In this edition of Theme Park Bits:
- The controversy over Donald Trump and Disney’s The Hall of Presidents continues to heat up.
- Universal has filed an intriguing VR/AR ride patent.
- Watch Universal and Nintendo’s wacky Super Nintendo Land groundbreaking.
- More Marvel superheroes are heading to Hong Kong Disneyland.
- The latest Disney construction photos show off Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land sites.
- Epcot’s Universe of Energy is not long for this world.
- The Shining is coming to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights.
- And more!
It’s no secret that Disney has been struggling behind-the-scenes with their Hall of Presidents attraction and how they should handle the election of Donald Trump. Traditionally, each election adds a new audio-animatronic President to the show’s line-up, with the sitting Commander-in-Chief allowed a brief speech to the audience. However, no modern President has proven as controversial as Trump, leading the risk-averse Disney to hem and haw with the update. Today, Disney revealed that the show will go on, with Trump’s robotic counterpart speaking. However, Motherboard has some fascinating details, including tidbits on Trump’s team insisting on writing his short speech (typically a collaboration with Disney Imagineers). Considering that past speeches have been light, fluffy, and built around the President reaching across the aisle, some folks at Disney are dreading what the typically abrasive Trump will deliver.
By now, you’ve probably seen everything Universal has released about Super Nintendo World, but have you see the actual footage of the groundbreaking ceremony in Japan? It’s delightfully silly and the typically dull opening statements are made amusing by some…well, some interesting costume choices.
Disneyland Hong Kong has introduced Super Hero Summer and the official parks blog has a rundown of what you can expect:
New recruits can grab S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Credentials and a personalized ID at a designated location before going on missions. Visit Captain America–A Hero’s Welcome, where Captain America will personally welcome new recruits to the team, and meet the legendary web-slinger at the Spider-Man Heroic Encounter. Of course, guests visiting Stark Expo can also meet with Iron Man himself.
Then, walk through Mission: Dimensions of Danger and help Doctor Strange recover the powerful Portal Nexus artifact before it falls into the hands of Hydra. In order to save Hong Kong, Agents will battle alongside Black Widow and Hawkeye, join forces with the mighty Thor in Odin’s Vault, help Star-Lord in the Collector’s Museum and much more. Of course, the Expo Shop also has new themed merchandise items, including Super Hero costumes, toys and personalized products, and you’ll find new food and beverage items exclusive to the resort.
Since Hong Kong Disneyland was the first Disney park to boast a full-fledged Marvel ride in the Iron Man Experience, it makes sense that they’d host this event.
Disney has filed permits to begin construction on an expansion pad next to the France pavilion at the Epcot theme park and everything points toward one thing: an American version of the Ratatouille ride from Disneyland Paris. The trackless dark ride was well-received overseas and with Epcot in desperate need of new and shinier attractions, this makes a great deal of sense. After all, Disney already has the ride technology, it would fit the thematics of the area, and it will help reinvigorate a park that needs a new coat of paint or three. Disney Tourist Blog has all of the details. Meanwhile, the rumors that the Universe of Energy pavilion will be transformed into a Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster continue to pop up with regularity.
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It’s not surprising that Maui from Moana has arrived at Disneyland Shanghai. What is surprising is that he’s a costumed character and not a face character…and he’s a little creepy.
How did the Imagineers pull off some of the cool special effects in Disney’s Pandora: The World of Avatar? This video offers a look. For an additional (magic-shattering) look behind-the-scenes of Pandora, Inside the Magic has some pretty cool photos from the Flight of Passage attraction.
For more on the secrets of Disney Imagineering, this two-part video capturing an entire panel on the making of Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! should prove interesting to the theme park buffs out there.
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The post Theme Park Bits: ‘The Shining’ Haunted House, Universal’s New VR Patent, and the Hall of Presidents Controversy appeared first on /Film.
