Riders of the Lost Park: The Blog

  Universal Epic Universe is the fourth park in Universal Orlando Resort, and for the final post of this blog, I will talk about all of the things coming here, ranked by how much I'm looking forward to them. This immersive park will be a total game-changer, scheduled to open in 2025, and will feature five astounding worlds. #17 Constellation Carousel Location: Celestial Park Height Requirement: None Scope: A-Ticket This is a seaglass carousel with constellation-themed vehicles, moving around and going up and down. #16 Wand Magic Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic Height Requirement: None Scope: B-Ticket Guests can travel around Wizarding Paris, casting spells and discovering some Fantastic Beasts on the loose. #15 Dragon Racers Rally Location: How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk Height Requirement: 48 in. Scope: B-Ticket Guests can simulate dragon flight on two spinners, able to create as mild or as wild of an experience as they want. They can fly w...

Here are the top five treats to try in the Disney and Universal Parks: #5 Beignets: Served at the Golden Oak Outpost in the Magic Kingdom's Frontierland, these beignets coated in honey and flour are authentic New Orleans specialties. #4 Gelato: Served at the Gelataria Tuscana at Epcot's Italy Pavilion, these are authentic Italian ice cream treats. #3 Toothsome Milkshakes: Served at the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium in Universal Citywalk, these elaborate and giant milkshakes are delicious treats with many toppings. #2 Cheshire Tails: Served at the Cheshire Cafe in the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland, this is a European croissant pastry filled with chocolate and decorated like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. #1 Butterbeer: Served in many locations in both parts of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, this frothy drink is soda with cream. It comes in hot, cold, frozen, ice cream, potted cream, and fudge Honorable Mention: Gideon's Cookies: Sold in Disney Springs, the...

  The third park in Walt Disney World is a place where film, TV, and show business are celebrated. Here, the worlds of film are brought to life, and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood are recreated. The park originally was planned to be a pavilion at Epcot, but it later evolved into a park of its own. The park opened in 1989 as Disney-MGM Studios. Disney made a twenty-year deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, but that deal expired in 2008, and that year, the park was renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios. Since then, the park has slowly moved away from its movie-making origins and has learned more towards the worlds of film. Let's go over the top five things to see in this park. #5 Rock'n'Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith Location: Sunset Boulevard Height Requirement: 48 in. Opening Year: 1999 Scope: E-Ticket This high-speed roller coaster, the most intense roller coaster in Walt Disney World, is an indoor thrill ride at the end of Sunset Boulevard. It features two barrel rolls ...

  The biggest of the four parks in Walt Disney World is a nature-themed park where the natural world is celebrated. Here, guests can go through the wild and see many animals, including nature-based rides and attractions. This concept was developed in the 1990's as a new park for Disney. Despite some controversy surrounding the use of animals in the park, imagineers pressed forward and believed in their vision. Eventually, the park opened on Earth Day in 1998 to success, and has been praised by many animal conservatives, such as Jane Goodall. Let's go over the top five things to see in this park, and because there aren't too many rides here, I will be talking about shows here too. #5 Finding Nemo: The Big Blue....and Beyond! Location: Dinoland U.S.A. Height Requirement: None Opening Year: 2007 Scope: C-Ticket This Broadway-style show, located in the Theater of the Wild, features screens, puppetry, effects, and more to retell the story of Disney*Pixar's Finding Nemo. Orig...

  The second gate at Walt Disney World is a place where humanity is celebrated. Here, guests travel the world, learn of nature, see advanced technology, and the like. This "permanent world's fair" is part entertaining, part educational, thus making it a unique experience for all. Believe it or not, Epcot was originally planned to be a city. When Walt Disney was planning Disney World in the 1960's, he wanted EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow) to be a city of the future. However, after his death, imagineers struggled to conceive how they would build a city, so instead, they built a theme park, which opened in 1982. Over the years, the park has evolved to include new attractions and new themes celebrated. Here are the top five things to do in this park. #5 The American Adventure Location: World Showcase, the American Adventure Pavilion Height Requirement: None Opening Year: 1982 Scope: C-Ticket Located in the back of the park, this 30-minute show featur...

  It's time to discover the real side of movies in Universal Studios Florida. This is where guests are invited to "ride the movies" and experience many attractions based on films. These immersive, innovative attractions make the worlds of these films come to life in many surprising ways. This park opened in 1990, and it kind of invented what Universal parks are today. This is where immersive rides based on movies were first introduced to the Universal parks. After their success here, they were added to the park in Hollywood. Despite being a more mature setting, newer additions like Dreamworks Land and Minion Land have been aimed at families. Let's go over the top five things to do in this incredible park. #5 E.T. Adventure Location: Hollywood Height Requirement: 34 in. Opening Year: 1990 Scope: C-Ticket This suspended dark ride sends guests flying through the night as they help E.T. return to his home planet. This was an opening day attraction in 1990, and it's th...

  Let the adventure begin! This is an immersive park where guests travel to many different islands, being placed in the worlds of each land. In eight lands: Port of Entry, Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Skull Island, Jurassic Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade, the Lost Continent, and Seuss Landing. Every land is a new reality. Originally conceived as "cartoon land," the park was developed shortly after the first park opened. As the idea evolved, more than cartoons were featured, and this idea eventually became Islands of Adventure. The park opened as Universal's second gate in 1999, bringing literature worlds to life. Although this is a more family-friendly park than Universal Studios Florida, it still has its fair share of thrills, including the resort's most intense coaster, the Incredible Hulk Coaster. Now let's go over the top five things to do here in this park: #5 Jurassic Park River Adventure Location: Jurassic Park Height Require...

  Welcome to a land of fantasy and wonder, the Magic Kingdom. Here, you can explore worlds of adventure in six different lands: Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Main Street, U.S.A., and Tomorrowland. This is where dreams come true and imagination soars, and there's really something for everyone, young and old. This was the original park in Walt Disney World when the resort opened in 1971. It is inspired by Disneyland Park in Anaheim, even though it's larger and features a bunch of underground tunnels called a "utillidor." Although Walt was involved in the early development of the park, it would open five years after his death, opened by his older brother, Roy. Since then, it has been a beacon of a theme park for both Walt Disney World and the surrounding Orlando area. Let's go over the top five things to do in this park. #5 Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Location: Fantasyland Height Requirement: 38 in. Opening Year: 2014 Scope: E-Ticket Located i...

  Welcome to Riders of the Lost Park, a series where I talk about the top things in Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort. This blog serves as an extension of the vlog series, and like that vlog, it will help promote my book, Magecraft: Legend of the Last Snawfus. You can even watch my vlog series here: (This will be updated when the videos actually come out.) Episode 1: Magic Kingdom Come along with aspiring young author, Mason G. Marker, as he travels through the grid, the bayou, the Wild West, and beyond in this first episode. Episode 2: Universal Islands of Adventure From casting a spell in Hogsmeade, to swinging alongside superheroes in Marvel Super Hero Island, and even encountering dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, join Mason G. Marker as he goes to this park. Episode 3: Universal Studios Florida How do you get a high score in MIB? What's the difference between an Autobot and a Decepticon? Is Gringotts really the safest place on Earth? Join Mason G. Marker as he answers t...