Latest news with #CineSational:ASymphonicSpectacular
USA Today
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
When are Disney July 4 fireworks? Where to see epic shows at Florida theme parks.
The Fourth of July is here, with Florida expecting to see a surge of travelers looking to take advantage of the holiday for a quick trip. If they're visiting Florida, there's probably a theme park on the itinerary. AAA projects 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles or more from home over the Independence Day holiday alone, with Orlando being one of the top destinations. Who wouldn't want to grab a patriotic treat while in the "happiest place on earth," or catch a themed fireworks display steps away from Diagon Alley? Here's what five of Florida's theme parks are planning for the Fourth of July holiday. What day is July 4th, 2025? The July 4 holiday falls on a Friday this year. It is one of the 11 federal holidays in the U.S. Walt Disney World Resorts Two of Disney World's theme parks will host nighttime fireworks shows: Spaceship Earth will be illuminated in red, white and blue at night on July 4. Additionally, DJ entertainment will occur throughout the night at Magic Kingdom on July 3 and 4 in Frontierland, near Cinderella Castle and Tomorrowland. Celebrate the USA's 250th birthday aboard this once-in-a-lifetime patriotic cruise Universal Orlando Resort Universal Orlando will celebrate the Fourth of July with special entertainment at its theme park and Universal CityWalk. According to officials, the event features live music, themed performers, a DJ, character meet-and-greets, and an in-park nighttime pyrotechnics display within Universal Studios. The celebration kicks off at 5 p.m. in CityWalk and 5:15 p.m. in Universal Studios, where guests can also enjoy attractions and entertainment, including CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular. SeaWorld Orlando SeaWorld Orlando will hold its Fourth of July fireworks display on Friday, July 4, and Saturday, July 5, as announced on its website. It adds that the fireworks are synchronized to patriotic music. "Enjoy a firework & drone show spectacular on SeaWorld's large central lake with inspiring music synced to beautiful fireworks in celebration of America. View from areas like Bayside Stadium or find a spot along the water," its website states. Legoland Orlando LEGOLAND Florida is bringing back its "Red, White & Boom" party for July 4 through July 5, with star-spangled activities, DJ Dance parties, and a fireworks show. The park will extend its usual hours for the show. For its fireworks, officials note that it is extra special to view with 3D viewing glasses, which transform the sparks into exploding Lego bricks. To make things even sweeter, the park will offer a limited-time patriotic paleta, which features "layers of tangy blueberry yogurt, creamy vanilla yogurt, and juicy fresh strawberries." Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Guests at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will enjoy an extended patriotic fireworks finale to its "Wild Skies: The Summer Nights" drone show from July 4 through July 6. The show takes place close to the Festival Field.
USA Today
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
How 'Jaws' fans can celebrate 50th anniversary at Universal Studios Hollywood, Florida
How 'Jaws' fans can celebrate 50th anniversary at Universal Studios Hollywood, Florida Show Caption Hide Caption Top 3 scary moments in 'Jaws' 'Jaws' turns 50 this summer and USA TODAY film critic Brian Truitt celebrates with his favorite bloody moments. Universal Studios Hollywood features a "Jaws" encounter on the Studio Tour, along with photo opportunities and themed dining at Amity Island Cafe. Universal Studios Florida no longer has the Jaws ride, but offers photo opportunities with "Jaws"-themed props and limited-time snacks. Both parks celebrate the film's 50th anniversary with special events and entertainment, including a "Jaws"-themed parade and nighttime show. It's been 50 years since 'Jaws' first terrorized a generation of moviegoers. Nowadays, fans are more likely to squeal with delight than fear over the beloved Universal franchise, which still has an entire Amity Village at Universal Studios Japan. But fans don't have to go that far to celebrate the film's golden anniversary this summer. Here's what to do at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort. Do they still have Jaws at Universal Studios Hollywood? Yes. There's still a Jaws encounter on the World-Famous Studio Tour. (Tip: Sit to the right of the tram for the best view.) The tour is available all year long, but guests may notice a 'Jaws' addition to the Hollywood sign replica this summer. As part of Universal Studios Hollywood's Mega Movie Summer through Aug. 10, guests can also snap photos with the park's hanging shark, which has been brought back for an anniversary photo opp, along with a new meet-and-greet with Captain Quint and Chief Brody. Guests can find these outside the WaterWorld attraction. The California park has also temporarily transformed its quick-service Hollywood & Dine restaurant into Amity Island Cafe. Its 'Jaws'-inspired menu includes a lobster roll, a vegan crab cake sandwich and an oversized donut that looks like a lifesaver. From 'Jaws' to 'The Meg': Ranking the 10 best shark movies of all time Is Jaws still at Universal Studios Florida? Universal Orlando Resort's Jaws ride retired in 2012. However, its hanging shark is still displayed year-round. In honor of the film's 50th anniversary, Universal Studios Florida has also brought out two additional photo opps tied to the former attraction: one is its original billboard; the other looks like one of the boats from the ride, being chased by a shark. Guests will find these in the park's San Francisco area through July 6, along with limited-time "Jaws"-themed snacks. Each night until Aug. 24, guests can catch CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular, on the park's waterfront before closing. The nighttime show features dancing fountains, projections, and music from some of Universal's most iconic films, including 'Jaws.' Pending weather, each day through Nov. 13, guests can also catch the Universal Mega Movie Parade, which features live characters, floats and Easter eggs from various Universal films, including 'Jaws.' Dates are subject to change. Guests should check Universal Orlando's free app for the latest updates.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Universal Orlando drones: FAA authorizes Sky Elements to fly over theme park again
The Brief A new waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that Sky Elements can now fly drones over Universal Orlando again. The waiver comes just in time for the park's nighttime show, "CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular," to return after a season of closure. Universal previously stopped using the Sky Elements drones following a tragic incident at a Christmas drone show over Lake Eola where a 7-year-old boy was seriously injured and sent to the hospital. ORLANDO, Fla. - A new waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that Sky Elements can now fly drones over Universal Orlando again. What we know The waiver comes just in time for the park's nighttime show, "CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular," to return after a season of closure. The show previously used Sky Elements drones. However, Universal stopped using the drones following a tragic incident at a Sky Elements Christmas Drone Show at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando. Although the drones were supposed to stay above the lake and away from the crowd, the drones went off course, crashed into each other and fell into the lake, striking a 7-year-old boy and sending him to the hospital. The waiver states that the operations conducted under it are limited to the location described as the Universal Orlando Backlot. Click to open this PDF in a new window. The backstory The Christmas drone show accident took place on Dec. 21, 2024, at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. Alezander, a 7-year-old boy, was seriously injured after red and green-lit drones collided and plummeted into the crowd at the event. FOX 35 News spoke with the parents of Alezander, who said one of the drones knocked him out on impact, causing a chest injury. He underwent open-heart surgery the following day. Dig deeper A video shared with FOX 35 News captured the drones crashing into the lake and veering close to spectators. Shortly after, the City of Orlando canceled the second show, citing technical difficulties in a statement on X. A spokesperson for the City of Orlando confirmed after that the FAA was leading an investigation into the incident. According to the contract with the City of Orlando, the 500 drones operated by Sky Elements were meant to fly above the lake, staying clear of the crowd in designated areas. However, during the show, several drones collided midair and fell into the lake. The FAA had since suspended the waiver that allowed Sky Elements, the drone company hired to put on the show, to put on other drone shows across the country, pending the outcome of its investigation, as well as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation. Typically, during a synchronized drone show, the drones are linked up by GPS. Experts suggested various potential causes for the malfunction. Drone expert, Dr. Vivek Sharma of Florida Institute of Technology, speculated the failure might stem from GPS interference, programming errors or drone collisions. In January, the NTSB released its preliminary report on what happened during the show, citinga few minor issues within minutes of the first show starting: At first, five of the drones were not accepting launch data. Officials troubleshooted some of the Wi-Fi access points and connected all 500 drones to the network. Officials conducted a "soft reboot" to bring the shows into "show ready" mode. All but two – 498 drones – seemed ready for the show. The two that did not connect were pulled, the report said. Shortly after the first show started, the pilot noted that the drones did not launch "uniformly," and when the drones shifted positions, began to crash into one another. The NTSB found that a "launch parameter file" which contained the final flight data for the drones was never sent, and that the "show center was not completely aligned." A review of the logs found that the show's position was rotated by 7 degrees. That change in position also allowed the "geo hard fence" to be too close to the crowds, the report said. What they're saying Sky Elements Drone Shows is a Texas-based entertainment company that puts on professional drone shows across the country, according to its website. At IAAPA Expo 2024, the company reportedly set a new Guinness World Record – its 10th – for the "largest aerial display of a bird formed by multi-rotors/drones." Sky Elements drone show used 2,484 drones. The record to beat was 984, a news release said. In response to the incident, Sky Elements had proposed several measures to the FAA aimed at preventing similar occurrences in the future. These included: Allowing additional on-site preparation time before showtime to alleviate time pressures. Establish an on-call system requiring a chief pilot or second in command "to verify all the necessary steps have been completed before showtime." Providing additional training for all remote pilots in command of the drones. "Sky Elements is fully committed to safety, transparency and continuous improvement," representatives said in the prepared statement. "The NTSB's preliminary report revealed that this was an isolated incident involving actions outside the scope of our established operating procedures, which are specifically designed to prioritize safety and prevent such occurrences. Sky Elements has a proven track record of delivering safe, high-quality performances." To further strengthen its existing safety protocols and incorporate the NTSB's recommendations, Sky Elements said it had introduced the following enhancements: Additional time has been allocated to pre-show procedures to enhance our already thorough safety checks of all systems and environmental conditions before launch. An updated requirement for two licensed pilots to fly each show, who will independently confirm the completion of pre-flight procedures, introducing an additional layer of oversight and accountability. Incorporate advanced safety protocols, additional emergency procedures and evolving best practices in drone show operations into our industry-leading training programs. "These enhancements reflect our commitment to operational excellence and our determination to prevent such events from occurring in the future," Sky Elements said. "We will continue refining our processes in collaboration with relevant authorities and sharing updates as appropriate to maintain the highest standards of safety and innovation in the drone show industry." STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information gathered from previous reporting and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver.
