Theme Park Rangers

Epcot keeps the festivals coming as the Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Arts breaks out the beautiful (and tasty) food and arty photo-ops.

• Stand out dishes (1:05)
• Food inspired by Mary Blair  (3:57)
• OMG! Sticker shock (6:50)
• Booze (8:50)
• No concert, but  Voices of Liberty (11:04)
• Instagram butterfly wings (12:16)
• Fountain s & fireworks (13:56)
• What’s up in Morocco? (16:47)
• New Orlando Sentinel features (19:22)

After an unstable 2020, Central Florida theme parks and their fans are hoping for a happier 2021. Orlando Sentinel theme park reporters Dewayne Bevil and Gabrielle Russon break down what 2021 may look like at Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld.

• Flexibility is key (:46)
• Are people ready to come back to the parks? (2:50)
• Will new attractions be enough of a draw? (4:44)
• VelociCoaster, Ice Breaker & Iron Gwazi (7:35)
• Disney World’s Tron & Guardians of the Galaxy (8:29)
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (9:14)
• International Drive news (11:00)
• Park-hopping returns (12:40)

Orlando Sentinel theme park reporters Dewayne Bevil and Gabrielle Russon reflect on a year when Central Florida attractions were turned upside down.

• Good news in 2020? (:15)
• The black cloud that was 2020 (2:46)
• Magic Kingdom’s final fireworks show (4:14)
• Surreal reopenings (6:03)
• Two new attractions (6:50)
• Don’t miss these temporary exhibits (9:09)
• Silver linings? (10:21)

Construction walls have been removed revealing more of Universal Orlando’s Jurassic World VelociCoaster. Menacing blue and black ride vehicles featuring “dino damage” race around the track. Huge electric raptor paddock fencing looms near the queue. Alicia Stella, owner of OrlandoParkStop.com, stops by to discuss the under-construction roller coaster at Islands of Adventure theme park.

• Coaster specs: 12 seconds of air time (2:36)
• Tip to know if testing will happen (6:11)
• Raptor paddock fences (9:38)
• Jurassic World ride in Jurassic Park? (11:14)
• Ride vehicles have “dino damage” (13:55)
• Upside down multiple times (15:07)
• What’s soonest guest will get on coaster? (16:15)
• Iron Gwazi & Ice Breaker (19:55)
• Guardians of the Galaxy & Tron (21:45)

WDW Radio's Lou Mongello discusses his book, “The Disney Interviews: Volume 1,″ featuring one-on-one conversations with people that worked for and with Walt Disney or helped preserve his legacy.

• Julie Andrews, Richard Sherman, Marty Sklar (1:10)
• The common thread: Walt Disney (4:48)
• Preparedness is key  (6:58)
• Getting to the origin story (8:12)
• Interview wish list (10:52)
• Magic Kingdom 1971 (13:15)
• Pandemic challenges (15:59)

Joe Rohde, one of the masterminds behind the planning and development of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, is retiring from his position with Walt Disney Imagineering.    In April 2018, Orlando Sentinel theme park reporter Dewayne Bevil talked with the famed Imagineer about how Disney made the jump from the Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom, why Pandora – The World of Avatar fits into a park focused on the natural, his favorite animal at the theme park, and where he keeps his spare earrings.   In honor of Rohde’s retirement, enjoy this flashback episode of Theme Park Rangers podcast:

Universal Orlando’s holiday celebration is underway with grounded Macy's balloons and floats, festive treats and so many cleverly themed decorations. Some features are familiar and some have been tweaked due to the pandemic. But even with the safety adjustments, a visit is sure to get you into the Christmas spirit.

• Universal’s Holiday Experience (1:09)
• Up-close (but not too close) to floats and characters (3:27)
• Christmas decor (6:41)
• Universal loves a tribute store (11:44)
• Earl the Squirrel (12:50)
• ‘Treats are amazing’ (13:50)
• Character interactions (17:13)
• Harry Potter projection light show (18:22)
• Holiday Tree Hunt (20:17)

Central Florida attractions are giving the theme parks a run for their money when it comes to holiday activities. Listen to find out how you can jump into classic Christmas movies, enjoy Disney-themed trees, and experience millions of twinkling lights.

• Gaylord Palms “I Love Christmas Movies” (1:37)
• How does it compare to past ICE exhibit? (6:16)
• Snowballs and tubing (8:17)
• Disney Springs Christmas tree stroll (9:27)
• Give Kids The World: Night of a Million Lights (14:30)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park has had a handful of births this year, including a giraffe, a zebra, an aardvark, a porcupine and recently a white rhinoceros. Mark Penning, Disney Parks' vice president for animals, science and environment, talks about the baby boom.

• Baby rhino milestones (2:55)
• More babies on the way (7:55)
• Mommy/Daddy rhinos (9:02)
• Species Survival Plan (10:36)
• Baby giraffe (12:17)
• A baby what? (16:13)
• Animal contraceptives (17:02)
• Zebra born at Animal Kingdom Lodge (17:50)
• The best part of the job (18:51)

The Orlando Sentinel’s Dewayne Bevil and Patrick Connolly dive into new happenings at the theme parks: A new bar at SeaWorld, Universal’s HHN 2021 preview, Disney archway makeover and more.

• SeaWorld’s new Glacier Bar (1:39)
• Universal’s online preview of HHN 2021 (5:59)
• Disney World arches get makeover (11:05)
• Disney Springs eatery in the works (16:29)
• It’s beginning to look a little like Christmas (21:06)