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Amazing Drone Footage Unveils How Disney New Star Wars Lands are Taking Shape

Disney shows sweeping new drone footage unveiling construction of the new Star Wars, Galaxy’s Edge, against music composed for the attraction.

A video of the London Symphony Orchestra playing John Williams’ rousing music created for the attractions as Star Wars fans are taken on a brief tour of Galaxy’s Edge. The video includes incredible sweeping aerial shots that reveal how construction is progressing. Continue reading “Amazing Drone Footage Unveils How Disney New Star Wars Lands are Taking Shape”

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SpaceX Adds New Astronaut Walkway to Historic NASA Launch Pad

SpaceX is another step closer to crewed flight.

The private spaceflight company SpaceX installed an astronaut walkway at Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida last Monday. The walkway will allow astronauts to get from the launch tower to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spaceship, which will sit atop SpaceX’s 230-foot-tall (70 meters) Falcon 9 rocket.

The 85-foot-long arm was delivered to the base of the Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center on August 15. Five days later, it was raised by crane 265 feet above sea level, and there it was mounted to the space shuttle tower. Continue reading “SpaceX Adds New Astronaut Walkway to Historic NASA Launch Pad”

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Scaffolding Collapses at JW Marriott near Disney World

Two workers died after falling seven stories to the ground at hotel construction site near Disney World.

Two workers fell more than six stories from a JW Marriott hotel under construction near Disney World on Wednesday morning when a scaffold collapsed, and they died immediately after plunging to the ground. The tragedy happened at 4:15 a.m. near the Bonnet Creek Resort in

Lake Buena Vista.

A third worker, who was able to hold on and climb to safety, suffered minor injuries, Fire Rescue officials said. Orange County Sheriff’s Office said the workers were preparing to pour concrete on the seventh floor when the scaffolding collapsed.

The men were identified as 46-year-old Jerry Bell who lives in Seffner and 34-year-old Lorenzo Zavala, a former vice president at S&Z Concrete from Plant City. About 18 construction workers were at the hotel at the time, according to Fire Rescue officials.

The reasons for the scaffolding collapse are not known yet. The incident will be investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

The property, the Bonnet Creek Resort, is owned by DCS Real Estate Investments, a West Palm Beach company. An engineering firm Kimley-Horn filed an application with Orange County DCS’ behalf to build a 516-room JW Marriott.

DCS officials said, the company’s corporate policy prohibits commenting to the media on anything.

According to Daily Mail.

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SpaceX Seeks Expansion at KSC

SpaceX plans new facilities at KSC to support more launches and landings.
SpaceX is planning to expand its presence at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, including a state-of-the-art launch control center, rocket refurbishment center and a Falcon 9, Dragon rocket garden, according to environmental impact documents filed to NASA a month ago.
The California-based company and its founder the billionaire Elon Musk, is currently well-established on the Space Coast with two launch pads, one at Kennedy Space Center and one at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and also a hangar at Port Canaveral.
Environmental impact documents reveal a proposal for a launch control tower up to 300 feet tall for launches and landings, a rocket garden to show off the company’s historic space vehicles, a new security office, a 280,000 square foot utility yard, and a 133,000 square foot rocket processing and storage facility. The proposed buildings and the associated lot would all be on a piece of land nearly one mile long by a half mile wide. Continue reading “SpaceX Seeks Expansion at KSC”

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TripAdvisor Names the Best Amusement Parks in the World

In the hunt for the world’s best amusement park, a Florida attraction takes the top spot.

The travel review site TripAdvisor revealed its new rankings of the best amusement and water parks around the world in its 2018 Travelers’ Choice awards – and the winner is an attraction in the theme park capital of Florida – Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando.

Universal’s Islands of Adventure came out on top of the ranking just ahead of Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida which came second in the list. The third position is taken by the top-rated European attraction of Le Puy du Fou, a historical theme park in Les Epesses, France. Continue reading “TripAdvisor Names the Best Amusement Parks in the World”

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Disney’s New Toy Story Land Even More Magical at Night

This land really comes to life at night.

The playfully themed Toy Story Land really comes to life at night and is a more enjoyable experience than during the day.

Toy Story Land, the brand new area that opened on June 30, 2018, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is inspired by the Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. The new land is the first of two major expansions to be built at Hollywood Studios.
Toy Story Land is bright, however with tons of crowds during the day. Although it has an adorable theme, the heat and overwhelming hordes of people ruin the experience. On the other hand, at night, Toy Story Land comes to life and is a really enjoyable experience. Everything looks so festive, all those statues of the character illuminated and various multi-colored lights strung overhead. The buildings are also illuminated with rosy colorful lighting.

Riding the Slinky Dog Dash is another experience that feels completely different at night. As the track has lights, the surrounding darkness intensifies the thrill of the coaster.

The Disney Parks Blog promised that when the land opens, guests will “shrink” to the size of a toy and join in on the fun Woody, Jessie, Buzz, and others.

According to Insider.

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Face Scans to be Required for all International Travelers at Orlando Airport

Officials at Florida’s busiest airport announced that it is becoming the first in the nation to require a face scan of passengers on all arriving and departing international flights, including US citizens. $4 million has been committed to the program.
The face scan technology has been tested out at the airport since late April in an effort to speed up wait times throughout the security check process.
Nine airports already use face scans for some departing international flights but they don’t involve all international flights like the program in Orlando.
Similar technology is being tested out at other airports as well and some airlines have boasted success in boarding their largest planes in under 15-20 minutes thanks to the tech. Continue reading “Face Scans to be Required for all International Travelers at Orlando Airport”

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Orlando Police Testing Amazon’s Facial Recognition in Public

Orlando police confirmed they are testing Amazon’s real-time facial recognition on the streets.

The fact that the facial recognition technology was active in public was not willingly shared by the police service. At first, the police department denied and said the trial was confined to its headquarters as the existing pilot was limited to basic testing, and no members of the public were entered for search.

However, after the news was announced by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), police chief John Mina officially admitted at a press conference that three of the city’s IRIS cameras downtown were also equipped with the software. Continue reading “Orlando Police Testing Amazon’s Facial Recognition in Public”

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I-Drive’s High-Flying StarFlyer Sets New Opening Date

StarFlyer, world’s tallest swing ride debut pushed to June.

The original May 11 opening date of the StarFlyer has been pushed by 3 weeks. Thrill seekers will have to wait until June 1. The developer, Orlando-based Unicorp National Developments, LLC owns the Vue at 360 complex where the ride will be located. Officials with the company announced a new June 1, 2018 debut. The attraction was expected to open May 11.

Unicorp President Chuck Whittall said that “Kids will be out of school,” at the opening of the new attraction. StarFlyer will be world’s tallest swing ride at 450 feet and two dozen guests at a time will be able to swing at 60 mph. Unicorp President Chuck Whittall said that the reasons for delays include an incomplete railing that will surround the ride, as well as unfinished landscaping features.

Continue reading “I-Drive’s High-Flying StarFlyer Sets New Opening Date”