Theme Parks

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Universal’s starry Stella Nova hotel set for Epic debut

Universal Orlando has a project that’s literally shiny, new and interstellar to show off. It’s Stella Nova, a resort within sight of its upcoming Epic Universe theme park. The 750-room hotel opens to the public on Tuesday.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/01/16/epic-universe-universal-orlando-stella-nova-resort-hotel-opens-preview/?

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Legoland Florida set to lay off 234 workers

Legoland Florida Resort has announced it will lay off more than 200 employees in the coming weeks. The bulk of those affected are entertainers at the Winter Haven theme park.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/01/28/legoland-florida-layoffs-entertainment-theme-park-warn-act-sea-life-aquarium/?

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Busch Gardens’ new Wild Oasis to feature drop tower, capybaras, more animals

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay theme park has released more details about its new Wild Oasis area, which is scheduled to open this spring. Coming up: a drop tower in a jungle setting, new animal species and “interactive climbing structures,” the park said Wednesday.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/01/29/busch-gardens-tampa-bay-wild-oasis-drop-tower-capybaras-jungala-spring-2025/?

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Bugging out: Disney sets last day for Animal Kingdom show

Walt Disney World has revealed the last day for visitors to see “It’s Tough to Be a Bug,”  the 3D show tucked inside the iconic Tree of Life structure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/02/03/disney-animal-kingdom-tough-bug-show-closing-zootopia-2025/?

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Sea Life sets opening day for aquarium near Legoland

Sea Life Florida Aquarium has announced its opening day.  The attraction will debut next door to Legoland Florida in Winter Haven on May 23.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/02/20/sea-life-florida-aquarium-opening-day-legoland-winter-haven-epic/?

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SeaWorld parent company: Storms hurt park attendance, revenue in 2024

SeaWorld Orlando’s owner reported Wednesday that theme park attendance and revenue fell in 2024, blaming the declines on hurricanes and saying the company posted “strong financial results” despite storm disruptions.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/02/26/seaworld-orlando-united-parks-annual-report-2024-attendance-revenue-epic-universe/?

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Disney shows more ‘Monsters, Inc.,’ ‘Cars,’ Smugglers Run details

Disney executives shared more details Saturday about upcoming projects at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme parks, including a dramatic start for its “Monsters, Inc.”-based roller coaster.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/08/disney-sxsw-monsters-roller-coster-cars-rides-smugglers-runhows-more-monsters-inc-cars-star-wars-smugglers-run-mandalorian/?

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Universal: New online maps give bird’s-eye — or dragon’s-eye — view of Epic Universe’s layout

A friend was previewing Epic Universe recently and sent a text that read “I really should have studied.” He knew details about the theme park and its rides but had not really absorbed its layout and how it all came together.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/11/universal-epic-universe-map-app-online-harry-potter-nintendo-helios-hotel/?

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Universal: One-day Epic Universe theme park tickets now on sale

Universal Orlando is now selling more tickets to Epic Universe, including a one-day pass to the new theme park currently under construction.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/13/universal-epic-universe-one-day-tickets/?

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Epic Universe: Early ground-level pictures of new Orlando theme park

Universal Orlando has released some of the first genuine, ground-level photos of its Epic Universe theme park, which is about two months away from its grand opening. The images provide the first looks at the five worlds contained within the attraction: Super Nintendo World; How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk; Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of  Magic; Dark Universe, which features classic Universal monsters; and Celestial Park, a cosmos-themed entryway that also features rides and restaurants.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/17/epic-universe-photos/?

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5 years into the mission, Disney’s dig into plant-based dining continues

It’s been the better part of five years since Walt Disney World made vegan options — real dishes, not just cobbled-together sides and salads — a mission throughout the realm. It’s a move we speculated, in late 2019, served as a tipping point for plant-based dining, and one that Cheryl Dolven, senior manager of health and wellness and environmentality for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, says is an undisputed success story.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/19/plant-based-vegan-dining-walt-disney-world/?

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New Sea Life aquarium builds underwater theme-park scene

WINTER HAVEN – A new underwater habitat is taking form at Legoland Florida Resort. Work continues on Sea Life Florida Aquarium, the latest piece of the attraction’s expansion plan.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/21/legoland-sea-life-florida-aquarium-tour/?

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Manatee milestone: SeaWorld Orlando reports 1,000th rescue

SeaWorld Orlando has announced that it has now logged 1,000 manatee rescues.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/27/seaworld-orlando-manatee-1000-rescues/?

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SeaWorld: Aquatica water park springing into Aloha to Summer event

Aquatica, SeaWorld Orlando’s water park, is gearing up its springtime event named Aloha to Summer Celebration.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/28/seaworld-aquatica-aloha/?

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Disney World: Baby giraffe Tucker takes first look around savanna

Tucker, the newborn giraffe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, has made his public debut on the theme park’s savanna, mingling with other creatures and having new experiences, including puddle splashing.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/04/08/disneys-animal-kingdom-giraffe/?

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SeaWorld announces opening day for Expedition Odyssey ride

SeaWorld Orlando has set an opening day for its Arctic-based Expedition Odyssey attraction and the public debut of the Pacific walrus calf rescued in Alaska.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/04/18/seaworld-opening-day-expedition-odyssey/?

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Explore the Corridor Week encourages volunteering, adventures in Florida state parks

While the tide of development continues to sweep across Florida at a record pace, a concerted effort is being made to protect the Sunshine State’s wildlife and lands through a statewide conservation plan.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/04/24/explore-the-corridor-week-encourages-volunteering-adventures-in-florida-state-parks/?

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Universal expands Epic Universe previews to general public

Universal Orlando has expanded its previews for Epic Universe theme park to the general public.  Tickets are now for sale for dates through May 19.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/04/29/universal-epic-previews/?

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Best of Central Florida theme parks: Make your nominations

With the first new theme park in Central Florida opening this month, it’s time to take stock of what’s already here.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/01/best-of-central-florida-theme-parks-make-your-nominations/?

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Disney plans theme park resort on UAE’s Yas Island

Walt Disney Co. is planning a theme park resort for Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, the company confirmed Wednesday. The attraction will be on the waterfront of Yas Island, already a leisure travel destination.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/07/disney-abu-dhabi/?

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Epic Universe survival guide: What to pack for the new park

After a few trips to Epic Universe, the new Universal Orlando theme park, a list of should-have-packed items emerged.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/15/epic-essentials/?

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Epic Universe set for official debut Thursday: ‘It’s a different world’

Jesse DeMello and his 8-year-old son, Liam, got a sneak peek of Epic Universe two weeks ago, and they left dazzled by Orlando’s newest theme park.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/17/epic-universe-set-for-official-debut-thursday-its-a-different-world/?

Epic Universe Ride Guide: New park rides ranked from tame to super scary

Dragons, wizards, classic monsters and videogame legends all live in Epic Universe. Their five themed worlds have a big theme-park element in common: Rides.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/18/epic-universe-ride-reviews/?

Peeking into the portals (and just beyond) of Epic Universe

One distinguishing look of Epic Universe is its portals, the physical gateways that lead into its themed worlds. They are rounded walk-through chutes topped by spires with symbols corresponding to the upcoming land. At the top of each curve is a bit of prose.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/18/epic-universe-portals/?

Epic Universe: Frequently asked questions (plus answers)

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/18/epic-universe-faq/?

Epic Universe set for official debut Thursday: ‘It’s a different world’

Jesse DeMello and his 8-year-old son, Liam, got a sneak peek of Epic Universe two weeks ago, and they left dazzled by Orlando’s newest theme park.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/17/epic-universe-set-for-official-debut-thursday-its-a-different-world/?

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First look: Disney World shows star villains, Little Mermaid, tech

Two new Walt Disney World stage shows are now presenting storytelling enhanced with technology. “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” and “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” have arrived on the daily schedule at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, and they both feature fresh special effects surrounding familiar characters.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/27/disney-shows-villains-mermaid/?

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Disney to cut hundreds of employees in latest round of layoffs

Walt Disney Co. has launched another deep round of layoffs, notifying several hundred Disney employees in the U.S. and abroad that their jobs were being eliminated amid an increasingly difficult economic environment for traditional television.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/06/03/disney-to-cut-hundreds-of-employees-in-latest-round-of-layoffs/?

ps:As prices just continue to go up and up!!!!!

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Closing soon: Tom Sawyer Island in July, Rip Ride Rockit in August

Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have revealed the final days of operation for a handful of attractions at Magic Kingdom and Universal Studios theme parks. They’ll all be unavailable by the end of summer.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/06/04/disney-tom-sawyer-universal-rockit/?