Good Friday morning, everyone!
It’s Landon here. TGIF! I don’t know about you, but the weather this week has made this week drag on forever. 🥱 It’s been sunny in the morning here in Central Florida followed by rain and storms. Hopefully all you theme park fans have had fun at the parks despite the rain clouds. ☔ I personally have not been at the parks that much this week. I tried to stay dry. I did venture over to Disney Springs to check out the newest murder mystery movie, “A Haunting in Venice.” Have any of you seen it yet? Wasn’t bad.
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While out there at Disney Springs I noticed some fun changes. It looks like we’re getting closer to seeing the new “Summer House on the Lake” restaurant opening. Recently, crews installed the sign on the sit-down restaurant near AMC Theaters. Looking at the signs surrounding the site, it’s still scheduled to open sometime this year. Some of the foods on the menu include tacos, pizzas, pasta and sandwiches. Something else I noticed, Lululemon has officially moved to a new location. 🛍️ The clothing retailer is now located in the former location of UGG.
I also noticed some fantastic-looking treats around Disney Springs for the Halloween season. 😋 The Candy Cauldron has spooky looking candy apples, Amorette’s Patisserie has an awesome looking Mickey Mummy cake on display, and Salt & Straw has rolled out new seasonal pumpkin ice cream flavors. Planet Hollywood is also getting in on the fun offering these crazy looking Halloween milk shakes, a Hocus Pocus Pina Colada and even merchandise! WOW. Disney plans to start rolling out a number of sweet treats for people to enjoy starting on Monday!
All right, enough about food – I’m getting hungry. Let’s dive into some of the big stories including something chilly at SeaWorld Orlando.🥶
Feeling the chill 🐧
Remember that picture of the penguins they posted on social media showing a measuring stick of just 42 inches?
Well, we now know why. Next spring, get ready to feel the icy chills of Antarctica with the park’s newest coaster. 🎢 The theme park shared news about the new attraction being called “Penguin Trek.” It’s already under construction and will feature a zipping track packed with two launches and track both inside and outside.
SeaWorld said the ride will be like nothing you have experienced before and will make for an incredible experience while checking out their penguin habitat. 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧
Jawlene, Jawlene... 🐊
Over at Gatorland Orlando, get ready to roll out the red, or green, carpet for Dolly Parton – kind of. 😆 CUE THE MUSIC! 🎶🎶
For those of you who have missed some of the big headlines out of Gatorland – the park recently saved a gator that was missing half of its jaw. This week, we learned that the park will officially call the female alligator Jawlene – based off the hit song from hit singer Dolly Parton. There is more good news with Jawlene, Gatorland says the little gator is doing well and eating. 😃 She is sure to be a hit with visitors soon! Be sure and follow Gatorland on its social media for updates.
Holiday tickets 🎟️
🎅 If you’re counting down till Christmas – I have an event for you! Island H2O water park officially put out the ticket information for its upcoming Holiday Nights event. It’s scheduled to begin closer to the holidays and features a whole bunch of stuff including falling snow, themed displays, live entertainment, family events and of course, thousands of twinkling lights. Admission starts at just $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for children. This event helps the Give Kids the World Village; a nonprofit that helps provide families with critically ill children with cost-free vacations.
End of the Empire 💥
Some sad news out of Walt Disney World, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is no more. After nearly two years in operation, the immersive hotel experience is officially closed. 😔 Today, guests will leave the hotel – wrapping up the final voyage for the experience. The hotel experience allowed fans from far, far away to live out their Star Wars stories complete with weird and interesting food and drinks, activities and characters.
I was one of the fortunate people who had the chance to experience the Starcruiser before it officially opened to the public. It was an awesome experience overall. According to one report, Disney said it has plans to do something with the hotel site in the future. We will have to wait and see.
Feeling a Fiesta💃
Over at SeaWorld’s Aquatica water park, guests are celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with the park’s Fiesta Aquatica. The special event is happening Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 15. Aquatica says it has fun Latin music playing throughout the park, delicious foods like Shredded Chicken Flautas, Empanadas and Dulce de Leche Cupcakes. The entire event is free with park admission. This event is just one of several the park rolled out this year as part of its 15-year celebration.
The next big event to mark on your calendar is Beach Nights, which begins Oct. 28. Park hours on the weekends are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 🍿📽️
Another attraction celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is ICON Park’s Museum of Illusions. This Saturday they will be hosting Noche De Sabor, an evening with music, dancing and complimentary rides on the The Wheel. 🎡 It’s $35 for adults 21 and older.
🌊 Season pass deal
Here is something I’m just learning about this morning. Walt Disney World is offering its guests the chance to purchase a season pass to its water parks for a limited-time.
The pass allows guests to enjoy one of their water parks through May 24, 2024, with NO blockout dates. The ticket offer is pretty good with passes starting at just $79 per adult, and $73 per child 3-9. Currently, you can check out Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park. Anyone down for a ride on Crush ‘n’ Gusher?! Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park is under refurbishment.
Mixing with Minions 👨🍳
This week, on the Florida Foodie podcast, News 6 anchor Lisa Bell and meteorologist Candace Campos explored the foods of Universal Orlando’s Minion Café and Halloween Horror Nights.
They had the chance to talk with the chefs behind some of the incredible foods that guests can try either during the day at the park or during the separately ticketed Halloween event. The chef talked about how they make one of my personal favorites at the Minion Cafe, Mel’s Meatball Mountain. 😋🍽️ They also got the inside on a terrifying, and highly popular Halloween Horror Nights treat – the Cordyceps Corndog – inspired by the hit PlayStation and Naughty Dog game “The Last of Us.” I just tried this corndog during my last trip to Halloween Horror Nights and it was SO GOOD!
You can find it next to the Christmas Shop and Transformers: The Ride 3D. You can find the entire episode produced by my colleague Thomas Mates by clicking here.
Speaking of Halloween Horror Nights, a couple things for you big fans. This week, Universal Orlando announced that all Frequent Fear Passes are now SOLD OUT. Another note, if you’re a Universal Orlando Annual Passholder, beginning Oct. 1, you can get your hands on a new Dr. Oddfellow piece of artwork at either the UOAP Lounge at Islands of Adventure or Five and Dime at Universal Studios Florida. I attached a picture of the new artwork below.👻
Spooky Events 🎃
With October beginning on Sunday – the spooky season will have officially arrived! I figured I would end this week with a list of some of the spooktacular events that you can check out at our local theme parks. Something that is beginning today at EPCOT is Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit. 🎃🗺️ Now through Oct. 31, your family and purchase a map and go on a very special pumpkin hunt around the park. When complete, you will get a special prize! Here are all the Halloween events currently happening at each of the theme parks below.
Looking for something outside the parks? 👉 Check out these 12 immersive experiences in the Orlando area.👈
That will do it from me this week. I hope you all have an amazing weekend. I will talk to you all again next week. Adios!
- Landon 👋