Newsletter: In the Loop: Jimmy Fallon ride coming to Universal Orlando in 2017
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 look at Epcot’s declining popularity, take a journey on the “Frozen” water ride and jump aboard the new Jimmy Fallon attraction.
Jimmy Fallon
Universal Orlando announces plans to replace the Twister attraction with the Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon 3-D ride in 2017.
The new Fallon attraction is expected to employ a Soarin’-style flight simulator with the talk show host’s point of view and narration.
Frozen Ever After
The new Frozen Ever After water ride coming to Epcot in early 2016 will whisk fans away to the kingdom of Arendelle, where audio-animatronic “Frozen” characters re-create movie scenes set to the film’s soundtrack.
The new Frozen Ever After boat ride is set to debut in early 2016 in the Norway pavilion of Florida’s Epcot theme park.
(Disney)
Jungle Cruise
Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise will close for 10 months starting in January to change the docking procedure and add doors to the boats, according to Theme Park Insider.
Whale rescue
SeaWorld San Diego crews come to the aid of a humpback whale off the coast of La Jolla after it became tangled in fishing lines from lobster traps and floats.
Motiongate Dubai
Set to open in 2016, Motiongate Dubai announces two new attractions for its Sony Pictures Studio zone: Zombieland Blast Off drop tower and Underworld 4-D theater show.
Plans for the Sony themed land also include a “Hotel Transylvania” dark ride, “Green Hornet” roller coaster, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” water ride and “Ghostbusters” show, according to Theme Park Insider.
The park’s Lionsgate zone will include a “Hunger Games” coaster with trains that resemble the movies’ high-speed Capitol trains and a re-creation of the fictional District 12 mining region.
“Fast & Furious”
FX Guide takes a detailed look at how Universal Creative achieved the impressive visual effects for the “Fast & Furious: Supercharged” attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Epcot
Motley Fool predicts Epcot will become Disney World’s least popular theme park by 2020. Even with the addition of a new “Frozen” water ride next year.
TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor creates new dedicated pages for Disneyland and Disney World as the travel website rolls out more destination pages for places such as theme parks and airports.
And finally...
The 10 creepiest Halloween haunts in the U.S. where you can scare yourself silly.
Who are these creepy clowns? They don’t belong in the circus but rather on the Haunted Trail of Balboa Park in San Diego.
(Mike Rollerson / Haunted Trail of Balboa 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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