WALT DISNEY WORLD TO TRANSFORM CINDERELLA CASTLE

BY GABRIELLE

The iconic Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park is to under a major transformation in forthcoming months.

To mark the 70th anniversary of when Disney’s animated film ‘Cinderella’ was released, Disney shared a concept image of the new-look Cinderella Castle.

Talking about the transformation, Jason Kirk, vice president of Magic Kingdom, said: “Cinderella first transformed into a princess 70 years ago this week when the animated classic was released, and ever since, her courage and kindness have been inspiring guests and cast members alike.

“We are excited to share that her story has inspired a bold, shimmering and royal makeover of her namesake castle at the heart of Walt Disney World Resort.”

Alterations to the castle will commence in the coming weeks and are expected to continue until the summer.

The shows currently running at Walt Disney World including ‘Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire’ and ‘Happily Ever After’ will continue.

Hong Kong Disneyland is currently making alternations to its Sleeping Beauty Castle, including the installation of Disney Princess-themed towers.

DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM TO HOST MULTI-DAY CELEBRATION FOR 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF EARTH DAY

BY GABRIELLE

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is to host a party in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Disney Conservation Fund and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

The celebration will take place from April 18 until April 22, 2020 and will feature a series of special activities and entertainment throughout the park. The party’s finale will be held on April 22, Earth Day.

The activities will include a panel of speakers and entertainers, behind-the-scenes-tours, food and drink options, limited edition merchandise signings, meet-and-greet sessions with characters, special Wilderness Explorer activities, and much more.

Animal experts at the park will carry out presentations as part of the Wild by Nature Speaker Series at the Theatre in the World, where visitors will be informed about ways in which conservation experts at Disney are working on saving wildlife and the planet.

Photographers and explorers from the National Geographic will also be at the park throughout the event, sharing stories about their wildlife adventures and showing animal photography during speaker series.

National Geographic merchandise will also be up for sale for the first time at Disney Parks.

FINAL PIECE OF CANDYMONIUM TRACK PLACED AT HERSHEYPARK

BY GABRIELLE

The final piece of track of the new rollercoaster Candymonium has been laid at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania.

The Candymonium hypercoaster is part of a $150 million expansion of Hersey’s Chocolatetown.

Candymonium is the 15th coaster at Hershypark. The ride speeds around a 4,636ft. track for a duration of 2 minutes 26 seconds. Boasting a lift height of 210ft. and reaching a maximum speed of 76mph, Candymonium will be the theme park’s tallest and fastest coaster.

Hershey’s Chocolatetown is a 23-acre development, which is due to open this summer.

On laying the last piece of track of the highly awaited ride, Hershypark tweeted: “The final piece of chocolate brown track has been set on Candymonium.”

As well as being home to the park’s fastest and tallest ride, Hershey’s Chocolateown will feature the biggest themed restaurant in Hershey. Guests will also be able to enjoy refreshments at Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor and the Sweeterie.

LEGOLAND WATER PARK GARDALAND TO FEATURE BEACH PARTY ATTRACTION

 BY GABRIELLE

One highlight of the soon-to-be-opened Legoland Water Park Gardaland in Italy goes by the name of Beach Party. Beach Party is to comprise of interactive play areas on multiple levels, a waterspout, and climbing areas, offering fun in the water for all the family.

Within the Beach Party play area will be seven slides all of varying heights and lengths to cater for visitors of all ages. Another key feature will be a huge 1.500-litre water bucket, which will sporadically spill over visitors.

A total of five Lego figures will be present in the area, each representing a different Lego character inspired by the theme of water and fun. Other features include a series of surfers, a girl in a Hawaiian costume and a lifeguard sat in a turret.

The Beach Party attraction is being built by the Canadian water ride manufacturer, WhiteWater.

Due to the mild weather, construction of the waterpark is well underway and the 15,000 sq. mt. area is set to open at the end of May.

HONG KONG DISNEYLAND’S VACANT SITES TO BE USED AS CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINE FACILITIES

BY GABRIELLE

Hong Kong Disneyland is lending its vacant sites to the Chinese government so they can used as quarantine facilities to help eliminate the spread of coronavirus.

As officials consider how to bring people from Hong Kong that are stranded in Wuhan back “in batches”, it has been announced that the government will use a 60-hectare site reserved for the expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland.

Referring to the 60-hectare site reserved for the theme park’s expansion on Lantau Island, Commerce and Economic Development Bureau chief Edward Yau Tang-wah said: “We have secured the company’s consent to use part of the site if it is needed.

“We need all quarantine facilities for surveillance, basically we will leave no stone unturned [when identifying sites for building quarantine facilities],” Yau Tang-wah added.

There are also 2,200 Hong Kong residents stranded in the Hubei province, ten of which are confirmed to have been infected with the virus. The government has announced it needs to have sufficient quarantine facilities in place in order to bring the residents back to Hong Kong.

China’s mainland affairs minister Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, commented: “We have already started planning for their return.

“We first need to have these facilities as well as the understanding of residents [near the quarantine sites] before we implement the plan,” he added.

The four-hectare vacant land located near the carpark at Disneyland would be able to facilitate around 600 units to accommodate the Hong Kong residents.

Hong Kong Disneyland is currently closed as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak.

BENNY RUSSELL PARK TO RECEIVE $4 MILLION UPGRADE

BY GABRIELLE

The Benny Russell Park in Florida is set to undertake a redesign costing $4 million, with several new features being added to enhance the enjoyment of visitors. The city park in Pace, Santa Rosa County, is a 30-acre recreation area currently consisting of children’s playgrounds, water fountains, pavilions and picnic tables.

Ideas for new installations were gathered from local residents and regular visitors during the summer of 2018, with the most popular and viable of these now being implemented.

The upgraded park will feature a multi-purpose sports field and a new all-inclusive playground with special playground lighting. There will also be a splash pad and a fitness fun zone court as well as trails and loops. The redesign plans include new restrooms and a new parking area, and there will also be ADA-accessible pathways.

The District 1 Commissioner for Pace, Sam Parker, said of the project he initiated: “This is an exciting time. These are the times where it is such a pleasure to be on the board.”

Almost half of the funding for the redesign is coming from a grant from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program, the District 1 Recreation balance and Local Option Sales Tax money. The other half is being funded by a debt service that will be paid in $235,000 instalments over a decade.

FINAL TOUCHES BEING MADE TO GULLIVER’S VALLEY IN YORKSHIRE

BY GABRIELLE

Gulliver’s Valley, the new theme park that is due to open in the spring next to Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham, Yorkshire, is currently undergoing some finishing touches.

The £37 million theme park will feature more than 70 rides and attractions.  One key attraction will be a Lost World zone with animatronic dinosaurs.

Gulliver’s Valley will be the fourth Gulliver’s theme park in Britain. The park is designed for children aged two to 13. As well as the Lost Dinosaur World, other attractions include an interactive soft play area, spinning coaster, laser tag and a water play area.

11 rides have been confirmed so far at Gulliver’s Valley, including a T-Rex Tower splash ride and River Tour, both in the Lost World zone. Blackbeard’s Barrels will be located in the Smugglers Wharf, where the Ghostly Galleon boat ride can also be found. There will also be a Lilliput Land carousel, a Toyland Ferris Wheel, and Frantic Fire Trucks, where youngsters will able to sample what it’s like to be a firefighter by spurting water jets at ‘burning’ buildings.

Other rides include Apache Falls, Prairie Ponies, the Sioux City Express and Desperado Drop, all located in Western World.

An official opening date for Gulliver’s Valley has not yet been set but the park is expected to open in the spring.

PLAY DISNEY PARKS APP’S NEW AR MICKEY MOUSE MESSAGE

BY GABRIELLE

The Play Disney Parks app is introducing a new feature to reward guests who visit Walt Disney World. The app will send an augmented reality (AR) message starring Mickey Mouse to guests who stay three nights or longer at the resort during 2020.T

The message is sent once the visitors have returned home, and will consist of a special letter thanking them for their visit as well as a QR code that provides access to an special AR animation of Mickey Mouse. The message also unlocks the exclusive ‘Thanks for the Magic’ digital achievement that only visitors staying three nights or longer at the Disney Resort Hotel are eligible for.

The app already includes multiple interactive fun and games for family and friends before and during a visit to the resort, and now offers a ‘magical’ bonus for guests after they have returned home. The app is popular with guests as it also activates physical show effects and lets you play in-queue games and Disney trivia quizzes. Most of the achievements are unlocked by experiencing the rides and visiting special locations around the resort.

The Play Disney Parks mobile app is available in the Apple App Store for iPhone and the Google Play store for Android.

JAIS ADVENTURE PEAK OPENS ON THE UAE’S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN

BY GABRIELLE

Jais Adventure Peak, a series of adventure attractions including ziplines, an all-new Sky Maze, a viewing deck and adventure centre, has opened on Jebel Jain, the highest mountain in the UAE, which boasts a summit of 1,934m.

Jais Adventure Peak was launched by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. One of the star attractions of the park is the Jebel Jais Flight, the longest zipwire in the world.

The Jais Sky Maze extends over two levels that are more than ten metres above the ground. The maze comprises of a series of obstacles, including wobbly bridges, rope swings, swinging loops and more, designed for visitors of all ages. A team of experienced guides are at hand, to help guests navigate their way through the maze.

Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, commented on the new adventure park: The eagerly anticipated launch of the Jais Adventure Peak will not only add to the Emirate’s diverse hospitality offering but will also elevate the undeniable appeal of Jebel Jais itself.

“The Jais Adventure Peak captures Ras Al Khaimah’s adventurous spirit through a series of adrenaline-pumping experiences that will leave a lasting impression on our guests and unforgettable memories,” Phillips added.

NEW ROUTE 66 THEME FOR PACIFIC PARK ROLLERCOASTER

 BY GABRIELLE

The owners of Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles are giving their steel roller coaster a million dollar Route 66 makeover. Construction on the new ride should take about six months, with the completed redesign ready for the summer.

The makeover will cost a little over $1 million, with much of the re-conceptualisation focused on the loading station. The rebooted West Coaster will feature a new guest experience at the beginning of the ride, with the likes of special Route 66 memorabilia decorating the area, along with maps, old-time gas pumps and license plates.

There will also be vintage-themed billboards throughout the track to enhance the guest experience during the ride. These will highlight certain roadside attractions, landmarks and landscapes, as well as towns and other places associated with Route 66. The coaster’s cars will also receive a themed makeover.

Pacific Park’s design and operations team have designed the new look, with the construction undertaken by Chance Rides from Wichita, Kansas.

Pacific Park’s Director of Marketing and Business Development, Nathan Smithson, said: “The Route 66 enthusiast can get hip to this timely tip to celebrate its namesake roller coaster at the western end of Route 66. Guests are sure to revel in the authenticity of the reconcepted roller coaster.

“Route 66 presented travellers with an open road from Chicago to Los Angeles that offered unique mom and pop dining spots, first-of-its-kind motor lodging and one-of-a-kind roadside attractions; all facets represented in the new Route 66 West Coaster roller coaster.”