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Theme Parks

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  1. Disney says DeSantis’ request to disqualify judge doesn’t meet standards
    May 26• Politics
    A traveler walks past a jumbo screen projecting images of Walt Disney World in the east hall atrium at Orlando International Airport on Thursday. A feud between Gov. Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Co. started last year after the company publicly opposed legislation concerning lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades that critics called Don’t Say Gay.
  2. Netflix’s ‘MerPeople’ features Weeki Wachee Springs and Tampa Bay mermaids
    May 26• TV
    A still from "MerPeople," Netflix's four-part documentary series that revolves around mermaid culture. The series includes mermaids from Tampa Bay's own Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.
  3. Free beer is back at Busch Gardens this summer
    May 25• Life & Culture
    Busch Gardens is bringing back free beer. You can get a complimentary 7-ounce beer and Pass Members get two per visit. The offer ends July 20.
  5. Disney World is closing its Star Wars hotel that opened just last year
    May 19• Entertainment
    The first passengers experience the two-day Walt Disney World Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser back in March 2022.
  6. Disney CEO blasts DeSantis, saying fight is about one thing: retaliation
    May 11• Politics
    Disney CEO Bob Iger arrives at the AFI Awards at the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles, on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023.
  7. Disney World is making changes to its park reservation rules
    May 8• Entertainment
    The "Partners" statue, featuring Walt Disney holding the hand of Mickey Mouse, sits in front of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom on Wednesday, May 1, 2019, at Disney World in Orlando. The copper statue was created by Blaine Gibson in 1993.
  8. Florida lawmakers OK Disney bills, including one targeting monorail
    May 5• Life & Culture
    On Wednesday, the House sent to the governor HB 1305 on a vote of 83-32, also along party lines, to authorize the Florida Department of Transportation to inspect Disney’s monorail system, the only privately run system in the state.
  9. DeSantis-appointed board fires back at Disney with its own lawsuit
    May 1• Politics
    The battle between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney began when the company voiced opposition to the Legislature’s passage in 2022 of the Parental Rights in Education Bill, which prohibited classroom instruction on gender-identity issues in certain grades.
  10. Florida theme parks 2023: What’s new at attractions this summer
    April 28• Life & Culture
    People visit Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World on April 18, 2022. It took some time, but Florida’s 10 major theme parks are moving out of their post-pandemic blues and once again offering new rides and attractions to see this summer.
  11. DeSantis-appointed board voids Disney district’s previous agreements
    April 26• Politics
    Epcot visitors check out the new fountain near the entrance of the theme park and its iconic Spaceship Earth.
  12. Disney sues DeSantis, saying it is victim of retaliation
    April 26• Politics
    The monorail passes over a 75,000-bloom lakeside garden at Walt Disney World. Disney has filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis in federal court.
  13. Bringing kids to Disney World? How to make the most of your Orlando trip
    April 26• Theme Parks
    The Disney Skyliner, which began carrying guests high above Walt Disney World in 2019, glides through the air, transporting guests between Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot and resort hotels.
  14. New at Disney World in summer 2023: Rides at Magic Kingdom, Epcot and more
    April 26• Life & Culture
    Mickey and Minnie welcome visitors at the new high-tech coaster Tron Lightcycle Run in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom. The semi-enclosed ride, based on the "Tron" movie franchise, is one of Disney's fastest, with speeds of nearly 60 mph.
  15. Tampa Bay’s zoos, aquariums and children’s museums: What’s coming this summer
    April 25• Life & Culture
    Ben White of Tampa examines Big John’s skull while attending an event on Friday Feb 3, 2023, hosted to welcome the fossilized triceratops to the Glazer Children's Museum in Tampa.
  16. Disney starts 2nd round of layoffs across theme parks, ESPN
    April 24• Business
    In this Jan. 9, 2019, photo, a statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse stands in front of the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista. The Walt Disney Co. will be laying off several thousand employees starting Monday, a second round of cuts that's part of a previously announced plan to eliminate 7,000 jobs this year.
  17. At Busch Gardens Tampa this summer, check out new swing ride and festivals
    April 24• Life & Culture
    The Serengeti Flyer at Busch Gardens debuted in February. The new “screaming swing”-style ride sways back and forth, reaching speeds of 68 miles per hour and a 135-foot height.
  18. Popular Disneyland show ‘Fantasmic!’ stopped after dragon catches fire
    April 23• Florida
    This photo courtesy of Shawna Bell shows a fire during the “Fantasmic" show in the Tom Sawyer Island section of Disneyland resort in Anaheim, Calif., on Saturday.
  19. Ex-Disney employee shot videos up women’s skirts, cops say
    April 23• Crime
    A former worker at the Star Wars gift shop inside Disney World’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Florida has been arrested on one count of video voyeurism after investigators said he was caught filming up a 18-year-old woman's skirt.
  20. SeaWorld Orlando adding a new surf coaster this summer
    April 23• Life & Culture
    Opening this spring, SeaWorld Orlando's Pipeline: The Surf Coaster is billed as the world’s first “surf coaster.” Unlike most coasters, riders will be standing up in a surfing position, giving them the experience of wave jumping as they are launched at top speeds of 60 miles per hour.
  21. New at Universal Orlando this summer: a Minions ride and land, vegan butterbeer
    April 22• Life & Culture
    Villain-Con Minion Blast is a new attraction opening at Universal Orlando this summer. It is a walk-through gaming attraction that combines interactivity with elaborate physical sets.
  22. DeSantis political rivals seize on Disney feud
    April 20• Politics
    North Carolina Democrats are suggesting that Walt Disney World relocate to their state as they take advantage of the company's feud with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
  23. DeSantis-appointed board launches aggressive plan to counter Disney control
    April 19• Politics
    Among several moves Wednesday, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District terminated all members of its Planning and Zoning Board.
  24. Busch Gardens in Tampa reopens Falcon’s Fury drop ride
    April 18• Life & Culture
    Falcon's Fury opened in 2014 at Tampa's Busch Gardens. It has been closed for a year because of a delay in needed supplies for maintenance. The ride includes a 335-foot drop at 90 degrees, face down. Riders reach a speed of 60 mph. The ride is America's tallest freestanding tower.
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