In the Loop: Will Disney add a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ overlay to Tower of Terror?

Welcome to another edition of In the Loop, the Los Angeles Times’ theme park newsletter. I’m Funland theme park blogger Brady MacDonald, and this week, we ponder changes to Disney’s Tower of Terror, virtually visit Shanghai Disneyland, take the “walk of shame” with big and tall riders, cash in our Disney Dollars and look back at the history of Universal Studios Hollywood.

Tower of Terror

Screamscape reports that the “Guardians of the Galaxy” transformation long speculated for the Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror drop tower at Disney California Adventure is “100% locked in now and happening” in time for the 2017 season.

The Orange County Register explains how the Guardians could also show up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.

Big riders

How big is too big? Some theme park riders fear small seats and the “walk of shame.”

Candlesticks float and hover above the riders aboard Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood.

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times )

Shanghai Disneyland

Take a virtual tour via online video of the “soft opening” of Shanghai Disneyland before the new Chinese park officially opens on June 16.

Disney parks

Disney parks have discontinued the sale of Disney Dollars, which have served double duty as a collector’s item and a form of in-house currency since 1987.

Disney’s parks and resorts group posted a 10% increase in operating income from a year earlier and a 4% rise in revenue, reflecting an increase in spending at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Universal Studios

USA Today traces the 51-year history of Universal Studios Hollywood from the studio backlot “Glamour Trams” to the recent $1.6-billion overhaul of the theme park.

Still need more theme park news? Check out the Los Angeles Times Funland theme park blog on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Instagram. Also feel free to email me with any feedback on the newsletter.

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