Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1192

August 31, 2014

Universal Merchandise: The Film Vault in Universal Studios Florida (Kong, Ghostbusters, BTTF)

Earlier this month Universal Studios Florida opened a new store called The Film Vault which offers products featuring a wide assortment of fan favorite Universal properties including Ghostbusters, King Kong, The Godfather, Back to the Future and more. The store is located across from Transformers: The Ride 3-D and replaces the Delancey Street Preview Center, where guests were used as test audiences for upcoming television shows. The preview center has been moved closer to the front of the park near Schwab’s Pharmacy.

The Film Vault (photo by Seth Kubersky)

The Film Vault (photo by Brandon Glover)

The Film Vault does offer some generic “Universal Studios” items, but the vast majority of the products are cherry picked from other attraction gift shops or exclusive to the store.

The Film Vault (photo by Brandon Glover)

E.T. and the Speak and Spell (photo by Brandon Glover)

This King Kong plush is from the King Kong 360 attraction out in Universal Studios Hollywood.

Ol’ banana breath himself (photo by Brandon Glover)

There are a whole bunch of Back to the Future related items.

“There’s that word again. Heavy. Why are things so heavy in the future? Is there a problem with the Earth’s gravitational pull?”- Dr. Emmett Brown, Back to the Future (photo by Brandon Glover)

These retro-style BTTF action figures are incredible.

This multi-colored hat is worn by Marty McFly in Back the Future Part II.

There are a lot of vinyl dolls by Funko available throughout the store for various brands.

Marty McFly in the “Time Machine” (photo by Brandon Glover)

Guests who miss the Ghostbusters Spooktacular show at USF (we’re looking in your direction Seth Kubersky) will be very happy to see how many Ghostbuster items are available.

“Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!” – Dr. Peter Venkman, Ghostbusters (photo by Brandon Glover)

This Ecto-1A replica from Ghostbusters II is incredibly detailed ($110)

Ecto-1A (photo by Brandon Glover)

“I tried to think of the most harmless thing. Something I loved from my childhood. Something that could never ever possibly destroy us. Mr. Stay Puft!”- Ray Stantz, Ghostbusters

Items for The Big Lebowski was a nice surprise.

Jurrasic Park merchandise.

“You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could, and before you even knew what you had, you patented it, and packaged it, and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox, and now” – Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park (photo by Brandon Glover)

Jaws, Psycho, The Godfather, American Graffiti, Blues Brothers and Animal House products. Last year I wrote an article on the Top 6 Gift Shops at Universal Studios Florida and I think it’s time to revisit that list soon because between Diagon Alley‘s Borgin and Burkes and The Film Vault, there looks to be some new sheriffs in town. Filled with awesome properties like Back to the Future, Ghostbusters and the Fast & the Furious, The Film Vault is the store I have wanted to see in Universal for years and it is finally here.

“Well, this is not a boat accident! And it wasn’t any propeller; and it wasn’t any coral reef; and it wasn’t Jack the Ripper! It was a shark.” – Matt Hooper, Jaws (photo by Brandon Glover)

“It’s not like my mother is a maniac or a raving thing. She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven’t you?” – Norman Bates, Psycho (photo by Brandon Glover)

“What? Over? Did you say “over”? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!” – Bluo, Animal House (photo by Brandon Glover)

The perfect shirt to wear and glasses to drink from when you are put on double secret probation.

“It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark… and we’re wearing sunglasses.” – Elwood Blues, The Blues Brothers

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Published on August 31, 2014 08:00

The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! August 2014 Photo Report of the Disney Outlet Store

By Derek Burgan

MMM positive Have we reached the end of August already?! What a month. We saw a new hard ticket event - Villains Unleashed - have its first ever party (and possibly last ever considering all the refunds that were given out to unhappy guests). Speaking of hard ticket events, Disney announced the first ever hard ticket event during a hard ticket event with the Sinister Soiree experience during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. We said goodbye to the American Idol Experience and hello to Falcon’s Fury at Busch Gardens Tampa, which finally allowed human beings on months later than expected. The “busy” season is finally over, and with kids back in school, we Florida residents can finally enjoy the slow days at the park where Anna & Elsa only have only a two hour wait!

With that out of the way, who is ready to hit the Outlets?!

Our first find is FRONTIERLAND PLUTO. I bought one of these as I enjoyed the elaborate theming. From the ‘coon skin hat, the various supplies being carried on his back and sides, and the moccasins on the paws, this is one plush that stands out from the rest. I’m also a sucker for the big tongue sticking out in in pure puppy happiness.

This Stitch plush stands at over 2 feet tall and was originally almost $55.

Not much else new for plush outside of this one with Minnie Mouse in a tutu.

As part of the upcoming TouringPlans #Everywhere promotion I will be taking my first ever Disney Cruise in October. I have been doing a lot of research on the upcoming trip, and one of the things I’m really looking forward to experiencing is Castaway Cay, so imagine my surprise when out of nowhere a whole bunch of Castaway Cay merchandise appeared at the store. I’m pretty sure these are the first pieces of Castaway Cay merch that I’ve seen at any of the outlets since beginning my monthly photo reports over a year ago. First up is this hoodie that original retailed for $44.95. It has been reduced to $17.99.

How cold does it get on a tropical island in the Bahamas that you need a hooded sweatshirt?

This Mickey on a chaise lounge chair shirt was originally $19.95, now $7.99. If you look closely, you’ll see this is one of the very rare pieces of Disney art in which you can see Mickey Mouse’s toes. (if you click on any picture in this article it brings up the full size version)

The following shirts ranged from $7.99 to 11.99 after being discounted.

I believe this is a “sun shirt.” We didn’t have sun shirts when I was growing up. When we became as red as lobsters we were told to get out of the sun. Yes, mistakes were made.

Let’s hope Mike Love doesn’t find out about this shirt.

I love a good logo, and Castaway Cay has a great one.

Castaway Cay flip flops: Beagle Boys edition. Originally $14.95, now $3.99.

This shirt was for little kids and I’m guessing it is supposed to represent when little girls put make-up on themselves and over do it? Either that or its referencing to the brief time that Minnie Mouse spent as a Juggalo following around the Insane Clown Posse. (Originally $24.95, now $6.99)

If that’s not weird enough Minnie, get a load of this shirt. This may be both the best and worst Disney shirt I have ever seen. First look at the front and back.

The Front

The Back.

Pros: Pixar characters (The Incredibles! Wall-E!! Remy and Emile from Ratatouille!!!), Muppets, Goofy in Tower of Terror bellhop outfit, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, silhouettes of the Earful Tower and Hollywood Tower of Terror, and capped off with a frustrated Donald Duck with a “Take 5″ clap board.

Cons: The gigantic Sorcerer’s Hat on both sides. the Cars characters are completely out of scale on the front compared to everything else on the shirt, and then there is Minnie Mouse…

Whaaaat?! Even Poochie is rolling his eyes seeing this one.

Is this supposed to be Mickey Mouse with tire treads running over him? ($9.99)

I hate soccer, but I actually like this soccer themed shirt quite a bit. ($9.99)

I know tie dye is for some, but it’s not for me. Originally $27.95, now $12.99.

The only time I’ve ever liked tie dye shirts in my entire life was during a brief stint in the mid ’90s when the Dudley Boys rocked them in the original ECW.

It appears that several of the Disney resorts are getting an overhaul on their logos, including the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We’ve seen the old AKL logo shirts show up at the Outlets over the past few months, and here is another one.

With Star Wars Weekends now long gone in the rear view mirror, some generic Star Wars items that were sold in Darth’s Mall have appeared, including these Halloween outfits. Interestingly enough, all were for girls.

This Donald Duck-as-Darth Maul bathrobe had “Join the Duck Side” all over the inside of it. Originally $49.95, now $19.99. If you decide to buy one of these, you definitely need to get the Donald/Darth Maul coffee mug that has a horn on the handle.

Tag says this bathrobe is “reversible,” and I believe that is referring to the fact that the drawstring belt can also be used as a noose.

Here’s something we haven’t seen at the Oulets recently. Vinylmation Jrs. These are even smaller versions of Vinylmations and come 5 in a pack. Originally $29.95, these have been REDUCED to $14.95. Man, we live in a different world than the one I grew up in, where I had to beg, plead, or outright threaten a Code Red Public Meltdown just to get my parents to buy me a pack of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures for less than $5.

The award for Strangest Star Wars related item goes to this Minnie Mouse-as-Queen Amidala statue. Originally $95.95, this can be yours for the low, low price of just $56.99.

This box of Tim Horton’s green tea (originally $9.95, now $6.99) is pretty unremarkable, but seeing it did remind me that Burger King recently acquired Tim Hortons, and BK is now on the clock for delivering us a fast food burger sandwiched in-between two donuts. Put a kiosk in the Canadian pavilion at World Showcase selling those, and I’ll sing “O Canada” all day long.

This is an interesting one. Earlier this month I went to the World of Disney Store (you can read the report by clicking HERE) and saw this Phineas and Ferb/Jungle Cruise sign in the automotive accessories section (you can see a picture of it in the photo report). I was considering buying it then, but of all the available choices, that was the one which was sent to the Outlet stores about a week later. All the other signs similar to this were still available for full price at World of Disney. Originally $12.95, now it has been reduced to $4.99.

As far as magnets go, this one isn’t too bad.

Here’s a deal you don’t even see in the Outlets much: buy one, get one free.

For the most part the styles weren’t that bad including a stylized Jafar and “the original Angry Bird” Donald Duck.

However there was also a Turkey Leg one. I’m pretty sure the Turkey Leg has almost as many pieces of merchandise dedicated to it as anything in Disney canon outside of Mickey Mouse. WHO IS BUYING THIS STUFF?!!

Shelves of Alice in Wonderland items.

I liked the “This Way” and “That Way” cup set, except it must be decoration only as you can’t separate the cups. Originally $19.95, one of these was marked down to $13.99 and the other to $4.99, even though they were exactly the same. I was going to bring them to the counter and find out what is what, but then I realized I didn’t really care. (Wait, am I speaking out loud again?)

Queen of Harts ceramic cups. $19.95 marked down to $4.99. As a person who owns an abnormally large amount of souvenir drinking cups, I may not be right in saying this, but these cups can be referred to as “china,” right?

White Rabbit pillow.

We’ve seen the Haunted Mansion “toothpick holders” before, but this Ghost Mickey car topper was $1.99. It’s strange to see this at the Outlet just days before the Halloween parties begin at WDW.

Let’s take look at some Christmas themed items. I’m ashamed to admit this, but I debated buying this ornament set of Disney transportation vehicles for longer than I care to admit. Originally $39.95, it has been reduced to $16.99, and seeing it right now I think have talked myself into buying it if it’s still on the shelves when I go back. It has a Disney bus, a monorail, a tram car, and a Jungle Cruise boat all done as if they were in the Cars universe.

Last year in this very column we confirmed the existence of “Halloween trees” that weirdos perfectly sane people decorate, and here is a bunch of Mickey Ear ornaments to put on your Halloween or Christmas trees. Let’s start with ones themed to other holidays, including Thanksgiving, Easter, and New Year’s. (These were all $6.99 each)

Now some Halloween themed ones, including a neat “Mummy” Mickey Mouse.

These “Steampunk” ornaments were insanely detailed, and I’m sure each corresponded to a specific Disney character. Off the charts design work on this collection. Very impressive creative-wise.

Christmas shot glasses. Originally $24.95, now $9.99.

A Cars brand “Tail Light” glow necklace. Talk about next level bonkers. This is one of the items that you see for sale once it turns dusk at the parks and they bring out the carts with all those glowing items that draw kids to them like flies to a bug zapper. I can tell it’s from those type of carts because the original price is “ORANGE.” It has been marked down to $3.99.

I love seeing DVC merch, and this Saratoga Springs tote looked sharp. Originally $34.95, now $19.99

Disney Princess photo frame. Something about their faces just doesn’t look quite right. Is it just me?

These character tins were like mini lunch boxes. Tons of Disneyland boxes available but only a single Walt Disney World one.

I bought one of these cups. Thye had a lot of weight to them and seemed to be made out of ceramic with the straws made out of glass. Originally $19.95, now $9.99. Cup is about 8 inches high and holds 20 oz.

A big display of character mugs was in front of one of the entrances of the store.

Several types of coffee mugs were available for $5.99 each, including these ones themed to Jessica Rabbit and Oswald. We covered an awesome Roger Rabbit shirt in the June photo report, and I’m wondering what store is selling these Who Framed Roger Rabbit items? Wherever it is, I need to go to it.

Not much new on the Vinylmation front, but more from the Phineas and Ferb collection arrived. $3.99 each.

Here’s a quick pin round-up, including some limited edition ones from the Flower and Garden Festival.

A pin from runDisney.

Speaking of runDisney, I’d like to send a huge shout out to Babycakes NYC’s own Emily for completing the Disneyland 10K run this weekend and getting one of the coolest race medals Disney has ever given out, one themed to Stitch as a Tiki idol. For those that don’t know, BabycakesNYC was a vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free bakery that used to be located at Downtown Disney. It is now located offsite, but items are still being sold at several Disney resorts and the Animal Kingdom at the allergy kiosk. You can also call them directly at 407.938.9044 to have items (including cakes) brought directly to your on-site hotel or have them shipped nationwide. Why not follow them on Twitter (@DTDBabycakesNYC), too, so I can end this unpaid ad?

Ok, next order of business…wait a minute…. is this a Turkey Leg pin?!!

That’s it. We’re done. See you next month!

There are actually two Disney outlet stores in Orlando. Both are in Orlando Premium Outlet shopping complexes, and they are called Disney’s Character Warehouse, presumably because The Land Of Misfit Toys was already trademarked. There is one Character Warehouse located on International Drive close to Universal Studios (4951 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819), and the other is on Vineland Avenue, right across I-4 near the exits to Disney World (8200 Vineland Ave, Orlando, FL 32821). For this edition of MMM, we went to the location near Universal.

Previous editions of Magic, Memories and Merch: July 2013, August 2013, September 2013, October 2013, November 2013, December 2013, January 2014, February 2014, March 2014, April 2014, May 2014, June 2014, and July 2014.

If you liked what you read here, you may enjoy THE SATURDAY SIX articles every week on the TouringPlans.com blog, the Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast, and you can follow your humble author on Twitter (@derekbugan).

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The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! August 2014 Photo Report of the Disney Outlet Store is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

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Published on August 31, 2014 03:00

August 30, 2014

Universal Orlando Early Park Admission Changes Starting September 2 [UPDATED 8/30/14]

By Seth Kubersky

Big changes are coming in September to Universal Orlando’s Early Park Admission perk (Photo by Seth Kubersky)

As the summer season comes to a close, we’ve gotten word of some upcoming changes to Universal Orlando Early Park Admission policies that are scheduled to go into effect early next month.

While no details have been officially announced, we’ve confirmed this information with guest service leads at both parks, and we believe the following modifications will be made to Universal Orlando’s early park admission perk (otherwise known as “early entry” or “early admission”) offered to guests at the resort’s four on-site hotels.

We will be on hand to report on the new procedures, and we will update the information on our Early Park Admission page as policy changes develop.

[Note: Universal Orlando has recently confirmed an update to the off-season early entry, see below for bolded changes]

Early Park Admission General Information

Universal Orlando offers admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas at Islands of Adventure (Hogsmeade) and/or Universal Studios Florida (Diagon Alley) one hour before regular park opening. This perk is given for free to all guests staying at a Universal Resort Hotel. Guests with certain types of “vacation packages” (most commonly sold by Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations and involving both accommodations at a Universal partner hotel and theme park admission) are also allowed in early.

The turnstiles to the park(s) participating in early entry should open approximately 90 minutes before the official opening time. Both hotel and day guests will be admitted to the park, and each eligible guest will need to show his or her own room key to pass beyond the park’s entry plaza during the early admission hour. Guests not eligible for early admission will be held in an alternative area to await the official opening time.

During early park admission, all of the attractions, shops, and restaurants in the Wizarding World should be open, along with a couple of select attractions outside the Harry Potter areas. Early entry is by far the best time to ride Escape from Gringotts without waiting over an hour in the standby queue. However, if the attraction is not operational when early entry begins, skip Gringotts and try again late in the day; by the time it begins running in the morning, there will be a huge backlog of riders.

Peak Season Early Park Admission

During busier times of the year, Universal offers early park admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas at both Islands of Adventure (Hogsmeade) and Universal Studios Florida (Diagon Alley) on every morning. Universal only guarantees early admission to one park per day, but both were open daily through Summer 2014.

The following attractions should be available when both parks are open for early entry:

Universal Studios Florida

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Ollivanders Wand Shop (Diagon Alley)
Hogwarts Express (King’s Cross Station)
Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem

Islands of Adventure

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Flight of the Hippogriff
Dragon Challenge
Ollivanders Wand Shop (Hogsmeade)
Hogwarts Express (Hogsmeade Station)
The Cat in the Hat

The Hogwarts Express is available during early entry for transport between the parks, and it requires a park-to-park ticket. When both parks open at the same time, the Hogwarts Express will begin running when early entry starts. When one park opens later than the other, the train will not begin operating until the front gate of the second park has opened, approximately 30 minutes before its early entry hour begins. Therefore, if USF opens second, the first wave of guests entering that park from the front gate will always arrive at Diagon Alley and Gringotts ahead of those traveling from IoA on the first train.

Off-Peak Early Park Admission

Effective Tuesday, September 2, 2014, only Universal Studios Florida (and not Islands of Adventure) will admit eligible guests for early park admission during the off season. Despicable Me and the Diagon Alley attractions will be open at USF during early entry.

The Hogwarts Express train from King’s Cross Station will not begin running to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure until both parks have officially opened for the day.

There is no announced date as to when the “off season” for early park admission will end, but it seems safe to assume that two-park early entry may return for the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.

Annual Passholders

During certain times of year, Universal Orlando has historically allowed its Annual Passholders to enjoy some form of Early Park Admission. In September of 2014, Annual Passholders can enter Universal Studios Florida early on weekdays only. Check Universal’s Annual Passholder website for current promotions.

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Universal Orlando Early Park Admission Changes Starting September 2 [UPDATED 8/30/14] is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

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Published on August 30, 2014 07:20

SATURDAY SIX: Six Takeaways from Disney’s Villains Unleashed

By Derek Burgan

This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Six Takeaways from Disney’s Villains Unleashed. Last weekend the first hard ticket event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios since 2009 took place celebrating everybody’s favorite bad guys. It was created out of the Unleash the Villains event which took place at DHS on Friday the 13th in September of last year as part of Limited Time Magic. If anything, Unleash the Villains in 2013 may have been too popular as what many people remember from that fateful night is the gridlock of vehicles outside DHS trying to get in, unorganized queues to meet the villains inside the park, and nowhere near enough staff to handle the throngs of guests who descended upon the night’s events. What was popular? The Villainy in the Sky fireworks show, which almost all who have seen it agree it was among the best nighttime spectaculars Disney has ever produced. The good news is that Disney brought Villainy in the Sky back, but did they fix the other problems? We’ll examine that and other issues as we look at Six Takeaways from Villains Unleashed starting with…

# 6 – The biggest villains of the night may have been the eBay pirates

Villains Unleashed shirt (photo by Scott Wurzel)

Most of us theme park fans love our merchandise and nothing is more frustrating than to find out that limited edition merchandise is completely sold out half way during an event, only to see the very same items up for sale on eBay with ridiculous prices. It happens all the time, so we shouldn’t be surprised, but it happened in spectacular fashion at Villains Unleashed. There were only a couple pieces of event specific merchandise (including a shirt, a water bottle, and a pin) and much of it flew off the shelves before the majority of party goers even had a chance to see it. Lo and behold, all the items began immediately appearing for sale online.

eBay items put up during the Villains Unleashed event

Villians Unleashed pin put up on eBay while the event was taking place

Another problem was that all the merchandise was at one location in the park. This caused long lines and forced party goers to make a choice, spend two hours waiting for merchandise or use that valuable party time elsewhere. On top of all that, Villains Unleashed park maps were completely out before the actual start of the party at 8PM. Surprise, surprise, these park maps were also available on eBay, being sold for prices up to $20 each while many of the actual partygoers who had paid $67 a ticket to get in were informed there were none available. To quote Nelson from The Simpsons, “Ha ha!”

Villains Unleashed park map up on eBay as guests at party being told they were unavailable

Note “10+” available. Almost all park map sellers on eBay had 10 or more copies for sale.

This seems like the easiest fix of all. JUST PRINT MORE. Its understandable that even your average guest will want more than one park map because the one you use to actually navigate the park invariably gets lost or destroyed. They also make great souvenirs. Disney knows how many tickets were sold, just massively over print park maps and also give one to every single person “checking in” to the event. I’ve also been to many places where they have used everything from park maps to candy wrappers to make recycled jewelry or even wallets. in fact, the African Outpost in Epcot’s World Showcase offers these recycled items.

The merchandise problem is harder to get a hold of because when Disney does make a lot of event specific merchandise, a ton of it ends up going to the Outlet Stores. But they definitely can spread the merchandise out in the park, reducing the potential wait for guests and that has the added benefit of making things just a little bit harder for the eBay pirates to scoop everything up immediately.

# 5 – The PhotoPass lanyard replaced traditional wristband ticket media

Villains Unleashed lanyard (photo by Jonathen Hopkins)

One of the surprises of Villains Unleashed came immediately as guests checked in. Instead of the paper wristbands which hard ticket events at Disney have traditionally used for credentials, partygoers were given Disney PhotoPass lanyards. Like the park maps mentioned above, these lanyards become instant souvenirs for every guest. Lanyards are used by most organizations (sporting events, concerts, comic conventions, etc) and it makes a lot of sense to use them in the theme park environment. Universal is a huge proponent of guests using lanyards for their ticket media, Express passes, and PhotoConnect cards as it makes touring the UOR parks much easier. Here’s hoping lanyards become standard for Disney parties.

# 4 – The exclusive food and drink were a big step up, but…..

Maleficent cupcake at Villains Unleashed (photo by Scott Wurzel)

The Queen’s Demise specialty drink at Villains Unleashed (photo by Scott Wurzel)

Dining options and specialty drinks were a mixed bag during the event. On one hand, Disney offered much more than the usual limited offerings at a hard ticket event including a special Malificent cupcake, the infamous hot dog buns, specialty cocktails, and they even converted the Brown Derby into Club Evil, complete with a villain themed menu. Unfortunately, just like the merchandise situation, there were very few places throughout the park offering these items, which in turn caused long lines. Similar lengthy waits were seen at Club Evil given its limited capacity. It’s one thing to have long lines for shows and attractions, but you want to keep lines moving fast when people are trying to buy food or merchandise. Inexplicably, the goofy hot dog buns also sold out early. To steal a line from a Princess Bride villain, “Inconceivable!” I’m grading this B+/A- for concepts, C-/D+ for execution.

# 3 - Ooogie Boogie’s Freaky Funhouse Show was the one thing that almost every guest could see (although many wish they hadn’t)

VillainsUnleashed_OogieBoogie_Roth_themeparkreview

Ooogie Boogie (photo by Adam Roth of Theme Park Review)

We’ve established that the one thing all guests saw more than anything else during Villains Unleashed were LINES. Lines for merchandise. Lines for Club Evil. Lines for character meet ‘n greets. Many guests went immediately into lines as soon as they entered the party, meaning very few actually saw the the opening show hosted by Hades and Megara, a show which almost all who saw it say it was among the highlights of the entire event. However, one aspect of the event which almost everyone had a good chance of seeing was Ooogie Boogie’s Freaky Funhouse Show, which took place at the Theater of the Stars. The venue holds a lot of people and there were several shows throughout the course of the evening.

VillainsUnleashed_OogieBoogieShow_Roth_themeparkreivew

A fire dancer at Ooogie Boogie’s Freaky Funhouse Show (photo by Adam Roth of Theme Park Review)

There were a small percentage of fans who felt that the Oogie Boogie show was a bit over the line for Disney, but most agree that it was definitely a show we’d all be more comfortable seeing at a park like Universal Studios Florida. That’s not a knock on the show, just that it takes a lot of work to get people used to something completely different than what they are used to. Disney has firmly established they are the family friendly brand in theme parks, and no matter how many warnings they give ahead of time, many guests will not be prepared for acts that could be considered edgy and even risqué. It certainly didn’t help that many guests went into the show with a sour feeling ahead of time thanks to being disappointed in other aspects of the event.

# 2 – No one does fireworks better than Disney (but maybe they shouldn’t be doing them at 1:00AM)

Villainy in the Sky (photo by Scott Wurzel)

Villainy in the Sky (photo by Jonathen Hopkins)

Villainy in the Sky did not disappoint. like HalloWishes, seeing the amazing fireworks display with villains music playing in the background makes for an incredible experience. It combines two of Disney’s biggest strengths (firework displays and signature music) into something which no other theme park can compete with. For Villains Unleashed, the problem is that Villainy in the Sky didn’t start until 12:45a.m., after throngs of angry guests had already gone to Guest Relations to get a refund. I’m not sure if it’s even possible to do an earlier showing given the logistics of DHS, but if Villainy in the Sky could have had a 9:30PM showing like HalloWishes has at the Magic Kingdom, I think a good percentage of guests would have felt better about the value they got for their money. Villainy in the Sky is that good.

# 1 – The very first appearances of Marvel characters inside a Walt Disney World park

Starlord (photo by Scott Wurzel)

Even seeing it with my own eyes is hard to believe. Star Lord and Gamora from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (which just this weekend became the biggest grossing summer movie in America, again, “Inconcievable!“) were at the GotG Awesome Mix Tape vol 1 dance party. While it was hard to get close enough to take pictures with the two as they were roped off from guests and many people were there to see them, this wasn’t a blink and you’ll miss it situation, they were out in full display for everyone to enjoy. These two were rock stars and the crowd loved seeing them. Is Disney pushing the limits of the contract Marvel has with Universal for theme park usage of its characters? Is this just the beginning of Disney figuring out a way to have a larger Marvel presence inside its parks (who can forget the Avengers-wrapped monorail not being allow to briefly travel through Epcot because of the Universal deal)? I’m not sure of the answers but it is a very exciting time to be a theme park fan.

Honorable Mention: Disney fans love their villains!

VillainsUnleashed_newcharacters_Roth_themeparkreview

Dr. Hamsterviel and Gantu making their debut at Walt Disney World (photo by Adam Roth of Theme Park Review

A lot of guests left unhappy at the end of Villains Unleashed, but not because of what was actually at the party. The opening show with Hades and all of the villains was fantastic. The food and drink options were good. The amount of rare characters walking around or available for meet ‘n greets was staggering. The Villainy in the Sky show to cap the evening was majestic. However, the way in which the event was handled cancelled out almost all of that. No park maps when the event started. Long lines for merchandise, food and drink, much of it selling out halfway through the evening. Several of the popular meet ‘n greet lines were capped before 9PM, meaning if you didn’t get in line immediately after the party started, you didn’t get an opportunity to see those characters. While Disney hasn’t released any numbers, most feel Villains Unleashed was horrendously oversold. Part of the allure of a hard ticket event is guests are paying handsomely to experience lesser crowds. It’s one thing for a free Limited Time Magic event like Unleash the Villains to have two to three hour waits for all its characters, but when you start paying $70 a head, you expect more. Could FastPass+ have been used to help alleviate the queues, allowing people to come back and only wait 30 minutes?

I hope we have not seen the last of Villains Unleashed. The public backlash and Disney refunding so many tickets make me wonder if they are going to write this idea off, but if anything I think it proves many theme park guests want more Villains Unleashed. Instead of limiting it to one day, make it an event along the lines of MNSSHP and MVMCP. You could turn the Villains in Vogue store into Disney World’s version of Diagon Alley’s Borgin and Burkes with some interesting villain themed merchandise. There is so much opportunity to make this party into one of the signature events on the Disney calendar. Here’s hoping…

Villains in Vogue at DHS (photo by Brandon Glover)

So there you have it: the Top Six Takeaway from Disney’s Villains Unleashed. See you next weekend for the latest edition of the SATURDAY SIX, where we are going to take a peek at what else is out there in the theme park corridor outside of Universal and Disney. If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles, or, for your listening pleasure, check out Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast.

Special thanks to Scott Wurzel, Adam Roth, Jonathen Hopkins and crack staff photographer Brandon Glover for their invaluable assistance in this article. I would also encourage all coaster fans to immediately check out Theme Park Review for their fantastic coverage of theme parks, amusement parks, and roller coasters worldwide. They even offer many tours at parks throughout this country offering some incredibly unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

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Published on August 30, 2014 03:00

August 29, 2014

Pineapple Lanai Opens at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

By Rikki Niblett

©Disney

Do you miss getting Dole Whips at Disney’s Polynesian? Well I bring good news, as the sweet/tart pineapple treat is now back! Guests looking to purchase a Dole Whip must now head to the all new Pineapple Lanai kiosk window, which can be found near the pool area, taking up part of the space occupied by the former Wyland Gallery. This new addition is all part of the current renovation project taking place at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

The Pineapple Lanai menu features only Dole Whips:

Dole Whip Soft Serve: vanilla or pineapple – $3.99
Dole Whip Soft Serve Swirl: pineapple swirled with vanilla – $3.99
Pineapple Float: vanilla or pineapple soft serve in pineapple juice – $4.99

Guests can also choose to purchase these items in fun tiki-themed souvenir containers. The two Soft Serve options can be served in a Tiki Bowl for $8.79. The Pineapple Float can be served in a Tiki Sipper, which can be purchased for $9.99.

One other change: the Lanai is not a self-serve location, so for those of you who liked to see how high you could fill a cup with the treat over at Captain Cook’s, I’m sorry to say that option has gone the way of the dodo.

Who else is excited that Dole Whips are back at The Poly?

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Published on August 29, 2014 16:02

Observations from Magic Kingdom: Frozen Meet & Greet and Be Our Guest Lunch Queue Updates

By Seth Kubersky

Guests line up for busses to the Magic Kingdom due to morning monorail maintenance (photos by Seth Kubersky)

In the final weeks of the 2014 summer season, Walt Disney World experimented with some new queuing procedures at popular attractions and eateries, with somewhat controversial results. As the peak crowds have departed, so have most of those tests, so I recently headed into the Magic Kingdom for an early morning queue update on operations at Princess Fairytale Hall’s Frozen Meet & Greet and Be Our Guest restaurant.

My first goal was to arrive well before rope drop, in order to see how swiftly the infamously long line to meet Anna and Elsa was moving first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, I forgot that the monorail is currently opening late due to maintenance upgrades, which made the trip from the TTC to the park a bit more cumbersome than usual.

I opted for the bus transportation option over the overburdened ferry, which turned out to not be a bad choice. The busses loaded about as quickly as could be expected, with a continuous line of vehicles pulling up to service the sizable crowd, and before too long we had arrived at the recently expanded Magic Kingdom bus loop.

Even with a sizable crowd at the park’s front gates, I still made inside and up Main Street before the park’s official opening time, and found Fantasyland already filling up with guests, many of who were staking out Peter Pan’s Flight because Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was experiencing technical difficulties.

Princess Fairytale Hall Frozen Meet & Greet Queue Update

In order to approach Princess Fairytale Hall, I had to travel clockwise around the carousel, as cast members were blocking the more direct route.

When I joined the queue to meet Anna and Elsa, it was still a few minutes before park opening, and the posted wait was already 90 minutes.

The queue moved more quickly than I expected, and before long I was inside the ornate lobby.

Incidentally, during my wait I never saw a single person get in the other line to meet non-Frozen princesses. Since Frozen is still so hot, perhaps Disney should hire another pair of ice sisters and install them in the other meeting room.

Upon entering the greeting area, I noted that Anna and Elsa are now posing on opposite sides of the room, instead of as a pair. On my previous visit, shortly after Anna and Elsa arrived at the Magic Kingdom, they were positioned together, with a third princess on the other side of the room. The new setup seemed to move the line a bit more smoothly, but denies guests to the change to get both girls in the same shot.

In order not to hold up the guests behind me, I declined the PhotoPass posing and just snapped some quick selfies before scooting out the door. Both of the sisters seemed quite intrigued by my Abominable Snowman t-shirt, which they suspected was a relative of Marshmallow.

In the end, my total wait time for the Frozen Meet & greet was only 45 minutes, about half of what was posted when I arrived.

By the time I exited the hall, the post wait time had climbed to 120 minutes. In previous weeks, cast members were cutting off the the standby queue shortly after opening, and handing out paper return time tickets much like the old FastPasses. That experiment has apparently ended, as there were no restrictions on new guests joining the standby line.

Be Our Guest Lunch Queue Update

It wasn’t even 10 a.m. as I left the Frozen meet & greet, but there was already a substantial line of guests on the bridge to Beast’s castle waiting to eat lunch inside Be Our Guest restaurant. I was in the mood for a croque monsieur, but not yet hungry, so I decided to check back in a couple hours.

By the time I returned, I was surprised to not see the usual queue stretching down the street towards Gaston’s Tavern. Then I noticed this sign, declaring that the restaurant had “reached capacity” for the day’s entire lunch service.

There was no option to wait in line, nor to receive a paper return time ticket, as had been distributed earlier in the summer. I was advised by a cast member that I could have made a FastPass+ reservation for lunch, but that is only available to on-site hotel guests, not local annual passholders like myself.

I also noticed a cast member with a clipboard outside the restaurant taking same-day reservations for dinner. Be Our Guest is one of the most difficult restaurants at WDW to get dinner reservations for, but a number of cancellations may be available on any given day, and may be filled in person during the morning and afternoon on a first-come/first-served basis.

Unfortunately, the only tables available (at least on the day I visited) were four-tops, and the cast member would only accept a reservation if you said there were that many people in your party. I don’t know what would have happened if I had lied and showed up later alone. It understandable that Disney wants to maximize revenue, but as a single visitor I felt somewhat shut out.

What do you think of the current queue conditions for the Frozen Meet & Greet and Be Our Guest Lunch? Leave your recent experiences in the comments below!

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Published on August 29, 2014 13:15

In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of August 29, 2014

By Rikki Niblett

Walt Disney World Monorail Schedule Changing September 1

By Rikki Niblett

Earlier this summer, the Walt Disney World Resort changed the monorail operating hours. Well, with Labor Day Weekend upon us and summer quickly fading away into fall at WDW, it appears that the monorail will be running different hours again. Beginning on September 1 and lasting (right now) until September 26, the Walt Disney World Resort monorail service will be seeing another set of updated hours, which are:

Magic Kingdom Resort Beam: 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. (12:00 midnight on hard ticket event evenings)
Magic Kingdom Express Beam: 9:30 a.m. through 1 hour after the Magic Kingdom fireworks
Epcot Beam: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

During times when the monorail will not be running, additional watercraft and buses will be available to transport guests.

There is no word yet regarding whether after September 26 monorail hours will still be reduced or if they will return to their standard schedule. As a reminder, the Walt Disney World Resort monorails are currently undergoing an update where they are adding an automated operating system.

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Published on August 29, 2014 10:09

Starbucks Opening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Early 2015

By Rikki Niblett

If you’ve been waiting for the official announcement of Starbucks coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this is it.

A new Starbucks location is currently being built on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard. (It was where you previously could find the L.A. Prop Cinema Storage Shop). The new coffee house, which will be called The Trolley Car Cafe, will be themed after a classic trolley car station, which fits in perfectly with the theming of that section of Hollywood Studios.

This is the third location to be built in the Florida parks. The fourth location, which will be found at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, is expected to begin construction sometime next year. The Disney’s Hollywood Studios store will be similar to the other two Starbucks locations, The Main Street Bakery in Magic Kingdom and The Fountain View at Epcot. There are two additional Starbucks locations at Downtown Disney.

This new Starbucks is expected to open in February 2015.

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Published on August 29, 2014 07:17

Halloween Horror Nights and Howl-O-Scream: A Primer

By Dora

Ed. – if it’s August, it must be Halloween in Central Florida. Today we’re running articles on Walt Disney World’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, along with this one on Universal Orlando Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights and Busch Gardens Tampa’s Howl-O-Scream.

Hello, tender lumplings everywhere! If you believe that life’s no fun without a good scare, chances are you’re a big fan of Halloween. Luckily for you, Florida is one of the best places to enjoy the Halloween season, and I’m not just saying that because literally anything is better than back home in Canada, where all the kids have to wear parkas over their costumes. (If you look at my childhood photo album, you might assume every year I was a skier. I was a fairy princess, curse you!) In fact, two of the biggest Halloween events happen less than an hour away from each other… Busch Gardens Tampa’s Howl-o-Scream, and Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights

As such, I thought it was time we sat down around the campfire, you and I, turned flashlights on under our chins, and had a talk about the pros and cons of each event. For the last seven years for our anniversary, my husband and I have gone to Howl-O-Scream every Friday night, and Halloween Horror Nights every Sunday night, and over the years we’ve learned a lot through trial and error that I thought I could share to help make your visit to either park as smooth as possible. Don’t think of this as “Halloween Horror Nights vs Howl-O-Scream TWO PARKS ENTER ONE PARK… wait, how would that even work… ?” but more of a general guide to the pros and cons of each event from someone who has experienced most of them and lived to tell the tale.

… or did I?! “There was a Dora writin’ articles ’round these parts, but… she’s been dead for nigh-on 40 years.” WooooOOoOOoo!

Ticket Options

Both Halloween Horror Nights and Howl-O-Scream are seperately ticketed events, which means that even if you have a ticket for Busch Gardens or Universal Orlando, you cannot stay for the event unless you purchase a ticket for it. On its own, Halloween Horror Nights is definitely the more expensive event. General admission is a whopping $95.99, though you can add the event on to a Universal Orlando ticket for anywhere from $41.99 to $72.99, depending on the day of the week. The caveat for this, of course, is that there are discounts available everywhere, from promotions with Coca-Cola and fast food, to hotel stay discounts, so doing a little digging online means you should never be paying full price. If you plan on going more than once, the Rush of Fear and Frequent Fear tickets, which are valid for multiple nights and come with Express for an additional fee, are easily the way to go. We purchase Frequent Fear with Express every year and can attest that it’s a great value. Universal warns that these options can actually sell out, so don’t dither around too much before making up your mind.

One potentially useful bit of information you might find is to keep any e-mailed confirmation receipts if you order your tickets online. Even if you lose your event ticket, as long as you have the original e-mail with order information and the credit card used to purchase it, Universal Studios should be able to reissue you a new one. (Yes, I’m speaking from experience here.) This is not, however, guaranteed, so make sure you call in advance if you have a problem.

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If you plan on visiting a lot, however, then Busch Gardens’ secret ticket option might be for you (no fedora or complicated handshake required, though strongly encouraged). Howl-O-Scream offers an unadvertised pass option only available if you ask for it at the ticket windows at the park on the day of the event itself called Recurring Nightmare. Typically priced at $89.00 plus tax per person, this allows unlimited visits during every Thursday and Friday night of the event, making it a fantastic value if you want to go multiple times throughout the month.

Wait Times

While this will vary from year to year at Halloween Horror Nights depending on the popularity of any properties Universal might be lauding, the lines for most of the houses can and most likely will run anywhere from 45 minutes to hours. Despite what it may look like, many houses are set farther back from the main park areas, and it isn’t uncommon for lines to double back multiple times before you finally get your chance to be threatened by zombies. Even if you don’t mind not having access to a bathroom for a long time or being on your feet for that long, the problem is that when the wait times are high, you run the risk of simply not being able to make it through every house before the evening is up. This can be mitigated somewhat by having a plan of attack, such as knowing where all the house exits will let you out, but it still means that if you only have one night at the event, you should seriously consider picking up an Express Pass. While Express lines can still be a good half hour long or more, this can be the only way you see everything Halloween Horror Nights has to offer. Make sure you check out the wait times first… you don’t want to use your Express unless you have to for a particular house, potentially allowing you to go through it twice if you go through immediately when a house opens and save your Express for later in the evening!

At Howl-O-Scream in Busch Gardens, however, it’s a different story… somewhat. They can be remarkably better at crowd control when it comes to their lines. Lines tend to move quickly, which means wait times for the houses are never particularly egregious, especially once they’ve all opened up and people are moving through past the initial opening glut of people waiting. Howl-O-Scream’s actual crowd level can be difficult to predict, though in general the nights that offer discounts, such as the Freaky Preview on September 26 and 27, and the low “bring a friend” price on October 2, 3, and 4 are likely to be jammed. A general rule of thumb is that if Howl-O-Scream starts the night busy, it’s only going to get busier as the night goes on, so scope the crowds early and judge whether you need a Front Line Fear pass, which grants you front-of-the-line access to six of the houses of your choosing. Though if you don’t mind showing up earlier, I have an even better option for you…

Add-Ons

I’ve already mentioned how important an Express Pass could be to your Halloween Horror Nights experience, but just in case, I’ll say it again. An Express Pass could be very important to your Halloween Horror Nights experience. Underline that, print it out, tape it to the face of a loved one. Alternately, if you’re in a group of close to ten people, the RIP Tour might be a good choice… although it starts at $1299.00 (no, not a typo) for a private group. This not only guarantees you’ll get through all the houses, but it grants front-of-the-line access to two attractions of your choice. Want to see how Halloween Horror Nights is pulled off? Consider a Behind the Screams Tour, which offers a lights-on walkthrough with photos permitted for three houses, plus an informational walking tour of the event.

As for Howl-O-Scream? Well… here’s a secret for you. While they offer touring packages, which can be useful for large groups, by far the best value is the Fright Feast, which gets you a buffet dinner (tacos, pasta, salad, fish, desserts, etc) and an early showing of one of the event’s performances of FIENDS. Now, I hear you. “But Dora,” you opine, “I don’t really need a buffet, and I hate entertainment!” Shhh, baby, shhh. Dora tell. See, the important part of the Fright Feast is the little wristband you’re going to get. Not only will you get let out into the park a half hour before the general public, that wrist-band also grants you front-of-the-line access and unlimited express to all houses until 8:30 PM. That’s more than enough time to get through every single house, freeing up the rest of the evening to do whatever you want. As an added bonus, Fright Feast is just $26.00 per person, while a Front Line Fear pass is $45.00, so, boom! Just saved you $20.00, Boo. Just be warned… while you can still buy Fright Feast tickets at the door before the event begins, they can sell out in advance, so if you plan on making this part of your evening, you’ll want to buy your tickets online for the date you’ll be attending to guarantee seating.

Howl-o-Scream also offers an additional, very special House called The Experiment, which operates under a seperate fee of $50.00 for the first person, and an additional $10.00 for each other guest. While actors guide you through, you’ll be faced with everything from roaches to snakes, needles to the simple fear of the dark, and if at any point you refuse to participate, the experience stops, and you must leave the House. Just be aware that The Experiment is by appointment only, and can often fill up quickly, so book online in advance if you have your heart set on being forced to touch bugs while strangers laugh at your blubbering.

Additional Attractions

After you’ve spent a few hours getting chased around by people with chainsaws, few things are as relaxing as a roller-coaster or three. Both Halloween Horror Nights and Howl-O-Scream keep several of their respective theme park’s rides running during the event, so if you’re using it as an excuse to visit the parks when you otherwise wouldn’t, you’ll have the opportunity to experience some year-round attractions too. Halloween Horror Nights might offer the biggest variety, with attractions like Despicable Me and Transformers: The Ride – 3D running in addition to thrill rides like The Mummy and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (you know about the secret song list, right?), though on-site hotel guests should be warned that their free express will not be accepted during the Halloween Horror Nights event. Sorry. Likewise, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley is closed at night for the event, but most of the clubs at CityWalk host their own parties after, so who needs Dementors anyway? (Much like Apu and the Kwik-E-Mart, I doooooo.)

Conversely, the available attractions at Busch Gardens during Howl-O-Scream are essentially all thrill rides, including triple-launch coaster Cheetah Hunt, you-couldn’t-get-me-on-that-with-a-crowbar Sheikra and its 200 foot 90 degree drop, and, allegedly, hopefully, the currently-in-soft-opening Falcon’s Fury. If you want to bracket your pants-wetting monster terror with some pants-wetting coaster terror, Howl-O-Scream clearly has you covered on both counts. Besides, roller-coasters after dark? Totally boss. During the event, the Marrakesh Theater is also transformed into a club with a DJ and a full liquor bar, making it the perfect place to hang out and relax… especially if you want to catch a special performance of the Sliderz, Howl-O-Scream’s rowdiest and most recogniseable crew.

Both parks tend to have their own stage shows, as well. Halloween Horror Nights’ most well known is Bill and Ted’s Halloween Adventure, which is an often raunchy, satirical show featuring dance numbers, jokes, and more covering the last year’s events in pop (and political) culture. Howl-O-Scream’s headliner is FIENDS, a similar song-and-dance type show centering around Doctor Freakenstein and his assistant Igor (as well as a bevy of good looking nurses of both genders) and a few monstrous guests. Each show is included with your ticket and runs throughout the night.

Themes

Do you know what Universal Studios has a lot of? Money. Like, a lot of it. This means that in addition to the secret money bin they like to swim around in that they think I don’t know about, they’re able to purchase license agreements to build their houses based on popular media. This means that each year they draw huge crowds who flock to see some of their favourite films, games, and TV shows brought to life, and let me tell you something, the year they decide to make something based on The Grudge or The Ring is the year I likely have to be drug into the park kicking and screaming, and I ain’t even kidding. Additionally, while any special effects artist will tell you that you can do amazing things with a little latex and some corn syrup, there’s no denying that a lot of money can buy you some seriously amazing props, costumes, and set pieces, and as a result, Halloween Horror Nights is nearly always a stunner. For this, the 24th year of the event, you can expect to see The Walking Dead, Alien vs Predator, From Dusk Til Dawn, and more, in addition to several original houses.

While Busch Gardens doesn’t purchase the name-branded properties, however, that doesn’t mean it’s any slouch when it comes to design and passion. Quite the opposite, actually, since not working within the boundaries of a preexisting concept allows desginers to get extremely creative. In the past, we’ve had a deranged sorority house, a 3D circus, a vampire casino, a ‘Nawlins style bayou complete with fog and moving trees, and tripping and dropping your eight dollar drink two steps after buying it… although I may be confusing that one with real life. For 2014, the theme is “Cursed,” which apparently means Slender Man’s cousins begin crawling out of the walls after you. You can expect this visual theme to be carried throughout the park in decoration and certain areas, but the Houses are typically all centered around their own themes. This year, Howl-O-Scream is also debuting Zombie Containment Unit, which claims to be an “interactive zombie experience”, so all of you who have those “Official Zombie Task Force” stickers I keep seeing on your cars should be right at home.

Crowd Atmosphere

If you’re like me, you only have a certain amount of tolerance for being surrounded by a heaving throng of excitable partiers, and in which case, Halloween Horror Nights is most likely going to cause you to start doing your best Tina Belcher impression. Because of its location in Orlando, which itself is sort of party central, Halloween Horror Nights tends to attract big crowds nightly… and the sort of people who attend are usually there to party hard. Alcohol is readily available virtually everywhere, and with most visitors being in their late teens or older, it means Halloween Horror Nights can get pretty rowdy and pretty loud, which might be a concern if you’re bringing young kids. There is rarely a night when the park isn’t busy, and more importantly, there is literally a time of the month during October the locals call “Hell Week“, which is when the local schools give the kids Friday off, and wait times can double to hours or more for everything. Though it’s typically during the middle or second-to-last week of the event, check the off times for local school districts to be sure. Grab your loved ones tight, take them by the hand so you don’t lose them, and use those suckers as human meat shields to push your way through the throng.

Conversely, while Busch Gardens is located in a city, its location is near a lot of residential areas rather than being off by itself, making it extremely easy to get to for locals. As a result, nearly everyone who lives nearby (such as yours truly) has a pass, and so does everyone in their family, which means that Busch Gardens winds up as the place all the local kids go to hang out. During Howl-O-Scream, you’ll see a lot more kids, and while alcohol is still available throughout the park, it’s nowhere near as prevalent as at Halloween Horror Nights, especially with the places where you can purchase liquor and spirits being limited to a few locations. Bad news for snobs like me who turn their noses up at anything other than a good rum and Coke, perhaps, but great news for families who want their whole group to feel safe and enjoy themselves regardless of age.

Boundaries, Good Manners, And Final Advice

One of the important things to remember at both events is that none of the actors are actually allowed to touch you at all. They can get in your face to the point where it looks like an Eskimo kiss is imminent, but they will never lay hands on you. Of course, this means that agreement also goes both ways. You are never permitted to lay hands on an actor, and it’s grounds for immediate expulsion from the park. No sort of mask or costume is allowed at either event. Flash photography and video recording inside the Houses are also off limits at both parks unless you have specific permission. Taking a selfie with Puke Bot, my beloved vomiting robotic friend usually found somewhere in one of the Howl-O-Scream Houses (love you, Pukey!) is not worth the repercussions. If you need a breather, at Halloween Horror Nights the sidewalks typically offer respite since most actors keep to the streets, and most shops and restaurants will be likewise “safe” from any bugaboos. You don’t have to worry about being followed into the bathrooms either, though those lines are probably scary enough on their own! Ladies, can we all agree to pee just a little more expediently this year?

If you already have a ticket for Universal Studios, as opposed to a ticket for just the event itself, you can wait inside the park after it closes for the event to begin. While almost everyone does this, so there are still going to be a lot of people, this allows you to bypass the big line that’ll be forming outside the park, and you can head straight for the first houses that open up as soon as the event begins. (Howl-O-Scream will also allow you to wait in a special area inside the park if you already have a ticket to that night’s event and a ticket to Busch Gardens itself.) There are a few specific areas you’re allowed to wait in, and easily one of the most popular is the area in and around Finnegan’s Bar and Grill. While this is a great option if you want to grab some noms and some drank before things kick off, it gets insanely busy, so if you don’t have a reservation and don’t want to wait a long time for a table, you probably won’t actually be able to get inside the restaurant itself. Me? I’ve had my reservations booked on Open Table for this year’s event since June. Just look for the girl starting arguments with bewildered strangers over who the best pony is if you want to say hello.

All of this might seem like a lot of information, and a lot of it is even common sense, but sometimes the scariest things about these events can simply be being unprepared. Wherever you go, whatever you do, and whoever you meet… be excellent to one another.