The Hogwarts Express has arrived at Hogsmeade Station as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter continues to develop at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. As guests enter Hogsmeade, they will be greeted by the iconic, smoke-billowing steam engine, made famous in the Harry Potter books and films for transporting students to a world of magic and wonder.

Here’s an interesting e-mail that recently came across my inbox. Tomorrow night, March 4, Micro Championship Wrestling will invade Universal Studios for an “unbelievable night of absolutely insane action. From the world’s smallest wrestler, Demo, to the world’s largest midget, Meatball, the baddest little men and women on the planet will be in action.” Pro wrestling’s Erik Bischoff will also make an appearance.

(I’m not sure if it’s politically correct to call the wrestlers midgets, but those are the words of the organizers of the event, not Orlando Attractions Magazine.)

If you’d like to be a part of the audience for this first ever MCW televised event, send an e-mail to microwrestling@gmail.com . Tickets are free, but limited. Be sure to include your full name and amount in your party. Put “Micro Wrestling” in the subject line.

The event will be held in Soundstage 21 at Universal Studios. You’ll need to line-up behind the Hard Rock Cafe, next to the Blue Man Group entrance by 5 p.m. If you show your CityWalk parking receipt, they’s reimburse you the $14 for parking. But even if you can’t make it by 5 p.m., it’s OK to show up late, as they’ll keep loading people in. It’s expected to last until about 7:30 p.m.

They’re also asking that you dress like you are going out to a club. No need for a tie or heels, just look camera ready. No logos of any kind on your clothing please.

It’s a musical weekend in Central Florida. You have your choice between three big name musical acts as three different theme parks kick off their concert series.

Mardi Gras starts tomorrow at Universal Studios with KC and the Sunshine Band, Bands, Brew & BBQ starts tomorrow at SeaWorld with LeAnn Rimes, and Busch Gardens will hold their Bands, Brew & BBQ on Sunday with Dennis DeYoung. If you time it right, you could catch all three.

Here’s the upcoming musical line-up:

Bands, Brew & BBQ at SeaWorld
Feb. 6 – LeAnn Rimes
Feb. 13 – Montgomery Gentry
Feb. 20 – John Rich of Big & Rich
Feb. 27 – Yes

The festival starts at 11 a.m. The concerts start at 4 p.m.

Mardi Gras at Universal Studios
Saturday, Feb. 6 – KC and the Sunshine Band
Saturday, Feb. 13 – Heart
Sunday, Feb. 14 – Kool & the Gang
Saturday, Feb. 20 – Blondie
Saturday, Feb. 27 – Dierks Bentley
Saturday, March 6 – Akon
Saturday, March 13 – Aretha Franklin
Saturday, March 20 – Miranda Lambert
Saturday, March 27 – 3 Doors Down
Saturday, April 3 – Beach Boys
Friday, April 9 – Sheryl Crow
Saturday, April 10 – Flo Rida
Saturday, April 17 – Chicago

The Feb. 6 to March 20 and April 17 concerts start at 8:30 p.m. The March 27 to April 10 concerts start at 9:30 p.m.
The Mardi Gras parade starts a half-hour before the concerts.

Bands, Brew & BBQ at Busch Gardens
Feb. 7 – Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx
Feb. 14 – Willie Nelson
Feb. 21 – Huey Lewis and the News
Feb. 28 – Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo

The festival starts at 11:30 a.m. The concerts start at 4 p.m.

All three events also offer food and other entertainment in addition to the concerts. All of the concerts and festivities are included with theme park admission.

Busch Gardens is also in the middle of their Real Music Concert Series. Click Here for more information.

For more information:
Bands, Brew & BBQ at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens
Mardi Gras at Universal Studios

By Ricky Brigante
Photos by Jeremiah Daws

Readers of this blog are already quite familiar with the Universal Orlando Resort. Orlando Attractions Magazine regularly covers the latest happenings at Universal Studios Orlando and Islands of Adventure as well as Universal Orlando CityWalk. But this past weekend I took a trip to California and decided to check out Universal Studios Hollywood for the first time to see what it’s like to experience a “studios” theme park that’s actually connected to a real movie studio.

I only had general knowledge about the Universal Studios Hollywood before visiting, so I asked a few California locals for their opinions of the park in advance. The most common response I received was that I was going to be disappointed, so I went in with rather low expectations. But I came out with a completely different reaction. The park offered solid entertainment throughout the entire day and I had a genuinely great time.

So what can a past visitor to Universal Studios Orlando get out of visiting its Hollywood counterpart? Plenty.

Before I get to all the wonderfully unique experiences to be found in the Hollywood theme park, I’ll mention the obviously similar ones to Orlando’s park. You’ll find The Simpsons Ride and Terminator 2: 3-D, which are nearly the same in both parks. Like in Orlando, The Simpsons Ride took the place of Back to the Future: The Ride, with the surrounding area turned into a slice of Springfield. Not only does Hollywood’s Simpsons area have a Kwik-E-Mart like in Orlando, it also features a facade of Moe’s Tavern, which is a nice touch. Terminator 2: 3-D is nearly identical in California as in Florida.

Shrek 4-D also exists on both coasts, but where Orlando’s version is shown in a somewhat small theater, the Hollywood version is displayed in a massive theater, holding what I’d say is at least four times as many people. As with The Simpsons Ride, there is more space devoted to Lord Farquad’s Duloc castle offering a wonderfully immersive experience.

In Hollywood, you’ll also find The Blues Brothers, Revenge of the Mummy, and Jurassic Park: The Ride. The Blues Brothers act is on an outdoor stage with seats rather than in the street like in Orlando. Revenge of the Mummy is an entirely different ride that emphasizes the roller coaster aspect more than the dark ride (though the opening dark ride-style scenes are still fantastic). Unfortunately, Jurassic Park: The Ride was closed for refurbishment when I visited, but I’ve been told it’s very similar to the Orlando version at Islands of Adventure.

And that’s where the major comparisons between Universal Studios in Hollywood and in Orlando end. Beyond a few of the same (or similar) attractions, it’s an entirely new and different experience visiting Universal Studios Hollywood, beginning with its location.

The drive to Universal City, where Universal Studios Hollywood is located, is unlike anything you’ll find in Orlando. Surrounded by mountainous scenery and movie-making history, Universal Studios Hollywood lives up to its Hollywood namesake. While you won’t catch a glimpse of the Hollywood hills from the park, which is closer to Burbank and Glendale than Los Angeles, you do get incredible scenic views that Orlando visitors can only dream of. From one vantage point, park guests can see the nearby movie studios of Warner Brothers, Disney and several others. The park also spans multiple levels, connected by an unusual series of escalators, allowing for a wide assortment of views.

Like in Orlando, guests walk through CityWalk to reach the park’s entrance. CityWalk in Hollywood has the same vibe as Orlando’s version, but with mostly different restaurants and stores. Of particular note for me was the Dark Horse Comics store, where I would spend entirely too much money on collectibles if it were located in in Orlando.

After passing through CityWalk, the famous Universal Studios globe is spotted followed by the entrance archway, complete with a red carpet leading guests to the entrance. I arrived to the park just as it opened and as I passed through the turnstiles, I found an abundance of fun characters inside, including Beetlejuice, Shrek, SpongeBob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer. Throughout the day, characters were present quite often, as I saw Shaggy and Scooby-Doo, Groucho Marx, a couple of animals from Madagascar and a few others.

But my favorite use of recognizable characters was in an attraction called Universal’s House of Horrors. As a huge fan of Universal Orlando’s annual Halloween Horror Nights, this attraction was an unexpected treat. This roughly 10-minute walk-through experience offers a taste of horror movie history integrated into dark corridors that contain plenty of scares. Characters currently featured in the attraction include the Mummy, Norman Bates from Psycho, Chucky from Child’s Play, the Wolfman, Dr. Frankenstein and his monster (who gave me a good startle). While the overall experience isn’t nearly as detailed as a Halloween Horror Nights house, it is still very impressive for a daily theme park haunted attraction and I am rather jealous that there isn’t a House of Horrors at Universal Orlando.

Outside the haunted walls, the biggest highlight of visiting Universal Studios Hollywood is the famous Studio Tour. This tram tour of the Universal Studios backlot lasts nearly an hour and is packed from beginning to end with incredible glimpses into movie and television history. The tour passes by rows of giant sound stages that are currently home to television shows like the original CSI and The Ghost Whisperer. Unfortunately, you can’t peak inside any of these soundstages while on this tour; you have to pay an additional $70 or so for the special two-hour version of the tour to do that. But there’s still plenty more to see on the one-hour version, including the endless acres of movie facades that include the Hill Valley courtyard from Back to the Future, a Roman area used in Stanley Kubrick’s Sparticus, the original Bates Motel and house from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, and streets of “foreign” sets that can be made up to look like almost any European country. In addition to all of the movie history, the tram tour also features special theme park-style encounters with Jaws and an earthquake (both similar to the Universal Orlando attractions) as well as a few additional surprises that I won’t ruin here. All in all, the Studio Tour is nearly worth the price of admission to the park alone, especially if you’re a huge movie fan like I am.

The remainder of the attractions unique to Universal Studios Hollywood were entertaining, but not as memorable. Backdraft offers a similar experience to Twister in Orlando, replacing the tornado with a room full of huge fireballs and explosive effects. The WaterWorld stage show is Universal Studios Hollywood’s version of your standard theme park stunt show, though the water adds a unique element, as do the actors who have each appeared in a number of popular television shows and movies. The Adventures of Curious George play area allows children to get completely drenched and is comparable to the Woody Woodpecker play area at Universal Studios Orlando. And if you’re short on time, the Special Effects and Animal Actors shows can be skipped without missing much.

To ensure you don’t run out of time, Universal Studios Hollywood has a front of the line pass available for purchase. It’s not like Disney’s Fastpass that basically lets you cut ahead in line. Universal’s front of the line pass treats you like a VIP, allowing to skip lines entirely and enjoy first access to all of its attractions. On a slow day, it’s not necessary to have the front of the line pass, but it did help to ensure I saw everything.

I ended up spending the entire day at Universal Studios Hollywood, from its opening at 10 a.m. to closing at 6 p.m. and never once found myself without something to do or see. Even walking the streets offered entertainment, as different areas of the park transport guests to different places and time periods, from the old west and early 1900s Los Angeles to Great Britain and Paris.

But not everything was completely pleasant throughout the day. Most of the employees didn’t seem particularly interested in their jobs or in being particularly friendly. There were notable exceptions, of course, but most just seemed to be going through the motions.

Food in the park is mainly your standard theme park fare, including burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders and french fries. I ate only one meal there and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to dine at Doc Brown’s Chicken, which is something akin to taking a Kentucky Fried Chicken and replacing Colonal sanders with Dr. Emmett Brown from Back to the Future. If I had a Delorean time machine, I likely would go back and choose a different place to eat. For those looking for an atypical theme park dining experience, there’s also a Panda Express located within the park and plenty of other chain restaurants throughout CityWalk.

And if it’s thrill rides you’re looking for, Universal Studios Hollywood may not be the park for you. Revenge of the Mummy is the only fast-moving ride in the park. Jurassic Park is a slow-moving boat ride with a large drop at the end and The Simpsons Ride is a motion simulator. The Studios Tour, of course, is technically a “ride” but it’s certainly a slow-moving one.

In the end, I highly recommend a visit to Universal Studios Hollywood to any fan of Universal Orlando or of movies in general. The unique attractions coupled with the one-of-a-kind glimpses into movie history make for an unforgettable experience. If you’re planning a trip to the Hollywood park, make sure you wait a few months for the King Kong addition to the Studio Tour to be finished. It’s due to open this summer. It’s replacing the old King Kong portion of the tour that fell victim to a major fire that swept across the backlot more than a year ago. And if you can wait a couple of years, you’ll also get to experience a brand new Transformers attraction. I’ll definitely make another trip to Universal Studios Hollywood.

On Feb. 6, Universal Orlando Resort will kick off its 15th year of Mardi Gras – the biggest and most authentic Mardi Gras celebration outside of New Orleans. Guests will experience the spirit of Bourbon St. in the heart of Universal Studios, with festivities including live concerts, authentic Cajun cuisine, a parade and tons of beads.

With a combined total of more than half a billion records sold worldwide, this year’s Mardi Gras lineup features an eclectic mix of 13 of the biggest names in music. From hip-hop to pop, country to rock, and R&B to disco, there will be something for everyone. Along with Flo Rida, Sheryl Crow and Chicago, Mardi Gras guests will enjoy live performances by headliners like “The Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, country sensation Dierks Bentley, hip-hop artist Akon, multi-platinum selling rock band 3 Doors Down and the number one selling American band of all time, Beach Boys.

In addition to seeing top-name talent perform on the main stage, guests can also visit Universal’s very own “French Quarter” – a replica of the New Orleans’ famed district – and groove to the authentic bayou sounds of bands directly from New Orleans.

To commemorate this special year, guests will enjoy a heritage-themed Mardi Gras parade featuring new colorful renditions of floats from past year’s events. Universal worked with New Orleans-based Blaine Kern Artists to incorporate new elements into some of the most memorable floats in the event’s history. The 12 vibrant floats will cruise the streets of Universal Studios during the festivities, filled with riders tossing beads by the handful to excited park guests.

Guests will also enjoy the aroma and taste of authentic Cajun cuisine – such as jambalaya, gumbo, beignets and king cake – along with hundreds of costumed characters and stilt walkers dancing and mingling in the streets. Party-goers can also enjoy the park’s most popular attractions, including the all-new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.

Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras 2010 Mardi Gras celebration runs every Saturday night from Feb. 6 through April 17, with additional dates on Sunday, Feb. 14 and Friday, April 9.

Headliners (Performances at The Music Plaza)
Saturday, Feb. 6 – KC and the Sunshine Band
Saturday, Feb. 13 – Heart
Sunday, Feb. 14 – Kool & the Gang
Saturday, Feb. 20 – Blondie
Saturday, Feb. 27 – Dierks Bentley
Saturday, March 6 – Akon
Saturday, March 13 – Aretha Franklin
Saturday, March 20 – Miranda Lambert
Saturday, March 27 – 3 Doors Down
Saturday, April 3 – Beach Boys
Friday, April 9 – Sheryl Crow
Saturday, April 10 – Flo Rida
Saturday, April 17 – Chicago

New Orleans Band (Performances in French Quarter)
Saturday, Feb. 6 – Bryan Lee & the Blues Power Band
Saturday, Feb. 13 – Lil Malcolm & the House Rockers
Sunday, Feb. 14 – Lil Malcolm & the House Rockers
Saturday, Feb. 20 – Mem Shannon & the Membership
Saturday, Feb. 27 – Chris Klein & The Boulevards
Saturday, March 6 – Honey Island Swamp Band
Saturday, March 13 – Big Red & The Zydeco Playmakers
Saturday, March 20 – Rockin’ Jake
Saturday, March 27 – Soul Project
Saturday, April 3 – JJ Callier & the Zydeco Knockouts
Friday, April 9 – Lil’ Brian & the Zydeco Travelers
Saturday, April 10 – Lil’ Brian & the Zydeco Travelers
Saturday, April 17 – Daddy Mac Blues Band

All of the concerts and activities are included with park admission. Visit UniversalOrlando.com for special offers.

Wrestling fans will be able to be part of a rally/party celebrating wrestling legend Hulk Hogan’s new partnership with TNA Wrestling. Starting at 5 p.m. this Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010, the Hulkster, along with syndicated radio talk show host Bubba the Love Sponge, will be meeting fans at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Universal CityWalk.

Hulk Hogan recently joined TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Wrestling and this will be his first TNA appearance in Orlando. TNA records their weekly Spike TV “Impact!” wrestling show in one of the soundstages at Universal Studios. Hogan’s first live appearance on “Impact!” will be a special live, three-hour episode airing at 8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010. The show will also feature many special guests.

Number 10

A night view looking down to the pool area from an upper floor of the new Hilton Orlando.
Photo courtesy of Hilton Orlando

Number 9

American Idol television stars pose with Mickey Mouse outside The American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Photo by Matt Roseboom

Number 8

The entrance to SeaWorld’s new Manta flying roller coaster.
Photo by Matt Roseboom

Number 7

David Cook and Carrie Underwood sing a duet during the opening of The American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Photo by Matt Roseboom

Number 6

A panoramic night view from the Top of the World lounge of Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
Photo by Matt Roseboom

Number 5

An usher greets guests without a smile at the gates of Universal Studios for Halloween Horror Nights.
Photo by Matt Roseboom

Number 4

Fans arriving at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are greeted by some Stormtroopers up above.
Photo by Matt Roseboom

Number 3

Carrie Underwood and David Cook smile as they stand next to Mickey Mouse for a group photo.
Photo by Matt Roseboom

Number 2

David Cook rides down Hollywood Boulevard during a parade for the opening of The American Idol Experience.
Photo by Julie Saunders

Number 1

David Cook and Carrie Underwood share a ride on the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios after the opining of The American Idol Experience.
Photo by Matt Roseboom

Our YouTube channel was a popular place in 2009. We reached more than a million views for a couple of our older videos, while others lay dormant for reasons unknown to us. Sometimes we think a video is going to be a huge hit and it flops, and sometimes we wonder why we’re bothering to record something and it turns out to be very popular. Other times a video won’t be popular for weeks and weeks, then all of the sudden the view count shoots up. But for whatever reasons, here are the top 10 viewed videos we posted in 2009. We’ll start at number 10.

Number 10

A full ride on SeaWorld’s new Manta roller coaster -- 99,000+ views

Number 9

Club Penguin Rockhopper and Blue Penguin at Walt Disney World -- 120,000+ views

Number 8

Halloween Horror Nights 19 2009 Opening Night Scare Zones -- 130,000+ views

Number 7

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow at the Disney D23 Expo -- 131,000+ views

Number 6

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival 2009 with Disney Fairies -- 132,000+ views

Number 5

David Cook Sings at Walt Disney World’s American Idol -- 135,000+ views

Number 4

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster POV from Universal Studios -- 306,000+ views

Number 3

American Idol Kris Allen sings “Heartless” at Disney World -- 388,000+ views

Number 2

Dance-Off with the Star War Stars 2009 -- Hyperspace Hoopla -- 408,000+ views

Number 1

David Cook and Carrie Underwood Duet at Walt Disney World -- 820,000+ views

As we said in our Top 10 Blog Posts of 2009 story, some videos have obviously been online longer than others, so here’s our honorable mentions:

Manta Opening SeaWorld Orlando -- Views, Interviews, & Queue -- 80,000+ views

Star Wars Weekends 2009 Parade at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 22, Opening Day -- 78,000+ views

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Now Open -- 77,000+ views

Disney World Fantasyland expansion announcement & makeover concept art -- 66,000+ views

Disney Hall of Presidents update with Obama animatronic -- 60,000+ views

A lot has happened in the Orlando area theme parks in 2009. Some new attractions were announced, some have closed down and some have opened up. One both opened and closed in 2009 (we’re talking about you Stitch.) Below are the top 10 most read blog posts on our site during 2009. Below the top 10 are some honorable mentions. Let’s count them down.

Number 10

Hilarious Dance-Off with the Star Wars Stars 2009 at Disney’s Star Wars Weekends – Video and Photos

Number 9

Photos from the new Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Number 8

Hidden songs confirmed on Rip Ride Rockit coaster

Number 7

A look at the new Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort

Number 6

Club Penguin Characters Arrive at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Number 5

Pictures from within Disney’s new Bay Lake Tower

Number 4

D23 Expo: 20 pieces of concept art for the major Fantasyland expansion now confirmed for Walt Disney World

Number 3

Halloween Horror Nights 19 scare-by-scare review and video

Number 2

Halloween Horror Nights 2009 Dates and Official Web Site

Number 1

New construction may add truth to ‘leaked’ Fantasyland refurbishment plans

It’s hard to tell which stories are really the most popular during a year since a story posted in January obviously has been online longer than one posted in December. So here are three we feel are worthy of an honorable mention.

Video, Photos: Wizarding World of Harry Potter construction update for November 10, 2009

The latest on the early-morning crash between two Disney monorails

Since 2002, Universal Studios has partnered with Macy’s to bring elements of the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to Orlando during the holiday season. In addition to shipping down memorable floats featured in the annual New York parade, Macy’s brings several of the giganic balloons that have made the parade so popular over the decades.

But guests visiting Universal Studios have a chance to do much more than simply watch the parade pass by. Each day, park guests have the opportunity to actually become “balloon handlers,” helping to guide inflated characters through Universal’s streets. On Dec. 15, I (along with Orlando Attractions Magazine editor Matt Roseboom) had a chance to take part in leading Universal’s and Macy’s newest balloon, Big Man Santa, around the parade route to see what the balloon handling experience is all about.

Before I give you my impressions, here’s a summary video featuring interviews with Universal show director Michael Aiello and design director for Macy’s Parade Studio Jerry Ospa as well as a look inside the backlot building where they park the inflated balloons and a bit of balloon handler training… and a glimpse at myself and Matt as balloon handlers:

In short, being a balloon handler is a lot of fun. The “training” process begins as guests are each given a jumpsuit, gloves, and a Santa hat. Jumpsuits come in a variety of colors, depending on the balloon.

As you saw in the video above, we were assigned to Universal’s newest balloon, Big Man Santa, which apparently requires black jumpsuits. While they’re not the best color for dealing with Florida’s sun (yes, it’s hot even in December here), we lucked out with enough cloud cover to keep us cool. The padded gloves were even welcome as holding onto the “bone” (as they call it) attached to the balloon’s string would be horribly uncomfortable without them. And, of course, the Santa hat adds a little festive style to the otherwise bland costume.

Emilio, a veteran of both Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Studios and the “real” Macy’s parade in New York, was our pilot for the day. After whizzing through a couple minutes of hand signals and safety tips, Emilio told us to each pick a spot on the balloon and, before we knew it, we were guiding Big Man Santa out the door.

Lifting Santa above our heads was as simple as unwinding a bit of string. After all, he is filled with helium. After a couple minor bumps and scrapes along the opening, we navigated our way down the street and around few corners. Before heading out into full view of guests, Emilio taught us a couple of balloon tricks, including jogging in a circle to spin the balloon around. This was a skill that ultimately proved to be too complicated for us out in the parade, as each time we received the signal to begin the spin, half the group ran in the wrong direction. I imagine Big Man Santa was a bit dizzy after we were through with him. Fortunately for us, our videographers (Matt’s family) didn’t catch these mistakes on camera. Oh darn. Instead, you only get a still image of us appearing to spin like pros:

Spinning snafus aside, I think we did a fine job entertaining Universal’s guests. Being in the back of the balloon, my job was rather easy. I wasn’t pulling the balloon as much as making sure it didn’t fly away. After signing the required agreement that stated I was able to handle 100lbs, I was surprised at how little work I was doing during the parade. However, Matt said he was a bit tired after the roughly 45-minute walk through the park was over -- but I hadn’t even broken a sweat. I think his position along Santa’s side was a tougher one than mine. I also was told that if the winds pick up or rain rolls in, navigating the parade can be a much more exhausting experience.

The hardest part for me was keeping my eyes on Emilio’s hand signals. Instead, my attention tended to wander to the hundreds of guests watching us (okay, watching the balloons more than us). And yes, I was watching the balloons on occasion too. At its highest point, Big Man Santa was somewhere around 45 feet above our heads, which is quite a sight to see from directly underneath.

This was my first experience being in a parade of any sort and it was a great one. I highly recommend that any Universal Studios guest meeting the requirements (minimum weight of 125 lbs and able to lift 100 lbs) give balloon handling a shot.

Macy’s Holiday Parade began this year on Dec. 5 and runs through Jan. 1 (and will likely return again in Dec. 2010). Guests interested in taking part in balloon handling for the parade should keep an eye out for Universal Studios employees with clipboards wandering around the Rip Ride Rockit area at around 2:30 -- 3 p.m. Passholders can also sign up in advance.

Here’s a video of more of Macy’s Holiday Parade (shot on a separate day) followed by a photo gallery from our balloon handling experience: