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News! Rider Swap Is Still Available at Universal Studios

We know you guys have a lot of questions about the Universal Studios theme parks grand reopening today!

Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure Queue

So far, we’ve been running around to give you guys some perspective on what it was like arriving at the parks as well as how the crowds have been today!

And while we’re finally starting to get the hang of using new Universal’s virtual line system, we noticed something we wanted to share with you guys as we disembarked from Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure — a sectioned off rider swap area!

Rider Swap at Universal

We can finally confirm Universal is continuing to use rider swap. If you’re not familiar with this term, it’s where one person waits in line while another person stays outside with a small child (or guest who doesn’t want/isn’t able to ride the attraction). Once the first person rides, they can then “swap” with their partner, and the second person doesn’t have to wait in line again! Disney World also permits rider switch, so we’re interested to see if they will continue to offer this once the parks reopen.

Click here to learn how Universal’s virtual lines work!

Rider Swap at Universal

We spoke with a Universal employee who said folks who want to use rider swap will each need to have their own virtual line reservation, so make sure you book a party of two when you reserve your ride time!

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

We’ll be on the look-out for which attractions are offering rider swap since Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is the first attraction we’ve seen with it!

See what it’s like to wear a mask on some of Universal’s rides here!

Are you excited Universal is still offering rider swap? Let us know in the comments below!

Related posts:

  1. Universal Studios to Officially Implement Employee Temperature Checks
  2. Margaritaville at CityWalk in Universal Orlando Just Reopened — and it Already Has a 2.5 Hour Wait!
  3. Universal Studios Hollywood Might Be Looking To Reopen in July

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, News, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, kids, parents, planning, reopening, Rider Swap, Rider Switch, theme parks reopening, Universal Studios

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Disney Business Disney News Disney Parks Other

Creepy or Very Cool? Disney Just Filed a Patent for More Realistic and Advanced Skin for Robots and Animatronics!

Disney is always working on some crazy new tech, and WE’RE always looking out for their newest innovations!

Hondo Ohnaka

Imagineers have been doing a lot of work on tech for the parks and a LOT of that has to do with robotics. Disney is at the forefront of animatronic and entertainment robotics engineering, so they come up with crazy new inventions ALL THE TIME. Recently, we’ve spotted a realistic robot handshake and a patent for an autonomous park-roaming robot. Today, we spotted a NEW patent and this one focuses on a robot’s…skin? You read that right! Take a look!

Disney cranks out patents like nobodies business, but they don’t all apply to the parks. Sometimes they’re coming up with a neat consumer product or a new way to innovate in the film industry. Today though, we spotted a patent for a “Robotics Skin System with Integral Elastomeric Links to Complete Mechanical Linkages.”

©Disney

Now we know what you’re thinking: “What the HECK does that mean???” Essentially, Disney has developed a new skin (yes, like people skin) for their animatronics and robots. The “new” aspect is that this skin system can be used to connect moving parts of the robot instead of with a frame and joints underneath. The best way to visualize this is to think of a robotic octopus tentacle that has no mechanical bones.

©Disney

We apologize for the following illustration because it IS horrifying, but it’s a pretty good explanation of how this tech could be used. In a humanoid robot, the skin system could be used as a face made of latex (or similar material) with stiffened areas to connect to the motorized and robotic aspects, rather than the more traditional “robot skeleton” with a rubber skin stretched over it.

©Disney

We’re not sure if that’s cool or creepy, but we are leaning towards the cool side. This is definitely the kind of tech that Disney could apply with new animatronics in their theme parks so it will be interesting to see what sort of bots are developed in the coming years!

We’ll be keeping a close eye on new Disney tech, so follow along with us to make sure you know all about the new innovations!

What do you think of this amazing new tech? Tell us in the comments! 

Related posts:

  1. Disney World is About To Be Invaded By Robots…And You’re Going To Love It!
  2. Robot Handshakes and Earthquake Floors?! These Documents Hint At The Future of Disney Parks!
  3. The Secrets Behind Disney’s NEWEST Technology (And Where You’ll Be Seeing It In The Parks)!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, disney parks, Featured, News, Animatronics, Audio-Animatronics, Disney innovation, Disney Patent, Disney Tech, Imagineering, Robot skin

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Here’s How to Have an EPIC Disney Pool Party in Your Backyard!

Warm weather means more time outside! And since we’re spending way more time at home, our pools may be getting a lot more love this summer (even if they’re the tiny inflatable kind!). You may be heading outside to work on your tan or to throw the ultimate backyard barbecue, but don’t leave that pool neglected!

A Dip in Your Resort Pool May Be Just the Break Your Day Needs!

Let’s throw one EPIC at-home Disney pool party! We found swimsuits, towels, pool toys, and more that will guarantee your pool will be your favorite destination this summer!

Swimsuit up!

First thing’s first, you gotta dress for the occasion! That means swimsuits for the whole family! We all have our favorite go-to Disney everyday outfits, but do you have a Disney pool outfit? 

© Disney

Luckily for you, we found some super cute and chic swimsuits, starting with this scoop neck swimsuit for juniors! Minnie Mouse is sporting some serious poolside style with her sunglasses and bow! It’s priced at $49.99.

Shop for this stylish scoop neck swimsuit here!

We also found THE cutest Mickey Mouse ruffle swimsuit at Torrid! Who’s the leader of the pool club?

© Torrid

YOU are when you rock this look all summer long! This one-piece swimsuit is $99.50.

Shop for the Mickey Mouse ruffle swimsuit here!

And for guys, don’t worry about being left out! We found a fun way to match at the pool this summer.

© Disney

These Mickey Mouse swim trunks are the perfect touch of Disney style (and Mickey’s even got his shades on ready to hit the pool). You can get it for $34.99.

Be the coolest Mouse at the pool with these swim trunks!

Give your feet some love!

Keep your feet safe AND chic with some Disney flip flops. Havaianas has given us some of our favorite Disney flippies over the years, and we found a couple of pairs that will match just about any pool look.

© Zappos

The first pair up are these Mickey Mouse flip flops for women. You can rep Mickey from head to toe! These flip flops are $26.00.

Grab a pair of these Mickey Mouse flip flops by Havaianas here!

But we all know ONE pair of flip flops isn’t enough! You need options! So we went ahead and found another cute pair of Havaianas for all you Minnie fans out there.

© Disney

We’re obsessed with the color of these flip flops — they’re super tropical, complete with flamingos! These cuties are $30.00.

Step into poolside style with these Havaiana flip flops!

Get the party started with these pool toys and party activities!

We all know that for some folks, laying on your towel is all the pool interaction you need to slip into paradise. But for those who are looking for a little more recreation, we got you! After all, it’s not an EPIC pool party if you don’t have some fun toys and activities for the pool!

© Amazon

Dive “Under the Sea” like in The Little Mermaid or float in space like Star Wars! If you’re looking for a challenge, this Little Mermaid catch and dive toy set adds the perfect Disney touch! Turn it into a competition amongst your family! You can get these for $20.88.

Shop for the Little Mermaid pool toy set here!

Get ready for your pool to transform into a galaxy far, far away with this next set of toys! We found a Star Wars inflatable ball set that would be perfect for your epic pool party.

© Amazon

Each set comes with R2D2, BB8, and a rather cute Death Star. The set of 3 is $39.99.

Stock up on this Star Wars inflatable ball set for your backyard pool party here!

When you’re tired from all those fun and games and you want to just kick back and relax, don’t just chill on any old, tired float! Keep the Star Wars party going with this Millennium Falcon pool float!

© Amazon

The fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy is now the most relaxing hunk of junk in your pool! You can get this uber awesome float for $59.99.

Blast off with this Millennium Falcon pool float!

Let’s keep the Star Wars theme going because we KNOW there are lots of you out there who just love all things Star Wars! We also found this adorable BB8 pool float that would make a great companion to any pool party.

© Amazon

You can get your very own for $24.98.

Get your very own BB8 pool float here!

We all know an epic pool party is more than just toys and cute swimsuits. Sure, that’s a good start, but you need some food and drinks that’ll keep the party going all afternoon long! Why not make your epic pool party an epic backyard barbecue?

© Super Hero Stuff

While you’re at it, keep your drinks safe (and perhaps a bit on the dark side) with this Darth Vader can cooler! Get your own can cooler for $12.99.

Make sure your beverages are ready to party with this Darth Vader can cooler!

Wrap up in a cozy towel

When it’s time to get out of the pool, obviously you’ll need a fresh set of Disney towels to dry off! And if your idea of an epic pool party looks more like lounging instead of swimming, you’ll still need a stylish towel to lay on! Either way, we found some cute Disney towels to add to your collection.

© Amazon

For the kiddos, this Mickey Mouse towel is perfect for an afternoon at the pool! Get your very own for $29.99.

Shop for this Mickey Mouse towel here!

This next towel really makes a STATEMENT. That’s because this Star Wars towel is OVERSIZED.

© Super Hero Stuff

So stretch out and relax, or wrap yourself up three times over — either way, your love of Star Wars will be loud and proud. This towel is priced at $34.99.

Shop for this oversized Star Wars towel here!

Do you find yourself coming back to the water, no matter how hard you try?

© Target

As the weather gets hotter and hotter it’s only going to get more difficult to say no to an afternoon by the pool, so embrace your destiny like Moana with this fun towel for $10.00.

Shop for this cute Moana towel here!

Whether you have a full-sized swimming pool or a sprinkler that you can run around in, we hope you have some ways of staying cool this summer! With all of us spending more time in our backyards this year, it’s more important now than ever before to show our patio, lawn, and pool some love! That also extends to us to make sure we’re dressed in true Disney style. So lather up on sunscreen and enjoy the warm weather!

See how to throw a mega cool Disney Backyard BBQ here!! 

What are your pool party MUST haves? Let us know in the comments!

Related posts:

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  3. Did You Know You Can Buy This ONLINE?

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney merchandise, Featured, News, Special Stuff, Disney merchandise, disney pool party, disney pool toys, disney swimsuit, flip flops, Mickey Mouse, minnie mouse, pool party, pool toys, star wars, swimsuit

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Disney News Disney Parks Other

Land West of Animal Kingdom being prepped for new development

Animal Kingdom

A recent report released by Growth Spotter indicates that a real estate developer is planning a future project west of Walt Disney World Resort. A Chicago-area company led by real estate developer and advisor Kimm Dodaro is under contract to purchase land west of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. Kimm Dodaro leads a company called the Walter Joseph Group, which specializes in helping charities accept gifts of real estate.

You can see the area of consideration in the above image. Their specific Land Use Plan application states that Dodaro is hoping to develop 260 short-term rental units and a nine-story hotel with up to 240 suites. The tentative real estate project would be done through a company she manages called Walter Blake Inc. The land area they are seeking is approximately 119 acres in size. It’s located north of U.S. 192 and west of Avalon Road.

The area would permit a mix of real estate services for future use. Specifically, it will present short-term rental and time-share opportunities for visitors. The real estate developer’s plans would present fun new options for where to stay while visiting Central Florida’s theme parks! We will provide updates when new information becomes available for the development of this land area west of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Photo Credit: Growth Spotter

From our friends at chipandco.com
Filed Under: News, Parks & Resorts, Walt Disney World, animal kingdom, Disney Construction, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

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Disney Parks Other

Here’s a Look At Universal Orlando’s Grand Reopening Crowds Today!

We’re reporting LIVE from the grand reopening of Universal Orlando today.

Universal Studios

And while we’ve already stopped by to check out theme parks earlier this week during an Annual Passholder preview, today is the first day Universal is open to the general public!  Let’s go check it out!

Universal is limiting its capacity, but they aren’t implementing a reservation system like Disney World will be offering when its theme parks reopen next month. Since guests aren’t required to purchase a ticket beforehand, we were curious just how many folks would show up!

Universal Crowds

Turns out A LOT of people were heading to Universal this morning! We got stuck in a bit of a traffic jam waiting to enter the parking garages! The gridlock took about an hour to clear up — not our favorite way to start the day!

Entering Universal

With so much action just trying to get to Universal, we feared the worst — but actually, the rest of getting inside Universal was smooth sailing! There wasn’t a back-up at the temperature screening area and we quickly made it through the checkpoint without a hitch!

Temp Checks

Since many folks hadn’t purchased their tickets yet, we did notice some long lines at the ticket booths. When we asked an employee how Universal would be limiting their capacity, they told us once a park was full an attendant would stand out front. Once guests exited whichever theme park had reached capacity, more people would be admitted in.

Universal Ticket Line

The lines were much shorter at the turnstiles and once we arrived, we noticed very few people were around. The parks officially open at 9AM but they started letting guests in a little early. At 8:45AM, the place was still virtually a ghost town!

Universal Studios

And it has remained pretty quiet all morning long! Doctor Doom’s Fearfall was a walk-on!

Doctor Doom’s Fearfall

There wasn’t a wait for The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man either!

Universal

In fact, there seems to be far fewer people here than there was during the Annual Passholder preview we attended earlier this week. Even Hogsmeade looks relatively much calmer!

Hogsmeade

The line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure looked a lot more manageable! We’ll return to Hogsmeade a little later in the day and see what the crowds are like around mid-day!

Hogsmeade

Remember, Universal is offering a virtual line system for most of the attractions. This helps to space guests out in line, so even if there are crowds, you should be able to distance yourself from others.

Virtual Line

We’ll be updating this post throughout the day as the park fills up, so check back!

Have you been to Universal before? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, News, crowds, no crowds, no wait, Universal, Universal crowds, Universal Orlando, universal orlando reopening, walk on