The majority of Americans don’t live within driving distance of a Disney theme park, but they do live within driving distance of a mall. That’s why Disney is experimenting with a new store concept in six of its 340 mall stores. A central feature of these stores is a large video screen where aspiring Mouseketeers can watch a live feed of the daily parade down Disneyland’s Main Street. [More]
theme parks
Hazmat Crew Called To Disneyland After Geese Defecate On 17 People
By 6.12.17
Not all of the animals at Disneyland are of the fluffy, lovable, costumed variety, as a flock of birds proved at the theme park on Friday: According to police, 17 people were hit by a literal s**t-storm when a group of group of geese flew overhead and let loose. [More]
Busch Gardens: Errant Reservation Emails Were The Result Of A Glitch, Not A Hack
By 12.8.16
While it’s a very useful thing to receive an email confirming your upcoming reservation to a theme or amusement park, it’s not quite so helpful if you never made plans to visit that attraction in the first place. Busch Gardens is now reassuring folks who accidentally got an email about an impending trip to one of its parks that the errant missives were due to a glitch, and not an information breach. [More]
Disney World Adding Fun New Mandatory Fingerprinting Attraction For Kids 3 And Up
By 9.7.16
You know how three-year-olds can be so untrustworthy, always scamming this that or the other person to get what they want (no naps, cookies, and continuous cartoons)? Walt Disney World is stepping up to combat fraud-by-toddler with a new rule requiring all kids ages three and up to get their fingerprints scanned upon entry. [More]
Famous Flamingo Dead After Busch Gardens Visitor Attacks Birds
By 8.3.16
A longtime animal resident of Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL died yesterday. Pinky the flamingo was 19 years old, and if you noticed her while visiting the theme park, it was because she would sometimes perform her own special dance, stomping her webbed feet and spinning in a circle. The tourist attacked two flamingoes, injuring Pinky badly enough that she was euthanized. [More]
Disney Nabs Patent For Foot-Tracking Technology It Could Someday Use In Its Parks
By 8.2.16
A very blond man once said, “Every step you take, I’ll be watching you.” Perhaps Disney had that song in mind when it secured a patent for technology that can track not only the steps of its park visitors, but will match those movements to an image of each person’s shoe. [More]
Universal Studios Hikes Ticket Prices Before Opening Of “Harry Potter” Attraction
By 3.23.16
A month after Universal Studios said it would implement a surge pricing structure for pre-order tickets that offers discounts for customers visiting on off-peak days. The Comcast-owned company essentially undid any goodwill it had created by instituting an across-the-board increase to ticket prices. [More]
SeaWorld Ending Signature Killer Whale “Shamu” Shows; Will Stop Breeding Orcas
By 3.17.16
For decades, SeaWorld parks have been associated with the visual of orca killer whales — most famously Shamu — jumping into the air for the amusement of large audiences. But amid growing criticism about the treatment of these animals and the safety of their trainers, SeaWorld has committed to not only ending these shows, but to also cease breeding orcas in captivity. [More]
Surge Pricing Comes To Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park
By 2.2.16
“Hey kids, want to go to Universal Studios? No, not next weekend — that’s too expensive — but next Wednesday will be more affordable thanks to a new pricing model that varies the pre-order price for tickets depending on the predicted demand from consumers!” [More]
Blueprints For St. Louis Disney Theme Park That Never Opened Its Doors Up For Sale
By 12.7.15
When it’s time to head to a Disney park, images of the warm, sunny environs of California or Florida probably come to mind. But if things had gone another way, we might have also thought of a decidedly Midwestern vibe: Walt Disney Co. had plans at one time for an indoor theme park in St. Louis, home of the Gateway Arch, with nary a palm tree in sight. [More]
Comcast Loves Corporate Synergy: Announces Jimmy Fallon Ride At Universal Studios
By 10.28.15
First things first: We have nothing against Jimmy Fallon. He seems like a nice enough guy and we’ve even enjoyed watching his show on occasion. But Fallon, just like any other talk show host, is not exactly someone you’d think to base a theme park ride on. That is, unless you’re Comcast and looking to load up your Universal Studios Orlando park with rides from brands you already control. [More]
Disney Parks Considering Surge-Pricing Model To Determine The Cost Of Admission
By 10.5.15
If you’ve got a visit to Disney World slotted into your annual budget, you might have to adjust the amount of money you’re setting aside: Walt Disney Co. is toying with the idea of using a demand-based pricing model to determine how much you’ll pay to get in, depending on how busy it is at the Disney park you’re visiting. [More]
Amusement Park Takes Catapult Ride Out Of Operation Permanently After Cable Snaps
By 7.10.15
A catapult sounds like it could make for a fun ride, what with the implied image of objects flying through the air. But because that flinging needs to be under control if people are going to stay safe, one Wisconsin amusement park has taken its catapult ride out of commission after a cable snapped. [More]
Disney Puts The Kibosh On Selfie Sticks In All Of Its Theme Parks
By 6.26.15
You can rest easy the next time you go to Disney World, knowing that you won’t get whapped in the face by an errant selfie stick: Under a new policy, the phone extension sticks are banned from Disney World’s theme parks. Not just on rides, but nowhere within the borders of the Magic Kingdom. And by that I mean, nowhere in any of the parks. [More]
Coney Island’s Legendary Cyclone Roller Coaster Strands Riders On Opening Day
By 3.30.15
There’s nothing like that first day at the amusement park, when it feels like spring is maybe, possibly, finally on its way, when you get to climb into that roller coaster for its very first ride of the season… and then you’re stuck high up in the air, wondering how it all went wrong. That’s the tale of yesterday’s Coney Island visitors who scored a free ride on opening day yesterday. [More]
Couple Travels 7,900 Miles In 28 Hours To Visit Three Disney Theme Parks On Valentine’s Day
By 2.18.15
So you think you love Disney, huh? Do you love it enough to fly to three different Disney theme parks in one day just to snap a celebratory anniversary photo? Didn’t think so, but one couple from San Diego managed to pull it off in the name of love on Valentine’s Day. [More]
Universal Orlando Temporarily Banning Visitors From Bringing In Bottled Water, Won’t Say Why
By 2.17.15
If you’re planning a trip to Universal Orlando in the near future, leave your bottled water and other beverages at home: In a U-turn from its usual policy allowing visitors to bring their own drinks into Universal CityWalk and other theme areas, the park is putting a temporary ban on carry-in liquids. [More]
Two Men Ride All Of Disney World’s 46 Rides In One Day
By 11.18.14
There are many things that as a kid, we swear we’ll do when we’re finally old enough to live our own lives: Build that awesome treehouse, tell Scott McMeaniePants from 7th grade that he’s a total knob, and ride amusement park rides all day long with no one to tell you to stop. Two grown men lived that last childhood fantasy out, riding all 46 rides at Disney World in a single day. [More]
