It's been a busy year in O-town. Just for fun, figured I'd get everyone's take on the top new attractions this year. Here would be mine:
5. Haunted Horseshoe Revue. The Dapper Dans in ghoul make-up singing Halloween songs. An ersatz ghost of Samantha Sterling doing her cabaret show. The incomparable Jack Diamond—oh, sorry, “Abner Cadaver”--wowing the audience with his magic. All in a stunning building that looks every bit as good as it did in 1971. Only played a 1 week engagement, so sorry if you missed it—but hopefully WDW will find a way to bring it back for Halloween and other holidays.
[Quick note—I’m counting all temporary HHN houses as part of the existing HHN event, and therefore ineligible. Otherwise, American Werewolf in London, Evil Dead and La LLorona would be #1-3.]
4. Springfield USA. I devoured Matt Groening’s Life in Hell books in high school, so of course I’ve watched The Simpsons from Episode 1. Imagine my shock two decades later to walk into an exact, real life version of Moe’s Tavern. The detail is just astonishing. And the in-jokes scattered throughout Fast Food Blvd.! The Big Pink at Lard Lad! Not one, but three house microbrews at Duff Gardens. Technically just a spinner and a re-theme of a moribund fast food outlet, but feels like so much more. A guide to how to do place-making in a theme park.
3. Transformers. A Spider-man clone that still feels like its own thing. The realistic graphics help, as does the immersive queue. Even that Optimus standing guard over the entrance—seen it dozens of times, 10-year-old me still geeks out every time. And to think this was a throw-away project to get a tax break…
2. Legends: A Haunting at Old Town. Year-round haunts used to be a staple in Orlando, and the talented crew behind Legends are trying to recapture those glory days. A mix of innovative effects, a strong cast, and a coherent theme throughout make this place worth a stop in October or any other time of year. Admission remains a bit pricey, but this is an amazing professional house that rivals anything you’ll find in the big parks.
1. Player 1 Video Game Bar. Hardly the first attempt at this concept—Dave & Busters built a chain off of it—but the first to really capture the gamer aesthetic. Old-school arcade games mixed with vintage systems and the latest Xbox and PlayStation. Bounce from Ms. Pac-Man to sitting at the bar playing Injusticeto playing Duck Hunter in a private booth. The bartenders are cosplayers which adds to the fun. Rather than let the lack of a full liquor license be a liability, the bar offers one of the more impressive line-ups of craft beers in town(and only craft beers, no Bud here), with new seasonal brews constantly rotated in. And if you’re lucky enough to be there when Chef Mark is cooking, buy whatever’s he’s serving. Mostly a local crowd so far but I expect that to change as word gets out.
5. Haunted Horseshoe Revue. The Dapper Dans in ghoul make-up singing Halloween songs. An ersatz ghost of Samantha Sterling doing her cabaret show. The incomparable Jack Diamond—oh, sorry, “Abner Cadaver”--wowing the audience with his magic. All in a stunning building that looks every bit as good as it did in 1971. Only played a 1 week engagement, so sorry if you missed it—but hopefully WDW will find a way to bring it back for Halloween and other holidays.
[Quick note—I’m counting all temporary HHN houses as part of the existing HHN event, and therefore ineligible. Otherwise, American Werewolf in London, Evil Dead and La LLorona would be #1-3.]
4. Springfield USA. I devoured Matt Groening’s Life in Hell books in high school, so of course I’ve watched The Simpsons from Episode 1. Imagine my shock two decades later to walk into an exact, real life version of Moe’s Tavern. The detail is just astonishing. And the in-jokes scattered throughout Fast Food Blvd.! The Big Pink at Lard Lad! Not one, but three house microbrews at Duff Gardens. Technically just a spinner and a re-theme of a moribund fast food outlet, but feels like so much more. A guide to how to do place-making in a theme park.
3. Transformers. A Spider-man clone that still feels like its own thing. The realistic graphics help, as does the immersive queue. Even that Optimus standing guard over the entrance—seen it dozens of times, 10-year-old me still geeks out every time. And to think this was a throw-away project to get a tax break…
2. Legends: A Haunting at Old Town. Year-round haunts used to be a staple in Orlando, and the talented crew behind Legends are trying to recapture those glory days. A mix of innovative effects, a strong cast, and a coherent theme throughout make this place worth a stop in October or any other time of year. Admission remains a bit pricey, but this is an amazing professional house that rivals anything you’ll find in the big parks.
1. Player 1 Video Game Bar. Hardly the first attempt at this concept—Dave & Busters built a chain off of it—but the first to really capture the gamer aesthetic. Old-school arcade games mixed with vintage systems and the latest Xbox and PlayStation. Bounce from Ms. Pac-Man to sitting at the bar playing Injusticeto playing Duck Hunter in a private booth. The bartenders are cosplayers which adds to the fun. Rather than let the lack of a full liquor license be a liability, the bar offers one of the more impressive line-ups of craft beers in town(and only craft beers, no Bud here), with new seasonal brews constantly rotated in. And if you’re lucky enough to be there when Chef Mark is cooking, buy whatever’s he’s serving. Mostly a local crowd so far but I expect that to change as word gets out.
