Everything posted by Cody
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Caution: The moving walkway is ending This is one of the familiar sounds' guests will hear when they finally reach a deciding point. Universal Studios Park or Universal's Adventureverse. Starting May 16th, 2025, guests will be able to visit Universal Studios Park. There will be many experiences for guests to experience, and I am excited to show you the current progress in some of the areas that will be guest accessible. Starting off with our lagoon. Currently the lagoon houses one of our show barges for Universal Studios Park. @SJR95 sent these over to the property and there are currently 4 on-site, with the one being prepped for opening ceremonies that will be open to the general public. The other 3 are in the lagoon at Universal Studios Park and will be used for nighttime shows and nightlife. Approaching the entrance to Universal Studios Park, guests are greeted by the globe and arch that has been found in most of the Universal Studios destinations around the globe. The park is very similar to Universal Studios Florida in its layout but will have a few differences when it comes to placement of attractions and experiences as some will make their way over to Universal's Adventureverse. The first stop however, besides security, will be the will-call windows. Guests can also purchase and link their tickets on the mobile app, but for certain occasions, physical ticket pickup will be required. Currently there are multi-day tickets available and annual passes will be available at a later date once both parks are operational. Again, similar to the layout in Florida, there are two vacant studio soundstages at the front of the park near Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Strong contenders for the two buildings are some shows showcasing special effects and operations to produce films. They do vary in size slightly, but are capable of having high-capacity experiences to help distribute guests. This studio building is the largest of the two at the front of the park. Another vacancy. The main star of the skyline at Universal Studios Park is Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. A close of the one in Florida, this attraction will be popular without a doubt to guests visiting Universal Studios Resort Dubai. Infront of the entrance and exit of the attraction will be a park-like area for guests who do not wish to experience this attraction to rest and watch their party rock their way through many thrilling elements. Lastly, Twister- Ride It Out will be returning to a Universal Studios theme park. This experience is the same as the one that was found in Universal Studios Florida and will continue its long legacy of flying cows and tornadic experiences. This section of the park is the most complete. Diagon Alley is in its beginning phases with its main attraction being complete, minus the necessary extended queue. Back To The Future: The Ride will be the main attraction of Expo 3000, a thrilling indoor launch coaster using a spaghetti bowl layout. Once those areas are further in development, expect another preview by us here at Universal. May 16th is a phased opening of the park, so experiences are bound to change during your visit. There are more experiences in the works and we hope you are ready to experience the movies!
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Today Kingda Ka fell to the ground at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. It was a coaster that shattered many records and lives in the theme park history books. Today's community chat discussion question is what is a coaster that you experienced that you will never forget or even what is one you would bring back? So, one I would bring back because it was unique is Dueling Dragons (Dragon Challenge) at Islands Of Adventure. I only experienced it as Dragon Challenge as I was too small during its time as Dueling Dragons. It was a unique attraction in how it was constructed and the fact that two tracks intertwined so well together is astounding. Now we have Stardust Racers at Epic Universe opening this year that I feel pays homage to Dueling Dragons in how the two tracks twist around one another. Plus, the nod to Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge in the queue for Hagrids is a nice touch (if you know you know). Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit will soon join the list of fallen coasters, and I honestly love that attraction and cannot wait to get my last rides on it in June. There are better coasters out there, but this one dominated the Universal Studios skyline and had such unique elements that you do not see too much in other coasters. I remember when it was announced and seeing it being constructed thinking it was just insane how tall and unique the layout is. Whatever replaces it will have to use a very similar footprint, I know permits have came out and have been shown to the public, but there are a lot of questions as to what the new coaster is and what is its theme. What do you all think?
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Universal Studios Park Opens Its Gates May 16thDubai, UAE – Prepare to be transported to the heart of Hollywood magic! Universal Studios Park is thrilled to announce its phased opening on May 16th, bringing unparalleled cinematic thrills to the Middle East. Immerse yourself in the wizarding world with "Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts," brave the storm in "Twister - Ride it Out," and experience the adrenaline rush of "Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit." For a dose of nostalgic speed, buckle up for the newly reimagined "Back To The Future: The Ride," now a breathtaking launched coaster. Universal Studios Resort Dubai as a whole, promises an unforgettable adventure for guests of all ages, featuring state-of-the-art attractions, immersive themed lands, and world-class entertainment. From the moment you step through our gates, you’ll be immersed in the magic of your favorite movies and television shows. Join us on May 16th as we open the doors to a world of cinematic wonder. Tickets and vacation packages are available now and follow us on ParkCrafters for exclusive updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Experience the Movies. Live It!
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"...and it all starts with a wish" Walt Disney Imagineering has been hard at work creating the new magic in this enhanced version of Disneyland Park. Cinderella Castle is getting its paintjob is very similar to that of the version found at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. This project turns 8 years old this year, starting in March of 2017 with an opening date of June 30, 2017. To better enhance this version of the project, an opening date is yet to be determined. I am very excited to share this new version of Disneyland Park and create even more magic!
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I love it! Definitely has me hyped up for what is coming soon!
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Another appreciation post for The Hollywood Tower Hotel? I think yes. Of course, have to go through the entrance gates, but who can resist the skyline at sunset? Almost like the Gringotts dragon from that project down the road but this time it is The Hollywood Tower Hotel. The Hollywood Tower Hotel was a star in its own right; a beacon for the show business elite.
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Super Bowl Sunday means one thing.......someone is going to Disney World. For Dubai, it began the land clearing phase for the Grand Avenue addition. A large plot of land between the Trolley Car Cafe and the entrance to Rock 'N Roller Coaster. With Grand Avenue, Rock 'N Roller Coaster is more than likely going to be integrated into the area. I mentioned this yesterday, but the idea makes much more sense with the land being cleared. All that occupied the cleared space was landscaping and backstage areas. With Grand Avenue there will be backstage areas, but more guest areas to help get more guests to stay in the right side of the park and experience popular attractions. Plus there will be a salute to all nations, but mostly America 😉. Big things are happening at the movies!
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Oh no, it probably came out like Spongebob dolphin noises 🤣. Thank you @JB this project is definitely a tough one, but still fun to create. The Muppets retheme of Rock 'N Roller Coaster is probably one of the most absurd rethemes in Disney's recent decisions. There have been some rethemes that have oddly worked despite criticisms, but this one confuses me from the thrill level versus wide age range. Plus, it is worrisome at what they may do in terms of physical theming and where budget cuts will be easily noticeable.
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Good morning from Disney's Hollywood Studios! Saturday mornings are meant for the movies. Disney's Hollywood Studios is experiencing heavy development in preparation for something that is to be announced soon. To accommodate more guests and experiences, the Imagineers have been hard at work redeveloping some of the guest areas. Horticulture has reworked our palm trees throughout the park. This effort started a refresh of the landscaping which will continue as the park sees more areas being redeveloped. The main entrance has been an area that has seen little work done to it, primarily fencing at the entrance gates and some surrounding areas. A topic that has been discussed is the Chinese Theater. We are wanting to bring something behind the sorcerer's hat rather than a concrete jungle or dense foliage. We already have the Carthay Circle Theater that leads into the right side of the park but looking down at the hat there is just empty space. There have been attempts at the Chinese Theater and it is a difficult structure with some of the details not yet being done in RCT3. Yes this is me ranting 🤣. Another area that is needing some love is Animation Courtyard. Imagineers have redeveloped the paths near the archway as this was intended to lead into Toy Story Land and other areas that were just concepts. Looking at the other Disney studio parks, Animation Courtyard could be a collection of popular stories. This could also integrate into a Pixar area to include some of the areas we have fallen in love with. The creator of much of the scenery in this park actually teased Monsters Inc. (also Rock 'N Roller Coaster and Chinese Theater 🤣) content which now that Florida is getting that area, would make sense and add a real fun area to create and adapt from what is coming. Yes more of me ranting, Hollywood Studios is an IP heavy park that needs love 😅. Previously this area was wide open much like the space behind the sorcerer's hat. Moby's curved walls with the archway has created a divider between the main entrance and Animation Courtyard. Something small that oddly works. This also cut off one pathway to the hat that only had a show exit connected to it. Trolley Car Cafe is still needing development, but that will be included in the phase of opening gift shops and other merchandise locations for guests. Starbucks is currently the only operating shop. Guests sure do love their custom mugs and cups. A recent change is the removal of the Carthay Circle fountain. This was in an effort to improve the future guest flow to popular attractions in the right side of the park. This is also near the Starbucks location and future Trolley Car Cafe. Here is where rumor mill begins to turn. With recent news about Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida, this brings to light the addition of a small area to a rather dead area in this park. Rock 'N Roller Coaster is still in the works for Dubai and will remain Aerosmith. To balance thrills and family however, ideas of bringing a small area to include Muppet Vision 3D are being worked up. In terms of RCT3, this will be a piece-by-piece build integrating some of the facades of Grand Avenue. Looking at the real-world facades, it will take a little bit of time, but the custom scenery that is needed we already have. Grand Avenue would also be able to incorporate Rock 'N Roller Coaster in its footprint considering the archway to that attraction's area could be seen as an entrance to a music venue that has Aerosmith as its main act. The concept is still in the works, but this would eliminate the dead space near Carthay Circle Theater and create more guest areas. And around the corner would be The Hollywood Tower Hotel. A requirement for every guest visiting Disney's Hollywood Studios 😉. It has been a long time since I have done an update on here for this project. I found workarounds to loading issues and even have the ability to swap to night mode (currently, probably not in the future). I am paying close attention to Florida's version as there is a lot that should be done to that park that are just being pushed to the side for cheap rethemes/layovers. My goal for this project (and others) is to take what has been popular and successful and integrate it with good ideas Imagineering has created. One example is how Monsters Inc. is one that has mixed reviews based on where it is going and their bandage to keep the Muppets in the park. Personally, Animation Courtyard could be so much more at that park than a reworked Little Mermaid stage show, Disney Junior, and the Star Wars Launch Bay. Sure, space is limited at that park, but it is also being wasted. Also, IPs aimed at families should be kept with attractions and experiences that allow the wide age range to enjoy it rather than putting the IP on a coaster that is too intense for some members of the family. Muppets being integrated in the Rock 'N Roller Coaster is possibly one of the most confusing rethemes Disney has announced. I am sure much of the community has the same sentiments, this is why we play these games, to get our creative ideas and opinions out there. This is a fun project and I am excited to keep developing it.
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Such realistic roads. Something that really adds to projects because you can get some neat shots of the park's skyline from the highways.
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Hey all! This discussion is based on 2025 plans and projects. What are you planning to do on ParkCrafters in 2025? This year is another year of refurbishments for me. Multiple projects that started on SGW are getting refurbished, with some being full park refurbishments. Also this year I am planning to continue Emerald Waters in Planet Coaster 2, somewhat waiting for the flume improvements first and that project will be seeing improvements. The big project for 2025 is my Universal Studios project in RCT3. This is the first time I am sharing 2 parks in one file, something I used to do all the time with Disneyland-based parks in my earlier years. Definitely an exciting year.
