Floriday

NBA All-Star Game 2012

2012-02-22T19:17:00.003Z

This February, the NBA is bringing one of the most entertaining sporting events to Orlando -- NBA All-Star 2012. Returning for the first time since 1992, when Magic Johnson made his dramatic comeback on the court, The NBA All-Star 2012 game is a unique experience that celebrates the NBA's greatest athletes.

NBA All-Star weekend, it's been 20 long years! Welcome back to Orlando! Where magic happens! At least when reality doesn't interfere ... and the recession stops by ... and the lines shorten at Walt Disney World ... and the screams grow fainter at Universal Studios ... and the foreclosures deliver a swift kick to Kissimmee ... and unemployment soars like steamy afternoons in July.

Yes, like many cities, especially in Florida, the epicenter of the economic earthquake, Orlando is trying to rally. When disposable dollars dried up and tourism took a hit, well, just imagine the Magic without Dwight Howard. (You might hear about Dwight oh, once or a million times this weekend.) The double whammy of real estate woes and squeezed family budgets threaten to cripple the world's greatest tourist destination.

Suddenly, the city that loved to slap an exclamation point next to its name -- come visit Orlando! -- was stuck with a question mark instead. As in, when does relief arrive?

One basketball-fueled weekend won't exactly tip the Central Florida economy into the black all by itself. Still, the goal for Orlando is to be that same city that hosted the 1992 All-Star Game, the one where Magic! (Johnson) happened. To that end, Orlando will trot out the Amway Center, a $480 million symbol of hope that was built smack in the middle of hard times. Orlando doesn't get the game without it, doesn't sell its recovery to a big audience without it and doesn't reinvent itself without it.

"Part of the context of building this building was attracting the NBA All-Star game and other events," said Alex Martins, chief executive officer of the Magic. "We said a new building wasn't just about the Magic. It was about our city and what we were missing. All the big concerts were going to Tampa. We haven't had a conference college basketball tourney since the early 1990s. No major organizing sports body has brought anything to us since early 90s."

And just think, a few months ago, the NBA season and the weekend itself were in jeopardy of not happening, phased out by a lockout. The game was promised to Orlando on May 4, 2010, and hotels and businesses were banking on the windfall.

"That would have been a blow to our city," Martins said. "I told David Stern he'd better put me in witness protection if that happens."

So the city that knows something about entertaining will happily host a slam dunk contest that may or may not involve an economy car, a handful of hip-hop parties to which you're not invited, and the debut of the ballyhooed box office attraction that promises to dwarf both Space Mountain and the Harry Potter Hogwarts ride. Yes, Jeremy Lin is in the house!

"Everyone will see that Orlando's not bad, and will put on a show," said Howard, who then refused to say if he plans to stick around for the after-party.

Back in '92, Orlando was exactly the type of city that professional sports craved that decade. It was a medium-sized 'burgh suddenly flush with new money and enjoying a population boom, where people quickly began to multiply faster than Palmetto bugs and strip malls.

The NBA expanded to Orlando three years earlier and success was instantaneous; sellout crowds crammed a then-brand new arena (the Orlando Arena, later known as Amway Arena) that astonishingly became outdated in about 15 minutes.

Not only was Orlando defined as Las Vegas for children, but also professional athletes, who built airplane hanger-sized mansions in lake-dotted communities like Isleworth, home to Tiger Woods, Shaquille O'Neal and many others.

In a sense, Orlando's growth and popularity arc was a lot like the NBA's in the 80s, when prosperity ruled and troublesome signs weren't visible on the radar. The NBA had Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan; Orlando had Mickey, Goofy and, in a few years, Shaq and Penny Hardaway. Theme parks were swelling, orange groves were cleared for housing developments -- it was as if Orlando had cashed in on the lottery, like the Magic did when a pair of ping-pong balls turned into Shaq and Penny.

Golf courses sprung up everywhere, further hiking real estate prices ever so unrealistically, as well-moneyed northerners snapped up second homes and timeshares. And they also bought choice seats at Magic games to see a team that was supposedly the next dynasty. Or as Shaq once said, regarding he and Hardaway, "the next Magic and Kareem."

But then Shaq left for Hollywood in 1996 as a free agent, Penny hurt his knee (several times), Grant Hill arrived as damaged goods in 2000 from Detroit as a free agent. Even though another ping-pong ball became Howard, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 Draft, he's not sold on spending his foreseeable career in Orlando.

And this was the good news.

"Central Florida was one of the hardest hit in terms of housing," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. "Home building is pretty much non-existent right now. We had an extreme correction in terms of market price and number of foreclosures.

"Tourism was down double digits. We had three straight years of double-digit decline in our tourist development tax. People postponed or didn't do vacations. It was a significant decline in our tourism economy. We came back strong in the last year, with 51 million visitors. But it's going to be a slow, steady recovery. We had a presentation by our convention and visitors bureau the other day and they mentioned it would be impossible to purchase the type of advertising and exposure that we'll get from the All-Star Game."

At least Orlando's timing was solid, in another sense. All the bonds and financials were secured for the construction of Amway Center (along with a new performing arts building) just prior to the economic uppercut. Amway Center, not to be confused with the soon-to-be-bulldozed Amway Arena, was the town's boldest project in recent history. In a spirit of cooperation that's uncommon in cities, especially in the midst of historic decline, city, county and team officials made it work. The public-private partnership ensured the arena was finished on time and on budget.

"It was certainly challenging but also some advantages as well," Martins said. "We were able to stretch the construction budget further than we could've imagined because the construction industry had nothing else going on. As many disadvantages as one could perceive when building in a down economy, the workforce was available, material pricing was low and we had no major delays.

"We walked into the building with all the suites sold, had highest corporate partnership in the history of the organization and the highest season ticket base in the history of the organization. And I think that speaks to how starving our community was for a first class building."

As for the impact of the weekend, "it will be $100 million. The theme parks will get a shot in the arm at a time of the year when they don't get their highest visitation. This comes at a necessary time."

One of the main figures in the construction of the building -- and the Magic -- is slowly withdrawing from both. Rich DeVos, the grandfatherly Magic owner, has gradually distributed much of his shares of the team to his children and even grandchildren, mostly for estate-planning purposes. At 85, Devos has the team run by Martins (who was the Magic's PR director during the '92 All-Star Game) and Dan DeVos, one of his sons.

"This team will be in our family for a long, long, time," said Rich DeVos.

The family patriarch mostly gets around by wheelchair these days and there's a groundswell of support within the family and the organization to win one for Mr. D.

"The pleasure he gets out of owning this team and what it does for this city has brought a dynamic to his life that maybe he didn't have before," Martins said. "If it weren't for him this arena wouldn't be built. He contributed more of his own money to this building than any owner has to a public facility. This will be part of his legacy. It's going to mean a lot for the economy when big events come here on a regular basis."

DeVos is both amused and touched by the sentiment, but he makes one thing clear.

"I want to win a ring," he said, "but it's not for me, it's for them."

And so Orlando, ever so gingerly, is taking steps toward better days. For the city and for the Magic. The arena is the common link between the two and will remain in place, well beyond the weekend, when Orlando hopes to get tourists to arrive and the Magic hopes to keep Dwight Howard from leaving.

The East Team looks like this:

Starters
G - Derrick Rose - Chicago Bulls
G - Dwyane Wade - Miami Heat
F - LeBron James - Miami Heat
F - Carmelo Anthony - New York Knicks
C - Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic

The West looks like this:

Starters
G - Chris Paul - Los Angeles Clippers
G - Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
F - Kevin Durant - Oklahoma City Thunder
F - Blake Griffin - Los Angeles Clippers
C - Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers

So enjoy the weekend in Orlando! Where the city is out to prove it's on the turnpike to recovery! Oh, and spread the word, now is the perfect time to visit! Because Orlando has the most attractions in the world! Now featuring Jeremy Lin! (For a day or so, anyway.)

New Blue Man Group Show Opens Feb 24th

2012-02-22T18:57:00.003Z

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO'S NEWLY-ENHANCED BLUE MAN GROUP SHOW OPENS ON FEBRUARY 242

Enhanced Show Features New Stage, New Technology, New Music and New Experiences

Universal Orlando's Blue Man Group show is taking its unique and captivating brand of live entertainment to another level - complete with a new show environment, new music, new technology and new experiences.

New sections include Blue Men interacting with "GiPads" (think Gigantic iPads), a funny and perceptive look at contemporary modes of communication; and a pulsating new finale featuring an original Blue Man Group music score that will have guests jumping to their feet.

"The heart of our show is, and always has been, the Blue Man, and his inquisitive, wide-eyed take on the world," said Chris Wink, who co-founded Blue Man Group with Phil Stanton and Matt Goldman. "Our team of artists at Blue Man Productions has created fun, even astounding new visual aspects of the show, and our music team has given us a great new sound. We are really excited to incorporate these elements into the show at Universal Orlando Resort".

"This show will take one of Universal Orlando's most popular experiences to a whole new level," said Alice Norsworthy, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Universal Orlando Resort. "It's the perfect complement to the incredible entertainment we offer at our destination."

Several of the signature moments that have made Blue Man Group one of today's best-loved theatrical productions will remain in the show, although in most cases, they have also been updated. And as always, the production will fuse innovative theatrical spectacle with improvisation and vaudeville-inspired comedy, art, science and irresistible music performed by the Blue Man Group live band.

"Many of our audience's favorite pieces, including "Paint Drumming" and "Gum Balls/Marshmallows" will continue to be a part of the production - and yes, the first few rows will still need to wear ponchos," added Phil Stanton, Blue Man Group co-founder. "But we have developed some brand new elements of the show that provide a larger-than-life, rousing, interactive experience that I hope will really speak to all cultures and give some of our most devoted fans a new reason to check us out again."

For more information about Blue Man Group at Universal Orlando Resort - or to purchase tickets - visit www.universalorlando.com/blueman.

Spider-Man Closes Feb 8th for Refurb

2012-02-01T22:50:00.003Z

Universal have announced that Spider-Man will close on the 8th Feb 2012 in order for the HD upgrade to take place. The Official Facebook Page stated:

Attention Spidey Fans! The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man attraction will close on Feb. 8 as we finalize major, high-tech enhancements that will be ready for you in March! Soon, you’ll be able to experience all-new animation and an entirely new level of detail – from the stitching on Spider-Man’s glove to the electricity arching through Electro’s body. More details and a re-open date coming soon!

We will let you know as soon as a re-open date is confirmed.

Hollywood Drive In Golf: Photo Update

2012-01-31T23:18:00.005Z

Universal Orlando is moving right along with Hollywood Drive-In Golf, its twin miniature-golf courses under construction at Universal CityWalk. We’re now seeing a lot of signage, big and small, plus a slew of tombstones and little green men. We’re at a point now where folks aren’t saying “What is that?” upon approach. It’s clearly miniature golf.

The courses are scheduled to open to the public sometime in February but here's a sneak peak of what is in store:

As you can see, work is almost complete on this great new attraction due to open in February. Be sure to check back for more news and updates as they happen!

Source: [ Orlando Sentinel ]

Universal Announcement Roundup: The Year to Be Here

2012-01-25T20:51:00.005Z

The wait is over and boy was it worth it! In today's press announcement Universal Orlando announced it's upcoming plans and has dubbed 2012 'The Year to Be Here'.

2012 will bring something new for everybody and there will be new additions across not only Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure but also CityWalk and Wet n' Wild.

From a new Blue Man Group show and newly re-created experience inside one of Universal Orlando’s most popular attractions to a stunning parade, spectacular nighttime show and brand-new blockbuster attraction based on an incredibly popular film – Universal Orlando Resort is bringing guests more new entertainment across our entire destination in 2012 than during any other year in their history.

The new experiences will begin debuting in February. Guests will discover the exhilarating entertainment of a new Blue Man Group show; marvel at breathtaking new animation and effects in The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man; dance and celebrate with their favorite animated characters during Universal’s Superstar Parade and relive memorable moments from Universal Pictures most powerful and beloved films during the nighttime show Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular – 100 Years of Movie Memories. And coming this summer – families will laugh together as they are transformed into minions for an incredible adventure inside the new Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction.

Universal Orlando will also be marking the Universal Pictures Centennial Anniversary Celebration during 2012 with a series of events to be announced throughout the year.

“We are about to offer our guests a historic range of incredible new entertainment experiences,” said Alice Norsworthy, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Universal Orlando Resort. “This year will be filled with excitement and entertainment for the entire family.”

The new 2012 experiences at Universal Orlando Resort include:

Blue Man Group ~ Opening February 2012 at Universal CityWalk

Universal Orlando’s Blue Man Group show is taking their unique and captivating mash-up of high energy music, comedy, audience participation and collective exhilaration to another level. Featuring a new show environment, new music, new technology and new experiences, the show will allow audiences to join the Blue Men as they discover, engage and explore the world’s obsession with cutting-edge technology. Signature Blue Man Group moments combine with breathtakingly fun new pieces for an explosive evening of entertainment. New show elements include the curious Blue Men interacting with enormous “GiPads,” a funny and insightful look at contemporary communication vehicles, and a pulsating new finale with an original Blue Man Group music score that will have guests jumping to their feet. Look closely – you may even see the Blue Men take a spin on one of Universal Orlando's most popular attractions.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ~ Experience March 2012 at Islands of Adventure

Universal Orlando is transforming what is already one of the most amazing attraction experiences ever created into what will feel like an all-new adventure. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man will soon feature all-new, 4K digital high-definition animation, new high tech 3-D glasses and upgrades to the set, audio and lighting systems. The re-animation of the ride film will include an entirely new level of detail for guests to discover, including a cameo by legendary comic book icon and Spider-Man co-creator, Stan Lee.

Universal’s Superstar Parade ~ Opening Spring 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Some of today’s most beloved characters and stories will bring new adventure to the streets of Universal Studios during Universal’s Superstar Parade – an all-new daily parade that features larger-than-life floats, state-of-the-art technology and hundreds of energetic street performers. Guests will sing and dance along with characters like the minions from Despicable Me, E.B. from the hit comedy, Hop, Nickelodeon’s Dora & Diego and SpongeBob SquarePants during the interactive experience. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy performances and character meet and greets prior to the parade at select locations throughout the day.

Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories ~ Opening Spring 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Narrated by award-winning actor and recent Golden Globe - Cecil B. DeMille honoree, Morgan Freeman, Universal Orlando’s brand-new nighttime show, Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular, will celebrate the most powerful and emotional moments from Universal Pictures’ most iconic films – all on cutting-edge waterfall screens within the Universal Studios lagoon and surrounded by colorful fountains and pyrotechnics. The experience will take guests on a journey through epic cinematic moments filled with heroes, horror, laughter, good vs. evil and triumph. The new show opens this spring, runs all summer and then on select nights through the end of the year.

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ~ Opening Summer 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Universal Orlando’s newest attraction, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, will take guests on an unforgettable 3-D adventure with their favorite characters from the hit film – Gru, Margo, Edith, Agnes and the mischievous minions. The experience begins when guests enter Gru’s home, where they learn that they’re being recruited to become minions and undergo “minion training.” Things don’t go as planned, and guests find themselves on a wildly hysterical journey with Gru and his daughters. Once guests make it through training, they join an interactive, minion-inspired dance party where they can show off their best moves.

Universal’s Creative team is working closely with Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment to bring this all-new adventure to life in the most authentic way possible. In fact, the beloved characters in the attraction will be voiced by the film’s original cast: Steve Carell (Gru), Miranda Cosgrove (Margo), Dana Gaier (Edith) and Elsie Fisher (Agnes). The ride’s experience is being developed by the same creative team that brought you the award-winning film, Despicable Me. The motion-picture event Despicable Me 2 arrives in theaters on July 3, 2013.

Other New Experiences Opening this Year
Hollywood Drive-In Golf a unique 36-hole miniature golf experience inspired by the classic drive-in movie era, will open in February at Universal CityWalk.

A great, new immersive retail entertainment experience that will become home to SpongeBob SquarePants and other characters from the number one kids animated TV series, Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants. It will open inside Universal Studios this year.

Minutes away from Universal Orlando, the popular Wet ‘n Wild water park will open its first interactive family water play area this summer – allowing everyone in the family to splash and swim together. Amidst lush, tropical landscaping, the new area will feature 15 water slides and more than 100 soakers, jets, waterfalls and water cannons - making it the largest interactive water play experience in Florida.

Here is the full announcement video:

Are you going to 'Be There' this year? We know we are!

Let us know in the comments!

New TurtleTrek Artwork & Details

2012-01-23T21:31:00.006Z

Back in November, SeaWorld announced a new 360 degree 3-D attraction by the name of TurtleTrek. New details and artwork have emerged as part of a new webisode series revealing a host of information for us to feast our eyes on.

Hosted by creative director Brian Morrow, the video shows off TurtleTrek’s “first on the planet” 3-D 360 degree dome theater and emphasizes the live animal exhibit that will accompany it.

The theater will present a 3D show that follow sea turtles on a journey “over hundreds of thousands of miles.” But like most of SeaWorld’s attractions, TurtleTrek will “blend” close-up animal encounters with the attraction itself, featuring not only sea turtles but also manatees.

Here’s a closer look at the artwork shown off in the video, including a complete cut-out building elevation, as well as a look inside the construction of the TurtleTrek dome screen.

SeaWorld Orlando is promising more details on the creation and testing TurtleTrek in the weeks and months leading to its Spring 2012 opening.

Universal to Make Special Announcement on January 25th

2012-01-21T11:40:00.004Z

Universal Orlando will be making a Special Announcement on Wednesday regarding some of the new experiences they will introduce during 2012.

Universal Orlando has announced plans to reveal details, artwork, pictures, and video about all of the upcoming new experiences that will debut this year. Similar to the announcement of the Despicable Me attraction in May, a media-only webcast will be held on January 25, 2012 offering a “first look at each experience” promising to not only include a further look at Despicable Me and upgrades to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, but also “more new and exciting entertainment experiences.”

Via the company's Official Facebook Page, Universal Orlando is promising its fans “ALL the details about ALL the amazing new experiences starting with hints & sneak peeks leading up to the big announcement” next week.

Beyond Despicable Me and Spider-Man, we know Universal will soon be debuting the Hollywood Drive-In Mini Golf being constructed in Universal CityWalk. For their 100th anniversary, the original Universal Studios also revealed that part of the celebration will be announcing a new “entertainment experience” for Universal Orlando – the same wording used to describe next week’s webcast.

It is likely that the new experience is the rumoured lagoon show for Universal Studios Florida, possibly based on Universal Studios’ vast history of films. It has also been hinted that a new parade is being developed for Universal Orlando, a topic that should be discussed during the webcast.

However, Universal Orlando has confirmed that the replacement for the Jaws ride will not be part of the announcement.

From their Facebook page: “And, some of you may be wondering whether that announcement will include an update on what we have planned for the JAWS! area… We want you to know that won’t be part of our announcement.”

But they are promising to bring “more new entertainment experiences for you in 2012 than during any other year in our history.”

Universal Orlando recently confirmed a major expansion of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but that topic may not be visited during this announcement webcast, as it seems to specifically be focusing on items that will debut in 2012, not beyond.

Check back here on Wednesday for a round-up of all the news from the Universal Orlando Announcement!

Despicable Me to Replace Jimmy Neutron in 2012!

2012-01-11T00:05:00.001Z

Universal Studios Orlando announced plans to retheme its Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast attraction with a new "Despicable Me" storyline for 2012.

Using high-definition digital technology, the new 3-D "Despicable Me" motion-simulator attraction at the Universal Studios Florida theme park will borrow elements from the animated movie and several film shorts to create a new story line featuring the supervillain Gru, his adoptive daughters and the little yellow minions.

“First you’ll be taken into Gru’s house,” said Thierry Coup, head of Universal's Creative Studio. “And then you’ll get to see his lab.”

Along the way, the audience is turned into minions, trained by the evil Gru, and eventually takes part in a post-show dance-party finale.

Coup said it was too early to confirm if any of the film's voice cast, including Steve Carell as Gru, will take part in the theme-park attraction.

The long-rumored "Despicable Me" attraction is the first theme-park ride based on a Universal animated film. A sequel to the movie is expected in 2013.

Spider-Man Ride to Go HD in 2012!

2012-01-10T23:44:00.001Z

Universal Studios Orlando has announced plans to digitally refresh the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man motion-simulator ride for 2012.

The motion-simulator ride will keep the same storyline but get a complete digital makeover with 13 re-animated 3-D scenes.

Testing has already begun on the Electro and Hydro scenes, with the ride expected to go down for only a few weeks just before the 2012 relaunch.

Watch this space for the latest updates on everything Florida!