We won’t go all pilgrim or canned cranberry on you. But here are 10 things, in no particular order, from Central Florida’s theme parks and attractions for which we’re grateful. Bring your own cornucopia.

• We’re glad that Epcot’s Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana attraction, which officially opened in October, hasn’t been too crowded or too deserted during our visits. Looking forward to more nearby additions in the near future.

• Anticipation grows for Disney Jollywood Nights, a new holiday event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that debuts Saturday. It sounds jazzy and, dare we say, adult? (Translation: Adult beverages.)

• It’s nice to see SeaWorld Orlando recycle its Turtle Trek, a film-in-the-round attraction, into an educational and conservation effort involving coral rescue. Also, manatees are nearby.

• Baby animals such as the sawfish pups at SeaWorld, crocodile hatchlings at Gatorland, young flamingos at Discovery Cove and cotton-top tamarin monkeys at Disney’s Animal Kingdom continue to delight.

• At Icon Park, we like looking up at the colorful light show on the Wheel and down at the families on the central lawn.

• It’s exciting to peek — even through the airborne lens of others — at the ongoing construction of Epic Universe, the theme park slated to debut in 2025. (Other construction to watch: Penguin Trek, a roller coaster set to roll out in spring at SeaWorld, and Magic Kingdom’s transformation of Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, scheduled to open in late 2024.)

• A trio of Hollywood Studios sites still bring top people-watching angles: Baseline Tap Room, a shady bench on Sunset Boulevard and all around the massive Millennium Falcon at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

• We enjoy the mix of big brand-name stores alongside unique and rare establishments at Disney Springs and Universal CityWalk, not to mention the former’s Orange Garage.

• On days that we can’t just face heights or spills, we appreciate Islands of Adventure’s viewing areas for Jurassic World VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

• E.T. Adventure at Universal Studios. That’s it. That’s the item. E.T. Adventure. Welcome home. You’ve arrived.

Pass the pumpkin pie. Then we’ll pretend we don’t see those Christmas trees for another week.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Threads: @dbevil. X/Twitter: @themeparks. You can subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.

Theme Park Rangers Radar: Holidays on horizon, ‘N Sync at Epcot, cashless SeaWorld

Radar is a weekly account of spending and planning at Orlando’s attractions. It appears on OrlandoSentinel.com on Wednesdays.

Today’s ticket

When Universal Orlando recently raised ticket prices on daily rates, I realized I had lost grip on how its rates really compared with Walt Disney World and SeaWorld Orlando on a day-to-day basis.

It’s kind of a trick question, thanks to variable pricing, in which the companies charge different rates depending on the day and sometimes the park in question. That’s not factoring in combo packages or discounts for multi-day tickets or Florida resident benefits or any add-ons such as express passes.

One pass that all the parks have is a one-day, one-park ticket. Just for grins, I charted the posted prices from their official websites.

Universal now says its one-day pass starts at $119 and peaks at $179, depending on the day. SeaWorld’s one-day ticket ranges from $84.99 to $119.99, but those are the online/advance prices, and the usual price (marked out in red on the site) appears to be $138.99 every day.

Disney’s site indicates that one-day ticket prices are “from $109.” But once you find a $109 day on the site – look for August and September weekdays – you’ll see $109 gets you admission only to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. For  instance, that’s the DAK price for Aug. 21, but on that day you’d pay $119 for Epcot, $129 for Disney’s Hollywood Studios and $134 for Magic Kingdom.

That day in August would cost $139 at Universal’s parks, Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios, and $138.99 at SeaWorld, though its advance purchase price is posted as $99.99.

It could be pricier, say, for snowbirds on Feb. 17. That’s when a one-day pass is $164 for Animal Kingdom, $179 for both Epcot and Hollywood Studios and $184 for Magic Kingdom. Universal parks are $169 that day, and SeaWorld is back with $138.99 or $114.99 in advance.

Granted, the one-day, one-park system isn’t the fairest barometer, but it is consistent across the parks. (A friend recently paraphrased my oft-used riff as “One day, one park is for … chumps.”)

But let’s make it worse: One-day, one-park tickets for use on Christmas Day.

Oh, the humanity. These are among the highest of the high-end single days to buy. This year, a Dec. 25 ticket will be $159 for Animal Kingdom, $179 for Hollywood Studios and Epcot, then $189 for Magic Kingdom. Both Universal parks will be $179. SeaWorld is posted at $99.99, a relative gift, for an advance purchase.

But wait’ll next year. Prices go up, according to the Disney website, for Christmas Day ‘24 … by $5 at only Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Bean counters move in mysterious ways.

None of this is corporate wrongdoing, mind you. But the lesson could be you better click around.

Bonus notes:

• Disney’s $109 deals – aka DAK days – are in late August and 12 days in September. Its priciest stretch is Feb. 16-24 and then the tail-end of March.

• Universal’s lowest prices ($119 for a day) are Sept. 9-12. They hit their heights the last between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. It levels off in summer. July is $154 every day except for two days when it’s $164.

• SeaWorld leans heavily into the day of the week factor in the new year. One-day tickets go for $114.99 on Saturdays in January, February, March, April, August, September and October. That goes up $5 on Saturdays in June and July.

New math: Six Flags + Cedar Fair

Six Flags and Cedar Fair, two major theme park companies, have agreed in principle to a merger deal. It’s pending approval by Six Flags shareholders, but it could be complete next year. The resulting company could operate 27 theme parks and 15 water parks in 15 states.

But not Florida. The closest attractions to Orlando would be Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Six Flags Over Georgia near Atlanta. So the merger won’t directly mess with Orlando.

“This isn’t going to affect Disney and Universal that much immediately,” said Dennis Speigel of International Theme Park Services.

“But you’re taking and you’re homogenizing the two largest regional operators, which are 42 parks,” he said. “If it’s properly executed and well-marketed, you could see where the season- pass programs and the cross-pollination of promotions could create longer and more staycations in their areas in those markets.”

A stay-away-cation from Florida?

“That’s not going to pull away millions and millions of visitors,” Speigel said. “But, you know, it could definitely have an impact.”

Save the dates

• Epcot International Festival of the Arts will be Jan. 12-Feb. 19 and will again feature the Disney on Broadway Concert Series.

• Universal Orlando says dates for its Mardi Gras celebration at Universal Studios theme park are set for Feb. 3-April 7. The parade will be nightly, and there will be big-stage concerts on select nights.

Weekend outlook

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Celebration, the after-hours, extra-ticket event at Magic Kingdom, begins Thursday. Activities include “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade,” a seasonal stage show at Cinderella Castle, “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show,” dance parties and character meet-and-greets.

• Disney Jollywood Nights, a new after-hours, extra-ticket event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, kicks off Saturday. Festivities include “Disney Holidays in Hollywood” stage show (Kermit/Piggy alert), a “Nightmare Before Christmas” singalong, “Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam” nighttime spectacular plus “swanky” venues with themed holiday music.

• SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration – with Sea of Trees, stage shows, Sesame Street Land parade, storytelling, “Holiday Reflections” fireworks – starts Friday.

• Aquatica’s Beach Nights movie is “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” this Saturday.

• Orlando Science Center’s $12 Day, featuring $12 admission, is Sunday.

• It’s the penultimate weekend for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The final performers for its Eat to the Beat concert are Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Friday and Saturday and 38 Special on Sunday and Monday.

What’s on your radar? Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com.

The global list salutes 50 leaders for innovation and creativity, and it singles out a group known as the Power 10.

Scott O’Neil, CEO of Merlin Entertainments Group, and Fiona Eastwood, chief operating officer of the company, made the Power 10 list. Kirsty Burkill, vice president of marketing for Merlin; Jonathan Lewis, global intellectual property licensing director; and John Burton, creative lead, resort theme parks division of Merlin Magic Making, are on the Blooloop 50 list.

Merlin operates Legoland Florida theme park in Winter Haven as well as Madame Tussauds Orlando, Sea Life Orlando Aquarium and dozens of other attractions.

Luc Mayrand, vice president and creative portfolio executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, was selected among the Power 10. Other WDI representatives among the 50 include executive creative director Scott Mallwitz, senior creative director Dustin J. Schofield, media designer Joe Herrington and creative executive Zsolt Hormay.

Page Thompson, president of new ventures for Universal Destinations & Experiences, was selected for the Blooloop 50, and Universal Creative is represented by executive producer Shelby Honea, senior show writer Patrick Braillard and art director Brandon Kleyla.

Jakob Wahl, president and CEO of Orlando-based International Association of Amusement Park and Attractions, and Alice Mathu, its vice president for business development and partnership, are on the 2023 list.

Tom Acomb and Mike Ostendorf, chief creative executive and CEO, respectively, of Winter Park-based AOA, were selected as members of the Power 10. AOA creates immersive experience design and themed entertainment projects.

Daryl White, executive vice president of global licensing and business development for Orlando-based Falcon’s Beyond, which develops resorts, theme parks, animation, gaming and movies.

Blooloop is a news website that covers the attractions industry. Readers nominate attraction professionals for the influencer list, and a panel of judges makes the final selection.

The entire list is available at blooloop.com.

dbevil@orlandosentinel.com

The cost of going to one of those parks for a day — without hopping over to the other one — ranges between $119 and $179, depending on the date. Previously, Universal’s going rate for this ticket was between $109 and $159.

A one-day ticket good for both parks on the same day now falls between $174 and $234, depending on the date. That’s up from the previous $164-$214 range.

“Our pricing reflects the incredible, world-class entertainment experiences we continue to offer our guests, and with our date-based variable pricing model, guests have more flexibility when planning a visit to our destination and can choose the best time to visit that suits their needs,” reads an official Universal Orlando statement regarding the changes.

Admission to Universal’s Volcano Bay water park ranges between $70 and $80.

The resort has multiple-day ticket options that can be purchased with or without “park-to-park” powers, and that generally results in lower per-day costs.

Florida residents currently can buy a two-park, one-day ticket and get a second day free with advance purchases. Those tickets do not have to be used on consecutive days, but March 6 is the final day they are valid. There are blockout dates from Dec. 21 through Jan. 4.

Madame Tussauds adds Awkwafina figures in Orlando, New York

For more information, go to universalorlando.com/tickets.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. My Threads account is @dbevil. You can subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.

Radar is a weekly compilation of theme park news and nosiness. It publishes on OrlandoSentinel.com on Wednesdays.

Browsers

A recent walkthrough of the Animal Nutrition Center behind Disney’s Animal Kingdom included a detour through the browse cooler.

Browse – meaning leafy plants – is actually grown on Walt Disney World property specifically to feed to the park’s animals. The cooler has different species depending on the time of year, explained Shannon Livingston, an animal nutritionist at Disney World.

“We use a lot of cactus pads for our tortoises. … especially our Galapagos tortoises love their cactus pads,” she said, although right before Halloween we learned the Galapagos gang could go for a big pumpkin too.

Disney has a hydroponic machine for barley plants, which appeal to primates plus zebras, rhinos and others, Livingston said. Porcupines and anteaters like to shred banana-tree logs, okapi and giraffes like Japanese blueberry and Disney grows elephant grass for elephants, she said.

The company found another audience for elephant grass through their work with GRACE – the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education center in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“They have that growing naturally there, and their gorillas loved it. So we started offering it to our gorillas and our gorillas love it,” Livingston said.

Behind ‘Behind the Attraction’

The second season of “Behind the Attraction” is now streaming on Disney+. There are episodes that concentrate on Epcot, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, nighttime spectaculars, theme park food and Indiana Jones Adventure.

Potential theme park topics might seem endless, but director/executive producer Brian Volk-Weiss said he looks for broad appeal, passion and current operation worldwide.

“What I always like to say is, we don’t want to cover anything that doesn’t have a constituency,” he said. “There are many things not just on this show, but on many shows, like where it’s like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m so excited about this.’ But then it’s like, well, there’s 8 billion humans, and I think 5,000 of us care about this. Maybe we shouldn’t spend millions of dollars covering this topic.”

The series features archival footage and comments from many Imagineers. For the second season, folks were less tight-lipped because they had seen episodes from the first year.

“Season two, there were moments where Imagineers would be, like, ‘Look at this.’ And I’m, like, ‘Are you sure we can film this? … I don’t want you to get in trouble,’” Volk-Weiss said.

But dreams of outtakes and a blooper reel emerging from the project are unlikely, he said.

“Needless to say, I saw and heard things that, oh my God, do I want to talk about right now,” Volk-Weiss said. “But I also want the third season. Believe it or not, so I’m going to keep my mouth shut.”

Inch by inch

During a recent preview of Penguin Trek, a roller coaster set to debut at SeaWorld Orlando in the spring, there was an emphasis on its 42-inch height requirement and how that makes it such a family-friendly option. SeaWorld’s website currently lists it under the category of “family thrill.”

It’s difficult to argue the need for that size of ride at SeaWorld. Its Pipeline coaster, which opened this spring, has a big-boy 54-inch requirement, just like sister coasters Mako, Manta and Kraken.

Other SeaWorld 42-inchers are Infinity Falls and Journey to Atlantis.

There are a lot of factors at play here, including the design of ride vehicles and the maneuvers required. But I was still pleasantly surprised to consider the fear factor of other Central Florida rides with a 42-inch requirement.

Those include Epcot’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind; Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts and Men in Black Alien Attack at Universal Studios; and Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges and Jurassic Park River Adventure at Islands of Adventure.

Quick! What’s the other 54-inches-required ride in Orlando? (Answer forthcoming).

But first, the 48-inch family includes SeaWorld’s Ice Breaker; IOA’s Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure; Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios; Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; and Tron Lightcycle / Run, which debuted at Magic Kingdom this year.

OK, back up to the top of the list. The only non-SeaWorld attraction in town with a 54-inch height requirement is Incredible Hulk coaster at Islands of Adventure. Perhaps more surprising is the neighboring Doctor Doom’s Fearfall – not a coaster – which is listed at a 52-inch requirement, followed by nearby Jurassic World VelociCoaster at 51. Within sight is fellow 51 family member Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios park.

Weekend outlook

• Halloween is hanging around for a little longer. Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights runs nightly through Saturday. The final Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom is Wednesday, but it’s sold out.

• Eat to the Beat concerts, the musical segment of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, feature We the Kings on Friday and Saturday, followed by Sheila E. on Sunday and Monday.

• The final day to go to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park for a while will be Sunday. On Monday, Blizzard Beach reopens.

• Aquatica water park’s Beach Night movie on Saturday evening is “The Muppet Christmas Carol.”

• SeaWorld Orlando’s Inside Look programming, including behind-the-scenes peeks at aquariums, animal care and coral reef areas, is set for Saturday and Sunday.

• Orange County Regional History Center Lunch & Learn’s next topic is “Iconic Orlando: Exploring the Stories Behind Downtown Landmarks.”  The session starts at noon.

What’s on your radar? Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com

Radar is a weekly roundup of notes and nibbles from Orlando’s attractions. It appears on OrlandoSentinel.com on Wednesdays.

Believe it book

The latest “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” book is on shelves, its 20th annual collection of oddities. Of course, Floridians are in the mix as well as shout-outs to new attractions from Orlando-based Ripley Entertainment.

The theme of the publication is “Level Up,” and the idea is to “gamify” the book and make a little bit more modern, said Sabrina Sieck, director of creative solutions at Ripley.

“We added a feature where users can kind of level up their reading experience,” she said. They “scan to play different challenges and many games and interactives throughout the book, pushing themselves to read those stories, understand those stories, dive a bit deeper in them and kind of earn their own level-up badge.”

The hardback version remains true to its format with hundreds of items that range from a sentence to a two-page spread. The Ripley books typically have between 1,700 and 3,000 stores, Sieck said.

Among the items in the latest 256-page edition are cakes that look like cartoon drawings by Australian baker Tegan “Tigga Mac” MacCormack; “pinkest person in the world” Kitten Kay Sera; and blind professional skateboarder Justin Bishop.

And then there’s Allen Pan, who invented an apparatus that enables snakes to walk. (Think long, clear tube with short, robotic, lizard-like legs.)

“It just felt so Ripley’s that we invited him to Ripley’s warehouse here in Orlando to check everything out, meet our art department,” Sieck said. “And he was really into our medieval torture devices, because he wanted to see if he could create one himself.”

Central Floridians in the new book include Orlando’s Christina Wong, who makes crowns out of bones; Kristin Lammert of Oviedo, whose three daughters were all born in Aug. 25, but in different years; Wave Asian Bistro of Mount Dora, which creates sushi in unexpected shapes (like tacos, doughnuts and “Mandalorian” character Grogu); the longstanding 50-foot-tall Monument of States in Kissimmee; and Orlando’s Rod Price, who was part of a four-person team that rowed the length of the Mississippi River in less than 18 days.

The book also features a spread about the new Out of This World gallery at the Ripley’s attraction on Orlando’s International Drive. The space includes Buzz Aldrin’s jumpsuit, Apollo 11 moonwalk tapes and a meteorite found in Nantan, China. Also spotlighted are new attractions including Selfie Studios in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and Mirror Maze on I-Drive plus Kieran Castano, the latest Ripley cartoonist and a Central Floridian.

The book itself is produced out of Ripley’s Orlando headquarters and is a yearlong endeavor.

“It is a continuous process,” Sieck said. “Once it goes to the printer, we breathe for about a week and then jump right back into research.”

Who’s the boss, man?

Gatorland has some Easter eggs this Halloween. The first room inside the Monster Museum portion of Gatorland’s Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event is a take-off on pop-up Halloween stores. Among the items are prepackaged costumes for the masses.

Among the options for “purchase” is the Boss Man costume, but isn’t that a photo of Mark McHugh, president and CEO of Gatorland, on the packaging? Of course it is. McHugh is frequently referred to as “Boss Man” on the attraction’s online videos.

The bag says it comes with hat, adventure gear and “forehead vein prosthetic.” A sense of humor helps when working at Gatorland. Several other employees were featured this way (including crazy cat lady) as well as on wanted posters in the ghost town section of the park.

2-sentence updates

• We have a name for Universal’s unnerving year-round Las Vegas project that was announced in January. It shall be called Universal Horror Unleashed.

• Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has unveiled the Kennedy Entry Experience. It features six-minute video on a 3,000-square-foot video display that tells the story of NASA.

• Dollywood, located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, plans to open the Dolly Parton Experience next year. It will be a multi-building exhibit about the singer/songwriter/theme park operator’s career.

Weekend outlook

• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival continues, and upcoming Eat to the Beat concerts will feature Taylor Dayne (Friday, Saturday) and Billy Ocean (Sunday, Monday).

• Science Night Dead, the Halloween-y adults-only event at Orlando Science Center is Saturday.

• Admission to Orange County Regional History Center is free between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday in conjunction with Come Out With Pride festivities.

• Nelly performs at Mango’s Live on International Drive on Friday.

• Halloween events roll on at Universal Studios, Magic Kingdom, SeaWorld Orlando, Gatorland, Legoland Florida, Fun Spot, Pirates Dinner Adventure and elsewhere.

What’s on your radar? Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com.

The idea dates back to seeing a trailer for Universal Pictures’ Dark Universe series of classic movies, Ginsburg said. Its soundtrack was generic, but he realized there was no obvious alternative.

“They’re, like, all these iconic characters, but there’s no music for them,” he said.

“So, like an idiot, I thought I should do it. I’m a fan of the monsters. I like film music. I’ve co-written two songs for Fake Theme Park. Let’s see if I can put together a team and make this happen,” Ginsburg said.

He did. The singing narrator (vocalist Brette Alana) runs through a series of romantic encounters with well-known characters such as the Mummy.

Lyrics include:

“Down in Cairo on a date
Rendezvous 3,000 years late
He called me princess, said he’s a priest
I didn’t mind that he was deceased.
Reincarnation’s way too complex
I won’t get back together with an ex.”

Ginsburg hired composer Eduardo Garcia Rascon, who has worked with film and video game projects.

“He gave me the right kind of vibe of being kind between a Broadway show tune — with all the jokes that I’m playing a character — but also have sort of like a goth, symphonic metal vibe to it, which the monsters certainly give off,” Ginsburg said.

Many of the monsters are driven by love, although sometimes misguided, Ginsburg says, citing the Phantom of the Opera and Christine as well as Frankenstein and his bride.

“I thought maybe that’s the way to do it, to have a woman thinking about loving all the monsters, and she had to leave them for some reason,” he says. “There’s some flaw that drove her away. But she still was attracted to them, as we all are attracted at first … and then kind of repulsed.”

For instance, in the character’s courting of Dracula, the party was short “because he never drinks wine. He liked the nightlife, I missed the sun. I always found his daughter to be more fun,” the song goes. (The song’s title is from a line in the 1931 “Dracula” film.)

Later, Frankenstein has a moment: “He stood out from all the rest, flat-top head and 60-inch chest,” the song says.

“That took a while to come to that conclusion, that that’s the story to tell and not just like ‘the monsters are cool.’ You can’t do four minutes of that,” Ginsburg said.

“It was so satisfying to give a voice to the electrifying feminine point-of-view, in the world of classic monsters, in such a fun and relatable way,” Alana said in a news release.

Ginsburg, a former tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood, is currently the manager of factual content for Discovery+ streaming service. He lives in Manhattan. He retired the Fake Theme Park account, for which he had co-written two songs, in early 2023.

Making money off the song would be good, he said, but he has a specific, spooky objective.

“The dream of it being somehow tied to Universal and Halloween Horror Nights would be the absolute goal … somehow in the park, somewhere in an attraction, something like that,” he said. “If it played somewhere in some park, somewhere around the world, I would be thrilled.”

Real writer of Fake Theme Park tweets tells all

dbevil@orlandosentinel.com

Radar is a weekly presentation of attractions news, notes and nibbles. It appears on OrlandoSentinel.com on Wednesdays.

Bugging out

We shouldn’t call it a farewell tour just yet, but news out of the recent Destination D23 gathering prompted a visit to “It’s Tough to Be a Bug,” the show subtly tucked inside the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

At the D23 event, it was indicated that a new show based on “Zootopia” characters was in the works for that spot. No details, including a timeframe, were shared. (Imagineers are “finalizing the concept,” according to D23.com.) That event also prompted a return to the Dinosaur ride last week and on the same visit I checked out “Bug,” which I had not seen in years.

My most accurate foggy memory was about the effects built into the seats. Some of them are pretty horrifying and simulate a rush of insects. I could have put this on my Most Scary Disney Moments, judging by the squeals of audience members.

Another unnerving moment was the descent of black widow spiders from the ceiling. They had been tucked away nicely, and their appearance was dramatic.

The show, which debuted in 1998, is a 3-D presentation featuring Flik (the ant from “A Bug’s Life”), a soldier termite and a stink bug. You could consider parts of it educational if icky.

My audience, armed with “bug eye” glasses, was populated with plenty of kids, and folks were extremely chatty during the show. Some of it was stating the obvious to young people. “Do you see the spider?” one mom asked her kid, though the on-screen spider was taking up a huge portion of the screen.

The show has held up pretty well with few outdated references. And one of my favorite parts is the digital curtain made from a butterfly pattern.

Art, big-time

We’ve got murals on the mind now that Disney World has shared fresh images.

First, at Disney Springs Art Walk, a panel called “El Nido” is now complete. It’s by Cuban-American husband-wife team Juan Travieso and Katerina Santos, who create under the merged name TRATOS, a blending of their surnames. The focus of the piece is their young son Luka, surrounded by colorful birds, plants and other bits of nature.

The Art Walk is found near the bus stop adjacent to the Town Center neighborhood of Disney Springs.

Disney has shared glimpses of the work-in-progress mural that will be part of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride. An Instagram account tied to Walt Disney Imagineering says the mural will be along the exterior of Tiana’s business, which is housed in a repurposed barn.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which takes the spot held by Splash Mountain, is scheduled to open in late 2024.

Spotted and noted

Three things I had not seen or noticed before on the theme-park front:

• Projections have been added to a segment of MuppetVision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Now on the side walls: even more images of Waldo, the so-called living 3D effect. The vacuum cleaner effect applies to this as well.

• The piano stool’s covering outside Casey’s Corner at Magic Kingdom matches the striped vest of the pianist. It’s the little things.

• There’s such a thing as “year-round” Quick Queue sold at SeaWorld Orlando. It’s $299 for unlimited front-of-line access at rides such as Mako, Manta, Kraken and Infinity Falls for 12 months. This price, naturally, is atop the usual admission fee to SeaWorld.

Weekend outlook

• Museum of Illusions Orlando’s Bark-O-Ween Bash, a Halloween puppy party, is set for Friday evening.

• Island H2O Water Park holding adults-only Monster Mash with themed drinks, glow foam, DJ with Halloween classic tunes on Friday evening. Costumes permitted, with restrictions.

• Orlando Science Center will host programming tied to Saturday’s annular solar eclipse. Tickets are limited, and admission must be purchased in advance.

• Gatorland’s Gators, Ghosts & Goblins, a Halloween event, marks its first weekend Saturday and Sunday.

• Halloween festivities continue at SeaWorld Orlando (Howl-O-Scream at night, Spooktacular by day), Universal Studios (Halloween Horror Nights), Legoland Florida (Brick or Treat) and Magic Kingdom (Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party).

• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival continues daily. Eat to the Beat concert series will feature Hoobastank on Friday and Saturday, followed by Air Supply on Sunday and Monday.

• The official grand opening of the Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana attraction at Epcot is set for Monday, although it has been in soft-opening/preview mode for several days. The area also will feature a meet-and-greet with the Moana character.

What’s on your radar? Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com.

The board’s unanimous vote created a limited-power area, known as the Shingle Creek Transit & Utility Community Development District, expected to provide $174 million for infrastructure, including a commuter rail line linking Orlando International Airport and the International Drive tourist corridor.

“In order to solve our transportation woes as a county, as a region, it will require public-private partnerships,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings, who tried in vain last year to persuade voters to approve a penny-per-dollar sales tax increase to improve transit options in Central Florida. “In this case, Universal’s stepping up to the table and saying, ‘Hey, we want to be part of the solution.’ ”

The money would be raised through tax-exempt bonds and special property assessments within the 719-acre district, where Universal is the largest of only two landowners. Hilton is the other.

Universal Destinations & Experiences petitioned Orange County commissioners in January to create the district to speed up infrastructure including a commuter rail station at the Orange County Convention Center.

Demings described the district as “a financial vehicle” to help with the $2 billion cost of the proposed Sunshine Corridor,  which would extend a SunRail line from the airport through the tourist corridor and onto the southern portion of International Drive near Disney Springs, connecting with the existing north-south route.

Universal’s pledge doesn’t guarantee the rail line will be built but will help, county officials said.

Just Monday, John Tyler, the Florida Department of Transportation secretary for District 5, which covers east Central Florida, told the Orlando City Council the project “should deliver incredible results for this community, but it’s expensive.”

Without a rail option, traffic problems will worsen when Epic Universe opens, Demings said.

“There’s no question that we’re in dire need of creating additional modes of transportation for people to move around,” the mayor said, referring to not only tourists but tourism and hospitality workers.

The new theme park is scheduled to open in 2025.

Demings said the district will help “us to at least better address transportation needs” in the I-Drive commerce center, where the county and Universal have an existing partnership to add workforce housing.

Other commissioners also praised Universal’s pledge.

“This is literally them taxing themselves in order to support the infrastructure needed to support their growth,” Commissioner Nicole Wilson said.

DOT briefs Orlando officials on SunRail, proposed extension to Orlando International Airport

John Sprouls, Universal’s executive vice president and chief administrative officer, said the entertainment giant and the county have a shared vision for SunRail to expand and succeed in the region.

“We think this district will advance county priorities around regional mass transit and public infrastructure,” he said. “We think it’ll meet the needs of both residents and visitors to Central Florida.”

Sprouls said he hoped the district’s contributions will reduce SunRail’s current operating deficit, drive ridership and boost the long-term viability and continued operation of mass transit in the area.

The district also is expected to provide $40 million to expedite odor control and other improvements at a wastewater treatment plant near Tangelo Park, a community near the theme park.

Orange County Commissioner Michael Scott, whose district includes Tangelo Park, where he grew up, is familiar with odors emanating from the plant.

“It’s always smelled for all 41 years I’ve been alive,” he said.

shudak@orlandosentinel.com

Universal leader gives update on Epic Universe, announces ground-breaking timeline for affordable housing project

I’m flashing back to a haunted house experience at Beech Bend Park in western Kentucky about (checks abacus) 101 years ago. I’ve grown to be able to shake it off, mostly, so here’s a list of my favorite frights to appreciate.

On the house

What: Haunted Mansion, Magic Kingdom

Scare tactics: The standard bearer of dark, dark rides, with creative creepy themes in every turn, including a hatchet-wielding widow, a levitating head, spirited graveyard, dark hallways, unexplained noises, red-eyed ravens and a series of eerie narrations (“Hurry baaaack”) set to organ music. The stage is set with the famed stretching room with its perhaps-a-step-too-far climax.

Not so scary: There’s so much to look down at in the ballroom scene, there’s no time to be scared. And we look forward to the opera singer and the “Grim Grinning Ghosts” performances in the graveyard.

Harried and Hogwarts

What: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Islands of Adventure.

Scare tactics: Big spider, fire-breathing dragon and the sensation that the ride vehicle might go completely upside down. (But it doesn’t. Honest.) The dementors have always reminded us of the pop-up scares in Haunted Mansion.

Not so scary:  The story glides through a quidditch match and back into Hogwarts for a hero’s welcome.

Dropping inn

What:  Tower of Terror, Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Scare tactics: Screams from up high upon approach, dark passageways, claustrophobia, “Twilight Zone” music, dour cast members and imminent elevator mishaps.

Not so scary:  Hmmmm, maybe the gift shop. Who doesn’t like to ring the bellhop bell?

Wet and wait

What: Journey to Atlantis, SeaWorld Orlando.

Scare tactics:  Honestly, this isn’t the fright fest it was before a refurbishment about six years ago. Gone is the spooky mythology theme, replaced with more of a bioluminescent “it’s a small world” vibe. The scare is, “Is something about to happen?”  The drop is significant and leads to the other question, “Wait, is this a coaster?”  (SeaWorld calls it a hybrid but includes it in its roller-coaster count.)

Not so scary:  Folks on dry land who pay to squirt riders after the big drop and before things get rolling again.

Dinosaur dive

What:  Jurassic Park River Adventure, Islands of Adventure.

Scare tactics: There’s lots of build-up floating amid prehistoric animals, then entering a dark building where something has gone terribly wrong, a common theme-park ride thread.  Finally, there’s a too-close encounter with a roaring tyrannosaurus.

Not so scary:  After splashdown, theme music accompanies the return to the loading station, and it feels cinematic.

Bonus: Alienated

What:  RIP, ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, Magic Kingdom.

Scare tactics: A moment of silence for the departed Alien attraction that was too much for Tomorrowland. The theater in the round was marked by darkness, unnerving effects built into the seats, a threatening, on-the-loose creature and wigged-out children. But mostly, we remember a pre-show where the playful Skippy character was transported across the room, which might have been marvelous were Skippy not so charred upon arrival.

Not so scary:  Later, the attraction was turned into a lighter one called Stitch’s Great Escape, but now it’s mostly dormant, sometimes a character meeting spot, sometimes a stroller parking area. It’s wrong to dance on one’s grave, but it is the spooky season, so go right ahead if the spirit moves you.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. My Threads account is @dbevil. You can subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.