Universal Studios Hollywood offered several media outlets a closer look at its upcoming Super Nintendo World.
The tours included glimpses inside the queue for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, including a few Easter eggs, as well as the interactive elements offered outside the ride, such as augmented reality viewers on the land’s second level.
(Hamilton Pytluk/Universal Studios Hollywood)
“I think we do a very good job at trying to put you into an environment or an experience, whether that’s Harry Potter or Despicable Me, but this was an opportunity to put you inside a game experience,” Universal Creative vice president Jon Corfino told Forbes. “Just the geography of where we are was conducive to building this very immersive, fully surrounded environment that is captivating.”
You can see more previews of the land provided by the Los Angeles Times, Theme Park Insider and Variety. Super Nintendo World will start previews for annual passholders on Jan. 29, followed by its grand opening to the general public on Feb. 17.
Animatronic cobra spotted near Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure
MiceChat reported that an animatronic cobra can be seen sitting outside the maintenance bay of the Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland, indicating the ride’s upcoming refurbishment will include replacing this figure.
The attraction is scheduled to go down on Jan. 9 and be closed until sometime in spring 2023. Multiple effects on the 1995 ride have been broken or in poor working condition in recent months. While the refurbishment is expected to fix those issues, no major upgrades to the ride are expected.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay open new Springs Taproom bar
A new bar featuring 12 draft beer options and handcrafted cocktails is now open at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Dubbed Springs Taproom, the lounge takes over the former Garden Gate Cafe space in the Bird Gardens area of the park.
Busch Gardens said the space is technically in preview mode at the moment, so hours may vary until its official opening, set for a yet-unannounced date in January.