Walt Disney World buys Marvel Comics rights

September 6, 2009 by

Walt Disney World buys Marvel Comics rights, bad news for Universal

Well in case you have not heard, Walt Disney World has bought the rights to Marvel Comics, at least in some ways. It’s a complex deal with many twist and turns. The biggest and most awkward part of it is the relationship with Disney’s competitor, Universal Studios. You see, Universal already had a contract with Marvel Comics to build theme park rides and market merchandise from the characters of Marvel Comics.

At Universal Studios Islands Of Adventure they have a whole section called Marvel Super Hero Island. It features the Incredible Hulk roller coaster, The Spider Man ride, Dr. Dooms free fall ride and Storm’s Force Accelatron ride. They also have The X men characters running around in costume. Those are all characters from Marvel Comics.

So how is that going to affect Universal Studios? Will they have to shut down their Marvel rides? Well for now the answer is,,, no. It seems that Universal Studio retains some rights from their earlier contract. One of them is that Universal can continue using the Marvel trademarks for as long as the attractions are in operation. It also ensures that no other theme park east of the Mississippi River — including Walt Disney World — can develop attractions based on the same characters.

So if your afraid of your favorite theme park rides at Universal Studios getting shut down by Disney, you can relax. They will stay open and everything will go on as usual. Walt Disney cannot make new rides in their Florida theme parks based on Marvel Comics characters. However they can, and I’m sure they will, at Disneyland in California.

However it is a very interesting deal, with Disney holding rights to some aspects of what Universal Studios can do. I’m sure they don’t like it one bit! Die hard Marvel Comics fans are upset that Disney will come out with movies based on the Marvel Comics characters as more “sissy” than Universal would make them, seeing as Disney is family friendly.

I guess all we can do is wait and see what happens. In the meantime nothing will change much at Disney World or Universal Studios here in Orlando Florida. So all the rides will still be going at Universal, and no new Marvel Comics rides will be going up at Disney. We just have to wait and see if a new movie will be coming out called The Hulk verses Pirates Of The Caribbean!

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Orlando Theme park ride height requirements

September 2, 2009 by

Orlando theme park ride height requirements

One of the most frustrating things to experience at a theme park is getting to a ride your kid has been talking about forever, only to find that he or she is not tall enough to ride it. The temper tantrums I have seen those poor kids throw, oh boy! So it’s a good idea to check first and make sure your child is tall enough to ride the ride before getting to it.

First let me explain just why they have height limits. Each ride is made with what they figure is an “average” size of the person who will be riding it. Rides for little kids of course are made for child size. Bigger rides are made for a happy medium between kids heights and full, tall adults. The restraints that hold you in are made to fit MOST sizes, but there is a limit as to how much difference they can hold.

Mild rides that don’t turn upside down or throw you around too much have a smaller height limit because there is less chance your going to get thrown out even if the restraints are loose on you. More extreme rides that do loops and throw you around must hold you in your seat very tightly. So you must be taller so the shoulder harness can securely lock you in place.
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Filed Under: Sea World, Universal Studio, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Labor day events in Orlando Florida & theme parks

August 30, 2009 by

Labor day events in Orlando, Walt Disney, Universal Studios and Sea World

Well everyone, one more week and it’s Labor Day weekend in Orlando, Florida! That’s the signal that summer is over and fall is coming soon. Labor Day weekend sees many having outdoor cookouts, going to the beach and taking a dip in the pool. Here in Orlando it also means the last big crowds of tourist in the theme parks before school.

Last year I spent Labor Day weekend on the beach at Daytona Beach. Someone took a picture of me, and that’s why I’ve been working out ever since! Anyway,,,,, for those wondering what kind of events might be going on at the theme parks and around Orlando, there really is not that much more going on. The crowds will be bigger everywhere as many get in their last Holiday weekend of the summer.

But all the theme parks will just have their normal summer events. Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World will have their normal nightly fireworks, parades and events. They might have a bit more fireworks than normal, a few more sales. The smaller attractions, stores and outlet malls generally have some big sales and discounts going on during Labor Day weekend.
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Watch your car top carriers in parking garages & Universal Studios!

August 27, 2009 by

Careful of the height of your car top carriers in parking garages

Nothing ruins your Orlando vacation faster, or makes you more embarrassed, than pulling into a parking garage at the Orlando airport, downtown or the one in Universal Studios and hearing your new car top luggage carrier getting ripped apart because it’s too high! I’ve seen that happen; I’ve been right behind someone who was having that type of bad day.

So let me tell you where you will run into these parking garages and the height requirements. Luckily there are only 3 places you might park inside a parking garage in Orlando. One is right at the airport. They have two main sections, part A and part B on each side of the main terminal. The rental cars are in these also.

The next place you might decide to park inside a parking garage is downtown Orlando. They have several right in the heart of downtown. It’s hard to find a parking spot downtown, so you might very well have to use one if your going to see what the main city is like. It can be very confusing for visitors trying to find the damn things however!
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Rip Ride Rockit Roller Coaster At Universal Studios Officially Open

August 24, 2009 by

rip ride rockit roller coaster officially open

PHOTO BY JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINEL

Well after only a week for the soft opening Universal Studios Orlando has officially opened their new roller coaster, rip ride rockit! It’s a bit unusual to have only a week for a soft opening of a new ride before making it officially open. Normally they want more time to get all the bugs worked out of it so they don’t run the risk of disappointing the guest.

I think it’s because they want to make it open so they can use it for the last week or two of summer. However I do know that some of the cameras it uses to make a video for the guest, and also some of the soundtrack systems is not fully functional. My bet is they are risking the trade off of maybe getting some guest upset in return for being able to say their new ride is open, so come on down!

I STILL have not gone on it yet, sorry about that. I just have not had the time to get down there. But very soon I will ride it so I can give you a first hand review of it. The guest that have rode it seem very happy with it. So, Universal Studio’s Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster IS officially now open! Come on down and try it out! :)

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Soft opening for Rip Ride Rockit coaster at Universal Studios!

August 16, 2009 by

Soft opening for rip ride rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios

Well it took them long enough, but finally Universal Studios Orlando is having a soft opening for their new ride, the Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster! So just what is a “soft opening”? Basically it means it’s not officially open yet, but they are letting guest ride it periodically throughout the day as they test it out. Some things, like the custom music you can select and the cameras on it might not work.

Soft opening for rip ride rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios

The Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios has had it’s share of problems, forcing it to delay the opening several times. But with a soft opening starting now, the official opening should not be long behind. So far the feedback from the guest that have rode it has been very positive. So I predict it should be open for all within a few weeks if not sooner.

That means I need to get my butt down there and try to be one that test it out! It is not running all day. They give some rides, then work on it, do more rides and so on. A soft opening is a fine tuning of everything. I took these pictures of it the last time I was there. It will look a bit different once they have everything done. Lights will go on the big first hill, which is 17 stories high. So Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios will be open soon!

Soft opening for rip ride rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios

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Are Orlando theme parks still empty?

August 14, 2009 by

Are Orlando theme parks starting to fill up now

Sorry it’s been a while since I made a post here, life has a way of taking all your time! Because of the bad economy this summer has seen light crowds at the Orlando Florida theme parks. Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World has all seen attendance drop like a gold plated balloon! More and more however I keep reading about how things are getting better overall.

So, has things picked up at the theme parks? In a word, NO! This later part of the summer might be seeing a little bit more park attendance than the first part of the summer. But overall things are still down in the Orlando area. All the theme parks, hotels and rental agencies still report lower than normal sales. Of course I can see that just by going around town and looking with my own eyes.

It will not be too long before school starts. Once that happens things always slow down a lot, this year more than ever. This fall will be a fantastic time for that Walt Disney World or Universal Studios vacation. As I have said before fall has the best of both worlds in Orlando. It’s cooler, less humid and rains less than in the summer. Crowds are gone, prices go down and great deals can be had.

The only down side is that some rides in the parks get shut down for maintenance work, there are less fireworks and shows and less parades in the parks. But overall your enjoyment will be much better, especially since you can actually get on more rides and save money! So things might be picking up a little here, but the whole rest of the year promises to still be a slow one.

Filed Under: Orlando vacation, Sea World, Universal Studio, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Disney, Sea World & Universal Studios 4th of July fireworks

June 30, 2009 by

Disney, sea world and universal studios fireworks in the 4th of july

Well everyone, soon it will be the 4th of July! As you can imagine Orlando has some major firework displays going on. For tourist most want to know about what types and when to see 4th of July fireworks at the theme parks. Just so you know, anyone can buy fireworks here in Florida, unlike some other states.

So watch out for people letting some loose around you, which they do. Last year it was very dry here in Orlando Florida. Because of that a lot of firework shows were canceled due to the fire hazard. But this year has been wet so everyone will be out shooting off their fireworks! The theme parks have some really good shows scheduled this year too.

The theme parks are always packed on the 4th of July, and some may stop admitting people in once they are full. So get there early and don’t leave the park until your sure your not going to stay anymore that day. Here’s a break down of what the major theme parks have in store for you on the forth of July:
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Universal Studio Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster snags

June 27, 2009 by

Universal Studios rip ride rockit roller coaster opening pushed back

One of the biggest ride openings that has been anticipated here in Orlando is the new Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios. Once open it will be one of the biggest rides in the two parks inside Universal Studios. However they seem to be having some problems with it, which is delaying the opening.

The new roller coaster will have a 90 degree ascend of the first hill. There has been talk that they are having problems with the device that keeps the cars from rolling backward on it. Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster will be 167 feet high and go up to 65 mph. It will have soundtracks you can customize to hear and cameras.

It also boast some industry-first maneuvers that will leave riders wanting more. A coaster this technologically advanced was bound to have bugs that need to be worked out. So it’s really not a surprise to me that the opening date has been pushed back. So just when will it be open?

Well they are not sure yet. They are working hard around the clock to get it open. Rumor has it they hope to have it open by late July. However anything could happen since they already have pushed the date back several times. I think we will see it open by this fall at the latest, if not earlier. I’ll let you know once it opens, after I ride it myself! 😉

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Universal Studios Mardi Gras Times and Events

February 12, 2009 by

I always seem to post about events going on a little bit late. I’ve got to get out there more often! Well, there is still plenty of time for this event, which is Universal Studios Mardi Gras celebration. In case you did not know, each year Universal Studios has their own version of New Orleans Mardi Gras. Complete with parade floats and lots of live bands.

They also throw out all those cheap beads, candy and doubloons just like in the real one. They make their own floats and have many live performers dancing on the floats and walking next to them. They even have lots of those hot chicks in skimpy costumes, but not as skimpy as the ones in New Orleans!

Universal Studios Mardi Gras is a very colorful and loud event that takes place in the evening. So your not as hot as you would be standing in the sun, but I don’t think that was the reason. They just want to hold it after normal park hours so it’s a separate event and does not distract from the normal park activities. Here’s a list of the live concerts this year: [Read more…]

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Orlando vacation theme parks and water parks

February 3, 2009 by

Well everyone, the title to this post seems pretty simple huh? Theme parks and water parks in Orlando. Heck we all know who they are, don’t we? Well actually maybe not! Orlando is growing very fast, and so are the theme parks. Also the major theme parks keep adding new parks! So it can be confusing to keep track of all the big theme and water parks in Orlando.

So I want to make a nice list of them. Now, when I say theme parks, I mean big ones, and I mean each different park in each complex. Disney World, for instance, is a giant mix of 7 or more parks. Water parks are a mix of ones in the big theme parks and other smaller ones all by themselves. I’ll start with the most popular ones first, shall we! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Orlando vacation, Sea World, Universal Studio, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Disney World Orlando Vacation outlook for 2009

January 31, 2009 by

It looks like a friend of mine and his family are coming down for an Orlando vacation sometime in the late spring. Now this friend is not big on going anywhere, they’ve only been down here one other time. But they wanted to go one more time for their kids, who are around 16, 14 and 10. One of the main reasons they are going this year is because of the economy.

Now you might think wait a minute. If things are going so bad, and everyone is hurting for money, then why would they actually want to pick this time to spend their money and go on vacation? Well, not everyone is having a bad time with their jobs. This family happens to be doing okay and has money set aside and so on.

They also look for bargains and ways to save money with everything they do. That’s one of the reasons why they are doing okay! So it’s because this is a bad year that makes it appealing to them to take their last big Orlando vacation. They know prices for everything is low, and that not many will be in the theme parks. So, it makes sense to pick now to come down here. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Orlando vacation, Universal Studio, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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