Islands of Adventure Update: Evening Shots (PART 3)
Welcome to part 3 of our new Islands of Adventure photo-report (PART 2 can be found HERE).
We will now continue to take a nighttime tour of Toon Lagoon:
This area (and the rest of the park) looks gorgeous, especially at night:
Normal Flash Gordon photo:
...and a picture of Flash Gordon taken with... the flash on (@sadjoke):
And that's Toon Lagoon for you:
Time to move on into a deserted Marvel Superhero Island:
Our least favorite island becomes one of the best at night:
My favorite photo:
Exiting the park, we noticed that the light is still not back on top of the Pharos Lighthouse:
And that is all for today. Thank you for reading, and see you soon with more news, rumors, and updates.
The hypocrisy of not including the Wizarding World in your updates is particularly infuriating. You include the "connecting train" updates and many other fantastical & magical updates involving wizards, villains, good vs evil etc. It is a massive area of the park that has increased attendance & profits considerably, enabling Universal to build all of the new things they are creating, which you have no issue in photographing & sharing. Hypocrisy in action. Putting this aside, I do thoroughly enjoy your updates but can't help the feeling of a flash of frustration at this point.
ReplyDeleteAmazing update again and thank you very much. This park is so beautifull.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why people are only going to Disney when Uni and Sea have so much additional fun and wonder to offer. Thanks!
I have to agree with the previous post. I truly love this site and the updates provided, however I believe that members of the media should put any bias aside. Wouldn't you say the Marvel characters are somewhat magical? Or that Mickey Mouse has been considered a wizard? The goal of this site should be to celebrate everything that makes the Orlando parks great. The Potter universe has definitely taken Universal Orlando to a top park. It is missed from these great photo updates.
ReplyDeleteI am very sorry to have to say this again, but we have explained the reasons why we do not take photos of the WWOHP multiple times. All the other theme park areas in Central Florida are not so heavily focused on magical creatures, monsters, etc... This is definitely an area that we don't want to advertise. We are sorry about the fact that this bothers some of you, but we already try to cover all the projects going on in ALL the parks in the area, so this shouldn't really be such a big deal. Also, there are an incredible number of other sites that include photos of that land.
ReplyDeleteI guess I don't understand the point of the administrators post. You post a photo update of Islands of Adventure that features nothing newsworthy but fail to include one shot of the most popular section of the park and the main reason that 90% of guest visit the park in the first place. Very strange but its your site lol
ReplyDeleteMagical creatures & monsters? Stitch. Buzz Lightyear aliens. Monsters Inc. Beast. Mermaids. Ursula. Dragon/sleeping Beauty. All Disney villains. Star Wars aliens/villains. Despicable Me minions. Shrek. Jaws. Transformers. Marvel villains. Dinosaurs. I could go on & on.... It's very strange to hold such a flawed & hypocritical view of a franchise which promotes friendship & love above everything.
ReplyDeleteOkay, since we are tired of having always the same conversations (it's so sad to see people just arguing about what's NOT included in an update and even saying things not true, like there is nothing newsworthy in our update!), we are just going to say that we don't care about HP. That's it. It will be featured neither in this nor in future Islands of Adventure updates. Sorry, but that's all.
ReplyDeleteA big thank you to our readers that actually appreciate our updates.
Wait you won't post anything to do with HP because of magic? The main banner picture is of Beauty and the Beast.....The Beast was transformed by a witch with her magic, the whole Be Our Guest, Belle's storytelling and even the Little Mermaid is all about MAGIC?!?!?!?!? I respect if you have a problem with magic because of some ideology, but really to avoid one version and make the other one your banner is a little off putting.
ReplyDeleteGuys, I assure you that there are plenty of places online to find tons of pictures of WWoHP. And in regards to the newsworthy comment, I do not believe that there is really anything newsworthy going on in WWoHP either, so your point is kinda moot.
ReplyDeleteThe people who run this site have the right to give us updates on whatever they please. I personally LOVE WWoHP, and would love to see OTPN show some photos of it, but I also respect their preference in choosing not to do so. Enjoy what is in the update instead of launching pointless complaints and attacks regarding what is not. The reason for WWoHP exclusion is irrelevant: that area of the park will not be featured here. It's been said before, and complaining about it won't change it.
I would also like to say that I thoroughly enjoy this site's updates. Also, how'd you manage to get these pictures with the park completely empty and everything closed? Were you allowed into the park after hours?
@JG: I assure you that there's a big difference between the "magic" portrayed in Disney's animated features (with some exceptions, of course) and Harry Potter, which is SOLELY based on magic, creatures that want to destroy you in any way you can possibly imagine, and more.
ReplyDelete@Last Anonymous: Thank you very much for understanding. I seriously hope this conversation will cease, though, even though I fear it will continue...
I totally agree with the last "Anonymous"! Enjoy what's in here, don't complain about what's not!
ReplyDeleteFocus on the positiv. OTPN is doing a great job, and everybody who's watching the site should be greatful of all that work. Those who are not: Go somewhere else! Sam, You rock!
Thank you, OldBlueEyes!! I really appreciate that. :-)
ReplyDelete@JG: I assure you that there's a big difference between the "magic" portrayed in Disney's animated features (with some exceptions, of course) and Harry Potter, which is SOLELY based on magic, creatures that want to destroy you in any way you can possibly imagine, and more.
ReplyDeleteThis quote just shows you have not seen or read Harry Potter. It is about love & friendship SOLELY.
You need to be open to this discussion if you're just going to ignore the most popular part of IOA. Of course it is your decision and the people who disagree with you (including me) clearly love your site until you become defensive in quite a rude way. You are covering HP by covering the current construction anyway. It's sad that you limit your enjoyment of something that is fundamentally about love.
I am sorry if any of my comments even came close to be considered rude, I have never been (and never will be) disrespectful to anyone, especially when having diverging opinions. You have to understand, though, that I have had this same conversation too many times in the past three years. I would just like to tell everyone that we do all we can to bring you the latest news and updates from the parks, but our personal feelings and beliefs are much more important than any of these things.
ReplyDeleteThat felt a much better response. I can respect that at the same time as disagree. Agreeing to disagree is something to be celebrated! Can we expect a Busch Gardens post soon? I'm visiting from UK next year & can't picture how Cheetah Hunt fits!
ReplyDelete"@JG: I assure you that there's a big difference between the "magic" portrayed in Disney's animated features (with some exceptions, of course) and Harry Potter, which is SOLELY based on magic, creatures that want to destroy you in any way you can possibly imagine, and more."
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read HP? You are saying that Disney stories that are mostly based off stories that included magic to scare children and would involve death and very graphic descriptions of BAD things happen is different than HP, a story of a boy coming of age and facing his fears? Again I just think of your stand against one piece of fiction and promoting others that carry much of the same symbols is dumbfounding. If you look at Toon Lagoon many of the comics represented there involve magic, Mystic Fountain is a magical entity, heck even Marvel and Jurassic involve sciences that many have and do look at as a form of magic.
Your take on one version is bad and one is ok is the thing that bothers me the most. If you are going to take a stand then do it. You state you will not cover Christmas or Halloween but you do talk of Haunted Mansion?!?!?!?!
Unlike 90% of these negative comments, we like to say
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU! Orlando Theme Park Magic is the only site we go on for WDW updates, and we've been with them since 2009. Love the work that you guys do keep it up and Keep taking your pictures, and we'll keep on watching!
-Your Friends At AMagicProduction
@Anonymous: Thank you for understanding. We definitely have to go back to Busch Gardens. We haven't been there in more than a year!
ReplyDelete@JG: When did I ever talk about the Haunted Mansion??
@AMagicProduction: Thank you for that.
i'd like to refer back to a previous comment on the actual update if nobody minds! why was the park so empty? like someone asked earlier, did you get in after hours or was it just a quiet night in Orlando?
ReplyDeletegreat updates, keep them coming, and even though you guys aren't fans of WWoHP i do hope we continue to see it in the Studios updates for progression on the London expansion, looks like you guys will be kept busy the next few years with the amazing things coming to Orlando!
Thank you for posting a question on the actual update, Anonymous! You won't believe that, but we took these photos while the park was still open! It was very late in the evening, though, and the Universal's Cinematic Spectacular show was scheduled to take place a few minutes later over at USF. That could have been a reason why the park was so empty.
ReplyDeleteRowling has stated that the books comprise "a prolonged argument for tolerance, a prolonged plea for an end to bigotry" and that also pass on a message to "question authority and... not assume that the establishment or the press tells you all of the truth".
ReplyDeleteThis all seems relevant here, doesn't it?
If you (Sam) don't like Potter that's fine, everyone is entitled to their opinion. But I'm curious, have you read any of the books or seen any of the movies? If you haven't I think it's a bit unreasonable to be making such accusations towards Potter when a lot of the Disney movies have similar themes in them.
ReplyDeleteCan we talk about what's really important here?
ReplyDeleteNamely the fact that Universal can't seem to provide more than hamburgers and hotdogs in both their parks outside of table service?
The huge lines of caulk all around WWOHP and that keep me from taking Uni seriously.
I too feel at times like this site may favor Disney over Universal, but if OTPN wants to exclude WWoHP, that's their prerogative. I for one, enjoy all the progress and updates this site provides.
ReplyDeleteI don't care about seeing WWOHP. My goodness. Thank you for the updates of things besides HARRY POTTER. It's greatly appreciated by some!!!! I assure you ignore the complainers please!
ReplyDeleteGreat pics!! Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteDo you think that with all the construction going on in the parks that Universal will ever extend their hours? I purposely didn't go on my last trip to Orlando because the parks were only open for 10 hours.
Thanks!
@ThatFloridaDude: Thank you for your support!
ReplyDelete@Last Anonymous: It depends. Actually, Universal Studios Florida's park hours have been extended lately due to the nighttime showing of Universal's Cinematic Spectacular. Now, with the coming holiday season, park hours will be even longer.
Thanks for the quick response! It would be great to go to the parks and have extended hours like Disney does, especially once all the new stuff opens.
ReplyDeleteFor the folks upset about WWoHP not being included...get real. OPN can post whatever they like, it is their site...to admonish them as a member of the "media" with some sort of bias is also incorrect. Look I like WWoHP and would love to see updates, but they don't want to post them for whatever reason, their choice. Be bummed, confused, disappointed by this or whatever, but don't bag on them as it is their site. Don't like it, start your own site. Enough negativity in the world without people bagging on those providing an otherwise stellar service.
ReplyDeleteYa I went to,IOA Monday and the lighthouse light wasn't working what's up with that it doesn't,have that great special effect anymore I hopetheymfix it soon I thing the light burnt out and the light is moving but is not on for,some reason.
ReplyDeleteThe irony over the "magic" debate is unintentional but this site is pure MAGIC!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't diminish it's value in keeping us informed daily with a series of first class articles.