Welcome to the April Newsletter
Hi Subscriber, welcome to the April 2011 newsletter of the Florida Review & Travel Guide.
This month there is news from many of the theme parks including the latest situation at SeaWorld and the killer whale show and some shock news about the future of Universal Studios.
Disney have announced that they will be confirming the destinations of the re-themed Star Tours attraction in the not too distant future so hopefully we will have more details soon.
Epcot Ticketing Entry
Walt Disney World has started testing a new entry ticket scanning system at Epcot. Unlike the current entry systems, the new systems does not have any turnstiles or require the ticket to actually be inserted into a machine which should make it easier for families with strollers and guests in wheelchairs.
The new system only works with tickets that have a barcode on the back, basically new multi-day tickets and annual passholder tickets. Instead of putting the ticket in a machine, you just scan the barcode. In addition, you still have to scan your finger in the hand scanner to check that you are the valid owner of the ticket (see next article on illegal ticket sales).
Each scanning "station" has three scanners on each side, making six in total. The idea is that the new scanners will speed up entry to the park. Note however that guests still have to have their bags checked.
Click here to read more about Disney's EPCOT.
Illegal Ticket Sales
Several people have been arrested in the latest operation to crack down on the illegal sale of part-used multi-day theme park tickets. Some 860 tickets for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld, worth over $100,000, were seized from shops operating along Highway 192.
Multi-day passes are non-transferable and their resale in Florida is illegal. If you buy a partially used theme park ticket you could well be refused admission and there is no way to tell how many days are still remaining on the ticket.
Be very suspicious if you are offered tickets for considerably less than their normal face value; remember when it comes to theme park tickets, heavily discounted prices are usually too good to be true.
Unless you specially pay for the non-expiry option on Walt Disney World multi-day tickets, they typically expire after 14 days from date of first use. Therefore there is a temptation for some holiday makers to sell part-used tickets to unscrupulous dealers.
Click here to read more about Theme Park Tickets.
Jimmy Neutron Closure
The Jimmy Neutron’s Nicktoon Blast ride at Universal Studios is set to close on April 1. Universal has announced it will re-open during busy days during the spring and summer and then close for good on August 18.
Universal has not yet said what will replace it except that the new attraction will be based on an amazing concept. In the run up to April 1, Universal has already started making some changes both inside and outside.
When Jimmy Neutron’s Nicktoon Blast opened in 2003, it inherited the same simulator ride vehicles and screen as the ride it replaced, The Funtastic World Of Hanna Barbera.
Surprise Tikkum News
In a surprise statement last week, SeaWorld announced that Tikkum, the killer whale responsible for Dawn Brancheau's death in February 2010, was returning to the Believe show though he was not announced by name; the killer whales are always greeted as "Shamu". The announcement has again sparked mixed reactions about keeping killer whales in captivity.
As mentioned last month, SeaWorld is working on new safety measures and do plan limited water work with the other killer whales in the training pools though no dates have been set for a potential return to performing with the whales in the shows. The new "One Ocean" show debuts late April.
Even before Brancheau's death, SeaWorld had prohibited any trainers getting in the water with Tikkum because of his past history. Tikkum had already been responsible for two earlier deaths during his time in captivity, a trainer in British Columbia in 1991 and a homeless person who got into the SeaWorld complex after hours in 1999.
A hearing is due to start on April 25 when SeaWorld intends to challenge a U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration citation which accused SeaWorld of wilfully exposing its killer-whale trainers to danger without adequate protection.
Haunted Mansion Lines
Disney has been revamping the outside queuing area of the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom following on from various refurbishments inside the attraction. The idea is to make the queuing experience less boring.
The graveyard scenes outside of the Haunted Mansion have always been humorous but the area has now been re-themed in places with some tombstones being relocated and new interactive tombstones and monuments added. Many of the tombstones are tributes to the Walt Disney Imagineers who worked on the Haunted Mansion.
Amongst the new scenes are a crypt with a pipe organ and carvings of musical instruments that play a familiar tune when you touch them, a haunted bookcase with a cryptic key, talking busts (you have to solve the mystery of who killed whom), a book by Prudence Pock that writes poetry and the tomb of Captain Culpepper Clyne "who's pickled in brine" that leaks water, gurgles, blows bubbles and sprays out water.
Latest Hotel Deals
Amongst the travel deals in April, we have found Walt Disney World resort hotels from $64 a night, 4 star hotels in Orlando from just $54 per night and 4 star hotels in Miami for $64 per night. Other deals include:
There are many more good deals this month as tour operators continue to offer discounts, so if you are planning a vacation to Florida during 2011, then let the Florida Review & Travel Guide help you on your way.
This is just a small sample. To see the rest of the great deals and more, click to our late Florida deals page.
Gasoline Prices
Increases in gas (petrol) prices show no signs of slowing. The average pump prices in Florida has shot up over 40 cents in the last month, from $3.21 a gallon to $3.62 a gallon for regular.
As mentioned last month, analysts had predicted rises to anything between $3.25 and $3.75 a gallon by March/April time. In Alaska, California and Hawaii, prices have topped $4 a gallon.
You can always find the latest pump prices at GasPriceWatch.com.
I-Walk Orlando
The Merlin Group, owners of Legoland Florida, have announced plans to bring three other attractions to Central Florida; this follows on from our article in the February 2011 newsletter. The new development is planned for the site of the now vacant Mercado complex on International Drive, near the Orange County Convention Center. The new shopping and entertainment venue will be called I-Walk Orlando and could open in 2013.
Two of the signature attractions are based on those found in London, Madame Tussauds waxworks museum and The Orlando Eye; a 425 foot high observation wheel, only slightly smaller than the world famous London Eye. The third attraction is yet to be announced but one possibility is a "Dungeon" style attraction.
Landmarks visible from the top of the Eye will include Universal Studios, the castle at Disney's Magic Kingdom, Spaceship Earth at Disney's Epcot and the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, one of the largest buildings in the world. Unlike the historic landmarks in London though, the landmarks in Orlando will be a lot further away and therefore nowhere near as prominent on what is predominantly a flat landscape.
Shanghai Disneyland
The latest Walt Disney theme park resort, Shanghai Disneyland Resort is set to open in 2015 at Chuansha New Town, Pudong, about 13 miles from Shanghai.
The Chinese state-owned Shanghai Shendi Group Corporation will have a majority stake with a 57% share and the estimated construction costs for the first phase (Magic Kingdom) are expected to run to around $3.7 billion.
Shanghai Disneyland will be the second Disney theme park in China, following on from Hong Kong Disneyland which opened in 2005. At 286 acres, it will be slightly smaller than its Hong Kong neighbour though the resort is expected to expand over time.
All this happiness comes at a cost though as some 2000 households have had to be relocated to make room for the park. A new metro line is being built as part of the new infrastructure to link the park with Shanghai.
It is rumoured that the new resort will ultimately consist of three theme parks, starting with a Magic Kingdom style park and two others, possibly based around Epcot and Animal Kingdom. Early artwork shows lots of water features, including a large lake and a "river" surrounding the park.
Construction of Shanghai Disneyland is due to start in May of this year and the resort is projected to attract over 7 million visitors a year, more than the Hong Kong park, which has struggled financially since opening with fewer visitor numbers than projected.
The city of Shanghai is home to 23 million people and local competition will come from the World Joyland theme park (unofficially based on the Blizzard games, World of WarCraft and StarCraft) and the Huayi Brother’s Culture City movie based theme park. Both parks are currently under construction with Culture City set to open in 2013.
Other overseas Disney parks are in Tokyo and Paris.
Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers
Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers is written by Lisa M. Battista and was published by CreateSpace on October 1, 2010. It is written by a Disney "mom" with small children for anyone who is planning on visiting Walt Disney World with preschool aged children.
Unlike most of the Walt Disney World guide books for families with children this one is aimed squarely at preschoolers, children between the ages of 2 and 5.
It focuses on the four main theme parks (it deliberately ignores the water parks) and is not so much a general guide to Walt Disney World as a guide to how to plan and more importantly how to relax and enjoy a trip to Walt Disney World with young children.
Taking young children to somewhere like Walt Disney World can be a daunting prospect and this is where Beyond the Attractions can help by taking away some of the stress. It is packed with practical advice and child-focussed tips such as deciding whether your children are even up to a trip to Disney, the logistics of travelling, coping with sleeping away from home, safety, comprehensive packing lists for preschool children and a planning timeline checklist from 6 months out and counting down to the final day.
For up to date information, the book is backed up by a dedicated website where you can pick up all the latest updates.
Read the full review of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers.
African Bees
When you think of dangers from wild animals and insects in Florida, the first creatures that come to mind are alligators, sharks, snakes, mosquitoes and poisonous spiders but now another insect is spreading through Florida - African honey bees, known colloquially as African killer bees because of their fierce reputation.
African bees were originally introduced into Brazil in the 1950s to improve honey production but they escaped into the wild and have been spreading northwards ever since. They have now been reported in more than 26 Florida counties and can be found in all the Central Florida counties including the areas around Orlando and Kissimmee.
The cold winter weather had prevented them from establishing themselves in the more Northern Florida counties but they are hybridising with the local European honey bees and becoming more adaptable. Experts predict they will be endemic in all of Florida in a couple of years time.
Read more about the African Bees in Florida.
Universal Shock News
Following the acquisition of NBCUniversal by Comcast Corp, GE Financial who sponsor Universal’s ATMs and the Jurassic Park River Adventure ride, announced that they were ending their $2 million per year sponsorship deal.
Then another far more serious financial worry has appeared on the horizon. All this at a time when Universal seemed to have turned the corner with record attendances and increased revenue and profits following the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The Universal Studios theme parks are 50% owned by NBCUniversal; i.e. Comcast Corp (who also own the Universal Film Studios) and 50% by the global private equity company, the Blackstone Group (who also own Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Aquatica, Discovery Cove and Adventure Island plus Legoland through Merlin Entertainments).
Instead of consolidating their theme park business into a global player to challenge Disney, it now looks as if Blackstone want to divest themselves of one of their assets. Blackstone has invoked a clause in their contract which states that they can offer their 50% stake to NBCUniversal to buy them out. The estimated figure is in the region of $1.5 billion.
NBCUniversal has until June 12 to accept the offer but if they refuse Blackstone could force a sale to a third party, not just for their own 50% but also the 50% owned by NBCUniversal as long as the third-party agrees to pay at least 180% of what Blackstone wants for their half; i.e. 90% of the total estimated worth.
This in itself is not necessarily an issue as far as the Universal parks are concerned but the complex licencing agreements with the Marvel Comics and Dr. Seuss brands and companies like Warner Bros. who own the rights to Harry Potter, could result in the plug being pulled if they were not happy with the new owners. This could potentially result in major re-theming of the park to remove those brands which could prove financially crippling to the new owners.
If NBCUniversal turn down the Blackstone deal and Blackstone are then unable to find a buyer within nine months, they are prohibited from attempting to sell for a further year under the terms of their agreement.
Read more about Universal Studios.
Free Monthly Desktop Wallpaper
April and May 2011 desktop wallpaper calendars
The free Florida desktop wallpaper calendars are now available in new widescreen and netbook format as well as standard format so if you have a widescreen monitor or a netbook you can now download a new widescreen calendar. 
Free desktop calendars for April 2011 (Homosassa Springs) and May 2011 (Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom) are ready to download now.
Note that some of the larger files can be up to 700k in size so if you are on a modem dialup line it will take a few minutes to download.
Click to view and then download the Florida free desktop wallpaper for April or May now.
Also don't forget if you are looking for inspiration on what to do on your Florida vacation, why not take advantage of our collection of free Florida brochures where you will find information on many activities including golfing vacations, eco-tours, scuba diving and Caribbean cruises.
April Events
With Easter being late this year, you can expect the last two weeks in April to be very busy at the theme parks. The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival continues throughout the month with weekly Flower Power concerts featuring top line artists from the 60s and 70s including Starship starring Mickey Thomas, Paul Revere & The Raiders and Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone.
There are plenty of other concerts plus air shows, car shows, county fairs and festivals this month including a number of Earth Day celebrations on or around April 22.
Also the penultimate shuttle launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-134) is scheduled for April 19.
Noticeable artists on tour in Florida this month include Lady Gaga, Iron Maiden, Usher & Akon, Ricky Martin, Aaron Lewis, Scissor Sisters, Robert Plant, Chicago and Tom Jones. Looking further ahead, Kylie Minogue and Taylor Swift are also performing in Florida.
Click here for full coverage of the latest events throughout the State of Florida or for a comprehensive list of upcoming Florida concerts.
Weather Forecast
Florida experienced some severe storms at the end of March but April should start out warmer with temperatures around seasonal averages and rainfall below average.
In the North around Pensacola and Jacksonville, the month will start with plenty of sunshine and the odd shower with daytime temperatures in the high 70s to mid 80s. Overnight temperatures will be in the mid 50s to low 60s. Again, it will be warmer on the East coast.
Across the Central region, the weather outlook is similar but slightly warmer. Temperatures will be in the high 70s to high 80s during the day, dropping to high 50s to mid 60s over night.
Down in Miami and the Keys, there will be a bit more cloud but even warmer. Temperatures will be in the mid 80s during the day and mid 60s to low 70s overnight. Like last month, it will be slightly warmer in the Miami area than the Keys though the Keys will have fewer clouds.
Click here to check out the rest of the weather for all of Florida including a live weather map, monthly temperature and rainfall charts across the State and the latest hurricane news.
April Books
A few more Florida books this month including the latest edition of Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando, SeaWorld & the Best of Central Florida.
April Book list
- Rose Cottage Chronicles: Civil War Letters of the Bryant-Stephens Families of North Florida
- Salvaging the Real Florida: Lost and Found in the State of Dreams by Bill Belleville
- Florida's Working-Class Past: Current Perspectives on Labor, Race, and Gender from Spanish Florida to the New Immigration by Prof. Robert Cassanello, Melanie Shell-Weiss
- Florida: The State's Most Notorious Criminal Cases by Catherine Cole, Cynthia Thuma
- The Florida State Constitution by Dean Talbot D'Alemberte
- An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century by Jack E. Davis
- The Rogue Republic: How Would-Be Patriots Waged the Shortest Revolution in American History by William C. Davis
- Moon Spotlight Walt Disney World & Orlando by Jason Ferguson
- Florida's Fishing Legends and Pioneers by Doug Kelly
- Michelin Green Guide Florida, 5th Edition
- The Manatee Scientists by Peter Lourie
- City Streets: Orlando All Entertainment Map Laminated by American Map
- Florida in Perspective 2011 by Scott Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary Morgan
- University of Florida ABC's by Charity Sanborn, Jolee Sanborn
- Florida State ABC's by Jolee Sanborn, Charity Sanborn
- Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando, SeaWorld & the Best of Central Florida by Bob Sehlinger, Grant Rafter, Menasha Ridge
- Florida at War by Donald D. Spencer
- Fishing South Florida by Kris Thoemke
- Poor and Homeless in the Sunshine State: Down and Out in Theme Park Nation by James Wright, Amy Donley
We plan to bring you a newsletter on the first day of each month with details of upcoming events and news from across Florida.
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