other attraction will put guests right in the middle of a climactic battle. I think the last pic is possibly from that? Hard to say.

Now, for a few more concept pieces to show off just what the future looks like in a park not so far far away.

More Star Wars Land Concept Art!

Possibly for the Millennium Falcon ride?

Stay tuned for more details as we get them on this monster announcement out of Disneyland and Disney World!

Nintendo and Universal Announce Partnership for Theme Park Attractions!

Nintendo and Universal have announced, what on the surface, appears to be a monster partnership today. Talk about completely out of left field with this one, but the possibilities are endless!

In the deal, Universal Studios theme parks around the world will be working with Nintendo to bring some of the most iconic and loved video game characters and worlds to life in the form of new attractions. Just what they'll be is anyone's guess, but you can get they're going to be extremely interesting given Universal's recent history with new rides.

“Nintendo has created remarkable and imaginative worlds filled with captivating stories and beloved characters. Now, for the first time, those stories and characters will be brought to life in entirely new ways – only at Universal theme parks.” a press release said.

There's not really much else to go on with this one, other than that and we don't know if this deal is only for Universal's parks in Singapore and Japan, but seems unlikely they'd limit it to just those two given the scope of Nintendo's popularity in the US as well. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, is slated to talk with investors in a conference call later today so perhaps a bit more information will be given on this then. If not, we'll just have to wait for the official release from Universal and Nintendo about just what all this is about.

That said, what properties would you like to see Nintendo and Universal bring to life? Legend of Zelda? Mario? Metroid? There's literally too many to list here so definitely let us know what you'd love to see in the comments!

For now, stay tuned as we'll be updating this one as soon as new info comes out and of course, follow along with us on Twitter, Google+, Tumblr and Facebook for all the latest!

via +Fangirl Review 

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Leaks Tempesto Info!

Well, it's not exactly news that Busch Gardens Williamsburg has been building a new roller coaster for 2015. It's finished and sitting there visible to just about anyone that drives by. The name has also been pretty much a known thing as well, with only a little doubt that it would be in fact, Tempesto.

However, earlier today there was a goof on the Busch Gardens Williamsburg website where the info was posted up to the live site. Along with it came a bunch of other information regarding just what folks can expect from their newest coaster as well.

Speaking of that, Tempesto will feature three different launch elements, as well as reach speeds of 63mph as it takes riders through their daredevil run. The highlight? A "high speed inversion" at 154ft in the air. Also mentioned is a "high speed station experience", which is just talk for a station fly through.

As for the proof? Well here ya go, taken straight from the Busch Gardens Williamsburg website...before it was taken down rather quickly at that.

The best is, that wasn't all, there was another place on the site that the folks over at BGWFans.com were able to snag as well. So, for the matter of due dilligence, here's their screenshot that they managed to grab!

Justice League: Battle for Metropolis Coming to Six Flags Over Texas and St. Louis!

In a bit of a weird twist, the newest interactive dark ride additions to the Six Flags parks is actually coming to two parks for 2015. Both Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags St. Louis will be getting Justice League: Battle for Metropolis as their new attractions.

Sorry, no new coasters, but this one definitely looks like an interesting spin on things as well.

“Introducing a dark ride that combines this level of technology and the popular DC Comics brand will bring an unmatched, interactive experience to our guests in 2015,” stated Tom Iven, senior vice president of U.S. park operations for Six Flags. “The addition of JUSTICE LEAGUE: BATTLE FOR METROPOLIS is another example of our company’s commitment to delivering new and innovative thrills in every park, every year.”

The pair represent a first for Six Flags and definitely nice to see more dark rides out there. So, what's the whole story behind this? Well, here's the rundown from the park on just what riders will get to experience before and during their ride through the Hall of Justice and the rest of the 20,000sqft attractions:

After touring the fully immersive 3D Hall of Justice, you’ll receive your very own stun gun to battle the bad guys then it’s a swift ride through a dazzlingly designed Metropolis cityscape, deep into the shadows of Lex Corp. Lifelike animatronics, cutting edge special effects, 3D video, eye-popping graphics, real-time gaming and a mind-tingling sound-scape make this journey to justice an utterly interactive experience. Will you help SUPERMAN and BATMAN rescue the other members of the JUSTICE LEAGUE from Lex Luthor’s and The Joker’s evil plans? Join the JUSTICE LEAGUE Reserve Team today to save your favorite superheroes!

For anyone that's ridden Men in Black: Alien Attack at Universal Orlando, the concept is pretty much the same as here. Well, except for the 3D part that is. So, now that we know the details, here's a little video of what to expect as well. Interesting thing to note, the ride cars in the video aren't the ones that will be used for the ride at all, they only seat four people and the ones at Six Flags will seat six.


Stay tuned for more updates from the rest of the Six Flags parks as more announcements have been released about projects for 2015 at every park!

Six Flags New England Announces Wicked Cyclone!

Along with the rest of the Six Flags parks, Six Flags New England has announced that the classic Cyclone wooden coaster will be getting the Rocky Mountain Coasters treatment as well.

Not that much of a surprise for the coaster community, but it's definitely an interesting move and seems to be a trend with Six Flags as of late. So today's announcement of Wicked Cyclone for 2015 at SFNE is definitely an interesting one. Sure, it's not as big or crazy as what's happening with Twisted Colossus at Magic Mountain, but Wicked Cyclone is no slouch either!

“We take great pride in creating incredible, one-of-a-kind experiences for our guests here at the Thrill Capital of New England,” said John Winkler, Six Flags New England Park President. “This project has been years in the making, and the addition of Wicked Cyclone enhances our commitment to delivering world-class thrills to Six Flags New England every year.”

Wicked Cyclone will take riders up 109ft and reach speeds of 55mph on over 3300ft of track and feature a 200 degree stall, two Zero G rolls, and the world’s only Double Reversing Bank Airtime Hill.

Interestingly enough, this will be the first hybrid coaster of it's kind on the East Coast as well, which is a bit weird if you really think about that.

Curious about what it'll actually look like? Here's a rendered video showing just what to expect from the newest Rocky Mountain Coasters creation!


Stay tuned for more updates from Six Flags New England and the rest of the Six Flags parks as more announcements have been released about projects for 2015 at every park!

Twisted Colossus Coming to Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2015!

One of two major Rocky Mountain Coasters conversions, the classic Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain is set to become a whole lot more insane. From the remains, RMC will work it's magic and by doing so create the world's longest hybrid coaster, Twisted Colossus. Featuring over 5,000ft of track and two lift hills, this one looks to be a great tribute to the original while making huge upgrades.

So, what can riders expect? Here's a breakdown of all the elements!

Top Gun Stall – an inversion where the train slows down upside down, the Western Hemisphere’s first “High Five” – where both trains pass through an overbanked turn facing each other with the illusion that you can reach out and “high five” other riders, a Zero G Roll, a 128-foot drop at 80-degrees, 18 airtime hills, two lift hills and four minutes long and nearly 5,000 feet of track!

Yeah, that's a lot to take in right there. “At Six Flags, innovation is in our DNA and with Twisted Colossus, innovation will go to an extreme level with record-breaking elements, faster speeds and steeper banks.  This cutting-edge technology marries the best of both classic and modern coaster designs. It is definitely a twist on a traditional wooden coaster experience,” said park president Bonnie Rabjohn.

You can say that again, but like Six Flags Fiesta Texas' announcement, there's more to this one as it seems the whole area of the park will be getting a bit of a make over as well. Twisted Colossus will be the focal point of the newly themed area, Back Alley, where guests can expect the unexpected through whimsical experiences in entertainment, food and retail.

No clue what that means exactly, but I'm sure we won't have too long to wait. Definitely seems like an interesting move, but that area of the park wasn't themed much at all so it should be an upgrade.

In the meantime, check out the rendered video of what to expect from Twisted Colossus!


Stay tuned for more updates from Six Flags Magic Mountain and the rest of the Six Flags parks as more announcements have been released about projects for 2015 at every park!

Six Flags Fiesta Texas Announces the World's First Free Spinning 4D Coaster, Batman: The Ride

Well, it looks like our hunch was right and while not a B&M Flying coaster, Six Flags Fiesta Texas is getting something truly unique out the mess that is the chain wide 2015 announcement this morning. We've been following this one for a while and while we're not sure what else is changing, we do know that a Batman themed ride is finally coming to SFFT in 2015.

Similar to it's bigger cousin at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Batman: The Ride will feature a spinning motion but unlike X2 the spinning will be completely unpredictable. The seats are free to flip and roll as they will as the trains make their way through two raven drops, and spin at least six times upside down after climbing vertically to the top of the floating track.

“Every year we continue to provide more and more innovative technology and excitement for our park guests and season pass holders. BATMAN™: The Ride is an entirely new concept in ride engineering and will provide a sensory experience like no other coaster. The unanticipated tumbling will add even more thrills as riders travel along the dipping and swirling track,” said park president Martin Bozer.

Batman: The Ride will feature a 120ft vertical elevator style lift hill, at least six inversions due to the spinning of the seats and of course the two over 90 degree raven drops. One of the interesting things is that the trains only seem to seat 8 people in an inward facing set up. This means that riders will face each other and that capacity is absurdly low. Not as bad as Green Lantern at SFMM, but still low.

 But that's not all, it seems as if the entire Rockville area of the park will also be getting a make over too. Not sure if it will be Gotham City or just a general DC theme, but the theming elements going around the new coaster seem to point to either possibly happening. A full-scale Batmobile, the Bat-Signal, plus cutting edge special effects throughout the ride make this the ultimate way to experience the world of Batman.

Curious as to just what this thing can do? Well, here's a video rendering of the ride in action!


Stay tuned for more updates from Six Flags Fiesta Texas and the rest of the Six Flags parks as more announcements have been released about projects for 2015 at every park!

Canada's Wonderand Announces Stand Up Coaster, Skyrider, to Close Sept 1st.

This morning Canada's Wonderland announced on Twitter that their Togo stand up coaster, Skyrider, will be closing for good on September 1st, 2014.

Built in 1985, it's one of the oldest rides in the park and while some may find it uncomfortable, due to it's design, it's still a favorite amongst many park regulars. Skyrider was the first stand up coaster to be built in Canada and the second in the world that had a loop. It's had a good run though and nearly 24 million rides have been enjoyed over the years. The removal will also lower the coaster count in the park to 15 as well, making it just one less than Cedar Point.

"As the park evolves each year, we continue to focus on future park enhancements that will provide our guests with innovative entertainment and leisure experiences. To accommodate these enhancements, we need to make difficult decisions when considering redevelopment of the land for an improved guest experience in future years.  After creating 29 years of memories for our guests, we wanted to make sure thrill seekers of all ages had advance notice of the SkyRider retirement, and an opportunity to enjoy one last ride before it closes at 8 p.m. on September 1," Norm Pirtovshek, General Manager at Canada's Wonderland.  

What will go in it's place? That's anyone's guess right now. I'm sure they won't leave the space empty for long though and it is ripe for many different development options down the line. Anyway, here's the video announcement that the park released on YouTube.


I have a feeling that with Splash Works right across from Skyrider it could see an expansion of the water park, or of course another coaster could be taking it's place at some point in the near future as well. Either way, stay tuned for all the latest as we'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one!

Breaking News - Cable Snaps on Cedar Point's Skyhawk

The Sandusky Register is reporting that the Skyhawk ride at Cedar Point experienced a malfunction around 10:30pm Saturday, July 26th.

The cause of the accident has been reported as a cable snapping which caused damage to the ride's barrier. Reports are coming in that say that the cable snapped while the ride was at or near it's peak height of 125ft after a series of "loud bangs", according to a park employee, and the ride was not stopped mechanically, but by gravity.

 According to guests at the park, at least one person was hit by flying wood debris from this. However, there's no real confirmation on that. There's also been reports of another guest suffering a broken leg, but no sources have confirmed this and the park has not made any official statements regarding the accident yet.

Skyhawk, built by S&S Worldwide was opened in 2006 and can reach speeds upwards of 65mph. This particular ride has had issues in the past with cables snapping as well, and this marks the third accident in the past 8 years occurring with it.

The entire InSanity lurks Inside team hopes that everyone on the ride and surrounding area is alright and no major injuries occurred. We'll have more on this story as details develop.

UPDATE 12:54pm: Cedar Point has come out with an official statement regarding the incident;

Cedar Point spokesman Bryan Edwards released the following statement:

"At approximately 10 p.m., a cable on one of the Skyhawk swing ride's carriages disconnected. The ride's crew immediately shut down the ride and notified the park's emergency personnel. 
The cable came in contact with two guests. One was treated and released at the scene. As a precaution, the other was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

Safety is our top priority at Cedar Point. Skyhawk will remain closed until our investigation is complete and the ride can safely reopen."

Images via the Sandusky Register

Schlitterbahn Announces Opening Date for Verrückt!

The wait for the world's tallest water slide is finally coming to an end. Schlitterbahn announced just a few minutes ago that Verrückt will be opening this week. How soon? Well, how's Thursday strike ya?!

Yeah, that's only two days from now and in less than 48 hours visitors to Schlitterbahn Kansas City will have the chance to brave the insanity first hand. Really didn't see this one coming, but recent human tests have gone well enough that they can open.

Here's the word from the official Schlitterbahn Twitter account:

On our way to Kansas because..... VERRUCKT IS OPENING THIS THURSDAY! SURPRISE! 🙌🎉🎈
— Schlitterbahn (@Schlitterbahn) July 8, 2014

Let's hope that nothing happens to delay things yet another time (fingers crossed), and that the opening goes off with out a hitch. Can't make it for the opening? Here's a little POV of what the 168'7" beast is like to ride!


For more info about Schlitterbahn Kansas City, head over to their official website for tickets, directions, hours and more!

*Breaking News* - Zoomanjaro Passholder Event Cancelled, July 4th Opening Questionable!

Looks like Six Flags Great Adventure has a bit of a problem on their hand with their newest ride, Zoomanjaro: Drop of Doom.

According to the park, they had to cancel their media event that was scheduled earlier today and the season passholder preview tomorrow. The reason? Well, it appears that the state of New Jersey hasn't fully inspected the ride and given clearance for the park to open it. Oops!

While the folks at Great Adventure are no doubt trying to get this little hiccup resolved, it brings the full opening that is planned for Friday, July 4th into question. Here's to hoping that they can things taken care of, but knowing how these things work, it could be a long shot and I wouldn't bank on it happening.

UPDATE 7/6/14: Turns out Six Flags Great Adventure was able to get the permits necessary and the ride was able to be opened on July 4th to the public as planned.

Why do I say that? Well, the park itself has come out and said that they would be rescheduling the passholder event and that likely means the media event as well on Twitter.

Stay tuned for a new date for #zumanjaro season pass holder preview day! #worldstallest
— Great Adventure (@SFGrAdventure) July 2, 2014

Since those two things usually happen before they officially open the ride, it's safe to say they wont' have it open this weekend at all.

Stay tuned for more updates on this as the info reaches our ears!

*UPDATE* Universal Orlando's Diagon Alley Opening Day Revealed - or Maybe Not

The wait is over as we finally have a confirmed opening date for Universal Orlando's massive Wizarding World Expansion, Diagon Alley.

I'm not quite sure who spotted it (though seem to be Parkscope and Orlando United) out there, but an official Universal website has the date listed. Diagon Alley will be opening to the public on June 30th, 2014.

Yeah, that's less than a month away here. Why there wasn't a bigger announcement, I can't say but in just 17 days they'll be opening their newest crown jewel for all to experience.

You can check out the full teaser for the event right here. While this isn't an official announcement, it's hard to disprove this one, so I'm pretty sure it's safe to say this is the date at this point.

UPDATE: Seems the folks at Universal are denying this leak is real. However, the link above to the animation is hosted on Universal web servers and I doubt they'd go through all that trouble and have the wrong date on it. But here's the official word:

I'm calling BS on that, but that's just me. We'll have to see just what they have to say in the next week or so. 

While we won't be there for the opening, we're hoping to get down later in the fall to see everything that Universal has put together for this one first hand! Stay tuned for more updates as we get 'em!

Universal Unveils More "Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts" Details!

Universal Studios Orlando reviled more information about the cornerstone attraction for the Diagon Alley expansion this morning, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, this morning.

The combination roller coaster/dark ride, will take visitors into the famed goblin bank as part of a tour, led by Bill Weasley, and then having to escape with Harry, Hermoine and Ron as their tour is a bit derailed.

While not completely a roller coaster, the 60ft drop and fast moving sections have warranted a 46" ride height requirement, which makes a little more friendly than the 48" that is Forbidden Journey. Riders will board cars that seat 12, much like Revenge of the Mummy, before they're taken throughout the twisting labyrinth beneath the famed bank. Featuring 360 degree screens, cutting edge 3-D animations, and a mix of live special effects such as smoke and fire, the ride seeks to immerse riders in a way like they've never been before.

From the very start riders will enter the full Gringotts lobby and then boarding the ride vehicles for a tour of the vaults and caverns beneath. All the while, Harry, Hermoine and Ron have been sneaking inside the bank to retrieve a Horcrux to aid in their battle with the dark lord, Voldemort. And of course, things go terribly wrong on the tour and riders find themselves noticed by Bellatrix. Setting off a wild journey culminating in a battle with Voldemort himself.

Here's a look behind the scenes of the ride that showcases a bit more of the details and of course, we have pictures, lots and lots of pictures of the goblins, sets and other things too!


And now for the pictures!

Breaking News- Fire at Magic Kingdom *UPDATED*

Picture from R.A. Pederson

 BREAKING NEWS- Fire at Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park.

  This hasn't even hit the news media yet!

 A picture posted by R.A. Pederson (@Epcycolpedia) show a fire happening live at Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park.The photo credit appears to belong to R.A. Pederson of Twitter.

The fire is either in or behind the new expansion of Fantasyland. The attraction in question- Under the Sea, Journey of the Little Mermaid. Right now we don't have any answers, but you can clearly see flames in the area of the attraction.

 Current News is that all of Fantasyland has been evacuated for guest safety.  We will update as more information becomes available.



UPDATE-
Video found on Youtube from Epcylopedia



UPDATE-
Sources are saying the fire has been extinguished. Many seem to suspect that the fireworks show "WISHS" could have been the cause. Damage unknown at this time. Orlando Sentinel is reporting the fire was caused by the Magic Kingdom Fireworks, damaging a five foot section of the attraction's roof.

Breaking News: Busch Gardens Tampa's Cheetah Hunt Stuck!

MyFox Tampa Bay is reporting that Busch Gardens Tampa's newest coaster, Cheetah Hunt, has become stuck with riders still aboard. The riders became stuck at the top of the first hill after the station launch around 4:30pm and as of 5:50 they were still on the ride.

Tampa Fire and Rescue are on the scene to help with the evacuation, but due to the location of the track they are having a hard time getting to the riders to assist them. To complicate matters, it's apparently raining pretty good in the area as well.

Back when +Carrie H.C. and I were at the park for Howl-O-Scream, we witnessed a similar event where the train slowed considerably over this portion of the track, with the train barely making it over. At that time it was stopped in the trench before the second, bigger launch.

I'm not sure what the issue is here, but it's possible that weight and/or slick tracks could lead to the trains not getting a big enough push out of the station launch area. We'll definitely be keeping our eyes on this one as things develop further!

UPDATE 6:09pm: The 16 riders have been successfully evacuated from the ride.

Until then here's another picture that was sent in from the scene as rescue workers attempt to free the stranded riders.

What will the new Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando look like? Have some Concept Art!

Well, news is flying fast out of Universal Orlando today and in the previous two posts we've gotten a look at some of the details surrounding the entire experience as well as a closer look at some of the shops and restaurants. Now, it's time to peek at the concept art that's behind all of this and see just what this amazing addition to Universal Orlando will likely look like!

Universal Orlando posted a ton of these on their Facebook page, but in case you don't feel like going there, we've assembled them all right here for ya! Everything from the Hogwarts Express to a look at the new Gringots ride to pretty much everything else in between can be seen and it's looking like Universal has once again knocked this one out of the park!

First up? Here's what the fully finished entrance to the Diagon Alley area of the park will look like once it's completed. How accurate this will be, who knows, but love the fact that the Knight Bus is there and if rumors are to be believed, the shrunken heads will be interacting with guests too!

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringots and Diagon Alley Details!

Kitsune here, and I'll be your guide through all the news and updates coming to us live from Universal this morning! So, with that, let's get on with it, shall we?

During the live webcast, Universal Orlando has released even more information about the Diagon Alley expansion of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The expansion, which takes over where Jaws used to be within Universal Studios Florida, has been watched like a hawk ever since the project was announced.

The live broadcast was done in front of a facade of Gringot's Vault (maybe a mock of to represent part of the new dark ride?) that's the corner stone of the event and judging by the details as Mark Woodbury, Universal Orlando's Creative Director, talked? Holy crap this thing looks awesome! The level of detail has been heralded by stars of the film and it's an amazing immersive experience.

First up? The Hogwarts Express, it's an entirely movie accurate reproduction. Every detail is represented, but is complete unlike a traditional set would be where filming is done in pieces and the like to allow for camera work. Guests will be able to board either at the Hogsmeade or King's Cross stations. Also, the trip from each direction will be completely different experience as well, which only makes sense, as you travel from one area of the park to the other.

In Diagon Alley, several of the shops that were in the movie will be featured. Including the Magical Menagerie, Madam Malkins, an all new Olivander's, Scribullus, Wizeacres Wizarding Equipment, Weezely's Joke Shop and Quality Quidditch Supplies and of course the Leaky Cauldron as well will all be featured.

Each of these shops will be decked out to the nines just as their movie counterparts were on film. Yes, that's right, if it's sold in them on film, it will be available in the shops as well. 

That's right, you'll be able to buy all your Quidditch gear at Quality Quidditch Supplies from robes and other things from your favorite teams along with various stuffed animals and all kinds of things from the Magical Menagerie as well. Guests will also be able to fully outfitted with robes and other wizarding wear at Madam Malkins!  

For more info check out our detailed post about each shop and what they'll offer!

Knockturn Alley will also be featured, in a much darker and mysterious manner, this is extremely important to Universal to bring the forboding atmosphere to the area. One of the biggest features of Notcturne Alley will be Borgin and Burkes, where guests can purchase Death Eater masks and other "dark side" paraphernalia!

Last, but not least, Universal unveiled the official name for the center piece ride for the new Diagon Alley expansion, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringots. It's promised to be like nothing else that's been seen before. It's a multi-sensory, multi-dimensional experience that promises to top even that of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey!

There's going to be more details announced in the coming months, so we're just going to have to wait for even more details to be released from the Universal Orlando Creative Team.

Knott's Berry Farm- Major 2014 Announcements

Big News today from Knott's Berry Farm.

The 2014 plans have been announced and some of them are pretty impressive.

 While no new coaster is the works, Knott's has announced that the classic dark ride attraction "Calico Mine Ride" will undergo a complete refurbishment.  Opened in 1960's and designed by the legendary Bud Hurlbut  it's one of the most immersive and impressive dark ride attractions It carries riders through an impressive series of dark 'mine tunnels' of an active gold mine.

 Knott's stated the following about the refurbishment- "It is our company's top priority to preserve and enhance the original story of a working gold mine deep in the heart of the Old West," said Garner Holt, GHP's founder and president. "The Calico Mine Ride will be filled with lifelike sounds and motion, while maintaining the uniquely authentic feel of the attraction as designed by Knott's and industry legend Bud Hurlbut." The renovation of the iconic attraction includes the addition of over 50 new state-of-the-art animatronic figures, all new audio and theme lighting system, and special effects that will capture the imagination of would-be miners as they journey deep into the winding caverns of the attraction. 

  Also on the list for 2014 is the 30th anniversary of Camp Snoopy, Home to the famous beagle and his gang of friends since 1983.

 To celebrate this event Knott's is giving the entire land a new polish including adding in new attractions plus updating and restoring the entire area.  They also state the entire theme of the area will be enhanced and brought out to shine.