Year of 2012 Podcast

Yesterday, we recorded our Year of 2012 Podcast! The podcast had to be split into three parts. Here they are!
 



 Part One

 

Part Two

 

 

Part Three

 

 

Next week, we will be back with our normal seven-ten minute show!

Legoland Hotel Update 12/28/12

By D.Z.

America's first Legoland Hotel is really coming along. This hotel is located next to the Legoland California Resort in Carlsbad! Our last update was in October! The hotel has really taken shape since

From the paint to the LEGO figures, it all looks great. The only figure you can see now is a huge dragon! The outside alone deserves five stars.

 

 

The hotel includes three different themed rooms. If your kids enjoy sailing and battling for treasure, be sure to book the pirate room. Maybe you have always wanted to stay in a kingdom. Now you can in the kingdom themed room. Possibly, exploring is your thing. Stay in the adventure room.

 

 

The Legoland Hotel opens April 5, 2013! For information, visit legolandcalifornia.com/hotel!

Top 5 Best Parts of 2012

2012 was filled with so many great and magical events. Here is our top 5!
 

 

5- Based on the book, the Hunger Game hit the theaters in March! http://geekjlz.blogspot.com/2012/04/hunger-games-review.html

 

 

4- A day of openings! In May, three attractions opened in southern California! Pirate Reef at Legoland took guests on a 25 foot plunge! Sea World's Manta took allowed guests to ride the wave. Transformers the Ride 3D took guests beyond the screen into a world in 3D.

 

 

Legoland- http://geekjlz.blogspot.com/2012/05/pirate-reef-now-open.html

Universal Studios Hollywood- http://geekjlz.blogspot.com/2012/05/transfomers-ride-in-3d-now-open.html

Sea World- http://geekjlz.blogspot.com/2012/05/sea-world-san-diegos-manta-opening.html

 

 

3- Over four years in the making, New Fantasyland opened at the Magic Kingdom earlier this month. This expansion included a Little Mermaid ride, the Beuty and the Beast themed restaurant, and even an expanded Dumbo attraction.  http://geekjlz.blogspot.com/2012/12/history-of-new-fantasyland.html

 

 

2- A few days before Halloween, the Walt Disney Company purchased Lucasfilm for 4 billion dollars. This includes the rights to the Star Wars trilogy. Disney plans to keep the Star Wars journey going by making new episodes. In development now Star Wars Episode 7 will be released in 2015, later fallowed by episodes 8 and 9.  http://geekjlz.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-walt-disney-company-buys-lucasfilm.html

 

 

1- On June 15, Disney's California Adventures was re-opened. Over five years in the making, this expansion included World of Color, Little Mermaid Ariel's Undersea Adventure, Buena Vista Street and even Cars Land! On June 13, Cars Land was open for the media, later following the official opening two days later.

 

 

 

 

Be sure to tune into the Year of 2012 Podcast on December 29, where we talk about everything that happened this year.

 

 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Geek Central Blog!

Universal Studios Movies Filmed

By D.Z.

When you go on the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood, you get to see lots of cool sets. Here are some!

Bates Motel used in the movie "Psycho!"

 

Court of Miracles was used in the 1931 film "Frankenstein!"

 

The Who's set was used in the movie "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" starring Jim Carrey!

 

Amity was used in the classic "Jaws!"

Used in "Desperate Housewives."

 

Used in "War of the Worlds!"

Deck the Halls Podcast

Not to long ago, we announced that on December 29, we will be recording our "Year of 2012 Podcast!" We have another announcement. On December 23, we will be recording our "Deck the Halls Podcast!" In this podcast, we will talk all about the holidays!

Color Run New Video

Just yesterday, the Color Run released a new video! The video was filmed during the San Diego run!

 

 

 

Balboa Park- December Nights Review

Over the weekend, Balboa Park in San Diego hosted December Nights. This event includes rides, music, exhibitors, and much more! This event welcomed thousands of people over the two day period. Also, all the museums were open!

The Dragon Mystery is Solved

 

By D.Z. Theme Park Specialist

Just on December 5, Gary from the Disney Parks Blog finally saw the dragon! He saw it along with lots of other guests, as it was flying over New Fantasyland.

History of New Fantasyland

By D.Z. Theme Park Specialist

Back in 2009, rumors about a Magic Kingdom Fantasyland Expansion were buzzing around! Finally on Sep 12, 2009 at the first D23 Expo, Chairman of the Parks and Resorts Jay Rasulo confirmed it was all true. This expansion would feature a Little Mermaid attraction, a Beauty and the Beast themed restaurant, and even a whole new expanded Dumbo attraction.

Two years later at the D23 Expo 2011, the Parks and Resorts Presentation once again talked about New Fantasyland! Bruce Vaughn came out to give guests an update. Bruce went over each attraction! Then, he talked about a ride that most didn't even know about! The Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train! Bruce next showed us a virtual ride through. (For video see bottem) It was not the whole thing.. Just bits and pieces.
 

For the past three years, Disney has kept their promise. New Fantasyland opened its attractions one by one! First was Dumbo the Flying Elephant! That was in March of 2012!



Next to open was Enchanted Tales with Belle! That opened in September 2012!!

Finally more attractions began to open in October!
 

The Little Mermaid attraction is just like the one in California, except the front and queue.  

 

 

 

Here is the California version. Not too many differences in the ride.
 (This video shows only half the attraction)

 

 

Here is a full tour of the Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland! Great place to eat.

 

In Belle's village, you can meet Gaston!

 

Fantasyland just opened on December 6, 2012! A dragon was even flying around New Fantasyland!

 

Here is the video of the opening event!

This video includes Chairman of the Parks and Resorts Tom Staggs, Jordan Sparks, Geniffer Goodwin, and Mickey Mouse!!




As you can tell, New Fantasyland is really something special. After all these years, its still not completed! Coming in 2014 is the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train!!! This video is a virtual ride through that was shown at the D23 Expo!

Just a few days ago, Disney released another virtual ride through, that has more in it. Disney has been working on this project a lot!
 

YEAR OF 2012 PODCAST

 

On December 29, we will be recording our Year of 2012 Podcast! In this podcast, we will be talking about the highlights of theme parks and movie news over the year! Here is what we are going to talk about!

·         Hunger Games

·         Color Run

·         Pirate Reef Legoland

·         Sea World Manta

·         Transformers the Ride USF and USH

·         California Adventure Re-Opening (Glow with the Show, Cars Land, Buena Vista Street, Mad T. Party)

·         Disney’s Art of Animation

·         Wicked

·         New Universal Orlando Hotel

·         Comic Con San Diego 2012

·         TMZ Hollywood Tour

·         Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights

·         San Francisco

·         Frankinweenie

·         Halloween Time at Disneyland

·         Walt Disney Company buys Lucasfilm

·         Haunted Mansion House for Sale

·         Legoland Brick or Treat

·         Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan

·         Wreck it Ralph

·         Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade

·         Saving Mr. Banks Filming

·         Dragon Sightings? New Fantasyland?

Happy 111th Birthday Walt Disney

By D.Z.

Today, exactly 111 years ago, Walt Disney was born! Years later, Walt and his brother Roy went on big adventures in Hollywood Land! Then in 1955, Walt opened up Disneyland! If you are a fan of Disney, be sure to check out the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco! 

Grinchmas 2008



By D.Z.

Grinchmas at Universal Studios Hollywood is always a blast. Here are some photos we took four years ago.

The Grinch and Max photo opportunity.

While on the Studio Tour, you get to see a quick show starring the Who's, the Grinch, and his dog Max!

This year Grinchmas is on December 8/9 and through the 15-31!

Maritime Museum of San Diego Nighttime Photos

During the early nightime, the Maritime Museum of San Diego is lit up. It looks really cool at night. I have seen it many times by day, but not by night. CLICK HERE for our review on the Maritime Museum of San Diego!