Latest news with #themepark
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Europe's newest theme park with 50 rides and themed lands forced to delay opening date
PARK-ING IT Plus, a major UK theme park is to get huge new land by 2027 with rollercoasters, kids rides and indoor attractions EUROPE'S newest theme park with 50 rides and different themed lands has been forced to delay its opening date. Hossoland Amusement Park in Poland was originally due to open on May 31, bu confirmed that this has been pushed back. 7 7 7 Hossoland's website states: "We regret to inform you that the planned opening date of Hossoland Amusement Park has been postponed. "The final opening date will be announced in early June. "During this time, we will focus on finalising the last details and final testing of our attractions to provide you with an unforgettable experience from day one. "Thank you for your patience, trust and great interest. See you soon!" The amusement park is set in Brojce, on Poland's northern coast, and has plans to create a f airytale-theme attraction, which was originally announced back in 2017. When it eventually opens it is expected to be a rival to Energylandia - one of Europe 's largest theme parks. The park is expected to have a lighthouse, which will connect the four themed zones - each of which is inspired by a local legend or fairytale. In addition, the destination will span 400,000-square-metres and the four lands include Mermaid City, the Kingdom of Baltambrya, the Land of the Vikings and the Dragon Valley of the Mines. One of the park's top attractions is expected to be a steel coaster called GhostRider. It will launch riders 176 feet into the air and reach speeds of up to 72-miles-per-hour. Most of the rides are yet to be named but visitors can expect to experience 20 food and drink areas in the park. The park expects to welcome over one million visitors each year. Karen Hovsepyan, vice president of the park's operator Hosso Group, told Planet Attractions: "Hossoland will be the only amusement park of such a large scale on the Polish coast. "It will certainly become a recognisable symbol and a frequently visited place in this region." For Brits wanting to head to the new park, the best way to get there will be to fly to Szczecin, which with Ryanair can cost as low as £14.99, from both Liverpool and London. 7 7 7 From the airport, Hossoland is then around an hour drive away. Ticket prices vary between low and high season, with a regular ticket costing £29.48 in low season, and £33.44 in high season. Two and three day tickets can also be purchased and if it is a visitor's birthday on the day of entry (up to 18-years-old), they will get their entry for just 20p. Also, here's everything we know about Europe's 1st Universal theme park coming to UK – from TWO new train stations to 500-room hotel. Plus, a major UK theme park is to get huge new land by 2027 with rollercoasters, kids rides and indoor attractions. 7
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Universal's new theme park Epic Universe slammed for not having 'shade' or 'enough rides'
Universal Orlando's long-anticipated theme park has come under heavy criticism from attendees just days after opening its gates. Epic Universe, which officially opened on 22 May, marks Universal's third full theme park and fourth gate overall at its sprawling Orlando resort. The £4.5 billion resort boasts five immersive worlds: Celestial Park, Dark Universe, How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk, Super Nintendo World, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic. With its cutting-edge attractions, blockbuster themes and otherworldly design, the park has already drawn fans from across the globe - particularly gamers and movie fans. But it's not just the rides or the entertainment that have attendees talking - it's the sun. Visitors have taken to review platforms and social media to voice their frustration over the lack of shaded areas throughout the new park, which is located in one of the hottest and most humid regions in the U.S. On TripAdvisor, one contributor warned fellow attendees to 'wear sunscreen' as there is 'no shade anywhere.' Another wrote of the resort: 'It is extremely hot - no shade in the park and all the seats were scalding.' Over on Reddit, dozens of visitors expressed similar views, as one wrote in a thread: 'My biggest criticism is the lack of shade. A lot of parks like letting people feel the heat to push beverage sales, but Epic was really rough when I went a few weeks ago. 'I remember when I was entering the HTTYD land I wanted to stay under the portal for like 20 minutes because it's one of the few areas in the park with shade from the brutal Orlando sun.' Adding to the backlash, some parkgoers are questioning whether the $139 (£103) daily ticket price is worth it, especially given what some describe as 'limited' offerings compared to the hype. One person wrote, 'Outrageous pricing,' while another added, 'I feel it's light on rides, despite there being 14 apparently, the harry potter area is a waste with only 1 ride and Nintendo world does nothing for me, except give me a headache.' A third said: 'My main concern is that there isn't enough stuff to do. California Adventure opened with twice as many things including shows, walkthroughs etc. and that park was infamous for not having enough attractions.' A fourth claimed 'some rides are not open at all' and 'some shut down multiple times a day for an extended period of time,' while another alleged there are 'not enough rides and the rides they do have are not good enough.' Another frustrated attendee added: 'I may not be the majority but I don't think it's worth the money at all! The lines were horrendous…some a 3 hour wait. Which I know it's brand new but when you only have 2-3 rides a park then how will this improve? 'Also when I went half the rides were delayed or broken. So when you only have 10 rides the whole park then the wait times are ridiculous. I hope this improves and they work out the kinks.' Despite the criticism, many visitors claimed to have enjoyed their time at the park, as one wrote: 'The character actors and rides are truly unique. I am excited to go back and see how this park develops. 'I feel like complaints about down time are kind of out of hand. There are so so many things to do in the park, even with rides down I didn't have a lack of new things to try.' Another said: 'Its the most majestic park I have ever been to albeit some negatives as mentioned by other users (lack of shade, some technical issues) but genuinely the atmosphere is perfect.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
New Flamingo Land theme park planned for UK beauty spot - but locals aren't happy
Plans to build a new theme park resort in Scotland have taken another hit, following years of opposition from politicians, environmental groups and local communities. An emergency public meeting has been set up to discuss the controversial development of Flamingo Land on the banks of Loch Lomond. The £40 million proposal includes hotels, over 100 holiday lodges, a waterpark, restaurants, and even a monorail. It's the latest version of plans that were first put forward back in 2018 - but scrapped a year later after public backlash. Flamingo Land later came back with an updated proposal in 2020, promising a resort that would be a 'major step away' from its existing Yorkshire theme park and zoo. But despite those changes, the project has continued to face resistance from both locals, MPs and conservation groups. The development site is in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, an area known for its stunning scenery, ancient oak woodlands and rare wildlife, such as red deer. Earlier this year, the Scottish Government gave the project the green light, overturning a decision by the national park authority which had rejected the plans on environmental grounds. The decision sparked outrage, especially from Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer, who called the approval an 'anti-democratic outrage' and said the plans would cause 'irreversible damage.' He also pointed out that the project had been opposed by several key organisations, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the National Trust for Scotland, and over 155,000 people who signed the Save Loch Lomond campaign. As reported by the Sun, he added: 'We are urgently considering our options for continuing this fight. I will leave no stone unturned in the campaign to save Loch Lomond.' Concerns from the park authority have also been raised about the 'unacceptable' risk of flooding from the nearby River Leven. A recent report added 49 conditions to the approval, and while it said the site could operate safely, many have yet to be convinced. Local groups such as Balloch and Haldane Community council say they're 'deeply disappointed' in the government's decision and claim it goes against what the community wants. Supporters of the plan argue it could bring jobs and boost tourism in the area, but with public pressure continues to grow, as a petition opposing the project amasses a whopping 174,000 signatures. A public meeting has now been set for 30 May to discuss the future of the park. Meanwhile, Paultons Park, which sits on 65 acres on the New Forest's edge in Hampshire, will open a brand new £12million themed world, Valgard - Realm of the Vikings, in 2026. The park, already a hit with younger children thanks to Peppa Pig World, recently cut the ribbon on its latest attraction, Ghostly Manor - a £3.5 million ghoulish interactive gameplay ride. The developments will see it likely rival some of the nation's biggest theme parks - including Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park - for visitors next summer. Viking-themed Valgard is Paultons' biggest investment in a new themed area to date and is aimed at teens and older children.
CNET
3 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Disneyland's 70th: Your Guide on What to Expect, Plus What's New at Disney World
It's been 70 years since Disneyland opened its gates, and the original Disney park is now celebrating its anniversary celebration. As Walt Disney himself once predicted, Disneyland will "never be completed," as long as imagination remains in the world -- and it's continuing to grow with new rides, experiences and entertainment planned for 2025 and beyond. The same is true for the 53-year-old Walt Disney World in Florida, which has entire new lands being built right now (not to mention the brand new Disney theme park just announced for Abu Dhabi). We've got all the details on the park expansions and anniversary celebration. Here's everything coming to the Disney Parks and the Disney Cruise Line in 2025 and beyond. Disneyland's 70th celebration: What to know Disneyland is kicking off its 70th anniversary celebration in May. Disney Parks Disneyland's 70th anniversary kicked off on May 16. The original Disney park opened on July 17, 1955, but the celebration began two months early. You have plenty of time to get there, though -- the celebration will continue for more than a year, running through summer 2026. "Celebrate happy" is the theme of the anniversary, and Disneyland has an entirely new theme song, performed by the Jonas Brothers. New events include a Mickey and Friends cavalcade (including Duffy and ShellieMay), a projection show at It's a Small World called Tapestry of Happiness (as well as Miguel and Dante being added to the ride), a projection show at Carthay Circle, 70 new food and drink items and new outfits for Mickey and friends. The new World of Color show is hosted by Joy from Inside Out, with the other Emotions manifesting movie moments from Pixar and Disney films, including The Incredibles, Turning Red, A Goofy Movie, Encanto and Tangled. It also has a new preshow starring The Muppets. Disneyland's World of Color 70th anniversary show. Disney Parks The esplanade between Disneyland and California Adventure now has a 50-foot sculpture of Sleeping Beauty Castle, with more decorations sprinkled throughout Downtown Disney and Main Street USA, as well as inside Disney's hotels. There's even 70th anniversary decor inside the Toy Story Midway Mania ride. The Paint the Night parade, Pixar Pals parade and Wondrous Journeys fireworks show have also returned for the celebration. On the official anniversary day of July 17, Disneyland will debut a new verse for It's A Small World, as well as a 3-minute film called The Last Verse in the Main Street Cinema. The movie celebrates the Sherman Brothers, who wrote the music for the ride. There will also be a new gallery exhibition in the Opera House on Main Street USA, featuring never-before-seen images, art and artifacts from the development, opening and evolution of Disneyland. These include the original rocking chair, lamp and table from Walt Disney's private apartment above the Fire Station on Main Street, Walt's 1955 Emmy award and his Presidential Medal of Freedom from 1964. There will be a second exhibit on the history of animatronics. The first-ever audio-animatronic figure of Walt Disney himself will also debut on July 17 as a part of the Walt Disney: A Magical Life show inside the Main Street Opera House. How much do tickets cost for Disneyland's 70th? Another big drawcard for the 70th anniversary celebrations: ticket pricing deals that makes it slightly cheaper than usual to visit (as long as you go for at least three days). If you're visiting Disneyland between May 16 and Aug. 14, 2025, you can buy tickets that are part of the Disneyland Anniversary Ticket Offer. These cost $360 for a three-day, one-park-per-day ticket, or $400 for a four-day, one-park-per-day ticket. Disneyland's Avengers Campus is getting two more rides The Avengers Infinity Defense ride. Disney Looking beyond 2025, Disney's California Adventure, which is already home to the Spider-Man Web Slingers and Guardians of the Galaxy attractions in the Avengers Campus area of the park, will be getting two more Marvel attractions. During SXSW earlier this month, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, Imagineering Chief Creative Officer Bruce Vaughn and Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., revealed more details about these two new rides. Avengers Infinity Defense will see you assemble alongside the Avengers battling King Thanos, featuring appearances by Black Panther, Ant-Man and Hulk. Stark Flight Lab, the second ride, will see you help test Tony Stark's latest tech. "In Stark Flight Lab, guests will sit in 'gyro-kinetic pods' and roll along a track before stopping in front of a giant robot arm," Disney explains on its Parks Blog. "This robot arm will hoist you into the air where you'll make several high-speed maneuvers inspired by Iron Man and some other Avengers." Construction begins this year on the Avengers Campus additions. Disney's California Adventure gets a Coco attraction Concept art for the new Coco ride. Disney/Pixar Disney's California Adventure is also getting more Pixar rides. A Coco attraction will be built in an area of the park that is yet to be announced, but it sounds like it'll be a dark ride like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, populated by audio-animatronics. "The attraction will be filled with the characters -- and music! -- you know and love from the beloved movie, as you join Miguel on a trip to the land of the dead," Disney says. Work begins on the Coco ride in 2026, so its launch is still a while away. Disneyland will be getting an Avatar area An aerial shot of the Avatar-themed area coming to Disneyland Resort. Disney The world of Pandora is expanding from Disney World's Animal Kingdom in Orlando to California Adventure in Anaheim. The area in California will take its design inspiration from the second Avatar film, The Way of Water, as well as the upcoming Avatar sequels. It'll likely be part of the enormous Disneyland expansion coming to the theme parks that will push the boundaries past Downtown Disney and into the nearby parking lots. While Disney was short on details and dates, the Avatar experience will be "dynamic, intense and emotional," with a dark boat ride much like Pirates of the Caribbean "taking guests all the way to the wide-open seas of Pandora." Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin updates Concept art of the overhauled version of Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, which will have two different colored lasers in each ride vehicle. Disney/Pixar Over in Disney World's Magic Kingdom park, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin will close in August for a total overhaul. Announced March 26, the Tomorrowland attraction will get new ride vehicles with video monitors. It's also getting a new scene at the start starring new character Buddy the friendly robot. Each star cruiser will have two handheld blasters with always-on lasers that come in two different colors so you can see which laser is yours. The static Z targets will also now "react and light up when hit." Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin will reopen sometime in 2026. Pixar Cars rally race: First look The new Cars rally race ride. Disney The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at Disney World's Magic Kingdom are being repurposed to add an area themed around Pixar's Cars movies. This expansion of Frontierland, which currently encompasses Tiana's Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, will get a Route 66 companion. "To make way for this completely new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrains for a rally race with some of the world's most iconic racers," Disney said in a blog post last year. SXSW in March also saw Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter and Imagineer Michel Hundgen talk about the new ride vehicle being invested in for the Cars ride. You can watch a TikTok video of Disney Imagineers testing out off-road vehicles in the Arizona desert to create what the ride will feel like. "These are all things Lightning McQueen and Mater haven't experienced before, like racing over rocky terrain, ascending to mountain peaks, and dodging around geysers -- how do you take these real-world elements and put a Cars spin on it?" Disney Parks says in a blog post. Docter added that each rally car will have its own personality, name and racing number. Disney last year said there would be a second Cars-themed attraction, too. Cars Land, which was added to Disney's California Adventure back in 2012, remains popular in the west, so it was only a matter of time before it was added to the east. Work is set to begin this year, though there's no closing date yet for Tom Sawyer Island or the Liberty Square Riverboat. Disney's Hollywood Studios is getting a Monsters, Inc. land Disney's first suspended roller coaster will take you on a ride through the Monsters, Inc. factory. Disney/Pixar Another new addition coming to Disney World at its Hollywood Studios theme park is a Monsters, Inc.-themed area, to replace the current Muppets area (with the Muppets to replace Aerosmith theming in the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster). Revealed by the voice of Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), the land will let you stroll through Monstropolis from the Pixar movies and shorts. A new ride will also take you through the Monsters Inc. laugh factory aboard one of the doors to the human world — aka a suspended roller coaster. "The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was ride on one of those doors like Mike and Sulley," D'Amaro said at D23 in August. "You'll go into the factory and experience the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park. Remember in the movie how those claws grab the doors and hoist them up into the air to take them away? We're doing that too. And you're going along for the ride." Docter and Hundgen were also on-hand to talk about the new Monsters, Inc. ride during SXSW, which "will feature the first-ever suspended coaster at a Disney Park, and the first-ever vertical lift." The loading area will see you board the ride vehicle and then "hoisted into the air." Here's the TikTok showing the design concept for the Monsters Inc. ride. Your last day to enjoy MuppetVision 3D is June 7, as it'll close permanently on June 8. Work on the Monsters, Inc. land will then begin later in 2025. There's no closing date yet for the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. Disney World, Disneyland getting Bluey meet and greets Meet and greets with Bluey and her family will be coming to Disneyland and Disney World, as well as to Disney cruises, starting at an unspecified time in 2025. Disney announced this news after revealing that a Bluey movie will hit screens in 2027. "Bluey has become a household name for families around the world, and we are thrilled to bring her story to life in new ways," said Disney Experiences Chair Josh D'Amaro. "We can't wait to watch our youngest guests and their families make memories with Bluey in our parks and on our cruises." The hugely popular Australian TV series about a family of dogs is a worldwide hit, with Disney to release the movie in two years' time. (In the meantime, you can watch Bluey episodes and minisodes on Disney Plus.) New Villains Land at Disney World's Magic Kingdom Disney World's Magic Kingdom is getting a Villains Land. Disney Villains Land, which will celebrate all the classic baddies from Disney films, is coming to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida, and it will be "dark and thorny," according to the Horizons Disney Experiences Showcase (part of Disney's D23 expo in August) and info that Disney has released since. Villains Land was first teased during D23 2022. It'll be positioned on the other side of Big Thunder Mountain -- aka, the top left edge of the current Magic Kingdom map -- and will stretch around to where the Haunted Mansion is. Two major attractions will be built in Villains Land, as well as dining and shopping "on an incredibly twisted grand scale." The land is already being constructed, but no word yet on when it'll open. A chilling trailer for the chaotic land on Instagram hints at elements in the land representing Maleficent, Dr. Facilier, Ursula, Gaston, Yzma, Queen of Hearts, Hades, the Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine, Captain Hook, Jafar, Kaa, Madam Mim, Cruella, Scar, King Magnifico and Mother Gothel. Watch this: Disney Parks Announcements at D23 03:24 Animal Kingdom: Tropical Americas land Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World is replacing its DinoLand USA area with Tropical Americas. Though this had been previously announced, Disney confirmed a few more details in August: Pueblo Esperanza will feel like you're walking through a real village and will have a huge quick-service dining location, a fountain and a carousel. Tropical Americas will also have a new Indiana Jones ride through a Maya temple and an Encanto-themed attraction where you'll explore Antonio's rainforest room inside the Casita. Construction began in fall 2024, but DinoLand USA is closing down in stages. The Dinosaur ride (which will become the Indiana Jones ride) remains open, but TriceraTop Spin and the midway area closed down on Jan. 13. Tropical Americas is planned to open in 2027. The Tropical Americas area will replace DinoLand USA and feature an Encanto ride, an Indiana Jones ride and a carousel. Disney Disney Cruise Line gets four more ships In addition to the Disney Wish, which launched in July 2022, the Disney Treasure, which set sail in December 2024, and the Disney Destiny, which is set to embark later this year, Disney is adding four more cruise ships to its ocean vacation lineup. The ship names and destinations have yet to be revealed, but the ships will set sail between 2027 and 2031. Disneyland and Disney World: Everything else coming Mando and Grogu are joining in the Millennium Falcon fun. Disney Here's what else is new and coming soon to the theme parks:
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Not so Epic? Universal's $6 billion new theme park slammed over ‘lack of shade' and ‘not enough rides'
It cost a staggering $6 billion to build, but for some, Universal Orlando Resort's newly opened Epic Universe park needs even more spent on it. One of the major early criticisms is that there isn't enough shade to shield park-goers from the Florida sunshine. Several online reviewers have complained about being unable to escape the sun, with Tripadvisor user "Lexie C" giving the park just two stars and remarking that during her visit it was "extremely hot" and the seats were "scalding". She writes: "Universal – you need some umbrellas to shade the seats." Another Tripadvisor reviewer, Jeff, from the UK, complained that he'd waited 90 minutes for security to open and to get into Super Nintendo World in stifling heat. He writes: "No shade, no fans, no misters. Fairly disgusting." Another reviewer, this time on a Reddit thread about Epic Universe, reveals that the sheer width of the walkways "does not help with the Florida sun and shading". And relief from the heat isn't always offered by the rides. Jeff explains, for example, that Yoshi's Adventure is largely outside and is slow-moving, so there's no respite. As a result, he gave the ride just three out of 10. Other reviewers feel that Epic Universe doesn't offer enough to justify the $139 entrance fee. Reddit user "Alexman420" says the park was "great" overall, but that Celestial Park "felt boring and bland". It feels "like a city walk instead of a theme park", he writes. Another contributor to the discussion expresses a "concern that there isn't enough stuff to do", with user "comped" agreeing. They mention having a degree in theme park management, before arguing that Epic Universe is "underbuilt" and doesn't "have enough for a major park in this day and age". Another reviewer points out that coaster Stardust Racers "overlooks a flattened expansion plot" and hopes that Universal builds more rides in the next five to six years. "I like it, but it's a bit empty in my opinion," agrees another contributor. Another protest is that there aren't enough rides with zero height restrictions, while others grumble that what's there already is underwhelming. One Tripadvisor user complains that Mario Kart is a "major fail" – that you "just sit there and push a couple of buttons". Another visitor took to the internet to claim that the Curse of the Werewolf ride felt "like an afterthought". And Yoshi's Adventure comes under yet more fire for being simply "boring". Epic Universe has been touted as a "Disney killer" by some, but several don't agree, with one Redditor saying that "Universal just doesn't seem to be in the same league as Disney". Plenty of visitors, however, have hailed Epic Universe as something special, with one Tripadvisor user proclaiming it to be "epic", another declaring it "phenomenal" and another revealing that they've been twice already and are planning a third visit.
