Latest news with #UniversalStudios'
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside Universal Studios' brand new Epic Universe – here's what you should see
And the incredible food you must try OUT OF THIS WORLD Inside Universal Studios' brand new Epic Universe – here's what you should see IT'S been a long time since I've been to Universal Studios Orlando. The hazy days of 1999 feel much further away than its quarter of a century of distance. Advertisement 10 Even the entrance to the park is epic Credit: ALL_RIGHTS 10 Stardust Racers is all thrills and no filler Credit: ALL_RIGHTS 10 The Isle of Berk brings the classic How To Train Your Dragon films to life So when I heard about the grand opening of the first new theme park in Florida in 25 years, I just had to be there. Universal has been working for years to bring the incredible new Epic Universe to the theme-park capital and it was well worth waiting for. It's home to five brand new hyper-immersive worlds themed on legendary franchises with rides, shows, and experiences unlike anything else in the world. Travelling over to Florida, I enjoyed the luxury of British Airways World Traveller Plus, which offers lots of comfort and some serious leg room. This is long-haul luxury I could get used to. Advertisement With over two decades since my last visit, it's safe to say things have changed a tad. I stayed at the thoroughly modern Universal Stella Nova resort, just a five-minute bus journey from the centre of all the excitement in the new park. The rooms were absolutely huge, with plenty of space for families to use as a base for their trip. Stepping into Celestial Park, it was clear this was on another level compared to anything I had ever experienced before. Advertisement Acting as a hub and a world in its own right, it features plenty of restaurants and attractions for visitors to explore. The highlight of Celestial Park, and one of the best thrill rides Universal has to offer, is Stardust Racers, which features two carts that intertwine and loop round each other as they battle to reach the finish. Most popular treats for Brits on holiday It goes toe-to-toe with the most hardcore rides in the original park. To get the full experience, make sure to split your party of riders in two. Advertisement Spinning fully vertical over your friends at 62mph while waving and jeering each other during straight sections makes this one of the most enjoyable coasters on the planet. My pals and I chose to ride it four times in one day, including twice back-to-back on each set of cars. It was just that good! Stepping through the entrance to each of the themed worlds is like walking through a portal to a different universe. Genius theming and brilliant design fully immerses you. Advertisement GO EPIC UNIVERSE GETTING/STAYING THERE: A week room-only at the 5* Universal Helios Grand Hotel is from £1,449pp and seven nights at the 3.5* Universal Stella Nova Resort is from £829pp on selected dates in January. See MORE INFO: Universal Orlando Resort All Park Tickets from £439pp for a week including one day at Epic Universe from British Airways Holidays. For all you need to know before you visit Epic Universe see 10 The incredible queue for Battle at the Ministry The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic As you rush through the portal to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, you're transported to a picture-perfect Parisian street with cracked cobbles below and towering French architecture. It's hard to believe you're still in the heart of the Sunshine State. Advertisement Potter fans will lose their minds at the new Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry ride. Entering using Floo Powder in the fireplace just like in the films, you find yourself within the Ministry on the day of Dolores Umbridge's highly anticipated trial. It was like walking on the actual film sets themselves — incredible. And that's just the queue! Once on the ride, you'll experience the thrilling trial in its entirety with cutting-edge CGI and animatronics bringing every second of the intense battle to life. Advertisement 10 Super Nintendo World feels like a video game come to life Super Nintendo World If gaming is more your speed (it definitely is mine), then jumping through the warp pipe to Super Nintendo World will take you to a bright and colourful playground where fun is top of the agenda. With the much-loved Mario Kart ride melding the game, virtual reality, and traditional indoor rollercoasters, one ride will never be enough, and you'll find yourself wanting to turn back and immediately start queuing again, just like me. Advertisement In a first for the USA, Super Nintendo World offers visitors a chance to visit Donkey Kong Country, a vibrant jungle based on the classic SNES games. Its main ride, Mine-Cart Madness, captures the feel of jumping from track to track on an old mine cart just like those retro levels. Even Yoshi's Adventure is a perfect beginner coaster for younger children, if you can pull them away from the hidden mini games and interactive elements scattered throughout the world. Kids (and nostalgic adults) also have the chance to meet iconic Nintendo characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad and Donkey Kong as they explore. Advertisement 10 Hiccup's Wing gliders proved a fast favourite within the group How To Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk How To Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk is a must for fans of the Dreamworks classic. Easily the biggest of the new worlds, it captures the spirit of the series perfectly. Hiccup's Wing Gliders sees you soaring through the air on a dragon glider, swooping from left to right as the movie's soundtrack fills the air felt utterly whimsical. Advertisement The park's only water-based ride, Fire Drill, lets you soak your friends, and was a fantastic, if slightly cruel, way to beat the Florida heat. The show, The Untrainable Dragon, was a real highlight, with Hiccup and Toothless soaring over us, giving a fantastic view of all the attention to detail paid to bring the franchise to life in the new world. 10 Visiting Darkmoor in the Dark Universe felt like stepping into another world Credit: ALL_RIGHTS Dark Universe Advertisement Easily my favourite of the new worlds was the spooky Dark Universe. Based on the classic Universal Monsters, horror fans will be delighted to see throwbacks to sorely missed characters like Frankenstein's Monster, the Bride and the Wolfman. The detail was, once again, on-point, from the austere gothic architecture to the windmill restaurant that bursts into flames as you dine. Both Curse of the Wolfman and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment rides were just the right mix of thrilling and fun, a love letter to the classic movies. Advertisement The latter's blend of special effects and unique movement had me giggling with joy on each ride. 10 The Burning Blade Tavern literally catches fire as you dine Credit: ALL_RIGHTS Throughout the parks, dining options were excellent. Isle of Berk's incredible mac and cheese cone and the Dark Universe's Monocane drink in a neon green vial proved to be my personal favourites. If you're a theme park newbie or someone who just can't get enough of the much-loved original Universal Studios Orlando, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay, there are also free buses every half-hour from Stella Nova resort. Advertisement All are well worth a visit, and have a great range of coasters, from the classic Revenge of the Mummy Ride to modern favourites like the adrenaline rush that is Hagrid's Magical Creatures, and the unrelenting thrill-filled Jurassic World Velocicoaster. And if you want even easier access to the amazing Epic Universe, Loews and Universal have teamed up to create the stunning Universal Grand Helios Hotel which, among other luxuries, boasts its own private entrance to the park. With rooms themed around worlds like How to Train Your Dragon, it's perfect for families who want to skip the queues or take breaks from the parks throughout the day. Watching the dazzling fireworks display fill the night sky for the grand opening, it became clear to me that Epic Universe well and truly lives up to its name. Advertisement So if you've been looking for an excuse to explore some epic new worlds and have an absolute blast doing so, now is the perfect time. 10 The EPIC grand opening celebrations
Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
JoJo Siwa receives rose bouquet from Chris Hughes amid intimate moment in London
JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes were photographed sharing affectionate moments during a reunion at London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday, 25 May. The 22-year-old performer was met with a bouquet of red and pink roses by Hughes, 32, sparking further speculation about their relationship. Photos captured by TMZ showed the pair embracing warmly. In one image, Hughes kissed Siwa's forehead, while in another, she leaned into his chest as he held her close. They were also seen holding hands and smiling at each other in a carpark, where Hughes was pictured cupping her face. Photo: Backgrid Their outing comes shortly after Siwa acknowledged their growing closeness during an appearance at the opening of Universal Studios' Epic Universe in Orlando. 'Things are going great,' she said in a video shared via E! News. The two met while competing on Celebrity Big Brother UK earlier this year. Throughout the series, their strong bond was evident through shared private notes, late-night conversations, and affectionate gestures. Hughes, known for Love Island UK, also publicly supported Siwa when she faced homophobic remarks on the show. Siwa later clarified her sexuality, saying she now identifies as queer. While Siwa has stated her recent breakup with Kath Ebbs was unrelated to Hughes, fans continue to watch the evolving relationship between the two.
West Australian
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Peppa Pig's Fun Day Out Live! touring to The Regal Theatre starring West Leederville WAAPA graduate Zoe Crisp
Peppa Pig's Fun Day Out Live! director and writer Richard Lewis likens the stage show's titular character as the Taylor Swift for children. West Leederville-raised, WA Academy of Performing Arts musical theatre graduate Zoe Crisp absolutely agrees, having taken on the role in the Australian production currently touring the nation. 'She truly is a celebrity for kids,' the 25-year-old, Melbourne-based performer says. 'It's such a joy playing Peppa. She's outspoken and she's got a bit of attitude on her, which I think is quite reflective of that age of being four years old and finding your voice. It's quite fun being able to play a four-year-old to an audience full of four-year-olds.' Having grown up watching Peppa Pig herself with her surf-loving twin brother Harry, Crisp says they easily connected with Peppa and George's sibling relationship. 'My brother was quite a shy child, and I was very outspoken,' Crisp, who attended John Curtin College of the Arts, explains. 'I think it's just so relatable for everyone. It focuses on everyday family life, and I think parents can relate to it, children can relate to it, it doesn't matter where you're from. It's very simple, lovely storytelling.' While the production does not include the youngest member joining the TV series' Peppa Pig family this year, which has been on our screens since 2004, it does feature exactly what it states in the show's title — a fun day out. 'We go to the zoo, we go to the beach, we see all sorts of animals, there's a dancing scarecrow and we jump in some puddles,' Crisp says. 'It's very interactive and essentially like watching an episode of the TV show where the kids go and do an activity, and then we bring the audience along with us.' The beloved characters are brought to life on stage through the art of puppetry, where the Pig family are moved around on wheels in front of their hidden puppeteers, including Crisp as Peppa. A great amount of physicality and technique is required as the puppeteers control their mouths while talking, Crisp spending a lot of time perfecting Peppa's voice. 'It's very high pitched because she's four years old, so there's lots of warming up, and we're essentially speak singing the whole show, because kids do kind of sing while they're speaking,' she says. 'It's a very singsongy voice. I recorded myself a lot leading up to the production, just to double-check I was sounding like the TV show.' Crisp landed the role after working on her first puppetry job last year, puppeteering baby dinosaurs in Universal Studios' Jurassic World: The Exhibition, before jumping into the less family-friendly musical, Avenue Q. 'It was all hand puppets, and the show ran for about a month, so I got a pretty good sense of puppeteering by the end,' she adds. Peppa Pig's Fun Day Out Live! is at The Regal Theatre, May 23 to 25. Tickets at
Perth Now
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Joy in playing Peppa Pig
Peppa Pig's Fun Day Out Live! director and writer Richard Lewis likens the stage show's titular character as the Taylor Swift for children. West Leederville-raised, WA Academy of Performing Arts musical theatre graduate Zoe Crisp absolutely agrees, having taken on the role in the Australian production currently touring the nation. 'She truly is a celebrity for kids,' the 25-year-old, Melbourne-based performer says. Your local paper, whenever you want it. 'It's such a joy playing Peppa. She's outspoken and she's got a bit of attitude on her, which I think is quite reflective of that age of being four years old and finding your voice. It's quite fun being able to play a four-year-old to an audience full of four-year-olds.' Having grown up watching Peppa Pig herself with her surf-loving twin brother Harry, Crisp says they easily connected with Peppa and George's sibling relationship. Zoe Crisp. Credit: Supplied 'My brother was quite a shy child, and I was very outspoken,' Crisp, who attended John Curtin College of the Arts, explains. 'I think it's just so relatable for everyone. It focuses on everyday family life, and I think parents can relate to it, children can relate to it, it doesn't matter where you're from. It's very simple, lovely storytelling.' While the production does not include the youngest member joining the TV series' Peppa Pig family this year, which has been on our screens since 2004, it does feature exactly what it states in the show's title — a fun day out. Zoe Crisp as Peppa and Jacqui Dwyer as George. Credit: Supplied 'We go to the zoo, we go to the beach, we see all sorts of animals, there's a dancing scarecrow and we jump in some puddles,' Crisp says. 'It's very interactive and essentially like watching an episode of the TV show where the kids go and do an activity, and then we bring the audience along with us.' The beloved characters are brought to life on stage through the art of puppetry, where the Pig family are moved around on wheels in front of their hidden puppeteers, including Crisp as Peppa. A great amount of physicality and technique is required as the puppeteers control their mouths while talking, Crisp spending a lot of time perfecting Peppa's voice. Zoe Crisp as Peppa and Jacqui Dwyer as George. Credit: Supplied 'It's very high pitched because she's four years old, so there's lots of warming up, and we're essentially speak singing the whole show, because kids do kind of sing while they're speaking,' she says. 'It's a very singsongy voice. I recorded myself a lot leading up to the production, just to double-check I was sounding like the TV show.' Crisp landed the role after working on her first puppetry job last year, puppeteering baby dinosaurs in Universal Studios' Jurassic World: The Exhibition, before jumping into the less family-friendly musical, Avenue Q. 'It was all hand puppets, and the show ran for about a month, so I got a pretty good sense of puppeteering by the end,' she adds. Peppa Pig's Fun Day Out Live! is at The Regal Theatre, May 23 to 25. Tickets at
Buzz Feed
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
The "Back To The Future" Experience At Universal Fan Fest Nights Is W-I-L-D, Here's What It's Like
Hello, fellow movie fans! In case you hadn't heard, Universal Studios Hollywood JUST launched the very first "Fan Fest Nights" (think of it as Halloween Horror Nights meets Comic-Con), and it's no secret the most highly-anticipated attraction at this event is " Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley." This highly immersive experience takes places at Universal Studios' backlot in Courthouse Square, which is the ACTUAL location where they filmed the iconic Clock Tower scene (and more) in Back to the Future. And there's an entire storyline with actors you can follow and interact with. So, yeah, you basically get to "live" inside Back to the Future for a night, and it's SO. FUN. So, in case you go (or can't make it and just wanna see), here are all the best Back to the Future details, Easter eggs, and just really cool things I saw and experienced at Fan Fest Nights. Check it out... 1. First of all, before you even get on the tram to the backlot, you'll get a taste of what's to come when you bump into the Clock Tower lady from Hill Valley's Preservation Society. (Be sure to grab one of the iconic blue "Save the Clock Tower" flyers she's handing out!) 2. Getting you even more into the mindset of being "immersed" in Hill Valley, the typical Tram tour video has been replaced with a special video from Doc Brown advising you to do things like "observe, interact, and above all, don't cause a paradox." 3. When you arrive at the backlot, if your timing is lucky, you'll actually get to see Marty wandering into town (just like in the movie)! And you are 10000% welcome to interact with him (and all the other actors). 4. And there are perfect replicas of the Lyon Estates billboard and signs before you even arrive at Courthouse Square. 5. OKAY, so when you do finally step foot into Courthouse Square, you'll instantly feel transported to 1955. And there are all kinds of great details to look out for that callback to the film. 6. For example one of the first things you'll probably notice is Biff's Ford Super De Luxe Convertible. 7. There's also Doc Brown's 1949 Packard Custom 8 Victoria Convertible over at the gas station. 8. Closer to the entrance, you'll see a replica of a "Re-Elect Mayor 'Red' Thomas" sign. 9. And, of course, not-so-subtly, the "Welcome to Hill Valley" square sign that Marty walks by in the film. 10. There's Ruth's Frock Shop, where Lorraine gets her dress for the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance. 11. And if you look more closely at the shops you'll see a lot of great Easter eggs. For example, the jewelry shop has a sign that says: Timeless Classics (~timeless~ get it?!). 12. And the stationary store has some fun science fiction books that are very on brand, like A Man Returns (Marty's goal is to return to 1985!), The Traveler from Orange County (time TRAVEL!), and I'll Have What She's Having * by Tony Lindas, who is the Manager of Props and Placemaking at Universal Studios Hollywood. 13. At the Realtor's office, you'll see homes for sale throughout Hill Valley including a couple of houses for sale on streets like "S. Hill Valley Circle" and "N. Courthouse Drive." 14. We don't get Lou's Cafe, sadly, however there is a thematic "Valley Diner & Cafe"... 15. ...as well as a "Hill Valley Hotel." 16. But there IS Roy's Records, which doesn't have "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" for sale, but they do have a nice record player for sale in the window. 17. And there's even a toy shop with some fun details in the window, including this train set, which looks a lot like the train in Back to the Future Part III. 18. Also, be on the lookout (up high) for a fun "Hill Valley High School" sign above the "Enchantment Under the Sea" stage... 19. ....as well as the panthers that have been added to the Clock Tower over at Courthouse Square (also way up high). 20. Now, back to the BIG things. As I mentioned, this is a totally immserive event. So fans are encouraged to cosplay as BTTF characters. And you get to interact with the actors playing the characters from the film as much as you want! 21. Like, you can help George McFly come up with something clever to say to Lorraine. 22. You can ask Biff for a photo (although there's a 100% change he'll be ~mean~ to you, because, ya know, he's a bully). 24. And, of course, you can talk to Marty and try and help him figure out how the heck he's going to get back to 1985! Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 25. FYI, there are ~major~ events that happen throughout your visit, and the whole story plays out in a roughly 1-hour loop, so if you miss one of the major events, you can hang out and see it again a little later. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 26. Like, you can see Marty trying to avoid Lorraine's (his mom) romantic advances. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 27. Or watch Marty and Doc hash out their plan to get Marty BACK to the future. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 28. You can see Strickland Strickland. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 29. And you can even see Marty play up on stage with Marvin Berry and the Starlighters at the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 30. But, of course, the pièce de résistance is the recreation of the Clock Tower lightning strike. Now, FAIR WARNING, you will not actually see a Delorean/Time Machine drive down the road during the recreation. However, you will see a cool projection and lighting sequence timed to the music that recreates the scene. And it's pretty spectacular. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed 31. And they've also added some cool special effects to recreate the lightning striking the tower and then going through the wires on Marty's path. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed TBH, I was HOPING they'd at least have a Time Machine drive through the square for this recreation, but I get it, it's probably too dangerous to have that happen with a ton of people wandering around. (STILL, would've been cool!) 32. There's also a REALLY great photo op they've set up with the iconic flames on the road and spinning license plate*. And this is just up and running all night, so get your pics in whenever you want! Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed *TECHNICALLY, the whole spinning license plate thing happens earlier in the movie, in 1985 when Einstein (the dog) time travels, but I'll give them a pass here because it looks cool and is a fun effect and photo op they've set up, LOL. Here's me (as Jennifer! LOL), just to give you a sense of what that looks like: Darren Leis / BuzzFeed 33. But, don't worry, you can get your Time Machine moment in with this other A+++ photo op that also includes EINSTEIN. Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed The line gets REALLY long for this photo op, as you can imagine, so just keep that in mind when planning! As you can see, there's a TONNNNN to do at " Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley," and if you love the films, 10/10 would recommend you check this out! You can purchase tickets NOW for Universal Fan Fest Nights to see it all IRL. The remaining event dates are May 2–4, 9–11, and 16–18, 2025.
