Fantasy on Ice Horton Plaza in San Diego: Review

By Zach 

Today I was able to drive down to San Diego. Located in Downtown's Horton Plaza is a small ice skating rink that is especially set up for this time of the year. I spent about 45 minutes on the ice. I am not a skater, so most of my time was spent holding onto the railing. Overall, I had a nice time on the ice. It was great because Downtown's weather was really nice and hot, though it did make the ice melt a little. The prices in admission are a little on the pricy side, but the proceeds benefit Rady Children's Hospital.

If you happen to be in the area, I really recommend going out on the ice and have some fun. A good skater or not, just try it and enjoy. 

For tickets and more information, visit www.helpsdkids.org/fantasyonice. 

Fantasy on Ice runs now until January 5th, 2014.
If you don't get to go this year, be sure to go next year. It is an annual event.

Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade: Proposal

By Zach Cooper

 It is an annual tradition in many Disney fans to watch the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade on ABC. For the last few years, I have found myself fast forwarding through 75 percent of the show. This year was the 30th anniversary of the parade. It began in 1983, when it was only filmed at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

When I learned that it was the 30th anniversary, it got me thinking about how many times I have watched the show. I believe this is my 7th or 8th year. I do feel that for the last few years it has always been the same thing, and nothing new. Of course, they brought in new hosts like Mario Lopez and Neil Patrick Harris, but it just doesn't seem like enough.

We see the same floats and characters year after year. The only thing different is the performances, even though they occasionally bring back old musicians. For example, in 2009, Demi Lavato preformed "Wonderful Christmas Time" which was one of the best performances I have seen.

Just 4 years later, Demi returned to sing her new song "Let It Go" from the movie Frozen.

I think the parades should both happen in different places. 2 Main Streets isn't always the most exciting thing. It would be nice if both parks had something different.

I do feel like there should be some changes in the shows outline. Just last year, Disney's California Adventure was fully renovated with all new lands and attractions. This is a great opportunity to host the show in a new environment and setting, still with that 'holiday' feel.

As for Walt Disney World, it would be really cool to see the parade from a different point of view. One thing I love about the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" is how some of the anchors are broadcasting from a rooftop of a hotel. It would be really cool to see the Disney Parks Parade host narrating from a balcony of Cinderella Castle or something like that. 

These might not be the most exciting ideas, but they are ideas. I really feel like the parade should be different and unique every year. Let me know your thoughts. I believe if some changes like these were made, we would not need to fast forward through any part of it.

Photos by Gabe @disneyman2021

This is an opinion-based post. This blog is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company or ABC in any way. All opinions are mine and do not reflect another.

2014 in Movies

By Beemerboyz803

2013 was an excellent year in the movie industry, bringing us movies such as the sequel to the 2012 blockbuster The Hunger Games, the next princess in the Disney lineup, Frozen, and the story about how a deep depressing Mary Poppins storyline came to be a whimsical world, Saving Mr. Banks. 2014 will present more exciting movies to the table, including films from Disney, Dreamworks, Lionsgate, and many more theatre-worthy films.

 

January 17, 2014 will bring us The Nut Job, a Canadian-Korean animated film about a squirrel named Surly and his rat-friend Buddy who plan a heist on a nut store. Stars include Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Gabriel Iglesias, and Katherine Heigl.

March 7, 2014 is the release of Rio 2. Rio 2 stars Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, and Rue from the Hunger Games, also known as Amandla Stenberg. Spoiler alert: Jewel finds her long-lost father, and Nigel returns for revenge. 

March 21, 2014 is the release date for two films: Disney's Muppets Most Wanted and Summit Entertainment's Divergent. Based on Veronica Roth's best-selling trilogy, dystopian residents of Chicago are placed into five different categories. But when Tris' test doesn't go well, she is claimed divergent, or an outsider. She soon discovers a criminal plot within her dystopian society. Muppets Most Wanted is about the Muppets, who unknowingly are involved in a criminal caper while touring in Europe.

 

 

April 11, 2014 brings us Mr. Peabody and Sherman, an animated film from DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox. They are bringing back two iconic comic book characters from the 50s' as they travel back in time to repair the destroyed space-time continuum. 

May 30, 2014 is the scheduled for the deathly-scary Maleficent to debut. Loosely based on Sleeping Beauty, Angelina Jolie (what's a good film without Angelina Jolie or Sandra Bullock?) will portray the self-called "Mistress of All Evil", in this new Disney film. Maleficent will present her side of the story, the untold part after Aurora touched the thimble and woke up again.

 

June 13, 2014 is the scheduled release date for the How to Train Your Dragon sequel. The film will take place five years after the first film's setting, featuring Hiccup and his friends in their late teen years. Stars include Jay Baruchel and Gerard Butler, two actors from the previous film.

July 18, 2014 will bring us Planes 2: Fire and Rescue, the sequel to Disney's 2013 film. Not much is known about this film, but media sources say Dusty Crophopper, the protagonist from the original movie, will "learn what it takes to become a true hero". 

November 7, 2014 is the release date for Big Hero 6. As unveiled in a recent blog post on this blog, the film will take place in San Froskoyo and feature a young prodigy named Hiro Hamada and his giant, inflatable robot balloon, who must team up with unexperienced crime fighters to make peace in their city. 

November 21, 2014 is the release of the third film in The Hunger Games with the FIRST part of Mockingjay, the final book in Suzanne Collins' epic trilogy. After killing the arena, Katniss Everdeen is wanted for starting a rebellion, alongside Beetee, Johanna Mason, Finnick Odair, and Peeta. 

December 17, 2014 will be the release date for the third film based on J.R.R. Tolkien's bestselling series, The Hobbit. In this film, entitled There and Back Again, Bilbo and the Dwarves must reclaim Erebor and their treasure, and Thorin has reached Smaug's lair. 

Christmas 2014 is the release date for the third Night at the Museum film by 20th Century Fox. Little is known about the movie, except for the fact that Sir Lancelot, a Camelot knight, will appear in the film. 

There are many more scheduled releases for 2014, but these are several major movies. Visit imdb.com or go to Wikipedia and search 2014 in film for more. Now, grab some popcorn and enjoy the movies currently in theaters!!! 

 

 

Wild Rivers: Reopening in Temecula



By Beemerboyz803

Wild Rivers was a water park in Irvine, California, built on a mountainside and lasted 27 years. Iconic slides included the indoor-twirling Abyss, the multi-person slide Patriot, a fan-favorite, and the dueling Bazooka Bowls, similar to Walhalla Wave at Aquatica San Diego. Wild Rivers was a friendly environment for everyone visiting Irvine.

 In 2011, the City of Irvine closed them down to make way for housing complexes. Wild Rivers finally bought land in Temecula. The "New Wild Rivers" began construction in May of this year. Wild Rivers is planned to be bigger and better than the original Wild Rivers. The construction workers had to start from scratch, as the old slides and buildings were demolished, except for novelties like a clock. The park cost about $30 to $35 million.

Wild Rivers is open 110 days a year, starting with weekends in May, everyday through summertime, and ending with weekends again in October. Wild Rivers will present new and exciting things to the table, all of which to be revealed in May 2014.

 

20th Century Fox Theme Park



By Beemerboyz803

Disney and Universal will be up against stiff competition in the theme park world in the future years. 20th Century Fox has unveiled details for its theme park, set to open in Malaysia.

The park, named 20th Century Fox World, will be located at the Resorts World Genting, a hotel, casino, and theme park complex about an hour away from Kuala Lumpur. 20th Century Fox World will be 25 acres, and, coincidentally, have about 25 attractions. The park is completely centered on 20th Century Fox and its movie franchises, such as Ice Age, Night at the Museum, Rio, and Planet of the Apes. 

One rumored attraction is a coaster based on the furry friends from the Ice Age series, which takes riders on a chilly voyage through their icy world. Fox released sketch art to the public. 

20th Century Fox World is set to open in 2016. As the opening day gets closer and closer, hopefully more details will be released.

Upcoming Movies from Disney Animation

By Beemerboyz803

In 2010, Disney brought us Tangled, with Rapunzel and her 80 feet of hair, Flynn Rider, the local criminal in hiding, and Mother Gothel, Rapunzel's evil "mother" who hoarded her hair's healing powers to keep herself young for hundreds of years. In 2011, Disney premiered Winnie the Pooh, a classic Disney character created by author A.A. Milne, and his friends who live in the Hundred-Acre Wood. In 2012, Disney Animation premiered Wreck-It Ralph, about Wreck-It Ralph, a fictional arcade game character with "hammer hands" and Vanellope von Schweetz, a go-kart racer from another arcade game who is ignored most of the time by other racers. Finally, Disney premiered Frozen this year, at the end of 2013. Loosely based on The Snow Queen, a Danish fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen, features Elsa, Queen of Arendelle with magical snow powers, her sister Anna, who is always accidentally hurt by Elsa, and Olaf, a magical snowman created by Elsa and Anna in their childhood. 

But what's next from Disney Animation? Well, let's find out...

2014

In 2014, Disney Animation is set to premiere Big Hero 6, based on a Marvel comic, on November 7, 2014. The movie is set is a fictional metropolis, dubbed San Froskoyo (a name combining San Francisco and Tokyo). It centers on Hiro Hamada and his self-created robot, Baymax. They discover a criminal plot and must team up with a crew of untrained criminal fighters: Wasabi No-Ginger, Honey Lemon, GoGo Tomago, and Fred. Footage of Big Hero 6 was displayed at D23 Expo this year. 

2015

Disney Animation will not premiering any movies in 2015, but there are still movies coming from Disney. Avengers 2: Age of Ultron will be premiered from Marvel (now owned by Disney), Pixar's Inside Out (about Riley, a girl and her five main emotions), Star Wars's seventh episode, Ant-Man from Marvel, and Finding Dory, the sequel to Pixar's hit Finding Nemo.

2016

Disney Animation will return in 2016 with TWO new films!!! Zootopia will premiere in March 2016, and centers around a fast-talking fox who lives in a town of the same name. Also featured at D23 Expo, Zootopia is about the fox, and being framed for a crime he didn't commit. Also in 2016, Giants will be released, loosely based on Jack and the Beanstalk. The film is set for release on November 23, 2016. 

2017

In 2017, Disney Animation will be on break again, with no movies. However, like 2015, Disney will be still premiering movies. That includes two unannounced films from Marvel, two unannounced Pixar films, and the eighth episode in Star Wars. 

2018

Much like 2016, Disney Animation will return to the movie theaters will TWO new films, the first of which is Moana. Moana, set in the Polynesian world about 2,000 years ago, is about Moana, a sea-voyaging enthusiast born into a long line of nautical explorers. When her family is endangered, Moana sets out on an epic journey. Moana, scheduled for March 9, 2018, will feature Polynesian demigods and spirits. Also in 2018 is an unannounced sci-fi animation film. 

---

We will learn more about the future of Disney Animation in the upcoming years, but for now, this is all!! 

To learn more about any of the movies featured in this movie, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_t5Intj5Rc for more information.

A Madea Christmas: Movie Review

By The Mega Minecrafter

Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas is one of the movie that i would recommend to put on your must see movie list. The movie is about Madea played by Tyler Perry, who is traveling with her friend,Eileen played by Annna Maria Horsford, from Atlanta to Alabama to visit Eileen's daughter, Tracy played by Tika Sumpter, who has secretly gotten married to, Connor played by Eric Livley, whom Eilleen thinks is just the farmhand or the help. But after Connors parents arrive for Christmas a rivalry begins between the couples family and Madea is in the middle of it but mostly taking sides with Connors family. Then once Tracy tells her mother about the marriage a even bigger fight happens forcing Eileen out of the house and walking towards Atlata. But on that walk she becomes a hero. Watch  A Medea Christmas to find out what happens next...

     I think that if you really want a laugh that you should defiently watch A Madea Christmas soon. It is another Tyler Perry masterpiece. 

Out of 10, I would rate the movie an 8!

Saving Mr. Banks: Movie Review

By Zach Cooper "Theme Park Specialist"

I just got out of the theater after seeing "Saving Mr. Banks" on the big screen. I have waited 13 long months for this movie, so was happy to see it. The movie is about Walt Disney trying to persuade Marry Poppins author P.L. Travers to make a film based off the book. In the movie, we learn that the book reflects on her childhood. This explains why she doesn't want to give over the rights to make a film. We learn about her past through many flashbacks in the film. After a few long weeks in the "City of Angels", P.L. Travers is able to connect with Walt and signs off the rights.

 

I have been excited about this movie for a while. I did feel like there were too many flashbacks throughout the film, making me feel like I was watching 2 different movies. I really did enjoy the movie though. There are a lot of great and funny scenes, but others that made your eyes water. The movie has a wonderful cast, and you can really connect with each one of them. Emma Thompson was a perfect fit for P.L. Travers, as she excelled playing a pessimistic lady. Tom Hanks was great as Walt Disney!

  I truly recommend seeing this film, as it has a heartwarming message to all of us.
Out of 10, I would rate the film a 9!

"Frozen" Movie Review

By D.Z. "Theme Park Specialist"

Over the weekend, I was able to see Frozen in theatres. The movie has been out for a month, and I was actually planning not to see it. I decided to give it a try, and am SO HAPPY I SAW IT!

 

Frozen was amazing. The songs, characters and theme is great! I loved every moment of it.

 

The movie is about a young princess named Elsa who is gifted with magical powers that can create a winter wonderland. She sadly has to live in secret, as no one (not even her sister Anna) can know about the powers. If so, she and her family could be in great danger. Throughout her childhood, Elsa has to stay locked in her room. Anna doesn't know why she is in there, so would always sing outside the door and ask to come in and play. Eventually, Anna and the whole town finds out about her powers, forcing her to run away. Anna goes to try to find her (in the now "Winter Wonderland" Elsa has created). Along the way, she meets a couple of friends and even enemies.

 

I really don't want to say anything else, as I want YOU to see it. It was truly one of the best Disney movies in a long time. The movie is a love story and ends with a great meaning "True love will always heal a broken heart." Some parts in this film were a little predictable, but for the most part, the movie was spectacular! I would rate it 9/10!

Universal Orlando Press Conference Reveals "Harry Potter" and "City Walk" Information

 

 

By: Dallas Thompson from www.relivethemagic.net

Yesterday, Universal Orlando held a media event to announce 'The Biggest Expansion in CityWalk History' with 8 new venues coming to the area next year, 2014. What everyone was really excited about though, was the fact that Universal Orlando finally revealed more details on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley. At the event, the showed off a 2 minute long video, but they expanded on it today and released a full 5 minute video revealing that many things that have been rumored for quite some time now are indeed coming to Universal Studios Florida.

 When it was first announced (later this year), we had no idea what was going in other than a large dragon, the Hogwarts Express, and the Gringotts Bank rollercoaster and that it was all due to open by Summer of 2014.

Now, Universal Orlando finally decided to confirm some details about the expansion project and I must say, I am more excited to see this than I ever was before. 

The biggest announcement made about Diagon Alley was that the Leaky Cauldron would be coming to the park when this new area opens up. This won't be your ordinary theme park restaurant. Universal is pulling out all of the stops to make this expansion truly special, one of their strategies is making dining not only just sitting down and eating food, but they want it to be an experience.  That is why they are introducing what they call 'The 360 Experience' where there will be details on every inch of the ceiling  floor, walls, tables, plates, cups, and anything else in the restaurant. If you are a huge Harry Potter fan, you will surely enjoy this addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley.

Announced back when the expansion announcement was made, was the Hogwarts Express. Just like in the books and films – guests will be able to board the Hogwarts Express and travel between The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, which opened in June 2010 at Islands of Adventure, and ‘London’ when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley opens at Universal Studios Florida next year. The Hogwarts Express is already on track to open possibly in March for Soft Openings and Testing and will be fully ready in time for the Summer season of 2014.

To bring Diagon Alley and ‘London’ to life, Universal’s creative team is working closely with Warner Bros. and the production design team from the Harry Potter films – just as it did for Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

"I'm so pleased that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has proved so popular to date, and I'm sure that the attention to detail in creating the new Diagon Alley area will make this an even better experience," said J.K. Rowling.

“We are continuing the journey and adding an entirely new level of adventure,” said Tom Williams, Chairman of Universal Parks & Resorts.  “And we are bringing the same drive, commitment, enthusiasm and innovation to this project as we did to the first.” 

 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley opens this upcoming Summer only at Universal Studios Florida!

 

READ MORE AT http://www.relivethemagic.net/1/post/2013/12/new-details-revealed-about-harry-potter-diagon-alley-coming-to-universal-studios-florida-in-2014-leaky-cauldron-announced-as-well-as-details-on-the-hogwarts-express.html

Legoland California Annual Tree Lighting Kicks Off the Holiday Season

By D.Z. "Theme Park Specialist"

Just last week, LEGOLAND California kicked off the holiday season with a tree lighting! "The LEGO Movie" star Elizabeth Banks was in attendance, as she and Santa lighted up the 30 foot talk Christmas tree.

 

LEGOLAND California is great during the holiday season. Here's why:

 

Have your kids never seen snow? Now they can at Legoland California during Holiday Snow Days! Here you are able to build a snowman, go down a small snow slide, and even throw snow balls at targets. After a fun time in the snow, you can go meet LEGO Santa and check out the LEGO Christmas tree. Lots of fun!

  

 

Build a snowman! You get to use LEGOs for the face!

 

The holiday tree lights up the night!

 

 

You can also catch a limited time holiday show of the "Big Test"!

 

Legoland California has lots of great shows. My favorite is Fun Town's The Big Test. During the holiday time, the show is called The Big Test Holiday Show! Every part of the show will make you laugh. Your kids will love the show, especially if they sit in the first three rows. (WET ZONE) The show is about some volunteer firefighters getting ready for a holiday party.This show is about fifteen minutes. Here are some photos!

 

 

 

Part 1 and 2 of the show below:

 

Part 1

 

Part 2

"Saving Mr. Banks" Premieres at the Same Place it all Began

By D.Z. "Theme Park Specialist"

On December 9th, the premiere of Saving Mr. Banks was held at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. This is the same place where Walt Disney and P.L. Travers had their first meeting about Marry Poppins becoming a film.

 

Stars Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, along with much of the cast, attended the event.

 

 Special guests included Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews (from the original Marry Poppins film), Bob Iger (CEO of the Walt Disney Company), and singer/songwriter Richard Sherman.

A fun part of the night was when the cast gathered to sing "Let's Go Fly a Kite".
 

 

Before the movie's screening, the cast got back together to say a few words about the film!
 

 

Saving Mr. Banks is in select theatres TODAY and in all theatres December 20th.

 

Sources: www.insidethemagic.net/saving-mr-banks-premiere

Universal City Walk Nightly Concerts Schedule

By D.Z. "Theme Park Specialist"

Currently, City Walk (Universal Studios Hollywood) is holding free nightly concerts to celebrate the season!

For a complete entertainment listing, visit www.CityWalkHollywood.com!

Please note: the schedule above was copied directly from the City Walk site.

Resoration for Walt Disney's Birthplace

By D.Z. "Theme Park Specialist"

It was announced today that Walt Disney's birthplace will be resorted as a museum. Throughout the years, Walt Disney's home has been renovated and changed. The home was recently purchased by Dina Benadon and Brent Young. Both want the house to be restored exactly how the Disney's kept it. It has been said that Walt and Roy Disney were both born inside the house.

 

On Walt's birthday, December 5th (tomorrow), The Walt Disney Birthplace Preservation Project will be launched.

“On behalf of the Disney family, we are so pleased to see Walt Disney’s historic birthplace and family home being restored to its humble origins in the City of Chicago.The outpouring of support and excitement we’ve seen from both city officials and Disney fans alike has been simply wonderful, and this is truly a fitting way to honor both Walt and Roy O. Disney, the pioneering brothers who forever changed the face of family entertainment, and, of course, will forever be two of Chicago’s most prominent native sons.”-Roy O. Disney


You can help support the restoration by visiting the Kickstarter page and making a donation.

Sources: www.insidethemagic.net and www.kickstarter.com



Dixie Hollywood Hotel: Review

By D.Z. "Theme Park Specialist"

During my 2 days Los Angeles visit, I stayed at the Dixie Hollywood Hotel. The location of the hotel was great for us, as it was on Hollywood Blvd, and close to the freeway. (This prevented us from getting into traffic on our way up to Universal Studios the next day.) Overall, it was a good stay. It wasn't anything special. The beds were a little hard, making it  kind of hard to sleep in. The rooms were nice. Out of 10, I would rate the hotel a 6.

 

Los Angeles 2013: Trip Report

By D.Z. "Theme Park Specialist"

For two days, I was up in the Los Angeles area. The two main places I visited were Universal Studios Hollywood and the Tam O' Shanter. This trip report will tell my trip in full details:

 

 

November 25, 2013: Today's "big" adventure was spent mostly in the car. We left my house at around 6:00PM and got to Los Angeles at 9:00PM. Because this was a last minute trip and mainly there for Universal Studio's Grinchmas Ceremony, our hotel did not have to be "grand."

 

We stayed at the Dixie Hollywood Hotel. The location of the hotel was great for us, as it was on Hollywood Blvd, and close to the freeway. (This prevented us from getting into traffic on our way up to Universal Studios the next day.) Overall, it was a good stay. It wasn't anything special. The beds were a little hard, making it  kind of hard to sleep in. The rooms were nice. Out of 10, I would rate the hotel a 6.

 

 

November 26, 2013: At around 8:00, we headed up to Universal Studios Hollywood. It was only a 5 minute drive from the Dixie Hotel.

 

Walking through City Walk, we saw all of the nice Christmas decorations.

 

 

 

Last week, I got an invite from Universal Studios. They asked if I would be available Tuesday because Florence Henderson (actress and talk show host) would be awarded the ‘Who-Manitarian of the Year'. She got this award because of all her good deeds with the City of Hope. This special ceremony kicked off the start of Grinchmas at Universal Studios Hollywood, a month long event, celebrating the holiday season.

 

Sadly, the event was postponed until Wednesday, so I was unable to attend. (Only up in Los Angeles for 2 days.) I was a little sad that I would have to miss the ceremony, but a day roaming around the park made up for it!

 

 

Even though its not even Thanksgiving, Universal Studios Hollywood was decorated for Christmas. (or Grinchmas) The park does such a great job decorating during this time of year!
 

My first stop was the year-old Transformers THE RIDE: 3D attraction. Because the park just opened up, the wait time was only 10 minutes. Worked out perfectly.
 

 

I had a lot of fun on this ride. Everything seemed so real. I have never been a fan of 3D though, as it always hurts my eyes. Besides that, the ride was fantastic and a "must see".

 

After Transformers, I headed across the way to Jurassic Park. I believe this is one of the most beautiful attractions ever created. I love water rides, and this was no different. It is so beautiful going through Jurassic Park and admiring the plants, "animals" and waterfalls.

After the splashful ride, I went back to the main entrance, hoping to catch the taping of "Extra".


Walking back, I ran into my good friend Doc Brown from Back to the Future. He commented on my hair and said we "have the same kind of hairstyle." (Except my hair color is brown) It was great!

At around 10:45, I arrived at the front gates of Universal Studios Hollywood. I came at a great time, as they were in the middle of filming "Extra." Extra is a celebrity entertainment and gossip TV show. Its hosted by Mario Lopez and Maria Menounos. The show is taped weekdays at Universal Studios Hollywood. Anyone in the area can partake as a "live audience member". I spent some time watching the show being filmed and movie magic being made!
 

 

There was a lot of interaction between the crowd and hosts Mario Lopez and Maria Menounos.
 

 

 

 

Be sure to check your local listing time and see when Extra is on.

 

After about 15 minutes watching the taping, I went back into Universal Studios Hollywood!

 

I went over to the Grinchmas section of the park. It looked really great. This was where the ceremony was supposed to take place that day.

 

It really does look fantastic. Universal always does such a great job with Grinchmas!
 

 

After a quick look around, I went over to the Studio Tour. The Studio Tour is my favorite attraction in the park. It takes you down to the "Backlot" where all the movies are being filmed.

 

 

The tour is 45 minutes long and is well worth it! I brought 2 cameras along, giving you multiple views.
 

 

Here, I will show some of my favorite stops:
 

The NBC TV show "The Voice" films at Universal Studios Hollywood! The show is one of my favorite competition shows around!


 

One of my favorite movies is "Back to the Future". I was so excited to see the "Hill Valley" set on the Backlot! Certainly a highlight.
 

 

 

Another fun destination on the tour is the "Flash Flood" scene. It shows you that Hollywood can make any weather occur at any time. (Even in sunny Southern California!)
 

 

 

During our visit, they were actually taping an show for the Hallmark Channel!

 

During times like this, we all have to be silent! It was great!

 

Not too long after, we entered a soundstage. The set was of a subway station. It seemed all calm at first, but later was an earthquake!

  

 

 

 

After the earthquake, we traveled all the way to the coast of Amity Island, where Jaws was filmed!
 

We even got a visit from Bruce the Shark himself!
 

 

 

After a few more stops, we made our way over to the Who-ville set.

 

The Who's from Who-ville were out singing for the season. (or just practicing for the upcoming Grinchmas.)

 

 

Around the corner, we paid a visit to the Bates Motel!
 

 

 

 

This is just a few of the many segments on the Studio Tour! I had a wonderful time aboard the tram and hope to return again!

After the trip through movie making, I got a quick bite to eat and headed over to the Simpson's Ride!
 

 

Since its opening, The Simpsons Ride has always been one of my favorites! The 15 minute wait was well worth it, as I was able to virtually visit Springfield.
 

 

The whole experience from the queue to the ride ending is fantastic. I actually like the queue just as much as the ride!
 

 

 

To end my trip to Universal Studios Hollywood, I visited the Universal's House of Horrors. I started liking scary attractions last October, so I have never been "excited" to go in the House of Horrors. I did it once many years ago and did not like it. This time, I LOVED IT! It reminded me of Halloween Horror Nights and the Scream Zone. Perfect! it got me right back into the Halloween spirit.

 

After that, I made my way towards the front entrance! Extra was still in taping, so I decided to stick around a little longer.

 

The crowd was even bigger this time as more audience interaction began! It was great!
 

Who knows, I might be on TV this week!

After about 20 minutes, I left Universal City and headed to Griffith Park! I have always wanted to see the carousel that inspired Disneyland!


Sadly, the carousel is only open on the weekends, so it was closed!





A little while after that, I visited the Tam O' Shanter! The Tam is a unique restaurant located not too far from Hollywood Bowl and Warner Brother Studios. The restaurant has been operated for over 90 years. It was a place where Walt Disney and his Imagineers would frequently come for a bite to eat. I was able to sit at Walt Disney's table #31.

 

 

The reason I know about the Tam O' Shanter is because of the month long Optimist game, that took place during the summer. Some of the clues were at the Tam O' Shanter.

 

On Walt Disney's table are special carvings that gave Optimists clues:
 

I really enjoyed eating dinner at the Tam O' Shanter. They have great employees who make you feel very welcome. The food is really great. I had the "Crispy Brick Chicken" and finished the whole thing. The portions are very large and are great for a long day.



 

I really recommend eating at the Tam O' Shanter. The prices are high, but its worth it. Out of 10, I would rate the Tam O' Shanter a 9.

Great food, great service!

 

Be sure to make reservations, as it can fill up. For more information, visit www.lawrysonline.com/tam-oshanter.com
 

 

And that marked the end of my Los Angeles trip. I had a great time and will for sure return!

Tam O' Shanter: Trip Report & Review

By D.Z. "Theme Park Specialist"

Yesterday, during my 2 day Los Angeles trip, I was able to visit the Tam O' Shanter. The Tam is a unique restaurant located not too far from Hollywood Bowl and Warner Brother Studios. The restaurant has been operated for over 90 years. It was a place where Walt Disney and his Imagineers would frequently come for a bite to eat. I was able to sit at Walt Disney's table #31.
 

 

The reason I know about the Tam O' Shanter is because of the month long Optimist game, that took place during the summer. Some of the clues were at the Tam O' Shanter.

 

On Walt Disney's table are special carvings that gave Optimists clues:
 

I really enjoyed eating dinner at the Tam O' Shanter. They have great employees who make you feel very welcome. The food is really great. I had the "Crispy Brick Chicken" and finished the whole thing. The portions are very large and are great for a long day.



 

I really recommend eating at the Tam O' Shanter. The prices are high, but its worth it. Out of 10, I would rate the Tam O' Shanter a 9.

Great food, great service!

 

Be sure to make reservations, as it can fill up. For more information, visit www.lawrysonline.com/tam-oshanter.com