Parkscope Unprofessional Podcast Hour #164 - Bachelorscope Weekend

Joe, Nick, and Sean talk about Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Epcot's new entrance, and Wonders of Life's 'Play Pavilion' replacement. Then we dive into Sean's bachelory party to talk about the "3 great rides" theory, Magic Kingdom, Homecomin', Trader Sam's, Universal, and more.

Potter Coaster Announced! Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure Opening June 13, 2019

We've seen the arial photos. We've seen Alicia's leaks. We've speculated and discussed this ride to death. Finally we have the name and official concept art to the Potter coaster.

Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure coaster is an innovative, family thrill ride that combines a launched coaster like Cheetah Hunt, the scenery of Big Thunder Mountain, a wild indoor drop like Tower of Terror and Verbolten, and audio animatronic figures like Pirates of the Caribbean. Guests will follow Hagrid as we see the magical creatures we've read and seen in the films.

Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures coaster will open June 13, 2019 at Universal's Islands of Adventure.

Parkscope Unprofessional Podcast Hour #163 - Flight of the Na'vi-gator

Alan and Joe talk about Cedar Fair's earnings call, their plans for their parks, mistakes with smaller parks, and the removal of Volcano: The Blast Coaster. Then we dive into our recent trips to Orlando! Joe talks about his adventure to SeaWorld, Jiko, Animal Kingdom After Hours, and Universal. Alan discusses his long weekend at Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. Then we give our final reviews of Pandora - World of Avatar, the price of theming, the importance of good rides, and more random thoughts.

Parkscope Unprofessional Podcast Hour #162 - Secret Fudge and Failed Communist Tomorrowland

Joe, Alan, and Alex are freezing their asses off! This week's topics:

• Jurassic Park coaster update
• Gwazi RMC rumors
• Hersheypark's Chocolate Town updates
• Kings Island's International Street Updates
• Kings Dominion and Volcano
• Complain about Disneyland's Tomorrowland
• SeaWorld San Diego and Orlando rumors
• Trip Reports
• Alex goes to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Kings Dominion, and Six Flags Over America then some alpine coasters
• Alan visits Graceland and Dollywood

Jurassic Park Coaster Layout (Project 791)

Chip Skambis from WFTV has provided the first layout of the Jurassic Park coaster.

JURASSIC PARK COASTER: Looks like a roller coaster is headed to the Jurassic Park section of Islands of Adventure. Docs indicate construction should take 1/2 years. Here's the track layout and more details: https://t.co/ElS5puw98K pic.twitter.com/dPwHqvMZHN

— Chip Skambis (@chickenlilchip) January 18, 2019

The coaster's first show scene is light blue and on the left, the load/queue will be the red shape. At this point we expect the coaster to launch south and enter the "spaghetti bowl" of inversions and tight turns. The coaster will then hit a second launch over the red shape and in front of the Discovery Center. There the coaster will wrap around near Hogsmeade and return, over the water, to the old Triceratops Encounter plot.

What is interesting is the coaster will go around the queue in what could be an extended show scene to close out the ride. We are not as clear with this part of the ride.

Chip also reports the construction and building timeline for the ride is 18 months, placing the ride in a summer or fall 2020 opening timeframe.

The coaster is expected to be built by Intamin or Mack Rides and will be the fastest ride in Florida (pending the final speed of Gwazi's RMC make over).

Jurassic Park Coaster Construction Update (Project 791)

This is not a drill....work walls have arrived for construction of the new Jurassic roller coaster coming to Islands of Adventure!!!! pic.twitter.com/Gs9gYrwOS2

— Midway Mayhem (@Midway_Mayhem) January 15, 2019

Construction walls are up around the Jurassic Park/Discovery Center waterfront. Guests can not access the area from any point. The Discovery Center is still open and can be entered thru the top level. pic.twitter.com/rdQULcZepQ

— Inside Universal (@insideuniversal) January 15, 2019

Today construction walls were been spotted around the old Triceratops Encounter area in Jurassic Park at Islands of Adventure.

A new rollercoaster has been a long standing rumor for this location, with our own sources and Orlando Park Stop hearing it will be a launched steel coaster themed to Raptors. The development of the land will include a new coaster that will span the width of the land, queue, and a new permanent Raptor Encounter meet and greet area that will increase capacity.

The coaster is expected to be built by Intamin, though some report it could be a Mack coaster too. Unlike the Potter coaster this will focus on thrills and resemble rides like Maverick at Cedar Point and Taron at Phantasialand. We expect the ride to be among the fastest in Orlando and will incorporate criss-crossing track, inversions, and large coaster elements.

Approximate location of the new coaster. Coaster will mostly take place on old Tricertops Encounter plot with an out and back element infant of the Discovery Center and behind The Watering Hole bar.

Per Quint on Inside Universal if plans remain the same Raptor Encounter will move to the old Jurassic Park River Adventure extended queue by mid February. Additional information from Midway Mayhem and Orlando Park Stop says the carnival games will move north, opening up the pathways for more construction walls.

The new coaster has not been confirmed by Universal, but we expect it to open in late 2020 or 2021. We discussed this project and several others on this week’s podcast.

Parkscope Unprofessional Podcast Hour #161 - The Official Disney Podcast of Hot Topic

OG crew time with Joe, Nick, and Mike this week. We talk the latest rumors at Universal Orlando, Polercoaster, and The Google Assistant Ride. Then we close it up with Mike's long thoughts on the future of Walt Disney World, the long term aspects of aiming for an upper upper middle class customer, the possible declining registrations of runDisney, and more Voodoo Donuts love. Stay to the end for positive takes!