Top Secrets at Disney’s Epcot

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Hopefully you’re still enjoying finding out about some of the parks secrets?! I’m sure you are, or you wouldn’t be here would you…

We’re going to whizz around Epcot clockwise so you can get a feel for the park/world. Future World pavements come alive at night time in between Spaceship Earth and Innoventions. If you look down you will see the floor lit up. Speaking of Spaceship Earth, if you hit all of the switches and dials at once, something cool might happen!

Our first country pit stop is Mexico where you will be able to find added little steps on the side of the pyramids. These were added at a later date to ensure safety for children that liked to climb up.

Over at Norway the roof of the pavilion is covered in grass, real grass! They have gardeners that regularly maintain it instead of having goats up there like they really do in Norway! 😉

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Most of the time you’ll be absolutely boiling walking around the parks in the day with all that exercise, not to forget, the burning sun! If you purchase a fan from the China pavilion, they will personalise it for you and even write your name in Chinese!

At the back of the Germany pavilion is a cuckoo clock, you’ll need to be there at the top of the hour to witness it, and if you’re lucky enough to time it right you’ll see a wooden child pop out of the clock and twirl throughout the cuckoo.

Located in the middle of the Italy pavilion is the Fontana de Nettuno which is the fountain that contains the image of Neptune meaning God of the Sea.

You might notice that the America pavilion looks like it’s 3 storeys high when in actual fact it is 5 storeys high! The architects have done such an amazing job on deceiving the human eye.

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The Japan pavilion has a statue that was donated to Magic Kingdom by the Japanese government but it was later moved over to Epcot when the park opened.

Morocco might look ordinary to you but you might notice if you look close enough that you can spot the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They have painted this to match the rest of the buildings in this area of the Morocco pavilion so that it blends in as Disney like to have the concept of not seeing each of the parks from another. You may also notice that during Illuminations: Reflections of Earth that Morocco is the only pavilion not to be lit up. This is to show respect as it would go against their beliefs.

Only one part of Epcot can be seen and not touched by the public. This part happens to be in the France pavilion and be the Eiffel Tower. Disney call it the ‘carrot’ of the park because it is made to look bigger than it actually is. At only 1/10 of the size of the original, this tower is mounted on top of a building.

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Everyone loves to visit other peoples versions of their ‘home’ which is why I love seeing the United Kingdom pavilion. Here you can actually look up your own family ancestry and have it printed. This is available for everyone visiting the park, not just the Brits!

Canada seems to have a lot of little hidden elements in it’s pavilion. There are 3 totem poles there, but only ONE of these is actually real! There is also a rock that opens up for the Illuminations show which is where the globe comes out from. You’ll notice a beautiful waterfall that was actually built here to mask the noisy generator located just behind it and the Hotel du Canada looks 5 storeys high but in actual fact, is only 3! (a bit similar to the America pavilion)

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I have also heard that some of the trash cans and water fountains might talk to you…

What else do you know about Epcot?

Smiles Included…

Louise

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Do You Really Mean All The Parks?

Hey Thrill Seekers,

A lot of our customers ask for a ticket that includes ‘all of the parks’ without realising how many parks there actually are. Ticket purchasing can become quite complicated when you aren’t aware of all the parks and attractions, especially if you’re a first timer. We have ‘The Big Three’, Disney, Universal and SeaWorld but there is so much more!

Let’s take a look at the big three first.

Walt Disney World actually consists of 6 parks in total, 4 theme parks, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and 2 water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. All of our Disney tickets include all 6 of these parks, we do not offer single day or single park tickets.

Disney’s Magic Kingdom is the park to explore lands of endless enchantment, where your fantasy becomes a reality. 

Disney’s Epcot allows you to travel around the globe, under the sea, into outer space…and beyond!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will amaze you, behold the magic of nature with rare animals and world-class entertainment.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios puts you smack bang in the middle of the action, take center stage in the world of movies, television, music and theater.

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is a storm ravaged tropical bay while Disney’s Blizzard Beach is a melting ski resort.

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Moving onto Universal now with their 2 theme parks, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. These 2 parks are joint together using The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the Hogwarts Express. You must have a hopper ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express, which is of course, what we offer! 🙂

Tip: Ride the Hogwarts Express both ways to encounter two completely different experiences. 😉

Universal Studios is where you can jump into the action of your favourite movies and TV shows’. At the back of the park you will find yourself in Diagon Alley.

Universal’s Islands of Adventure is where you can live the adventure. Towards the back of this park you will be in Hogsmeade.

Universal’s Volcano Bay is the newest park which is due to open on the 1st June 2017. Water is life. Life is joy. 

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SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment have a total of 4 parks including SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Discovery Cove.

SeaWorld Orlando has a mixture of thrill rides, family rides and animal interactions. SeaWorld rescue a lot of animals from the wild to treat them and then release them back into the wild.

Aquatica is SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment’s water park which is themed to the Southern Pacific and features Australian and New Zealand mascots that you can spot relating to each attraction.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is about an hour out of Orlando but so worth the journey! The 19th century African themed park is also, like SeaWorld, a mixture of the thrill and family rides as well as the animal encounters. All of the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is suitable for all the family.

Tip: We offer these parks at an amazing 3 parks for the price of 2 offer which entails free parking!

Discovery Cove is an amusement park where guests can completely relax with an all inclusive day and have the choice to ‘talk, touch, play and swim with bottlenose dolphins’.

There are 2 Discovery Cove packages available, 1 including 14 days into SeaWorld and Aquatica and our Ultimate package including 14 days into SeaWorld, Aquatica and Busch Gardens.

Tip: You can make the most of the free parking with our Ultimate Package as well. 😉

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LEGOLAND Florida & Merlin Attractions is next up. LEGOLAND Florida has their theme park and their water park – great fun for all the family. As well as Legoland, Merlin also have I-Drive 360 which is made up of The Orlando Eye, Madame Tussauds and SEALIFE Orlando.

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We offer a number of different ticket options for these attractions, so if you don’t necessarily want to visit all of them, you can take your pick!

If you’re looking to visit some of Florida’s more alternative attractions, you won’t be at a loose end as there are so many options!

Kennedy Space Center

Fun Spot

Gatorland

Boggy Creek – 30 minute

Boggy Creek – 1 hour

WonderWorks

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So if you were stuck for ideas, I hope you’re not anymore! All of these attractions are available on our website and any questions you have, you can contact us to find out more!

Smiles Included…

Louise

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Festive Treats

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Hooray for all you sweet addicts like myself. It’s the most wonderful time of the year and the sweetest too! This is one of my favourite times to visit the parks just so I can have some of their festive season sweet treats.

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Orlando theme parks have some pretty amazing chefs and bakers who have been working overtime to bring you their best Christmas treats, and the result is mouthwatering!

Here’s just a few mouthwatering treats I know of and where to find them. If you’re lucky enough to be there over the Christmas period make sure you go try them, your taste buds will most certainly be satisfied.

Holiday Cake Pops at Goofy’s Candy Company – Goofy’s Candy Company in Downtown Disney is always a great place to grab something sweet. Guests can indulge in one of our favourite treats in Disney: cake pops. These mini bites of cake are decorated with either a Santa Mickey hat or as a bright blue snowflake. You can’t go wrong with a cake pop so whichever you choose your sweet tooth will be impressed.

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Gingerbread Cupcakes at Hollywood Studios – Not every one is a fan of gingerbread but when decorated with traditional red and green sprinkles and a Mickey Mouse hat what is not to like. Trust me, your taste buds will smile as they are taken over by gingerbread and cream cheese icing. Mmm Yummy!

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Candy Cane Fudge at SeaWorld Orlando – This I must say is one of the prettiest desserts I have ever come across, it’s that pretty you almost don’t want to eat it…..BUT do! This treat has a soft gooey centre like fudge with a hard, crunchy peppermint top.

If it’s all too much for your tummy’s you can always try out the only drink on our festive treat list.

Dutch Chocolate Grasshopper at Epcot – The Dutch Chocolate Grasshopper at Epcot is a rich chocolate ice cream drink with a splash of peppermint schnapps and a sprinkling of crushed candy canes. It’s both refreshing and mouthwatering.

It is safe to say the parks do not and will not disappoint with their Christmas treats.

Sweet Smiles Included

Kelly

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Top 10 Orlando Attractions 2016

Hey Thrill Seekers,

We’ve seen the top 5 attractions in each park and now it’s the big one, the top 10 attractions in Orlando overall.

1st Place: Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts – Universal Studios.

2nd Place: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey – Islands of Adventure.

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3rd Place: Expedition Everest – Animal Kingdom.

4th Place: Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster – Hollywood Studios.

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5th Place: Soarin’ – Epcot.

6th Place: Crush ‘n’ Gusher – Typhoon Lagoon.

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7th Place (joint): Summit Plummet – Blizzard Beach & Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – Magic Kingdom.

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8th Place: Hard Rock Cafe – Universal City Walk.

9th Place: Manta – SeaWorld

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10th Place: Falcons Fury – Busch Gardens

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So it is clear to see that the Harry Potter attractions are extremely popular amongst our thrill seekers and why wouldn’t they be, they really are incredible.

With the opening of Volcano Bay next year I wonder how different this list will look at the end of 2017?! If you’re heading out to visit the parks don’t forget to leave your feedback and vote for your fave attractions!!

Smiles Included,

Jess
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Epcot’s Top Attractions 2016

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Flying high above the other attractions at Epcot and gliding into a steady 1st place is the extraordinary Soarin’.

Be prepared to embark on a journey of a lifetime visiting some of the worlds coolest places. You’ll literally soar over mountains, waterfalls and many more wonders of the world such as the Great Wall of China and Iguazu Falls. Soarin’ will make you feel as though you are actually hang gliding!

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You’ll experience the flight from 40 feet in the air surrounded by beautiful panoramas and a 180 degree, 80 foot IMAX projection dome.

Soarin’ is a very lifelike but at the same time surreal experience at Epcot and as our thrill seekers have voted it as the top attraction you should make sure you don’t miss it on your visit!

Second Place: Test Track – The word ‘cool’ just doesn’t cover this attraction. You get to design your own concept car and then put it to the test. The track is almost a mile long and you’ll reach speeds of up to 65mph!

Third Place: Mission: SPACE – You will get to become part of a astronaut crew, dodging meteors and zooming around the moon in your very own vessel.

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Fourth Place: Mission: SPACE Advanced Training Lab – This will add to your astronaut training, take part in 4 different activities such as Mission: SPACE Race, Expedition Mars, Space Base and Postcards from Space.

Fifth Place: The Seas With Nemo And Friends – You’ll be joining Marlin and Dory on their search for Nemo. Jump on board your “clamobile” and along the way you will meet characters such as Mr.Ray, Bruce and Crush.

Smiles Included..

Jess
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Disney unveil new Star Wars ‘Death Star’ at Epcot

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Spaceship Earth at Disney’s Epcot was transformed into the Death Star last night. This comes from a meetup with the film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story which will make it’s debut on the 16th December. Some announcements were made at the event with the help of Mads Mikkelsen, who plays Galen Erso in the film.

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So what exactly did Disney announce last night? Mainly based on the Star Wars inspired land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. More characters and scenes will appear in the parks everyday line up in addition to the land that is currently being built.

Also announced was that Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular that was debuted earlier this year, will be joining their new nighttime spectacular Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam from the 16th December through to the 31st by being projected onto the park’s Chinese Theater.

By the middle of the month, Star Tours – The Adventurers Continue will return for it’s first destination with Jakku to continue the promotion of last year’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Rogue One – A Star Wars Story will be promoted by Disney at Star Wars Launch Bay with new props and models from the film. Some troopers from the film will also be appearing in the daytime show, Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away.

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Last but not least, Disney announced plans for a Star Wars-themed Guided Tour of Disney’s Hollywood Studios including a spot of Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple show for the children. The tour will also include a ride on Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, a guided tour of the Launch Bay, lunch with Star Wars-themed eats and reserved viewing for the Galactic Spectacular show.

Seems to me like Disney are taking full advantage of Star Wars and I don’t blame them!

Smiles included…

Louise

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Disney’s New MagicBand 2

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Disney have recently announced they are releasing new Magic Bands. With a slight make over and a nip and tuck, the MagicBand 2 will have a removable icon. The technology is all included on this disc shaped icon which you can remove from the band. You may think that this will just pop in and out which means it can get lost easily, but all bands will come with a little screwdriver to undo the tiny screw on the back.

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The icon can be used in other accessories such as key chains, bracelets etc. to make the bands more fashionable.

The bands will still be used for FastPass, hotel admission, payments in restaurants and merchandise stores throughout Walt Disney World Resort in the exact same way, just a slightly new look.

Magic Bands can be used again if you visit more than once and they usually last between 3 – 5 years depending on the battery life. They have smart technology included so that they will turn themselves off once you leave the Walt Disney World Resort and turn themselves back on when you re-enter.

The fact that these bands are waterproof is also pretty cool. You don’t need to worry about it getting wet on any of the water rides or if it rains! Not forgetting that you can personalise your band to make it your own. When I ordered my band I was able to choose between pink, blue, green, red, orange, grey or a yellow band. (Obviously I chose pink!) I also had my name printed on the inside so if I ever took it off, I would be sure it was mine. Disney stores also sell different straps and band its.

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You can even personalise your band yourself by painting it, putting stickers on it, bedazzling it etc. The question is, will defacing your band stop it from working? No, it won’t. If you deface tickets, it can make them invalid however this is not the case with your bands.

If you still have one of the older style Magic Bands, do not worry about having to purchase a new one as they will still work at Disney. Rumours are going around that eventually Disney will be looking to roll these out completely but this won’t be for a while now so there’s no reason to panic.

Icons will be included on every band so you won’t be able to purchase a band on it’s own which may have made personalising the bands a bit cheaper, but we all love spending money anyway, don’t we?!

Once we have an official release date for these bands, we will be sure to update you!

Smiles Included…

Louise

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Patent Suggests New Disney Ride

Hey Thrill Seekers,

There have been many rumours ‘flying’ around about how Disney are planning to patent a ‘vertical load and launch roller coaster’.

Disney have always been quick to patent loads of idea’s that their clever ‘imagineers’ create. Lots of people have been keeping an eye on what Disney are planning for its next patent which was filed a few years back for a vertical load and launch coaster. Since the U.S Patent and Trademark Office published it back in September it has got everyone’s ears pricked and we are all watching Disney’s every move.

Basically, from what we know, the patent will allow for improvement on existing flying coaster technologies which will be done by adding multi-level loading bays for visitors to enter the ride from different levels. The cart will be stationed vertically making it heaps easier to position yourself ready for the ride.

“The flying roller coaster is a relatively new ride for amusement parks, and ride designers have faced several challenges including how to load and unload the vehicles and then place the passengers/riders in a prone or flying position.”

There are quite a few flying coasters around a great example being Manta at SeaWorld – guests board this coaster by sitting down in a seat, restraint harnesses come down and then the seat is pulled up resulting with it being parallel to the track.

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Some issues that have been raised in a snippet from the patent:

First, the loading and unloading positions can be quite uncomfortable as some existing designs require the passengers to lie down in the vehicle. Second, many flying roller coasters have vehicles with complex actuator assemblies that are used to position the vehicles or seats in a flying position after passenger loading is completed. This increases manufacturing and maintenance costs for these rides. Third, all of the passengers load the vehicles or cars of the coaster train from a single station (or single horizontal platform) — such an arrangement fails to provide any privacy for the vehicle passengers during loading and unloading. For example, each passenger has to share the pre-ride experience with a large number of people (i.e., the entire capacity of the train rather than just those in your family or group that may be entering a car or vehicle to experience a ride).

The patent hints at the coaster being launched vertically from the get go. Instead of having to lay down to get in position for a flying coaster ride Disney seem to be re-designing the whole experience. Riders would be required to just sit down in the seat and lean back against the (hopefully a padded) back of the seat. Sounds a lot more comfortable to me than sitting down, being flung forwards or backwards to get in position.

The patent documents also stated that

“Also, the loading can be much more private or intimate for those entering each vehicle as each vehicle is provided its own loading platform,”

There has also been lots of speculation around this new patent such as does this mean a new attraction? Are they going to incorporate it into a existing attraction? Who knows! Unfortunately we are just as much in the dark as you are until Disney officially announces anything.

Disney have not yet announced anything to support the rumours regarding this particular patent and a lot of Disney patents are never acted upon but this idea seems to good to just chuck in a pile don’t you think?

Smiles Included…

Jess

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Disney Announce Opening Dates

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Today Disney treated us to a few dates for our diaries. So lets get stuck in.

Frozen

Possibly the most exciting being confirmation that the Disney Frozen attraction at Epcot will officially open on the 21st June.

Frozen ever after, is a boat ride around Arendelle, guests will see the Summer Snow Day celebration, Troll Valley, North Mountain, Elsa’s Ice Palace and other sights.

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Soarin’

I like this one, Disney will be bringing Soarin’ back for a limited time to give it a proper send off. From May 27th until June 26th visitors at Epcot will be able to ride the original version before its updated to Soarin’ Around the World.

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Star Wars

Disney also confirmed that the new fireworks show ‘Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular’  will debut on June 17 at Hollywood Studios. This night time spectacular will be the most elaborate fireworks display in the park’s history.

Disney state that the show will combine fireworks, pyrotechnics, special effects and video projections upon various building in the park. Proposed scenes include the twin suns of Tatooine, a field of battle droids, the trench of the Death Star, Starkiller Base and other Star Wars destinations.

The show which will be put to music from the film franchise will feature a tower of fire and spotlight beams which will create the image of a lightsaber in the sky.

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Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire

Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire is a stage show at Cinderella Castle, it will debut at Magic Kingdom on June 17th!

In “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire,” Mickey and his troupe of Merry Makers have been preparing to host a joyous festival and have ventured far and wide to invite friends from other lands to join their celebration. From the Land of the Bewitching Bayous, Goofy has invited Tiana, Naveen and Louis to add a little spice of New Orleans jazz to the party. From the Land of the Enchanted Woods, Donald Duck brings some new friends he met at the Snuggly Duckling, and Daisy introduces us to her special guests, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. Finally, Mickey shares a surprise with Minnie, as he has traveled to the Land of the Mystic Mountains to invite Olaf, Anna and Elsa, who contributes a blast of her icy magic. It all culminates in a grand dance, as the Merry Makers invite all their special guests to join in the fun on this special day in Magic Kingdom Park!

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Which of these are you most excited about visiting? The Star Wars fireworks displays looks amazing, I can’t wait to see this.

You can purchase Disney Passes from Orlando Attraction Tickets from as little as £154.00 (2 Day Child ticket).

Smiles included…

Jamie

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Disney’s Epcot Expands Character Spot

Hey Thrill Seekers,

One of the cutest things we see at Disney is when kids meet their favourite characters for a cuddle and a photo. So its great to note that Epcot Character Spot, located in the heart of Future World, is being expanded to give you an opportunity to meet even more of your Disney friends.

What can you expect?

Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy are on hand in their cartoon clubhouse of the future, happy to take a break from creating their latest innovation to make new friends or welcome back old pals.

Across the way, you can also step into a makeshift robotics workshop and spend time with Baymax, everyone’s favourite personal healthcare companion from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Big Hero 6.”

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And beginning next month, Epcot Character Spot will provide direct access to Headquarters, where you can meet Joy and Sadness, two of the Emotions who help guide Riley through life in the Disney• Pixar film “Inside Out.”

On the way to Headquarters, you’ll journey through Riley’s long-term memory, catching a glimpse of her Islands of Personality before joining Joy and Sadness at the console.

Epcot Character Spot is definitely shaping up to be a prime location for creating unforgettable memories with classic Disney characters.

Smiles included…

Jamie

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