Had the luck to get on an AP preview of this ride a few days ago. Really a good attraction coaster. Best way to describe it is the new modern better technology Space Mountain on steroids. It was fun and fast.

For those that don't know. Its an indoor launch coaster with rotating (not spinning) cars. So, there are many screen with projections telling the story (basically chasing a bad guy through time travel honey comb like portal jumps....like in the movie) and the cars rotate at times to better allow you to see the projections. The best part about the rotating cars is that the track is mostly made of sharp banked helix turns and the cars rotate so that you almost get a drifting around the turns feel and it also helps increase the G forces going around those bends. Other than the projections and some set pieces its all in the dark with stars projected everywhere.

There is also the launch....backwards up the lift. No drops, at least that I could tell. I highly recommend it.

I was getting concerned that something happened to our pal SG...Glad everything is fixed and back on-line!!!

Hope the holidays are bright and healthy for all.

Just wanted to share this as its been a big part of my life the past few weeks.
we planted milkweed to attract monarch butterflies. had them about a year or so now. we get eggs and caterpillars many time throughout the year and they chew the plants down to nothing, and then wasps come along and kill and eat the caterpillars. We have seen only one make it to a butterfly that we knew of.

So a couple weeks ago, many small baby caterpillars showed up on the plants again, but the plants were struggling. never grew back well from that wave of little buggers. So, we purchased 5 good healthy plants with lot of leaves. I build a 2x4 foot screen enclosure for them and we hand picked and moved 36 caterpillars into the safe habitat.

we watched them grow over that past two weeks and all leave the plants and hang from the top screening to form into the the chrysalis. Now about 8 days later they are starting to emerge as beautiful butterflies. So far 16 have transformed and been released.

I was so lucking to be able to set up some lighting and record one of them changing through both stages. Hope can get some peace and enjoyment from watching these wonders of life.

I will try not to give away too many spoilers, but had the chance to experience this attraction today (one day after opening) and all I can say id draw dropping awesome. Even if you are not a Star Wars fan the effects and story line of this ride are incredible.

Disney has a new way to queue guests for the (what I'm calling Mega E-Ticket) rides. Once you scan your ticket at the gate, you go to the Disney app and sign in for a boarding group for the ride. So its like a super Fast Pass type feature. For example I had boarding group 58. the app (and signs in the park) show status of boarding, but you can go enjoy the rest of the park...or even leave and go to another park (like we did), until your boarding group approaches. Once it is called you have about 2 hours to make it to the queue to sign in and get in line.

I think it worked very well...except this early in the opening schedule, the park was opening at 5am and all the boarding slots were filled for the day bay about 8am...so right now get there super early or don't expect to ride.

I expect that this will subside as time goes on and crowds level out a bit, but I'm told this will be in place at least through the holiday season in the park.

So once you check in...you go to the queue and wait with the others in the queue like normal, but it moves fast and was not filled to capacity. The outdoors extended queue was totally empty. when we got in line.

The cast working the ride is awesome and they were trained very well. Its totally like being in a SW movie with live characters all around you. Yelling commands, hurrying you along, scaring you with threats of interrogation...simply awesome. Their involvement and commitment to the characters made the ride experience even way better.

Now quick high level recap of the ride...stop reading if you want no idea what to expect.

I basically will break the ride into like 5-6 segments that are clear different experiences you have during the ride. Each wonderful on its own.

Part 1: The Queue. took about 15 to 20 minutes. You walk through a underground resistance bunker. lots of concrete and storage props of weapons, uniforms, etc.

Part 2: Pre-show 1 about 5 mins - at the end of the queue you enter a room where BB-8 (live) and Rey (a super realistic hologram) provide some instructions on what will be happening...basically you are recruited to help a general and will be taking a shuttle to help the troops

Part 3: Shuttle ride. About 5-7 minutes. Doors open and you find yourself back outside being yelled at to hurry to the shuttle as you need to leave quickly. Life size shuttle opens up and you enter a fully themed ship where you stand and hold onto rails. Star Wars creature pilot and instruct you some more. via video screen, special effects and actual movement, you fly into space, but get caught in a tracker beam of a Star Destroyer. Video screen get taken over and you are told that your ship will be boarded. Through the windows you see that you are entering the destroyer docking bay.

Part 4: Docking bay pre-show2. about 2-3 mins. Shuttle doors open and First Order folks start yelling and calling you spies and rebel scum. You exit into a full size hanger bay that is unbelievable and jaw dropping. Like 50 Storm Troopers guard you and you see the battle action through the large open hanger bay doorway. They move you fairly quickly through here into a hallway.

Part 5: the hall queue, about 5-10 mins depending on crowd flow. So now you are in another queue, fully themed of the interior of the ship. not that long of a wait. at the end you tell the FO guys how many people in your party.

Part 6: Interrogation prep - about 2-5 minutes. So they line you up and do some pretty good acting making you feel like you are about to be interrogated. Grumbling under their breath that they will get the location of the resistance base from you no matter what...and staring you down. Very military/prison feel to this part. A few more troopers stand guard.

Part 7: The interrogation cell. about 3-4 minutes. You get led into a cell and Kylo and others warn and threaten you from above the cell. You get a surprise breakout rescue from other fighters and are hurried into the prisoner transport vehicles that will take you to some escape pods.

Part 8: The escape. this is finally the main part of the ride...about 5-7 minutes long. trackless cars take you all through the ship and on different levels as you from battle scene to battle scene as Kylo chases you through the ship. Some really awesome practical effects, video, effects, Special effects and projections are used along with some of the best robotic figures you will ever see.

So as I said earlier...not just a ride a full immersion experience. you have to go do it in person.

Incredible feat and it got caught on camera!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=45&v=d6KNEe_2qDw

this is amazing. I think this is the machine we need to play PC.


https://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2019/08/watch-imagineer-bei-yang-explaining-at.html?fbclid=IwAR3wNU120xvy041l-K_NIbYgPTzVwaBrTj5IppNk9gjluEoJSlPnQEdZvBE

Wasn't sure really where to share this...so decided to put it here.
I will be doing a video series on zoo design and redesign using a local zoo I grew up with as the study example.
Hope you enjoy and can learn something from this as you start to play the new game coming out in the fall.

This is a great article from two perspectives. 1. its great info about the development of this new park. 2. It gives great insight to the details of park planning that may help players of the coaster games we share on this forum. I especially think BH will like the emergency access segment. I found this really interesting.

https://orlandoparkstop.com/news/theme-park-news/what-we-can-learn-about-universal-orlandos-new-theme-park-from-development-plans/

Don't be shy...post those fun ride photos here

Bragging about my sons hard work again. He and his team run the tech, streaming, lights, audio, etc for this huge world event. Streaming live right now on mixer, steam, twitch, YouTube, and other stream services. Final matches going on right now. Check out the action.

I run a trivia game for a bunch of friends and family via email. I have a boat load of fact and figures I can share with you all.
I figured I would post a random question here every now and then to see if you know as much useless info as I do.

First one:

How many volts of electricity can an electric eel generate?
A: About 2
B: About 100
C: About 600
D: Over 1000

they posted an interesting pol...wonder where its going?

What is most important to you when building your parks?
Options to pick from are:
-Interesting Scenery
-Rides and roller coasters

Hmmmmm

Skillshot is an E-Games company my kid works for that is a sub-company from Hi-Rez Studios (game developer).
Skillshot runs all the online and live competitions for the games Hi-Rez produces.

Check out a video he made and follow his page if you like this stuff.

Pandora





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