UNIVERSAL TAKING PLUNGE WITH FLORIDA THRILL RIDES : DIVING IN.Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer Get ready to rock and roll. Universal Studios unveiled plans Tuesday for half-a-dozen, high-speed thrill rides as the centerpiece of its $2.6 billion Orlando, Fla., expansion to challenge nearby Walt Disney World Noun 1. Walt Disney World - a large amusement park established in 1971 to the southwest of Orlando Orlando - a city in central Florida; site of Walt Disney World . The rides are a departure from Universal's movie-studio parks in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. and Orlando, which have mostly spurned spurn v. spurned, spurn·ing, spurns v.tr. 1. To reject disdainfully or contemptuously; scorn. See Synonyms at refuse1. 2. To kick at or tread on disdainfully. v. thrill-style attractions. Universal hailed the park, dubbed Islands of Adventure and due to open in two years, as the ``most technologically advanced'' park. Rides include a Dueling Dragons Dueling Dragons is a pair of dueling roller coasters at Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure. The ride is the only dueling inverted roller coaster in the world. The ride is themed to two dragons, one side being Fire and the other Ice. double roller coaster; The Adventures of Spider-Man, with ``total immersion'' effects and a 400-feet fall; The Incredible Hulk Coaster, with a zero-gravity roll 110 feet up; Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls; Dr. Doom's Fearfall; and Jurassic Park - the Ride with the steepest water drop ever built. Director-producer Steven Spielberg Noun 1. Steven Spielberg - United States filmmaker (born in 1947) Spielberg is advising on the 650-acre expansion, which includes two children's areas - Seuss Landing, with Dr. Seuss characters; and Toon Lagoon - along with Jurassic Park, Lost Continent and Marvel Super Hero Island. Universal first announced plans to expand in Florida four years ago when it was owned by Matsushita Electric Industrial, which sold parent MCA MCA in full Music Corporation of America Entertainment conglomerate. It was founded in Chicago in 1924 by Jules Stein as a talent agency. In the 1960s it bought Decca Records and Universal Pictures, and today it produces films, music, and television shows. to Seagram Ltd. in 1995. On Tuesday, it started a countdown to the opening with a 3-ton hour glass. Islands of Adventure will have a separate admission fee from Universal Studios Florida, which charges $42 a day and attracts 8 million visitors annually. Universal also plans to open a CityWalk entertainment complex next year along with several new hotels starting in 1999 and expanded production facilities. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (Color) Universal Studios' new Orlando theme park will include thrill rides such as Dr. Doom's rollercoaster. |
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