Today’s Orlando Sentinel front page story is on the future Wizarding World of Harry Potter land at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. After some digging and talking with people “in and around the project”, they’re reporting some details on the main ride that will be housed in Hogwart’s Castle: From orlandosentinel.com: The castle will also house [...]

This new Wizarding World of Harry Potter artwork has been released by Universal. It doesn’t give a lot of new information, but it confirms the new land, or at least some of it, will be based on the movie versions of the Harry Potter series and not just the books. Daniel Radcliffe and other actors [...]

The Summer 2009 issue of Orlando Attractions Magazine is now available for preview and pre-order. It’s our first quarterly issue and the first of our new and improved editions featuring nearly 20% more pages, thicker paper, more high-quality photography, and more articles than ever before. Feature articles in this issue include: • COVER STORY: Hitch a [...]

We’ll start our photo update with a look at the soon to open Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster in Universal Studios. They’ve taken some of the construction walls down at the end of 57th Street allowing a better look at the twisted steel at that end of the coaster. The cars weren’t being tested [...]

Thanks to a Twitter tip from Orlando Attractions friend Matt Pezzula (@matpez), we’re able to present these models of some of the buildings and features at the upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. The pictures were downloaded from the public Picasa web album of danswingler, presumably art designer Daniel Swinger, [...]

A new poll has been added to the official Web site for Islands of Adventure’s upcoming “theme park within a theme park”, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This poll asks you to tell which Harry Potter item scares you the most. The choices are: The Whomping Willow A Hungarian Horntail An Acromantula A Dementor [...]

Let’s start our update with what’s most interesting to most people, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You can compare the above photo with a part of the concept art below. It looks to be the entrance to the new “world”. I took this picture by the old entrance to Dueling Dragons. Just past that [...]

A design company out of California had posted (and has since removed) a compilation of images from apparent design work they created for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, slating to open at Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure theme park in 2010. While I am personally not a big enough fan of Harry Potter to [...]

Volume 2, Issue 3 (April / May 2009) of Orlando Attractions Magazine is now available for preview and pre-Order. FEATURES: • COVER STORY: Idol Opportunity Visitors to Disney’s Hollywood Studios get into the act in the new American Idol Experience. • Unleash Your Inner Celebrity VIP tours offer a unique way to see Orlando’s theme [...]

From cruisenewsweekly.com: Royal Caribbean and Universal Orlando Resort, are joining forces to introduce the Way More Than a Cruise vacation package. The land and sea vacation packages combine a three- or four-night stay at Universal Orlando with a three- or four-night Bahamas cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Seas, or a seven-night Caribbean cruise [...]

Here are some observations from my visit to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure over the weekend. There’s a new sign, a new skateboard shop and a three new restaurants in CityWalk. See my other blog posts for more information on these. A look at the new permanent stage. It’s currently being used for Mardi [...]

Atlanta Braves Right Fielder and Golden Glove winner Jeff Francoeur spends some quality time with his wife, Catie, (above) and her brothers Sam, 14, and Lee, 19 (below) at Universal while in Orlando for spring training on March 9, 2009. Shown here on The Incredible Hulk roller coaster, the Atlanta native began his major league [...]

While I was riding The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure over the weekend, the ride unfortunately stopped. We sat there for a while and the lights came on as we rode slowly through the rest of the ride. I had my iPhone with me so I snapped a couple of [...]

Guiding Light may be looking for you. The show will be filming at Universal later this month and they’re looking to hire actors and non-actors of all ages, types, ethnicities and genders to appear as extras and/or small speaking parts on the CBS soap opera. Guiding Light star Murray Bartlett (Cyrus) and casting director Rob [...]

From orlandosentinel.com: Universal Orlando will temporarily shut down its Fear Factor Live show and reduce hours at some other attractions across its two-park resort in further cost-cutting steps forced by the nation’s troubled economy. Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said Wednesday the 3 1/2 -year-old Fear Factor attraction in Universal Studios will close today. The resort [...]

Universal Orlando is promising to “make theme park history” with a Super Bowl commercial this Sunday featuring an “unprecedented offer” that is a “once in a lifetime opportunity”. A sneak peek at some scenes from the commercial show a kid dressed up in a homemade superhero costume running around a city full of business people. [...]

Volume 2, Issue 2 (February / March 2009) of Orlando Attractions Magazine is now available for pre-order! We’re expecting it back from the printer very soon, so orders should be mailed out this week. This new issue includes: • Solving Top Secret Missions with Kim Possible New adventure at Epcot turns guests into undercover agents. • Vehicular [...]

From orlandosentinel.com: Attention, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals. You, too, Super Bowl freaks. And even you Al Roker devotees. All those factors will come together Saturday when Roker broadcasts live for NBC’s Today show from Universal Orlando. They’re looking for enthusiastic folks to be in the background, not unlike folks who crowd the plaza in [...]

Tom Felton, who plays the role of Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, poses with a Ministry of Magic sign at Islands of Adventure. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter area of the park is set to open next year. Felton was visiting the park with his girlfriend Jade Gordon. Below, they take a [...]

Universal Orlando Resort is inviting Gator fans to continue their celebration this Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009 as it hosts the Gators National Championship Celebration Day with special savings and entertainment throughout the day. Universal will become Gator Country as they congratulate the National Champion University of Florida Gator football team. The festivities will include: • [...]