SeaWorld's New "Blue World Project"

By Zach Cooper

Earlier today, SeaWorld announced that they will be investing time and money to create a larger environment and habitat for the killer whales inside all three parks in San Diego, Orlando and San Antonio.  

This new space will let the whales roam more freely than ever, as the space will cover about 1.5 

acres. Whales will also be able to dive deeper than ever, with the distance downward of 50 feet. 

Through glass, guests will be able to have a great viewing location of the majestic creatures. The company believes this will change how guests see whales in a whole new way. 

SeaWorld has also pledged $10 million for killer whale research. 

SeaWorld says this new area will cost hundreds of millions to create this new habitat.  The first Blue World environment will open up at SeaWorld San Diego around 2018. The San Antonio and Orlando park will open theirs after.

Sources:

-Concept art by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Inc. 

-Information courtesy of blueworldproject.seaworld.com/seaworld-announces-first-of-its-kind-killer-whale-environment/.

Las Vegas, Nevada - Trip Report

By Beemerboyz803

From August 1 to August 5, we took a trip to Las Vegas, NV. We stayed at the Green Valley Ranch hotel in Henderson, several minutes from the Strip, for 4 nights and 5 days. The pools were amazing. There was an adult pool for 21+, a small kiddie pool that flowed into the bigger pool like an Infinity Pool, and the gigantic pool. It had a sandy area, almost like a beach.

Friday, August 1

 We arrived at Las Vegas/Henderson at around 10:00PM and checked in. 

Saturday, August 2

After going to bed at midnight on Friday, we woke up at 9:30AM and had brunch at a Filipino buffet several streets from the Strip. 

Afterwards, we were able to visit the New York-New York Hotel and ride the Roller Coaster, one of their signature attractions. It was nice of them to take photos of us before the ride and on the ride, but it wasn't nice of them to price them almost as much as the ticket price. In general, the roller coaster was fun (I'd say a 9/10)

Sunday, August 3

On Sunday, we were able to visit the Luxor Hotel and also see the Titanic exhibit. We each received our own "boarding pass". At the end, we found out the passengers on our boarding passes perished in the sinking. 

Afterwards, we drove to the Planet Hollywood hotel for dinner at Gordon Ramsay BURGR restaurant. However, we didn't reserve ahead of time, and the line was 2 hours. We didn't want to wait in line for burgers for 2 hours, so instead we headed to the Palazzo Hotel (on the Venetian property) and had dinner at the Grand Lux Cafe.

Monday, August 4

On this day, we visited the gorgeous Mirage Hotel. It was extremely beautiful. We saw gorgeous indoor gardens and breathtaking waterfalls outside. And to top it all off, there is a secret garden and tiger habitat (paid admission, of course).

The pool area also looked pretty, as well as the aquarium behind the lobby. After leaving the Mirage, we then took an express shuttle to the Treasure Island. There wasn't much to see or do, so we made a beeline to the entrance. After, we drove to the New York-New York to visit  HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD, a two-story Hershey's paridise with everything a Hershey-lover needs.




We then walked down the Strip to the Monte Carlo Hotel, where we ate dinner at 800 Degrees, a delicious pizzeria. We ordered a Hawaiian Pizza, a Margherita Pizza (veggie pizza), and some cheesy bread. Delicious!!

Actor Robin Williams Has Passed Away

Video courtesy of Orlando Attractions Magazine. 

BREAKING NEWS!
Zach Cooper

Earlier this afternoon, we received word that actor Robin Williams has passed away by suspected suicide just today. He is a Oscar-award winning actor, and also a Disney Legend. 

In 2009 at the D23 Expo, Williams was crowned a Disney Legend for his work in the film "Aladdin" at the Genie.

Past credits include like Good Morning Vietnam, Mrs. Doubtfire, Night at the Museum, Happy Feet,  just to name a few. 

1951-2014 (63 years) 

Hilton Hawaiian Village: Review

By Zach Cooper

After my 4 night stay at Aulani, I stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for another 2 nights in paradise. The price to stay was much more affordable but did not have the greatest amenities as Aulani. The resort is huge, covering 22 acres, next to the Waikiki Beach. They have 5 pools, some big and others smaller. Also there is a large lagoon, which had many fun boats and rafts you can use. In my opinion, the resort I way too big. I like places where I know where everything is. This was just way too large to map out. 

Not all of they offerings at the resort are all-included. To rent a chair on their beach, it costed about $16, plus about $30 if you wanted an umbrella. Not that affordable. 

The rooms are very simple, but nice. We had a great view of the whole resort, allowing great time-lapse video. I was placed in one of the towers that was very far from one of the main pools. It took about 15 minutes to go from the room to the pool and beach. 

The resort has 20 restaurants & bars. You don't need to go far if your looking for a quick bite to eat or have a craving for Starbucks. 

Out of 10, I would rate my stay a 8. For the price you pay, its worth it. It's the island of Oahu in Hawaii and sits right on the beach. Can't get too much better for a location. 

Book your stay today at http://www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com.