I May Be Super, But I'm No Hero
Hold on to your chimichangas. Marvel is sending the antidote for a down week of theme park business news.
It's mixed news from the theme park beat this week, with a bad financial report from Universal and a looming work stoppage at Disney. But we have a new coaster review (and video) for you, as well as the most amazing news of all - Deadpool is now a Disney Parks character.
Keep reading through the end of this week's newsletter for some personal news from me, too.
News from Universal
Attendance, revenue drop at Universal theme parks: Revenue dropped more than 10% at Universal's theme parks during the second quarter of 2024, compared with the same period one year ago, Universal's corporate parent Comcast reported this week.
Will Universal Orlando's new ticket discount boost attendance? Universal Orlando is now offering a new discount for Florida residents, as it looks to boost attendance for the rest of 2024.
Universal fuels your nightmares with Halloween news: Universal Orlando has announced a new show and scare zones for its upcoming Halloween Horror Nights, which starts next month at Universal Studios Florida.
News from Disney
Disneyland's cast members vote for strike - so what's next? Union members at the Disneyland Resort have voted almost unanimously to authorize a strike against the resort. I appeared on BBC News to talk about the strike authorization vote. [With video]
Deadpool is going to Disneyland: 'Hey Deadpool, you've just starred in the first-ever R-rated Disney film. What are you going to do now?' Catch him in Avengers Campus for a limited time, starting this week.
Disney's Country Bears will bring a culinary jamboree to Disneyland: Fresh off their glow-up at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Disney's Country Bears are getting some love at Disneyland, too.
Disney sets sail dates for Destiny cruise ship: Disney Cruise Line will introduce more details about its Disney Destiny ship starting July 30. The new cruise ship will begin sailing in December 2025.
More news
Six Flags drops surcharge fees on in-park purchases: The new Six Flags has made its first big, chain-wide operational change since the former Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks merged earlier this month.
Phoenix Rising soars at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Phoenix Rising is a fantastic addition to Busch Gardens Tampa that is sure to unite current and next-generation coaster enthusiasts by delivering fun and thrills in a pleasant ride experience. [With video]
Kennywood celebrates Pittsburgh with first-ever drone show
Rebuild of Liseberg's Oceana water park set to proceed
In memory
Walt Disney World's legendary Bill Sullivan passes, at 88: 'Sully,' as he was known to everyone who worked there, served as Walt Disney World's vice president of Magic Kingdom Park starting in 1987.
Tickets and deals
Look here for discounts on Universal, Disneyland, and SeaWorld tickets: Disneyland, Universal Orlando, Universal Studios Hollywood, and SeaWorld in Orlando and San Diego are offering very aggressive discounts on tickets this summer, and you can find even better deals on them through our authorized reseller partners.
What's next for me
Long-time readers may know that I have been writing on the Internet for, well, a long time. So long that I remember what websites were like before social media turned so many of us into frustrated, doom-strolling cynics.
The time between the launch of the Web and the domination of social media was a golden era for websites, for online communities, and for independent voices. To help reconnect more of us with sites like that, I am starting a new weekly newsletter on Substack: Sensible Talk.
Some of you might remember that name as a journalism community website that I ran for a hot minute many years ago. (I founded it after running the old Online Journalism Review for USC's journalism school, which - coincidentally - is now headed by the wife of Disney's CEO. LA is a small town, despite what you might believe.)
The new Sensible Talk is not just for journalists, though. It's for anyone who wants to connect with the "Better Internet" - the websites and pages that continue to deliver thoughtful insight and welcoming community, even if Facebook and Google won't steer you there anymore.
The first weekly newsletter on Sensible Talk will be going out soon, so I invite you to subscribe to follow me there via https://sensibletalk.substack.com/subscribe. If you wish, you can pledge to support me there with a monthly or annual subscription, though that is not required to read the weekly newsletter. (Just choose the Free plan for that.)
Don't worry, my work on Sensible Talk will not mean any less attention to Theme Park Insider. It's just that I would like to get back to doing some of the Internet reporting that I did back in the day and that does not really fit within the Theme Park Insider forum. If you like and respect my work and my judgment here on TPI, I hope that you will follow me over to Sensible Talk, too.
Thanks, as always,
Robert Niles