36 7EEKEND s #
Travel www.saukvalley.com
3ATURDAY *ULY
Dwarfs, wizards and princesses It’s a busy summer for Florida’s theme parks BY MARJIE LAMBERT MCT News Service
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which opened May 28 at Magic Kingdom, is quintessential Disney: Based on the 1937 movie “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the ride has the requisite storyline. The faces of the movie dwarfs are replicated in audio-animatronic characters. It has the movie’s cheery music. A family roller coaster, it is only moderately scary and is open to kids as small as 3-foot-2. The train is the centerpiece – and the final piece – of the Fantasyland expansion that began in 2010. It joins Princess Fairytale Hall, which opened last fall, as well as the Journey of the Little Mermaid ride, Enchanted Tales with Belle and other attractions. While visitors are checking out the mine train and Fantasyland’s other new elements, Disney’s Imagineers have moved on. They’re in Animal Kingdom, which is about to see the largest expansion in its history. Imagineers are working on the new Avatar land, the first phase of which is scheduled to open in 2017. Construction walls are up and the first dirt has been moved. Flying banshees are coming! Disney is also starting work on a new nighttime light-andmusic show, “Rivers of Light,” at Animal Kingdom. A start date has not been announced. Over at Universal Orlando, the final touches are being put on Diagon Alley, the new Harry Potter land, is now open. This new Wizarding World has a thrill ride, Escape from Gringotts, plus the Hogwarts Express, which connects Diagon Alley to the original Wizarding World in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Busch Gardens has good and bad news for its summer season. The scheduled May 1 opening of Falcon’s Fury, a drop tower, was delayed. However, its colorful home “land” – Pantopia, remade from what was once called Timbuktu – is open, with a new shop and food spots. There are new features as well at Legoland and two Orlando water parks. And both Disney and Universal are upgrading their dining and entertainment areas, Downtown Disney and Universal CityWalk. Here’s a partial rundown:
If you go Theme parks Busch Gardens: 888-8005447; www.buschgardens.com Discovery Cove: 877-5577404; www.discoverycove.com Disney World: 407-9395277 or 407-939-1289; www. disneyworld.com Legoland: 877-350-LEGO (350-5346), http://florida.legoland.com/ SeaWorld: 888-800-5447; www.SeaWorldOrlando.com Universal Orlando: Main number 407-363-8000; tickets 407-224-7840; www.UniversalOrlando.com
trucks: Four food trucks representing each of the four Disney parks are stationed at temporary spots at Downtown Disney, where Food Truck Park is under construction and expected to open this summer. Samples from the menus: Variations on meatballs from Hollywood Studios, tandoori chicken and Asian-influenced dishes from Animal Kingdom, Croque Monsieur sandwiches and Disneyland corn dogs from Magic Kingdoms around the world, lobster rolls and pierogies from the best of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Universal Theme park dining Leaky Cauldron: OpenUpdates and expansions at ing this summer in Wizarding the theme parks have added an array of new menu items at World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, it will feature tradia variety of food stands, restaurants and food trucks. Here tional British dishes including Bangers and Mash, Fisherare some highlights: man’s Pie, Fish and Chips, and Disney World two new beers created excluSpice Road Table: New sively for the attraction – Wiztable-service restaurant in ard’s Brew and Dragon Scale. Epcot’s World Showcase, Florean Fortescue’s Icefeaturing small plates (lamb Cream Parlour: Also on Diagon sliders, fried calamari, mussels tagine) from the Mediterranean. Alley, the shop will offer unique flavors of ice cream, including Downtown Disney food Butterbeer, Sticky Toffee Pud-
turns and dips on the outside of the mountain, then slows as it runs inside the mine, where the dwarfs are working in all their audio-animatronic splendor, singing songs from the movie. The walls are studded with giant gems. Then the train goes outside again, encountering curves that are little tighter and dips that are a little longer and steeper. The ride is surprisingly smooth. Scary drops appear, but the train takes them at a speed that will deliciously frighten, not terrify children. In terms of thrills, the ride is about midway between the Barnstormer – the Great Goofini’s junior coaster – and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. If you’re familiar with the old movie, you’ll recognize details duplicated on the ride: the dwarfs’ shadows striding along a mountain wall; the carved wooden sign over The Vault; Dopey with diamonds in his eyes. And in the cabin at the end of the ride, you’ll see Snow White and Dopey dancing in a scene from the movie. Theme parks must constantly update their attractions to Magic Kingdom hold the interest of its young The Seven Dwarfs Mine guests, who may not be familTrain was a late addition to iar with Snow White or the the Fantasyland expansion, Seven Dwarfs but adore the which began largely as a new princess-stars of Frozen. meet-and-greet site for the That’s evident at “New Disney princesses, said Pam Fantasyland.” The stars of Rawlins, a Disney Imagineer Princess Fairytale Hall, which and show producer. Work on opened last fall, are Anna and other elements had already Elsa of Frozen. The sisters begun. “We needed somemoved in at the end of April. thing to add kinetic energy,” In mid-May, the earliest a fan Rawlins said. could get a FastPass to see Snow White’s Scary Adventhem was in July. One schooltures was to be torn down day morning in May, the wait to make room for Princess in the standby line (for those Fairytale Hall, leaving those who don’t have FastPasses) characters without a home. So was 5 hours. For Cinderella Disney’s newest coaster would and Rapunzel, greeting guests tell the tale of Snow White’s in the hall’s other parlor: 40 temporary roommates. minutes. “It is a story we have never “Who is the target for told before, not through the princesses? It’s little girls,” eyes of the Seven Dwarfs,” said Robert Niles, editor of Rawlins said. ThemeParkInsider.com. “For The queue for the ride will them, Snow White might as briefly keep kids busy with well be someone from the two interactive elements, sort- Middle Ages. That’s not their princess, not their character. ing and washing gems from But the characters from Frothe mine. zen are.” Riders sit in seats that look Princess Fairytale Hall, built like the rough-hewn mine buckets in the movie and add next to Cinderella Castle, has a grand tiara over the entrance, another element of motion. The buckets, which the dwarfs stained-glass windows with scenes from the film Cindercarved with their axes, hang ella, and decor in royal purple like cradles from pivots that allow them to swing from side and gold. Inside are two wood-paneled parlors where to side as the train rounds princesses meet their fans curves. – Cinderella and Rapunzel The ride starts with quick
in one, Anna and Elsa in the other, along with a third princess – Aurora, Snow White, Tiana, Jasmine or Mulan – who changes daily. Guests must choose which parlor to get in line for. The Fantasyland expansion underscored just how important character meet-andgreets have become for young fans, adding multiple sites dedicated to meeting characters. In addition to Princess Fairytale Hall, those include Enchanted Tales with Belle in Maurice’s Cottage; Ariel’s Grotto next to her ride, Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid; and Pete’s Silly Sideshow, with Donald Duck, Goofy, Minnie Mouse and Daisy as circus characters. In March, Magic Kingdom debuted a daily parade that features floats and characters from Fantasyland and Disney movies – Belle and the Beast dancing; Ariel seated in a clamshell above her underthe-sea friends; Peter Pan and a giant pirate ship trailed by Tick-Tock the crocodile; Rapunzel and the Snuggly Duckling pub from Tangled; Merida of Brave atop a giant bagpipe; Dumbo, Pinocchio, Mickey, Cinderella, and of course, Anna and Elsa. The star, though (just in time for the movie) is the 53-foot-long, 26-foot-tall firebreathing steampunk dragon inspired by Disney’s Maleficent, a new take on the story of Sleeping Beauty.
ding, and Orange Marmalade, as well as cakes and pastries. Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food: New on CityWalk, Antojitos serves enchiladas, tamales, tacos and chiles rellenos “straight from the street carts and cantinas of Mexico” downstairs. Upstairs, the menu has a more gourmet bent: duck tacos, braised short ribs with manchego corn pudding, pan-seared red chile mahi. Red Oven Pizza Bakery: Also new on CityWalk, it offers salads and Neapolitan-style pizzas made to order in a stone-lined oven. Busch Gardens Twisted Tails Pretzel Bakery: New in Pantopia, offers specialty pretzels including the Bacon Fury Pretzel (about 15 inches of warm pretzel entwined with bacon), pretzel sandwiches and craft beer. Dragon Fire Grill: Part of the Pantopia makeover, Dragon Fire Grill is an outdoor show grill attached to the Pantopia Grill (formerly the Desert Grill) and offers a new assortment of grilled meats and pinchos (snacks).
choir, dancers and celebrity narrators, including Viola Davis, David Alan Grier and Alfre Woodard. Scenes from the movie are integrated into the production. “Through Disney magic and Harambe magic, the scenes begin to come to life,” said Marsha Jackson-Randolph, the show director. “It’s a wonderful film with such an incredible legacy. [Producing the show] has challenged us in a very positive way to look at how this film still has such power.” After the show is a street party with Africa-inspired food and drink (including alcoholic beverages), dancers, stilt performers, characters and a DJ. (Tickets, $119-$134 adults, $79-94 ages 9 and under, at https://disneyworld.com/ harambenights ). Epcot also has two new adult-oriented events that pair specialty drinks and desserts or appetizers during and after the IllumiNations light show. During the show, the IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday features a dessert buffet and sparkling wine ($49 adults, $29 children). The After Hours Wind Down, Thursday-Sunday, offers a selection of appetizers or dessert plus a beverage flight at four Epcot restaurants ($35). Reservations for either: www. disneyworld.com/spring. Downtown Disney, which has floundered for a new Animal Kingdom theme and updated identity since the Pleasure Island Festival of the Lion King reopened at the new Harambe clubs were closed more than 5 years ago, is finally moving Theatre in the Africa section forward with a new design. of the park after being closed Construction walls are everyin January. The show, which started at Animal Kingdom in where. The plan calls for a major 1998, moved so the old theater makeover, built around could be torn down to make room for the new Avatar land. four interconnected neighborhoods along the water The show tells the Lion King inspired by Florida’s turn-ofstory in acrobatics, dance, music and puppetry. It is per- the-century lakeside towns. Disney says the redo will formed multiple times every double the shopping, dining day. and entertainment opporSummer brings a new Lion tunities and emphasize its King event to Animal Kingwaterfront – plus add badly dom as well, the after-hours needed parking and pedesHarambe Nights, oriented train bridges and widen toward adults although open Buena Vista Drive. to children. The evening The transformation of includes a reception, a theatDowntown Disney into Disney rical production and a street Springs won’t be completed party with a buffet. The show until 2016, but some improveis presented Saturday nights ments will be ready this sumthrough Aug. 9. mer, including Food Truck The heart of the evening, Park; a cluster of boutiques which celebrates the 20th anniversary of The Lion King, featuring Disney goods from home furnishings to beauty is a 55-minute theatrical proproducts; stores offering socduction with live orchestra,
cer gear and stuff for dogs; two Starbucks; and a schedule of live entertainment. Downtown Disney, said Niles, of ThemeParkInsider. com, is in competition with Universal CityWalk, where ample nighttime parking opens up as guests leave the parks; developments along International Drive such as The Orlando Eye and Madame Tussauds scheduled to open next spring; and Disney’s own parks that are open at night. The key, he said, was for Downtown Disney to build parking structures, as well as refresh the dated look and mix at the complex. Disney is now doing that in a big way, he said, but ultimately the success of Disney Springs will depend on regular updates instead of letting it languish as it has in recent years. MyMagic+: Disney has expanded use of its MyMagic+ program, initially limited to guests of Disney hotels, so anyone can use it to reserve FastPasses ahead of time and buy photo packages. The program still has limitations and is still being tweaked, but reserving FastPasses in advance is definitely an improvement over running all over the park to collect each one. Hotel guests can start reserving FastPasses 60 days before their visit, and everyone else can make reservations 30 days out, as long as they have their ticket number. Guests can also get a MagicBand, a coded bracelet that serves as park admission, FastPass, and Disney PhotoPass. Hotel guests can also use them as room key and as a method of payment. Both are done in conjunction with the MyDisneyExperience. com website or mobile app, so a guest can, for example, change FastPass reservations anytime, anywhere on their smart phone.
Universal The opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Studios was much anticipated. There’s a high level of interest, and that’s no surprise. According to Universal, where attendance rose more than 30 percent after the opening of the first Harry Potter attraction in 2010, more than 450 million copies of the Harry Potter books have been sold worldwide, while the eight Harry Potter films have grossed more than $7.7 billion. The signature element of Diagon Alley is a thrill ride, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, the storyline taken from the final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Goblinrun Gringotts is protected by an enormous fire-breathing dragon whose installation atop the bank was one of the high points of construction. Taken straight from the movie, that is one nasty-looking dragon! Harry and friends break into the bank in order to steal a Horcrux, an enchanted item that would help them destroy the evil Lord Voldemort. Theme park visitors, ostensibly at the bank to open their own accounts with the spooky animatronic goblins, get caught up in the action. Riders come face-to-face with Voldemort, “one of the greatest villains of all time,” said Dale Mason, executive producer of Wizarding World. “It seems to me that it’s not Harry Potter without Voldemort.” Mason said the Universal Creative team wanted an appearance by Voldemort in the first Harry Potter ride, which is set at Hogwarts, “but it just didn’t work out.”