Theme Park Rangers

Theme Park Ranger Dewayne Bevil and Denise Preskitt, owner of Mouse Steps, discuss the famed Disney topiaries at Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival. On display are a 6-foot tall rat, Peter Pan with a facelift, and one flower bed that gives a nod to all the construction around the park.

• France: Remy’s ratatouille garden (2:22)
• Japan: Bromeliad Dragon (5:44)
• China: Pandas have new home (7:22)
• Peter Pan and Tinker Bell get facelifts (7:52)
• All princess topiaries need new faces (9:06)
• Addition of food creates festival blur (12:18)
• The flower quilts and butterfly house (14:46)
• Epcot upheaval (15:42)
• Feature bed gives nod to construction at park (17:38)
• Merchandise: Spike the Bee, Figment (19:25)
• Skyliner (23:30)

Spurred by the soon-to-open Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Universal's "The Bourne Stuntacular," the Theme Park Rangers take a trip down memory lane revisiting attractions that have been evicted and replaced with shiny, new experiences.

• Farewell Mr. Toad. Hello Pooh (1:19)
• Snow White gets the boot for more princesses (6:06)
• Epcot’s Maelstrom forgotten (8:32)
• The synchronization of ride music (10:35)
• SeaWorld’s Mission: Bermuda Triangle (12:15)
• Universal axes Twister, Disaster and Kongfrontation (14:28)
• Simpsons vs. Back to the Future (17:25)
• Spaceship Earth re-imagined (19:34)
• Good riddance Alien Encounter (23:36)

A look behind the scenes of Madame Tussauds revealed Wonder Woman in curlers, Will Smith missing an earring and Ryan Gosling in a state of disarray. Learn how the staff gets these wax stars camera-ready.

• The care and feeding of wax figures (2:11)
• Wonder Woman in curlers? (4:20)
• Early morning inspection (5:47)
• How to get your best picture (7:23)
• Don’t steal Will Smith’s earring (7:50)
• Ryan Gosling has a hickey (8:33)
• Wax figure casualties: Ears (9:32)
• The making of a wax figure (10:10)
• Madame Tussauds was a real woman (12:47)
• Mixing modern technology with old practices (13:39)
• When wax figure leave the museum (14:24)
• Celebrity side-by-sides (15:37)
• Getting Justin Bieber’s tattoos just right (16:10)
• Icon Park details (19:22)

Mardi Gras returns to Universal Studios with sword-fighting pirates, New-Orleans inspired food and a concert lineup that offers something for everyone.

• Parade theme: Treasures of the Deep (2:53)
• King Gator’s glittery makeover (5:31)
• Bead-throwing 101 (6:59)
• Concert lineup (7:36)
• Hashtag the Panda sightings (10:05)
• Spooky new tribute store (10:57)
• New-Orleans inspired food (13:38)
• Bayou Boil: A lesson in eating crawfish (15:22)
• Dessert with prime parade viewing (18:11)
• Pre-parade dance party (20:29)
• Favorite part of Mardi Gras (21:47)

 

 

Self-proclaimed coaster paparazzi Dan Leavelle, owner of Midway Mayhem, makes a living tracking rides as they take shape behind construction walls. He discusses the roller coasters coming to area attractions in the near future.

• SeaWorld ‘s Ice Breaker (2:02)
• Iron Gwazi: Floridians are not ready for this coaster (6:36)
• Is there another SeaWorld coaster in the works for 2021 ? (12:12)
• 995 rides on Mako (14:49)
• Coaster yoga (15:37)
• Islands of Adventure: Jurassic coaster? (16:07)
• The best coaster in town (19:26)
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot (25:14)
• Tron at Magic Kingdom (28:05)
• Roller coaster wish list (29:17)
• Will I-Drive coaster ever be built? (30:36)

With Disney’s variable pricing structure, visitors pay the most for tickets when they will probably spend the most time waiting in lines and being frustrated by crowds. In this episode, the Theme Park Rangers weigh rising ticket costs vs. crowds — what is the tipping point?

• Supply and demand vs. customer experience (:46)
• Have the right mental attitude (2:48)
• May the weather be in your favor (3:47)
• When will Disney raise ticket prices again? (5:01)
• Is $200 a ticket the breaking point? (6:09)
• Disney packages help disguise how much you are paying (8:06)
• Universal keeps Disney in check (8:31)
• Is it a moral issue? (12:31)
• Will Disney lose the nostalgia factor? (13:36)
• Tips to deal with crowded theme parks (14:12)

Do you think you can outrun a Minion? How about a velociraptor? In this episode of Theme Park Rangers, get some insight into the upcoming Universal Orlando’s Epic Character Race: 5K and 10K routes, character photo ops, tips on race prep and how to stay healthy surrounded by theme park temptations.

• Why run a race at a theme park? (1:17)
• The event before the event: Planning costume (1:57)
• New Year’s resolution: Healthy steps (5:33)
• Universal team member embraces running (6:47)
• How do you avoid temptation of theme park food? (9:03)
• Prepping for your first race (10:49)
• 5K, 10K race routes (12:34)
• Can you outrun a Minion? (13:13)

The Epcot International Festival of the Arts returns Friday, Jan. 17, and brings with it visually stunning food, show tunes and other artistic offerings.

• The culinary arts: Don’t miss the pink stuff  (1:23)
• Plant-based bratwurst and other newbies (4:24)
• Food-based scavenger hunt (6:01)
• Boozy and not-so-boozy drinks (7:30)
• Merchandise: Figment, Figment, Figment (10:26)
• Group mural, workshops, walk-in paintings  (13:32)
• Disney on Broadway series (15:45)

As the new Cirque du Soleil show “Drawn to Life” gets closer to its March opening, Orlando Sentinel theater writer Matthew J. Palm was invited to peek inside the big top on the west side of Disney Springs. He discusses the reimagined stage, “a new artform” Cirque is perfecting, and how Disney characters and melodies may be incorporated into the performance.

• Show is grounded in emotional reality (1:50)
• A first look inside the building (4:27)
• 'A new artform’ (6:28)
• The stage reimagined (8:31)
• Disney characters will be presented in unusual ways (10:57)
• Theater renovation: Seats, lobby, bathrooms (14:24)
• Opening dates, prices (19:21)
• Disney Springs’ west side coming back to life (24:21)
• Disney melodies (25:20)

Theme park fans have much to look forward to in 2020 including the first ride featuring Mickey Mouse (yes, it’s true), a new Cirque du Soleil show at Disney Springs, a SeaWorld roller coaster and a stunt show at Universal based on film character Jason Bourne.

• January: “Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along” at Epcot (1:27)
• March: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (3:35)
• April: Disney’s New Cirque du Soleil Show “Drawn to Life” (6:17)
• “Bourne Stuntacular” at Universal (7:17)
• Seaworld’s Ice Breaker roller coaster (9:08)
• Aquatica’s Riptide Race water slide (11:05)
• Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens (11:17)
• Big rides on the horizon – opening dates unknown (11:38)