Second thoughts: Penguin Trek, Mega Movie Parade, Country Bears

Now that Orlando’s theme parks have fulfilled their “open this summer” pledges, I decided to swing back for a second round.

It was not a great idea to do three parks, even quick visits, during, you know, peak Florida summertime heat. Late cloud cover saved me, but if you’re planning to do the same, hydrate and use sunscreen. Then, hydrate some more.

Back on Trek

I started with Penguin Trek, the new roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando. The posted wait time was 60 minutes, but the line moved steadily, and I was on within 45 minutes.

There’s a bottleneck at the bottom of the stairs at the loading platform. Passengers select their own rows, and from my experience, they don’t always pick the path of least resistance. Sure, some folks are jonesing for the front row, but why was the center of the train so unevenly bunched up?

Scoping out the situation from the stairwell, I saw that just a few folks were waiting for the last row. I went there and ended up on board three trains before the people who were just ahead of me in the queue. (Their children seemed so small, but they measured up, which reinforced the coaster’s “family thrill” emphasis.)

Stationing a SeaWorld employee at the base of the stairs might help even things out, and they could answer rider questions. A couple of people requesting elaborate baby-swap procedures held up the operation just before boarding during my visit.

The back-row ride experience rumbled more than my first time during previews when I was more in the center with a smooth trip. I’m not sure this rises to the level of the “B&M rattle” named for manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard.

The back also provided more whip during the two launch sequences, right down to the dangling feet. On the second surge, I noticed how we were aligned with the drop for Journey to Atlantis in the distance.

After the ride, it’s a little frustrating to wait for two different airlocks to open to exit. These are to regulate the air temperature for the habitat of actual, real live penguins, so it’s necessary. I did wish for a bypass for those who have seen the birds and the gift shop.

Grin, bear it

The Country Bear Jamboree at Magic Kingdom has been reborn as the Country Bear Musical Jamboree. The program has been reimagined with the animatronics now doing Disney tunes with twangs.

It works, and it’s kind of sneaky. The arrangements have the bears beginning with a verse that might be less familiar than the chorus. And the tunes are all over the Disney songbook, including numbers ranging from “Mary Poppins” to “Zootopia” (“Try Everything”). The finale is spot-on: “The Bare Necessities.”

The Gen Z-ers sitting next to me knew all the words and gave the attraction an “It’s cute” overall rating but whispered that they were “creeped out” by one bear animatronic.

Of the previous Jamboree songs, I only missed “All the Guys That Turn Me On Turn Me Down.” But I overheard a man on the ferryboat bemoan, “We will never hear ‘Blood on the Saddle’ again.”

Street smarts

Universal Studios has declared its new Mega Movie Parade to be open officially after a technical rehearsal period of a few days. People along the streets of the theme park may not see a “before and after” style difference.

The parade is themed to movies, mostly modern classics such as “E.T. the Extra-terrestrial,” “Jaws,” “Ghostbusters” and “Back to the Future” plus animated films, including “Kung Fu Panda” and “Trolls.”

I again stood near the beginning of the parade route, which doubles as the end of the line, so as to see everything twice but from a different angle. The roar for the appearance of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man atop the “Ghostbusters” float was not as hardy as on the opening date, but it’s still impressive.

I tried to check out more of the ground-level details, although some of it is just luck and timing. On the latest viewing, I saw the baton routine of the marchers with the “Jaws” float, appreciated the disco-inspired costuming of the minions and noticed that among the marchers with “Ghostbusters” were characters from this year’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” including a faux Finn Wolfhard.

That last one may come in handy for Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, which this year will feature a “Frozen Empire” haunted house.

As the “Jurassic World” float, the parade’s float, heads backstage, the T. Rex turns its head and roars. It’s almost a moment, but you’d need to be a big dino fan for that to be a good enough payoff for lingering.

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