Five more ways attractions are opening up to their fans
The amount of online offerings from theme parks and attractions continues to expand as the coronavirus-related shutdowns drag on. Although, we have some free time these days, we can’t get to all of them, let alone rank them or designate with is the best in COVID-19 history. Instead, here are five with Central Florida connections that caught our eye *this week.*
■ Sea Life Orlando Aquarium, which has a robust educational program, has more content online, including fairly short clips of some of its residents, such as a puzzlesolving octopus, a porcupine puffer and starry moray eels. (The latter having background music of “Chrystallize” by Gorgeous War). The attraction, located in Icon Park, is filing under the #MagicWithMerlin hashtag on Twitter. Merlin being Merlin Entertainments Group, which also operates Legoland Florida, Madame Tussauds Orlando and a slew of attractions in Europe. (See Legoland Florida’s Facebook page for a build-a-day calendar too.)
■ Universal Orlando has taken a real-life treat for its annual passholders and turned it into a virtual/digital reward. The resort’s monthly buttons, typically saluting a ride or experience, have been presented as four digital buttons with an AT HOME theme. Universal has also been sharing parkrelated recipes, such as for the Big Apple grilled cheese sandwich at Today Café inside Universal Studios theme park and the confetti milkshake from Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal CityWalk.
(Watch for #UniversalatHome designations.)
■ Walt Disney Co. has gone all kitchen sink on its offerings — but I don’t mean the kitchen sink from Beaches and Cream, although that does sound good right now. New this week was a collection of Pixarrelated backgrounds for video calls, free vignettes featuring Olaf (voiced at home by Josh Gad) and “chili just like Walt Disney used to eat.” (Go to DisneyMagicMoments.com)
■ The Orange County Regional History Center has academic lessons posted, along with genealogy webinars and virtual versions of recent exhibitions such as “The Accidental Historian.” Less high-tech: Coloring pages of downtown Orlando sites, including the old, old courthouse and the Roger-Kiene Building (corner of Magnolia and Pine). Plus it’s fun to say Bunk Baxter. (Site: thehistorycenter.org/historyathome)
■ Meanwhile, Gatorland continues its “School of Croc” video series, which airs via Facebook Live at 10 a.m. daily. It just passed the million-viewer mark. … And now, in grand Orlando tradition, it’s selling School of Croc T-shirts. Go to gatorland.com.